The Party Scene Has Got the Best of Me

ERIN'S POV

"Alex, this isn't right! It's too early, this isn't right!" I cried from the backseat of his car. He flashed me a panicked look in the rear view window.

"I know baby, I know, just try to breathe okay? If you get yourself too worked up-"

"TOO WORKED UP? TOO FUCKING WORKED UP?! IM GOUNG INTO FUCKING LABOUR YOU ASSHOLE!" I shouldn't have yelled at him, but god this hurt.

"Okay, I'm sorry, I'm just as scared as you are, believe me. But you need to stay calm, it's not good for the-"

"DONT YOU FUCKING TELL ME WHAT IS OR ISN'T GOOD FOR THE BABY! YOU SAY THAT ONE MORE TIME AND I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL SHAVE YOUR HAIR OFF AND LAUGH!" I was gripping onto he backseat as though my life depended on it and gritted my teeth.

Alex looked at me worriedly. "I'm sorry...just hang in there okay? Everything will be okay. This will all be okay." I cried and moaned a little more, but was comforted by the fact that Alex was breaking every speed limit to get us to the hospital.

ALEX'S POV

We got Erin sorted after a very heated discussion with the nurse at the reception desk, and she was in her room right now. In labour. I know I should be in there with her...but I was just so scared. I was bloody terrified. She was in there giving birth to a baby who shouldn't be here for at least another two and a half months. I couldn't go in there like this. I was a mess, and I had to be strong for her. I buried my head in my hands and cried without any shame. I was so scared. All of this was my fault.

A few moments later a doctor assistant or something came out looking around, and seemed extremely flustered. His eyes finally settled on me. "You Alex?" he asked breathlessly. I nodded. "She's asking for you...well screaming actually. I guess it's hard to talk calmly when you're in labour," he said trying to joke. But there was nothing funny about this situation.

I breathed in heavily and tried to collect myself. Ready or not, Erin needed me. So I had to be there for her. I always would be.

I practically ran to her side and held her hand. She didn't notice me at first, probably because of the pain. Her eyes were squeezed shut and her teeth gritted, opening every now and then for another scream. Her forehead was covered in sweat and her hair was sticking to her face. God she looked like she was in so much pain. This wasn't normal was it? I was even more so terrified for her now. Her and the baby.

Suddenly her grip on my hand tightened and without thinking I said "Ow! That hurt!" I regretted the words as soon as they came out of my mouth.

Erin turned to look at me, fire blazing in her eyes. "OH I'm SORRY it's such a fucking INCINVENIENCE to you! Sorry to be such a PAIN! Maybe you should have thought about this BEFORE YOU KNOCKED ME UP!" she screamed, tears rolling down her eyes as her body convulsed once more.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry! Oh god Erin, I'm so sorry." I wiped her years away as best I could and kissed her forehead, not even caring how sweaty it was.

"I'm scared Alex, I'm so scared- GAHAAAHHH!" Oh god, I couldn't take this, I couldn't look at her. It was too much, so I kept my grip on her hand and closed my eyes. After a few minutes all I could hear was heavy panting. "Alex, why are you closing your eyes?" she said, still panting.

"Because I don't like seeing you in upset," I replied. It was true. I didn't.

Erin laughed weakly. "I'm not upset, open your eyes." I did and almost shut them again.

She looked so exhausted, and it wasn't even over yet. "Oh Erin, I wish I could have this baby for you," I said half joking half serious.

"Not half as much as I bloody well do." I chuckled at that before another cry came from her lips.

The doctor adressed us. "Okay, the next push you give has to be a big push. If all is well with the baby, we'll have to do a few tests and take it to an incubator. I'm sorry you won't be able to hold your child yet, but we need to look after it seen as it will be premature." We both nodded, and I tried not to cry. Did babies even survive this early on? I couldn't look Erin in the eye. There was a very real possibility that our child would die. But he wouldn't say that.

Along came the next big push and a little while later we heard a cry. The doctor took our baby in his arms, and smiled, assuring us they would do everything they could in that smile. And he carried our baby away. Our crying baby. Our BREATHING baby. And I had a glimmer of hope. It wasn't much, but it was more than we had before, this was something to hold onto. A promise. We knew we weren't out of the woods yet, but when I looked into Erin's eyes, I knew we were close.

I used a towel that a nearby nurse had given me to wipe all the sweat away, and got her some water. I stroked her cheek and held her hand. "You did it baby, you did it."

"What do we do Alex? What do we do if everything's not okay? What do we do if...if the baby dies..." she choked out.

I got on the bed with her and held her. Letting myself cry too for a little while. I collected myself, and said what she needed to hear. Even if it wasn't necessarily the truth. "It will be okay though. Somehow, I promise. Whatever happens, we will be fine. Everything will be fine."

She cried a little more on my shoulder, and I held her tighter, stroking her hair. Perhaps now wasn't the time to tell her how I felt when our child was fighting or it's life.

"We don't even know if it's a boy or a girl," Erin whispered. It took everything I had not to break down. I couldn't afford to break down, not in this situation. So I did the only thing I could do and just sat with Erin.etring her know she wasn't alone, that I was here for her.

A little while later, the doctor came back. I got out of the bed, and stood up straight, still holding Erin's hand. Both of us preparing for the worst but hoping for the best. The doctor smiled and me and Erin both let out a surprised little laugh and hugged each other. Because the doctor wasn't smiling sympathetically. He was smiling to let us know our baby had made it. Our baby was stable, and alive.

"So, are you two ready to see your daughter?"