Rising Heroes Book One: When Angels Met Gods

Chapter Nine: Delivery

Disclaimer: I don't own Heroes of Olympus or Violet Eden

Chapter Nine: Delivery

"Ah!" Piper clutched at her stomach as Jason helped her into a more comfortable position on the ground. "I can't be having this baby!"

"But you are," Violet looked at Lincoln. "Go get water- build a fire and heat it up. And take off your shirt. We need to deliver this baby before I go into labor."

Lincoln complied. Violet bunched up Lincoln's shirt and used it to dab at Piper's sweaty forehead.

"Ah!" Piper screamed as Jason rubbed her back soothingly and gripped her hand. "It hurts!"

"I'm sorry Piper, we don't have time to get you to a hospital," Violet continued to dab her brow. "But we need to get this baby out before- Ah!"

"Violet!" Lincoln dropped the water and rushed to her side. "Violet!"

"I think my water just broke," Violet said as she grimaced in pain. "Piper's almost ready to push- we need to get her baby out and then I can give birth."

"Violet, you don't need to do that," Jason said as Piper cried out and squeezed his hand.

"Yes, I do," Violet answered. "Unless you'd like to deliver this baby?"

Jason blanched while Violet gave a small smirk. "That's what I thought." Crouching by Piper, she said, "You need to push now, okay? I know it hurts, but you have to do it."

Piper grimaced and nodded. "Okay," she whispered.

Piper screamed as Jason and Violet coaxed her on, and Lincoln brought them hot water. After twenty minutes, Violet was refraining from screaming herself while Piper was holding her newborn daughter.

"It's a girl," Violet whispered as she collapsed against Lincoln. "What's her name?"

Piper looked at Jason, and the two shared a look before he nodded. "Skye Silena Grace," he answered.

Violet smiled, but it soon turned into a grimace as she screamed in pain. Piper passed Skye over to Jason and scooted towards Violet.

"Pipes, you need to rest," Jason protested as he cradled his daughter.

"And Violet needs someone to deliver this baby," Piper insisted. "Unless you or Jason would like to do it?"

Lincoln gulped and shook his head. Jason visibly paled.

"Okay then," Piper said. "I think we have enough hot water. Vi, you're going to need to start pushing now."

Violet screamed as Lincoln encouraged her and Piper coaxed her on.

"You're almost done, Violet! I can see the head!" Piper said as she readied her hands to catch the baby.

"I can't do it!" Violet gripped Lincoln's hand. "I never had a mother, so how am I supposed to be one?"

"Vi, listen to me. You will make an amazing mother because you know how lonely it can feel to not have a mom growing up. So you will do everything you can to make this child feel loved." Lincoln squeezed her hand.

"How do you know?" Violet asked, still panicking. Her forehead was soaked with sweat and her hazel eyes were wide with fear.

"Because I feel the same way about being a father. My dad died when I was born too, remember?" Lincoln took a deep breath. "So push!"

The next few minutes were agonizing. Violet screamed while Skye cried, until a second call joined the air. It was high-pitched, loud, and decidedly female.

"It's a girl!" Piper said as she passed the baby to Violet. She moved back over to Jason and took Skye back. "What's her name."

"Lily," Violet said immediately. She glanced at Lincoln. "If that's okay with you?"

Lincoln smiled. "It's perfect. Lily Phoenix-Stephanie Eden-Wood."

"She's beautiful," Jason commented.

Violet smiled down at Lily. She already had a head full of tiny black curls, and beautiful bright green eyes. "Thanks," she said. "so is Skye."

Skye had tufts of blonde hair, and dazzling eyes that shifted from blue to green to brown in the light, just like her mother's.

"I'll call Nico," Jason said. He started to search his pockets for a dramacha.

Piper clutched at Skye. "Do we have to give them to him? Can he even hold two babies at once safely? Is it safe?"

Jason laughed. "Yes, he can take them one at a time, and yes."

Violet sighed. "I don't want to give her up. Not yet."

"Me neither," Piper agreed. Suddenly Skye began to cough.

"No!" Jason rushed over to her. "It's the prophecy! She's dying!"

Skye began to wail loudly as her parents fussed over her.

Lincoln laughed. "I think she's just hungry. Not dying."

"Oh," Piper looked embarrassed as she turned to privately breastfeed Skye. "Well don't look!"

Lincoln turned back to Violet, while Jason just shook his head and walked a little ways away to IM Nico. After he secured a rainbow with the prism they always carried, he dug a drachma out of his pocket.

"Oh Fleecy, do me a solid," he said as he flicked the coin into the rainbow. After a moment, Nico's face appeared.

"Hey man," Nico said. "did Violet give birth?"

Jason grinned. "Not just Violet. I'm a dad."