Gray spent the whole car ride and the walk into the hospital getting herself to think that this was all a joke. It was just gas, Braxton's Hicks contractions or she just ate something she shouldn't. It was too early for labor, she shouldn't be at this hospital for at least another two weeks. Nothing in her baby books warned her for this. They always said you would know when you went into labor, that it should be clear as day. No for Gray apparently. She could walk around for hours and never know. This was all just a sick, sick joke. It wasn't until she was on her back in the doctor's room getting probed by random doctors did it really hit her. My God, she was going to have her baby today. The fear of it all hit her like a train. Tears started to fall down her face as she tried to reach for her phone.

"Sweetheart, just stay still and calm. Liam hasn't called yet," Gloria kindly told her for the chair. She had been watching Gray's phone like a hawk too. This was it, go time and she needed to make sure Liam was there to see his child.

"Alright Gray, it looks like you are at four centimeters dilated already. You will be having this baby from here on out," the doctor smiled at her. She on the other hand wanted to punch him in the nose. His happy go luck attitude could disappear at any time.

"I'm too early, what's going to happen to my baby," she asked. That was the number one question right now.

"You are almost thirty seven weeks so I am not too worried. We will check your baby over though just to make sure everything is ok," he assured her. Gray still wasn't convinced right now, things were too up in the air.

"The next step is to get you up into Labor and Delivery and get you settled. We have a wheelchair outside and the nurse will take you up." He helped Gray sit up and get off the table. Gloria stayed close to her as they made their way through the hallways to the correct department.

"Gray, it's Liam." Gloria handed over the phone to her and Gray quickly answered it.

"Liam, where are you," she sobbed into the phone.

"On my way to the airport now love, I will be there very soon, it's a quick flight. How far are you?" She could hear the sense of urgency in his voice. Her stomach started cramping again, it was starting to become unbearable to sit through.

"Gray, baby are you there?"

"Yeah, I am. It just hurts. Hurry Liam, okay," she whispered to him.

"Don't worry sweet girl, I'll be there soon." They hung up just at the same time the nursed pulled her into a room. Gray looked around to see the space. This was it, the last area she would be pregnant in.

"Gray if you want to change into this gown and hop it to bed I will be back to get you all step up. Do you plan on getting an epidural," the nurse asked. Gray looked at her mom for advice. It was on her list to research but now it was a little late for that.

"Not quite sure yet. We will let you know when you come back in." The nurse gave them another smile before walking out and leaving them alone. Gray sat there in the wheelchair unable to move. The shock of it all was leaning hard against her. Gloria got up from her chair and knelt down in front of her.

"Gray, we need to get you in the bed," she whispered. Gray shook her head with her eyes bright willing to do whatever her mom wanted. Gloria helped her out of the wheelchair and helped her strip off her clothes. They threw on the thin paper robe and got her into bed.

"How's your pain," Gloria asked.

"It's there and annoying but I can handle it." Gloria gave her a look. She was talking out of her butt right now. Gloria knew how badly labor hurt and even though she loved her daughter there was no way Gray would be able to handle it.

"I'm serious Mom, I'm pretty sure I know I can do this." That was Gray's mantra right now. She could do this, her baby depended on her.

"I'll remember this later. I still don't know how you went all morning without realizing it," Gloria laughed.

"I'm wondered the same. No one ever told me what starting labor felt like," Gray giggled. She felt calmer now. They were in the hospital now where it was safe. It anything happened there were doctors around every corner to help. Now she just needed to wait and pray Liam got here soon. He was her rock after all.

"Why don't yo try to get some sleep, okay hunny." Gloria turned off the lights and sat in the chair in the corner. Gray worked on getting comfy and shut her eyes. She got this, Gray was going to rock this labor like crazy.

----

That plan failed, she work up forty minutes later feeling the pain like no other. It surged through her whole stomach and up her back making it hurt to breathe. She groaned and cried waiting for it to pass. Her hands rubbed counter clockwise over her huge belly trying to take away the pain. Gloria came over seeing that she was in agony and rubbed her feet.

"Just breathe Gray, you have to breathe through the contractions," Gloria slowly told her trying to get through Gray's brain. He breathed in and out slowly hoping Gray would mimic her.

"You didn't tell me it would get worse," she cried out. This was worse, much worse. She looked at the clock, Liam had to be here soon.

"Have you heard from him," she asked after the contraction has passed.

"No, nothing yet. He will be here Gray, don't worry." Gloria continued to rub her feet trying to keep her calm. Dr. Whalen walked in with a smile.

"Gray, nice to see you so soon," he said. It made her feel good to see his face. She didn't need some random doctor all up in her private parts. It was weird enough with him alone.

"Let's check you out, okay?" He put on some rubber gloves and positioned himself between her legs. Gray tried to stay calm and not squirm while he did his business. It only took him a couple of minutes before he stood up and remove his gloves.

"You are already up to six centimeters already. I'd say a couple more hours and your baby will be here." Gray felt like her face fell off. A few hours? Every other horror story she read made it sound like labor went on forever.

"Don't worry Gray, you are going to be just fine," he told her, seeing the look on her face. Another contraction started making her face scrunch up. Her mom kept telling her to breathe from the side of the bed but Gray tuned them all out. She had to do this on her own. Deep breathes, in and out. Soon the pain subsided and she was able to see straight again.

"Gray, this is the last time I can ask this. Do you want pain meds or no? After this point we can't turn back," Dr. Whalen stressed to her. It was the turning point.

"No, I'm good. No meds," she barked back. This is what she wanted, they needed to stop asking. This was her fight to do, she could do this.

"Works for me. I'll be back in a while to check you again. Hang in there Gray, you are doing a great job. You are more then welcomed to walk around if you need to." He left shortly after leaving just Gray and Gloria in the room alone. She checked the clock again, his plane had to be landing by now. Toronto to Chicago isn't a long flight.

"Let's walk Gray." Gloria ordered, she helped her out of bed making sure her butt was covered. They slowly walked the halls stopping every so often for Gray.

"Another one," Gloria asked her quietly. Gray shook her head yes unable to speak. She held on to her mom with all her might and breathed through it.

"Where is he mom," Gray sobbed. Walking was fine, but as soon as one hit she wanted to die.

"Soon, their flight landed about ten minutes ago and I am sure they are flying though town right now." That made her feel better, he was coming.

"You didn't tell me how much this sucks," she mumbled making Gloria laugh. They slowly took off down the hall again. Gray was taking small steps but it felt good to walk. Her body felt like it could loosen up instead of being so tight in those beds.

"I won't lie, after three it still sucked. I wanted to stick my hand up there and pull Grace out myself," she giggled making Gray laugh too.

"I'm sure your doctor would of loved that." She squeezed her hand, feeling another one brewing in her stomach.

"I'm sure. You were the easiest out of the three Gray. It felt almost magical. The pain was there of course but it felt different. I was so excited to see you so it helped. Your grandmother wasn't there, and of course your dead beat father didn't show so I was all by myself. I was scared shitless Gray, honest. I knew nothing about kids at all. Never babysat as a teenager or around kids so you made me so nervous. Pretty sure you came out smiling though, just like an angel. You cried the whole time they had you, but as soon as you were in my arms you stopped and just stared. I knew we would be okay then, just you and me," Gloria smiled to her. Gray's contraction passed too, letting her breathe again. It helped that Gloria was speaking too her, it took her mind off the pain and more on the words.

"You get to talk to me every time I have one of these," Gray smiled.

"Consider it done." They continued to do laps around the floor taking it step by step. Gray was starting to go with the pain at this point. They came regularly and right at the same time every four minutes making it easy for her to plan them out. They rounded the corner to the nurse's main desk when the another one hit. Gray put both hands on the wall breathing through it when she heard him coming down the hall. It made her smile hearing him shout at Curtis to get a move on.
"Excuse me, I'm looking for my fiancé Gray Cameron, where it she," he asked frantically to the nurse sitting there. If he would have just turned around he would have spotted her. Gray waited for the contraction to finish passing before she said anything.

"Room 1529 down the hall," the nurse deadpanned. Liam started to take off when Gray shouted at him.

"Jailbait I'm right here," she yelled making him turn around. Liam threw his bag on the ground and hurried over to her.

"Oh baby how are you," he asked, wrapping his arms around her. The concerned look on his face made her heart swell. The poor boy thought she was going to die. He looked all over her face and body for any sign of disaster.

"Good as gold Liam." They continued to walk until they reached her room. Liam stayed close to her, watching every move she made. Gray's pain wasn't getting much better at this point.

"Time to sit," she told them. Liam guided her from behind very carefully into the room and helped her climb into bed. She felt calm, very calm right now which was different for him. Liam paced the room back in forth making her wonder if he was going to pass out.

"Sit. You are driving me batty," Gray groaned. She wasn't sure she could handle his eyes glued to her face for the next few hours. Liam flopped down into the chair just like she asked. Minutes passed by with the room staying quiet. Gloria stayed off in the corner on her phone, more then likely checking up on the girls with Mila. Thankfully she was around to watch them. Liam kept his eyes on her just waiting for any sign of life at this point. Gray on the other hand stayed quiet. It helped. Her contractions were getting harder and harder but she kept breathing. She knew if she started to stress out things would go a lot worse. Dr. Whalen walked in thirty minutes later for another check up.

"Gray, you are a beast. It's time to get ready to push you even broke your water by yourself." The doctors and nurses started to move around the room getting everything ready for Little One's arrival. The fear in Gray kicked in now. It was easy just to sit there and ride out the pain but now she actually had to work. Liam got up and stood right next to her head willing to help with anything. Dr. Whalen dressed in his scrubs and sat below her. Her head felt dizzy and her body started to shake. This was the scary part.

"Alright Gray, it's time for you to get this baby out. Next contraction you push with all your might." It hit her instantly, she closed her eyes and pushed feeling everything happen below. This was pain like no other. She cried out and stopped before the contraction ended.

"Harder Gray, you have to give it all you got." At this rate it would take her forever to get their child out. Liam reached down and wiped the tears from her face. She gripped his hand hard when the next contraction hit.

"Push sweetie push!" Her mom cheered from the other side of her. Gray tried with everything she had but nothing worked. Her body was too tired at this point. She fell back into the bed and shut her eyes.

"Love. You are the strongest woman I know, you can do this." Liam whispered into her head. He wiped the sweat from her forehead as she continued to cry. Gray could hear everyone talking around her but her brain couldn't focus. Between being exhausted and the extreme amount of pain she was going through Gray felt like she couldn't go on.

"Gray, you have about two pushes left, you can do this." Dr. Whelan cheered her on from below.

"I can't, I can't do this," Gray cried out. Her body wasn't strong enough.

"Yes you can Gray, here it comes, push!" She gripped the back of her thighs and gave it everything she had. Her mom and Liam cheered her on from the side telling her to keep moving and to not stop. The contraction ended and she fell back against the bed.

"One more Gray, the head is out, just those shoulders out and you are done." Gray tried to look but she saw nothing, she wondered if he was lying to her.

"No," her voice faded out.

"Yes Gray yes. What's your babie's name," Dr. Whalen asked.

"Spencer. Spencer," she yelled out.

"Push Spencer out, you can do this!" The last contraction started and Gray did everything she could. Her voice screamed as she pushed down, feeling the baby come. Spencer's voice filled the room as the doctor put the baby on her chest.

"Congrats Gray, you have a baby girl!" She opened her eyes to her beautiful baby screaming down on her chest. The nurses rubbed her off turning her skin into a pink color.

"You did it baby, you did it." Liam cried beside her. Gray looked up at him feeling the love. Their baby was here.

"Let's cut the cord and get her checked out," Dr. Whalen dictated. Liam did his fatherly duties and the nurses whisked her off away. Gray laid back on the bed checking her breath. She did it, she got her little baby out safely. Right now she wanted to sleep, lots of sleep. Gray closed her eyes feeling her mom talk beside her.

"She is perfect Gray, just perfect." Gloria had tears in her eyes as she kissed Gray's sweaty temple.

"Can I see her," she whispered out.

"They will bring her over, Liam is with her baby. Spencer, I never would have guessed that name. It's perfect." Gray let the doctors do what they need as she watched Liam at the other side of the room. He looked so happy. Tears ran down his face as he snapped pictures on his phone and watched carefully over his little girl. Gray couldn't believe she was here. The moment she wanted finally and flew by, all of it seemed like a blur. She was now finally a mommy.

"Gray." His voice made her open her eyes. Liam was standing next to her holding her bundle of joy. She moved up a bit holding out her arms. Liam carefully placed the bundled Spencer in her arms. Gray saw her face and immediately started crying. Her baby was here.

"Hi beautiful girl, hi there," she cooed down to the sleeping baby. Spencer was perfect. She had Liam's lips and Gray's nose. It was a perfect mixture of both of them.

"Five pounds, three ounces. You did so good baby," Liam whispered to her. She reached up with her good arm hugging him. The tears couldn't stop right now. Her family was here, Liam made it on time and she made it though pushing out their little one.

"I love you so much Liam," Gray said trying to choke back tears.

"I love you more." They kept their embrace going with Spencer squished between them until Gloria spoke.

"Smile kids, family picture." She snapped the photo of them, both who had tears running down her face.

"So what's her name," Gloria asked again.

"Spencer Glory Payne. The perfect girl in the world," Liam told her. Both him and Gray looked down at their angel, unable to express the amount of happiness going through their bodies. Their family was here and healthy.

----

After the excitement had died down and the doctors left body alone Gray was overcome with sleep. She passed out holding Spencer until Liam finally took her back. He held his little angel trying to memorize every part of her. He was a daddy, finally. Gloria had left to make some calls leaving him alone with his daughter. Liam sat in the chair carefully and grabbed his phone out. It was late, already past midnight in the UK, but he had to call his mum.

"Liam, how is it going," Karen urgently asked over the line.

"You are now a Grandma mum," he whispered back to her. Liam could her gasp over the phone, fully knowing she was already crying.

"Spencer Glory Payne is now your new granddaughter." Liam looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms, it still felt unreal.

"Oh Liam, oh I cannot believe it. How did everything go," she asked.

"Gray is a wonder woman. By the time I got here she was already through most of it. It was the scariest thing ever to watch," he confessed to her," I was terrified but Gray was so calm. I've never seen her so quiet before."

"Women always will surprise you. But you should of known how strong she is, look at everything she has gone through with you," Karen explained. Liam smiled feeling an overwhelming sense of joy. He had never this happy, even when the boys got their chance on X Factor. They made a miracle.

"I'm just so happy mum," he cried to her. Tears fell from his eyes onto Spencer's blanket.

"You should be. I'm so proud of you Liam. You are an amazing son and father. I better let you go so you can enjoy your time, send Gray my love." They hung up putting Liam back in a room of silence with him, his daughter and Gray. He checked over at her, seeing she was still asleep. It was time to enjoy his alone time. Liam unwrapped her blanket looking at her little body. She had perfect fingers and toes and everything was right. Spencer stirred at his touch making a face like she was ready to cry. Liam gently picked her up and laid her on his chest. She settled down again again letting her cheek rest against his shirt. Liam settled back in the recliner letting his feet up. It felt so natural to him. He always worried that he wouldn't know what to do with her or how to treat her. Right now they were perfect.

"I remember the first time your mommy told me about you Little Lady, I was scared shitless. Oh, I probably shouldn't swear around you. Don't tell your mum about that one." Spencer cooed in her sleep.

"I agree, swearing is wrong. Your mummy is such a strong woman, did you know that? I always did. Ever since the first day I met her she was strong, to a point where I was quiet scared of her. She can put people in her place, so watch it out. When she told me about you I wanted to crawl up in a hole in die but she didn't. Your mum loved you from the first day she found out. You are one lucky lady," Liam whispered to her. Spencer yawned in her sleep, stirring some more. Liam adjusted the small little human in his arms more, making sure her body was covered with the blanket. He nuzzled her head with his jaw and closed his eyes. It had been one hell of a day. Amazing, but tiresome. Liam fell asleep more holding onto his daughter tightly. She was his now, his whole love.

----

Gray woke up immediately looking for her daughter. She went to sleep with her in her arms but now she was gone. Her eyes scanned the room running into Liam and Spencer in the chair. Liam was completely asleep with little Spencer in his arms. It was beyond adorable. She wanted to hold her daughter just as much right now but Liam needed time with her too. Gray wasn't sure when he was going back so he deserved all the time in the world with her. Gray grabbed her phone from the table and snapped a picture. It was far away but you could tell who was in it.

To: Niall, Zayn, Harry, Louis

Your boy is a daddy to little Miss Spencer. :D

She sent off the message and checked her phone. Mila had texted her four times already itching to see when she could come. Gray smiled, typical Mila itching to see. She quickly dialed her number only to have her pick up on the first ring.

"Mommy," she screamed into the phone making Gray pull it back.

"Shh girl, the other two are sleeping right now," Gray quietly laughed.

"Sorry, sorry. How are you? How' it go? Tell me everything."

"Fast. Extremely fast from what I imagined. They always tell you it will take you twenty hours or days to have a baby and I popped my first one out in a little less then ten. Pretty sure I was in a fog the whole time," Gray explained to her. It still felt like a dream in her eyes, hard to imagine it all went down so easily.

"Your mom called me not that long ago to fill me in I couldn't believe it. How's your body feeling?" Gray groaned, it hurt, alot.

"Like a bitch. If they ask Mila, take the meds and run," she told her making Mila laugh over the line.

"Got it. Don't worry I'm not stupid like you I don't need to feel my insides explode." Gray moaned again, just hearing that made her body pulse in pain more.

"Now you are just being gross," she yelled at her.

"Sorry, sorry I will stop. Can I come see you yet," Mila asked. Gray was right, she was itching.

"Of course, we will be right here and waiting." Gray looked over to see Liam stir. His eyes blinked open and looked back at her. He gave Gray a small smile across the room. Gray hung up with Mila on the phone and patted the bed for him to join her. Liam got up slowly, making sure to hold Spencer firmly and walked over.

"Hello daddy," Gray whispered. Liam sat down slowly resting half his body against her. Gray lightly touched her fingertip to Spencer's little cheek.

"She is amazing," Liam responded, " just like her Mommy." Gray smiled at him, kissing his cheek.

"Thank you for getting here."

"There is no why I'd ever miss this, you are my girls now. My life." Liam kissed her on the mouth and laid against the bed more. Both of them stared quietly at their daughter. Everything fell into pieces, Gray knew nothing else could go wrong at this point. They were strong, the strongest a family could be.

Notes

Title Creds: "Beautiful in my eyes" by Joshua Kadison

Good call on it being a girl! I went back in forth the whole time while writing Side by Side but always went back to being a girl. :)