Driven Mad (Book 1 in the MAD Series)(An Avengers Fan Fiction)

EPILOGUE: Ororo Munroe

Pain rippled violently through Ororo’s body as she choked down a scream. She squeezed T’Challa’s hand, unable to think, unable to breathe as she threw back her head onto the bed. She gasped for breath, desperate for the sweet air to reach her lungs, unable to suck it in as another contraction hit. They were only two minutes apart by then and she knew that she was going to have to start pushing out her first child soon.

Sweat dripped down Ororo’s face as she clamped her eyes shut. Her fingers curled as tightly around T’Challa’s hand as they would go, T’Challa letting her break his hand without a single word. Her fingers and toes curled tightly as the pain jolted through her body, this pain that she had never felt before. Nobody had told her that it would hurt this badly… Okay, they had, but she’d refused to believe their words. She’d thought that it was some beautiful miracle of life, but as she laid there, the majority of the Avengers standing around gawking, she failed to see the beauty in this.

Ororo heard T’Challa encouraging her quietly at her bedside, but she could barely hear him over the pounding of her blood in her ears. He told her that she was doing great, that he was proud of her, that she could do it, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to shout at him to shut up as her hormones ran wild. Finally, the pain subsided shortly as she let out a long sigh, releasing her sweaty grip on her husband’s hand. She gasped for breath, trying to suck as much air into her lungs before the next contraction came.

Ororo had been dreading this day, this moment since the very beginning, but she knew that it was unavoidable. She couldn’t protect her children forever, not inside of her. She had to admit, she was going to miss feeling them dance and move and jerk and kick inside of her. But there was no time to think about it. She already felt another contraction coming. She gasped for breath as the pain jolted through her body and she squeezed T’Challa’s hand with a death grip again.

Ororo let out an agonized groan that eventually turned into an involuntary scream. She was unable hold it in any longer. As her pained, agonized screams rang through the room and she figured that everybody in the entire building could hear her. She heard thunder and lightning cracking violently across the sky, her power out of her control in the rage of her pain and flying hormones.

Finally, the pain subsided again, releasing its grip on her as she relaxed again, panting, gasping for breath that refused to enter her lungs quick enough. Ororo felt T’Challa pull himself closer to her, pressing his lips into her temple. He’d been a good husband, despite her hitting him and shouting at him and blaming him for this. He’d not gotten frustrated with her and he’d just sat quietly, encouraging her, apologizing when he didn’t need to.

“You’re doing good, baby… Just a little more, a little pushing, and then we’ll finally be parents.” T’Challa quietly encouraged.

Ororo sleepily turned toward her husband, forcing a small, weak smile. She’d been at this for almost 10 hours (Yes. Ten full hours of contractions and she’d not even started pushing yet) and she wasn’t having a bit of fun. The contractions at first had been pretty mild, nothing more than what felt like a small stomach cramp, but as time went on they got worse and worse. Now they were to the point where they were nearly unbearable.

“I’m so proud of you.” T’Challa whispered in her ear.

“Alright, sweetie, next contraction, I need you to start pushing. You’re ten centimeters dilated now. You’re ready to push, sweetheart… Baby number one is ready to come out.” Bruce called over the frenzied, organized chaos in the room.

Ororo took a deep breath and nodded. Her heart fluttered inside her ribcage, growing more and more nervous with every breath. She turned to T’Challa, her eyes white with fear, grabbing his hand again. She was filled with fear, knowing that this was going to be painful. She sucked in a deep breath, knowing that this was going to be the worst pain of her life.