A/N: From the tumblr prompt "Elizabeth is in labour, but she's refusing to have the baby before Henry's return".
Disclaimer: I own nothing but Henry's mother's name.
"It's just for three days, babe, and the doctor said this little girl showed no signs of budging for at least another week," Henry assures her as he packs his bag; Elizabeth shifts uncomfortably on the bed, features twisted in worry.
"I don't like it, Henry," she tells him for the third time, chewing on her lower lip. "What if something changes? I can't do this without you."
"My mom is already on her way here to stay with you so you aren't alone, and if something changes I am on the first flight back, I swear," Henry replies, lifting a hand to cup her cheek, brushing a few stray hairs out of her eyes. His other hand slid to the prominent swell of Elizabeth's belly, lips quirking upwards at the kick he received to his palm. "I won't miss this. I swear, Elizabeth."
Elizabeth still looks worried, but she nods, tilting her head back so she can kiss him thoroughly as he kneels on the bed, hand cupping her jaw.
Aurora McCord arrives the next day, and Elizabeth allows some relief to settle over her.
"I'm so happy you're here," Elizabeth hugs her as best she can, and her mother-in-law holds her tightly, kissing the side of her head.
"He'll be back before you know it, dear," Aurora assures her, setting her bag down and shutting the door behind her. "Henry would never go on this trip if he didn't think he'd be back in time for this baby."
Elizabeth sighs, rubbing at her back as she nods. She makes her way into the kitchen, rooting around in the freezer until she unearths a carton of peanut butter cup ice cream. Aurora smiles fondly as she watches.
"Want to watch a movie? The Princess Bride always seems to calm her down," Elizabeth turns to her, holding up two spoons, and Aurora laughs, nodding as she follows Elizabeth into the living room.
Two days later, Elizabeth finds herself trying to convince herself she's not in labor- she can't be. It wasn't time. She had days left, and Henry wasn't coming home until tomorrow. The baby wasn't coming yet.
She closes her eyes, breathing out through her nose hard as the muscles in her back contracted. She grips the back of the couch, hunching over a little as she struggles to breathe, panting when it finishes.
"Honey, I think it's time to accept it," she looks up at Aurora's voice, swallowing hard before she shakes her head.
"I can't. Not without Henry, and he doesn't get home tomorrow," she replies, gritting her teeth as she straightens up. Aurora's face is filled with sympathy, and Elizabeth feels her lower lip tremble, eyes burning. "I can't, Aurora."
"I don't think this little girl is giving you a choice, Elizabeth," Aurora tells her softly, and Elizabeth feels a few tears slip down her cheeks as Aurora wraps her in a hug, allowing her tears to drip into her shirt. "I already called Henry. He's on his way. I know he'll be here as soon as humanly possible. But we need to get to the hospital- how far apart are your contractions?"
"About eight minutes," Elizabeth confesses after a moment, and Aurora strokes a hand over her hair. Elizabeth's shoulders slump, and she blows out a breath. "My bag is by the door in the bedroom, it's all packed."
Aurora squeezes her shoulders and disappears up the stairs, and Elizabeth starts pacing around the living room.
"Come on, kid. We had an agreement, didn't we? We were gonna wait until Dad got home?" Elizabeth spoke to her abdomen, tone mock-chastising. "So much for that plan, you're ahead of schedule."
Elizabeth back muscles contract in response, and she grips the couch once more, breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth, counting in her head. When Aurora returns from the bedroom, bag in one hand and Elizabeth's favorite sweater the other, Elizabeth can't help but swallow down the emotions the bubble up in her throat.
"I wish Henry were here," is all she says, and Aurora rubs her back, helping her into her shoes and coat.
"I know, honey. But he will be."
"Oh god, I'm never doing this again," 12 hours later, Elizabeth McCord was exhausted, in pain, and still awaiting the arrival of her husband. She couldn't get comfortable to save her life, and she knew it was almost time- so instinctive part of her part telling her she needed to prepare herself.
"You know, I said that after we had Maureen. And yet- we did. Three more times," Aurora tells her, tone amused, and Elizabeth can't help but crack a tired smile. "It'll all be worth it once that little girl is in your arms."
"Well, she's stuck in there until Henry's here," Elizabeth repeats adamantly. "He has to be here. He promised."
Aurora strokes her hand, and Elizabeth feels the tears burning in the backs of her eyes again just as another contraction hits, and she curls in on herself, gasping.
"Come on, Elizabeth, breathe," her mother-in-law encourages, squeezing her hand and counting with her, eyes on the monitor until the contraction ending, leaving Elizabeth panting and with tears on her cheeks, falling back onto the pillows.
"He's supposed to be here," she whispers, letting out a soft little sob. "I don't- want to do this without him. I can't. It's not supposed to happen without him, she's half his, I need him here."
Her soft crying had turning into hitching sobs, morphing with the next contraction until she's breathless, and it takes Aurora and a nurse to calm Elizabeth down.
"Mrs. McCord, it's time to push," her nurse tells her upon a final exam, and Elizabeth shakes her head frantically.
"No. No, I can't," Elizabeth pleads, even as the nurses start to prep things around her. "Henry-"
"Will be here as soon as he can, my dear. You have to think about your daughter now," Aurora tells her, squeezing her hand, and Elizabeth swallows hard. "You can do this. I know you can."
Elizabeth's lip trembles, and more protests rise in her throat- because she can't, not without Henry. This journey was something they planned together, they chose together; she needed him here for this, with her.
"Did I miss it? Tell me I didn't miss it," she looks up at the new voice, and brand new tears spill down her cheeks at the sight of Henry bursting through the doorway, hair a mess and shirt literally on backwards as he practically skids to a stop on the linoleum.
"You're right on time, son," Aurora assures him, and a nurse leads him over to the sink to wash his hands before he settles himself on Elizabeth's other side, bending to kiss her and brush away the tears on her cheeks.
"I'm so sorry I'm late," he starts, and Elizabeth shakes her head, kissing him again.
"You're here, and you didn't miss it, and she waited for you," she tells him, squeezing his hand as another contraction grips her body. "All you missed was a surprising amount of back labor. Your mother and her hand were troopers."
"Your wife is an incredibly strong woman, Henry," Aurora says, brushing some of Elizabeth's sweaty hair off her forehead, and Henry gazes adoringly at his wife. They all look up at the doctor's voice.
"Okay McCord family. Ready to meet this baby?"
"She's perfect."
Elizabeth can't stop staring at their daughter. Ten fingers, ten toes, a smattering of blonde hair atop of her perfect little head.
"We made that," Henry sounds awed as he looks down at their baby, and Elizabeth smiles, looking at his face.
"And we did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself," Elizabeth tells him, drawing a smile from him before he leans close, kissing her jaw. "You and I make cute babies, Henry McCord."
"I told you you'd forget all about the pain once she was in your arms," Aurora teases from her chair beside Elizabeth's bed, and the blonde can't help but smile. "I told you you could do it, Elizabeth."
"You did. But it's easier with him by my side," Elizabeth replies, looking back up at her husband, eyes softening as his palm came up to cup her jaw. "So the next one? No trips anytime near due date. Got that?"
"Yes ma'am," Henry answers softly, leaning forward to kiss her gently- their daughter squirms between them, and he pulls away with a grin. "Do you agree too, Miss Stephanie?"
Their daughter gurgles, settling back down in Elizabeth's arms, and she's hit all at once with the knowledge that this is her family. Hers. One that she's made all for herself, all on her own. Warmth settles over her, and she snuggles back into Henry's embrace, Stevie nestled in her arms.