Chapter Thirteen: Miracle

Aubre Naluri:

I stared at the calendar wishing I could fast forward time. Today marks the eight month of the pregnancy. My figure had completely morphed and my patience was wearing very thin. Vincent took me for a walk in the garden again and I realized I could not even run in this body. I was plagued by nightmares of our plan going into effect and me being captured due to the fact I could not run.

Time went by slowly and with nothing to do but wait, Vincent and I spent the time getting to know each other. He now knew every little detail about me from the exact time and day of my birth to what lead up to the date with Cloud he crashed the night he kidnapped me. We had made so much love; he knew every freckle and mark on my body. He knew where I was ticklish and what spots turned me on. He knew when my laugh was genuine and when I was just humoring him. He had my appetite memorized and knew exactly what I would crave next and when. Vincent remained secretive about his affiliation with the Turks, but I knew every detail of his childhood and the quirks that made him who he was. He was predictable for the most part except he finally admitted that I indeed was the first person he had ever made love to.

We laid in silence on the bed, it was around four in the afternoon. "I wonder what she'll look like…" he said dreamily. I looked back at him and saw him staring at the ceiling.

"I hope she has your fair skin and dark hair…" I began.

"…and your emerald eyes." He finished turning his gaze to my face and I smiled at him. "…and your perfect smile."

I giggled. "…and your cute laugh." He added sitting up and pulling me closer to him. He placed his hand on my stomach. He knew how to feel for exactly where she was and press just the right spot to get her kicking. He pressed a few times but this time got no response. He tensed up and sat completely upright.

"Do you think something's wrong?" Concern consumed his features down to the way he planted his feet on the floor.

"I don't know… I wouldn't jump to conclusions so soon." I had just felt her kicking around earlier this morning. Hojo had done nothing in these past months to jeopardize her health in any way. Vincent stood up and started pacing.

"Stop that. You're making me nervous." I said lying back down and clutching my pillow.

"We can't wait another month we have to get out of here now…" he said in a low voice. "Should she come early…"

I put my hand under the cover and pressed my belly searching for her. I could feel her, but she didn't kick back. Vincent continued pacing. "Vincent." I said sternly. "You are freaking me out." I all but growled.

"I'm sorry." He walked out of the bedroom and I heard him leave the suite. A few hours went by and all I could do was lie in bed panicking. I looked at the clock and realized it was getting close to seven at night. I decided to take a shower and try to clear my head in there. As soon as the hot water touched my skin, I felt my breast get very tight. My nipples began to ache and I massaged them to try and sooth the pain. After massaging them for a while I felt my abdomen tighten until it cramped up so bad I had to squat down and clutch the side of the tub. After a few moments the pain was gone. I finished up my shower and put on a fresh pair of clothes. I barely got my shirt over my head when I felt my abdomen tightening up again. I braced myself for the intense cramping and it washed over me in one big pulsating wave. As soon as it was over I hurried out of the bathroom and searched the suite for Vincent. He was still gone…

Vincent Valentine:

I left Reno's room at around nine o'clock at night after discussing the escape plan again. I told him we were willing to take the risk of getting through the train station. It did get fairly busy around rush hour which was five o'clock in the afternoon here. Today was a Wednesday it was busiest on Fridays so we planned for the approaching Friday. I entered the suite and heard Aubre on the couch breathing loudly and irregularly. I hurried over to her and noticed she had broken out into a sweat.

"What's wrong?" I asked kneeling beside her and wiping my hand across her wet forehead. Her breathing slowed and she looked over at me.

"I'm in labor. I have been since seven." Her voice cracked. "Vincent…" she stared at me with pleading eyes.

"Fuck!" I whispered loudly. "Reno and I rescheduled the escape for this Friday…"

"No… if Hojo comes in here within the next two days we are done for." She was right. Tears of frustration ran down my face, but she reached up and wiped them away. "Get. Us. Out of here."

I squeezed my eyes shut and breathed a heavy sigh. "Ok." I stood quickly and headed for the door. "I will be right back." I hurried down the hall though everything around me became a blur. I slapped my cheeks a few times realizing I was near fainting. I finally made it back to Reno's room. The normally lazy slacker jumped right into motion when I told him what was going on.

"Vincent." He shook my shoulders. "Snap out of it. You go in there and deliver that baby. Aubre won't be noticed at the train station being that she not pregnant anymore. Take these scissors and cut her hair. Short. I'm talking butch short, yo."

I took the scissors with a trembling hand and tucked them into my inside jacket pocket. I hurried back to the suite and back to Aubre's side. I moved her to the bed and placed several of the bathroom towels under her to catch all of the bleeding she had started to do. I had witnessed child birth before therefore I knew what to expect however… this was my child. Aubre rolled to her side and placed her face into a pillow to muffle her already suppressed groans of agony. I rubbed her back in slow circles.

"This will be all over soon… and I promise everything will be fine. We'll get through this, Aubre." I whispered to her before leaning down to kiss her cheek. She nodded as a response clutching the pillow harder.

There was a knock at the suite door. Aubre sat upright and turned to me. The look of absolute terror in her eyes in that moment hurt me deeper than any pain I'd ever had. I pressed my lips against hers as if it was the last time I'd ever kiss her before walking out of the bedroom.

A second round of knocking had started before I reached the door. Reno… Relief washed over me like a refreshing breeze. "This is probably the happiest I've ever been to see you." I said surprised I still had sarcasm left in me.

He grinned and shut the door behind me. "Thought you might need a little help… Where is she?" he sent a glance around the suite.

"In the bedroom." I answered already beginning to lead him.

"The gates are opening at two minutes after one and thirty seconds. They'll stay open for 15 seconds. That's all the time we are willing to risk. Tseng issued a troubleshoot ticket to allow them to 'test' the security systems so the camera's will be down as well." Reno said as we walked into the bedroom. Aubre had her face buried into the pillow again squirming, battling another contraction. It was nearing ten o'clock now that left us with just over three hours to deliver Mila. Aubre's clothes had already been removed from the waist down. I gently spread her legs apart and checked for any signs of a head coming through.

Reno tossed me a pair of rubber gloves and I checked her indeed I felt a head close. "She's right there…. It's almost over."

Aubre Naluri:

Vincent's encouraging words became nothing more than distorted far away sound as the pain became so unbearable. Reno clamped his hands over my mouth to quiet me as the worst of the contractions continued to hit me over and over again getting closer and closer together until the pain seemed constant. I looked at the clock and realized it was nearing eleven o'clock. That hour had dragged by so slowly….

My back arched as I suddenly felt an urge to push. I opened my eyes and met Vincent's. I smiled at him. "She's ready…" I said. He smiled back.

"Push, sweetheart. Push hard I can see her head she's got a full head of dark hair." He sounded so happy yet I could tell he was straining to keep his excitement under control. Reno had prepared a table next to and had a large bowl of water and a wash rag to clean her.

When the next urge hit me I pushed my hardest and I could feel myself stretching. Both Reno and Vincent were whispering for me to push harder and push again. Another urge came and I pushed even harder holding it longer. The stretching was nearly unbearable as I could feel myself start to tear. One final long push and I felt my baby being pulled out of me. The separation brought tears to my eyes and once I laid eyes on her I began to sob uncontrollably. Before admiring his daughter Vincent was quick to cut her free of me and hand her over to Reno to be cleaned. After her first breath instinctively she began to cry Reno quieted her quickly with a pacifier. He cleaned her and diapered her and wrapped her in a blanket like a pro. He handed her to me with a smile. Vincent climbed into bed next to me and looked down at her.

"She's beautiful she looks just like you." I said. She was very fair with dark hair her eyes were shaped like Vincent's and her lips were full like mine. Vincent was just staring at her in awe. His hand seemed enormous next to her tiny face as he stroked her cheek. After admiring her for a moment I put my breast to her mouth and attempted to make her eat for the first time. She took it eagerly and a tear of happiness trailed down my cheek as I looked down at my newborn baby girl. I looked up at Vincent to see tears on his cheek as well. Reno stepped out of the room to give us our first moments with our child. The fear that this may be the last time we were together as a family was not far off though…