"More rest, please...", Jacques whispered. The man was fairly exhausted considering how sleep wasn't as much of a guarantee when in Occupied France and having to either move during the night, or sleep so few hours as to plan or keep an eye out for the Germans.
Sia gave a warm giggle, "You can sleep all you want in our bed at the palace, my love...Wake up, Jacques Dernier, I want to see your eyes brighten up like the stars...", stroking his hair a bit more eagerly, as a determined kick came at the side of her baby bump, hitting his arm.
Jacques slowly opened his eyes before looking at his beloved mate. "Was that you?", he asked as Sia chuckled. "No, that would be our daughter...", she told him as he had a small smile. "She's certainly making herself known now for sure...".
Jacques chuckled as he took her in, "Definitely like her mother...", coming closer as he got up from his chair, feeling her hand moving from his hair, cradling his cheek, caressing his stubble, looking at him as she took him in as well.
He then leaned in to kiss her in the long-missed, deep, tender, loving, and reverently way that many people had experienced over time since the dawn of man, his hand caressing her cheek lovingly.
This lasted for a long minute before they had to part away for air, resting foreheads together, their breath intertwining together between them, and Sia whispered, "I heard some things here and there...Are you staying here forever?", looking into his deep brown eyes.
Jacques nodded, "Yes... and honestly... I shouldn't have left, but as you said... I just never would feel right without at least returning back to France one last time to help... I know I told you that France still was occupied and that the war wasn't over, but I felt, by the time I faked my death, that the tide was changing well enough that it was time for me to come back. That others would take the charge and I know they will do well.".
Sia nuzzled his nose, sighing softly, "Oh, Jacques, I missed you so...I love you...", and Jacques smiled, "I love you, Sia...I missed you so much as much as I missed the boys...And I was sure happy to see that Vinny had completely been immersed in his new life of being Atlantean, and oh, Kory...You did so good with him...He crawled to me so well, so happy to see me...".
"Oh, that's so wonderful to hear...We will see him walk for the first time together...And he will be a great big brother to Jendayi...I want her to be called Jen for short...", Sia smiled.
Jacques chuckled, "Jen...I like it...Good enough to be casual...I suppose that was in honor of my initial of my name, huh?", and Sia whispered, "Not exactly...I...Something else happened after I was thrown from the Ketak...".
"What would else happen besides the traumatic pain you were going through?", Jacques frowned in confusion, and Sia took a deep breath, went to explain about the lost four, their names, and how they helped saved her for a bit longer before Jacques came in the brink of time.
"I know it sounds crazy now that I say that... but part of me thinks it might have something to do with just how close to death I may have been at that moment... a bit closer than either of us would've liked.", Sia told him.
Jacques exhaled, "No, it isn't crazy...And to think they were stuck, wandering with that worm monster after their deaths, and they didn't know that Rourke led them to it through he didn't plan it to be a worm monster, but still...For them to be heroes they deserve to be, getting the peace from feeling better that they helped you and our daughter, along with the worm monster's death, I'm happy that they finally found their way home to the heavens, and I'm not upset that you named our daughter in honor of their names in a way. I would never thank them enough for holding back the desperate edge of death...".
Sia caressed his stubbled cheeks, "Me neither...And hey, you now have all the time to think up a middle name for our Jendayi.", with a smile, and Jacques smiled, chuckling, "Very true...", before hearing an excited squeal, and he turned around, looking over as Sia looked as well, seeing Vinny holding a squirming, happy Korbyn.
Vinny laughed as he held a satchel of some food, "Alright, alright, Kory, there you go.", placing him down on the floor, and he crawled some before narrowing his eyes in determination, his hands grabbing into the bottom of the bed edge, getting up, sticking his tongue out as he shakily stood, and took a step, and then another, smiling as he kept supporting himself alongside the bed, looking at Jacques and Sia with a excited squeal, wobbling.
Sia gasped, holding her hands with a sob over her mouth, "Kory, you're trying to walk!", and Jacques laughed happily, "That's it, Kory, almost there!", and Kory wobblily walked, giggling and babbling as he let go of his support, and shakily took another couple of steps before he shrieked out in surprise, losing his balance as he fell forward, but got caught just in time by Jacques's hands as he barely made it, looking disappointed with a sniffle as he wanted to do it right...
"Hey, don't cry...", Jacques told him. "You did wonderful... you'll get the hang of it fairly quick; I know it... you're already growing up so fast...", he chuckled. "Enjoy it while you can...", Sia teased. "He'll be like this for quite a while despite the crawling and walking.".
Jacques chuckled warmly as Korbyn reached out for Sia happily with a squeal, and Sia reached out to take Korbyn from Jacques's hands, kissing him on the forehead, "Your papa's right, you'll be fine, and there's no need to rush...", as Vinny came over on the other side of the bed, smiling as he kissed Sia on the forehead, "It's so good to see you smiling, Mom...How's our sister doing?".
Sia smiled, "Testing her kicks, but she's doing good...Did your papa tell you two her name?", and Vinny nodded, "Yeah, Jendayi. It's a swell nice name, right, little bro?", as Korbyn clapped his hands, nodding as he giggled.
"Well, I have all the time to find her middle name as we wait for her in the new year, and when she's not in trouble, she can be called Jen for short, son.", Jacques smiled, and Vinny chuckled, "Oh, yeah, since Christmas already came yesterday and all on the surface...Talk about a crazy Christmas here, and we got miracles thanks to you, Papa...".
Sia gasped softly, "Oh, gosh, I'm sorry I messed up your Christmas, Jacques...I mean, with my given memories of your life, it should be the happy kind of chaotic, with presents and all...", and Jacques replied, "Nonsense, Sia, it wasn't your fault, and I already got my presents...You, the boys, and our miraculous daughter...", stroking her baby bump where Jendayi kicked happily, "See, she agrees too.".
"I suppose you're right, but I...I never got the chance to see how we can do Christmas here...", Sia sighed deeply, and Jacques replied, "Who says that we can't make our Christmas if we miss it on the surface for ourselves? And if you want a Christmas wish, how about this?", before kneeling against the edge of the bed, as Sia gasped in tears and surprise.
"As our children is family, I ask you, Princess Thalassia Nedakh, to fulfill our promise to be together forever, if you would let me have your hand and heart in marriage, to be my wife?", Jacques asked warmly, and Sia sobbed, nodding, "Oh, yes! Yes, Jacques!", and Jacques smiled widely as their boys clapped and cheered, with him leaning in to kiss Sia on the lips happily.
After 30 seconds, Jacques smiled, "We can have the wedding after everything settles down with Kida's child being born...I bet Kida would want her baby to see their uncle and aunt getting married, if that's alright?", and Sia smiled, "Yes, that's just perfectly fine.", before hearing muffled cries of pain, "What was that?".
Jacques smiled, "I think Klaus decided to announce his arrival after feeling the joyful atmosphere from us, and about time too, I think Abraham was getting impatient since he gave birth to Rachel yesterday.", and Sia gave a joyful gasp, "Oh, you're right! Everybody can have their own way of Christmas and all...It sounds like he's really getting into labor, if you say that Klaus is announcing that he's on his way, perhaps the water's breaking at last.".
Indeed, in Abraham and Thaddeus's room, with Rachel watching distantly in her soundproof bassinet, Abraham cried out in pain from the new advance of contractions, "How much am I dilated, Nola?! I can feel the water breaking!".
"Just a moment...", Nola said as she went to check. "Looks like pretty far along already; probably has something to do with your previous one being born earlier. Alright, we do this again, should be a bit easier now that you know what to do now, right?", she chuckled.
Abraham replied, "Oh, I know what you mean, but it still hurts! I really respect our wives, Tad!", as he clenched into Thaddeus's hand, and Thaddeus replied with a kiss to his forehead, "And I bet they're glad to hear that. You got this, Abram. How far along exactly, Nola?".
Nola replied, "Just a tad after 3/4 dilated, couldn't be much longer now, maybe several minutes.", and Abraham cried out in pain from another contraction, "So much better than being at it for just over 5 hours last time!".
"Agreed. Now, breathe through those contractions, just be patient, Abraham.", Nola said, and Abraham nodded, taking deep breaths among the increasingly painful contractions as Nola checked occasionally for a whole hour before she announced, "You're fully dilated, push!".
Abraham labored through his contractions, pushing as he grunted and cried out in pain loudly for another hour before he panted, "Anything?!", as Nola checked, "He's not crowning yet. Let me check with my crystal. He's in the birth canal, and oh, my, I see, he's a tad big for a baby boy as the birth canal is trying to fit him through. His emotions are all over the place, but what I can decipher is that he wants to try a water birth if it helps you being in less pain, and it would bring him out easier and faster. Do you want a kiddie pool or the tub, Abraham?".
"The kiddie pool, please! It hurts even to think about walking all the way to the bathroom right now!", Abraham replied, and Nola nodded, shouting at a couple of healers out in the hallway in Atlantean, and they nodded, going to get the advanced Atlantean kiddie pool for water births.
"At least the good news is that it can be brought to you...", Thaddeus said. "All we need to do is lift and put you down.", with a nod and smile.
"Yeah... I suppose that's better... but part of me doesn't even want to move an inch from where I am now!", Abraham groaned in pain.
Thaddeus kissed him on the lips, "At least he's on the way, just stuck momentarily, and Nola said that he isn't in any danger which is good. Just rest for a few minutes as those healers bring it here and fill it up really good.".
Abraham smiled, "I'll try, Tad...I guess eating those extra servings of smoked apples with honey cream cheese dip was both a guilty pleasure for me and Klaus...", with a sheepish chuckle.
"You can have as many as you want when you get through this.", Thaddeus teased as Abraham groaned once more from another contraction. "Hurry it up, please! I can't stand seeing him in this much pain!", he shouted at those trying to get the pool.
Nola replied, "We can't have the water being room temperature, Thaddeus! It needs to be warm and comfortable for Abraham and little Klaus!", and Abraham replied, "And I thought you were worse when you had to wait in the hallway while Grace was giving birth to Augustus.", remembering how Thaddeus recounted his experience of his first time being a father, yet Abraham saw that Thaddeus was truly invested when he was giving birth to Rachel.
Indeed, it was a shock for them to find out that fathers were very much allowed to witness the birth of their children while comforting their wives and husbands here, for on the surface, men were segregated into the hallway or the reception room of their homes, or in an all-male waiting room in the hospital. They suspected that Jacques knew that fact when he became mates with Sia, hence why there was no issue of him being there for Sia when she was giving birth to Korbyn.
It took a few minutes before the pool was brought in. "Okay, the water should be good now... not too hot, but certainly not too cold. Just warm enough to do the job right...", Nola explained.
Abraham groaned from another contraction, "About time!", as Thaddeus and Nola gently picked Abraham up from either side of himself, carrying him just a few feet, and they walked sideways by the edge of the pool, putting Abraham down slowly, and he sighed in relief as the warm water smoothed the edge of the greatly painful contractions and soreness of his body, "Oh, that feels better, by the Kings!".
Nola stepped into the water, to check with her crystal and all, "Good, you're still all dilated, and he's got backtracked a bit in the birth canal, but he's good to go. Push!", and Abraham, upon another contraction, pushed, crying out in pain as he grunted, holding Thaddeus's hand.
This took 30 minutes before he shouted in pain, "It hurts!", feeling his prostate/temporary vagina widening as before, yet it's even more painful, due to the fact that Klaus is a tad bigger than Rachel.
"He's crowning, but slow! Thaddeus, get in and support your husband from behind, give him a bit of leverage! Breathe, Abraham, I will see if I can give the water a bit of crystal aid to help smooth the crowning better!", Nola announced.
"Is that normal?", Thaddeus asked as she shook her head. "Not something I every really tried before...", Nola had to admit which certainly didn't make anyone feel easier.
Abraham replied, "Please try, Nola...", before crying out in pain from another contraction as Thaddeus came in, sitting behind his husband, supporting him as Nola put her crystal in the water, blessing the water in Atlantean, and then shouted, "Push!".
Abraham, on the brink of another contraction, pushed, crying and shouting out in pain as Klaus crowned easier and faster, "That's it, Abraham! He's coming!".
Abraham was glad to hear that as he really was hoping that nothing extreme would have to be done for Klaus. Like before, Abraham went through the motions, feeling Klaus almost out.
Thaddeus kissed him on the temple, holding into his hands as he replied, "I'm right here, Abram, you got this.", as his chest and knees kept Abraham securely supported, as Abrahm cried and shouted in pain, even if the pain was lessened, it was still painful, pushing upon contractions.
He felt that the head was finally out, and Nola shouted, "Good, the shoulders are next! Push!", and Abraham grunted, tears falling as he loudly cried out in pain, heaving and pushing, feeling a shoulder pop out, and then the next moment, the other shoulder, and he panted heavily, collapsing back into his husband's chest as Nola slides the rest of Klaus out, bringing him out of the water, and then a hearty wail of life pierced the air, as Nola cleaned him up.
Abraham saw his son squirming and crying heartily as Nola smiled softly, placing him against Abraham's chest, in his arms, "He's quite lively, this one...", before hearing Rachel's excited cry, and she chuckled, "I'll get her from the bassinet.", getting out of the pool.
"Oh, Klaus, shh, Daddy's here...You're perfect...He looks a bit like Grace, Tad...", Abraham kissed his newborn son on the forehead, fresh tears falling down his tears, as he caressed his son in awe, absolutely in love at first sight. Klaus has Thaddeus's dark chocolate brown hair in a small patch of thick curls, with Abraham's chocolate brown eyes, yet having Grace's nose masculine style, with Thaddeus's dark tan skin and Abraham's smile.
Thaddeus rested his head on Abraham's shoulder, "And he looks like us too, Abram, my heart of my life...Looks like our wives truly left their mark on our children, indeed.", as he scooted somewhat from behind Abraham, now side by side, smiling with tears in his eyes as Nola returned with Rachel, placing her into Thaddeus's arms as she cooed and gurgled happily in baby language.
Klaus cooed and gurgled back, happy to be in his daddy's arms, clenching into Abraham's finger, and Abraham chuckled, "I'm happy to see you too...You really are a bit heartier in weight and size than you were with your mother...not that I blame you, son...I love you and your sister so much, Klaus...Now, do you want to keep your middle name from last time?", as Klaus's middle name was Yosef, meaning that 'God will increase'.