Author's note: This story started as a one-shot for a contest during lockdown here in the UK, and I was trying to get back into writing. I could never have imagined we'd be here 43 chapters later. I'm not even going to embarrass myself by admitting how many chapters I originally planned. I've gone so far off track; it's laughable.

Thank you, Fran, for your constant support and encouragement. I can't tell you how many times I came close to ditching entire chapters ... the whole story at some points, but she always talked me down from the edge, and I'm so glad she did.

And finally, thank you to those who participated in the poll on Facebook regarding the baby's gender. It was a lot of fun to watch the guesses come in. 30 of you said, BOY. 31 of you said, GIRL.
Read on and find out who was correct!

*Chapter 43*

"Saoirse."

"Marie."

"Seamus. Now that's a good, strong Irish name." Edward argues.

"Seamus!" I exclaim, squirming in his arms. We're lying on the sofa; Edward's arms are wrapped around me - he's lightly rubbing circles over my stomach as we debate baby names for what feels like the hundredth time. We are still no closer to finding a name we both agree on.

Edward is keen on something Irish ... traditional, while I'm edging towards something modern, or at least more modern than some of his suggestions.

"Ciara."

"That sounds too much like a singer in a girl band." Edward snorts. "What about Dónal for a boy?"

Hell no! I don't care which member of Edward's family I'm insulting - there's no way in hell we're naming our kid Dónal.

"What about Edward Junior if it's a boy?" I joke, poking him in the ribs, knowing how much he hates the idea of naming our kid Junior, even if that follows his own name.

"Yeah, real funny, Bella." He says dryly before his eyes light up with mischief.

"Maybe we could go with Izzie - after her mother," he teases, earning him another sharp jab.

"Okay, okay. How about Eamon?"

I held up a hand.

"Eamon!"

"You know, I think you're deliberately disagreeing with everything I'm suggesting just to annoy me. What's wrong with Eamon?" Edward huffs.

"What's right with it?" I retort then gasp when the baby directs a sharp kick to my stomach.

"See, the baby agrees." I point out. Another kick follows, though thankfully, it's nowhere near as powerful as the first.

"Or … maybe the baby likes it. Isn't that right little Eamon." Edward's fingers dance across my tummy, trying to get the baby to move again. I look up at him in horror. Never in a million years are we naming our child that. I send him 'the look' - the one that tells him I'm not messing around.

"Edward ..." I say in a warning.

His eyebrows draw together in response, and I know another smart remark is coming my way.

"You never know; the minute you see his face, you might think it suits him and grow to love it."

He's messing around, teasing, but the mention of the birth hits me and brings on a wave of fear. I'm ridiculous. I've tried to be positive, and I can't deny how anxious I feel the closer I get to my due date.

That's natural, right?

Anyone who says they're not scared of giving birth is lying- it's terrifying because no matter the number of books you read and all the well-intended advice from friends and family, nothing can prepare you for what's to come.

The last few weeks, things had quickly returned to normal now that we're back in our home. Even with our security team on standby, Edward didn't like leaving me on my own so close to my due date, so he was working from home a lot. And while I wouldn't say I liked being watched over, his presence put me at ease.

The closer I got to my due date, the more knowledgeable I became. I learned a lot of the things people tell you actually are true. Nesting is a thing ... the pains really do get worse ... you do need to pee every five minutes (or at least that's what it feels like), And the stretch marks ... don't even go there. My body feels nothing like my own - my breasts are incredibly sore … my back is absolutely killing me … I struggle to get out of bed, let alone do anything remotely strenuous.

Up until now, I've loved being pregnant, but now, I am done … As bad as it sounds, I want it over with. I can't wait to meet our baby, even if the thought of giving birth terrifies me.

Of course, Edward picks up on the shift in my mood straight away.

He pulls away and turns to face me. "I was only joking, you know?"

"I know that."

"Then why are you so tense? Is everything okay?" he asks, concerned.

"Yeah, everything is fine. I'm just thinking … letting my thoughts get away from me," I reply, trying to downplay my fears. I don't want him to worry, but of course, he does.

"Talk to me, Bella. Are you in pain? Is it the baby?"

"Relax, I'm okay. It's not that."

"Then tell me what's wrong. Please, Bella," he pleads.

"I'm scared, okay," I whisper, hating how nervous I sound and feel. I look down, but Edward reaches out, lifting my gaze to his.

"It's natural to be nervous - I'm scared too."

"You are?"

"Absolutely terrified," he admits. I smile, relieved to hear it's not just me freaking out over our impending parenthood.

"I worry about so many things. Most of all, I'm terrified of losing you ... losing you both. Or about if I'm not a good father? What if I disappoint you … or let you down … let our child down? The list goes on." He tells me honestly.

There was a time when Edward was so closed off, and the fact that he's opening up shows how far we've come.

"But we can't let our fears rule us; Besides, in the last nine months alone, we've gotten through so much; lies, betrayal, murder, deception - and that's just my family," he teases, bringing a smile to my lips. "I think we can handle a baby."

"I'll remind you of that at 2 o'clock in the morning when you're trying to calm a crying baby."

"We've got this, Bella." He says with such certainty and determination I can't not believe him.

He's right; we have got this.

"I'm terrified but at the same time, I can't wait to meet him," I say, breaking the silence.

"Him?"

"It's a boy, or at least I think so," I tell him.

"I'll be happy with either, so long as you and the baby are healthy," Edward says before leaning down to kiss my temple. When he pulls away, he's smiling. "You're going to be an incredible mother, Bella."

"You have to say that because you're my husband," I counter.

"No, I say it because it's true. Our child will be blessed, and so will all of our other children." He smirks. I look at him in shock.

"Other children! Just how many do you think we are having?"

"I want at least another four," he says, keeping a straight face. There's no sign of teasing.

"Four!" I exclaim, trying to determine how serious he is. "You might not want to touch me again if I let myself go after this one."

"I can assure you that will never happen."

And then he kisses me so thoroughly I'm sure he's trying to prove his point.

"Let's see how the first one goes before we start planning on more, okay? I'm not sure I'm even ready for this one," I confess.

"We will find out soon enough. When the time is right, we will be ready," Edward assures me.

We didn't know it then, but that was the last time it would be just the two of us ... as the next day, we would be rushing to the hospital.

…

The day started like any other day, but for some reason, something felt different. I had a few twinges when I was in the bathroom brushing my teeth, but after Edward had caused such a fuss the first time, I had Braxton Hicks, I didn't want a repeat performance of that night.

I'd had one false alarm already; I don't need another trip to the hospital to confirm I wasn't in labor - not yet anyway. Instead, I tried to keep the pain to myself because I didn't need Edward to get unnecessarily panicked.

My contractions continued all morning. Every time I had one, the baby would kick and move around. It made for an uncomfortable morning, but I didn't mind as it reassured me everything was okay.

The contractions continued for the next couple of hours - the pain getting progressively worse as the day went on. Thankfully, Edward had learned I didn't like him hovering, making me nervous, so he was busy putting some final finishing touches to the nursery. As a result, I was able to hide my discomfort from him, and I managed to get to midday before he saw me struggling.

I had tried to play it off as cramps ... that I was just uncomfortable, but another contraction hit, and I was unable to contain my gasp. Edward was onto me like a shot. Instantly, his eyes narrowed on where I was holding my stomach.

"Bella … is something wrong?"

"It's nothing," I try to downplay the pain, but he isn't buying it. Edward clenched his jaw when he saw me holding my stomach; putting two and two together.

"How long have you been suffering?" He demands. Looking down, I didn't answer him, knowing he'd only be mad if he knew the truth.

"How long, Bella?"

I'd expected him to be angry, and he clearly was, and I shifted, taking a deep breath before looking up at Edward and admitting, "I've had a little pain and a few contractions all morning."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he sounded angry, but he went from annoyed to concerned when he saw the tears in my eyes.

"Because there's nothing to tell. I'm having a few twinges, that's all," I assure him, but Edward isn't listening. I watch him grab his phone from his pocket, frantically typing a message before telling me, "We're going to the hospital."

"It's too soon. My contractions are too far apart. I know my body, Edward, and I would never put our baby at risk. It's not time yet- we need to be a little more patient. Please trust me on this."

"If you're sure," Edward agrees, but he still looks uncertain. "But the moment the pain gets any worse, we are going to the hospital, okay?"

"I promise."

...

The day progresses, and so too does the intensity of my contractions. I heard it was a waiting game, that there was a lot of sitting around trying to stay calm and stress-free. And while the contractions were uncomfortable, painful, and definitely getting closer together, I knew I was nowhere near full labor - yet.

We had to hold tight ... be patient … let nature take its course.

I was making my way out of the bathroom when I had the mother of all contractions and felt a warm gushing of water accompanied by a huge sense of relief.

Finally!

My water had broken—it was time to go.

I felt a moment of absolute terror about what was to come. I looked up to Edward for comfort, but he appeared equally shocked. I could see the panic in his eyes for a split second before his usual cool demeanor returned and he sprang into action. My bag was in his hand, the security team on the phone, and a car on its way within the space of a few minutes. All of this was done in a gentle tone, trying to keep me calm as he led me towards the front of the house.

The journey to the hospital was a blur as I tried not to let the panic take over. Edward was incredible, trying to keep me calm by whispering words of support and encouragement as the pain intensified.

When we pulled up outside the hospital, he helped me out of the car. A wheelchair and a nurse were there, ready to take me inside. He took me straight to the Labor and Delivery Unit, completely bypassing the reception as the nurse directed us to a private room, away from the chaos and crying in the main ward.

I barely had a moment to catch my breath before the room was a hive of activity - filled with several nurses. I was incredibly grateful when my doctor appeared within minutes. She came to speak to us, but I didn't take in half of what she was saying.

All the while, Edward remained close. He was my rock, keeping me calm - refusing to leave even when the nurses helped me change into my gown. The only time he left my side was to fill in some paperwork, and as soon as he was done, he came straight over, sitting in the chair next to my bed. His hand found mine, intertwining our fingers as I was hooked up to seemingly every machine known to man. Thankfully, they showed the baby's heart was beating strongly, and I breathed a sigh of relief.

But it wasn't long before my panic returned.

I was scared - absolutely terrified and frightened.

I had been so calm all day, trying to keep Edward at ease, but now the fear was beginning to take over as every possible worst-case scenario played out in my mind.

And then Edward placed a gentle hand on my stomach, the other on my cheek, brushing away my tears. His eyes tell me everything I need—that I could do this. I forced myself to remain calm.

Everything was going to be okay.

...

For the next few hours, all I felt was pain, pain, and even more pain. It was exhausting, my head pounded, and I was sweating so much Edward had to press a wet cloth over my head to cool me down. After four hours of contractions, I went from uncomfortable to feeling the worst pain I had ever experienced in my life. We were getting closer now - the time between contractions shortening while the pain intensified.

"Edward … I'm … I'm scared," I admit, my voice shockingly weak ... exhausted. "I don't think I can do this..." I cried after a particularly strong contraction.

"Yes, you can, baby. I'm so proud of you," he reassured me, and I immediately felt more at ease. "You can do this, Bella," he said, his voice low and soothing; it helped calm my terror. I smile through my tears, gripping Edward's hand as another contraction hits.

…

They warn you that childbirth is the worst pain you will ever experience, and they're right. Nothing I heard could have prepared me for the pure agony I felt when, after many hours, I was fully dilated. I followed all the tips from my classes; I focused on all the breathing exercises they taught me, but nothing worked. Not even drugs. Sure, they helped, but it didn't miraculously take away all the pain.

And Edward … he was supportive throughout. Not once did he complain; he only offered me reassurance and love. He was constantly telling me how brave I was and how well I was doing. I gripped his hand to the point of causing him pain, but he continued to urge me on, willing me to push when the time came. I tried, but all my energy left me. I was so tired, exhausted, and incredibly emotional.

"Edward, it hurts … so much." My voice sounded drained—nothing like my own voice.

"You are doing so well, Bella. I'm so proud of you," he praised.

There were doctors and nurses all around me, but all I saw was Edward. Cupping my face with both hands, he brought my gaze up to his. "I know you're exhausted … I know you're suffering. You've been so brave, Bella, but one more push and I promise it will be over," he urged as he brushed my hair out my face to kiss my sweaty forehead.

I believed him and gave one final push.

And then, the most incredible thing happened. All the suffering I had endured in the past hours diminished into insignificance when I heard the most incredible sound in the world.

A baby crying ...

Our baby …

Between the pain, relief, and utter exhaustion, it barely registered when my doctor called out, "It's a boy!"

The next agonizing minutes were a blur. Edward cut the cord … the doctor took my baby away to check him over and clean him up while I delivered the afterbirth - which was not fun.

However, all that faded away when the doctor placed my minutes-old baby in my arms. Looking up at Edward, we shared a look of pure joy and happiness before my gaze was drawn down to our son.

Finally, after a few hours of labor, my beautiful, healthy son was born at 7:45 p.m.

It was one of the happiest moments of my life. He was all wrinkly and covered in blood and goo, but he was a perfect little piece of both Edward and me.

It's such an emotional … overwhelming … perfect moment, and when Edward leaned down to kiss my cheek, I felt like my heart would burst with happiness. Nurses came to check both the baby and me again, but nothing could drag my attention away from our son.

It was in those precious moments right after our baby entered the world where the emotion hit. It was just my husband, me, and our tiny, beautiful baby boy, who was only minutes old, alone in a room together. I couldn't believe that smushy little bundle was the one I had been waiting to meet all those months, and now here he was, in my arms … at last.

All the pain was forgotten as I held our child in my arms—the child I had been so desperate to have. My happiness was complete when Edward leaned down to kiss my temple before looking down lovingly at our son. He has tears in his eyes, and I have never loved him so much as I do at that moment.

"You did it, Bella - we have a son," Edward said, his voice full of wonder.

Holding our son in my arms, I had everything I ever wanted.

No one took him away from us (I think this was Edwards doing; he glared at anyone who came close to disturbing us unless they wanted to check if I was okay).

Our baby was in my arms—or Edward's arms—for the first several hours of his life.

Author's note; It's a boy!

The epilogue is not quite ready yet but I will be posting a mini-chapter on Wednesday with the name reveal! You had so much fun with the last poll, there will be another one on Facebook soon, along with the usual teaser.