The tension in the room is so thick you could cut through it with a knife and serve it on a plate. Honey is pacing back and forth, muttering prayers and wishes, sending good vibes to two of her closest friends. Hiro is sitting down on a plastic chair, mouth in a straight line, fingers pressed together firmly in front of him. Fred's also sitting down, a serious look on his face where there should be a lazy smile, and this means something. Fred isn't normally so serious. Wasabi is furiously texting away, simultaneously live-tweeting the past hour.
Still no news.
Still no news.
Still no news.
"Oh, this is driving me nuts!" Aunt Cass exclaims, who has been standing by the door, biting her nails. "Why hasn't anyone talked to us?"
Honey took quick little steps to Aunt Cass. "I'm sure they're just - I'm sure they're busy!"
Fred leans back in his chair. "Yeah, they're probably busy, Aunt Cass."
Hiro frowns. "They should have said something by now."
Wasabi turns to Hiro, just as Aunt Cass lets out a little wail. "Dude. Do not agitate your aunt."
Before the younger Hamada can retort, a red-headed nurse dressed in light blue scrubs comes bursting in through the doors, breathing heavily. Everyone who wasn't already standing got up to join Aunt Cass and Honey. "She's fully dilated. We've got her on the bed right now. I'll be back with more news when the delivery progresses. I'm sure you're all very worried." The nurse says this as calmly as possible, with a reassuring smile on her face.
"There's nothing wrong with her, is there?" Aunt Cass asks.
The nurse shakes her head. "As far as we've observed, this is as normal as a delivery can get."
"And how about... How about the doctor?" Hiro asks tentatively. "Is he up to the task?"
The red head bites back a small smile. "He's doing his best."
(*)
"On a scale from one to ten, how would you-"
"Baymax, just shut up already!"
"But GoGo, I cannot give you satisfactory care if I do not know how much pain you are in."
"Eleven!"
Tadashi squeezes his wife's hand reassuringly from his seat at the side of her bed. "Don't worry, little flower, it'll be all over soon-"
"Don't call me little flower!"
"He's awfully calm about this," one nurse quips to the other, after documenting the results showing up on the heart monitor.
"Who, Baymax? Of course he's calm-"
"No, I'm not talking about Baymax. I'm talking about the husband," she says with a grin.
"Oh. I see. You have a point. She's been cursing at him and Baymax for the past few hours, and he's still calling her 'little flower'."
"Administering the anesthesia, GoGo," Baymax reiterates dutifully. "You should start feeling numb around your-" The soon to be mother lets out a loud groan, nearly propelling herself off the bed.
"Whoa, Leiko," Tadashi says hurriedly, using both of his arms to restrain her. "You don't want to do that, okay? Just stay calm. Remember those breathing exercises you did with Honey and Aunt Cass? Yeah, that's good. That's my girl." He smiles encouragingly at her as she inhales through her nose, and exhales out her mouth. She finally leans back, the contraction over.
"It hurts, Tadashi." GoGo squeezes his hands tightly, and, (as usual) he knows exactly what to say to her.
"Woman up," he whispers with a smile, and brings her hand up to his mouth, kissing her knuckles.
She smiles at him just before another contraction pulses through her body.
(*)
Aunt Cass is five minutes away from needing a paper bag to breathe in. "Her labor is being abnormally long," she says in a high-pitched voice to Honey, who nods.
"Well, it is her first child, Aunt Cass," Honey tries to calm her down. "I've read that it takes a longer time for first-timers to-"
"I know, but why haven't they told us anything yet? Why hasn't that nurse come back?" Aunt Cass worries. "She's fully dilated, so that means that they baby should be coming out now. Earlier. I don't-"
The door slams open again, and the same nurse stands in front of them, a neutral expression on her face. Everyone hovers around her anxiously, and she finally breaks into a relieved smile. "Congratulations, it's a boy."
Aunt Cass bursts into tears, while Honey embraces the new grand-aunt. Fred and Wasabi let out identical sighs of relief, giving each other a brief hug, as well. Hiro, being the odd man out and the new uncle (the new uncle by blood, anyway), feels a sudden rush of euphoria and decides to grab the next lone person in the room, which is the nurse. The unfamiliar body takes Hiro by surprise, and he blushes when he realizes what he's done. "Sorry!" he quickly releases the red-head, who is also blushing furiously.
"It's all right. I understand that you were excited. It's normal." She smiles briefly. "Mr. Hamada is with GoGo now, and the baby is being taken care of. I'll let you know when you can see the patients."
"Thank you so much," Honey tells the nurse gratefully. "Tell Baymax, too."
"I'll tell the proud doctor," the nurse chuckles. "You should have seen it when he delivered the baby. He probably short-circuited."
"Don't worry, little dude," Fred tells Hiro. "I'm sure he did a pretty good job on his first delivery."
Hiro smiles to himself. Baymax was starting to become more of a robot nurse - if all went well, he could start operating on different patients and delivering babies. The thing was, no one was really willing to be the parents of the 'first baby delivered by a robot'.
Until of course, GoGo got pregnant.
(*)
"I think he looks like me."
"Sorry, Hamada, I think he looks more like a Tanaka to me."
"No, look at that strong chin, and signs of dimples. Definitely a Hamada," Tadashi teases, although he's close to tears for the second time that night.
GoGo smiles, her fears of raising a family gone with the wind. He feels right in her arms, so tiny and warm, a product of love. And, while she didn't like to admit it, an equal half of both Tanaka and Hamada genes. "At least he'll be a pretty good looking kid," GoGo replies.
"I have come to check on the baby, and on you, GoGo." Baymax toddles into the room. Tadashi grins, and gets up to hug Baymax.
"You did great, buddy!" he says excitedly. "Man, I'm so proud of you." He catches GoGo giving him a 'look', and he adds quickly, "Both of you, of course. Both of you."
"I am glad you are happy, Tadashi," Baymax replies, already at GoGo's bedside. "Both of you are exhausted, but happy as well. Both of you vitals are very normal." Two lines of vital signs appear on Baymax's stomach. "Have you thought of a name for him?" Baymax asks.
Tadashi and GoGo look at each other, and then, at their sleeping baby boy. An identical smile grows on their face, and they look at Baymax, who has been with them every step of the way.
"Max."
(*)
And there you have it; Max's birth!
I love Baymax's role in this one - this is one of the chapters I knew was going to happen way before I wanted this to become an Anthology. Heck, this was going to be a standalone; luckily, it didn't. I just think it's nice, you know? How one of Tadashi's greatest inventions ended up bringing one of his favorite people into the world.
I thought it was a wonderful representation of the Circle of Life. /Raises Max to the sun amongst the chorus of wild animals/
What were your thoughts on this one? Reviews are always welcome. :) Personally, I think it feels a bit rushed - I might edit this one once I'm not up at 4 in the morning.
As always, thanks for the support!