Chapter Twenty-Two

Early April 2020

Thirty-Eight and a Half Weeks Along

"Hey, guys." Veronica greets, opening the door to Sarah and Chaos on Saturday morning. "Come on in."

"Thanks." Sarah steps over the threshold, followed closely by Chaos. "We'd hug you, but I think it'd be a little awkward."

She gestures to the six-month-old in her arms and almost three-year-old in her husband's, and then nods towards Veronica's large belly.

"Good point. Hugging's not exactly easy these days." Veronica grins, before turning her attention to the little boy balanced on Sarah's hip. "Hey, Mason, you're getting so big."

"Don't I know it," Sarah replies, adjusting him slightly. "And getting bigger every day."

"So are you, Aves." Veronica turns her attention to the toddler. "You're looking very grown up now."

Ava looks at Veronica curiously for a moment, like she's trying to place her, before burrowing her head in her father's chest.

"Don't worry," says Chaos. "She still gets shy around people she hasn't seen in a while. She'll be back to her usual chatty self before long."

"That's okay." Veronica gives an understanding nod. "Come on, let's go make ourselves comfortable."

"Logan not around?" Chaos asks as they follow her into the living room.

"He's at the store," says Veronica. "We were seriously lacking in any form of snacks, so I sent him out. He'll be home in a few."

Veronica sinks down onto the sofa, watching as Sarah settles Mason on a blanket on the floor, with a couple of toys to keep him occupied, then takes a seat herself. Ava, on the other hand, quickly wriggles free of Chaos' grasp and toddles across the room to the closed French doors, pressing her hands and face to the glass as she looks outside.

"I hope you've child-proofed this place," jokes Chaos, his eyes following his daughter, "because she'll get into anything she can these days."

"Don't worry," says Veronica. "I've spent most of this week tidying and organising the whole house. Logan thinks I'm nesting."

Sarah smiles. "Yeah, you are. I was the same."

"She was terrible," confirms Chaos. "Every night I'd come home to find everything in a completely different place to when I left that morning."

"I wasn't that bad," protests Sarah.

Chaos shoots her a grin. "Yeah, you were."

The front door opens then and Logan appears, laden with bags of food from the grocery store.

"Lo-Lo! " Ava's eyes light up and she barrels towards him, wrapping her arms around his legs.

"Ava, my girl!" Logan greets her with a grin, placing the bags on the floor and scooping her up in his arms.

"Oh, him she remembers," Veronica jokes, watching Ava squeal with delight as Logan spins her around. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised; he always seems to capture the attention of the ladies."

"She remembers you too, Veronica," Sarah assures her. "I think she's just hesitant because of, you know…" She gestures to her belly and Veronica nods in understanding. "She was the same with me last year, until she got used to it."

Logan carries Ava into the living room and deposits her on the floor again as Chaos stands. They greet each other with a hug and a pat on the back, before Logan turns to give Sarah a hug as well.

"I'm just gonna put those away." He nods towards the groceries on the floor, then shoots a pointed look in Ava's direction. "Before someone gets into them."

As Logan's collecting the bags, Veronica shifts forward on the couch. "Can I get you guys something to drink?"

"Hey, no, you stay there," Logan tells her. "Put your feet up. I'll sort it."

"I can fix us some drinks, Logan." Veronica fights not to roll her eyes.

"Hey, let him do it." Sarah places a hand on her arm to stop her getting up. "You won't be able to use being pregnant as an excuse to laze around much longer, so make the most of it."

Veronica thinks about that for a moment, before grinning and easing back against the sofa cushions. "Yeah, all right."

Logan returns a couple of minutes later with a tray of drinks, and then settles down next to Chaos on the second sofa.

"So, how are things at Oceana?" he asks.

"Yeah, pretty good," says Chaos. "We miss having you around though."

"Same here," replies Logan. "It's a shame there aren't any more instructor spots going here. You guys could have moved back, too."

"Nah, it's all good. Things are going well back East," Chaos says, before adding, "But Firefly and Nick say hi."

"Oh, how're they doing?" asks Veronica.

With all the pregnancy stuff, she didn't see a whole lot of either Nick or Amy in the last couple of months before returning to Neptune.

"Yeah, good. Nick's found himself a full-time position at a local tech start-up."

"That's good." Veronica smiles. "I'm glad he found something. Our attempt to set up a business last year didn't exactly get off its feet."

"And how are you, Veronica?" Sarah asks then. "Everything going smoothly?"

"Yep, so far." Veronica's hand comes to her stomach. "Just waiting it out now."

"Have you decided on names yet?"

She nods. "Well, we've each picked one for a boy and one for a girl… only thing left is to decide which of the choices it's going to be."

"Which will be determined upon visual contact of the new arrival," Logan speaks up, shooting Veronica a grin, which she narrows her eyes at.

They've got something of a bet going between them over whose name is going to win out. While she does like all of the names, and will be happy with either hers or Logan's choice, the competitive streak in her is hard to shake.

"And I'm guessing that means you won't tell us what they are?"

"Nope." Veronica shakes her head, sharing a smile with Logan. "It's gonna be a secret until the big day."

"So, are you all prepared for the new arrival?" asks Sarah.

"I hope so." Veronica gives a nod. "I mean, part of me wants to know as much as possible, so I'm as prepared as I can be, but the rest… well, I have a feeling there are some details I'd rather not know in advance."

"Yeah," agrees Sarah. "I agree. As amazing as it is to bring a new life into the world, it's not all sunshine and roses."

"I'm beginning to realise that." Veronica makes a face as she recalls some of the less than pleasant birth and post-birth details they learned about in the Lamaze classes.

"But if you have any questions, just ask," says Sarah. "Any worries or concerns, or if you just need someone to talk to, I'm only a phone call away."

"Thanks, Sare. I appreciate it."

Late April 2020

Forty Weeks and One Day Along

Logan glances up at the clock on the wall in his office, his leg bouncing anxiously. Two-fifteen pm. Only two hours and forty-five minutes until he can get out of here. He's barely been able to concentrate on the flight evaluations he's trying to complete, and even the slightest noise makes him frantically check his phone for updates.

Veronica reached her due date yesterday, but much to her frustration, there's been no sign of labour yet. Which means they're both on edge. Veronica's going crazy at home on her own, practically crawling out of her skin waiting for something to happen, while Logan hates the fact that he has to leave her and go to work each morning. They're lucky that the Navy allows him fourteen days of parental leave, but the fact is, it's still only fourteen days, and he doesn't want to waste a minute of it before the baby is born.

So here he is, on base in San Diego, almost an hour away from Veronica—who could go into labour at any moment—trying rather unsuccessfully to get some work done. With a sigh, he turns back to the evaluation form on his computer screen and finally starts typing. He only manages to work for about three minutes before there's a knock on the door.

"Come in," he calls out, minimising the form and closing the notepad on his desk.

The door opens and one of the two female pilots on base enters the room.

"Lieutenant Echolls, do you have a moment?"

Logan pastes a smile on his face. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant Caldwell?"

Sam Caldwell comes to a stop in front of his desk and Logan gestures for her to take a seat.

"Do you think it would be possible to book some additional night-flying tactical sessions next week?" she asks, as she sits down in the chair opposite him. "I don't feel we've had enough training yet to confidently carry out combat missions in low-light conditions."

Logan gives a slow nod of agreement. "I don't see why that should be a problem. Are we talking just you, or is this something you think should be given as a general refresher?"

"Well, I've talked to some of the squadron," says Sam, "and I don't think they'd object to more night training."

"Okay," Logan agrees. "I'll see what I can do, but I suggest you also talk to Lieutenant Wilson about it, as there's a good chance I'll be on leave next week."

"I will. Thank you, Lieutenant."

"No problem, Sam."

Sam smiles and pushes up out of the chair. She starts to move toward the door, but then stops, attention caught by something on his desk. Logan turns his head to see she's looking at the photo of Veronica he keeps there. In it, she's lying in the sand on Dog Beach, her face shining with laughter as she hugs a wet Pony to her chest.

It was taken about three years ago, a few months before they got married, when they'd been hanging out on the beach one lazy Sunday morning. Logan had recently been cleared to return to work after his accident, and was relishing in being able to surf again, so while he caught some waves, Veronica pulled out her camera and started snapping pictures. When he finally came out of the water, Pony bounded up to him, soaking herself in process, and followed him back up the beach, before excitedly launching herself at Veronica and knocking her back onto the sand. Laughing at the picture they made, Veronica caught between laughing and shrieking, Logan grabbed her camera and snapped the shot.

"This is your wife?" Sam asks. "She's pretty."

"Yeah, that's Veronica." Logan's smile widens as he gazes at the photo.

"She's, uh, pregnant, right?" she adds. "I saw her with you at that dinner a few weeks ago."

He nods. "She is. Due yesterday actually… hence the potential leave next week."

"Congratulations," Sam says, before her expression turns sheepish… and a little guilty. "I, um, I think I owe her an apology. For a conversation we had that night."

Logan knows exactly which she's talking about, but he tries to keep a straight face as he says, "Oh? What conversation was that?"

"Oh, um, it was actually not…uh, it was just girl stuff," she says quickly. "Can you just tell her I'm sorry?"

"Sure." He flashes a teasing grin. "For the record though, she's the only one who gets to not kick me out of bed."

"Oh, God, she told you." Sam's eyes widen as she flushes red with embarrassment and brings a hand to her mouth, letting out a small groan. "I am so sorry, Lieutenant. I meant no disrespect."

"It's forgotten," says Logan, shaking his head in dismissal, even as a small smile still plays on his lips. "Never happened."

"Thank you." Sam gives a sigh of relief. "And I'm sorry. Again."

Logan's about to assure her that it really is okay, but his phone chooses that moment to vibrate on the desk, Veronica's ringtone blasting from the speaker, and he snatches it up immediately, his heart racing as he connects the call.

"Veronica?"

"Logan, I need you to come home." Her voice is urgent on the other end.

"God, is it time?" he asks, panic gripping his chest.

"What?" She sounds a little confused. "Oh… no, not yet. I've been trying to kick-start things, but nothing's happening. Not even Braxton-Hicks. That's why I need you to come home."

Logan's lost. "I'm not following."

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Sam cross the room. She gives him a nod, which Logan returns, before she slips through the door and closes it behind her.

"Nothing else is working. I've tried it all: raspberry leaf tea, spicy food, the exercises the doctor recommended—"

"Have you taken a walk?" he suggests, still not sure what she expects him to do. "That's supposed to help."

"Yes, smartass, I've taken a walk," Veronica retorts. "And it didn't help. Nothing has."

"What about trying—?" he starts, but she cuts him off.

"I need you, Logan." Her voice is pleading… and filled with frustration. "I need you to sex me up so I can get this baby out of me."

Logan's eyes widen as a strangled noise of surprise escapes his throat. "You need me to what?"

"Having sex is supposed to help induce labour," she says, like it should be obvious. "And I need it induced ASAP."

"Veronica, I can't just leave base in the middle of the day to have sex with you," he responds incredulously.

"So just tell everyone I've gone into labour."

"I'm not doing that, Veronica." He tries to sound scandalised, though if he's honest, he'd much rather be at home having sex with her right now than completing flight evaluations. "We'll do it when I get home, okay? I'm sure you can wait a couple more hours."

"Okay, fine," she relents, "but you'd better drive fucking fast."

"I'll do my best," he assures her.

"Thank you."

"Other than no sign of labour yet, you're doing okay?" he asks.

"I'm okay. Just uncomfortable and fed up."

"I know, but maybe just try to relax," he suggests. "Read a book or something; take your mind off it."

"Yeah, maybe." She sighs. "Whose genius idea was it to have a baby, huh?"

"You'll get through this, Veronica," Logan tells her. "In a few days, it'll all be over, and we'll have a beautiful son or daughter."

There's a pause, then a sniff, and then her voice cracks slightly, as she says, "Yeah, we will. I can't wait."

"Me either," he replies. "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay."

He hangs up the phone, then sinks back into his chair and takes a deep breath. His heart is still pounding, his mind reeling from the possibility that that could have been The Call. As he calms down though, he can't help but chuckle at the actual reason for it. He can't even imagine the reaction his CO would have if he actually tried to leave early to help his wife induce labour the 'natural way'.

When he gets home that evening, just after six p.m., Logan finds Veronica curled up on her side on the sofa and Pony lying on the floor in front of her. There are three books discarded on the coffee table and the TV is showing some random talk show that she's not paying any attention to. She looks thoroughly fed up.

"Hey." He crosses the room and, careful not to step on the dog, perches on the edge of the couch, reaching out and running a hand over her hair. "Still nothing yet?"

"Nope," she mutters, turning her head and lifting her eyes to his. "I don't think I can wait any longer, Logan. I'm done."

"You can," he encourages. "You're almost there."

"Can't we just ask the doctor for a C-section, like, right now?"

"You know they won't do a C-section unless there are complications," he reasons, with a gentle smile. "I'm afraid you're just gonna have to wait it out."

She pouts. "This sucks."

"I know," he says, before adding, "But as per your request, I got here as fast as I could, if you still want to—"

"Yeah, I want."

"You sure? You look tired."

"I am tired," she agrees. "But I also want this fucking kid out of my fucking body as soon as humanly fucking possible."

"Well, okay then." Logan blinks at her language for a moment, before grinning and slipping off the couch, holding out his hands to her. "Help you up?"

Veronica pushes herself up to sitting, then takes his hands, allowing him to pull her to her feet. "Thanks."

She winces, one hand slipping from his as she rubs her lower back and Logan gives her a sympathetic smile, before lowering his head and briefly brushing his lips over hers.

"Come on, let's go kick-start this labour."

An hour later, Veronica lies on her side in the bed, facing Logan, one pillow propped between her legs and another under her belly. He smiles at her, gently reaching out to tuck her hair behind her ear, before letting his fingers linger against her skin.

"Feeling anything yet?"

"No." She shakes her head, her lower lip jutting out in a pout. "God, I hate all this waiting around."

"I know." His thumb strokes her cheek. "You feel up to some dinner?"

Her stomach rumbles, but she doesn't have the energy to get up right now, so she says, "You feel up to bringing me dinner in bed?"

He presses his lips together like he's trying not to laugh, but he nods all the same. "Sure, why not? We can veg out and watch a movie or something."

She shifts her upper body, leaning forward so she can slide a hand around his neck and tug him in for a kiss. "Thank you."

"So, what'll it be?" he asks, sitting up and pulling on a pair of sweatpants.

"There's still some chili left in the fridge."

Logan smirks, standing up and grabbing a t-shirt. "You know, there's no actual concrete evidence that eating spicy food can induce labour."

Veronica gives a one-shoulder shrug. "Don't care. If there's a chance it'll help, I'm taking it."

"Fair enough," he says. "Gimme ten minutes."

He leaves the bedroom and Veronica sighs, her hand sliding across the bare skin of her large stomach.

"What are you waiting for huh, baby?" she says softly. "You don't wanna come out and meet your mommy and daddy? 'Cause we really want to meet you."

Beneath her hand, the baby shifts, the movement causing a rolling sensation in her belly. The baby dropped last week—which is a big relief, because it means she can finally breathe properly again, though unfortunately, her bladder is suffering for it now—and she saw the doctor a couple of days ago, who confirmed Bud is in the right position for labour. So, all she can do now is wait.

Logan reappears a few minutes later with a tray laden with chilli, rice and two glasses of water.

"Dinner is served," he announces with a flourish, placing the tray down on the nightstand.

Veronica slowly pulls herself up, and Logan helps her get comfortable against the pillows, before picking up the tray again, carrying it round to his side of the bed and placing it between them.

They eat leisurely, Logan helpfully feeding her spoonfuls of chilli so she doesn't have to try to do it herself while trying to balance the plate on her belly, and when they're done, he carries the tray back to the kitchen and returns with a tub of ice cream, two spoons and a selection of movies.

Veronica is pulled from her fitful sleep by an uncomfortable cramping in her abdomen. She pries one eye open to glance at the clock. It's one-thirty a.m. With a groan, she lets her head fall back against the pillow. With all the leg cramps and the needing to pee every few minutes, she only just got to sleep an hour ago… and now she's awake again. She rubs her stomach and waits it out before settling back down to sleep again.

An hour later, when she's just drifted back to sleep, another tightening in her belly wakes her again. This time, the discomfort lasts a few more seconds before it subsides. Over the next four hours, she wakes three more times, getting more and more annoyed with each mild contraction for interrupting her sleep. Unfortunately, this isn't anything unusual. Last week, the Braxton-Hicks kept her up two nights in a row.

Eventually, at six-forty-five a.m., she gives up on sleep and gets up instead. Logan is still fast asleep beside her, snoring lightly, so she pulls on some clothes and heads out to the living room, where Pony is wide awake and waiting for someone to take her out.

"Come on, Pone." She attaches the dog's leash. "Let's go for a walk, huh?"

They head out onto the beach and Veronica breathes in the fresh ocean air, forcing herself to relax even as another contraction rolls through her belly. She rides it out, having gotten used to it by now… this has been happening pretty regularly for the last few days, and so far, nothing has come of it, so she's not getting her hopes up just yet.

Walking helps though, and by the time she and Pony return home thirty minutes later, she's feeling a little better. After putting out some food for Pony, she sets about fixing breakfast for her and Logan. The coffee has just brewed, and she's plating up fruit, toast and scrambled eggs when a sleepy-looking Logan appears in the kitchen doorway.

"Mornin'" he mumbles, reaching up to massage his neck as he shuffles over to the coffee machine and pours himself a mug. "Sleep well?"

"Not as well as you, it seems," she replies, raising an eyebrow in his direction.

He takes a sip, then turns to face her, looking a little more awake now. He frowns in concern at her appearance. "You didn't sleep?"

"Not really," she admits. "Braxton-Hicks kept me up again."

He steps closer to her, lifting a comforting hand to her shoulder. "Just Braxton-Hicks? Not the real thing?"

"I don't think so." She shakes her head. "They aren't painful and they're still at irregular intervals."

He leans forward and presses a kiss to her forehead. "It'll happen soon."

"Yeah." She nods. "Come on, let's eat."

Fifteen minutes later, their plates are empty and Veronica goes to take a shower while Logan clears them away.

While he's using the bathroom after her, she heads down the hall to the baby's room.

"I really hope you make an appearance soon, Bud," she says, as she moves around the room, mentally checking they haven't forgotten to buy anything important. "Because otherwise, your newly decorated and furnished bedroom is just gonna go to waste."

Her belly tightens with another contraction and she grimaces, rubbing one hand across her stomach as she rests the other on the baby's crib.

"There you are." Logan's voice sounds behind her as the discomfort subsides.

She turns to see him entering the room, dressed in jeans and a dark blue long-sleeved Henley. His skin is flushed and his hair is still damp from the shower.

"Hey." She smiles.

He moves across the room, coming to stand beside her, resting his forearms on the crib.

"Does it seem weird that very soon, this is going to be someone's bedroom? That there's going to be a tiny, living, breathing human being inhabiting this space?"

"I know…"

"I mean, it's just been us and Pony in this house for almost four years, sometimes, just you and Pony," he elaborates. "This room has always been empty, lifeless, no personality. But it won't be anymore…"

"No, it won't," she agrees, her chest giving a small flip at the thought.

"It's going to have so much personality, Veronica." Logan's tone holds a hint of awe. "Can you imagine? There's gonna be toys and books and pictures and, you know, crayon scribbles on the wall…"

She smiles widely, feeling a lump forming in her throat. She swallows. "Yeah…"

"Our lives are about to change," he adds, "and I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to it."

"Me, too."

He straightens up, then slides an arm around her back, urging her close to his side, before kissing the top of her head.

Veronica rests her head against his shoulder for a moment, before yet another contraction hits… except this one is different. It hurts, like, actually hurts. It's not just like vaguely uncomfortable period cramps, but more like a wave of pain, starting at the top of her belly and spreading lower, all the way around to her back. She gasps, doubling over slightly, gripping the top of the crib with both hands.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh, huh," she manages, giving a nod. "It hurts though, more than the others."

"You think this is it?" He's immediately on the alert.

"I'm not sure." The pain begins to ease and she straightens up again. "It's the first one like it."

"Okay… should we call the doctor?"

Veronica shakes her head. "Not just yet. It might be nothing."

"All right." He nods, though he doesn't look completely convinced.

"We'll start timing them," she says. "See if they get longer or more regular. The doctor said not to call until they were less than ten minutes apart, and lasting around a minute."

"Okay. But can I do anything?" he asks, as he begins to pace the room. "Your hospital bag's packed, right? Is there anything else you need? I can run to the store."

"Logan." Veronica turns, reaching out to catch him by the arm. "Calm down, okay? I'm fine. Everything is ready. My phone is charged, my bag's by the door. No need to panic."

He nods, but then frowns. "What about Pony? Should I take her to your dad's?"

"We don't know how long it's gonna be yet," she says. "And my dad can always come by and pick her up if necessary."

"Yeah. Yeah, okay." He makes a twirling gesture with his hands, which Veronica recognises as a nervous impulse, and she reaches out to still them.

She has to suppress a smile at how the tables have turned. Yesterday, she was the one anxious and eager for the baby to come and he was the calming influence, but now that it might actually be happening, she actually feels surprisingly calm… while he seems to be having a mini panic attack.

"Come on, I think we could both use a distraction, don't you?" she says, leading him out of the baby's room and down the hall. "What do you fancy: TV… board games… poker… a walk along the beach?"

"Hmm, it has been a while since we played poker…" he says with a grateful smile. "You're on."

Three hours later, their poker game has been long abandoned, and Veronica's contractions are coming more regularly and lasting longer each time. They're down to just over ten minutes apart, and getting more painful. So much so, that Logan has been instructed to rub her back as she rides them out.

As the latest one eases, Veronica suddenly straightens up, her eyes going wide. "Oh."

"Oh… what?" Logan asks in concern.

"I uh, I think my water might have just broken," she says, looking uncomfortable. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom. Back in a minute."

She heads out of the room, walking even more gingerly than normal, as Logan waits anxiously in the living room, fingers twisting together while he returns to pacing again. Even with all the books they've read and all the preparation they've made, he still has no clue what he's doing.

Veronica reappears a couple of minutes later, dressed in a new pair of pants and with her phone in her hand.

"Yeah, my water's broken," she confirms. "I'm gonna call the doctor."

"Okay." Logan swallows as his heart starts racing. "I'll, uh… I'll…"

He trails off, looking helplessly around the room as Veronica moves into the kitchen to make the call. He has no idea what he's gonna do right now.

She returns a few moments later with a resolved look on her face. "She wants us to come in now."

"Right. Okay."

"Can you put my bag in the car, while I call my dad and let him know we're going to the hospital."

"Sure…" he agrees. "I…uh, I can do that."

He heads for the front door, and grabs the duffle bag Veronica packed a couple of weeks ago. Stepping outside, he fumbles to dig the car key out of his pocket, his fingers clumsy.

Geez, get a grip, Echolls, he scolds himself. You can handle this. You've been to war, for fuck's sake.

He's just placing the bag on the back seat, beside the car seat he installed last week, when Veronica appears in the doorway, phone in one hand.

"Okay, my dad's gonna come by and pick up Pony later," she informs him. "He'll keep her for the next few days. He'll call the others for us too."

"Great." He flashes a nervous smile. "You ready to go?"

"Just a minute."

She disappears back into the house again, then emerges a few moments later with a towel and a plastic bag.

"What are those for?" he asks, confused as he opens the passenger door for her.

She shrugs as she moves around him and spreads the bag and towel out on the seat. "Don't wanna make a mess in the car."

"Oh." He frowns, making a face. "Ew."

"You think that's icky? You'd better prepare yourself, my friend." She pats his shoulder before easing herself into the car. "It's only gonna get worse from here."

"Don't remind me," he mutters, closing the car door and heading around to the driver's side.

Sure, he's read the books and even watched a couple of videos. He knows he's going to be seeing all kinds of gross things in the delivery room, but honestly, there's no way he's not going to be in there with her every step of the way. Doesn't mean he's looking forward to seeing said gross things though.

"Come on, Veronica," Logan says four hours later, his hand wrapped around hers. "You can do this."

"I can't, Logan." She sighs, sounding exhausted. "I can't do it anymore."

He looks down at her with sympathy. She's drenched in sweat, hair plastered to her forehead and her skin clammy. She's looking up at him with such pain and anguish that it breaks his heart to see it. If he could take away that pain, if he could bear it himself, he would. But it doesn't work that way, so all he can do is be here for her, support her, and help her get through this as best he can.

"You can do it," he tells her. "I know you can."

"I can't." She shakes her head. "I'm not strong enough."

"Yes, you can. Veronica, you're the strongest person I know." His hand tightens around hers. "I believe in you."

"Makes one of us…"

"Okay, Veronica," says the doctor at the end of the bed. "On the next contraction, I need you to push, okay?"

"No." She shakes her head. "I'm done."

"No, you're not," Logan says, encouragingly. "Come on, you're not going to be defeated by a tiny baby, are you? You'll never live it down."

She glares at him, but he sees a flash of something in her eyes. Determination. That's my girl.

She takes a deep breath as another contraction rolls through her, lowering her chin, her brow furrowing in concentration and her fingers tightening around his as she pushes.

"Okay, you're doing great," the doctor coaches. "Just keep pushing for a little a bit longer… there we go… and okay, you can stop now."

Veronica exhales with relief, leaning into Logan as she recovers.

"Is it over?" she asks, burying her face in his shoulder.

Logan looks to the doctor, who shakes her head.

"Not quite yet, sweetheart."

"Okay, Veronica, I can see the head, so I need you to relax and breathe for me now," the doctor says then. "Just short breaths, out through your mouth, okay?"

Veronica nods, lifting her head from Logan's shoulder as she does as she's told, breathing in and out.

"Perfect. Now when you feel the next contraction, I want you to give me one big push. Can you do that?"

"Do I have to?" She sounds so forlorn and defeated that Logan's heart goes out to her.

The doctor gives her an apologetic look as she says, "I'm afraid you do."

"Come on," Logan repeats his earlier words of encouragement. "I know you can do it."

She nods again, steeling herself for the next contraction, and Logan can see her mentally preparing for it before it actually starts. As it begins to build however, she bears down, face scrunched up, sweat beading on her forehead, and a pained groan escaping her mouth as she pushes as hard as she can.

"There we go," murmurs the doctor when the contraction eases. "You're doing really well, Veronica. Your baby's head is out, which means that's the worst of it over. It'll just be a couple more pushes now, okay?"

Veronica nods, lying back against the pillows again as the doctor does something or other at the end of the bed—Logan's not sure he wants to know what, to be honest, preferring to remain blissfully unaware. Instead, he links his fingers with Veronica's and lifts her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently.

It's not long before the next contraction takes hold, and Veronica's pushing again, though this time, it seems to be easier for her, and before he realises what's happening, she's heaving huge sigh of relief and the doctor is holding a tiny, red, squirming baby in her gloved hands. There's a moment of silence, then another, and then the sound of crying fills the room.

Logan stare, wide-eyed, at the sight before him. That's his child right there. He's a father.

"Congratulations, Veronica, Logan." The doctor smiles up at them. "It's a girl."

Veronica gives a small gasp, her mouth dropping open and tears filling her eyes.

"It's a girl?" She looks to Logan, her expression awed. "It's a girl."

Veronica is sore and exhausted, but as the doctor places the baby on her chest, skin against skin, she forgets to care. She vaguely feels Logan slide his arm around her as he leans in close, his free hand coming to rest over hers, but all she can do is gaze down at the tiny miracle in her arms, the rest of the world fading away.

"Hi, baby," she murmurs. "I'm your mommy. It's so good to finally meet you."

She turns her head to look at Logan again, to find his eyes glassy, a look of wonder on his face.

"Just look at her," she says to him. "She's real."

He smiles a watery smile. "That she is."

A couple of minutes later, the doctor gently lifts the baby from her chest to cut the cord and Veronica feels the loss immediately. As soon as her daughter is placed back on her chest again, she holds her close, feeling a surge of love and protectiveness towards her. After a moment, the baby opens her eyes and seems to looks right at her and the feeling only intensifies.

It's funny, because she spent so many years believing she wasn't at all maternal, that if she ever had kids, she would struggle to feel that motherly bond with them, but here she is, and here it is, happening right now. She's so mesmerised by this tiny little human, whom she's been carrying and growing inside her for nine months, that she barely even registers anything else, not even the rest of the post-delivery routine.

Eventually though, the doctor has to take the baby again, to clean her up and take her vitals, and it's a struggle for Veronica to let go.

"I miss her already," she mumbles to Logan as she watches the doctor walk away.

"Me too." He turns to look at her, lifting a hand to her cheek and gently stroking his thumb across it. "How are you doing?"

"So, so tired," she admits. "And everything hurts."

"You were awesome," he tells her. "You did it, Veronica."

"Yeah… I did," she says slowly, like it's just sinking in… which is kind of is.

It feels like forever before the doctor reappears with the baby, who is now clean and wrapped in blankets, but according to Logan, it's only been a few minutes. Veronica immediately holds her hands out for her child, and as soon as she's in her arms, she hugs her close. Gazing down at the bundle in her arms, her eyes take in every little detail of her daughter's face: the tiny button nose, and perfect little lips, and eyes that are squeezed tightly shut. Unable to help herself, she lifts a finger to her daughter's cheek, stroking gently and marvelling at her soft skin.

"She's beautiful," whispers Logan beside her. "She's ours."

"I know."

"Can—" He starts, but his voice catches, so he tries again. "Can I—?"

"Of course," Veronica says, suddenly feeling guilty for hogging the baby. "Here."

She tries to shift a little so she can hand her to Logan, but she's too sore, and with a wince she slumps back against the pillows.

"It's okay," Logan assures her. "I'll do it."

He reaches over and carefully slides his hands under the baby, lifting her up and bringing her to his chest, cradling her in his arms as a look of adoration crosses his features. Veronica's heart does a flip at the sight.

Logan can't even begin to describe the feeling of holding his baby daughter; it's like his chest is both too small and too big, too filled with emotion, all at the same time. The baby wriggles a little, her arms coming up, hands curling into fists as she yawns, before her eyes flutter open… and that's all it takes for him to fall completely in love with her.

His first thought is: Fuck, Chaos was right… I'm gonna be so whipped.

His second thought, however, is a little more stark and uncomfortable: How could anyone ever lay a hand on their own child, their own flesh and blood? I would kill anyone who came near her.

"Aren't you gonna say hello, introduce yourself?" Veronica's soft voice breaks through his thoughts and he looks up to find her watching him with an expression of both amusement and love.

"Hi, Bud," he says to his daughter, though as he says it, he realises that while Bud was a pretty good name for an anonymous baby bump, it is a completely inappropriate name for the beautiful little girl in his arms. "I'm Logan. I'm your daddy."

"Be still my heart," murmurs Veronica, and Logan looks up at her with a grin. She looks embarrassed as she adds a quick, "Sorry."

"Oh, don't apologise," he responds, still smiling. "I felt the same when you were holding her."

He sits down on the edge of the bed so Veronica can see her better, and she rests her head against his bicep as she reaches out to take the baby's hand in hers.

"She's so tiny… look at these little fingers," she marvels, prying the baby's hands out of the fists they're curled into. She smiles when tiny fingers clamp around hers. "And she has quite a grip too, don't you, baby?"

"You know," says Logan a moment later, "we really should name her. We can't keep calling her baby, or Bud for that matter."

"No, we can't," she agrees. "So, now we've actually met her, what do you think?"

Logan looks down at the baby in his arms, love, and joy and excitement flowing through him as he tries to decide which of the two names they've chosen suits her better.

"You know what," he says after a moment. "Instead of choosing between them, why don't we use both, and just have an extra middle name?"

Veronica thinks about that for a moment, "But that'll be three middle names. A bit much, don't you think?"

He shrugs. "Not if they all mean something."

"Yeah, okay," she agrees, before her mouth widens into a grin. "So, we're going with my choice for the first name?"

Logan gives her a suspicious look—knowing how competitive she is—before trying it out in his head.

He scrunches up his nose. "No, the rhythm is off that way around. It works better with my choice first."

"You're just saying that so you win," she says, though he can see her running the names in her head as well. A moment later, she reluctantly nods, "Okay, yeah, you're right. It does work better that way around."

"Told you." He smiles, turning his attention to the baby again. "Okay, then, we're agreed. Welcome to the world, Abigail Charlotte Lilly Mars Echolls."

Beside him Veronica smiles, and he can see tears forming in her eyes as she quotes the meaning of the first two names: "'Joy of a father; petite and feminine', a perfect combination, don't you think?"

He grins. "I do."

Veronica turns her gaze from the newly-named Abigail and looks up at him. "I love you, Logan."

"I love you, too," Logan tries and fails to keep the tremor out of his voice as he says it. He lowers his head for a kiss and when they part, he adds, "I'm so proud of you."

She nods, giving him a smile, before the door opens and a nurse steps into the room.

"How are you doing, Veronica?" she asks. "Ready to give breastfeeding a try?"

Logan hands baby Abigail back to Veronica and then takes a step back so that the nurse can show her what to do. He sinks down into the chair beside the bed, feeling both exhausted and overwhelmed with love and affection for his wife and his daughter.

It takes a few frustrating tries for Veronica to get the baby to latch onto her breast, and when he sees she's close to tears over it, he's tempted to suggest they stop for now, but the beaming smile she gives him when she finally gets it right and Abigail starts feeding is enough to make all his concerns melt away. She beckons to him and he goes immediately, squeezing onto the bed beside her and resting his head against the side of hers as he gazes down at his family.

This moment, right here, is perfect.