#murphen

- snap at each other like bitter exes who never got over each other

- could survive the apocalypse together

Ohhh the fluffiness. Your little hearts are in for some squeezing. Guys, I like writing this to a certain extent but AU is not my bag, I really am going to need more than just likes if you want more than this. I actually want to know what you're thinking, what you're liking, and what you're not. It's an important part of my process!

Enjoy!

ICYMI:

Part I: http://thundershirts.tumblr.com/post/109344072384/elastic-heart-psychotic-mechanic-au-part-i

Part II: http://thundershirts.tumblr.com/post/110433432999/elastic-heart-part-ii

Part III: http://thundershirts.tumblr.com/post/110485490429/elastic-heart-part-iii

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“I hate that it gets dark so early,” Raven griped as she stared out the bedroom window. It wasn’t even dinnertime yet and the sun had already dipped below the tree line, bathing the world in murky grey light. “Pretty soon we’re going to be trading pumpkins and falling leaves for snow and Christmas.” And in January, her baby would be born.

Rubbing her belly anxiously, Raven glanced over at where Murphy was laid out on her bed. She had been working up her courage to broach this subject all afternoon. Clearing her throat several times to distract Murphy from his homework, Raven chewed her bottom lip, “I don’t like walking alone at night. Especially now that I can’t really run away if someone came at me…” This was a rough neighborhood, harassment was frequent. Murphy glanced up from his book but he did say anything. Raven rocked back on her heels, “Did you hear me?”

Murphy furrowed his eyebrows and sat all the way up. “Yeah, I heard you…but there’s no reason you should be walking around at night, Raven.”

“I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that…” The baby was doing somersaults now and it did nothing to alleviate her nerves. “I’ve got an appointment tomorrow afternoon. By the time I get out, it’s going to be dark and I-I guess…” Raven sucked in a calming breath, I was hoping maybe you’d come with me?”

The book he’d been holding slipped out of Murphy’s hands and plopped onto the bed. Shock coursed through him and he abruptly stood. “You want me to go to the doctor with you?”

Redness darkened Raven’s cheeks as her insecurity flared to life again. “You know what? Never mind. Forget I said anything. It was stupid anyway—”

“Raven!” It was the hormones, undoubtedly, but she went from zero to a hundred in the blink of an eye. Murphy closed the distance between them and rested his hands on her shoulders to keep her from pushing him away. “I want to go.”

“You do?” Raven eyeballed him suspiciously, trying to ascertain if was lying or not. To her great surprise, he seemed genuinely eager. “Well, okay then. I’ll meet you in the cafeteria during last period. You have study hall, right?” Raven was well aware he did, but she didn’t want to appear as if she cared too much…even if she did. Murphy nodded and she hid her smile, “Then it’s a plan.”

Raven and Murphy returned to their studies but there was a nervous energy buzzing in the air. That excited feeling kept Murphy up most of the night and, despite his lack of sleep, he was bursting with energy the following morning. By the time last period rolled around, he felt about ready to jump out of his skin. When Raven breezed into the room, he hurried to her side. Jasper and Monty turned to stare at him with surprised looks on their faces but Murphy paid them no attention.

“Hey,” Murphy shoved his hands into his pockets. “You look great.”

Raven chuckled at his greeting. It warmed her inside that he was just as nervous as she was. “Thank goodness for the maternity clothes Jaha’s church group gave me. I finally have a nice pair of jeans. I mean, they have one of those big fabric panels instead of a zipper but, hey, at least I can get them up over my ass.” There was no use trying to hide her pregnancy anymore; everybody at school already knew and they all had something to say about it. Girls asked her why she didn’t just get an abortion or made comments about the possibility of having twins, since she was so big; the boys averted their eyes and scoffed, labeling her a slut. Raven was done with it…one more GED exam and she’d be done with all this.

Settling down at a table beside Raven, Murphy folded his hands on the table. “Are you nervous?”

“Maybe a little…” Raven admitted reluctantly. “Dr. Nyko is amazing though. He’s been really supportive. He was the one who helped me get a bed at the halfway house and he gives me my prenatal vitamin supplements for free. As far as doctors go, he’s the best.” Murphy was making her feel so at ease…it was an altogether new experience for Raven. “I’m really glad you’re coming, too. I mean, to make sure that I get back safe.”

“Of course,” Murphy replied with a grin. So, she did want him there for more than a bodyguard; for a brief moment, he was truly happy all the way to his soul. The two of them lapsed into a comfortable silence after that. Raven pored over her language arts workbook and Murphy pretended to study for Spanish. A minute before the bell rang, Murphy packed up his back and rested his hand against the small of her back as he ushered her toward the door. Professor Kane didn’t even say a word as they got a head start to the bus stop.

Murphy didn’t let anyone within two feet of Raven at all times during the trip to the medical center. If she minded, she didn’t say anything about it. It turned out that Dr. Griffin’s office was in the same building as Dr. Nyko’s OBGYN practice. He knew the way easily from there.

Murphy held the door open for Raven before following her into the doctor’s office. The entire place was comfortable and inviting; walls were painted a cozy shade of blue and there was a wide variety of reading materials. Women in various stages of pregnancy lounged with their partners, unperturbed by the arrival of newcomers. Every one of them had someone to support them. It ached fiercely in Murphy’s gut that Raven hadn’t had anyone with her for the last six months…he suddenly wished he’d known sooner. Nobody should have to do this alone.

Raven checked in with the receptionist before she led Murphy over to a set of chairs. After tugging off her coat and settling herself in, she flipped idly through a magazine. Once in a while she glanced at Murphy out of the corner of her eye. Happiness unlike any she’d felt for months bubbled inside of her. It was truly extraordinary how amazing she felt today.

Murphy wasn’t exactly sure what the hell was supposed to be doing right now. So, he looked around at the other couples. One father in particular looked like he knew what the hell was up; his wife was probably as pregnant as Raven, if not a little more. The man had his arm wrapped around his wife’s back and every once in a while, placed a kiss to the top of her head. In turn, the wife cuddled against his shoulder. When the two of them got called back, the doting father stood and followed. The woman seemed happy…so, Murphy decided to give it a try. He stretched and rested his arm behind Raven as nonchalantly as he could manage. Raven glanced up from her magazine and smiled. Success!

A few minutes later, the nurse opened up the door to the back, “Raven Reyes?”

To Raven’s great surprise, Murphy stood and followed her toward the examination room when her name was called. She didn’t expect him to want to come in with her…but she wasn’t about to stop him either. The nurse handed Raven a gown, “You know the drill. I’ll be back in a moment to take your vital signs.”

Raven thanked the nurse. She bristled slightly as she turned toward Murphy, “You mind turning around while I change?”

“Oh,” Murphy’s cheeks flushed, “Shit, yeah.” He faced the wall and tried to block out the mental images of Raven stripping next to him only a few feet away. He heard the fabric of her pants falling against the floor, followed by her shirt. She cleared her throat several times and he turned around. “Oh, here…” He picked up the discarded garments, folding them and setting them on a chair on the opposite side of the room.

“Thanks.” Before they had a chance to do much talking, the nurse was back. Suddenly, Raven wasn’t so glad Murphy was here… the nurse happily announced that Raven gained five whole pounds since her appointment last month. Her weight was the absolute last thing she wanted Murphy to know about her…and now he knew every detail. It didn’t seem to bother him though. He stayed out of the way while Raven’s abdomen was measured, her blood pressure obtained, and her heart rate auscultated. Once all the information was entered into her chart, the nurse left them alone to wait for the doctor.

Murphy remained stiff and silent during the entire conversation. He noticed Raven’s cheeks were flushed pink with embarrassment, though he couldn’t figure out why. Maybe she was uncomfortable with his presence in general? He leaned in to ask her if she wanted him to leave when Dr. Nyko entered the room. He was a bear of a man, with a full beard, coarse dark hair, and tattoos that were only barely hidden by the collar of his buttoned-up lab coat. Murphy liked him immediately.

“Raven, I’m glad to see you!” The doctor grinned broadly. He extended a warm hand to Murphy and shook it firmly. “I’m Dr. Nyko.” Settling himself down on the stool in front of her, he clicked through chart with ease. “Things are looking really good, my dear. Blood pressure is right where I want it. I got the results of your glucose tolerance test this morning and there was no evidence of gestational diabetes. All your blood counts are normal.” He glanced over at her, “And you’re right on target for weight gain. You know what our goal is and I like where we’re at.” He grinned broadly. “So let’s talk about how you’re feeling. How’s your month been?”

Raven shrugged noncommittally, “I feel fine…although the smell of tortilla chips still makes me nauseous. I don’t think that’s ever going to go away,” She grinned. “I’m just really uncomfortable when I sleep, though. It’s really hard for me to find a position that’s good for me. I also get tired very easily.”

“That’s an extremely common complaint in the third trimester, Raven. You can put a body pillow or a couple of folded pillows behind or underneath your back. Spooning is one of the easiest and most comfortable positions for a pregnant woman.” Dr. Nyko glanced up at Murphy, “You can gently rub her back but no deep massage, alright?”

Murphy nodded, raptly paying attention to every word that came out of the doctor’s mouth. Raven almost informed Dr. Nyko about the real state of affairs between her and Murphy…but she didn’t want to. For this one appointment, Raven was all too happy to pretend she had someone who actually wanted and loved this baby as much as she did. “Is there anything that I should avoid now that I’m mega pregnant?” Raven asked. “I know all the previous warnings apply. No sushi, tattoos, smoking or booze.”

Dr. Nyko shook his head, “You’re in great shape, Raven. Make sure you stay hydrated and keep taking your vitamin supplements. There’s no reason you can’t continue to do everything you’ve enjoyed up until now.”  He paused. “If you were asking about sexual intercourse, feel free to engage as frequently as you desire. As long as you’re comfortable and you don’t try any daredevil stunts, everything will be fine. I have several pamphlets about positions that might be comfortable as you near the end of the pregnancy, if you’re interested.” Raven was cherry red and refused to look at Murphy. Dr. Nyko reached into a filing cabinet and pulled them out. He handed them over the Murphy with a soft smile. “Just in case…”

Accepting the pamphlets with interest, Murphy tamped down on the urge to read them right then and there. Raven seemed embarrassed and he didn’t want to add to it. He was here to help, not to make her feel uncomfortable.

“I’d like to finish your physical exam and then how about we take a peek at junior?” Dr. Nyko stood and washed his hands in the sink. He listened to the fetal heartbeat and then palpated Raven’s abdomen. Afterward, he flipped on the ultrasound machine. “Lie back for me, please.” He rolled her gown up to expose her rounded belly. “Hopefully today the baby will cooperate and we’ll finally find out the sex today. Do you still want to know?”

Raven hesitated for a long time before she glanced up at Murphy who had been nothing but quiet and supportive the whole time. “Do you want to know?”

Murphy almost choked. “Raven, it’s really not up to me…” He felt dizzy all of a sudden. “If you want to know, I want to know.” Dr. Nyko squirted some kind of clear jelly onto Raven’s tummy and pressed a thick white wand over it. A whooshing sound filled the room and Murphy glanced at the screen, “What’s that noise?”

Dr. Nyko grinned broadly, “That’s the baby’s heartbeat. A hundred forty-four beats per minute right now, which is excellent.” He grinned. “Here’s the head,” He took a moment to snap a picture. “It’s a good size.” Flipping through more images, he smiled, “Ten little fingers, ten little toes…”

Raven’s throat was tight with emotion and she sought Murphy’s hand. He held on, gripping tightly as he leaned in to see the baby better. Dr. Nyko made several annotations on the screen. “The baby is twelve inches long, perfect for this stage in development.” Shifting the wand again, he turned to them. “I’ve got a clear view of the baby’s genitalia if you want to know. Raven?”

Not trusting her voice, Raven nodded jerkily. She was holding both of Murphy’s hands as Dr. Nyko moved the wand again. “Congratulations, Raven, you’re going to have a boy.” A sob tore through her. Dr. Nyko leaned over and patted her hand, “I’m going to print out some pictures for your chart and a set for you to take home. I’ll give you two a minute.” He handed her some tissues to wipe off her belly and slipped from the room.

Raven wiped the gunk off her tummy and then sat up. Murphy wrapped her tightly in his arms, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head. Raven sobbed into his chest and he felt tears burning in his throat. He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to protect her but most of all, he wanted to know why the fuck she was crying… “Raven, are you okay?” Murphy pressed. “You wanted a girl, right?”

Snuffling, Raven shook her head, “N-no, that’s not it.” She rested her forehead against the crook of his neck and she sighed. “I’m not sad, Murphy. I’m happy. The baby is healthy. It’s so real now. A son…”

Murphy didn’t know what to make of all these emotions whirring inside of him…he could only imagine how bad it was for her with the added pregnancy hormones. Tucking a strand of her dark hair behind her ear, he smiled down at her, “You’re going to be such a good mom, Raven. You already love the baby so much.” Raven loved this one little baby more than Murphy had been loved by anyone in his entire life combined. “That kid is so fucking lucky.” He rubbed her back soothingly.

For the longest time, they remained tangled in each other’s arms. Raven would have been content to stay like this forever. Unfortunately, Dr. Nyko had other patients and they needed to get back in time for group. On the way out, the nurse handed Raven a manila envelope with the ultrasound pictures and an appointment card with a date set for two weeks. Now that she was in the third trimester, the appointments would be more frequent. Murphy made a note to remember to keep his schedule clear…after all, it was only going to get darker earlier in the coming weeks. Raven was going to need him, now more than ever.  

The ride back to the halfway house was uneventful. Murphy kept his arm around Raven on the bus and she rested her head on his shoulder, napping quietly on the way back. Dinner was being served when they arrived…there were only two trays left. Murphy made sure that she got the nice one. He was careful to keep his thumb away from the sharp edge of the reject tray in his hand…

Dinner was better than usual; then again, how could the kitchen people screw up frozen pizza? Murphy made sure that Raven finished off her milk and, as usual, slid his piece of cake over to her. She narrowed her gaze, “You heard Dr. Nyko, Murphy. I gained five pounds last month. I need to cool it on the cake…”

“I also heard him say that you’re doing everything right and to keep everything the same,” Murphy argued. “It’s not you that’s getting bigger, Raven, it’s the baby.”

“I beg to differ,” Raven muttered, but she took the cake anyway. It wasn’t worth the argument and chocolate was her absolute favorite. She savored each bite, sighing softly as she devoured every last crumb. Murphy was smiling again and that was just another reason to be happy. “I wanted to thank you for today. You went way above the call of duty.”

Murphy shrugged off her gratitude, “Don’t sweat it.” He peered at her, “If you don’t want me to come in next time, just tell me…I was worried you didn’t want me there and were too afraid to say anything.”

“No, I want you there,” Raven said a little too quickly. Redness suffused her face again, “I mean, it’s nice having the moral support. And I can tell Dr. Nyko really liked you.” Squeezing Murphy’s hand, she stood up. “I’m going to take a quick shower and change before group. I’ll meet you down there?”