11- Passing On

He held her hand as she screamed through the agony. There was nothing they could do to stop it, their daughter making her way into the world. The world that had already taken so much from him and the woman he adored. Now not even their infant daughter was safe.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHNOICAN'T! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed sweat dripping down her for-head with every contraction. David was right by her side wiping it away with an ice-cold cloth.

"It's okay Mary-Margaret, you can do this." He said pressing an alleviating kiss to her temple as the tears kept rolling down her agonised face.

"David I CAN'T HAVE THIS BABY NOW! It's too early!"

"Deep breaths Mary-Margaret," The experienced midwife said as the fellow nurses and Dr Whale prepared an incubator, monitors and blankets.

She'd opted to go without pain-relief as she wanted as natural a birth as possible but, that was proving difficult and it was torturous for the devoted husband and father to watch.

"WHALE can't you give her something?!" He furiously asked.

"Gas and air is all I can provide she's nearly there."

"Mary-Margaret?"

"No."

"Honey are you sure?" David virtually begged.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YES!"

"David what I said…"

"You listen to me, I love you. You are the strongest, most beautiful person I know next to the little princess. You are not going anywhere. Do you understand?"

"Yes." She nodded desperately as their lips crashed together love and passion present in every moment before she pulled away at the last sharp pain.

"I love you." She sobbed.

"I love you and Emma and Phoebe more than anything."

"Here she comes! ONE MORE!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH." She gave one last piercing cry before collapsing against the pillows and for one moment the room was filled with a deafening silence.

"David?" David is she ok? Why isn't she crying?"

"Don't panic Mommy she's just a little shocked." The midwife said clearing her airway until the loud cries of baby Emma Ruth Nolan could be heard

"OH MY GOD BABY YOU DID IT." David said completely elated as he cuts the cord and is passed the 4.51b bundle now wrapped in a purple blanket. (It turns out his wife was a week or two more pregnant than they thought)

He rocks her in his arms slowly before bending over to pass Emma gently to his Snow White.

"Oh hello my sweet, sweet Emma."

She can only stare at this unique little being that they made as her child grips her tiny fingers onto her own.

"Congratulations. We'll give her some oxygen in a few minutes and monitor her progress over the next few days." Dr Whale says before leaving the family and the midwife alone.

"Do you have to put her in that?" Mary-Margaret groaned.

"Unfortunately, but, I'll let you give her a feed and cuddle first. And the put her right next to you."

"Rose you're a gem." David beamed.

"I'll be back in five."

As Emma latched on and suckled lightly making pleasing gurgling sounds David placed a kiss on the side of her head and then Mary-Margaret's.

"Thank you for giving me her."

"What?" Mary-Margaret rubbed her nose against his and kissed his scar. "It was a team effort."

"You gave her life."

"We gave her life."

"Daddy was my hero Emma." "I love him so much. As much as I love you." She cooed to their child.

"The feeling is entirely mutual." He turned her slowly and gave her the longest, most assured kiss in their entire relationship. So she would know how much he loved them. The world could end, a curse could be enacted but, none of it would EVER, EVER matter because he had a family and he was never going to let anything happen to them.

"Mom would have loved to have been here." He says a little choked up as Rose returns and places a wriggling Emma in the incubator giving her a short blast of oxygen before dutifully wheeling her over to her parents and then leaving them in peace.

"She was." Mary-Margaret stroked his face and ran her fingers through his hair while staring at the grandchild she knew would be forever adored even from heaven.

"She was."

"We're a family." He said with such conviction and pride they both thought their knees might buckle.

"We always were. From the moment I saw you."

Somewhere Ruth Nolan was smiling over the family she treasured.

"Ruth? Are you ready my love?"

"Yes, I'm ready."

"I love you all."

"Always."

So sorry it's short promise to give you a nice few closing chapters to make up for it as I think they're naturally getting close to their Happy Ending. x