"Levi please don't go I'm begging you, I need you here. What if I go into labour when you're gone?" She looked ready to pop and was due in two weeks. She really didn't think she could go through it without Levi. "I have to go shitty glasses stop arguing it's only going to stress you out more and the newlyweds are here." He referred to the two young lovers irritatedly. They spent 85% of their time in their room and when they weren't in there they just held hands and snuggled and acted mushy. It was disgusting at least to Levi. He wouldn't be surprised that in the two months they'd been married if they already had a baby on the way. He wasn't positive that that was what they did all the time in there but it seemed likely. "And you aren't due for two more weeks, you'll be fine." He ruffled her hair gently before turning around and walking out. "I love you shitty glasses stay safe."
Hanji sat down in the corner of the room tears filling her eyes. She didn't want him to go away for three days so much could happen in three days. So many things go go wrong. So many things could happen to her or worse him. She didn't think she could live with it if he was gone. Sure she'd have to try for her baby but it'd be hard and near impossible. She wanted him to stay she'd begged and pleaded for the past week. She really thought if she cried long and hard enough he'd see reason. She wanted him to be there to raise their baby and she was terrified every time he left. What if he didn't come back. He wasn't always careful. She was sure he was a bit more careful now or at least she hoped he was. She knew that he at least got the same treatment as all the soldiers, once the baby was born he'd get two months of leave. She'd need his help for sure.
She headed upstairs to her room. She just wanted to lay down for awhile. She was so tired and every part of her was swollen and her back hurt like crazy. Levi was gone and she didn't really have anyone to talk to. She wasn't even really capable of working anymore period. Erwin and Levi had both yelled at her when she'd tried last week. They said anyone whose nine months pregnant shouldn't even go near a titan. She crawled into bed pulling her blanket up over her head. It didn't matter that it was only three in the afternoon she was just ready for bed. Ready for sleep. She slept for a long time. She slept for almost eighteen hours straight. The only reason she woke up at all was the sudden pain she felt. Worse than anything she'd ever felt. More so then any injury she'd ever had, and she'd had plenty working so closely with dangerous creatures. She managed not to scream as the pain slowly subsided. "It was just a fluke, I'm fine I'm fine." She slowly got up hoping the pain would stop. She refused to give birth without Levi there. She needed him around to support her.
She went down the stairs to see Annie clutching a cup of coffee and Armin attempting to cook them breakfast. "Good morning Hanji, would you like some toast? I also have some eggs and potatoes on the stove." He put a cup of coffee in front of her as she took a deep breath the pain coming back. She hid it well and neither of the young lovers suspected anything. Armin was wearing a goofy grin and Annie was just sitting there wide eyed and silent. That wasn't unusual necessarily but the way she was staring was. She brushed it off. Annie was just having a flashback and Armin hadn't noticed yet. It'd happened several times since the two had been living there. Armin would pull her out of it shortly. She thought this to herself as the pain came back. It was worse now and she doubled over in pain letting out a small scream.
Ten minutes that was ten minutes." She didn't get up she was hurting to much as the contraction continued it was longer than the others. "Damnit Levi why did you leave." She started to cry on the floor rocking back and forth. Annie suddenly woke up and ran over. "Armin Armin come here we have to move Hanji." She did her best to lift the woman on her own. She was able to partially succeed. Armin shut off the stove and grabbed her other side as Hanji cried loudly not even paying attention to the two teenagers dragging her up the stairs. "We're going to put you in your bed Hanji." Annie was trying to speak calmly. "Then Armin's going to find a doctor?" She looked at him and he nodded. He'd absolutely go. Annie wasn't necessarily touchy feely but she was a woman so she might be some sort of comfort. They got her into her bed and Armin started to run down the stairs. He felt bad for her. He vowed if he and Annie had children he'd never do this to her.
Annie sat next to Hanji terrified. What if she had the baby before Armin got back with the doctor. That would be worse then even the father being gone. Hanji suddenly began shouting orders at her through her screams. "Annie go go boil some water now." She screamed again tears flowing down her face. "And any sort of clean blanket or towel it doesn't matter which. aaaaaaaa it hurts." Annie ran to get the water Hanji going to die? She'd never even seen a pregnant woman before her. She started heating the water listening to the blood curdling screams. It was awful. It was scary, it sounded like a mix between a titan roar and a howling demon. She shuddered trying to block it out. "Okay it's hot enough." She poured the water in a big bowl and brought it back up carefully. before going and finding a clean sheet. "I I got what you asked for." She still looked frightened as she set the bowl down and Hanji just moaned in response. The contractions were constant now. Less than two minutes apart.
"Annie, I'm sorry but but the baby's coming now." She screamed again not knowing what to do. "What what should I do? I'm I'm not a doctor." "Damnit Annie you you have to catch it." She was yelling as the normally stoic girl trembled. She walked towards the edge of the bed. She had at least some first aid training, but it was the bare minimum all recruits got. Then never went over anything like this because it wasn't their job to deliver babies it was a doctors. "Annie it's it's okay I know this is scary and it's not your job, but I need you to to help with this." She groaned shutting her eyes tightly just wanting it to end. "Now I'm I'm going to pus and you'll have to catch the baby so it doesn't break it's neck." Hanji had obviously had way more medical training then Annie. She positioned herself in the correct spot trying not to be grossed out. She'd never really spent too much time dwelling on children and pregnancy. Now being in the thick of things standing in for a doctor to a woman giving birth mad her fear having any child of her own.
It was an hour of blood sweat and screaming before Annie held the blood covered infant in her hands. It'd started screaming the moment it was born and the cord was still attached. They didn't have a way to cut it safely. That would have to wait until a doctor came. "Is it a boy or a girl." Hanji muttered still panting a bit as Annie just stared. "It's it's a little girl." She instinctively grabbed the clean sheet and washed the baby off as best she could before handing her to her mother. "Hi Petra, it took you long enough didn't it?" She had the baby on her chest where Annie had placed her. Her hair was still matted and she was still a bit dirty but she'd done the best she could with the cord still attached. The baby had dark black hair like her dad, but wide brown eyes that always looked alert and curious. "Good thing she didn't get her dad's angry eyes huh." Hanji smiled stroking the baby's hair gently. "I wish Levi were here to see her." He'd be so upset that she came early but he'd love her so much. Even if he wanted a boy.
Annie suddenly heard Armin and ran down the stairs to get the doctor disregarding the fact that she looked pretty bloody and hysterical too. "Armin the the baby Hanji Petra cord." She was panting and talking so fast he couldn't understand a word of what she said. She ended up just pointing to the stairs and the doctor went up finding Hanji on the second try.
Annie sat down in the nearest chair Armin joining her noticing all the blood. "Was the baby born okay?" She nodded silently. He just sat next to her for awhile wrapping his arms around her. He could tell she'd been scared pretty badly. She'd just delivered another woman's baby with no training.
The doctor came down about an hour later, Armin and Annie had barely said a word to each other. "You young lady?" He pointed to Annie. "Zoe wants to speak with you about something." Annie got up and walked zombie like to the staircase and went into Hanji and Levi's room noticing it already looked a lot less like a murder scene."Annie, will you sit down please? I know someone who wants to thank you for your bravery today." She sat on the assigned chair and gently took the baby. "Levi and I are naming her Petra Annie Ackerman, to thank you for the bravery and kindness you showed I want her to end up to be just as brave." She didn't care if Levi hated the middle name. Their daughter might not even be there if it weren't for the sixteen year old girl staring at the baby. Annie just sat there staring at her for a long time. Almost as if she and the baby were communicating telepathically. "Can can Armin see her?" Annie asked before even thinking about letting the baby out of the room. Hanji nodded. "You can take her just be careful of her head."
Levi walked in the door throwing his bag on the floor running upstairs. He had to see if what he heard was true. Had Hanji really had the baby while he was away? His question was answered when he saw the blonde sixteen year old girl sitting in the hallway feeding Petra her bottle. She heard footsteps coming towards her and screamed a little when she saw Levi staring down at her like she was a bug. "Hello captain sir, what can I do for you?" Petra started to scream at the sudden noise as Annie stood up and comforted her. "Is that my baby?" He was very confused on why Annie was holding her instead of Hanji. "Yes Hanji's so I took her." Levi let himself into his room having Annie follow closely behind. "Hey shitty glasses wake up." He shook her shoulder lightly. "So Hanji we have a daughter?" She nodded sleepily. "Yeah we do, she loves Annie and Armin. They've been helping me." She could barely keep her eyes open. "You want to meet her?" Levi nodded and sat down. "Just make sure you give her back when your done she still has to eat." Annie was nervous about surrendering the baby to Levi but she did.
She felt in a weird way Petra was her baby too. She'd been the only other person there, she'd given the baby her first bath even. She'd done everything that Levi and the doctor would have done but Petra wasn't her baby she was there baby.
"I can't believe we have a little girl, what's her name?" He looked at Hanji as he rocked her a bit taking the bottle from Annie before she left. "Well she has a very special name, her names Petra Annie Ackerman.'' Levi smiled down at the little girl only understanding the importance of her first name. "I think that she's got a wonderful name Hanji." He finished feeding her the bottle and gushing over how cute she was. He was showing his softer side. "She's going to grow up to be very strong Levi, and very very brave."