The Tower: Happily Ever After

A Dramatic Entry

We were having lunch when my first real contraction hit. It wasn't terribly painful, but it did put me off my food and then I had to reassure the others it was fine to eat while I went to have a lie down while I still could. I knew I was in for a long night, and I was stressed out about the fact that this was going to be a natural birth with twins after only having c-sections up until this point. I was worried that the healers here were not taking into account that I wasn't Asgardian and things were different back on Earth.

I let the contractions build, and it wasn't until a little after midnight that the pain got to be unbearable.

I doubled over, groaning loudly as Bucky rubbed my back.

"If the pain is too much, we can go," Thor said, soothingly. "You do not need to struggle."

The contraction passed and I took a few deep breaths.

"It might be moot," Bruce said. "They're regular and at five minutes now."

"Okay," I said, feeling both anxious and slightly defeated.

"It's time?" Wanda said excitedly.

"It looks that way," I whined as I took a few shaky steps towards the door.

"I can carry you if you wish, Elise," Thor offered.

I shook my head. "No - feels better to be walking," I said.

Natasha vaulted over the stairs and offered me her arm. "Come on, lean on me."

I took it and our group headed towards the healers. "If you need to hit someone, I'm right here," Steve said as we made our way slowly down the hall.

"But it's Thor's fault," I argued.

"I am sorry, my life," Thor chuckled. "I was lost in the moment at the time."

I had to stop twice on the way down because of contractions and when we arrived at the healers, one gave me a robe to change into. Sam and Natasha helped me into it, Natasha patiently untying the ties of my dress, while Sam wrapped me in the robe.

"When you're ready, climb into the cradle," one of the healers said, indicating to a semi-circle that looked to be forged in gold and black metal. There was a reclining seat on the bottom curve of the circle and the rest over the circle curved up out of the back of the chair and arced over the top of it. There were runes and Celtic knotwork up the sides of the circle.

"Can we still support her?" Natasha asked as Bucky helped me into the chair. "Hands to break? You know? The normal?"

"You can be right beside her," the healer confirmed. "And you are free to touch her, though you will likely find that her urge to break anything is removed."

When I was in place the healers moved around the circle and gold threads of light stretched out over the circle. They began to run their fingers through the threads, moving them and twisting them together.

Natasha sat down beside me while Wanda began to massage my temples. I hummed and closed my eyes as the pain started backing right off and I started to feel drowsy.

"Are you falling to sleep, princess?" Clint asked, sounding a little concerned.

"Do not be worried, the pain has lessened," the healer said. "If she is tired she can sleep."

I nodded off for a little, mildly aware of my contractions and people moving around me, but when I woke fully I practically startled awake, feeling a sudden sense of panic. "What's happening?" I said, looking around confused.

"Shh... it's okay, honey," Steve soothed.

"You're fully dilated," Natasha said. "The babies are nearly here."