happy thanksgiving

[notsocommon]

Thanksgiving was not a holiday that Helen really celebrated outside of food and drink with close friends and this year, she'd been with just Will when the labor pains had started up in earnest. She'd ignored them for a while, considering it was common enough this late in pregnancy to have some false labor but when the pain seemed to get sharp and real and the contractions worryingly close, she and Will made the trek to the clinic and luckily found Dr. McCoy, who was happy enough to deliver a baby (for a given description of happy, anyway).

It was only after the hard part was done (and they'd both slept a handful of hours, to boot) that she felt comfortable enough sending Will out to tell everyone the baby had come and felt up to entertaining company.

[[OOC: This is timed anywhere from morning to afternoon on November 23rd in the clinic.]]

Comments

[submitwithwill]

The holiday was not one I was familiar with, although I'd somewhat celebrated it along with the other islanders last year. Instead, I chose to volunteer to assist at the clinic so that those who wished to celebrate might be more free to do so. I was quite pleased that I'd made that decision, for it allowed me to be close at hand when it came time for Helen to be delivered of her child, and a beautiful one it was at that.

I gave Helen and Will as much space and time as they required before I brought a tray of food and snacks over to Helen. Little things, easy to nibble on as she became hungry, for I had no doubt that the activity of the last day might work up an appetite. "I'll bring some tea later as well, when you're up to it. How are you feeling?"

[notsocommon]

"Bless you, Phedre," Helen said, her smile broad even if it was tired. She'd been starving since she got to the clinic and having something to eat was very close to heaven.

"I'm tired, but very happy. Would you mind holding him for a moment so I can have a quick bite? As much as I'd like to manage with him in my arms, I don't think it's going to be logistically possible."

[submitwithwill]

"I would love to, it is no imposition to ask me to hold such a little miracle." I reached out and took the babe, far from the first I had held in my life, although my experience with children was still light. I settled myself in a nearby chair, content to just take in all the little details of his face I'd missed before.

[inabmovie]

Will's been with Magnus the whole time and the moment his son was born--he's never going to forget it. It's hard and exhausting--and if he's this tired, he can't even imagine how tired Magnus is, since all he did was just be there--and after they get a couple hours sleep, Will goes to get a shower and some desperately needed coffee. When he comes back to the clinic, he has two things: a handful of flowers and a small, wrapped package. "Hey, Mama," Will says, kissing Magnus's cheek.

[sunburned]

It was an odd thing, coming calling to see Helen and the baby. He'd done it with dragons countless times, come to see hatchlings out of the shell but the baby was different. Still, he found himself immensely fond of Helen, so it made sense for him to come calling.

"Hello," he said, flowers in hand. His shoulder was still bandaged under his t-shirt, but everything was healing well. "And how are we both?"

[notsocommon]

"Careful, you'll go and give him a big head." Truthfully, Helen thought Gregory was one of the most beautiful babies she'd ever seen, every bit as beautiful as her Ashley had been before him.

"I'm grateful you were here. I think you'll make a fine doctor someday."

[notsocommon]

"Now, what's this?" Helen said, beaming a little at him. She was exhausted, certainly, but after a few hours of sleep and a precious son for her troubles, there was very little that could take her down from the euphoric high she was riding.

"You've brought me flowers and a present?"

[notsocommon]

"We are tired but wonderful. I'm glad to see you," Helen said warmly, beaming at him. Granby had become someone dear to her in the past few months and she was glad he'd come to see her.

"How's your shoulder? You're in the right place if it's bothering you."

[inabmovie]

"Mm-hmm." Will puts the flowers in a vase on the bedside table and hands her the little package. "For my beautiful wife and the mother of my son."

[notsocommon]

Helen shifted and gently passed Gregory to Will in exchange for the present. Once that was done, she unwrapped it, tears pricking at her eyes when she saw it and how sweet it was. It was a onesie, newborn sized, that proudly proclaimed I Heart My Mommy.

"Oh, Will. How unabashedly sweet of you."

[inabmovie]

"Well, he might not be able to say it yet, but he can definitely wear it," Will says, and sits on the edge of the bed. He hasn't got the hang of this baby-holding thing after just a few hours and there's a part of him that's terrified he's going to drop him or squish him or something horrible. "Hey, buddy," he murmurs. "You wanna wear your new shirt? Yeah? I think that's a good idea." Gregory's awake, but tired; it's hard work being born, Will thinks.

[notsocommon]

"I think he will agree to anything provided you give him affection. He's not terribly unlike another Zimmerman that I know in that regard."

Helen smiled a little, flashing her dimple. "I want him to wear it, though."

[inabmovie]

"Okay," Will says. "Okay. I can do this, yep. Come on, little guy. Let's get dressed." Greg's just wearing a diaper and a lot of blankets right now so it can't be that hard, can it? There's space on the bed between him and Magnus, and he carefully places Greg on the bed and unwraps him. He takes the little shirt from Magnus and then laughs. "I have no idea how to do this," he says, smoothing his hand over the little bit of hair on Greg's head. "Do I just like... put it over his head? I don't want to hurt him."

[notsocommon]

"Love, you've assisted me in any manner of insane tasks, up to and including surgery. You won't hurt him. Just slide it over his head and snap it between his legs. He isn't as fragile as it seems," Helen said, stifling a giggle.

[inabmovie]

"Well, I know," Will says, "It's just that, you know, he's a baby and he's not even a whole day old yet and his head's all wobbly and I don't want to break him or anything. He's so--he's so new, you know?"

[thedevamper]

"Mazel Tov! Where is my godchild?" Nikola said bursting into the room with his arms wide open. Nikola had of course been drinking, albeit not much, to wet the babies head as well as having a celebratory smoke in honour of his new underling- godchild.

[notsocommon]

"Sleeping," Helen whispered harshly. "Dear God, Nikola, he's sleeping. Do try to keep it to a dull roar?"

Gregory stirred slightly, but didn't wake.

[notsocommon]

Helen softened a touch. "You won't break him, I promise. Would you prefer I changed him, then? Would that be easier?"

[sunburned]

"I couldn't stay away," he said, sliding into a seat at the edge of her bed, still beaming all over his face. "My shoulder's fine - I've had worse. Stitches have held and everything'll knit back together. It's no problem, I promise."

[thedevamper]

"Why did you let him go to sleep? You knew I was visiting, what is the point in visiting my godchild if he is asleep?" Nikola demanded, his tone slightly petulant before he came over to stand beside Helen. "I'll try to contain myself at least until later. He's very... well, it's a good thing he gets his looks from you Helen."

[inabmovie]

"Oh no, I can do it," Will says quickly. "You just... you know. Supervise." He really wants to do it because he's discovered in just these few hours of being a father that he loves holding and touching Greg, looking at his little fingers and toes and round little belly. He stretches the neck of the shirt a little so it will go more easily over Greg's head, and as he puts it on him he marvels how the baby's head fits neatly into his palm, how his tiny fingers already are trying to grasp his, and how Will can see his breathing and feel his pulse beneath impossibly smooth, impossibly thin skin. There's a whole other brand new person now, and they made him.

Will's mind's a little blown.

[notsocommon]

"You look so natural with him," Helen said, grinning when she saw Gregory in the little outfit. It was so perfectly Will to think of something like this and it just warmed her heart more than she ever thought possible.

"You're already an amazing father."

[notsocommon]

"Well, I'm glad you're here all the same," Helen said, smiling warmly. She shifted Gregory to make him a bit more comfortable and so that Granby might be able to see him a bit better.

"Gregory, this is John Granby, one of your mother's good friends. And this precious creature is Gregory James Zimmerman."

[notsocommon]

"Oddly enough, Nikola, babies don't tend to keep on our schedules," Helen said, smiling a little and pulling the blankets back so Nikola could see him. "But this is Gregory James. I'm sure he's going to love you."

[submitwithwill]

"Children are meant to be spoiled at this age." I ran a finger over his soft cheek, marveling at the feel of it. There was no cloth or fiber that could match it, the only thing I had felt even remotely close was the softest of rose petals, flush with spring water.

I could not deny that my pride swelled a bit at the compliment. After everything that had happened with Greg, I had feared that I lacked something essential, that there was something that I had missed. I yearned so for the chance to heal, so much of my life had been the cause of pain and suffering, Kushiel's rod made flesh it had been said, that to hear that kind of praise was cherished. "That is kind of you to say."