There's Always a Catch

I don’t know what happened, it all was a mind numbing blur. Paul rushing me to the hospital, everyone following in separate cars. I was breathing in and out, just like Emily was instructing me to do. While I clutched her and Paul’s hand, we were driving in Sam’s car.

It hurt, it was agony. I was panicking, I was freaking out because I was going to be a Mom at 17, this shouldn’t have happened. This shouldn’t have worked out this way. It’s not like I wanted this, it’s out of my control now. It was happening. Right here, Right now.

“SAM! HURRY UP!” I scream, as the sudden wave of pain stuck me. I screamed in agony, as I squeezed Paul’s hand, I knew he could take it. Even he flinched though.
I wanted to cry, I wanted to cry I was in so much pain.

“Paul, Paul…make it stop!” I beg, I wanted it to stop now, I hadn’t even got through half way. Paul looked distraught, unable to help me. He soothed me with words and comforting kisses, telling me that everything will be okay.
Soon, we were in Forks and I can honestly say I’ve never been so pleased to see the hospital. As we rushed in, Paul and everyone behind me. The poor receptionist looked terrified.
“Hi, we need Carlisle Cullen like now” Paul says, panicking. He had no idea what he was doing.
“Hold on-” she says, about to pick up the phone. I was seething, how dare she tell me to hold on.
I slammed my hand on the desk, making everyone in the waiting room, and my backup crew jump out their wits.

“Listen Lady, I’m having a baby here okay? I’m about to give birth and it’s going to fucking hurt. If you don’t book me in the next ten seconds, I’m going to shove a pole up your ass and it won’t even equal to the amount of pain I’m in right now. So put the fucking phone down and get me DR. CULLEN!” I screamed the last part, and glared at her, surprised she didn’t burn on the spot.

The lady, shakily put the phone down “Name?” she squeaks and I sigh with relief as Emily takes over, soon a wheelchair came for me and I heard Jared mutter “She is devil woman right now isn’t she?” and when Seth chuckled, I almost slapped him.
Carlisle appears shortly and whisked me away, he made a slight twist in rules that a few more people could come in my room. Jared, Quil, Embry and Sam decided to wait outside. Jake, Emily, Leah and Paul all came with me, I had no idea where Alex was and I didn’t care.

Carlisle set me up on the bed and I groaned in pain, as another but gentle contraction washed over me. I was hooked up on IV drips and heart monitors and loads of other hospital crap. Soon, the pain settled down. Carlisle checked how far I was along, I was already 5cm and he said it should be a quick birth, hopefully. Emily and Leah were whispering encouraging words, Paul had no idea what to do where Jake was flirting with the nurse. Stupid Jake.

I noticed Paul pacing and I looked at him, worried. “What’s wrong?” I ask, Emily, Leah and Jake had gone to go tell everyone how I was doing allowing Paul and I to be alone.
“Nothing, I’m just worried that Alex was right. What if I’m not a good dad to her?” Paul asks me and I looked at him, he was really hurt by this.
“Don’t listen to Alex, he talks lots of crap. It’s not true because you’re going to love our daughter” I say without thinking.

“Our?” Paul repeats. I think about it, then nod firmly.
“I don’t care what DNA she has, you’ll be her father that’ll love her the most. You’ll be the one she loves the most, you’ll be the one she calls Daddy. We’re going to be a family Paul. A real family” I say and Paul walked over to me, kissing me softly on the lips.

“I love you Casey Woodrow” he whispers in my ear.
“I love you too Paul Reece” I whisper back, feeling suddenly calm.

A contraction hit me again and I grabbed Paul’s hand and shut my eyes, grunting in pain.
“Sweet Jesus this hurts” I hiss, and I feel Paul murmuring words, I don’t know what they were but they helped.

“You’re almost done…” Paul says, where the machine that told me how long the contraction was, sat beside us.
“Done” he says, as the pain slowly fades away.
“I can’t wait for the drugs” I say, and Paul chuckles saying how I was an odd child. I would have argued, but I was exhausted. It was 7pm, and the night had just begun.
It wasn’t till about an hour later, and Alex had arrived and his face had been stitched up, he had a black eye, stitches in his lip and eyebrow and he winced when he walked in, he hurt his ribs too.

Even though he was complete douche, I felt bad for him. Maybe it was the drugs I’m not sure, but I just wanted to make sure that Alex would understand that things were never going to be the same and unless he worked his ass off, he was never seeing my daughter.

“What the hell you doing here!” Paul shouts, at once seeing him. Alex flinched at stared at me, wordlessly. He just stared in my eyes and I stared back and I could remember the times, when I had loved him and he use to make me smile. We use to be happy. But it had changed, I was happier now and I didn’t love him. I loved Paul with my whole being, he wasn’t going to take that away from me.

“Casey, please” his voice cracks. Paul glared hard at him, and I knew I had to make a decision.

“Wait outside, you can come see her after. I don’t trust you enough to be in the room” I say finally.
“But she’s my kid” Alex pleas.
Paul growled, which made Alex look worried at me then him.
“No Alex, just go outside” I say firmly and Paul looked at Alex.
“You heard her, leave before I make the other eye black” Paul threatened and Alex, silently leaves. I felt bad, as it was his daughter but then again he had no right. He hadn’t acted like a father, so he shouldn’t have the privilege to be born. Should he?

The contractions came and went in the next hour and it was rather tedious, I was so impatient I just wanted her here now. Paul never left me, not once and I knew I was so lucky to have him. Finally, I dilated to 10cm and Carlisle said I should try pushing.

Emily and Leah, and Jake said they’d wait outside, but Paul stuck beside me. My legs were put up and I took deep breathes, while Paul held my hand.
“You’re going to be fine, I promise” he tells me, kissing my sweaty head.
“Don’t leave me” I beg, as Carlisle was scrubbing up.
“I’ll never leave you, you’re going to be fine” Paul says and I smiled weakly. The pain came again and I knew, I had to push.

I screamed and screamed, squeezing a death grip on Paul. “Keep going, Keep going” he encouraged. I was exhausted, I didn’t want to do this anymore.
“I can’t” I gasp, as I tried again.
“Casey, I need one more push and she should crown. You can do this” Carlisle tells me and Paul smiles at me, a smile that made everything feel okay. I clutched his hand again, closed my eyes and pushed. I pushed and pushed, groaning in pain.

“You’re nearly there” Paul whispers and I feel my heart lighten up. It was time for me to be a Mom. Then it happened, I can’t explain it. But it happened.

The moment, of where my daughter first cried and took her first breath. I started to cry, as the sound of her screams echoed. Paul was staring at her in awe, and I swear I saw tears.

“Congratulations Casey, you’re baby girl has arrived” Carlisle says, as he held her.
“Paul, would you like to cut the cord?” Carlisle asks, Paul looks at me for some sort of permission and I nod immediately, wiping my eyes furiously.

Paul walks over, shyly and looked at our daughter. He cut the cord and seemed like he was in shock. Carlisle went away for a minute, to cleaned her up. I was gulping for breaths when she came back. Paul standing right beside me.
My baby girl was wrapped in up a blanket, and she was bright pink, she was beautiful. She was perfection in my eyes. Carlisle passed her over and that’s when I realized what everyone meant. I had read the advice on mothers to be, and they all said that as soon as you held your baby for the first time, it all made sense. It all fitted together and the pain you suffered all went away.

She was perfect, and my entire world and everything that bothered me before had so little meaning compared to the beautiful creature in my arms.
“What you naming her?” Paul whispered, he was kneeling down beside me, near my height and was watching as my daughter open and closed her mouth. I didn’t reply.

I was watching her, she blinked.
She was so incredible, it was unbelievable about how much I loved her and I had only met her just now. I loved her so much, I’d die for her.

“Any names sorted?” Carlisle says, brining me out of my trance.
“Um, yeah” I say, and Paul looks at me surprised, we hadn’t decided on one yet but I knew what to call her. I knew.

“Ruby. Her name’s Ruby Amelia Woodrow” I say, not taking my eyes off her. She was a Ruby, because she was my own little precious gem, and she was mine forever.