Audrey nodded, "Oh, yes, please.", and Nola nodded, leaving the room, and a few minutes later, Marina skipped into the room, "Mami! Dada!", before widening her eyes and blinked in awe as she climbed into bed, "Did baby brother grow bigger?".
"Your baby brother, Reese did, all because he's special. Reese's all better now, and sometime later, you will meet him for the first time.", Audrey smiled as she warmly hugged her daughter, kissing the forehead, and Marina's eyes blinked in joy, "Really? I so ex-excited! Hi, Reese, you coming later today?", and a kick came at her little hand.
Marina giggled, "I love you too, Reese!", before yawning, and Audrey raised an eyebrow, "Young lady, did you sleep at all?", and Marina blushed, "I try sleep all night, Mami...I wake up a bit for water cup.".
Audrey smiled, "Come here, sweetheart, we'll sleep together as I'm tired, if you want to?", and Marina nodded, "Yeah!", with a blinding smile before nuzzling and leaning into Audrey's side and arm, yawning, and Bucky smiled, kissing his girls' foreheads, "I'll be here...", as he then grabbed a book, gazing between his sleeping beauties and the book, lasting for an hour and half before Audrey felt the first mild pangs of pain, realizing that she's coming into labor slowly, waking up contentedly with a smile as she caressed her dozing daughter's hair.
Bucky whispered softly, "She's really out, huh?", and Audrey glanced to see her husband lowering the book he was reading, and whispered, "Why don't you go get Franklin and Eleanor if they're in the waiting room? I want to ask them if they're going to do the divorce ceremony soon, since they might want to keep it on the down low with only us and perhaps the family in private instead of in public?".
"Oh, yeah, I forgot to tell you. They told the others last night, as a turn of distraction for them while worrying about you...They are still intent on it, and sure, I'll get them. You sure you're going to be okay for a few minutes?", Bucky asked.
Audrey smiled reassuringly, "I'll be fine, perhaps another bathroom break...Marina is really out. Can you settle her carefully in one of the chairs to sleep more as I could shuffle around to disturb her?", grimacing with the familiar look of her bladder being cramped again.
"Of course. And I'll let the others know, but to answer your question, more than likely they'll want as few people really wanting to know. It's not exactly something to celebrate, you know?", Bucky said.
Audrey nodded, "Fair enough.", with a understanding smile, as Bucky gently and reverently picked up the slumbering girl from Audrey's side, putting her in one of the lounge chairs with an affectionate smile, and then helped Audrey up from the bed before she waved him off as she waddled to the bathroom to take a leak while Bucky headed out to tell the others that Audrey is awake and ready to acknowledge the divorce ceremony as Reese is part of the elderly couple.
Most of the makeshift family swore to keep it secretly, while Milo and Kida went with Franklin and Eleanor as they would indict the ceremony, following Bucky, heading back to the room as Audrey cradled her back and her baby bump on her waddling walk to the bed after using the bathroom sparsely at her pace, counting the mild pains, recognizing them as non-contractions as of yet but starting to look like it might accelerate sooner or later into actual contractions.
"Easy, easy...", Bucky said as he walked up to her to give her some extra balance as she was heading to the bed. "Thank you... just in time.", Audrey chuckled as he smiled, "Eh, it's sort of like a sixth sense in a way... showing up just in time when you need it.".
Audrey gave a wry smile, "You sure you aren't part super soldier there?", and Bucky chuckled, "Last time I checked, nope. I just know my wife...", with a kiss on her temple as he assisted her into the bed.
"True...", Audrey nodded with a light sigh and glanced with a soft smile as the group walked in, "Hey, guys...How are you two holding up?", glancing at Franklin and Eleanor besides Milo and Kida.
Franklin smiled, "We slept a bit better than most others, even if we should have been the most worried for you and Reese, but somehow, we felt like we wouldn't help if we weren't at our best, you know?".
Audrey nodded, "That makes sense...Wanna say hello to Reese before you get going with the ceremony?", and Eleanor smiled in joy, "Oh, yes...", as Franklin rolled closer, as they went to the side of the bed, touching the baby bump gently.
"Junior?", Franklin asked as he and Eleanor knew that Junior would be their nickname for the tyke sometimes, even if Reese is his name now. A kick came, and Eleanor chuckled, "Oh, my, if I am not mistaken, I think he is bigger than he was when I was pregnant with him, and stronger too...Don't hurt your mami too much, she needs strength and plenty of good energy for your birth later...".
A softer, yet eager kick came, and Franklin laughed warmly, "That's a good tyke. We...we are going to do the divorce ceremony, Reese, but it doesn't mean that we don't love you because we do...I know we aren't going to be very much parents due to our age, and your new parents, but would you be happy with us as grandparents, and a bit of being parents if we look after you in babysitting?".
There wasn't much of a response for a few moments before there was then a few kicks. "Is that a yes?", Eleanor asked as Audrey chuckled, "It is.", as she smiled.
Franklin smiled warmly, and took a deep breath, glancing at Eleanor who nodded, getting off the bed, and Franklin then rolled a bit besides her before taking a spot.
Milo closed and locked the door, and Kida stood just of between Eleanor and Roosevelt, as Bucky went to sit in another chair, between Marina who is still asleep in the lounge chair, and Audrey.
Kida took a deep breath, "Today, with the Barnes family as witnesses, as the child in question is part of this man and woman who wishes to break a unmatchable marriage, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Anne Eleanor Roosevelt, who were pushed into it long ago by forces of people including their family to be bonded for politics, for the family line, and the stigma of connivence, for love wasn't even in the works, even if they tried their best to love each other, their children and all.".
"I, as the queen of Atlantis, start this divorce ceremony privately and small per the Roosevelts' wishes, and so, under the Heart and the Great Kings and Queens of the Past' eyes, I now ask the husband to disband his marriage vows, and start the vows of friendship and forgiveness instead to become an understanding, divorced spouse.", Kida then asked, glancing at Franklin.
It honestly was a bit of a confusing affair, seen by the few witnesses that were attending as it had the air of a reverse wedding, which was kinda the point, if one could guess. Franklin spoke first. "I, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, intend to recant my vows that I made to my wife, Anne Eleanor Roosevelt.".
Eleanor listened to Franklin as he continued to speak, "This has been many difficult years for us. I'm grateful to you for trying to work out our marital issues and I so appreciate you taking ownership of your part. I promise to continue respecting you and treating you with kindness. I'm saddened to let this aspect of our life together go, but I'm excited to experience the next phase of our relationship together as friends.".
"I am truly sorry for all what I did in hurting your heart, and I would always remember you for I intend to earn your friendship and forgiveness like how I have forgiven you for those hurtful words you said to me even if I have sinned more than you, dear Eleanor. I release you from this marriage, and I pray you would have the chance to be free as who you deserve to be like how I see you as a mother and advocate, and remember the good memories we had, and yes, even the hardships that taught us lessons and wisdom, and heal with the support of our friends and family, with the knowledge that I will always keep you in my heart as a best friend and beloved cousin instead of a wife, in the sense of platonic love.", Franklin finished as he spoke from his heart.
Eleanor put a hand against Franklin's cheek as she was starting to tear up a bit. In someways, it felt like as painful as saying goodbye, even though they had managed to somewhat reconnect in the past few months. The attention was turned to her as she took a deep breath, "And I, Anne Eleanor Roosevelt, intend to recant my vows that I made to my husband, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.".
Franklin's breath caught as his heart raced, listening to her as she continued to speak, "This has been many difficult years for us. I'm grateful to you for trying to work out our marital issues and I so appreciate you taking ownership of your part. I promise to continue respecting you and treating you with kindness. I'm saddened to let this aspect of our life together go, but I'm excited to experience the next phase of our relationship together as friends.".
"I am truly sorry for being so angry and frustrated with what you did to hurt me, and I can say now that I forgive you with all my heart as you became more as the best friend and cousin you used to be, all because you wanted to, for me. It was you, not the crystal or our amazing friends, but you, dear Franklin...I release you from this marriage, and I hope you can forgive yourself as I want you to be free of the shame, to be the father and beloved friend you deserve to be as I see you as, and remember the good memories we had, and never forget that you fought through the hardships for me, for us to be healed with lessons taught, with the support of our friends and family, and with the knowledge that I will always keep you in my heart as a best friend and beloved cousin instead of a husband, in the sense of platonic love.", Eleanor finished as she spoke from her heart.
Franklin started to tear up, gently cradling Eleanor's cheek with bittersweet affection, and Kida then replied, "I, as the queen, now will ask the spouses to release their married name into a familial name. Franklin, do you choose to release the Roosevelt name into a name of your wishes to be friends with Eleanor, or to change it from the ex-married version to a familial name of being cousins?".
Even when Franklin wanted to change his surname, he unfortunately, sadly knew that people on the surface would be suspicious on the chance they heard him and Eleanor exchanging formal greetings if they had different surnames, and knew he and she would be technically still married by the surface rules, it reluctantly made sense that they still needed to be Roosevelts, even if they cannot be called as miss and mister instead of mistress and mister on the surface, though they knew that their amazing friends here in Atlantis would do the opposite in their wishes.
He spoke clearly, "I choose to change the Roosevelt name in the ex-married version to a familial name of being cousins with Eleanor.".
"I understand.", Kida nodded. It was a bit of a tricky situation considering their family relation of being fifth cousins once removed so there was some distance, but still, same last names.
Kida turned to Eleanor, "Eleanor, do you choose to release the Roosevelt name into a name of your wishes to be friends with Franklin, or to change it from the ex-married version to a familial name of being cousins?".
Eleanor spoke clearly, "I choose to change the Roosevelt name in the ex-married version to a familial name of being cousins with Franklin.".
Kida replied, "I understand. Now under the eyes of the Great Kings and Queens of the Past, vested in me, I now declare this man and woman as officially divorced in the vicinity of Atlantis, and do wish the best for them to be independent as their own selves, and so mote it be. You may now hug each other as an act of forgiveness and platonic love and pull away as friends and cousins.".
Eleanor was first to do that as she kneeled down a bit and leaned to take Franklin into her arms. The two of them held each other close for several moments as everything remained silent. None of the onlookers would clap as that would've been horribly out of place.
Franklin was both happy and sad that Eleanor said those words, and that they are free in a way here in Atlantis, and knew he would always support Eleanor no matter what as long as they are best friends and cousins.
He pulled away first, and traded small, understandable smiles with Eleanor, and teased her, "I wonder if you could beat me at a game of chess later this afternoon, cuz.", and Eleanor smirked, "Oh, yeah? I distinctly remember that you stole my king last time we played. Prepare to lose when I beat you, Frankie!", remembering those moments of childhood where they played chess in Franklin's treehouse.
Franklin chuckled, "You're on, Lea!", and Eleanor's heart soared as she realized that Franklin got the last part of his old self back, that he had forgiven himself of his ownership upon his mistakes and smiled before a cry of pain echoed through the room, waking up Marina from her deep slumber on the lounge chaise, and the others looked at Audrey.
"Ooh, about time, Reese!", Audrey panted and breathed, looking at Bucky with a little sheepish smile, "Had been in the first stage of labor during all this time...Now, it's getting real...with the contractions now...", grimacing slightly, hearing Marina's worried call, "Mami!".
Audrey looked at Marina, "It's okay, Marina, it's just your baby brother announcing that he's on the way. Milo, would you take Marina back to the waiting room to be with the rest of the family, and Kida, can you get Nola? I want to ask her if it's okay for Eleanor to have a part in the delivery, and to have Franklin here at the other side of me, while Bucky stays on this side.", seeing Eleanor and Franklin's eyes widen in shock and joy.
"Certainly.", Kida nodded as she got to work quickly giving orders and such as everyone got on the move while Bucky held Audrey's hand. "Will it be alright?", he asked her as she smiled.
"Hey, can't be much worse than Marina's birth, now, can it?", Audrey asked as Bucky shook his head. "Knock on wood...", he said.
Franklin rolled to the other side of the bed, glancing at Audrey with hope and awe, "Are you sure you want us here, Audrey?", and Audrey replied, "Reese's a part of you guys, you deserve to be here, and besides, there's no rule about no men being in the delivery room or having to be segregated into a waiting room for fathers here, like on the surface.", with a grin at him especially.
Eleanor smiled with a sob, "You weren't allowed to be with me, Frankie, for all of our children's births, so you can call this the next best thing to it...", glancing at Franklin.
Franklin very rarely had seen the birth of life with a litter of kittens or a hatching nest of birds, but this is actually the first real time he would ever have to acknowledge and witness, and he gave a tearful chuckle, "Alright, if you very much insist, Audrey...", smiling at Audrey.
Audrey smiled at him before gasping and moaning out in pain, with Bucky brushing her hair back while holding her hand, while Franklin worked the pillows into a supporting rest for Audrey's back, Eleanor went to the bathroom to grab small bowls and little hand towels for Bucky and Franklin to help cool and wipe sweat from Audrey, just as Nola came in, closing and locking the door.
"Okay, Marina's safe in the waiting room. Eleanor, good start with the support, go get a good size bowl of warm water and big towels. Let's get you prepped, Audrey, and check your progress.", Nola smiled before giving her healer tone in orders, with Eleanor nodding, heading again to the bathroom.
A few minutes later, after checking, Nola chuckled, "Looks like Reese isn't going for the slow or fast route, he's going steady in the middle lane as you are only a tiny bit ahead of halfway dilated, Audrey.".
"You doing good?", Eleanor asked Audrey as she smiled. "Alright. If anything, this is honestly a little better than the last one I went through.", she admitted.
Eleanor smiled, "That's good.", having heard the terrifying, miraculous, preemie story of Marina, "You and Reese aren't in the midst of war, and you're in a clean, wonderful place, in comfort and such.".
Audrey chuckled, "Indeed.", before moaning and gasping in pain from another contraction, and so, it went at least a couple of hours, with Eleanor grabbing plates of snacks from the lunch rush in the center's cafeteria to help Audrey keep up strength and energy, with Nola checking the progress occasionally, while Bucky and Franklin dabbed Audrey gently from the sweat and such, holding her hands as the contractions increased in both pace and level of speed and pain.