Feb 14, 2007 21:27
Gabrielle shifted, her bag draped across her shoulder as she waited for her best friend to answer the door. She just couldn't believe how nervous she was.
What if I'm not ready to have his children...if I'm a horribly mother... Her inner doubt nagged. So, sullenly, she responded to herself. It's not like she could just magick the babies gone or anything.
The door opened, a flustered brunette stepping out and hugged the hispanic Dreconian. Gabrielle returned it, but another pain, white-hot and intense struck her. The contractions were getting closer together....she needed these little things out of her ASAP.
"Ready to become a mother darling?" Cat said, pulling her into her mansion house. Deciding like her sisters did not to have the husband present was taking its toll. She longed for Dorian, but her mind was made up. Catriona'd offered her everything she could, her house, the best care facilities and doctors, specialized for caring for people that weren't quite human. Everything she needed. She finally settled, dressing in the soft gown, and waited. She had to be ready, for it would do no good to be scared now.
She set her hand upon the caramel colored globe of her belly, perfectly round and not the bearer of a single stretch mark. Inside, were her children. Her hazel eyes fluttered closed as she breathed deeply, feeling the pain of another contraction start, closer this time.
Catriona walked into her room, sitting down at the foot of the bed. The two women sat in silence, the tension thick in the air. "What if I'm not ready."
"You are ready."
"But how do you know."
"Because, you can't be anything else. You're really strong, Gabrielle. This comes from you." She said, giving her a sisterly peck on the cheek. "Shall I call in the doctors?"
Gabrielle let out a shaky smile, and nodded. "Yeah...tell them I'm ready."
Cat rose, smiling. "Of course."
~*~
Gabrielle hated life.
"Come on darlin...just another push and the first head is right there."
"Big headed little brats." Gabrielle said, mock-sneering as she wiped the sweat from her face, and took a small breath in, out, and pushed, her eyes closing as struggled to birth her children. Apparently, Kid number one decided he wanted to stay inside. The doctor smiled, as the first cry came out, loud and strong, as he was pulled into the world, living and breathing. Gabrielle's eyes widened.
"Oh...Oh my goodness..."
One of the nurses carried the baby off, and set him aside, drying and cleaning and weighing him, as Gabrielle bit her lip As another contract hit, hard and fast, she breathed, biting her lip as she struggled to keep her breath.
The process seemed to take hours, but finally, she was down, her belly deflated, and the four prams surrounding her bed were filled with life. She bit her lip, shifting slightly, and looking down.
"Two of each!" Cat crowed, shooing the doctors and all of their equipment. The babies were healthy, strong...and pretty large, considering quadruplets. Oldest to youngest it was one of the boys, both girls, and then the last boy. Gabrielle bit her lip nervously, and took the first one in her arms, a smile on her face. Catriona sat down with the four birth certificates, and settled herself on the bedside.
Gabrielle couldn't believe how tired she felt, and yet how happy she felt. She'd created all this, protected it, nourished it...loved it. She finally felt the nagging voice in the back of her head wither and die. She was completely and totally in love.
She watched him, as he made hungry sounds and was squirming around. "You were the first...you'll be Dorian." She said softly, closing his eyes, knowing after she named them it'd be time for their first meal. She settled him in her lap, and picked up his sister. "You...you will be Catherine." She said, and Catriona got up, picking up the other girl.
"And this one?"
"...she'll be Alanai...and, and the little boy will be Alexander...we'll have to see...see whether or not..."
Catriona turned with Alexander in her arms, seeing Gabrielle holding fiercely onto Dorian and Catherine, fast asleep, and chuckled, relieving her of first born, and setting them down. Gabrielle had earned her rest, and the pleased smile on her face, Gabrielle was going to be ready for anything as soon as she woke.
fiction,
gabrielle