I Am Not Your Master; I Am Your Partner: A (Neko) Dan and (Human) Phil Series

"He Knows You"

Caroline chose not to look at the wailing infant between her knees. Instead, she cried tears of relief and exhaustion. Rosalie hovered above her, praising her for her perseverance and courage.

Their voices sounded muffled, as if everything were happening underwater. The attention shifted immediately, from her, to the gurgling infant.

"Phil!" Dan cried, desperately searching for his husband's hands. "Look at him!" Dan was practically sobbing.

Phil gripped him tightly and shrieked, "Dan! Oh my God, Dan!"

They allowed themselves a moment of awe, a moment in which they could not get back. It was as if all the world stopped so that they could share the joy of seeing their beautiful son for the first time together.

Tash flipped his messy little body and suctioned out his nose and mouth with a rubber bulb. The baby cried again, this time louder and longer than before.

Phil stood with his hands covering all but his eyes, which were blurry with tears. Never did he expect to witness such an emotional event. He pat Caroline's shaky leg and moved around the end of the bed to get to Dan.

Dan collapsed against his chest and allowed Phil to hold him. "He's here Dan...our baby." Phil whispered into his sweet temple, Dan's brown curls absorbing his tears.

Dan shivered in his arms. He nodded and hiccuped into Phil's collarbone. "He is so beautiful
Phil. I can't believe this is happening." They hugged, holding each other tightly.

Tash asked Phil if he still wanted to cut the umbilical cord. He grinned into Dan's cheek and sniffled. "Yes, please."

Dan smiled. He stood beside Phil and watched him accept the scissors. With a trembling hand, Phil worked though the rope-like bundle. Tash handed the baby over to the nurse, who was waiting with an open receiving flannel.

"He looks great." Tash smiled. "The nurse will take his vitals and get him to you. Congratulations."

Phil turned to Dan, who was using his sleeves to dry his eyes. "Go ahead Phil, stay with him. I can do this." The baby whimpered and mewled as the nurse rubbed the white, waxy coating from his backside. Dan smiled. "Listen to him Phil!"

Phil smiled and kissed Dan's forehead. "I love you," he whispered. "And I love him."
Dan felt his breath against his skin. The tears came all over again.

Dan walked around to the head of the bed, opposite Rosalie. Caroline turned her head on the pillow to look at him.

"Dan? How is he?" She lay flushed and exhausted, her face damp with the sweat of exertion.

"He's absolutely perfect." Dan smiled and bent forward to place a soft kiss to Caroline's forehead. "You were amazing, and we are so proud of you."

She closed her eyes and smiled weakly. The baby was perfect, his dad confirmed. It had all happened so quickly. One moment she was literally bursting with life, and the next she lay completely devoid.

She was surprised to feel so numb, both physically and mentally. For example, she was unaware of the placenta detaching from her still-contracting uterus. She felt nothing but fatigue and relief.

Dan stroked her hair, which was plastered to her head, slick with sweat and pressed by the weight of the damp flannel. He noticed that Caroline shivered and shook despite her warm, reddened skin.

"Is she okay?" Dan looked to Rosalie.

"Yes, she's just fine. The shivering is normal; it's her physical response to the drop in pregnancy hormones." Rosalie smiled kindly.