Casey Jones
"God Casey, it hurts!" Jane groaned loudly as another contraction wrecked her body.
"I know, honey. I know." I kept my hands firmly on my wife's back where the nurse had showed me to keep pressure to relieve some of the pain. But it wasn't enough. Ten hours of labor, no sir. Jane was two weeks late and the past weeks had been hell. She was in constant pain, she was intensely uncomfortable and crying uncontrollably. I hated it. The detective was a mess of tears and pain. I wanted to take it away. If I could take the pain away and feel it myself, I would do so in a heartbeat. But all I could do was be with her, whisper soothing words of love and not leave her side for a second too long.
"I can't do this," Jane whimpered as she fell back against the cushions of the hospital bed. "I c-can't..."
"You can." I brushed some hair out of Jane's sweaty face and grabbed the damp washcloth from the nightstand, pressing it carefully against her forehead. "You're doing amazing, Jane. I'm so proud of you."
Jane shook her head as tears formed in her eyes.
"Yeah." I nodded and pressed my lips against my wife's sweaty temple, feeling the brunette trembling next to me. I sighed and carefully moved her over as I quickly slid in behind her, wrapping my arms around Jane's chest from behind.
Jane sighed deeply and rested back into my arms, one of her hands resting on her pregnant belly, the other tangling with me on my chest. "I just want it to be over," she whispered hoarsely.
"I know." I nuzzled into Jane's frizzy curls. "Before you know it, we'll be holding our beautiful baby in our arms. It'll be over soon."
"I'm only dilated four or five centimeters, Casey."
"Yeah, isn't that enough for a baby?" I smirked against her. "Let's just start pushing that kid out so we're done with it."
Jane let out a sad chuckle. "Casey."
"How big can a baby be?"
Jane shook her head, closing her eyes as she rested her temple against my cheek. "Too big to push out of my vagina," she said, her voice suddenly fearful.
"Jane." I pulled her closer. "You've done it once, you can do it once more. Women are made for it, aren't they?"
Jane nodded weakly.
"And you are the strongest woman I've ever known. Pushing a kid out? That's peanuts!" I smiled as I heard a soft chuckle from her. "You can do it. I know you can. You're going to get through this and you're going to give us the most beautiful baby on the planet."
Before Jane could answer, another contraction started wrecking her body. She groaned and leaned forward, allowing me to press on the muscles in her back as she let her head fall down, squeezing her eyes shut to get through the pain.
When the contraction subsided, she slumped back against me, silent tears trickling down her cheeks. At the sight of those tears, I felt my throat closing up, my chest tightening. "You're so brave, Jane," I whispered huskily, "you're so amazing, so strong and so beautiful. I'm so proud of you."
Jane wasn't listening. She was crying silently as the pain slowly left her system. She took a deep, shuttering breath and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand. "Casey?"
"Hm?"
"Could you get me some ice chips?"
"Of course." I kissed her head and carefully slid out of the bed. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Give Isa a kiss from me, okay?" Jane smiled a sweet, tired smile as she mentioned our five-year old. "Tell her I'm alright."
I nodded, tears burning in my eyes. Jane was in a world of pain but she would never let her daughter know that. Isa would worry too much. "I will." I smiled and hurried towards the waiting room where Angela, Isa and Frankie were anxiously waiting for hours now. I fought the urge to run as I headed down the white walled hallways.
"Casey!" Frankie stood up as soon as he saw me. "Any news?"
"Daddy!" Isa's eyes went wide and she immediately squirmed off Angela's lap to run towards me.
I smiled tiredly and scooped the girl up in my arms, pulling her close. "Hi, Izzy."
"Where's Mommy? I want Mommy!"
"Mommy's still in the hospital room, honey." I sighed and pulled Isa's head to my chest as I looked at my mother and brother in law. "No news. Still the same situation."
"God, how long has she been at it?"
"I don't now, more than eight hours." I furrowed my brow and brushed my fingers through Isa's hair.
"Something wrong then?" Frankie asked in a concerned tone. "Why's it taking so long?"
Angela smiled and stood up from her chair. "It's not unusual. With Tommy, I spent twelve hours in that stupid room. Your father just pacing back and forth, drinking too much coffee and being a pain in the ass..."
"Whoa, Ma." I motioned at the little girl on my hip.
"I'm just sayin'!" Angela held up her hands. "I should've known that man was trouble back then."
"Yeah yeah." Frankie placed his hand on his mother's arm and looked back at me. "Anything we can do?"
"I was just gonna get some ice."
"I'm on it!" Angela immediately hurried off towards the machine in the corner of the room.
I smiled and shook my head before looking at Isa's head on my shoulder, seeing worry edged on her young face. She had grown, but she was quite short for her age. Her eyes still sparkled like the day I met her. She was getting more and more beautiful with each day that passed. "Mommy told me to say she's doing alright," I said softly, tucking a strand of hair behind Isa's ear. "And to give you a kiss from her." I took Isa's chin and quickly pecked her cheek as I smiled at the girl. "She's gonna be okay."
"I wanna see Mommy."
I sighed. "You can't, baby. I'm sorry."
Isa's bottom lip quivered and I took a deep breath to compose myself. "You're going to have to stay with Nana and Uncle Frankie just a bit longer. I promise to get you as soon as the baby is here, okay?"
"Okay." Isa wrapped her short arms around my neck and snuggled in close. I saw Angela getting back and knew that I had to let my daughter go, not wanting to leave Jane for a minute too long.
"I have to go back to Mommy, Izzy," I said softly as I pressed a kiss to Isa's forehead. "I'll give her a kiss back from you, okay?"
Isa smiled a tired smile and allowed me to hand the girl back to Angela. I took the cup of ice from her and was happy to see Isa resting comfortably on Angela's hip, her small body curled up into her grandmother's warm side.
"I'll be back if there's news!" I said when I was already heading back to Jane. When I entered the room, I saw Jane sitting on her hands and knees, biting her lip to keep from screaming out in pain. "Oh babe." I almost dropped the ice as I put it on the table and placed my hands on Jane's lower back, putting the pressure where I knew it would relieve some pain.
It must have been going for a while because Jane slumped back down after only a few seconds. "They're getting closer together," she mumbled, out of breath. "A n-nurse should-..."
"Already pushed the button." I brushed Jane's hair out of her face and gently helped her rest back against the pillows, pulling the blanket over her bare legs, the hospital gown ridden up during the contraction. I pressed my lips against her sweaty cheek and carefully sat down on the edge of the bed. "That's a kiss from Isa."
"Hm." Jane closed her eyes. "How is she?"
I shrugged. "Worried about you. But she was okay with your mom."
"Good." Jane sighed deeply but groaned when another contraction hit her. She slumped forward again, closing her eyes, tears falling down her cheeks.
"Shh, it's almost over, babe," I said softly, "soon we'll be holding or beautiful daughter. It'll all be over soon."
Jane nodded in the middle of her contraction, but I was wrong. It wasn't over soon. The contractions were closer together but she wasn't dilated enough to start pushing yet. And to make it all worse, the nurse got a worried look on her face when she came in the third time that night to check up on her.
"Something's wrong, isn't it?" Jane said, her voice weak and defeated.
The nurse, an older lady named Ruth, shook her head. She adjusted the blankets and sighed. "The baby's in breech. I think we need to do a C-section."
Jane closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, watching nurse Ruth having a quick phone call with a doctor. "I wanted to have the baby in a natural way. Like I had done with Isa."
"Jane," I whispered, gently squeezing her hand in mines. "A C-section is for the best. It's what our baby needs. And what you need."
Jane nodded, opening her eyes to look at me, fear and pain showing in her dark eyes. "I know."
"We're going to take you to the delivery room, Detective." The nurse smiled reassuringly and pulled the blankets back up. "You'll be holding your baby soon."
Jane closed her eyes. "Thank God."
I chuckled but my smile broke off when Jane had another contraction. The nurse quickened her pace and pushed the bed towards the delivery room where our baby would be brought into this world.
After that, it only took a short while. "She's almost here," the doctor said, holding out his hands to receive another instrument from his nurse, his glove covered in blood and other stuff I didn't want to know.
"You're almost done, Jane," I said as I felt her squeezing my hand. "
Jane was about to reply when the doctor told her to push and a strangled cry sounded through the hospital room. She gasped and tears sprung to her eyes as the doctor brought up a tiny, wrinkled, purple little baby, covered in blood and gross stuff. They quickly cleaned her up and moved Jane's hospital gown to place the baby on her bare chest.
The baby's head was covered with dark hair, and a lot of it. Her tiny fist were shaking around, her feet peaking out from the white blanket she was wrapped in. Ten fingers, ten toes. She was breathing, crying, and moving. A healthy baby.
I didn't realize I was crying until I felt my tears falling into my own lap. I moved my shaking hand up and gently, carefully caressed the baby's damp cheek, smiling through my tears. "Hi," I whispered, my voice nothing more than a high-pitched whisper. "Welcome to the world, baby girl."
Jane's hands were trembling as they wrapped around the tiny baby on her chest, silent tears streaming down her face. She whimpered when the nurse reached out for the small girl. "No..."
"We're just going to examine her, Detective," Ruth smiled. "Shouldn't take more than a minute or two."
Jane nodded and watched as the nurse took their baby to weigh her and perform all the necessary tests to make sure everything was okay. "She's healthy," Jane whispered, her hand clinging to my leg next to her. "And she's so beautiful."
I turned my attention towards my wife and saw extreme exhaustion as well as pure, unconditional love edged on her beautiful face. I gently cupped Jane's chin and pressed my lips against the brunette's for a sweet, loving kiss. "I love you," I whispered, smiling lovingly. "I love you so much."
"I love you too." Jane rested her forehead against mine and looked into my eyes for a while until the nurse came back with the baby, this time wrapped up in a pink blanket.
"Is it okay if I hand her to Mr. Jones so we can get you cleaned up?"
Jane just nodded, allowing the doctor to finish his stitches and clean up. My mouth fell open as I took the tiny girl in my arms, smiling when her small fists waved out of her blanket. She made a gurgling sound and I met with the most beautiful dark baby-eyes I had ever seen. They were just like Jane's. Not quite as dark yet, but they would be one day. She would have the same curls as Jane, the same features, the same nose. I could already tell and I was already the proudest dad in the world. "Hi there," I whispered through my tears. "Hi beautiful."
The next hour was spent simply staring at our newborn baby. Just staring, crying and smiling happily. The nurse helped Jane out of her hospital gown, washing herself and changing into a pair of clean, silk pajamas. All the pain was forgotten. Yes, it was hell. But as soon as the baby latched on to Jane's breast for the first time, everything was forgotten. All that mattered was the beautiful baby in Jane's arms.
"You should tell the family," Jane whispered, her finger gently caressing the baby's cheek.
I nodded. "I know but what if she grows up when I'm away?"
Jane chuckled and slapped my leg. "Go. And bring Isa, please?"
"Of course." I smirked and kissed her lips before carefully pressing another kiss to the baby's forehead. I hurried back to the waiting room, the family jumping up when they saw me.
"And?" Angela asked, jumping up from her chair.
I smiled, composing myself for a second before speaking. "She's beautiful."
The room broke out into excited squeals but I only had eye for Isa who had streaks of leftover tears on her pale cheeks as she reached up her arms towards me. While Angela was kissing my cheek, Frankie squeezing my arm and asking questions I didn't hear, I lifted Isa in my arms and pressed my lips against the girl's forehead.
"Can I see her?" Isa asked, "And Mommy?"
"Yeah." I kissed Isa's cheek and pulled her to my chest to look at my in-laws. "She's perfectly healthy."
Angela smiled, getting choked up on my words. "Oh, my granddaughter! Can I see her? I want to meet her!"
"Uhm... Well... We just wanted some time with Isa first, if that's okay?"
Angela looked disappointed but Frankie stepped in. "Of course."
"Just come by with like, an hour or something. I'm sorry."
Angela smiled. "I understand. She needs you." She pointed at Isa and gently rubbed the girl's back. "She's been crying for you."
I nodded, pulling Isa close in my arms. "Yeah..."
"Go back to your wife!" Angela playfully pinched my arm, eliciting a chuckle. "And congratulate her from us."
"C'mon, Iz." I adjusted Isa on my hip and hurried back to the private hospital room.
Isa lifted her head from my shoulder as she saw Jane through the glass in the wooden door. "Mommy!"
I chuckled and opened the door, causing Jane to lift her head and turn her attention away from the baby towards my and her oldest daughter. "Hi, pretty girl," she smiled lovingly at Isa who squirmed out of my arms to run towards her mother.
"Mommy!"
"Be careful, honey." I smiled and closed the door behind her to lift Isa up on the bed.
Jane smiled at the little girl and looked at me. "Could you take her, please?" she asked softly as she handed the baby to me.
I carefully took the baby in my arms, sitting next to Jane on the bed as I watched Jane opening her arms for Isa. Isa climbed into her mother's lap but Jane hissed and stopped her. "Oh baby, just sit next to me, okay? Mommy's not quite ready for that yet."
Isa nodded and nestled in between us, snuggling into Jane's side as her arms wrapped around the little girl. Jane's thumb brushed across Isa's cheek as Isa looked at her baby sister with wide eyes, filled with fear. "This is your sister, honey," Jane whispered, pressing a kiss on top of Isa's head. "You finally met the baby!"
"Yeah..." Isa's voice was soft and laced with exhaustion after sleeping for only a few hours that night. "What's the baby's name?"
"Well..." Jane looked at me and then back at the baby.
I smiled, staring at the gorgeous baby girl in my arms. I couldn't take my eyes of the little creature. She was slowly falling asleep, her dark eyes closing as she stopped squirming and relaxed in my arms.
I smiled and gently stroked the baby's cheek. "We decided Ilaria," I replied softly. "Ila, for short."
Isa nodded and leaned forward to look at the baby. "Hi, baby Ila."
___________
After a few days, we were allowed to take the baby home. Ilaria Rizzoli-Jones was a content, happy little baby. She rarely cried unless she was hungry, and she was sleeping and drinking well. Jane was exhausted and hormones were messing with her head, but she was the happiest woman in the world.
She just settled upstairs in bed while I changed Ila's diaper in the brand new baby room. She adjusted the blankets over her legs and rubbed her eyes. The past days had been filled with visitors, poopy diapers and it had all been a rush. I was extremely happy to be back home. I needed time to just enjoy my family.
Jane Rizzoli
"Mommy?" Isa's head peaked through the doorway, eliciting a smile from me in bed.
"Hi, baby." I shifted and pulled the covers away. "Come here."
Isa rushed towards the bed and climbed in, sliding under the blankets. She had been spending her days with Ma while I was at the hospital. Casey went back every night to put the girl to bed and then waited until she was sleeping before heading back to the hospital to spend the night with me and the baby. Isa and Ma had been visiting us as often as they could, but it was tiring for the girl. She was happy to be home, I could feel it.
I wrapped my arms around my little girl and pulled her into my side. "How are you, pretty girl?"
Isa shrugged. "Good."
"Hm." I pursed her lips and brushed Isa's hair back. "How do you like being a big sister?"
"'S okay. The baby's sweet, like my dolls."
I smiled. "Yes, she is." I caressed Isa's cheek and looked into her sparkling brown eyes, smiling when my daughter showed a small smile. "Just know that you're still my beautiful baby girl," I whispered. "My beautiful, beautiful baby girl."
"I'm not a baby," Isa answered quietly. "Ila's the baby now."
I sighed. It was hard for Isa. She was right; she wasn't the baby of the family anymore. "Well, yes. Ilaria is the baby of the family but that doesn't mean you're not my baby anymore!"
Isa giggled and shook her head. "Nooo..."
"Oh but I love you so much, sweetheart." I pulled my daughter closer into my side and kissed the top of her head. "That won't ever change."
Casey smiled, carrying the baby girl in his arms into the bedroom. "She's hungry, Jane."
"Hm." I smiled lovingly and kissed the top of Isa's head before untangling my arms from the girl to take Ila in my arms. I unbuttoned my silk pajama top and moved it away, adjusting the baby so she could latch on. "Oh you are hungry," I chuckled. "There you go, sweetheart."
Isa looked at the baby but turned her attention away when Casey brushed his hand through her curls. "What should we do for dinner tonight, Izzy?"
Isa shrugged and leaned into Casey's side, nestling in strong, safe arms. "Fries and chicken."
"Fries and chicken?" Casey chuckled and looked at me. "You're clearly my kid."
I shook my head, my lips curling up into a slight smile. "You can have fries and chicken as long as you pick a vegetable."
Isa pursed her lips and sighed deeply. "Mommy can pick the vegetable."
I chuckled and caressed Ila's cheek as the girl drank hungrily. "I think there are some leftover green beans in the freezer."
"Ahh..." Isa furrowed her brow.
"You said I could pick, Isa."
"Why's Ila not have to eat vegetables?"
"She doesn't have teeth yet, she won't be able to chew them." I couldn't keep my eyes off my baby girl, dark eyes looking up at me, a tiny hand resting on the swell of my breast as she drank, which was the strangest yet loveliest feeling in the world. "She can only have breast milk."
"Ugh." Isa stuck out her tongue. "Only milk?"
Casey laughed. "Yeah, gross huh?"
Isa nodded as she played with Casey's long fingers on her stomach. "Yeah."
"Can I watch TV?" Isa asked when a silence fell between us.
"Yeah but get Mommy's iPad, okay?" Casey said, placing a kiss on Isa's forehead before lifting the girl off the bed. "So you won't be all alone downstairs."
"Can I watch in my room?" Isa asked excitedly, jumping off the bed.
"Yep."
"Yay!"
"Only the kids channel!" I called after the girl as she hurried out of the room. I shook my head when I heard a soft 'yeah' called back to me. My attention immediately went back to Ila who almost finished her meal. I smiled. I gently caressed the baby's pink cheek and the dark curls on her tiny head. "She looks so much like you," I whispered.
Casey shifted closer towards me, nestling against my side, smiling as he placed her hand on the baby's belly. "Yeah. She's gonna be a handful, Jane."
I chuckled. "Oh yes she is. If she's got even half of my temper and your stubbornness... We'll be having a rough time with her once she hits her teenage years." I smiled and felt Ila pulling away from my breast. I hissed when I adjusted the girl on my chest to burp. My breasts were sensitive and in moments like these they even hurt.
"Oh I don't think we have to wait for the teenage years," Casey smirked. "Angela told me you was the worst six-year old in the world."
"But she must have added adorable," I said with a smile, resting my head against the baby's as I gently patted the girl's back. "And ours will be adorable as well. She's yours, after all."
Casey smiled lovingly and brushed his fingers across my cheek. "She's yours too, Jane. You're her mother."
I smiled. "What if she's all you?" I whispered, my hand still patting Ila's back.
Casey shrugged. "Well, I'm all me and I love you like crazy." He smirked but his smile fell when he saw the worry in my eyes. "Hey." He cupped my cheek and smiled slightly, his eyes sparkling with love and care. "You were raised by loving, intelligent people and you grew up to be the most amazing, sweet, caring, brilliant and beautiful person I know."
Tears filled my eyes as I listened to his husky voice speaking those words full of love and care. "I know."
"She's going to be her own unique little person and she's going to love you like crazy."
I nodded, adjusting Ila back in my arms after she burped. The girl was already halfway back asleep, her eyes closing, her small fists unclenching on her belly. "I love her like crazy too," I whispered. "Because she's like you and because she's her own unique little person."
"Well not yet, really," Casey smirked. "Right now she's just pooping and eating and crying, not much of a personality there."
"Oh you should hear the way she cries for food and the way she latches on to my breast!" I chuckled. "She couldn't be anyone else's daughter but yours."
Casey laughed and shook his head. "I'm so proud." He chuckled and brushed his fingers across Ila's cheek. "How's Isa?"
"She's okay, I think. She's getting used to the fact that she's not the baby of the family anymore." I smiled as I felt Ila drifting off to sleep in my arms. "We just need to remind her every now and then that we love her just as much."
"Noted." Casey rested his head on my shoulder, staring at our baby daughter.
"We have two gorgeous daughters," I whispered quietly.
"And I have a gorgeous wife." Casey smiled and pressed his lips against the top of my head. "We're both lucky."