Never Have I Ever…understood a father's love

As I shift on my side of the bed, I mumble and try to get back to sleep. With how hot it is, I can't help but want to kick off the covers; if Rio wasn't so insistent on using them I probably would have already. It's been all of three days into summer, and we're still parents to be.

Rolling over again, I mumble incoherently into my covers and repeat my daily prayer that I'll be a good father.

Please let me be a good father.

Please let me be a good father.

Please…

Halfway through the third part of my mantra, I hear a loud crash from the bathroom. Instantly wary, I sit up and stare at the doorway before calling cautiously, "Rio?"

When she doesn't answer, I swing my feet over the side of the bed and creep towards the bathroom hoping that she's just tripped over something in the dark. As I shuffle towards the door, I say softly, "Rio, are you okay?"

There's no reply for a second, before Rio whimpers from behind the door. Without a second thought I reach for the knob and crash through the door, practically ripping it off its hinges in my effort to get to my wife.

The bathroom lights illuminate a scene that freezes me in my steps; Rio leans against the counter, breathing heavily with a look of pain on her face as the water on the floor reflects where the light shines on it.

Still frozen, I watch as Rio grabs my wrist and gasps out, "My water broke…"

As I stare at her blankly, she whimpers again and I seem to snap out of my daze. Trying not to panic, I throw an arm around her and support her as we head for the door.

She stumbles a bit and I catch her, before realizing there's no way I can carry her; my legs threaten to crumble underneath me as I do my best to suppress the immense feeling of worry and anxiousness that boil in my stomach.

As if she can sense how I'm feeling, Rio gives me a weak smile before reassuring me, "I'll be okay, Neil. Just help me get to the clinic, okay?"

Patting my head, she smiles even wider before another wince contorts her face. Strengthening my resolve, I put in all the strength I can and help her towards the clinic as fast as I can.

A very annoyed Klaus opens the door after I pound on it frantically. I can tell that he's all set to give me the lecture of my life when his eyes flicker to Rio at my side. Realization seems to dawn in his eyes, and quickly he's all business as he pulls open the door and steps to the side.

As I pull her into the room with the hospital beds, she grabs my sleeve and allows me to lower her gently onto the mattress as she begins to really breathe hard. While she lies there, obviously in pain, I shift back and forth on my feet with nervous anticipation.

At this point, not only do I not know what to do to but I don't know how to act.

Klaus seems to sense this, and he turns from where he's preparing to touch my shoulder gently. Quietly, the doctor says, "It will be fine, Neil. Please go to the waiting room."

My eyes shift to Rio, and her blue eyes meet mine before she gives me one last smile. Nodding, she urges in a weary voice, "Go on, Neil. I'll be okay."

Anxiously I shift from foot to foot; I'm loathe to leave her, especially now, but all the same I get the feeling that if I stay I'll only be in the way. Slowly I step back towards the door, then move back again, and take one last step before I'm out the door and into the lobby.

As soon as I've moved, Klaus shoos me towards the waiting area and gives me one last nod before heading back into the room where I can hear Rio still gasping and struggling for breath.

Worry fills my stomach and I begin to pace back and forth as I begin to imagine all sorts of things-gone-wrong that could happen.

What if there's something wrong with the kid?

What if Rio has to have a C-section?

And then the worst yet comes to my mind: what if I lose them both, in that one swift moment where both mother and child could die?

Dread seems to come over me instantly, fear freezing me where I stand as I begin to feverishly pray that my worries will be completely unfounded. A deep, ringing pain seems to slash through my chest and I find it nearly unbearable to breathe as I try and steady myself on the nearby wall.

I can't imagine living after losing so much.

As I lean against the wall and try to focus on breathing, there's a loud crash from the direction of the door and I look up to see Rod, Tina, Allen, and the others all pour into the waiting room. While I stand there, wondering what they're doing up so late and night and why they're here, Tina asks breathlessly, "Where is she?"

"Huh?"

"RIO?" Tina says impatiently, before I shake my head and demand, "She's with Klaus. What are you guys all doing here? It's three in the morning!"

Soseki, pulling at his robe anxiously, steps forward before saying, "I was up, walking around town like I always do when I happened to see you hurrying towards the clinic with Rio. Naturally I did my best to tell everyone else that something important was happening."

"The baby's coming! I bet it'll be so cute!" Michelle gushes while Felicity begins muttering about cooking for Rio under her breath. As the talking becomes a low murmur that echoes in the waiting room, I stand limply in the middle of everyone until Rod and Allen pull me out of the crowd and to the side.

"You okay? You look kind of pale," Rod frets, before frowning at me.

Staring at both of them, I quietly murmur, "It's just…Well I hope everything's going okay. I can't do anything…and if I lose her…"

Rod bites his lip, but Allen shakes his head before giving me his usual smirk. Leaning forward and shaking his finger at me, the stylist scolds, "Honestly Neil, Rio is much stronger than you're giving her credit for. Just sit out here and be patient, okay? Both she and the baby will be fine."

I open my mouth to say something in return when Klaus pokes his head out into the lobby and hisses, "Could you all leave please? I need to focus before Rio begins to go into labor!"

Reluctantly the whole group gives me a look, before slowly trudging out the door one by one. The last one to leave is Rod, who gives me an encouraging smile before being pulled out the door by Tina. As the lobby settles into quiet once more, I take a deep breath before sinking down into a nearby chair and putting my head in my hands.

I wake up to hear Klaus saying, "Push! Come on Rio, just a bit more!"

Quickly I stand up, nearly knocking over the chair in the process and I stand still and stare hard in the direction of the hospital room. Hesitantly I take a few steps towards the hospital room when I hear Klaus say in a happy voice, "The baby is here! You did it, Rio."

Heedless of my surroundings or what Klaus will say, I run to the hospital room, tripping and stumbling over myself in my haste to get to Rio and the baby. As Rio comes into sight, she gives me a weak smile before looking at Klaus, who turns to me with the baby in his arms.

Holding out the child, the doctor says, "Congratulations. It's a boy."

Carefully I step forward before looking at Rio. Sensing my nervousness, she struggles to sit up before nodding and saying hoarsely, "Hold him, Neil. Hold your son."

Holding out my arms, I slowly take my son out of Klaus's arms. The warmth of the bundle in my arms sends a weird feeling of satisfaction and happiness bubbling through my stomach, and looking down I watch as the baby kicks his little feet.

As I hold my son, I marvel at how I never once thought I'd ever understand why a parent loves their child so much. Even though he's only newly born, the feeling of love seems to overwhelm me, and it takes all my willpower to not blush at how ridiculous I feel, standing here with a big smile on my face.

I look up to see Rio watching me with an affectionate look in her eyes. Walking over to where she sits in the bed, I say, "Here, take him."

Obligingly, she takes the baby from my arms and smiles down at him, somehow managing to look as breathtaking as always despite the sheen of sweat on her forehead and the limp strands of hair that cling to her neck.

"Hey there," she whispers to the baby, reaching out to stroke his cheek softly. Smiling, I lean over the bed and kiss her on the cheek, before pulling back and whispering in her ear, "You did a good job. Thank you, Rio."

I'm surprised when she turns her head to give me a kiss on the cheek, and as I blink at her she tells me, "You did good too, Neil. Thank you for being so patient."

Together we look down at the baby before Klaus clears his throat and says, "I hate to bother you but as I'll need to fill out the birth certificate…"

Rio and I nod at each other before I turn to Klaus and say, "We'd like to name him Elijah. Elijah James."

Klaus leaves the room to fill out the birth certificate, leaving me alone with Rio and Elijah. As soon as he's gone, I sink to one knee next to the bedside and grab Rio's right hand. Looking at me curiously, she turns her attention from our son before asking me with a little laugh, "Neil, what are you doing?"

Dead serious, I squeeze her hand and tell her, "Thank you, for giving birth to my child. I swear, I'll do whatever I have to and work harder than ever for both you and Elijah."

She blushes at this before asking, "What brought this on?"

Standing up again, I push a loose strand of hair behind her ear before telling her, "I love you. And I love him. Do I really need another reason?"

At that she falls silent before looking back down at Elijah. Cradling him a bit more, she murmurs, "You're a very lucky boy, Elijah, to have a daddy like Neil."

Sitting on the bed, I put on hand on my son and put my other hand over Rio's before closing my eyes and smiling, somehow unable to find words to express the surge of contentment in my life. Leaning forward to rest my forehead against Rio's, I make a silent vow to never forget just how perfect everything seems right now.

There it is :) I know it takes like five seconds in the game but I figured that wouldn't make for an interesting story so I gave her a couple of hours XD Either way, I hope it was a nice story :)

It's been awhile since I've posted, but I wanted to give you guys a heads up: this is NOT the last story. I will have at least two more, although I don't know when they'll be up. I might even have three more XD I'll just see how it plays out. Until then, thanks for all the reads and reviews! See you on the next update!