Keen to Meet the New Arrival pt 3

Posted on Thu Jul 23rd, 2015 @ 12:17pm by Chief Petty Officer Adriana Keen & Lieutenant Commander Morai Keen & Lieutenant JG Heather Quinn

1,428 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: A Civil Act
Location: Sickbay

OLD:

"Morai? Adriana?" The couple turned to look at her, their eyes reflecting mixed emotions of fear, pain, trust, and happiness.

"I'm going to start the procedure soon, once Ensign Edwards comes back with the surgical gowns. Do you have any other questions before I begin?

NEW:

Adriana took a deep breath. “Have you ever done anything like this before?” she asked. She was sure no one on this ship had ever done THIS particular surgery before, but…. Something similar? At all? A- a parasitic infestation tapping into a patient’s bloodstream? An attack by a creature with tendrils or something weaving into a person’s vital organs? Partial Borg assimilation? Heck at this point, Adriana would settle for having treated a tapeworm if that was the only ‘experience’ she could get…

"The doctors are well learned." Keen tried to keep his wife calmer and squeezed her hand.

Heather looked at the couple and smiled. "Not during my time on the Ranger, but on one of my former postings on a Galaxy-class starship, I did help with the birth of a few Bajoran women. So, this is nothing new to me, just a little surprising."

"This is more like a Bajoran woman, they have the experiance that is required to get the Little One into the universe safely." Keen smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Seeing Edwards approach, Heather gave her best smile to the couple and began to put on the surgical coverall and head-wear. Once that was done, she then looked to Edwards and said, "I want you to monitor Adriana and the baby's conditions at all times, Ensign. What is about to be done is a very delicate process and there may be complications. I just want every precaution taken and covered."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Alright, let's begin," Heather said softly, taking a laser scalpel in hand. She took a calming breath and then knelt in front of Adriana's bent knees, positioning the instrument carefully and precisely over the woman's abdomen.

Adriana found herself wanting to close her eyes and at the same time wishing she could see what Heather was doing. She couldn’t see though, and she couldn’t close her eyes without seeing in her mind all the horrible things that could go wrong. She turned to Morai instead, biting her lower lip in worry, looking to him for the steady love she knew she could find there.

Keen met the Eyes that are like the sky and while no storm clouds were in her eyes there was some darkness in the sky as though it were closer to dusk; he could tell she was worried and he gave her the smile that he gave her when they were just together like no one else was present.

"The prophets blessed us so far; they will not forsake us at this point." He gave her the most serene expression he could give her; his trust of the Doctor without question. "They even gave us a doctor with Bajoran experience, Love." He winked and squeezed her hand slightly.

Adriana nodded and tried to look like she was as sure as he was acting. "Right. It'll be fine."

After the initial incision, Heather's work to severe the connecting tissues went by rather quickly and efficiently; it also helped having Edwards there, taking care to mop away the blood and to keep tabs on the vital signs of both mother and baby. Yet, as she worked, Heather noted that Adriana's contractions continued to increase and the doctor knew that before too long, Adriana would need to push. And so, Heather tried to work as quickly as possible.

Keen was putting all of his Pagh and faith into the doctor and the Prophet's guiding of the surgeon's hands through the delicate operation. He had told Kitten it would be okay and he firmly believed that no matter what is the events that come up before him.

Adriana had to look away as she just tried to focus on her breathing- tried to ignore the contractions and the gut-level instinctual need to push. The pull on her insides didn't hurt anymore, but she could still feel the connecting tissues straining between her and Little One. The pull was growing... less intense, but it wasn't anywhere near severed.

Ensign Edwards watched the progress of the surgery. "You're doing fine, Adriana. Deep breaths, just relax for a little while longer."

"Relax?" Adriana snapped. "I can't- I need to- I have to push-" she tried to explain, tried to make them understand why she was shaking with the conflicting instructions from the doctor and her body.

"No, not yet," Edwards said. "Don't push yet. I know it feels right, but DON'T PUSH YET."

Adriana whimpered a little. Sweating, shaking, hurting, gasping- she didn't know how much longer she could keep from pushing.

Keen allowed her to squeeze her hand as much as she needed; he was told in the classes to allow her to be as aggressive with her needs and even might be so with him due to the pain and such. He hoped he had himself ready for this and all he could really do was help coach her breathing and with a cool cloth near him wipe her brow while assuring her he was there for her.

"I'm almost finished, Adriana. Not much longer and we can start the birthing process," Heather said softly, hoping to ease the mother's pain and to reassure her. After all, there were only a few more tissues to severe and Heather tried to work as quickly as she could. "Edwards, keep talking to Adriana, I've only got a few more to deal with."

Several minutes- several hours?- or was it several YEARS?- passed and the contractions grew ever stronger. And Adriana couldn't find distraction in her breathing anymore. She tried to fight the urge to push but she couldn't anymore. Her muscles tightened despite knowing she shouldn't. Some tears were leaking from her eyes, but she didn't notice.

Ensign Edwards was firm but tried to be calming still. "Adriana, no, not yet, fight it."

"I can't!" Adriana gasped, shaking her head and unsuccessfully trying to stop another push.

"Kitten..." Keen had to use something to help calm her. "Think of the drives we will take along the coast, picture the Little One riding with us and the cool breeze upon you. The fact you can relax a bit as things are serene...." The visualation should help to a degree, get her mind on something else for a second. "Little One will be right there and all of us together.... all you need is to relax a bit; just enough to allow you to breathe. It is all about the soothing breaths to help you through this?"

"You- don't understand-" She shook her head. "I CAN'T!" she shouted at him. She hadn't shouted at him yet today but trying to tell her to RELAX? She was having a BABY! This was no time to RELAX! This was a time to PUSH. Her body knew what to do- it was instinct or ancestral muscle memory or maybe both or neither of those things, she didn't know, but Adriana knew what she was supposed to do. And she couldn't fight it anymore, despite her brain trying to tell her not to.

"Little One needs you to hold back, only a moment more so that our Little One can be brought into our arms without harm." He assured. "You can do this my Kitten.... My love above all others... you can do this." He said never leaving her gaze.

Crying in earnest now, Adriana shook her head at him again; she was disagreeing with him a lot today. Even the most advanced modern medicine can't stop labor. She couldn't stop it either. "Little One disagrees. Stubborn as you and impatient as me," she snapped.

"Look at me..." Keen said as he wiped her forehead with the cool cloth. "Little One is safe lying within the Mother for a few more moments." He kissed her on the forehead. "Little One needs just a little more of the mother's warmth..." He was using what affections he could give her to ease her pain for just a few moments longer. "You waited for Little One... there are only a few more moments before Little One can be with us..." He gazed again into the sky on a happy day. "You can do what is best for Little One... just wait a moment more..."

To Be Continued:

 

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