Dancing In The Stars

- 33 -

- Pisces -

Cancer and Taurus are working on the pink of one wall, and Cap and I are painting the other one.

"So, any name plans?" Cancer asks.

I gasp. Everyone looks over at me.

I feel something wet dripping down my leg and a sharp pain drills into my stomach.

"My water broke," I say.

"Oh shit," Cap looks around, panic in his eyes. I stare at him, a hand on my stomach as the pain fills my head.

"Get me to a fucking hospital," I growl.

Capricorn comes over to me and picks me up bridal style. "CAP!" I yell.

"Shut up, we're gonna go have this baby,"

I can't help but smile, remembering the night of our wedding when he picked me up bridal style because my feet were hurting.

He speeds to the hospital. I scream loudly. I bend over in pain. Another contraction.

Cancer rubs my shoulder from the backseat, comforting me while Taurus yells at Capricorn to hurry the fuck up.

We finally pull in to the hospital, he helps me in and goes over to the nurse. "She's in labor," he says.

"Okay, one second,"

"I don't have a second," I say, groaning.

A doctor comes out of the door. "Go to that elevator and press floor two, then go to room 87, it'll be the first door by the elevator. That's the quickest way." He says calmly.

I get into the elevator and roll my eyes. Of course he's calm. He's not about to shoot out a baby from a small part of his body.

Another contraction. I grip Cap's shirt and scream.

"Ow!" He says. I give him a death stare. He doesn't complain about me clawing him again.

We finally get into the room.

"Okay," the OB says. "Put your legs in the stirrups please, I'm going to see how dilated you are."

I do as she says. "Wow, eight centimeters already? When did your water break?"

"Before we got here," Cap answers for me.

She furrows her eyebrows.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"Usually you don't get contractions right when your water breaks. Looks like she really wants to get out. Alright, would you like an epidural?"

"Yes, please."

About 3 hours later, the OB checks how dilated I am.

"Alright are you ready to push?" She asks.

I swallow hard. No. I'm scared. Cap takes my hand.

"Only family now," she says to Cancer and Taurus.

"We'll be right outside, okay? Good luck," Cancer smiles.

I put my legs in the stirrups. It's all a blur, pain, screaming, crying, more pain, yelling, screaming, squeezing his hand and probably cutting off his blood supply.

"One more time," she says loudly. "One more,"

"I can't," I cry out.

He bends down next to me. "One more, and then we get to see our baby girl." He whispers. He kisses my cheek. "I know you can,"

I shut my eyes tightly and push one more time, holding my breath.

"I got her!" The doctor says. She whispers something to the nurse.

"You did great," Cap says. I ignore him.

"Why isn't she crying?" I ask. Nobody answers. "Why isn't she crying?" I ask louder. Once again, nobody answers. "Answer me!" I yell.

"I'm sorry," she says.

"What?!" I yell.

"She doesn't have a pulse."

"No!"

"Would you like to hold her?" The doctor asks. I don't answer. She brings her over anyway and puts her in my arms.

I look at her, she's so tiny and limp. She has some hair on her head. "She would've been a Jasmine," Cap whispers. I look at him and see the heartbreak in his eyes. I look back at her.

"You told me she'd be okay," I say, closing my eyes. "You told me she would've been the first to survive this,"

"I'm sorry," the OB says.

About a week later, we get back home. My arms feel weak. It takes me a long time to get the door open.

I walk into the house and go to what was gonna be her room. I lay on the floor. Cap follows me and lays by me, taking my hand.

"Promise me you won't leave me. I can't feel that again," I say, feeling tears roll down my cheeks.

"Never."