Two hours later, they walked into the doctor's office and signed in. Jack filled out her information and they waited patiently to be called back. She didn't tell him about possibly hearing the baby's heartbeat. If it happened, she wanted it to be a surprise.
"Mrs. Warrick, you and your husband can come back now." They got up and followed the nurse who took her to a small room. "We're just going to take a little blood and we'll have your results while you're getting your ultrasound."
She wiped her finger with alcohol and pricked it, which Jack hated. They always seemed to hurt for days after as opposed to having blood taken out of her arm. The nurse took her sample and began processing it and then led them to the ultrasound technician.
"Hi, Mrs. Warrick. I'm Jessica and I'll be conducting your ultrasound. If you'll lie down on this chair and make yourself comfortable, we'll get started. Mr. Warrick, you can stand there next to your wife."
Jack looked at the chair and it reminded her of a dentist's seat but much more inviting looking. "You can scan me in a chair like this? I've always had to lie flat."
"It's designed for comfort. As your pregnancy progresses, lying flat makes breathing increasingly difficult because of the pressure the baby exerts on the lungs. The scanner has been altered to work with the chair's contour so you won't have to lie flat." Jack sat down and the chair slightly reclined as a donut looking device moved around the chair and up her body, settling around her midsection. Jessica turned on a large flat panel monitor in front of them and an image similar to the pictures she had shown Riddick appeared.
Using an electronic pen and a tablet, she circled the baby on the monitor.
"There you have her or him. I'm taking a few measurements to compare to your prior data that I have on file. I've read about your history, so I understand the reason for the atypical growth." Jessica ran her hand over the panel in front of her and soon data was displayed on the screen. "Based on the last ultrasound you had almost a week ago, your baby's growth is now equivalent to between the ninth or tenth week of a human embryo. At this rate, you'll be out of your first trimester in less than two weeks."
"Isn't that when the morning sickness usually stops?"
"Typically yes. I can't comment on your pregnancy specifically, but in most women the beginning of the second trimester is when their appetite begins to pick up again."
She looked over at Riddick and grinned. "Did you hear that? You better enjoy havin' your food to yourself while you can."
"Just for that, we're stoppin' back by the place we ate at so I can get another piece of their cake. Maybe two." He poked her in the ribs making the image on the screen jump. "Now face front and sit still, you're messin' up the picture."
Jessica smiled and went on to point out the different parts of the baby, so they could both understand what they were looking at. It amazed them how they could make out the body parts once she made them aware of it. With the exam over, she moved Jack's chair back to an upright position. She then hit a button and a pulsing sound could be heard in the room. She didn't explain it, and both Riddick and Jack were left to wonder what it was.
"I'll be back in a moment. Your results should be ready. In the meantime, I'll leave you listening to your baby's heartbeat."
That explanation for the sound was the absolutely last thing he expected. However, once he listened, it had the definite rhythm of a heart. His mouth went dry. "No shit that's his heartbeat? That fast?"
"A baby's heart beats quicker than an adult. What you're hearing is perfectly normal."
Jack sat up and tugged at his belt loops until he was standing between her legs. She was concerned since he hadn't said anything to her directly and he had an odd look on his face. "Riddick?"
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A Kid Like Her (A Riddick - Jack Romance/Adventure Story)
FanfictionWarning: Mature content in later chapters for some violence and smexiness. The story takes place after Pitch Black. After running together for two years, Jack is several months from turning fourteen, making it more and more difficult for her to mai...