Toni Aleo - Blue Lines

“Erik, this one is big enough for the whole Assassins team.”

It wasn’t the comment he wanted but he still found it funny. His laughter filled the car until she started screaming; it scared him so bad that he almost drove the truck off the road. Taking her hand in his, he rubbed his thumb along her palm as she took in deep breaths.

“Baby, try that breathing thing from Lamaze,” he suggested.

Piper leaned her head back against the seat, taking in quick breaths as she squeezed his hand. “I haven’t been to the class since you left.”

He looked over at her and could see the fear on her face. She was freaking out and he knew he had to do something to calm her.

Bringing her hand to his lips, he said, “Well, I’m here now; we got this. No big deal.”

She looked over at him, her eyes dripping with tears as she slowly nodded her head. Looking back at the road, Erik pushed on the gas, rushing to the hospital. Scared wasn’t the word that could even describe how Erik was feeling. He was terrified.

When they were almost to the hospital Piper exclaimed, “Oh my God, I don’t have my bag!”

“We’ll worry about the bag afterward,” Erik said quickly, pulling into the parking lot.

“I didn’t call my sister. Reese needs to be here, and my mom and Harper, too,” she said through agonizing gasps. He was close to running over a group of old ladies when he finally stopped the car close to the emergency entrance.

“Sweetheart, let’s get you inside, then we’ll do everything else later,” he said as he waited for the group of ladies to pass by. “For fuck sakes! Move it!” he screamed, making Piper jump. “Shit, I’m sorry, you know what, fuck it,” he said putting the car in reverse and parking it in an available space. Jumping out, he rushed to help Piper.

“Wait,” she said, gasping for air. “I think I might be able to walk.”

“No, come here,” he said, taking her in his arms. She was wet but he didn’t care; all he cared about was getting her inside. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned her head on his shoulder as her body trembled. Kicking the door shut, he rushed across the parking lot to the emergency entrance.

“Almost there, baby,” he said, as he stepped up his pace to a full run. Her nails were digging into his neck and he felt like she was close to drawing blood. He silently thanked Shea for all the drills he had made Erik run because without the endurance it built, he was convinced he wouldn’t be able to carry her like this.

Busting through the doors, he announced, “My wife is having a baby.”

Two nurses turned and then everything was a blur. Erik watched as they took Piper from him, put her in a wheelchair, and wheeled her down the hall. He tried to keep up, but he felt like he couldn’t breathe and at one point as they fired question after question at her, he had to lean against the wall to catch his breath.

Today wasn’t supposed to be baby day; today was supposed to be get-Mommy-to-be-with-Daddy-forever day.

The nurses were fast as they got Piper into a pink gown, then into the bed before hooking her up to some machines and sticking her with needles. As he leaned against the wall in her room, trying to stay out of everyone’s way, Erik realized that this was the moment when he could prove that he loved her more than anything in this world. No matter how hard it was, he had to be her rock. He had to be the encourager, the one who would help her get through this. He could tell that she was hurting and that she didn’t do well with pain, so he would be there, just as she had been there for him.

“Told you you’d go early.”

Erik looked at the doorway to see the Abercrombie & Fitch model who was posing as a doctor. Erik still wasn’t convinced that guy was a doctor, or gay, for that matter. He had everyone fooled, but Erik was onto him. One wrong move and that dude’s perfect grin would be destroyed. When he turned and flashed Erik that perfect smile, Erik came off the wall and was by Piper’s side in seconds.

“Pain meds, stat,” Piper said, fighting for oxygen.

“First let me check you,” the doctor said, bending Piper’s legs. “Are the contractions close?”

“Yes, a minute and a half apart,” a nurse said from the side, holding a long sheet of paper. “Wow, have you been having contractions all day?” he asked before sticking his hand up into Piper.

Piper let out a hiss of breath as she nodded her head. “Yeah, but I thought they were Braxton Hicks.”

“Apparently not, because, darling, you are in active labor.”

“Well obviously! My water broke!” Piper yelled. Her knuckles were turning white from where she was squeezing her thighs. Worried she might bruise herself, Erik took her hand in his, letting her squeeze him instead.

Dr. I’m Too Sexy laughed and Erik saw one of the nurses swoon as he said, “Oh hush.”

He pushed his hand inside her a little farther, biting his lip as he appeared to be thinking.

“So I have good news and bad; which do you want first?”

“Oh my God, Bryan, I don’t give two shits, just get him out!”

Dr. I’m Too Sexy laughed again, shaking his head. “That’s the bad news, Piper: You are at eight centimeters and seventy-five percent effaced, and so there is no time for an epidural. I have a feeling we are going to have a bouncing baby boy sooner rather than later.”

“What?!” Piper screamed as her head fell back. Tears rushed down the side of her face as she took in strangled breaths.

Erik watched as the doctor took off his glove and then came to Piper’s side to smile down at her. “You’ll be fine,” the doctor said.

“It hurts.”

“Well, yeah, but just think of the prize at the end. Sit tight; it’s almost baby time,” he said, patting her knee.

“But it’s early; will he be okay?” she cried.

He gave her a reassuring smile. “He was measuring a week ahead, Piper. I have a good feeling he will be fine, but just in case I’ll have the NICU girls in here, too. Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine.” He turned to say something to a nurse.

Erik moved his hand along Piper’s face, catching her tears as his other hand rubbed her belly. “I’m here, remember. I’ll be here for you to claw at,” he said softly, as the tears poured down her face.

“I’m so scared,” she whispered, as she took in shuddering breaths.

“I know, I am, too, but we can do this together,” he whispered back, kissing her nose. “Piper, you are so strong, so beautiful, and the most amazing woman in the world, sweetheart. I am so lucky you came into my life and brought this amazing gift to me.” He moved his gentle hand up to hold her beautiful chin. “We got this baby and I—”

“Piper!”

For fuck sakes!

Erik turned to see Rowan running toward the bed with Harper and Reese flanking her. When Alla came in behind them, with Cooper and Blake, Erik knew that his moment to tell Piper he loved her was gone. Letting out a frustrated breath, he backed away as Rowan leaned over and kissed Piper on her sweaty head. “My goodness, are you okay?”

“No, I can’t have an epidural; the baby is coming too quickly,” Piper cried as she whipped her hands along her cheeks. Her makeup was smeared to hell but she didn’t care. Alla came up beside him, wrapping her arms around his middle.

“How are you?” she asked quietly.

He gave her a pained looked as he said, “Scared.”

“It’s to be expected,” Cooper said, wrapping an arm around Erik’s shoulders. “Everything will be fine, though.”

“You two looked pretty close when we entered,” Alla whispered as they all watched Piper’s family fuss over her.

Looking back down at his mom, he said, “I was about to tell her I love her but we keep getting interrupted and I’m starting to think I’m not supposed to tell her.”