Busting through the doors, he announced, “My wife is having a baby.”

Two nurses turned and then everything was a blur. Erik watched as they took Piper from him, put her in a wheelchair, and wheeled her down the hall. He tried to keep up, but he felt like he couldn’t breathe and at one point as they fired question after question at her, he had to lean against the wall to catch his breath.

Today wasn’t supposed to be baby day; today was supposed to be get-Mommy-to-be-with-Daddy-forever day.

The nurses were fast as they got Piper into a pink gown, then into the bed before hooking her up to some machines and sticking her with needles. As he leaned against the wall in her room, trying to stay out of everyone’s way, Erik realized that this was the moment when he could prove that he loved her more than anything in this world. No matter how hard it was, he had to be her rock. He had to be the encourager, the one who would help her get through this. He could tell that she was hurting and that she didn’t do well with pain, so he would be there, just as she had been there for him.

“Told you you’d go early.”

Erik looked at the doorway to see the Abercrombie & Fitch model who was posing as a doctor. Erik still wasn’t convinced that guy was a doctor, or gay, for that matter. He had everyone fooled, but Erik was onto him. One wrong move and that dude’s perfect grin would be destroyed. When he turned and flashed Erik that perfect smile, Erik came off the wall and was by Piper’s side in seconds.

“Pain meds, stat,” Piper said, fighting for oxygen.

“First let me check you,” the doctor said, bending Piper’s legs. “Are the contractions close?”

“Yes, a minute and a half apart,” a nurse said from the side, holding a long sheet of paper. “Wow, have you been having contractions all day?” he asked before sticking his hand up into Piper.

Piper let out a hiss of breath as she nodded her head. “Yeah, but I thought they were Braxton Hicks.”

“Apparently not, because, darling, you are in active labor.”

“Well obviously! My water broke!” Piper yelled. Her knuckles were turning white from where she was squeezing her thighs. Worried she might bruise herself, Erik took her hand in his, letting her squeeze him instead.

Dr. I’m Too Sexy laughed and Erik saw one of the nurses swoon as he said, “Oh hush.”

He pushed his hand inside her a little farther, biting his lip as he appeared to be thinking.

“So I have good news and bad; which do you want first?”

“Oh my God, Bryan, I don’t give two shits, just get him out!”

Dr. I’m Too Sexy laughed again, shaking his head. “That’s the bad news, Piper: You are at eight centimeters and seventy-five percent effaced, and so there is no time for an epidural. I have a feeling we are going to have a bouncing baby boy sooner rather than later.”

“What?!” Piper screamed as her head fell back. Tears rushed down the side of her face as she took in strangled breaths.

Erik watched as the doctor took off his glove and then came to Piper’s side to smile down at her. “You’ll be fine,” the doctor said.

“It hurts.”

“Well, yeah, but just think of the prize at the end. Sit tight; it’s almost baby time,” he said, patting her knee.

“But it’s early; will he be okay?” she cried.

He gave her a reassuring smile. “He was measuring a week ahead, Piper. I have a good feeling he will be fine, but just in case I’ll have the NICU girls in here, too. Don’t worry, everything is going to be fine.” He turned to say something to a nurse.

Erik moved his hand along Piper’s face, catching her tears as his other hand rubbed her belly. “I’m here, remember. I’ll be here for you to claw at,” he said softly, as the tears poured down her face.

“I’m so scared,” she whispered, as she took in shuddering breaths.

“I know, I am, too, but we can do this together,” he whispered back, kissing her nose. “Piper, you are so strong, so beautiful, and the most amazing woman in the world, sweetheart. I am so lucky you came into my life and brought this amazing gift to me.” He moved his gentle hand up to hold her beautiful chin. “We got this baby and I—”

“Piper!”

For fuck sakes!

Erik turned to see Rowan running toward the bed with Harper and Reese flanking her. When Alla came in behind them, with Cooper and Blake, Erik knew that his moment to tell Piper he loved her was gone. Letting out a frustrated breath, he backed away as Rowan leaned over and kissed Piper on her sweaty head. “My goodness, are you okay?”

“No, I can’t have an epidural; the baby is coming too quickly,” Piper cried as she whipped her hands along her cheeks. Her makeup was smeared to hell but she didn’t care. Alla came up beside him, wrapping her arms around his middle.

“How are you?” she asked quietly.

He gave her a pained looked as he said, “Scared.”

“It’s to be expected,” Cooper said, wrapping an arm around Erik’s shoulders. “Everything will be fine, though.”

“You two looked pretty close when we entered,” Alla whispered as they all watched Piper’s family fuss over her.

Looking back down at his mom, he said, “I was about to tell her I love her but we keep getting interrupted and I’m starting to think I’m not supposed to tell her.”

Alla smiled as she shook her head. “You just wait, the perfect moment will come.”

“Ah, Erik, Erik, ah, oh my God.”

Erik moved from his parents and through the circle of family that surrounded Piper. Her face was showing her pain, sweat dripping from her brow.

Taking her hand in his, he kissed her knuckles before saying, “It’s okay, baby, it’s okay.”

“Ah, it fucking hurts!”

“That’s childbirth,” Harper said with a laugh.

Erik swore it was like he was in the movie The Exorcist. Piper whipped her head around and almost came off the bed, shaking her fist at Harper.

“Shut the hell up!” she yelled as she leaned her head back.

“Ha-ha, she’s gonna kick your ass,” Reese said as she ran her hand up and down Piper’s other hand. “It’s okay, sis, you got this,” she said reassuringly as she smiled down at Piper.

“This sucks. I feel like a crazy person,” Piper cried as she squeezed Erik’s hand.

A nurse came in at that moment. Going to the end of the bed, she looked up from her chart and over at Piper.

“All these people can’t be in here, honey; you are too close to delivery,” she informed them.

Cooper threw his hands up. “Well that’s my cue to make my exit,” he said, coming toward the bed to kiss Piper before patting Erik on the back. “I’m proud of both of you, and I can’t wait to see this little guy. Good luck. You can do this, Piper.”

Piper managed a smile as Alla kissed her on the temple, and whispered something in her ear. Leaning across the bed, she kissed Erik’s cheek and smiled as she said, “Good luck. Keep her safe.”

“I will, Mom, thanks.”

Piper’s dad, Blake, held Erik’s shoulder before kissing Piper’s forehead. “Next time I see you, you’ll be a mommy. I don’t think you realize how proud of you I am.”

Piper cringed in discomfort but nodded. “Dad, tell me that later; my vagina is dying here.”

Erik chuckled as he rested his forehead against her temple but she pushed him away. “Don’t touch me right now, please.”

He knew not to let that hurt his feelings, but it still stung a little. Letting out a long breath, he nodded and backed off only to have her pulling him back to her as she screamed out in pain. He hated not being able to take away the pain. He didn’t doubt that she had the strength to get through it; he just wished she didn’t have to.

“But she can have two people, right?” Harper asked.

Erik looked up. He thought they had all left, but he found that Harper, Rowan, and Reese were all still standing there with worry and confusion on their faces. The nurse turned to Harper and said, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Okay, so me and Mom, right?” Harper asked, turning to look at Piper.

Erik’s mouth dropped as he glared at Harper. Surely she wasn’t that stupid.

“Huh?” Piper asked, squeezing his hand as she took in deep breaths.

“Me and Mom for the birth.”

“Um, Erik is the dad, Harper,” Reese said, shaking her head. “And I’m her twin, so if anyone’s going to be in here, it’s me and him.”

“I gave birth to her! I know what I’m doing,” Rowan protested.

“And I’ve given birth, so we should be here,” Harper said with a shake of her head.

It all seemed so unreal and Erik was about to go apeshit on Harper when Piper turned into the Linda Blair character again and screamed, “I only want Erik!”

“But y’all aren’t even together!” Harper complained.

Erik had never wanted to kill his sister-in-law before. He loved Harper, but if looks could kill, Harper would have been dead. Erik watched as Rowan’s brow came together and she turned to look at them.

“What?”

“It doesn’t fucking matter because he is here now. He is the father, get the hell out!” Piper yelled before dragging her hands down her face. “Please, I can’t deal with you people right now!”

“Oh, Piper,” Rowan said in a way Erik knew bothered Piper.

Piper looked up at the ceiling and let out a long breath before turning to her mother. “If you want to ever see me or your grandson after I am done birthing him, you better leave right now.”

“You don’t mean that,” Harper said. “Stop being a bitch.”

“Do you want to die?” Piper asked, cutting a glare at her.

“Okay, I think we need to go,” Reese said, looking over at Erik. “I think he’s got this.”

“I do. I promise,” Erik said sternly before looking down at Piper. “We got this.”