AN: Last chapter! Haven't really posted because I was upset it was going to end. Sorry. There will be a sequel though! Enjoy!
AN: Birth could be graphic for some. Just a warning!
When Alexander woke up on the morning of July twenty-fourth, Hephaestion was already up, staring out the window at the sunrise.
"Phaistion? Love, what are you doing up so early? It's not good for the child. You both need your rest."
"There's no reason to rest any longer. It will happen today, of that I'm sure."
"Has your water come?"
"No."
"Then how can you-?"
"I am, Xander. Trust me," Hephaestion looked at him, eyes filled with unquestionable intuition and determination.
"I will ready the guest house," Alexander hurried out of bed and pulled on pants, only to rush out the bedroom door.
"Father?" at the front door, he was stopped by a tug on his pant leg. Looking down, he found his son.
"Yes, Darko?"
"Where are you going? It is too early to get up," as if confirming this fact, the child rubbed his eyes and yawned, all while crouched on the floor, still using his hands and fingers to communicate his bigger trains of thought.
"You are absolutely right," Alexander picked up his son and carried him back to his room, tucking him in.
"Where going, Daddy?"
"I have to do something for Momma. I will be back soon. Now sleep," with a kiss to the brow, Alexander left the room, leaving the door ajar.
"The guest house is ready, Love. Just say the word and we'll go, day or night," Alexander came back into their bedroom to find Hephaestion in the same position as before, "You should sleep."
Hephaestion shook his head, "It's too much."
"What is, Love? Are you in pain?" as Alexander climbed back on the bed.
"I'm scared, Xander. What if something happens?" the unspoken "What if I fail?" was heard loud and clear by his husband.
"Nothing will happen, Love. I won't let it, and neither will you."
Hephaestion looked down at his belly, stroking it in slow circles, "Can you check to make sure she's ready? I don't want to-"
"Lay down. Oh yes..." as he did as Alexander had instructed, Alexander took away his sleep clothes, so that he was nude.
With careful hands, Alexander felt his love's distended belly. In a few minutes, he stopped and looked up to find Hephaestion's lips moving in a silent prayer and his eyes closed, long eyelashes wet with tears.
"She's fine, Phaistion. Head down, if the shape of your belly and kicks to your ribs are any indictation."
Hephaestion let go a sigh of relief, "I'm hot."
Alexander nodded; it was the hottest day of the year after all, "Let's have a bath in the creek, just the two of us."
Hephaestion smiled softly at him, grateful. Alexander helped him to the edge of the bed and then took him in his arms, leaving his sleep clothes on the bed as they left the room and exited the house after telling to Arrhidaeus that they were leaving and to watch Darko.
Once on the bank of the creek, Alexander found Hephaestion a rock that was under the water for his husband to sit on. He then undressed and slipped in the cool water, helping his love slip in also and lay on his back to float.
Hephaestion sighed in relief. Being on his back for too long had begun to hurt as soon as he was five months along. With the water supporting his weight, it did not hurt at all.
"How does that feel, Love?" Alexander stood in the water beside him, water to just below his navel.
"Like Heaven..." Hephaestion closed his eyes and began to purr lowly, "Thank Poseidon..."
Alexander smiled at his husband's relaxed state. Suddenly, Hephaestion stood up, alert.
"Whoa, slow down," Alexander cautioned, "What do you need?"
"I need... I need-" Hephaestion looked around, "We need to go!"
"Where? Come here," Alexander climbed out of the creek, and then picked Hephaestion up out of the water.
"The guesthouse. Please!"
"Shh... you're fine."
"Oh no."
"What, Love?"
"My pains!"
Alexander huddled Hephaestion into his chest and took off at a run. As soon as he got to the guesthouse, he laid Hephaestion on the bed.
"Was that your first?"
"Been having them since midnight," Hephaestion panted, "They're still three hours apart. Had my last one at three in the morning. I've been up since then."
"Oh Love. How do you want to do this?"
"Not on my back."
"All right. Can I check how far you are?"
Hephaestion spread his legs and laid his ankles on Alexander's shoulders. After a few minutes, Alexander let his love go.
"A fourth-of-an-inch dilated. I love you, Phaistion."
"I love you. I can't believe she's almost here."
"Neither can I. Oh Love," Alexander smiled as he carded his fingers through Hephaestion's creek-water damp hair as the other teared up, "It's all right, cry if you need to."
"Do you-" Hephaestion inhaled a shaky breath, "Do you have the Iliad to read?"
"I do. Come close and I will read it to you."
After three hours of reading nonstop, Hephaestion's next contraction hit.
"Xander-" he groped for his hand, eventually finding it and holding on to it.
"I'm here, Phaistion. You're doing beautifully," and he continued to read.
"No more reading please," Hephaestion moaned, letting his head fall back onto the pillows, "Can you braid my hair?"
"Of course Love. How many?" Alexander worked around his husband to finally be able to sit with him between his legs.
"As many as you can, and then gather them all into a low bun, I'm hot again."
"No need to justify yourself. I'm here for you. Whatever you want, you shall get. It's a good thing I brought your hair things in here. Okay, I'm going to start. If you want me to stop, just say so."
Three hours later, as soon as Alexander was putting the fourteen little braids into a bun, the pains started to gain strength, although they did not come any faster. Hephaestion began to sweat with the strength of the pains, and so demanded water.
"Here, right here, Love," Alexander held the cup for him.
At midnight, Hephaestion announced that it was time.
Alexander startled, "Your water hasn't come yet, how can it be-?"
"Xander, it's time. My pains are closer together. It-" just then he was hit by a strong contraction that had tears running down his cheeks, "It's time. I want to get on the ground."
"Are you sure?"
Hephaestion's voice was strong and steady as he stared at his husband, "Xander, if you ever doubt me again, you won't be able to have any more children, with me or with anyone else. Do you understand me?"
Alexander nodded slowly, and then helped Hephaestion onto his hands and knees on the floor, "Like this, Love? What do you want me to do?"
Hephaestion sighed at the relief that the new position gave him. He began to purr again as he began to arch and relax his back over and over.
Hephaestion grabbed Alexander's hand and put it onto his belly. Alexander winced as the muscles under his hand tensed, causing Hephaestion to catch his breath.
"She's coming..."
"She's coming? When?"
"NOW!" Hephaestion panted.
"Now? What do I have to do?"
"Catch... her... Ugh!" Hephaestion curled with the contraction.
"But your water-"
"Alexander..." Hephaestion growled, turning to give a dark glare.
"All right, hush. Okay, start pushing whenever you're ready."
"Ahh!"
"Push, Love! Push, push, push!"
Hephaestion had no choice but to do as Alexander encouraged.
"Ahh! Alexander!"
"I'm right here, Love! I won't leave you!"
"It hurts!"
"I know, Phaistion, I know, but think of the reward! Your baby girl is coming, Phaistion! I promise you that!"
"Ugh..." Hephaestion curled again, moaning.
It took two hours for Hephaestion to crown and birth the infant's head. Then they were both silent and still a moment, Hephaestion out of pain and Alexander out of shock and awe.
The baby's protective sac covered her still, but Alexander could make out the nose and lips and eyes. He saw that she had long, blond hair. His child was beautiful, he decided, as tears clouded his vision.
"Alexander!" Hephaestion scream of pain brought him back to what was happening.
"All right, push again, Love! Push!"
Hephaestion curled with the effort but the babe did not budge.
"I can't!"
"Yes you can, Phaistion! I know you're tired, but it's almost over! Push!"
Hephaestion tried again, with the same result.
"I can't! Alexander, I'm scared!"
"Shh, Love, I'm here," looking around the room, Alexander thought quickly, "Onto your side, Phaistion. Gentle," supporting the baby's head, Alexander watched as Hephaestion carefully and painfully got onto his left side, "Okay, when the next pain comes, I want you to push gently."
"I just want it to end!" Hephaestion cried.
"I know, Love. You're almost there. Your baby is on her way. Yes, yes!" as the baby began to shift and turn as Hephaestion pushed. Then the shoulders came free. With one last push, the baby fell into Alexander's waiting arms, still safely encased in the sac.
"Oh gods..." Hephaestion collapsed in relief, thankful that it was over.
Alexander made quick work of the sac and cord, getting the baby to cry and seeing the sex for the first time.
"It's a girl! A girl, Love!"
Hephaestion began to sob with joy as the little girl's father washed her quickly and wrapped her in a blanket, handing her to her mother.
"Hello, my little girl, hello... I'm Momma, yes... You're beautiful, yes," finally the baby began to cry and opened her blue eyes, "My sweet baby girl. Xander, a bottle please. My baby girl's hungry."
"Of course, Love. I will fetch Arri and Darko as well. What shall we name her?"
"Iphigeneia. My strong little girl, yes..."
Alexander chuckled softly, "Iphigeneia it is. Welcome to the world, my darling daughter... Was twenty-eight hours of labor worth it?"
"Definitely," Hephaestion collapsed tiredly against the pillows Alexander had taken from the bed.
"Let's get you both on the bed," Alexander did this easily.
Neither parent got any sleep that morning; both were too busy admiring their child and contemplating the future. And neither Arrhidaeus or Darko knew of the new addition into their lives until the early afternoon, after Momma, Father, and Baby had all a deserved rest in each other's arms.
AN: I had a blast writing this fic! I hope you all enjoyed reading it! Just a reminder: there will be a sequel! The first chapter of that should be up in the next few days!