Note: This is the fanfiction I'll be écriture between Part 2 & 3 of a fanfiction I'm écriture now. Please enjoy. :)

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Okay…so how do I do this? I know nothing about breaking through a shell. I hear voices on the other side, concerned voices. I guess I was supposed to hatch three days ago. Well what do they expect? It’s not like I make a living out of breaking through shells. It’s not like these things come with instruction manuals, not that I could read it anyway. I tried pushing at the sides with my tiny flippers…nothing. How do other hatchlings do this? I’m getting kind of lonesome in here. I'm a little hungry too. Whoa! Whoa! What’s happening?

“Come on baby, come on out.” Adam a dit picking up the egg and cradling it in his flippers. “Are toi sure we can’t help him out doctor?”

“No, he needs to come out on his own. It helps it stay strong.”

Adam sighed. The doctor took a couple of steps closer to him. He a dit slowly and sorrowfully, “Maybe it’s time to admit…that he isn’t going to hatch.” Adam looked down at the egg, not wanting to believe that his unhatched son was never going to see the world. “I’m just saying; it’s been three days. Maybe it’s time to let go.”

Tears welling up in his eyes, he sorrowfully handed the egg to the doctor. He buried his face in his flippers, not knowing what to tell his wife when she returned.

Okay! Whoever is jostling me around needs to stop! I’m getting dizzy! I began elbowing the sides of my shell with excessive force. I hear cracking…

Just before the doctor reached the door he felt the rustling in the egg and he began to hear cracking. He stared at it in disbelief for a moment, then turned and said, “Wait! I think he’s hatching!”

Adam perked up. The doctor brought the egg back and set it in the pile of blankets and the two of them watched in shock and awe as the side of the small egg broke open. They were even plus surprised to see the tiny penguins’ flipper break through rather than the beak. Finally the young hatchling poked his head through, shielding his eyes from the light. Adam stepped vers l'avant, vers l’avant to pick him up, but the doctor stopped him. “No, let him get out on his own. When they hatch late, it’s important for them to start on their own.”

The young manchot, pingouin pushed and stumbled out of his shell. Despite his late birth, he seemed to be a strong, healthy hatchling. He slowly shuffled vers l'avant, vers l’avant a couple of steps and tripped on a fold of blanket, causing him to fall face-forward into the snow. Once again, Adam bent over to help him, but the doctor stopped him. “Just wait. Give him a chance to try to come to you.”

Adam took a couple of small steps back and bent down slightly, flippers extended. “Come here, son.”

The hatchling pushed himself to his feet and shook snow out of his tiny feathers. He continued to shuffle through the snow. “That’s right son, come here and get warm.” The little manchot, pingouin trailed through the snow until he met his father and was tucked sûr, sans danger and warm in his incubation patch. The doctor took out his stethoscope and listened to the hatchlings’ heart. “It’s beating strong and even. I don’t think toi have to worry about anything. But I’d take caution. Life expectancy isn’t very long for late hatchlings.”

“He’ll be fine.” Adam said, not wanting to believe his son may die. “But doctor, you’re the only other one that knows about this delay. I hope we can keep it that way?”

The doctor nodded. “Of course. I understand.” Adam nodded, and the doctor left.

---------------------------------------------------

“Here they come! Here come the mothers!”

All the male penguins were with their sons ou daughters gathered around the village as, off in the distance, the mothers were returning to the flock. They greeted each other with open flippers. “Oh, I’ve missed you. toi feel alright?” Adam asked his wife, Jacqueline.

“I’m fine. Lemme see the baby.” Adam moved back a couple of steps to allow the hatchling to go to Jacqueline. “Hello darling! Oh, Adam! He’s just gorgeous! Have toi thought of a name for him?”

“No, I wanted to wait for toi to return.” Jacqueline picked up the hatchling and cradled him in her arms. He reacted in wiggling his toes and flapping his flippers excitedly. Adam and Jacqueline smiled happily at their child. “What do toi want to name him?” Adam asked.

Jacqueline was silent for a moment, then answered: “Thomas. toi like?”

“I l’amour it. Our son, Thomas McGrath.”