The Darkest Hour (Steve Rogers) - 3

12

Steve let Helen in and smiled nervously. "How's she doing?" The doctor asked kindly and looked around for any signs of Mo. 

"Coping".  She said as she came out from the kitchen with a glass of water. "I can handle the pain at the moment, however it would appear that Steve cannot". Throwing a smirk to her husband. 

"Because I don't like seeing you hurting". His arm wrapped around her protectively, placing his hand on her stomach and rubbing it gently. 

Helen grinned. "It's a nervous time, but you seem to be doing well considering the pains are becoming more intense. How far between each?" 

"About seven minutes...but sometimes it's longer or shorter". 

Helen nodded to herself. "Have your waters broken yet?" 

Mo shook her head. "Not yet..." 

"Let's get you upstairs then and see how far dilated we are then. If it's more than expected then I can break them to see if we can move things along a little". 

Steve looked concerned. "Is that recommended?" 

"Darling...she knows what she's doing. Come on, I can feel some pain starting up again, I need to..." As another contraction hit, she dropped the water, grabbing his hands and tightening her grip on them. 

Helen rubbed her back. "That's it...breathing in and out just like that..." now looking to Steve and giving an encouraging nod. "Just keep it calm like you're doing". 

Mo knew she had to be so for her husband's sake. The level of worry he had right now was beyond what she expected, but it was something that all men had experienced at a time like this. It subsides and she let go, looking at the glass on the floor. "Bloody Nora". She muttered. 

"Don't worry about the water, let's get you upstairs on that bed and see what's going on". Steve kissed her head and helped his wife up to the bedroom, perching on the edge of the bed up by head and giving her hand a gentle squeeze. 

Getting everything that she needed, Helen examined her and then looked pleased. "Almost at six centimeters - over halfway there, you may feel a prod, I'm gonna break those waters of yours and then we can finally be on our way to getting this girlie out". 

Mo nodded silently, now feeling a little nervous herself at the fact that this was now happening for real. Feeling a small prod, she felt the water begin to trickle from between her legs, her heart rate picking up slightly at the alarm of it. "It's ok!" Helen reassured her. "It'll help us along with those contractions - you need anything for the pain?" 

Mo shook her head and shifted to get comfortable a little more. "I'm ok...I think..."

"I'm gonna just pop these on you, helps me to see your heart rate and baby's". Helen said, popping a monitor onto Mo's stomach and consulting her screen. "All good, it's just a case of waiting". She smiled, taking the monitors off. 

Steve pushed back some hair from his wife's forehead. A small sheen of sweat covering it. "You need anything?" 

She shook her head. "No...just..." letting out another groan he held her as she breathed her way through another contraction. 

His wife really was the strongest person he knew .

It lasted a while before subsiding again. Mo now heaving herself off the bed. "I need to get up...it was better walking around". 

"Do whatever you feel helps". Helen told her. 

"I'll make you a coffee and go get you another water". Steve said to Helen and his wife, then disappearing downstairs. 

**

Mo didn't know how many hours had passed, but now as she gripped onto the bedframe and gasped at the most intense pain she'd felt, she knew that surely it couldn't be too long now. There was an overwhelming feeling of pressure between her legs and she winced, feeling Steve rub her back. If she held the frame any tighter then it could surely break with ease from her strength. 

No matter how strong though, nothing compared to the pain she felt now. "I can feel her..." She cried out, causing Helen to come over quickly and look. 

"I can see her, looks like she's ready to meet you guys - you wanna sit? Stand? What's gonna help?" 

"I don't know". Mo gritted her teeth, "I need...I just need to push..." 

Helen nodded and helped her to get on the bed, then looking at Steve who now looked even more worried than he had been as his wife's pain was intensifying by the hour. "We're gonna be ok - you have a good doctor". She winked and now grabbed what she would need. "Just push when you feel like it ok?" 

Mo nodded, bearing down without so much as a squeak, concentrating hard on pushing their daughter out. "That's it Lizzie, you're doing great sweetheart". She heard Steve soothe, her hand tightening around his more. 

"C'mon keep on going, she's not too far away now". Helen instructed, "Another big one"

She pushed again, now letting out a small yelp of pain at the feeling between her legs. "Head's out". Helen grinned at them, "Just one more big push and we'll have her here". 

One more. 

That was all it would take. 

"Come on Lizzie, one more, she's right there". Steve encouraged, pushing her sweat drenched hair from her forehead again. 

This was the most painful and hardest thing that she had ever faced, but she could do it. With one final push she felt movement, and then the pain began to disappear. 

In it's place?  A tiny wail, and then the feeling of their baby being placed on her chest while Helen quickly covered her with a blanket and smiled at them. 

"There she is!" She beamed. 

Steve stared in awe, giving his wife a soft kiss. "There she is..." he repeated Helen's words in admiration. 

The baby was small, but healthy enough - and as Steve had figured, had his wife's temperament, judging from the amount of crying she doing. 

"Well done sweetheart". He leant in and murmured into Mo's ear - never once taking his eyes from their daughter. "Look how beautiful she is". 

Helen smiled at the three of them. "I'm just gonna need to do some tests on her, check her hearing and eyesight, all that stuff they usually do, then we can sort you out and can get you  well deserved cup of tea". 

Mo sighed happily. "That would be amazing..." now passing the baby to Helen and lying back to recover. 

The doctor came back over a short while later, with the baby cleaned and wrapped up in her blanket. "Here you go guys...she's all yours", she told them, passing her to Mo. 

Looking up at her husband, she then placed the baby into his arms. 

Steve looked down at her, the feeling of love overwhelming him and swelling his heart to the point that it could burst. She was beautiful, if not still a little bit squashed up, but he didn't care. 

Helen was right. 

She was all theirs.