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Eric Forman has always been awkward, frequently saying things that come out wrong, or physically just being gawky and looking ridiculous. Right now, hours from fatherhood, he’s trying so hard to play it cool, but he can’t seem to get it right.
“Eric, stop pacing, you’re making me nervous.” Donna says, somehow remaining completely coherent between contractions.
“Sorry. I just don’t want to screw up. You need me right now, and I’m blowing it. Aren’t I?”
Donna smiles, god his attentiveness was adorable “No, you’re not. Just don’t faint when I start pushing and everything will be fine.”
“Oh okay. Got it. No fainting. Easy enough.”
“Hey Eric?”
“Yeah?”
“Before I lose my speech to the pain, I just wanted you to know how much I love you, and how glad I am that our kid gets you as a dad, she won the freaking lottery.”
“You think so?”
Donna grins “I’m certain.”
Eric kisses Donna’s forehead “That settles it then, I’m the luckiest man in all of Wisconsin.”
“Don’t you ever forget it.”
“Never, ever.”
A couple of hours later, things have really picked up, and Eric is internally freaking out, but on the outside, somehow managing to be strong and brave for Donna.
“Are you sure you don’t want drugs?” He asks her
Donna simply nods. “Positive”
“Alright then.”
“I sort of wish she would fall out though, this sucks.”
Eric chuckles. “I can only imagine.”
“Don’t laugh at me.”
“I’m not, I’m just surprised at how little this pain hasn’t pain has changed you, you’re still coming at me with a bucket load of sarcasm.”
“Hmmm, okay.”
“By the way, you haven’t changed your mind? Leia is still on your veto list.”
“No, I haven’t, sorry Eric.”
“I get it, she’d probably be pissed at me as a teenager.”
“I still don’t know what to call her? Naming a human is a pretty daunting task, she’ll be stuck with it her whole life.”
“We should give her a boy name. Girls with boy names are so tough and badass, plus it’s feminist as hell.”
“Maybe.”
“We’ll know her name when we see her for the first time, at least that’s what everyone says.”
“Yeah hopefully,” Donna says, suddenly clutching her belly “Fucking hell, that one hurt.”
“You want me to get the nurse to come check you again.”
Donna quickly starts to whimper.“No, don’t leave me, please?.”
Eric kisses her forehead again. “Hey, shhh, don’t worry, I won’t go anywhere.”
“You swear?”
“Yeah. I swear.”
“Good because I’m scared.”
Eric gives his wife a reassuring smile. “Have I told you lately how incredible you are for all of this?”
Donna smiles, she loves it when Eric goes impossibly sweet like that. “Yes. But I could stand to hear it again.”
Eric grins “Okay then. I’ll tell you a thousand more times.”
“You’re a dork, but you’re my dork. You know that?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Mine, and this kid’s, in fact, I’m sort of hoping she’s mostly dork, then we don’t have to worry about her getting on the back of some complete asshole’s motorcycle or some shit.”
“You seem to have given this a lot of thought, huh?”
Donna laughs “Well duh, what else am I supposed to do when she keeps me up half the night doing gymnastics in my belly.”
“Valid point.”
XXX
About four hours later, it’s nearly time for their baby to be born, and Donna collapses against the bed after the first couple rounds of pushing. Eric standing next to her as she squeezes the crap out of his fingers.
“Oh god, I’m not sure how much longer I can do this.” Donna says, her eyes welling with tears.
Eric brushes Donna’s hair out of her eyes and kisses her forehead. “Hey, look at me, yes you can, you were literally made for this and I’ve never been more proud of you.”
“I just want her out of me already.”
“I know you do, babe. It’s not going to be much longer, if you work really hard, okay?”
“Okay.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too.”
The doctor looks at them and smiles.
“Alright, let’s have baby shall we?” she says
After a few more pushes Eric’s face goes pale “Oh my god.” He whispers.
“What’s wrong Eric? Are you trying to tell me she’s got horns on her head or something?.” Donna panics.
“No not horns. But I can see the very top of her head, and she’s got a so much hair.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Really. You’re incredible and you’re kicking so much birth giving ass right now.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
“You’re welcome. But I’m not just saying that, you are. Our daughter is about to here and you did that without any pain meds, and I read the books, that’s not exactly easy.”
Donna’s quiet for a beat, but then, she starts crying again. “What the hell? What’s happening, why do I feel like my baby’s ripping my insides out?”’
The doctor looks at Donna calmly “That’s because you’re crowning, if you push through it, it’ll go away.”
“Oh, I’m not sure I can do this.”
Eric flashes Donna a supportive smile “Yes you can, just don’t think about all that other stuff, think about seeing her perfect little face for the first time, and everything will be over before you know it.”
Donna nods, giving it everything she has. “Like that?” She asks the doctor.
“Yes that’s perfect, I think you’ll have a baby in the next round.”
Eric smiles “Yeah, you’re so close, she’s gonna be here in just a little bit, if you’re scared, you can just keep your eyes on me.
Sure enough, after one more excruciating round of pushing a loud cry fills the room, and both parents are overcome with sobs
“Is she okay?” Donna asks through her tears.
Eric nods beaming as he wipes at his eyes. “She’s perfect, you did so good, babe.”
“She’s covered in all that stuff and she’s still the most perfect thing I’ve ever seen. We’re parents, I can hardly believe it, but she’s all ours, forever.
“She’s so small. I don’t remember seeing any babies this small before.”
Donna smiles, “Yeah, me either, she’s a teeny little peanut, huh? But she’s got some strong little lungs, so I think she’ll be just fine, right?” Donna says, looking at the doctor for reassurance.
“Absolutely. Does this little peanut have a name yet?”
Eric shakes his head. “No, she doesn’t.”
Donna grins “She does, actually, it’s Leia, Leia Anne Forman.” She says, and Eric just looks at her, awestruck
“Donna? Are you serious? I thought you hated that?”
Donna laughs “I did, I really did, but just look at her, she looks like a Leia.”
“She absolutely does, welcome to the world, Leia.” Eric says, and he’s never been happier or weepier in his whole life.
XXX
Eric stands to the side of the bed, looking at Donna who is currently holding a freshly swaddled Leia.
“Well aren’t you just the most beautiful baby in the world.” She coos.
Eric stays there, frozen in place, the daunting reality that he’s half of the team responsible for raising this tiny human, paralyzing him.
“Eric, you can come closer, you know.” She says
“I know, I-I’m just afraid she’s going to hate me or I’m gonna break her or something.
“Why would she hate you, Eric? She’s half me and you’re my favorite person in the world.”
“She knows you, she spent 9 months growing inside you, I’m a stranger.”
“She knows you. You’ve been talking to her and reading her books for months.”
“It’s not the same.”
“Maybe not, but you have nothing to worry about, you’re gonna be an exceptional dad.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because I know you, you’re a good guy, the best actually. And you’ve been looking forward to this the entire time I was pregnant, remember? Even when I was freaking out, you were giddy.”
“Yeah, I guess I forgot about that. But she’s so tiny, it’s making me nervous.”
“You’ll be fine with her Eric, just watch her head and then you can’t screw it up.”
Eric smiles. “Yeah, okay. You can give her to me now.
Donna carefully places Leia in Eric’s arms, and it makes the newborn fussy. “Shhh, it’s okay, baby girl, go with Daddy, it’s alright. He’s got you. He loves you almost as much I do, okay? Go say hi, sweetheart.”
The second Leia is settled in Eric’s arms, his entire world shifts
“Oh my god, I can’t believe how small she is.”
“Yeah, that’s our teeny tiny little peanut.”
Eric grins, staring at his daughter with tears in his eyes Hi there, Leia , it’s your dad, my god, I love you. You’re perfect. The most beautiful, angelic little girl in the whole wide world. I’ve got you, you’re gonna be all safe and snug right here, alright, Princess.
Donna smiles “See, I told you she’d like it in your arms.”
“Now that I’m not scared out of my mind , I can’t stop staring at her.”
“Me either. I think she looks like you.”
Eric shakes his head.“Uh uh, she looks like you, she’s pure Donna.”
“Look at her nose, it’s yours.”
“Oh my god, you’re right. This is wild.”
“Extremely wild. Every time I look at her, I notice something different about her. Like how round her little cheeks are, or how alert she is for a brand new human.
Just then, Leia starts to fuss, squirming in Eric’s arms. “Shhhh, no it’s okay, I’ve got you, there’s no need for you to get all worked up. Daddy’s right here, you just don’t know what to think of all this, huh? You’ve had a very big day.” He coos, rocking her slowly, kissing her little cheek.
Donna melts at the sight in front of her. “God, I could watch the two of you forever. She’s gonna have you wrapped around her little finger.
Eric beams “Yeah, she is, you’re my little buddy, aren’t, you Leia? Yes you are. We’re going to have all kinds of adventures, aren’t we, my perfect girl.”
“I’m never getting her back, am I?” Donna teases, laughing.
“Maybe. Maybe not, I’m obsessed with her.”
“I always knew you would be, from the second we found out she was a girl I knew. There’s no relationship more sacred than one between a girl and her daddy.”
“Yeah, I’m starting to think I’ll never let her back in anybody’s arms but yours. You can take her now. Hey Leia, I’m gonna you back to Mommy now, okay.” Eric says, and Leia easily settles back into Donna’s arms. “Hi baby girl, I know it was only a couple minutes since you were in my arms, but I missed you, Lei Lei, yes I did.”
“It’s almost like I can’t remember our lives before she was here.”
Donna smiles. “Looking at her now, watching her sleep in my arms, or yours, I can’t believe I ever thought we were too young and we’d screw her up, it’s like, I look at her and I know exactly what to do. We’re all going to be just fine.”
“I think we’re gonna be perfect.”
Just then, Leia curls her tiny hand around Donna’s thumb. Donna smiles “Well would you look at that, little lady agrees with us.”
“God she’s beautiful, I can’t believe we made an entirely perfect little human.”
“Me neither, it feels like a dream.”
Eric looks around, absolutely overwhelmed with love for his new little family, his girls. Nothing can ever top this, he’s certain. “I love you both so damn much, thank you for making me her dad, I’ll never, ever let either of you down.”
“I know you won’t, me and Leia were going to love you forever.”
Eric grins, kissing Donna on the forehead and stroking Leia’s little cheek. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Donna smiles back at him, doing their sacred, playful head shove. “You and me both.”