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Around three in the morning, Buck began experiencing what he thought were contractions. He woke up to some lower belly pain which wasn't unusual with his new found Braxton Hicks, or false labor as his doctor called it. So he brushed it off and tried to go back to sleep. He huffed and pushed himself up with his elbows about an hour after when the baby started kicking close to his bladder, preventing him from getting any rest.
He looked over at his sleeping husband with a sigh, there was no use waking him up and worrying him when this still might be nothing. Eddie had been working so hard lately to provide for them, it wasn't like they were having trouble and needed all the money they could get, Eddie just wanted to make sure they were taken care of while the two were on family leave. He'd been working doubles and making sure to cover everyone's shifts when he could, which meant that Buck hadn't been seeing him very much lately.
Buck simply smiled at the sight of the sleeping man and kissed his forehead before hauling himself up with a grunt and slowly waddling towards their shared bathroom. After relieving himself, he made his way to the kitchen to make himself a cup a tea. Ever since finding out about the pregnancy, Eddie, Maddie, and his parents(Bobby and Athena, not Philip and Margret) had been super overprotective of him. They'd cut him off of caffeine completely cold turkey(hence the switch to tea), put him on light duty, and regularly made him check in with them about how he was feeling.
At first it had been a bit overwhelming for the pregnant man but he began to slowly grow fond of it. Growing up all he really had was Maddie, and the poor teenager could only do so much for her baby brother, so this sense of parental love from Bobby and Athena was like heaven to him. Eventually though he had to put a stop to it as it had started to boarder on smothering. The family had a sit down and talked about what worked for everyone and what didn't, and just like that everything had been fixed.
He shook his head to break him from his thoughts and rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he yawned when suddenly another pain wracked his stomach. He winced in discomfort and rubbed a hand over his bump as he waited for the water to boil. "Jesus, kid.." He whispered to his unborn baby.
Even though he was exhausted and would give anything to be laying in bed asleep next to his husband right now, Buck actually quote enjoyed the quietness of the house sometimes, it gave him a chance to breath. Normally he didn't like the quiet because it reminded him to much of how lonely he used to be, how unwanted and useless he felt, but ever since he got pregnant he found himself needing a moment to himself every now and then. Don't get him wrong, he loved how loud his house could get with their son in the house and their found family regularly visiting, but sometimes it just got to be too much and he needed to escape for just a moment and reset.
A smile graced Buck's face as he felt his little one kick the spot he'd been rubbing random shapes into. As their daughter's birth approached, Buck had some anxiety about the labor and delivery process. He and Eddie made the decision to have the baby at home with only the support of Maddie, and Buck's parents. Neither of them were too fond of hospitals, both of them having watched the other almost die too many times and they didn't want to bring their daughter into an environment filled with anxiety and fear. So they figured why not bring her into the world in the safety of their own home? They'd feel a million times better and Maddie had already offered to be Buck's midwife.
They had it all planned out and written down, once they were sure Buck was in labor, they'd call Maddie, Bobby, and Athena(Bobby and Athena being their for support and they really wanted to be their when their grandbaby was born). The three would race over and start timing the contractions, and when it was time to push, or when the contractions got bad enough that he needed the water to relief, they would fill up a small pool for the baby to be born in.
Buck sat by himself on the couch with his tea and a book, soaking in the light the morning brought as the sun slowly but surely came up. When it was almost six, Buck was now sure the cramps he'd been having were contractions and had started to become a little more painful. He'd been through a lot and he'd like to think that his pain tolerance was high, so this wasn't anything he couldn't handle, but god was it uncomfortable.
By now, his husband was awake and padding down the hallway to figure out where the love of his life was and why he wasn't asleep beside him when he awoke from his sleep. When reaching the end of the hall, he peered into the living room with squinted eyes to avoid the harsh glare of the morning light to see the other father of his children sitting there with an arm wrapped around his bump and a book in his hand.
"Buck?" He muttered, venturing farther into the room. "It's like six in the morning, what are you doing up?" His voice was husk with sleep and he cleared it to make speaking more comfortable as he took his spot next to the blonde.
"Oh, good, you're awake." Buck simply responded, pecking Eddie's cheek as he set down the book he'd previously been reading. "How did you sleep?"
"Would've been better if you'd been next to me when I woke up." Eddie laid down and rested his head on top of Buck's stomach while the other carded his finger's through his hair.
"Mm, I'm sorry about that. I woke up awhile ago and couldn't get back to sleep so I came out here, made some tea, and started reading." Buck smiled at the sleepy man, chuckling a little at how his face squished against the material of his shirt.
"'s fine, did you sleep good?" Eddie hummed, his eyes fighting to stay open again.
"Eh, kinda." Buck shrugged. "Like I said, couldn't really sleep. My back was aching and then some cramps woke me up and I couldn't get back to sleep cause your baby was sitting on my bladder."
Eddie frowned sympathetically and rubbing his hips a little. "Mmm, I'm sorry, cariño." And then realization set it. "Wait did you say you were having cramps?"
"Yeah, they started around three, I think? And then I came out here and they continued, they got a little worse as the sun rose though." Buck simply shrugged as if the bomb he'd just dropped had been absolutely nothing at all.
"Why didn't you wake me up? I would have been here to help you." Eddie was suddenly awake and alert, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.
Buck chuckled and cradled Eddie's face in his hands. "Because I didn't need help, Eds. They've been pretty manageable, and you've been working so hard. I just didn't want to wake you up and worry you in case it was nothing."
"Even if it's nothing, I still want you to wake me up, any kind of pain isn't nothing to me." Eddie took one of Buck's hands in his own and pressed a kiss to it.
"Alright, fine. Next time I'll wake you up." Buck conceded.
"Good, now lets go call your sister and Bobby and Athena."
Buck immediately groaned. "Do we have to? It's so early!"
"Yes, it's in the plan, remember?" Eddie gave him a stern look.
"Ugh, fine. Then we should call either Hen or Chim too because I don't want Chris hearing me in pain. I don't wanna scare him." Buck puffed out a breath as he tried reaching for his phone on the coffee table.
"Chris? That kid is tough as nails, he'll be fine." Eddie chuckled at his struggles and grabbed the phone for him, which earned him a glare.
"Maybe, but still."
"Alright, fine, you call Hen or Chim, and I'll call the others."
"Awesome, go team! Ow-"
The two spent their morning, after making their calls, cuddling with their son under the covers until it was time to face the world for real and get ready to bring their new life into it.
"Do you know when the baby will get here?" Christopher asked, arm sprawled across Buck's middle section as he clung to his other dad.
"I'm afraid not, buddy." Buck kissed his head. "Babies take time getting into the world, it could take anywhere from an hour or two to an entire day."
"Woah! Really!?"
"It's true." Eddie chimed in. "I was there when your mom had you, it took a long time."
"Hmm, okay! I hope she doesn't take too long. I really wanna meet her." Chris buried his face into Buck's side.
"Me too buddy, me too." Eddie carded his fingers through his son's hair.
As the day went on, Buck's contractions worsened but he pulled through with the knowledge that with each sensation, every tightening pain that surged through his body brought him closer to meeting his baby. Shortly after making the calls, Maddie and Chim came over. Chimney hung out for a minute before Buck declared that it was right about the time that he could only handle the people supposed to be present for this birth and he left with Christopher.
Bobby and Athena showed up right after Chim left and the second Bobby stepped through the door and saw Buck working through a contraction he went full papa bear mode and started comforting him the best he could.
Currently, Buck had his bands pressed up against his spine as he paced the floor of the living room, his head thrown back and his eyes closed. He knew this house like the back of his hand so he trusted himself not to run into anything. He kept the steps slow as he battled through the bouts of pain.
Maddie smiled slightly as she watched her brother handle himself. She's been in the same boat only two years earlier except she had worked through he whole thing and barely made it to the hospital in time. She was proud of the way Buck had planned out the whole process and executed it the way both him and Eddie wanted it.
Eddie, on the other hand, was a wreck as he watched his husband go back and forth. All he could to was watch and comfort when he could and he hated it, hated that he couldn't magically make the pain go away, hated that Buck had to endure it for only god knows how long, and hated that he couldn't do anything about it. He knew their baby was bound to come at some point, this was a process he had prepared himself for and now he just had to sit there and do all he could to help.
Buck walked around for a few hours, Bobby getting up at one point and offering himself as support, which Buck immediately accepted. He leaned against his father figure, his face buried in his shoulder as they swayed from side to side while he fought through a particularly rough contraction.
"Ooo... it hurts, Bobby." He moaned.
"I know, but you're doing so good and I'm so proud of you right now." Bobby gave the younger a wobbly smile, cradling his head.
"Yeah?" Buck's voice came out shaky and muffled from the fabric of Bobby's shirt.
"Yeah, kid. So proud."
Suddenly Buck hissed and paused the swaying a bit to grip Bobby's shirt. "Agh, Eddie, can you, ooooh.." He pushed away from Bobby a little and did his best to reach his back. "Please, my back is killing me.."
"Yeah! Yeah, of course." The mentioned man immediately sprung up and speed walked his way over, pressing the heels of his palms into Buck's lower back, moving them around to try and ease at least a little bit of Buck's pain. It was just then that Buck began to vocalize his pain as Athena came over to press a kiss to his head and wipe the sweat from his forehead.
"Motherfucker! I didn't think it would get this bad this fast." Buck mumbled as the pain finally began to dwindle, the young man already starting to lose his breath. Once the contraction ended, he stayed in his position against Bobby with Maddie watching from afar, Athena holding his hand, and Eddie's hands pressed into his back.
"I get the feeling. It sucks, like really really sucks-" Maddie started.
"Wow, thanks, Mads, that helped soooo much." Buck gave her a playful sarcastic look.
"If you'd let me finish it would be you little monster." Maddie rolled her eyes.
"I'm in labor! You're supposed to me nice to me!"
"I call bullshit!"
"Okay I'm ending this!" Athena snapped. "Both of you shut up and just enjoy this while we still can, got it?"
The siblings looked at each other then back at Athena and gave a nod.
As the day slowly progressed, Buck moved onto the yoga ball they'd bought just for this. Buck slowly and carefully bounced on it while Eddie sat on his knees on the floor, holding his hand and Maddie behind him, standing up and gently rubbing his waist. He leaned his head back to rest on her chest. He smiled a little, feeling everyone's eyes on him.
"Take a picture, guys, it'll last longer." Buck joked, chuckling at the awkward snorts he got in response.
Maddie pushed his hair away from his forehead. "It's a beautiful day out, Athena, could you open the curtains please? He loves feeling the sun on his skin."
The older woman nodded and walked over, opening the curtains to let the rays of sun shine through.
"Mmm, you know me so well." Buck kept his eyes closed but hummed at the affection he was getting from his sister.
"Of course I know you well, idiot. I raised you." Maddie smirked.
The five of them sat there in comfortable silence before the laboring man broke it. "Hey, guys?" He started. "Can you promise me one thing? No matter how much pain I'm in or no matter how much I beg, make sure to remind me why we didn't want the hospital in the first place, okay? I don't wanna end up in an uncomfortable and sterile place when she comes. I want her here, with us and only us."
"We can do that, baby." Athena cooed. "We'll make sure you have your baby girl here, okay?" She laid a damp cloth over his forehead, smiling at the noise of relief he made as the cold water helped him cool down.
"Thank you, mama." Buck sighed in content, leaving the other four in the room to stop and stare.
"Anything for you, hun. Anything." Athena pet his hair gently.
Eventually, Buck grew tired of sitting on the ball and decided to stand on his knees with his upper half rested on on the ball. His hands were balled together in a fist and his forehead rested on them while Bobby gently kneaded his fists into Buck's back as he panted.
"I can't-" He cut himself off as another contraction tore through him. "Fuck! Hotpack, please, I can't do this." Buck shook his head. "It's too much, too fast."
"I'll go grab the hotpack." Eddie announced. He had needed something to do, needed to help somehow and this gave him the chance to do that.
Bobby nodded to him but mostly focused on his son. "Yes you can, Buck. You can and you're doing so so good. Soon enough it'll be over and you'll have your baby girl in your arms and you'll realize it was all worth it, I promise you.
Buck sniffled in response and Bobby felt his heart shatter into pieces, Buck was crying. "I need her out, Bobby, I-I need this to hurry up... I don't kn-know how much more I can take.."
"I know. But you're so strong, just look at how much you've been through. You can do this." Bobby kissed his head.
"Right.. right, I uh... I can do this." Buck puffed out a breath and nodded.
Eddie came rushing in with the hotpack. He sat to the side of Buck and gently wrapped it around his middle where the contractions hurt the most. Buck practically moaned in relief, letting his head fall back down onto the ball.
"Oooo...." He breathed. "Eddie, Eddie, I love and hate you so much at the exact same time right now-" He blindly reached out to clutch his partner's hand.
"I know." Eddie chuckled. "I know and I'm sorry you have to go through this."
"It's okay, at least at the end I get rewarded with a cute baby, right?" He laughed.
Eddie simply smiled, pulling his shirt up slightly to reveal the skin beneath and rubbing the sore area. "Right."
"How're you doing, Buck? Do you feel close to pushing anytime soon?" Maddie asked.
"Nah, my water wasn't even broken yet so I think pushing is still a ways away." Buck chuckled humorlessly.
Maddie nodded. "Alright, well you're doing so so good, Buck. We're all so proud of you. "
Buck nearly melted at that, soaking up all the love and support he was being drenched in, he was extremely uncomfortable, in pain, and already sweating like a pig but he knew that his family was there to help keep him steady when things felt like they were getting to be way too much for him to handle. Eddie was a godsend, keeping his composure even though Buck knew that he was bursting at the seams with fear and excitement for their baby to arrive. He couldn't believe how amazing Bobby and Athena were being, running to his side every time he made the slightest noise indicating he was in pain. And Maddie... he was so grateful to his sister for doing this for him, making sure he had a safe and comfortable delivery.
By five o'clock that evening, Buck's contractions grew more and more uncomfortable and intense he couldn't help but groan and cry when he could feel one approaching.
The group of five had moved to the bedroom after Buck grew too uncomfortable and decided he needed to be on the bed on all fours. He had is head laid down on his folded arms as he rocked his hips back and forth. The hotpack had stopped helping awhile ago and the cloth on his head had been replaced a few times but nothing seemed to help much anymore. His belly hung between his hips like a water droplet, indicating the baby had dropped. At least he had that going for him, right?
Maddie sat right in front of him, quietly running her fingers through Buck's blonde hair. He lifted his head and opened his mouth to say something but a moan came out instead, hunching back over only this time he rested his forehead on Maddie's legs.
"Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.." Buck muttered, squeezing the hand that had been suddenly offered to him. At this point he didn't know who it was and he quite frankly didn't care.
Buck's screaming and groaning broke Eddie's heart, watching his husband power through the agonizing contractions. He hesitated for a moment before placing his hand on Buck's back.
Suddenly a loud splash rang out through the silent room and Buck made a noise of pain. "Oh shit!" He exclaimed, wide-eyed. "My water just broke." He panted.
Maddie grinned. "It's time to set up the pool, guys!" She clapped, throwing Buck a sympathetic look when he flinched at the sudden loud noise.
Bobby got up about as fast as he could. "Where is it!?" He asked.
"It's in the hall closet!" Eddie replied, getting up just as fast to get some hot water into a pot.
Athena and Maddie stayed in the room with Buck. Maddie sat behind him, supporting his back with his head rested on her shoulder while Athena sat in front of him, holding both of his hands in her own, watching her son fight through yet another contraction right after one just ended. About ten minute later the pool was blown up and Eddie had just finished pouring the hot water into it. Maddie slowly slid out from behind her brother, her heart clenching at the whimper it brought, and took one of his hands from Athena.
The two women got up and then slowly helped Buck stand as well. The three made their way into the living room once more, and this is where it got a little embarrassing. Maddie helped Buck remove his pants and boxers before he got into the pool, and this time Eddie slid behind him, gently massaging Buck's shoulders.
"You're doing exactly what you're supposed to do." Eddie continued to whisper words of encouragement to Buck throughout labor as he progressed and the pain began to worsen. "You are doing so fucking good, Buck. I know it hurts and I know you probably feel like giving up, but you are so so close right now, our little girl could be here any second now."
Buck let his legs fall open and Maddie took her position in front of him, smiling happily as she realized her niece would be here so very soon.
Buck grunted as he released the push, causing the baby's head to slip back in. He cried at the feeling. "No!" He whined. "I thought we were getting somewhere, I-I thought she was ge-getting close!"
"We are, baby, she's just stubborn like her fathers." Athena gently held his head, petting his hair. "She's coming, I promise."
"You're doing so good, baby brother. She's showing a lot more than she was awhile ago. She has a lot of hair." Maddie laughed a little in pure joy.
"No wonder I had so much heartburn..." Buck panted.
Bobby laughed, pressing a kiss to his son's knuckles. "You got this, kid."
Buck let his head fall to the side to look at him. "Dad.." His voice wobbled helplessly. "It hurts so bad.."
"I know, I know. But you only need a couple more pushes and then you're done!" Bobby sat on his knees, rubbing his thumb back and forth across the top of his hands. "C'mon, just a couple more, kid. Only a few more pushes."
"Just a few more.." Buck repeated, nodding to himself as he sat up a little straighter with the help of his lovely husband.
"Give me a strong one, Evan!" Maddie told him, holding her hands out to catch the baby when the time came. "The head is the hardest part so I need some strong pushes to get it out."
Buck gave another hard push, the head slowly starting to bulge out once more. This time it stayed exactly where it was when Buck stopped pushing, only this time it brought a sort of burn along with it. "Oh shit, oh shit! Maddie it burns!" He panicked.
"That's normal, Evan! It's called the ring of fire, means she's getting close!" Maddie practically squealed.
"Get. Her. Out!"
Eddie carefully pulled back Buck's thighs to help give him more pushing room and help get the baby out faster.
Buck's face contorted from the pain of the contractions and burning of their daughter’s head stretching him. He pushed harder than before and felt as her head slowly slipped out while Maddie's fingers gently grazed his daughter as her face started to appear during this push.
And after a few more pushes, the head was born with a bunch of fluids. Buck gasped at the feeling while everyone else around cheered.
"Oh my god! Buck she's so close! You're doing it!" Athena peppered his face with kisses.
Bobby had actual tears gathering in his eyes. "She has your hair, Buck."
Buck didn't have the energy to respond with words so he groaned in response, electing a wet chuckle from his husband.
"C'mon, mi vida, keep pushing. Maddie has her head in her hands, she is so close!" Eddie encouraged.
"Whooo.." Buck let out a breath before sucking in a new one and bearing down, his face cherry red from all the pressure he was putting into the push. “Ow. Aaaahhhh.” He moaned. He crushed Bobby's poor hand with how hard he was squeezing it.
"Here she comes! Push, Evan, I've almost got her!" Maddie cheered.
"Fuck! It feels like I'm being torn apart! Am I tearing!?" Buck's eyes were once again wide and frantic.
"No! No, you're doing fine! But her shoulders are coming through and that hurts, like a lot. Just a little more, Ev!"
Buck pushed, hard, as Maddie gave a small tug to help guide out his daughter.
"Ow! Fuck you, don't pull!" Buck growled. "Ah! Sorry! I didn't mean that, I'm just-" He panted quickly, his chest rising and falling fast. "-in a lot of serious pain right now."
"She knows, baby. I think childbirth gives anyone a pass on what they say." Athena mumbled to him.
Buck closed his eyes and took a moment to steady himself. Maddie had her hand on his baby. With just one more huge push, his and Eddie's lives would be changing forever, in a good way of course, but a change is still a change nonetheless.
"Okay...okay..." He whispered, sucking in a huge breath before bearing down for the last time. He used every last ounce of energy he still had in his overworked body and put it into this last push, feeling as his baby made the rest of her way through with a pop and another rush of bodily fluids. Immediately she cried, her little lungs working overtime so everyone in the room would know that she worked just as hard to get to them.
"Oh my god, Evan, you did it!" Eddie cheered, pulling his husband into a passionate kiss. Obviously, he was gentle about it, but still. He got his point across.
"Oh, Buck! I'm so proud of you, kid!" Bobby squeezed his hand tightly as Maddie gently set the screaming baby onto Buck's heaving chest.
Buck laid there with his crying baby girl on his chest and a horror show of blood and other fluids between his legs, savoring this very moment, something that he will cherish and remember forever. He held his daughter in his arms and felt all of his love rush into this miracle he and Eddie had created.
The rest was a blur. Maddie helped him deliver the afterbirth and dispose of it after he felt his daughter her first meal and then Bobby cleaned her off before Athena got her into her outfit. The two were taken into the bedroom to relax and rest. They'd clean everything in the morning and introduce Chris to his little sister.
Hours after the little girl's birth, Buck laid on the bed, now cleaned up and in comfortable clothes, dead asleep with their little girl on his chest. Maddie had now gone home to spend time with her boyfriend and her own little girl, along with her nephew, but Bobby and Athena stayed.
"Have you guys picked out a name?" Bobby asked, breaking the silence of the room.
"Yeah." Eddie replied, his eyes never leaving the two figures on the bed. "Jesse." He smiled. "It means gift."