A Star Wars Reylo AU: The Taming of the Professor

Fifty-Three

Rey sat on the edge of a hospital bed, glaring at the anesthesiologist, arms crossed over her huge belly. Ben was pacing behind the doctor, watching as the scene unfolded. First, they had taken her clothing. Then, they had not so gently shoved their hands up inside of her to find out how far along she was. They had strapped elastic-bound monitors to her belly to monitor the baby, which were uncomfortable. They had gone on a fishing expedition to place the IV, apologizing that the best nurses for that job worked days. 

Through it all, the contractions grew closer and closer together, and became more and more unbearable. Hence the doctor. 

"Show it to me," she demanded. 

"If you like," he said, and opened up a package. He held the needle up for her to view.

Rey inspected it, and then shook her head. "No."

"I do this many times a day," said the doctor. "There are risks. But it will greatly improve your pain perception." 

"What is that, a 2 gauge?" she said, holding her pinky up for comparison. It might as well have been the size of a drinking straw.

"It only goes in for a few moments," said the doctor. 

"No." She shoved the consent paper and pen back toward him. "No. I don't want that." The list of possible complications were horrifying. 

He gathered up his equipment and left the room. Ben was no longer calm. He scrubbed at his face with his hands, and sat beside her on the thin bed. 

"You are in such awful pain. It would help." 

"No."

The nurse, Karen, busied herself with a tray of torture implements, which she covered with a blue cloth. She had taken over from the last one, who was much more aggressive. That one had talked Rey into speaking to the doctor. Rey was glad she hadn't done it.

"Dad?" said Karen. Ben nodded. "Could I see you in the hallway? I'd like to give you some dad-tips. It will only take a minute."

Ben hesitated, but Rey pushed him forward. When he returned, he looked determined. 

"What did she say?" said Rey.

"She gave me some tips." He pulled her to her feet. "Let's walk."

Rey collected the IV pole and rolled it out of the room behind him.

"What about?"

"About how to best support you through the birthing process." 

Rey managed a smile. "How not to die."

"Yeah, basically." 

They walked lap after lap around the delivery floor. The scratchy hospital slippers kept creeping down, and Ben studiously tugged them back into place to avoid any chance of her tripping. Every contraction she would stop and lean against the wall, and wait for it to pass. 

"How long is this going to take?" she demanded, as they passed the nurses station for the twelfth time. 

Karen shrugged. "As long as you need. We don't want to rush it. If you didn't like that epidural needle, you won't be happy with what they'll do before a c-section." 

Rey didn't need any more convincing than that. 

Ben's response to her pain was surprising. He'd seen her in pain before, and he hadn't been this agitated. 

"You weren't this upset when I had a concussion," she pointed out. 

"True. It wasn't this bad. This pain is," he paused, struggling for the right word. That alone gave her pause. "All-consuming. It's killing me to watch you suffer." After another pause, he added, "And this is my fault. I'm sorry. I had no idea."

She tried to kiss him, but another contraction bent her nearly in half. 

"Stay in the room now," said the nurse, ushering them back in. "You're close. Sit down here on the bed. I'm going to give you some oxygen. Just hold the mask."

"Why does she need that?" asked Ben.

"The baby's heart rate dropped a bit. No need to worry."

Rey's eyes widened in alarm, and she clutched at the oxygen mask. They sat and watched the monitor as the baby's heart rate increased. 

"There now," said Nurse Karen. "Just keep that in place for a while longer."

Nothing in her life could have prepared her for the pain that she now experienced. There was simply no comparison. She'd read about it, and heard about it. The childbirth instructor had explained it. It was unimaginable. The baby didn't seem too happy with it either, because she kicked and squirmed after every contraction. Soon, Rey could barely catch her breath between the contractions, and they lasted forever. 

"I'm going to die," she said.

"It feels like it, yes," said Karen. 

"You did this to me," said through gritted teeth, squeezing Ben's hand so hard she was sure she would snap bones.

Ben grimaced.

"I told you she'd say that," said Karen. 

"I'm never having sex again," said Rey. And she meant it. She would not do this again as long as she lived.

"That too," said Karen. The nurse patted Ben on the shoulder as she left the room. "Don't worry, Dad. She doesn't mean it. I'm going to see if the doctor is here."

"I mean it," Rey called after her, sucking in as much air as she could before the next contraction came. 

"I know you do," said Ben. 

Noise was ripped from her core and hurled out of her mouth without her consent. She couldn't stop the screams and sobs. 

The doctor entered, and came right up to the head of the bed. "Alright. Everything looks good. Karen says you're ready. Are you?"

Rey nodded as best she could, unable to speak now. 

Though exhausted and weak, they  asked her to push. And push. And push. Every contraction. No breaks. Once again, she revisited the idea of dying. It had scared her before. Now she wondered why. Surely this was worse? Ten pushes. Twenty. She stopped counting. 

"OK, Rey, you're doing great," called the doctor. 

She could barely see his head over her bulging belly. So much for maintaining her dignity. 

"One more push," he said. "Careful. Slow and steady." 

Rey screamed, and obeyed, and her cry was soon joined by a tiny wail. The doctor held the squalling baby up, wiped her off a bit, wrapped her in a blanket, and placed her directly on Rey's chest.

"Congratulations," he said. "You have a beautiful baby girl." 

Rey cried. Ben cried. And the tiny infant squirmed and cried right along with them.