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asphaltcowgrrlTitle: Travis and Travail Chapter 6
Fandom: Common Law
Pairing: Travis Marks/Wes Mitchell
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Mpreg
Word Count: 1,825
Summary: The new arrival arrives.
Author’s Note: The end to yet another installment in this wacky series. I think it’s like #9 or something crazy.
Continued from here.
Wes knew it was stupid to panic like this. He’d been down this road twice and Travis’ labor very well might not be far enough along to do anything about. Maybe they’d get sent home. Maybe they wouldn’t. But whatever it was, the look on Travis’ face was enough to make him do what he thought best. Which is why Dakota had just left with the girls, and he and he was sitting and waiting on some kind of news.
They’d taken Travis back almost immediately for an assessment, figuring it’d be a quick in and out if the labor wasn’t real. But so far, he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of either his husband or a doctor. Wes was beginning to get worried, and that wasn’t something he was used to feeling.
Dakota texted him approximately every seven minutes, looking for an update and reassuring him that the girls were conked out and sleeping soundly. That was about the only blessing of the evening at this point – that neither Violet nor Bryony was worried about their Papa or wondering about what was going on. If they were lucky, which they rarely were, he could pick them up in the morning, bring them home and introduce them to their new little brother or sister.
If that new little brother or sister ever decided to make an appearance that is.
Although it felt like forever and a day, in reality it was probably closer to two hours before a doctor called his name. Looking up, Wes desperately searched his face for any clues. He was older than Wes, possibly late forties or early fifties with a kind face. Soft chocolate eyes looked back at Wes, both reassuring and assessing.
“Mr. Mitchell?” He pushed his wire rimmed glasses back up his nose.
“That’s me sir, are Travis and the baby okay?” Panic suffused him again in a wild rush, but he forced it back down into its cage for the moment. Hear what the doctor has to say first, you can freak out later.
“Indeed they are,” he said, a wide, toothy smile spreading across his face. “Father and baby are right as rain and you can go in and see them anytime. They’ve been moved from the emergency department to a room in the maternity department on the third floor. Ask the nurse at the reception desk for his room number, they’re expecting you.”
Relief flooded his body, weakening his limbs. Wes fell back into his chair, unable to believe that the baby was finally here, after all they’d gone through. He rubbed his hands against his face and sighed. Pushing to his feet, Wes took the doctor’s hand in his own and shook it heartily. “Thank you so much, doctor. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear that.”
“That’s what your husband said,” he laughed. “’Tell Wes I’m fine and to stop flipping out’ were his exact words.”
“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Wes grinned. Turning, he started for the elevator when a thought occurred to him. Looking back over his shoulder, he asked, “Doctor? What do we have? Another girl?”
The doctor shook his head. “No, you are now the proud owner of a little boy, Mr. Mitchell. Good luck.”
“Thanks,” Wes said, running to the elevators so he could go see Travis and their new son.
Travis was propped on a pillow and eating ice cream when Wes burst into the room. He set the spoon down in the bowl and looked at his husband, exhaustion etched on his face. “Hey Wes, guess what?”
“We have a baby,” Wes grinned, pulling Travis into a tight hug. “And a boy baby at that.”
Wes pressed his lips against Travis’, holding their mouths together for a long time before releasing with a smack. “I love you so much,” he breathed.
“I love you, too.” Travis reached a hand up to caress the line of Wes’ jaw. He let it drop back into his lap when something occurred to him. “Where are the girls?”
“Oh,” Wes laughed. “I called Dakota once they took you back and didn’t send you right back out. She said she’d keep them for the next couple days, no matter what happened tonight.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. This wouldn’t do at all. “They need to meet their brother.”
“I agree. I’m not sure when they’ll release you, but I plan on picking them up in the morning. Besides, do you think Violet will stand for not being in the thick of it once she hears?”
“Not on your life, buttercup.” It was true, too. That kid had to be in the middle of any bit of excitement that was happening. “He’s in the bassinet, if you want to see him and maybe help me decide on a name?”
“Of course I want to see him,” Wes said, peering into the clear plastic bassinet at the baby. “But wait, we haven’t discussed names yet?”
“Nope,” Travis said, wiggling around in the bed until he was comfortable again. “I think it must’ve slipped our minds.”
“No freaking idea how that might have happened,” Wes grumped, making Travis laugh.
“It’s not like we both don’t have demanding full-time jobs,” he said.
“Or two other children either,” Wes agreed. He reached into the bassinet and lifted their son out. Cradling him against his chest, Wes sat in the chair beside Travis’ bed. “He’s perfect, Travis. Just like Vi and Bri.”
“I love how pale his eyes are,” Travis said, thinking about how they were more grey than blue. “The nurse said they’ll undoubtedly change, but I hope not.”
“They are gorgeous, especially against his dark skin.” Wes trailed a finger down the baby’s tiny nose and looked up. “Poor Bryony is going to feel like the odd child out, being the only fair-ish one in the bunch.”
“Nah,” Travis said, waving a hand in the air. “It’ll take her half a minute to figure out that she’s like her Mama in every way imaginable. Which is probably a good thing for both of you.”
“You’re awful,” Wes laughed. “But I love you anyway. What’s his hair like? It’s it crazy curly like Violet’s?”
“Pull the blanket back and look. You can re-swaddle him when you’re done since you’re so good at that.” Travis hadn’t ever quite gotten the hang of swaddling, always being worried he was going to wrap the baby too tightly.
“Huh,” Wes murmured, stroking his hair through the short strands of nearly straight, auburn hair. “It’s mostly straight and just brown, not as dark as yours or Violet’s.”
“Nope,” Travis said, leaning over the side of his bed to get closer to them both. “And oddly enough, I think he looks more like you than he does like me, baby. Yet another good thing for our son.”
“And speaking of which,” Wes said, looking up from the child in his arms and meeting Travis’ gaze. “What are we calling this one? Rose, Flora and Daisy are out.”
“Yeah, I was thinking about that,” he chuckled. “My first idea was Forest, but that’s a bit lame.”
“And overdone,” Wes added.
“So, I started thinking about other things that you’d find in the presence of flowers and what do you think about Aspen?”
Wes nodded as he thought it over. “As long as we never move to Colorado, it should work.”
“You can be such an ass, baby,” Travis laughed. “But it’s okay?”
“Yep, it sure is,” Wes assured him. “And for a middle name?”
“Grove?”
“Seriously, Marks?” Wes shook his head. “Try again.”
“You could help, you know,” he grumbled. “How about Dale then?”
“Dale is much better,” Wes agreed. “And I think it’s a nice name.”
“Finally,” Travis sighed, falling back against his pillow.
“You’re exhausted,” Wes said, standing up and kissing Travis’ forehead. “And I’m pretty worn out, too. Get some sleep and I’ll come back in the morning with the girls. Deal?”
“Deal, Mama.”
“You know, that word applies to you now, too.”
“Maybe,” Travis said. “But they’ll never call me that, guaranteed.” Wes was so much more maternally inclined than he was, it was only natural for the girls to go to him for the things a mother would normally provide. He had no doubt that Aspen would do the same in time.
“God help me,” Wes chuckled and left the room.
“Baby,” Bryony said, pointing at the new addition. “Baby ‘mells, Mama.”
“Yeah, the baby probably needs a diaper change, Bri,” Wes said, taking Aspen from Travis and putting him back into the bassinet. Sure enough, he needed a change and Wes provided it for him.
Travis took the baby back and held him close to his chest. “Thank you, blondie, but I could have done that.”
“Nuh-uh,” Violet said, pointing at her father. “You stay in bed. Mama take care of the babies.”
“Well, I guess I’ve been told,” Wes said, glaring at their oldest child. “But she’s right in this case, Travis. You did all this for me, so I can do it for you.”
“Even though you do all of this every day anyway?”
Wes shrugged. “It’s a mother’s job, right?”
“And we all love you for it, you know.”
“I do,” Wes said, blowing a kiss to his husband. With all three kids on his hospital bed, there wasn’t a chance he could get close enough to give him the real thing.
Violet touched Aspen’s hair and then his face, taking note of all the similarities and differences between the three of them. Occasionally, she’d list them off, just in case her parents hadn’t noticed. “Baby’s eyes aren’t blue, Mama” or “Why is baby’s hair not crazy like mine?” He didn’t look forward to explaining genetics to his three-year-old, but eventually he’d have to give her a basic rundown. For now, he simply pointed out that she and Bryony weren’t identical, nor was he and Travis. It seemed to satisfy her curiosity for the most part, because she occupied herself with telling Papa stories about their night at Dakota’s and playing with the baby.
Bryony, on the other hand, looked a little lost. She turned her wide, blue eyes on Wes and held out her arms. He lifted her from the bed and plopped her on a hip, knowing exactly how she was feeling. In time, they’d all adjust and it would seem like they were always five instead of four or three or two.
Or simply one.
He’d never be alone – or lonely – ever again and he had one stupid, drunken night to thank for it. Even if something happened in the future to split him and Travis up, he’d always have these three little proofs of their love to keep him company. Not that he planned on letting that jackass in the bed go without a fight. Not ever, they’d come too far to give up now.
End.
Fandom: Common Law
Pairing: Travis Marks/Wes Mitchell
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Mpreg
Word Count: 1,825
Summary: The new arrival arrives.
Author’s Note: The end to yet another installment in this wacky series. I think it’s like #9 or something crazy.
Continued from here.
Wes knew it was stupid to panic like this. He’d been down this road twice and Travis’ labor very well might not be far enough along to do anything about. Maybe they’d get sent home. Maybe they wouldn’t. But whatever it was, the look on Travis’ face was enough to make him do what he thought best. Which is why Dakota had just left with the girls, and he and he was sitting and waiting on some kind of news.
They’d taken Travis back almost immediately for an assessment, figuring it’d be a quick in and out if the labor wasn’t real. But so far, he hadn’t seen hide nor hair of either his husband or a doctor. Wes was beginning to get worried, and that wasn’t something he was used to feeling.
Dakota texted him approximately every seven minutes, looking for an update and reassuring him that the girls were conked out and sleeping soundly. That was about the only blessing of the evening at this point – that neither Violet nor Bryony was worried about their Papa or wondering about what was going on. If they were lucky, which they rarely were, he could pick them up in the morning, bring them home and introduce them to their new little brother or sister.
If that new little brother or sister ever decided to make an appearance that is.
Although it felt like forever and a day, in reality it was probably closer to two hours before a doctor called his name. Looking up, Wes desperately searched his face for any clues. He was older than Wes, possibly late forties or early fifties with a kind face. Soft chocolate eyes looked back at Wes, both reassuring and assessing.
“Mr. Mitchell?” He pushed his wire rimmed glasses back up his nose.
“That’s me sir, are Travis and the baby okay?” Panic suffused him again in a wild rush, but he forced it back down into its cage for the moment. Hear what the doctor has to say first, you can freak out later.
“Indeed they are,” he said, a wide, toothy smile spreading across his face. “Father and baby are right as rain and you can go in and see them anytime. They’ve been moved from the emergency department to a room in the maternity department on the third floor. Ask the nurse at the reception desk for his room number, they’re expecting you.”
Relief flooded his body, weakening his limbs. Wes fell back into his chair, unable to believe that the baby was finally here, after all they’d gone through. He rubbed his hands against his face and sighed. Pushing to his feet, Wes took the doctor’s hand in his own and shook it heartily. “Thank you so much, doctor. I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear that.”
“That’s what your husband said,” he laughed. “’Tell Wes I’m fine and to stop flipping out’ were his exact words.”
“That doesn’t surprise me at all,” Wes grinned. Turning, he started for the elevator when a thought occurred to him. Looking back over his shoulder, he asked, “Doctor? What do we have? Another girl?”
The doctor shook his head. “No, you are now the proud owner of a little boy, Mr. Mitchell. Good luck.”
“Thanks,” Wes said, running to the elevators so he could go see Travis and their new son.
Travis was propped on a pillow and eating ice cream when Wes burst into the room. He set the spoon down in the bowl and looked at his husband, exhaustion etched on his face. “Hey Wes, guess what?”
“We have a baby,” Wes grinned, pulling Travis into a tight hug. “And a boy baby at that.”
Wes pressed his lips against Travis’, holding their mouths together for a long time before releasing with a smack. “I love you so much,” he breathed.
“I love you, too.” Travis reached a hand up to caress the line of Wes’ jaw. He let it drop back into his lap when something occurred to him. “Where are the girls?”
“Oh,” Wes laughed. “I called Dakota once they took you back and didn’t send you right back out. She said she’d keep them for the next couple days, no matter what happened tonight.”
“No,” he said, shaking his head. This wouldn’t do at all. “They need to meet their brother.”
“I agree. I’m not sure when they’ll release you, but I plan on picking them up in the morning. Besides, do you think Violet will stand for not being in the thick of it once she hears?”
“Not on your life, buttercup.” It was true, too. That kid had to be in the middle of any bit of excitement that was happening. “He’s in the bassinet, if you want to see him and maybe help me decide on a name?”
“Of course I want to see him,” Wes said, peering into the clear plastic bassinet at the baby. “But wait, we haven’t discussed names yet?”
“Nope,” Travis said, wiggling around in the bed until he was comfortable again. “I think it must’ve slipped our minds.”
“No freaking idea how that might have happened,” Wes grumped, making Travis laugh.
“It’s not like we both don’t have demanding full-time jobs,” he said.
“Or two other children either,” Wes agreed. He reached into the bassinet and lifted their son out. Cradling him against his chest, Wes sat in the chair beside Travis’ bed. “He’s perfect, Travis. Just like Vi and Bri.”
“I love how pale his eyes are,” Travis said, thinking about how they were more grey than blue. “The nurse said they’ll undoubtedly change, but I hope not.”
“They are gorgeous, especially against his dark skin.” Wes trailed a finger down the baby’s tiny nose and looked up. “Poor Bryony is going to feel like the odd child out, being the only fair-ish one in the bunch.”
“Nah,” Travis said, waving a hand in the air. “It’ll take her half a minute to figure out that she’s like her Mama in every way imaginable. Which is probably a good thing for both of you.”
“You’re awful,” Wes laughed. “But I love you anyway. What’s his hair like? It’s it crazy curly like Violet’s?”
“Pull the blanket back and look. You can re-swaddle him when you’re done since you’re so good at that.” Travis hadn’t ever quite gotten the hang of swaddling, always being worried he was going to wrap the baby too tightly.
“Huh,” Wes murmured, stroking his hair through the short strands of nearly straight, auburn hair. “It’s mostly straight and just brown, not as dark as yours or Violet’s.”
“Nope,” Travis said, leaning over the side of his bed to get closer to them both. “And oddly enough, I think he looks more like you than he does like me, baby. Yet another good thing for our son.”
“And speaking of which,” Wes said, looking up from the child in his arms and meeting Travis’ gaze. “What are we calling this one? Rose, Flora and Daisy are out.”
“Yeah, I was thinking about that,” he chuckled. “My first idea was Forest, but that’s a bit lame.”
“And overdone,” Wes added.
“So, I started thinking about other things that you’d find in the presence of flowers and what do you think about Aspen?”
Wes nodded as he thought it over. “As long as we never move to Colorado, it should work.”
“You can be such an ass, baby,” Travis laughed. “But it’s okay?”
“Yep, it sure is,” Wes assured him. “And for a middle name?”
“Grove?”
“Seriously, Marks?” Wes shook his head. “Try again.”
“You could help, you know,” he grumbled. “How about Dale then?”
“Dale is much better,” Wes agreed. “And I think it’s a nice name.”
“Finally,” Travis sighed, falling back against his pillow.
“You’re exhausted,” Wes said, standing up and kissing Travis’ forehead. “And I’m pretty worn out, too. Get some sleep and I’ll come back in the morning with the girls. Deal?”
“Deal, Mama.”
“You know, that word applies to you now, too.”
“Maybe,” Travis said. “But they’ll never call me that, guaranteed.” Wes was so much more maternally inclined than he was, it was only natural for the girls to go to him for the things a mother would normally provide. He had no doubt that Aspen would do the same in time.
“God help me,” Wes chuckled and left the room.
“Baby,” Bryony said, pointing at the new addition. “Baby ‘mells, Mama.”
“Yeah, the baby probably needs a diaper change, Bri,” Wes said, taking Aspen from Travis and putting him back into the bassinet. Sure enough, he needed a change and Wes provided it for him.
Travis took the baby back and held him close to his chest. “Thank you, blondie, but I could have done that.”
“Nuh-uh,” Violet said, pointing at her father. “You stay in bed. Mama take care of the babies.”
“Well, I guess I’ve been told,” Wes said, glaring at their oldest child. “But she’s right in this case, Travis. You did all this for me, so I can do it for you.”
“Even though you do all of this every day anyway?”
Wes shrugged. “It’s a mother’s job, right?”
“And we all love you for it, you know.”
“I do,” Wes said, blowing a kiss to his husband. With all three kids on his hospital bed, there wasn’t a chance he could get close enough to give him the real thing.
Violet touched Aspen’s hair and then his face, taking note of all the similarities and differences between the three of them. Occasionally, she’d list them off, just in case her parents hadn’t noticed. “Baby’s eyes aren’t blue, Mama” or “Why is baby’s hair not crazy like mine?” He didn’t look forward to explaining genetics to his three-year-old, but eventually he’d have to give her a basic rundown. For now, he simply pointed out that she and Bryony weren’t identical, nor was he and Travis. It seemed to satisfy her curiosity for the most part, because she occupied herself with telling Papa stories about their night at Dakota’s and playing with the baby.
Bryony, on the other hand, looked a little lost. She turned her wide, blue eyes on Wes and held out her arms. He lifted her from the bed and plopped her on a hip, knowing exactly how she was feeling. In time, they’d all adjust and it would seem like they were always five instead of four or three or two.
Or simply one.
He’d never be alone – or lonely – ever again and he had one stupid, drunken night to thank for it. Even if something happened in the future to split him and Travis up, he’d always have these three little proofs of their love to keep him company. Not that he planned on letting that jackass in the bed go without a fight. Not ever, they’d come too far to give up now.
End.
