The First Steps (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 1 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Fifty-Seven

❝end (pronounced ɛnd or as spelled), noun

A final part of something, especially a period of time, an activity, or a story.❞

Lilly was rushed into the hospital, Hunter by her side. She was breathing hard and crying, the pain of labour beginning to take hold. Her contractions were strong, and she knew, though she had never given birth before, that there was something wrong.

Hunter held her hand, and the nurses instructed her on what to do. "Breathe in a steady rhythm, then push when you feel a contraction. Can you do that for us?" asked one of the midwives. Lilly was getting weaker by the second, and Hunter knew it perfectly well. Several hours later, they were still going.

"C'mon, petal, you can do this," he said encouragingly. "You're strong, you can do this."

She cried out, the pain getting the better of her, and Hunter squeezed her hand. "Again, love, just keep pushing, come on."

"Make it stop, Hunt!"

"You're okay, you're gonna make it through this."

"No! It hurts too much- oh!"

"Come on, Ana, you're okay, it's okay-"

"Hunter, make it stop, please!" she screamed.

"You're gonna be okay, darling, I promise," he said to her, before turning to a midwife. "How long has it been, now?"

The midwife checked her watch. "Approximately ten hours."

He turned back to Lilly, and wiped the sweat from her forehead, brushing her hair away from her face. "You're doing so well, darling, just keep going for a little longer."

"Please, just make it stop!"

"Push, Lilly!"

"I can't!"

"Yes, you can! One, two, three, push!"

"It hurts too much!"

"You can't give up now, come on!" Hunter yelled. "You can do this, Lilly, now push!"

She screamed again, but this time, there was another sound, a baby.

Hunter's and Lilly's first daughter.

He saw a midwife carrying the child out, and he noticed her red hair. Hunter felt a massive grin on his face. "You've done it, Lilly-Pad, you're a mother. Now you just have to do it one more time," he whispered to her, but her grip on his hand was getting weak. "Lilly?"

"Hunt..." she whispered weakly.

A midwife yelled, "She's hemorrhaging!"

"What?!"

"Get the other baby out!"

"They'll both die!"

Suddenly, Hunter's whole life was flipped upside down.

"H-Hunt..."

"Lilly, no, stay with me!"

"I'm dying..."

"No, you aren't dying," said Hunter. All the sounds in the room seemed to drown out, leaving just Hunter and Lilly, in their own little bubble. "Come on, you still have to have the other twin, and then you're gonna be alright."

"Hunt, please listen," said Lilly, trying to keep herself conscious. "Find someone new, someone who deserves someone as beautiful as you. You have to look after them. Promise me that, Hunter, pinky promise."

"No," Hunter said, beginning to sob. "Don't leave me, Lilly, don't you dare leave me."

"Please, look after our daughters, you have to do it for both of us now, okay?"