Chapter 45

"I don't wanna go through another c-section," whined Sirius. He was sitting at the kitchen table with Lily. Remus, apparently, had gone out to get a job, leaving Lily alone. Sirius had taken sick leave from his job during the last month. Ana was playing at his feet with a cabbage patch doll that he'd found somewhere or other. "Now that I know what they're going to do, I'm freaked out."

Lily laughed and shook her head slightly. "Siri, you've already done this. Why should you be nervous now?"

Sirius shrugged and shook his head. "Because I know what they're going to do now, and I don't like the sound of it."

Rolling her eyes, Lily got up to fix coffee or something. He watched her, a smile on his face. She didn't look pregnant yet, but he knew that that would change soon. "You're just being childish," she admonished as she sat back down next to him. He laughed and shook his head. She could call it whatever she wanted, but he didn't really care.

"I just rather not be sliced open and then sewn back together."

Lily looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "I've heard that men can have babies another way. I'm not sure how, but I guess it's like the way that women have babies, only they have to take a potion before the baby comes."

Sirius raised his eyebrows. "Really? Hmm, I like that idea. What potion is it?"

She shrugged. "They'll have it at St. Mungos when you go there. It's really hard to explain and I don't really want to. When the baby comes, though, I suggest you ask them if you can try to do it that way for fear of being 'sliced open and sewn back together'."

Sirius laughed and nodded, putting his hand on his huge stomach. It was only about a week before the baby was due and he was anxious. The door opened and Regulus walked in. He had been staying there like Sirius had suggested and had been out getting his school supplies. He had also been seeing the muggle girl, which Sirius had managed to pry out of him after threatening him with blackmail.

Regulus walked into the kitchen, looking somewhat nervous. "Um, I kinda brought her home with me," he muttered, looking at his feet. Sirius rolled his eyes. "Can she come in?"

"Of course, just…" he sighed. Grabbing his wand, he put on a concealing charm and then quickly glanced around for any sign of magic. None were visible so he hid his wand in the drawer as Regulus brought in the muggle girl.

She really was pretty. She had soft brown eyes and long midnight black hair that fell around her shoulders. She wasn't very tall, coming only up to Regulus's shoulders (and he was only 5'7"). She had a slightly darker complexion than that of the Black brothers and had rosy lips.

"Hello," she said, moving forward with her hand outstretched. "I am Ana Lopez."

Sirius nodded and shook her hand. "I am Sirius Black and this is Lily Lupin."

She smiled at Lily and shook her hand as well. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. I'm so happy that I've found someone like Ben."

Lily and Sirius raised their eyebrows at that, but didn't comment. Regulus looked worried for a moment before he ushered her out of the kitchen. Once they were gone, Lily turned to Sirius and rolled her eyes. "Ben?"

Sirius shrugged and sat back down. "Beats me. Who knows, maybe he thought that Regulus was too lame of a name, which, hey, it is."

"I resent that," responded Regulus as he walked into the room. "I use the name Ben because I want to start over with my life. And what a better way to do that then just change everything. Which means a new name, new past, new beginning."

Sirius nodded and smiled. "Well, I'm glad, for one."

Regulus smiled and left after giving Sirius a brotherly hug, which was somewhat difficult. Over his shoulder he said, "Yeah, I'm gonna spend the night at her place. Your house is too messy for her and she's not a big fan of kids."

"Hey, this is the cleanest it's been in a year, what are you talking about?" Sirius yelled after him. Regulus just laughed and Lily and Sirius heard the closing of the door.

Sirius laughed and started to sit down. As he did, a sharp pain went up his abdomen. "Ouch," he whimpered and stood back up, placing his hands on his stomach. Immediately Lily was at his side, a hand on his back and looking at his face in concern.

"Are you alright? What happened?" she demanded. She did not want Sirius to go into birth while she was alone with him.

"Ouch," he whimpered again as the pain filled him again. "I think it's time for me to be getting to St. Mungos."

Panic filled Lily's usually calm green eyes. "Okay, um…what should I do?"

Sirius shrugged and tried to swallow the rising panic. He was not ready for this.

"Get me the hell to St. Mungos!" he snapped. Ana looked up at him from where she had been playing. Lily picked her up and then went over to wrap an arm under Sirius's armpits so he could half lean on her and walk.

Gratefully he shifted his weight and let her half support him. They hobbled out to her car and she started driving. Quickly. Sirius had his hand on his stomach and a pained expression kept on flashing over his face. As she was driving, Lily pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number. "I have one because Remus is like a mother hen now that I'm pregnant. And I have a muggle job so we couldn't use any form of magic communication."

She held the phone up to her ear and started talking. Sirius raised his eyebrows. She seemed so panicked. "Yes, Sirius is going into labor…I know you're with James so tell him…no, well, yes….I don't really bloody care you moron! Uh-huh. Yeah. Sure. Whatever. See you both there then. Bye."

She hung up, seeming to be completely stressed out. "I bloody well hate him sometimes," she muttered.

"No you don't. You love him so much that you can hardly see straight."

Lily glanced at him and laughed. "When did you get all deep and sentimental?"

"When the hormones started kicking in I think."

Lily laughed and drove a little bit faster. They arrived at the hospital in about 30 minutes (as Sirius didn't believe in living far from the hospital). Lily helped him out of the car and quickly undid Ana's seatbelt and lifted her out of the car as well. She walked back over to Sirius and helped him into St. Mungos. He had his hand on his stomach and was breathing shallowly to try to ease the pain. She rushed him inside and immediately had him sit down. Before she went to sign him in, he touched her on the arm. She looked at him and he said, "Would you ask if I could try taking the potion thingy. I really don't want to be cut open."

Lily chuckled and went in to register Sirius, leaving him with Ana. She crawled over and sat by his side. He grinned and leaned over to kiss her forehead. "Ready for a new sibling?" he asked, a grin crossing over his face. She nodded slightly and then giggled. He pushed her hair back from her forehead. "I love you."

Pounding footsteps made him look up. James and Remus rushed in and looked around wildly. James saw Sirius and headed over to him while Remus walked over to Lily. "Are you alright? Is the baby okay? Is it coming?"

Sirius nodded. "I refuse to be put under a c-section again. Lily said that there's a potion that I can take that can avoid that possibility and avoid being sliced open and sewn back together."

"Good," responded James, clutching Sirius's hand tightly in a reassuring manner. Sirius smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Lily came back, Remus following her. A nurse came out with a stretcher and gestured for Sirius to get onto it. He did so and tried to relax. The stretcher was taken away to the maternity ward and James followed, leaving Lily and Remus to watch after Ana and find the waiting room nearest to the maternity ward.

la

"Alright, the young woman who checked you in said you didn't want to have a c-section and use a potion instead, right?" the nurse asked as she began setting things up and prepping him. He nodded and James watched her apprehensively. "Alright, then I'll be back in a moment."

She left, leaving James and Sirius to chat. "I'm scared," whispered Sirius, clutching onto James's hand tightly. James squeezed in response, and pushed back his dark hair. The nurse came back and handed Sirius the potion. He took it and grimaced as he tasted it. "This tastes like shit!" he exclaimed.

She laughed and began explaining the process to him. He sat back and listened, his face contorting in pain every now and then as contractions hit him. About five hours of enduring pain, the nurse said, "Are you ready, 'cause the baby is."

Sirius nodded. "Alright, I need you to breathe…and when I tell you push. Alright? Okay, one, two, push!"

ow

Two hours later, James sat next to a sleeping Sirius. After he'd gotten the baby out, he had effectively passed out and he'd stayed that way. Lily and Remus had gone home, leaving Ana with them. They had promised to come back as soon as they possibly could. James looked over at the baby in the bed. He was such a beautiful child. He had deep blue eyes, a little button nose, and a tuft of black hair. Ana was asleep on a couch that was in the room.

Movement on the bed made James immediately turn his attention back to Sirius. He was blinking blearily and looking around trying to get his bearings. Everything seemed to come back to him and a small smile came across his face. "Where is it?" he asked, looking around, now desperate. James knew that he was probably thinking about the first baby boy.

James got up and went to go get their son. Gently picking him up, he brought him over to Sirius. Sirius's face lit up when he saw the baby and he carefully took him from James and rocked him against his chest. "Wow," was all he said. The baby was perfect.

"What should we name him?" asked James, sitting down on the bed and watching them.

Sirius didn't even stop to think. "Matthew Benjamin Potter."

A.N. aaaah. So cute. Please review. Thank you for reading. Adios to all!