Choosing Life

Chapter Thirty Eight

"Harry, Uma is in the best place she could be to have this baby," Persephone told him, still keeping her voice as gentle as possible. "It's not like the Isle. But right now you have to focus on you."

Harry bit his lip, glancing between Persephone and the door to Uma's birthing suite. Persephone didn't mind the silence, she'd been in Harry's life so long that she knew it was better to not press him. VKs didn't do well when they felt cornered after all.

"I...I can still hear my mom screaming..." Harry whispered. "I know it doesn't make sense...since I was two but...I can. I can hear her screaming when she gave birth to CJ...I...seeing the pain in Uma's eyes...and knowing she's like that because of me—."

"Harry, I'm going to stop you right there," Persephone said firmly. "Uma is not in pain 'because of you'. Unless you're trying to tell me you didn't give Uma a choice in the matter?"

"No of course not!"

"Then this was Uma's choice, Harry. She was prepared for this moment to happen when she got pregnant."

Harry shook his head. "It's...it's still my fault though...it takes two..."

"Harry James, you listen to me," Persephone said, keeping her voice gentle yet firm and trying to hide the way her heart broke hearing Harry's whispers. "Yes, Uma is in pain. But trust me, that pain is temporary and she will forget all about it when your baby is in her arms. But the last thing Uma wants to see is you in pain."

Persephone sighed softly as she saw the doubt in Harry's eyes and gently brushed some of the hair out of his eyes before pointing to a ring Harry wore on a chain around his neck. "I know the only birth you've been through before this is one that ended in tragedy but Harry, trust me when I say that is not in the cards for Uma. Has she ever been someone to break a promise?"

Harry shook his head, his hand going to the ring. Uma had gifted it to him before she left on her first trading route. It was a simple ring but what mattered the most to Harry was the engraving inside it.

All my maps lead to you.

It was Uma's way of telling him that she would always come back, no matter what. And it was silly but the closer they got to Uma's due date, the more Harry had begun to wear the chain with the ring. Almost as if he was trying to prevent the fate that befell his mother from befalling on Uma as well.

"Are...how can you be sure Lady Steph?" Harry asked, his voice soft.

"Because first of all, you and I both know that Hades is watching her lifeline like a hawk right now and two, this is not the Isle," Persephone told him. "They're prepared for anything that looks like it's going to go wrong just like they were for Mal. Everything's going to be just fine okay Harry? Uma's going to give birth and you're going to hold your child in your arms and this will just be a passing memory," Persephone said gently. "One look at your child's face...and everything you went through to get them here will be all worth it. Okay?"

"...Okay mom..." Harry said softly before pausing, his eyes growing wide. "I...I didn't mean—."

"Harry, you know I think of you as a son," Persephone said with a small smile. "That will never change, no matter if you're a nine year old boy or a man about to become a father. But if you're not comfortable calling me that, I understand. I know how much you loved your mother and I would never want to replace her for you. But for Olympus' sake, stop using my title okay?"

"Okay," Harry said with a small chuckle.

"I'm sorry to interrupt my Lady but Lady Uma is asking for Lord Harry," one of the nurses said, poking their head out of the door to the birthing suite. "The baby's coming."