Breathe, Minako. Breathe.

Minako tried her best to stay calm, but it was getting increasingly impossible to do so. The life within her seemed to literally be trying to claw its way out, and she did not appreciate that one bit.

The doors flew open and, finally, her eyes met her husband's. She heaved a sigh of relief as he came to her side and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I can't promise you that," she said through gritted teeth as another wave of contraction hit. "I can't believe you made me go through this. I hate you so muuuuu-ch!" the last bit became a scream and she squeezed his hand, hard.

"I'd take a thousand battle injuries over this any day!" she growled, certain that every cut, every broken bone, and every dislocated shoulder she had endured in the last millennia hurt less than this.

Ami appeared on the door next, looking way calmer than she had any right to be. "Okay, let's check how we're doing, shall we?" she said cheerily, and Minako tried not to bite her head off for acting like this was just another ordinary work day. "Well, the good news is you'll be having a pretty fast labor. It seems this baby wants to come out soon."

"That makes two of us," Minako grunted, and flinched when another wave of pain hit her. "Kunzite, what if I don't make it? What if I can't do this? It hurts too much..." she sought his grey eyes, desperate to find reassurance and strength.

Maybe it was her enhanced strength as a senshi, or maybe Kunzite was just a wimp, but he had never been in as much pain as he was when Minako squeezed his hand. If he didn't know better, he would have thought that she'd broken a couple bones. It was all he could do to keep from wincing, or wrenching his hand out of her iron grip. He could only clench his teeth and give her the best, most-encouraging smile he could manage.

He wanted to apologize for her pain, to say something, but he knew that anything he said would be thrown back at him. She had a point - everything she was feeling was entirely his fault.

He couldn't help the sigh of relief when Ami walked in. He was starting to worry that he would have to do this thing himself, and Minako would never have allowed that.

Minako's voice gained a tone of desperation as she spoke to him, and he turned to meet her beautiful, tear-filled blue eyes. Kunzite gently squeezed Minako's hand and gave her a warm, genuine smile. "I promise you, Minako - there is no other woman better fit to do this. You are strong, you are beautiful, and you are everything this child needs. You can and you will do this, and I will hold your hand every step of the way."

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers - the last kiss they would share before becoming parents for the rest of their lives.