A/N: A short chapter this week. I didn't really want to write out the birth of Valerie in graphic detail so I just gave a little vignette about pain medication and induction of labor.


#07: Pain

The doctor scratches his head and remarks, "You know, you're the first woman I've ever seen look so calm while in labor."

"Yeah, well, just tell me when I can have that pain medicine," Mai says, closing her eyes. "It's been hours and hours and hours and I had no idea that having a baby was so boring. I should thank you for inducing this but it actually is horrible. I hate it."

Once the doctor checks everything with Mai, shaking under the scrutinizing glare of Ozai Shinohai, and gives no indication of how much longer the pain and torture will go on. Ozai peels his gaze from the doctor and sees Mai typing on her phone.

"Are you telling everyone?" he asks.

"Yeah. I'm texting Azula and Ty Lee, since they should be here, then I'm texting your parents and your ex-wife. Azula and Ty Lee said they'll be here in an hour, and everyone else is coming tomorrow morning," says Mai, reading off the group text.

"Why are you inviting Ursa?" Ozai wonders if she simply wants to put him in as much pain as he is putting her through right now.

"Because she said she'd help with the baby and I don't have a mom. She's basically been my mother since I was a kid. She always had Hello Kitty band-aids and made sure I had eaten. I mean, it's her or Ilah."

Ozai quickly chooses, "Her."

Mai smirks and almost laughs. "That was fast."

"My parents will be much more painful to deal with than my ex," Ozai casually explains.

"Why?"

"Because I don't give a fuck what my ex thinks about me but my parents must approve of everything I do," Ozai says, which Mai expects.

"Get them to bring me pain medicine," Mai asks of her husband. He nods, stands up, and, in minutes, a quite nervous nurse hooks Mai up. "What's the street name for this? This is good."

The nurse flashes a concerned smile and does not answer.