Birth of an Angel, Life of a Rose {Xamp}

[RIPLEY "TRAMP" GWYNN]

Nine months ago is when it began. Actually, it began about six years ago on the rooftop of Baum Academy. That's when she met him, Xander Sykes. There was no Alexander Sykes. Just Xander. Just as she was no Ripley Gwynn, she was Tramp. But from that first night, she decided she could keep him. That decision came along with many, many twists and turns. Their relationship was a difficult one to describe. For a while there, Angel and Wes, and mostly anyone who saw them together took them as a pair. But Tramp never thought about it like that, because it had never been set in stone.

For a long time, all she knew was that she liked the way his hair curled. Or the way his skin tasted when she kissed it, or the expressions he would pull on a day to day basis. The way his adam's apple would bob in his throat when he spoke, or the way he pretended to not be as smart as he was. Xander was special, and after some time Xander was fully hers. It took a couple years for her to even out, but Tramp hadn't changed in the long run. There were some small changes in her life, such as discovering that she was host to the Wicked Witch of the West, and Xander hosted Mombi. It seemed that her friends and family had revealed themselves as being part of the story, and Angel and Wes were seperate entetites, but hosts as well.

It was strange when the families got together at times, but it was even stranger when Tramp went to Xander's house for the first time. She had always thought Xander was...maybe poor, wasn't the word. But she hadn't expected him to be quite as well off as he was. Tramp had been sort of mad at him keeping it a secret, which erupted into an even bigger fight, which ended up in make-up sex, which ended up with apologies and explainations. It hadn't changed things--maybe in the past Tramp had manipulated guys. Okay--she had, but the point remained. She loved Xander far before anything, and she had gone that long without even knowing about the rest of the family--so she wasn't taking a sudden interest in it at all.

Actually, for a while it had been forgotten. Even when they moved into their own apartment. It had even been forgotten up until the point that Xander was presenting her with a tiny box. Tramp had never spoke of marriage, or kids, or any of that sort. And yet, they were all happening, unravelling. But at long as it was with Xander, she'd take the steps. He was still awkward at times, and easily embarassed whenever he did anything sweet, but Tramp wouldn't have had him any other way. She was greatful for it, because two months later that stupid pee stick was telling her that there as something growing inside of her.

It was one of those times where Xander's family's money had come in handy. Helping her with doctors and medications. Throughout the entire pregnancy, there was nothing very radiant about Tramp. There was something reluctant and stubborn about her that she had seen in Rose throughout her pregnancies. It definitely ran in the family.

Seven months later--Tramp awoke cursing up a storm. At first, she thought she pissed the bed. She hadn't done that throughout her whole pregnancy, and this was not the time to start. Xander laughed at her, and while she was yanking off the sheets angrily--she felt the most excruciating pain. Like something was tearing her apart inside. It didn't take too long for them to figure out that Tramp had not peed the bed, but her water had in fact broken. From then on, it was just screaming and cursing on the way to the hospital.
Xander was calling Tramp's family--the ones she cared about. Angel first, then Wes, then Rose. "No--no, she's. The baby's on it's---right, Sacred Heart." Xander had sucked in a breath to give Rose directions, before Tramp cut him off.

"SHE KNOWS WHERE THE FUCK IT IS, SHE'S NOT FUCKING STUPID!" Tramp screeched, her sentence breaking off into a pained scream yet again. Xander nervously dropped the phone and hurried ahead into the hospital, and rushed behind nurses that brought over a wheelchair for her.

It didn't feel like too long before Tramp was hooked up to an IV and was in a gown. Xander tried to hide the grin on his face while Tramp glared down the doctors checking her dilation, and he was there to give her water and let her crush his hand when the contractions started coming closer and closer together. They didn't speak quite so much, but when the doctor told her she was ready to start pushing, she had Xander on one side, and Rose on the other.

“C’mon, you’re doing great. Push, push, you’re—“ Xander’s face went pale halfway through his encouragement, and his coaching was drowned out by Tramp’s screams.

“SHUT YOUR MOUTH YOU SONOFABITCH! YOU DID THIS TO ME, I DON’T SEE YOU SHITTING OUT A KID!” Tramp’s voice bounced off the walls, causing her cousin to laugh. Tramp’s blonde hair stuck to her forehead while she gasped for air, pushing with all of her might. Just when she felt ready to give up, to call it quits—another scream tore through the air.

A loud, screeching wail that was no octave that any adult in the room could have managed. Tramp’s eyes opened wide, gasps of relief causing her chest to rise and fall. She stared wide-eyed as the infant was held up to her. Angel Rose’s arms curled why she screeched in the air, then the nurses snipped the chord and carted the baby away to check its vitals.

Tramp’s head turned to look at Xander, who had fallen right down to his bum, staring at the nurses who were cleaning off their daughter and taking her measurements. Doctors bustled in, cleaning Tramp up enough to cool her down. Once mother and child were both cleaned up, Rose left the room to make the phone calls and Xander was granted a chair and some water.

Angel Rose was brought back over, swaddled in a blanket, and gently placed into Tramp’s arms. She looked scared, horribly, and utterly scared. Tramp’s arms wrapped instinctively around Angel, holding her naturally, easily. Tramp’s eyes were all for her, and her fingertips brushed the infant’s swollen cheek, before looking up at Xander with those frightened eyes. “I…I don’t know how to do this.” She murmured quietly, to Xander, looking back down. The baby had a crazy amount of hair on her head—that would be the heartburn that Tramp suffered through most of her pregnancy—but there were tufts of blonde hair that refused to stay down.

“Don’t worry, neither do I. But we’ll be alright.” Xander murmured, sounding just as tired as Tramp was. He leaned in to kiss her forehead, and Tramp shifted her arms to hold Angel upwards. Xander glanced at Tramp, before taking the infant into his arms, and holding her high up on his chest, staring into her face. “Rip, I think I found someone I love more than you.” That wide, dorkey smile came over his face while he stared at the child.

Tramp’s arms were limp in her lap, and she leaned her head backwards against the pillow. She smiled without showing teeth, as it had always been. She reached out, her fingers rubbing his arms for a moment, “I’ll forgive you for that. Cause I think I love her more than you, too.” She chuckled tiredly, and flinched while she scooted over on her bed to make room for Xander.

He settled carefully, holding the baby close to his chest while he slid his lanky form in beside the tired blonde. “I don’t think anything’s felt this perfect in a long time.” He murmured, resting Angel Rose on his chest, while his other arm tucked beneath Tramp, pulling her in close as well.

With a few slow movements, Tramp turned in to rest her head on Xander’s shoulder and used her fingertip to gently stroke the top of Angel Rose’s head while the newborn slept. “Don’t…” Tramp hesitated for a moment, and pressed her face harder into Xander’s shoulder, “Don’t leave us, okay? Cause I’m already gonna be a shit mom, I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She was between laughing and crying, but she only sniffed loudly, and went back to touching Angel Rose’s soft, perfect skin.

Using his long arm that was wrapped around Tramp, his fingers nudged at the ring on her left hand, encircling her ring finger. “That right there means I want to be with you forever.” He turned his eyes down to Angel Rose and smiled, “And this right here means that I will be with you forever.”

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