In all the black, in all the grief, through all the pain...
She had been feeling bad all morning. Daphne kept having these pains. She had ignored them and finished out her day of teaching. She made her way to Three Broomsticks and took a seat to wait for Charlie. He was being very sweet about picking her up, and Brody usually fed her while she waited. She was not hungry tonight, however.
If Jodie was around, Daphne spoke to her. She seemed to be busy with customers currently, so Daphne amused herself by playing with the knife that had been left on the table.
Jodie rushed out an order and quickly made her way to Daphne. It was too busy to take a break, but that didn't mean she didn't have time for a quick chat. She could multitask and make sure everything went smoothly.
"Daphne! How are you? How's Carly and Harper? Both doing well in their studies? Blaise isn't giving you any trouble, is he?"
Daphne considered telling Jodie about Carly's weak moment, but she had not been kidding. She wanted Carly to tell.
"Things seem to be going well," Daphne said then grimaced in pain.
Jodie cocked her head. "What was that? Are you all right?" Her eyes slowly moved down to Daphne's swollen belly. "When are you due again? Should I go get Theo?"
"I'm-" Something wet came from her person and onto the floor. "Fine."
Duff was looking at her with horror. Daphne was pretty sure her water had just broken.
"Yeah, Jodie, maybe you should fetch Theo."
Her calm attitude last until the first contraction and not just an idle pain hit her. Daphne shouted and grabbed her belly.
Her water broke. She's having the baby. Jodie blinked in shock for a few moments, before her brain really caught up with her. She'd been reading all sorts of birthing literature to be prepared. She gripped Daphne's hand tightly.
"Let's walk you to the clinic. Walking will help, I promise." She helped Daphne stand up but when she looked down at the seat and floor, her eyesight swam. "I guess that answers the question on if you've had your bloody show yet."
With that, her eyes rolled back into her head.
"Oh for fuck's sake. Someone please get Theo. Just please get The-OUCH!"
Brody took off running.
Cullen grabbed Daphne's arm. "Jodie said to walk, so let's walk, aye?"
"I am not leaving Jodie on the floor. You see to her. I'm just having a baby."
Cullen immediately dropped and started patting Jodie's cheeks lightly. Daphne grabbed onto the back of a chair and tried to recall to breathe correctly. She could take a beating, everyone knew that, but this was getting pretty painful. It seemed like it was coming on fast too. That frightened her a little.
Blaise was coming out the bakery and was going to stop by the clinic when he saw a MacDougal shoot out of the pub and yell for Nott. His eyebrow went up as he went into the pub. When he saw Jodie passed out on the floor, Blaise started to panic and quickly made his way inside. "Is she all right?"
Daphne shouted again, her knuckles gripping the chair. This was happening too fast. She was trying to count between contractions, but the pain was distracting her.
"Daphs spewed her pregnant juice all over," Duff said, still horrified. "The baby's comin'. Jodie saw the blood and fainted. She doesna like blood."
"Oh fucking hell, there's no way I'm handling this on my own." Blaise fired off a banishing charm at the fluid and then used ennervate to wake up Jodie. With a gasp, she was sitting up and taking deep breaths.
She looked at Cullen, confused. "What happened?"
"I'll tell you what's fucking happening. Greengrass is about to burst, and you fainted. Wake up and fix it!"
Jodie, tried to keep her head level again, but her fainting spell and the blood knocked her calm about. "Oh stop shouting Blaise. We just need to get Daphne to the clinic." She looked at Cullen again. "Is it gone? Can I look?" she whispered.
"It's fucking gone," Daphne screeched.
This was happening way too fast. It was not supposed to be this fast. She was getting scared. Charlie was supposed to be here. She needed Charlie. She was already getting sweaty and she hurt and the breathing was not helping. Daphne felt lied to and alone.
Jodie took a deep breath. She could do this. "All right. I have something that will help a bit as we go to the clinic. Blaise, come here."
He had quickly backed up when Jodie was awake, and he looked at her nervously. "Why?"
She glared, snapped, and pointed to the spot next to her.
Blaise rolled his eyes and made his way over. "Now I know where your sister gets her damn bossy attitude."
Jodie ignored him and turned to Daphne. "Whenever you feel a contraction, I want you to squeeze Blaise's hand. He can keep count." She grabbed Blaise hand and held it up for Daphne. "You can count, can't you?"
"If you fucking think I'm going to let her hold my hand..." Blaise started, but nearly went to his knees when Daphne gripped his hand so hard, he was sure she'd broken it. "Fucking hell!"
"Start counting!" Jodie snapped.
"This fucking sucks," Daphne screamed. "I want Charlie!"
"Worse than I suspected," Theo announced as he entered the pub.
"Fuck you, Theodore Reginald Nott!"
"Sweet. I get sex out of the deal," he remarked dryly as he did a charm on her to see how in need of the birthing room they were. "Well, I'd hate for you to deliver in the Sticks. Let's begin walking now, shall we."
"Can I let go now so she doesn't rip my hand off? I sort of need it to live," Blaise asked as he looked at Jodie.
"Keep counting, Blaise. I'll do your charting for a month."
Blaise winced when his hand was gripped tightly again. "Two months and it's a deal." He heard Nott snickering and almost kicked him. "Shut up, Nott."
"What did I tell you about Theo? You let him deliver this baby and shut the hell up or I'll kill you."
"Daphne," Theo said. "That tone is unnecessary. We aren't deaf. Blaise probably likes his hearing as well as his hand."
"Fuck you, you wanking fucker!"
If this is what Hannah was going to be like during delivery, Blaise was going to cherish the memory. Hannah never swore, and he only hoped she would do the same so he could tease her about it. But that was going to be years into the future.
"Breathe, Daphne, breathe. We're almost to the clinic," Jodie said calmly. "Now, Brody will make sure that Charlie knows you're here. Do you want me to owl anyone else?"
"Tori. You need to owl Tori."
Then she started crying.
"There now," Theo said in a soothing tone. "Women have babies all the time. Stop being so nasty and definitely stop crying. Let's get you into a room. Blaise will stay with you while Jodie owls your sister and I get my supplies in order. Young Nick is certainly in a hurry, isn't he?"
Blaise's eyes widened. "I'm going to what? Fuck that, I'm going home. I was on my way home. I'm not staying to watch a demon birth!"
Theo pointed his wand at Blaise. "Watch your mouth about her! You will stay for a few minutes so she isn't alone, or so help me, I'll hex your face off."
Jodie rolled her eyes and quickly went to the lab. The quicker she owled, the quicker she could be by Daphne's side yet again. Once the note was penned, she used the emergency owl the clinic had to send it off. When she went back into the room, Blaise was as far away from Daphne as he could be and still be holding her hand. She went to the other side of the bed and took Daphne's hand.
"Thank you, Blaise. You're free to go."
Blaise quickly ripped his hand out of Daphne's grasp and winced. "Two months, Jodie. You owe me." With that, he was quickly out of the room.
Jodie grinned as she looked at Daphne. "Well, how did it feel to have a legitimate reason to cause Blaise pain, not that I condone it in any way, shape, or form?"
Daphne looked at Jodie with wide and panicked eyes. "It's too fast. This is too fast."
"Panicking is not helping, Daphne. The best thing you can do is be calm and trust your body to do what's best for Nickolas." Jodie quickly wet a rag and put it on Daphne's forehead. "We'll let Theo be the one to decide if things are going too fast."
"Too fast," Theo said, as he entered the room, ready to do this though he never had before. "Nonsense. Everything is going to be fine, Daphs. Though Charlie might not make it to the room before Nickolas does."
"What?"
"Your son is in a hurry to meet you. Let's get you out of your robes and into a gown. Then let's get ready to bring a life in the world."
He had to be calm because she was not.
When he stood up, Jodie reached out and snapped him with the wet cloth. The comment about Charlie not being there was not going to help Daphne and her panicking. Turning back to Daphne, she smiled. "You're going to meet your son soon, Daphne. Isn't it exciting?"
"Why'd you hit Theo? He do something untoward?"
"Certainly not," Theo snapped.
He moved his supplies next to the bed she was in as Jodie helped Daphne into her gown. Once she was settled, Theo put Daphne's feet into the stirrups on the bed.
"This feels naughty."
She would have made more jokes, but her body was gripped with another contraction.
"I want to push."
"Not yet," Theo snapped.
He put his wand up under the blankets Jodie had just draped over Daphne's legs.
"I hate you, Theo."
"Mmm-hmm. I know."
Jodie hid a grin. "No pushing until Theo says so, Daphne. It's just Nickolas pushing down on the Ferguson Plexus of nerves, creating Ferguson's reflex. That's the urge to push you're feeling. And don't worry, once you enter into the second stage of labor, you might not have any contractions at all and can rest. If your labor was progressing too quickly, Theo would have you lie on your side."
When she got strange looks, she shrugged. "I read up on it. I also asked Cullen's mother some questions."
"There is no time frame for birth, Daphne, and I show your body to be exactly where it needs to be. Don't worry."
"Don't worry, he says, while he's up under my skirt shining his wand light at my vagina."
"Oh well, I say."
"What? Theo, what? WHAT!"
"You're fully dialated. Have you been having pains today?" His head peeked up over the blankets.
"Maybe."
"Since when?"
"This morning."
"You've been in labor all day. You went to work, you taught class, and you've been in labor all day." He looked at Jodie. "Crazy bint has been in labor all day, walking all over Hogwarts, about to shoot a kid out."
Jodie was in shock. "Daphne! Why would you do that? What if you'd actually started to give birth in class? You should have come to the clinic as soon as you felt the labor pains!"
"I didn't know I was in labor! I'm not due for another two weeks. Shite! Stop shouting at me, the both of you, or I'll leave."
Theo snorted.
"You're having Nickolas now," Theo said, ducking back down. He put a hand on her belly to test. "Feels like he's turned the way he needs to be, Daphs. How about a push?"
Daphne gritted her teeth and pushed. It did not seem to do any good. She still hurt and the baby was still in her. So she pushed again.
"He's crowning. Look at all that red hair."
Jodie gulped and kept her eyes on Daphne. "I'd rather not pass out again. I'll take your word for it." She grinned feebly at Daphne. "Guess they're no guessing whose baby you're having."
"Push again, Daphs."
As Daphne began pushing again, Charlie burst through the door. She screamed and reached for him. Charlie was instantly at her side and murmuring words of reassurance.
"His head's out. One more, Daphne."
She pushed as hard as she could, and suddenly it was over. She felt exhausted. Daphne heard Theo mutter a severing charm. He had turned away, and then Daphne heard a cry. It was the most beautiful sound in the whole world.
Theo laughed as little Nickolas began screaming his little lungs out. Probably cold. Theo placed him on a little pad and did a cleaning charm. Then he wrapped the baby in a blanket that had a warming charm on it. He turned to look at a sweaty Daphne.
She held out her arms for the baby. Theo placed him there as Charlie leaned in and kissed both Daphne and the boy. Theo quietly excused himself to catch his breath and give them a bit of privacy. His first delivery.
Jodie had purposefully put her back to Theo so she would avoid any more fainting spells. Once Nickolas was delivered, Jodie crept away from the bed and let Charlie and Daphne have their first moment with their son. As she came out into the hall, she grinned at Theo.
"All swearing and ignoring labor pains aside, I think she did rather well."
Theo abruptly took a seat on the floor. He still had some stuff on his scrubs and hoped Jodie did not notice. "I need to go take care of the afterbirth and check Daphne's vitals."
When she noticed the bit of red on his sleeves, Jodie's head snapped up to stare at the wall opposite of her. "You do that. I'm going to stand here and breathe a moment." She'd made a point not to look anywhere but at Daphne's face or the walls when she exited the room. Looks like she'd have to do the same with Theo.
Theo rolled his eyes and did a cleaning charm on himself before checking on Daphne. She seemed to be doing well. Nickolas seemed fine also. He cleaned up the scene and disposed of the afterbirth.
"I'll get you a cot in here, Charlie, and I had a bassinet ordered for this since we've a few other pregnancies in the area. I'd like Daphne to stay overnight just to be safe. You can look now, Jodie."
She cautiously peeked in, almost not trusting Theo to not play a joke, but smiled when she saw a pristine room. Slowly, she walked over to the side of the bed Charlie was on and looked down at Nickolas. Jodie only wanted a peek at the newest Weasley, and then she would return to the Sticks. Wincing internally, she hoped Brody wasn't too sore at her for taking off with Jodie. The thought had never occurred to ask him if it was all right.
"Just one last glimpse to see the new baby and to make sure you're all right before I go back to work."
"Like yer goin' back to work," Brody snapped.
Astoria was behind him - with Marcus, who was looking VERY sour. Probably didn't want to let her come here alone.
Daphne held Nick so Jodie could see him.
She gently moved the blankets down so she could see his entire face. "He's beautiful, Daphne. You did wonderfully. And you were worried."
"He could still be evil."
"Don't be ridiculous," Astoria snapped. "My nephew is not evil."
Daphne smiled at her sister before handing Nickolas to Charlie. She watched as he held his son with expert hands.
"All right. Everyone's had their peek," Theo announced. "Daphne needs her rest and Nickolas will probably want to eat soon."
Astoria rushed over and kissed Daphne, then Charlie, then Nick. "I'll be back tomorrow."
Brody just nodded and ducked out.
Jodie waved. "I'll come by tomorrow and check on you. Bye Daphne!" Despite what Brody insisted, she was going back to work.
Theo smiled at Daphne and Charlie who were in their own little world. "I'll get the cot."
He hurried after Jodie. "Jodie?"
She stopped.
"Thanks."
Jodie smiled at him. "You have no reason to thank me. You and Daphne did all the work."
"Don't go underestimating moral support," Theo replied before he pecked her on the cheek and hurried off to secure the bassinet and the cot for the proud parents and their little one.
He was feeling especially cheerful for him tonight. Perhaps because he seemed to be surrounded by so much death, but here, tonight, he'd help bring life into the world.
{SUMMARY} Theo and Jodie help Daphne bring Nickolas Weasley into the world.
If Jodie was around, Daphne spoke to her. She seemed to be busy with customers currently, so Daphne amused herself by playing with the knife that had been left on the table.
Jodie rushed out an order and quickly made her way to Daphne. It was too busy to take a break, but that didn't mean she didn't have time for a quick chat. She could multitask and make sure everything went smoothly.
"Daphne! How are you? How's Carly and Harper? Both doing well in their studies? Blaise isn't giving you any trouble, is he?"
Daphne considered telling Jodie about Carly's weak moment, but she had not been kidding. She wanted Carly to tell.
"Things seem to be going well," Daphne said then grimaced in pain.
Jodie cocked her head. "What was that? Are you all right?" Her eyes slowly moved down to Daphne's swollen belly. "When are you due again? Should I go get Theo?"
"I'm-" Something wet came from her person and onto the floor. "Fine."
Duff was looking at her with horror. Daphne was pretty sure her water had just broken.
"Yeah, Jodie, maybe you should fetch Theo."
Her calm attitude last until the first contraction and not just an idle pain hit her. Daphne shouted and grabbed her belly.
Her water broke. She's having the baby. Jodie blinked in shock for a few moments, before her brain really caught up with her. She'd been reading all sorts of birthing literature to be prepared. She gripped Daphne's hand tightly.
"Let's walk you to the clinic. Walking will help, I promise." She helped Daphne stand up but when she looked down at the seat and floor, her eyesight swam. "I guess that answers the question on if you've had your bloody show yet."
With that, her eyes rolled back into her head.
"Oh for fuck's sake. Someone please get Theo. Just please get The-OUCH!"
Brody took off running.
Cullen grabbed Daphne's arm. "Jodie said to walk, so let's walk, aye?"
"I am not leaving Jodie on the floor. You see to her. I'm just having a baby."
Cullen immediately dropped and started patting Jodie's cheeks lightly. Daphne grabbed onto the back of a chair and tried to recall to breathe correctly. She could take a beating, everyone knew that, but this was getting pretty painful. It seemed like it was coming on fast too. That frightened her a little.
Blaise was coming out the bakery and was going to stop by the clinic when he saw a MacDougal shoot out of the pub and yell for Nott. His eyebrow went up as he went into the pub. When he saw Jodie passed out on the floor, Blaise started to panic and quickly made his way inside. "Is she all right?"
Daphne shouted again, her knuckles gripping the chair. This was happening too fast. She was trying to count between contractions, but the pain was distracting her.
"Daphs spewed her pregnant juice all over," Duff said, still horrified. "The baby's comin'. Jodie saw the blood and fainted. She doesna like blood."
"Oh fucking hell, there's no way I'm handling this on my own." Blaise fired off a banishing charm at the fluid and then used ennervate to wake up Jodie. With a gasp, she was sitting up and taking deep breaths.
She looked at Cullen, confused. "What happened?"
"I'll tell you what's fucking happening. Greengrass is about to burst, and you fainted. Wake up and fix it!"
Jodie, tried to keep her head level again, but her fainting spell and the blood knocked her calm about. "Oh stop shouting Blaise. We just need to get Daphne to the clinic." She looked at Cullen again. "Is it gone? Can I look?" she whispered.
"It's fucking gone," Daphne screeched.
This was happening way too fast. It was not supposed to be this fast. She was getting scared. Charlie was supposed to be here. She needed Charlie. She was already getting sweaty and she hurt and the breathing was not helping. Daphne felt lied to and alone.
Jodie took a deep breath. She could do this. "All right. I have something that will help a bit as we go to the clinic. Blaise, come here."
He had quickly backed up when Jodie was awake, and he looked at her nervously. "Why?"
She glared, snapped, and pointed to the spot next to her.
Blaise rolled his eyes and made his way over. "Now I know where your sister gets her damn bossy attitude."
Jodie ignored him and turned to Daphne. "Whenever you feel a contraction, I want you to squeeze Blaise's hand. He can keep count." She grabbed Blaise hand and held it up for Daphne. "You can count, can't you?"
"If you fucking think I'm going to let her hold my hand..." Blaise started, but nearly went to his knees when Daphne gripped his hand so hard, he was sure she'd broken it. "Fucking hell!"
"Start counting!" Jodie snapped.
"This fucking sucks," Daphne screamed. "I want Charlie!"
"Worse than I suspected," Theo announced as he entered the pub.
"Fuck you, Theodore Reginald Nott!"
"Sweet. I get sex out of the deal," he remarked dryly as he did a charm on her to see how in need of the birthing room they were. "Well, I'd hate for you to deliver in the Sticks. Let's begin walking now, shall we."
"Can I let go now so she doesn't rip my hand off? I sort of need it to live," Blaise asked as he looked at Jodie.
"Keep counting, Blaise. I'll do your charting for a month."
Blaise winced when his hand was gripped tightly again. "Two months and it's a deal." He heard Nott snickering and almost kicked him. "Shut up, Nott."
"What did I tell you about Theo? You let him deliver this baby and shut the hell up or I'll kill you."
"Daphne," Theo said. "That tone is unnecessary. We aren't deaf. Blaise probably likes his hearing as well as his hand."
"Fuck you, you wanking fucker!"
If this is what Hannah was going to be like during delivery, Blaise was going to cherish the memory. Hannah never swore, and he only hoped she would do the same so he could tease her about it. But that was going to be years into the future.
"Breathe, Daphne, breathe. We're almost to the clinic," Jodie said calmly. "Now, Brody will make sure that Charlie knows you're here. Do you want me to owl anyone else?"
"Tori. You need to owl Tori."
Then she started crying.
"There now," Theo said in a soothing tone. "Women have babies all the time. Stop being so nasty and definitely stop crying. Let's get you into a room. Blaise will stay with you while Jodie owls your sister and I get my supplies in order. Young Nick is certainly in a hurry, isn't he?"
Blaise's eyes widened. "I'm going to what? Fuck that, I'm going home. I was on my way home. I'm not staying to watch a demon birth!"
Theo pointed his wand at Blaise. "Watch your mouth about her! You will stay for a few minutes so she isn't alone, or so help me, I'll hex your face off."
Jodie rolled her eyes and quickly went to the lab. The quicker she owled, the quicker she could be by Daphne's side yet again. Once the note was penned, she used the emergency owl the clinic had to send it off. When she went back into the room, Blaise was as far away from Daphne as he could be and still be holding her hand. She went to the other side of the bed and took Daphne's hand.
"Thank you, Blaise. You're free to go."
Blaise quickly ripped his hand out of Daphne's grasp and winced. "Two months, Jodie. You owe me." With that, he was quickly out of the room.
Jodie grinned as she looked at Daphne. "Well, how did it feel to have a legitimate reason to cause Blaise pain, not that I condone it in any way, shape, or form?"
Daphne looked at Jodie with wide and panicked eyes. "It's too fast. This is too fast."
"Panicking is not helping, Daphne. The best thing you can do is be calm and trust your body to do what's best for Nickolas." Jodie quickly wet a rag and put it on Daphne's forehead. "We'll let Theo be the one to decide if things are going too fast."
"Too fast," Theo said, as he entered the room, ready to do this though he never had before. "Nonsense. Everything is going to be fine, Daphs. Though Charlie might not make it to the room before Nickolas does."
"What?"
"Your son is in a hurry to meet you. Let's get you out of your robes and into a gown. Then let's get ready to bring a life in the world."
He had to be calm because she was not.
When he stood up, Jodie reached out and snapped him with the wet cloth. The comment about Charlie not being there was not going to help Daphne and her panicking. Turning back to Daphne, she smiled. "You're going to meet your son soon, Daphne. Isn't it exciting?"
"Why'd you hit Theo? He do something untoward?"
"Certainly not," Theo snapped.
He moved his supplies next to the bed she was in as Jodie helped Daphne into her gown. Once she was settled, Theo put Daphne's feet into the stirrups on the bed.
"This feels naughty."
She would have made more jokes, but her body was gripped with another contraction.
"I want to push."
"Not yet," Theo snapped.
He put his wand up under the blankets Jodie had just draped over Daphne's legs.
"I hate you, Theo."
"Mmm-hmm. I know."
Jodie hid a grin. "No pushing until Theo says so, Daphne. It's just Nickolas pushing down on the Ferguson Plexus of nerves, creating Ferguson's reflex. That's the urge to push you're feeling. And don't worry, once you enter into the second stage of labor, you might not have any contractions at all and can rest. If your labor was progressing too quickly, Theo would have you lie on your side."
When she got strange looks, she shrugged. "I read up on it. I also asked Cullen's mother some questions."
"There is no time frame for birth, Daphne, and I show your body to be exactly where it needs to be. Don't worry."
"Don't worry, he says, while he's up under my skirt shining his wand light at my vagina."
"Oh well, I say."
"What? Theo, what? WHAT!"
"You're fully dialated. Have you been having pains today?" His head peeked up over the blankets.
"Maybe."
"Since when?"
"This morning."
"You've been in labor all day. You went to work, you taught class, and you've been in labor all day." He looked at Jodie. "Crazy bint has been in labor all day, walking all over Hogwarts, about to shoot a kid out."
Jodie was in shock. "Daphne! Why would you do that? What if you'd actually started to give birth in class? You should have come to the clinic as soon as you felt the labor pains!"
"I didn't know I was in labor! I'm not due for another two weeks. Shite! Stop shouting at me, the both of you, or I'll leave."
Theo snorted.
"You're having Nickolas now," Theo said, ducking back down. He put a hand on her belly to test. "Feels like he's turned the way he needs to be, Daphs. How about a push?"
Daphne gritted her teeth and pushed. It did not seem to do any good. She still hurt and the baby was still in her. So she pushed again.
"He's crowning. Look at all that red hair."
Jodie gulped and kept her eyes on Daphne. "I'd rather not pass out again. I'll take your word for it." She grinned feebly at Daphne. "Guess they're no guessing whose baby you're having."
"Push again, Daphs."
As Daphne began pushing again, Charlie burst through the door. She screamed and reached for him. Charlie was instantly at her side and murmuring words of reassurance.
"His head's out. One more, Daphne."
She pushed as hard as she could, and suddenly it was over. She felt exhausted. Daphne heard Theo mutter a severing charm. He had turned away, and then Daphne heard a cry. It was the most beautiful sound in the whole world.
Theo laughed as little Nickolas began screaming his little lungs out. Probably cold. Theo placed him on a little pad and did a cleaning charm. Then he wrapped the baby in a blanket that had a warming charm on it. He turned to look at a sweaty Daphne.
She held out her arms for the baby. Theo placed him there as Charlie leaned in and kissed both Daphne and the boy. Theo quietly excused himself to catch his breath and give them a bit of privacy. His first delivery.
Jodie had purposefully put her back to Theo so she would avoid any more fainting spells. Once Nickolas was delivered, Jodie crept away from the bed and let Charlie and Daphne have their first moment with their son. As she came out into the hall, she grinned at Theo.
"All swearing and ignoring labor pains aside, I think she did rather well."
Theo abruptly took a seat on the floor. He still had some stuff on his scrubs and hoped Jodie did not notice. "I need to go take care of the afterbirth and check Daphne's vitals."
When she noticed the bit of red on his sleeves, Jodie's head snapped up to stare at the wall opposite of her. "You do that. I'm going to stand here and breathe a moment." She'd made a point not to look anywhere but at Daphne's face or the walls when she exited the room. Looks like she'd have to do the same with Theo.
Theo rolled his eyes and did a cleaning charm on himself before checking on Daphne. She seemed to be doing well. Nickolas seemed fine also. He cleaned up the scene and disposed of the afterbirth.
"I'll get you a cot in here, Charlie, and I had a bassinet ordered for this since we've a few other pregnancies in the area. I'd like Daphne to stay overnight just to be safe. You can look now, Jodie."
She cautiously peeked in, almost not trusting Theo to not play a joke, but smiled when she saw a pristine room. Slowly, she walked over to the side of the bed Charlie was on and looked down at Nickolas. Jodie only wanted a peek at the newest Weasley, and then she would return to the Sticks. Wincing internally, she hoped Brody wasn't too sore at her for taking off with Jodie. The thought had never occurred to ask him if it was all right.
"Just one last glimpse to see the new baby and to make sure you're all right before I go back to work."
"Like yer goin' back to work," Brody snapped.
Astoria was behind him - with Marcus, who was looking VERY sour. Probably didn't want to let her come here alone.
Daphne held Nick so Jodie could see him.
She gently moved the blankets down so she could see his entire face. "He's beautiful, Daphne. You did wonderfully. And you were worried."
"He could still be evil."
"Don't be ridiculous," Astoria snapped. "My nephew is not evil."
Daphne smiled at her sister before handing Nickolas to Charlie. She watched as he held his son with expert hands.
"All right. Everyone's had their peek," Theo announced. "Daphne needs her rest and Nickolas will probably want to eat soon."
Astoria rushed over and kissed Daphne, then Charlie, then Nick. "I'll be back tomorrow."
Brody just nodded and ducked out.
Jodie waved. "I'll come by tomorrow and check on you. Bye Daphne!" Despite what Brody insisted, she was going back to work.
Theo smiled at Daphne and Charlie who were in their own little world. "I'll get the cot."
He hurried after Jodie. "Jodie?"
She stopped.
"Thanks."
Jodie smiled at him. "You have no reason to thank me. You and Daphne did all the work."
"Don't go underestimating moral support," Theo replied before he pecked her on the cheek and hurried off to secure the bassinet and the cot for the proud parents and their little one.
He was feeling especially cheerful for him tonight. Perhaps because he seemed to be surrounded by so much death, but here, tonight, he'd help bring life into the world.
{SUMMARY} Theo and Jodie help Daphne bring Nickolas Weasley into the world.