Fic: BigBang 2011 - The Works Of His Hands Are Faithful And Just (7/7+Epilogue)
and show them my salvation.
_10th May_ (10 weeks)
“Wow, I can’t believe we’re doing this…” Jensen whispered to Jared in a low voice, not wanting to wake up Jaden who was peacefully sleeping in his arms. “He’s not even a month old and we’re already planning to give him a little sister or brother.”
Jared smiled at him a bit nervous but at the same time determined. He had been the one that had brought up the wish to have another baby so soon after Jaden had been born. Seeing Jensen get through the birth without any complications had given him the needed courage to admit his desire to himself first and then to Jensen. He not only wanted to give Jaden a sibling, he also wanted to be the one to carry their second child even if Jensen was still a bit reluctant about that decision.
They talked about it for every day for two weeks until Jared had been in tears and not able to hold his emotions in check any longer. Jensen, of course, hadn’t been able to see him hurting and had agreed to everything under the condition that Jared would get checked out by a professional obstetrician before they even started trying for another baby. Jared had gladly agreed with that condition and now they were sitting in the waiting room of Dr. Mitchell’s office, waiting for their second appointment to get Jared’s test results.
“Have you never tried to imagine what it would’ve been like to grow up with a brother or sister, Jen?” Jared asked, slightly deflecting the question that lay behind Jensen’s words, the unspoken ‘do you really think we’re ready for that’ that he had understood loud and clear.
“Mr. Ackles and Mr. Padalecki,” the nurse at the receptions desk called out and both men stood up, unconsciously entwining their fingers as they walked towards the room the nurse was pointing at.
“Hello, Jared,” Dr. Mitchell reached out his hand to shake Jared’s before turning his attention to Jensen, who was slowly rocking Jaden in his arms once more, and nodding at him. “Hello, Jensen. I got all the test results back and have a lot of good news for you today.”
Both men relaxed at the announcement and sat down in the two chairs opposite to the large mahogany desk the doctor was sitting behind. He was in his late forties, grey hair streaked with a few brown strands and friendly brown eyes. “So, how’re you feeling? Last time we talked you looked quite tense.”
“We’re still getting used to Jaden’s sleeping patterns, so we’re not really getting that much sleep right now,” Jensen offered with a shy smile, holding their son close to his chest with his right arm, while holding onto Jared’s hand with his left.
“Yeah, I remember when my kids were that little and how having a baby in the house can mess with your sleep,” Dr. Mitchell agreed good-humoredly. “So, let’s get down to business so you can get home and take a short nap while the little guy is sleeping, shall we?”
Both young parents looked at each other for a moment and then nodded at the doctor.
“Well, as I said, everything looks really good. Jared’s lab results from the blood and urine test show no abnormalities and the results of the EEG you had done are great. From the medical history you gave me I really don’t see a reason why you should have trouble conceiving and having a normal pregnancy.”
Jared sighed in relief and felt Jensen squeezing his hand in answer to the words.
“Now, you have really slender hips, Jared, so I would’ve asked for an x-ray to check the measurements of your pelvic cavity because that’s sometimes an issue in male pregnancies. Just because you are slender built, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’ll be any complications, though.”
“We really want to get all the tests done that you find necessary, Dr. Mitchell, just to be on the safe side,” Jensen assured, flashing Jared a reassuring smile. He could tell that Jared was already starting to worry after the older man had mentioned that his pelvis might be too narrow, so they should just get to the necessary scan and measurements to know for sure.
Bob Mitchell smiled gently. “Unfortunately, we won’t be able to get that x-ray because the blood and urine test results showed a high hCG concentration.”
“Wait isn’t the hCG concentration…” Jensen started asking and broke off his question when Dr. Mitchell nodded in affirmation.
“Jared is already pregnant and from the concentration of hCG that was detected, he’s more than five weeks along,” the obstetrician explained with a warm smile, rather surprised when he saw Jared eyes widen and his face lose all color.
“But how’s that possible?” Jared asked in shock. “Jensen was… the books said… pregnant men produce significantly less… less sperm and therefore can’t…”
Jensen saw where Jared’s mind was going and intervened by letting go of his hand and shaking him by the shoulder instead. “Jay, don’t! Just calm down and everything will be fine, alright? Just let Dr. Mitchell explain it, Love.”
“You’re right, in general pregnancy effects sperm production negatively so that it is not possible to conceive but there’s no 100% guarantee for that because sperm production isn’t shut down completely.”
“So the results can’t be… false positives?” Jared demanded, still shaking with nerves.
The doctor shook his head. “Home pregnancy tests aren’t always reliable but the blood or urine tests done properly in a lab are pretty accurate, and since both your samples showed the same results, you can also rule out any possibility of a mix-up.”
“But I was feeling just fine. No morning sickness or dizziness… nothing,” Jared stated, bewildered.
“Then I guess you’re one of the lucky ones that don’t get morning sickness or it might start later on in pregnancy which doesn’t happen very often.” The older man continued to clarify patiently.
Jared nodded but then turned to Jensen with a devastated look in his eyes. “How could I not have known?”
“It’s alright, Jay. Your test results were all normal, you’ve heard the doctor.” Jensen struggled to turn around in his seat to face Jared while holding Jaden who, thankfully, was still asleep and oblivious to all the commotion around him.
“What if I hurt the baby?” Jared’s face seemed to be turning even more ghastly as he voiced his doubts. “I’ve been drinking coffee…”
Jensen shook his head vehemently. “You’ve always taken your coffee out of the thermos jug we bring to work and it has decaf in it. Please, calm down, Jay.”
“I suggest we just do a sonogram to check out how your new baby is doing, Jared,” Bob Mitchell suggested, getting up from his armchair and setting up the standard ultrasound machine that he had in this office.
Standing up from his seat, Jensen held out one hand. “Come on let’s see how the baby’s doing.”
Jared moved like a robot but at least followed the instructions as the doctor asked him to change into a gown and get onto the examination chair and into the stirrups.
“It’ll be alright. Just relax, Jared,” Jensen soothed, running his free hand through his anxious lover’s hair. “You’re in great shape and you’ve been eating the same healthy food that I have. There’s nothing to worry about, Love,” he kept talking while the doctor gently inserted the wand and started adjusting the angle to get a clear picture.
“There it is,” the doctor announced after a couple of minutes, waiting for his patients to turn their eyes towards the small monitor before pointing out the blurry shape. “This is the baby. It’s about one and a half inches long so I’d say you’re about ten weeks along.”
Jared actually nodded, he’d already done the math in his head and Jensen’s birthday had been ten weeks ago, he had already figured out how far along he had to be.
“There you can see the head. His or her body and a little foot right there.” Dr. Mitchell clicked a few buttons and then pointed the cursor right at the small shape of their baby’s foot. “And this is the heartbeat. It’s at around 160 beats per minute which is exactly how it should be at this stage.” He turned on the volume and watched as the two young men stared at the screen in genuine wonder even though they had been through all of that not even nine months before.
The doctor was about to tell them that he could print out a picture for them when baby Jaden started making small fussy noises, kicking out his hands and feet in protest as he woke up by the fast staccato noise of his unborn sibling’s heartbeat.
Jensen actually laughed at their son’s scrunched up little face and even Jared finally smiled. “That’s your baby sister or brother, Jaden,” the younger man said softly and then locked eyes with the man he loved. “We’re going to have another baby, Jen.”
“Yes, we are,” Jensen confirmed proudly and shared a quick kiss with Jared, grateful that he had calmed down. “And we already read the books, bought DVDs and even have a yoga ball. We’re ready for this, Love.”
_22nd November_ (38 weeks)
“Jen, I think it’s time…” Jared declared with a nervous little smile after shaking Jensen awake in the middle of the night. He had only turned on the small lamp on his nightstand but even in the dim light he could see how Jensen’s eyes snapped open and he was fully alert within seconds.
“You’re in labor?” Jensen asked automatically, watching Jared, who was standing next to the bed and supporting his heavy belly with one hand, for any signs of discomfort as he jumped out of bed.
Jared nodded. “I felt a stabbing pain when I went to the bathroom. I thought he had just woken up and kicked me harder than usual, but he’s definitely asleep and I just felt another cramping pain when I came back.”
As Dr. Mitchell had pretty much predicted, Jared had been really lucky. He hadn’t gotten any morning sickness, he had barely experienced any mood swings and, as far as Jensen could tell, he didn’t even get any cravings in the past seven months since finding out he was pregnant. Still, Jared had somehow always been waiting for the other shoe to drop, not taking anything for granted. He was meticulous about his diet and exercise regiment since he had noticed how the yoga had helped Jensen in his pregnancy.
No matter how paranoid Jared had sometimes gotten, asking Steve to make a quick ultrasound during their shifts every now and then ‘just to make sure the baby was okay’, Jensen had always been right by his side and supported him in everything he did.
They had taken the day off when Jared had reached the critical twenty weeks mark and spent almost the whole day cuddled up in bed with Jaden between them, watching old movies and just enjoying each other’s company.
“I’ll call Chris and Dr. Mitchell, and then I’ll get Jaden ready. Just lay down for a few minutes and then I’ll help you get dressed.” Jensen was feeling a bit shaky with anticipation but Jared didn’t look distressed or panicked, so he took that for a good sign. “I’ll be right back with you, Love,” he called out and disappeared into the living room to make the phone calls.
When he got back, he saw Jared standing next to Jaden’s crib, which was still standing in their bedroom, with his light blue winter suit in his hands.
“Chris is on the way to pick us up. Steve’s working the night shift and already at the clinic but Chris’ll call him and tell him we’re coming. He’ll also page Dr. Mitchell and call Jeff on his way over,” he quickly explained, picking up their son from his crib to get him dressed in the warm overalls. “How’re you feeling, Jay? Any more contractions?”
“You were gone for less than two minutes, Jensen,” the pregnant man pointed out calmly. “I’m okay.”
Jensen really couldn’t wrap his mind around how calm Jared was right now. When he had gone into labor with Jaden, Jared had been a complete mess. Thankful for small favors, Jensen finished dressing their seven and a half month old son, who miraculously slept through the whole thing only mewling once or twice in his sleep but never really rousing. He laid the baby onto the middle of their bed and grabbed a pair of warm sweatpants and a large grey hoodie from their wardrobe to help Jared get dressed.
By the time Chris rang their doorbell, they were all ready to go, dressed in thick down jackets with Jaden safely strapped to Jensen’s chest and zipped into the oversized jacket with his daddy for extra warmth.
“How you doing, Jay?” Chris greeted, concern for his friend written all over his face as he saw them.
“I’m okay. The contractions are still more than five minutes apart but we thought we might better get going just in case,” Jared answered, letting himself be led towards to elevator and then to Chris’s SUV.
“He must’ve gone into labor while we slept,” Jensen threw in randomly as they shuffled through the four inch high snow towards the car.
Chris nodded and helped Jared slip into the backseat. “That’s a good idea since they said that we’re getting more snow tonight…Right now things at the clinic are still more or less calm, but they’re prepared for the worst. Anyway, Steve’s getting a room for you ready, so you won’t have to worry.”
“Okay,” Jared replied and then started taking quick, shallow breaths as another contraction took hold of his body.
“Alright, that’s my cue to haul ass,” Chris said and revved up the engine.
Half an hour later, they were all settled in their room. Jared had already changed into a hospital gown and, even though Dr. Mitchell had been on stand-by, he had asked Steve to check him out just to find out that he was only about six centimeters dilated. Apparently, they were in for the long haul.
Jeff had arrived a couple of minutes after them, because he had driven by their apartment to pick up their ‘hospital backpack’, which they had forgotten in their hurry, and the yoga ball. It was beyond Jensen how the man hat fit the huge blue ball into his truck cabin but once he heard Jared’s relieved sigh when he saw the thing, he really didn’t care.
“Can you help me up?” Jared was already struggling to turn around and sit up properly, eager to do a few exercises.
Jensen was immediately there to gently support his awkward movements and help him keep his balance instead of toppling over due to the extra weight in his large belly that really screwed with his equilibrium.
“Do you guys need any help with that?” Chris inquired, gently rocking Jaden, who had finally woken up, in his arms to keep him quiet.
“No, we’ve been practicing this for quite a while. I think we’ll be alright.” When they had entered the hospital through the emergency exit in the back to avoid the full waiting room, Jensen had gotten a glimpse of the chaos going on around them. “You can go and see if Steve needs help out there. We’ll call if something changes,” he added, as he guided Jared over to the yoga ball.
Chris nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I think I’ll do that. We’re getting a lot of patients with minor injuries who were in that big car pile up on the highway.” He pressed a kiss to Jaden’s round cheek and turned around towards Jeff. “Look, it’s grandpa Jeff,” he cooed to the baby boy whose face split into a huge toothless grin as he saw the older man. “Be good to him and take good care of your dads, while Uncle Chris is gone, little man.”
Taking Jaden out of Chris’s arms so he could go and make himself useful in the overflowing ER, Jeff smiled at the little boy. “You’re always good, aren’t you?” he asked in a soft voice and bounced Jaden on his hip, while watching Jensen sitting down on the ball with Jared squatting down between his knees and pressing his aching back against the inflated rubber toy to relief the tension a little.
“Is this better, Jay?” Jensen asked his lover, stroking his arms lovingly as Jared moaned in appreciation. “Just try to relax,” he whispered and leaned forward to wrap his arms around Jared and gently sway them from side to side.
Epilogue