The Birth

[palaceangelina]

It was early morning when Angel looked around the room and grabbed the carton of crackers, stuffing it in her bag. She pulled her bracelet off, laid it on her pillow and went out the door.

“C’mon Bubba, momma needs some fun.” She patted her stomach and whispered as she slipped down the hall.

It was after lunch Kane when knocked on Angel’s door. A few minutes later he knocked again, after a few more minutes a mild panic had set in and he used his security code to open the door. Ten minutes later he headed out of the door and down the hall in a fast shuffle.

He dialed Dwayne as he walked into the lift. “Oh my aching ass.” He mumbled. “Answer damn ya.”

"Hold on," Dwayne murmured to Harry, ignoring the aggravated sigh coming from the man as he answered his com. "Johnson."

"Oh fuck man, I need you. Where are ya now?"

"Corridor, heading to the pub... what's going on?" Dwayne ignored another sigh from Harry.

"Angel's skipped out. God, I hope she's skipped and someone ain't got her. You don’t think nobody'd get her, do you?" Kane said, exited the lifts and moving toward the pub hallway.

Oh fuck. Dwayne's eyes darted towards Harry, and then turned away again. "No, I really don't think someone has her." Who the hell would want her?

"What the fuck is going on?" Harry asked impatiently.

"Best I can tell she's been gone since sometime this morning. She left her bracelet on the bed. My ass is toast over this, fuck where could she... wait. I know - I know where she might be..."

Dwayne winced at Harry's question, really not wanting to be the one to tell him. "Where are you?" he said to Candy.

"Headed from the lifts toward the pub, around the corner from you." Kane said, hurrying his steps.

"You don't explain this to me in about fifteen seconds..." Harry threatened, turning as he heard Kane coming down the hall. "What's he doing here? What the fuck is going on, dammit?"

Kane stopped in front of Dwayne and Mr. Sinclair. "It's Angel sir. She appears to be gone."

"She's-" Harry stared at him in horror. "This better be one fucking hell of a sick fucking joke, mate. And I'm not laughing."

Oh hell. Dwayne looked around quickly, noticing the same storage room that Angel and Harry had talked in months ago, opening the door and hustling them all inside. Last thing we need is him having a tantrum in the hallway he thought, closing the door behind them.

"No sir, I wouldn't joke 'bout this. Here's her bracelet. She left it on her bed and - I didn't think she'd go no where." He avoided looking at Mr. Sinclair, glancing instead at Dwayne. "You know I wouldn't just let her go, I watched after her good." He said. "She was talking to a friend of hers a few days ago. There was some high stakes game in Reliel that she wanted to go to." He bit his lip and continued. "Maybe she went."

"Fuck. God dammit. Fuck," Harry paced across the room, not realizing his hand was drifting over his stomach. "Knew it. Knew she'd take off... knew she needed to be watched more carefully." Harry caught the last of Kane's words. "You know where she is? Have you sent someone to look yet?" he demanded.

"No sir. I'm just coming from her room now." He said, looking at his feet. "I'd almost bet she was in Reliel. She'll come back, she was hurting pretty bad last night, she'll wanna come home."

"She'll come back," Harry vowed. "If I have to drag her back by her hair, she'll come back. You drive?" he said, turning suddenly to Dwayne.

"Yes, Sir," he said warily, not liking where this was going.

"Lets go. I've got a hellbitch to bring home."

"What'd ya want me to do?" Kane said, nervously.

"Search the grounds, the city- it's possible she didn't get that far. I swear to god, she does anything to hurt that baby and I'll kill her myself. Lets go."

Angel shifted again, rubbing at her stomach. She looked at the driver. "I think you missed a fucking pot hole back there if you want to go back and rattle my ass again?" She snarled.

"It isn't the holes, ma'am. I think there's a problem. It's not ..." The car bucked once and began to jerk.

"Fuck! What now?" Angel said and rubbed at her stomach, mumbling. "Damn pizza."

The driver glanced at her in the mirror as the car shimmied and stopped. He muttered some imaginative curses as he tried to crank it.

"Could you at least get us out of the road?" Angel growled.

"It's not going anywhere, there’s something wrong. I'll call the shop. I told them I was having troubles last week. It’s the electrical system." The driver said and ignored the tirade from the back seat. He used the radio and called his dispatcher, he was told that the closest tow was busy, but that they’d send a car as soon as they could.

Almost two hours later the driver was still waiting on the mechanic and the pregnant lady was beginning to weigh on his nerves badly. He called dispatch again and was told that there had been a mix up, the replacement car had gotten almost to them and then had been rerouted, that they were sorry and to tell his fare that her money would be cheerfully refunded.

Angel grunted, sweating and hurting as the muscles in her stomach tensed, tightened. She had walked to the side of the road and was pacing, waiting for the Braxton Hicks contractions to stop. The sun was hot and she moved back to sit in the back seat of the cab, panting and pissed. She snarled at the driver as he passed the window.

Harry stared out the side window; his jaw clenched tightly, the silence nearly audible. It had taken a long time to track down the right place for the poker tournament, and by the time they finally found someone who could tell them anything, they'd missed her by just over an hour- and of course no one knew where she'd gone from there. A search of the other bars in town had been a complete bust, and finally even Harry had to admit that she likely wasn't in Reliel anymore. It was time to tell Marton, and Harry wasn't about to do that any other way than in person. How the fuck are you going to tell him this? And why the FUCK didn't you tell him as soon as she went missing?

Harry cursed himself mentally, growling under his breath, turning to look at Dwayne as he felt the car begin to slow down. "Not the time to be watching your speed, mate... we're wasted too much time already."

Dwayne rolled his eyes. "Look ahead," he said shortly, gesturing to the car stopped in the middle of the road.

"Buggering shit damn fuck!" Harry growled as they pulled to a stop, jerking his seat belt off and climbing out of the car. "I so don't have time for this," he grumbled, Dwayne climbing out of the other side of the car and joining Harry at his side.

Earl saw the car pull up and two men got out, he hitched up his pants and walked to talk to them, anything to get away from the bitch in his back seat.

"Hello." He greeted.

"Problem?" Dwayne asked, nodding to the man.

"You could say that." Earl looked over his shoulder and shuddered. "That damn thing's got electrical problems, and the fare - well she's got mouth problems." He said, ducking his head.

"You got a tow com-"

"No fucking way," Harry breathed, ducking down and peering through the window, his eyes narrowing as his fists automatically clenched. "You goddamned fucking cunt," he said, a grin spreading across his face, grabbing the door handle and yanking the door open. "Afternoon, Angelina."

"Oh of all the fucking..." Angel closed her eyes, jaw clenched. "Fuck off Harry." She said and flipped him off. "Call for a car to come get me."

"Don't need to. Got a car right here," he said, jerking his head over his shoulder towards the car. "We'll get you back to Palace ... maybe surgically attaching you to Kane for the rest of your pregnancy to keep you from taking off again might be a good idea."

"No." Angel said and grunted, rubbing her belly. "God damn! I don't to ride with you!" She yelled, face red.

"Oh, and I really give a flying fuck what you want," Harry rolled his eyes. "All I care about is that baby, and the man who it belongs to. And I'm not letting you out of my sight until you're back at Palace... preferably in a cage in the courtyard so they can keep an eye on you, with Kane taking you out for a walk a few times a day."

"Fucker." Angel mumbled and then opened her mouth to speak, a surprised look crossing her face suddenly. "The fuck?" She mumbled and then looked up at Harry. "Something - uh."

Harry rolled his eyes again. "Look, stop pissing around and get out of the fucking - what the hell is that?" Harry looked down, his brow furrowed.

Angel looked up at him and panted harder. "I - oh - fuck - oh - Bubba."

"Don't you dare. Don't you even fucking think about it!" Harry stared at Angelina in horror.

Angel reached and grabbed Harry's arm. "You fucking motherfucker. Get me home NOW!" She snarled and sunk down in the seat. "Oh - it's - ohhh." Her face was red as her cheeks puffed out as she pushed.

"Are you pushing! Stop- stop pushing!" Harry yelled at Angel, using his spare hand to pry her arm loose, shaking it hard. "Babies take, like... days to come- stop fucking pushing!"

Earl the cab driver looked over the man's shoulder, nose wrinkling. "What's happening back there? She isn't - oh dear father of NO! Drag her out of there! I gotta clean that up. What is that messl!?" He said, grabbing at Harry's arm, hard.

Angel turned her head and snarled again, breathe puffing out. "I am not having -FUCK!" She yelled and bore down, grunting.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Harry muttered, giving the cab driver a shove. "Call a goddamned ambulance- tell 'em how to find you. Dwayne, go back to the car, keep traffic back," he said, glaring at Dwayne when he hesitated. "God damn it- go! I think she's a little too occupied to try and kill me, don't you?" he said, rolling his eyes. "And you- calm down and do that breathing shite they always show in old vids."

Earl stumbled backwards and then scurried to grab his com. He was casting glances at the back of his cab and pushing buttons.

Angel was puffing and grunting, she turned her head and looked at Harry through the window. "I AM breathing, you great big idiot! Do I look blue? OH!" Her face turned red and she began to turn on the seat, laying back. "This shit is supposed to take hours! Where's Doctor Phil? Get her NOW, you fucker!"

"What- you think I can just pull her out of my arse? Just..." Harry waved his hands around wildly, "just cross your legs and hold it or something! 'Course, if you'd done that in the first place..." he couldn't help adding.

Angel was laying back on the seat. "I - oh god - I need to get these fucking - oh - pants off." She said and started tugging at them. "Make yourself useful you fucking prick!"

"WHAT!" Harry shrieked, backing away from the door and stumbling, grabbing it just in time to keep from falling on his ass. "What do you mean you're taking your pants off? Pants stay on- pants definitely staying on!"

Angel sat up, face red and sweat pouring off of her. "Listen." She growled out. "There is something happening - down there!" She waved her hand in the general vicinity of what was now her water-dampened crotch. "Either stop it or..." She got wide eyed suddenly, lips white. "Drugs! I want drugs! Daddy promised me drugs! Where is my goddamned DRUGS!?"

Earl hurried up and raised a hand to tap the man on the shoulder. "Mister. Hey mister? The Med Tech says he needs to know what’s happening with your wife." He held the com out.

Harry turned to look at Earl, his voice low and dangerous. "One- this... thing is not my fucking wife. Get that straight right the fuck now. And two... gimme the damned com," he finished, snatching it away. "Hello. Okay. Yes. Like that. Uh huh. All over the fucking seat- big dry cleaning bill," he turned to look at Earl, covering the com briefly, "sorry 'bout that, buddy." He went back to the com, "Yes. Uh huh. Oh yeah, she seems to be in a whole lot of pain," he said, unable to hide the gleeful tone, his smile slowly disappearing in the moments following. "Yes. Yes, she keeps wanting to push. WHAT? No- I am NOT...Aw goddamned bloody... FINE! What exactly am I looking for any... oh Jesus fucking Christ."

Earl scuttled backwards, away from the man and the yowling woman in his cab.

"You aren't looking at anything!" Angel yelled and then began to pant in earnest, bearing down. "I want my drugs!" She whined out through clenched teeth.

"What- you think I want to?" Harry glared at Angel, shuddering a little. "This is all your fault anyway- all of it! So shut up and stop whining already, because guess what, cupcake- there aren't any fucking drugs here. Now stop fucking pushing and do that panting thing."

Angel was breathing, trying to remember what Doc had told her. She looked at Harry and growled, pulling her legs up, knees bent. She stuck her thumbs in the waistband and then hesitated. "I hate you." She spit out at Harry.

"Believe me, harpy, the feeling is mutual," Harry snarled back, the com pressed against his chest. "Look, I've got a better idea," he said, leaning in closer and hissing so Dwayne and the cab driver couldn't hear. "Seeing as neither one of us want you to take those pants off, why don't I just take it out through the top... give you a nice scar to match mine," he said, his grin ugly. "You aren't the only one who carries a knife, Angelina."

"You think you got the balls to try fucker, bring it on." She growled out and then arched as a sharp pain speared her. "Fuck!" She hollered.

"Much as I'd love to, this isn't about you," Harry growled back. "No more fucking around."

Angel shoved at her maternity pants, rolling as best she could in the confines of the back seat. "Damn damn - fuck - damn. Harry you bastard, help me! At least grab the bottoms and pull!" She said.

Harry sighed, resigning himself to actually having to touch Angel. "Just hold still, okay? And I am helping you- if I wasn't helping you, I'd be gone," he pointed out, easing the pants down over her hips, and off, still gearing himself up to actually looking. "Okay, tell me again," he said to the person on the com, forcing himself to breathe steadily, wincing a few times as he heard the instructions repeated. "Okay- got it. Angelina, lay down- flat on your back. Brace on foot against the floor, and-" another deep breath- "raise the other one up onto the seat. Keep panting- it might keep this delayed until the ambulance can get here."

Angel did as instructed, concentrating on her breathing. She positioned her legs, holding her head up to look at Harry. "Well?" She said.

Harry closed his eyes, and then opened them, going a little bit pale. "Oh god," he murmured. "Yeah, that's the top of a head," he said, speaking into the com, but to both of them. "We're out of time, Angelina... you're pretty much having a baby now."

Angel reached and grabbed at Harry. "No. You don't know what you're doing. No, we gotta go - fuck!" She squeezed her eyes closed and yelled out, pushing down and then screaming at the burn pressure. "No Bubba! Not now, fuck!"

Fuck Harry leaned forward, grabbing Angelina's hair and pulling her head back up, very gently, despite the force of his grip, his voice firm, but calm. "Angelina, look at me. Right now, look at me," he said, forcing himself to breathe steadily.

She looked at him, eyes wild. "No! This cannot happen now! NO! She tried to pull her knee up, screaming as a pain pushed through her. "Fuck!"

Fuck, I really hope this works. And that no one finds out I did this. Harry pulled his other hand loose, still holding onto Angelina's hair and gave her two quick stinging slaps, one across each cheek.

"Argrrrr." She snarled out, eyes focusing on Harry. Panting she said, "You fucker! You hit me." She was breathing in gulps.

"Yeah, I did. And you're not panicking now, and you're mad, which is something I can work with. Guy on the com said breath slow, panting if you can. So slow down. Ambulance is on its way, if we're lucky, they'll get here soon. I don't want to do this either, but I'm just as stuck as you. Unless you want me to go and let cab-boy do this... think he was throwing up his boots a few minutes ago."

Angel squinted at Harry and then nodded. She relaxed back, rubbing her hands over her drawn tight stomach. "What now? What’d we do now?" She asked through her teeth.

Harry watched her for a moment to make sure she was really calmed down, then moved his hand away from her hair. "Okay, good... keep breathing, and let me talk to the emerg people. Hey- you!" Harry called to the cab driver. "Blankets, towels, newspaper- anything like that you've got, now's the time. Go to my car, there's bottled water, bring it back. Now, buddy- don't got all day."

Earl nodded, wiping at his mouth. "Uh sure thing - uh sir." He scurried toward the car, noting the size and model, fancy and fast.

"Oh my god- what for? No- don't answer... JESUS!" Harry exclaimed into the com, and then turned back to Earl. "Mate? Bring a bucket too."

"Bucket!" Angel yelped, breathing hard, trying to concentrate. "The fuck you need a bucket?"

"Shh- Angelina, just breath, okay? I'm listening to the nice man explain how to deliver the baby, okay?" Harry went back to listening again.

"Oh god oh god." Angel lay her head back. "Drugs drugs drugs drugs." She panted.

Earl ran back, dropping a water, auto blanket, small bucket and a magazine at Harry’s feet and moved quickly to stand near the mountain of a man that was directing the few cars that came by them to drive on past.

"So, uh - that's a pretty fancy car there. She must be somebody, yeah? Think there's a reward, you know for taking care of her till you two showed up?" He asked.

Dwayne raised his eyebrow dramatically.

Earl looked at the man and decided to go wait at the front of the car.

Harry rolled his eyes at the magazine, deciding that at this point, the upholstery could just deal with being stained, ripping the blanket in two, saving half to wrap the baby in and placing the other part beneath Angelina's hips, spreading it across the seat. "Not sterile, but we're doing the best we can," he muttered, the com almost permanently tucked in between his shoulder and ear, listening to the ongoing instructions. "Okay- Angelina? We don't want the baby's head coming down too fast, so you need to keep breathing how you are- pant and blow- try not to push. The guy says you're gonna yell at me 'bout the not pushing bit, but try, okay? I'm going to press gently against the baby's head so it doesn't come too fast. You got it?"

"Oh jesus fuck, Harry Fucking Sinclair is going to touch my twat - just fucking kill me now." She said with a bitter laugh and continued to breath.

"Yeah, well, congratulate yourself, Angel... this is a first for me," Harry said wryly, pouring water over his hands and setting the bottle to the side. "Okay... here we go," he murmured, crouching down to get in a better position, praying that everything would go as the guy on the phone said it should. "Breathe slower, Angelina- slower," he murmured, pressing gently as he felt the baby's head moving forward.

Angel breathed, fisted clenched in the material of her shirt. "Oh fuck Harry, it hurts." She said in a low voice. "I gotta - gotta - nngh." She clenched her stomach muscles.

"Okay- go with it- push!" Harry said, still pushing back a little, wiping sweat off of his forehead with his shoulder as he watched the head progress.

"Yes." She panted and bore down, pushing. "Fuck fuck fuck." She gritted out.

"Good girl," Harry murmured, a voice way at the back of his subconscious remarking that he never thought he'd apply that phrase to Angelina, his conscious thought way too busy to think about it. "Okay- stop- just stop for a moment... take a few breaths, push with the next... what are they called again?" he asked the guy on the com. "Contraction- push with the next one... you're getting really close, Angelina. And the baby definitely has a head. And lots of hair," he added.

Angel nodded, puffing air. She scrunched her face, nose wrinkling, teeth bared. "Shit it's the next one." She yelled as a contraction hit her, pushing hard.

Harry focused on the baby, angling the head lower as she pushed. "Okay, Angelina- head's all the way out- just the shoulders, then the rest should be easy, okay? Doing great. You with me?"

Angel nodded. "Yeah Har, yeah - we got it - fuck - c'mon Bubba. Hold on to it Harry. Fuck!" She pushed hard, screaming as a burning release drove through her. "Fuck!"

Earl was bouncing on his toes as the ambulance drove up. He ran to them and was gibbering, the yells from behind him coming from the cab scaring the hell out of him. "She's having a baby! In my cab!" He plucked at the driver’s sleeve, pulling him toward the cab. The attendant jogged toward the car.

Easing one shoulder out, then the next, Harry let out a yelp of surprise as the baby suddenly slid free, glad he had a good grip on it. Keeping it's head lower than the body, he reached for the blanket, smiling as a loud, angry cry sounded, eyes flicking to double check before wrapping it in the blanket. "Hey there. Welcome to Calera, Princess."