Shadowhunters Short Story #51, the birth of Mina Carstairs.
It is an early spring morning in March of 2013, when Tessa awakes to intense cramps in her lower stomach. Tessa winces and pushes herself up in the bed, grasping her swollen stomach as the pain intensifies. These last few weeks she has been having fake contractions, which caused a false alarm at first, Jem had gotten everything set up and ready for the baby’s birth but then the pains stopped and Tessa realized they had been pain fake contractions, which she never experienced with James or Lucie. However this time she recognizes the pain and knows it’s the real deal.
When the pain passes, Tessa reaches over and shakes Jem awake.
“Jem, Jem wake up, it’s time.” Tessa quietly says, her heart fluttering with excitement and joy. Jem immediately sits up right and looks at Tessa with wide brown eyes.
“For real this time?” He asks in an unsure tone. Tessa nods as she swings her legs out of the bed and pushes herself up. Just then she feels a popping sensation in her lower abdomen followed by a gush of water from between her legs.
“Well unless Mina has some odd water powers, I think it’s really time.” Tessa lightly says, placing a hand under her bump, wincing as she feels another kick from her daughter. “Oh Mina love you don’t need to kick mummy to let me know your coming, you could give me a break now.” Tessa coos to her stomach, looking forward to not having little feet kicking her all day and night, Mina is an extremely active baby and the only thing that calms her is the sound of Kit’s voice, Jem’s only makes her more excited.
“Should we stay up here?” Jem asks, getting out of the bed and making his way to his wife’s side. Tessa shakes her head, some of her hair falling into her eyes.
“No, I hated laboring in a small stuffy room with Jamie and Lucie, we probably have hours yet before anything serious happens, I want to go to the conservatory, I want you to play for us.” she says, breathing through another contraction.
“Of course, I’ll contact Magnus first and let Kit know what’s going on, do you want me to ask him to sit with you in the conservatory while I contact Magnus?” Jem asks, slipping on a pair of tracksuit bottoms and a hoodie over his pajamas. Tessa laughs lightly and says
“I love Kit but I don’t think he would want to sit with me while I’m in labor, I don’t think any teenage boy would, I’ll wait here while you contact Magnus.”
20 minutes later Tessa is pacing the length of the conservatory, stopping each time a contraction hits, listening to Jem playing the cello, which he had learned shortly after leaving the Silent Brotherhood. The sound of the music is extremely calming to Tessa, it reminds her of the music some of her patients who practiced hypno-birthing would listen to while in labor, when she had worked as a midwife.
As another contraction hits and Tessa stops by Jem’s chair, doubling over and clutching the back of the chair tightly, she hears the door creak open, but doesn’t open her eyes to see who it is.
“Goodness you don’t look too good Tessa.” She hears Magnus say in a teasing tone. She smiles weakly, glad that Magnus is here to help her, while Jem is wonderful at keeping her calm and level-headed, Magnus will be able to make her laugh and distract her from the pain.
“Forgive me, I forgot to do my hair and makeup when my water broke, I’m very sorry.” Tessa answers in a light tone, straightening up as the contraction eases.
“So you should be, what kind of example are you going to set for little Wilhelmina?” Magnus says, making his way to Tessa’s side and slipping his hand into hers and giving it an encouraging squeeze. “Do you want me to give you a pain killing spell?” he adds.
“No, when Cat gave me a pain killing spell when I had Lucie I felt so out of it and awful, I barely remember giving birth to Lucie because of it, I want to remember this, all of it, everything about her.” Tessa says in a strained tone, as she thinks of the fact that one day she will loose Mina, like she lost James and Lucie. She wants to remember every second of her life with her daughter, even the painful times.
“Is there anything else you would like love?” Jem softly asks, looking at his wife with eyes full of concern and worry, he hates seeing her like this, though it will not stop him from delivering his daughter, he has delivered hundreds of babies before, including James and Lucie, he does not want to miss out on delivering his own baby.
“No, just keep playing, please, it keeps me calm.” Tessa says, clutching Magnus’ hand as another intense pain washes over her.
Two hours later the pains are a lot stronger and getting much closer together, Jem is still playing his cello and Tessa is still pacing the room, while Magnus has gone to get herbs to brew into a tea that Tessa had asked for, to help the pains.
“James make your daughter hurry up.” Tessa says in a tired tone, leaning against a wall with her hand, clutching her back with the other and wishing desperately that the baby would come out already. Jem sets the cello bow down and makes his way over to his wife, kneeling before her and resting his head against her swollen stomach.
“Wilhelmina Yiqiang Ke Carstairs, my little Mina mine, I can’t wait to meet you baby girl, I love you.” He whispers, earning a kick to the cheek from Mina. “Goodness Mina that was an almighty kick! Are you practicing your techniques on mummy?” Mina kicks again, though this time Jem has the sense to move his face before getting another blow from his daughter, who already seems to be quiet the Shadowhunter.
Just then there is an almighty crashing sound and shards of broken glass rain in on them. Jem immediately pulls Tessa closer to him, covering her as much as he can with his own body, until the shower of glass stops. Jem pulls back and quickly looks over Tessa, relieved to see not a single cut on her.
“Are you alright? Is Mina okay?” Jem asks in a worried tone, even though he can see that Tessa is unharmed. Tessa nods, her face pale with shock.
“I-I’m fine, are you?” Jem nods and helps her to her feet just as Magnus comes into the room.
“What happened?” He asks, looking around in astonishment.
“I don’t know all the glass just shattered out of nowhere, should we be worried? Do you think it’s demonic?” Tessa asks in an anxious tone, holding her stomach protectively. Magnus’ eyes land on the spirit of Livvy Blackthorn, and he immediately knows what happened here, though of course he won’t tell Tessa and Jem.
“No no it’s nothing to worry about, the wards I put up here are unbreakable Tess, I imagine it was just the wind or something, it is picking up out there.” Magnus calmly says, glancing out the window, where it has begun to storm.
“Are you sure?” Tessa asks,as Livvy apologizes and tells Magnus she didn’t mean to do it.
“Of course I’m sure, come have your herbal tea, and then perhaps you’d like to try and get some sleep or lie down for a while? Clearly you can’t labor in here anymore.” Magnus says, intending to clean and fix the conservatory with his magic before he rejoins Tessa and Jem. He’ll have to speak with Livvy later, he had promised Tessa he would be there for the baby’s birth and he was not about to let his best friend down.
Once the shock of what happened in the conservatory fades, Tessa feels a wave of exhaustion wash over her, so she asks Jem to bring her herbal tea up to their bedroom to her, where she wants to go lie down and try and sleep for a while before Mina arrives.
Several hours later after drinking her tea and managing to sleep for half an hour, Tessa feels the intense familiar urge to push. While Jem sits on a chair at the bottom of the bed, Magnus takes a seat next to Tessa and once again slips his hand into hers. Tessa’s labor is long and painful, but finally after almost 2 hours of pushing, she feels like she is getting somewhere.
“You are doing so well Tess, I can see her head.” Jem tells his wife in a tone of amazement and awe, trying to stop himself from shaking with excitement.
“Oh God I can’t believe I said no to pain relief! Why did you let me say no to the painkillers Jem?” Tessa weakly asks, trying to rest and gather her strength between contractions. Jem smiles lightly, he had heard so many mothers blame their partners for their pain or for allowing them not to take painkillers, during his time as a Silent Brother, he had always found it amusing and now it was happening to him, and he could not be happier.
“You are your own person love, I don’t control you, I trusted you when you said you could do it without pain relief.” Jem calmly says.
“Well you shouldn’t have! I can’t do this!” Tessa exclaims, groaning as another agonizing wave of pain hits her.
“Tessa Carstairs don’t be so ridiculous, you have not only done this twice before, but you have transformed into an actual angel and lived, you survived both mundane wars and all the shadow world wars and much more, you can give birth in your sleep.” Magnus firmly tells her, knowing that she absolutely has it in her to do this and bring her baby into the world, she is just loosing morale and energy at this stage, which he had seen in many of the deliveries he assisted Catarina with.
Before Tessa can reply she feels the urge to push again and does so, gripping Magnus’ hand tightly, causing him to bite his lip to stifle a shout of pain.
“Her heads out Tessa, do you want to deliver her the rest of the way?” Jem asks, knowing that some women like to be able to reach down and catch their baby after the head is born. Tessa nods, hope lighting up her eyes as Jem guides her hands down,holding them in his own so that they can deliver their baby together.
“Once her shoulders are out it will be just one more push and she’ll be here, you can do it okay? I know you can.” Jem assures his wife, locking eyes with her. Tessa nods and pushes again, and just a few seconds alter she feels a weight lift from her and a high pitched wail pierces the air. Tears immediately start to run down Jem’s face when he sees his daughter, and he begins to laugh and sob at the same time. “You did it Tess, you did it, she’s here.” he chokes out, wiping his tears on his hoddie before wiping away some of the blood on Mina and placing her on a blanket. Before he can do anything else though, Tessa scoops Mina up onto her chest and laugs in delight as tears of joy run down her face.
“Oh hello, hi Mina, you are so beautiful, I love you.” Tessa coos to the baby, kissing her little forehead and cradling her close.
“Oh she’s beautiful Tessa, look at these little fingers, you’re going to be a musician one day with those long fingers Mina.” Magnus softly says, feeling himself choke up a little too. The minute he gets home he is going to cuddle his boys and never let them go again.
“She has your chin Tess.” Jem lightly says, tickling Mina under the chin, causing her to squirm away from him. He then bends closer to her and presses a kiss to her little cheek. “Mina mine, it’s daddy.” He coos, just as he would always do when Tessa was pregnant. And just as she would do in the womb, Mina stirs and squirms, kicking her little legs about, growing excited at the sound of her daddy’s voice.
“You look your daddy Mina, you’re a little Carstairs if I’ve ever seen one, your cousin Emma was hoping you would look like her with pretty blonde hair and brown eyes, but your dark hair is beautiful too, are you going to open your eyes and show us whose eyes you have? Did one of mama’s babies finally get her eyes?” Tessa coos to the baby, stroking her tiny eyelids in an attempt to get her to open her eyes.
“I think you might finally persuade Emma to leave France, Mina, she is so excited to meet you.” Jem says in an amused tone, reminding himself to text Emma and let her know that Mina is here and eager to meet her.
“Do you mind if I take some pictures of this darling little one to show the boys and Alec?” Magnus asks, knowing how disappointed Max and Rafe will be if he comes home with no pictures.
“No of course not, go ahead, you’ll have to bring them over to meet her soon.” Tessa says, adjusting Mina so that Magnus can get a good picture of her.
“Most certainly, though we’ll need to keep a close eye on Max or he’ll try and smuggle her home, he is constantly asking for a sister, we thought he would stop when we adopted Rafe but no, now he’s insistent that since has a brother he needs a sister, and a dinosaur.” Magnus says in an amused tone, his heart aching for his little blueberry, who he cannot wait to cuddle and kiss.
“I wonder if Mina will pester us for a sibling when she’s older.” Jem ponders, stroking the baby’s dark tufts of hair.
“I hope so, because I want lots more, I want a big family now that we know for sure I can carry safely, that’s the only reason Will and I didn’t have more.” Tessa says, rocking Mina gently and stroking her little hand.
“Me too, what about you Mina? Do you want to be a big sister someday? Kit can teach you all about being a big sibling, he is going to spoil you rotten.” Jem says, smiling at the thought of seeing Kit and Mina together. He truly loves Kit as his own son and is extremely eager to see his two children together for the first time, already he knows he could just watch Mina all day long, he has no doubt he could watch her with Kit all day too.
A few hours later once Tessa and Mina have been checked over and given a clean bill of health and Mina’s bassinet is moved into Tessa and Jem’s room, Magnus leaves the new family to themselves and goes back to his own little family.
When Magnus arrives back in the loft, it is just past 8:00 A.M., an hour past the usual time that Alec and the boys wake up at.
“Papa!” Magnus hears, followed by a blue blur knocking into him,before he can even takes his coat off.
“Oh! Hello blueberry!” Magnus exclaims, scooping Max up and peppering his small chubby face in kisses.
“You came back!” Rafael exclaims in delight, walking into the living room, his face lighting up in delight at the sight of his father. Poor Rafe still struggles with separation and understanding that people can leave and then come back.
“Of course I did, you knew I would.” Magnus gently says, ruffling Rafe’s hair, as he wraps his arms tightly around Magnus’ waist.
“Wasn’t sure.”Rafe mumbles into Magnus’ side.
“I know darling, I know it’s hard for you to trust that just yet, but you will.” Magnus quietly says.
“Hey, how are Tessa and the baby?” Alec asks, walking into the living room in his usual black jeans and t-shirt.
“Tessa is doing wonderfully and little Mina is absolutely beautiful, one of the most gorgeous little babies I’ve ever seen.” Magnus says in a fond tone.
“Do you have pictures?” Alec hopefully asks, eager to see the newest family member.
“Yes I certainly do, oh Alec she’s such a little darling, you can’t help but fall in love with her sweet little face.” Magnus gushes, taking his phone out and showing Alec the few pictures of little Mina lying on Tessa’s chest. Alec’s heart melts into a puddle the moment he sees the photo and he is instantly hit with baby fever and a desire to hold and snuggle a little baby, missing when Max was that small.
“Oh my god she’s beautiful! Oh I so want another one, I want more than just one more, I want so many more.” Alec says, taking Max from Magnus and holding him close.
“Papa that sister?” Max hopefully asks, pointing to the picture of Mina. Magnus laughs lightly and runs his hand through Max’s hair.
“No Maxie that’s your cousin Mina, Aunt Tessa and Uncle Jem’s baby.” he explains.
“Can we adopt her?” Rafe pipes up, looking up at his parents with hopeful brown eyes. Magnus sighs and shakes his head, now both boys are harping at him and Alec about a sibling, it is going to be a long day.
Back in Devon, Jem is fast asleep in the rocking chair in his and Tessa’s room, by Mina’s bassinet, Tessa is fast asleep in bed and Mina is just waking up in her bassinet. Just as she begins to waken, the transparent figure of a tall man with unruly black hair appears by the bassinet and Mina immediately starts kicking her little legs and making a fuss, excited beyond belief to see her Uncle Will, who she had been able to sense in the womb. Will was able to talk to Mina a lot when Tessa was pregnant, so she knew him and his voice very well.
“Look at you beautiful Mina, what a perfect little girl you are.” Will coos, reaching down to stroke her little hand. “I love you Mina, and I will always watch over you, you and your brother and your mama and daddy will always have me and your big brother and sister watching out for you, you never have to worry when your Uncle Will is about okay? You go back to sleep now baby girl, let your mama and daddy rest some more, I’ll stay right here.” Mina relaxes and calms down at the sound of Will’s voice and soon drifts back off to sleep with her Uncle Will watching over her and keeping her safe.
Part 2 coming soon, which will be about all of Mina’s friends and family meeting her for the first time!
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