"Mr and Mrs Green?" I cry out, letting Anna lean on me as we make our way out to the backyard. Keeping her steady with one arm, I use my free hand to wrench open the sliding glass door, drawing their attention to us.

"Hello, dears. Do you want something to eat?" Mrs Green asks before laying her eyes on her daughter's face, sweating and pale white as a sheet. "Anna? What's happened?"

My girlfriend chokes back her sobs, leaning on me harder. "My stomach… it's hurting really bad… and I don't know what to do…"

The parents rush over to us, Anna's mother coming forward and embracing her. "Did you eat anything funny? How long has it been like this?"

"I didn't eat anything weird… it's been low level for a few days but it just got so much worse and I have no idea why," she wails pitifully, her voice cracking. Fuck, I've never seen Anna this upset by anything, not even when her cat died when we were in middle school. This must be bad. Really bad. I have a pit in my stomach just thinking about it.

"I have her some tylenol and we waited for it to set in but she hasn't gotten any better."

"Right, honey," Mr Green grabs his coat and keys, "we'll take you to the hospital, okay?

"We'll come too," Mom says, "we have a friend who works in the hospital. She's skilled across all fields. Was a real prodigy in her day. Our car has three rows. Angus can drive."

Mrs Green looks at my mom in surprise. "Are you sure? You don't have to come along, you know. We can just-"

"Mom we have to go now!" Anna nearly doubles over in pain.

Without missing a beat, Mrs Green and I support her on either side, each hooking an arm under her. Together, we make our way towards their car.

We all pile into the car, my parents in front, Anna between her mom and me in the middle row and her dad in the backseat. Anna is sweating profusely, squirming under the pain as she clutches her stomach, her eyes squeezed shut.

"Anna, sweetie, Mom's here okay? You're gonna be just fine, just keep your eyes on the road. Hold my hand, that's it, honey." Her mom comforts her, gripping her hand as my dad speeds down the road.

"Hi, Helen, are you on call right now? … Right, we're on the way to the hospital, one of our girls is having severe abdominal pains. Can you meet us by the emergency room? … Okay, thanks so much, we'll be there as soon as we can, we're around five minutes out."

Mr Green pipes up from the back seat, his eyes glued to his phone. "I'm looking it up and Google says this could be just inflammation, blockage or intestinal disorders. Worst case, appendicitis, but we can deal with that when we get to the hospital."

"Elsa…" her voice is so soft.

"I'm right here, baby," I gently stroke her cheek, brushing her tears away.

"It really hurts. So much."

"I know it does. But this doctor is really good. Remember when we were in 8th grade and I had that really bad allergic reaction to something? All the doctors we went to misdiagnosed me except her and I was better in a flash. You're gonna be just fine."

She grips my hand tighter, trying to steady her breathing. I glance over to see her mother pale with worry, her forehead creased. I reach out to pat her leg, offering her what I hope is a comforting smile as we get closer to our destination.

As soon as we pull up to the emergency area of the hospital, I see Dr Parr and a small team of nurses waiting with a wheelchair. We all scramble out of the car, lifting Anna out gently and setting her down in the chair. She's sobbing at this point, clutching her stomach. My dad remains in the car to try to find a space to park while Mr Green goes to the front desk to settle all the logistical stuff. Our mothers and us make our way through the bustling halls as Dr Parr tries to talk to her.

"Hi, it's Anna right? My name is Dr Parr. We're gonna get a scan done on you so we can see what the problem is, alright? You're gonna be just fine, I promise." Dr Parr is walking slightly hunched over, her face level with Anna's.

"Am I dying?" she asks softly, tears streaming down her face.

"We need to see the scan to be sure but no, you're not dying."

"Can my family stay with me?"

Dr Parr glances in our direction before focusing her attention back to Anna. "Of course. They'll be with you every step of the way."

We turn a corner into a large room with a big whirring machine in the centre. "Anna, I'm gonna need you to get up on this table for me, okay? We'll help you up." Her and another nurse take Anna by the arms and help her to her feet when we all hear a loud splash. Anna's face goes white as she looks down to see the pool of blood that's collected on the floor between her legs.

"Wh- wh- what's happening?" her voice trembles.

"Alright, ladies, change in plans. I know what this is. We need to go to the delivery ward right now."

My heart stops.

"Delivery ward?" Anna asks, horrified as she is placed back in her wheelchair and moved once again.

"How can that be? She doesn't look pregnant! Are you sure that's what it is?" Mrs Green asks, staying by her daughter's side.

"Cryptic pregnancy. It's rare but not that rare. Signs of pregnancies don't show, your period doesn't really stop, you don't gain weight or even feel the kicking until quite late, or in some cases, during labour itself. Sudden abdominal pain, the blood, it adds up. That must've been your water breaking." Dr Parr steers us through the maze of halls as she explains. I can feel the colour draining from my face, my stomach in knots, my throat feels like it's about to close up entirely.

My god, Elsa, what the fuck have you done?

"But Anna has a girlfriend, how did she get pregnant?" her mother pesters, running a hand through her tangled mass of hair.

"I thought Elsa couldn't get anyone pregnant?" Mom chips in.

"She what?" Mrs Green looks at me, her expression demanding answers. I wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole.

"Probably a horrible time to mention this but I'm intersex. I have a penis." I can barely force the words out of my mouth. "But the doctors said growing up that I wouldn't be able to produce the right stuff to get someone pregnant. Though, that was a while ago and-"

I'm cut off by the sound of Anna screaming in pain, doubling over in her chair.

"We're nearly there, sweetheart. Don't worry," Dr Parr comforts her as she's wheeled into another sterile looking room. The smell of disinfectant fills my nostrils. A team of nurses strip her and get her into a hospital gown before laying her on the bed, placing her legs in stirrups.

"Mrs Green, I'm so sorry. If I had known… Anna and I both hadn't had partners before so... I mean… We made the decision to… I should have… I didn't mean..." I'm hyperventilating, trying my best to explain to the mother of the love of my life how I so unexpectedly got her daughter pregnant and threw a huge obstacle in her life. She just cups my cheeks and makes me look her straight in the eyes. They're not angry like I expected. She doesn't look like she wanted to banish me to a castle on a mountain all alone (strange metaphor but it's all I can think of). She just looks afraid.

"Elsa, honey, it's okay. Right now, we focus on making sure Anna and the baby are safe."

Her mom and I stand by either side of her, my mom just behind me as she has an array of machines hooked up to her, monitoring who knows what. The whole while she's panting heavily, trying her best not to shriek like a banshee. I take her hand in mine, letting her hold on tight. Dr Parr looks beneath her gown. "Alright, Anna, you're almost fully dilated. I've hooked up the fetal monitor and can you hear that?" We all pause to hear the steady heartbeat of the baby about to make its grand appearance into the world. "That's your baby's heartbeat, healthy and strong. We're going to need you to start pushing. Can you do that for me?"

"Push? How do I push?" she questions, her eyes wide with panic.

"Anna, sweetie, look at me. You just need to relax. Think of it like pushing all this pain out of your system, okay?" Her mom takes her other hand, which Anna holds onto like a lifeline.

"Contractions are getting closer together. Entering the final stage of labour now," Dr Parr says to her nurses who go on to prepare for the shitstorm that's about to unfold.

"Ten centimetres! Anna, I'm gonna need you to start pushing on my count alright? Three… two… one…"

Anna lets out a scream as her whole body convulses, squeezing my hand so hard I fear it will break. I won't be surprised if my eardrums burst too. Two nurses hook their arms under her knees, pulling her legs up towards her shoulders.

"Again."

Her body is sweating buckets and she's red in the face as she continues to push.

"You're doing so good, dear. The baby's crowning, this is the worst of it. Your vitals are all stable, you just need to get through this bit of pain, alright?"

"Fuck it hurts!" she cries out through her sobs.

"I'm right here with you, baby. You're so strong and so brave, I know you're going to get through this," I try to wipe away her tears with a bit of tissue.

"Don't fucking touch me!" Anna shrieks, her body convulsing causing me to jump back, her hand still gripping mine. My mom puts a hand on my shoulder from behind me, trying to calm my trembling frame.

"Getting the head out is the hardest part. You're almost there," Dr Parr tries to offer some comfort. I look down and true enough, there's half of a small head sticking out from between Anna's legs, already adorned with a tuft of red hair.

Just like her.

"I feel like I'm dying," she pants, her entire face red with effort.

Dr Parr gives her a determined look. "You are not going to die, Anna. You'll get through this. Yes, it's unexpected but look around you. You're surrounded by so many strong women. Your mom has gone through this, Elsa's mom has gone through this and so have I and some of my nurses. Elsa will be here with you every step of the way. You're going to be fine."

"Anna, dear, try to breathe like me, alright? Trust me, it will help with the pain," my mom says from behind me, demonstrating a breathing exercise she must have used while she was giving birth to me. "Four counts in… hold for two… eight counts out. Can you try that?" She just nods frantically, trying to steady her breathing.

"Another push, dear. You're doing so well. Exhale while you push out."

Anna lets out a low groan, tensing up as she pushes again. Tears are flowing freely down her cheeks, her hair matted and sticking to her face. My mom hugs me from behind, trying to calm me as I tear up watching my girlfriend go through this.

I don't think I've ever felt so useless in my life.

Dr Parr lets out a victorious whoop, startling all of us. "The head is out! We need one final push from you, alright Anna?"

"It's the final stretch honey," her mom says from her other side. "I'm so proud of you."

Anna pulls me closer, no longer holding my hand but instead gripping my entire arm like it's a bolster.

"On my count. Three… two… one!"

There is a final blood curdling scream and before we know it, the sound of crying fills the air, one familiar and the other foreign.

"Congratulations, it's a girl. Carried perfectly to term.," Dr Parr swaddles Anna's daughter - our daughter - in a blanket before laying her on Anna's chest heaving for skin to skin contact. One of the nurses uses a clip and snips away the umbilical cord. Her little lungs are filled for the first time as she announces her presence to the world. I can't stop myself from joining them, crying with joy as I lean forward and embrace my girls.

"I'm so sorry, Anna, I didn't know…" My voice is breaking, barely a whisper.

"Els, it's alright. None of that matters now." She looks at me kindly through watery eyes, holding our girl close to her chest. "We have a biological child, something that most same sex couples can only dream of, and she's absolutely beautiful."

"You did so well, honey," Mrs Green says, leaning over to give Anna a kiss on the cheek.

"You're not mad?" the redhead asks nervously.

"I will admit I didn't expect to become a grandmother at this point in my life but you're safe and the baby is safe, That's all that matters."

Anna looks at me, her eyes tired but still bright with excitement. "Do you wanna hold her?"

I blush and reach my hands out as Anna gently places our baby in my arms. I cradle her, feeling the rise and fall of her small chest. She's seemed to have calmed down now, just looking and exploring the world around her. She has my bright blue eyes and nose coupled with Anna's strawberry blonde hair and freckles, albeit a little fainter.

"You girls are gonna make great mamas," my mom says, stroking my hair and hugging me from behind.

"And we'll be here with you every step of the way," Mrs Green adds.

Our baby begins to coo in my arms, her limbs flailing around inside her swaddle. "What should we name her?" I ask, looking at Anna all tired and disheveled.

"Hmm… her eyes are like her mom's, big blue stars. I think Cassiopeia. Cassie for short, What do you think?"

"That name is perfect." I look down at our girl, her tiny hand wrapping around my outstretched finger. "What do you think, Cassie?" I coo, tickling her nose. She lets out a gargle of agreement, her little tongue sticking out of the corner of her lips making us giggle.

"Anna! I'm coming! We're here!" The door opens and we all turn to see our fathers rush in before stopping, noticing the baby in my arms. Mr Green drops every file he's holding and they land with a crash on the floor.

"What the hell did we miss?"

A/N - Hello dear reader! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's been one I've wanted to write since the start of this story. I really hope I was able to properly convey the absolute panic I imagine happens during childbirth. I wanted to have Anna get pregnant in a way I've not seen other fics on here do, hence the stranger circumstances. I don't want this story to get too draggy so the next chapter will probably be an epilogue to this story, but if you guys desperately want more I'll see how far we can take it. Leave a review letting me know what you think! As always, stay hydrated and wear a mask, until next chapter x