The Alpha Sunshine

New life.

 She was going to choke him-she was almost positive. She wanted to wrap her small hands around his thick neck and...Relax. She unclenched her fists, and took a deep breathe. The hormones were rushing through her, making her a tad crazy.

Thaddeus had been so good to her so far. A trooper. He didn't deserve the wrath of a pregnant woman. His pregnant woman. And she was pregnant. Hugely so.

She was in her thirty ninth week, and still hadn't experienced any labor pains. She hadn't been moving too much. All she did was go down the stairs. She knew she shouldn't have, but she was impatient. Balthazar was taking forever, so she went by herself.

She thought she was fine...and then her foot hit the bottom step. She felt something snap like a rubber band. She heard a splash, and liquid covered her legs. She counted to three before opening her eyes and looking down. And then she thanked the Lord.

It was clear-which meant her water broke. She was okay for about three more seconds before she just freaked.

"Thaddeus!"

She was hunching over holding on to the banister when members of the pack heard her yell. A few older women helped her breathe. She wasn't having contractions yet-but she would, soon. Thaddeus came tripping down the stairs, holding their prepacked baby bag. He was barefoot, and didn't have a shirt on. She erupted into tiny peels of laughter. He looked at her as if she had lost her mind, but she just pointed to his chest. He looked down, and then blushed. He tossed Balthazar the bag, turned, and ran up the stairs. He searched their bedroom, and stuffed some things into a bag.

He managed to grab her blanket, novels for them both, and extra clothes. He shoved his head through a white t-shirt, and jammed his feet into an old pair of scuffed boots. He grabbed the bag, and was by the entrance of the house in seconds. He grabbed their baby bag, and the other bag.

He made his way around to the driver's side, and slid behind the wheel. He had started the car, and put the stick in reverse when he stopped. Holy hell. He forgot the most important thing! His wife! She stood by the door, smiling at him. She seemed so calm, which in return, calmed him. He gave her an apologetic smile, and took her hand. She grinned back, and kissed him on the lips.

"I'm supposed to be the crazy one, remember? C'mon babe. Our child is doing squats against my cervix-Ouch!"

They drove in silence, and parking and checking in was easy. Lucille hadn't accounted for her size. She was a very small woman-and birth would be difficult. When the doctor placed her legs in stirrups she thought maybe it was time to start pushing.

But it wasn't time, yet. The labor pains got worse, and hours passed. It had been one hour, and then two. She was trying not to stare at the clock, but it hurt so bad! Thaddeus had pulled out a camera from their baby bag and was filming her. He got some great shots-of her screaming at him. He winced, and wanted to apologize. He had caused this, intentionally.

Ari and Cata came in eight hours later, with flowers. They were being so loud, that when another contraction hit, Lulu threw the vase at their heads. She was miserable. By the time she started crying, the doctor informed her she was fully dilated. That was good-she was going to start pushing, anyways.

They placed Lucille's legs back up in the stirrups, and had her start pushing. Thad had the camera pointed on her...ehem. He wanted to get the first footage of their child.

But when she started pushing, he saw spots start to cloud his vision. Thad was used to violence. He was a warrior. He saw a lot of blood, and guts being spurted from bodies. But this? It was gruesome. He gagged. He tried to be strong, but started to feel lightheaded. He stopped filming, and decided he'd hold her hand, instead. She was crying, calling his name. He held her hand, stroked her hair. She just looked at him hesitantly.

She didn't want to hurt him...

"It's okay, baby. Squeeze as hard as you need to. Don't worry about breaking me."

So she squeezed. And cried. And yelled. She was so busy writhing in pain that she didn't hear the few snaps in Thad's hand. Thad heard, and he didn't flinch. He didn't care. They would get through this. This pain. Lucille was almost done. All she could feel was the sting of pain, the slash of red. She was feeling lightheaded.

But, she wasn't giving up. She had carried this baby full term-it was time to meet it. She sat up, opened her legs wider, and pushed as hard as she possibly could. As soon as she finished pushing, a baby's crying broke the silence. She fell backwards, resting. She had done it. Thad was so proud of her. He pushed the strands of hair out of her face.

The nurse called him down by her legs, and handed him some scissors. He cut the umbilical cord, declaring him father. The nurse carried his baby to the other side of the room, and cleaned it. She wrapped it in a little blanket, and carried over to Lulu. Thad sat on the edge of the bed, and watched as the nurse placed their child in her arms.

"Seven pounds, two ounces. Perfectly healthy. Ten toes, and fingers. And the prettiest baby I've

Thaddeus was in love all over again. Lucille looked so happy, holding their child. She held her arms out, and Thad took the child from her. He cradled their baby to him, and grinned. They made beautiful children together-that was for sure.

Their baby had blonde wispys of hair, and big hazel eyes. Like a little Thad. The baby smelled a little like amniotic fluid and what Thad guessed was just baby. He was a wrinkly, soft little thing. And he was so damn tiny. He felt the center of his universe shift slightly. He was mesmerized.

Their baby blinked, soaking up all the affection of his first moments. For a full two minutes, there was no one else in the world. Just the three of them. He had a family, one of his own. He was protector, and teacher. Husband and father. He expected it to cry...that's what babies did, right? Not his. He was quiet, and observant. Thad kept the baby, not wanting to hand it back. He caught a little of the nurses' conversations.

Lucille dug the crocheted baby hats out of her bag. She placed the pink hat back in the bag. The nurse put a sterilized blue cap on the baby's head, grinning. Thad took the crocheted blue and grey hat, and put it loosely over his head. His little boy was stylin'.

The nurse had left, but they were so absorbed in the new life that they didn't realize. The nurse came back, and asked about the father, and mother. And then, a name for the little guy. Thad was about to shrug, when Lulu answered for him.

"Thaddeus Junior. Thaddeus Kahn the Second."

She giggled. And he stared at her in awe. She wanted to name their first child after him? She had never said so. He looked at the face of his baby boy, and nodded. He looked like a Thaddeus. The nurse agreed.

"Thaddeus-after Daddy, right? That's a good name. A strong, family name. I'll sign all the paperwork."

Lucille watched her family, saw Thad holding little Thaddeus. She felt a few tears escape. She had a beautiful mate and husband, and a beautiful healthy baby boy. Thad let her hold him again, and she sang to him, softly. Thad cooed at Thaddeus Jr, and they both watched as his eyes drooped. They bonded with baby Thad, stroking his hair, smelling him. He was their little miracle. A little bit of both of them.

They made eye contact, both silently agreeing-this wouldn't be their last baby.