***
Ryan looked up at his mate with a frown. Jeremy looked as if he was about to pass out. Ryan took in the faces of the people in the theater, some very serious in a professional way and others, very anxious. Apart from Jeremy and Philip who remained imposing in their jeans and t-shirts, all the others were in theater gowns. Even Deloris was in a theater gown, looking all serious and professional.
Ryan could see Stan, Troy, Gloria, Paige, Joel, and Mama Cora through the glass around the theater. But for Gloria who also had a grim look on her face, all the others looked excited. Ryan raised an eyebrow when one of the nurses began to fix a shield over his chest. The plan was clearly to shield the business end from his view.
“I guess my first glimpse of my baby is going to be a ‘Lion King’ moment,” Ryan chuckled, “where Rafiki… in this case, Dr. Sanders holds the little bundle aloft for me to see from here.” He added in a drawl, making all the people in the room except Jeremy, laugh.
“Were you expecting something different?” Deloris chuckled, reaching out to tuck a loose tendril into Ryan’s hair cap.
“Well, I thought I was going to get completely knocked out,” Ryan muttered. “It would actually be cool if I could watch the entire procedure and catch a glimpse of my baby as it pops into this world.”
“Michelle?” Dr. Sanders called to the nurse fixing the shield. “Use a clear curtain to enable Alpha Ryan see what’s going on.” He instructed.
“Thanks, doc.” Ryan beamed. “But… do we even have to do this? Maybe we should wait.”
“Why do you say that?” Deloris asked.
“For one, I’m beginning to think it was a false alarm because I can’t feel any pain anymore. I’m…” Ryan trailed off when he saw all eyes turn to Jeremy. “What’s going on? Is there something I should know about?” The room went so quiet. One would have heard a pin drop. “Can someone please start talking?”
Jeremy finally took a deep breath and stepped closer to Ryan. “There’s something I didn’t tell you, baby.” Jeremy reached for his mate’s hand. “You see…” The alpha of alphas gave a brief account of what had been agreed on due to the unnatural nature of the situation.
“You had no right…” Ryan growled low in his throat, finally understanding why his mate looked as he did. Jeremy was in pain.
“I had every right,” Jeremy growled right back.
“Everybody, out.” Philip boomed. And within seconds, everyone but the couple and Philip remained in the theater.
“That’s my child and you are my mate.” Jeremy rasped. “I can’t stand by and watch you go through all that pain. So shut up and allow the team to do their job.”
“You should have told me, you asshole.” The hitch in Ryan’s voice made Jeremy groan.
“This is exactly why I didn’t tell you,” Jeremy said softly as he leaned down and pressed his forehead against Ryan’s. “You would have thrown a tantrum and tried to stop me.”
“You bet your black arse I would have.” Ryan sounded angry, terrified and so helpless. “I would have stopped you even if it meant magically knocking you out. In fact, I’ll be a good person to do that right now.”
“Doing magic is not good for the baby right now, remember?” Jeremy muttered.
“Oh my god, Jer…” Ryan’s eyes welled up. “How bad is it?”
“Real bad.” Jeremy gave a breathless chuckle. “But I can handle it.”
“I’m yet to be cut, Jer…” Ryan was sobbing quietly now. “It will only get worse.”
“Don’t cry, baby. Please.” Jeremy groaned, scattering kissed all over Ryan’s face. “You know what that does to me.” He finally took Ryan’s mouth in a soft kiss. “I seriously can’t add the ache from watching you cry to what your child is giving me right now.” He laughed softly as he wiped the tears from Ryan’s temple. “I love you.”
“I love you,” Ryan responded shakily.
“Can I call them back in?” Philip asked.
“Are you ready?” Jeremy asked his mate softly.
“I should be asking you that.” Ryan whimpered.
“Then I’m ready.” Jeremy nodded. “Call them, Lip.”
“Will you hold my hand as they…”
“I’m pretty sure feeling my pain will upset you.” Jeremy sighed. “And that’s the last thing I want to do.” He kissed Ryan’s knuckles. “I’ll be standing close though… with Lip. He can catch me if I pass out.” Jeremy joked but from the tears that sprung up in Ryan’s eyes, the joke was totally lost on him. “Hey, I’ll be fine. Promise.”
“I’m scared, Jeremy.” Ryan’s pitiful whimper tore at Jeremy’s heart.
“It will be over soon.” Jeremy rasped, trying very hard not to let Ryan see the pain he was feeling, on his face.
“I want mum here,” Ryan said as he glanced at the people coming back into the theater.
“Done.” Jeremy turned to look at Philip but his friend was already signaling Gloria through the glass, to come in.
Gloria came in, fully clad in a theater gown, the look on her face tactfully pleasant. She clearly didn’t want to add to the worries of her son-in-law. A chair was placed beside Ryan for her to sit on. She sat and took Ryan’s hand from her son’s. Then she leaned down and kissed him on the forehead.
“I’m here, honey.” Gloria smiled. “Let’s do this.”
Everyone got into position.
“Scalpel.” Doctor Sander opened his gloved palm and was immediately given the sharp instrument with which he was going to make his incision.
But no sooner had the doctor touched his scalpel to Ryan’s lower abdomen than he was flying through the air. The monitors went crazy. Amidst the shouts of both the people inside the theatre and the small audience watching through the glass, Ryan groaned as he instinctively raised a hand to stop the doctor’s impending crash.
“Fuck…” Jeremy bellowed as he leaned against Philip, his hand on his stomach, his face etched in agony.
“Jeremy, you need to talk to it,” Ryan shouted urgently as he lowered the confused-looking doctor down. “From all the movement I’m feeling inside right now, it clearly thinks there’s danger. Jeremy…”
“Give me a moment, baby.” Jeremy gasped. “All that movement you’re feeling comes with… oh fuck.” Jeremy doubled over.
“Shit…” One doctor breathed as the team stared at the monitors. The blurred image of the child in Ryan’s stomach kept rippling and turning over as though it was doing an acrobatic display. The medical team stared with their mouths agape, clearly gobsmacked.
“The earlier you calm that kid down, the better for you, you know.” Philip drawled beside Jeremy.
“Come on, Jer. Don’t be a pussy.” Stan shouted from outside, earning himself a finger from the groaning father-to-be. And despite the seriousness of the whole situation, some of the medical staff and onlookers laughed.
Jeremy walked slowly to where a shaken Dr. Sanders and the other doctors stood around his mate and reached out to touch the exposed stomach. He leaned down and kissed Ryan’s belly button and then began to whisper softly to his child. Jeremy literally felt it when his child calmed down.