[hockeypreg2]

"Baby, baby," Zach said soothingly, hurrying over to gather him into a hug. "I can go make you more. I'll go do that now. Just peanut butter on the celery?"

Caleb nodded, still crying at the loss of the celery and Zach hurried off to get more. On the way, he passed Leo licking his lips and he gave him a long look, knowing what had happened to the celery now.

"Not cool, Leo. Not cool."

[Sam260]

Leo whined, his ears flattening against the top of his head. He was feeling slightly neglected with all of this baby stuff going on, but he loved Caleb and he definitely loved Zach. With a huff, Leo got up to his feet and stretched his huge body out and then his ears perked on the top of his head like a raised antennae; with another whine - this time in distress - he went to find out what had caused his senses to peak.

Leo trotted into the nursery to find Caleb, grasping onto the bed rail of the crib with one hand, and his belly with the other. He wasn't sure, but he thought that his other care taker was in a lot of pain. He let out an ear-shattering howl as he trotted closer to Caleb, pushing his weight up against the man to keep him from falling - he had seen the small man do it before, and didn't want it to happen again.

---
Caleb whimpered as he felt a strong tightening in his stomach; he had no idea what it was and it scared the hell out of him. He tried calling out to Zach, but all that escaped him was a pained gasp. Then he tried walking and nearly fell over with the pain that was shooting through his body, and not to mention his center-gravity being skewed. Thankfully the crib was right there and he was able to grab onto it before falling.

He felt like sobbing, but nothing seemed to be coming out of him except for pained gasps and small grunts. And then his body was being pushed up against, as if a wall of muscle was keeping him from collapsing. Bleary eyed, he looked down to see Leo there, holding him up and taking a great deal of Caleb's weight on his own body. "Leo..." Caleb gasped out and clung to the dog and the crib.

[hockeypreg2]

Zach heard Leo's howl - something he never did - and dropped the knife he was using to spread the peanut butter. He ran through the house towards another long howl. He found Leo practically holding up Caleb who was clinging to Leo and the crib.

"Caleb!" He hurried over to him, sweeping him into his arms and carrying him into the bedroom to lay him on the bed. "Baby, what's going on?"

[Sam260]

Caleb shook his head frantically, finally a sob or... a dozen... escaped him as he clung to Zach and curled up around his stomach "Hur...hurts..." he sobbed out brokenly, fingers digging into Zach's arm as he tried breathing through whatever was causing the pain - his stomach kept tightening and releasing, but nothing else seemed to be happening other than that "Pleas...e..." Caleb sobbed into Zach's lap.

[hockeypreg2]

Zach's heart pounded in his chest and he didn't know whether he should just put him in the car or call an ambulance. He grabbed his phone to call 911 because he wasn't sure if he could even drive them safely. He picked Caleb back up and carried him downstairs, waiting for the ambulance to get there, trying to keep Caleb calm.

"It'll be okay, baby," Zach promised. "You'll be okay. Just breathe for me. Deep breath. Nice and slow."

[Sam260]

Caleb clung to Zach as he was carried outside, the sobs had lessened and his breathing was getting better with Zach's soothing voice in his ear, but still the pain was spiraling through his body. "Zach... I don't want to lose our son... not... not this far into it..." Caleb whined and whimpered as another strong tightening took over his abdomen and back.

He gasped and clung to Zach tighter, a hiccuped sob escaping him "I... I don't... I can't..." he shook his head and burrowed his face against Zach's chest.

Since they had moved outside, people were starting to gather around, camera phones snapping pictures and whispered words flying through the air -- there wasn't many people since they lived in a relatively paparazzi-free zone, but still; media gawkers and stalkers alike were there - as always - to see what the latest news was with 'Zach Martin and his "Baby Momma"'.

[hockeypreg2]

"Go away!" Zach shouted at them. "This a medical emergency! Get out of the way for the ambulance!"

Zach hated his life right now, hated that people were staring at him while he was holding Caleb in his arms in pain. The ambulance came screaming down the street and for once the media got out of the way. The paramedics jumped out and Zach met them, carrying Caleb into the ambulance. He forgot his keys, shoes, wallet, everything but his phone. At least he could call Jen to handle everything.

[Sam260]

For once, emergency medical services didn't take ages to arrive, and soon Caleb and Zach were on their way to the hospital. Caleb was reluctant to be laid on the gurney but Zach stayed with him - their hands connect tightly together. The pain in Caleb's stomach continued tightening and releasing - paramedics were speaking rapid-fire medical lingo back and forth between themselves and dispatch but words were currently flying right over Caleb's head.

It wasn't until the ambulance stopped completely and that Zach and he were being escorted inside of the hospital, did the real pain start setting in. He curled up around stomach and screamed into the gurney, rocking back and forth - it felt like every bone in his body was being broken and he could hardly breathe, going slightly blue in the face.

A doctor and several nurses rushed to the gurney, rapid-fire words yet again leaving the medical staff's mouth as they took Caleb's gurney from the paramedics and rushed it into an exam room. The on-call doctor had already paged their obstetrics expert and he - an older gentlemen with kind eyes and a warm smile - stepped into the room to look Caleb over. Ultrasounds were done, fetal monitoring, and even blood draws - all done in a matter of moments.

The doctor looked at the two expectant parents and sighed "Well... I was able to stop the contractions. You went into early labor, far too soon for any doctor's liking." He said rather monotonously, as if there was more, and he just didn't want too or could not say what the problem was "We've got you on a IV drip for now to put an end to this labor, but... there's no telling that, once we take you off of the medication, your labor won't start up again."

Not even an introduction was made before the obstetrics doctor was once again leaving the room, giving orders to a nurse he passed by to 'keep an eye on the pregnant man' -- It was clear that this doctor was against male-on-male pregnancies, and while the hate-crimes had gotten a lot tougher in recent years, there were still people who just did not like the fact that men, too, could get pregnant.

[hockeypreg2]

Zach had no idea what was happening - just that Caleb had gone into labor but they had stopped the contractions. The doctor had disappeared though and just left them in a now empty room with just a nurse, Caleb hooked to a monitor and an IV.

Zach brushed his hand over Caleb's sweaty hair. "Baby, I'm going to call Jen. Get your doctor here. We'll figure out what is going on." He looked at the nurse. "Can you tell us anything?"

[Sam260]

The nurse shook her head, a sympathetic and understanding look on her face "I know as much as you do... well, I know the drug they have Caleb on, but other than that..." she looked down at the young man on the gurney "That doctor, he's a good one, but he's an asshole to those who are different from the 'normal'. We try not to call him in on these cases, but... He was the one on call today, unfortunately."

Caleb smiled weakly up at the nurse "You didn't do anything wrong..." he said quietly "Jerks are jerks, Zach and I have been dealing with them on a constant day-to-day basis now." He groaned as a small contraction - lessening now by the moment - rolled through his body "I really appreciate being here for us.... Debbie." he said, reading off the nurses name tag.

Debbie nodded and blushed lightly "I'll just be at the nurses station if you need anything."

Once she was gone, Caleb turned to look up at Zach "You should call Jen now... I'll be fine for a few moments while you step out." Caleb said, pointing at the sign above Zach's head that said 'No Electronic Devices In This Room' "I think they mean it too... that angry faced emoji looks pretty serious."

[hockeypreg2]

Zach leaned over to kiss him gently. "I'll be really fast. I just have to call her and she can handle everything." He didn't want to leave him but he had to get Caleb's doctor here and he needed to get someone at the house to lock it.

The call only took a minute, Jen immediately reassuring him that she had it under control and would get Caleb's doctor there as soon as she could. Zach was back in the room and by Caleb's side in no time.

"Jen's on it. She'll take care of everything and is sending security to the hospital for us." Zach put his hand on Caleb's belly, rubbing gently. "I am so glad Cindy is not the one we are dealing with right now."

[Sam260]

Caleb snorted softly and shook his head "If we were dealing with Cindy right now, she would have laughed and probably said that I was over-exaggerating or being a drama-queen." Caleb said quietly, curling up a bit and scooting closer to the edge of the bed - he really just wanted to be in Zach's arms, but there was no way the both of them would fit on the small hospital bed without one or the other falling off.

Caleb sighed "I hope Leo is okay... I think I scared him more than I scared you... or me even."

[hockeypreg2]

"He is going to get a steak when we get home," Zach said, getting as close to Caleb as he could as well. He rubbed his back soothingly. "He howled to let me know you needed me and he was holding you up when I found you. Leo did so good."

Zach pressed a kiss to Caleb's lips. "He loves you."

[Sam260]

Caleb nodded and smiled tearfully "I love him too..." Caleb said quietly "I think we... we should spend more time with him, before the baby does show up... I think he's feeling a little left out and... as a result, he's eating my peanut butter celery!" Caleb whined and pouted cutely as he laid his head next to Zach's.

Caleb sighed softly "I really could use some Slim Jim's and Nutella right about now..." he murmured, looking up at Zach with watery eyes.

(If you wanna play the doctor, please do so... I suck at medical things lol.)

[hockeypreg2]

"I think we're going to have to not eat anything right now," said Zach gently. He pressed another kiss to Caleb's lips. "Close your eyes for now. Just rest until your doctor gets here."

Zach kept his watch over Caleb as he slept, only moving when the security guard that Jen sent came. Apparently media had followed them and was outside the hospital. Jen was handling that as well as taking care of Leo who had kept anyone from getting in the house. She had locked up the house and got Zach's wallet and a pair of shoes which she had sent along with the security guard.

The nurse, Debbie, came back with Caleb's doctor and Zach breathed a sigh of relief seeing her. "Dr. Evans. I am so glad to see you."

"Mr. Martin," Dr. Evans said, shaking his hand. "Your manager didn't have a lot of information, just that Caleb was in the hospital and it was an emergency."

"We don't know much ourselves. The doctor here wasn't very forthcoming," Zach said softly. "He was in labor, but they stopped the contractions."

"May I get his chart?" Dr. Evans asked Debbie who nodded and went to get it for her. "Okay, let's go wake Caleb. I'll need to examine him."

[Sam260]

Caleb woke with a start as a hand settled over his shoulder - his own hands went to his stomach protectively, curling around the mound of baby inside of him. Blearily he looked up to see Dr. Evans, Zach, and Debbie all hovering about his bed "Is something wrong?" he asked quietly, tears quickly springing to his eyes "My baby... our... our son... is he okay Dr. Evans?"

[hockeypreg2]

"Baby," Zach said gently, soothing him. "Sorry, we didn't mean to scare you. Dr. Evans just got here. She's looked at your chart but she's got to examine you as well."

"Hi Caleb," Dr. Evans smiled at him. "I'm going to take a look and see what's going on with your little guy. I think we've got your labor stopped. You haven't had a contraction in awhile which is a good sign. Can you move onto your back for me and put your feet in the stirrups for me?"

[Sam260]

Caleb frowned but nodded his head as he slowly turned over onto his back, Zach helping him along the way. They got his feet situated into the stirrups and he laid back, trying to relax as best he could as he stared up at the ceiling. He had a good grip on Zach's hand, breathing deeply through his nose and blowing it out through his mouth "Okay... I'm ready." he said quietly, glancing down at Dr. Evans.

He turned his head back up to Zach and smiled a bit weakly "We haven't discussed names for him yet... What if he comes soon and... and we're not ready? I mean... There's still so much to be done before he's born... and he doesn't even have a name, Zach."

[hockeypreg2]

"We'll get it done," Zach assured him, holding his hand and smoothing his free hand over Caleb's face. "I can throw money at it and get it done. I promise. You don't need to worry about what needs to be done."

Dr. Evans examined Caleb thoroughly, one hand on the base of his belly. She pulled her fingers back out and covered him back up, helping him bring his legs back down. She looked at the chart again, making a few notes.

"I want to do an ultrasound," Dr. Evans said. "That's going to help me figure out what is going on. I don't want to make any decisions without doing that."

Zach squeezed Caleb's hand, nodding. "Do we do that here?"

"They'll bring the machine here," Dr. Evans said as Debbie left the room. "How are you feeling now, Caleb?"

[Sam260]

Caleb sat up as best he could with Zach's help, "Scared... Nervous... Worried... All of those things, ya'know? I'm..." Caleb looked down at his belly and sniffled slightly "I'm not ready right now to have this baby... I will be ready in two more months, but right now at this very second? I don't want him out of me."

Caleb frowned and burrowed his face against Zach's shoulder "Is it wrong that I don't want him out yet? That I'm not ready to meet our son just yet?" Caleb whispered, looking up at Zach with frightened eyes.