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Atula didn't feel ready.
She wasn't ready to greet her baby.
"Jake..." Atula's teeth gritted together as a spike of pain rushed through her stomach, sending her hand to grip tight onto his arm, "Jake!"
Jake looked at Atula, watching as she began to heavily breath through the pain. "What's happening?" Jake asked, taking both of her hands and holding her upright.
Atula shrugged her shoulders, not understanding anything that is happening to her.
That was when they both realised, Atula was in labour.
Jake picked her up, bridal-style, and carried Atula back to Ronal's pod. Atula's body was beginning to cover in sweat from the pain, her head lying weakly against his chest.
"Dad, is mom okay?" Neteyam asked as he watched Jake run in, placing her down onto the mat. Jake looked at Neteyam, watching as he crawled to Atula and allowed her to squeeze his hand from the pain.
Was it meant to be this painful?
Ronal bent down to Atula, knowing that she was in labour. "She's fine — she's fine, right?" Jake repeated his question, putting himself besides Neteyam, on the floor.
Atula's hands shook, the pain was consuming her whole.
"Dad, do something," Neteyam said before stroking some strands of hair out of Atula's face.
"Go, my sweet boy, I don't want you to see me like this," Atula told Neteyam, holding his cheek. Neteyam looked down at Atula before Jake settled himself behind her, caressing her arms.
"You'll be okay, mom?" Neteyam questioned.
"Yes, yes, go," Atula smiled, waving him off.
As soon as he left, Atula cried out in pain. She wanted nothing more than for this to be over. "Ronal, I can't do this!" Atula said, more cries of pain leaving her strained throat.
She felt exhausted, and that was from the pain alone. Jake looked down at her, soothing his fingers through Atula's braids.
He wanted to soak her pain.
That was when he thought of it.
"Tsaheylu..." Jake whispered before Atula looked at him, watery eyes and furrowed brows. Was he really going to do it?
She nodded her head enthusiastically, eager for Jake to create the bond with her.
Jake looked down at Atula's queue, taking it into his palm before grabbing his own.
Pink tendrils reached for each other, Jake watching as they curled whilst connecting together.
Atula's weight become lighter as she felt everything Jake was feeling, but his whimpers of pain would soon be heard.
He had done tsaheylu.
Atula felt his everything. How his heart was heavily beating, but his body screamed excitemen because he was ready to meet his youngest daughter.
"There isn't much time, Atula. You have to start pushing," Ronal said before Atula nodded her head and took Jake's hands into hers.
She readied herself, now is the time.
Atula began to push, screaming in pain but the bond was helping her settle slightly. It was blissful to feel what Jake was feeling during this moment, it distracted her from the pain.
She pushed her head deep into Jake's chest, nails digging into his hands. But, he didn't care, he'd allow Atula to do this as many times as she needed.
Though, the pain subsided as the cries of their newborn was heard.
Atula's heart dropped as she gasped, Ronal placing the little one into her arms. "Oh," Atula cried, looking down at the beautiful baby.
Jake smiled at this interaction, his eyes filling with water before his lips pressed against Atula's sweat-filled forehead.
"Jake, Jake..." Atula caught his attention, making him look at their daughter, "She's beautiful."
He nodded, she looked exactly like Atula.
"I know, baby, she is," Jake said before pressing multiple kisses to her cheek, forehead, nose — anywhere he could reach, but the lips. "I'm so proud of you, Atula," Jake told her.
She looked at him, Ronal applying a soothing balm onto her heat. "You are?" Atula asked.
Jake nodded before chuckling, pressing his forehead against Atula's jaw as he looked down at the little girl in her arms.
"How about Sirona?" Atula smiled at the name Jake recommended before looking down at their baby. "It means healing," Jake explained.
Sirona Te Suli Atula'Ite.
"Sirona..." Atula repeated before dropping her head back onto Jake's chest, both watching Sirona in complete admiration.
