Beautiful Disaster

Chapter: 22

Pairing: Robert and Holly Scorpio

Rating: PG

January 1st 1993, General Hospital

Holly rested against the pillows, taking deep, relaxing breaths as her contraction gradually subsided. They were now less than five minutes apart and becoming more intense. Robert gently rubbed his hand over her stomach, trying to soothe her.

"Robert." she breathed. "How about not touching me?"

He quickly retracted his hand. "Sorry." he said. "Can I get you anything? More ice chips?"

"No." she answered. "Just be quiet."

"Okay."

After several minutes passed another contraction hit. Holly immediately grabbed Robert's hand and squeezed tightly. "I think I'm starting to hate you!" she yelled.

"Breathe, Holly." he instructed, calmly. "Just breath."

Holly struggled to do as he instructed, but it didn't seem to do much to help the pain. Finally after the longest forty five seconds of her entire life her grip on Robert's hand lessened. He gently dabbed her forehead with a wet cloth. "How's that?" he asked.

"Better." she breathed.

She tried to relax and take those slow, deep breaths that Robert kept encouraging, but she felt her energy draining with each contraction. The uneasiness she felt before leaving the house still lingered deep down inside of her. As another contraction hit Holly screamed out in pain. "I hate you, Robert!"

Holly had a death grip on his hand, he felt as though it was going to break. "Nice deep breaths, in through in the nose and out through the mouth." he instructed. "Just like we learned in class."

"That's not helping!" she cried out.

"Try to focus." he suggested. "Think about the baby. Think about holding our baby in your arms."

Holly did just as he said and envisioned their baby safely in her arms. "That helped." she finally said once the contraction had subsided. That was the most intense contraction so far and she decided that it was just about as much as she could take. "I really want that epidural now."

General Hospital Waiting Room

"Holly wasn't had the baby yet, has she?" Robin asked as she approached Tiffany and Sean. Mac was only a few steps behind her.

"No, not yet sweetie." Tiffany answered. "Dr. Meadows said it was going to be a while."

"How's Holly progressing?" Mac asked.

"Her contraction are less than five minutes apart." Tiffany answered.

"How's my Dad doing?" Robin asked. "Is he freaking out?"

"Not yet." Sean answered. "He's nervous but I don't think he'll admit it."

"Robin, how was the party?" Tiffany asked.

She sat down next to her godmother. "It was fun." she answered. "Have you been here long?"

"About a half hour." she answered. "Get comfortable because we're going to be here for a while."

Holly's Hospital Room

The epidural had been administered and Holly was resting somewhat more comfortably. The pain didn't seem to be nearly as intense and when she squeezed Robert's hand through her contractions he didn't cry out in pain anymore. She had progressed quickly from five to eight centimeters and Dr. Meadows assured her that it wouldn't be much longer.

"Robert?" she called out softly.

He placed a kiss to the back of her hand. "Yes, luv?"

"I like the name Holiday."

Robert smiled. "You're just saying that now so I'll forgive you for telling me that you hate me."

"How about we call it even?" she suggested.

"Sounds good to me."

"I love you." she whispered.

"And I love you." he whispered back as he gently dabbed her chest with a wet cloth. "How do you feel?"

"Hot." she replied.

Robert pulled the sheet down past her stomach. "Better?" he asked.

"Much." she breathed.

Delivery Room

Holly dilated quickly and as they were prepping her for the move to the delivery room Robert changed into the scrubs they had given him. The move was swift and efficient. Everything seemed to be happening to fast.

"Okay, Holly." Dr. Meadow said. "Are you ready to start pushing?"

"Yes." she answered. "Finally."

"On the next contraction." Dr. Meadows replied. "Push." she instructed.

Holly squeezed Robert's hand tightly as she beared down as hard as she could, pushing as Dr. Meadows counted to ten. The process was repeated several times. "I can see the baby's head." the doctor announced as Holly continued to call out in pain. "Stop pushing, Holly. I need you to relax."

Holly rested against the pillows. "I hate you, Robert." she breathed out. "You can have the next one."

Robert laughed. "If I could I would."

"Holly, I just want you to relax and let the contractions work for themselves." Dr. Meadows instructed. "Just take some deep breaths."

"Robert, would you like to see the baby's head?" Dr. Meadows asked.

He moved forward a little, never quite letting go of Holly's hand. "Wow." he breathed out. "That's amazing." he said, getting the first look at his child. "She has lots of dark hair."

"Holly, just a few more pushes and the baby will be out." the doctor instructed. "Once the shoulders are out I'll help maneuver the baby out the rest of the way."

Robert moved back up to the head of the bed. He gently placed a kiss on Holly's forehead. "You're doing an amazing job." he encouraged.

"Push." Dr. Meadows commanded.

Holly pushed and pushed and pushed with all the strength she could find. With Robert's words of love and encouragement and Dr. Meadows instructions the sound of a crying baby finally filled the room.

"It's a boy." Dr. Meadows announced, holding up the screaming infant.

"A boy." Robert repeated.

"He's perfect." Holly smiled as she fell back against the pillows, completely exhausted.

After clearing the baby's airway the he was placed on Holly's stomach. "He's so beautiful." she said as she gently touched his hand.

Robert gently touched his son's hair. "He's got your nose."

Dr. Meadows and one of the attending nurses clamped off the umbilical cord. "Robert would you like to cut the cord?" Robert snipped the cord, finally discontenting mother and child. "Nurse Marina is going to take the baby and get him cleaned up." Dr. Meadows told them. "Then you can have him back. Until then we're going to deliver the placenta."

As two of the nurses were taking care of the baby, Dr. Meadows prepared to deliver the afterbirth.

Robert gently kissed Holly's lips. "I love you."

Dr. Meadows looked up at Holly to make sure she was doing okay, but when she glanced back down she saw more blood than there should have been. "Kate." Dr. Meadows called out. "I need some help."

Holly's eyelids began to feel heavy, she could barely keep her eyes open. "Robert." she breathed softly.

"I'm here." he assured her. "What's wrong?" he asked the doctor.

"Alex, escort Mr. Scorpio into the hallway." Dr. Meadows ordered as she tried to control the bleeding.

"No, I'm not leaving her!" Robert protested.

"You don't have a choice." Dr. Meadows informed him. Robert's head was spinning as Nurse Alex took him outside the delivery room.

Back inside the Delivery Room Dr. Meadows began yelling out orders to the nurses as Holly fell unconscious.

tbc...