[shooshoo]

"Good, good," Sid said, shifting around and helping Bailey get into a good position to push. He grabbed a pair of gloves, sliding them on both hands this time. He parted Bailey's legs, spreading him wide.

"Okay, babe. Give me a good push."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Bailey gripped the stress ball in his right hand and a fistful of the blanket in his left hand. He felt the pressure building in three, two, one... "Huuuahn!" The laboring man pushed. He pushed to as long as the contracted lasted and then relaxed. Bailey was grateful for the rhythm of things, but he still wished he could be done with it sooner than later.

Roughly twenty minutes passed with Bailey making as much progress as he could. "H-A-R-P-E-Aaaaarh!" Bailey pushed, curling forward around his belly. Sweat coated his belly and thighs, soaking the layers of blankets and towels beneath him. Relax. Relax. Relax. "H-A-R-P-E-Aaaaurhaah!"

[shooshoo]

Sid frowned a little, reached between Bailey's legs to feel for Harper's head. Bailey was panting heavily, and he cried out as Sid pressed his fingers inside of him. Bailey was definitely fully dilated now. The very top of Harper's head was pressing through.

"You're making progress," Sid said, pulling his fingers out. "Maybe we should try another position. Maybe hands and knees?"

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"M-Maybe," Bailey grunted in reply. Sid helped him get on all fours. It felt a little strange. His heavy belly hung down like a pendulum beneath him. Again, he grabbed the blanket up in his hands, pulling winkles in the fabric.

They got him into position just in time. A contraction hit him and Bailey instinctively rocked on his knees, rolling against his pelvis as he pushed. Auburn curls turned into a sweaty, matted mess on his head. Individual curls stuck to his damp neck and forehead. Pain wracked his body. Bailey arched, forcing a deep dip in his spine, and his belly dropped lower towards the bed.

"Honey?" Bailey knew Sid was still back there, but he couldn't see his husband, and the anxiety of the labor just added on to the distress. "Honey, talk to me. C-Count for me, or... or something."

[shooshoo]

"I'm right here," Sid said, putting a hand on Bailey's hip, stroking gently. He could see that Bailey was opening better this way and rocking his hips seemed to help him push.

"On the next contraction, I'll count, try and push for the count of 10."

Bailey nodded, his head dropping forward. The next contraction came and Bailey rocked his hips. Sid began to count, holding onto Bailey's back.

"...5, 6, 7 ... doing so good ... 8, 9, 10. And breathe."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Bailey let out a relieved exhale when he finished pushing. Dear lord, how long had he been doing this? He picked up his phone and swiped the screen. 9:15 PM. His water broke around noon, didn't it? Shit... He'd been in labor for nine hours. The young man always thought working out at the gym was hard. The gym would be a piece of cake after this.

The next contraction came and Sid counted for him. It was the perfect device for focusing. Bailey could listen to his husband's familiar comforting voice during the most difficult moments of the labor. Sid's hands never left him, either. Bailey felt as fingers and palms touched across his hips, along his thighs, down under his belly, and on his back.

Soon, Bailey felt the baby crowning. "I n-need you to p-push on my back, hun," he stammered. "Right on the sm-small of my back. Push h-hard!"

[shooshoo]

"I got you," Sid said, pressing against the small of Bailey's back firmly. He could see the very top of Harper's head as Bailey pushed. She slid back a little each time he stopped. Sid knew that was normal, knew that was going to happen.

"She's moving down each time you push. You're doing this, babe. She's coming."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

That was the best news he heard all night. Having Sid push on his back also helped alleviate the pressure that made him just want to crumple up on his side. A few more contractions and few more pushes, and Bailey felt her stretching him. Dilating only did so much, but babies sure were big for being such tiny little things. "Aaaahn! Ghhnahn! Hoooh... Haaugh!" Oh this was terrible. This hurt. This hurt, this hurt, this hurt. "Aaahhh-hooow far o-o-ouuut is sssshhh-she?"

[shooshoo]

Sid really, really didn't want to tell Bailey that he could only see about a half dollar sized bit of her head. At least that bit wasn't sliding back any longer. He pressed his hand against the small of Bailey's back, rubbing firmly.

"She's moving down and I can see more of her head," Sid reached for one of Bailey's hands, forcing him to let go of the death grip he had on the blankets. He helped him stretch and twist enough to just brush his fingertips against her head. "Feel that? That's her head."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Bailey was overwhelmed by two conflicting feelings. He was in total awe at the feeling of her head. It was incredible. That was really her! He was also utterly dismayed that she wasn't out nearly as far as he thought she was. That was it? It wasn't even enough to fit the palm of his hand! Bailey let out a strangled noise between a groan and a sob. Nobody could ever prepare him for how hard this was. All the Lamaze classes in the world wouldn't be enough.

More time passed; a little over an hour. It was getting dark outside. Bailey screamed during a contraction. Sweat dripped in fat droplets off his face down onto the blanket. He fought to catch his breath when it was over and his arms shook. "I can't hold m-myself up anymore," he cried. "I'm too tired! Shit, I'm so fucking tired!" Bailey's hormones were also getting the better of him, sending him into the angry phase of labor.

[shooshoo]

"Okay, babe." Sid helped Bailey move onto his back again. He spread Bailey's legs before putting the soles of his feet on his shoulders. "Push against me."

Bailey pushed and Sid grunted at the pressure against his shoulders. He rubbed at Bailey's perineum, massaging the stretched skin. Harper wasn't quite crowning yet but she was close. At least Sid really hoped so. He was amazed that no one had come to find out what the screams were about. Bailey had only been getting louder as the labor progressed.

Harper slid forward on a hard push, her head holding Bailey open wide. She was so close to crowning.

"You can do it, Bailey. She's so close."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

"Aaauhhn! Christ, damn it! This is the only t-time I'm doing this! You hear me? She is it!!" Bailey didn't know if he truly meant that or not, but in the heat of the moment, he couldn't imagine doing this a second or third time. Or if he did, it would definitely be in a hospital full of drugs.

Just a few more solid pushes and the baby's head slid completely free. Bailey screamed through the whole thing, and then he choked on a relieved gasp when it was over. His head fell back, thunking against the wall, and he stared up at the dark sky outside the window. He'd been at this far too long. A fresh contraction made him grit his teeth and moan.

Shit. Now it was time for her shoulders. "I-I... I ca-aaaaah-an't!"

[shooshoo]

Sid held Harper's head in his hand, watching as she turned towards Bailey's thigh to get ready for the shoulders. His vision was blurry as he stared at her tiny face, red and scrunched, the rest of her still inside of Bailey.

Sid looked up as Bailey cried out in anguish. "You are almost done! I am holding her head in my hand. All you have to do is get the shoulders out and then you can hold her. Just give me another strong push. Please, babe. You can do it."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Just get her shoulders out? That was it? Sid made it sound so easy. He couldn't just quit now, could he? He had no choice. She was right there. Sid had Harper in his hands. "Hnn... Ahhn..." It was coming. Could he do it in one go?

Bailey curled forward and pushed. He groaned and moaned and cursed. The contraction ended, but it hadn't been enough. He could feel her just starting to stretch that final bit. Oh sweet lord. He couldn't take much more. Bailey pushed again. He felt his baby slipping further to freedom. Another push and felt Sid's hand cup closer. Bailey heard Sid shouting excitedly about something and there was one last ripple of pain as his husband pulled their baby the rest of the way out.

Bailey made a strangled noise between pain and relief before simply falling into panting and gasping. Suddenly, the contractions didn't come on as strongly, there was no more pressure, and the burning sting of Harper stretching him was gone. And then he heard a tiny shriek that sent him into tired laughter. "Oh my god..."

[shooshoo]

Sid cradled his daughter in his arms, listening to her cry. His eyes were so blurry from his own tears and he swiped at his eyes with his wrist.

"She's so perfect," Sid said, moving to sit next to Bailey and place her on his chest. He grabbed a towel and began to wipe her down, trying to clean her off and keep her warm at the same time. He reached for Bailey's glasses, getting them on him so he could see her clearly.

"You did it," Sid sniffles before kissing Bailey firmly. "I can't believe you did it.

[SimonBrownMpreg]

At first, she just looked like a blurry lump. Oh, but she was so warm. When Sid put his glasses on for him, Bailey blinked and then smiled big enough to crack his face in half. "Holy cow," he breathed. "Look at her. She's so little. I mean, hell, she didn't feel this little coming out, but man... I can't believe I did it either."

Bailey looked at his husband and started laughing. "I freaking had a baby on a train."

[shooshoo]

Sid laughed and kissed him again, overcome with joy. Their daughter was *here*, resting in his husband's arms and that was just so incredible. He knew there were practical things to consider - the placenta, getting Bailey cleaned up, getting Harper cleaned and dressed, feeding all of them. But he just didn't want to move, wanted to just hold Bailey close and stare at Harper.

"You are so amazing. Thank you for having our baby."

[SimonBrownMpreg]

Bailey laughed. "You don't need to thank me, hun. But if you -really- want to show your gratitude, you can buy me a six-pack in another week or two. And I'm talking the nice craft beer, not like Bud Light garbage or whatever. I haven't had a beer in eight months, so it'd better be a good one."

He winced and tensed for a moment. "Mhn... Something's..." Without even having to ask, Sid put a towel between Bailey's legs and gently pressed on his belly to help expel the placenta. He wrapped it and then tied it up in one of the plastic Target bags. After that, it was just a matter of getting Harper and Bailey cleaned.

Finally, after hours of intense labor, Bailey laid down under the blanket with tiny Harper in her warm onesie and wrapped in his arms. He smiled tiredly, kissing his husband, and then fell into well-deserved sleep.