Story was inspired by Dixie Chicks - Easy Silence

I hope you enjoy it while it lasted!

~Maxine

Chapter 25 - Easy Silence

"Oh My GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!" Came from the back seat.

Ayana's looked her oldest son, Braden in the rearview mirror as she drove the Chevy Tahoe; she watched as his eyes widened as he looked over at his aunt. "She's going to be okay Braden." Ayana had been sitting at home with Braden when she got the call from Nala about her water breaking; with Odyn, Max and Samaria out with Lisa and Sika, Ayana had to take Braden with her.

"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Came from the back seat again.

"Are you sure about that mom?" Braden asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes honey I promise." Ayana reassured her twelve year old. Jesus she couldn't believe her oldest son was twelve already.

"Oh God Braden I'm so sorry if I'm scaring you buddy." Nala stated as her contraction came and went. "Thanks for riding back here with me."

"No worries Aunt Nala. I'll stay as long as you need me; as long as you don't try to crush my hand again I need both of them for sports at school." Braden stated in a completely honest tone.

"How are you doing back there Nal?" Ayana asked. Apparently it was 'hit every red light on the way to the hospital night' and no one told her.

"I'm great but I think my child is trying to dig its way out of me." Nala stated as she was trying to calm her breathing. "Did you get a hold of Roman or Dean?"

"I spoke to Roman before I picked you up they are at the airport but it's packed and they are trying to get to Roman's truck to get to the hospital." Ayana explained.

Nala was only 38 weeks, but apparently the baby had decided it was ready to come out. She couldn't understand why she was 2 weeks early, but Ayana had re-assured her every pregnancy was different; some first pregnancies were late, some were early and some were right on time.

It didn't mean going into labor two weeks early didn't scare the shit out of her. Especially since Dean was still on the road. Luckily enough the guys had just flown into the Pensacola Airport from a tour overseas and they were trying to make their way to the hospital.

Nala really hoped he would make it before the baby got there.

"GET YOU BMW DRIVING ASS OUT OF THE GOD DAMN WAY BEFORE I STICK MY FOOT UP YOUR TAIL PIPE!" Dean screamed out the passenger window.

Roman chuckled as he shook his head. "Bro you are going to have to calm down or you're going to give yourself a stroke."

"I don't want to miss it man. I can't miss the birth of my child." Dean demanded.

"You're not going to miss it bro. It takes a while for the baby to slip down into the birth canal before she can even start pushing." Roman pointed out.

That was a total lie, but he wasn't about to add to the chaos that was his best friends life right now. "Just sit back and breathe bro." Roman stated calmly. "I promise to get you there in time."

Dean really hoped Roman was telling the truth. He couldn't miss his child being born. It was the next milestone in his and Nala's life and there was no way in hell he could forgive himself; let alone Nala forgive him if he missed it.

"Just keep driving bro."

"Hello Mrs. Ambrose we need you to fill out these forms." The perky nurse stated as she walked up and handed over a clipboard.

Nala narrowed her eyes at the perky nurse before she reached up and grabbed the nurse by the collar of her scrubs and yanked her down to her level in the wheelchair. "I have an 8 1/2 month old child trying to claw its way out of my vagina; if you think for a second I'm going to take time out of the excruciating labor pains to fill out paperwork you are SADLY mistaken. All you have to do is run my fuckin insurance card to get all my information. So take my insurance card and your clipboard and go away before I give you a free flying lesson out that window!"

Ayana and Braden were sitting next to Nala with smirks on their faces as they watched the nurse scamper away.

Nala looked at them both. "What...Too mean?" She asked as the contraction halted.

Braden chuckled. "No way Aunt Nala that was great."

Ayana shook her head. "Do not encourage her. And you..." She looked at Nala. "Try not to be nasty to the nurses who might be giving you drugs later. They could cut your dose in half and it won't last nearly as long as you'll pray for it to." She warned.

"OH MY FUCKIN GOD IF YOU DON'T MOVE YOUR FAT ASS IN THREE SECONDS I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A REAL REASON TO BE SCARED OF FOOD WHEN I CRAM THAT FOOTLONG DOWN YOUR THROAT TUBBY!" Dean threatened out the window at a portly man eating a hot dog.

Roman couldn't stop chuckling as he continued to carefully maneuver his way through the bumper to bumper traffic. "Bro you have got to calm down. You can't keep road raging when I'm the one driving! Can you imagine if someone calls the police on me; man if I get a ticket I'm kicking your ass all the way to the maternity ward."

Dean harrumphed as he sat back against the seat and folded his arms over his chest. "Could you just hurry?"

"Where the fuck you want me to go?" Roman asked as he waved his hands in front of himself. "I know you don't have 20/20 vision, but you can see all the vehicles that are surrounding us right, because if you can't you NEED to tell one of the higher ups so they can get your fuckin eyes checked. I swear I'm going just about as humanly fast as I can right now. My truck is not going to sprout wings and fly us to the hospital."

"Sorry..." Dean grumbled. "I'm just a little on edge."

"A little?" Roman questioned.

"Okay a lot. But you've been through this big man. You have four beautiful kids. This is only my first and I can't miss it." Dean explained in a calmed ton.

"I have never let you down before bro; I'm not about to start now." Roman gripped Dean's shoulder. "Fuck it! Let's get this shit going." Roman laid on the horn; he was getting them to a side road somehow.

Dean clapped his hands together once and knelt in the seat as the top half of his body was leaning out the passenger side window once again. "OKAY PEOPLE LETS MOVE IT OUT HERE I GOT A WIFE TO DO SOME LAMAZE BREATHING WITH." He was trying his damndest to get them to move. "HEY YOU OLD BAT GOD IS GOING TO STRIKE YOU DEAD IF YOU KEEP GIVING PEOPLE THE FINGER LIKE THAT!" He pointed out to the 70 or 80 year old lady in her Lincoln Towncar.

It was later reported to the Pensacola Police Department that a wild Samoan driving a lunatic white guy around in a pick-up truck were disturbing the traffic jam; too bad they were already gone when the police showed up.

The medical staff at Pensacola Memorial finally got Nala into a room and got her hooked up to a baby / contraction monitor. The nurse suddenly walked in and flipped the sheet up that was covering the lower half of Nala and stuck her head in to check to see how far she was dilated.

Ayana's eyes widened as she suddenly wrapped her hand around Braden's eyes; as she spun the chair around to face the wall.

"Mom what is she doing to Aunt Nala?" Braden asked curiously.

"Don't you worry about it right now. You concentrate on staring at that wall." She warned her son. She watched as the nurse backed out and informed Nala she was 8 centimeters, but seemed to be dilating fast. Ayana pointed at her son. "Hey! Twelve not twenty-five; some warning next time would be good."

The nurse just nodded as she walked over and was looking at the monitor. "How are you feeling Mrs. Ambrose?" She would have to ask after a nice good strong contraction.

"Like my child has talons for hands and it is trying to rip me open from the inside out you rotten old bat!" Nala growled.

Ayana snickered. "Nala, smile and nod honey."

"You smile and nod. I wanna shoot this kid out and having my tubes tied! If Ambrose wants any more children he can shoot them out the head of his PENIS!" Nala yelled out as another contraction hit; clearly they were coming closer.

Ayana looked at Braden. "Go sit in the hallway and call your father. Tell him he needs to move his ass if Dean wants to be here for the birth of his child." She instructed.

"Yes ma'am." Braden grabbed the back of the chair and drug it out into the hallway away from his screaming Aunt and away from any doors and windows. He didn't want to see anything until he was actually old enough to understand it all. His head snapped up when he heard sneakers squeaking on the hospital floor. "DAD!"

Roman looked up and smiled as he and Dean jogged down the hallway and skidded to a stop in front of Nala's room. "C'mon bro you made it; your wife is waiting for you."

Dean's eyes widened as he heard Nala screaming in pain. "I can't do it. I can't see her in pain. She's my everything Roman. This is true cut to the bone pain."

Roman stood behind Dean as he grabbed both his shoulders and squeezed. "Yes you can. You can do this because you need to support your wife. She's carried your child for nine months. You've both re-arranged your lives for the last nine months for this one specific moment and if you miss it you'll regret it until the day you die." Roman started honestly. "I watched all four of my children come into the world and I watched when the twins were taken from us. You'll forever remember every second; the good times, the bad times, even the heart breaking times. But you get through them together. I lost sight of that with Ayana. I almost lost my wife. I made the biggest mistake of my life. Don't do the same brother."

Dean nodded. "I can do this." He looked over his shoulder at a man he'd considered his brother since he signed with WWE; they had been through so much with their careers and personal lives. Sharing the moment his child came into the world would be something he'd never forget; sharing it with the love of his life was heart stopping. He yanked his black leather jacket off as he tossed it to Braden. "Hold onto that for me kid." He leaned over and kissed the top of his nephews head as the both of them walked into the room.

"Ayana why don't you give your hand a rest it looks like your fingers are turning blue." Dean stated in a soft tone.

"Dean!" Nala exclaimed. She's never been so happy to see anyone in her entire life. She was between contractions, but knew it would only be a few seconds before the next would hit.

Dean slid up next to the bed as Ayana stepped away and into Roman's waiting arms. "I'm sorry I'm late traffic was a bitch; forgive me?"

Nala smiled through the pain as she took her husband's hand. "Just this once I will. I was so scared you wasn't going to make it. The baby is early and I didn't know what to do so I called Ayana."

Dean smiled as he caressed her sweaty cheek. "Well thank her properly later for taking such good care of you." He kissed the tip of her nose. "Breathe in and out darlin' nice deep breaths; in and out."

"Braden too; he was such a trooper sitting in the back seat with me letting me squeeze the shit out of his hand." Nala stated.

"Braden too; I promise." Dean stated softly. He knew as long as he kept his voice calm Nala would stay calm as well.

"We are ready to push." The OB announced as she started pulling the stir-ups from the bed.

"Roman as much as I love you; I don't need you seeing my girl bits." Nala stated as she looked over at the man in question.

Roman chuckled as he threw a wave in the air. "Get it done little momma; we'll be waiting out there." Roman took his wife's hand and led her out of the room.

"See you soon." Ayana blew a kiss to Nala before leaving.

Ayana and Roman stood outside of the room. They could actually watch through the window without actually seeing anything graphic. Roman's arm was around her waist as he pulled her into his big body and her head was resting against his chest.

Braden stayed in the chair playing a game on his moms phone. He wouldn't mind seeing the baby once it was here, but before then he could do without.

It honestly didn't take long once Nala started pushing, it really only took a good 5 or 6 pushes when the baby came out. The nurses immediately taking the baby to the station to get cleaned up as they had Dean come over and clip the umbilical cord he couldn't have been happier. The baby was cleaned up, weighed and measured and the doctor checked the baby out and determined it wouldn't need to go to the NICU; the lungs were fully developed and were strong and screaming.

After Nala held the baby, Dean took it and walked over to the door to Roman and Ayana. "I would like you to meet my daughter Alyssa Ann Ambrose." They could see the tears shining in his intense blue orbs. It was definitely a day of happiness.

The couple gushed over the beautiful baby girl it had been a while since they had a newborn in their lives; being parents was the most wonderful thing they had experienced together. Ayana pushed up on her toes and kissed Dean's cheek. "Congratulations Daddy." Before she kissed the top of the baby's head. "She's gorgeous." She had Nala's Emerald eyes and Dean's auburn-blonde curls.

Roman patted Dean on the back softly. "You did good brother; though I think Nala did all the work."

"You bet your ass I did." Came from inside the room.

Ayana laughed. "Go take your daughter to your wife; well come in after the doctor and nurses get her cleaned up and get her time to settle into her room."

Braden had grabbed some money from his dad and took off to the vending machine down the hallway as Roman and Ayana stayed standing at the window; they watched the happy family as they gushed and cooed over their new daughter. "Dean will not let her date until she's 40." Roman rumbled.

"50." Ayana reiterated.

Ayana cleared her throat. "You know since we started our family 12 years ago, we never had a moment of silence between us until we weren't an us anymore. I never want to lose that again Roman. The silence was excruciating."

"It was not an easy silence." Roman agreed. "But no more. We are stuck with each other forever."

"I hope you don't mind the noise, because we are going to definitely have more noise in the house." Ayana stated honestly.

Roman nodded. "It will be nice to have the new baby in the house when they come for visits." Roman looked over as Dean waved them in. "C'mon they are waving us in let's go." Roman turned to go in the room but stopped short for Ayana took his hand. He looked back as he stepped towards her a look of trepidation on her beautiful face. "What is it babygirl?" He asked softly.

"We are going to have more than Dean and Nala's newborn in the house." Ayana stated as she chewed her bottom lip before she pulled Roman closer and placed his hand on her lower abdomen; she pushed it firmly.

Roman's eyes widened; it was firm. Her stomach was firm. He swallowed hard. "But...When? How? I thought the doctor said you couldn't have anymore after we lost the twins."

"Hawaii, three months ago. So no more silence." Ayana stated softly.

"No more silence." He smiled softly.

"No more silence...times two."

The End