A/N: Does anyone know if the Scorch Trial movie is worth it?

Aubrey: You'll see...

Disclaimer: I'm not John Flanagan.

Scout sat quietly with Kane and Caitlyn on the bottom bunk of the tiny room. There hadn't been a whole lot of places to go on the ship as the night fell so they'd crammed into the guards' room. Elizabet and Russ both slept soundly on the mattress from the top bunk they'd put in the floor, taking up all the space there was available. Sometimes Elizabet woke up asking for her mother but the three were able to shush her back to sleep. Talia, Jessa, and Gabby were with Kineta, along with the ship's physician, a chambermaid, and an elderly rich widow who had eight children and assisted her five daughters through twelve births.

"You two should sleep," Kane urged.

"I'm alright," Caitlyn replied distantly. Kane and Scout had wedged themselves on one end to give her as much room as possible. She was still hard at work mending Scout's bow. Scout had to admit, her little sister was doing a good job. Her focus was so deep into her work it was amazing she'd responded to Kane at all.

"Think she's going to be alright?" Scout asked. Warden was still guarding the door upstairs, though guarding had a turned into fetching more water and delivering reports that Elizabet was fine.

"Yes," Kane assured her. Scout smiled while biting her tongue.

"You and Gabby are…"

"Don't go there."

Scout smiled. "Well…you're getting married."

Kane narrowed his eyes at her. "Remember you're my family before you are a princess. I'm not above smacking you."

"Oh, Araluen military strikes the crown princess of Hibernia. That'll start a war."

Kane thumped her ear.

"Kane!"

"Hush you'll wake up the children."

Scout giggled. "Gabby's going to want some you know."

"Scout?"

"What?"

"Shut up."

Scout shook her head. "You know it's true."

Before Kane could respond, Elizabet stirred. She whimpered as she opened her eyes. "Mama?" she asked sleepily.

"Your mama's still having your baby brother or sister," Kane answered her. Elizabet rubbed her eyes and sat up.

"I want Mama."

Scout sat back smugly as Elizabet climbed into Kane's lap and settled there. The sleepy blonde child fell asleep quickly once she got the comfort she wanted. Kane wrapped his arms around her tightly. Elizabet's mouth hung open just slightly as she slept. Kane glared at Scout the moment he noticed her smugness. "Don't start," he whispered.

"Finished," Caitlyn announced. She passed the bow over to Scout. Scout tested it in every way she could in the cramped space.

"Where did you learn this?" Scout asked with astonishment. Kane leaned over and studied the work as well. Both could admire her attention to detail.

Caitlyn just shrugged. She nodded to Elizabet. "Someone's being adorable," the youngest Leaf sister commented. Scout smiled widely.

"Don't," Kane warned.

Gabby had accepted that this job was above her skill hours ago and fallen back into an assistant role. The crowded room was hard for her to navigate so she'd planted herself by Kineta, squeezing her hand tightly and holding her in whatever position Jessa dictated. Earlier Kineta had been so restless they'd helped her pace the room. It'd given the chambermaids an opportunity to change the linens and make one of the cots, which would be easier to clean and easier for the women to navigate, more comfortable. Kineta was having problems beyond what even Jessa had experienced and it was all they could do to keep her calm. The baby should have arrived hours ago but instead it delayed.

They gave Kineta half a dozen reasons for the delay but Gabby knew they were all lying to keep the queen calm…and she let them. There were several terms for the problems but they all tied to Kineta's age. The longer it went on, the more Gabby listened to Jessa and the physician whisper, the higher the possibility the baby would be stillborn. Gabby bit her tongue against the possibility. She couldn't handle the thought of such a thing and knew Kineta couldn't bear losing another one…especially one she carried so close to term.

"It will be over soon," Talia told Kineta. Gabby wondered if she truly knew what was being risked.

"How did you do this twice?" Kineta gasped.

Gabby stroked Kineta's sticky hair. "Would you like to stand up again?"

"No more standing," Jessa said flatly. Gabby didn't argue.

"How are we supposed to do this without farther harm?" the physician whispered. Kineta was in too much of a crisis to notice. Gabby kept stroking her hair, listening intently to that one conversation.

"Oh, if only we had someone who is used to finding things without seeing them," the sarcastic mother of eight said. Suddenly Gabby's wrist was grasped and she felt herself tugged away from Kineta's side. "You were trained as a midwife, weren't you girl?"

"I…I started the training."

"You know what a baby feels like?"

Gabby nodded. "Yes."

"Good. You're getting the little monster unstuck."

"What?" Gabby gasped. "No, I can't…"

She was led to a bowl of water and her arms were being scrubbed for her. Gabby's heart began racing.

"Jessa is trained. Why…"

"She's tried, the physician's tried, and I have tried. That leaves you. You don't rely on your eyes to see what's wrong. Just try because if you don't do this then we could lose them both."

Both…the final moment of panic set in. Only, Gabby's response to panic is what made her good with medicine. When the moment of panic came she went calm. Gabby ignored Kineta's new cries as she toweled her arms dry and made sure her hair was tied back. By the time she was fully ready Kineta was resting between contractions. She felt for the queen's stomach and rubbed her knee. "You alright?" Gabby asked.

There was a silence. Gabby knew Kineta was smart and despite being in distress she knew what was going on. Gabby had been banished from primary care long ago. Her lack of training and inexperience with difficult births made that the logical thing to do and she'd agreed with all those who shooed her. Had Kineta been in solely her care she would have been lost a long time ago. Gabby's stepping back in as a medicine professional meant they were at their last resort. There was no way to hide it. "Save my baby, Gabby," Kineta pleaded. Gabby swallowed hard at the tears she could hear choked in the queen's throat.

The door to their small room was pushed open in a hurry…hitting the mattress in the floor. Luckily Elizabet was still sleeping in Kane's lap and Russ had fussed long enough to get himself a similar sleeping arrangement in Scout's lap.

Warden poked his head in, eyes going straight from the object blocking the door to the overcrowded bunk bed. "You're all needed now."

"Is the baby here?" Scout whispered.

Warden nodded but there was no wide smile or look of joy in his eyes. As they followed the Hibernian guard Elizabet woke up again. She rubbed her eyes and, once she realized she was being carried, latched tightly to Kane. "Where are we going?" she whispered.

"To see your mama," Kane answered softly.

Elizabet smiled and bounced with excitement. "Baby brother or sister's here?"

No one answered. They came upon a small crowd made up of almost everyone who had assisted Kineta in the hallway. The door behind them was closed. Kane went straight to Gabby. He ignored her bloodied apron and hugged her tightly. She was tense with unshed tears. Elizabet gasped sharply and fell into her silence. "Elizabet…" Gabby whispered with a surprisingly steady voice. She pulled away from Kane and fumbled with her apron. Once it was off and tossed aside there was hardly any evidence of the gore they'd just seen but still Elizabet said nothing.

"Maybe you should go stand with Caitlyn awhile," Kane said as he set the child down. She was all too happy to run away. Kane held Gabby close. "What happened?"

Gabby burst into tears. "The baby…it was a boy…I…"

"Was?" Kane whispered with a raised eyebrow. He realized what was going on the moment she said that word but still…Jessa made it known all the newcomers.

"The Hibernian prince was stillborn. Queen Kineta is very weak and has requested everyone let her be for the night. She is attended by Lady Talia and has asked…"

The door behind Jessa opened just enough for Talia to come out. Everyone, especially Elizabet, stared at her with wide eyes.

"Kineta has asked Gabby stay as well," Talia announced.

Everyone fell silent as Talia crossed over. She took Gabby's hand away from Kane and squeezed it. "Pull yourself together. She needs you."

"But I'm the reason…"

"Pull yourself together," Talia ordered. "Kane, would you mind Russ and Elizabet for the night?"

Kane, speechless, nodded. He watched as his birthmother led his love away but Gabby's words struck him hard. 'I'm the reason'…the reason for what?