Disclaimer: I own nothing. This is just to satisfy my muse.
AN: Thanks for the beta Liz! (An the Awesome plugging!) To all who read, review, follow, or just glance at this, Thanks!
The early morning sunlight was muted as Nate sat in the soft leather chair by the window, his feet resting on the matching ottoman. Those few brief rays that shone through illuminated the face of the infant resting in his arms. Nicholas William Archibald was just three days old, but this was the third morning he had greeted the world from his Daddy's arms.
Nate was simply in awe of their precious boy.
Three days ago...
Beep, Beep, Beep!
Jenny Archibald reached awkwardly over her nine month pregnant belly and shut off her alarm. Struggling to sit on the side of the bed, she finally made it to an upright position, and scooted to the edge placing her feet on the floor. As she started to stand she felt a pain in her lower back, and sat heavily back on to the bed. The pain was brief, over as quickly as it began.
"I can't be in labor yet," she thought as she stood. The baby wasn't due for another week.
She could hear the shower as she waddled into the bathroom. The baby continued to rest on her bladder, making heading to the toilet her most pressing concern. Once that had been taken care of, she rounded the corner to the shower area.
Taking a moment, she simply stood and watched her husband through the slightly clouded glass. No one woman alive could deny Nathaniel Archibald was a prime specimen, but all those women didn't get to see him in all his pure splendor. She was the only one who got to see him like this, and she loved that, and him. Jenny never thought it was possible to love anyone the way she loved Nate. He was everything to her, and now she carried a precious life within her that was already everything to both of them. These thoughts brought tears to her eyes.
As she stood there with tears falling down her cheeks, she felt another spasm of pain in back. Before she could stop herself, she let out a small squeak of sound. Nate was just turning off the water and heard her. Grabbing a towel off the shelf right outside the stall, he wrapped it around his waist and rushed to her.
"Jen, why are you crying? Are you in pain? Damn, I should have been there when you woke up. I thought I would be done in here. Don't cry, Baby. Where are you hurt?" He asked, as he wrapped her in his arms and stroked her back.
She placed her fingers gently over his mouth to quiet him.
"Nate, I'm fine. I was just looking at you and marveling at my good fortune. You are wonderful, Mayor Archibald." She told him.
He smiled down at her his eyes twinkling.
"No... that would be you, First Lady Archibald," he chuckled.
Smiling, she reached up to kiss him. As the kiss became heated, they reluctantly pulled apart. They both had full days ahead of them. Jenny was currently in charge of EWD, as Blair's maternity leave had begun two weeks ago with the birth of her daughter. She was meeting with a new client this morning who was interested in collaborating over a line for her Manhattan boutique. Nate had an important budget meeting at City Hall.
So Jenny entered the shower as Nate left the bathroom in search of his closet. After five cleansing and relaxing minutes, she reached to turn off the water. As she did so, the back pain came again, and this time was the worse yet. She began to think that this might be it... was their baby finally coming? However, her water had yet to break and the pains were not occurring that often. Today's meetings were important for each of them, and she didn't want to sidetrack Nate's day over something that was probably just Braxton Hicks contractions. She didn't want to get him worked up over something that was probably a false alarm.
Taking a deep breath, she got out of the shower and reached for a towel.
NJ*NJ*NJ*NJ
As usual, Nate and Jenny had breakfast together and afterward rode in the town car to their respective offices. This morning, the car dropped Nate off at City Hall first, then continued to the Waldorf atelier.
Colin, Jenny's bodyguard, escorted her to her office door and promptly took his place at his designated spot in the outer waiting area. In the last hour or so, she had begun to feel a tightening in her stomach that coincided with her back pains. She was almost certain she was in the beginning stages of labor. Everything she had read said this stage could go on for hours, so she decided to simply take it easy and finish her meeting.
NJ*NJ*NJ*NJ
Jenny's meeting went well. She would collaborate with Helan Stuart, owner of the Gilt boutique, in the winter on a line of exclusive evening wear. During the meeting, she had experienced more contractions, but had managed to cover the pain.
After the meeting was over, she asked Autumn, her assistant, to bring her some water, as she sat grasping the arms of her chair.
Autumn took one look at Jenny and asked, "J, are you alright!? Oh my goodness! Are you in labor!? Colin!," she shouted. The bodyguard ran quickly into the room, reaching for his sidearm.
Noticing his movement, Autumn exclaimed, "Really Colin! There's no one in here but me and Jenny, no need for guns blazing! I think J's in labor!"
At this point Jenny had risen from the chair and made her way around the desk. "Relax guys! It's just early contractions. I'm fine. My water hasn't even broken." No sooner than the last word passed her lips, did a downpour of fluid land at her feet.
"AH!" she yelled, covering her face with her hands.
Autumn went to help her as Colin yelled, "I'm calling the Mayor!"
"No! He's in an important meeting. I don't want him disturbed," she pleaded while breathing through her nose.
"Sorry J. I'm calling him. This trumps ANYTHING ELSE! I have strict instructions from His Honor himself, or it's my head," he said, dialing Nate's cell.
"This is Karen for Mayor Archibald."
"Karen! It's Colin! You have to get the Mayor now, Jenny's in labor!"
"Oh my Gosh! Right away! He'll meet you guys at Lennox Hill."
"Thanks Karen."
He and Autumn helped Jenny out of the atelier, and walked her to a waiting taxi. The First Family of NYC was about to increase by one.
NJ*NJ*NJ*NJ
Nate sat impatiently, tapping his fingers slightly and bouncing his right knee, as the town car headed swiftly toward the hospital. He prayed Jenny would be alright until he arrived. He had felt she was acting a bit strangely that morning, but his mind had been so wrapped up in the forthcoming budget session. Nate felt like kicking himself for not paying better attention to his sweetheart.
"Luke, can't we go any faster!?" He yelled, pressing the button to call to his driver.
"Sorry Mayor, there is a bit of a bottleneck up ahead. I'm trying to navigate around it," the driver replied.
"Please! I have to get to Jenny!"
"I know I'm wasting my breath, but relax Boss! These things take time. We'll be there soon," said Cane, his chief of security.
"She's already been in labor for awhile, I think, but she kept it from me," Nate responded distractedly. Leave it to his fierce warrior of a wife to suffer in silence.
Just as he was about to press the button for another ETA update, the car came to a stop, and Luke quickly opened his door.
"Here we are, Mayor Archibald! Good Luck and Congratulations!" The driver called as Nate jumped from the car and hurried into the hospital, oblivious to his bodyguard trying to follow and fulfill his duty, or the beginnings of the press corps assembling, complete with flashing cameras.
Nate did not break stride until he was at the nurse's station of the Maternity Ward.
"Excuse me?" he said, directing his question at the top of the head of the nurse who sat studying papers on a clipboard in from of her.
"Just a minute Si-..." the nurse began to say until she looked up. "Mayor Archibald! I'm sorry! I was going over the ward rotation. I'm so sorry!" She babbled.
"It's fine, Denise. Is Jenny here yet?" He asked anxiously.
She gawked at him for several seconds, because he actually remembered her name! Snapping out of it she immediately launched into action, "Yes, Mayor! Sorry, right this way!" She said leading him down the hall.
Upon entering the room, Nate's eyes sought out his wife sitting up in bed, eyes closed, creative hands resting at her sides. Colin and Autumn, who were sitting off to the side rose. But he only had eyes for his sweetheart. Seeing they were no longer needed, the aides quietly left the room.
"Jen?" Nate said softly.
Her eyes immediately opened at the sound of his voice. Tears brimmed, and she started babbling.
"I'm sorry. You didn't even get to finish your meeting, did you? He's coming early. I tried to wait."
Nate walked to the bed, leaned down and kissed her to quiet the little rant.
"I don't give a damn about that meeting. Our son is making his debut. There is no place in the world I would rather be than next to you when that happens," he said as their foreheads touched. Wiping her tears away, he slid onto the bed pulling her into his arms.
"Are you alright? How bad is the pain?"
"I'm fine. The contractions are about 20 minutes apart. They haven't been too bad, but it's not a crucial time yet."
"Well, we'll just relax here together until it's time for the breathing," he said, holding her closer.
"There's no place I'd rather be than in your arms," she sighed with a smile.
NJ*NJ*NJ*NJ
Several hours later...
Doctor Karn, their obstetrician, told them it would soon be time for the true labor to begin. Nate had been beside Jenny every minute, holding her hand, helping her breathe through the contractions, rubbing her back, even feeding her ice chips. For the second time that day, she thought of how lucky she was to have this man as her husband. Just then another contraction came quickly on the heels of the last. She was beginning to feel an urge to bear down.
"I feel like pushing!" she screamed suddenly.
"Hold on, Sweetheart!" he yelled as he pushed the call button for the doctor.
A nurse quickly adjusted the bed and helped Jenny get situated in the stirrups. Doctor Karn returned to the room and took his place on the stool at the end of the bed.
"OK, Jenny, this is it. With the next contraction, I want you to continue your breathing and push. Do what feels natural to you."
After exactly three long pushes, Nate helping her, as she had the urge to bend forward, Jenny felt a release of pressure and immediately heard a loud strong cry. She fell back and gasped hoarsely, "He's Here!"
"It's a boy!" the doctor announced.
"Thank you, My Sweetheart!" a completely ecstatic Nate said, kissing her forehead.
"Give him to me!" Jenny demanded, fatigued but overjoyed, extending her arms.
The nurse who had taken the baby to the other side of the room for the newborn assessment quickly brought him over to the happy new parents. Jenny took her son into her arms for the first time. Nate eased onto the bed next to her.
"Hello, my Precious Boy!" Jenny said, as she cuddled their baby.
"I can't believe we created this perfect little person, Jen."
"Welcome to the world Nicholas William Archibald!" She cooed.
In the visitor's area, Dan, Serena, Rufus, Lily, Alison, Eric, Anne, Howard, Chuck and Henry waited anxiously for news. Blair who was home with her new baby, called every 15 minutes without fail for an update. In that moment however, the Archibalds simply wanted to bask in the wonder of their new little family.
NJ*NJ*NJ*NJ
Present Day...
As Nate smiled down at his son, Nicky opened his eyes and his little mouth formed an O as he yawned. Nate rose slowly and walked over to the changing table. After maneuvering his squirming boy into a fresh diaper, he grabbed a cloth for his shoulder and walked to the double doors of the master bedroom.
Easing into the room, he carried the baby over to the bed and eased in. Jenny lay facing his side of the bed, as he situated himself against the headboard, her eyes eased open and she smiled.
"Nicky and I were going to wait here patiently until you woke up so he could have his breakfast."
Jenny giggled as she eased up to sit next to Nate and lean against his shoulder.
"Good morning, Handsome! Good morning, Sweet Boy." She said, kissing Nate's cheek and tickling their baby's stomach.
She reached over to take their son, adjusting her camisole and situating Nicky as he grunted and began to root around. He latched on to her breast, curling his little fist against his mother. She hummed sweetly to the nursing baby.
Nate looked at the two people who were his entire world and felt completely content.
More to come...
If you aren't reading Clair de Lune by Dr. Holland, Go directly there now! Start reading the Fabulous CdL! You won't be sorry.