“Piper, I need you to pull your legs up, honey; your baby is coming.”

Releasing Erik, Piper cried out as a nurse positioned Erik to hold one leg. Piper’s hand came up on his biceps as her other held the back of her thigh.

“All right, Piper, here comes a contraction, let’s push, ready, and one,” the doctor said, and everyone including Erik counted with him as Piper pushed her heart out. Erik knew this because he was pretty sure she was ripping his biceps off.

“Wow, Piper, you aren’t playing around,” the doctor said. “Great push. Take a breath and get ready for the next one.”

Erik looked back at Piper and could tell she was worn-out but when her eyes met his, he could see the fight in them. She wasn’t giving up.

With a smile on his face, he whispered, “You are so beautiful, and the strongest woman I know.”

Her eyes were full of tears as she slowly nodded.

“All right, Piper, let’s go again,” Dr. Richards said and Piper bore down, screaming out as everyone counted together. “There we go, give me your hand, baby.”

Piper let go of her thigh, giving the doctor her hand as he said, “That’s your baby; one more push, come on.”

Making the mistake of looking between Piper’s thighs, Erik let out a sound of distress before looking back at her face.

“He’s right there.”

She nodded, closing her eyes as she pulled in a lungful of air.

“Ready, here we go, and one,” Dr. Richards said, and before Erik and everyone else got to seven, a gurgling noise filled the room. Erik’s heart was racing but he swore it stopped when they placed a bloody, screaming mass on Piper’s belly. That damn itchy feeling in his eyes went nuts as tears gushed down his face and his eyes met the eyes of his son.

“It’s a boy!”

* * *

It felt like Piper was having an out-of-body experience.

Tears rushed from her face as she softy laid her hands on her screaming baby while trying to breathe around her happy sobs.

She had done it.

He was here and he was perfect. Moving her fingers along his little head, she took in every detail. Dark hair covered his head; his dark eyes were wide, looking right at her as his face turned red from his screaming. It was like he was looking into her soul as he shook from her sobs.

“Hi, little guy,” she whispered as she cried, “I’m your mommy.”

As a nurse started to wipe him down, Piper glanced over to see Erik completely white, with his mouth hanging open. She wanted to laugh but Dimitri was screaming his head off and she couldn’t stop looking at him. He was so beautiful.

“All right, Daddy, snip right here,” Dr. Richards said.

Piper watched as Erik looked at the doctor and then the umbilical cord before looking up at Piper. When a big bright grin came across his face, she couldn’t stop the sob that escaped her lips as he reached for the scissors and cut their son from her. When he appeared next to her, he laid his big hand on Dimitri’s back before kissing her temple.

“You did it,” he whispered before kissing her again. “You did it, baby. God, he is so beautiful.”

And he was. Little but beautiful. He didn’t even need more than the regular prenatal care. He was perfect and she couldn’t believe that she had done this, that they had made such a beautiful, sweet baby. Kissing Dimitri’s head, Piper wiped her tears from her face before looking over at Erik.

“No, we did it.”

He smiled, kissing her lips before looking back down at Dimitri. It was like she was looking at her future and when she looked up into Erik’s eyes, she knew that she needed him to be there, too. She had no doubt that she could raise this baby by herself, but she didn’t want to. She wanted Erik with her; she wanted Dimitri to have his mommy and his daddy.

Suddenly a nurse appeared and said, “We need to check him out.”

Piper nodded as they took him and watched as Erik went with them, standing only inches away. She never thought she could love Erik more, but she did. He had been amazing during the labor and perfect throughout the delivery. He was attentive, sweet, and amazing, everything Piper needed. She couldn’t have done it without him, and she knew that he had to love her. He might not have the words but he had the actions and that was enough.

Closing her eyes, tears leaked out as she listened to her little guy cry. Everything had happened so fast and she couldn’t believe that just a few hours ago she was celebrating her best friend’s union and now here she was, a mommy. How did this happen and why wasn’t she scared? She had been so worried when they first got to the hospital, feeling like she couldn’t do it, but she did—and a pretty damn good job, if she did say so herself. And she knew it was all because of Erik.

Glancing over at Erik, she watched him watch their son like he was tracking a puck on the ice: sharp and attentive. He was going to be the perfect father, and she had known that since the beginning. The great thing was that he was finally realizing this.

She knew that there was still a lot to figure out between them, but at that moment she was surprised she could even keep her eyes open. Her body was exhausted, and she felt as if just moving her arms would take everything out of her. She felt loopy, like she was flying, as everyone started to move and poke at her. When she glanced down at Dr. Richards, she whispered, “I’m about to pass out.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. They gave you some pain meds, so go to sleep. I’m finishing up some of your sutures,” Dr. Richards said.