Chapter 26 New Year Brings New Things

It was New Years Eve and Mr and Mrs Evans had had to go on an emergency business trip for a couple of days. They were very reluctant to leave Ryan and Sharpay together, but there was no way that they could get out of work so they had no other choice. They said goodbye to the twins and promised to be back as soon as they possibly could.

It had started to snow outside, and Ryan and Sharpay had decided to spend the day snuggled up nice and warm on their sofa watching classic Christmas films, which were on TV. Sharpay got up uneasily off the sofa and waddled towards the stairs [everything had become difficult to her now that she was so heavily pregnant. "Where you going?" Ryan asked her.

"Just going to the loo," she said, making her way up the stairs. Ryan nodded and turned back to the TV. About twenty minutes later, when Sharpay still hadn't come back, Ryan decided to go see if she was ok.

"Shar…" he said knocking on her bathroom door, "You okay in there?" he said, opening the door when there was no answer.

He was met with an unexpected sight, Sharpay was sat on the floor, groaning slightly and clutching her stomach. "Shar…" Ryan said alarm evident in his voice, "What's the matter?" He sat down beside her and felt something sticky underneath him on the floor, "What the…?" he began, before it clicked, "Shar…please don't tell me…" he said, looking worriedly at her.

She nodded, he eyes wide with fright, "Ryan…the baby's coming…" she whispered and moaned as she felt a contraction pass through her body.

"But you're only 7 and a half months…" he said worriedly.

"I know, but I guess it's coming early," Sharpay said, struggling to keep her voice steady.

"Right…" Ryan said, trying to keep his voice calm for Sharpay's sake, "I need to get you to the hospital."

Sharpay nodded and tears trailed over her cheeks as Ryan ran downstairs to phone an ambulance, too scared to move her from the bathroom himself.

"Yes, I need an ambulance…what d'you mean…but what the hell am I supposed to do?" Ryan said worriedly to the operator on the phone, "I don't think you understand…my sister is about to give birth on the bathroom floor and I have no idea what the hell to do…" Ryan said in a panic stricken voice. "Uh huh…okay…let me just write that down," he said, grabbing a pen and paper, "Okay…I think I can do that…thanks…bye," he said putting the phone down and racing back up to Sharpay with the piece of paper in hand.

"Okay, I'm here now Sharpay, but unfortunately the ambulance can't get through cos the snows gotten too deep, so they got the doctor to tell me what to do to help out and I've got it written down on here," Ryan said all at once to his confused sister. It took a moment before what he had just said sunk in, but when she realised she began to scream at Ryan. "Ryan, I can't do this…I need to get to a hospital," she cried, and he hugged her for a moment, letting her bury her face into his shoulder, before she cried out in pain as another contraction shook through her.

"It's ok Shar, I'm here and I'm gonna help you…" he soothed, and Sharpay swallowed and nodded – she knew that there was no other choice.

"Ok…" Ryan said nervously looking at his notes, "I have to put some towels beneath you and get some clean ones for the baby…" Ryan quickly found some towels and put some underneath Sharpay. "Now…I have to check how far you're dilated…" he said in an apologetic way.

"Huh?" Sharpay looked at her brother in worried confusion.

"Basically, I'm gonna have to feel if the baby is ready to come out or not," he said pointing between her legs.

"Oh…" she blushed and removed the clothing from her bottom half whilst Ryan washed his hands ready.

He looked at her for a moment and she nodded that she was ok for him to check now, he sighed, "I'm really sorry if I hurt you…" Ryan looked apologetically at Sharpay.

He kept his eyes on her face whilst he checked, she smiled weakly at him and he slowly nodded, "Shar…I think its time…you gotta start to push," Ryan said, and Sharpay grasped his clean hand and nodded. He kissed her on the forehead as she pushed as hard as she could, squeezing his hand tightly as she did so. Her face was turning red from the effort, and her hair was damp with sweat. Ryan tried to get up and get her a damp flannel to cool her down, but she refused to let go of him, so in the end he stayed by her side.

After a lot of pushing and squeezed hands, Ryan held his and Sharpay's baby girl in his arms for the first time. He was about to pass her to Sharpay, but she looked as though she was drifting off to sleep, so instead he wrapped their baby girl in the clean towels and placed her down for a second whilst he carried Sharpay over to her bed so that she could rest. He then quickly picked his daughter up again and sat on the edge of Sharpay's bed. He the suddenly looked at the clock on Sharpay's bed, it was 12.25 am, "Happy New Year," he whispered to a sleeping Sharpay as he kissed her on the forehead. "And a Happy New Year to you too," he whispered, tickling their baby under the chin.

Suddenly Sharpay's cell started to vibrate across her desk, Ryan quickly made sure he was supporting his daughter enough with one hand before answering it, "Hello?" he said quietly.

"Oh hey Ryan, Happy New Year!" Troy and Gabi burst.

"Oh hey guys…Happy New Year," Ryan said.

"Is Sharpay there?" Troy asked.

"No, she's asleep…" Ryan said quietly looking over to his sleeping twin sister.

"Dude. How can she be asleep, it New Year!" Troy said.

"Well…" Ryan said cautiously, "She kinda just gave birth…"

"Oh shit…" Ryan heard Gabi say, "Take him off of loud speaker, we don't want everyone else to know…" she whispered to Troy as they were at a party which Ryan and Sharpay had also been invited to, but couldn't go to due to Sharpay's condition.

"It's okay guys, Ryan's just drunk, he didn't really mean that…" Troy lied to the others.

"Hey Ryan," Gabi said into the phone, "Congratulations!"

"Thanks…" Ryan said, smiling down at the new arrival in his arms.

"But I thought she wasn't due for another 6 weeks…" Gabi whispered, not wanting others around her to hear her conversation.

"I know, she wasn't…" Ryan told her.

"But hang on a sec…are you two at the hospital then? Cos you can't use mobiles in hospital," Gabi suddenly said.

"No, the ambulance couldn't make it through the snow…I had to deliver her," Ryan said.

"Oh my god Ryan! I can't believe it…and awww you had a girl?" Gabi said, trying to stop herself raising her voice.

"Yeah," Ryan said happily.

"Ryan, I'm coming over right now," Gabi suddenly said.

"Okay…but how are you gonna get over here through the snow?" he asked.

"I'll find a way…anyway, I'll cya soon," Gabi said and put the phone down.

"Well that is Gabi," Ryan said to his daughter, "I think you'll be seeing a lot of her," he smiled and kissed her on the forehead.