Chapter 26

I don't own Lucian

So sorry about the mix up this morning. FF was being weird and it wouldn't post the chapter. That's why the link wasn't working.

Yes two updates in a row! Glad you all enjoyed yesterday's chapter and if you haven't seen it, go read it because it is a very special chapter! :) Enjoy Baby Harding!

Ian's POV

Lucy has been screaming in pain ever since we got in the back of her mother's car. After I had rushed Lucy inside the hospital several nurses rushed over with a bed for me to lay Lucy down on as they hurried her to a room in the delivery ward. I've been standing anxiously in the waiting room for a nurse or a doctor to come get me. They said they needed to get Lucy settled and I needed to leave the room as they were getting everything in order. Lucy's parents have since joined me in the waiting room having parked the car and scurried into the building. Julie went ahead and called Maggie to tell her to round everyone up and bring them up to the hospital because she is pretty sure it's happening.

So many thought are running through my head I cannot think straight or even process everything. Brea is early. She is over a week early. I am terrified something may be wrong. I know babies are born before their due date all the time and things turn out okay, but it is a completely different situation when it comes to my own daughter.

I have been sitting here in the waiting room running my hands through my hair aggressively. Both Julie and Tim have been trying to assure me everything will be just fine and not to stress out over it.

"Ian? Ian Harding?" A panicked voice rings out loudly to the open waiting area.

I jump up from my seat. My heart pounds furiously in my chest at the panic in her tone. "Yes, yes that's me. What's wrong? Can I see my wife now?" I ask rushed, so rushed my words probably jumbled together.

"I need you to come with me please. Your wife is demanding we get you and she is in hysterics right now. The nurses were trying to change her out of her clothes and into a gown but she isn't having any part of it. She has been screaming your name for the past five minutes." The young nurse wrings her hands nervously. She appears to be in her early twenties with blonde hair pulled back into a pony tail. Quite short too, about the height of Lucy.

My heart instantly drops to my stomach at what she just told me. Ever since the kidnapping incident where that bastard ripped off Lucy's dress she has never let anyone assist her in undressing. No matter how pregnant she was in the situation and how much help she may have needed getting a back zipper undone or anything of that nature, she would refuse until I was able to do so.

The other day she had worn a dress that zipped up the back thus requiring me to zip it all the way up for her. She had been with Julie and Maggie all day and I was out spending some time with my parents for the day. The underwire—or whatever she called it—in her bra snapped or broke somehow so instead of asking one of them to help her unzip her dress she waiting over eight hours for me to return to the house and do it. I asked her if she was okay because I know if I had to sit with a metal wire poking me and digging into my skin I sure as hell wouldn't be pleased, let alone while pregnant. Lucy's breasts are already highly sensitive and sore I have no idea how she dealt with the discomfort.

As soon as I had gotten home she took me upstairs to her bedroom and made me get her out of the dress and that "god damn bra that has been hurting like a bitch all day" and many other profanities. Lucy hardly ever swears like that, only when she is in some sort of pain, no matter how small. She'll say the occasional curse word in a conversation but nothing lewd. I remember asking her why she didn't ask her mom to unzip her dress for her. All Lucy did was shrug her shoulders in return and downcast her gaze.

The nurse and I rush down the halls until she leads me to one of the hospital rooms where I instantly hear Lucy's cries for me. She looks like she is in so much pain.

"We need to get her changed and see how dilated she is." One of the doctors say as soon as I am inside the room.

"Okay, just give me a couple minutes and she'll be ready." I smile politely at the female doctor. She calls the nurses who had been attempting to calm Lucy down out of the room leaving it to just Lucy and me.

"Are you okay baby?"

"No! This hurts so much Ian. I want the pain to go away. The contractions feel like they are never ending. I've never felt this much pain in my life." Lucy sobs loudly.

"We need to get you changed into a gown then they will get you an epidural and the pain will dissipate. Now breathe for me baby, alright? Take deep breaths and relax for me." I say in a soothing manner hoping to calm her.

I undress and redress Lucy as quickly as I can. I fold up her clothes she had been wearing and sit them down on the chair by the window. Thankfully Lucy has a single room. If it had been a shared room I would have had her switched to a private room in no time.

"Ian?" Lucy whispers lowly between contractions.

"Yes honey?" I turn to give her my full attention.

"I know this sounds bad, but there is a couple male nurses who were in here. Is there any way you can ask the head doctor if they cannot be in here? It's just… awkward and uncomfortable to have any other male in the delivery room other than you." Lucy chews on her bottom lip nervously.

I nod my head in assurance and tell her I'll take care of it. Not a second later another contraction hits and Lucy is clutching her stomach with one hand and holds a death grip on my hands with her other hand. The moment it passes I tell Lucy I am going to get the doctor. She and the nurses were waiting out in the hallway for Lucy to be ready. I discreetly talk to the woman who is clearly the doctor. She introduced herself as Samantha. Samantha is tall, almost my height, black hair straighten to a point down to her shoulders. She was very understanding about the situation and had the two male nurses leave to go check on another patient.

"Can I please have an epidural already? Or something!" Lucy screeches in desperation during another contraction.

"Actually Mrs. Harding, it is too late for that." Samantha replies.

"What?" Lucy all but screams. "What do you mean too late?"

"You are already 9 cm dilated. Your baby is coming right now."

"But isn't labor supposed to be long and drawn out or something?" Lucy questions with a look of fear clearly evident on her face.

"Sometimes, yes. However it seems your daughter wants to come right now. You said you were up most of the night with discomfort. It is highly likely you were in the early stages of labor and just didn't know it since it wasn't severe."

"Well it sure as hell is severe now!" If Lucy weren't in so much pain right now I would have allowed myself to chuckle at her responses.

Samantha says they need to rush Lucy into deliver since she is going to pushing any minute now. Everything happened so fast. We rush to a delivery room where Lucy is situated to state pushing. Samantha is sitting on a wheelie chair in front of Lucy ready to guide Lucy. The nurses are by her side to offer any help Samantha may require. I am standing next to Lucy with my hand clasped firmly in hers.

Lucy has started pushing and I swear I have never hears Lucy curse such profanities in my life nor have I heard her scream as much as she has been. The contractions were rough and once she started pushing the screams got louder.

"I swear to fucking god I am never having sex with you again! You did this to me you son of a bitch." Lucy curses in spite. I know Lucy doesn't mean anything that has been coming out of her mouth or even anything that will be coming out of her mouth for the next bit but I can't help but gawk at some of the things she has said so far.

"Come on Lucy I can just about see the head. You're doing great. Ready push again on the count of three. 1…2…3… Push." Samantha encourages. Lucy squeezes on my hand roughly as she pushes.

"Agh!" Lucy screams in pain.

I hate having to stand here and watch her in such pain. I can never see her in pain but the fact that there is nothing I can do to help her is tearing me apart. I feel like a horrible husband because I promised her long ago I would always take the pain away if something were to happen and here I am unable to fulfil that promise. Lucy continues to breathe deeply between pushes.

"Alright Lucy, now this is going to be the big part. It's time for the shoulders."

Lucy struggles with this part and I can tell she is in antagonizing pain. She has tears in her eyes and her face portrays her great discomfort.

"I can't do it." Lucy cries, shaking her head. "I can't. It hurts too much."

"You can do it baby. Come on I know you can. Try again for me, please? The shoulders are the hardest part and then it's pretty calm after that." I turn to look Samantha, "Right?"

Samantha nods her head in agreement. "You're so close Lucy. I need a big push now. Ready, go."

Lucy tries but instantly shakes her head and sobs. "I can't. I really can't do it. There is too much pain. I'm sorry!"

"Shhhh it's okay honey. It's okay. Take a deep breath for me. Close your eyes and take deep breaths."

Going with my first instinct I scoot Lucy forward a tad then awkwardly climb up on the bed behind Lucy. My legs rest on each side of her with her back up against my chest. I tell Lucy to grab on to the underside of my knees and she can squeeze the hell out of them for the time being. I untie the bottom string to her hospital gown to expose her lower back for my hands and eye sight only. My warm hands slip down her back to her lower back where the pain is. My hands dance across her skin and massage her muscles and flesh attempting to bring her something pleasant to focus on.

"Does that help?" I ask Lucy softly, whispering in her ear. Lucy nods her head and sniffles. "I want you to keep your eyes shut, okay? Focus on my hands bringing you pleasure, not the pain. Think about how in just a few minutes you'll be holding our daughter in your arms for the first time."

"Okay." Lucy whispers lowly.

I look down at Samantha who is telling me Lucy needs to push right now.

"Alright Sweetheart, I need you to push now for me. Can you do that? A really big push, as hard as you can."

"I'll try," Lucy whimpers in response.

My hands continue their movements and I murmur encouraging words in her hear. Lucy lets out an ear piercing scream that was louder than all of her prior screams—hell she's never screamed this loud during sex before and I can get her to really scream sometimes. There is no doubt she's a singer with the lungs she's using right now to carry these loud screams.

"That's it Lucy, great job. Just one more big push like that and you'll be holding your little girl." Samantha praises Lucy.

"Come on baby I know you can do it. You've done so well so far. One more. Just one more for us."

With her nails dug as deep as they can go into my legs Lucy gives the last push needed and the room is soon filled with the loud cries of our little girl.

"Finally!" Lucy groans and collapse back against me.

"Ian, would you like to cut the cord?" Samantha asks. I nod my head yes and climb out from behind Lucy to cut it. They wrap Brea in a cloth for us to hold her before they wash her up. One of the nurses hands her to me and my eyes fill with tears. She is beautiful.

"My little girl," I cry overjoyed. She is tiny.

I shift up the bed to Lucy and lean Brea down so she can hold her too. We coo over her in complete awe until we are interrupted by Samantha.

"Alright we need to take her to get cleaned up, weighed, and measured. Then you two can spend all the time together you'd like. I'm going to have Emmalee take her for you."

I frown at her words. I don't want to let go of Brea.

"Ian, stay with her. I don't want Brea out of our sight for even a second. Go with Emmalee and never take your eyes off of Brea, okay? I'll be fine by myself for a bit, take care of our baby girl right now." Lucy says with a nod pushing me towards the 5'5 brunette in light pink scrubs.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?" I ask hesitantly. I'm torn on what to do. I know I need to stay with Brea to ensure nothing happens but on the other hand I don't want to leave Lucy alone.

"Yes, go clean up and measure our baby."

I lean down to place a kiss to her lips before walking out of the delivery room with Brea in my arms. Emmalee leads me across the hall to the main baby station area where she cleans Brea up, weighs her, puts a diaper on her, and measures her tiny little body.

She has me watch Brea while she prints off her little wrist band. When she returns, Emmalee fastens the ID band on Brea's little ankle.

"Can I have your wrist please?"

"Uh sure." I hold up my left wrist for her. She loops a band on me as well. "What's this for?" I ask curiously.

"I also have on for your wife. These are for the parents so they can come in here whenever they like to get their baby or if they want to sit in the rocking chairs, whatever they like. It's just a security measure that tells us which baby is yours."

"Oh, okay." I nod my head content with her answer. I'm a parent. I am officially a father.

"So uh how much does childbirth hurt without the epidural? I know it hurts ungodly but like how long does the woman have pain?"

"Your wife had a completely natural birth and with her small frame she most likely is still in a great deal of pain. She'll probably be sore for at least a few days then it'll just be more discomfort rather than a strong pain. It also depends on the woman since everyone is different, but that is the basic timing."

A few days at least? Poor Lucy. Hopefully if she stays laying down or sitting the pain won't be too intense for her. I couldn't imagine experiencing the pain she had to endure tonight.

Emmalee slips the tiniest pink socks on Brea's feet and the smallest pink hat for her itty bitty head then swaddles her up in a white blanket. Emmalee turns to hand Brea over to me with a smile on her face.

"Alright let's go see if they have your wife settled back in her room yet."

Emmalee leads me out of the nursery and down to where Lucy's original room. Lucy is sitting in bed with the covers pulled up to her stomach. Her smile widens when she sees us enter the room.

"Brea Harding is a whopping six pounds nine ounces and right at eighteen inches. Our baby girl is tiny but also the healthiest little girl. Born at 2:15am. " I proudly walk over to Lucy with the biggest grin on my lips.

Lucy anxiously reaches her arms out to take Brea. Tears fill her eyes and spill over her cheeks. Lucy repeatedly kisses Brea's forehead. Brea's eyes flutter open as Lucy is cooing over her.

"She hadn't opened her eyes yet. She must have been waiting for her mommy."

Lucy stares at Brea in complete astonishment. Neither of us know how to form words or what to even say. Brea has think dark brown hair already. She has Lucy's cute little nose, her petite stature, my jawline, and my blue eyes. Well actually all babies eyes are blue when they are first born, at least that's what my mom said, but I hope she has my eyes. However, at the same time I really want Brea to have her mommy's capturing green eyes.

"They're so blue. I know we won't know for sure just yet but I have a feeling she has your eyes." Lucy muses. "God I can't get over how small she is!"

"She's precious. Clearly she wanted to be born with a part of her mommy which is why she decided to come now where she is surrounded by family rather than back in LA."

"This is the hospital I was born in. Well we already know she got my strong headedness. That's going to be a handful to deal with when she's older." Lucy laughs lightheartedly.

A nurse comes in with the paperwork for Brea's birth certificate. After Lucy fills in all of the necessary information the nurse takes the paperwork back to go file it. I give Brea back to Lucy and tell her I'll go get everyone.

Walking out into the waiting room I see everyone is spread out in the chairs in an attempt to find a comfortable spot. It seems everyone has drifted to sleep aside from my mom and Julie. I smile at the sight of the two of them waiting anxiously for me to walk in there and tell them if their first grandbaby has arrived. The both of them jump up from their chairs and scurry over to me as soon as they see me walking their way. I can't even keep the smile off of my face.

"Is she here? Did Lucy already give birth?"

"She did, yes. The baby is perfect. She is so precious and little. Almost right after they got Lucy back there they said it was time for delivery. You're welcome to come back and see her." We share a look at everyone else and decide we'll wake them up shortly.

I lead them down to Lucy's room and it is like battle of the grandmother, who will get to the baby first. They both coo over Brea's name—though Julie already knew it. The four of us continue to pass Brea back in forth due to none of us being able to get enough of her.

Before long we wake up everyone else and they come see Brea for a bit. We sent everyone home before 3am telling them to get their rest. After they left Lucy feeds Brea for the first time just like the nurses taught her how to, I change her diaper, and we get her settled. I think we're lucky when it comes with Brea acting sleepy. Lucy sang her to sleep cradled against her chest and it just melted our hearts. I asked Emmalee if Brea could sleep in the room with us rather than in the nursery and she said that would be fine. She realized Lucy and I were celebrities yet she kept completely professional and promised not to tell the other nurses.

She wheeled the little basinet into our room for Brea to sleep in next to us. I gently lay Brea down after kissing her forehead and climb in bed with Lucy. Since Lucy is breastfeeding we switched her hospital gown around so it unties in the front allowing her easier access to feed Brea.

I lie on my left side on the near edge of this twin bed looking down at Lucy who is on her back. I slip my hand inside her gown to caress her stomach slowly. Lucy's eyelids flutter closed at the feeling and she sighs in contentment. My hand drifts down to her waistline where my hands soothingly stroke as a source of relaxing her pain.

"You were amazing tonight. I am so proud of you, Lucy."

"It hurt so much but getting to hold her in my arms and see our little princess made me forget all the pain I endured."

I nuzzle my head in the crook of her neck to place a gentle kiss on her neck. "Thank you for giving me such a beautiful daughter. I love you, Lucy."

"I love you, too, Ian." Lucy mumbles clearly drowsy. My hand continues its motions even after I've lulled her to sleep. I lay here with the two most important things in my life fast asleep right here with me.

That day made it official. Monday morning on 11/27/17 at 2:15 am Brea Rose Harding was born to the parents of Ian and Lucy Harding in Memphis, Tennessee.

Okay so how was that? Little Brea is finally here! Let me know what you guys thought! I am excited for you guys to see what I have coming up. Thank you for all of the reviews. I can't believe I am almost to 700!

If I am at 720 reviews I will post next Friday :)