The Sweetest Devotion

Vending Machine Chocolate

Two and a half hours later, and things were most definitely moving slowly for Nikki who has only dilated by another centimetre, it is now nine in the evening and Jack knew he would be in for a long night awake with Nikki who is currently pacing the room trying to ease some of the pain during contractions. Since being first examined Nikki had changed herself into a dark blue nightdress which she purchased purposely for the birth.
The midwife had brought Jack and Nikki a cup of coffee each and some biscuits due to their arrival after the dinner round, this had been perfect for them both but Jack was contemplating leaving Nikki for five minutes to find a vending machine for a chocolate bar or a packet of crisps, but right now he knew it probably wouldn't be best to leave her as she keeps getting moments of panic about the baby being born. "Jack... I can't do this... I'm going to lose her, I know it..." She panics as she continues to pace the room tearfully.

Jack looks up from his phone raising an eyebrow, he had told Nikki he was looking at work emails but in fact, he was reading the football scores. "Don't speak like that Nikki" Jack sighs watching her pace.
"It's going to happen again, all over again... Just like Charlie," Nikki breathes as she grabs onto the bottom of the bed doubling over as a contraction hits her. Jack's heart breaks she finally used Charlie's name when talking about loss, it must have been a sign that she was serious about how nervous she is.

Jack thinks on the spot needing something to get Nikki off the thought of losing this baby even though he has every faith in this baby, he stands up and walks over to Nikki placing his hand on her back as she groans and sways side to side through the contraction. "Nikki, look at me, Nikki. I want you to tell me about Charlie what would be up to now?" he smiles softly stroking her back.

She looks up at him as she stands herself upright, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her face into his chest for a moment, "well over the years I've built up a mental image of what he would look like."Okay?" Jack responds pushing for more of a response from Nikki.

Nikki smiles and looks up at Jack, she had never told Jack about her mental image of her son, she knew he would love to hear about his step-son, "he would be extremely tall, make me look like I'm standing in a hole. The deepest brown eyes, blonde short hair although at thirteen he would go through the floppy hair stage and grow it longer. He would most definitely have a girlfriend by now, something I wouldn't be best pleased with, but I love my son so allow it, as long as there is no funny business before sixteen," She reels off.

Jack feels his chest swelling as Nikki describes the child she lost years ago, he hopes this helps Nikki get over her fear of giving birth again and push her to be brave, Jack chuckles at her last part of the description about no funny business before sixteen "...sounds awfully like my mother..." Jack chuckles kissing her head.

Nikki pulls away from Jack and begins her pacing again, Jack just stands watching her as she breathes and wipes away a few stray tears. "he would be into his football, made about Chelsea FC like Lawrence. He would in a small rock band at school playing the bass guitar, practising all the time annoying the hell out of me..."

"Charlie sounds like a handful... pretty much like his mother," Jack chuckles and watches her smile at him.
"...I'd be forever telling him to turn his music down and pick up his laundry. But from the day I saw those big brown eyes of him before he slipped away, Charlie most definitely had a gentle soul."
Jack bit his lip holding back his own tears, the mental image now printed in his mind, a perfect image of his stepson.

Soon, Jess and Anna return and speak to Nikki about how she is doing before conducting another examination, "Nikki, I want to know if you want any pain relief, I know you said no to drugs but you seem to be struggling through contractions... we can give you gas and air during active labour but for now, would you like something to take the edge off?" Jess quizzes the mother to be who is clearly struggling already.

Jack looks down at Nikki who is still propped up on the bed her legs open slightly from the examination which showed she was still at five centimetres. Nikki then looks at Jess and nods agreeing to some form of pain relief, Jess leaves the room for a moment before coming back with a cannula pack and pain relief.
She passes the cannula needle to Anna and also a Tourniquet, Anna takes Nikki's left hand and wipes it down with an antiseptic wipe before placing the cannula in the back of her back in one swift motion. She places the stickers down either side of the cannula to keep it in place and then looks at Jess for the pain relief.

Jess passes the syringe to Anna and then watches her as she administers the pain relief, "just so you know Nikki this one pain relief can make you feel nauseous," Jess explains as she places the sticker on the chart and notes the time.

After Jess and Anna leave once again Jack texts Thomas to let him know that he will be unable to attend work tomorrow or even do the on-call shift he is meant to have this evening, due to Nikki suddenly going into labour. Jack looks across at Nikki who has pulled the blanket up to her chin as the air conditioning in the room has made it too cold, she lays on her side facing Jack, giving him a small smile and closing her eyes.
He knew Nikki had the right idea while she wasn't having a contraction the best idea was to sleep, so Jack grabs the extra blanket and pillow which was put on the side for him and rests in the chair besides Nikki, stroking her arm which is poking through the rails.