A/N: This is a thank you fic I wrote for ThunderAllAround for writing me a very awesome fic. I hope you all enjoy it.
Nathan Ford, a man with a mop of dark brown hair graying at the edges, was not a happy man. He was currently beating back the jungle of the rainforest floor. Ferns and vines were being cut every which way, clearing a path on the hunt for salvation. Luckily none of the native animals seemed willing to make an appearance. But the mastermind's sharp blue eyes were on the lookout anyway.
"We should have stayed with the rover," Nate grumbled, hacking away at some innocent greenery to make himself feel better.
"If we had done that, we would have been captured," Eliot Spencer replied, his brown hair dripping with the previous hour's rain, "More likely killed."
The mastermind turned an angry glare the young hitter's way. For his part, Eliot just shrugged and looked bashful for getting them into this kind of mess. He nearly winced in pain when a shrill voice rose into the air.
"How much further?" Sophie Devereaux complained, caressing her giant baby bump and struggling to comfortably relax her back.
The mastermind stared at his grifter wife with sadness in his eyes. The woman was just shy of nine months pregnant and should not have been anywhere close to the South American rain forest. The constant change of weather was doing her no wonders, plaiting her hair to her head despite the ponytail trying to keep her wild dark waves tamed. Dark circles were highly visible under eyes. She looked pale grey even when they had the sun shining on them. The humidity was doing nothing for her as well.
"Ten miles," Eliot said, staring through the trees with a careful look on his face, "Then we'll get you and that baby girl as many ice creams as you can stand."
"I would much rather just have a place to sleep," the grifter muttered in misery.
Nate winced at that. Even her voice sounded distant. She was too exhausted and stressed. It was a miracle the baby even bothered to make such little fuss. Sophie was doing an amazing job despite the difficulties.
"I can carry you, Soph," Eliot offered softly, "I know walking in the jungle with a baby can't be too easy."
"I'll be fine, Eliot," Sophie huffed, walking ahead of him just as stubborn as ever, "We need those strong arms of yours for when Nate's withdrawal starts to set in."
"I'm fine, Soph," Nate said, smirking despite himself.
The hitter chuckled at the pair, watching them with an amused twinkle in his eye. Sophie's satisfied look of triumph said it all. Eliot had felt nothing but guilt since the con went wrong. He hadn't looked the grifter or mastermind straight in the eyes since their escape vehicle's engine blew. His face had been cast in a downwards direction all day. It was good to finally see him release some of the tension that had built over the past few days.
The mastermind chopped their way through a few more ferns before their newly found energy could dissolve. He managed to find them a clearing almost perfectly devoid of any and all creatures. It was almost too good to be true. There was even a boulder in the middle that was perfect for sitting.
"We'll rest here for a few minutes," Nate proposed, "Then we'll continue the rest of the way and get you and that baby checked out, Soph."
"I'm fine, Nate," Sophie said, a breathy huff of air escaping through her lips, "Let's keep going. I've got a second wind all of a sudden."
The mastermind grabbed his wife's wrist. Horror filled his every bone and he couldn't help but tug her towards him. The grifter looked towards him expectantly, worry creasing her brow. She was biting her bottom lip, close to breaking the skin. Her face had grown impossibly whiter in the few seconds it took to enter the clearing.
"Sophie," Nate said, keeping his voice as calm as possible to not disturb the hitter carefully listening to them, "How long have you been in labor?"
The hitter's eyes blew wide with fear. He scrambled towards the pair and tried to figure out what to do next. He was forced to look to the mastermind for further instructions. The grifter, for her part, looked scandalized by her husband's words. She even tugged her wrist out of his grasp and rolled her eyes.
"I'm not in labor, Nate," she said, in a soft hiss that reminding him of kittens.
She moved to walk in the direction of civilization. The hitter blocked her way, determined to follow orders very strictly. Sophie turned to glare at her husband but her eyes grew dim with pain. Her bottom lip was sucked back into her teeth's trap and a whimpered sounded off. The forest floor grew damp once again, only this time it wasn't raining.
Nate flew to her side instantly.
"How far along?" He rasped.
"I've got ten minutes," Eliot replied, grabbing the grifter's other arm to better stabilize their group.
"I'm fine," the grifter huffed, her breath shortening even as she spoke in a regular rhythm.
"Five minutes," Eliot said, desperation all over his features.
"Three minutes," Nate cursed, looking towards his watch nervously, "How many miles left?"
"Too many," Eliot said.
"I'm fine," the grifter sighed, struggling to continue their walk.
A moan escaped her lips though. She doubled over in pain and hissed when the men both grabbed her arms again. Together they marched her towards the boulder, setting her there as gently as possible. She was crossing her legs with all her might and fighting the pain beautifully.
"What are we going to do now?" Eliot asked. His voice squeaked with panic, a very rare thing for him.
Nate stared at his struggling wife with fear on his features. He could see what kind of shape she was in simply by her puffing breaths. Sweat was dripping down her forehead already. Her face was growing whiter and whiter every second. There was no other option.
"Have you ever delivered a baby before?" He asked.
The hitter's eyes weren't the only ones that blew wide at that one.
"The hell you are!" Sophie screamed, "I'm not bloody giving birth in the middle of the rain forest, Nate!"
"I don't think you have too much choice, Soph," Nate replied, feeling sympathy for his wife's predicament and a huge side of fear.
"No," she said," I'm supposed to give birth in a hospital. I'm not having this baby on the rain forest floor, Nathan!"
"Yeah," Eliot purred, "I can do it. I can deliver this baby."
The mastermind nodded at his friend's thoughts. He turned towards his wife and felt fear wrap his heart firmly. This was the absolute worst thing to do, but under the circumstances, what other choice did they have? If they waited, the baby would die. Taking a chance with both of their lives at least gave them a chance.
"Take off your shirt," Nate ordered, unbuttoning his own as he spoke, "We're going to use that as something for Sophie to lay on."
"I'm not having the baby here!" Sophie growled.
"You either have the baby here or lose the baby here!" Nate shouted back, his anger finally being bursting through the surface.
The grifter pouted a little bit at the statement. She huffed in annoyance and then immediately hissed in pain. Tears gathered in her eyes and her face suddenly drained of all color.
"Don't push!" Eliot screamed, rushing to her side in an instant.
"I'm not pushing," she scowled back, her voice sounding quite strained given the circumstances.
The mastermind rushed to his wife's side and immediately helped the hitter escort her to the shirt pile. The grifter collapsed onto the ground with a small sigh of relief. That relief was short live though as a terrified whimpered whistled through her lips. She grabbed for her husband's hand and squeezed with all her might.
"I'm supposed to be in a hospital," she said.
"If you weren't in the middle of the rain forest, you would be," Nate hissed, his annoyance and fear making itself very clear.
"I was kidnapped," Sophie snapped back, suddenly turning vicious with the pain in her belly.
"I've birthed cows and horses," Eliot called, interrupting them with guilt in his eyes, "It should be similar to that, right?"
The grifter's eyes grew wide with terror at the hitter's words. She turned towards her husband and shook her head, her eyes begging for him to make this stop. And he wanted to make it stop, but they couldn't. Their daughter was coming, ready or not.
"Sophie will be doing most of the work," Nate said, "I'll help you with the rest when we get there."
"Nate…" Sophie gasped, pain and fear flaring in her voice once again.
"It's alright, Soph," Nate said, his voice pitched low with comfort and calm, "I'm going to be with you the whole time."
"I think I see the baby's head," Eliot said, his voice sounding thoroughly scared, "I thought you told her not to push."
"I'm not bloody pushing," Sophie hollered, her breath suddenly labored and sweat dripping from her hair.
Nate sat behind her immediately. He wrapped his arms around her and helped her sit up right. Then he took note of the quake in his own fingers. He grabbed at Sophie's hands and squeezed them tight, sending her all of the courage he had. He kissed her on the side of her head, his eyes connecting with the hitter's.
"Tell me when you're ready," he ordered the hitter.
Eliot's eyes went wide again. He looked towards Sophie, an apology everywhere in his eyes. Then he nodded his head.
"I need something to catch her in," the hitter said, slurring his words slightly.
Nate obliged immediately. He carefully removed his wife's jacket and threw it to the hitter. Then Sophie gasped in pain.
"She's just as impatient as her father!" She cursed, squeezing his hand with a death grip like nothing else.
"Sophie," Nate purred into her ear, "I'm going to count to three and you're going to give me the biggest push you can, understand?"
"Nate…" Sophie gasped.
"I'll be right here," Nate promised, "and Eliot's ready to catch our baby. Eliot's going to keep our little girl safe just like he protects the rest of us. Nothing's going to happen to her, I promise."
Sophie said nothing. She just squeezed his hand a little tighter and closed her eyes. She bit her lower lip again. Her eyes popped open with fright.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"Yes, Soph," Nate replied, "I know you can do this."
"Eliot, are you ready?" The grifter demanded.
The hitter looked at her in surprise for a few moments. Then he turned his blue grey eyes to the mastermind, questioning how to answer the grifter's question. The man just nodded as he felt his wife squeeze his hand tighter once again, showing the pain finally.
"Yeah, Soph," Eliot said, forcing a grin on his face, "I'm ready. On your count, Nate."
"Okay," Nate said, bracing himself to take as much of Sophie's weight as he could, "One… two… three, push!"
She pushed. She took one deep breath and pushed with all of her might. Nate could do nothing but speak sweet nothings into her ear as she screamed through the air. Eliot was dutifully watching the baby's every move, holding onto the jacket just in case the baby came out. Sophie stopped, gasping for air all the while.
"I can see the shoulders," Eliot cheered, moving the jacket closer to the incoming baby.
"Alright, Soph," Nate smiled, he could already hear his daughter's cries, "I'm going to give you a few more second and then you're going to take a deep breath and push as hard as you can. Our little girl is almost here. All you have to do is one more big push and she'll be here and you'll be done."
"Okay," Sophie huffed, sounding far too tired to his ears.
"Are you ready?" Nate asked, putting his fear aside for the moment.
"Nate!"
The mastermind nearly screamed at the voice in his ear. The coms were working again.
"Hardison, where have you been?" Nate shouted.
"We've been trying to find you," the hacker replied, "Parker found us a helicopter and we're on our way now. Wherever you are, stay there. I'm locking onto your location right now."
"Bring medical personnel with you, Hardison," Eliot shouted, "The baby's coming and her momma's going to need all of the help you can get."
"Please tell me the screaming I hear isn't a baby," Hardison begged.
"What?" Parker screeched, "Sophie can't have the baby now! She's in the middle of the rain forest!"
"Nate," Sophie gasped, sounding even weaker than before, "I'm ready."
"Okay," Nate said, gaining the attention of the hitter once again, "Push!"
The grifter pushed again. She screamed in pain and agony as she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. The hacker and thief cheered her on, what else could they do? Nate just kept telling Sophie everything he was going to buy her when this was all over. Then the hitter shouted in joy, clutching the jacket like it was a precious piece of art. The baby girl's cries could be heard for miles she was screaming so loud, just like her mother.
"She's beautiful," Sophie cooed, staring at their precious little girl in wonder.
"Nate, get over here and hold your daughter," Eliot ordered, "I need to cut the umbilical cord."
"No," Nate said, shaking his head firmly, "That's my job. Do you have a knife or do I have to use my shoe laces?"
"I've got a knife," Eliot replied, handing it over immediately.
Nate took great pride in adding the finishing touch to bring his daughter in the world. Then he grabbed his little girl and stared at his wife in amazement. She was perfect. The baby looked exactly like her mother. Though her hair did hint at having his curls, everything was Sophie Devereaux in every way. The baby even made a fuss like her mother.
"She's just like you, Soph," Nate cried.
The grifter smiled and tried to laugh. Her eyes began to droop and she could barely keep herself up. There was no color in her cheeks now. Her head was bobbing back dangerously, attempting to pass out right then and there. She wasn't even demanding to hold her baby. The mastermind looked towards the hitter for any hint of what was going on. Then he saw the blood.
"Soph," Nate cried, "You need to stay awake. I know you're really tired but our little girl doesn't even have a name yet. You've got to stay awake, okay."
The grifter nodded her head immediately. Her brown eyes drooped a bit more but she was staying awake. She even tried to reach out her arms for the baby. She only succeeded in groaning in pain, tears slipping from her dulling eyes.
"Arabella," she mumbled, "Her name should be Arabella."
"Okay," Nate said, smiling at her choice, "Arabella Ford. That works."
"I'm really sleepy, Nate," Sophie purred.
"Tell Sophie we're here!" Hardison screamed, "We're right on top of you guys."
Sure enough, the helicopter wings reverberated throughout the rain forest. The wind began to pick up and Arabella complained louder at the noise. Eliot was cradling her close to his chest now. Nate held his wife tenderly and continued to whisper sweet nothings in her ear. He sighed in relief when the paramedics rushed towards their patient.
"What's the status?" One of them called.
"She's lost a lot of blood," Eliot replied, "She just gave birth. I don't know if the baby has anything wrong with her. She cried when she was born."
"Don't worry about it," the other guy said, "We'll take care of her."
And with that they took the baby and the grifter into the helicopter and immediately started their work. The mastermind and hitter joined them in seconds flat. Nate immediately went to his wife's side, taking her hand and kissing it softly.
"Everything's going to be alright," he promised.
That was the last thing the grifter heard before she fell into the black oblivion. Her baby girl screamed for her and then there was nothing but pure darkness.
%%%%%%%%%%
Nate was barely aware of his surroundings. The baby had made it back to the hospital in Brazil with a surprisingly clean bill of health. The grifter was not so lucky. She slipped into a small coma from the blood loss. It had been three days since their rescue and still she had not stirred. His eye were growing heavier and heavier with every breath the grifter took. Soon he would join her in the world of oblivion, if only for a little while.
The grifter stirred as if reading his mind was her job. She immediately turned towards him and smiled.
"We're in a hospital," she said, her eyes filled with glee.
Her happy features fell within seconds. Her eyes blew wide with fear and she started to look around in a panic.
"Arabella!" She cried.
Nate grabbed her hand and squeezed it, smiling reassuringly.
"She's fine," he said, "Clean bill of health and everything. You're the one we were worried about, but I think you're going to be fine now."
"So the con didn't go all too bad then," Sophie purred, sounding like herself again.
"Yeah, Eliot's really sorry about that," Nate sighed, "Parker and Hardison have decided I'm no longer allowed to help them on cons overseas. At least for a little while."
"Have they figured out how the mark learned about me?" She asked.
"Apparently the guy knew somebody with my old records," he laughed, "Hardison's working on it. We'll be free to raise Arabella however we want."
"Good, I'm going back to sleep now," she said, "You should try that sleep thing too. We're not going to be getting much of that when we take that little girl home."
Nate smiled at his wife's sense of humor. He kissed her on the head and watched as she fell asleep. Then he decided to join her. Their baby girl quietly slept in the crib in the hospital room. The happy family was finally together and things were looking up.