"Epidural. NOW." Cordy gasped. Her contractions were non-stop by the time that they arrived at the hospital.
"Miss. Chase, we can't administer the epidural until we check your progress."
"Then do it already." She snapped.
"As soon as the doctor comes in, he will do it."
"GO GET HIM." The nurse ran out of the room.
"Cordy, being mean and demanding isn't going to get anything done quicker." Angel said and Cordy whipped her head around and gave him her death glare.
"Don't give me that shit. Let me push a watermelon out of your damn nose and see how happy you are."
"I just meant…"
"Finally." Cordy said as the doctor walked into the room.
"How long have you been in labor?" The doctor asked as he began his exam.
"I don't know. I left my watch at home." Angel opened his mouth but quickly decided to close it.
"Cordelia, unfortunately, we won't be able to give you an epidural. You're too far into your labor."
"WHAT?"
"How far is far exactly?" Angel nervously asked
"You are ten centimeters dilated. It's time to push."
"Well give me the damn epidural then I'll push."
"The baby will be born before it takes effect."
"No way in hell am I pushing out this baby with no meds."
"Don't worry, we got, something for you." The nurse injected her IV with Demerol and she then led Angel out of the room to change into scrubs. When he returned, Cordy didn't look much better. He gently kissed her sweaty forehead.
"You hanging in there?" She shook her head with tears in her eyes. Gone was the angry Cordy. She was now just miserable and scared.
"It hurts so much. The meds aren't working." The tears began to fall.
"Can she have more medication?" Angel asked. He hated to see her like this. He wished he could take away her pain.
"She has had all that she can have now." The nurse answered.
"Cordelia, it's time to start pushing." Angel moved to her right side and held her leg back. There was a nurse on her left side doing the same.
"OK, now." Cordy grunted and pushed, the nurse on the left gently counting it through.
"Cordelia, if you want this baby to come out anytime soon, you're going to have to push harder." The doctor said. "Now, again."
Cordy collapsed against the bed.
"Angel, I can't do this. It hurts too much."
"Yes you can." He leaned down to whisper in her ear. "This is nothing compared to those pain in the ass visions that you got, and believe me, I know how painful they were." He saw a slight smile play at her lips. "So come on, let's meet our child."
Cordy sat back up with a newfound determination and began to push.
"The head is out." The doctor explained as soon as Cordy quit screaming. "Don't push yet." The doctor suctioned the baby's nose and mouth and it let out a blood curdling scream. The tears were falling from its parent's eyes.
"Hang in there Cordelia, the next one is the worst and then the rest is a piece of cake. Push." Angel was holding her and her leg up. She clenched her teeth and pushed as hard as she could.
"OH…MY…GOD…AWWWWWWW." She screamed as the shoulders came out. She hadn't even had a chance to recover before the doctor told her to push one more time. She wearily complied. The rest of the baby slid out easily. He held up a screaming, squirming baby for the parents to see.
"Congratulations. It's a girl." Angel and Cordy stared at each other. They were both convinced that they were having a boy. They broke out into huge smiles. "Come on Dad. Cut the cord." He was handed a pair of scissors. He had a look of fear on his face.
"I don't want to hurt her."
"She won't feel a thing." Angel cut the cord, and the nurse took the baby to clean her up. Angel followed. He was mesmerized by his daughter. She had tons of dark black hair and from what he could tell she had dark brown eyes. She looked like her mother. She was beautiful. Once, she was cleaned she was wrapped in a pink blanket and handed to her father. Angel gazed down at his daughters face. She had quit crying and was now sleeping. She had a rough day and was exhausted.
"Excuse, I did all of the work so why is it that you are the one holding her?" Angel grinned and took his daughter over to her mother and placed her in Cordy's arms.
"Hello Catherine." She whispered to her daughter. Angel cleared his throat. "Hello Catherine Suzanne."
"Thank you." He said with a smirk. Once the baby's first name was determined, they had decided that they baby would have their middle name corresponding with the parent of the same sex. Cordy hates her middle name, but Angel refused to budge.
"You are the most amazing woman ever."
"I know." Angel kissed the mother of his daughter passionately.
"They are moving us to a regular room. Why don't you go tell them about the newest member of our family?"
"I don't want to leave you."
"We'll be fine. Now go and hurry back." Angel leaned down and kissed Catherine on the head. "Daddy will be right back sweetie."
--
The labor and delivery room was full of employees from Angel Investigations. Fred, Wes, Gunn, and Justine were playing Euchre. Ciara and Lorne were snoozing in the chairs and Connor was pacing back and forth.
Suddenly the door opened and Angel stepped out. Connor ran up to him.
"Son, you have a sister." Connor threw his arms around his father. The gang saw Angel come out and they all ran over to him.
"Well?"
"Is Cordy ok?"
"Is the baby ok?"
"What is it?"
"What color hair?"
"How much did it weigh?"
All of these questions were asked at the same time. He held up his hands to get their attention.
"We have a girl. Cordy is fine and so is Catherine. She weighs 6lbs 10oz 19 inches long and has head of black hair. She looks just like her mother." Angel said proudly.
The girls began squealing, and hugging each other. The guys displayed a bit more restraint with manly handshakes and pats on the back. Angel led them to Cordy's new room where the ohhhed and aahhed over Catherine. When the nurse tried to kick them out of the room, because only family was allowed to visit, Cordy gave her a piece of her mind and informed her that this was her family. The nurse, knowing that she wasn't going to win this battle, relented and let them stay.
Catherine was placed into Connor's arms. Tears fell from his eyes.
"Hey Catherine. I'm your big brother. I'm promise that I will be the best brother ever. I will be here for you always. I'm going to spoil you rotten and I will protect you and beat up any guy that has the nerve to break your heart." Angel and Cordy watched this with tears in their eyes.
A few hours later after Catherine had been passed around, the gang left with the promise of returning the next day. They were finally alone but they didn't get the chance to enjoy the quiet because Catherine started to cry.
"What's wrong? Does she miss all the attention?"
"I think she's hungry." Cordy said as she pulled her breast out of her hospital gown and began to nurse her. When she was done Cordy handed Catherine to her father for a burp. Angel held her up to him and began to pat her back. She quickly burped and promptly fell back asleep. He put her back in her bassinet and called for the nurse to take her to the nursery. After the baby was gone, Angel crawled into bed with Cordy.
"Catherine is beautiful." Cordy mumbled closing her eyes. She was exhausted
"She looks just like her mother." Cordy grinned
"I never realized how incomplete my life was until now."
Angel gently kissed her. "I love you, but I may have to reconsider it if you ever send me another vision."
Cordy's eyes flew open. "Was it that bad?"
"Baby, I have no idea how you handled it as long as you did. It knocked me on my ass."
"I wish that I could have seen it." She said giggling.
"Yeah, I bet you would have."
"But you have to admit, it was brilliant."
"Yes, brilliant."
"I love you." She said as she fell asleep.
Angel crawled out of the bed, careful not to disturb Cordy, got out his sketch book that Connor had brought him and he sketched a portrait of his daughter and her mother.