Just in Time (A Tom Hiddleston Fan Fic)

Chapter 35: Crowds, Prayers, and Flirting

A/N: Hello lovely readers. Just another short chapter. Things are getting fast and furious for Tom and Kenni now, so I'm trying to keep things in check with shorter chapters.

Please enjoy, vote and especially comment! Love you all!

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Tom's POV

I end the call with Ben, praying my flight is on time. Bloody fucking hell, the airport is a center of chaotic insanity right now!

I am a nice man. I truly am. But when one is trying to get through a crowded airport to catch a flight to get to the woman he loves who's about to give birth to his child, well...it would test the patience of a saint.

I think of the scene in Airplane! in which Robert Stack's character is walking through the airport, punching people left and right. I must be truly on edge because (a) the thought crosses my mind to do this very thing and (b) I almost giggle like a schoolgirl at the thought of doing so.

"Mr. Hiddleston!" I hear suddenly, then I see a flight concierge approaching me. "I'm Chad. Right this way to your flight," he says, motioning me to follow him.

We cut through the crowds quickly, and I am finally at my gate, boarding the plane. As I stow my bag and take my seat, my phone rings. From the screen, I see it's Ben.

"Ben. Tell me everything is okay."

"Everything is fine, Tom. I'm just delivering a message from Kenni."

"Go on..." I say, a bit tight lipped. I'm prepared for whatever level of insanity Kenni has to spew at me through Ben.

"She said, and I quote: 'Get my man on the phone and tell him to get his ass here as soon as possible. This baby isn't going to wait too long to say hi to her dad.' She's waiting for you, Tom. They both are."

My heart swells at her words. "Tell Kenni I'm on my way. I'll be there in time to cut the umbilical cord. I promise." God, I hope I don't break this promise, I think.

Kenni's POV

Hector has rejoined me, though I can tell he'd like to crawl out the window of the second story birthing suite.

"Hector, you don't have to stay," I say.

"Oh, hell no, Sister. You're not getting rid of me. It's important that I meet Champ right away. After all, instilling a proper fashion sense doesn't happen overnight. And with you as a mom, I'll need to start working with her from birth." I smirk at him and his comment.

"Then, why are you so antsy?" I finally ask.

"I'm not antsy!" he says a bit defensively, then he takes a deep breath. "Okay...so I am. I just don't want to see any of your lady parts, if you must know."

I laugh at this, then say, "The last thing I want is for you to see my lady bits." I stick my tongue out at Hector, and he does the same.

"Children," Ben gains our attention as he joins us in the room again. "Tom's on his way," he says.

"How long?"

"The flight is about an hour. With traffic and such, maybe two hours?" Ben says. I know I'm only about an hour into this, but I don't know if I can take it for two hours or more. Just then, Lori arrives to check my vitals.

"How long does labor last?" I ask.

"It depends. With the first baby, it averages about eight hours. But with this little one coming early, all bets are off," she says, hooking me up to the blood pressure cuff.

After noting my readings, she turns back to me. "Okay, Kenni. Your blood pressure is a bit higher than we'd like. I need you to calm down and relax a little."

"I will as soon as the father arrives."

"He's on his way?" she asks. I forgot about our earlier confusion over the father's involvement.

"Yes, but it will probably be two hours before he gets here."

Lori looks worried for a moment, but she covers it quickly with a soft smile. "I'm sure he'll get here in time." 

Please, please, please let Tom get here in time, I pray, then I take it back. Instead, I pray, Please, please, please let Champ be okay and let Tom get here in time.

Lori leaves, and I start practicing some meditation techniques. Hector and Ben do their best to calm me. Hector helps me sit up, and he rubs my back. Ben pulls a book from my bag I brought to the hospital - assorted poems by Derek Walcott - and he begins to read to me in a soft, low voice. With their help, I manage to get into a rhythm to help me relax between contractions.

Tom's POV

I am a nice man. I am a nice man. I am a nice man. I repeat as my mantra. Unfortunately, I feel anything but that.

I'm trying to keep my temper in check despite the fact that the flight has not yet taken off, and the woman sitting beside me and several of the flight attendants have hit on me while we sit here on the bloody Tarmac.

"So, I'm not sure what your plans are once we land, but I'd love to grab a drink with you," my fellow passenger says while pretending to accidentally brush my thigh with her hand that's draped across the armrest.

"Well, actually, I'm going to the hospital because my girlfriend is having our baby," I say for emphasis. I know I'm being harsh, and I'll probably beat myself up about it later. I can't help myself, though.

The passenger looks away in embarrassment, and I feel bad at my outburst. I don't have much time to contemplate my ungentlemanliness as the the flight attendant makes an entrance into what I've determined is a really bad theatrical production on an airplane.

"Is there anything I can get you, Mr. Hiddleston? Tea? Jameson? Anything else?" she asks while batting her eyelashes at me and leaning forward so that I might take a peek at her cleavage.

"Yes, there is actually," I say conspiratorially as I lean toward her. "You can tell the bloody pilot to get this bloody plane off this bloody runway!" I growl.

She straightens her posture before she responds. "Sir, it is a federal offense to interfere with the duties of a flight crew," she says, in a very cold tone. She walks away as I rub my face in my hands. I just want to get to Kenni! I think.