chapter 124: She's almost here

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Chapter 124 – Arya's POV

"She's almost here…"

The hospital lights were too bright. The bed felt cold. The pain—unrelenting. Crippling. Raw. It came in waves, every contraction squeezing the air out of my lungs and leaving me floating somewhere between fire and nothingness.

I could feel Damon's hand wrapped in mine, warm and strong, grounding me. I focused on the sound of his voice, soft and soothing as he whispered things I could barely hear over the pounding in my ears.

"Breathe, baby. Just like we practiced. I've got you."

I tried.

I swear I did.

But it hurt so damn much.

This was nothing like when I had Liam. I remembered the pain, yes, but this? This was more intense. More demanding. My body was screaming, and I couldn't seem to breathe fast enough to keep up.

"Damon…" I whispered, my voice cracking. "She's not waiting."

His fingers brushed my damp hair away from my face. "She'll wait. Just hold on. You're doing amazing, Arya. So, so amazing."

I didn't feel amazing. I felt like I was being torn apart.

Another contraction hit, and I bit down hard on my lip to stop from screaming. The nurses had dimmed the lights slightly, trying to make the room calmer, but nothing could soften the sharp, hot ache rolling through my lower back and hips.

"I hate her," I gasped.

Damon chuckled, even though he looked worried as hell. "No, you don't."

"I do. She's meaner than Liam. Way meaner."

"You said that about Liam too, remember?" he teased, leaning close to kiss my temple.

I laughed, or tried to. It came out broken and shaky. "She's going to be a drama queen. I can feel it. This one wants a grand entrance."

He kissed my hand. "She's our daughter. Of course she does."

I closed my eyes, trying to picture her. I had dreamt about her so many times. Little feet kicking under blankets. Big, curious eyes. A soft cry that would melt my heart the moment I heard it.

I wanted to meet her.

I also wanted this pain to be over.

I opened my eyes and looked up at the ceiling, trying to concentrate. I'd told Damon I could work through my eighth month. That I was fine. But I was tired now. Really, truly tired. My whole body felt like it had run a marathon, and I hadn't even started pushing yet.

"I need something," I whispered.

"What do you need, love?"

"I need it to be over," I said, tears gathering in my eyes. "I don't think I can do this again."

Damon crouched beside the bed, cupping my face gently. "You don't have to do it again. Just this once. For her. For us. You're almost there."

"But it hurts…"

"I know, Arya." His eyes were soft and filled with emotion. "If I could take the pain for you, I would in a second. But since I can't… I'll hold your hand through all of it. Every second. I'm right here."

The nurse returned and checked my vitals, adjusting the monitors on my belly.

"Still at eight," she said with a kind smile. "You're doing beautifully, mama. We'll check again in a little while. Just rest between contractions."

I nodded weakly, pressing my head against the pillow.

"She said the same thing thirty minutes ago," I muttered.

"She also said you're doing beautifully," Damon reminded me.

"That's code for you're screaming loud enough to scare the nurses."

He laughed, but I could tell he was nervous underneath the smile.

I reached for him again, needing the touch. "Tell me a story," I said.

Damon raised a brow. "Now?"

"Yes. Distract me. Talk about anything. How we met. Something stupid you did. I need to think about something that's not my uterus tearing itself apart."

He chuckled and kissed my knuckles. "Okay. Let me think… Oh! Remember our second date? The real one, not the disaster at the gallery?"

I gave him a weak smile. "The picnic at midnight."

"Exactly. I forgot the blanket. You sat on my jacket and pretended not to be annoyed."

"I was freezing," I whispered.

"You were polite."

"I was trying to impress you," I said, my voice softer now. "You were finally letting me in."

He looked at me for a long moment. "You've always been in. I just didn't know how to open the door."

The next contraction made me cry out again, but this time I gripped his shirt and let the pain ride through me. He didn't flinch when I almost ripped the fabric. He just leaned closer, whispering words I couldn't even process, brushing his lips along my temple, reminding me I wasn't alone.

After it passed, I lay there, breathless and trembling, but comforted.

"She's almost here," I whispered. "Isn't she?"

"She is," Damon said. "And she's going to be beautiful, just like her mom."

I looked at him, at the man who had once pushed me away so coldly and was now holding me like I was his entire world.

"Do you think I'm strong?" I asked.

He looked stunned. "Arya… you're the strongest woman I've ever known."

"I feel like I'm breaking."

"Then break," he said quietly. "I'll be the one holding the pieces."

And with that, I finally allowed myself to close my eyes for a moment—not to sleep, but to breathe. To survive the storm between now and our daughter's first cry.

Because Damon was right.

I didn't have to do this alone.

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End of Chapter 124 – Arya's POV.