Squeaking shoes.
Whoever had thought such an invention was an up to par idea was someone he would love to personally give a long, drawn out, and very detailed lecture to. What was worse was the way the sounds of the shoes hitting the smooth floor seemed to echo entirely too loudly, something that earned each person who passed him a withering glare.
"Is it going to take much longer?" he asked, leaning over toward Abbie with a fair amount of evident frustration.
"Not sure," she said as she flipped through a magazine she had picked up not long after they'd sat down. "Doctor's visits generally take as long as they take."
"There must be some time limit, though," he prodded with a glance up to the clock which showed they'd been waiting for over half an hour. "There are people in need of assistance."
Abbie chuckled as she turned the page, never once lifting her gaze. "Most of the time, yes, but these particular doctors are dealing with new and soon to be mothers who are questioning every other word being said. It takes a while."
Deflating under her lack of a, in his opinion, proper answer, he settled back in his chair and adjusted his arm around Katrina, who was resting her head against his shoulder.
Not long after they'd arrived at the doctor's office, she'd fallen right to sleep. Whether it was the baby, or a lack of sleep that had brought on her sudden drowsiness, he couldn't say, but he was grateful she was at the very least finally comfortable.
When Abbie had arrived at the cabin earlier in the morning with the suggestion that they visit a doctor to gain some idea of how far along Katrina was, he had been hesitant to agree. While he'd calmed slightly after his and Katrina's talk the day before, he was still heavily weighed down by his lack of funds.
He'd been in this century long enough to know that whatever this visit was going to cost was entirely too much for him to allow Abbie to make compensation for. It wasn't her responsibility and he'd told her as much.
However, she'd countered that it had to be done one way or the other and it would benefit Katrina and the baby a great deal, not to mention give them both some peace of mind regarding their baby's health.
That had been the final prod that had managed to get him to where he was now sitting.
To his surprise, he'd given into the idea far easier than Katrina, who he'd thought would have been overjoyed at the idea of learning more about their child. For reasons he was still yet to understand, she hadn't wanted to step foot outside the cabin, much less leave its grounds. Whether she hadn't felt well enough, or there was some entirely other reason eluded him, but whatever it had been had left him feeling more worried than not. Katrina had always been one to enjoy adventure, especially the kind that involved the outdoors as she was a keen lover of nature's beauty.
After they'd all finally come to the agreement that a doctor's visit could be beneficial, he'd settled himself into being semi excited about the journey from the cabin into town. For quite some time, he'd looked forward to sharing the new world with Katrina; the sights, sounds, and even smells. The world was open for them to discover and delight in just as they always had.
But that hadn't been what had happened.
When they'd made their way to the car, Katrina had all but insisted he sit in the back seat with her and then, during the entire ride, she'd clung to him as if he were a second skin.
Not even his dramatic commentary had brought a smile to her face, something that had left him feeling forlorn concerning. No matter how dry his sense of humor could be at times, Katrina had always given him the gift of her laughter, or at the very least a gentle smile.
Instead, she'd barely glanced out the window and when she did it was always with a timid expression, almost as if she was afraid the car would open up and allow everything to jump out and grab her at any moment.
At one point, a car alongside them idling at a red light had backfired and he'd thought Katrina was going to have a nervous breakdown over it. Tears had welled in her green eyes and her fingers had dug so deeply into his coat that he was sure she'd left fingerprints even through the thick material.
That was barely even to mention the explosion of Abbie's coffee in its cup holder at the exact moment Katrina had jumped. The hot liquid had shot straight up and splashed along the ceiling of the car as well as all over Abbie's passenger seat.
Thankfully, Abbie had avoided the mess, but that hadn't stopped her from yelling an expletive or two at the sudden explosion.
Katrina had been so distraught that he'd barely managed an apology to Abbie before he'd been forced to go straight into consoling his shaking wife.
At present, he'd still yet to receive an explanation from her regarding the incident, but it was on his to do list as soon as the two of them managed to find a moment alone.
By the time they'd actually reached the doctor's office, Katrina had been as tense and clammy as he'd ever seen her; something that left him feeling rather helpless over as, of the two of them, she'd always been the sure one; the one with the greater strength of spirit. In his mind, if either of the two of them were to be in a panicked and insecure state, he'd have thought it would be him.
He was almost positive the sterile doctor's office hadn't helped her state of mind at all. Everything was so bright and impersonal that he was sure Katrina felt as though the spotlight was on her.
"Is everything ok with her?" Abbie asked, her eyes on Katrina. "She hasn't said anything since we left the cabin."
Unsure how to properly answer his friend, he ran a hand through Katrina's hair, allowing the silky feel of it to glide between his fingers. "I've never seen her in such a state. It's as though she's afraid of her own shadow."
"Has she been that way since she came back?"
"No, not at all," he replied with a exasperated sigh. "If anything she's seemed stronger than ever. She spent a great deal of yesterday morning calming my fears. I can't imagine why she's suddenly so distraught with little to no provocation."
"It could just be the new environment," Abbie offered while returning to her magazine. "It's a big change from what's she's used to."
"Mrs. Katrina Crane?"
The nurse, a younger woman with dark hair, was leaning against the now open door which led to the back while glancing around the waiting room with searching eyes.
"Right here," Abbie called as she stood and nodded her head to Katrina. "You gonna wake her?"
With a weary sigh at the knowledge that he had to awaken her, he ran a hand along her arm and whispered against her hair.
"My love, it's our turn."
Her body shifted against his as she lifted her head, green eyes heavy with sleep.
Knowing he would have to take the lead if they were ever to actually move from their chairs, he stood, her hand in his grasp, and gently tugged her up.
The way she almost immediately bumped into him as she wrapped her fingers tightly around his left his heart constricting in his chest.
If only he knew what was troubling her so.
"Alright, Mrs. Crane," the nurse said with a bright smile as she opened another door. "If you'll just change into the gown on the bed, the doctor will be right with you."
At the sight of the thin material awaiting his wife, he cleared his throat and stopped just outside the door.
"I uhm... I'll wait here for you to change."
Katrina's eyes jerked up to his, a certain horror in her green eyes.
Yes, he knew she would be resistant to his being parted from her, but there was simply no way around it. She had to remove her clothing and he found himself unprepared to look upon her in such a state.
"It's only for a moment, my love," he whispered with a gentle squeeze to her hand. "Then, I'll be right in."
If anything, she clung to him more tightly. "Ichabod, I don't know..."
The nurse picked up the gown and held it up to Katrina, showing her the open side of it. "I know it looks complicated, but I promise it's easier than it seems. Just tie this at your back and it'll all come together."
With that, the nurse stepped around them and headed into the next room.
"She might need help tying it, Crane," Abbie said with a nod to the gown. "It'll be difficult for her to handle behind her back."
Panic began to take him over as he cast Abbie a pleading glance. However, her answer came in the hardening of her eyes as she slightly tilted her head toward Katrina.
Of course, he knew he needed to put aside his own discomfort to help his distraught wife, but that was easier said than done. No one seemed to care that this was just as new an experience for him as it was for her.
"Very well," he muttered as he pulled Katrina through the door and closed it while ignoring Abbie's satisfied expression as much as possible.
Now enclosed in the small room with Katrina, he took in the stirrups at the end of the bed as well as the many diagrams of various female body parts adorning the walls; the sight causing him to heat under the collar.
"Ichabod, I don't feel certain about any of this," Katrina whispered as she laid the gown on the bed. "I-"
Sucking in a deep breath, he covered the few feet between them and took her fidgety hands in his own. "I'm right here, my love, and I promise I won't leave you."
Green eyes darted around the room as her fingers tightened against his palms. "What if I have another accident?"
"Accident?" he repeated, his eyes narrowing. "Do you mean something similar to what happened in the car?"
Her gaze dropped to her feet. "I didn't realize how little control I had of my powers. I feel like a small girl coming into her magic for the first time."
Slipping one of his hands from hers, he grasped her chin and tilted her head up toward his, making sure he had her gaze on him.
The fear swirling in her green eyes brought a pang to his heart. He needed to be strong for her.
"I'm right here," he assured with as much confidence as he could muster. "There's nothing to fear."
"What if something's wrong with the baby?"
Startled that she would ask such a thing, he swept a few strands of her hair from her face.
"What makes you ask such a question? Has something given you cause to feel this way?"
Her eyes fell closed as a shiver visibly shook her body. "It's been so long since I became with child. What if the extended pregnancy has somehow hurt our baby?"
Uncertainty plagued him as he leaned his forehead to hers.
Everything within him screamed for him to lavish her with assurances and words of comfort, but how could he do such a thing when he was even less sure of himself than she? How had they gone from him being the doubtful one to the one forced to give assurance?
"I wish I could give you the answers you long for, Katrina, but I promise that, whatever the outcome of this day, you will not endure it alone. I will be with you every moment."
"You guys done in there?"
Abbie's voice caused the both of them to jump at the intrusion to their private moment. In all honesty, he'd nearly forgotten where he was.
Once he regained himself, he cleared his throat and called out, "Uhm, another moment please!"
Katrina glanced at the gown, her lips caught between her teeth.
"I'll just..." He spun on his heel to face the opposite wall. "Inform me when you're ready."
She gave a soft murmur in response, leaving him to stare at a rather large poster of a toothless baby with bright, blue eyes.
A sudden rush of dry mouth took him over as he closed his eyes. Soon enough, he'd have such a child, one likely with the same blue eyes.
How in God's name was he supposed to deal with all of this?
"Can you help me?"
Her soft whisper was accompanied by a rustle of material, prompting him to open his eyes and turn to look at her.
She was standing with her back to him, the thin blue gown hanging to just below her knees, as she tightly held the strings behind her.
"Of-of course," he stuttered as he reached for the ties, heart now beating wildly in his chest at the sight of her smooth, pale skin.
While his fingers fumbled with the strings, he brushed her spine a few times, effectively causing his face to heat from the contact.
It was ridiculous really.
He and Katrina were no virgins. For God's sake, they were in this bloody place because they were expecting a child; a child conceived from the most intimate act known to man; an act he and his wife had partaken in far too many times for him to be this red.
"Is something wrong?"
The hesitation in her voice jerked his eyes up to find her half looking over her shoulder at him.
"Oh, no, I was just..." He swallowed against the dryness of his throat and stepped back. "I'm finished."
She turned and smiled at him; the first nearly genuine smile he'd witnessed from her all day. "Thank you."
A small nod was all he could manage as he glanced at the door. "Hopefully the doctor will come soon."
"Mhm," she mumbled as she reclaimed his hand and leaned against him, burrowing her head into his neck. "It's cold in here."
"Is-" He cleared his throat while dutifully wrapping his arms around her. "What's going to happen now?"
Her shoulders bobbed with a shrug, leaving him to flounder for another way to present his question.
"Well, I ask because you're a nurse," he explained. "And you're well aware of how much I hate to enter into anything unprepared."
"I'm sure I'll just be examined," she whispered into his shirt.
"Ex-examined?" he repeated in a cracked whisper. "What does that pertain exactly?"
The door suddenly opened, causing them both to glance over and find both Abbie and a fair haired woman in what looked to be her late thirties entering.
"You must be Mrs. Crane," the woman said with a bright smile, hand extended out to Katrina. "I'm Dr. Stevens and I'll be seeing to you and your baby today."
As Katrina accepted the doctor's hand, she whispered a soft 'hello' before once again tangling her hands around his.
"And are you the father?" she then asked, her brown eyes flickering over his clothing, which he'd become begrudgingly accustomed to.
"Ichabod Crane," he greeted while accepting her offered hand. "And, yes, I'm Katrina's husband."
The doctor nodded as she gestured over to Abbie. "Abbie, here, tells me the two of you are a couple of her informants and that's why you didn't feel out the needed paperwork."
When he glanced at Abbie, she gave him a tight smile, leaving him to turn back to the doctor with a firm nod. "Yes, Katrina and I are simply looking to ensure that our child is healthy."
"I don't normally do this kind of thing," Dr. Stevens said as she looked over her chart. "But, since it's Abbie, I'm gonna let this one slide without too many questions."
"We'd be most grateful with whatever assistance you can provide us, Doctor."
She nodded her head back and forth as she gestured to the bed. "Mrs. Crane, why don't you have a seat here and we'll get started?"
Katrina cast him a nervous glance while she did as instructed.
Once she was situated, he reclaimed her hand and stood at her side as Abbie leaned against the wall across from them.
"Alright, Mrs. Crane, is this your first pregnancy?"
"Yes," Katrina answered with a small smile up at him. "It is."
Unable to help himself, he returned her expression with a small grin of his own.
She was so happy about their child that he couldn't help but share in her joy; even if the both of them were on edge with worry.
"Any allergies or medical conditions, previous or otherwise, I should be aware of?"
"No," Katrina said softly, her attention back on the doctor. "Not that I can recall."
"How about your family? Any hereditary diseases?"
"No."
"Ok, do you consume any alcoholic or nicotine based substances on a regular basis?"
"No."
The doctor made a few marks on her clipboard.
"How about Std's?"
"I'm sorry?" Katrina asked with a frown. "I'm afraid I don't-"
"She's only been sexually active with her husband, right?" Abbie asked with a raised eyebrow, her expression pointed as she stared at Katrina.
Dr. Steven's cast Abbie an odd glance before turning back to Katrina in wait.
Eyes on a particular spot on the wall where the paint had chipped, he stood stone still as Katrina answered.
"I've only ever lain with Ichabod."
Despite the discomfort of the questioning he was being made witness to, he felt a swell of pride in his chest at her answer.
Of course, he knew Katrina was faithful to him, but there was just something about hearing it spoken aloud that made it so much better.
"Mhm and when was your last menstrual cycle?"
All thoughts of pride vanished, he, once again, became hot under the collar and shifted, wishing the floor would open up and swallow him.
"I'm not really sure," Katrina said, her voice full of uncertainty.
"Can you give me your best guess?"
"I-"
He felt her fingers tighten around his, prompting him to glance at her. Her face was pale and she was staring at her hands as though lost.
It struck him, then, that she didn't remember. Two centuries stuck in Purgatory was sure to have left her with more to contemplate over than that of her womanly functions.
Quickly searching his mind for the last he recalled not being able to lay with her, a time period he absolutely loathed, he cleared his throat and brushed some of her hair behind her ear.
"The party," he offered with a small smile. "At your father's?"
She looked up at him, her forehead set with deep wrinkles.
"Remember, my love," he went on encouragingly. "We were readying for your father's party and..."
Clarity dawned in her eyes and she nodded. "Of course, it was three months before..."
She trailed off as a haunted look flashed over her face, obviously recalling his being struck on the battlefield.
"So, three months ago, then?"
When Katrina didn't respond, he gave the doctor a firm nod and said, "Yes, that's when."
With a strange look at Katrina that he wanted to defend against, the doctor moved to her next set of questions, the likes of which had him growing more and more uncomfortable with each one that ticked by. In all honesty, he tried to think of anything else while the questions carried on; ranging from Katrina's cycle to her diet.
"Alright, Mrs. Crane," Dr. Stevens said as she patted the bed. "If you'll just lie back, I have a few exams I need to perform."
"What sort of exams?" he asked, wary of anything that might cause Katrina discomfort.
"Pap smear, breast exam, blood tests," the doctor rattled off as she opened a few drawers and began pulling things out. "The works."
Abbie cleared her throat and gestured to the door. "I can stay if you want to wait outside, Crane."
Every fiber of his being told him to flee, but the moment his eyes fell to Katrina, who was staring up at him, her green eyes glassy, he paused.
"It's alright," she whispered, her voice low and cracked. "You don't have to stay."
There was little in her voice that convinced him she wanted him to leave.
Gently running his fingers through her hair, he placed a kiss to her forehead and whispered, "I made you a promise; one I fully intend to keep."
"You're going to be uncomfortable," she replied as her eyes fell to his coat; her fingers still clutching his despite her words.
"Indeed, I will," he agreed wholeheartedly. "But I'd endure anything for you."
A small chuckle escaped her as her fingers loosened ever so slightly around his.
The next ten minutes of his life cemented the idea that his eidetic memory was a curse. If he'd ever wanted to forget anything, it was those ten minutes.
When Katrina's fingers tightened around his for the hundredth time, he'd finally had enough.
"Must you hurt her so?"
The doctor cast him a half a glance as she continued whatever it was she was doing at the end of the bed between Katrina's parted thighs, which he thankfully couldn't see due to Katrina's gown.
He was as red as Katrina's hair, but that didn't mean he couldn't still protect her.
As the doctor was ignoring him, he turned to Abbie, who was kind enough to be looking through her phone in the corner rather than claiming witness to his wife's exam. He'd have to remember to fall on his knees in thanks to the generosity of his friend at a later time. How he and Katrina would ever have survived in this time without Abbie's knowledge and overall hospitality eluded him daily.
"Ichabod," Katrina breathed through clenched teeth. "I'm fine. It just stings a little is all."
Completely out of his depth, he pressed his head to the pillow beside hers and brought her chilly hand to his lips. "I'd do anything to take your pain."
Her eyes softened as she touched her forehead to his. "I know."
"Alright, all done," Dr. Steven's said as she stood and peeled off her gloves. "Now, do you have any questions for me?"
"Is our baby alright?" Katrina immediately asked as she pushed herself up in the bed.
Dr. Steven's pulled a large machine up. "We're gonna check on that right now, but do you have any other questions? Anything at all?"
Abbie stepped up beside him. "Aren't there some vitamins or something she needs?"
"Yes," the doctor replied as she clicked away on her machine. "The nurse will provide all of that on your way out."
Abbie smiled and glanced up at him with a bump to his shoulder. "Go on, I'm sure you have a thousand questions."
Actually, he didn't have any, which made him feel like a blundering idiot. He was failing his wife and child already while the latter of the two had yet to even arrive.
"Uhm, I-"
"I'm just gonna go ahead and answer the question all soon to be dad's ask," Dr. Stevens said with a chuckle as she pulled a new set of gloves on. "Yes, you and your wife can have sex."
So hot he was sure ice could be melted on his forehead, he coughed and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "I- I wasn't-"
"And it won't hurt the baby," Dr. Steven's assured as she fiddled with her machine. "Pretty much anything can still be done position wise. Just try not to go too crazy with the rough stuff and you can freely carry on as you normally would."
He noticed Abbie staring at the opposite wall, her body shaking with soundless laughter.
When he finally managed to glance at his wife, he noticed a light pink splotching her cheeks, but she was otherwise unaffected by the doctor's words, granted she was deftly avoiding his eyes.
"Alright," the doctor said as she draped a sheet over Katrina's hips before tugging the gown up to expose her belly. "Let's see what we have here."
Once again, the sight of his wife's skin had him clammy. How could she still affect him so deeply? After all these years?
As the doctor went about squeezing a clear gel on Katrina's belly, his wife tensed with a small sigh.
"Sorry," Dr. Steven's said as she smeared it with some sort of device. "I know it's cold."
Finally able to regain his composure, he asked, "What's this for?"
"This right here," she replied as she pointed at a black and white screen that was now flickering.
"And that is?"
She smiled and move the instrument in her hand to the left ever so slightly. "See it now?"
See it he did.
"Is that-?"
"Our baby," Katrina finished as she gripped his hand even tighter. "How is that possible?"
Abbie chuckled while gesturing at the screen. "Can they hear it, too?"
Dumbstruck by the sight before him, his body jerked when a hard and loud noise sounded around the room.
"What is that?"
"It's your baby's heartbeat," Abbie said as she bumped his shoulder again. "Amazing, huh?"
"Incredible," he whispered, his eyes glued to the screen.
They were actually looking upon their child; their son or daughter. Was there anything truly more remarkable in all the world?
"Is it supposed to be that quick?" he asked.
Dr. Steven's smiled. "Yeah, that's pretty normal and, if I'm correct, it looks like you're about fourteen weeks."
Tearing his eyes from the screen, he looked down at Katrina who was still staring at their child with tears trailing down her face.
"Katrina?" he whispered as he knelt beside her. "Are you alright?"
Her green eyes came to his, glistening with tears. "We're having a baby."
The tone of her voice held surprise, prompting him to trace his fingers over her cheek. "You've known this for quite some time, my love."
"I know, but..." She shook her head and tangled their fingers together over her chest. "It's real now. Our baby's growing again."
Overcome with the desire to take her in his arms, he pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. "I'm so overjoyed."
"You promise?" she asked, her eyes searching his out.
"Nothing in this world could ever make me happier than to see our love come to life."
A bright, and somewhat relieved, smile came to her face as she leaned her forehead to his.
As tormented as this day had kept him, he wouldn't take a moment of it back.
Next up: Morning sickness. A modern step for Ichabod. Abraham. Mixed signals between lovers.
Let me know what you guys think. I love the reviewer who tracks me down to my other stories to tell me to update this one. I'm glad you're enjoying and I hope I continue to feed you what you want ;)