"I don't think he's been this happy for a while...", Vinny admitted as Jacques nodded. "I know, he's probably been missing me all these months... it really feels like it has been so much longer...", he sighed as Vinny nodded.
"Is the war over?", he asked as Jacques' look went melancholier, "No... it's not over; in fact, France still remains occupied. But the tide is starting to change; the traitors in France have mostly defected back to Free France; forcing Germany to occupy the rest of the country and spread themselves thinner; and have suffered major defeats in North Africa while having a disaster threating their entire southern flank in Russia. The Japanese on the other hand have been checked according to the Americans and are slowly being pushed back on a few islands...".
Vinny smiled, "That's great, at least...I guess you couldn't stay up there longer, huh?", and Jacques sighed softly, "Believe me, I really tried, always thinking of you guys and Sia morning and night, battling hard against those Nazis and all...Yet since we got Steve joining in, he has been a godsend...", with a smile.
"Whoa, that's awesome...How has he and Mrs. Carter been doing?", Vinny asked curiously, and Jacques chuckled warmly, "Married twice. Back when we first surfaced after everything, in New York City, and then just recently, as of yesterday, they redone it again for Peggy's parents, married in England, in the countryside.".
Vinny widened his eyes in amazement, "Dang...I guess they've been busy for kids and such before Steve came in to help you out, eh?", and Jacques replied, "Not lucky there...I think it was a matter of aligning things right before they are able to have a kid...Hopefully, with my advice, they will be lucky soon...Peggy was really torn up, but she is having hope again.".
"I think I know what you mean...My aunt, she used to have a husband, but after trying for many years, he left her, blaming her, not knowing that it was his fault, being sterile himself while my aunt had a fling not long after the divorce, and I think I heard whispers from Mami with my aunt, saying that she's pregnant as she had been throwing up for a week, and then everything with the illness, and then the fire...", Vinny sighed deeply.
Jacques replied, "Hey, they're proud of you...They're watching over you, glad that you are part of this family, and I presume those tattoos are in honor of them, am I right?", and Vinny gave a smile, "Yeah, you're right.".
Korbyn then gave a whine, looking at Sia, and Jacques kissed him on the forehead, "It's okay, son, she's just resting...She fought so much to save your little sister, Jendayi. She will wake up soon.", and Korbyn babbled, looking at him with a hungry pout.
"I know, Sia's natural breast milk is delicious, but she's not available yet. How about a bottle for now? Remember that day? I bet you missed doing it with me.", Jacques smiled gently, and Korbyn gave a gummy smile, clapping his hands as Vinny gave a laugh, taking out a bottle from the duffle bag, handing it to Jacques who adjusted his son in his arms as he grasped the bottle happily and hungrily, suckling.
Jacques smiled, "There you go, Kory...And I'm not going anywhere anymore...I'm staying for good...Let's hope Sia sees that I'm real, as she had been thinking that I was a dream, a hallucination thanks to her concussion.", and Vinny smiled, "I think she won't doubt that you were a dream, due to having, a, well, an obviously baby bump now, and all.".
"True...", Jacques chuckled before they all heard muffled cries of pain from the other room, and Vinny replied, "Is that Uncle Abraham?", and Jacques nodded, "Sure is...From the sounds of it, he's on the edge of full dilation, and any minute now, he will have the signal for him to start pushing.".
Indeed, in the other room, Abraham is now in full agonizing labor, "Please tell me that I'm all dilated, Nola! I feel like I have to push!".
"Just a little more!", Nola told him. "Almost there...". Abraham was really wondering how much longer it was going to take. He was sure that Rachel was indeed taking her time just to make sure everyone at least calmed down after the near disaster of things earlier but now it was starting to get a bit worrisome that maybe she waited too long.
Thaddeus held his hand and kissed Abraham on the cheek, "It's gonna be okay...You heard Nola earlier. This is more of a surface birth like our wives had...", and Abraham nodded, "I know, but it's still nerve-wracking, Tad...", as he took deep breaths between quickening contractions, crying out in pain for the next five minutes.
Nola announced, "Yes, you're all dilated, push!", and Abraham followed the contractions, pushing as he moaned and cried out in pain, taking a deep breath each time for the next 20 minutes as Thaddeus encouraged him, wiping his forehead with a towel, "That's it, Abram, I'm here, my heart of my life!", as he kept going before he shouted in pain, with Nola announcing, "Oh, oh, I see her head peeking through! Almost there, Abraham! Push for her to crown!".
Abraham grunted, propping his knees a bit closer as he pushed, heaving and shouting in pain, feeling his temporal vagina/prostate stretch out, stinging in contact as he felt the head crowning steadily, and Nola reached in to hold her head, "Yes, I got her head!", turning it slightly to the side as Abraham panted, pausing, taking deep breaths.
"You're almost there, Abram! Only the shoulders left, and she will slip out into Nola's hands, and we will hear her cry of life!", Thaddeus cried happily, holding his hand still, though he is ignoring the pain from Abraham's hand clenching so hard, but not blaming him.
Abraham's eyes teared up in relief yet determination as he heard Nola's order, "Push, Abraham!", as Abraham grunted, pushing as he screamed in pain, feeling the shoulders steadily coming through with a pop of freedom, and before he knew it, she was free, as he laid back on the adjustable bed, panting, heaving as he stroked his diminished baby bump, feeling Klaus kick from his headfirst position, waiting for his water bag to break as a moment later, a hearty cry of life was heard.
Thaddeus sobbed happily, "Oh, Abram, she's beautiful!", as the newborn Rachel is squirming, crying and shivering, covered in goop, a bit of blood, and such, with Nola giving her into Abraham's arms.
Abraham cried happily as he kissed Rachel's forehead, "Shhh, I'm here...Daddy's here...Your poppa is right, you're so beautiful...", as Rachel's cries turned into soft cries and gurgles, her eyes opening blurrily as Nola went to give a warm, damp towel to Abraham as he cleaned her up.
"Wow, she sure looks a bit different from what we knew her before, huh, Tad?", Abraham smiled as Rachel is now having Thaddeus's warm brown eyes yet retaining Abraham's/her dark brown curls in a few wisps on her head, along with Thaddeus's dimples, and Abraham's tan skin, and a cute button nose.
Thaddeus nodded, "Sure is, but she is still your daughter, right, Rachel?", and Rachel gurgled, cooing as she reached to grasp Thaddeus's finger, and Abraham sobbed softly, "I think she's saying that she's your daughter too, and you can't say anything about it as she got some of you...", with a teasing smile.
"I suppose that is true... I can see some similarities... but I can also see some of Greta in her...", Thaddeus noticed as Abraham nodded. "Yep... she's still in there...", Abraham whispered.
Rachel attempted to smile, and then her belly grumbled, and she whined hungrily, looking at her daddy, and Abraham chuckled softly, "You're lucky that I got breasts growing from my chest...", adjusting his Atlantean hospital gown with a soft zipper, and Rachel latched into his left breast, suckling slowly, testing it before she gave a muffled squeak of happiness, and suckled more eagerly, as Abraham felt his milk flowing, and smiled, "Looks like we don't have to worry, Tad...".
Thaddeus gently stroked Rachel's head, "Nope...You did it, Abraham...", kissing his husband on the lips, "You think you are still good enough for Klaus?".
"I think so as long as Klaus gives me a rest for some time at least before his water bag breaks, because Rachel deserves some daddy-poppa attention...", Abraham smiled as he couldn't keep his eyes off Rachel, now realizing why his wife felt so overjoyed, content, and absolutely in love when Rachel was Marlene in her arms after her birth.
"After the day we've all had, I really hope that he does...", Thaddeus chuckled as Nola came over to check out Rachel, "Do you mind if I take her for a minute when she's done? Just to quickly take care of a few extra things...".
Abraham smiled, "Oh, yes, right, the documents for her weight, height, age, and time of birth, along with her full name...You know, since Rachel clearly got her name thanks to Grace, and in turn, you as well, so, it's my turn to give her middle name...".
Thaddeus smiled with a soft smile, "That's very fair...What have you gotten for it?", and Abraham smiled, "Rachel Serenity Thatch...That is, if that's okay with you, Rachel?", looking down at his suckling daughter, knowing that previously as Marlene, she had Berura for her middle name, meaning peace.
Yet as she is now in her new life, back with her daddy, and a second new father in Thaddeus, Serenity means peaceful or calm which is similar in a way yet new in a way.
The quietness of her seemed to be a silent confirmation as she didn't appear to have any issues with what was said. No grumbles or even a small cry. "Guess we have a winner...", Abraham chuckled.
Thaddeus smiled, "It's perfect, Abram...", as they basked in the joy of the room, as Rachel suckled for 20 more minutes before she let go, and cooed, reaching for Thaddeus, as Nola helped Abraham take out the placenta.
Abraham chuckled, "She wants you to help her burp.", as he gently passed Rachel into Thaddeus's arms, chuckling wryly as he massaged Rachel's back, resting her on his shoulder, and then she gave a satisfied burp.
She then rubbed her eyes, yawning as Thaddeus smiled, "Just a minute of Nola checking you up, and then you can sleep all you want. After all, that was about six hours of labor and all for you and your daddy both.", handing her warmly into Nola's hands, using the Atlantean scales and such, writing up everything needed on the documents, and cutting the cord to the belly button.
Nola then smiled, "There, all done, and Thaddeus, you can rest in besides your husband, it might be a snug fit, but I'm sure you'll manage.", giving Rachel back into Thaddeus's arms, "And if you're not feeling any urgency yet for Klaus, I'll check in on Sia.".
"Yes; that should be more important now that everything's calmed down again...", Abraham said as Nola left before finding Jacques with Sia. "No change?", she asked.
Jacques glanced at Vinny resting on a couch with Korbyn resting on his chest, suckling his thumb, both sleeping, and he replied, "No, nothing yet...", as he has been feeding Sia with some warm soup, massaging her throat and all.
Nola nodded, "Okay...Let's see how little Jendayi is doing, and see if Sia's cast healed her broken arm, along with that sprained ankle.", taking off her crystal as she stepped to the other side of the bed, listening through her crystal as it laid on Sia's baby bump.
"Good, Jendayi is absorbing the nutrients and such from the soup perfectly. The womb is fully intact, and now, as she doesn't want to grow up faster than she did earlier, she's settled into the progression of a Atlantean pregnancy, which means 3 months keeping her six months along, 2 months for her 7 months old age, and 1 1/2 months for her 8 months old age, and 1 1/2 months for the last month of term. She's fully healthy and safe, Jacques.", Nola smiled warmly.
Jacques looked so relieved to hear the good news, and Nola then checked on the Atlantean cast, testing the bones and such before nodding with a warm smile as she took it off, "Good, the bones and such healed, through this arm will be sore for a day before it would be normal.".
Nola then checked on the sprained ankle, and smiled, "Excellent, the bandages touched by one of the healers' crystals worked well, and it will be less sore than the arm, perhaps a few hours before being normal.", taking off the bandages gently.
"And breastfeeding? I fed Kory with a bottle about an hour ago.", Jacques asked, and Nola replied, "Leave that for a few more hours, and if she gets swollen, like a bit red around the nipples, that means she's full, and she would need relief, so yes, Kory can breastfeed then, but not now. Perhaps that will wake her up, though I couldn't say for sure. Today was quite a nerve-whacking and exhausting day for her.".
"I hate that we had to go through all this...", Jacques admitted. "I was really scared that I was about to lose both of them...".
"It's alright.", Nola assured him. "They're okay now, so I would dwell on what could've been or feel too much guilt about what had happened.".
"I know... but I feel awful in the fact that... I should've gotten here a bit sooner... maybe she never would've put herself in that hunt if I had arrived sooner...", Jacques sighed heavily.
Nola replied, "Perhaps, or perhaps not...She was always one for needing to provide for her people, and perhaps she would have been more careful on the hunt considering that both of you didn't know that she's pregnant, only for you, if you had arrived sooner. All the same, they're both safe, Jacques.".
Jacques nodded, and Nola squeezed his shoulder, "I will send some food for you as well, no need to waste yourself off while you're caring for Sia, is that clear?", and Jacques chuckled, "Crystal clear. You're just as bad as Sweet.".
Nola gave a tiny bit blush, "How is he doing up there?", and Jacques smiled warmly, surprised to hear and see her inquire after Sweet, since they hadn't interacted much, but apparently, something about Sweet had impressed her.
"He's in one of the countries, one of the lands called Italy, battling off the Nazis while healing his comrades and any innocent people caught in the crosslines.", Jacques replied, and Nola looked proud yet a bit concerned, "You truly knew him for a long time...He will take care of himself, right? I mean, I know he's clearly built as a soldier, but he's a gentle giant...".
"Yeah; he'll be the first to heal rather than harm... but he certainly knows how to fight if it comes to it... I just hope he's still alright; I haven't heard from him since we parted ways...", Jacques said.
"I'm sure he'll be alright though... after all that you went through to get here in the first place and then helping us fight back those thieves...", Nola replied.
Jacques chuckled, "Ain't that the truth.", and Nola smiled, squeezing his shoulder once more before leaving, and so, as it looks like Klaus isn't going anywhere for several hours yet, the healer center became less chaotic and less busy as evening fell.
As Nola said, Sia's breasts swelled up, and Korbyn happily went to feed, as Jacques held him, feeling soft kicks from Jendayi in the baby bump, and Sia still didn't wake up, but she was relieved as she was sighing here and there unconsciously.
Vinny and Jacques had dinner, with Nola occasionally checking in on Sia when she's not checking on Abraham and Rachel, with Korbyn stubbornly not leaving Sia's side, seeming to talk in baby language with Jendayi through the baby bump, and so, it went on routinely throughout the night.
As morning dawned on Atlantis, with the faint screeches of the reptile-birds, and the city waking up, working on the carcass of the worm creature that was brought in by a convoy of Ketaks for the feast of the festival, Sia woke up slowly, blinking around as she realized that she's in the healer center, in one of the rooms.
She then quietly gasped when a kick came, looking upon her baby bump that wasn't there before, and she slowly rubbed it, realizing that it wasn't a dream nor a nightmare, that it's her daughter, her little Jendayi, and she tearfully smiled before seeing something else in the corner of her eyes, and saw the face of her beloved mate sleeping, in a crouched position in his chair, his head on the side of the bed, on his arms, looking like he had been sleeping on and off, worn down, with a bit more stubble than he had when he left for the surface, yet still the handsome and protective man she fell in love with.
Sia's other hand reached to stroke Jacques's hair gently, and tears fell as she realized that Jacques truly came home miraculously, saving her and their daughter like the hero he always is, and spoke gently, "Wake up, Jacques...Time to open those eyes, my love.".