Worlds Apart Pt. 02

Her drooling sex was so wet that he slid inside her with almost no resistance, Liz turning her head, pushing her face into her pillow as she let slip another comely moan.

"Fuck," she grumbled, peering down at him with a beet-red face. "I swear it just keeps feeling better and better. I almost don't want this to end, I feel like I'll miss the sensitivity."

"How about we just keep you perpetually pregnant?" he joked, Liz biting her lip.

"I know you're teasing, but that's kind of hot," she snickered.

She shivered as he started to move, Jamie clawing at the meat of her butt for purchase. This position made her even tighter than he was accustomed to, her clenching, satin insides bearing down on him from all angles. He could feel every wrinkle and bump with delicious clarity, her slimy juices making his member glide, the impact of his gentle thrusting sending more ripples through her rump.

"If you kept me knocked up all the time, you wouldn't be able to play with my abs ever again," she purred, eager to keep him talking. "I think you'd wither and die without them, like a plant without sunlight."

"I like you soft just as much," he panted, throwing more of his weight into his rutting. She was so large, even heavier than she used to be, immovable to a human. "You're like a giant pillow, I fucking love it."

"Don't call me a pillow!" she cooed, burying her face again to hide her grin. He slid a hand down her thigh to demonstrate, as thick around as his torso, the hard muscle sheathed in irresistibly velvety fat that he couldn't help but pinch.

"And those boobs," he continued, Liz starting to push back to meet his movements. "They're always spilling out of your clothes, I can't concentrate on a damned thing when you're around. I want to just tear off your top and bury my face between them."

"You can do that whenever you like," she purred, her green eyes reflecting the dim light as she glanced back at him. "They're all yours. Wanna shove your hand down my shirt when we're watching a vidcast? Go for it, big guy. Wanna barge in on my morning shower and soap them up? I'd fucking love that."

"What's gotten into you lately?" he chuckled.

"Try the five goddamned kittens that you put there," she purred, her prehensile tail coiling around his waist. She tightened it like a belt, using the leverage to encourage his thrusting, Jamie upping the pace as he took greedy handfuls of her supple flesh. The lurid clapping sound of his stomach impacting her cheek filled the room, Liz's clawed toes curling, the rocking motion making her ample bosom wobble in time.

"To think I was worried that we'd stop fooling around if we decided to have the baby," he said, Liz giving him a sultry giggle in reply.

"You've got no job, and I'm on maternity leave," she said between ragged breaths. "We have more time to kill than we've ever had. I dunno what it's gonna be like once they're born, how tired we'll be, what kind of mood we'll be in. Let's make the most of it. Three times a day, if you want. Five times, ten times. Give me everything..."

Their rutting reached a fever pitch, Jamie doubling over her prone body as his orgasm snuck up on him, draping his arms around her wide hips. Liz loosed a sharp gasp as she felt his hot seed flood her, her velvet loins starting to spasm and clench around his pulsing cock as she joined him in his climax. With every shuddering thrust, he pumped another wad of his emission into her, Liz's soft mewling muffled as she buried her face in her pillow again.

When he was spent, he collapsed onto the sheets beside her, the two of them breathing hard as they wallowed in their euphoria. Jamie did his best to be the big spoon despite their difference in size, draping an arm around her waist, only just able to reach her belly. He lay a hand on it, Liz reaching down to place her furry hand over his own, pushing her butt out to press his lingering erection into her soft cheek.

"Wanna go again if I wake up in a couple of hours?" she sighed, the bedsprings creaking as she shifted her weight.

"Just wake me up," he chuckled, "I won't mind."

***

"What are you doing?" Jamie wondered, watching as Liz fluffed the pillows on the couch. She had woken up sometime before him, and it appeared that she had been doing some cleaning. All of the furniture in the living area had been rearranged, and she had emptied the trash, leaving the garbage bag by the door. "I thought we agreed that you didn't have to do any housework?"

"I dunno," she replied cheerfully, planting her hands on her lower back as she stood up. "I just have a lot of energy today, I feel...productive. Maybe it was those ribs you brought home last night."

Jamie shrugged. He couldn't complain as long as she was healthy and happy. She made her way over to the fridge, opening the door to examine its contents.

"Are you going out today?" she asked.

"I can do," he replied, flopping down onto the newly-fluffed couch. "You need something?"

"The fridge just seems...empty," she replied.

"There's plenty of food in there," he said, leaning on the armrest in an attempt to get a look past her. It was futile, she was wide enough to block his view completely. "Are you preparing for the apocalypse?"

"Worse, the babypocolypse."

"I can go out and get some more stuff today, just tell me what you're hungry for."

"That'd be good," she replied, looking over her shoulder to give him a smile. "I'll write up a list for you. For now, I'm going to go clean the shower."

"Uh...why?" Jamie asked.

"I figure if I'm in the mood for homemaking, I should take full advantage of it."

"You don't want to be exerting yourself too much. Let me do it."

"Nonsense," she replied with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I can handle it. It's not like I'm immobile."

"Alright," he conceded, watching her vanish into the bathroom. Was it his imagination, or could he hear her whistling?

CHAPTER 10: NEONATE

Another week passed, and Liz was approaching her due date. She had experienced some sporadic contractions over the last few days that had been a cause of some concern, but they weren't regular enough to suggest that she was going into labor. Still, Jamie watched her like a hawk, never wanting to leave her alone for any real length of time.

They were watching a vidcast together one morning on the couch, Liz leaning back against a pillow, having complained of some lower back pain that day. Jamie thought it strange, as the weight of the babies had never caused her any such discomfort before, but he didn't question it.

"Whoa," Liz suddenly exclaimed, placing her hands on either side of her swollen stomach. She exhaled through gritted teeth, Jamie shutting off the show with a gesture as he turned to her.

"What is it?" he asked, "another contraction?"

"Y-yeah," she stammered, seeming to calm down a little. "Man, that one hurt."

"What does it feel like?" he asked.

"My muscles flex, and my stomach gets all hard, like a basketball. It's kind of like a cramp," she explained as she rubbed her belly. "That was a bad one..."

"Think we should call the UAS guys?" Jamie suggested.

"Nah," she replied, waving her hand to resume their show. "It's normal to have some contractions, doesn't mean I'm going into labor."

They watched for another few minutes, then Liz grunted again, Jamie's head snapping around. She tried to double over, gripping her stomach, but its size made that impossible. Jamie began to ask her if she was alright, but she shook her head, gesturing for him to be quiet. This cramp lasted a lot longer than the previous one, Liz shutting her eyes tightly, her brow furrowed. When she finally relaxed, she was breathing hard, keeping as still as a statue as though afraid to move.

"Liz?" Jamie asked warily.

"Just...just a bad one," she sighed.

"The pamphlet they sent us said that if the contractions come at five-minute intervals, it might mean the time has arrived."

"Two is a coincidence," she grumbled, reaching back to reposition her cushion. "Three is a pattern."

There was a trickling sound, Jamie leaning forward to see that a stream of clear liquid was pouring off the edge of the couch cushion, pooling on the floor.

"Is that a coincidence?" he asked, Liz reaching down to plug her leak as she struggled to her feet.

"Fuck!" she exclaimed. "My water just broke! Jamie, go get a towel. It's going to ruin the couch!"

"Fuck the couch!" he replied, leaping out of his seat and reaching for the phone that was sitting on the coffee table. "I'm calling the emergency number they gave us."

"Fuck!" Liz added, reaching out to steady herself on the armrest as another powerful contraction rocked her. She held her belly with her free hand, too far gone to care about the fluid that was soaking her sweatpants now. "Okay, fuck it, your idea is better. Get the UAS guys over here right fucking now, and tell them to bring some horse tranquilizers because I just decided that being conscious is massively overrated."

"I'm on it," Jamie said, tapping at the touch screen as Liz sucked in rapid breaths. "Wow, they answered quickly. They must have been on standby. Right, they're on their way. What...what do we do now?"

"Towel," she grunted through gritted teeth.

"Towel," he repeated, giving her a thumbs-up before racing to the bathroom. He returned with one, and she thrust it between her thighs, trying to stem the flow.

"Sit down," he insisted, taking her by the arm and guiding her back onto the couch. "Don't worry about the goddamned cushions, we can buy new ones. Worry about the babies."

"I thought I was ready for this," she said, another contraction making her wince. "I thought I could handle it, but I'm...I'm really scared right now, Jamie."

He reached over and took her hand, giving it a squeeze.

"You've got this," he replied, putting on a confident facade. In truth, he was just as scared as she was, but he had to be strong for her right now. He had to reassure her. He had to be brave enough for the both of them. "The guys in the white coats are on the way, they'll know what to do. They've been preparing for this for just as long as we have."

The minutes ticked by, Liz's grip tightening on his hand until he couldn't feel his fingers anymore.

"Jamie," she groaned, gripping her belly. "I don't know about this. Did they say how long they would be? Maybe we should get a taxi."

"They said to hang tight," he replied. "It'll be okay, the UAS hasn't let us down so far."

Almost as if to illustrate his point, the doorbell rang, Jamie leaping to his feet. He hurried over, hitting a button on the control panel, the door sliding open. Standing in the corridor outside was a whole team of people wearing blue coveralls, headed by a man in a doctor's coat with a neatly-trimmed mustache. Jamie noted the UAS patch on his arm, the same as those that the crew of the Magellan had worn. They had brought a large, wheeled hospital gurney with them, its metal frame visibly reinforced to accommodate Liz's weight.

"Doctor Atherton, at your service," the man in the coat began in a pronounced British accent. "Where is the patient, please?" Jamie stepped aside to let him pass as he entered the apartment along with a pair of nurses, the two women rushing to Liz's side when they saw her sitting on the couch. "Don't worry, Madame," Atherton continued as he strode over to her. "We've been preparing for this day for months. We have a delivery room and a dedicated staff ready to receive you."

"Is she going to be alright?" Jamie demanded, watching as two more nurses entered the apartment. One of them, a stout man who looked more like a bouncer than a medical professional, began to help Liz to her feet. One nurse removed the towel, another joining her colleague as she helped the hobbling Borealan along.

"She'll be quite alright, don't you worry," Atherton replied. "We mustn't dawdle, Sir. If you'd like to bring anything with you to the hospital, you have only a few moments to fetch it. Elizabeth!" he yelled, startling Jamie. "Prepare the gurney for the patient, if you'd be so kind!"

"Alright, yeah," Jamie muttered as he tried to collect his thoughts. "Jackets...uh, my phone," he added as he tapped at his pocket. "Got my phone."

The doctor produced his own phone, holding it up to his ear.

"Keep the engines idling, Sergey," he said to someone on the other end. "We'll be on our way shortly."

Jamie raced around the apartment, throwing Liz's heavy leather jacket over his shoulder, dipping into the bathroom to grab their toothbrushes.

"Chop chop!" Atherson declared with a clap of his gloved hands, spurring his team on. "Hydrogen may be an abundant element, but that doesn't mean that fuel is free! Let's not keep Sergey waiting any longer than we have to."

Jamie followed the doctor to the door, seeing the group of nurses helping Liz onto the cart. It was quite a struggle, but they managed to get her safely onboard, one of them adjusting the angle of the headrest to prop her up a little more. He was about to ask how the hell they intended to push a load in excess of five-hundred-pounds, but he heard the whir of electric motors, quickly realizing that the gurney was self-propelled. One of the nurses held up a tablet computer, controlling the gurney with a touch interface, the cart starting to roll forward.

They made their way to the nearest elevator shaft, everyone piling inside. The car was just large enough that they could all fit. The doctor keyed in a floor number, and it began to rise, Jamie turning to him in confusion as the floors whipped past beyond the glass.

"Why are we going up?" he asked, leaning a hand on the side of Liz's gurney. She was breathing hard, her hands on her belly.

"We have a shuttle idling on the nearest landing pad," Atherson replied. "It's ready to take the patient straight to the hospital."

The elevator soon came to a stop, and they rushed out, Jamie hurrying along beside the cart. Liz wasn't talking much, she was in too much pain, too preoccupied. They proceeded through more corridors, arriving at an exit, the doors opening to rushing wind. The landing pad projected from the side of the high-rise, some half-mile above street level, the winds up here enough to buffet him. There were several such landing pads spread out around the building, used primarily for deliveries and evacuations where riding the elevators would be too slow and inconvenient.

The shuttle was sitting on the pad in front of them, lit from below by the intermittent flashing of the landing lights that encircled it. It wasn't too different from the shuttle he had ridden on Jarilo, but it was a more modern model, its hull painted hospital white with a UAS logo stenciled along the flank. There was also a stencil on one of the stubby wings that read Medevac. The main engines beneath the H-shaped tail glowed with a dull, blue light, the vectoring nozzles flexing like muscles.

The troop ramp was already lowered, the team of nurses ferrying Liz aboard on her gurney, Jamie following after them. The interior was painted the same color as the hull, and there were seats for the passengers lining either wall. Unlike the cargo shuttle he had ridden in, this one was packed with hospital equipment. Everywhere he looked, there was an expensive piece of machinery built into the hull. There were ventilators, defibrillators, and there were almost no visible surfaces that didn't have some kind of mesh pouch or storage compartment for medical supplies.

Liz's gurney slotted into clamps in the deck that would keep it secured in place, and the nurses began hooking her up to monitoring equipment, sticking probes and diodes to her skin. There was some confusion as they tried to locate a vein through the fur of her forearm, one of them eventually succeeding in sliding a small needle into her, hooking her up to an intravenous drip. It must have contained some kind of sedative because she slowed her rapid panting, leaning back into the padded seat.

Atherson walked up to the door that divided the cockpit from the bay, tapping his hand on the glass.

"Alright, Sergey, take us out." He turned to Jamie, gesturing to the nearest seat. "I'd advise you to strap in, Sir."

Jamie didn't need to be told twice, remembering how bumpy his last ride in a shuttle had been. He slid into one of the crash couches and fastened the harness tightly, his eyes still fixed on Liz.

"Don't worry, she's quite alright," the doctor replied as he sat down in the seat beside him. "Her vitals are perfectly normal for someone in her position."

The deck began to rumble beneath his feet, his stomach lurching as the shuttle lifted off. There was a grinding sound as the landing gear retracted, the only sense of motion coming from the tugging of acceleration, as there were no windows to see out of.

It was a tense ride to the hospital, but a quick one, the shuttle soon starting to descend. Jamie felt it bounce as it touched down, and as soon as it had come to a standstill, the team of nurses were spurred into action. The ramp began to lower, and they stripped Liz of all the tangled wires, driving her gurney down onto the landing pad beyond. Jamie followed them, emerging onto another elevated platform, the glass facade of the towering hospital building rising up before him. They rushed through the automatic doors, the backwash of the engines blowing their clothes. As soon as they were inside the building, more nurses were ready to greet them, guiding the party through the sterile corridors.

They arrived at the delivery room, which was more pleasantly furnished than Jamie had anticipated. It seemed that pains had been taken to make it a comfortable environment. It had a faux-wood floor, potted plants, and a holographic landscape of a calm lake that was being projected from the wall directly opposite the bed. There was more monitoring equipment, but it didn't look like the inside of a spaceship this time.

The nurses eased Liz out of her gurney, transferring her over to a more comfortable -- albeit no less sturdy -- hospital bed. The painkillers were starting to wear off now that she wasn't hooked up to the drip anymore, and she called out to him as she lay on the bed, one hand clutching her stomach. He rushed to her side, taking her other hand, her grip making his fingers tingle.

"It's gonna be okay," he insisted, trying to reassure her as she gritted her teeth against another contraction.

"You say that," she chuckled weakly, "but your pores are leaking stress hormones. I feel like you're the one who needs a sedative right now."

"Get her vitals on the monitor," Doctor Atherson demanded, striding across the room. "This is going to be a multiple-birth, and we're going to need incubators on stand-by."

One of the nurses approached Jamie, taking him by the arm, guiding him away from the bed. He released Liz's hand, glancing at the woman in confusion.

"It's best that you wait outside," she said, leading him over to the door.

"Wait, why? Shouldn't I be here for her?"

"She needs to concentrate on the delivery right now," the nurse replied in a tone that was at once gentle and firm. "We'll take care of her, don't worry. She's going to be fine."

"Liz!" he exclaimed, but she merely waved a furry hand at him from her bed.

"It's okay, Jamie," she huffed. "Let's do as they say."

"I-I'll be right outside," he insisted, the nurse closing the door on him. He found himself in a small waiting room, a few chairs pushed up against one wall. There was a vending machine for drinks and one for snacks, the place completely deserted. There were no windows for him to see into the delivery room, and he couldn't hear anything that was happening inside. Maybe that was for the best. Did he really want to hear Liz screaming in pain?