Bound by Tension

ASA'S POV

14 hours.

We've been here for 14 hours and I wasn't prepared for the worst of it. There's a lot of things that they warn you about having a baby, but they don't tell you how helpless you feel watching your wife go through it all.

We didn't expect to be here so long, but as it turns out, Cassandra's water broke while she was still only having Braxton Hicks and not actual contractions. Which is fine, because it happens, but after a few hours of only have false contractions, the doctors decided to induce her.

Even after being induced, the contractions weren't close enough, and here we are, in the middle of the night. I haven't been able to sit still, mostly because I know Cassandra is either uncomfortable or in pain, even after an epidural.

"Okay, Cassandra, I'll need you start pushing when I tell you to. Can we do that?" the doctor calls out from where she's situated on a stool, ready to deliver this baby. I'm nervous, but more so glad that we're finally at this stage. It's been hell seeing Cassandra go through all of this.

Cassandra nods weakly as they adjust her position on the bed, bringing her up slightly so she's more comfortable and angled properly. I'm already holding her hand, inching closer to press a kiss to her head.

"You've got this, love," I reassure her, knowing very well that she needs reassurance as she glances up at me with a terrified look on her face. But she's more exhausted than anything. Her hair is pulled up in a bun and she's got a few stray flyaway strands, but she looks gorgeous as ever. "I love you."

She smiles softly, but the smile is wiped right off her face when another contraction comes. Much like my own as she squeezes my hand so hard that I have to hold back a curse. It's fine — I'm not the one with a baby coming out of me.

I'm soothing her the best I can with kisses and words of encouragement as she pushes when told to. My other arm is sprawled above her head so I can hold myself up to be as close to her as possible without hovering over her at the same time. I'm pretty sure that it's the reason I'll probably be hard of hearing in one ear because of the scream that Cassandra just let out.

"It's okay, let it out," I try, kissing her again on her head.

"This is your fault!" she screams at me, tears in her eyes. I was totally warned about this and I'm so glad that I was, because she's kind of terrifying, in an oddly cute kind of way.

"Great! You're doing great, sweetheart. You're crowning, so I can see the baby's head. We're almost there. Just give me a big push!" the doctor chimes in, thankfully. It seems to distract Cassandra enough to stop screaming at me and pushing again instead.

The next few seconds fly by so fast, that I don't have any idea what just happened. We went from Cassandra pushing and practically in tears, to suddenly her letting go of my hand in relief and the sound of wailing filling our ears.

"Congratulations! Here's your sweet little baby girl," the doctor smiles up at us as she lays the baby on Cassandra's chest, while the nurse wipes her down and places a blanket over her.

I'm frozen for a second, completely in awe as I watch Cassandra hold our baby girl to her chest. The baby's crying softly, just like my wife, and I'm pretty sure that I've got tears in my eyes too.

"It's a girl," Cassandra chokes out with a small laugh, and I'm admiring the way that she looks holding our baby. The dark smattering of hair that covers her head, her wrinkly skin, and how she's got her nose scrunched up as she cries. I don't think I could ever feel as happy as I do in this moment-seeing the two of them together. "You were right."noveldrama

"She's perfect," I whisper softly, ducking down so that I'm looking right at my daughter. My freaking daughter. It's surreal to think that I'm now a father. Cassandra looks up at me, and I smile down at her before kissing her softly. "Just like you."

"She's so beautiful," Cassandra cries, kissing me and then our baby girl. She's trembling, between having just given birth and holding her daughter for the first few moments of her life, and crying of happiness.

***

CASSANDRA'S POV

My eyes follow Asa as he settles into the bed next to me, adjusting himself under the blanket that covers me. It took a lot of convincing to get him to sit here with me, mostly because he just wants me to rest and recover, but I want to be as close to him as possible.

I slowly and gently lift our baby girl from her position in my arms, handing her to her father. I've been holding her since she came back from being all cleaned up, weighed, and all of those things that they do. This is Asa's first time holding her, with her wrapped up in her hospital blanket and a cute little beanie covering her head. She's fast asleep, as she's been since she's returned.

Watching him hold her is the absolute best moment of my entire life. His eyes are fixated on her, and she's absolutely still in his arms, and it does something to my heart. I watch as he places a soft kiss on her head, rocking her in his arms as he leans back against the pillows.

"Fuck," he mutters, and I gasp softly, wanting to smack him but stopping myself because he's holding our precious little girl. "I'm screwed."

"Asa! She can hear you!" I scold in a hushed tone, even though I doubt I could wake our baby up, I don't even want to risk it. I've already heard of how all these newborns do when they're awake is breastfeed and poop, and there's no way I'm not taking advantage of every moment she's willing to sleep. "No cursing around the baby."

"Seriously?" Asa looks up at me like I'm insane. "It's not like she can understand me. She's literally an hour old," he laughs, shaking his head at me. I roll my eyes, smacking him ever so lightly in the arm, but carefully of course. He's carrying the most important thing in the world right now in his arms.

"Whatever. If her first word is 'fuck' and not 'mama,' you better watch out."

"Well, it's probably not gonna be 'mama' anyways because it will be 'dada,"" he grins at me, flashing his perfect white smile and I glare back, teasingly of course, but not entirely, because I already know that she's going to have him wrapped around her finger.

Asa's gaze parts from my own as he looks down at his daughter again. If I didn't just have a baby, I'm pretty sure that this sight would have my ovaries on overload, and I'd be begging to make him a father. Even when I found out I was pregnant, I knew for a fact that he would be the best daddy in the world. Me on the other hand? I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to live up to be a great mom, but seeing the two of them together next to me has completely changed my mind.

With Asa, I can do this. Our baby girl is going to have everything in the world, and I know that we're going be the best parents we could possibly be. I'm definitely giving Asa diaper duty whenever he's around though. If I can push her out, he can wipe her

ass.

We sit there together, admiring her for a while, before Asa finally speaks up again. "So...what will we name her?"

He's asking as if he doesn't already know what I'll say, but we both already know the answer to that question. We had names picked out, but didn't want to finalize anything until we were alone with her.

I share a smile with him as I brush the pad of my finger across her cheek ever so gently. I'm still scared that whenever I touch her, she'll break. I guess it's a new parent thing, because the nurses have laughed a couple times watching how cautiously I've been holding her.

"Aislin," I say her name aloud for the first time since she's been born. We had chosen a name for a boy and a girl, complete with the middle name and all. "Aislin Catherine Rivers."

It's the perfect name for such a perfect little girl.

"Mommy and daddy love you so much already, Aislin," he coos to his daughter, and

I'm in tears again. I think they forgot to tell me how emotional you are after pregnancy. I think I've cried more in the last hour since her birth than during the entire time I was pregnant.

Speaking of pregnant, I'm so thankful I'm not anymore. Some people make it look great and love it, but I absolutely did not. It was worth it because we have our sweet pea, but other than that, it was just exhausting. Which I am right now, and Asa seems to notice as I lean back at yawn, watching the two of them.

"Why don't you sleep, baby? She's asleep right now too. I'll wake you up when she's up again," he says as he looks down at me, kissing the top of my head. I know I should sleep, because Aislin is going to need me to nurse on and off constantly now, but I also don't want to miss anything. As much as Asa says that he'll wake me when she wakes, I know very well that he means that he'll wake me up when she needs me.

"I know I should and I'm tired, but I just...she's so tiny. She's never going to be this small again," I whisper to him, my eyes still fixed on her. I'm trying to memorize every little part about her. She sleeps with her lips slightly parted and poured, and the way that her hands are balled into fists.

"Well, then we can just make another baby," Asa teases, and I glare at him. Too soon. As much as I love this part of it, I don't even want to think about another baby anytime

soon.

"Haha, very funny," I shake my head again, thinking of how he's still such a dude. At twenty-eight, you'd think guys would have matured, but nope, they're still guys. "Just wake me up if I miss something? Promise me?"

Asa laughs and kisses me on the lips this time.

"Of course, I'll wake you up. I love you, Cassandra," he says softly, giving me a look full

of admiration. "Thank you. You're the reason we have the most perfect little girl. I know

it's been hard for you, but really Cas, it's all because of you."

I smile shyly at his remark, totally not expecting him to say something so sappy like he just did, but also falling for him harder, as if that's even possible.

"I'm preeeeettty sure that it's because of you knocking me up that we're parents now, but I love you too," I kiss him again, cupping his cheeks with my hands as I do. "I can't believe I'm a mommy," I giggle, taking in Aislin laying so peacefully in her daddy's arms before I turn my body to face the two of them.

I curl up besides them in the larger than normal hospital bed. Asa had gotten us the best delivery suite possible, and even though Aislin came early, he has still managed to make sure that we had everything that we wanted and needed, and more. "Stay here until I fall asleep," I mumble with a yawn. "I want to watch you watch her."