"Ripley you need to push...it's backwards."
The doctor's words cut right into her heart as another sharp labor pain rushed through her body and made her eyes water.
"What?"
She gasped as the nurses around her made her sit up further in the hospital bed. Sweat was pouring down her face and both her legs were spread apart by the other two nurses as the pain got deeper and deeper...she just wanted to push it out and let this pain go away.
Sure she had given birth before to her daughter...but then again that was many, many, many years ago and labor pains were far away from her mind during all of this new nightmare world she had woken up to.
The pain came again and she screamed out...her eyes darted around the small white room, the nurses and doctors all had blank looks on their faces as they watched her.
Her doctor came in between her legs and she felt him enter her with his rubber covered hands. She closed her eyes and started to cry...begging for him to make it stop.
"Ripley, you need to start pushing...PUSH NOW!"
Ripley then gritted her teeth together and she watched as blood sprayed all over the doctor's white dressing clothes.
During all this mind numbing pain, Ripley looked back on the last year or so, on how her life had changed so much.
It was all over...and the first time in many years she was able to return back to earth with love ones whom she cared for during these past few days. Sure the world had changed, but with the two of them behind her she felt like she could do anything...and for the first time she started to dream.
She had lived in a safe world where nothing could touch her, and during all of this she watched the young girl she had taken under her wing call her mother and grow into a fine looking young lady.
At the same time she had started to slowly fall in love with the man that had saved her life back then, when they were in danger. Everyday, she looked forward to seeing his handsome face and hearing his voice.
They made their life on this world and they were at peace...but one night they had spent time together and had shared their first kiss...and many more to come.
Ripley married and now she knew how lucky she was. She had loved this man that she watched sleep late at night, watching his smooth chest rise and fall, and his lips parted just a bit.
The one thing they waited for was to make love, Ripley was very much looking forward to this but he still had to heal after the attacks...and once he did, the two of them, like shy children, had both laid down in bed together and slowly undressed...then he rolled on top of her. She could feel every part of his tanned body that pressed hard up against her and then they had locked eyes and he said.
"I love you."
Then he sank down into her and started to thrust in a hard attacking way...at first hurting her which she knew he didn't mean to do. But just to hold her tight enough and be inside her made him feel safe since he was still having nightmares.
While his chin dug into hers and she felt him moving inside her, she somehow knew that this was the man she was meant to be with. A father and a loving husband were all she needed...she was no longer a fighter...but his...all his.
Now she screamed out again and gave her final push when she felt something get torn from her body...like a huge weight had been pulled. She listened to the loud cried of her child as it was risen in the air by the doctor. Everyone was all laughs and smiles as she took sight and saw it was a boy...her son.
She fell back with relief and started to cry with joy as she watched him taken away to be cleaned up...but before she could see another, darkness washed over her.
Later in the day she woke up in another room, well rested and no more pain going through her...only a soft, sore feeling in her body. She squinted in the thin sunshine that was coming in from her window and then saw Hicks; he was sitting by her with a wide smile on his face.
"Hey beautiful."
He said in that voice she had missed too much. She smiled and reached out her hand and touched his; the soft feeling of his skin made her heart jump.
Today when she went into labor, both rushed to the hospital but, since she was having problems, Hicks had to wait in the next room. She could remember the look of fear in his eyes when he was rushed out and how she had cried out his name...but now he was here again with her and things were all right.
"What happened?"
"You passed out...I was pretty worried."
"Is...is the baby okay?"
Hicks smiled and stood up and walked over to something which she couldn't see. When he returned he had their son in his arms, so little and new to this world.
Hicks looked a great father. He smiled with such joy that she had never seen before in his eyes as he slowly placed their newborn into her arms. Ripley looked down at their baby and smiled as tears filled her eyes.
"Hi, little one," she said and then looked up at Hicks. Their family was now complete...and so was their lives.
THE END