Keen to Meet the New Arrival pt 4

Posted on Fri Jul 24th, 2015 @ 2:54am by Chief Petty Officer Adriana Keen & Lieutenant Commander Morai Keen & Lieutenant JG Heather Quinn

1,866 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: A Civil Act

OLD:

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..."

NEW:

"Too late," Edwards muttered and hustled down to the foot end of the biobed. Two of the smaller connecting fibers, the last two to be severed, had just been broken as Baby Keen was pushed a few more inches downward. Adriana was going to start bleeding- not as badly as if all the fibers had been intact, but now they needed to speed the labor along as quickly as possible so the placenta would be passed, which should start an immediate clotting process. If they could get the baby delivered quickly enough... the bleeding would be minimal, and might be able to be controlled with a hypo of coagulant. Of course, they needed to get the baby delivered in order to try that, and now seconds could count.

"It's alright, Doc, you got most of them- we can keep this contained," Edwards murmured to Heather, a reassurance the Keens wouldn't hear over another of Adriana's shouts of protest.

"Yes, you're right, Ensign," Heather murmured just as quietly. She quickly set aside the instrument and got in position. Inhaling slightly, she said, "I need Adriana to push, NOW." The sooner they birthed the baby the better for everyone.

"Alright, Adriana, no more waiting, go ahead and PUSH," Edwards encouraged.

Adriana didn't need to be told twice. Nearly screaming in relief as she gave into the instinct, she pushed enthusiastically.

Keen put all his focus on giving Adriana what she needed, it would be unfair for him to 'peek' ahead of her as they should see at the same time. After all she endured he would not take that from her.

"Remember your breathing..." Keen coached. "Little One is ready to come and be held love... Push..."

"Alright, that's it. You're doing great, Adriana!" So far, the baby's head and shoulders were out and with each successful push, Heather was sure it would be only a matter of minutes until the baby was fully birthed. "Just a little bit more, Adriana. You can do it, push!"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Adriana snapped. She barely had time to glare at the doctor before another contraction hit and she was bearing down again.

"Breathe, Love.... keep the rhythm just like we practiced and Little One will be out." He assured while not fully registering the extreme pressure in his right hand being clasped by his beloved with intent on crushing it by the slight feel of it.

Despite the circumstances Heather couldn't quite keep from grinning at the couple's dialogue. She didn't even blame Adriana for snapping at her, Heather had after all been a part of many births in her time as a doctor. As the mother-to-be pushed with each contraction, the scarlet-clad doctor worked with gentle yet deft hands to help the baby along on it's journey. Minutes passed rather smoothly, though Heather figured for Adriana it felt like a lifetime. Soon, however, enough of the child was out that Heather felt she could gently pull the baby the rest of the way out. She just needed one last good push from Adriana...

"Edwards, get a clamp and a pair of scissors ready." As the ensign vanished from sight, Heather looked up at Adriana and Morai. "Adriana, I'm going to need you to push one last time, alright? You're about to about welcome a new addition to the Keen family!"

"Just one more Kitten..." Keen urged. "Stretch of Home as you say...."

Adriana was out of breath and exhausted. If she’d ever been pushed physically like this, she couldn’t remember when. But even if she’d been ready to give up, which was unthinkable when their baby was on the line, her body wouldn’t have let her. Another contraction came and she screamed as she pushed one last time. She knew she just needed one more. Little One needed just one more push from Mommie.

Hearing a rather loud groan from Adriana, Heather started to gently pull the baby free. Edwards's hands quickly came into view once the baby's legs were free. Almost as soon as the baby was completely free, the child let out a rather lusty and robust cry, it's little body trembling with the exertion. Edwards swiftly clamped the umbilical cord and then quickly snipped the excess, before Heather gently handed the crying baby to the awaiting nurse to clean and swaddle the baby. Once that was completed, the rest of the birthing went rather quickly.

Edwards was ready with the coagulating agent, administering the hypo the minute the baby was safely snipped away from Adriana. There had been some bleeding, but... well, things could have been a lot worse. All in all, Adriana would be tired- even more so than most mothers- and very, very weak, but she would be alright with rest and time to replenish her blood cells.

"You did it, Kitten!" Keen exclaimed in joy as he kissed her forehead. "You hear that..." He felt a little light headed as his heart was beating, the moment that seemed to change everything as his heat beat so loudly he could hear it in his ears and feel it wanting to burst out of his chest at the joy of that little voice... "L-i-t-t-l-e-o-n-e..." He said slowly

Adriana practically collapsed back into the biobed, crying in relief. “Morai,” she murmured weakly and tried to lift her head to look for the baby. She felt so tired and weak.

Once the baby was ready, Heather took the swaddled newborn and walked over to Adriana and Morai. The child had since ceased crying. Smiling, she said, handing the young one into Adriana's open arms, "I present to you both a healthy and beautiful baby boy. Congratulations!"

Keen looked into the face of their son. "Welcome to your family, Little One." He leant down to lightly kiss the forehead of the baby. "Your momma and I are gladdened to see you finally." He could not, and did not, control the tears in his eyes; it showed he had a heart. "Welcome home..." With those last words, Adriana let the daddy take the baby for the first time as she must have wanted to share the moment. "You are just a happy little guy are you not?" He could not seem to get enough of the little boy's eyes and bald head with the little ridges from Keen's heritage.

Adriana looked up at her husband holding their baby, their Little One. She smiled softly and met Morai’s eyes, silently asking the question that had to be on everyone’s mind now that they knew the Keens had a son.

Keen finally moved his eyes to meet Kitten's; she had done so much for him in breaking down the stone of his heart and now blessed him with a son. He looked into the sky on a sparkling bright day and nodded as he knew the name they had so thought about, ones for a girl and those for a boy, narrowing it down to a single name.

He nodded the acknowledgement.

"Welcome to the universe, Anthony Edmund Keen." Keen greeted his son and then handed the swaddled child back to Kitten.

Adriana’s mind was a little fuzzy, but she knew there was something they were supposed to say. It was important. Mother-Lee, her mother in law, had told her… they had to say to the baby… “A-awake, child,” she started to say, but couldn’t remember the rest…

"We wait with Love and Welcome you into the universe." Keen continued with subtle modifacation to the situation. "Your parents are glad to have you home."

Cradling this tiny baby, their tiny baby, Adriana started to cry. Tears not just of joy but of awe and disbelief and pure hormones streamed down her cheeks. "Anthony. Our Anthony. Our little Cub." She looked up at her husband, her Keen Cat. "Our Cub," she repeated wearily and reached one hand to Morai.

Keen took her hand and moved as close as he could to the Little Anthony 'Cub' and his beloved wife. He put his other hand to run along the cheek of his son, the soft skin under his touch was the second softest skin he had ever felt; the supple skin was a genetic gift of his mother.

"Mams and Da will want to know; you will not mind if I pass it along while you two rest?" Keen said. "I will leave it to you to show off the lad that is the newest apple of their eyes?"

Adriana sighed as her eyes started to close, locking on little Anthony one more time. He was beautiful, perfect. He had three ridges on his nose. "Show him... Everyone should see those beautiful ridges," she whispered. She shivered a little; she was cold and tired and needed to rest. She squeezed Morai's hand very gently as she tried to fight back sleep.

"You are not the only one fighting sleep." Keen pointed to Anthony who was yawning and eyes getting heavy like his mother. "It is not easy being born, you know?" He winked.

Adriana held her husband's hand and gazed at their son. "I love you. I love you both so much," she murmured as silent tears streaked down her cheeks. She'd never been so full of emotions as she was now. Or so tired. She rested her cheek against little Anthony's head and let her eyes close. It was the last movement she was able to make before sleep claimed her.

Keen sat in a chair and waited for her to get a good bit of sleep as he knew there was no way; even in her sleep, Little Anthony was moving from right there. Keen contented himself with keeping vigil as the room was readied for her transfer from birthing Biobed to a more comfortable one.

"Thank you Doc." Keen told the medical personnel. "I am sure K-Adrianna and Anthony will thank you as well once they recover from the experience."

OFF:

This concludes this episode of Star Trek: Ranger

Featuring-

Petty Officer 1st Class Adriana Keen
Operations
(AKA "Mommie")

~

Lieutenant Commander Morai Keen
Chief Counselor
(AKA "Papa")

~

Lieutenant JG Dr. Heather Quinn
(NPC by Jensen Foster)

~

And Introducing-
Anthony Edmund Keen
(AKA "Little One")

 

RSS Feed