New life

[Anna Blanca]

15 Jan 820 A.S.

Annabelle, Anna's mother returned a tight hug to Jack. Being rather speechless herself as the whole situation with Anna was overwhelming to her. Being emotional about the thought she was going to be a grandmother, something she thought was impossible for a long time. This due to Anna having been lost for quite some time. Never having been able to say goodbye to her when she disappeared as a teen, and returned as a grown woman. It was all a bit too much for Annabelle who accepted a glass of water that she was offered and took a seat in the waiting room.

Anna in the meantime was being checked on her vitals to see how she was doing. The doctor in charge gave Anna some pills to induce her labor, as her water had already broken while the active labor contractions hadn't yet started. They kept a close eye on her while for now it was just a matter of waiting to see if the pills would have any effect on her, and if not they'd have to a cesarean delivery.
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A nurse went to get Jack while Anna was awaiting her real labor. She felt nervous and already tired due to all the stress that came with the events and the living up to this day. In her mind she talked to herself to encourage herself to bite through this and have a family, already able to imagine how their family would look, only trying to imagine the positive things with a smiling and loving family. Just like her mother she felt special to be given the chance of establishing a family of her own.
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Minutes later the nurse and Jack arrived in the room. Anna even more pale than before was laying in a bed with white sheets. Another nurse was sitting on a chair in the corner just to observe and be there when the time comes. Anna gave Jack a weak when he came walking in, her able to see he was stressed out about everything.

Jack had trouble walking at the same speed of the nurse who was much cooler than he could ever be. When they entered, he immediately realizes how pale Anna is. He realizes that there are two nurses her and there are too many monitors that are connected to her and show numbers that he doesn't understand. He swallows, forcing a smile to hide the nervousness and walks quickly towards her:

- "Anna... hey... you look good." he sits on her bed, stroking her head softly, kissing her temple tenderly: "... the doctor informed me. Our baby will come... and if not, we are not alone here." he tries to sound optimistic, but he knows he is not good at looking at Anna suffering.
- "Can I do anything to help you? Just tell me... and I'll do it." he asks her directly, feeling pretty helpless in a situation in which everything depended on the medication and whether Anna's body would react to it. The alternative would be surgery. Both was okay, as long as the baby and Anna were healthy.
-"Come closer" she said quietly to him with a fainth smile on her still. Loosely taking one of his hands in her own.

He moves closer, making sure that he would not touch her anywhere near her belly and he puts his arm around her shoulder and starts stroking his shoulder softly.
- "How do you feel?"
- "Better now that you´re here." She replied, not wanting to mention how she really felt to him, only to keep up the impression she was having an easier time that it may look, in the hope to take some worries from Jack's mind.

Jack realizes that she is not really well, but what would he expect? The complete pregnancy was difficult at best. Sometimes he had the impression that they would lose the baby. Sometimes in his nightmares he had lost them both. His hand takes hers a little firmer and his fingers interlace with hers...
- "... We are trying our best again... and hope that it is enough, hm? Like... we have done so often." he kisses his lips softly.
- "It's more than enough" she replied quietly and gave him a soft kiss on his cheek following to that.
- "can leave you two alone if you want some privacy, but make sure to call straight away when you feel something." The nurse that had been in the room said somewhat firm.

Jack looks at the nurse and nods after Anna didn't say anything for a moment: "... we will, thank you, Miss." he said and watches her leave the room. His hand slides carefully under the blanket and puts his hand on her belly carefully, hardly touching it...
- "... our little one is pretty big for such a small belly like yours." he jokes, softly moving the hand.
- "Guess it's a good sign that I feel like I'm going to burst?" She said quietly with a faint smile.
- "You'll feel better soon." he promises with a smile, hoping that his words would come true...
- "... I am so curious whether it is a boy or girl..." he kisses his softly...
- "Same" she replied brief and quietly. Feeling a bit more content now that Jack was here to comfort her. Really feeling like a family already.

- "How long does it normally take to... get the labour started?" he asks her and strokes her softly, kissing her cheek softly again.
- "When... will they look for the other option?"
- "Doctor said it should start in about an hour." She said quietly, not really wanting to think about what would happen if it didn't happen.
- "I guess... our baby must be bored in there anyway..." he strokes her belly that feels so firm and quite hard...
- "... I guess, I'll talk to it." he tries to joke and then whispers to the baby in the belly:
- "Hey... come out. We want to see you. And Anna is already really... weary now. You are scaring her a little..."
- "Think he or she is scaring his dad more." She said with a small and tired smile, liking what she was seeing though.
- "Yes, you little one... you are scaring me." he admits and bends over and kisses her belly softly...
- "... Now, come on. Don't make us wait and come, alright? As a good Henderson, you should follow what your parents say, okay? So... come, okay?" he jokes
- "Think our child will be stubborn." She said quietly in a joke.
- "Looking at her mother... I fear this might be true." he smirks, looking up to her, putting his ear on her huge baby belly...
- "Hey, baby... come out, alright? You do not want to listen to your Mum... okay. You listen to me, okay?" he jokes, stroking her belly a little more

- "Missed you." Anna said quietly, meaning to Jack as she got a little carried away in her own thoughts due to what she was seeing, the way Jack was acting.
He looks her in the eye and kisses the belly again:
- "... missed you, too. and I am glad I can be here now, at least. We were seperated for too long... but now, we are together. That's what counts." he says quietly
- "Those voice calls are nothing like this." She said quietly with a soft smile.
- "They were what kept it somewhat... bearable for me at least." he says, with a smile that looks honest and he sees her tired eyes and realizes how pale she is: "... Can I bring you something? You look pale."
- "Some water?" she asked on a soft tone, not wanting to deny the offer.
- "Already on its way for my Anna exclusively." he gets up and gets her some water, brings her the cup and hands it to her: "... here. Take a sip." he sits on the bed again.

Jack would stay close to Anna, trying to cheer her up and to somehow make her feel comfortable. But it is not easy, as they both know that they were only waiting for one thing: the baby to come. Not talking about it was not a solution. Talking about it was none, as it made the waiting even longer. In the end Jack was only holding her tightly close to himself, with Anna resting her head against his shoulder, in silence. They were waiting both hoping for it all to work out the way they wanted it to be, to become a happy family.