Braxton hicks contractions, also known as prodromal labor or practice contractions, or incorrectly as false labor, are sporadic uterine contractions that sometimes start around six weeks into a pregnancy. However, they are not usually felt until the second or third trimester of pregnancy.


Dr Natsu Dragneel was a cardiothoracic surgeon; his work was in a controlled environment with a beating organ. Thus, in the first few years of medical school, he never understood how obstetricians and midwives were part of the school of medicine.

Obstetricians, in his eyes, only stood around, waiting to catch the baby…well that is what he thought before he saw them in action.


Even at 39 weeks pregnant, Dr Erza Scarlet was still waddling down the halls of Magnolia General Hospital checking in on her patients. Of course, Hospital Management, AKA Makarov Dreyar, banned Erza from entering an operating room.

She was denied her passion, her addiction. To say she was pissed, would be an understatement.

Of course having a husband who constantly found new ways to ask her if she and the baby were okay, did not help the situation. Said pink-haired doctor kept hinting for her to take her maternity leave, but she was as stubborn as a mule, which happened to be almost 40 weeks pregnant.

"Why don't you go rest a bit, Erza? I'll check on your patients for you." He slowed his pace to walk beside her as she was slowly making her way to the ICU.

"Natsu, how many times do I have to tell you I'm totally fine. I can handle myself." Huffing as she moved at a snail's pace.

"I know you can, I'm just worried about the little guy deciding to make a surprise appearance and you being too tired to bring him into the world."

Since Erza hit the second trimester both his future-parents started refer to the fetus as a boy, neither knew why, but to them it just felt as if they were having a boy. The trust they had in their own intuition wasn't even confirmed, as they never asked to have the baby's gender revealed. Erza, of course, was silently hoping for a mini Natsu, just so her dream, she had so long ago, could come true.

"Oh, would you stop stressing. Both Rai and I are totally fine the way we are now. I don't think he wants out." Her smile as she talked about Rai only increased, as her hand slowly rubbed circles on her bulging stomach.

"I just want you to rest a bit. It's the job of the father to worry about stuff like this." Natsu's worried scowl had not disappeared at all in the last few week as he was too concerned about his red-haired wife, seeing as she wasn't worrying at all.

Together they reached the nurses' station of the ICU, seeing Juvia behind it, updating the charts.

"Morning Juvia." Natsu greeted his wife's best friend.

Juvia looked up from her charts smiling; only to frown when she saw Erza standing with a chart in hand. "Morning Natsu…Erza, why aren't you at home?" The pregnant doctor did not answer. "Natsu, why isn't your very pregnant wife at home?"

"I tried Juvia, she's as stubborn as Mirajane with a hangover."

"Both of you are overreacting. Millions of women go through this, just as I am and they are fine." Erza complained to the two critics.

"Those women-" Juvia scolded "-take maternity leave and rest a bit before their baby is born."

"Well…they are weak and you both know I'm not."

"Erza, you know why we-"

Natsu was cut off by his wife's hand. "No Natsu. What am I going to do at home? The nursery is done, not that you let me help you with it. We have enough diapers for a year, all the baby clothes are folded, and the house is spotless. There is nothing for me to do, but silently die of boredom."

"Silently my ass." Natsu grumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" Erza asked tapping her feet and crossing her arm; Already taking the mother pose.

Natsu sweat dropped "Nothing Honey."

"Thought so." She snorted and walked away.


For the next two days, both Juvia and Natsu tried to get the pregnant doctor to stay at home, but both were failing miserably. She kept running, waddling, around. From consultations to explaining to some patients what will be happening in their surgeries; she never stood still long enough to take a breath. Only after a severe Braxton Hicks had passed, did Natsu put his foot down and forced her to go home.

Her face was still contorted in pan as she rubbed her stomach, hoping the hicks would quickly pass, but they still lingered.

"Erza, I'm not kidding anymore. I'm taking you home right now to rest." Standing beside her, Natsu was worriedly studying her form.

"No, I'm fi-"

"I don't care if you think you are fine. I'm taking you home. Wait here, I'll go get your stuff." With that, he quickly disappeared towards his office. Erza exhaled and slowly walked towards the waiting room's chairs. Sitting down never felt this good.

Naturally, Erza was more than tired, exhausted, but she was too stubborn to give in and show she couldn't handle it.

However, deep down, all she wanted was to be at the hospital just a bit longer. In a few days, there'll be a new tiny human she would have to look after. Knowing that she would not be enjoying her work that much anymore, she only wanted to spend a little while longer at the hospital without a worry about a baby at home.

She'd only been sitting on the uncomfortable chair for a few minutes when the red head saw her husband rush towards her, with her bag in hand.

"Okay, got everything let's go." Without a word from her, he quickly helped her up from the chair and walked beside her as she waddled. "Oi, Juvia" Natsu quickly called over the nurse over "I'm taking Erza home; I'll be back in a bit." nodding, with a smile, she continued her work.

Unfortunately, the expectant could only made it to the lobby before Natsu's pager went berserk.

"Shit." He swore under his breath. "Mr. Urahara went into cardiac arrest."

"go." Natsu hesitated. "I'll ask Juvia to take me home. I promise. Go and save his life." With a quick peck on the lips, her ran towards his patient.

Juvia had not questioned when Erza asked her to take her home, only smiled and told the rest of the nurses that she was taking her lunch break. For a second time Erza only made it to the lobby, this time the reason wasn't a patient.

"Erza, what's wrong? Did you forget something?" Juvia looked at her friend, trying to figure out why she had suddenly stopped.

"Juvia…" Her voice cracked, "…My water just broke."


"Juvia…" Erza breathed through the contraction "Don't tell Natsu yet…he is still in surgery. If we-" Pain ripped through her abdominal.

"Erza, just think about this for one second." Juvia pleaded as she hovered near Erza. Said expectant doctor was standing next to her bed, dressed in a hospital gown, clutching th bed's frame to hold her up.

Erza straightened as the contraction passed and she breathed out a sigh of relief. "He is in surgery…even if I wanted him here - and I do - he has to save his patient's life first and foremost." Erza slowly sat down on the bed, with Juvia helping her up onto the hospital cot. "Plus, Rai knows that his dad has to be here before he can come out."

The soft pillows cradled her body as she leaned into the white fluff. The minutes passed silently, until another contraction hit Erza with a ton of bricks.

"Ow…"

"Afternoon Erza." Dr Heartfilia said as she walked into the room. "How are we holding up?"

"Definitely a six on the pain scale." Erza cringed at the pain. "Maybe an eight." A cold wet cloth was placed on Erza's head. "Thanks Juvia."

"Oki doki…let's see how it's going down here, shall we?" A few seconds passed. "Well you are already at 7 centimeters…your labor is progressing fast, not much longer now." Dr Heartfilia said; full of confidence.

"What? No…Natsu isn't here yet." Her frantic gaze turned to Juvia.

"Don't worry. I'll go get him." With that, her best friend departed on the mission to find her pink-haired husband.


Pulling off his scrub cap, Natsu sighed in exhaustion. An emergency surgery was never a fun thing. Five grueling hours later and Mr. Urahara was stable once more. Natsu could feel his body needed to rest at the thought of going home to his wife and curling up next to her; he just wanted to go home even more.

Stepping out of the OR, Natsu immediately noticed Juvia pacing up and down the hallway, oblivious to his presence. "Juvia what are you doing here?"

She jumped at his voice, turning around to see him. "N-Natsu." She breathed in slowly as if trying to calm herself down.

"Juvia…" Natsu's eyes narrowed at the sight of her frantic movements. "What happened?"

The small bluette looked him in the eye, silently apologizing. "Erza went into labor five hours ago."

Needless to say, Natsu froze.

"Natsu?"

Snapping back to reality, the soon-to-be-father ran off toward the maternity ward. The corridors weren't that crowded, but the nurses and doctors that were there all shouted a warning as Natsu passed them in a blur. Even in his frantic state, Natsu managed to run up the stairs, without tripping.

Bursting through the doors of the maternity ward, Natsu came face to face with Dr Heartfilia, Erza obstetrician. "Glad you could join us, Dr Dragneel." She smiled. "Your wife's already at 9 centimeters, I'd say you made it in the nick of time." Together, both doctors walked toward his wife's room, Natsu going slightly faster.

"Erza." He breathed. His red-haired wife leaned against her pillows, breathing through yet another contraction.

"Natsu…" She gritted the words as the pain only increased. "You made it."

Without a word, only a sigh of relief, Natsu headed towards the bed and climbed up to sit behind Erza. With her back against his chest, Erza breathed easily for the first time in five hours. "I wouldn't miss it for the world." Natsu said with a kiss on her head.

"Well, looks like it's time."


"Okay Erza, Push!" The doctor shouted. Giving Erza the incentive to build up the energy to continue. A scream ripped from her lips as it felt like her body was being torn apart from the inside. Her hands were grasping tightly onto Natsu's bigger ones as the pain tore through her. "Push Erza."

Exhaustion was the biggest problem for her, as her body didn't have the strength anymore. Instantly, Erza regretted not going home to rest earlier. "Come on princess," Natsu whispered in her ear. "You can do it, just a few more."

"Argh!" Her fingers dug into Natsu's hands as she willed more energy into delivering their baby/ The contraction ended and Erza sun into Natsu's chest, breathing heavily.

"That's it babe." The soon-to-be-father kissed her on the head again, as her hands relaxed for a moment.

"Only a few more Erza. One. Two. Three. Push!"

And so, Erza did, for another 30 minutes, before Dr Heartfilia said the baby's head was crowning.

"Come on Rai…Help your mother out here." With Natsu's voice behind her, spurring her on, Erza gave a few more pushes before the crying melody of their baby was heard.

"Congratulations, it's a boy."

The new mother sagged into her husband of a pillow, as she heard her baby's first cry, even tearing up herself. "He's finally here. You did well princess." She heard her husband's words and felt his kiss on her cheek.

With the after birth done and baby Rai weighed and checked, the nurse brought him back to his exhausted parents, wrapped in a pale blue blanket. The squirming infant was placed in his mother's arms.

"Welcome to the world, Rai."


A/N: This chapter was the most taxing thing I have ever written in my life *long sigh* glad it's done though…This marks the second last chapter of this story, there will be the finishing chapter next week and then a new story will be rotated in this one's place…Hope you all enjoyed this story and has as much fun reading it as I had writing it! I will see you all in my next chapter and hope you have a good week!