fit for bursting

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

9th Augugst 2050

Briar had stopped work just over a week ago. she was getting to the stage where she was just too big and slow to work properly. she knew the department would be in safe hands until she returned. but the department of control and regulation of magical creatures was hers as much as she disliked the name. it was too long. and made it sound like all creatures needed to be controled and regulated when just as many of them needed protection. the department for magical creatures would be much better.
the last week she had spent at home the kids were off from school. willow was working and linden had taken to spending time with alison. she mainly just supervised. a few days ago they had all received their Hogwarts letter. and today they were in obsidian so that linden could get his school supplies. the day had started and the baby had been kickking every now and then. and every time it did she would stroke her tummy and mutter that it wasnt long left. to be honest she would rather stay home today but she had promised lin they would go shopping and she wasnt going to break that promise. as she was not particularly mobile her tummy so large she had not seen her foot for a good two months now and her usual walk was well and truly a waddle she had let linden go on his own arranging to meet him at a specific time and place overlooking the water. she had just been to see willow and drop her off some lunch when she felt it again. a strong pain in her tummy this time it was stronger than it had been earlier. tis time there was no confusing it for kicks. was this it? she still had an hour until she met her son and nothing much to do so she started the waddle up towards st mungos. she hoped Jeremy was working. even though she knew he didn't usually work in pregnancy he was the healer she trusted most. hopefully, he would check her over and say it was only a false alarm. but it would be better to be sure.
she had made it to the corner where the road containing the hospital forked off and she felt another spasm this one a bit harder. she let out an oof as she waited for it to pass. a few minutes later she entered the hospital and made her way to the emergency triage desk. "is healer thorne around? i have been having contractions and he is my healer" she said. should she say that it she just wanted to be sure it was a false alarm which she thought it was. when linden had arrived she had had a few of those. willow, on the other hand, had been different.she had arrived during a full moon so any experiences of that labour she hoped never to repeat again.

@Jeremy Thorne

 

[Jeremy Thorne]

Jeremy was just putting his bag down, he'd begun packing his own lunch, an attempt to get rid of the love handles he'd gained during the time off he'd recently taken, when a memo flew right in front of him. It hovered right near his head but he was doing his best to ignore it as he finished getting ready to begin his shift. He wasn't officially on the clock yet and one of his mentors had told him to never take work on early as there would be plenty to do once his shift began. Jeremy had signed up for a double. With his daughter back at school now, he had nothing else to do with his time. Work seemed the best way to occupy it. Closing the locker, curiosity got the best of the man, and he opened the memo reading the short message about a woman asking after him up front. That wasn't especially normal in the emergency unit. Typically people didn't care who he was provided he had the skills to ease their pains. And he usually did. Jeremy had been at this for years now, and although he'd been offered the opportunity to move units, he'd declined each time. The emergency room held just the right level of intrigue and excitement for the Ravenclaw.

Jeremy clipped on his name tag and headed out to the front, wondering who exactly it was who was seeking him out. His pace quickened when he could finally see into the emergency room itself and he spotted who it must be. Jeremy wished the attendant had thought to be perhaps a bit more descriptive in their explanation. Briar was an old friend with a complex medical history. They'd worked together since their school days. He wasn't expecting her today. Jeremy pushed through the final set of doors and held them open. "Briar" he gestured for her to come in. Briar was an advocate for werewolves and one herself, but Jeremy was always weary about such talk in such public places. He never knew how others might react and knew that people had strong opinions about werewolves having children, an idiotic opinion but one he thought best not to have to hear on the floor of the ER. "Everything ok?" he asked quietly as she approached, trying and failing to remember when the next full moon was set to take place.

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

It felt like ages since she had seen the attended and they had sent a memo to Jeromy. She took a seat becore she realised that this was even less comfortable than standing so she pulled herself out of the chair taking her wand out as if to distract from the pain she raised it and trying to focus on the excitment of having the child and not the pain that was going to come first, she cast the spell silently as she though any incantation would be too much of a distraction. out of her wand came a silver wolf, it listened as she spoke her message, then it circled her once before taking two steps and vanishing into the mist. the first patronus she sent to her husband. "Dee, It seems like the baby is coming. I'm at st mungos. can you let willow know" The second patronus went to linden. sho would almost be done with his shopping now. when she was half way through the messge she felt a spasm of pain and tried her best not to let her voice fumble "I am afraid i wont be able to meet you at the waterfront. cc-come to st mungos when you are ready, ask at the information desk and someone will show you where to find me," She was about to send one to her sister when she realised she had better get checked out to make sure she wasnt the girl who cried wolf.
It was then that she heard hurried footsteps approach and heard her name being called. she was relieved to hear jeremy's voice."Hey jerremy she managed to say just as she felt another ripple of pain rip through her. she usually had a high pain tolerance. she had been in enough accidents when she was younger to be able to cope with pain. she had flown herself to st mungoes ofter being bitten for goodness sake. and every month she faced the pain of transformations. the wolfsbane helped of course but it mainly helped in the mind. the physical change was the same and still painful. but the pain that came from a baby forcing its self out of you was different. she was grateful that the full moon had been the previous week which meant she was certainly not up to a repeat performance of willows birth. by now Jeremy was near her. at his question, she nodded. breathing in a gasp at the same time. "I think the baby is coming. can you check if it is or if this is fake labour" she said though if this was fake labour she was not lookin forward to the real one.

 

[Dederick Cullen]

Dederick stayed by the harbour while his son and niece went off to do some school shopping. He trusted Linden knew what he was doing and would assist his half-blooded cousin if she needed any help. Elizabeth insisted on going with the two soon to be first years, Dederick insist that they would be just fine and if anything was to happen he, Willow and Briar would be around if trouble were to occur. That put his young sister at ease, but she was more concerned about the safety of an innocent bystander if they were to cross Alison. Dederick didn't take his sister's concerns seriously, he couldn't picture little Alison doing any harm to anyone. It kind of made him worried that his sister may have forgotten who was the werewolf in the family. Hanging out on a pier watching small boats float by, Dederick can't help but miss being out there in the sea. It's been a long time since he set a foot on his old deck, with Briar pregnant he stayed around home most of the time and went to St. Mungos for their wolfbane potions. It's the least he could do while his wife went through the transformation pain while pregnant. He did it for Willow and Linden, he was doing it for this child too. But that sea breeze was hard to ignore when you're hanging just inches away from the water colliding against the pier. He walked out to the edge to look out far out towards the horizon, it was nice mild weather for fishing. Dederick was tempted to go out until a patronus mist dance around him, delivering a message for him and Willow. Dederick looked back at his daughter, eyes wide in alarmed. "Your mother is about to have the baby, come on! Let's go," the man took the teen's hand to apparate and get the others. He found them as they were leaving the wand shop, grabbing their hands and disappearing once more from sight. They appeared at the front desk in St.Mungos, Dederick letting go of them quickly and asking the witch upfront about the whereabouts of his wife.

 

[Jeremy Thorne]

Jeremy's eyebrows rose but he immediately jumped into Healer mood. "Yup, it's happening" he declared after he'd completed checking things out. Jeremy grinned at the woman. It was always exciting to have the opportunity to help bring life into the world. He didn't often get to as labor and delivery was typically handled in another department within the hospital. But this was a special case. Jeremy ducked out of the room to ask a nurse for some assistance and to let the rest of the staff know to expect Briar's husband and send him back once he arrived. Then he rushed back to the room.

"Alrighty, we have a team that will be ready for you once you get closer to things happening. For now, you're the boss. Tell us what you need. I let them know to send Dederick back as soon as he arrives. " Jeremy said all of this as he moved about the room, pulling potions and magical items he might need.

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Willow had been spending her lunch break with her dad sitting on the harbour wall watching the boats bobbing in the waves. they had just fnished eating when a silver creature came up to them. seeming to be entirele made up of light. it aaeared to be in the shape of a wolf. It spoke to them and then vanished into air. "What was that" she had said once it had gone. when her dad had said that her mum was having a baby she smiled and then frowned. "I have to go back to work or ms west will have me cutting the yuckyest slimiest ingredients all week. but i will come adterwards" she said before heading back towards the apothecary.

---

---

the pains were getting worse. It seemed that this little one was in more of a hurry than linden was. they made their way to a room tht she would use. it was like most hosital rooms. it was set out basically a bed a coule of chairs, a coule of cabinets which would contain potions and what ever other supplies the healers needed.
she sat on the bed but that really didnt help at all so instead she got up and started to pace. she was walking back and forwards through the room. she watched as jeremy left to talk to one of the other healers. "Thank you Jeremy." she said. she knew that this wasn't his area but she trusted him. and she would rather have a heler she knew and trusted and knew her history than one who she didnt. ooh" she grunted as another wave of pain came rippling through her. but it was just as she heard her husbands voice. or maybe it was the sound of his voice. "Dee" she called walking over to the door an opening it. she felt herslef relax seeing him there. at least mentally. they had been through so much side by side what was another twelve hours. this time it was only her which would make it easier. the excitement on her face faltered as he felt another wave though her. they were getting stronger now. and she needed him. as much as younger her would have hated the idea of needing him or anyone else she did. they had been together for far to long for there to be any alternative.

 

[Dederick Cullen]

Dederick rushed so suddenly that he didn't realize Willow had slipped out of his grasp before disappearing. He turned to Linden then Alison, and frantically looked around for the redhead teen. "Sh*t! I forgot your sister, or she must've gone back to work," the man rolled his eyes. Did he not tell Willow that her mother was having the baby? He swore he told her what was happening and she decided to just go back to work? What the h*ll has Jaden West done to his daughter? He shook his head, dismissing it for now. Dederick is lead to Briar through a set of double doors. Another healer, a blonde man who may have gone to school with Briar, stayed with Linden and Alison in the waiting room. Dederick dashes to Briar's side, reaching out to comfort his wife. "Briar, how you're feeling? Why are you up? Shouldn't you be laying down and shooting back some vials, woman?" Dederick tries to hold her up and carefully escort his wife to the hospital bed."You want anything, you need anything? Let me know, I'm here for the both of you."

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Willow relaxed as dederick put his arms around her and led her back into the room. it was reassuring to have her husband with her. "I'm okay. it's not that far along yet" she said. waddling back to the bed. "I am a long way off needing to lie or vials" she said gasping as another wave of pain came through her. she clutched dee to keep herself from doubling over. she wasn't sure if she would be able to get up if she fell. "this one is c-coming a lot quicker than w-willow or lin" she said. the waves of pain rippling through and she gasped as they came. she waddled a couple of lengths of the room before she finally staggered onto the bed. it had been eleven years since she had done this but there was something about giving birth that was instinctual. maybe her slightly more animal side both in upbringing and in condition also helped that. she gripped dees hand and squeezed as another wave of pain went through her. it felt almost like a transformation but when that was hell it only lasted a few minutes before settling in wolf form this kept coming in bursts then stopping before going again each time the break getting shorter.
she listened to directions pushing when instructed to do so. not really keeping track of what was going on. she had dee there, her rock. after twenty years once again the reason she was in the hospital and once again supporting her through it. though this time far more in person than twenty years ago. she also had Jeremy there. her healer. the one she trusted most directing her on what to do she told herself if hse kept listening to him and pushed the pain would be over soon. at one point she remembered the healers offering her something to drink. a potion that was a weird blue colour and they said it would help with the pain. "I'm not having any of that stuff" she had said knocking the liquid onto the floor. she didn't need painkillers, she was strong a beast when she had to be.
just as she thought the pain was as bad as it would go it intensified and she part regretted tipping the potion on the floor but she heard that she was almost there. two more pushes and the baby was out and with that the pain dropped and she was left panting for breath the sound of crying marking the beginning of a new life. "we did it." she said loosening the death grip she had Dederick in and trying to prop herself up leaning against him to try and see suddenly feeling physically exhausted "Can you see it? is it a boy or girl?" she asked glancing up at dee who had a better vantage pont than her.

 

[Dederick Cullen]

The first time they were doing this, having a baby, having Willow, Dederick wasn't nowhere as helpful as he was now. It was a different time for them back then. He wasn't the man that he is today. He wouldn't recognize himself if he was to go back twenty years ago. In those time of uncertainty and wandering aimlessly, Dederick wasn't sure how to be helpful. He was there for Briar, he was there when Willow came into this world. Yet, he felt he didn't do as much as he is trying now. They were young and clueless, one can understand that for it was a common occurrence with young lovers. This time though as he held his wife, he made sure to be there for her every step of the way. Dederick stuck to her side like glue, holding her hand as the pain rip through her. At last, a cry came out of a small human. It filled the room, it filled his heart with pure love. Dederick thanked Jeremy as he handed over the small infant. Dederick smiles, carefully holding the newborn. "We did. It's a girl, Briar. A baby girl," the man whispers, then pass her over to his wife. "You did wonderful, love."

 

[Briar Rowan-Cullen]

Briar felt drained. like she had given everything she had had in those last few hours but she also had found a secret store of energy leaving her feeling so alive. at the sound of a tiny cry, she felt relief and indescribable joy. "a girl" she repeated her chest filled with joy and love at the thought of her new daughter leaning against her husband. he had been her rock for so long. she couldn't imagine how she had ever done this without him. mind you the first time she hadn't exactly been herself. she smiled up at her friend as Jeremy brought the little girl to them and gave her to Dederick. her hormones must have been going crazy because the sight of the two of them together made her heart melt and brought tears to her eyes. the only hting missing from this moment was willow and Lindon. "she is perfect" she crooned as she took the little girl and held her close to her chest. she kissed the girl on the forehead "Hello. we have been waiting a long time to meet you" she whispered. they had had a few names that they had thought of for the baby. ivy and hazel had been the top names for a girl and Acer and tuart were top for a boy. but seeing her she knew which name was for her. as dee said she had done well she took her attention away from the girl in her arms to the man next to her. "you did amazing too. I couldn't have done it without you. I bet you will have some bruises tomorrow." she said stretching up to try and kiss him. she had been holding tight and while he was strong from work she too was stronger than most people would assume. She was holding her daughter close to her and leaning against dee as the door opened and willow and linden were led in. it seemed like linden had been waiting in the waiting room from when he had finished shopping until it was time. and willow must have just got off work. Linden jumped on the bed next to her she moved the baby over to free her hand and put it around her son. whereas willow went to stand next to Dederick. "Say hello to your baby sister Ivy Hati Cullen" she said saying her daughters name aloud for the first time.