"First baby's crowning. Maka, PUSH!"
Maka squeezed Soul's hand until it was practically dead.
"Crushing bones!"
"SORRY!" Maka cried as she clenched her eyes together.
She leaned forward and put all the pressure she could on on the bed, which helped her push. Sweat drenched her face and the rest of her body as she pushed her way through the pain. Her free hand was attached to the bed frame, her hand was also turning white.
Her whole body, from head to toe, now looked as if she got out of the shower minutes before; she was covered in sweat and tears.
"Baby's head."
"You can do it, Maka," Soul said, trying not to cry.
Maka laid her head back, "I can't do this!"
"Yes you can!" Soul said.
"No, I'm too tired. . .I don't having anything left.
"Baby's shoulders."
"C'mon Maka!"
Maka lunged forward again and put the rest of her strength into this push.
"AAH!" Maka screamed.
Streams of cries were heard.
"Maka, you did it," Soul said.
The pain was so powerful, once Maka felt the relief she shut her eyes. It was like she just shut down. She fell back into Soul's arms.
"Maka?"
She slowly opened her eyes to Soul. "I'm tired," she cried.
Soul smiled.
"Healthy baby boy," Stein said,wrapping the baby in a cheap blanket and laying him in an old crib.
Soul laid Maka down on the mattress, so he could see his son. He walked over to the rickety, old crib and picked up his in his arms.
The baby was a little bigger than the size of Soul's forearm.
"How is he?" Maka asked with a weary voice.
"He's perfect." Soul smiled down at his son as he bounced him around.
"You're like a totally different person. . ."
"That's okay."
"Maka, the second baby isn't coming like it should be."
"What does that mean?" Soul asked, still bouncing the boy.
"It means Maka won't have to use any more energy on this next kid."
Stein jumped to his feet and bolted to Maka. He placed an anesthesia mask over Maka's mouth and nose.
"Wait, what are you doing!?" Soul shouted, making the baby boy cry. Soul looked back at him and continued to bounce. "It's okay."
"I have to do a c-section."
Stein laid a surgical blanket with a square in the middle over Maka's belly. He asked Maka if she could feel the pinch of skin; she couldn't. So, he grabbed a scalpel and cut through her skin.
After a few minutes Stein finally started talking to Soul, well sort of. It was like he was reading off a check list to himself, or something.
"Umbilical cord wrapped around baby's neck."
"What!" Soul shouted, making the baby boy cry again.
Stein cut the cord with the scalpel he held in his hand and lifted the baby out.
"Baby girl."
He wrapped a blanket around her, just like he did on the boy. He placed her in the old crib because Soul was still holding the baby boy. After he placed her in the crib he went back to Maka and stitched her up without a problem.
Later that night, after Maka woke up.
"Maka?"
". . .Soul. . ." She said wearily.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay, a little tired."
"You did great."
"I'm a little surprised."
"Yeah, Stein told me."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay, actually."
"Really?"
"I get why you did it."
"You do?"
"I would've done the same if I were in your situation and you were in mine."
Maka smiled. "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Everything. For being with me through all of this and for loving me as much as I love you."
"I would do it all again in a heartbeat." Soul grabbed Maka's left hand and pulled it closer to himself. "I don't think everything that has happened this year was a mistake."
"Really?"
"No, I think it was all, I don't know. Miracle."
"Miracle?"
"It's the best word I could think of." Soul smiled up at her. "Think about it. This year has brought us closer together than we've ever been before. And I think we're probably ready for this."
"For what?"
Soul opened his jacket and pulled out the small, black box that Spirit had given him weeks before. He opened the box and revealed the beautiful white ring it held.
"Your dad gave me this the night we told everyone that we were having a boy and a girl. He told me to give it to you when I thought we were both ready. I think were ready Maka. I think were ready to be a family together."
Maka smiled and looked down at her necklace her papa gave her the same night.
"I do too."
"Is that a yes?"
Maka smiled and said, "Yes."
Soul smiled and slid the ring on Maka's ring finger. He lifted himself off his knees and brought her into a hug.
"I love you," Soul said.
"I love you too."
Just then, the babies began to cry.
"Here's our chance to prove our parental talents," Maka said.
"I know."
Soul helped Maka out of the bed and over to the two old cribs. Once there, Maka picked up baby Sasuke and Soul picked up baby Saka.
Sasuke stopped crying immediately.
"Well, I think I know who Sasuke likes best. He would hardly stop crying when I was holding him earlier."
"I don't know."
"You don't know what? That he likes you best?"
"No. His name. I don't think it suits him well enough."
"I'm glad you said that, because Sasuke didn't seem like the name for him. But, the question is what is his name? It was your job to come up with his name."
"I know and I did."
"Share with the family."
"Chris Dean Evans."
Soul looked at his son's face and smiled. "Chris seems perfect."
Maka smiled and set him back in the crib; he was asleep again. Then, she took Saka from Soul's arms. "You should go call everyone."
"Alright." Soul kissed Saka's forehead and then kissed Maka's lips. "I'll be back."
He returned about an hour later with all their friends and Spirit. The crowd of people were loud at first but when they hit the room they instantly fell silent. Maka was singing over the babies to put them to sleep. The song went something like this:
"My baby
Little baby
Sleep baby
All through the night
Warm baby
Chubby baby
Cute baby
Little gift for me
Cuddly baby
Soft baby
Nice baby
I love you baby."
Then she kissed them both on the head.
"Wow." Kid was the first to break the silence.
"I didn't know you could sing," Liz said.
"Yeah, I don't sing often."
"It was beautiful," Tsubaki said.
"You have Kami's voice."
Maka smiled.
"When did you start singing?" Black Star asked.
"I've been singing my whole life."
"When we met I was playing the piano and then she started singing. I knew something about her would always be cool to me."
"Are you saying I'm not cool anymore?"
"Ooo, you're in trouble," Black Star said.
"Let's face facts we aren't the coolest kids in the crowd anymore," Soul said.
"I guess you're right."
"They're so cute!" Patti said, oddly quiet.
"I know," Maka said, then laughed.
"We decided that Sasuke wasn't the right name," Soul said.
"What is it now then?" Kid asked.
"Chris," Maka said.
"Cute!" Liz said.
After everyone had gotten a chance to hold both the babies two hours had passed. Everyone said their goodbyes and let the new family settle and get some rest.
Soul sat down on the bed with Chris in his arms. Maka did the same with Saka.
"We made it," Maka said. "I'm not quite sure how though."
"This year we've been through probably the worst things we've ever faced, but no matter how sad, happy, or horrible it gets we'll all be there for each other."
"That was nice."
"I worked on it."
"I think you probably just described life with great friends."
Life is probably the toughest thing to go through, but in the end it all turns out for the better. The thing to remember is having good friends and people that stand by you is the key to happiness. Most people see death and the other bad things in life as the end, but they truly are just a new beginning.