"honey, on your next contraction, you have to push" jan instructed from the end of the bed. betty looked from her to jughead and nodded looking both terrified and determined. BANG! BANG! BANG! all three heads whipped toward the door "in here!" jughead yelled and within seconds four medical personnel rushed in. jan stood up and moved out of their way "i think she is ready to push, but i don't know" she explained to the doctors "we couldn't make it to the hospital, so we brought her here" betty cried out and threw her head back. "she is pushing now" one of the medics said kneeling down by betty's legs "honey you are definitely fully dilated, so go ahead and keep pushing." betty nodded and tucked her chin into her chest and did as she was told. "ahh..ahhh... mmmmhhphhh..." she panted out as the contraction ended "that was good, honey, do it again" the paramedic encouraged the young girl as the other three buzzed in and out of the room getting supplies. jughead wiped betty's forehead with the sleeve of his shirt "you are amazing" he whispered into her ear and kissed her cheek "you are so close to meeting her" "haaaaa.... himmmmmm" betty corrected leaning forward pushing again "that's it, betty, that's it" the woman said looking between her legs "i can see it's head" she encouraged. betty leaned back sobbing "come on, betts, you can do this" jughead encouraged his wife as he wiped her tears away and kissed her forehead "you can do this" he said again. he was so scared for her. he hated hearing her cries and not being able to do anything to help her. she panted heavily and groaned. he assumed the pain must be starting again, and betty confirmed it by leaning forward and pushing again. "the head is almost out" the female medic exclaimed "give me a big push" and betty did while squeezing jughead's hand probably a little too tightly. "ah ah ah ah" betty exclaimed looking at the woman by her legs in panic. "your baby is crowning" the medic explained "don't push, okay. betty, let it work itself out." "nooooo" betty cried out leaning her head back "i— i have to— ahhh" she yelled. "betty listen" jughead begged her "betts, it's okay; it's okay" he said quickly and then he got an idea "betty, babe, here" he gently lifted her shoulders up and climbed into the bed behind her so that one of his legs was on either side of hers, and she could lean back into him. "i—i ca—" "don't you dare say you can't" he whispered into her ear. he put one hand on her stomach and reached for one of her hands with the other. he felt her muscles tighten and she squirmed "nnghhhhhhh! ahhhh! i— i want to— i need to—ahhh" "don't push!" the medic looked up "don't!" "just pant and let your baby's head come out on its own" betty sobbed and turned her head into jughead's chest as if she were trying to get away from the pain by retreating inside him. still
holding onto her hand, jughead wrapped his arms around her stomach and leaned down to kiss her neck "breathe, betts, breathe... you are almost there; i promise you are almost there" he repeated as he watched her chest rising and falling rapidly. "mmmmmmahhhhhhhhh!" betty squeezed his hands "okay little push" the medic encouraged touching betty's knee. betty felt her body bear down and she screamed as she felt pain like she had never felt before. "no no no ow ah! juggie ahh!" she exclaimed as she felt a small release between her legs. "the head is out; you're almost there" the medic exclaimed rubbing the outside of betty's legs encouragingly "on the next contraction, if you push really hard, you can meet your baby!" jughead looked down at his wife "betts, babe, you are so close" he kissed her sweaty forehead "you are almost there" he promised, praying that her pain would be over soon. she nodded and readjusted her grip on jughead's hands just as she body involuntarily shuddered. "i—i—" she yelped "go for it!" jughead whispered, and she pushed. "nnmghhhh" she bore down "that's it, that's it, here you go!" betty gasped suddenly in surprise as she felt a huge release. a few seconds later she gasped again when she heard her baby crying. "betty you did it" jughead smiled bigger than betty had ever seen him smile as he leaned down to kiss her all over her face, not letting go of her hands "you did it, juliet, you did it" "we did it" she corrected and tilted her head up to kiss him back.
