Redeemed (Sequel)

Chapter 13

Artemis P.O.V.

The day I went into labor was a nightmare. Raven had opted for flying to my parents' house to pick up Honor instead of riding in the car with Storm. I had the strongest craving for honey buns then. I had been having pains all day and all the night before, so Storm was going to go shopping while I stayed in bed. I got up to go to the bathroom, and I was rooted in the bedroom doorway with pain. I screamed and doubled over, taking deep breaths like Storm had told me. I heard a splash, liquid hitting the floor, and I felt something running down my leg; however, I couldn't see anything past my swollen belly. Tiptoeing past the wetness on the floor, I slowly made my way into the kitchen. I picked up the phone and dialed my parents' home number, breathing heavily through my nose. "Elric residence," Athena chirped after the third ring. "Put Raven on," I panted. There was muffled speaking and then Raven's voice. "Everything okay babe?" he asked. "The baby's coming," I whimpered. "Huh? Little Red, I can't hear you."

"THE BABY IS COMING!!!" I shrieked as another contraction hit and I dropped the phone. I gripped the counter tight to keep from falling, but I slipped and ended up curled up on the floor. 'Oh Truth, I'm going to give birth to my baby on a kitchen floor,' I thought as I started to cry. I felt like I was on that floor for ages. I was a screaming, sobbing mess when Storm came in, Raven right on his heels. "It hurts! It hurts so bad! I want my mom," I wailed as Storm scooped me up in his arms and carried me outside to the car. "Apollo is with Athena and Honor, and your parents are on the way to the hospital," Raven said, opening the door for Storm to set me in the backseat. "I'll meet you there," he said, kissing me on the forehead before his wings unfurled and he took off into the sky. Storm gently shut the door before jumping into the driver's seat, not even bothering to buckle his seat belt as he took off.

Raven P.O.V.

When Storm pulled up, nurses were rushing out to the car with a wheelchair, saying things I didn't understand. They set Artemis in and ran back inside, disappearing down a hallway. Storm and I stared dumbfounded at one another. "Are you two just going to stand there like a couple of idiots? Go back there!" Kairo ordered. Her voice was rough and authoritative, terrifying me and snapping me into action. I took off with Storm close behind me.

Storm P.O.V.

We turned down several corridors and burst through a set of double doors before a nurse stopped us. "You can't be back here," she said angrily. "I'm a doctor," I replied. She raised an eyebrow skeptically. Suddenly, I could hear Artemis screaming. First in Xingese, then Drachman, and several other languages she had probably acquired from her mother. Raven grinned sheepishly and the woman almost fainted. Raven had reconnected with his band and they were releasing music again; he had become pretty famous throughout Amestris.

"Psycho, multilingual woman in labor? We're with her," he explained, dragging me down the hall with him. We entered the room to see Artemis in a hospital gown, her feet up in stirrups, and an elderly doctor between her legs. She caught sight of us and her face contorted with rage. "Get out of here!! I hate you! One of you did this to me, bastards!!" she screeched, throwing whatever she could grab. "If I could get up, I'd kill you guys!" The doctor looked completely unfazed, just turning to us tiredly. "Dr. Prospera, if you will please come keep her from throwing things. Her blood pressure is sky high, so I suggest Raven leave." Raven looked at Artemis sadly and stepped out. I warily walked over to Artemis and sat her forward just enough for me to slide behind her and wrap my arms around her. "Why not a C-section?" I asked. The doctor looked up at me and grumbled, "Should have, her body is too small to handle a birth like this. But the baby was already crowning when she got here." I smoothed her hair back and whispered soothing words to her, staring warily at the monitor with her vitals on it. "Artemis, I need you to keep pushing," he sighed. Artemis' face scrunched and she breathed hard, all of her muscles tightening as she pushed. There was a squishing sound, the snip of scissors, and then soft wailing. "It's a boy," the doctor grinned, handing a little bundle in a towel to the nurse behind him. She gently wiped the child's face and looked at Artemis with tears in her eyes. "He's beautiful, Miss Elric," she whispered, handing the bundle to her. I held my arms below hers, supporting them as she cradled the baby to her chest. I peeked over her shoulder to see black feathers shielding the infant. I chuckled and reached out with one hand, nudging his wings. The extra appendages parted to reveal a fair-skinned child with onyx curls. "My little Sparrow," Artemis sobbed, her face already covered with tear tracks. At the sound of her voice, Sparrow's eyes fluttered open, darting around curiously. He had Raven's deep chocolate eyes.