first_in_time | This Can Hardly Wait

Barbara glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. Ian's break time had just started. She knew because he sometimes called her instead of going into the staff room and eating with everyone else. Today, however, she wasn't going to give him the chance to eat for the moment, not with such important news.

The dial tone ws loud and clear as Barbara picked up their telephone, and each number she punched in had it's own sound to make. When she heard the ringing on the other end, her heart sped up and almost leapt from her mouth when a secretary answered.

"Yes, hello. I'd like to speak to Ian Chesterton please. This is his wife."

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From:

first_in_time

Barbara nodded and stripped off. She wished they were somewhere more private than a hospital rooms but figured that any mothers in the room with them were probably too tired to care about what they were doing behind a curtain. She pushed her arms through the sleeves then turned so Ian could lace up the strings.

"I hope I won't be here for long. I don't want one of those awful labours which last for hours and hours. I'm already sick of it."

From:

splendid_roman

"You'll be fine," he said, tying the strings into neat bows. "You just have to remember that you're doing all this so you can hold the baby. And it won't be kicking you from the inside any more."

He grinned at her as he finished and came round to face her. "Don't give Mummy any trouble," he said, leaning down to speak to her bump. "We're very keen to meet you."

From:

first_in_time

In her head, terrible scenarios were being played out but Ian was quite good at distracting her from such things and she grinned. But then Barbara groaned as yet another contraction took hold and she grabbed hold of the bed for something to simply squeeze in her hands. When she was able to stand straight again, she leaned upwards on her toes to kiss Ian briefly just before the curtains to her bed were opened.

"Mrs Chesterton I'm -- what are you doing here?" the doctor said as he spied Ian and frowned. "I'm going to assume that you're Mr Chesterton and therefore will tell you that the fathers' room is just outside the unit and to your left. Follow the signs."

From:

splendid_roman

Ian didn't bother trying to object. He squeezed Barbara's hand. "I'll see you both later." He left, with the doctor glaring after him. After Ian had gone the doctor asked Barbara questions about her contractions and her pregnancy.

From:

first_in_time

The fathers' room had newspapers, vending machines and a television. A few fathers came and went as they were sent in then called back by the nurse. At one point, fresh newspapers were dropped off and the news of the day before taken away.

It was almost lunchtime by the time a nurse came to the door and asked for Ian. She had started her shift only a few hours ago so didn't purse her lips quite as much.

"Mr Chesterton? Your wife and son are ready to see you."

From:

splendid_roman

Ian had actually just been thinking about going to the canteen for lunch when the nurse arrived. He stood up, looking amazed. "I have a son!"

The nurses here were used to new father, so she just waited for Ian to follow her, and led him back to curtained off area where Barbara and the baby were.

Edited Date: 2014-03-15 02:30 pm (UTC)

From:

first_in_time

It was quiet in the room, and dim despite being the middle of the day. Barbara's bed had been curtained off but the nurse opened it a little to let Ian in then closed it behind him.

Barbara lay in the bed which was bent slightly so it looked as though she were sitting up a little. Her hair looked as though it was drying after a shower. She was pale and exhausted but there was a wide smile on her face as she looked up at Ian.

"Come and say hello," she croaked softly and looked back down at the little baby in her arms. He wore a tiny hat to keep his head warm and was wrapped tightly in a blue blanket.

From:

splendid_roman

He did, and came over to stand beside the bed and look down at their baby. "Hello, there," he said to the baby, and touched his cheek with a finger. "You're just in time for lunch." The baby opened his eyes, then shut them again a couple of times.

He couldn't help smiling at this baby - their son, but he did turn his attention to Barbara. "He's perfect," he said, and kissed her on the forehead.

From:

first_in_time

"He is. Do you want a cuddle?" Barbara pointed to the chair at the other side of the bed so that Ian would be able to sit comfortably while gazing at his new child. "If you want to sit over there I'll pass him over."

From:

splendid_roman

"I would," he said, sounding keen. He went round and sat down, then held his arms out for the baby.

From:

first_in_time

Barbara gently passed their child to him, "careful of his head," then sat back to watch Ian and their baby with half closed eyes. He really was a natural father, Barbara noticed. She reached out to place a hand on his arm.

"What did we agree on for a boy? I can't remember."

From:

splendid_roman

Ian had held his nephews and niece as babies, so he knew what to do. It wasn't quite the same as holding his own son though.

"John," he replied, smiling at the baby. "Unless you've changed your mind. Would you like to be called John?" he asked the baby.

From:

first_in_time

The baby blinked at Ian and grunted a little. Barbara smiled, "I think that's a yes."

From:

splendid_roman

"I'll take that as a yes." Ian bent his head to kiss the baby's forehead. John wriggled a little, in his blanket and Ian managed to tear his attention away from him to focus on Barbara. "Are you all right?"

From:

first_in_time

"I am now," she replied and squeezed his arm. Or tried to but the mixture of exhaustion and medicine made her weak. "Birthing take a lot out of you but I received three stitches for my troubles," she smiled at her little joke.

From:

splendid_roman

He smiled back. "You can have a nap this afternoon. As long as John stays asleep." Ian glanced down at him. He seemed perfectly happy at the moment.

From:

first_in_time

"He won't stay asleep. He'll need feeding roughly every three hours for the next four or six months. Depending on when he first sleeps the whole way through the night. According to the nurse." Barbara chuckled a little.

From:

splendid_roman

Ian groaned. "I'll have to get all my sleep in while you're in here."

From:

first_in_time

"It isn't forever," she told him and smiled again. "And look at his beautiful face. It might be worth waking up multiple times just to see him."

From:

splendid_roman

"I'll remind you of that in a few weeks." He grinned at her. "I'll happily stick to looking at him in the daytime."

From:

first_in_time

"In that case you can look after him in the day and I'll look after him in the night," she smiled. "You will have to come home from work a few times during the day or take little Johnny in with you."

From:

splendid_roman

"I think he might disrupt my lessons. Unless he sleeps all day, and you're not going to do that, are you?" he added to John. Although he had been asleep, he now opened his eyes a bit and waved a hand around, looking like he was trying to get it free of the blankets.

"His eyes are so blue," Ian said, although with all baby's eyes being blue it shouldn't come as much of a surprise. But it did somehow.

From:

first_in_time

"So are yours," Barbara replied and watched as John started to grunt up at Ian and twist his head slowly from side to side. "I hope that he always has eyes like yours."

From:

splendid_roman

Ian smiled at John. "Maybe he'll take after me." He looked under John's hat to see he had dark hair.

Either John didn't like that or he was unhappy about something else, because he started crying. Usually Ian would just hand a crying child back to its parents, but he didn't have that option with John. Instead he looked over at Barbara with a panicked expression. "I don't know what he wants."

From:

first_in_time

"Neither do I," Barbara said and winced as she tried to sit up a little straighter. "Maybe his nappy needs changing? Have a look." It had been an hour or so since he'd last fed and his happy had been changed right away just about.