Tougher Than The Rest

Maverick Adam Ruzek

Whirlwind.

That was it.

He had nailed the events of wee hours of the morning in one word, it seemed even the newest Ruzek had a flair for the dramatics.

A nurse had burst into Jason's room, she flipped the lights on. "Adam! Wake up!!" She started shaking his shoulder, "ADAM!" She shouted. Kim had often joked about how hard it was to wake Adam, the nurse was now experiencing it first hand.

Adam slowly opened his eyes, he felt for Jason and nearly panicked. As he gained his bearings he remembered putting Jason in the bed at one point in the night, "What's wrong? Jason okay?"

"Yes, he's fine. It's your wife."

Adam was completely cognizant now, "What happened?" Few things set him into panic, Kim was one of them along with the twins and Harlow, "Is she okay?" He was out of the recliner, he tossed his shirt on "Tell me."

"She's downstairs. An ambulance brought her and the kids in. She's in labor."

"Shit!" Adam hissed, "It's too early, he can't be born yet." Adam slipped his feet into his sneakers, "can you stay with Jason?"

The nurse smiled, "that's why I'm here. I don't think your baby got the memo that it's too early. From what I've heard from downstairs, there's no stopping him."

"Where's daddy?" Harlow asked, "is he coming?"

Kim exhaled as the contraction eased off a bit, "He's upstairs, remember? He will be here soon. So will Erin and Jay, you and Julian will go with them." She shifted a bit, Julian beside her was only adding to her level of discomfort.

"Hey!" Adam came barreling in, "Never a dull moment, huh?" He picked Julian up, "it's too soon."

Kim grimaced as yet another contraction hit her, "I don't think your son thinks it's too early." Her brow furrowed just a bit, enough to clue Adam in to the fact that she was in no mood for his jokes.

"Understood. I just got off the phone with Halstead. He and Erin are here, he's just parking." Adam grabbed Harlow's hand. Julian still on his hip, "Jay and Erin will take the kids and sit with Jason."

"Don't touch me!" Kim snapped at Adam, he was coming at her with a cool washcloth like he had the last four hours. It didn't help then and it wasn't helping now. It seemed this kid was stubborn as hell, a trait Adam had jokingly tried to pin her "Well, let's not forget he's half Burgess ya know."  That had gone over like a lead balloon..not very well at all. "I don't want the damn washcloth, Adam."

Adam tossed in the sink, "Tell me what you do want, I will make it happen" he placed his hand on her hip.

Kim had been in labor for well over twenty four hours, but things had picked up over the last four hours only to have it hit a standstill. Her patience had grown thin, but even in her current state she wasn't going to pass up a chance at making him squirm.

"Anything at all?" Kim asked.

"Absolutely. Name it, I'll make it happen."

"A vasectomy. That's what I want." She couldn't keep the smile from her face, the giggles of the nursing staff only egged her on, "I bet they could squeeze you in babe."

Adam smirked, "Very funny."

"It was funny, wasn't it?" Kim mumbled against his lips, "I'm so tired, Adam." Her demeanor from mere seconds ago switching leaving her in tears, "I just want my baby boy."

"Me too darlin', Me too." Adam kissed her forehead.

Jay returned to the room, "Ruzek said the doctor was giving Kim a few more hours and if the baby hasn't made an appearance, he'd do a cesarean."

Erin sighed, "Kim doesn't want that."

"That what Ruzek said."

Adam showed her the picture Jay had texted him, it was all three children cuddled together in Jason's hospital bed sleeping peacefully.

"Jay said they all crashed while watching Finding Dory. Just think soon there'll be a forth one to add the chaos" Adam smiled, "Our boy will be here soon...I know it."

True to his words, not more than ten minutes later not so little Maverick Adam Ruzek arrived, kicking and screaming.

Maverick was three weeks early, Kim for one was pleased he was early. He was just under nine pounds and Kim didn't even want to think about how much he would've weighed if he went to term.

Adam stroked his cheek as he nursed, "Maverick Adam, welcome to the world" he loved watching Kim when she nursed their babies.

Kim lifted Maverick to her shoulder as Adam replaced her gown, "How attached to his name are you?"

Adam looked at her quizzically, "Umm..babe, we've got a ton of shit monogrammed with the name Maverick Adam on it."

Kim ran her index finger over the rim of the baby's ear, "I know. I want to keep Maverick as his first name. I love it. You love it. Everyone loves it...it's the middle name I was thinking about changing."

"Ah, I see." Adam smiled, "Can't handle another Adam can you? It's fine, whatever you want."

"Tell me if you hate it. It won't hurt my feelings."

Tell me."

Kim took a deep breath, "Maverick Kassidy Ruzek."

--NOTE--

Only the epilogue left.