[Sometime This Week...] Glad I Did That Again...

[51stcentry_jack]

A warm spring morning, with a hint of rain in the air, though for now, the sunlight streams in through the windows of the clinic. A day full of life, a good day for a child to be born

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[advisorattorney]

Mia will be nearby her good friend, just as nervous about the surgery as Jack is. She's never seen a child being born to a man before, but she tries to think about the times she was with her Mother as Maya was being born. Trying to comfort...

Ironic this is all on Mother's Day...

One of most lonely and somber days in the Fey sisters lives.

[51stcentry_jack]

Jack turns his head, craning his neck a bit, as he looks toward Mia. "Hey... so you came to hold my hand through the ordeal?" he asks, trying to sound cocky, but there's a hint of fear in his pale eyes. "And keep an eye on this pale gent who's mucking about in my innards: might be easy on the eyes when he isn't hiding under surgical togs, but he's a bit needle-happy."

Muraki, clad in a surgical cap, with a mask covering his lower face and a white patch covering his missing eye, gives Jack a patient look. "I only do the necessary prodding, Mister Harkness."

[advisorattorney]

"Of course I did. Thats what friends do, of course." As Jack requests, she makes the sign for 'I'm watching you' with her fingers at Muraki.

The 'nurse' nearby isn't really amused.

[51stcentry_jack]

Jack gives Mia a wavery grin and he'll hold up a hand to her. "Thanks: second time I've done this, first time I'll have help," he says, dead serious, a haunted look flicking through his eyes. If she takes his hand, she'll notice his palm is already a bit damp.

Muraki notes that look from Mia, and he'll nod, acknowledging it, his good eye serious. "I'm exercising all due care: I've performed this procedure dozens of times, though this time, I'm heading into uncharted waters," he admits. "Human physiology being what it is, it shan't likely take too much extra probing." Then turns his gaze to his patient, setting to work swabbing the incision site.

[scalpedsociety]

We assume Aramat was alongside Muraki during the surgery process, confused (and fascinated as hell) by the whole thing. She took her leave afterwards, but comes in to check on the Mother... Father, Whatever.

[51stcentry_jack]

She'll find Jack recovering on a cot curtained nook in the clinic, nestled under a blanket, eyelids half-closed, but his gaze on a small bundle nestled in the crook of his arm. He'll look up, a bit haggard-looking, but a quiet joy shining through it. "Come to check on us, Nurse Aramat?" he asks, pleased for the company.

[scalpedsociety]

"Of course..." She replies gently. "Kazu needs some small breaks every once in a while, so I step in every now and again. Anything hurting or uncomfertable on you?" She glances towards the bundle with a curious light in her eyes...

"Or the child?"

[51stcentry_jack]

He'll glance to the wee one, who's asleep for the moment. "Well, the little bug seems to have fallen asleep; wore herself out trying to take in all the new sights and sounds and smells around her," he notes. "Me, I feel like someone in heavy boots walked all over me, but other than that, I'm doing well.

"Might wanna give yer crazy brother the heads up: he can take the stitches out; the surgical cut's already healed up."

That bit of information might be a bit of a tip-off...

((And I admit it, I'm very open to the idea of Aramat using Jack to vent her need for cuttting things; she can share him with Stein, too!))

[prisonwonka]

Here is one of the Fathers arkwardly coming over to see about his possible children. He doesn't bring any presents right now...

Once he knows the kid is his, that child will SWIM in toys.

[51stcentry_jack]

And we have a feeling when the little nipper is older, she'll be especially fond of plushie critters -- the odder-looking the better.

Already, there's a plush pteranodon perched on the head of the bed where Jack reclines, a blue-wrapped bundle lying beside him, his arm curled around it protectively. "Come to meet your might-be daughter? I'm inclined to think she might be yours: she's a little bit of a thing, but you know what they say about good things in small packages."

[prisonwonka]

Warden really doesn't know what to say.

"You could say that... may I hold her?"

[51stcentry_jack]

"Of course you may: she very well may have half her genetics from you, so it only stands to reason," he says, sitting up and lifting the little one, one hand under the top end and the other under the mid-section of the bundle.

And there's a little face peeking out, a pink, crinkled face peering out, a few strands of dark brown hair peeking out from under the weensy pink knit cap covering her head. Her eyes are just opening: clear blue eyes, which someday will turn more grey, to that odd shade as Jack's.

[drownedfuchsia]

Fuchsia's waited nearly a day before coming to meet the newest mansion resident. She was having a serious case of anxiety about meeting the baby. What if she breaks the baby.

"Is everyone well?" No hello, or announcement, just a voice from the hall.

[51stcentry_jack]

"Right as rain, both of us," Jack's cheery voice calls out. "Come on in, there's someone I want you to meet."

If she ventures into the room, she'll find Jack lounging in an armchair, a small bundle wrapped in a blue flannelet blanket held to his chest, in the crook of his arm. "I called that one: it's a girl," he says, "This is my daughter, Verrity George Harkness."

The bundle might emit a snuffle, as if to say hello, or 'leave me alone, I'm sleeping'.

[drownedfuchsia]

The bundle's had a busy day. Of course she wants to sleep and stop with the gawking residents.

So, yes, Fuchsia does walk in, but she's making an extra attempt to be quiet. "Verrity's a pretty name but who's George?" There has to be some reason the poor little one's been given such a middle name.

From where she's standing, all she can see is blue flannelet. There could be nothing in that blanket, and she wouldn't know the difference.

[51stcentry_jack]

"George was what one of her other dads suggested, whether I had a boy or a girl: thought it was a funny choice myself, so I kept it, since he's a funny kind of guy," he says, parting the blankets swaddling the kidlet.

And uncovering a tiny, crinkled pink face, one eye shut, the other open and looking about; she'll someday have Jack's oddly shaded blue-grey eyes, though right now, they're a brighter shade.

[phedre_25]

At some point or other, we might assume Phedre was told the time had come - was it Muraki? Jack? a delivery boy? In the grander scheme of things, it doesn't matter. What matters is that as father and babe rest, Phedre is here, quietly sitting by and reading a book, and she will be there until either wakes, preferably the older of the two first.

She's stealing her share of the worrying and coddling, and has no shame.

[51stcentry_jack]

Likely Muraki has told Phedre of the successful operation -- and very likely of his own concerns at performing surgery on a highly unusual subject -- and may have put in a word on the patient's behalf.

Jack might be dozing, Verrity asleep in a basket by the bedside. After a long moment, he shifts, his eyes opening and he'll peer around him. Spying Phedre, he smiles, the spark coming into his eyes.

"Someone sent an angel to keep watch over us," he remarks, sleepy, but pleased.

[phedre_25]

The relief that Jack woke first is well concealed, and Phedre smiles, just a little.

"I would not be anywhere else," she says gently.

[51stcentry_jack]

"And a sight for a pair of very sore and tired eyes. Feels like someone punched me in the gut, but at least it was for a good cause," he says, shifting higher on his pillows.

"You met the new addition to the Mansion population?" he asks, glancing to the basket on the bedside table. Right now, the contents look like a bundle of blue receiving blankets, with a tiny pink knit cap-covered head peeking out at the top end.