(no subject)

[socrowdedinhere]

Tam: I won't leave without telling you. I owe you that much at least. *shifts to look at her* But . . . I have to say, this doesn't sit right with me. /Why/ are you here all alone? Where is the child's father? What happened to him?

Woman: *gaze falls, wet rag clutched in both hands as though it's a life line.  She can't stop the tears that fill her eyes and start to trail down her cheeks* Haren died five months ago in an accident at work. *her voice is very soft, it's the only way she'd manage to get the words out without her voice breaking.*

Tam: .................I'm sorry. And you have no one, no family? Your own or his?

Woman: *shakes her head.  And gasps, a shaking hand coming up to wipe at her tears as she fights valiantly to not break down sobbing.* N-no one close o-or willing to take me in.

Tam: ..............I’m sorry. *will...will pull her into a hug*

Woman: *can't...can't fight anymore, not when he does that.  She leans into his hug and just... weeps.  It'll take her a long few minutes to pull herself together again.  She'll finally shift back, sniffling and wiping her face dry.* Thank you, Tam, for your kindness. 

Tam: *just holds her . . . gives her a small grin and nods* Turnabout's fair play?

Woman: *that earns him a smile* So they say. Are you hungry?  I've a bit of stew in the pot, it just needs to be warmed.

Tam: *grins* Famished. Stay put. I'll get it.

Woman: *opens her mouth to protest....but then doesn't* Thank you. *the stew should be plenty for both of them for at least two meals each, so there's that at least, eh?*

Tam: *saw that, gives her a wry grin* Hey, I'm the slave, remember? Slaves serve? Let me serve. You just sit there and be pregnant for now. *yes, he's kind of teasing her, but also making a point*

Woman: *very small smile, but she just nods and lets him.  If he watches her he'll see a look of pain settle over her, a hand rubbing at her belly...*

Tam: */is/ keeping an eye on her...she's ready to go any time now...* So, ah...you said I don't have to know anything, just /be/ here. So you've...you've done this before? Because I sure haven't. I mean...obviously /I/ never have, I kind of /can't/, but I mean...I've never been present for...stopping now. *because he realizes he's rambling...badly...*

Woman: *that brings a smile back to her, and earns him a soft huff of a laugh* I was a nursemaid once.  I know what needs to be done.  If you're willing to follow direction, I'll walk you through things... *hopefully...*

Tam: I...can follow direction, yeah. No promises on how /well/... *he'll do his best, but...really...this is SO NOT a man's job...also, from everything he's heard, it's pretty gross and potentially traumatizing*

Woman: ...Thank you.  I'm sorry to ask this of you, I know it's not generally something a man would see to.

Tam: *uncertain grin* Let's just say...it gives me renewed respect for women every time I think about it.

Woman: *little smile* You'll do fine.  *please, he has to...* *she gasps, rubbing lightly at her belly... she really is close...*

Tam: .............you're in early labor already, aren't you? *shitshitshit...*

Woman: *nodnodnod*

 

 

((Character List:

The Family: AMIN: Terris; HUMANS: Ziomi, Wes, Mitham, Naijah, Khepri, Patch, Harlequin, Tam, Rihn; J’HAR: Zera, Talim, Jerrica, Jimn; HALF-BLOODS: Nyri, Jendayi; INRIOMAI: Ilmari (white wolf), Raizen (white dragon), Daithi (hawk); CYBERTRONIANS: Optimus (TFA)

The Animals: Rory (horse), Toby (horse), Squeaks (fox), Crackers (goat), various unnamed chickens

Other People: DESTROM: Lyria (the lady), Darien (son half-blood), Soren (lady’s lover, j’har), Dycus (bear amin); LA’KAR: Kalan (lord), Lunnaei (lady), Darden (human), Mairi (Darden’s wife), Aren (j’har), Klatu (lion amin), unnamed others; ALVIERDA: Vashti (lady, half-blood), Warrik (j’har), Tyli (cheetah amin), Rashek (mountain lion amin), Skif (j’har, Warrik’s son), Zasha (panda amin), Bixby (cat amin), Kelsier (j’har), Vin (j’har), Nasha (j’har), Scraps (aka Ameya, fennec fox amin)

OTHERS: Taren Hordel (trader, Vashti’s friend), Kadar Ander (noble), Gren (slaver’s amin), Suki (slaver’s j’har)))

Comments

[dragondancer5150]

Tam: *nods, relieved to have someone WHO’S NOT HIM to take care of things* Thanks, Wes. *will settle to let the healer see to his back*

[socrowdedinhere]

Wes: *treats, numbs, and bandages gis back.* All right. Change of clothes is in the bag here. Once you've changed, pack things up. Take what you can, but the infant is your priority. When you're ready, Optimus is waiting out the East gate, likely near where you came in since the caravans are parked over there.

[dragondancer5150]

Tam: *changes, packs what he can into the bag, slings it over his shoulder, and picks up the baby – that’s really all he can carry, babies take both hands to carry securely* Let’s hope she doesn’t wake up and start squalling at least until we get out of town. And when she messes herself, /you’re/ dealing with it. *makes a face at that, then will head out*

[socrowdedinhere]

Wes: *little smile.* It will not harm you to learn to care of a baby. *he'll head out to take care of having the woman seen to.*
Daithi: *spots Tam and swoops in close. He doesn't dare speak in town, but he'll land, then take to wing and swoop to a perch down the way, wait for Tam to catch up, and then swoop off down yhe road again yntil they leave town. Only then will he speak.* Optimus is not far from here.

[dragondancer5150]

Tam: *won’t bother arguing with him – he has /zero/ interest in doing so, but seems he’s not going to be given a choice, ugh . . . spots Daithi and follows without being obvious about it, nods and keeps going, finally finding OP*
OP: Tam! Are you all right? We’ve been worried-…why are you carrying a protoform?
Tam: A what? Oh…baby? Yeah, funny story that. *tone /flat/, it’s not funny at all*

[socrowdedinhere]

Daithi: What happened? Did you see Wes?

[dragondancer5150]

Tam: I did, yeah. *and he’ll explain everything*
OP: *frowns* I’m…sorry about the woman. Does this make you the baby’s new…parents.
Tam: Hells no! I’m not going to be responsible for her. I’m barely responsible for myself. I think our best bet would be to find a family that will take her in.

[socrowdedinhere]

Daithi: Or we take her home with us. There are plenty of people at home who would know how to care for her.