The room was bathed in dim light, the air thick with tension. Brian's heavy breathing echoed against the walls, each breath a struggle as he clung to the counter for support. His grip was tight, knuckles white, as another contraction slammed through him. The pain was unbearable—waves of pressure, burning, tugging at him from every direction. He squeezed his eyes shut, the tears already threatening to spill.

"Brian, just breathe," Vince's voice was low but strained, and Brian could feel his presence, every inch of him, standing across the room. He couldn't look at Vince. Not now. Not while his body was betraying him in ways he never imagined.

"Easy for you to say," Brian snapped, chest heaving with frustration. The contraction had subsided, but the tension remained thick in the air. He glanced up at Vince, eyes blazing. "You're just standing there, Vince. You're always standing there, while I—"

"While you what?" Vince's voice sharpened, a flicker of irritation cutting through the calm he usually wore. He stepped forward, his own hands shaking. "What the hell is your problem, Brian? I'm trying to be here, I'm trying to help."

Brian's breath hitched as another contraction took hold, and he gasped, grabbing the edge of the counter harder. "You don't get it!" he shouted, the words clawing their way out of him. "You just don't get it, Vince! I'm the one doing this, I'm the one who's in pain, I'm the one going through this hell. But you… you're just standing there like it's nothing. Like I'm nothing."

Vince froze, his gaze hardening. "That's not fair, Brian. I'm here," he said, voice rough. "I'm not the one who's running away from this, you are."

"I'm not running away!" Brian shot back, his face flushed with a mixture of frustration and pain. "You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to feel like I'm being ripped apart, physically and emotionally? You think I wanted to carry this—this baby—and deal with all of this alone?" His voice cracked on the last word.

Vince's face fell, a deep breath leaving him. "You're not alone," he said, his tone softer now, but the frustration still simmered beneath the surface. "I'm right here, Brian. I'm not going anywhere. But you can't keep pushing me away like this. You've been shutting me out for weeks now, and it's killing me."

Brian opened his mouth to argue, but a sharp contraction cut him off, bending him double as he gasped in pain. The intensity of it made his body tremble, his legs buckling beneath him. Vince was there in an instant, his hands steadying Brian, supporting him through the worst of it.

"You've got to let me in," Vince murmured, his voice laced with frustration, but also something softer, something that made Brian's chest tighten. "You're not in this alone. Not anymore."

Brian's chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath, the pain still gripping him like an unrelenting vice. He shook his head, his vision clouding with both tears and exhaustion. "I don't know if I can do this, Vince. I—I'm scared. I'm so damn scared."

Vince didn't flinch. He placed both hands on Brian's shoulders, looking directly into his eyes, his own emotions raw. "I'm scared too," he admitted, voice thick. "But I'm here, Brian. I'm not going anywhere. I don't care how scared I am, I'm not leaving you to do this alone. Not now, not ever."

Brian's lip quivered as the weight of Vince's words settled over him, raw and vulnerable. He closed his eyes, shaking his head, but the tears were unstoppable now. He reached for Vince's hand, fingers trembling, needing something solid to hold onto.

"I don't want to break," Brian whispered, his voice hoarse. "I don't want to break, Vince."

"You're not going to break," Vince said, his voice steady but full of emotion. "You're stronger than you know. And I'm not leaving. I'm right here."

Brian felt the tension between them shift, just a little. He didn't want to admit it, but the anger—the bitter frustration—was starting to fade, replaced by something rawer, deeper. "I've always been alone," he muttered, more to himself than to Vince. "Even when you're here, I still feel alone. I don't know how to let anyone in."

Vince sighed, the weight of the situation settling over him. "You don't have to do everything alone, Brian. Not with me. Not with this."

Brian let out a shaky breath, leaning his forehead against Vince's chest, his body trembling with exhaustion. "I can't breathe," he whispered. "I can't—this hurts so much…"

Vince's hands were gentle as they rubbed his back, soothing him as best as he could. His voice was soft but unwavering. "I've got you, Brian. I've got you. Let me help. Let me be the one to hold you up this time."

Another contraction hit, sharper this time, and Brian gasped, biting his lip as the pain surged through him. "Vince… it's coming. The baby… it's coming, it's really coming, and I don't know if I can do this."

"Yes, you can," Vince said, his voice firm despite the tightness in his chest. "And I'll be right here with you. We'll do this together, okay? We'll get through this together."

Brian closed his eyes, pressing his face against Vince's chest, letting the steady rhythm of his heartbeat ground him. "I don't know how you do it," he whispered. "How you stay so… so calm. So steady. I can't do it like you can."

Vince's hand came up to brush Brian's hair back, his touch tender. "You don't have to be like me, Brian," he said softly. "You just have to be yourself. That's who I'm here for."

Brian inhaled deeply, the words sinking into him, wrapping around his racing thoughts. He felt the weight of Vince's arms around him, the steady pressure that calmed him even in the middle of the chaos. "I'm scared, Vince. But… I don't want to face this alone."

"You don't have to," Vince said, his voice full of conviction. "I'm not leaving, Brian. I'm with you every step of the way. Always."

The tension between them was still there, that fragile thread of frustration and unresolved anger, but in that moment, it was easy to ignore. Brian felt the weight of Vince's words, the sincerity, and he let out a long, shaky breath.

"You've got me, then," Brian whispered. "And… I've got you."

Vince smiled, his hand brushing Brian's cheek as he looked into his eyes. "Always."

As the next wave of pain hit, Brian gripped Vince's hand, his body tensing in anticipation. But this time, it didn't feel like he was facing it alone. This time, he had Vince. And together, they would make it through.