Chapter Twenty-Three

                                    

                                          
Alfred whispered gentle, encouraging words as you screamed in agony. The pains of labor were becoming too much as the sun slowly started to come up. You strained your body to do as Tina told you to. "I hate you!" Your gripped Alfred's and Lovina's hands as you screamed at Alfred. "You get me pregnant... then you disappear for five months, you asshole! ... Then you ask me to... To marry you? I hate you, I hate you!"
                          
All Alfred did was continue to whisper to you as he kissed your hand. "It's alright, (Name)... I here now... I love you, babe... You're doing great..." Each phrase was sweet and short.
                          
"I... I thought- ahhh, I thought you were dead!" Tears and sweat caused the hair lining your face to stick to your skin. Alfred brushed these strands away with the lightest of touches. You kept on with your yelling at him between pants and screams and cries. The American just smiled at you and caressed your skin as he spoke calmly, unlike his personality.
                          
"Of course I'll... Marry you... You dumb ass!" After that was out, your back arched as another scream tore from your throat. You then fell back onto the bed, panting hard as a child's cries filled the room.
                          
Before Alfred could get up, your groaned, gripping his hand tighter. Katyusha wrapped the newborn and cleaned them as Tina ordered Alfred to keep talking to you. He was confused, but did as told. 
                          
Your pain only passed momentarily, then returned. For another several minutes, your ironclad grip refused to loosen and cries fumbled from your lips. Soon, another cry sounded. "Two?" Alfred looked up at Tina as she handed the crying babe to Feliciana.
                          
Tina looked over at Alfred and shook her head. "No. Three." 
                          
~
                          
Once it was done and over with, you lay back on the bed, panting heavily as your grip on their hands slackened. "Mom was... Lucky to have... The damn epidural..." You murmured as Lovina chuckled, stacking pillows behind your head so you can sit up comfortably. Alfred and Lovina both helped you sit as Katyusha cautiously made her way over with a bundle cradled in her arms. Your stretched out your arms with a whine, wanting to hold your first born. Once the baby was in your hands, you brought them to your chest and cradled them. "Alfred, look," you whispered with a tired smile. 
                          
Alfred sat on the bed beside you and smiled as well as he looked over your shoulder at the baby's sleeping, red face. "It's a boy." Katyusha told you and Alfred as Feliciana came up with the second born. Alfred took this baby.
                          
"This one is a girl. So is the youngest. Two girls and a boy." The young Italian grinned.
                          
Tina shooed the other girls out as she held the youngest member of their group. Once they were gone, she handed the baby to Alfred and helped him hold both before going around the room and cleaning. Alfred heard Feli squealing outside about the triplets, and everyone cheered, but he didn't care. He was just in time for this moment that he's always wanted.
                          
~
                          
Alfred groaned, waking up for the umpteenth time that night. The triplets were all just a week old and had to share a bed with him and you. He rolled out of the bed and dragged himself out of the room. He yawned as he made his way down the stairs, then opened the door as he rubbed his eyes. "What? I got no sleep last night and the sun isn't even fucking up yet."
                          
Ludwig chuckled, and so did the other three behind him. Ludwig raised a part of a wooden frame. "Maybe you'll sleep better if the triplets had their own bed."
                          
~
                          
The American grinned after they finished piecing the handcrafted cradle together, successfully not waking you, nor the babies. Once the four guys left, Alfred went over to the bed and scooped up little Andrew. "C'mere, buddy." He whispered, rocking the baby as he walked over to the cradle. Alfred slowly lay him down, and grinned at how well his son went right back to sleep. "That's my boy." Then he repeated this process with his daughters, but didn't have as much luck with little Faith. She didn't take kindly to being woken, and cried into her father's shoulder, her tiny hands fisting his white shirt.