A Partisan's Fight - COMPLETED!

Chapter Thirty-Seven

"What do you mean?" Markus watched her carefully, the words terrified him. He doubted there was an option to just stop a pregnancy from happening. It kind of needed to occur. "You are doing a great job. You can do this."

Mina shook her head. Tears were still slipping down her face. "It is too hard!" She moaned. "It hurts."

Reaching forward, Markus brushed her hair back with his fingers, not allowing his other hand to budge from hers. "You have to do this. Think of the baby. He or she wants to come out. You can do this, Mina."

Her eyes were locked on his. It took her a moment, but she nodded in agreement. Her hand tightened around his as her body arched up and another painful scream erupted from her lungs.

Aldrik came back into the room with the hot water, a scissors, a bar of soap, and random odd things. "You are doing good, Mina." He got into position, spreading her legs apart and getting a better look at where they were at with things. A slow smile spread across his face. "I can see the head. You're starting to crown."

Mina nodded approval. She already looked spent and exhausted.

Markus was worried about her. Would she be able to have the energy to get through this? He squeezed her hand tighter. She had to get through this, it wasn't an option not to. He cast a look toward Aldrik. The man was focused, doing the exact things that needed to get done.

"You've got to push, Mina." Aldrik looked up at her, focusing on how she was doing. "I know you are tired, but I need you to do this. Okay?"

Moaning, Mina nodded in understanding. She began pushing, groaning with every passing breath. She screamed with a contraction bearing down on her. Her body was doing good, but she was putting in an overtime nobody could argue with.

"Come on, Mina. Breathe, baby girl." Markus kept his voice calm and soothing. The circulation was being cut off in his hand from how tightly she grabbed him. Her other hand was practically ripping the sheets with how tightly she gripped it.

Aldrik gave her a few seconds to recover, before jumping right back into riding a contraction. "Push, Mina. Push!"

Her scream was thick, tormented. More tears fell from her pinched shut eyes. Her face was red from the pressure of putting in the work that came with childbirth. It was not an envious task, even if the after effect was completely worth it.

"Come on, Mina. The baby's almost out. Give me another push." Aldrik barely glanced up at her. His hands were cradling something that was out of view from the others. His focus was on what was happening between the woman's legs.

"I can't!" She screamed. The fight had gone out of her. Her body fell back to the bed, her breathing still labored. "I don't want to do this anymore." She cried out. "Make it stop!" Her voice was cracked and weak.

Markus gave her his full, undivided attention. He rubbed her cheek, still refusing to let go of her hand. "You can do this, Mina. I know you are tired, but you have a life coming out of you right now. Find that strength. Find an anchor and hold on to it. What do you need right now?"

Trembling, more tears pushed out of her eyes. Her voice was broken. Her blue eyes pleaded with him. "I'm scared. I do not want to do this anymore." A scream worked back through her body, shaking it in the process.

"I get it. I really do, Mina, but you have to do this. Focus on something, okay?" He didn't know what else to tell her. He wasn't experienced in childbirth like Aldrik clearly was. He had absolutely no idea what he was doing. How was he supposed to instruct on things that he knew nothing about? He glanced up at Aldrik. The look he was given was something of a warning. Probably to not start freaking out. He swallowed hard and refocused on the woman.