AN: I was thinking about skipping this because labour isn't exactly… pleasant? But then I decided against it. Anyway, I'm not sure if this chapter should be rated T or an M because, you know, Annabeth's giving birth to a baby and all…
So, that's just a little warning to the young ones. If you don't want to be scarred for life and have nightmares then just skip this chapter and imagine the baby just popped out of her!
Percy
Have you ever felt excited, terrified and nervous all at the same time? Well, neither had I until now. I don't know what to do as water splashes onto the floor and Annabeth's nose wrinkles in discomfort. I thought it would be Annabeth screaming but instead it's the barman.
"She… her… the… how… oh my god!" the barman yells.
"Percy…" Annabeth gasps and clutches her stomach.
"Oh my god," I say, rushing to her side and putting my arms around her shoulders. "Someone call the hospital!"
"Percy, don't go," Annabeth begs, tears in her eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere, ever, okay? You're going to have to put up with me for the rest of your life," I reply and she chuckles through her tears before she let's out an agonizing groan while she squeezes my hand in a death grip.
"I don't think I'll be able to wait until the hospital," she says through gritted teeth.
"You can't have her here! We're in a bar," I reply. "Someone call a taxi!"
A man at the bar yells, "No one at the hospital is picking up, man."
"Shit," I mutter. "Think, Percy, think! I'll go look outside. There has to be a taxi somewhere. You stay here." I sit Annabeth down on a stool before running outside.
I run down the street, looking for a taxi but I can't see one anywhere. I run my hands through my hair and groan before running back to the bar.
"There's no taxi's around!" I yell and then notice Annabeth leaning against the bar counter, sweat swimming off of her, and mixing in with the tears that are flowing freely down her cheeks.
"Percy, she's coming now!" Annabeth yells.
"I thought it took hours," I mutter, literally pulling my hair, hating to see Annabeth in so much pain.
"It can take a few minutes, sometimes," a woman says and I groan before pulling my phone out of my pocket and dialling my mom's number.
"Hello?" my mom soon answers.
"Mom, it's me. You need to get the car and come to Larry's bar in town, Annabeth's in labour," I quickly say.
"What?" she yells. "Oh my god! Oh my god!"
"Mom, you need to get here now!"
"Paul's not here and he has the car," mom replies, her voice filled with worry.
"This can't be happening!" I yell and hang up without even saying goodbye.
"Try my dad," Annabeth gasps and I nod before dialling her dad's number and pressing my cell phone to my ear.
"Rick, you need to come to Larry's bar in town. Annabeth's in labour!" I yell. I feel like a lunatic, yelling and snapping at everyone.
"Percy? I thought you were in- never mi- Annabeth's in labour? Oh god! I'm at a park with the twins, we're miles away from town!"
I feel like crying in frustration. "Just come as soon as possible," I sigh before hanging up. I turn to Annabeth and let her grip my hand as she fights another contraction.
"They hurt," she cries after the pain passes. I kiss her forehead and push her sweaty damp hair out of her face.
"I know and I'm sorry but if it's as quick as you think it's going to be then it won't be long until we have a daughter," I reply.
"We're in a bar," she mumbles, squeezing her eyes shut and breathing heavily.
"It could be worse. You could be on your own at home or something," I say and press my lips to hers. Maybe, if she weren't in labour, then she'd kiss back but at that moment she bites my lip and groans as she fights another contraction.
By the time it passes and I pulls away my lip is bleeding. "Ow," I mutter.
"Sorry but I bet that doesn't feel as bad as this," she pants. "Can someone call the hospital again?"
"Sure," the same woman from earlier says and presses her phone to her ear.
"Let's take you into the toilet so you can have some privacy," I say and lift Annabeth into my arms before walking to the restroom.
When we get there I gently place her on the floor against the counter where the sinks are. "We need to take your trousers off," I say as I press wet tissue against her head.
She groans. "I don't want anyone to see me."
"Annabeth, it's only me here. No one else has to come in if you don't want. I will close the door so no one in bar can see you. You shouldn't be worrying about people seeing you anyway, you're in labour, think about getting this baby out."
"Argh!" she screams, grabbing my shoulder and staring into my eyes with her wide-eyed silver orbs.
"Breathe," I order. "Like the midwife said before." I demonstrate how to do the breathing and she nods, while copying me. "Good girl."
"Get this baby out of me," she moans as the contraction fades.
"I'll be right back," I say and run to the bar and up to the woman from before to see that she's talking to someone on the phone.
She notices me and hands me the phone after putting it on loudspeaker. "Hello? This is Percy," I say as I nod in thanks to the woman before running into the restroom.
"Percy? It's Annabeth's midwife. I'm doing a delivery right now but I can tell you what to do over the phone," she says. I sigh.
"Okay, okay. Just tell me what to do," I say, closing the restroom door before kneeling in front of Annabeth while settling the phone on the floor.
"First, you need to check how many centimetres dilated she is," the midwife replies.
"How do I do that?" I ask even though I have a feeling I have to…
"You need to feel with your hands. If she is ten fingers wide then it's time to push. Tell Annabeth it's going to be a little uncomfortable."
"I can hear you," Annabeth grumbles, not taking her eyes off mine. "You are going to be scarred for life," she warns.
"I'll be fine," I say nervously before helping Annabeth out of her skinny jeans and then her pants. I can't believe I'm delivering my baby in a bar restroom. This is crazy!
I bite my lip while I measure the length with my hand. Annabeth squirms uncomfortably and makes a weird noise half-whimper half-groan.
"Okay, I can only fit eight fingers," I say. "So, she's eight centimetres?"
"That's right," the midwife says. "Annabeth, you need to keep fighting the contractions until you're fully dilated then you'll have to push as hard as you can."
"Okay," Annabeth gasps before she has yet another contraction.
"Breathe," I say again and take a hand in each of mine, letting her squeeze them. I swear she just broke all of my fingers.
It's about fifteen minutes later when I check again and I'm both ecstatic and nervous when I realise that I can fit ten fingers into Annabeth. "It's time to push," I tell Annabeth. She shakes her head.
"I can't Percy," she cries.
"Annabeth, you listen to Percy. If he tells you to push you have to, okay? Do it and it will be over before you know it, I promise. Just think you'll get a gorgeous little girl after all of this," the midwife says.
"Okay," Annabeth pants.
"Okay, good," I say. "Now, hold my hand, take a deep breath and push!"
She does as I say and squeezes her eyes shut as she pushes as hard as she can. She pants when she can't hold her breath any longer as she and relaxes.
"Can you see anything?" the midwife asks. I take a look and my eyes widen.
"I can see the head," I say, smiling. "You can do this, Annabeth."
"Whatever you do, don't faint, Percy," the midwife speaks up. Annabeth's eyes widen.
"Does that happen a lot?" she asks. I can tell that she is terrified but I know anyone in her position would be. If men were the ones to have babies then the world's population would be really low.
"Only in movies but I've seen it happen a few times," the midwife replies. Annabeth frowns.
"You're no helping by telling is this, Doc," I sigh.
She chuckles. "Don't worry. Some nurses will be there soon just keep pushing."
I look at Annabeth and nod. She nods back before taking a big breath and pushing again. "Keep going. I love you, Annabeth. You can do this, Wise Girl!"
"This is your fault!" she screams as she pushes. "You did this to me. I hate you!"
"Is her saying that normal?" I ask.
"A hundred percent. Don't worry, every woman says that when their in labour," she replies. I nod even though she can't see me.
"That's okay, then," I say and take a look at Annabeth. I gasp.
"What is it?" Annabeth mutters between gasps of air.
"I can see the head and shoulders," I whisper, smiling at her in pride. "You are awesome, you know that?"
"Save the nice words for later. Just want to let you know that it'll take you at least twenty years to convince me to have another one, maybe longer," she sighs.
"Ones enough for me," I smile.
"Good. Does that mean we can have separate bedrooms?" she asks. In her state I don't know if she's serious or not.
"Umm…" I trail off. "Just push, will you?"
The midwife chuckles and says, "You're the funniest couple I've ever heard of, seriously. I actually wish I was there to watch you two."
Annabeth ignores her midwife as she pushes again. "A big one, Annabeth," I say. "She's coming."
Annabeth keeps pushing longer this time and a loud squeal fills the room as Annabeth sighs and relaxes. I gently catch the baby, happy tears filling my eyes.
"She's here," I whisper.
"Is she breathing?" the midwife asks.
"Yeah," I reply and I watch my daughter's chest rise and fall and listen to the beautiful sound of her loud cry.
"The nurses will be there soon. Stay where you are," the midwife says.
"We're not going anywhere," I say, unable to take my eyes off of the baby.
I finger her black curls and my eyes water when I'm met with silver orbs. She's a combination of both of us. "She's beautiful," I whisper just as the woman from before comes in with scissors. I thank her for letting us use her phone and then I cut the cord.
I shuffle on my knees next to an exhausted Annabeth and place our daughter in her arms. She gasps. "She's perfect," she whispers, smiling brightly. She turns to face me and without another word presses her lips to mine.
"What do you want to call her?" I ask as she pulls away.
She looks down at our daughter before saying, "I think she looks like a Melody."
"I agree," I reply, pressing my lips to my daughter's cheek.
Melody wraps her tiny hand around her mom's finger before Annabeth says, "Melody Sofia Jackson."
Review! Next chapter may possibly the epilogue. Which means... the end!