Without a Sound, Everything Changes

[carolina_stokes]

There was no sound, nothing at all, except for...

Carolina was puttering in the kitchen, putting the last touches on the chocolate banana cake that she was making for Nick's birthday. All week, she had played delibrately dense, not mentioning his special day.

Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Comments

[_nickstokes_]

"Actually, I think that would be pretty cool. It would be the best present I ever got." Nick smiled, giving her a kiss back before opening the door for her. Bane had already pushed the seat all the way back in preparation. "Plus, we could have three cakes."

He helped her in, making sure she was comfortable and buckled in securely before running around to the driver's side.

"You sure we have a while? I can grab the blue light from my car to get us there faster." Partially kidding, partially not. "I mean, I'm going to drive fast, but I could drive faster."

[carolina_stokes]

"As long as you don't get stuck someplace for hours, we should be fine, Nicky." Carolina stretched her legs out. "Three cakes? Hmmmm, I think that could be arranged. Oh, and I suppose the surprise is out of the bag, but your family is supposed to be here, today, for a barbeque for your birthday, Nick."

Carolina chuckled as her cell rang. It was Ryan, who had landed at the airport with Elizabeth, and they were en route to the house. "No...don't come to the hospital, yet. Just stay with the kids and make sure everything is okay for Nick's folks."

Hanging up, she winced in pain as a strong contraction rolled through her body.

[_nickstokes_]

"Carolee?" Nick saw her hurting and somehow managed to slip his hand into hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. There wasn't much else he could do, except let her know he was there for her one hundred percent, and of course, drive her to the hospital, very quickly. "I love you."

"Don't forget to breathe." It was the only standard birthing line he could remember at the moment.

[carolina_stokes]

Carolina chuckled, squeezing Nick's hand gratefully. "I love you, too, and don't worry. I've done this before."

They drove on, and Caro didn't worry about how fast Nick was driving. She knew that he would take care of her, and that he was a great driver.

"Your mother is going to be very excited."

[_nickstokes_]

"She's going to be thrilled. She loves babies, as you could probably already guess." Nick grinned. If his mother knew how to knit, there would be at least a few dozen little knit baby booties for each twin.

"Thanks for flying them all out here for my birthday. I had no idea." There wasn't much traffic at this time, so Nick smoothly sped past the cars that were there and turned onto the road the hospital was on. "I'm actually really surprised none of them let it slip out that they were coming. Though, come to think of it, my mom did say she was going to see me soon, but I just figured she meant she was coming to visit when the twins were born."

[carolina_stokes]

"That's what the corporate jet is for, you know." Carolina chuckled. Coordinating the arrival of Nick's family was a bit like a military maneuver, especially trying to keep it a secret from him.

Caro felt a strong, hard contraction, and then a feeling of pressure that was a surprise in it's sudden hit to her system. "Nicky...I don't want to worry you, but I think that our son or daughter is wanting to wish you a happy birthday....NOW."

[_nickstokes_]

"Ahhh...I should have gotten the blue light." Nick eased off the gas, in case Carolina needed him to pull over. He kept driving, but glanced over at her every few seconds. "Carolee, when you say 'now', do you mean right now? Will I miss our baby's birth if I don't stop?"

He sped up again, while the road was clear, then slowed again to make sure Carolina was okay. "We're almost there. If you don't push I think I can make it in the next two minutes."

[carolina_stokes]

"Two. Minutes." That came out between gritted teeth. Carolina was trying to breathe, and not to push. She really did not want to have this baby in the car. Of course, having it on a gurney while going through the halls of the hospital wasn't much better.

"Drive...and hurry."

[_nickstokes_]

"Hold on." One minute. That's all he needed. Nick pulled into the very first entrance for the hospital, which wasn't the direct entrance for labor and delivery but actually the entrance for the main lobby of the Children's Hospital.

"I think this is close enough, yeah? Oh hey, they have valet parking." Nick stopped the car right in front of the door and leaped out without shutting off the engine.

[carolina_stokes]

"Don't stop to tip the guy." Ha! Humor in the face of it all. It's a gift.

She had the door open, even as Nick was getting out. Carolina didn't really trust herself to stand, deciding to wait until he got a gurney or someone. "Whichever one of these twins this is, pushing on me and being so impatient? Yeah, they're grounded. Pushy kid." Muttering between clenched teeth, she willed her impatient offspring to hold on for just a few more minutes.

[_nickstokes_]

Yeah, there were people staring, including a few youngsters who had just come out from their doctors visit with balloons and other various treats. Lucky for Nick and Caro, though mostly Caro, someone had taken notice to all the action and brought it to the attention of one of the nurses nearby.

"Hi. Hey. Hi." One nurse. Three greetings. "My wife's in labor with twins. One's in a rush to get out."

"Oh, we'd better hurry then." Stating the obvious, but at least she had a wheelchair.

[carolina_stokes]

"No, I thought we'd stop at the gift shop." Mutter, mutter, mutter. Carolina got out of the SUV and into the wheelchair. Hissing and heeing in her breathing, she looked at Nick with eyebrows lifted.

"Nick...roll this puppy do labor and delivery. And if they try to stop you for insurance forms...shoot them."

[_nickstokes_]

"Hold on, babe." Time to shine, he told himself. "Coming through! Coming through!"

Nick began to jog, pushing Carolina through the lobby and weaving between people who were taking their sweet time getting out of the way.

"'Scuse me! About to have a baby!" Following the signs to where they needed to be, Nick made a beeline for the very first doctor he saw in the delivery wing. "YOU!"

[carolina_stokes]

Carolina beamed up at Nick, his reward for being such a stud, running through those halls. That was HER hubby, thank you very much.

The doctor looked at Nick, then Carolina, who was obviously in distress, and had the good sense to throw open the door to an empty delivery room, crisply ordering nurses to prep the equipment and telling an orderly to get the patient up on the bed.

"Nicky, help me up. I swear, this son or daughter of yours is not waiting." Carolina gripped his hand as though she would break it. Thank heavens she was wearing a loose sundress, because this kid was not going to wait for her to get into a gown.

[_nickstokes_]

Nick helped her up on to the table. The momentary relief from making it to the hospital and to a delivery room was gone once he realized what was about to happen.

"I love you," he reminded her. He could only hope she would remember that as she gave birth to their babies. "I love you so much."

And yes, he was going to let her crush his hand.

[carolina_stokes]

"Crowning...we have a baby crowning." The doctor was in position, and a nurse was putting Carolina's feet into the stirrups. "Okay, mom, let's try one big push here."

Carolina gave the young doctor a "no kidding" look, before taking a deep breath and pushing with all her might. With relative ease, the first of the twins emerged, with the doctor turning the baby's head and then slipping the small body out slowly. Caro was squeezing Nick's hand for all it was worth, and grimacing with the effort.

"We have a girl, here, folks. A little lady." And with that, the baby let out a loud wail of protest as the doctor lifted her.