Time seemed to have slowed for Mal. She could hear her heartbeat thumping loud in her ears and as her breathing was slow and steady as she watched her friends get ready for the final stages of labour.

As if it was in slow-motion, Mal watched Gil rolled up his sleeve and ask the midwife if he could help in any way.

She felt a Jay and Harry's arms looping around her each of her thighs and helping her get into a comfortable position as another contraction hit her suddenly.

Lonnie winked to Mal as she scooted up the bed and rested her hand on the bump before moving out of the chaos to stand beside Godmother.

Evie wiped a few sweaty strands of hair out of the expectant mother's face with a large grin as Doug snapped a few photos and then stood beside his girlfriend saying encouraging things to Mal.

Jane was rubbing Carlos' shoulders as he sat straddling a dining room chair, arms crossed on the backrest looking slightly green as he watched Godmother and the Midwife set warm towels and blankets down around Mal's lower half as she began to push.

"Push love!"

Mal sucked in a deep breath and grunted as she pushed against the feeling of the contraction. After Evie's countdown from ten had finished, Mal gasped and her head fell back against Jay's chest.

"Come on Mal, big breath and then another push."

Her hands were gripping Evie and Harry's so hard the pair of them were half-heartedly attempting to claw her fingers away.

"Push!"

"I think I might faint," Carlos mumbled to Jane as he slumped slightly at the sight of Mal groaning primally as her cheeks and neck tinged red and she pushed.

"I can see the head! Keep pushing!" Gil said excitedly before being yanked by the collar of his shirt to Harry's side so he was no longer looking at Mal's lower half.

"I can't, I can't," Mal cried, tears slipping down over her cheeks.

Kisses landed on the back of her head, the backs of her hands and on her temple from those around her and numerous words of encouragement flooded over her, re-energising her.

"I love you. Bring our child into this world like I know you can," Harry whispered into her ear as the strongest contraction hit its peak and Mal grunted and groaned as she pushed as hard as she could.

"Oh, my gods!" Evie cried as she glanced down to see the head of the baby emerge.

"Bloody hell how much hair?" Gil remarked with a smile. "The heads out. Another push!"

Mal felt as though she was having an out of body experience as she gave a final push and felt her child being born.

A crying mess of a child covered in afterbirth and slightly wrinkly was rubbed down by Godmother and the Midwife as her friends cried and clapped.

"Its a girl!" Godmother told the parents as she handed the bundle carefully to Evie who placed the babe on Mal's chest, skin to skin.

"Would you like to cut the cord dad?" the midwife asked, holding out a pair of scissors out by the blades for the awestruck pirate.

He gulped and licked his dry lips. "I don't want to hurt her," he replied, shrinking back as the midwife grabbed his fingers and slipped them into the handles.

"You won't, I promise," she reassured him, helping him open the scissors and placed them on the cord. "Just cut here."

The snip of the cord and the delivery of the afterbirth happened within moments and then the midwife was congratulating them on the successful birth of the baby.

"Godmother will weigh her and then you can cuddle her," the midwife told them as the baby was placed into a scarf which was attached to a small set of hand-held scales.

With bated breath, everyone watched Godmother place the baby into the scarf and then lift the scales, the precious bundle swaying ever so gently as Godmother took her weight.

"6 pounds, three ounces," she smiled. "Just a few ounces short of my own Jane."

Jane's cheeks darkened at the mention of herself but she was quickly reminded of Carlos as his head slumped forwards.

"Is he alright?" Jay grinned, laughing at his friends' predicament.

"Yeah, he stupidly looked up when the placenta was being delivered, ignoring me as I told him not to look yet," Jane sighed, patting the boy's head affectionately.

"Sorry if you don't get any sympathy," Mal said, licking her dry lips as Godmother set the baby down on the mattress and then handed her back to lay on her mother's chest.

Laughter bubbled around the room which turned to a coo from Evie as the baby's cries settled and her tiny fingers splayed out over Mal's collarbone. Harry's palm rested on the baby's back, covering her completely.

"A girl. I mean, I'm still having trouble getting to terms with a baby, but a baby girl!" Doug said in awe. "You're parents."

Mal laughed but it was slow and tired as her eyelids drooped. "Don't forget, you're all godparents, in it as much as we are."

"To the most spoilt-" Jay began.

"-Loved!" Lonnie interrupted.

"Yes, loved, obviously what I meant. The most loved child in the kingdom."