Pickles

                                    

                                          
Chase's POV 
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Time was weird. One minute Payton was five months pregnant then the next, she's in a hospital bed, with a nine month baby belly, her legs up in stirrups, giving me a look that I thought might've actually killed me if she didn't have another contraction breaking off our eye contact.
"Motherfucker!" I screamed as Payton's grip on my hand tightened, nearly decapitating my fingers.
"I swear to god, I'm going to rip your dick clean off after I get this damn thing out of me!" She growled before her head fell back, a pained expression on her face as she whimpered, pushing as she followed the doctors words.
"I'm afraid you're still not dilated enough for this baby to come out smoothly. I'll come back in thirty minutes to check again." He smiled politely and turned to walk past me and left the room, not before patting my shoulder and mouthing the words 'good luck' to me before he left.
I turn back to Payton, dabbing a cool wet towel over her forehead to swipe away any sweat beads forming. 
"You're doing so well, Sweetheart. I promise, this will all be over soon." I tried my best to give her reassurance, brushing away the few strands of hair that was stuck to her forehead with my finger gently.
"I can't do this. I-i c-cant." She breaks out in a sob, shaking her head as she rested her arm over her eyes, taking deep breaths. 
"Hey, hey.... shh look at me, darlin'." I mumble softly and remove her arm from her eyes, cupping her jaw as I turned her to face me.
"You can. And you will. I know it's hard baby, and you don't know how fucking proud I am of you. You have amazed me just like you do everyday." I press my lips to her sweat soaked skin, not caring how she looked.
She always looked beautiful to me.
"You're gonna get me pickles after this right?" She whimpered as another contraction waved over her.
"Of course baby, whatever you want." I chuckle and kiss the back of her hand.
"And it has to be- The white ones because you don't like the green ones because of the weird bumps. I know." I finish her sentence, already knowing what she was going to say, as I have heard it so many times before.
She always gave me a hard warning whenever we went out grocery shopping together. 
One time. 
ONE time, I pick up the wrong pickles and I get a lifetime lecture about it, how could I ever forget now?
"You remembered." And just like that, she was in a full blown river of tears again. 
Where is the damn doctor when you need him?
Is it normal to be this emotional over a type of pickle?
"It's happening again!" She cried out, pulling my hand into her death grip once more and I winced pre-impact, awaiting on the almighty pain to come.
I wrap my arm around her shoulder, pulling her into my chest and kiss her cheek, mumbling soft encouraging words to her ear.
"You got this baby. Come on. Look how amazing you're doing, sweetheart. Just breathe, baby, breathe." I rub her shoulders, trying to figure out anything that would help.
"You fucking breathe!" She snapped, crushing my hand in her tight fist. 
Welp... there goes my pinky finger in two.
"I- i'm sorry. I don't- ugh I d-didnt mean to-" Her sobs broke through her words and I cradled her head against my shoulder.
"I know baby, shhh, I know."
God, I felt so useless in this situation. I wanted to take away every ounce of pain she was going through. 
"Alright, let's see if we can get this baby evicted now." The doctor worked around Payton, checking to see if she was dilated enough to push, which to my relief, the doctor confirmed she was.
I don't think she could've held off much longer.
"This is it Angel. A couple more pushes and it'll be all over." I let her grab my hand again as she prepares herself once more.
I bite my inner cheek to prevent me from saying anything I would regret and pull through the pain.
"Okay Payton, I need you to really push for me." The doctor told her, receiving a glare in return.
"If you tell me to reallllly push one more time, I swear I- oohhh you son of a bitch!" She cut herself off mid sentence as she got the urge to push again, and I was thankful.
I didn't want to find out how that sentence would've ended.
After another additional 15 minutes of pushing, a sharp cry echoed throughout the room, and my eyes caught sight of the most beautiful little girl I had ever laid my eyes upon. 
Please don't tell Skylar I said that.
"You did it baby. I am so fucking proud of you." I felt my eyes begin to burn as I looked down to my daughter, screaming out her lungs as she finally made her arrival.
I smile widely and leaned down to Payton, kissing her lips gently.
"I love you, so much." I sniffle, as a tear rolls down my cheek. 
"I love you too." She half sobs, half chuckles, kissing me once more.
"Alright Dad, would you like to cut the cord?" The doctor asks me.
Fuck, even after already doing this two times before, my hands were still shaking with nerves like it was my first.
I cut the cord and the nurse took our little girl to go get cleaned up while the doctors tended to Payton with the aftercare.
Within a few minutes, my daughter was bundled up into a white blanket and passed into my arms. I stared at her in shock and admiration.
She was like a complete carbon copy of Payton.
Her little button nose, the shape of her sheer pink lips, the curve of her ears, she was absoloutely adorable. And all ours.
"Hi...hi little one. It's me. It's your Dad." I sniffled, my eyes blinded by tears as I gently rocked her in my arms to settle her little cries.
"Look how beautiful you are." I cooed to her in a quiet voice, watching as her face scrunched up tightly. 
I kiss her little cheek, my eyes widening as I notice the amount of hair she had on her head. 
"No wonder your Mother had so much heartburn." I mumble to myself, softly stroking my finger along the curve of her hairline. 
"Can I see her?" A tired voice echoed behind me and I turned to Payton who was finally stitched up and settled back into a clean-sheeted bed.
"Of course, Angel." I smile and watch as Payton holds out her arms, allowing me to settle the baby on her chest. 
I watched as her hand covered her mouth, letting out a quiet sob, making me chuckle. Her emotions probably didn't make sense to her right now.
Heck, I was still trying to understand them, but as long as both my girls were okay, I was okay too.
"Oh, I love you so much." She let out a sigh of a breath, resting her head back for a few moments. I sat on the side of her bed and kissed the side of my daughter's cheek before doing the same to Payton. 
"I cannot tell you how proud you've made me, Payton. I can't fathom how hard that was for you, but I am extremely proud. I love you... so fucking much."
My words muffle as I keep my lips pressed to Payton's temple, wanting to show her how proud I was and not just say it.
"I love you too, Chase." I smile at her response and kiss her nose softly.
After a few moments of silence, of both Payton and I staring at our new creation, one sentence broke up our moment.
"Can I have my pickles now?"