Chapter Text
CHAPTER FIVE
Mac and Heather Hudson sat together in the waiting room in Michael Twoyoungmen’s small private hospital. Their daughter, Claire, was staying overnight with Heather’s parents, and that at least relieved the Hudsons of any worry about her. Across the room, Douglas Thompson, holding a sleeping Richard, was dozing in a chair.
Mac sighed. “You know, Heather, this is one of those times when I wish we had the Department H Medical Department up and running. Then, we would have expert help for Snowbird; professionals who know how to care for her. Here, we just have Michael to pull her through. I wonder if that’s enough.”
“Mac.” Heather leaned forward to speak quietly. “Michael brought Narya into the world, and has been her doctor since she was born. Nobody understands her like he does. And he can help her in both magical and mystical ways. Besides, she has privacy here; more so than when she was in hospital in Ottawa, right after Richard was born.”
“Yes.” Mac Hudson had to smile at that. “And what a traffic and security nightmare that was.” He stopped to consider. “And maybe it’s just as well the Canadian public doesn’t know that Michael Twoyoungmen bound Snowbird’s body to the land too tightly at the time of her birth, and that leaving the country can kill her. Just think what our enemies would do with that kind of information.” He shuddered.
“Mac.” Heather whispered. “No one outside of Alpha Flight knows about Narya’s limitation. And we’ll all keep her secret. No enemy will ever learn of it from us.”
Mac smile then. “Well, good to know.” He stood up and stretched. “It’s getting close to dawn. I wonder how Snowbird’s doing?” He glanced toward a closed door which led down a hallway toward the intensive care unit.
Just then, the door opened, and Elizabeth poked her head in.
“Liz!” Heather jumped up. Then, she walked quickly and quietly up to where Elizabeth stood. “Any news?”
Elizabeth smiled tentatively. “Dad still has Narya in Intensive Care. She’s on life support; all hooked up to machines and IVs and stuff. Meantime, he’s spreading mystical powder and doing shaman’s chants over her. She’s starting to look normal again.”
“Oh, thank God!” Heather sagged in relief. She turned to Mac. “Did you hear that, Mac?”
Mac walked up to his wife, and squeezed her shoulder affectionately. “I heard, honey. It’s starting to sound like good news.” He looked at Elizabeth. “Did your father say when she’ll be fully recovered?”
“I believe I can answer that.” Michael Twoyoungmen, in white coat, braids, and stethoscope, appeared behind his daughter. “Now that Narya is back on Canadian soil, she is recovering. I have given her magical, as well as medical, help. Her vital signs are becoming stronger, and I believe that by dawn, she will have fully recovered. Then, she can go home with her husband and son.”
Richard, who had cried himself to sleep in his father’s lap after his worried dad had deservedly scolded him for flying away, now came slowly awake. Yawning, he sat up in his sleeping father’s lap. Then, his gaze flew to Elizabeth and Michael across the room. He slid off his father’s lap and ran across the room to where they stood.
“Doctor Michael! Is my mommy gonna be all right?” His face crumpled. “I didn’t mean to get her hurt. It’s all my fault she’s here now.” He began to sob.
“Richard, no!” Elizabeth knelt to take him into her embrace. “Your mommy didn’t get sick because of anything you did. I guess your daddy didn’t tell you that your mommy is tied to the land and can’t leave Canada. Did he?”
Richard’s lip trembled. “No, he didn’t.”
“Well, now you know,” Elizabeth continued. Just then, they heard a weak voice calling from down the hall. Both Michael and Elizabeth turned in the direction of the voice which happened to come from the Intensive Care Unit. Michael hurried down the hall, went into the room, and came back almost immediately.
“She wants to see you,” he addressed Richard. “You and your father. You may come down there at once.”
“I heard,” Doug had awakened, and came up behind Richard. “Come on, Richard, let’s go see your mother. She must be feeling better if she’s awake enough to ask for us.”
“Indeed she is.” Michael was smiling. “Come this way.”
“Will do, Doc. And thanks,” Doug said. Then, he turned to the Hudsons and Elizabeth. “Will you excuse us, please?”
“Certainly.” Mac Hudson spoke for the rest. “Take all the time you need.”
“All right, Mac.” Douglas smiled. “Come on, Richard.” He took his small son’s hand, and together they followed Michael Twoyoungmen quietly down the long hallway. At the closed door of the ICU, Michael turned to them.
“She is still weak, but recovering rapidly, due to her healing factor and her being back on Canadian soil. Do not stay too long. If she gets enough rest, she will be able to go home this morning. But she must not be tired out.”
“Got it, Doc.” Doug gave a thumbs-up sign. Then, Michael opened the door, and Douglas and Richard entered the room.
Richard was awed at the sight of the Intensive Care Unit. His mother lay in bed, hooked up to several monitors. She was tethered to an IV, and an oxygen mask covered her face. She looked as if she was sleeping, but then, her eyes opened. When she saw Douglas and Richard, she smiled radiantly.
“My dearest family.” Her voice was soft, but even with the oxygen mask over her face, Doug and Richard could hear her.
Richard flew to his mother’s bedside. “Mommy! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to fly away. It’s my fault you got sick!”
Narya looked at her son with a mixture of fondness and severity. “My sweet son. It was not your fault that I became ill while fighting the Beast. Your father or Michael should have explained it to you long ago. When I was born, I had an unstable shape like you did before you were born. Doctor Michael cast a special spell to bind me to the land so that I would have a solid form. But he did not know as much about casting a binding spell to the land as he does now, and bound me to the land of Canada only. But by the time you were born, he knew more. And when he delivered you, he was able to bind you to the whole earth, as well as to space. You will never have the restrictions I have.”
“Gee.” Richard was amazed. He let this fact sink in.
“However,” Narya’s look turned stern, “in the meantime, I want you to pay strict attention to your father and me. You are not to fly into any more battles, even if you believe you are helping me. You are not old enough to go into combat. Before you are ready to do so, you must be a lot older and train first with Alpha Flight. You could have been killed yesterday when you attacked the Beast. I do not want you to fly into battle again until several years from now, when you have been properly trained. Do you understand me?”
“Yes, Mommy.” Richard was humble. “I know I’m in trouble. Daddy grounded me. I can’t go out for a week, and when we get home, I have to go to my room and stay there. I have to think about what I’ve done.”
Narya looked at Douglas. “I see you are capable of disciplining him. And I do not blame you for Richard’s flying away. He has the powers of a young godling, but he needs the discipline to use them properly.”
“I’ll see he does, honey.” Douglas reached over, and squeezed Narya’s hand. “Get well. If you keep going at this rate, Michael says you can go home this morning.”
“I shall look forward to that, my love.” Narya sighed, and closed her eyes. Then, Michael Twoyoungmen opened the door.
“That is enough for now. You may see Narya later this morning. Possibly to take her home.” He smiled reassuringly. Then, Douglas and Richard followed him to the door. In the hallway, Douglas turned to Michael.
“Is she really going to be able to come home this morning, Doc?”
Michael continued to smile. “I believe that she will. Especially since I believe she is going to receive very good news this morning.” He would say no more than that, but with his shaman’s precognition, he already sensed the kind of good news the Thompsons would receive.
Later that same morning, in New York state, Philip helped Leta into back seat of the car. She wanted to ride in the back with their new baby, who was sleeping peacefully in the newborn’s car seat.
“Look at her, Phil!” Leta exclaimed. “She looks like a small, crumpled rose!”
“That she does!” Phil whipped out his cell phone and took a picture of the baby, before showing it to Leta.
“That’s beautiful!” Leta cried. “Please put it on Facebook and on Instagram. I can’t wait for everyone to see her!”
“Will do,” Philip promised. He sent it out immediately. “Done!”
“Then, let’s go home.” Leta was delighted. “Did you contact the rest of the family?”
“No,” Philip admitted. “But I will as soon as we get home.”
“Then, let’s hurry,” Leta urged. “Oh, there’s nothing so special or exciting as bringing a new baby home!”
Later that same morning, Narya was waiting patiently on the side of her hospital bed while Michael Twoyoungmen finished taking her blood pressure. Douglas and Richard stood in the background, watching anxiously.
“Normal,” Michael pronounced as he stripped the cuff from her arm. “Narya, you are recovered, and ready for discharge. Douglas has rented a plane to fly you home, so you will not have to fly the long distance by yourself. But I want you to rest during the next week. You will eventually get your full strength back, but I strongly suggest that you do not overtax yourself. I will make a house call to see how well you are doing next week. Until then, fare you well.” He smiled, and left the room.
The Hudsons and Elizabeth, reassured that Narya would recover, had looked in briefly and then, left. Narya was then left alone with her family.
Narya turned to Douglas. “I am ready to go home, my love. But as I recall just before I left Ottawa to fight the Beast, Leta had gone into labor. Do you know how she fared?”
As if on cue, Dougla’s cell phone rang. He answered it, listened to what was said, and then, smiling, handed the phone to Narya. “Here,” he said. “Let Philip tell you the good news himself.”
Narya took the phone and pressed it to her ear. “Hello, Philip?”
And then, Philip’s happy voice. “The baby’s here! She’s absolutely beautiful, with black curly hair and blue eyes. Leta had a quick and safe natural birth at the birth center –less than an hour of labor!—surprising even the most experienced midwives there. Well, at least, we didn’t have to boil water this time. And now we’re home again.”
Narya smiled. “What wonderful news, my kinsman. I cannot wait wait to see her at our next Facetime call. What is her name?”
“Cressida Elizabeth Maltby. Remember we were talking about that name? In honor of the day Leta and I became engaged?”
“Indeed I do. And I am so pleased that Leta and the baby are doing well. Tell Leta that I will speak to her soon. Until then, fare you well.” She handed the phone back to Douglas, who talked a little more to Philip and congratulated him before hanging up. Then, he turned to Narya.
“That’s really great news! About time we had some, and especially after the hard time we had yesterday.” He paused. “Are you going to tell Philip and Leta about….?” His voice trailed off. Their glances locked. Each knew what the other was thinking.
”No, my love.” Narya shook her head. “Not right away. Let them have their lovely day. They do not need to know how close I came to death while their baby was being born. We must focus on the happy moments of life rather than the sad ones.” Her glance came to rest fondly on her young son. “A worthwhile lesson for you to learn, Richard.”
“Yes, Mommy.” The young boy replied docilely. Then, his face brightened. “Did Cousin Lee-Lee have her baby? Is that what the phone call was all about?”
“Yes, son.” Douglas’s voice was happy. “And you have a new cousin! Her name is Cressida, and she looks just like your cousin Leta. But you’ll get to see her next Sunday on our weekly Facetime call.”
“Wow!” Richard exclaimed. “A new cousin! I can’t wait!”
“Indeed.” Narya continued to look fondly upon her son. Then, her gaze returned to Douglas. “Come now, my love. It is time to go home”
“Yes, two homecomings in our family in one day.” Douglas continued to be happy. They left the small hospital and walked out into the sunshine.
“It is a lovely morning, my consort.” Narya looked around appreciatively. “For all of us.”
“Yes,” Douglas replied. “I’m glad this is all over.”
“Leta’s childbirth and my near-death experience,” Narya mused. “Great pain and trial.” But then, she smiled at her family. “But we both came through our trials and are the better for it. A beautiful new baby and my survival. The pain we have faced and survived have made us more appreciative of what we have.” She put her hand on her husband’s arm. “Now, my dearest love, let us go home.”
And together, the Thompson family headed to the airport and soon they arrived safely home in Yellowknife. Narya felt the deep love of her family, and eventually, she was to fully recover.
And in New York State, Philip and Leta were introducing their new baby, Cressida, to her grandparents and big brother, Jay. There was sunshine on both sides of the border, and not all of it was in the sky. It was also in the warmth of love felt by the two families.
Yes, it was indeed a beautiful morning on both sides of the border.