Author's Note: Wow! It's been awhile since I updated at all! Sorry about that. Life plus writer's block plus the constant switching and unswitching of computers equals lack of updates. Not to mention I seemed to have lost my muse for awhile. All I can say is if thanks is in order for this update I suggest you thank this week's infuriating episode of Heroes.

My muse has suddenly returned with a vengence! So this fic is definitely winding down. Two or three more chapters left in mind plus an epilouge. The next contiune of this is one I have little knowledge on so I will be starting a poll as to your opinions of the next one soon. Thirty Tales is not dead. You might even say my rage fueled muse has decided to spit some more stories out.

In truth, look forward to updates and as always review like your life depended on it. Enjoy a well deserved, but short (sorry) update.

CHAPTER 38: Average

"There's nothing else I can say." – Eh, Eh, Lady Gaga

"What happened?" Peter should have had some kind of inkling when Gabriel and Elle came through the automatic doors what had happened. Still didn't stop him from asking. From staring at the petite mother-to-be while standing close to the front desk in the dark of the night inside the little Odessa hospital.

"My . . ." Elle couldn't get out the words. She squealed a deep throaty pain before holding the soft gray material where her stomach bulged. Her knees wobbled and Peter caught the other elbow Gabriel didn't have a firm grip on. "Ow, oh, water broke." Her skin was warm as her knees wobbled. The nurse stated she'd get a wheel chair springing up to rescue the blonde.

"Easy now." Peter said as if Gabriel didn't know how gentle he had to be with his girlfriend. Elle sighed knowing that the electric tension between the two would only build between the two in the coming hours of her painful labor.

"Seriously . . ." she breathed out looking between the two men. "You can't be civil for my sake." She soon realized she was the problem, but shook her head as the nurse helped her into the car.

"How long has she been in labor?" Peter asked over a painful cry from Elle. Gabriel really felt out of place and worried at the moment. His body was moving, but it was hard to realize everything. He hated seeing Elle in this much pain. "Gabriel?"

"What?" He looked up seeing that he had entered the doorway of a hospital room. The nurse was helping Elle into the bed. "About twenty minutes give or take." Elle toppled over almost missing the bed completely. Her hands gripped the bed sheets. Gabriel took a step forward. "Is she-"

"She's going to be fine Gabe." The man snapped his neck to glare at Peter wondering where the man got off calling him something like that, but heard a zap.

The nurse who was being so very helpful made a giant thud as she hit the floor. Her body sparked in a blue ray of light causing the two men to look from the convulsing body to the young blonde going into very heavy labor on the bed. Gabriel was at least glad she had managed to get to the bed.

"How are we going to explain this?" Peter wondered looking to Gabriel before taking long steps to wipe Elle's sweaty brow with a cloth on the end table. The woman whimpered.

"We?" Gabriel asked stepping over the woman who now appeared to be unconscious on the floor. "Since when did you and I become a team?" He took Elle's hand letting her squeeze it tightly. He was glad she caused him pain. It was nice to feel some of her pain. Grant it not a lot, but a dose.

"Since Elle knocked out the nurse on duty and showed her ability." Peter made a dash for the medical cabinet in the room. Gabriel instructed his wife to take deep cleansing breathes, but Elle found it hard to speak let alone breath properly during her labor.

"Well if we are a team now," He regretted saying that. "Then get her some drugs or a doctor or something." He squeezed Elle's hand. "Can't you see she's hurting." He could have sworn he heard Peter groan. Gabriel could only assume because it was pretty clear how they both felt about Elle. Pretty clear how much pain she was in.

"Well we got to give her an epidural." Peter suggested taking out some drugs. "Look I have to get another doctor or you can." Gabriel felt a shock rocked through him. He could have held onto it, but then his secret indestructible ability would be discovered. He'd rather not put Elle in more pain knowing he had cut her kind of sister's brain open. She might feel jealous. He flung himself back crying a bit in pain. Elle managed to squeak out a Gabriel before a long moan.

"Well I can't stay here." Gabriel said. He motioned Peter over. "You take her hand." He placed his girlfriend's hand in Peter's. "You try and calm her down. I'll get a doctor." Gabriel looked to Elle kissing her forehead. "Everything is going to be alright sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you too." One of the first full sentences in hours that did not seem forced by one Elle Bishop. Gabriel promised he'd be back soon. Elle only gripped Peter's hand harder.

"It's alright Elle." Peter ensured. "You're doing great." Though he had delivered a child once on a bus he really didn't know what to do in a situation like this. Especially when the mother had to shock the doctor every other second.

"I think . . . I think . . .he's coming." Really? Peter almost rolled his eyes. He let go of her hand to come around to see how dilated she was. Crap, she was right.

"Okay, Elle I don't want to freak you out, but I can see a good part of his head." Had she been pushing without him noticing. "He's a big boy so I'm going to need you to push a few more times." He instructed watching her knees buckle upwards.

"I . . . I . . .I . . . don't know . . .if I can." She breathed trying so hard to spark and relax together. Peter rested his palms on her knees curling his fingers around them.

"Elle's there's no time. You have to do this now." He knew well enough to know the kid looked fine where he was, but he needed out. Elle gave a push. "Good Elle." He reached for the kid's head. "Another big one should do it. Push!" She did as Peter instructed letting her baby slip free.

The bloody little baby squealed out a horrible noise, but Peter knew the baby was alive and well. His arms were like spaghetti flying through the air. He felt half guilty being the first person to see the offspring of Elle and Gabriel before either parent could. He wailed like a siren. Elle's breath was the only other noise in the room. Peter cut the child's cord only so the baby could rest on Elle's chest. She looked like she had been hit by a train and run over by a car. Natural birth. Peter knew that could not have been fun.

"Noah." Elle breathed out as the tight eyed baby rested on her chest. Her voice weak as Peter smiled at mother and son. He watched the baby squirm carefully. It was amazing how this baby already knew to quiet down for his mother. The child still squirmed, but made cute gurgle noises now. He heard Elle let out a sigh then become still.

"Elle?" Peter asked looked at the woman's drained face. The baby squirmed and cried suddenly as if he knew. As if he knew his mother was slipping. "Elle?" Peter pressed his fingers to Elle's face. Her nostrils didn't flair. Her mouth was not moving. She wasn't breathing. "Elle!" He quickly let the baby into his arms and onto a hospital style basinet.

He was a nurse. He was supposed to know what to do when someone stopped breathing, but it was odd. In a matter of seconds panic took over turning Peter into nothing more into some other average Joe and Elle into a mother who had given up her life for her child.