To the End

Nate straightened up so fast his head smacked into the open cupboard door.

"What?!" He exclaimed, eyes watering. I had to grin.

"Yeah, we better go to the hospital I guess..."
Nate bolted out of the kitchen, and returned a second later dragging a disheveled Sandy in his wake.

"Wha- wha..." Sandy yawned, ignoring Nate, who was shaking her roughly by the shoulders.

"My water just broke." I explained calmly, grinning as Gerard eyed the puddle on the linoleum with a mixture of revulsion and fascination.

"I'll call Shaant!" Nate shouted, fumbling with his phone. Sandy was staring at me, open-mouthed.

"You're gonna have the baby?!" She finally sputtered, and I nodded slowly, my eyes welling up.

"Shaant isn't here."

Gerard stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me, cooing

"He'll be here sweetie, don't worry... Nate's on the phone with him right now."
I took a great shuddering breath and nodded, wiping my eyes and turning to Sandy.

"Will you call William? He really should be in the delivery room. Shaant'll want him there, being the godfather and everything."
Sandy nodded and grabbed my cell phone off of the counter, scrolling through to find Bill's number before pressing the phone against her ear.

"I'll call the guys while you get dressed. Then we'll get to the hospital." Gerard said firmly, nudging me toward the hall. I shrugged, still feeling alarmingly calm, and walked into my room. As I pulled my clothes on, I heard Nate babbling in the bathroom.

"Gabe?! It's Nate! Maggie's water just broke.--- No I'm not shitting you!---Yeah, meet us at the hospital.--- The Butcher? Yeah, I'm sure she won't mind.---Okay.---Okay. ---Bye. ---Love you too Gabe. --Bye."
Nate burst into the bedroom as I pulled on my overlarge "Dirty Saves" t-shirt (it had actually been Dirty's t-shirt).

"Maggie, c'mon! Let's go!"
He put his arm around me and began yanking me toward the door, grabbing my purse off of the hook as we passed into the hall and ushering me toward the door.

"Did you call everyone we need to call?" Sandy asked Gee as we opened the front door, and I winced as the baby kicked again.

"I called all the guys in my band, Nate got Gabe and the rest of Cobra, Sandy got all of TAI, and Nate got Shaant." Gee recited, counting them off on his fingers.
Sandy nodded and helped me down the front steps as Nate locked the front door behind us and Gee beeped the car.
As the locks popped, I winced yet again, clutching my side.

"Are you okay?!" Nate practically screamed, feeling my forehead and opening the passenger door for me.

"I'm fine sweetie. And I want to sit in the back, if that's okay." Sandy shoved Gee aside as he attempted to climb into the driver's seat, snarling

"I'll drive. You know I'm not afraid to run people over."
Gee shrugged and helped Nate get me into the car before climbing in himself, on my left. Nate buckled himself in on my right side before taking my hand and grinning.

"You're having a baby!" He said excitedly, and I found myself grinning too.

"Oh my God!" I suddenly exclaimed, the grin falling from my face. "Someone call my mom!"
Nate scrambled with my cell phone for a second before pressing it to his ear, stroking my hand with his free one.

"Mary? It's Nate--- Yes.—Maggie's water broke and we're on our way to the hospital with her right now.--- Okay--- See you in a minute--- Okay, bye." He hung up the phone and turned to be, smiling bracingly.

"She's on her way." He said, and I flung my arms around him, bursting into tears.

"What's wrong?!?" Gee yelled, panicking, and I shook my head, rocking with sobs.

"Shaant..."

"I'll call him!" Nate yelped, trying to dial the phone and comfort me at the same time.

"Holy shit, San, that light was red!" Gee yelled suddenly as the squealing of breaks pierced the night.

"Do I give a shit?" Sandy asked in a dangerous voice, and Gee (wisely) didn't answer.

"Shaant!! Get your ass here!" Nate shouted into the phone, and I heard Shaant's hysterical voice on the other line, babbling unintelligibly.

"Yeah--- Calm down, Shaant. Yeah--- Here she is---"
Nate pushed the phone into my hand and I sniffed, putting it to my ear.

"Baby, we're on our way right now! I'm with Pete and Travie, we left the show early!!! I'll be there in like five--- HOLY SHIT TRAVIE! You almost hit her!!!" I snorted as Shaant freaked out at Travie, and Travie yelled back.

"Man, she was like eighty!!! Who cares!!! This is your kid we're talking about!!"

"Okay, baby, I gotta hang up. We're at the hospital now." I giggled into the phone and hung up as Sandy screeched to a stop in front of the hospital.

Five minutes later, we were at the front desk, and Sandy was yelling at the nurse.

"She's already starting to dilate! She needs a fucking bed! NOW!"
The nurse finally relented and got her clipboard, plunking me down in a wheelchair.

At that exact moment, commotion in the waiting room confirmed my suspicion that the boys were here.

"Listen, lady!!" I heard Travie's unmistakable voice from outside the door. "His girl is going into labor! Will you let us through the fucking door?!"
The door burst open and into the hall tripped Travis McCoy, Pete Wentz, and--- my heart leapt--- Shaant.

"Baby!" I stood up out of the wheelchair and Shaant almost knocked me over in a back-breaking hug. He buried his nose in my hair and kissed my neck softly, but was forced to detach himself when the door banged pen again.
Gabe, William, Danielle, Alex (bassist of Cobra), and The Butcher rushed over, hugging everyone feverishly.
The nurse cleared her throat loudly, staring around at all the people, but didn't open her mouth.
Sandy glared at her fiercely, as though daring her to speak.

A few minutes later, I was laying in a hospital bed, surrounded by more people then the nurse could handle.
Travie, Pete, Sandy, my mom, William, Danielle, Frank & Zee (who had been on a date), Gabrielle (who had been with Zee), Bob, Ray, Mikey, Gee, Alex, Victoria, Ryland, Sisky, Michael Guy, Mike Carden, Jeff, and Tom were all gathered around, pouring me ice water and (in the case of Travie and Pete) massaging my feet.
Really, the nurses weren't supposed to let them all in, but I think Pete had palmed them a couple hundred to keep them quiet.

I was dilated to six already; which the obstetrician said was good; it meant I'd have a quick birth.

"So, when would you say she's gonna crap this thing out, Doc?" Alex asked with genuine curiosity, leaning his chin on his fist softly.

"Umm," The OBGYN began, grinning a little at Alex's choice of words. "I'm gonna hazard a guess, within about two hours."

There was a thud, and we all looked around.

Nate had fainted.