Five days later

Knuckles awoke in the middle of the night. He rolled over and saw that the clock neatly displayed the numbers 3.56. Wondering why he had woken up so early, he turn to face Rouges side, but instead of seeing her lying there, sound asleep, he spotted empty sheets. Getting worried, Knuckles threw of the cover and put on his shoes and gloves, going to search the house for Rouge.
He didn't have to look far. He found her outside their room in the hallway. He smiled and was about to ask her why she was out of bed, when he saw that she looked ancios, and was pacing up and down.

" Rouge what's the matter?"he asked , worried. The bat didn't stop her pacing. She looked on edge about something.
" I don't know Knuckles, I feel uncomfertable, something's wrong" she replied, stopping her pacing and leaning against the wall. " I keep needing the loo, I must have been about five times tonight". Knuckles suddenly became very nervous.
" Rouge. You don't think...you don't think the babies coming do you?" He asked, hesitant. The bat resumed her pacing and said
" I really don't know, it could be" she swallowed " I hope not". Knuckles watched her pace for a while, considering what to do. Rouge began moaning with discomfort, her breathing becoming less steady.
Just then Siberia came down stairs, awoken by the constant thudder of Rouges pacing. She spotted her freind, looking ancious and uncomfertable and instantly became concerned.
" Rouge, are you alright?"she asked, perfectly aware that the due date had passed and that Rouge could be coming into labour. Rouge went to sit down on the wooden chair that stood in their hallway, standing up again almost as soon as she sat down. " Rouge, calm down. You sould sit ". The bat shook her head.

" I don't want too". She sighed and clutched her belly, wincing and resuming her pacing. Siberia grabbed her arm.
" Rouge, you need to stop this. Listen , I need to know if your water has broken". Rouge stopped and looked a little tacken aback.

" I don't know, I keep having to pee"

Siberia looked concerned and said
" Rouge , I think-"she began, but was when Rouge winced and said
" Ow, what was that?"she asked, refering to the crushing jolt she had just felt. Siberia suddenly looked panicy.
" That was a contraction. Let's go" she said anciosly, pulling Rouge away by the arm.
" Hey! What about me?" Said Knuckles, standing there and looking nervous and confused at the same time.
" Phone an ambulance" said Siberia, taking Rouge back into the bedroom.
" An ambulance? What!" Rouge shreiked, realising what was happening. Knuckles nodded and ripped the nearest phone off of it's stand, nervously dialing 999.

The ambulence arrived soon after Knuckles had called it, but Rouge wouldn't come out of the bedroom. The echidna walked in himself, coming to a stop when he saw Rouge, laying down and looking scared.

" Come on! We have to go!" He said, reaching in to pick her up. His hands never touched her.

" Don't pick me up!" She scrieched, not wanting to be moved from the position she was in. Ignoring her protests, Knuckles bought her into his arms, trying to keep as calm as possible, although he was sure his heart was racing faster than even Sonic.

However , when they eventually got to the hospital , Rouge had calmed down. Knuckles collaped in the chair near her bed and let out a huge sigh , his mind was on egde from being worried and tence for so long. He closed his eyes to try and clear his thoughts , while Rouge was layed on the bed. Rouge noticed this and said
" Are you ok?" . He looked up werily and laughed
" Don't worry about me , what about you!" He said , taking her hand. She smiled nervoulsy and said
" Yeah , this is it". Knuckles tilted his head in curiosity
" How can you be sure?". Rouge rubbed her forhead and said shakely
" I think my water broke". Knuckles stared at her , confused
" Meaning?" He asked . Rouge smiled at her husbands cluelessness
" Meaning the baby is coming out soon" she anwsered , not feeling bothered enough to explain it to him.
" Oh" he said looking down . He looked up again " Are you sure?" He asked " I mean ... you've calmed down now" . Rouge nodded and said
" Yeah , it always happens like that , Siberia told me". At that point , a midwife came in , rushing over to Rouge and Knuckles. She approached Rouge with the usual sunny face that all nurses are supposed to use and said
" Hello there. I'm Racheal, what's your name miss?"she asked politly.
" Rouge, and it's mrs" she said, not letting her attitude be left out even while in labour. She tried to act normal but her voice wavered a little through nerves. The nurse smiled and said
" Ok then, I want you to just answer a few questions for me. First , when did your water break?". Rouge told her that it was about half and hour ago. The nurse nodded while checking Rouge over and said " Is this your first baby?". Rouge swallowed and said in a weak voice
" Yes". The nurse smiled and said
" Well then I'm just going to tell you a little bit about what to do when the time comes. Ok?". So Rouge listened nervously while the nurse told her what to do. As the nurse checked her over, Knuckles felt the fear build up in him again. The moment of truth was drawing nearer , would their child be all right? He watched as the nurse told Rouge what to do when the time came . He sat there , extremly nervous. He felt useless , as if he couldn't do anything. He would willingly take some of the pain for himself , but unfortunatly , things didn't work that way. After a while the nurse was finished checking on Rouge. She went out , saying she would be back in about ten minetes . Rouge didn't speak . She felt as if she would die from fear right there. When Knuckles stood up , she grabbed his hand
" Where are you going?" She said , screeching a little. He unhooked his hand and bent down to her level.
" Im just going to see if everyones here and tell them whats happening , Don't worry , ill be back" he said , stroking her hand gently. She nodded weakly as he walked out. He was back almost emmidiatly , not leaving her side again.

She tried her best to take mind off of the enivitable , but nothing seemed to hold her attention for long. Her thoughts came straight back the birth and whether or not the child would be okay . She moved her hand to her swollen stoumuch , gently digging in her nails , worrying all the time. Could she cope with this? It was a crossbreed , or so she thought , and that could mean difficulties.
Knuckles was silent. He was afriad , afraid that his child would be ill or worse . He was also worried about Rouge. About the pain it would cause her . He scratched his chin . The fact that his kind layed could still produce problems , he wasn't sure if Rouge could pass a whole egg , as she wasn't built to do that. He hoped for her sack that it wasn't in an egg , because if it was , it was possible that Rouge could die from it. He didn't tell Rouge this of course , partly because he didn't have the guts and partly becuase he didn't want to worry her.
The hours crept by , until finally, at11 o clock in the morning , Rouge felt the pain rush back and tenced up , the moment of truth had arrived.
Knuckles eyes darted around as Rouge suddenly started moaning again.
" Hey! Come here! Yeah you! Quickly!" He said , panicing. The nurse rushed over and reasurred Rouge as best she could. She then told her to push , though Rouge wasn't really paying much attention.
" Come on! Rouge you can do it!" Said the nurse , who was bent at Rouges opening. Rouge breathing became fast and she tried to push , but the pain proved too much and she let out a loud moan of discomfort , not really caring if anyone heard. She tried again , but it only made the pain worse and tearts began to flow down her cheek , as the intencity only carried on increasing. This hurt her so much more than the eggshells did and Rouge didn't even have time to think, she just screamed as she tried to push.
Knuckles reached over and stoked her forhead , or at least he tried , but Rouge was thrashing around to much to let him stoke her. Her eyes screwed up and she grabbed Knuckles hand and sqeezed it as hard as she could , anything to get the pain away. Knuckles let out a youch and screwed his own face up , really trying to not complain.
The nurse looked up and casualy commented
" Your in luck Rouge. It's a big baby!" Of all the things Rouge felt right now, lucky was not one of them.
" Don't worry Rouge im here , im here" Knuckles said gently , trying to reassure her. She screamed in responce and gripped his hand harder. He couldn't take it anymore. " Rouge! Your hurting my hand!" He growled , trying to prize it away from her. Suudenly she burst out
" Arggghh! I hate you! You bastard! You stupid egg laying freak! ". Knuckles winced , from the sound of her strong language and from her crushing grip on his hand. He didn't really appriacte the comment about him being a freak , but he supposed he would let it slip . After all , she was going through what was arguably the worst pain in the world for him. " YOU CAUSED THIS! IM GONNA KILL YOU!" She screamed again , realising his hand and trying to grab him round the scruff of his neck.
" Come on Rouge! A few more pushes and you have done it!. Rouge pushed and let out another yell of discomfort , feeling the baby shift a little everytime she pushed . However each time she did she felt her insides strech more and it hurt like heck. She felt as if she had a elephant inside of her , let along a baby echidna , or bat . Her breathing raced as she felt it near the opening. Panting and screaming everytime she pushed , she gripped Knuckles hand again and pushed. She felt some of it leave . But also felt the pain double again. She thrashed and yelled to Knuckles
" WE ARE NEVER DOING THIS AGAIN!". He nodded guiltily and said
" Well thats fair"
" THAT BETTER NOT BE SARCASM!" She screached . All Knuckles did was shack his head , eyes wide.
Rouge got ready for the final push , just about ready to give up . She grinded her teeth together and pushed with all her strength. The pain eased and she collasped against the pillow , trying to slow her erratic breathing. She didn't really know where she was or what she was doing for a second, her brain was in a complete muddle. But I soon caught up with her and she looked over the nurses , who were holding something In a blanket. They looked panic for some reason and Rouge tenced up. She couldn't see her baby, but she wished too, very much. She saw the nurses hitting it...
Rouge jerked up in alarm. They still hadn't given it too her, she was beginning to worry. Then , one of the nurses walked over to her, looking a little disheartened. Rouge watched anciosly, her heart was once again beating fast, although this time, it was through worry.
" Rouge, I know this is going to be hard for you to hear...". Rouge closed her eyes, she knew what was coming.
Meanwhile , outside the ward, the rest of the gang waited patiently outside. They had heard Rouge screaming, a lot louder than she had when she had to pass the eggshells. Then , after a while the screaming had stopped, but nothing else had happened. Knuckles didn't come out and announce what it was, nor did they hear a shrill babies cry. The whole lot of them were beginning to worry when the docter and a nurse came out, in deep conversation.
Of course, Sonic and Shadow were at there side instantly.
" What happened?"shouted Sonic
" Why can't we see them?"Shadow said, joining in
" What's going on?" Said Sonic
" Is Rouge ok?" Shouted Shadow. The docter waved his hands to calm the two hegdehogs down. They were immidialty silent and the docter managed to proceed.
" The mother is just fine, she made it through the birth perfectly normally, however..."
" What!"
" What's however?" Screamed Shadow then Sonic. The docter became visably uneasy and said
" Well, dew to it's crossbread nature there was a slim chance of survival in the first place". Shadow and Sonic didn't have a comment this time. Instead , Amy spoke up for the first time.
" Are you saying... it didn't make it?". The docter sighed and smiled uneasily
" I'm afriad not"

AUTHORS NOTES

Yah im back! And by the way this story isn't over so don't go away just becuase it seems that way. Next chapter up soon.