Pressing Flowers.

Oliver looked around him at the off-white walls with motivational posters stuck to them with blue tack that was slowly peeling off. His heart was thudding, so hard he could feel narrowly missing his ribcage and so loudly he was sure the nurses rushing around him could hear it, even above the sounds of Hayley's irregular screams. A sharp crack coming from his knuckles alerted Oli to the present, and he looked down at her.

Her hair was matted and flyaway despite being pulled back into a low ponytail, sweat clung to the wispy pieces near her forehead, causing them to stick to her skin. Her skin was stretched taunt over her hands; it was snow white and not even the usual blue - grey veins traced the area. Her chest heaved as she readied herself for a contraction, and she had on only a blue hospital gown. Despite her obvious pain, her eyes sparkled and when she wasn’t yelling a hint of a smiling was playing at her lips.

“It’s okay, love.” Oliver murmured, squeezing her hand gently, hoping she would relax her relentless grip. All joking slid off Hayley’s face as she looked back up at him.

“I hate you,” she began, voice stuttering as she said the next sentence, “You d-d-d-did this t-to me.” She let out a huge breath as the contraction stopped before shouting, “Go away!” Her frustration was short lived as Oliver’s almost emotionless face showed signs of hurt. He made a move to leave, but Hayley clung to his hand. “Don’t leave me! Why would you do that?”

“You –” Oliver tried to defend his actions but Hayley ignored him. He shook his head, knowing that Hayley didn’t mean her words.

Oh my God, why did I agree to this, this was a terrible idea. Someone please knock me down dead with a lightning bolt – ow shit my hand Hayley stop squeezing – shit – okay you can squeeze my hand baby, ow, just get that thing out of you please. God, I know I don't believe in you. . .

A few hours later and Hayley’s contractions were becoming more regular and she had yelled at the nurses – between furious apologies – enough to convince them to let a certain dirty blonde haired man and brunette in. While they thought it odd Hayley had no females with her at the time of birth, they simply shrugged it off – they had no say over who could and couldn’t be with her.

“Hayley, are you okay?” Taylor asked hesitantly, his voice wavering. He had a small stuffed bear in his hands and was wringing its neck, shifting from side to side and avoiding looking any lower at Hayley than her rapidly decreasing stomach. Hayley eyed her bandmate, clenching her eyes and grinding her teeth as another wave of pain hit.

“Calm down, you’re stressing her out.” Jeremy placed a large hand on Jeremy’s shoulder.

“Not stressing me out,” Hayley replied matter of factly. “I’m just amazed that you had to ask if I’m okay. I have a baby coming out of my vagina. Do you think I’m okay?” Oliver chuckled at this as Taylor averted his eyes, albeit not very discreetly.

“It’s okay, Hayley. You’re going to get through this.” Jeremy reassured her. She was now up to the part of pushing the baby out. Both boys were stationed on the wall, Taylor still trying to give Hayley her privacy while Jeremy spoke calming words and Oliver tried to hide his grimaces as Hayley’s iron grasp became too much.

“Sure,” Hayley puffed, chest rising and falling quicker than before. A nurse bent over Hayley, near her face and said a few words. Taylor risked a glance over at her.

“We are here for you – woah. I-I can see its head.”

“Hayley, Taylor just fainted.” Jeremy reported, looking at the poor guy who was sliding to the floor.

Hayley let out a disjointed scream. “Thanks for being there for me, Taylor. And you,” Hayley turned to her husband scathingly. “This is all your fault. You had to go and put a baby in my belly. I hate you.” She crushed his hand again as a fiercer shockwave hit her, causing her to gasp.

“Push,” a nurse told her, oddly calm amongst the chaos.

“Ow! Hayley, love, you’re crushing my hand.” Oliver joined in, prying her fingers off of his hand and switching them over, examining the dents she had left in his hand – it was sure to bruise.

“Your pain does not compare to my pain so you have no right to complain.” Hayley told him.

“I believe all of you gentlemen need to leave.” A midwife finally put her foot down, looking at all three of them.

“No. They are not leaving me until this baby is born.” She said defiantly, giving yet another push as a contraction swamped her small frame.

What do I do now? What have I done – fuck my hand – but she's screaming at me, no, complaining. Fuck me is she actually this angry with me or, no, it's just the baby emerging from her body. I – fuck – nope this was a mistake – ow ow ow – why did we – BABY THE BABY IS HERE!