"Recovery..."

Chapter 38 - "In the Lift..."

Chapter 38 - "In the Lift..."

'Well you really know how to get pregnant. Your Daughter can't even be a year old yet?' John scoffed.

'Yeah. Well what can you do? A guy Fucking knocks you up and then you end up stuck in a lift about to give birth' Clara said getting more and more distressed about the fact that she was stuck in an unsterile lift about to give birth.

'Is she a year old?'

'14 months' Clara gasped.

'When are you due?' John asked, stepping closer to her.

'January 10th' Clara gasped once again, feeling another contraction and squeezed the bar, as John fell to the floor and took her hand.

'And its December 20th. Junior clearly wants to make an appearance early' John nervously stuttered.

'John?' Rory asked over the radio in then lift. 'John dude you okay?'

'Yeah'

'What's happening?' Rory stuttered. God John wished that Rory was in this lift with him.

'Umm. It's Clara. Remember Clara Oswald?' John asked.

'Hmm. The woman that fucked you and left. Yeah I remember' Rory scoffed.

'Not the point right now Rory. She's 37 weeks pregnant and her waters broke at least 40 minutes ago. Things have progressed quite quickly since then'

'Right. How far apart are contractions and how long are they?'

'About 10 minutes apart and about 2 minutes per contraction' John confirmed, as Clara swore bloody murder and squeezed the hell out of his hand

'I need a time frame here John? How many centimetres dilated is she?'

'I don't know' John said as if that was the strangest question then he looked over at his rucksack and realised what Rory was saying. 'Oh hell no. No way' John scoffed.

'You have no choice dude. We need a time frame'

John shuddered and looked Clara in the eye. 'Nothing I haven't seen before I suppose' he mumbled making Clara yell in frustration at him and the contraction.

John grimaced at the thought of doing this, but grabbed the sterile gloves out of his rucksack and put them on. 'So o called you' John said, sticking his hand where he really did not want too.

He had never delivered a baby before and he didn't want to deliver a baby now - but it didn't look like he had much choice about things. 'I called
You several times in fact'

'I know. I just figured your life was complicated. My life is complicated and it was a drunk moment right? We met in the club. We were just drunk' she shrugged, trying to defend herself but in truth she just didn't want to bog John down in her completely hectic life.

Especially when he was still arguing with his ex wife and had just had his Daughter move in with him.

'5 centimetres Rory. We haven't got long. Please for the love of god get us out of here' John yelled. 'You meant more than a one night stand to me. You were the first patient that I had traveled to an airport to save' John joked, and he noticed he had missed something.

Something very, very obvious and was staring him right in the face.

Clara didn't want to admit it but she saw it on John's face, as he looked at Clara and then at the bump and then stood up.

'Oh Fuck no'

'Could you stop swearing. There is an actual baby in the room'

'Not yet there isn't ' John said running his hand through his hair. 'Is this the reason you didn't call me? You thought oh I know - some guy knocked me up - but I won't call him?'

'What are you on about?' Clara mumbled, looking down, knowing what he was saying was the truth.

'Don't play dumb with me. It was April when we slept together. It was April where we bumped into each other in the club and it was April when we had sex in the bathroom - and several times in the hotel. Do not get all dumb with me'

'It's your fault. You were the one that didn't cover it up'

'Don't even go there with me Clara. You could have stopped me' John said thinking about it.

It had been a long time since he had previously had sex. It had been quite some time - time being almost 3-4 years - so it's possible that he may have not been thinking about what he was doing more just thinking about getting laid.

'And you didn't think to give me a call once you were knocked up? Didn't think to drop in? You know where I work for crying out loud' John snapped at her.

'I did come in several times - but I just couldn't do it. You were complaining about how your ex wife was on at you all the time even after the eviction for money and I didn't want to burden you anymore' Clara defended once again, clinging to the bar again and seemed in agony.

John just ran his hair nervously through his hair and stared down in awe at the woman who was in some serious distress, about to give birth to evidently what was his child.

The worst part about all this was that he suddenly realised that everyone who was by the intercom of the lift was hearing this.

'John' she cried as he snapped into gear and realised this kid was coming and it was coming soon.

At least he would get to be around for it to be born. Not that he was letting Clara out of his sight this time - no matter how hard she tried.

'Right. Just breathe. Just breathe through it' John suggested but it wasn't a very useful suggestion and he knew that.

'Wow great advice. I hadn't thought about that' she yelled

'Why did you decide to keep it?' John asked intrigued.

'Are you saying you would have rather me terminated my baby?' Clara scoffed.

'No. Not at all. I'm shockingly glad you kept it - I just mean that - well I'm not really sure what I mean' John stuttered.

'Because it's a baby. And it's not the baby's fault that it's stuck in my shit life. But maybe this one and it's older sister can get through living with me for 18 years together'

'Where do you live now?'

'What are you stalking me?' Clara tutted, feeling another contraction and squeezed down on the handles of the lift wanting right now to kill herself.

'I'm just interested' he shrugged.

'Got a job teaching sick children who want to learn. You know kids with cancer or terminal illnesses that want to pass their GCSEs or A levels before they pass away. Those that want to make something of themselves. Moved in with my Dad for a bit and got a flat'

'I thought you and your Dad weren't on speaking terms?'

'Well I announced I was up the Fucking duff and he gave me the room for a few months' Clara said an squeezed her eyes shut.

'Rory. That was 30 seconds. There's hardly any time between them anymore' John yelled, towards the intercom.

'You'll have to be the midwife then John. It's all down to you dude' Rory shouted in, as John looked up at Clara and apologised for having to feel her cervix again.

'Your 9 centimetres Clara. You'd better get ready to push' John said with raised eyebrow, forcing her legs apart.

'Fuck' she swore as she felt the next contraction.