Weiss Schnee
"Ruby I know you're excited to find out the sex of the baby but calm down we're not even at the hospital yet." I say trying to calm my wife who is bouncing in the driver's seat like a child on the way to an amusement park.
"I know I just can't help it!" she shouts happily. "Weiss, what do you hope the baby is?"
"Honestly...I don't really have a preference. I'll love it just as much either way." I say straightforwardly, putting both my hands on my belly.
"Well obviously I will too..but I am kind of hoping for a boy."
"Why is that?" I ask curiously.
"I don't really know...I guess I just like the idea of a baby boy." she says, smiling warmly. It can be a bit much sometimes but it really is nice to have a wife who is so enthusiastic about all of this, it means she is always giving it her all.
I know that I probably can't be the easiest to deal with at times either. For one my emotions have been a bit…erratic to say the least. I remember the other night I was feeling down on myself for some stupid reason and asked Ruby if she thought I was still pretty. She hesitated for a second, probably just caught off guard and I started bawling. She spent the next twenty minutes telling me over and over how I was 'the most beautiful girl in the world.'
Then there is the cravings and the morning sickness…but she is always so sweet and understanding. Never once getting angry or annoyed with me and always doing what she can to make me feel happy and secure. I lean over and lay my head on her shoulder, smiling at how lucky I am to have met her.
Finally we reach the hospital and as Ruby parks the car she hops and runs around to my side to open the door for me, unnecessary but cute. We sign in at the front desk and before long a nurse shows us to the examination room where all the ultrasound equipment is already set up. I was asked to lie down on the examination table. Eventually the doctor comes in and sits down on the other side of me. He looks familiar.
"Hello you two, I believe we have met before." he says, shaking our hands.
"I'm sorry I don't...OH your the doctor who helped me when I was attacked years ago!" Ruby exclaims, smiling. So that's where I remember him from.
"Yep it has certainly been a long time." he says back smiling. "Well Weiss, I imagine you're ready to get this thing started so I'm gonna ask you to go ahead and lift your shirt over your belly."
"Like this?" I ask, doing what he says.
"Exactly." He says as he starts smearing some kind of pink jelly on my stomach, it is pretty cold so I shiver a little when he first puts it on. "This will make it easier for the device to see the baby and as a bonus makes it easier for me to move around."
Ruby scoots a little closer to me and grabs my hand. Some of her excitement is now rubbing off on me as I squeeze her hand a little. The doctor starts turning on all the equipment and once everything is all set starts rubbing the transducer on my belly. It doesn't take long before an image pops up on the screen showing the unmistakable shape of a baby.
"Well good news it looks like your baby is doing fine."
"It's more than fine, it's perfect." Ruby says tearing up slightly. I second that sentiment.
"Can you tell what the sex is Doctor?" I ask mostly for Ruby's sake.
"Hmmm.." he looks over the image "Are you sure you would like to know?"
"Yes absolutely." Ruby says before I can even speak.
"I want what she wants." I respond, chuckling and rolling my eyes with a smile.
"Well it would appear that..you're having a boy." he says smiling at us.
"Really?!" Ruby asks overjoyed and the doctor nods. "Did you hear that Weiss, we're having a baby boy."
"I heard Ruby, that is great news." I say as she kisses me.
(Christmas Eve)
"Are we gonna be late for Yang's party?" I ask from the passenger seat. Yang recently decided to throw a Christmas party to get the old gang back together for a sort of reunion. Everyone agreed it was a good idea since it had been a long time since we all just sort of hung out together.
"Nope we have plenty of time." Ruby responds.
"Good." I nod and look out the car window. I won't lie, the amount of snow pouring down is a bit troubling but it should let up soon.
"I'm sure Qrow will be disappointed by the no drinking rule but there will be kids present after all." I say earning a small laugh from Ruby.
"Yeah well the kids are every bit a part of this big happy family of ours so it wouldn't feel right leaving them out, besides some the gang still haven't met Alan and Inu's daughter."
"True, Yang being one of them actually." It's been a few weeks since we have seen Yang at all to be fair.
"Yeah that was bad luck, her being away visiting her Mom the same month the baby was born." Once we pull into Yang's apartment it appears like we are arriving at the same time as Alan and Inu, not to mention their adorable little girl Kurinu
"Hey you two how have you been?" Ruby asks, smiling. She immediately walks over to Inu who is holding Kurinu and offers her finger. Which Kurinu grabs immediately with a small giggle.
"Busy but managing…honestly delaying the game was probably the right call, we both just have too much going on right now." Alan says.
"You're telling me." Ruby sighs.
"That aside, how have you two been?" Inu asks. "I'm sure that little guy will be on his way any day now."
"We've been good thanks." I responded. "And I wouldn't be surprised, he's been especially fussy lately."
"Well we better get inside, a pregnant woman shouldn't be out in the cold too long." Inu says, prompting us all to walk upstairs to Yang's apartment. Ruby had to help me up the stairs since they have become my worst enemy recently.
"Hey guys you're early." Blake says, stepping aside to let us in. "Yang is currently cooking up a storm as we speak."
"Sounds about right." Ruby chuckles, leading me over to the couch so I can take a seat.
Eventually the rest of the guests started showing up. First Ren and Nora, then Pyrrha and Jaune with their kids. Loran immediately got glued to me and Ruby, bombarding us with questions about the baby and if it'll be here soon and what we were going to name him. It was a bit much but still adorable.
"Glad everyone could make it." Yang says standing in the middle of everyone and speaking up as if she is about to make a speech. "It has been a..really long time since we have all been together like this. It kinda sucks that becoming an adult means that you just don't have as much time to spend with your friends anymore."
So true…it's telling that a gathering like this would've just been another weekend when we were in highschool. Now it feels like an extra special occasion..
"It's not all bad though, since graduation we have all grown so much. I'm working at my dream job and living with the love of my life, I got to see both my best friend and baby sister get married, heck my nephew should be here any day now and I'm sure we have all had amazing experiences like that."
That is also true...sure adult life isn't always fun. There are so many more responsibilities and it gets so busy that it sometimes feels like you don't have time for anything anymore but..it's got its perks. I lay my head on Ruby's shoulder and put my hand on my stomach.
"So for tonight, let's just enjoy our time together, Merry Christmas everyone!"
"Merry Christmas!" we all shout in unison.
The party was going great, everyone was having a blast. It was great to finally see everyone together again for the first time in ages. We were all telling jokes and reminiscing about the old days.
Ruby spent a lot of time playing with the kids while Yang of course was making up for lost time with Kurinu. Once Inu let Yang hold her she pretty much never got her back.
Ren and Nora announced that they had made the decision to adopt a kid because as orphans themselves they really wanted to give one a home. Pyrrha was talking to Blake about her book, asking if she was planning to write a sequel.
About two hours into the party I get up to refill my glass. Ruby offers to do it for me of course but I insist I can handle it when I felt a sudden pain in my abdomen. I dropped my glass on the kitchen floor, shattering it and alerting everyone.
"Weiss, what's wrong?" Pyrrha asks, sounding concerned.
"I...I think the baby is coming." I respond, it's honestly the only way I can explain this sudden pain. Then my water broke, only confirming it further.
"The baby is coming now?!" Nora shouts.
"What do we do?" Weiss asks clearly worried.
"Everyone just calm down, we can handle this." Pyrrha says. "Jaune go get the car started."
"Ruby help Weiss get her coat on, Alan and I will take your car to your house to get Weiss' stuff." Inu and Pyrrha are both really calm but then I guess they have been through this themselves.
Everyone starts getting ready to go, Blake and Yang were going to come to the hospital with us and Blake was trying to help Weiss keep up her breathing exercises. Before any of us can leave though Jaune bursts back into the apartment with a horrified look on his face.
"The roads are completely clogged up there is no way to get anywhere..." He says.
Ruby Rose
To say I was freaking out would be the understatement of the century. My wife was going into labor and we had no way to get to the hospital. Not to mention we called the hospital and they said it would be hours before the roads were safe enough to send an ambulance. We took Weiss back to Yang and Blake's room and laid her down.
"You're gonna be okay Weiss." I say trying to soothe her. She's holding my hand and squeezing so hard it feels like it could break. I don't care though, it must be a fraction of the pain she is going through. My heart breaks to see her hurting so much.
Our only shining glimmer of hope was that Blake was a trained nurse while she had never directly delivered a baby she has assisted on more than a few births.
"Alright everyone I can only have Ruby plus one other person in here besides me and my assistant." she nods at Yang indicating she is her assistant.
"Pyrrha, I want Pyrrha to stay." Weiss says in between breathing. Makes sense, they are really good friends and Pyrrha has been through this multiple times already.
"Of course Weiss." Pyrrha walks to the other side of her and holds her other hand.
"Alright then everyone else out." She points to the door and everyone files out without question. They are all worried about Weiss but they trust Blake's judgement. "Yang I am going to need clean towels and blankets."
"Will the baby be okay?" Weiss asks, obviously straining to speak at this point.
"It'll be fine Weiss, you just focus on giving birth, don't worry about anything else." Blake reassures her, which is good because as much as I want to be reassuring I am freaking out a little.
Pyrrha takes a second to text Jaune, telling him to call everyone who isn't here and let them know what's going on. According to him, Dad said he would be on the next flight over here and Winter said she was doing everything she could but was trapped by the same snow we were.
As the hours went by Weiss seemed to only be getting worse and worse. I'm pretty sure that my hand had to be broken by this point. It was hard to tell because as much as my hand hurt I was more preoccupied with my poor Weissy. Not to mention worrying about our little Nicholas.
"I see the head!" I hear Blake say. That instantly sends a jolt of joy and anxiety through me. "It won't be much longer now Weiss, we are almost at the finish line."
"You're doing great Ruby, it won't be much longer now." I kiss her hand.
"Our little Nicholas is almost here." She says managing a strained smile. She will never cease to amaze me with just how strong she is.
"That's right Weiss but you gotta push okay." I say trying to motivate her.
"The shoulders are out, you're so close Weiss." Blake says trying to motivate Weiss as well.
"You got this Weiss!" Yang chimes in.
"Our baby boy is almost here, Weiss just a bit more." I whisper to her.
It doesn't take too long before we hear Blake confirm that the baby was out and she got him to start crying so he could fill his lungs with his first precious breath.
After making sure everything was okay, she wraps him in a blanket and hands him to Weiss right away. Weiss is smiling bigger and brighter than I think I have ever seen and I'm right there with her.
"Hey there little guy I'm your Mommy." Weiss says gently kissing him on the head. "Sorry you had to work so hard to get here but we have you now."
"He's just…so perfect." I say, tears are already starting to fall down my face.
"The most beautiful thing I have ever seen..." Weiss says, leaning him just enough so he is facing me. "Look, it's your Momma."
"Hey little guy...I'm so happy you're finally here." He lets out a gentle coo as I gently take hold of his tiny little hand and kiss him on the top of his head. Never in my life have I wanted to protect something more.
"He seems pretty happy to see you too." Weiss says smiling and leaning her head on my shoulder.
"I promise that I will do my best to make you and Mommy as happy as possible, and to never let anything happen to you."
"I second that little guy." Weiss says smiling. "If I have anything to say about it, you will never have to experience an ounce of the loneliness I felt, you will always know that you are loved."
Her eyes are closed, I can't blame her with how exhausted she has to be. This is the official start of our new life as parents, so she deserves to rest while she can. It is only going to get harder from here but it will be worth every moment of hard work.
"Good news guys, I just called 911 and the roads are finally just safe enough to travel, the ambulance will be here soon!" Alan exclaims which only makes us feel even more relieved.
"Good, now Weiss and the baby will be able to get everything they might need." Blake says, clearly extremely exhausted.
"Blake, I just want to say we can't thank you enough, it means the world to us what you did tonight." Weiss says with a smile.
"Ditto." I walk over and give her a big hug.
"You don't have to thank me, we are practically family."
"Still it means the world to us."
Eventually the ambulance arrives and the paramedics waste no time getting Weiss and the baby loaded into the back. Of course only I was allowed to ride with them but everyone else promised they'd be there to visit as soon as they could.
Tonight was probably..no definitely was the most stressful experience of my entire life but when I think about the fact that our beautiful baby boy is finally here with us, I suddenly don't mind nearly as much.