Hey look it's out on time :D who's proud of me?

This week has been long...writing has been the only thing keeping me going. Hope you guys enjoy the update!

CHAPTER 26: REMEMBER YOU'RE LOVED AND ALWAYS WILL BE

December 1, 2013

Killjoy Headquarters, Zone 4, California

2:36 PM

Five hours. It had been five hours since Chester became a Killjoy, since Amy had gone into labor, and since Billie had left to find Adrienne. He still wasn't back, but it usually took four hours to get to the heart of the city. Chester would have been worried, but he had more important things to fret over.

Five hours. Five torturous hours he'd had to watch Amy suffer though the waves of painful contractions washing over her body, watch as she gritted her teeth and bit back screams. It was worst when she couldn't hold back the screams. They wrenched from her body like sonic bullets, shooting straight to his heart.

It had also been five hours since he'd had any feeling in his hand. The tightness with which Amy was squeezing was enough to cut off circulation. He couldn't complain, though—he knew it could only be a fraction of the pain she was feeling.

"She's eight inches dilated," Joe reported, his nose stuck in a musty medical textbook he must have dragged back with him from the city once. "That means she's got…maybe three or four hours to go?"

Chester and Amy both groaned at this. "I just want it to stop," Amy moaned weakly, before her mouth snapped shut and her jaw clenched.

"Is there anything we can do to make it go faster?" Chester begged.

Joe sighed. "Not that I know of. The only thing I can do is keep giving her painkillers; at least they help a little…"

"And the IV?" the brunette questioned, his eyes following the clear tube from where it was inserted into the crook of Amy's arm to where it connected to the plastic bag hanging from the bed.

"Thank God Phi found that," Joe said. "It'll stabilize her condition and hopefully assure she gets enough energy."

Chester grimaced and looked back down to his girlfriend, lifting a hand to sweep long strands of sweaty black hair out of her face. "I'm sorry, darling," he whispered.

"Not your fault…" Amy murmured. "And…and I'm happy…so happy…" her thought trailed off as another contraction began.

"It'll be over soon," he promised, rubbing his thumb over her hand comfortingly.

"It's worth it," she gasped out. "It's worth it. It's worth it."

This was Amy's mantra. When the pain became nearly overwhelming and all she wanted to do was sink into oblivion, she remembered why it was that this was happening. She reminded herself of the end result. She was doing this for the baby, and it would all be worth it. Or at least, she hoped it would be.

The three in the tiny room suffered through five more sets of heart-rending contractions, each one worse than the last. The ordeal lasted nearly an hour more. Finally, Amy gasped out "Is it almost time yet?"

Joe consulted his medical book again and asked Amy a few technical-sounding questions, which she could barely answer though the haze of fatigue and pain descending over her eyes. Finally, he announced, "On the next contraction, you need to push as hard as you can."

Amy wasn't sure how to feel about his instructions. On one hand, it would soon be over, but on the other…she was already tired and in pain. To actually make an effort to reclaim control of her body, to give birth, would certainly hurt a thousand times more. She was scared. She was a scared, seventeen-year-old girl who was not ready to give birth.

But if there was one thing Amy was sure of, it was that she was ready to be a mother. And it was this single thought that propelled her through the ensuing chaos.

"Get ready," Joe warned. "It's going to start again—"

But his words were cut off by a loud cry from outside the door. The voice, which was strangely familiar Amy, yelled something like "I want to see my sister!" before the door banged open and a very disheveled, frantic Adrienne stood in the doorway.

"Adie," Amy whispered, smiling weakly. "You came."

It was all Adrienne could do to bite back the shocked gasp bubbling up in her throat. Her half-sister looked…horrible. Amy was pale as a ghost, and her black hair was matted to her sweaty forehead. He bright blue eyes were sunken into hollow, spent cheeks. But shill she was grinning with all the energy she had left.

The woman felt a hand on her shoulder, and she realized Billie was standing behind her with the same expression on his face. The small gesture gave her enough confidence to home into the small pristine room. Almost subconsciously, she slid her hand into his as she moved forward.

She gulped. "Hey, Ames," she murmured, forcing a smile onto her face.

"You're gonna be an aunt soon," Amy commented. Her eyes slid closed for a moment in an expression of intense concentration, and her small grunt of pain didn't go unnoticed by anyone.

"You have to push in a minute, Amy," Joe reminded her gently.

The girl's slight smile morphed into a grimace. "Maybe sooner than you think," she muttered.

Adrienne reached for her sibling's hand, taking hold on the one that wasn't clutching Chester's. She still kept hold of Billie's with her left hand. The four formed a chain of support centered on the girl lying on the bed as Joe counted down: "Three…two…one…"

"Now, Amy," he exclaimed. "Now. Push!"

Amy's eyes screwed shut tightly. Her hands clenched around Chester's and Adrienne's on either side of her in a tighter grip than either of them had thought she was capable of. There was a beat, and her scream broke the air, loud and piercing. The sound triggered a mass of knocks and shouts on the door, but they were left unnoticed as Joe encouraged her to push again.

Five torturous minutes later, the Asian doctor exclaimed "I can see the head!"

"Hear that, Amy?" Chester gasped, brushing back her hair. "It's almost over! Just a little farther, darling!"

All she could do was moan and push.

"C'mon, c'mon," Joe muttered. Amy clutched Adrienne's hand. Adrienne clutched Billie's, and Billie squeezed back, offering as much assurance as he could to the girl that was every bit as scared as her sister.

Amy screamed again, and it was the most terrifying sound any of them had ever heard. Billie had to resist the urge to cover his ears. Adrienne's knuckles turned white from the ferocity with which she was clutching his hand. Joe braced himself and waited. Chester prayed silently, running his thumb over Amy's hand. Amy could do nothing. She could not even think though the pain.

Utter silence fell over the room. Nobody spoke. Nobody even breathed.

And then the high-pitched cry of a baby broke the still, fragile silence.

"Oh my God," Chester breathed. Amy collapsed back onto the bed, devoid of all energy, but a proud, ecstatic smile was sliding over her face to encompass all of her features.

Joe lifted his hands from the bed, where they were cradling something small and slimy. Billie silently passed him the towel that was hanging off the bed rail. The Asian smiled at him gratefully and swathed the baby in the fabric, gently placing it into Amy's arms.

"It's a girl," he murmured. "Congratulations."

Amy tenderly lifted a hand to brush the towel away from the infant's head, revealing a tiny, wrinkled pink face. The baby blinked up at her with big stunningly-blue eyes.

"Chester," Amy whispered. "We have a daughter." There was a note of incredulity in her voice, as if she was in disbelief that she'd actually been able to give life to the being in her arms.

"I know," Chester murmured.

"What should we name her?" the girl questioned, a gentle, maternal smile painted across her sweat-soaked features.

Chester pondered the question for a moment, staring down at his daughter's tiny face. "She's like a gift from God," he finally said.

"Grace," the couple breathed in sync.

Amy's smile widened. "Grace, my Gracie," she cooed, wiggling her finger in front of the infant's face. Grace gurgled and watched it with attentive eyes. Her tiny hands curled around the digit, playing with her shiny blue engagement ring.

"Grace Adrienne Bennington," Chester announced. A noise halfway between a laugh and a sob caught in Adrienne's throat, and she grinned at them with tears in her eyes.

"Adie, will you be the godmother?" he continued.

"Of course," the older woman choked out.

"And Billie, her godfather?" Amy requested, her gaze still locked in Grace's.

Billie grinned at her. "I'd be honored."

There was a loud bang on the door, and somebody shouted, "Is she okay? Can we come in yet?"

"We're good," Joe called back.

The door flew open, and a crowd of Killjoys came stumbling through the door, pushing to crowd around the bed and stare down at the happy teenage family. Amy glowed as she accepted congratulations and hugs, holding up Grace for her friends to see but keeping a hold of her daughter to make sure she stayed safe. Grace burbled happily and waved tiny wrinkled fists at her new family while Chester looked on proudly.

Finally, both Amy's and Grace's eyelids began to flutter closed from exhaustion. Joe noticed this and began to usher the group out of the room, each wishing the happy couple a last congratulations as they left. Billie and Adrienne shuffled out last after Billie assured Amy they'd get around to her official Killjoy induction as soon as she'd had time to recover. "You've had quite an afternoon," he winked, and hugged her gently, stopping to pat Chester on the back before lightly laying a hand on the small of Adrienne's back. A barely noticeable smile popped onto Adrienne's face. Neither gesture went unnoticed by her sister, and Amy giggled as she waved goodbye.

"They are so into each other," she laughed as soon as the pair had closed the door gently behind them.

"Good for them, they deserve it," Chester answered. "Just another good thing that came of today."

"Lots of good things happened today, Ghost Revolver," teased Amy, poking his arm jokingly.

"Lots," he agreed. His sight dropped to his baby, cuddled lovingly against Amy's stomach. Grace was still awake, but just barely, her stubby black lashes fluttering over her sleepy blue eyes. She blinked up at her father innocently.

Chester leaned down and kissed Grace's forehead, then Amy's. "I love you," he whispered. "Both of you. I love you so, so much."

Grace's arms lifted slightly and she flexed her tiny fingers. She blinked at Chester and Amy again before abruptly falling asleep.

Amy giggled. "She's so perfect," she whispered, stroking Grace's cheek gently.

"Probably because she has a perfect mother," he smiled.

She yawned. "I think it has more to do with her flawless father."

"I think it's time for my perfect family to get some sleep," Chester teased, intertwining his fingers with hers' on top of the blankets. "Sleep now, my Amy. Everything's alright. We're safe."

"Mmm…" Amy murmured. She allowed herself to sink back into the pile of pillows stacked behind her head. She really was exhausted. The day had taken its' toll on her, and now all she wanted to do was give into slumber, her baby safe in her arms and her fiancé close by her side.

As she was slipping between the realms of reality and unconsciousness, a very familiar voice drifted into her mind. It was singing words that she could recite from memory in an achingly sweet tone.

"Give me a smile, give me your name, girl. Let them know that you're mine…"

And as Amy slept, she smiled for him.

Chester didn't take his eyes off of Amy as he sang her to sleep. He knew she must have heard him, because a peaceful smile had drifted onto her face the moment he'd began.

Even though he knew she was sound asleep, he continued with the song, wondering if she could hear it in her dreams even now. He wished he had his guitar, but it was stored in the music room at the end of the hallway, and he didn't want to leave Amy's side. Besides, exhaustion was overtaking the teenage boy, too—the day had been as emotionally taxing to him as it had been physically difficult on Amy.

He yawned conspicuously as he neared the end of the song, but still finished with a whisper of "You're my whole life" as he gazed lovingly at the two girls on the bed. Grace was sleeping silently, not moving a single muscle as she slumbered, and a lock of black hair fluttered off Amy's forehead with each breath. He had never seen a more perfect sight.

"You're my whole life," he repeated quietly before laying his head next to Amy's and falling asleep in the chair.

Outside the room, the mood was completely opposite their peaceful slumber. A feeling of explosive celebration had overtaken the Killjoys, and the only thing that calmed them slightly was the thought that they couldn't be so loud as to wake the new family upstairs. But all the same, the TV was on, the food supply was being raided, the cans of paint reserved for rayguns somehow open and being splattered on the walls. Billie and Adrienne stood in the center of the chaos, at the heart of the group and yet somehow removed from it all.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay a bit longer?" Billie questioned.

Adrienne sighed. "I have to get back to the college. I'm important there—they need me. If I'm away for too long, I could lose my job with BL/ind."

"You do realize you're a major security leak for us now," Billie said, half playful and half dead serious.

She snorted loudly. "Like I'd tell any of those fuckers! I think what you're doing out here is amazing. Someday, the world's gonna need you. I hope you're still around for it."

"I think we all hope that," he replied. "But seriously…you won't tell?"

"Of course not," Adrienne assured him.

Billie grinned widely, his emerald eyes flashing. "Knew I could trust you," he commented nudging her arm playfully.

Adrienne smirked. "Oh, really? Even though I work for BL/ind?"

"Anyone who looks like you has to be cool," the black-haired man laughed.

She raised an eyebrow. "Looks like me? What exactly do you mean by that?"

"Er…well…" Billie blushed, blood rising in his pale cheeks. "Your…hair? And the tattoos, those are pretty fucking wicked. And just the whole…"

"Scary punk girl thing?" she smirked.

"I was going to use a different word, but yeah," he admitted.

Adrienne was now desperately curious as to what he was going to say, but Billie was suddenly very interested in what Frank, Gerard, Mikey and Ray were doing with a can of black paint and the back wall. The red tint still hadn't completely faded from his cheeks. Was she making him nervous?

She cleared her throat, anxious to break the awkward silence. "So, um, I need a ride back," she commented. "Preferably sooner than later."

Billie seemed to snap out of his daze. "Oh, I'll drive you," he offered. "What do you do there, anyway?"

"I'm in charge of food for the whole college community," she answered, sounding a bit reluctant.

He whistled. "That's pretty high up in the company."

"I hate it," she grimaced. "The leaders get so much food, and the workers hardly any. All the medicine and supplies I sell are crazy expensive, too. BL/ind is so corrupt it's not even funny."

"Well, that's why we're here," Billie said softly.

Adrienne sighed. "I wish I could do something to help."

A sudden idea struck the Killjoy leader and he grinned. "You can," he said slowly.

"Huh?" Adrienne glanced up.

"Be our spy. Be the eyes and the ears of the Killjoys in the city. Tell us anything you find out."

"How am I supposed to tell you, though?" she asked. Billie could see she was already beginning to consider her request—her pretty hazel eyes were sparkling with excitement, and she had straightened her posture, obviously interested and attentive.

"We come out to the city once a week to look for food. I'll meet you then."

"Oh, that's silly." Adrienne laughed, and Billie found himself hurt.

"What's wrong with it?" he asked sullenly.

She giggled. "Not your plan—that sounds good. But BL/ind's already picked the city over for anything edible or helpful. You're not going to find anything else out there."

Billie gritted his teeth angrily. "So that's why we're starving?"

"Here's an idea: try getting food from an actual BL/ind source," she suggested.

"Like…?"

"Me," she stated, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

He gawked. "You'd do that? Risk your job for us?"

"Hey, if you're taking care of my sister and niece, I'll have to repay you somehow," she shrugged.

He grinned widely. "Thanks, Adrienne. Thank you so much."

"You still owe me a ride back," she laughed. "And I prefer Adie."

On impulse, Adie stood on her tiptoes and kissed Billie's stubbly cheek, letting her fingers brush against the back of his hand lightly. The poor man had barely recovered from his last bout of blushing before the redness returned anew at her actions.

"They are so into each other," Mike D commented from where he sat on a couch a fair distance away from the couple.

"Completely," Tré commented. "Damn. Wish it was me. I miss girls."

"Don't we all," sighed Mike.

Tré's gaze wandered over to Brad and Phoenix, who had managed to squeeze themselves into the recliner next to him and were tangled together, grinning.

"Alright, not everyone," Mike amended.

Tré grinned. "Least it's exciting out here. Like a video game or some shit, and we're superheroes. Only we don't wear tights."

"I don't think anyone wants to see you in tights," Mike snorted.

The other man rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you want a piece of this, Dirnt. Admit it."

Mike made a face and visibly recoiled.

"You're so freaky, Tré," Gerard called out. He poked the tip of his tongue out as he moved his paintbrush over the corrugated metal wall, splashing black paint on as he shaped the third leg of a massive spider. The doodled logo had spread from the hood of the Trans Am to rayguns, documents and now even the walls of the Killjoys' haunt. If BL/ind's symbols were monochrome and bland, smiling faces, then the Killjoys' were bursting color and spiky, angular arachnids.

"We'd all have to be freaky to come out here," Tré yelled back. "Embrace the crazy, Party Poison. Let it out."

Gerard stuck out his tongue at the older man. "And you wonder why Billie made me second-in-command?"

Frank, Ray and Mikey cracked up, watching Tré and Gerard's banter as if it was a fascinating TV show. They had all been in Gerard's place at least once since they joined—arguing some unimportant point against Tré, whose arguments never made much sense to any of them that much.

"You're mean," Tré pouted, crossing his arms and sinking back into the couch. Gerard grinned at him mockingly and turned back to the wall, where he had just started the last leg on the spider's left side.

"Where'd Rob and Mike go, anyway?" Frank asked to no one in particular.

Ray shrugged. "Who ever knows with those two? At least they'll be keeping each other safe."

It was true that Rob and Mike spent an uncanny amount of time together, almost as if they were attached at the hip, but they had been through a lot together. It was only natural for best friends like them to hang out a lot-or so the rest of the Killjoys reasoned. Besides, they trusted the pair to tell them if anything important happened.

All Rob and Mike were doing, of course, was going over some of Xero's old songs in the room reserved for music upstairs. But that day, none of the Killjoys could be unhappy. A new era had begun in the life of the rebel movement-the era when they moved from a group flung together out of necessity to a true family.