Page 38 of Saving Their Forever

I should check on them. Make sure they’re okay. But all I can think of is Wren. And our baby.

There’s no time to dig the comms unit out of my shoe. Or retrace all my steps. I studied the layout of this place for an hour and memorized a dozen different exfil routes.

Sprinting for a rusty ladder at the far end of the first passageway, I start to climb. More shots, and Connor shouts something that might be, “Clear!”

The setting sun almost blinds me as I reach the top of the ladder. The steady thump of the Blackhawk gets closer. Graham drags a body by the neck, but startles when he sees me. “Shit. Inara took out the guy with Wren. She’s on the way to the helo with West.”

“Rip and Dax are behind me. Make sure they’re okay!”

I double-time it toward the sound of the helicopter.

“I need…shit…I need to push!” Wren cries.

Fuck. She can’t have the baby here. There’s no doctor. We need more time!

I burst through the gates to find her on the ground, Inara at her back, holding her. West kneels at her side, and Ford holds his phone close to the SEAL’s ear. “Joey,” he says, “you have to talk West through this.”

“Wren!” I fall to my knees next to her, and she starts to sob. Her arms wind around my neck, and she holds on as her entire body shakes. “Sweetheart, you can’t have the baby here. We have to get up. The hospital?—”

“Not…my choice,” she whimpers. “She’s coming. Now!”

Joey clears her throat over the speaker. “Um, someone has to check if the baby’s crowning. Or…God help me, turn on video and let me see.”

West squeezes his eyes shut for a beat, then turns to me. “Ry, tell me you’re not going to snap my neck for…uh…touching your wife.”

All the blood drains from my face. I can feel it. West has more medical training than any of us, but this isn’t a broken bone or a bullet wound. It’s Wren.

“Have you ever done this before?” I ask.

“No. But that’s why we have Joey.”

“Hey,” she squeaks. “I’ve never delivered a baby either.”

Wren whimpers and wraps her arms around her belly. “Not helping,” she manages.

“West, check for the baby’s head. Now.”

The SEAL lifts Wren’s skirt and leans down. “Uh, yeah. That’s a head.”

I take Inara’s place, letting Wren lie against my chest with my legs on either side of her. Raelynn, Ronan, and Vasquez come through the gates at an all-out sprint, and skid to a halt when they see us.

“Well, shee-it,” Raelynn says. “You two. Go back and get all the emergency blankets and water you can find. And the med kit.”

Ronan and Vasquez double-time it back up the hill as Joey encourages Wren to push.

“One, two, three, four, five,” she says. “Now breathe, mama. Until the next contraction, just breathe.”

West has both of his hands under Wren’s skirt. I don’t know how to help her. She’s clutching my fingers so hard, my knuckles crack. She’s so tiny. And I’m…not. What if the baby…what if she can’t get her out?

“West? What’s happening?” My voice doesn’t sound right. If he doesn’t answer, it’s bad.

“Head’s out. One shoulder too. She’s got Wren’s hair,” he says. “I’m ready when you are, Wren. One more push. Maybe two.”

“Uh huh.” Wren’s so weak. So tired. I press a kiss to the top of her head.

“I’m right here, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”

“Never…doing this…again,” she pants. “Oh, shit. Here comes another one!”

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