I will say that this somewhat deals with FI-more like trauma from a previous chapter.

Thank you for reading!

-CL

I pull the door open and see America first. Maxon's back is to me, talking to America. She gasps and Maxon turns to see what she's looking at. His jaw drops when he sees me. "B-Bella?" he stutters. He reaches out to touch me and I stiffen. He gently grabs my gloved hand and pulls me closer. I let him, but still remain stiff. "Oh, my dear." He puts his arms around me, rubbing my back.

I pry his hands away and step back out of his embrace. "What would you like?" I ask in a stiff, formal tone.

Maxon notices the tone. He scrutinizes my outfit. "My dear, you look…different."

"Yes," I respond coldly. I usually wear floral, light day dresses and light makeup-the complete opposite of what I'm wearing. "What are you needing from me?" I ask again.

"Bella…you shouldn't be locked up in a room."

"I can do whatever the fuck I want, Maxon. You are not my parent." I cross my arms and glare at him. "Anything else I can do for you?"

Maxon looks at me like I've lost my mind. He looks to America for help. America steps up and I notice how big she's gotten. "Bella, we're just trying to talk to you. We're here to support you."

I scoff. "I don't need support. I've been doing fine on my own for the past two weeks, thank you very much." I turn to walk back into the room.

"Bella, wait!" Maxon rushes.

I sigh and turn back around. "Yes?"

"Just, Bella-please, don't lock yourself back in that room. Please-" he starts, but America interrupts, grabbing onto his arm. "Ames, are you ok?" he asks, worried.

I notice that America is breathing heavily. "America?" I ask warmer than I've been talking. She tightens her grip around Maxon, looking like she's trying not to scream. Maxon grimaces. I walk over, my heels clicking against the floor. I grab her hand, gently prying it off of Maxon's arm. She squeezes my hand and slowly releases the tension. "Ames?"

She takes a deep breath. "I think-I think I'm in labor-" she starts, but an alarm goes off. The rebel alarm.

"America?! What do you mean?" Maxon shouts over the alarm.

"I'm serious, Maxon. I've been having contractions all day-just, I've been able to hide it."

"Ames! Don't you think I should know this?" Maxon yells.

I keep my hand in America's and hold the other up between Maxon and me. "Relax, Maxon. You acting like that isn't going to help." I turn to America. "When did they start?"

"As soon as I woke up. They were tolerable, but now, they are getting worse."

"Well, it looks like you are in active labor and there are rebels in the palace. We need to get to a safe room." I help America walk to the secret door and notice that Maxon's not following. "What the hell are you waiting for, Maxon?"

"Bella, who knows how long we are going to be in the safe room! What happens if America needs to deliver in the safe room?!" He runs his fingers through his hair.

I thin my lips. "Let's go, Maxon. Do you want to get killed?" I keep my voice eerily calm. I open the door and help America down the stairs. I hear Maxon following behind us. We enter the room and, luckily, there's a bed. We are in the biggest, private safe room in the palace, thank God. "Lock the doors, Maxon. We don't need any audiences. Do you think Dr. Ashlar could make it?"

Maxon's face goes white. "Dr. Ashlar is on his break," he whispers. "I didn't realize how close it was to America's due date. Fuck." He pulls on his hair. "What are we going to do?"

I hear America sharply inhale. "Just breathe, America," I instruct. I have her squeeze my hand until the contraction passes. "Now, I have to go deal with Maxon," I whisper. She nods, the sheen of sweat on her forehead glistening in the light. I squeeze her hand reassuringly. "Just breathe. I'll be back." I stand up and walk to where Maxon is pacing. "Maxon, you need to calm down; you're stressing America out," I say coolly.

He grabs my hands. "Bella, no one here knows how to deliver a baby."

"The last time I checked, I was pregnant and had to deliver a baby. Besides, I researched it while I was pregnant," I say monotonously. "Although, you can deliver it. I refuse. I'll talk you through it." I don't want to think about my delivery-which is exactly what would happen if I helped America deliver.

"There's no way in hell, Bella Schreave, that I'm going to deliver a baby-I hardly know the female anatomy. You are going to have to do it," Maxon whispers.

"Like there's any way in hell that I will? And what about my dress?" I pout. He gives me the side eye. "Just-Let's talk about this when her water breaks-right now, we shouldn't worry." I turn on my heel and walk back to America. "How's it going? When was the last contraction?"

"I don't…know," America says through pants.

"Maxon, come over here and be helpful. Time her contractions and-" I start before America cuts me off.

"Umm…Bella? I think my water just broke." America groans, another contraction hitting her. I glance down and see a puddle of liquid near her.

"Fuck!" I shout. I stalk away, realizing I'm going to have to help America.

"Bella!" Maxon calls. I can hear his footsteps behind me.

I stop and turn on my heel. "Yes?" I cross my arms.

"You do realize what this means, right?" He stops and glances at my arms.

"I'm well the fuck aware, Maxon," I say through gritted teeth. "And why can't you? The last time I checked you are family."

"Bella, you are a fucking female! I could not do that! And she's family, exactly. I can't look at her down there-I'll never be able to look at her the same."

"Maxon, I don't think I can-think about it. I deliver my own baby only for it to die, but I have to deliver America's baby, which is most likely to live? Do you understand? I'm fucking traumatized, Maxon! Do you not understand how hard it is to force myself not to kill myself? I just want to fucking, die, Maxon." I don't allow tears to come to my eyes. You're better than that.

"Bella, I don't think you understand how much the miscarriage affected me! It didn't only affect you! I was so excited for you to be pregnant, for us to become parents-"

"Exactly! My body should have been able to carry a baby to full term-but it didn't. Who knows if I will even be able to get pregnant again?! It's my fault that we don't have a baby!" I dig my fingernails into my arm.

"Bella…" he starts, but I hold up a hand gesturing for him to continue his previous rant. He clears his throat. "As I was saying, when you miscarried, my heart broke, not just for me, but for you as well. And when you locked yourself into the room-I, well, I couldn't go on with life. Without you, there was nothing to look forward to. I went through life like a zombie. Even Aspen asked what was wrong with me, and you know he's not very observant. But, with how you are acting now, I almost don't recognize you. What happened to my Bella?"

"You're Bella is dead," I hiss. "She died with our baby."

He gently cups my face in his hands. "No, she's in there somewhere."

I rip myself out of his grasp. "I'm not who I used to be, Maxon. Enough of this. We need to settle the dispute-" I hear America moaning. "-before she delivers the baby on her own."

"Bella, you know you need to. You know more about this than me. I'll be there to support her and you."

I sigh. "Fine, let me grab supplies. Don't let her push."