Chapter 20

Sookie screamed in pain as Sam held her down while Dr. Ludwig worked on Sookie's delivery. Eric stood on the other side, trying to hold Sookie up as she kept pushing with all her might. She was exhausted, her body giving up with each push she took.

"Keep pushing Ms. Stackhouse!" Dr. Ludwig said firmly "We are almost there!"

Sookie could feel the sweat pouring down her back as Sam pushed her hair away from her sweat covered skull. Her face was rosy pink as her eyes were bloodshot from the lack of sleep. She could feel her body shaking from the stress of the labor. Sookie knew she couldn't make it through this...

"Keep going Sook, everything's okay. Just keep pushing" Sam said in her ear. Bill and Pam helped the doctor with her instruments, and Sookie could just see the worry on everyone's faces. Alcide paced around the room, refusing to leave until he knew Sookie was going to be alright. But even Dr. Ludwig didn't know that, she didn't even know if Sookie was going to survive...

"Sam" Sookie said in deep breaths "You have to promise me...you too Eric..." she said trying to not pass out "You have to promise, all of you...promise to take care of her if I don't..."

"We promise Sookie" Eric said quietly "But that's not going to happen."

"Promise me Bill" Sookie said looking up at her first lover.

"I promise Sookie" Bill said with sad eyes.

"I promise" Pam said quietly.

"Alcide" Sookie gasped "Promise!"

"You know I will" Alcide said looking away, ashamed he couldn't help Sookie in some way.

Suddenly, Sookie felt a wave rush through her, an awesome power she had only felt once before. Rain started to pour outside, literally pounding down on the ground as Alcide looked out of the window.

"Holy shit" Alcide said "There must be fifty people out there."

"What?" Sookie gasped.

"They are here for the birth" the doctor said "Now get back over here and hold her knee."

Sookie could feel with her mind all the people outside, werewolves, shifters, vampires, even fairies now. All of them waiting anxiously...all with one thing on their mind. Alcide firmly placed his hands on Sookie's knee while Pam held the other. Bill came up beside Sam and helped hold Sookie's head up from falling back.

"Ms. Stackhouse you need to push!" Dr. Ludwig insisited.

Sookie pushed with all her might, trying to concentrate as the rain slammed against the window while thunder roared and lighting crashed in the sky.

"Please" Sookie said to herself "Please let no bad happen..."

Sookie gave one last push with a cry, her energy drained as her body gave out. She felt something slip out of her, a blinding light that lit up the entire room. Sookie didn't know if it was the lighting, or the power going out or what...but the light stayed in the room, blinding everyone.

And then, it vanished, and Sookie could hear the healthy wailing of a child.

"It's a girl!" Dr. Ludwig pronounced.

"It's a girl Sookie!" Sam said kissing her head. Sookie could feel the smile on her face, happy to be alive, happy that her baby was alive. Dr. Ludwig cleaned Sookie up while Pam wrapped the baby in a soft pink towel, handing her gently to Sookie as Eric propped her up in the bed.

Time seemed to stand still to Sookie as her arms took in this precious object that had been growing inside of her for almost a month and a half. Ten tiny little fingers, and ten tiny little toes sprouted out from perfect little hands and feet, while a pudgy body lay still and breathing as it was wrapped up gently in the towel. Sookie could see a cute button nose and rosy pink lips with two perfect ears with only a small hint of a point at the tips, and golden curls that were already plastered on the baby's head. But the eyes were what caught Sookie.

Slowly, they opened, two beautiful round oval's that focused right on Sookie, the brightest, most bluest of blue eyes Sookie had ever seen. And they knew her, just as Sookie knew them.

"Hello baby..." Sookie said quietly "I'm your momma. I have been dreaming about you, my whole life..."

The baby looked at Sookie and smiled as only a baby would smile at their mother. It seemed impossible, having only been minutes old, but this was no ordinary baby.

It knew Sookie, knew her voice and her smell. It knew her face before it had ever even seen it.

"Sookie?" Sam said quietly beside her.

"Sam" Sookie said looking up at him with a wide smile "She's so beautiful."

"What are you going to name her?" Sam said softly.

Sookie looked down at her baby and knew exactly what her name was.

"Adele" Sookie said smiling as she touched the cheek of her baby girl "Her name's Adele."

"That's a good name" Sam said getting choked up.

"Yes" Bill said wiping away some red tears "A very good name indeed. Your grandmother would have loved that."

Sookie looked at everyone in the room, her friends that she had good times and bad times with, all now here in the presence of one of the most important things that had ever happened in the history of time. This was Adele's family.

"Thank you" Sookie said softly as Adele cooed in her arms "Thank you all for being here. But you have to still keep your promises" she said looking down at her daughter "Adele's going to need all the help she can get, and I know I can't do it alone. We need to stick together...we need to be a family for her."

Alcide, Pam, Bill, Eric, and Sam all nodded their heads, knowing the silent pact they were making. They would help raise this child, this incredible, powerful child. They would define her destiny and help her make the choices for a better world for humans and supernaturals.

"Your going to do great things Adele Stackhouse" Sookie said quietly "Great things."

*Thanks for reading and stay tuned for the next story Knock Em' Dead!*