"Giving birth may be all intense and magical and stuff, but the act itself: it's not exactly pleasant. But it's also a beginning... of something incredible. Something new. Something unpredictable. Something true. Something worth loving. Something worth missing. Something that will change your life... forever." – Sarah O'Rourke

After everyone had gone home, Sarah and Jareth held hands as they made their way to the Royal Chambers. As soon as her foot hit the third step, she gasped. She let go of Jareth's hand, grabbed onto the banister, and bent over slightly. It felt like a sharp cramp. Immediately he put his hands around her shoulders to stabilize her, and looked into her eyes.

"Are you okay? Was that a —"

She nodded. "It most definitely felt that way, anyway. It could be Braxton Hicks contractions, though. Which indicate that nothing is really starting."

"Isn't this a little sooner than we had hoped for?" asked Jareth, worry in his voice.

"Yes," Sarah sighed. The cramp, or contraction, or whatever it was was over and she straightened up.

"See? I'm sure it was Braxton Hicks. I know I'm a first time mom, but it just didn't feel like —"

Jareth had created a crystal to speak with Ixonia. In his mind, she sounded concerned, although she was trying to keep the tone of her voice neutral. "I'd like to stop by and check. I'll see you both soon."

"Should we get the pediatric surgeon down here?" he asked.

"No, love, we're fine. Let's see what Ixonia says first."

Sarah and Jareth created what they called a birthing room, right next to their bedroom. It had all of the equipment necessary in case of an emergency, and that included a C-section, but it also had a fairly large, comfortable sort of lounge chair. It was longer than usual, because they had decided that Jareth, being her coach and spouse, would sit behind her. This way he could hold her knees up if needed, hold her hands, give her back rubs, anything she needed to feel comfortable and relaxed. It also allowed him the opportunity to take a more active part in the birthing process.

The room itself was painted in a soft shade of butter yellow, with white mouldings and silk walls. Wing backed chairs were placed around the room, upholstered in a yellow and cream stripe. This way, any visitors would have a comfortable place to sit. The curtains were a lovely creamy silk, hanging down from the very high windows and puddling down on the floor. The floor was carpeted with an oriental rug, and some of the photographs that Sarah and Jareth had taken lined the walls. It was a warm, comforting, yet efficient birthing area. Ixonia had made sure to have many stacks of sheets, towels, and a washing basin as well.

Ixonia let herself in. "Hello!" she called. "Are you two up there?"

Sarah leaned over the railing. "Yes, Ixonia, we're here. I'm beginning to think that we wasted your time. I've just had that one cramp and nothing else since."

"Well,"said Ixonia cheerfully, mounting the stairs, "I can at least take a look. That way you can go to bed and not have anything to think about."

Ixonia and Sarah met in the birthing room. Ixonia did a check of Sarah's cervix, to see if they were any signs of preterm labor. While they were doing this, another contraction hit. Sarah bit her lip, not wanting to appear dramatic.

Ixonia slid her wheeled stool back, and helped Sarah sit up. "Well, Mama, those were not Braxton Hicks contractions. Those were the beginning of the real deal."

"Already? This is early."

"It is," Ixonia agreed. "But not so early as to be dangerous. Your daughter will be born with everything she needs to be just fine outside of your womb."

She stepped out into the hall, and gave Jareth the news. She suggested they both change into the comfortable clothing they had decided on. Jareth would be wearing one of his long white poets' shirts with grey tights. Sarah was slipping into a simple white cotton nightgown with long sleeves.

Spam and Mumble were excitedly bringing ice and water into the room. They then went to straighten the sitting room, rebuild the fire, and bring out finger sandwiches for the guests. Because this was to be a Royal birth, both of Jareth's parents and Eimile would be there. Finn had agreed to retrieve Sarah's father and Karen from above. Eimile, knowing that Jareth wouldn't leave Sarah' side, transported Above and brought back Dr. Matthews, the pediatric surgeon.

Suddenly, Sarah was hit with a contraction far worse than the first two. She moaned, she couldn't help it.

Dr. Matthews looked at her seriously. "Are you sure you don't want any kind of anesthetic? I won't be able to do it later." Sarah was not sure, but she was stubborn, so she declined. She also declined the IV bag of fluids that her surgeon had suggested. She wanted the freedom to be able to move around without pulling the rolling IV stand around with her.

She had read, and spoken to Ixonia, about the usefulness of walking as much as possible. So she and Jareth began to do laps upstairs. When a contraction hit, she would bend over a little, clasp her abdomen, and wait it out. Then they would consider continue walking.

Jareth was wonderful. He asked if she wanted him to tell stories, or jokes, or sing, hum, or just shut up.

She laughed. "Funny stories, please."

His first one, unsurprisingly, was about Finn. When they were about nine or ten, they had decided to go riding. His father had recently purchased a stubborn mare, hoping that he could tame it or at least work with it.

This was the horse that Jareth gave to Finn, who had no idea what sort of temperament the animal had.

They walked the horses for a bit, intending to set out racing once they reached the open fields. On the way to the fields was an apple orchard. Now, those who have seen an apple tree knows how low the branches can hang. This horse decided that she wanted no part of him on her back, so she walked directly under a low branch, in spite of Finn's yelling and pulling on the reins. He had two choices, jump off, or take his chances lying down in the saddle backwards.

Finn chose the latter. And as the horse slipped underneath the apple tree branch, Finn leaned backwards as far as he could go. By the time they were both past the branch, Finn had a scrape on his face from his chin to his nose from the bark of the apple tree.

Jareth just sat on his horse, watching and laughing. Finn was livid. He hopped off the stubborn mare and ran to Jareth's where he tackled him and knocked him clean out of his saddle. The two fought and wrestled on the ground until Jareth's father intervened.

Sarah was bent over again, but this time, it was due to laughter. "Oh my gosh," she straightened up, wiping a tear from her eye. "What did your father do?"

"Made me muck out stalls all by myself for a month. He said it was a very ungentlemanly thing to do. It was still worth it! You should've seen Finn's face!" And he started laughing too.

They passed about an hour's time, walking, pausing, and laughing. This isn't so bad, thought Sarah. She couldn't believe all of the horror stories she had been told by other women.

She was beginning to get tired, and the contractions are becoming harder and closer together, so they decided to head back to the birthing room. Eimile was sitting there with a book on her lap. She grinned at Sarah when they came in.

"I will be your entertainment for tonight," she said. I understand this is one of your favorites? And she held up a book – "Pride and Prejudice".

Sarah smiled and shook her head yes. Then she and Eimile looked at each other and both swooned at the same time – "Mr. Darcy!"

Jareth rolled his eyes. He had never been a Jane Austen fan. He settled himself back in the lounge chair, waiting for Sarah to sit between his legs. Once she had, he began rubbing her lower back, and Eimile began reading:

"IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters."

Jareth actually smiled at the irony in that first sentence. Maybe this book wouldn't be so bad after all.

~~~Ó~~~

Quote from Jane Austin, Pride and Prejudice (if you haven't read this yet, you should. It is funny, romantic, and full of irony. Not to mention Mr. Darcy.)