"Not long now." Friga promised, covering my knees as Loki chose his place next to me, and put one arm around my back to hold both my hands. I rested my head on his chest.
"You are bad-ass." I smiled weakly ( this was tiring!).
"You can't call me that in front of these guys." He cautioned, indicating my swollen stomach and taking in a nervous breath.
"Good you're-" I was interrupted by a contraction, "-nervous too."
Friga moved the sheet over my knees again. "Next contraction," she said, "push."
Fear was all I felt. Blinding panic, Loki's cold hands and fire. I pushed. I felt everything. I didn't stop until Friga said to.
"Good!" she exclaimed, and I could feel the support she was giving my half-way-to-born son or daughter. Second contraction – relief. I didn't notice the umbilical chord being severed – I'd clapped eyes onto my son. Friga took him and I panicked as another contraction hit me. There was movement but I didn't feel like I should push.
Friga briefly cleaned our crying son over a golden basin a few feet away, wrapped him in a gold blanket and passed him to Loki. Loki had released my hands and adjusted his seating position. We marvelled at him.
"Not yet." Friga warned from my knees – I hadn't realised I'd done anything. Maybe she was talking to herself, but thank God she had said something; I almost forgot I was only half way through this. Loki took my hand again, one arm against mine as the other cradled our still crying boy. Loki kissed my cheek and I started crying too. I didn't know what to do with myself; I was so over whelmed with –
"This time push." Friga ordered and I felt her fingers pressing ever so slightly (and uncomfortably) inside of me.
"Is everything okay?" I started to ask.
"Just push." She insisted. The contraction hit and I bore down, squeezing Loki's hand to crushing point. This time I felt Friga pulling, gently helping and finally they were both here together.
Again Friga took our baby aside, but this time I missed the sex.
"What is it?" I panted.
"A daughter." Loki hummed to me, leaning his head to mine and kissing my temple. I noted my shrinking stomach only briefly as Friga passed a baby to me.
Friga was crying. So was my daughter. And my son. I was crying. Loki was grinning like the happiest madman alive and made a good decision moving to bath his daughter and get away from all the tears. Friga showed him how and returned to me for the afterbirth. I see no need to give you more detail than that on it. Loki swapped babies with me afterwards to clean his daughter and I settled into the bed more comfortably at last.
"Sleep Sydney," Friga said softly to me. "A bath will be ready when you wake." I looked to Loki, "He's not going anywhere." She reassured me. After all of her support the last hour, I believed her.