Learning to Love

Baroness Is Evil

Anita scrambled to Cruella's side, trying to wrestle the Baroness off of her. Cruella tried to bite the Baroness's arm, but the Baroness was too quick. She had pulled her arm out of Cruella's target bite, and nearly pulled her shoulder out of socket doing so. The Baroness, kicking Anita's legs out from underneath her so she would fall, almost pulled Cruella off the bed. Cruella was forced to keep her legs underneath her if she even wanted a chance to survive, and for her child to survive.

Cruella gripped the bedpost like it was a lifeline, wanting to lay back down, wishing things had gone differently. Her stance was still wide, but she shook all over and was panting like a dog. The Baroness kicked Anita's stomach, hard, then her shoulder and her leg so she would stay down, then returned to further torment Cruella.

"Now then, go on. Push," the Baroness told Cruella, smirking cruelly. Cruella wouldn't dare. Even though her body craved to, she couldn't, not with her psycho of a mother present.

"Now," the Baroness demanded.

Cruella remained quietly resilient, fighting her unbearable urge and pain consuming her body. The Baroness stared at Cruella, giving her a small chance to do what she'd asked. Cruella refused, and the Baroness had a backup plan. The Baroness shoved her hands up Cruella's dress and started pulling at the child's head. Cruella really did scream, but she choked it off as a new sensation filled every cell of her being.

Rage took over Cruella's pain at that point. She growled. Growled low and long like a wolf ready to capture prey, and kicked the Baroness as hard as she could. Buddy took over then, attacking the Baroness mercilessly. He clawed and bit and growled, making sure that the Baroness would never forget this.

Cruella finally was able to lay down again while the Baroness was distracted with Buddy. She bore down as hard as her body would allow, grinding her teeth together and almost ripping the sheets with her nails. Something was different with the shoulders now, something wrong.

Cruella had been able to feel the shoulders, ready to be born, before, but no, they felt lodged, stuck against something. Without really thinking, Cruella sucked in her breath and slipped her hand inside of herself to dislodge the shoulders. She bit her lip and tried not to cry out with the pain, but she had to do something. She felt the hand of her baby, and pulled it out. The shoulders dislodged and faded back into their correct position. Cruella gasped in breath, then bore down, allowing herself to scream through her teeth as the shoulders slowly slid out. As soon as she saw the shoulder emerge, she gently grabbed her baby under the arms and helped ease the child out.

Cruella gasped with the relief of the pain and of knowing that the hardest leg was over. A small gush of amniotic fluid leaked out alongside the baby, but Cruella didn't care. She pulled the baby up to her chest before pushing herself up with one hand. Her body screamed for mercy, but it was a request she could not grant. The bathroom connected her room to the nursery, and that was exactly where Cruella intended to go.

Carefully and mindful of the crying baby pressed to her chest, Cruella slowly made it through the bathroom and into the colorful nursery. She locked the doors behind her and then was able to finally turn her attention to the wailing child.

Cruella felt light headed and knew she needed to sit down. The rocker was closest, and Cruella grabbed a few blankets that had been hanging over the crib. She found a pair of sewing scissors that she must've left in when she was sewing one of the blankets, and a few pieces of spare thread. She tied off the umbilical cord and cut in between the threads carefully.

Then she began rubbing the bloody newborn off, taking note to check if it was a boy or a girl. Cruella couldn't help but smile when she found out. She had a daughter. A tiny little girl that had the same wild salt and pepper hair, split down the middle. A little girl to dress up in specially designed clothes and to teach in the ways of fashion.

The baby began to quiet down once Cruella had warmly wrapped it in a blanket and held her on her chest. Her stomach contracted again and Cruella grimaced, positive that she had been pregnant with only one baby. But still, the contractions came again. Less intense, yes, but still uncomfortable. Soon, Cruella felt like pushing again. Groaning, she laid a towel out on the floor and knelt over it, wincing as the placenta slid out alongside her light pushes.

Cruella felt stupid. She should've remembered the placenta! But, there was no need to dwell on it. Her daughter was here safe and sound, the Baroness had not gotten her child, and for now they were safe.

Cruella stared at her child, the tiny human she had grown inside her. She didn't know this baby yet, but she did love her. The baby girl opened her eyes to reveal the same bright green, stunning color that her mom had. The infant looked around, content to be out of the crammed space of the womb and into the open. She looked back to her mom, hands gripping at anything for affection and attention.

"Already a little star in the spotlight, hm?" Cruella smiled. The baby was already showing character, just a tad; Cruella had already fallen in love with the child.