'Labor of Love' Rehash: 2

“Ugh, this is taking FOREVER,” Bea groaned, “It’s been at least two hours. Does anyone have a deck of cards? Wait, what am I saying? I have a cellphone.”
“I’m glad you came to your senses. Thought you were going crazy for a sec,” Shellsea said.
“It might take a lot longer,” Jumbo said.
“How do you mean?” Albert asked.
“Scientifically speaking, the estimated times for a seahorse’s delivery has a huge range.”
Oscar peered up from his handheld game. “Such as?”
“It could be anything from a few hours, to as long as a few days!” Jumbo laughed awkwardly.
“Oh guh-reat! Never takes that long on TV…” Bea sighed, eying the 15% battery of her phone. The likelihood of its life continuing more than a few more hours was not likely, and she didn’t have her charger.
“Are you saying we could be stranded here?” Albert squeaked.
“Hey, as long as I’m not in class, I’ll stay here until the ends of the earth! Mama’s happy.” Shellsea said, winking at the two Steve’s.
“Man, we get them back together, but we don’t even get to witness the miracle of life? This fieldtrip bites,” Milo whined.
“Uh, Milo, I’m not sure I’d WANT to see that,” Oscar said. He peered over his brother’s shoulder. “What are you doing?”
“Makin’ a card for Mr. B.”
“Where’d you get the crayons and paper?” Oscar asked.
“From that kid over there. He keeps shooting spitballs at me, but it was worth it. See? Here’s Baldwin, and Ms. Lips,” Milo pointed to the different, poorly shaped doodles.
“What are those pea things?” Bea asked.
“Duh, they’re the babies! C’mon Bea, don’t you know a baby when you see one!”  
“I hate babies. Creepy little gremlins with their tiny fins. And their drool. Why would anyone want that?” Shellsea muttered.
“I think babies are kind of nice. I might have some someday,” Bea said.
“Well, I think babies are adorable! They’re just so squishy, you know?” Finberly cooed.
“But what happens when they cry? And you don’t know what they want? And then you hyperventilate!” Albert cringed.
“Yeah, babies make me kinda queasy,” added Esmargot, wiping a line of mucus from under her lips.
“Babies would make interesting test subjects for lasers…” Jumbo said, clearly in his own little world.  
“Gee, I hope Baldwin and Lips are doing okay,” said Bea.
“I mean, he IS a bit older than normal. It won’t be easy on him,” Oscar added.
“Are you kidding me? That man is practically a superhero! He can do anything!” Milo cheered.  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
“I can’t do this!” Baldwin groaned.
He leaned against the windowpane, trying to ride out the latest in a series of brutal contractions. Lulu looked up from her phone. She had been texting her mother, keeping her informed on the situation. Daniel had been pacing, more like hopping, around the room for the past twenty minutes. He thought the movement might ease the pains, but mostly he was trying to distract himself.  Ms. Lips got up from her seat and went to her boyfriend.
“I can’t do it. I just can’t. I cave. Seahorse down,” he moaned. “Shoot me.”
“But you’re doing great, Cupcake.”
Baldwin let out a pitiful groan in response.
He wrapped one hand around his clenching stomach, the other keeping a tight grip on the IV pole. Lulu’s tentacle wrapped around that hand, while the second tentacle was rubbing the small of his back. He tried the rhythmic breathing for the millionth time, to no avail. There was too much to focus on. Daniel was trying to balance on his tail, continue breathing evenly, count the length of the contractions and how far apart they were, and above all trying to keep a tight grip on his sanity.
Under her touch, Lulu felt the clench of his hand begin to relax. “Easing up?”
“Mm,” he nodded.
She kissed the nape of his neck; she could feel him shaking.
“You alright?”
“I…no…no, I’m scared,” Dan found himself saying.  
“Why?” Lulu asked, truly concerned.
The pregnant seahorse turned to face the squid, propping himself up by leaning against the window.
“I just keep thinking about how we’re not in the tanks right now.”
“You are looking a little dry.”
Lulu rubbed her tentacle against the side of his cheek. A bit of dried skin came off against her touch. The tubes were helping Daniel to breathe easily, but unlike a watersuit, were doing little to nothing to hydrate his body. He was also much paler, the stress of the delivery causing his pigment to change.
“No, I’m fine, but I am worried…what if the babies have a hard time breathing once they’re born?”
“Oh Danny, I’m sure the doctors will know what they’re doing. The girls will be fine,” Lulu gave him a brave smile.
“How are you always so sure of everything? Maybe they’ve never dealt with a seahorse delivery before! I mean, they certainly didn't have a gown in my size.”  
It was true. They had given him a gown meant for their smallest mammal patients, but it was still much too big for a seahorse. He had admitteded to enjoying wearing clothing that was, for once, too big, but the gown proved to be quite bulky.
Lulu ignored the last part. “It’s possible they haven't. Not likely, but possible. The girls will probably get tubing similar to yours.”
“But what if their sensitive skin can’t handle the dry air?”
“They’ll be fine, Danny, but you can’t worry yourself sick like this. It doesn’t help.”
She guided him back to the bed and made him sit down. He lay back against the head of the bed. Lulu sat down beside him, petting his outstretched tail.
"I don't know. I wish we were back in Freshwater," he said.
"It'd make things easier, I'll admit. But what a story we can tell them, huh?" Lulu grinned.
Dan smiled. "I suppose. My family will be so mad with me that they couldn't be here."
"My parents won't be pleased, either."
"I still haven't met them."
"Yeah," she sighed, "they just live so far away...it's hard for us to get together."
"Do they...know of me?"
"Of course! You think I wouldn't tell them?"
"No, no. But...do they think I'm...that this whole thing is weird?" He folded his hands over his stomach.
She hesitated. "Admittedly, a little. I mean, people might think this is a bit weird, Cupcake."
Baldwin chewed his lip. "Do YOU think I'm weird?"
Ms. Lips chuckled. "You are undoubtedly the weirdest man I've ever met!"
Baldwin looked crestfallen. "Oh..."
"It's why I love you, silly."
Daniel let out a soft laugh of relief, blushing at her sentiment.
"I missed you," he said.
"We weren't exactly apart very long, hon."
"I don't care. I still missed you."
She shook her head in disbelief, rolling her eyes. Lulu leaned over and kissed him firmly on the lips. They remained in this moment of passion for almost a full minute before Daniel finally pushed her away. Lulu immediately noticed his pained expression.
"Another?" She asked.
Dan winced, pressing his fist to the middle of his chest, just above his contracting pouch. He let out a few pained noises, clenching Lulu's outstretched tentacle with his spare hand. His heart practically stopped as he felt a strange release of pressure beneath the hand near his sternum.The area was swiftly dampening. His breath hitched as he looked inside his gown. The opening of the pouch was much wider than it had been, and was now leaking fluid.
"What is it? What's that on your gown?" Lulu asked with concern.
"Nurse," is how he responded.
"Huh?"
"Call a nurse, okay?" He asked, his voice quavering under the strain of trying to stay calm.
“O-Okay.”
Lulu unsteadily stood up from the bed, and hurried over to the phone on the wall. She picked up the receiver and pressed the nurse call button. Daniel watched on, trying to quell his anxiety, continuing to press against the fissure at the top of his stomach.  
“Hello? Yes this is 202. He needs…we need a nurse,” Lips spoke into the phone, “well, he, um, there’s some kind of fluid…I don’t know. The contractions are worse, and…look, just get down here! My husband needs help! Thank you!"
She angrily slammed the phone back onto the wall. Daniel still looked on, his cheeks flushed. A small smile creeped on his face. Ms. Lips breathed heavily, trying to calm herself.
She looked over at Baldwin. She first noticed the growing damp spot on his gown, then his awkward smile.
“What?” she asked.
“You called me your ‘husband’,” he smirked.
Her face reddened. “I panicked. I was frustrated and I thought it might be more impactful.”
“I’m flattered. You’d really have me?”
Lulu returned to the side of the bed. She clasped his left hand in her tentacles. “I don’t really know…”
His chest clenched. “Lu, I…”
“You didn’t let me finish. I don’t really know how you expect me to wear the ring,” she chuckled. “I don’t have fingers.”
Dan sighed, relieved. “Maybe on a necklace?”
“It’s a good idea,” Lulu smiled, “of course I will marry you, Daniel Baldwin. I’d be honored to.”
“Wait, really? You’d actually…really?”
“Why are you so surprised?” she laughed.
“Well, not much tends to go right for me, if you hadn’t noticed,” he chuckled, but he was tearing up.
She used the edge of her tentacle to brush the tear away. He showed a small smile.
“Oh, I just realized that could have hydrated you a bit,” she said apologetically.
They dissolved into exhausted laughing, before lapsing into kisses once more.