"My water just broke."
Loki looked at Arisa. "What do we do?" He asked, his voice edged with panic. While he knew that it had been getting close to time, now that the moment was here...he was a bit scared.
"We have to get her upstairs and into bed." Arisa answered.
"Ah!" Ava cried out as another contraction hit her body.
Loki rushed over to his wife and scooped her up into his arms. He started moving for the stair that led up to their bedroom as fast as he could. Arisa was right behind him.
"What's going on?" Thor asked entering the hallway.
"Ava is having the baby." Arisa answered, not even turning her head or slowing down in her haste to get up the stairs.
"Is there anything I can do?" Thor inquired.
"Go to my room and grab the bag by the door. It has blankets, towels, and other items I am going to need." She answered. She was then at the top of the stairs and rushing into Loki and Ava's room.
Thor went into Arisa'a room and grabbed the bag she had told him to. He then went into Loki and Ava's room. Loki had laid Ava down on the bed and was piling up pillows behind her, trying to make her comfortable. Though, Thor could tell from the look on her face that there was no way to make her comfortable. She was in an extreme amount of pain.
Arisa came out of the bathroom that was connected to Loki and Ava's room, drying her hands off. She walked over to Ava and knelt down on the bed in front of her. She lifted Ava's night dress and Thor turned away out of respect of his sister-in-law's privacy.
"Thor." Arisa's voice said.
"Yes?" Thor replied, not turning around.
"I need the bag." Arisa said.
"Oh right." Thor replied. He walked backwards and held the bag out once he had reached the bed. He continued not to look.
"Just sit it down next to me." Arisa ordered.
Thor sat the bag down. "Is there anything else you need me to do?" He asked, hoping that it would be something that require him to leave the room.
"Yes, I need you to get a bowl and fill it with ice and water. I also need you to get a rag to put in the ice water. You should also get a cup and fill it with ice." Arisa answered. "Then bring it all back in here."
Thor nodded. "Right." He then quickly rushed out of the room and began to gather the items Arisa had asked for.
"What is the ice and water for?" Loki asked.
Arisa put Ava's night gown back down and looked up at Loki. "It's for Ava." She replied. She then turned her attention back to Ava. "You're not quite dilated enough yet. Just a little bit longer."
Ava let out a groan. "Can't you...do anything...to sp...speed...it...up?" She asked, breathless.
Arisa shook her head. "You just have to wait through it."
"Ahhh!" Ava cried as another contraction gripped her body.
Loki took her hand in his and sat down on the edge of the bed next to her. "Ava, my love, look at me." He said, doing his best to remain calm.
Ava looked at her husband, her eyes locking with his. She felt as his free hand cupped her face and his thumb stroke her cheek.
"Just focus on me, darling." He said, his voice and eyes almost hypnotic. Ava knew that Loki was using some kind of spell, trying to help her with her pain. "Just concentrate on me...and take in deep cleansing breaths." He then sucked in a deep breath, as if to demonstrate his point.
Ava found herself mimicking Loki's breathing. She found herself so trapped by his spell, that she lost track of the pain. She still felt the contractions as they hit her body, but they didn't feel anything as they had before. However, this spell didn't seem to have a lasting hold or effect, because soon Ava was feeling the contractions just as intense as before. "Ahhh!" She cried out, gripping tightly to Loki's hand.
Loki felt pain in his hand as Ava gripped tighter and tighter as her pain increased. He didn't say a word. He just gritted his teeth. He knew the pain his wife was going through was much worse than what little she was giving him by squeezing his hand.
As her contraction eased, Ava loosened her grip on Loki's hand and fell back against the mound of pillows behind her. She was breathing heavy. Perspiration coated her body in a thick blanket, making her night dress stick to her skin. Her mouth and throat felt parched.
Thor was coming back into the room just then, carrying the items Arisa had asked for. "Where do you want these?" He asked.
"Sit them on the nightstand." Arsia instructed.
Thor did as he was told. Loki reached over and grabbed the wash cloth out of the ice water. He wrung it out before folding it and using it to wipe Ava's forehead and dab her flushed cheeks, helping to cool her heated flesh. He then set the rag back into the water and was grabbing the cup of ice. He held it to Ava's lips and tipped it back so that one of the small cubes would slip out of the cup.
Ava opened her mouth and accepted the ice cube. Loki took the cup away and sat it back down on the nightstand. He was then getting the cool rag and dabbing her face with it. Ava sucked on the ice cube, allowing it to slowly melt and refresh her dry mouth, throat, and lips.
Three hours passed and Ava was still in labor, but her body was still not ready to push out the child. Loki was still by her side, keeping her supplied with ice and dabbing her face with the cool rag in between her contractions. "I am so tired." Ava said, as Loki was dabbing her face once again.
"I know my love." Loki replied, wishing that his spell earlier had held. He hated seeing his wife in such pain. "It shouldn't be much longer."
"He is right. The last I checked, you were almost there." Arisa agreed.
Thor had gone back downstairs to grab more ice from the kitchen. He returned and set the ice down. "I am going to go and do a perimeter check." He said, thinking it was a good idea to keep an eye out, especially with the baby coming. That and he really didn't want to be around for this. Something about the idea of watching his niece or nephew being born, frightened him.
"Good idea." Loki replied.
About ten minutes after Thor had left, Arisa was checking Ava once again. "Alright, you're ready." She said. "On your next contraction Ava, I need you to push."
Ava nodded. "Alright."
Loki repositioned himself so that he would be able to help Ava lean forward and push when it was necessary. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "You can do this my love." He whispered to her.
A few moments later, Ava felt the contraction rip through her body. With help from Loki, she leaned forward and began to push, crying out as she did so. The contraction ended and she fell back on the pillows.
Loki was once again dabbing her face with the wash cloth. "You're doing great my love."
Ava looked up at her husband. "You're...never...touching me...again." She said.
"You'll change your mind...especially once this baby is grown up and you want another one." Loki replied, keeping his tone light.
Ava just glared at him. Before she could say anything else, another contraction hit and she was pushing once again. She then fell back on the pillows once it was over. Loki gave her another ice cube.
After four more pushes, Arisa looked up. "I see the head. You're almost there, Ava. Just a few more pushes and your little one will be here."
"Okay." Ava said, nodding weakly.
Another three pushes and Arisa was making another announcement. "Alright, one more push and it will all be over."
"I...I don't know...if I can...do this." Ava said, tears beginning to run down her face. She was tired and worn out.
Loki dabbed at the sweat the coated Ava's face with the cool rag. "You can do this, darling. It is just one more push. I know you can do it. Just one more push and our child will be here."
Ava nodded. "Okay."
Loki then helped her to lean forward once more as the final contraction wracked her body. Ava put everything she had, all of her strength, into the final push. She cried out and soon her cries were joined by those of her newborn child.
Ava fell back on the bed as Arisa cut the umbilical cord. Loki stroked Ava's cheek lovingly with his fingertips. "You did great, my love." He told her, kissing her forehead.
Arisa had cleaned and wrapped up the baby in a yellow blanket. "Say hello to your son." She said, as she handed the infant to Ava.
Ava looked down at the baby boy in her arms and tears of joy filled her eyes. She had never seen anything more beautiful or perfect in her entire life. She also knew she could never love anyone as much as she loved that little boy. Looking into his tiny face, she knew that if it ever came down to it, she would give up her life for him.
Loki wrapped his arms around his wife and son. "He's perfect." He said, looking at his boy.
"Yes...he is." Ava agreed.
"Is it safe to come in here yet?" Thor asked.
Loki looked up at his brother. "Come in and meet my son." He said, a smile of fatherly pride on his face.
Thor grinned. "So, you put the stem on the apple, Brother?" He teased, as he walked into the room. "So, what is his name?"
Loki and Ava looked at each other and then down at their son. "Eli." They said together, looking at their baby boy.
A/N: I know that a lot of you guys were hoping for a girl (we all enjoy Loki having a little princess myself included), but I kept picturing Loki with a son in this fic. IMore specifically, a little Loki basically lol. He will definitely be his father's son as he grows. Anyway, I hope you have enjoyed this. Please read and review?
