Chapter 20

"Ben...Ben!"

I reached over to her and drove one handed.

"I'm right here Hope."

"Ben...the baby is low."

"What?"

Hope groans loudly and hits the roof of the car with her fist.

"Ahhh...Ben...there's so much pressure down there..."

"Okay..."

Hope screams.

"Make it stop!" Hope shouted loudly arching her back. I rubbed her side.

"Hold on Hope, we're almost there."

Hope began to cry again.

"Ssh...it's okay."

"Ben!" Hope screamed and exhaled painfully. She began to tremble all over.

"Hope...breathe." Mom told her and stared at her with great concern.

"Ahhhh Ben pull over!"

"I can't."

Hope groaned loudly again.

"I feel like I need to push." She suddenly blurted out.

"No." Mom swiftly tells her.

"Hope no." I said after. Hope throws her head back screaming.

"I'm pushing."

"No...no...no...no...Hope wait...we're almost there I promise." I told her as I began losing my nerve.

"I can't...it hurts so bad Ben." She cried out to me.

"I understand."

"Breathe through it Hope." Mom replies and she strokes her shoulder.

"Sandra..." Hope lets out in a sob.

"It's alright." Mom whispers to her in a reassuring tone.

"Ben...I really have to push." Hope told me through gritted teeth.

"No...No you don't." I answered back trying to keep my eyes on the road.

"I have to push."

"No...No Angel you don't have to push."

Hope whimpers.

"Damn..." I muttered under my breath. A car in front of us decided to slow down, then speed up but then slow again. Hope screams.

"Ben!"

I looked from the road to her back to the road.

"Go around him, damn it!" Hope yells.

"I can't, I can't get over."

"Ah." Hope grunts furiously.

"I'm sorry Angel.."

"Drive Ben...just drive." Mom tells me.

We finally made it to the hospital. Hope did not require a C-section as there was no danger or obvious obstetrical contraindications. It was decided that with the mother and baby this far along, she would deliver her naturally. In those long hours Mom and I never left her side. Hope still awaiting the birth of the baby lied on her side fighting contractions. Though a little easier with an epidural. To help her get through the contractions, I did all he could, by holding her, walking with her, or swaying with her as they passed. Mom made constant trips to get her crushed ice and water. If I was in the bathroom, Mom would hold Hope as the contractions passed. We tried our absolute best to aid her. When it was time to push, Mom had to leave as the nurses and father were only allowed for this part of the birthing process.

"Mr. Tennyson...we're giving her a count of 10 to push, when we tell her to stop, breathe with her until we tell her to push again."

I nodded. I was now dressed in scrubs and stood behind Hope. I stroked her shoulder then grabbed her hand. It was another long couple of hours, and Hope was growing tired. Hope's small frame was in a great deal of pain, despite the medication she was given. Each push more like a chore than a relief.

"Okay...and push Hope." The female doctor performing the delivery said. I helped Hope sit up. She pushed as hard as she could and whimpered in the process.

"And 7...6...5...4...3...2...1..."

Hope barely made it to the end of the count down. She lied back breathing uncontrollably.

"Hope...Watch me." I whispered. She watched as I breathed easily through my nose and out my mouth. I placed my forehead on hers still breathing that way. She presumed to copy me. Our breath in tune with each other.

"And again." The doctor ordered.

Hope pushed again until she was red in the face. She was giving up. She sobbed loudly and into another push. Tears streamed down her eyes as all she wanted to do was sleep. I urged her to continue. She cried loudly each time I pulled her up. She begged me to let her just lie there. It hurt me to force her to push. I felt so much for Hope, that my own back began to hurt me as well as my stomach. Each time Hope pushed my own body, and muscles would tense up and contract. I couldn't shake the sympathy pains I had for her, and I began to grow tried myself. My feet could no longer stand it. Though I powered through for Hope. Hope lied back in tears. I once again pressed my forehead to hers.

"Come on Hope..." I whispered and gave her a kiss.

"I...Ben...I don't want to do this anymore."

"We won't after this...and then you can go to sleep...okay?" I whispered in soft tone, it sounded as if I was talking to a small child.

Hope sniffled, and tears streamed down her face. I stroked her face with the side of my finger. She was exhausted.

"Ready to push again." The doctor told us.

"I promise you can sleep after this...I promise..." I whispered and nuzzled my nose to her cheek. I then presumed to pull her up, and Hope gave out a sob.

"Ben no." She said through tears.

It hurt me so much, but I didn't have a choice; I stood behind her and gently wrapped my arms around her and placed my chin on her shoulder.

"I promise...please Angel."

Hope took in a few deep breathes and pushed again. Crying as she did. I stroked her arms and kissed the side of her cheek. As Hope pushed, I moved around to the side of the bed, and looked to see how far along the baby was.

"More Hope." The doctor urged.

Hope let out scream and breathed uncontrollably. I held her leg and stroked her knee.

"Come on Hope...Keep coming...keep coming..." I urged.

"Ben!" Hope screams a loud sob, she then falls back on the bed. "I can't..."

I was about to cry with her. It hurt seeing her like this. I wanted to trade places with her. Hope panted heavily.

"We need you to push." Came a nurse's voice. Hope's body fell limp, and she shook her head violently.

"But I can't...I...Ben, don't make me do it anymore..."

I stood near her side once more and held her hand.

"Ha...Ha...Ooooooh...ah." Hope panted. I attempted breathing with her again. I bent over so that my face was close to hers, and placed my nose on her cheek nuzzling her. I then interlocked my fingers with hers, and breathed slowly, trying to calm her.

"Push please." A doctor blurted out.

"Come on Hope..." I whispered.

"Hope, we can see the baby's head if you'll give us a big push, we promise it'll be all over." The doctor replied to her and stroked Hope's leg. I stroked her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

"One more Hope...one more..." I whispered in her ear. Hope nodded but tears still ran from her eyes. I helped her sit up once more. Hope clenched the blanket on the bed tightly in her fist. I gave her my hand, and she held tight to it. She bared down, screaming through gritted teeth.

"That's it." Another nurse replied. I felt her grip slipping from mine. Her exhaustion out weighing the pain. It took all she had to keep going. She grunted furiously.

"I can't!" She screamed.

I just kissed the side of her head and placed my face close to her cheek.

"Push Hope...come on...you're almost there." I whispered and kissed the side of her head again. Hope grunted loudly and closed her eyes baring down hard.

"Push. Push. Push. Push. Push." I whispered over and over into her ear. As much as I wanted the baby out, I desperately wanted anything to stop her pain. Suddenly a baby's cry was heard. Finally. She finally gave birth to our beautiful 7 1/2 pound girl. Now, we're just hoping to give her a "charmed" life. We have decided to name our princess:

Harmione Kay Tennyson.