A/N: Well, let's not waste much time and get right into it.

Sword: Yay!

Pen: I hate you both for making me write this much drivel in one period.

Sword: Tails, Cream, and all related characters belong to Sega. The story, me, and Pen belong to the author. Violet belongs to CandiCindy. Please enjoy!

Labors of Love- Part 2

Blaze awoke from her sleep with a falling sensation. She was close to the edge of the bed and about to slip off. She rolled over, slapping her hand on empty bed sheets. Propping up onto an elbow, she searched the large four-poster bed and the bedroom, lit only by soft candlelight and the beautiful, pale moon shining through a large glass window onto the floor. Alone. Nobody else was there. She threw back the sheets, shivered in her white undershirt and shorts, and lit a fire in the palm of her hand. Then she searched the hallway outside and shuffled along the cold, stone floor of the castle to the room beside hers.

Inside, yellow streamers and tapestries of her house emblem, the Sol Emerald, hung on the walls. Toys of all sizes were lined against the wall and numerous infant books— some for reading, others with sound advice— were shelved near a pair of white cribs. In between the cribs, rocking in a chair, was the silver hedgehog she was searching for. He snored softly, rocking like an old relative telling stories to the younger generations gathered around. In his arms, he held two young infants, a bluish-silver cat and hedgehog, both nuzzled into his large tuft of pure white chest fur like a pillow, grabbing it with their tiny fingers. They puffed their fat cheeks and their tongues poked out enough to dribble onto him.

Blaze smiled and hovered over them. The babies stirred, waking the older hedgehog. He blinked with heavy bags under his eyes that matched hers and looked up. "Hey," he said in a hushed whisper.

"Hey," she said, kneeling beside him.

"Something wrong?"

"No," she said. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"It was alright," he said, yawning. "They're fine now."

She frowned. "Silver." But he had already dozed off again. She pecked his forehead and took one of the babies, rousing him. They returned the babies to their cribs and admired them for a few moments. Silver leaned his weight on her and she guided him out of the nursery and back to their room.

However, a guard blocked their path outside of the nursery, his armor jangling like a dozen saucepans. Silver held his temple as the guard saluted and said rather loud, "Queen Blaze, King Silver—" The two shushed him, pointing at the babies inside. "My apologies," he whispered, still making a racket in his armor. Blaze made a mental note to have the armor redesigned in the morning.

"What is it, private?" Silver asked, unable to keep his head from drooping on Blaze's shoulder.

"It's Mrs. Amy," he said. "She had an urgent call about Cream going into labor and Sonic stopping a robbery."

Blaze nodded and handed Silver off to the guard. "Get him to bed. I'll go ahead and he can come to the hospital later."

Silver pushed the guard away. "No. I'm coming, too. Grab your stuff and I'll meet you at the portal." He stumbled down the hall and Blaze sighed.

"Make sure he gets there," she told the guard. He saluted again. "And have someone watch the nursery. Preferably Gardon."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Grab the money!" one the robbers shouted. Tails peered over his hunk of destroyed plane and ducked as bullets peppered the metal. Cream was red in the face and couldn't speak in complete sentences. He threw himself over her with each burst of gunfire.

"Tails," she said. "Soon."

"I know, hon. I know. Soon." He checked again. Another robber held a car at gunpoint and was ordering the person out of the car. The plane had been split in half and Tails and Cream had hid behind the tail. Off to the right were the seats and, more importantly, a turret gun loaded with rubber bullets and electric shock rounds. If Tails could only make it past the several feet of open space separating the halves, they had a shot. But he would have to be very fast.

As if on cue, the wind whipped through the area and Sonic appeared at their side. "Hey, bud," he said, then waved to Cream. "How you holding up?" She growled at him. "Yeah, I figured. Amy's already calling back-up. How many we got?"

"Three," Tails said.

"Shouldn't be too hard," he said. However, when the two of them looked out, the robbers now had hostages held at gunpoint and were loading them into the car. "On the other hand…" The robbers threw in the duffel bags of money.

"Can you distract them?" Tails asked. "I have an idea."

"Will do." He ran as fast as light and stopped in front of the car, leaning on the hood with a coy grin worming up his cheek. "Hey there. How's it going?"

"It's Sonic!" one of them said. "Just perfect." They aimed their guns at the hostages in the car.

Tails moved Cream to a thicker part of the plane. "Stay here. I'll be right back." He snuck to the edge of the broken half and waited for the right opportunity.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Sonic said, wagging a finger. "You know how fast I am."

"But are you fast enough to stop three guns?" one robber asked, his finger pulling the trigger a little.

Tails knew that was risky. To get all three passengers out of the car and out of harm's way wouldn't do. And it was very possible the shots would go off before Sonic disarmed the criminals. Tails was out of time. He dove for the other side, hoping they wouldn't notice.

Unfortunately, one robber spotted him before his twin namesakes pulled into cover. "Hey!" He rattled his gun. "Come out, you!"

"The sun playing tricks on you?" Sonic asked. "Or is it nerves?" Tails waited for a moment, holding his breath.

"Shut up! I know what I saw!" A gun clicked. "And if your friend doesn't get out here right now, I'll shoot these people! One!" Tails squeezed his eyes shut. "Two!" the robber yelled louder.

"Fine, fine!" Tails said, raising his hands above his head. He slowly walked out and joined Sonic in front of the car.

"See? Like I said," the robber bragged to his friends. "Any more of you freaks back there?"

"No," Tails said, trying not to look at where Cream was. The robber nudged one of his friends to check. Tails grimaced and looked to Sonic. He gave him a reassuring glance and they waited while the gunman searched behind the plane. When he returned, empty-handed, Tails breathed a half-panicked, half-relieved breath. Cream was safe, but where was she? A pregnant woman, off on her own somewhere, with criminals around, and about to give birth? He had to be by her side.

"Nothing there, boss," the gunman said.

"Well then," the boss said, aiming at Sonic and Tails. "Guess we'll be going then. Have a pleasant d—OW!" An object struck his neck and he turned, waving his gun wildly. Tails spotted Cream in the plane's gunner seat, gripping the turret before the boss did. Another rubber bullet hit his abdomen and he doubled over.

"BABY IN ME! COMING OUT!" she shouted in a hoarse voice. "BACK FROM EVERYONE!" She sprayed the three criminals with rubber bullets, all the while yelling until she lost her voice. Pedestrians dropped prone and sought cover. Sonic and Tails ducked behind the car and watched. The robbers fell and cowered beneath the bullets, tucking their heads into their bodies. When the turret emptied, they were too sore to move and laid there, groaning and wailing.

Cream collapsed in the seat and Sonic and Tails rushed over. "Tails," she said softly, reaching for him.

He scooped her up and held her against his thigh. "We're right here, hon. We're fine. Everyone's fine. You did great."

"Good," she said. Then she yanked him forward face-to-face and said in a low, demonic voice, "Hospital. Now."

"I'll take her," Sonic said. "Back in a flash." He picked her up and dashed off. Meanwhile, Tails busied himself and threw away the criminals' weapons. Bystanders had already called the police and sirens blared in the distance when Sonic returned minutes later.

"How is she?" Tails asked.

"Fine," he said. "They have her in a room. The others are handling the van. C'mon. It should be on the way to the hospital."

Tails flew high into the sky, staying above Sonic, and they raced to the start of the bridge in time for Knuckles to finish blocking it off with parked cars. Above him, Rouge scouted for any sign of the van while Ruby hung back in the air, crossing her legs.

Knuckles pulled a final convertible into place as the blue van screeched around a corner. The van jerked to the side at the last moment, away from the bridge, and crashed into a wall separating the bridge's rise from the other roads.

One of the robbers stepped out, dizzy and fumbling with his gun. When Knuckles and Rouge approached, he fired all around in an arc. The pair ducked behind their barricade, but some stray bullets went for Ruby.

"Watch out!" Tails called. Knuckles and Rouge gasped and Ruby's eyes widened. Sonic ran up the side of a building while Tails spun his namesakes faster, aiming for her. Ruby covered her face.

Before Tails or Sonic could save her, a round teal shield formed out of thin air in front of her. The few bullets bounced off and she raised her head, examining the shield. Behind her, Silver and Blaze appeared. "You alright?" Silver asked.

"Yeah," she said. "Thanks, Uncle Silver."

"Anytime." Below, the other robbers had exited the crash and pointed their guns at everyone. Silver spread his hand and ripped the guns away from them. He threw them into the nearby river. "Someone could get hurt with those."

When the robbers tried to run and scatter, he tugged at them and yawned. His hold continued to falter and Blaze put a hand on his shoulder. "Get some rest. I got this." He nodded and drooped his head, letting the robbers go. Again, they split up and ran as she stepped up and shot forth a stream of fire. "Oh, no you don't." She created a ring around the robbers and the barricade, effectively trapping them. Trapping them with a very upset echidna and bat, with sulfur and brimstone burning bright in their eyes.

Knuckles grabbed one criminal and threw him against the van, knocking him out. Rouge kicked a second in the gut and he doubled over. She elbowed the back of his neck and he fell. Then they turned to the last one, the one who fired on Ruby.

Rouge was on him first and punched him to the ground. "Don't you ever," she kicked his ribs and climbed atop him, "shoot at my," she punched his head twice, "baby!" She raised her fist for a third time and lifted him up by his collar, but he was already near unconscious. She dropped him and stood, turning to Knuckles. "What?"

"I love you so much right now," he said, kissing her passionately. The robber raised his head and Knuckles kicked him aside, then lifted Rouge and wrapped her legs around his waist.

Minutes later, Tails burst into the hospital, demanding to know where Cream was. Sonic led him to one of the upper floors, through several twisting hallways, and into a single room where a few nurses bustled about and an obstetrician sat on a stool, ordering Cream to breathe deep and push. "Once more, Ms. Prower. Push." Cream sat on the table with her legs raised, in a hospital gown and with a sheet covering her. She gritted her teeth and strained, her face as red as a tomato, and she exhaled, relaxing her body as much as she could.

The obstetrician turned to the large party standing at the entrance. "Only the father, please," she said. The rest filed out and Sonic clapped Tails on his shoulder, giving him a smile before leaving.

A nurse handed Tails a set of blue scrubs matching her own. "Please put this on." He nodded and quickly threw them on. Then he stood by Cream's side, holding her hand tight. Up close, sweat poured profusely down her forehead and she shut her eyes tight, half-screaming into the pillow.

"Tails," she said. "Tails."

"I'm here," he said. "I'm here. Just push, okay? Push." She nodded and she pushed with all her might. He breathed in and out with her, helping in any way he could.

He stayed by her side with her for what seemed like hours, encouraging her and reminding her of the breathing techniques. "You're doing great," he kissed her forehead. "Only a little more. You're doing great."

Nurses came in and out, administering painkillers and propping Cream up. Tails assisted and at one point, Cream bit her pillow, chanting repeatedly, "Make it stop! Make it stop! Tails, make it stop!"

Finally, after several hard pushes, the obstetrician looked up. "I can see a head," she said.

Tails bounced on his feet and his heart hammered in his chest. He shook Cream's hand. "You here that? You're getting there. Keep going."

With much more straining, the head came out, followed by the torso, then the legs. The baby cried nonstop and the obstetrician cut the cord. Cream laid on her pillow, close to passing out and the doctor had the nurses clean the baby off and check its vitals. Once dry and declared healthy, she wrapped the baby in a bundle of blankets and held it out to the parents. "She's got quite a set of lungs on her. Would you like to hold her?"

They nodded and Tails took the bundle and passed it to Cream. She pushed aside the blanket to see their baby clearly and Tails leaned over her shoulder. The baby's cries were settling down, but she was still red and upset. She bounced the little rabbit in her arms and minded her little feet. For a long while, neither really knew what to say. They admired her and watched her tiny twitches and movements, her unfocused, chocolate eyes wandering around the room.

"Se's gorgeous," Cream said. Then she leaned into the baby's face and kissed her forehead.

Tails didn't even know what to say. He watched this tiny creature he helped make, fascinated with every aspect. This girl was from them. She was their child. His mind short-circuited as it processed this fact. "She looks just like her mother," Tails said, prodding his finger into the baby's chest. The newborn's fur was thin, slick, and nearly colorless, save for a very light peach hue, the same as Cream's. She made all sorts of murmurs and cries, yet soon fell asleep in Cream's arms. Tails kissed her forehead, then Cream's and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

A nurse cleared her throat. "Have you two decided on a name?"

"Yes," Cream said. "A while ago. Violet Prower." The nurse nodded and jotted down the name and recorded the weight and time of birth. She left them and allowed everyone else to enter.

"Please only a few at a time," she asked on her way out. She was ignored and everyone shoved in at once.

Amy and Sonic were the first ones in. Amy passed Florian to Sonic and cooed over Violet. "Oh, she's so precious!" she whispered.

Sonic agreed and ruffled Tails' head. "Congratulations, bro."

"Thanks," he said. He laid against Cream and stared at Violet while everyone took turns offering congratulations and fawning over the newborn. He followed his daughter and dozed off. My daughter. He grinned at the last thought before fading into slumber land.

A/N: Whew! Finished.

Sword: Aw, I wanna see the baby more! I'm in a baby mood now. *looks at Pen*

Pen: No.

Sword: *pouts*

If anyone's curious, we decided on Florian for Sonic and Amy because everyone uses Dash or some speed-related name for their child, but never a nature or flower one. For Ruby, well, it's pretty obvious. Hope you enjoyed this first story and please let us know what you thought of it. As always, thank you for reading.