Chapter 25
Steve gazed at his sleeping son. He couldn't believe he was here already. It had all happened so fast. First the scare with Jared going missing, then his rescue, the capture of the two scumbags, their trial and punishment, the wedding...
The wedding.He winced. Jared is still upset about that. Maybe we should have a small, private, redo with just my folks, Desmond, and the betas. Maybe when he feels better.
Steve hoped that was soon. Jared had seemed to recover well after the birth so they'd only stayed a few days before returning home.
With a couple of days, Jared had begun to feel unwell.
At first they'd chalked it up to fatigue from healing while settling in with a newborn, but Steve was becoming worried that something else was at play.
Jared had dark circles under his eyes and seemed to be growing not only tired, but weaker.
Almost as if he's fading. I don't care what he says, if he's not better today, I'm calling in the doc again.
He watched the even rise and fall of the infant's chest as he breathed, little snuffles bringing a small smile to Steve's lips.
Galen Fai Chang. Steve longed to stroke the sleeping child's head, but refrained.
Experience taught him that Galen would wake and express his displeasure.
The boy loves his sleep. At least there's that.
He's such an easy baby. Steve turned and stealthily closed the door behind himself as he left the room.
He padded across the hall to check on Jared.
He frowned. Jared's skin had taken on a waxy hue, the only color on his face two bright spots on his cheeks and the purple bruised hue about his eyes.
Even his lips looked bloodless. His chest rose and fell with an agonizing slowness, his chest making but shallow movements.
Steve stepped out into the hall once more and took out his phone. After three rings, he got the doctor's answering service.
“Hi, yeah, it's Steve Chang. I'm calling about Jared. Yes, I'll hold.”
A brief moment, then he heard the line pick up once more.
“Steve? How bad is he?”
To the point. Steve explained his concerns, relieved to be taken so seriously.
“I'll be right over.”
“I've been going over what we found on male pregnancy and I think I have the answer.From what I've read, the magic on the other side that make this possible, also help with the healing. I think the magic is too thin on this side for that to occur and his body is too weak to handle the changes.”
Steve frowned. “If the magic is too weak, how did he manage to carry the baby at all, while on this side?”
“The spell was in motion already. This is the aftermath of that spell and closeness to our magical origins strengthen us when we need healing the most. His body is basically now in freak out mode trying to deal with it doesn't know what, as the spell has finished but he's left trying to re-absorb the temporary womb and heal from the natural incisions his body made.”
Steve nodded. It made a sort of sense, he guessed. “So what do we do? Take him back across?”
“It'd probably be best. He just needs to stay until he's healed. No more than eight weeks or so.”
Steve rubbed a hand over his face. “We'll have to move the baby's stuff too.”
“I suggest just taking the essentials. A travel bassinet, change mat, et cetera.”
Steve sighed. “I best call my Mom. She can help get things set up while I notify the betas that we'll be traveling back and forth for a few weeks.”
“I advise making arrangements for friends and family to sit with him when you have to be here. He should be on bed rest for at least the next week, longer if improvement is slow. Help looking after Galen would be good, so that he can get as much rest as possible once he is able to get up and about.”
Steve nodded. “Thanks, doc.”
“Let me know when you've got it all arranged. I'll travel with you to get him settled. And don't hesitate to call me if he gets any worse. Just get him there as soon as possible.”
“I'm ringing Mom very next thing.”
“I'll let myself out, then.”
Steve watched him go. He heard the front door shut even as he scrolled through his contact list.
“Hello, Mom?”
Jared awoke feeling like shit. He hadn't felt this bad since the first time he'd drank alcohol.
He'd been 14 and sleeping over at his best friend's house, up in the treehouse.
Tom had produced a bottle of Blue Nun he'd snuck out of the house and they drank it diluted with grape juice.
They'd gotten spectacularly drunk and Jared didn't recall anything other than drinking, giggling, and waking up with a killer headache and generally feeling like he'd gotten run over by a bus.
He squinted through the fog of his head ache.
Wait. What? He was in their bedroom across the Veil.
A vintage wheeled bassinet sat by the foot of the bed.
How the hell did I get here? He struggled to get up.
I should check on the baby. He made it his feet, clutching his head as a sharp twinge shot through it.
He shuffled closer. The bassinet was empty. No, no, no!
The door to the room opened.
“Babe, what are you doing out of bed?”
Steve's here.
“Galen?” he managed to croak out.
Steve laid a reassuring hand on Jared's shoulder. “Easy. You've been out of it a couple of days. Mom's got Galen. He's in his swing downstairs. You should get back into bed. I bet you could use a cold drink.”
Jared nodded and let himself be guided back into bed and propped up though beneath the covers. His throat was parched and now that he thought about it, his stomach gnawed at him. “Hungry too. And my head hurts.”
“Probably from not having anything to eat or drink, really. You were so out of it, we could only get you take sips.”
That and too much sleep, Jared decided as Steve poured him a glass of water from a carafe sat on the bedside table.
Jared tried not to gulp it too greedily as the wet hit his parched mouth.
Steve sat on the end of the bed. “We had to bring you back here because you weren't doing so well.
Doc said you needed the magic here to heal.
I called him when you didn't wake up two days ago and looked pretty bad. Mom organized stuff for Galen so I could get you situated.”
Jared looked questioning at the bassinet.
“That? It was here from me and my brothers.
Just brought his travel bassinet, swing, and some clothes and stuff for him.
He can move to the bassinet some now that you're awake. You look so much better.” Steve stood up and took the empty glass from Jared.
Giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, he said, “I'll let the doc know you're awake and arrange for some soup and crackers or something for you, okay?
And I'll bring Galen up to see his Daddy.”
Jared smiled. The headache had begun to ease with the water in his system. He leaned his back and rubbed his temples.
Needed the magic, huh? Explains why I felt great until right after we went home. I must have been really out of it to not remember leaving and coming here, getting all the way upstairs and stuff, even.
He reached over to the nightstand and poured himself another glass of water, this time sipping it slowly. With each swallow, he discovered a sudden and increasing need to empty his bladder. He hoped Steve wasn't too long. He'd appreciate the help getting to the bathroom.
“There's Daddy!” Steve cooed, coming in as if on cue, carrying Galen as promised.
“I need to go,” Jared said, gesturing towards the bathroom.
“Oh! Let me just put him down in the bassinet.”
Galen began to fuss as soon as Steve laid him inside the bassinet. Jared winced. The pitch made his head throb worse. Still, he felt much better after visiting the bathroom. Once he had made it back into bed, Steve handed him Galen, who quieted nearly immediately.
“Hey there, sweetheart,” Jared said.”Did you miss Daddy?”
Galen's only response was to purse his lips while small bubbles formed.
“I see,”Jared smiled down at him.
“He's been such a good boy,” Steve said proudly. “Still sleeping through and puts away a full bottle.”
“He looks just like you.”
“He's got your nose, I think.”
Jared looked critically at Galen's face. “Maybe. Guess we'll see when it's not just a button.”
Steve chuckled. “Well, yeah. Kids' looks can change as they grow anyways.”
“Yeah, but if he keeps taking after you, he'll be very handsome.”
“Hey, you're not bad looking yourself,” Steve insisted.
“Am I interrupting anything?”
The two men glanced up at the new voice. The pack doctor had arrived and was looking very amused by the exchange he'd overheard. “I was already on my way here to check up on you, so it didn't take me long once you called, Steve. Jared, you look much, much better. How are you feeling?”
“I felt kind of hung over when I woke up but after some water, I am feeling better. My head still hurts a bit though and I'm hungry.”
“The kitchen is making him a tray with soup and crackers and tea,” Steve interjected.
Dr. Schaeffer nodded. “Should be all right. Steve, why don't you take young Galen here while I have a closer look at Jared, hmm?”
Jared passed Steve the baby and allowed the doctor to examine him. The stethoscope that slid under his t-shirt was cold and he gave a wince.
“Sorry about that,” Dr. Schaeffer said. He listened for a moment and then put it away, next shining a light into Jared's eyes, ears, and throat before then checking his blood pressure.
Lifting up Jared's T-shirt once more, he examined his abdomen, pressing down gently.
Once satisfied, he stood up, picking up his bag, and addressed the two men.
“You seem to be well on the mend. Everything looks to be normal and I can't feel the womb any longer.
Have something to eat, stay here and rest up for today, and tomorrow you should be able to start having visitors and sit downstairs for short periods.You were pretty ill, so I don't want you rushing things just because you feel better.
Your body needs time to replenish itself of what it spent healing you. The magic didn't do it all.”
“I'll see that he does,” Steve promised.
“See that you do. Well, I'm off. Tell your mother I said hello and that Gwen would like her recipe for mango pudding.”
“I'll tell her,” Steve promised.
“Mmmm. Mango pudding,” Jared said. Steve grinned.
“I'll tell Mom you'd like some. I bet she'll make a batch.”
“Yum.”