FIVE MONTHS LATER
Arthur was just in the process of dressing himself when he heard his husband complain and moan once again. Merlin was now a week overdue and Arthur heard the following complaint quite a lot in that week.
"Ugh, come out, come out!" Merlin sighed aggravatingly, his head falling back against the headrest of his bed. After nine months of carrying this baby, he was unable to move anymore, perhaps the short distance to the bathroom and back, but that was basically it.
"I don't think she'll listen to that though." Arthur replied.
"No she won't because she's just as stubborn as you! Arthur, please save me from this misery, I've been a week overdue!" He sighed louder and covered his eyes with his forearm.
"If the labour doesn't start on his own, they will do the C-section on Saturday. You just have to wait until then."
"But it's fucking Tuesday! You can't expect me to wait until Saturday! Arthur just have sex with me." Merlin was desperate, he'd tried everything to get the labour starting on its own, but nothing seemed to work. He ate spicy food, ate pineapples, rubbed his nipples, danced – in the best possible way, but it failed because he could barely stand on his feet for more than a minute. And the last trick that the doctors told him would work wonders was drinking raspberry tea, well no luck there! He had read in some of the information books that sex could help to speed up the labour, it was worth a try.
"Merlin, we can't have sex."
"Why not?"
"Because…"
"See you don't have a valid excuse, so get your athletic body here this second, or I swear you'll never get sex ever again. And I mean never ever."
Arthur budged. Merlin threatening to never have sex with him again was something he used a lot in arguments, and for the sake of not wanting to risk it, Arthur always agreed - no matter how undignified he felt afterwards to let his husband get his way, again. Of course none of his men would ever get to hear about it from him, he'd be looking like a total wimp instead of the powerful man on top of the secret underground organisation.
Already sprawled on the bed, Merlin opened his still clothed legs. He eyed Arthur half lidded and saw how Arthur took off his just put on clothes. Merlin's hormones were already jumping through his body at just seeing his husband naked; a defined golden body with an overload of perfectly sculpted muscles. Seeing the strong jaw and those plumb kissable lips that were so inviting now made Merlin pull Arthur down in a hard kiss, fingers carding through his hair and grabbing a fistful of it in his hand. But then he let go, pushing Arthur away. Looking down to his pants he discovered that his pyjama bottoms and his bed cover were wet, and not because he had emptied his bladder.
He put all his time and energy in reading books about what to do while being pregnant, how to keep healthy and what to do after the baby was born, but he hadn't really concentrated on what to do when labour starts. He felt stupid right now and panicked.
He had already decided with his doctor to go with a C-section - because in his case it would better for him and the baby, instead of a natural birth. Normally a C-section would be scheduled, but Merlin declined. He wanted to wait until the labour started on itself, thinking he'd be going into labour before the approximate due date that had been set by his doctor. How much of a disappointment that was when the due date had passed, but it was now not the time to linger on that.
He tried to recall the explanation his obstetrician gave him on how the procedure would go, but now the moment was there, he had forgotten everything and panic started to strike him with a huge dose of reality.
"It's time?" Arthur asked shocked, coming to the same conclusion as his husband after seeing the wetness.
"It's time." Merlin answered wide eyed. Arthur haphazardly moved through the room, shoving his jeans on and pulling a shirt over his head. He found some pair of shoes for him and Merlin to wear and turned around with a new pair of slacks for Merlin. He ran on adrenaline and everything just happened. Quickly changing Merlin into a pair of fresh pants and putting on some shoes he took a deep breath, thinking of the next step that should come.
After Merlin came down from the initial shock, he was happy that his husband was luckily more attentive and was now on his cell phone calling the hospital, telling them that Merlin's water broke and that they would be in the hospital in about fifteen minutes. Ending the call, he immediately dialled another number - Merlin learned he called one of his men downstairs – and told them to bring a car to the front and that someone had to collect Merlin's overnight bag.
Shoving his phone back into his pocket he put an arm around Merlin's back and got a good grip on one of his arms, pulling him upwards into the sitting position.
"You okay? Can you stand?" Merlin nodded and Arthur pulled him fully onto his feet.
Arthur smiled broadly as he walked down the halls of his and Merlin's mansion, ignoring the looks and stares of his men. He helped Merlin into the car and wrapped his arms around husband. "Let's go meet our daughter."
Merlin was being wheeled into the hospital and pushed by Arthur towards the reception desk. A few of Arthur's men had come along - a wish that Merlin had shared with his husband a few weeks beforehand. Among them were Leon, Gwaine and Lancelot, they were dressed in casual wear to not cause too much suspicion.
Merlin breathed in and out like the instruction books described, breathing through a contraction that just pulled through.
"Merlin Pendragon, I've called about it a few minutes ago." Arthur explained quickly to the nurse manning the desk. It were indeed just a few minutes. Arthur kept telling his driver to go faster and faster, while Merlin tried to calm Arthur down and telling him that it could take hours before the child would even be born. That did not stop Arthur in continue to worry.
"Ah yes, we've been expecting you." She told Arthur before addressing Merlin. "How often do you experience the contractions?"
"I guess about every five minutes."
"Every four minutes and twenty-one seconds." Arthur hurriedly said, looking at his watch for the umpteenth time while holding Merlin's hand. The nurse behind the desk chuckled.
"Well, let's get you to the labour ward shall we, there is a private room prepared and the doctor will be in shortly to check everything."
"Is he here already? Can I talk to him, I need to know-"
Merlin poked a finger in Arthur's side as he couldn't reach his husband's head to stop his babbling. "Arthur stop it, seriously." He turned to the nurse. "Sorry about him."
"Oh it's fine, the partner is usually more nervous than the person who has to give birth. I'll make sure to arrange some sedatives." She winked at Merlin who snorted as she came from behind the counter to show the way to the room.
Arthur had made sure to pick out the top of the art hospital that specialized in child birth and arranged everything so Merlin would be as comfortable as possible. He even flew in Gaius - his family doctor - a month ago, specifically for the birth.
Arrived in the room, Arthur helped Merlin settle into the bed and changed him into one of the hospital gowns. He started rubbing Merlin's back as the contractions followed up quicker now. His men were waiting in the hallway to keep a watchful eye on the surroundings.
"Not long now." Arthur whispered.
"Let's hope so, I don't think I can – oh god!" Merlin groaned in pain as the next contraction hit him. It felt even worse than that time he was in the room with Cenred, which was hardly anything compared to this. At least he had one advantage now compared to that time, which was not having to deal with the dizziness that tormented him back then.
The door opened and Gaius with a nurse entered the room. He first put on some latex gloves and rubbed his hands together to make them a little warmer.
"So the little one finally decided it was time." Gaius said a bit sarcastically but his comments was ignored by both men. The nurse pulled the blankets just a little bit away to wrap a band around Merlin's waist and hooked it up to a machine that measured how strong the contractions were. Gaius waited peacefully for the first results that would roll out of the machine any moment now. And indeed, the machine started to spit out the first results within ten seconds.
Gaius observed and his eyebrow raised. "Well, I sure think she wants to get out fast now. How are you holding up Merlin?"
"I've had better days." He said, clenching his teeth and breathing harshly in and out. Arthur was feeling hopeless and just continued to rub Merlin's back, not knowing if Merlin was even appreciating it or feeling it. How much he wished he could be switching places with his husband now, he could never stand the sight of Merlin being in pain, he wanted to kill the person who was responsible for that. But seeing how this situation was pretty much his fault he was torn with guilt.
"Arthur, please. I need space to work. Don't let me send you outside." Gaius said sternly watching him from over the rim of his glasses in a way that he wouldn't like to be challenged at this moment. Arthur would usually never listen to someone who told him what to do, but he had known Gaius for his whole life, he didn't want to disrespect the man and so obediently moved away to the chair that was placed just a few foot from the bed.
"I'll be here, just breathe" Arthur said to his husband and he got a glare in return.
"Easy for you to say, you just have to sit there and do nothing, hnngh." – another contraction hit him. "Why don't you come here so I can punch you in the nuts, let's see how easy you will be breathing!"
Arthur stopped talking, biting his lip.
"Merlin, calm yourself. Lay back, so we can get a better reading." The pointed glare from his doctor made him listen and he laid back, taking deep breaths throug his nose and slowly releasing them out his mouth. Gaius felt some more around the stomach and pressed various spots and the nurse inserted a needle for the IV in Merlin's hand.
"We can't have you dilate too much, so the anaesthesiologist will be here any second now and after the anaesthesia has been injected we'll go to the operation room. Within thirty minutes you should be holding your daughter." Gaius explained, scribbling some medical notes onto Merlin's chart and then the door opened. A man in green scrubs entered with a sterile plate with the assumable anaesthesia put on top.
"You'll have to lie on your side Merlin." Gaius instructed and Merlin did so, clamping his hands around the bedrails, waiting for an excruciating pain that he expected to come when the anaesthesiologist would put in the needle into his back. In the end it turned out to be not that bad, he had hardly felt it. It was more a faint pressure, at least not as painful as some of the contractions were.
"Okay, I'll see you in a few." Gaius said, patting Merlin's shoulder and moved out of the room. Probably to the OR, Arthur thought and felt it was safe enough to leave his seat and grabbed his husband's hand in a tight grip, pecking a kiss on top of it.
Merlin felt the pain becoming less, but still noticeable. He looked guilty upwards to Arthur. "Sorry." He mumbled to apologize for his behaviour. The pain made him act at an almost humoristic level, now he thought back to it.
Arthur shook his head, smiling down on his husband. "Don't be, it's fine."
The door opened with two nurses walking in. "We're here to take you to the operation room."
~oOoOo~
Merlin laid on the table, a big green sheet was blocking any sight he hoped to see of the operation and Arthur sat directly next to him on a little stool. Keeping a tight grip on his hand and being dressed from head to toe in green sterilized scrubs. He watched how Arthur's eyes were trained onto the operation. Arthur could see what happened if he would lean back a little and that way he could look around the screen. Merlin chuckled when he saw Arthur becoming a bit pale.
"Don't go fainting on me, eh?" Merlin joked, but squeezed Arthur's hand when he felt a particular nasty pressure in his stomach. Arthur's eyes flicked immediately back to Merlin. The doctor told Arthur that Merlin shouldn't feel any pain, but that Merlin could still feel that they were pushing and pulling inside his stomach to get the baby out.
"You're in pain?" Arthur whispered, but Merlin shook his head.
"No, it's just a bit uncomfortable." Merlin whispered. The anaesthesiologist overheard him and upped the medication.
Arthur stood up from the stool and Merlin looked up to him with narrowed brows. "Oh my god…" Arthur breathed out, a small smile already moving onto his lips and at that same time Merlin felt the baby being pulled out of his stomach. He felt a huge relieve when he heard his baby starting to cry. The cry was infection and he started to cry himself, just happy tears that everything seemed to went well.
"It's indeed a girl." Gaius informed the couple and gave the baby to one of the nurses so she could be cleaned up and getting checked over. Arthur didn't let his child out of sight for one second and was following all the nurses movements.
Merlin felt the surgeons working around his stomach some more, but he ignored it. He had turned his head towards the table where the nurse was busy cleaning his baby and all he wanted now was to hold his baby. He didn't had to wait long before the nurse came back to them with the baby in her arms and a pink baby cap placed on top of their baby's head and wrapped tightly into a warm pink blanket. She was passed onto Arthur.
Arthur looked down to the precious little being, so beautiful, so soft. He fell into his role as a parent instantly and made sure to support the head with his hand. Merlin watched with happiness, a twinkle of pride in his eyes. He could watch Arthur being like this all day. Instead of that always stern look that was usually covering his face, he now smiled broadly, he might be on the brink of crying even.
Arthur sat down on the stool and scooted closer to Merlin's face and showed his daughter, their daughter, to his husband. "She's perfect." Arthur whispered, waiting for the moment their girl would open her eyes. She only yawned for the first minute, but then… her eyes opened and two bright blue orbs stared back at Merlin and Arthur.
"She's got your eyes." Merlin mentioned softly, looking in awe at their daughter but feeling the tiredness creeping up at him. A nurse told Arthur they'd take Merlin to the postnatal ward where another private room was prepared for them.
Ten minutes later Merlin was lying comfortable into one of the soft beds, his daughter in his arms and Arthur hovering over them like a mother hen. Continuing to ask Merlin if he needed anything.
The door opened and the three closest men to Merlin and Arthur walked in, a smile plastered on their face. They were anxious enough for themselves to see the newest addition to the Pendragon family. Merlin smiled tiredly at them when they entered and passed his daughter over to Arthur, who proudly took her in his arms and walked to the three men. His line of work momentarily forgotten and he just enjoyed the time he could spend with his child.
Cooing of the three grown up - meant to be tough looking – men started once Arthur presented her to his men.
"What's her name?" They all three asked in sync. Arthur turned to Merlin who gave him a nod that made him turn back to the three men in front of him.
"Avalon. Avalon Taylor Pendragon."
~oOoOo~
SIXTEEN YEARS LATER
A blond blue eyed girl stalked angrily into the sitting room where Merlin was currently reading a book in one of the armchairs placed besides the fireplace. "Dad, tell father he's being unreasonable." She glared angrily towards the door.
"I am not." Arthur's voice followed from just outside the room, before making his appearance. A gun in his hand.
"Dad, he scared Daniel!"
"Arthur…" Merlin said in a condescending tone as Arthur plopped down in the arm chair next to his with a heavy sigh. "You didn't."
"You weren't there!" Arthur argued. "Avalon, you've got to give me some slack."
"We were kissing, it's not like he had sex me!"
Arthur winced at both words, he wouldn't want to think about his little girl being grown up and having sex already. Maybe he should just lock her up into her room and never let her out again. Yes, that was a good idea… unfortunally his husband would never allow it.
"You kissed him, finally!" Merlin exclaimed happily, standing up, book forgotten on the armrest. "How was it?"
"Merlin! You're supposed to be on my side."
"Oh shut it, you overbearing prat." He turned towards his daughter, taking her hands into his own. "Is he a good kisser, did he use tongue?"
His daughter squealed. "Oh dad it was just perfect… well until someone had to throw open the door and show up with a gun. Seriously!" She snapped at her father. "How will I ever face him again? Thank you for ruining my life!" She stalked away, slammed the door and Merlin could hear the deliberate hard footsteps on the stair.
Shaking his head he walked back to the chair. "Arthur, Arthur, Arthur. You really overdid yourself tonight. Seriously, a gun?"
"She's my little girl." Arthur had muttered, digging himself deeper into the armchair.
"No Arthur, she's becoming a woman now. No don't scrunch your nose, it's time you face reality." He pointed his finger upwards that had to mean in pointing to their daughter's room. "She's angry at you now, I hope you know. And I think you should apologise to her and Daniel. You know how crazy she is about that guy, don't be so stubborn and set your pride aside."
Arthur huffed.
"You will apologize now, or I will never, never ever, have sex with you again."
Arthur's shoulder sagged and he let his head down in defeat. "Fine." He murmured under his breath and dragged his body out of the chair and towards the door. Merlin smirked, even after all these years the 'no sex' argument always let him win every single discussion, no matter what the discussion was about.
THE END.