A/N: I kinda used my childbirth experience for this chapter here. (No, my daughter doesn't have the same name LOL) And thanks for reviewing!

Rose took another deep breath and let it out slowly as another contraction hit her. She'd been here for eight hours already and it was a long process. It wasn't all that surprising, as she had read and been told that the first labor was usually the longest and hardest.

"Okay that's it. Forget everything I said about natural childbirth," she said, somewhat sharply as the contraction eased. "I don't care that women have been doing this for thousands of years without anything to relieve the pain." She grabbed her call button and paged a nurse.

Jack was almost tempted to tease her, but thought it was probably in his best interest not to. He couldn't suppress the grin on his face though. "Are you sure baby?"

"Believe me, I'm positive." Jack leaned over and kissed her cheek. The nurse walked in, and Rose asked for the epidural. It wasn't long after that a team came in and got her prepped for the procedure.

Rose sat up on the bed and hunched over, giving the anesthesiologists a clear shot. Jack stood by her side, supporting her. Rose shivered when they washed her back with the iodine and Jack squeezed her hand as the needle was inserted into her back. It was over as quickly as it began.

"That's it? I didn't even feel that," Rose said as she laid back down. The anesthesiologist gave a small laugh.

"Most women don't. I think a little needle prick compared to contractions is nothing," he told her. "You should be losing sensation any minute now." He checked the monitor, which was tracking her contractions. "Are you feeling anything?"

"A little pressure in my back, but not pain," Rose responded.

"Alright good. That's probably want you'll be feeling for awhile until you get closer to delivery," he told her before leaving.

"You should try and get some rest sweetie," Jack told her. "Save your strength." Rose nodded and tried to settle down for a nap.

...

Jack looked over at Rose. It didn't surprise him that Rose was sound asleep. Her labor had been hard and slow. After a total of twenty six hours, counting back from when her water broke, she had been given a C-section.

Rose had handled it with courage and the occasion grimace of pain. The epidural had provided some relief to her, but not total. While the pain was gone, Rose still had a great deal of pressure in her back. She had been able to take a few catnaps, but they lasted no longer than fifteen minutes.

Then her labor just stopped. So they took her in to surgery. She was awake, but numb from the waist down. Jack had garbed up and held her hand throughout the procedure. He watched intently as the doctors pulled the tiny infant out and she screamed as she took her first breath. Jack bent down to kiss Rose's forehead and told her he loved her.

Jack smiled now, as he looked down at his daughter. She was only three hours old. Though she had been sleeping since she was born, she started to stir. Jack reached down and gently picked her up, holding her neck steady.

"Shhhh. It's okay sweetie. Nothing to worry about." He gently rocked her back and forth and walked around the room. "I know it's kinda scary for you. After all you just spent the last nine months in your mama's belly where it was warm and dark. Now you're out here. And sure it's a little cold and really bright. But I promise I'm gonna keep you safe no matter what."

Rose had opened her eyes when Jack started talking to the baby. He hadn't noticed, and she didn't want to disturb him. She was smiling as she watched Jack bond with their daughter. When he turned and saw her watching, he returned her smile.

"You're a natural Jack," she said quietly. The baby had dozed back off in Jack's arms.

"It feels natural," he told her in a voice barely above a whisper as he laid the baby back down in her crib. "She's this tiny little person who knows nothing and does nothing, and it's our job to protect her and teach her about the world."

Rose grabbed Jack's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "She already has you wrapped around her finger doesn't she?" Jack laughed and sat beside her.

"About as much as you do." Rose smiled. "How are you feeling sweetie?" Rose looked like she had been run over by a train, and he assumed she felt about the same way. Her hair had been pulled into a ponytail, but strands had come loose and were going every which way. Her face was pale, and her eyes were bloodshot. She had a kind of doped up look in her eyes, which Jack presumed to be an effect of the morphine drip they'd given her after surgery.

"Tired and sore. I'm still a little numb from the spinal block. Once that wears off, I'll probably feel worse." She saw the concern in Jack's eyes. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. You should know the feeling, and you were worse off than me when you had surgery," she teased.

"Yeah I was, wasn't I?" She laughed. "I promise I'll take extra special care of you until you're better Rose. Don't worry about dirty diapers or anything." Rose giggled at the mental image of Jack changing a diaper. Just then, the baby began to stir again. Jack quickly got to feet.

"Bring her here Jack. Maybe she's hungry." Jack handed her their daughter and watched, somewhat mesmerized as Rose offered her breast to the baby. The look on his face made her smile. "She needs a name Jack."

"I'm content with calling her Baby Girl Dawson," he joked. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Not really," Rose told him. "What about you?"

"I've always liked the name Victoria," he said. "But that's just one of a million names we could name her."

"Victoria," Rose repeated, letting the name roll of her tongue. "Victoria Dawson. We need a middle name that flows with it."

"Grace? Anne?"

"Faith. Victoria Faith Dawson."