Work Text:
Vera peered into the living room, tears filling her eyes almost spontaneously. Damn pregnancy hormones. But the sight of Hamish sleeping with his head resting on his hands over a pile of study materials simply made her teary-eyed, and once again reminded her why she loved this man so much.
Since the second she decided to keep the baby, Hamish was doing everything on 120 %. While she was still working, he took on more than half of her responsibilities so as not to burden herself unnecessarily. He cared for her like she was a princess, completely evicted her study himself and turned it into a nursery. He also painted the room himself and graciously allowed her to go with him to choose a crib, changing table, stroller, and similar necessities — but she couldn't even hand him a screwdriver as he assembled the things they had bought. He made sure she was eating and resting properly, accompanied her for every check up and ultrasound, and in the meantime he was still working on his own cases, and kept studying for a bar exam.
Of course, Vera was happy Hamish cared, but she also had eyes, and she saw that it was exhausting for him. She tried to persuade him to take a break, but Hamish Duke had his own mind, and he refused any rest. So he sometimes fell asleep where he was sitting.
She bent to him, as much as her pregnant belly allowed, and ran fingers through his hair.
„Hamish,“ she whispered. „Hamish…“
He jerked his shoulders, as her voice woke him up. „What? What’s happening, is it here already?“ His eyes focused on her abdominal part and Vera smiled.
„No, baby is perfectly okay. But you need to sleep properly. The only thing you gain if you will sleep like this is pain in the back. Let’s go, the bed is calling.“
„I need to study, Vera.“
„No, you don’t need to study. Hamish, I know you’re nervous, but you’ll be amazing and you’ll pass the exam. It won’t help you, though, if you’ll go the whole night without sleep. Do it for me, please. I really don’t like how exhausted you are. And besides, I’m still your boss.“
Hamish laughed. „Okay, boss, but if I fail, it’s your fault and therefore you can’t kick me out of the company.“ He stood up and put his hand on her belly.
„Is our little one really okay?“
„From all the kicking I’m getting, I think I can say Boo is extremely happy about something.“ As if the baby heard it, Hamish received a strong kick under his hand.
„See? Daddy’s little boy or girl. When I want, I never get a kick on demand.“ Vera laid her hand over his.
„I can’t believe we will meet Boo in a few days,“ said Hamish. After the last ultrasound, Vera’s gynecologist told them the baby should be born around 19th August, which was ten days away. „We have to tell Kepler right after Boo will be born, so she can have a pity party for one.“
„Hamish!“ Vera laughed. When Kepler learned Vera is expecting a baby with her disciple, she didn’t hesitate and triggered the invocare, stating that attorney Stone is no longer capable of leading the company. All the members of the Gnostic Council laughed at her, and Kora Yun, the second highest ranked woman in the council, advised her in front of everyone to stop spoiling the happiness of others just because she herself isn’t capable of such feeling. It was one of Hamish’s favorite memory, really.
„Okay,“ he sighed, glancing at all the materials on the table, „let’s go to sleep. Even though I won’t fall asleep. I’m really freaking out.“
„Don’t be,“ Vera kissed him. „This little kicker will be born into a family of two attorneys, and stop telling me otherwise, okay?“
„Okay.“
Hamish really didn’t believe he would fall asleep, but ten minutes after crawling up in bed, he was snoring lightly, holding Vera safely in his arms, and she smiled against his forearm around her.
„You look amazing,“ Vera complimented him, when they were almost leaving the next morning. It was almost 7AM, and the bar examination was supposed to start at 8. Hamish wasn’t the first in line, but as he said, better safe than sorry.
„Says the most gorgeous woman ever? Wow. Thanks,“ he smiled nervously. „The pregnancy suits you to no end. Are you sure you don’t want to be pregnant for another 9 months?“
Vera almost killed him with a single glare. „You can try to carry all this weight by yourself, sir!“
„Okay, okay, sorry, but it really suits you. Sometimes I wonder how a woman like you can love a man like me. Like, I’m… ordinary, and you’re – you are… you. Vera Stone. Everyone in Canadian law field knows your name.“
„Oh my God, Hamish, please, stop underestimating yourself. Doing internship in Zimmerman’s office, being Magistratus in less than a year in our office, winning the Merryweather v. Agnew case, and I could continue for a long time. You’re great and you were born to be an attorney. Plus, you were so interesting from your day one with us, I couldn’t just pretend I didn’t notice you.“
„Oooh, lady, don’t tell me you were after me the whole time!“ Hamish laughed and started the car.
„You bet,“ Vera grinned and placed her hand on the top of her bump. „Hey, baby, stop. You can be fussy when you’re here with us, okay? Not today.“
„What’s wrong?!“ Hamish sounded extremely alarmed, ready to turn the car and go to the hospital instead. In fact, Vera wasn’t feeling exactly well, but seeing his face, she decided not to tell him. He needed to focus on the damned exam.
„Nothing,“ she assured him, and managed to wear a bright smile. „Boo probably can’t wait for daddy passing the exam.“
„…Okay.“ He didn’t sound convinced, but when Stone said something is going to be this way, there was no way he could win the dispute, that much he learned in those three years.
As hours passed and they were waiting, Vera’s discomfort grew bigger. She was minutes from telling Hamish, when they called his name. Hamish’s face turned white as he stood up.
„See you latter, daddy attorney,“ Vera smiled, and kissed him for good luck.
First big, painful contraction shot through her body the moment the door closed behind Hamish, and she let out a pained breath. She noticed one woman was watching her, and really tried to hold her façade together, but after another few painful minutes, she felt wetness between her legs.
„Oh shit,“ she said out loud, and the lady was already next to her.
„Hey, Vera, I’m – my name is Robin Benson. You were doing my case once. Did your water already break?“
„Yeah, a few second ago,“ answered Vera. She didn’t remember this lady, but to be honest, she wouldn’t recognize her own mother now.
„Okay, and the contractions? How bad are they?“
„Fucking bad,“ gritted the dark haired woman through her teeth.
„It already started, there’s nothing to wait for. Come on, we have to get to the hospital. Don’t worry, I work as a nurse at gynecologist. Let’s go, easy.“
„But – but Hamish-“ stuttered Vera. Hamish was doing that exam and he wanted to be present during the birth!
„Hey, can you please tell the blonde man that his wife had to go to hospital? You know, babies being born and so, when he comes here? His name is Hamish,“ Robin turned to some young boy who was playing some game on his phone, probably a brother of someone.
„Um – yes?“ nodded the boy, clearly not paying attention to his surroundings at all, and Robin was already tugging Vera up.
*
Hamish was feeling like he could fly. He got the worst question possible, and for the first few minutes during the preparation time, the only thing he could remember was the fact Vera was testing him on this question. Then he tried to focus on the topic instead on the memory how beautiful Vera looked, and suddenly it came to him. The whole commissinn was pleased with his performance. Attorney Hamish Duke, fuck that sounded good!
He all but bursted through the door as he couldn’t wait to tell Vera, but she wasn’t in the waiting room. Maybe she needed to visit the toilets?
„Hey, are you Hamish?“ Hamish turned his head to see some boy looking at him.
„I guess so. Why?“
„This lady told me to tell you that you wife had to go to a hospital. Something about babies being born or something like that?“
„WHAT,“ yelled Hamish. Of course their baby had to choose the only bad moment to enter the world! He almost ripped the formal jacket in the seams how quickly he took it off, already running down the stairs. He promised to be there for Vera when she was going to give birth to their child, and he certainly didn‘t intend to break that promise. But what he definitely violated were at least ten traffic regulations. The hospital was normally at least half an hour's drive from the exam site, but he managed it in less than fifteen minutes.
„Uh, hi, hey, I’m sorry but my partner is having a baby and she came here sometime ago and I don’t know – and I was – can you-“ Hamish panted whe he finally arrived to the hospital and ran to the reception.
„Tell me the name of your partner, please,“ the kind nurse interrupted him, and Hamish took a deep breath.
„Vera, Vera Stone.“
„You have to go to the third floor. There’s this big door with milk glass, go there and the nurse will give you the clothes you’ll need to enter the room, okay?“
„Okay,“ shouted Hamish over his shoulder, already on the way. It took him exactly one minute and thirty six seconds to get there, and around one century to get himself into those stupid clothes.
Vera’s scream coming from the room behind another door was enough for him to quickly abandon his tries to tie the strings, and he ran there. His lovely Vera was covered in sweat, with red cheeks, and tears running from her eyes. As soon as she saw him, her hand shot in his direction, and he took it.
„I’m here, love, I’m sorry it took me so long,“ he told her and kissed her sweaty forehead.
„It‘s okay,“ she half-sobbed, worn out from all the pain.
„Don’t worryyyyyy, soon to be dad, it’s going rather faaaaast, your offspring will be here anyyyyy minute now!“ The doctor said in awfully sweet sing-song voice, and if Vera wouldn’t be busy with pushing, screaming and crushing Hamish’s hand, she would give him a lovely speech about the art of proper talking. He managed to make it up with his next sentence, though.
„The head’s out!“ His tone was much more serious now. „Okay, mom, I want you to push real hard now, okay? With all your strength. I know you’re tired, but it will be over in a few moments! On my now!“
„I love you, Vera, you’re so brave, my precious flower. Our baby is going to be with us soon, just push-“
„Now!“ the doctor told them loudly.
„-now!“ Hamish added. Vera’s loud, painful scream pierced his ears, her death grip on his hand grew even bigger, but he knew it’s nothing against what she was going through, so he just ran his fingers through her hair and kept whispering some empty, assuring phrases.
„I hate you for this,“ Vera told him after the contraction ended.
„I know, baby, I love you too,“ grinned the blonde man and kissed her temple.
„Fine, you’re doing great, mom, I promise it’s just one last, quick push now!“
„I can’t anymore…“ Vera almost didn’t recognize her own voice.
„Yes, you can, honey, I know you can. I know you don’t like me to tell you what to do, but trust me in this one, you have to, yeah? I’m here with you, I'm attorney, as you said, and we’re winning this case together. Imagine this last push can send all the bad boys into the prison. Can you do it for me?“
Doctor was listening to Hamish’s ramblings and had to suppress a laugh. The man was good, he had to give him that.
„Now, mom!“ he yelled, and Vera obliged, her eyes fixed on her partner’s face.
„It’s a giiiiiiiirl!“ The sing-song voice was back, but they couldn’t care less. Vera started crying right after his words, weakly raising her hand to wrap it around Hamish’s neck and tugged him close. He was crying also, peppering her face with light kisses.
„We have a daughter, love,“ he whispered, and Vera looked at him.
„Yeah,“ she said with raspy voice. „Our little girl…“
„And here she is,“ some nurse said, and placed the little bundle on Vera’s chest.
Hamish looked down, and his heart almost jumped out of his ribcage, because his whole world was there. Vera, his Vera, holding their daughter, the most beautiful girl ever born. The baby had big blue eyes and a tuft of blonde hair, the same shade as his were.
„Hi, Isabelle,“ he whispered. „I’m – I couldn’t wait to meet you, baby, do you know that?“ He carefully ran the tip of his thumb over her little cheek. „You’re the most beautiful baby. Ever. No one is going to be prettier than you are, my little princess.“
Vera started crying again, when she also caressed her, and Isabelle wrapped all her tiny fingers around her index finger. „Oh my God, Isabelle, you have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for you,“ she quietly sobbed. Hamish kissed her.
„Thank you, Vera. I love you so much, both of you, my baby girls,“ she sensed more than heard him say.
„We love you too,“ she answered truthfully, and Isabelle sighed in content.
Next hour happened somehow, but Hamish wasn’t sure how. They took Isabelle to clamp the umbilical cord, to weigh her and measure her, and they took Vera back to the normal room. She was seven months ahead Hamish in being a parent, so she knew they wouldn’t bring Isabelle that soon, and to distract Hamish, she made him to tell her about the bar exam, but after all the pain, she fell asleep after a few minutes.
Hamish’s voice woke her up. She let her eyes closed and just listened.
„…You know, up there, in heaven, there is your big sister, Katie. She was just a little bigger baby than you when someone decided she’s too precious to be in this world and took her back home. She’s a little angel. I wish I could take the pain from you mom’s shoulders, because she loved Katie so much, just as she loves you, but I know Katie will watch you from above. You will surely be as fierce as mommy is, so I can totally imagine you’ll be the kid with constantly scrapped knees and elbows and hands, and I bet you will know how to climb a tree by the time you’ll be four, and I’m sure as hell me and mom will be freaking out all the time, but Katie will make sure you’ll be okay, hm?“ There was a little pause.
„I love you so much, Isabelle. You’re my whole world. Before mom told she was expecting you, or more, like, yelled it at me, I never thought about having kids, but as soon as she told me, I knew I was brought here to be your daddy. And your mommy? She’s the best you could ask for. She acts like summer and walks like rain, and when she smiles, oh Izzy, when she smiles, it’s like you see the sun for the first time after a decade of winters. You‘ll see yourself. You two are the loves of my lives, honey. And she was damn right when she said you’ll be born into a family of two attorneys. You really had to choose today, Izzy, right? Of all the days. But you know what, 10th August is a perfect date for someone so perfect as you are, my little Leo.“
„It’s exactly three years from the day you helped me paint the living room,“ said Vera quietly, and Hamish looked up from his armchair.
„Look who’s awake, Izzy! It’s mommy!“ He stood up while Vera pushed herself upward on the bed, and took Isabelle to her arms.
„I didn’t know, but now I understand why it had to be today,“ Hamish answered and sit behind them on the bed.
Vera leaned her back against his chest, and both of them were staring at their daughter with endless love in their eyes.
„I love you,“ said Hamish, and placed a kiss on her hair.
„I love you too, Hamish,“ answered Vera and turned her head, so she could get another kiss on lips. She was perfectly happy, with the most awesome man she could have, and their little, blue eyed, blonde haired, sleeping miracle in her arms. Of course, the loss of Katie would be always painful, but Hamish said it right. Katharine was somewhere above them to watch over Isabelle, over their little family, and that was something she could easily live with. For every painful memory from her past, Isabelle was here to make new, happy ones.