[center][h1][color=7ea7d8] The Baby[/color] [/h1][/center]
[@dabombjk][@caits]

Nikki woke up and she noticed the new little monkey and smiled. She knew he was trying and it made her feel better. As it was she was feeling as big as a cow. Although she looked big but not as big as she thought she was. She picked the monkey up and looked at it. She had the guys letting her know when he left and came back. In the beginning she had been upset thinking that he was sneaking out to go see Jacklyn. When he was bringing stuff back she realized he was scavenging and that made her smile. Whether he knew it or not the old Kyle was slowly returning.

She got up and waddled down the hall in sweat pants and a t shirt. She wanted to find Kyle. She had made a decision she wanted to tell him about.

Kyle looked over his body, trying to remember each wound and how he specifically got each one. But he failed. Kyle grew slightly upset and nearly punched the mirror in anger. But he held his fist just inches away from the mirror. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. 

[color=004b80]"Not worth a fist full of glass."[/color]

Kyle walked over and put his clothes on his bed. He slowly started getting dressed, making a mental list of what he was planning on doing today. He did not have much on his plate, considering that he was basically given the same schedule every day. Kyle spent every day trying to remember, and to get his skills back up to their high level. He would take off and spend hours doing target practice, or spend the rest of the day crafting away. Kyle stood up and put on his pants.


Nikki knocked on the door and opened it. She smiled.[color=f49ac2]  "Don't get dressed on my account." [/color]She said grinning at seeing him like that. She walked in and closed the door.[color=f49ac2]  "I wanted to talk to you about something."[/color] She waddled to the bed and sat down a minute.  

[color=f49ac2] "I feel like a cross between a duck and a cow." [/color]She put her hand on her extremely large stomach.[color=f49ac2]  "God help me there had better not be any complications with this birth."[/color] That had been on her mind a lot lately. They couldn't do a c section without killing her. If the baby were to have problems they couldn't get to it without one. She was very nervous about the size of this baby. Matt kept reassuring her that all was as it should be but that didn't do anything to make her feel better.

[color=f49ac2] "Umm, I was thinking that you might want to move back into our room and I think I'm ready for you to....if you want to."[/color]

Kyle had stood up and leaned against the nearby wall when Nikki sat on the bed. It wasnt as if he was repulsed or scared of her, but he felt slightly akward. This happened everytime they had an interaction the last two months. After hearing what Nikki had to say he crossed his arms and ran his fingers through his hair again.

[color=004b80]"I....I would like that. I do not want to stress you out or hurt you more, but I still dont...I dont remember much of anyone really. Everything that has come back has been something skill related. And some minor details that have led up to this point. Which reminds me did I.....was there someone I hit with a stink bomb? I think...at another school?"[/color]

Kyle scratched his chin.

[color=004b80]"What I am saying is, yea moving in together sounds great just please dont be hurt that I....I mean I dont want to fake something that has such a deep menaing, to you and apparently to me at one point. Im not saying I wont ever feel that way again, just....God this is hard to explain."[/color]

Kyle sighed and sat next to her on the bed.

[color=004b80]"Im saying I am still not in love with you....but I would like to have the chance to fall for you all over again."[/color]

Nikki knew that he didn't remember her and that hurt but she was willing to give it a shot. She looked at him and nodded.[color=f49ac2]  "I Know. I want that too.I saw you looking at your back in the mirror. Have you remembered what the scars are from yet? Come here, I can tell you. I used to ask you about them and you would tell me the stories." [/color]When he sat next to her she put her hands on one of the scars and she told him where he got it. She continued to do this with each scar. She was hoping her touch and reminding him of his past would help jog his memory or at least it would make him feel better right now.

Nikki found that touching him was making her want him too and she leaned over and hugged him tightly. [color=f49ac2] "I can't tell you how much I've missed you. I know your memories will come back eventually but that doesn't stop me from loving you right now."[/color]

Kyle wrapped his arm around Nikki and hugged her back. [color=004b80]"I know. I hope you know that I am sorry about being the cause of your pain right now, in your condition."[/color]

Kyle looked down, and touched her belly with his other hand.

[color=004b80]"How is it going by the way? The baby I mean. Anything unusual or different about this pregnancy?"[/color]

Nikki was so happy that he was taking an interest in the baby. [color=f49ac2] "I'm glad that we got pregnant. I know it was rough in the beginning but I'm glad that we have been able to get passed the problems."[/color] She put her hand on top of his.

[color=f49ac2]  "I have nothing to compare this pregnancy to. So far as I know everything is ok but I'm really scared. If anything goes wrong and I need a c-section. We don't have the supplies for that here and I would die. If at some point it comes down to choosing the baby or me....choose the baby." [/color]She couldn't help the tears they just came out on their own. She wiped them away quickly. [color=f49ac2] "I could really do without the crying thing though."[/color] She chuckled.

Kyle gripped Nikki's hand, and had to stop himself from squeezing it. [color=004b80]"Dont talk like that. Nothing bad like that will happen, so dont tell me something like that. To be honest though, I could never make a decision like that. Matt would sooner kill me than to trust me with something like that. And besides your the leader here, we couldnt keep the group together without you."[/color]

Kyle cupped one of Nikki's cheeks with his hand. [color=004b80]"You need to be strong. For yourself, and everyone who depends on you."[/color]

[color=f49ac2] "I know. It's been hard to do though. You've been my inspiration, my muse if you want to call it that. You make me laugh, make me fight harder, and you make me want our future together." [/color]Nikki looked into his eyes. [color=f49ac2] "You make me want you. I don't want you to say anything until you mean it but I love you and I always will." [/color]Nikki leaned in and kissed him on the lips gently.

Kyle was suprised when Nikki kissed him, and for a moment he almost pulled away. But he didnt. He kissed Nikki back, then broke the kiss off. He hugged Nikki, then looked around. [color=004b80]"Well if I am gonna move back in I should start now. You go on ahead and rest back in your....our bed."[/color]

Nikki looked up at him and nodded. She pushed herself up off of the bed and waddled to the door.  Once in the hall she got halfway to their room and suddenly her pants were wet. Nikki gasped as the first contraction hit and it was a lot harder than she expected it to be. Oh no, I'm not ready yet! Her mind screamed. Nikki leaned against the wall and screamed [color=f49ac2] "KYLE!"[/color]

Kyle ran out immediatley. He found Nikki, and while he was trying wrap her arm around his shoulder, he pulled out his walkie talkie. [color=004b80]"Matt! Nikki is going into labour! What the fuck do I do?"[/color]

Kyle looked at Nikki.

[color=004b80]"Nikki, cmon it oks. Just deep breaths."[/color]

Matt came across the walkie. [color=00aeef]"Get her to medical."[/color] Nikki was so surprised tht for a moment she fought the pain but then she accepted it and remembered Lamaze breathing from taking one of her friends before the SHTF. She concentrated on the baby and made sure to breathe. [color=f49ac2]  "Kyle, I'm not ready for this yet." [/color]Another contraction made her cry out. This baby was coming today.

Kyle took Nikki as fast as they could move over to the medical room of the school. There he found Matt waiting on them. Kyle helped Nikki up and got her on the bed. He looked at Matt.

[color=004b80]"Ok so what now?"[/color]

[color=00aeef] "Now we time contractions and see how dilated she is.""[/color] Matt looked at Nikki. [color=00aeef] "Hey Sasha do you want to come deliver a baby? I somehow don't think my sister wants me to see her who-ha unless I have no choice."[/color] Nikki started laughing until the pain got worse. Sasha had been doing her exams for that reason.

Sasha quickly washed her hands, and came over, she quickly examined Nikki, saying, [color=f7941d]"It will be okay, Nikki. Modern technology's only helped the last century or so, and really, its all you" [/color] Although she would have given just about anything for a fetal monitor, she wanted to sound confident. [color=f7941d]"Well, you're moving quickly at least, eight cm"[/color]

Nikki pulled Kyle's hand.[color=f49ac2]  "Please don't look down there. I don't want that to be the last memory of my if this goes bad."[/color] Nikki heard her brother's laughter and she grabbed his hand.[color=f49ac2]  "Oh good then it will be your hand I break!"[/color]  

Nikki focused and as the contractions came faster she needed help with her back pain and so Matt sat her up and she sat forward so he could rub her back. It didn't take long until Nikki was grabbing Matt's hand really tight and he was gritting his teeth.  There was a point where he switched his hands and shook the one out.[color=00aeef] "Damn I wish your hands weren't so strong." [/color]He muttered.

Nikki was also holding onto Kyle's hand and NOT squeezing his. She was very focussed  but she just wanted Kyle to comfort her.

Kyle agreed with Matt, he did not want to chance looking at her down under region. He held Nikki's hand, surprised to not feel the over encumbering grip of an in labor woman destroying his primary hand. He held her hand anyways, and gently stroked her head, unsure of what to do. If he made a joke, would he get kicked out of the room? While he wanted to be anywhere but here, being here was what felt.....well ok not right but he got it daddy was suppose to be here when baby was born. He realized, he had no idea the gender of the baby. This was when his mind started to race, asking himself all sorts of questions about what could go wrong. He had a sharp pain in his hand and he held his head with his free hand.

Matt looked at Sasha and he glanced at the progress. [color=00aeef]"Nikki stop pushing a minute." [/color]He said washing his hands quickly. Sasha slid over and Matt checked and determined that it was the cord coming out first, it was wrapped around the baby's upper body. [color=00aeef]"This is going to be uncomfortable." [/color]Matt had to slide the baby into a position he could get the cord away from it's neck. Nikki winced and she gripped the side of the bed she was on. After adjusting the baby he looked at Nikki and nodded [color=00aeef] "Okay push hard" [/color] Nikki pushed really hard and the baby slid out as his mother shrieked.

Sasha slipped in quickly, cutting the cord, she gently wrapped the baby in a clean towel, picking him up, she cleaned him as well as it was possible to do, checking him over as she did so, everything seemed normal. She did this quickly, efficently, so she could pass Nikki the baby as soon as possible. 

Kyle looked at the baby and smiled. Slightly had to keep himself from throwing up, but smiled none the less. He quickly scooped the baby out of Sasha's hands and held him. He looked at Nikki and showed him to her. [color=004b80]"Its a boy. What should we call him?"[/color]

Nikki smiled at the two of them wishing deperately for a polaroid camera. She was so tired though. [color=f49ac2]  "I like Joshua, we could call him Josh. What about you? Do you have anything in mind?" [/color] Nikki sat herself up better and got ready to recieve the baby from Kyle. When he slid the baby into her arms she kissed him on the cheek and stared at the baby. [color=f49ac2]  "Wow, look what we did Kyle. Isn't he amazing?"[/color]

[color=004b80]"No Josh is terrific."[/color]

Kyle looked at Josh, and was overwhelmed with emotions. As he tried to process everything all at once, a sort of figuritive clicking was set into motion in his head. Gears turned, steam shot out, the whole nine yards. After a few moments Kyle leaned in and kissed Nikki.

[color=004b80]"Yea we did a pretty great job."[/color]

Kyle still didnt remember everything, and at this point he reconciled with the fact he might never. But he did remember one thing. He loved Nikki. He loved his son. He wanted this more than anything.

[@wildrose][@josephb][@king tai][@haleytherandom]