A/N: No ownage of the Labyrinth has taken place between my last story and this one. I do take full responsibility for the circumstances as they largely relate to my own experience.
"I can't do this anymore," Sarah turned reddened, pained eyes toward the woman holding her left hand. Tears were falling fast and hard.
She shuddered as another wave of pain overtook her exhausted body and her grip automatically tightened as she bore down once more. It was automatic – this urge to clench her muscles and push. Bathed is sweat and blood, Sarah could not stop her body's response any more than she could stop time.
That was her husband's job anyway – the time stopping.
"How did you do this three times, mom?" She asked the woman who had become a mother to her more than her biological one ever could.
Karen winced as Sarah's grip loosened for a moment, knowing that the next contraction would only bring on more pain and numbness. She had never been on this side of the delivery room before and while it was a great honor to have gotten the request from her eldest daughter, she knew her hands would never quite work the same again.
"The baby is almost here so on the next contraction, I need you to push as hard as you possibly can alright, Sarah dear?" The midwife had delivered Jareth many centuries before and her love for the Royal family showed in the tender care that she gave his young human wife. Karen was still a little weirded out by the fact that she was living a fairy tale with her son-in-law being a Fae king and all that.
"I can't push any harder Nola," Sarah panted, tears springing to her eyes as she struggled with the knowledge that she was powerless to beat this particular Game in life. She had been laboring for nearly twenty-four hours and her body was exhausted by the trial. Every muscle and bone ached and burned. She could not go on.
"You conquered my Labyrinth Sarah mine and you are giving up now? I believe in your power darling," Her husband's smooth voice broke through the haze of pain; she fought between blessed relief at hearing his faith in her so unshattered and an irrational desire to never let him touch her again for this stunt he pulled.
"I know they talk about all the empowerment a woman gets during this labor stuff, but honestly Jareth. Have you Fae never thought to invent a magical equivalent to pain killers? You are supposed to be the superior race and all that," She stated, gritting her teeth as another contraction started building.
All talking ceased for several moments as she fought back the urge to scream out her frustration and pain. She bore down, allowing her husband and mother to support her in a semi-crouched position on the birthing bed. Fire burned in every part of her body, but she felt the change as the contraction pushed the infant a little further down the birth canal.
"Magic cannot change nature precious, no matter what we would wish," Jareth explained apologetically as she rode the wave of pain to its end. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes again. "Even Fae have rules that must be followed."
"Well you are magically going to figure out a way to prevent another one of these in the near future, or I won't let you touch me for a very long time," Sarah was only half joking and Jareth squirmed uneasily. He kissed her tenderly and wiped a few sweaty locks of hair out of her eyes with a cold cloth before her next contraction began to build.
"Push hard Sarah dear," Nola encouraged as she waited to catch the Goblin King's heir. "One more and the worst will be over."
"GAH!" She screamed in agony, throwing her body forward with an energy that surprised even her. It was mind-numbing, but in an instant, she felt the change. Relief spread through her even while the pain continued harder and faster than before.
Within eternal moments, it was finally over and the squalling infant was placed gently on her chest while Nola worked efficiently to clean up both mother and baby. Even the normally stoic father had tears in his eyes as he watched the beautiful picture of his wife and child.
"It's a boy. Hello little one; welcome to the world," Sarah cried in wonder and delight, counting fingers and toes and marveling over every inch of her child. He had already found his food source and was contentedly filling up on his first meal. His eyes were wide awake and looking straight into hers as Karen cooed on one side and Jareth felt the urge to dance.
Their son.
Their child was sleeping contentedly between them as Sarah's mother stood to inform the waiting family and friends of the new arrival. Jareth could not take his eyes off the tiny bundle and Sarah would have been just as enraptured were it not for the fact that her recent travails were definitely forcing her eyes closed.
"You asked me how Sarah," Karen smiled as she quietly flexed fingers that had gone without adequate circulation for several hours. Getting her daughter's attention for one last time before she left the room, she nodded her head in the direction of the freshly scrubbed and swaddled child – her first grandchild. "That's how you can."
"I can do it," Sarah smiled back weakly, as sleep finally succeeded in calling her into its warm embrace.
