That Night

Chapter 30

Adrien was staring at his brand-new baby boy and nothing else was able to penetrate into his conscious. Despite the baby's loud cries, Adrien couldn't get over the fact that this was his and Marinette's baby. Finally, he heard Marinette speak as she gently nudged him. "Adrien. Chaton."

He blinked to refocus and then looked to Dr. Dubois as he heard her speak. "Would dad like to cut the umbilical cord?"

Adrien was shocked for a moment before he nodded emphatically. "Yes, yes I do."

He gave Marinette's hand a squeeze before he moved to the end of her bed and listened to the doctor's instructions. He was guided by the medical staff and in a firm snip he cut the cord.

Dr. Dubois softly handed the baby to a nurse who brought the infant to the head of the bed to allow Marinette to see him. With awe in her eyes she reached toward him and touched his tiny hand. A tear slipped down her cheek.

But it was only a moment and then the nurse took a step back. Dr. Dubois explained, "He looks good, but because of the complications of this pregnancy and because of his low birth weight Nurse Lillian will have to take him to another part of the hospital and run several tests to ensure that there is absolutely nothing wrong."

Marinette sighed and then nodded weakly.

Within seconds of Louis being taken out of the room everyone within jumped into action so that Marinette could deliver the placenta. This process was done within minutes and Marinette felt very little of what had happened. She was only thinking about her baby somewhere else in the building and wondering how he was doing.

Adrien, on the other hand, was watching intently to ensure that Marinette was ok. Her doctor seemed calm but after a nurse called out Marinette's blood pressure he saw her squint in worry. Adrien sagged. "What's wrong?" he demanded.

"Her blood pressure went down." She looked up at the monitor showing Marinette's vitals. "It is dropping."

Marinette finally became aware of the situation. She jerked her head to look at the people surrounding her and full of desperation. "What's wrong?" Marinette asked in a rushed voice. But she stopped suddenly when she felt her head begin to spin. "I don't feel so good," she moaned weakly.

"She's bleeding," somebody called out from the foot of the bed. All the medical staff went into overdrive, trying to figure where the bleeding was coming from and giving her a dose of medicine to slow her bleeding.

Marinette looked up to Adrien in desperation. He leaned down to hug her and her head dropped weakly to his shoulder. He held her head to his chest and rested his nose on her forehead, periodically giving her a soft kiss or whispering comfort to her.

As Dr. Dubois and the nurses conversed and helped Marinette at the foot of the bed Adrien tried to put them out of his mind and focus on his Lady and her comfort. He tried his best to keep his face impassive, despite his worry, in order to keep her calm. He breathed in her comforting scent and tried to keep his focus on her.

Finally, the commotion gradually died down and Adrien looked to Dr. Dubois, who responded to his look with an explanation. "We've got everything under control now. But Marinette needs to rest. Let her sleep and I'll come back in a little later to check on her."

She left the room and Adrien squeezed into Marinette's bed to lay beside her. He just held her close to him as she fell into sleep. He was only able to doze a little bit as he kept a close eye on his girlfriend.

It was more than an hour later when the door opened and Dr. Dubois quietly entered the room. Adrien sat up as Marinette slept on. But after the doctor enter the room she held the door open and the nurse who had left with their baby came through the door pushing a little bassinet on wheels.

Adrien heard a little coo come from the bassinet. Marinette must have heard it too because her eyes slowly opened in response to the sound.

When she saw the bassinet being rolled into her room she slowly sat up with eagerness in her eyes. The nurse stopped the bassinet next to the bed and put on its breaks. She looked to Marinette and Adrien and announced, "He is perfectly healthy." She grinned widely with the news.

Dr. Dubois explained further what was going to happen. "Marinette and the baby are going to have to stay here for a few days until baby has reached an appropriate weight and until we can be sure that Marinette is healthy and that she will stay that way. Only then can we send you home."

Adrien looked to Marinette to gauge her reaction. He was surprised to see her smiling. "As long as I get to be with my baby." She reached towards the bassinet and looked up at the nurse for permission. Once she nodded in assent Marinette reached in and gently picked up her teeny, tiny infant and held him to herself. She pulled her gown down and laid Louis onto her chest, skin-to-skin. He gave a contented coo.

She and Adrien both looked down at the life they had brought into the world. He was so tiny and so perfect. He had Adrien's bright emerald eyes and a little tuft of dark black, almost blue, hair. He had perfect, light skin and tiny, little hands with perfect little fingers.

"He's beautiful." Marinette leaned her head down to kiss his forehead with tenderness.

Adrien wrapped one arm around Marinette's back and rested his other hand gently on Louis back. The family of three cuddled closely and stayed like that for a long time, with Marinette and Adrien caught up in the baby in their arms.

It was a while later that the couple became aware of Marinette's parents. Of course, they had been there the whole time, but it wasn't until that moment that the couple allowed their minds to stray far enough from their new baby to be able to land on other things.

Marinette smiled guiltily and beckoned her parents over. They came eagerly. When the older couple were standing next to the bassinet, on the opposite side from Adrien, Marinette reached out towards her dad. He was hesitant, but in response to her he leaned down, arms out.

Marinette gently placed her baby in his grandfather's arms. Despite how large his arms were, Tom was extremely gentle, as Marinette knew he would be. He held the infant softly to his chest and leaned down whispering words to the baby that no one else could hear. Louis is response seemed to be listening intently and cooing replies.

When he was gently handed from the large arms of Tom into the arms of petite Sabine it seemed that he was immediately affected by her motherly experience and fell into peaceful slumber. Sabine smiled at him, holding him for another moment before taking a step closer to Adrien and placing his baby in his arms.

All his companions could see in his eyes that Adrien was scared, but they could also see excitement threatening to burst from him. Louis was placed in his arms and Adrien didn't know what to do for a moment, but when his son shifted positions to be closer to him and when he rested a itty-bitty hand on his father's arm Adrien relaxed. He held his baby close to him and sat on the edge of the bed, near Marinette, allowing her to see her baby and to reach out and gently stroke his soft, perfect skin.

Marinette's parents texted Alya and Gabriel to inform them that the baby was born and healthy and that they could come visit while the young couple fawned over their new baby. "This is even better than I expected," Marinette murmured to Adrien in contentment.