Shourtney AU - Loving So Hard (Mature)

#89 - Four in the Morning

*Courtney*

I was now two days past my due date, and I know some women went to like two to three weeks over, but I was already in agony. My back was screaming out to me, begging me to release the extra weight that I had been lumbering around for the past nine months, and my eyes had effectively drained their entire supply of tears.

Shayne and I went to bed one night synonymous with our now-usual routine. He let me lay down first before delicately kissing my lips, and he proceeded to give me a full-body massage as always. I indulged him with groans of satisfaction as he worked on the knots in my shoulder and back muscles, and before long, I was out like a light.

*Shayne*

After Courtney fell asleep, I made sure to prepare all of the things we'd need for hospital, just like I did every night. The baby was now overdue, so he or she could be coming literally any moment now.

Hours later, I awoke to find Courtney hunched over in bed, shaking me desperately.

"Shayne, Shayne," she pleaded.

I shot bolt-upright and pulled her into my embrace within seconds.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" I asked urgently.

"M-My stomach, it hurts so bad!" Courtney cried, stuttering through the pain.

"A-Are you having contractions?"

Courtney's eyes widened and just like that, her pyjama bottoms became wet, as did the bed sheets.

My wife's face flushed red with embarrassment and innocence, "Did I just pee myself?"

I laughed sympathetically, before exclaiming with both ecstasy and pure terror, "No baby, your water just broke! Let's go!"

"I-I'm going in to labour?" Courtney questioned, aghast.

After kissing her lips again I nodded calmly, before instructing her to steady her breathing and follow me to the car downstairs, holding my hand the whole way.

*Courtney*

The journey to the hospital seemed both instantaneous and never-ending all at the same time. A million thoughts raced through my mind, and the true fear finally began to settle in. There was no getting out of it now, and it was going to hurt like hell.

Shayne didn't let go of my hand a single time, somehow managing to drive and calm me all at once. Our friends were alerted via the Smosh group-chat, and their encouraging replies did in fact soothe my nerves a little, but not enough to stop me from utterly freaking out and losing my shit.

A wheelchair was the first task to take care of, and soon Shayne was pushing me down the crisp white halls, flanked by hygiene-related posters and staff decor. My cries of pain were hurting Shayne, I could tell, but he was strong, and he remained adamant to continue to comfort me, no matter what.

I was introduced to the doctor who would be helping me to deliver my baby, a Miss Emilia Hawthorne. Her warm smile, coupled with a friendly expression and trustworthy, dark green eyes really put me at ease. Together with a calm tone of voice and an evident air of wisdom, she seemed to be the woman for the job.

Our friends soon surrounded us, wishing me luck and doing their best to assure me everything was going to be alright. Olivia wanted to stay but was quickly ushered out as the doctors insisted Shayne was the only person allowed to be present, and I wasn't opposed to the idea at all. I love my friends, but I really didn't need to be swamped and overwhelmed.

My vision started to blur as my stomach convulsed with pain, and Shayne kissed my forehead in an urgent manner. Excruciating agony was soon linked with images of doctors and nurses alike dressed in either white robes or bright blue scrubs. My husband's hands squeezed mine as I drifted between consciousness, and his reassuring voice echoed through my mind. The mental image of our rings gave me the motivation to continue to push, but my tame efforts weren't good enough.

"You need to push harder, Courtney," Doctor Hawthorne repeatedly exclaimed.

"I-I'm trying!" I weeped.

Tears trickled down Shayne's face as he kissed my forehead over and over, whispering sweet little comments. Small things like that went a long way, and I soon found the strength to push harder than ever, screaming as I did so.

"It's coming it's coming!" Doctor Hawthorne assured me.

Innocent crying quickly echoed around the room, and my sweat-laden brow was wiped down by Shayne.

"Our baby's here," he whispered, kissing me, allowing his tears to infuse with the sweat on my skin.

"I-I love you Shayne," I managed, albeit rather feebly.

Shayne chuckled, "I love you more."

My only response was a grin, and I impatiently waited for Dr Hawthorne to give me mine and Shayne's child, suppressing the slowly subsiding pain, simply not caring about it for the time being.

The doctor cleaned our baby briefly, wiping away the blood and tears, swaddling them in a white cotton blanket, before handing them over to me, placing them in my arms.

"I'll give you two a minute."

Dr Hawthorne exited the room inaudibly, allowing my husband and I to relish and savour this wondrous moment. The sun began to rise from beneath the eerie cloud-line outside, breaking through thick towers of mist, symbolic of the arrival of our angel to the world.

"She's beautiful," I murmured, entranced by our baby's perfect... everything.

"Just like you," Shayne enunciated, allowing his lilting voice to lull into my ear canal.

I grinned, beaming down at my baby girl, not truly believing this moment was real. It was too surreal. Too perfect.

"I love you, Courtney," Shayne uttered yet again.

"I love you more."

My lips met his and our baby gazed up at us, grunting with every fidget and bodily shift. She reached up slightly to touch her Daddy's hair, and Shayne and I cried together.

Doctor Hawthorne soon returned, smiling widely and congratulating us, delivering various compliments about the baby.

She then asked, "So, have you got a name yet?"

Shayne and I shared a knowing look, now synonymous with us as we had reached a stage where we could practically read one another's minds, and within seconds, the two of us answered in unison...