Well my car wouldn't start and I couldn't go to work today. What better excuse do I need to get the next chapter up?! When life gives you lemons, make lemonade...or babies! Here they come! The moment we've all been waiting for!

Hours have gone past and Linka is in full blown labor, clutching Wheeler's hand while his other hand soothingly rubs her back.

"I can see the head! Push Linka!"

"Zavali yebalo!"

"What's that one mean?" Dr. Walsh asks Wheeler.

"No clue…it's new to me…but it can't be good!"

"I am sorry…I did not mean it."

"We forgive you…considering we have no idea what you just said!" Wheeler whispers. "It's ok Babe, you're doing great. Remember to breathe…just like we learned."

"Ok Linka, one more big push. Ready?" Dr. Walsh says.

"Nyet, I cannot…"

"Come on Baby, you got this…squeeze my hand," Wheeler says as he brushes the sweat soaked strands of hair away from her face. "You're amazing. I can't believe how well you're handling this…but I should've known you would…My beautiful Babe-ushka…always cool as a cucumber when the going gets tough. I love you so much. Can you push one more time for me? For the little bugs who are anxious to come out and meet us?"

Wheeler's tender words of love and encouragement seem to work.

"Da, ok."

"Atta girl, Babe. Push on three…ready? One…Two…Three!"

Linka bears down and gives one last push.

"That's it! You're done!" Dr. Walsh says. "For a few minutes anyway!"

Linka lays her head back on the pillow and relaxes until it occurs to her that a baby is crying…her baby!

"How is it?!"

"Gross and red," Wheeler says as he crinkles his face.

"WHEELER!"

"Calm down Babe, I'm kidding. I'm sure he'll be cute once he's cleaned up."

"He? We are having boys!"

"Wheeler, do you want to come cut the cord?" Dr. Walsh asks.

"Uh, no thanks."

"Really? Most fathers like that they get to be involved by doing that."

"I…don't wanna screw it up. Best leave it to the professionals."

"You can use scissors right?" The Dr. asks.

"Yeeeeeeah," he says, warming up to the idea of getting to do this.

"Come on…you don't want to miss out on the opportunity do you?"

"No…hand 'em over!" He says excitedly.

Wheeler follows Dr. Walsh's instructions and cuts the chord.

The nurses take the baby boy away to clean him up and make sure all is well. Wheeler returns to Linka's side, and kisses her.

"This is so awesome!"

"Easy for you to say. You just have to wait around and cut the umbilical cord…you want to trade? See how AWESOME it is then?!"

"No, that's ok…you're doing wonderful job…I couldn't do it any better. I'm not nearly as strong and brave as you," he says.

"Good answer," Dr. Walsh whispers. "Ok Linka, one down, one more to go. When you get the urge, push."

She then turns to look at the fetal monitor and gets a worried look on her face.

"What?" Wheeler asks.

"Umm, the baby's heart rate is slightly elevated…could be a sign of distress."

"Could be? What's that mean?"

"Could just be excited about being born…but if it gets worse, we're going to have to do a c-section. We like to see it between 110 and 160 beats per minute. We're at 162 right now."

Just then, the heart rate spikes up to 180.

"Tachycardia! We gotta get this baby out now!"

"Are you going to try forceps or vaccum first doctor?" One of the nurses asks.

The fetal heartmonitor continues to beep furiously as the beats per minute rise.

"Neither! I'm going in. Everyone, prep for surgery. Wheeler, I need you to put a mask on," Dr. Walsh instructs as one of the nurses hands Wheeler a mask. Dr. Walsh continues with instructions to Wheeler. "Ok, now just stay calm…keep her calm. Don't worry. This happens. I've done this more times than I can count and 99 times out of 100, things turn out just fine."

One of the assisting doctors injects something into Linka's IV.

"What's that?" Wheeler asks.

"Mild sedative. She should only be out for a half hour or so."

Wheeler puts his arm around Linka and holds her, whispering comforting words in her ear, trying to block out all the "doctor speak" going on around him. He tries to ignore Doctor Walsh when she asks for a scalpel, then suction, then he hopes he misheard her when she said the cord was around the baby's neck. That's when he stopped listening and started praying.

To Be Continued...

I can't take complete credit for the chapter. Once again, I couldn't have done these last few chapters without Jimjamrn. Big thanks for the expert input and helpful hints for the medical jargon and ideas! I always thought if I ever had kids, a c-section would be the way to go "Just cut me open and get it out. All that pushin' looks painful!" After hearing her describe it...I think I'll just join a convent and avoid having kids all together!