for our first picture." She tilted her head at Murder. "He was going to record it all for you."
"Is this the father?" the nurse asked.
Zara nodded. "My husband."
"Cyn?" Murder asked. "You holding in there?"
Jason reached down to touch Crysis's head. "I'm ok."
"He's better when he has his dog," Bradley called over, "and he'll break later, but ok is a good word for it."
"Gotcha," Murder said. "Already told Kitty that I'm gonna stick around to make sure you both are holding it together."
"What?" Jason asked.
"After this," Zara told her best friend.
The nurse just gestured back at the room. "Are you sure you don't want me to close the curtain?"
"It's ok," Knock told her. "We get it, Zara."
"No," she decided. "That's our family. If there's something wrong, it's easier if you tell them, and if everything's ok, I'm fine with them seeing it."
"Ok," the nurse said, easing the blanket down and Zara's hospital gown up so that only her belly was revealed. "Now, we're just doing a general view to make sure the baby is still in there. When you get home, you'll need to have a transvaginal ultrasound with your OB/GYN, ok?"
Then she squirted something onto Zara's belly. Jason's wife sucked in a breath. "Cold," she mumbled.
The nurse just chuckled as she worked the wand into it. "Yeah, sorry about that. Now, let's see what we've got." Looking at the monitor, she moved the wand around, clearly seeking something. Every second that passed made Jason's heart beat a little faster. He laced his fingers with Zara's, watching the black and white speckles, but had no clue what any of it meant. Beside him, Murder leaned in a little more.
And then the nurse found what she was looking for. "There we are," she said. "See the little blip? That's your baby's heart. And this?" She pointed at a blob on the monitor. "That's your son or daughter."
"Is it ok?" Jason asked.
"Seems to be," The nurse assured him. "At this stage, it's pretty well protected in there, but keep in mind, a lot of natural causes can cause miscarriages in the first trimester. It looks like you're..." She paused to click on something. "About seven and a half weeks along. Sound about right, Zara?"
"Yeah, that should be exactly it," Zara agreed.
"Good. Let me just make sure that one's all alone, and then we'll get you some pictures, how's that sound?" And she began searching across more of Zara's stomach.
"Alone?" Jason asked.
Murder just chuckled. "She's looking for a twin, bro. I mean, you do like to overachieve."
"Not this time," the nurse assured him. "I'm only seeing one. Now..." She paused for a moment, and then pressed a button. A stream of little pictures began to print on one of the lower shelves. "Your very first baby pictures."
She turned and held them out between Zara and Jason. He couldn't help himself. He took the pictures, looking at the funny little blob that was going to become his kid. A wistful smile was stuck on his face, and he knew it, but he also didn't mind. He was going to be a father.
"And it's all ok?" he asked again. "Her, the baby, all of it?"
"Your wife passed with flying colors," the woman assured him. "The doctor just wanted to check both of them before he officially discharges her."
"And the others?" he asked, looking at Murder.
But it was Zara who answered. "Riley's getting her face taped where that asshole hit her. Braden's getting X-rays. Kate's over in the other corner, a little high because she was feeling anxious so they gave her something. Um, Rhaven..."
"Over here!" Rhaven called. "Stuck waiting for a hormone check."
"And Dez?" Jason asked.
"She's out," Rhaven told him. "They took her to a private room next door, and she's been heavily sedated. The PTSD is the worst, and we made sure no one gave her any opiates, but she's having a little trouble with too many people."
The whole time, the nurse was packing up her things. Finally done, she pushed her cart forward. "I'll leave you all alone. If you need anything, use the call buttons. Each bed has one."
"Thank you," Logan said as he pushed to his feet. "Murder, give Cyn the chair. Bradley, you can have mine. You two have to be tired."
"What's wrong?" Jason asked, hearing something in Logan's voice.
Logan just walked over. "The PLG has officially cancelled the rest of F5. The hotel is refunding the cost of rooms, the PLG is reimbursing people for their plane tickets, and it's