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Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing and the characters in it. They belong to Sunrise, TV Asahi, Sotsu Agency, and Bandai. Well, I wish I did. I wish I own Zechs and Noin, but I don't. I'm just borrowing them for a while and I promise to return them. So please do not sue me cos I have nothing.
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THE NOIN MONTHS
Zechs drove his red Chrysler convertible in their garage and then jumped out of it as fast as lightning - without even bothering to use the door to get out of it. He ran into his house, hurriedly opening the carved oak door with stuffed arms, and banging it with such force that his wife's newly-bought Christmas wreath almost fell off the hook and the door off its hinges.
He dashed right infront of Sally, who was helping them around the house, that she almost lost her balance and dropped the bowl of crab soup she made for dinner if he hadn't been careful. He zoomed up the stairs, repeatedly saying his wife's name.
Sally sighed and shook her head, "Oh boy," she muttered, "he's at it again..." and she placed the bowl on the table, wiped her hands and followed the young man upstairs.
Inside a large, elegant white-silver room, Zechs was on his knees, arms wrapped around his wife who was seated on a rocking chair by the window with her unfinished crochet work on her lap. Noin laughed and tried to gently push Zechs away from her, saying, "Oh, Zechs! You're so silly." She gathered her stuffs with one hand and placed it on the table beside her.
Zechs buried his face in her lap and murmured, "Oh, Noin..."
Noin just couldn't help but laugh at his husband even more. "Zechs, it's not yet time!" she exclaimed. "And for Pete's sake, Zechs, why did you buy these stuffs? They're too much!" Lucrezia exclaimed, gesturing expansively at the dropped paper bags of baby clothing and other baby-related stuffs. The other day, his husband came home with an expensive crib and several stuffed toys. Yesterday, he came home late because he went out to look for wall stickers!
Zechs shook his head and lifted his head to take her hand in his and kissed it repeatedly. "You can't stop me from worrying." He replied, not letting go of her soft hand as he leaned forward to kiss her bulging tummy. "And I want the best for our baby."
"Zechs," she murmured, then ran her fingers through his hair as he stroked her tummy.
Three soft knocks on the door, and Sally's head popped from the doorway. "Hey, Zechs." She muttered, "Calm down." She stepped into their room and shook her head. "It seems like you're the one who's pregnant and not Noin."
Zechs smirked at her and stood up, bringing his wife to her feet as well and slipping his hand around her waist, "Ha." He mumbled, and he led Noin out of the room with the young woman tagging behind.
"Hey you guys! If you don't come down in ten seconds you won't have anything to eat!" a girl's voice yelled from downstairs and Sally immediately rushed downstairs, going, "Oh no, Relena!"
The couple looked at each other and frowned. Having both Relena and Sally in the house wasn't that good an idea. Especially if one would want peace and quiet. Well, not that they're fighting or anything...
Next morning...
Noin gasped as she bolt up from bed. 'Oh my God...' she thought as she registered the contracting feeling in her womb.
"Zechs!" she hissed through her clenched teeth, nudging his sleeping form with her right hand. The young man mumbled something and fell silent again. Noin huffed and since she can't take it anymore, shouted in his ear, "ZECHS!"
Zechs sat straight up and looked at her in surprise. "Is it - is it..." he stammered and he saw the tears forming in her eyes. Noin nodded while biting her lip and Zechs immediately stood up and helped her to her feet. Zechs was wearing his jeans and not his pajama bottoms. He had been like that since last week when their doctor said that Noin would be giving birth any time soon. In an instant, he scooped her in his strong arms and rushed out their room. "Sally! Relena!" he hollered as he ran down the steps as fast, yet as carefully as he could.
Sally, who was sleeping in the living room, woke up with a start when she heard Zechs shouting.
She was still shaking off the sleep when Zechs ran past her and out into the garage.
Relena, who was staying in the guestroom, went out a minute later, still rubbing her eyes. When she heard her brother's frantic call again, she immediately ran down the stairs. "Where are they?" she asked Sally who was heading upstairs to tell the girl to gather the things Noin might need.
"Did they leave already?" she asked before she went back up to the couple's room. "Yeah. I told Zechs that they should go already and that we'd follow with their stuffs."
Relena nodded and did as Sally said, as the latter headed towards the kitchen.
Meanwhile...
"Omigod! Omigod!" Noin kept gasping as she pushed. All the while, Zechs was holding her hand tightly as she delivered.
"Push," Zechs joined the doctor's and the nurses' chanting. "Zechs..." she cried softly as she felt the baby come out and gripped his hand tightly she almost broke his hand. "It's okay, Lu." He murmured as he kissed her sweaty forehead. "It's okay..."
They got there a little later and Zechs was already standing infront of the glass-enclosed nursery, his hands in his pockets. "Milliardo!!" Relena called as she ran towards him and gave him a big hug. "So, does seeing you here meant -"
"Lucrezia gave birth already."
"Way!" the girl exclaimed.
"Congratulations!" Sally said with a smile and shook his hand.
"Oh, and we brought you some baby stuffs," Relena added as she handed the bag she brought to her brother, "and I got you and Noin-sama some clothes."
"Thank you." Zechs said.
"So, where's the little one?" Sally asked as she eyes all the cute little babies in the nursery. Zechs looked up and pointed to the little baby girl in the second row, fifth to the last. "Oh, she's so cute!" both ladies exclaimed.
"So, where's Noin?" Sally asked a proud Zechs. Zechs looked down at her and gestured them to follow.
"Love?" a voice said and Noin looked up. "Hey," she managed, sighing as she brought up her hand to touch Zechs's face. He kissed her hand and said, "Relena and Sally's here."
"Oh, hi." Noin murmured as the two emerged from behind Zechs. "We saw the baby - congratulations!" Relena said she hugged her sister-in-law. "She's so cute." Sally added as she sat on the couch by the large suite window.
"So, what are you going to name her?" Relena asked. Zechs looked down at his wife who gave him the same look. "Something..." Noin started, "how about...Lucille?"
Zechs looked at her thoughtfully and nodded, "Whatever you want."
Noin frowned, then looked down, "I want something with your name and mine in it."
Zechs leaned down at her and replied, "Marie...Lucille."
"That's a cute name." Relena chimed in.
Noin nodded.
The two smiled and Zechs leaned forward to kiss her lips lightly, "Then, Marie Lucille it is."
And as if that had been a cue, a soft knock came from the door and Relena rushed to open it to see a middle-aged nurse holding a healthy baby in her arms. "She's here to see her mama," the nurse said in a singsong voice. A younger nurse followed behind.
"Oh," Noin sighed as the nurse placed the little girl gently in her arms. "She's so pretty..." she cooed, bringing her hand up to touch her little one's tiny hand.
"So, have you decided for the name?" the younger nurse asked, clipboard in her hand. Zechs nodded, "Marie Lucille. Marie Lucille Peacecraft."
"Such a beautiful name." The nurse said as she scribbled it to the form, "Here, please fill these up," she said as she handed the baby registration form to Zechs.
The two nurses left them after Zechs had finished filling up the form. But before that, the older one said, "Oh, and please come back tomorrow to visit,"
Relena and Sally looked at each other.
"The patient needs rest." Then they left.
Relena sighed and Sally whistled. "Well, we have to go as they say."
"Thank you for everything." Noin said as the two reached the door.
"Aw, that's nothing." Sally said. She looked at Zechs and said, "Well, I have to go back to work now. Congratulations again!"
Zechs smiled and nodded.
Relena stretched her arms up and muttered, "I have to busy myself as well."
Then they left.
Zechs looked at Noin and at little Lucy. "She looks very much like you," Zechs whispered, running his fingers through his wife's hair. "She got her hair color from you." She said.
Zechs smiled and sat on the edge of the bed beside her, watching as Lucy cuddled to her mother's chest. "Well, perhaps now you'd stop shopping like crazy." Noin muttered with a soft laugh.
Zechs smiled sheepishly and chuckled. "I love you." He said instead, as he leaned forward to kiss her again. "Oh, we love you, too, daddy." Noin said in a small voice as she brought the little girl up so Zechs could hold her.
"Lu, I'm not sure about this," he said as he looked down reluctantly at the little baby.
"Zechs, just be careful, that's all."
Zechs drew a breath and carried Lucy in his arms, stood up and rocked her gently.
"So?" Noin said.
"I feel very relieved, you know. It's my child," he said, smiling, "and," he sniffed, "well, it's just that ---"
"Zechs, stop it. You scare me when you're all sentimental."
The young father chuckled softly and shook his head. "Why don't you take a nap, Noin?" he joked as he walked towards her to give her back their little one.
"Shut up."
