As the gang arrived at the house, Elsa crashed outside surprising everyone.
"Elsa are you okay?"
"I am but..."
"Ahhhhhh."
"Wait is that..."
"Yes I was about to call you but you got here. It happened so suddenly and..."
"Okay okay calm down let's go inside, wait kids." The twins ran to find their mother in agonizing pain and were scared.
Hiccup went inside to find her while Heather told the kids that everything was going to be alright. She took them out of the room leaving Hiccup, Iduna, and Anna.
"Hiccup we called Gina but she is dealing with something right now and..."
"Hey, it's okay."
"Hiccup," Elsa called giving him the phone,
"Hello."
"Hiccup, oh thank goodness your there. I have surgery to take care of and I was about to call the hospital to send a doctor there."
"Yeah don't worry. Is there anything I should..."
"Ahhhh." With that Hiccup enters the room and quickly puts his gear on and took a look. She wasn't fully dilated yet. He grabbed the bag that was on the top of the closet because she ordered the birth to be an at-home birth. In the bag, there were also her records and results. But there was something else worrying him.
"Gina this is an 8-month pregnancy we need to call an ambulance."
"NO IT IS NOT!!!"
"What?''
''I lied and Gina knows. (panting). This is on time but I just wanted to avoid Kristoff and Mom's overprotective behavior. (panting). I am so sorry but now it is time."
"We will talk later Anna but we have to call Kristoff." Iduna left to get someone to call him.
"Okay, that gives me a lot of relief actually. Anna, you are not fully dilated okay I need you to relax."
"Hiccup I have to go."
"Okay but tell me everything before you go," Gina told Hiccup everything about anna and thankfully, the pregnancy had no complications and she has been up to date with everything. With that Hiccup hanged up and saw that she was ready.
"Okay Anna I need you to push on the count of three."
"Okay."
"1..2..3... push."
In the living room, Elsa was having an argument with Kristoff.
"We didn't know that this was on time she told us 8 months."
"She said that she would tell you I thought she did."
"Okay let's put that to the side, you better take the next flight to the Carolinas and be here to see her."
"Don't have to ask me twice."
"Ahhhh."
"Okay we are almost there and stop. Breath, slowly. Okay ready?"
"Yeah, okay one more push."
"AHHHHHHHH." The baby finally came out and Hiccup was doing what was needed to be done and then the baby began crying.
"Hey, that's it. Keep crying you need it." Anna was relieved to see that her baby was alright. It was a beautiful girl that had blond hair and blue eyes. Moments later, everyone wanted to meet her but Hiccup asked for only the twins to come in.
"I want to see her."
"Shh. You have to be quiet."
"Mommy."
"Hey, meet your baby sister kids."
Hiccup and Iduna left the room leaving her alone with the kids.
"It was a girl."
"Yayy..." Everyone said silently.
"Blond hair, blue eyes, 7 pounds 2 ounces and has shown no complications."
"Oh, that is great. By the way, Kristoff is on his way."
"Why don't we go out and celebrate this moment." Everyone went outside and had lunch. They were so happy that things were alright but Hiccup decided to go for a walk to the lake and Astrid noticed him.
"I'll be right back."
Astrid
I noticed Hiccup left the group to the lake. He might have been overwhelmed by what happened but hasn't he done things like this before?
"Hey."
"Oh, hi."
"You seem down for a hero."
"I don't want most of the credit. Anna did very well and Gina is a good doctor so yeah."
"But what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm just... just sitting around to..."
"Hayden."
...
"You never called me Hayden."
"Only when I know you have something to say or if there were something you are not telling me."
"Okay. I have not done delivery in about a year and my biggest fear was causing a loss again."
"You mean, you have lost?"
"It's different when it comes to a child, especially a newborn. All you want is for it to live and make sure they are going to be alright. I couldn't stand it when it happened and now every time I have a child enter my consult, I am just not able to be in the room alone I have to have a nurse be in there. I barely take care of kids, even tell Moana to not bring Malarie to me for a check-up and I am not... I am just. Don't get me wrong I love kids and I miss being one myself but when it comes to health care, I just can't."
"Well, I am no expert but something must have led you to it."
"It's not that simple."
"Okay but you have to let whatever it is out and it has to be soon. Hiccup I might not be a doctor or an expert like you but I know you. You are a stubborn, creative but most caring person I have ever met. I believe all your patients think the same way and I believe that the hardest thing that can ever happen is losing a child especially when it's yours."
"I believe that perfectly. I can't imagine you, Moana or even Anna losing any of your children."
"Yeah but, in your case. It would not be your fault or better said whatever it was that happened, it was not your fault. It would have never been your fault. You always went with the best interest of a patient and by the book. I mean that very well for all of the things we have done in the past."
"Always by the book."
We just stood there watching the lake and then we saw a family having a picnic there with their children. I heard Hiccup take a deep breath until I heard him speak again.
"Last year a couple came and she called for a check-up. I was at the hospital because they needed someone to cover the ER and I was helping one of my friends out. He was checking the soon-to-be mother to see if everything was alright but suddenly it was seen that she needed an emergency c-section. I suggested it because the fetus was not in its place and her blood pressure was really high. My friend agreed to it and gave it a double-check. Later she was starting to show complications and we had to act quickly. She ended up alright but..."
"The baby didn't make it." He started sitting at a log nearby and I followed him.
"No, I held it and tried to have it wake up until they told me that I had to stop. The worst part was that I had to be the one to tell her father. Imagine telling that to the father and then the mother who was expecting their fifth child. After that, I reported that I am not capable of being in the pediatrics, and neonatal units. I personally can't make it in that part of the field."
"Maybe not, but in some aspects, you are able to be with them."
"What?"
"Look at what you did just today. What you did for Zephyr and how Malarie sees you. A kid doesn't know you are a doctor just when they see you, they see Hiccup. They only see you and they end up liking you. They look up to you and you don't have to be the only one with them helping them. You know what I mean?"
"... I have colleagues that are there. My family as well."
"And if something goes wrong, then you will go through it but with help. Never alone." I started looking at the lake with the family again, "so what now doc?"
"We should join everyone and, celebrate Anna's little bundle of joy. Well, the new member of our family." I stood up and then he followed.
"Then let's not keep them waiting."
***
Kristoff arrived later that night and he was relieved that everything was alright. They planned on leaving when the baby is a month old, something Kristoff was okay with. They agreed that when he has to leave, they will stay and that he will join them when it is time to go. A few days later it was time for Hiccup to leave to give a lecture and it would be for around two weeks. As he was getting ready to leave, Astrid met him at his house.
"Take care."
"I will. You too." They kissed as she saw his car disappear. She drove home quietly and then saw Heather in her car.
"Hey, he left already."
"Yeah, I caught him on time."
"Great, hey listen I know that you have to go to Raleigh this weekend and you have to see you know who and this might not be on your list right now but, I was wondering if you would... never mind just come on."
"O-k-a-y?" They got in the car and started to head in a direction that brought a nostalgic feeling in Astrid. It wasn't until they reached a house but it wasn't any house, it was Astrid's childhood house.
"H-heather."
"I know. It has been rented over the years but it's now on the market. Do you..." Astrid rushed out of the car before she could even finish. When she arrived at the back yard a lot of memories were coming back. One was when she was 6 and her mom got together with her friends and they brought their kids. All of those kids were now adults and are very close and some even have kids of their own. Heather approached her from behind and the friends stood their quietly until Astrid noticed an engraving on the corner of the shed.
There were her initials and a little heart indicating the love she felt when she was there with both of her parents.
"Thanks Heather I really needed to see it again."
"What are friends for?"
"True. You said its on the market but, I don't know now because with the way things are now and..."
"Yeah but this isn't going to go on forever you know."
"I know and I can't keep living with you guys forever. Don't get me wrong I love living there and that is always going to be a part of me but,.."
"You have this house and, I don't think anyone is able to take care of this property any better than someone who had this as their home when it was built."
"Yeah, Dad designed it well and... Oh my gosh, what have they done to the fireplace. This was where we would hang out the most."
"See what I mean."
"Yeah, well at least mom's flowers are still there."
"They never seemed to stop growing."
"That gives this place the beauty it deserves."
"Yeah. I will have to think about it and see what happens first. I want to get this done."
The two friends started walking around the property and the house. They started talking and laughing about the memories that were coming back including the first time they met. When it was beginning to be late, Heather drove them home and Astrid was feeling relaxed and happy. She really wanted to buy it and make it hers again. Have Zephyr create her memories in that beautiful place but as she saw that her baby was already having them where they were at, she was satisfied.
She thought that maybe before she left she would take Zephyr for a walk across town and they can explore more to the town and she can learn more about her roots.