[shooshoo]

Sid rested Bailey's feet against his thighs and began to rub them. He really would prefer to go to the hospital considering they were on a train and didn't have anything for the baby. But Bailey wanted this and he had already been prepared to deliver the baby at home so he feasibly could do it here. He looked at his watch, biting his lip.

"I'm going to run out and get some infant clothes and diapers and stuff for the birth. I'll be as quick as possible. You can call me or text me if anything gets worse. Does that work?"

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Bailey wasn't a huge fan of Sid leaving him alone, but he made a good point. They had nothing for Harper. They needed towels, blankets, clean scissors, water bottles, a carrier for the baby, probably a heating pad... All the things they left behind at home. "Get a tennis ball or something you can use on my back. And one of those stress balls I can squeeze." Bailey hissed through his teeth and gripped the sheets. "Ohhh boy... Hurry back, okay? I love you."

[shooshoo]

"I'll be back as quickly as possible," Sid said, pressing a kiss to Bailey's lips. He bent down and placed a kiss on his belly. "Be nice to your daddy while I am gone. Don't try to get out too fast."

Sid hurried out and managed to get a cab quickly. He ran through Target, grabbing everything he could think of. He had asked the cab to wait for him and he got back in the cab 20 minutes later.

Sid rushed back into their car exactly 43 minutes after he has left, laden down with bags. Bailey was kneeling on the bed on all fours, rocking his hips.

"How are you? Are you still okay?"

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"My contractions are seven minutes apart now, but I'm okay. There's just a lot of pressure, you know?"

Bailey lifted his head, his glasses sliding down his nose a little, and he blinked. "Did you buy the whole store, Sid?" He counted six bags total hanging from his husband's arms. It looked like one was full of just towels, a second one full of blankets, and a third full of water bottles. The other three bags must have been baby things and whatever else Sid deemed necessary.

"Nnnh..." Bailey rocked his hips again, taking a deep breath in and letting it out slowly. "My back reaaaally hurts."

[shooshoo]

Sid climbed on the bed behind Bailey and started to rub at the small of his back, feeling Bailey push back against him almost immediately. He looked down at his watch, timing the contraction. Bailey sagged a little at 45 seconds, his body relaxing.

Sid pulled Bailey's hair off his beck, feeling the sweat already gathering there. "Let's get you undressed and a little more comfortable."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"You closed the door, right?" Bailey looked up and saw the door closed. Sid even put on the latch. "You're so thoughtful," he said with a crooked smile.

He sat back on his knees and lifted his arms so Sid could pull the shirt up over his head. There were already sweat stains under the pits, down the line of the spine, and the hem along his lower belly. "Will you slide open the window? I think some fresh air will help."

Bailey leaned over the side of the bed and rummaged through his carrier bag until he pulled out his phone. He shuffled through the music library until finding the Tibetan singing bowls track he picked for this very occasion. Setting his phone on the bed, Bailey then leaned forward again, rolling his hips. "Here come another one..."

[shooshoo]

"You're doing so good, babe," Sid said, as he opened the window, letting the fresh air in. He moved back to Bailey, rubbing his back and murmuring encouragement to him until the contraction ended.

Sid moved over to the bags and started to take things out. "I got everything I could think of." He handed Bailey a bottle of water before pulling the tags off the towels. His plan was to spread most of them out on the bed and then put one of the blankets on top. The towels hadn't been washed and that bothered him, thinking about them against Bailey's sensitive skin. The blanket was at least soft and fluffy.

He helped Bailey to his feet and made up the bed as quickly as possible. It only took him a moment to get the still damp boxers off of Bailey and settle him back onto the bed. Sid started to take out other supplies; sharp scissors, gloves, alcohol wipes. He kept trying to think of anything he had forgotten, but so far it seemed like he'd grabbed what they would need.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Bailey took the bottle of water and had a few sips of it. He couldn't quite remember if he was supposed to full on drink water or not during labor. Sid sure bought a lot of towels. He thought it was overboard until he realized Sid wanted to cover the whole bed with them. A groan slipped past his lips as his husband hauled him up off the bed. Bailey swiveled his hips like a hoola-hoop while Sid made up the bed.

Back on the bed, Bailey rubbed his belly and watched Sid unload the other supplies. He cracked a smile. "Did you faint again while you were out?"

[shooshoo]

"No," Sid said, sticking his tongue out at Bailey. "I'll have you know I made it through Target without once getting faint. And I didn't pass out in the cab either. I'm good now."

Sid moved to sit next to him, rubbing his hand over Bailey's distended belly soothingly. "I'm focused now. We're doing this, you and me. Our Harper has decided to make her entrance at a very inopportune time, but we'll be ready for her."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"You know this means she's going to be a drama queen," Bailey remarked. "Everything is going to be about her all the time. If the attention isn't on her, then our priorities aren't straight." He only teased, of course. "I think she just wants to be a Portland baby." He let out a mock gasp. "Oh god, Sid, do you know what this means? She's going to be a hipster. She'll go around telling people she was born on a train 'before it was cool.'" At that moment, the baby kicked, as if confirming her dad's predictions.

[shooshoo]

Sid snickered and kissed Bailey warmly, cupping his cheek. "Like I wasn't going to spoil her anyway. I would do anything for you and now I can do anything for both of you."

Sid took a sip from the open bottle of water, still smiling. "So do we have to dress her in weird t-shirts, leggings, and skirts? And we have to make sure she always has heavy bangs and glasses too big for her face?"

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Bailey rolled his eyes. "I don't want to think about that before she's even here. I mean, I guess as long as she stays in schools, gets good grades, and keeps off drugs... she can be a hipster if she really wants to. But she'll have to check her pretentious at the door when she comes home.

"Aaaahn..." Bailey curled forward and grabbed his belly in both hands. "Nnm... Nnm... Hun, the contractions are getting stronger. They hurt..." He focused on his breathing while reaching for Sid's hand. "Honey..."

[shooshoo]

Sid grabbed Bailey's hand, letting him squeeze as he breathed through the contraction. This one went on longer and Bailey was sweating when he was done. Sid wiped his face with a damp washcloth before moving it to wipe under Bailey's hair and across his chest.

"Should I check to see how far you're dilated?" asked Sid once Bailey slumped back against the bed, breathing heavily.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"Do you think I am? Oh god, I can't remember anything the obstetrician said. Does dilating not start until the contractions are three minutes apart, or is that when I start pushing?" Bailey flexed his hand in and out of a fist shape. "Babe, did you buy a stress ball? I need the stress ball. Please tell me you bought a stress ball."

[shooshoo]

"I bought a stress ball," Sid said, pulling it out of one of the bags and putting it right in Bailey's hand. He cupped Bailey's cheek, looking at him seriously. "The contractions are helping you dilate. The closer they are, the more you are going to be dilated. When you are fully dilated, then you can push."

Sid grabbed the box of gloves and the lube and moved to sit between Bailey's legs. "This probably won't feel great but I need you to relax as best you can. If you have a contraction, tell me and I'll pull out."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Bailey took the stress ball and squeezed the life out of it. Chocolate brown eyes locked with hazel eyes, listening closely. Right. Okay. Contractions equaled dilating. That sounded familiar. But with his contraction only coming along about seven minutes apart, how far along could he really be?

Bailey laid back on the bed and propped up his legs. Good thing they took all those Lamaze courses together. He steadied his breathing while trying to completely relax his backside. It was hard with the pressure building up in his pelvis. "Grhn..." Bailey winced when he felt Sid's fingers slip into him. The labor made it feel totally different than when they used to prep for sex. "C-Can you tell?"

[shooshoo]

Sid tried to be as careful as possible, pressing his fingers against Bailey's cervix. He could feel that it was opening and he tried to gently press two fingertips against the edges, spreading them until he felt resistance. Bailey was shifting uncomfortably, his legs trembling and Sid gently pulled his hand out before spreading his fingers and looking down.

"I think you're about four centimeters and it feels like your cervix is thinning out." Sid stripped the glove off and took Bailey's free hand in his own, letting him clutch hard again, his other hand squeezing the stress ball rhythmically. "You're doing so good, babe. You can do this."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"S-So... So that means I transitioned f-from early labor into a-active labor, right?" Bailey tried remembering everything he could about this part. He gasped when another contraction hit him unexpectedly. Unless he counted wrong, they were coming five minutes apart now. "Mmmmmrn..." And lasting longer. That was definitely 50 seconds. He was starting to wish they were at home in their own room. Bailey wanted to get up and walk around, but their cabin was too small for that.

Bailey reached across the bed even with the stress ball still in his hand. "Hun, will you put a pillow under me? I can't... I can't be flat. It doesn't feel good."

[shooshoo]

Sid grabbed the pillow and helped get it under Bailey's hips. "Do you want to lean against me?" When Bailey nodded, Sid moved to sit behind him, helping to keep Bailey sitting upright between his legs. "I got you, babe."

The next contraction came too soon and Bailey gripped Sid's thigh this time, digging in. "Deep breath. In and out." Sid moved his hands over Bailey's belly in soothing circles. "Good, doing so good."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Just the physical contact alone made Bailey feel worlds better. It was comforting feeling Sid's strong chest supporting him and warm hands rubbing his aching belly. He focused on the breathing techniques he learned in class. He focused on the singing bowls music coming from his phone. He focused on Sid's encouraging whispers in his ear. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

Two hours passed and contractions only started coming four minutes apart, lasting for almost a full 60 seconds. Sid tried encouraging Bailey to change positions as much as possible. They cleared the floor as much as they could, putting bags and things in the overhead storage cubbies, and sort of dancing together. It was like awkward prom dancing. Bailey kept his hands on Sid's shoulders while Sid held firmly onto Bailey's aching hips. The couple swayed back and forth. Bailey even tried doing the hula hoop motion again.

A contraction gripped his body. Bailey groaned with sweat dripping down his curves and pressed his forehead against his husband's chest. "Thanks for not --aaahn-- trying to take pictures of me like this."