Our little Angel(s)

Title: Our little Angel(s)
Author: AnitaB
Rating: No sex this chapter, maybe pg something for child birth?
Disclaimer: They’re not mine, otherwise, see earlier chapters.

*****
Chapter 12: It had to happen sooner or later

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.” Max leaned over the crib changing Sylvie’s diaper. “You kept a secret from me for over a week.” She turned to face Logan, cradling the baby in her arms. “I don’t know if I should be proud of you or beat you into the ground, Logan.”
cou couldn’t tell you, Max. Zack wanted it to sur surprise and I knew you wouldn’t be able to keep a secret.”

“I, I...you knew I couldn’t do what?” Max stalked over and punched him in the shoulder. “I can’t keep a secret! Which one of us was in hiding for 11 years from a government agency. Who can’t keep a secret?”

“Before you blow up, Max, give me a kiss.” Taking Sylvie in one arm, Logan tugged her down to brush his lips against hers. “Give it up, you know you would’ve told.”

The phone rang just as Max was about to respond. Judging by the look on her face, Logan decided it was a very good idea to answer the phone, now.

“Hello,”

“Logan, we’re on our way there, call Sebastion.”

“Zack, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Syl, she’s in labor, we’re on our way. She needs the doctor.”

The fear in his voice filled the phone line, touching sympathy inside Logan. He knew the intense fear of seeing the woman you love in pain.

“Okay, Zack, everything’s going to be fine. You guys get here and we’ll have everything ready for you. Drive safely, all right?”

“All right, Logan.”

The phone went dead and Logan started dialing Sebastion’s number, turning to Max over his shoulder. “Syl’s gone into labor, they’re on their way over now.”

“Labor? But it’s a month early.”

Hearing the other end of the line get picked up, Logan nodded to Max. “Sebastion, it’s Logan. Syl’s gone into labor, can you and the tech get over here now?”


***

Zack came back into the bedroom holding a helmet and her leather jacket as she sat the on the edge of the bed pulling on the robe. “Come on, baby. It’s time to go.” Carefully pulling her to her feet, he tied the robe around her body. “Put this on, baby.” His hands shook as he wrapped her in a leather jacket and strapped the helmet under her chinookiooking down at her, the hint of pain in her eyes sent a corresponding ache into his body. “Baby?”

Wrapping both arms around his neck, Syl held onto him for support as another contraction weakened her s. s. The touch of his hand on her stomach steadied her. “I’m okay, Zack. We’re okay.”

“Time to go, Syl.” Lifting her against his chest, Zack carried a bare-foot Syl out of the room to his motorcycle, cradling her across his lap. “Hold on tight, baby.” Placing her arms around his neck, he held her close and revved up the bike. “Hold on, baby, I’ve got you.”

“Zack,” Max met them at the elevator door, anxiously touching his arm. “How is she?”

“I’m fine, Max, just having a baby.”

Max smiled. Syl, barefoot, wrapped in a robe and a leather jacket, looked calm and collected while Zack looked frazzled.

“Is the doctor here yet?”

“He’s coming. Let’s get yo two ready for him” Max laid a sympathetic hand on Zack’s shoulder. “Come on,”

Logan met them in the livingroom with his cell phone to his ear. “Sebastion’s five minutes away. How is she?” His eyes widening at the sight before him, Logan turned to Syl. “You look fine, how’s he?”

“Freaking out, but he’ll be fine afterward.” Syl tightened one arm around Zack’s neck, going white as pain hit her again.

“Syl,”

“Come on, Zack. Let’s get you ready.” Leading them to the workout room, Max watched Zack lower Syl to the table without losing contact with her. “Syl, put this on, and remember your breathing. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Thank you, Max.” Taking the gown, Syl moved her hands to the zipper of her jacket as Max left the room.

“Let me,” Catching her hands, Zack slowly, carefully stripped the jacket off her body. Untying the belt of her robe, he spread his hands over her stomach. “I’m sorry, Syl. If I’d been stronger, you wouldn’t be hurting like this.”

“Zack, don’t you dare shat.hat.” Curling her arms around him, Syl pulled him close. “I wouldn’t change a thing about us, especially our son.” She touched his lips with the pad of her thumb. “I can’t wait to take our baby home, don’t ever be sorry for touch me, ever. I love it when you touch me.” Syl dragged him down for a sweet kiss. “Don’t ever be sorry.”

“Okay, love. I’m not sorry. Let’s get ready, our son is coming.” Pulling back, he helped her out of the bathrobe and into the hospital gown.

When Max came into the room moments later, it was to see Zack sitting behind Syl on the table, holding her close and rubbing her stomach soothingly. “Okay, breathe through it, baby. I’m here.”

“How are we doing?” Max moved up to lay a hand over Zack’s on Syl’s stomach.

“We’re doing all right,” Syl leaned her head back over Zack’s shoulder as he answered for her. “They’re getting closer together. How soon on the doctor?”

“Any minute,”

“Good,” Zack nuzzled the line of Syl’s throat. “We’re ready to have a baby.”

Max just smiled at them. They were just precious, cuddled close and touching constantly. Zack, bare to the waist, held Syl lying between his legs, cradled her against his chest, and wrapped her in his arms. Every muscle in both their bodies screamed love, comfort, and concern.

“Sebastion’s here.” Logan rolled into the room in front of Sebastion and the tech. “How she’s doing?”

“I’m fine, Logan. Hi, Sebastion. He’s not too early, is he?” The touch of her hand on her stomach clarified the question, not that anyone would have misunderstood.

“A month early is perfectly normal for normal women, and your pregnancy has always been advanced for its age. He should be perfectly healthy.” As usual, his mechanical voice held the emotion it shouldn’t have been able to express.

“How long ago did the contractions start?” The tech moved to the table’s side, leaning over to get a better look at Syl.

“20 -25 minutes.”

“How close are they?” Laying a hand on her stomach, he smiled at the way he’d had to brush aside Zack’s hand to reach her.

“Too close, 2, 3 minutes.” Syl arched a little as another hit, gasping, “If that long.”

“I swear there’s something in the Guevara bloodline” he pulled up a stool and sat at the foot of the table. “That makes for easy deliveries. I get here just in time to catch.”

“Easy, it doesn’t feel easy from the other end of the table.” Logan touched his own Guevara, lifting Max’s hand to his lips.

“From the middle of the table, I’d have to agree with Logan.” Her voice fell somewhere between a moan and a grunt as her hands clenched around fistfuls of Zack’s pants. “Easy’s not the word I’d use to describe this.”

“Hey, I didn’t say it didn’t hurt. But you should know some women go into labor for hours, days, sometimes even weeks. Max, you delivered within, what, an hour of going into labor?” He smiled widely at both the women. “Some would call that a miracle and Syl here seems to be on the same track.” Rubbing Syl’s ankles, the tech crooned in a low voice. “Women in hospitals all over the city would envy you. Easy pregnancies, short deliveries, and healthy children.”

“Speaking of healthy children, there’s one now.” Logan rolled out of the room at the sound of Sylvie sending up a cry from her crib. Hesitating a moment in the doorway, he threw a comforting smile and joke over his shoulder. “Don’t give birth before we get back.”

“I make no promises, Logan.” Syl’s breath caught in her throat, a groan pushing past her gritted teeth as her nerves screamed.

“Hold on, baby. I’ve got you, I’m here, Syl.” Zack cradled her close, prying her hands from the cloth to slide his own into her grip. “I’m here, baby. Breathe for me.” Kissing the side of her neck, he felt her hands clench on his and her ribs press against his as she took several deep breaths. “That’s it, baby. Keep breathing.” Zack lifted one hand intertwined with his and nuzzled his lips against her skin. “My strong Syl.”

Closing her eyes, Syl concentrated on Zack; on each point of contact. The strength of his arms around her, the support of his body against hers, the touch of his hands holding hers. The rasp of his voice into her ear and the brush of his lips over her skin. Syl was so focused on Zack and matching her breathing to his that the tech’s touch on her knee shocked her eyes open and interrupted her breathing.

“No, baby, keep breathing with me.” Zack’s purposely measured breath feathered against her neck.

Standing beside the table Max smiled at them, at the love so obvious in them. Zack, who was clearly terrified, was glued to her back and forcing himself to calmly take deep breaths. Every muscle in his body was directed solely to Syl, to suppoer ier in any way he could. Syl, for her part, was liquid, her body melting into his, molding itself to his every line and breath.

“You’re doing great, Zack, Syl, don’t push just yet.” Sitting between her ankles, the tech took her silent nod to mean she heard him and laid soft touches along he calves. “Keep breathing.”

“What I’d miss?’ Logan rolled back into the room with Sylvie wide awake and tucked into her sling.

Max, standing near Sebastion at Syl’s feet, smiled at the way Sylvie’s little fingers clutched Logan’s shirt. She was such a daddy’s girl. “Just some grunting and clawing. Nothing much.”

“Good, wouldn’t do to miss anything the Guevara girls don’t do everyday.” Smiling at the glare Max sent him, he moved to the side of the table and rubbed a comforting hand over her arm. “How are you doing, Syl?”

“I’m ready, Logan.” Syl forcibly loosened her grip on Zack’s hands and relaxed against his body. “I’m ready to have a baby.” Rubbing her check against his skin, she smiled. “We’re ready to have our baby.” Zack’s wordless smile pressing against Syl’s skin seemed to agree.

“From this end of the table, I’d have to agree.” The tech smiled up at the pair from between Syl’s ankles. “Next contraction we start pushing, ‘Kay?”

“Okay, baby. It’s time.” Zack shifted against her body, making sure as much of himself as was physically possible was touching as much of her as possible. “I love you so much, Syl. I’m here, baby.” He pressed a kiss on the side of her neck, tightening his arms around her, holding her closer. “Are you ready to push for me, Syl?”

“Huh-hmm, Zack.” The comforted, relaxed line of her body matched the purring sound of her voice. Both, however, changed with the onslaught of the next contraction. “Zack?”

“I’m here, baby.” Helping Syl pull her knees up, he forced his breathing back into a pattern for her to follow. “Breathe with me, love.”

“Looking great, Syl, push.” The tech nodded up at Zack. “Keep breathing.”

Zack’s heat along her body, Max’s touch on her knee, the tech’s voice crooning softly, Sylvie’s quiet gurgling in Logan’s arms, her family supported her. Syl pressed closer into her husband’s arms, fighting to match his breathing. Grunting, digging her nails into the skin of Zack’s arms as he held her knees, Syl pushed.

“You’re doing great, rest a minute, okay?” Glancing up, the tech directed the order more to Zack than Syl.


“Come on, baby, breathe with me. Relax.” Zack stroked his palms over the tight skin of her stomach, nuzzling her cheek with his own.

Syl listened, melting into him and resting her head on his shoulder. In the distance, she could hear the comforting murmur of other voices, but right now Zack was the center of this small universe. His ribs moving rhythmically against her back, his voice, his lips pressing soft kisses to her skin: Zack was everything that was real.

“Push one more time for me, Syl, okay. Bear down.” The tech smiled up at Zack around the words.

“You’re so close, Syl, hold on little sister.”

But all Syl really heard was Zack whispering in her ear. “Come on, baby, push for me, Syl.” And she had no choice but to obey, digging her nails into his skin and pushing. Syl could feel him, surrounding her–his chest, his arms, the heat of his skin, the gentle crooning of his voice. His body supported hers, helpings Syl’s body curve at the best angle for leverage. His hands curved under her knees, almost pushing for her. And Syl pushed for him, for his love cradling her, for the family they’d protect together, grunting something that sounded vaguely like his name.

“Good, Syl, a little more.” The tech didn’t even look up, he knew Zack would translate.

“Come on, baby, push a little more for me.” His lips moved against the skin of her cheek as Syl’s neck arched back over his shoulder. “I love you, Sylvia Lukes, push for us.” Every muscle in her entire body reacted to his voice and his words, working together to follow his command. “Zack.,”

“I’m here, baby.”

Her body arched, a cry escaping her lips, the sound almost perfectly timed to another cry: their son’s. Several heads snapped around at the strong wailing of small lungs. Not the least of all, Zack’s. His lips left Syl’s skin and his lungs froze as Zack turned overly wide eyes to the man at the end of the table. “My son?”

A smile crossed the tech’s lips. “One more big push and you can hold him.”

Zack smiled, cradling Syl closer and nuzzling his cheek against hers. “Come on, baby. One more push for me, love. One more push for our son.”

Melting against him, Syl treasured the sound of the cry and pushed, unconsciously digging her nails into Zack’s skin. A harsh grunt crossed her lips and every muscle tensed for one last burst before she slumped, limp in Zack’s arms.

“Good job, Syl, Zack. He looks great.”

“Syl, we have a son.” Zack cuddled her close and kissed her tenderly. “T you you, love, for our boy.”

Smiling tiredly, Syl rubbed her cheek against his. “No, thank you, Zack, for giving in that first night.” Trailing her fingertips along his arms, she traced the newest bite mark in his bicep with the edges of her nails.

“Like I could have resisted you.” Curving a hand around her throat, Zack pulled her mouth to his, groaning at her sweet taste.

Weaving one hand into his hair, Syl responded in kind, reveling in the tender urgency of his kiss. “Blue Lady, Zack, I love you so much.” Resting her cheek against his, she sighed and cuddled close. Slowly reality was beginning to settle in around her. Syl began to hear the other voices in the room while still focusing on the heat of Zack’s body.

“He’s beautiful, Syl.” Max smiled up at the pair from thd ofd of the table. Laying a hand on Logan’s shoulder, she gazed down at her own child. “Sylvie, your cousin’s finally here.”

Treasuring Zack’s voice whispering love in her ear, Syl impatiently watched her son get examined and cleaned. “How is he? I want to see him.”

“He’s fine, Syl, perfectly healthy.” Standing, he lowered the wiggling bundle into his parent’s arms.

Loving eyes and hands searched the small body, counting fingers and toes, stroking straight limbs and curved cheeks. Zack gathered his wife and son closer, trailing a fingertip over his son’s face. “He’s got your eyes, Syl.”

“And your hands, Zack.” Her fingersilediled from the tiny hand to the strong hand it clutched.

“And Sylvie’s barcode,” Logan quipped, touching the clear skin of the back of his baby’s neck as Syl and Zack each stroked the unmarked skin of the newborn boy’s spine.

“Thank the Blue Lady,” Syl nuzzled her face against the boy’s skin, breathing in the baby smell and treasuring the heat of both the child in her arms and the man at her back.

“Our boy’s free.” Trembling hands cradled newborn and mother closer to a heaving chest. Lungs kept firmly under control through the delivery were now caught between laughter and tears. Zack buried his face against Syl’s neck to smile down at their son.

Next to Logan, Max smiled at the three of them. Another few minutes and Zack might actually come to tears. It was almost worth waiting for. Almost. “What’s his name?”

Syl raised her head with a smile. “I think we’ll call him Sam.” The body against hers, the arms around her, jerked and her smile widened.

“Max’s been telling tales, hasn’t she, Syl?” Zack curved a hand around little Sam’s cheek, covering a tiny ear as if to keep the sound out. “What did you tell her, Max?”

“Oh, just about Normal’s eager to please golden boy. The fumbling Jam Pony messenger who smiled and radiated naive innocense. Who trailed at my heels asking deep philosophical questions.” Max leaned harder against Logan’s side and smiled ever wider at the embarrassed flush on Zack’s face. “That guy – what was his name? Sam? –that made me think I was crazy when I found his motorcycle helmet and a bottle of seizure pills.”


“Oh, god, don’t remind me, Max.” Zack dropped his forehead against Syl’s shoulder, not at all comforted by the laughter shaking his wife’s body. “Syl, don’t listen to anything Max tells you, she thinks it’s her sisterly duty to torture me.”

“And it’s my wifely duty to help her, isn’t it, Logan?” Syl grinned, stroking a hand through Zack’s hair and holding him closer.

“Yeah, Syl, it certainly seems that way. So Sam it is?” Logan smiled, sliding an arm tighter around his own personal torturer.

“Yeah, his name is Sam, maybe he’ll have better luck with it than I did.” Kissing the side of Syl’s neck, Zack trailed a light touch along the skin of her arm to feel the shiver down her spine. “Besides, if I give in quickly, the punishment will be lighter. My Syl’s got a temper she does.”

“Don’t forget sharp teeth and claws,” Syl’s voice dropped to nearly a whispered growl, her body subtly shifting against his.

“Never, baby.”

“Before you two start working on Sam’s little brother, I wanna meet my nephew. Give that boy here.” Max carefully lifted the little boy into her arms and cuddled him close. Blue eyes blinked at her and small fists waved in the air. “It’s okay, Sam, I’ve got someone who wants to meet you.” Kneeling in front of Logan’s wheelchair, she raised eyes to the girl in his lap, bracing one hand on his knee. “Sam, I want you to meet your cousin Sylvia.” Moving closer, she watched a miniature version of Logan’s eyes blink and focus on the newborn in her mother’s arms. Max could have sworn a smile crossed that tiny girl’s lips and she knew for a fact that a tiny hand reached out toward the blonde boy accompanied by one of Sylvie’s distinctive happy gurgles. Sam, for his part, seemed to try to lunge forward toward that hand, smiling as wide as he could. Catching the boy before he landed across Logan’s knees, Max stood to the sound of two babies whimpering. “Oh, yeah, they’ll get along famously.”

“Just like a dream,” Logan’s grin had all the subtlety of a train wreck as he reached out to shake a tiny hand. “We’ll have the ‘rules for dating my daughter’ talk later. I think your ma’s calling you.” Cuddling his own baby closer, he watched little Sam settle down in his mother’s arms. Another Guevara girl had just found herself a willing victim. /Beware of the nails, Sam, these girls leave clawmarks./ “Well, Syl, Zack, you beat the clock and got hitched before delivery.”

Syl laughed and nuzzled little Sam’s check. “Just barely.”

Arms tightened around her and a low voice growled in her ear. “And just whose idea was that? Who decided to induce labor?” Zack brushed fingers along a fading bite mark in her arm and lips against her pulse, dropping his voice a few decibels and half an octave. “Who pushed me past control?”

A shiver traced her spine and Syl responded the only way she could, breathlessly and instinctually. “You didn’t seem to mind at the time.” Laughter in the room made the baby in her arms gurgle happily and Syl met Logan’s eyes.

“Let’s get you three set up for the night in the spare room.” Logan cocked an eyebrow at the expression on Zack’s face. “What? You planned to fit all three of you on that motorcycle and head on home?” Laughing, he put Sylvie in her sling and started rolling towards the doorway. “Get the last minute medical advise while I get things ready.”

“Yeah, it’s been a long day and I should get my family to bed.” Kissing her neck, Zack eased off of the table, reluctantly losing skin to skin contact with Syl and Sam. “Stay right there, baby, I’ll be right back.” Dropping a kiss on her lips and Sam’s cheek he moved to follow Logan, whispering to Max on the way out. “Don’t you let her try to walk, Max.”

“Got it, Zack.” Max leaned on the edge of the table, grinning. “He’s not gonna let your feet touch the ground for at least a week, you know that.”

A smile curved her lips and her eyes glowed. “I don’t mind. He’s adorable when he’s protective. Affectionate, too.” Syl smiled at the tech and moved to sit up at the edge of the table. “Besides, any excuse to get his arms around me.”

“I know that feeling, any excuse for a wheelchair ride.” Turning, Max glanced at Sebastion and the tec“Wel“Well, we should get that last minute advice before our husbands get back.”

Peeling off the rubber gloves, the tech gave his usual toothy grin. “I’ll give you the same advice I gave her, but seeing as how you came to deliver so early, it’s even more important.” He leaned closer and wagged a finger at Syl. “Normal women heal in 8 weeks. X-5 or not, no sex for at least two weeks. And I want to see you in one week to see how you’re both doing. You hear me, Mrs. Lukes?”

Syl smiled and ducked her head, making a small saluting motion with one hand. “Yes, sir.”

A warm mechanical voice came closer as Sebastion rolled towards them. “Sam looks to be just fine, perfect even. But we’ll run some tests next week to be sure.”

“Thank you both, so much.” Syl reached out her free hand to touch each man on the shoulder. “We’re very lucky to have your help.” Her arm tightened, lifting little Same to include him in the ‘we’.

“You do all the work, we’re lucky to just catch.” Touching Sam’s tiny fingers, the tech laughed. “You’re welcome and we’ll see you both next week. Try to get some rest.”

Both women watched the men disappear out the front door.

“You might sleep a little tonight, but if I know Zack, he’ll be standing guard over his new family all night.”

“Yeah, he will, but I finally broke him of pacing the whole time so I can sleep through it.” A footstep behind her cut off the quiet laughter and Syl turned to smile at Zack as he cleared the door way. “Hey, honey.”

“Come here, baby, let’s get you into bed.” Syl tightened her arms around little Sam as Zack swept her into his arms, only to turn at a very Loganish laugh.

“That’s what got you two a kid in the first place. Already planning a second?”

“For your information, she” Zack gestured with a nod at the smiling woman cuddled against his chest, “jumped me on the couch, so a bed had little to nothing to do with Sam.”

“We ended up in the bed eventually, Zack. Sam might have been started there.”

“Shh, Syl, Logan doesn’t want or need to know all the details.”

“You started it, Zack.”

“Actually, Syl, if what he says is true, you started it, kitty hormones and all.” Stroking a hand along Max’s arm, Logan smiled with a mixture of humor and lust. “Gotta love kitty hormones in a girl.”

Zack put a hand over Syl’s mouth, feeling a comment about X-5 male attributes rising up her throat by the shaking in her body. “We’ll just be going to bed, now. Thank you for everything we’lwe’ll talk in the morning.” The light scrape of her teeth over his skin sent an shiver down his back as Zack carried his new family down the hall to the guest bedroom. “What am I gonna do with you, Syl Lukes?”

Responding with every ounce of her blood, Syl smiled lovingly and whispered “Kiss me breathless and go to sleep with your arms around me.”

“Sounds like a good plan to me.”

***