Chapter 25

Lucas, hearing the noise, came awake instantly. Looking over and finding his wife's side of the bed empty, he quickly oriented himself and grabbing his robe, threw open the bedroom door to go in search of her.

Everyone else, having heard the noise as well, ventured out of his or her room to see what had happened. Kara, not seeing her sister looked at Lucas, "Where's Dara?"

Lucas shrugged as he quickly headed down the stairs stopping short halfway down at the sight of his wife lying on the floor. Taking the remaining steps two at a time, he knelt down and lifted her carefully to a sitting position, pleading with her, "Dara, baby can you hear me?"

Dara opened her eyes and grimaced as she felt another pain hit her. Gripping her husband's hand until the agony ended she stated disheartened, "I'm in labor it started earlier, a pain hit me halfway down the stairs and I stumbled."

Lucas checked and making certain that she wasn't bleeding looked at the people standing on the landing above, "One of you call Crower."

Dara, who was trying to breath through the pains that she was gripped in once more, gripped him once more tightly then once the pain had passed looked to her husband in fright, "There's something wrong, the pains in my back too. Not like before it's worse there then in my stomach."

Lucas nodded his understanding, he had been afraid since Crower had voiced his concerns over the condition of her back that she might have to endure back labor.

Lucilla came to the top of the stairs and stated, "Crower said to meet him at the hospital, he's leaving right now."

Lucas nodded as another pain gripped Dara, this time bringing oblivion with it. Lucas looked down in horror at her still face until he realized that she had fainted from the pain.

Lucas returned once more with his clothes and boots as Kara and Mara came down the stairs and instructed, "You go and get dressed, we'll stay here with her."

Nodding his thanks he ducked into the downstairs bathroom and dressed quickly. When he returned he was extremely careful of her back as he gently lifted her off of the floor as Lucilla came down and covered her with a blanket, stating, "It's freezing out there, she doesn't need a cold on top of everything else."
Ten minutes later he was placing her on a stretcher and watching as she was taken to an examination room. A few minutes later Crower came out, looking grim.

Lucas took one look at his face and asked with a sinking heart, "She isn't going to be all right, is she?"

Matt spoke evenly, "I'm not going to lie to you, we're going to have to do a c section this time. There's no way that she could endure delivery, plus she's starting to lose some blood."

Lucas nodded his understanding, then asked the question he considered to be of the utmost importance, "We'll she survive?"

Matt shook his head, "Hopefully, yes, but right now I don't know. I'm sorry but you're going to have to stay in the waiting room. She's all ready unconscious, but we're going to have to anesthetize her anyway for this." Lucas, not thrilled with the prospect of leaving his wife alone, nodded curtly.

Rita brought the consent forms for his signature; after he had signed them she motioned towards the waiting room, promising to bring him news as soon as possible.

Shortly after Dara's sisters, as well as Caleb, Lucilla, and Jack all arrived, explaining that they had left Brittany at home with the younger boys and babies. Each waited in silence, offering his or her prayers for the end result. After what seemed an eternity, Matt emerged from eh O.R. breathing a sigh of relief, "You have another healthy daughter, seven pounds even. And Dara is going to be fine, the bleeding was caused by a break in the placental sack, so there wasn't any damage, we got the baby out before it became overly serious. They're taking Dara to a room now, so you can go and see her in a few minutes, but you can see the baby now." With that he motioned for Lucas to follow him.

Emerging from the O.R. Rita walked up and placed the tiny bundle in Lucas' arms. Looking down on the small face, he was overwhelmed by relief. Handing her back to the nurse he asked, "Does she have to go into an incubator too?"

Matt nodded, "She's four weeks early, so just as a precaution." Matt caught the signal that the nurse had just given him and stating, "Come on, Dara is settled so you can go in and see her." Lucas followed Matt to the room and stopped outside of the door as the doctor explained, "Now she's going to be tired for a while and extremely sore from the surgery. So make her rest and take it easy for a while. Not to mention that she also has a sprained ankle from her fall, so she'll be immobile for a few days."

Lucas nodded and grasping the other man's shoulder stated, "Thank you for everything.

Matt, unaccustomed to emotion or gratitude from this man, simply nodded then left.

Lucas stepped in the room and looked down at his wife's face, relaxed in sleep. Placing his hand along her cheek, he kissed her gently as she regained consciousness.

Looking in her husband's face, Dara asked drowsily, "What happened?" Then, moving her hand down towards her now flat stomach her eyes widened in panic.

Lucas placed his hand gently over hers and shook his head, "It's all right, they did a caesarian, the baby is fine, and we have another daughter."

Dara sighed in relief as the tears began sliding down her face. Trying to focus on the events that had led to the birth of her child she asked weakly, "What happened?"

Lucas frowned and inquired, "Do you remember anything?"

Dara thought for a moment before replying, "The last thing that I remember was going downstairs to get something to drink when I felt a sharp sudden pain and then I heard you calling me, but that's it."

Lucas nodded, grateful that she didn't remember the agony that she had endured, then choosing his words carefully he answered her inquiry, "You went into labor early, apparently the pain hit you suddenly, the next thank that I knew you were laying at the bottom of the steps. Crower said that you were having back labor, so he thought that a c-section would be better for you. How do you feel?"

Dara shrugged exhaustedly, "Tired and sore, my stomach feels like someone beat me in it."

Lucas took her hand and after kissing it, held it next to his cheek, voicing his thoughts, he stated, "Darlin, I think that we need to give serious consideration to not having anymore children. It seems to put you thru the mill. We have four and I couldn't stand it if something happened to you."

Dara smiled weakly, "We'll discuss it later on, besides I don't seem to be in any condition to consider having another baby at the moment." Lucas nodded his acceptance of her statement, knowing now wasn't the time to discuss it.

Rita chose that moment to enter and examine Dara. Smiling brightly she stated, "Well, I see that you're awake. I have someone who cant wait to meet you, but it'll have to wait until the morning."

Dara looked at her incredulously, "What do you mean, 'the morning'? I want to see my baby. Now!"

Rita looked at her indulgingly, "Now Mrs. Buck, you just had a c-section and your daughter is in the incubator for tonight, just as a precaution, but it's just going to have to wait until the morning."

Dara narrowed her gaze at the woman, "The hell it is! I just went thru hell to bring that child into the world. I want to see my daughter!" With that she threw the covers aside and attempted to stand. Dara knew the minute she sat up so quickly that she had made a mistake, but she was determined to see her baby.

Lucas, seeing that she was about to collapse, quickly caught her. Holding her upright, he growled at Rita, "Go find Crower."

Rita stood trying to decide what to do; she was put out by Dara's stubborn attitude, but she also didn't want to incur Lucas Buck's wrath either. So she stood for a moment trying to decide what to do.

Lucas, having grown impatient and knowing his wife's stubborn streak, made the decision for her by ordering brusquely, "NOW!" Sending her fleeing out the door to quickly find Crower. Lucas was trying to placate his wife when Matt entered, alone, Rita having declined to return.

Looking at Dara he stated, "I'm glad that you're awake but I would prefer you to stay put. I'll remind you that you've just had a c-section and that you need your rest."

Dara shook her head obstinately, "Not until I see my baby."

Matt looked at her incredulously, "She's in the incubator for tonight, she is four weeks early, and although she weighed in well enough and is fully developed, I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Dara nodded her head at his logic, "All right then I'll go to the nursery."

Matt looked her as though she had just said that she would fly without wings. "No, you wont, you're too weak. You lost some blood and you need your rest."

Dara looked at him stubbornly, "You have two choices Dr. Crower, either you order a wheelchair and let me go see my child or I walk there on my own. Take your pick."

Matt looked at Lucas who had remained silent and asked, "She's your wife, cant you do anything?"

Lucas shook his head; "She's not going to be satisfied until she sees the baby. Just get a wheelchair in here and let her go in there for five minutes."

Matt looked at her hopefully, "If I let you go, do you promise to get back in that bed and do what you're told, including taking something for the pain?"

Dara nodded solemnly and held up her hand, "Scouts honor."

Matt sighed in defeat, "All right, damned. You win, I'll get a chair hang on." Matt stepped outside to order a chair.

Just then Kara came in and asked with concern, "Are you all right?"

Dara nodded, "Yes, I'm going to see my baby, that's all."

Kara looked at her sister incredulously, "Dara, you just had surgery, you need to rest. They'll bring the baby in tomorrow."

Dara shook her head, "No. I went thru hell to have that child and I want to see her. Tonight, not tomorrow, now my mind is mad up so everyone be quiet about it." With that she dropped the subject as Matt entered pushing a chair.

Unhooking her IV bag and hanging in on the chair, Matt nodded his okay for Lucas to lift her off of the bed and lower her into the chair. Five minutes later Matt had taken her daughter from the incubator for her to be held for a few minutes by her mother.

Lucas shook his head at the picture she made holding their daughter close to her and smiling.

Matt reluctantly took the baby from her and placed her back in the incubator, and then turning to Dara she stated, "A promise is a promise, back to your bed."

When they had returned her to her room Matt noticed as Lucas lifted her out of the chair the grimace of pain the crossed her face. Shaking his head he stated, rather than asked, "You're hurting, aren't you."

Dara was about to shake her head when the aching increased, lowering her head she admitted reluctantly, "Maybe just a little."

Matt nodded, "I thought so." With that he stepped outside to order her medication.

A moment later Rita stepped thru the door once more and asked cautiously, "Now can I give you your medication?"

Dara nodded and waited patiently as Rita re hung her IV bag, and then injected a syringe into the line. Checking the line she nodded, satisfied, "There, that should take effect in a couple of minutes." With that she left giving them some privacy before the medication began working.

Lucas held her hand as he shook his head at her stubbornness, "You, are very hard headed. You do know that, don't you?"

Dara nodded, "But just think, that's part of what makes our marriage so exciting."

Lucas laughed at her statement, "You're right and I wouldn't want you to be any other way." Noticing how she was fighting to keep her eyes open he asked softly, "Are you feeling any better yet?"

Dara nodded her head and replied sleepily, "And very sleepy."

Lucas placed his hand on her cheek and instructed softly, "Well, close your eyes and let the medication do its thing." Watching her as she closed her eyes, he sat with her until she was sound asleep.

Mat came back in just as he was about to leave. Motioning towards her, Matt asked, "Did she fall asleep?"

Lucas nodded, "Yeah, I assume that she's out for the night."

Matt replied, "Pretty much, she'll be very sore tomorrow especially in her stomach. Before you ask everything seems fine at this point if you and she decide to have another baby, but there is one thing that we need to discuss. It's going to take a few months for her stomach to heal from the caesarian, which means that she doesn't need any more surprise pregnancies."

Lucas nodded his agreement, "I was thinking about that earlier, can she take the birth control pill?"

Matt considered for a moment, "I don't see why not, but we have six weeks before we need to worry about." With that he followed Lucas out of the room.

Lucas went to the waiting room where everyone was waiting patiently. Smiling proudly at them he put their fears to rest, "She's going to be fine, a little sore and very tired for a while, but other than that she and baby are fine."

Both sisters sighed in relief, as did Jack and Caleb. Lucas noticed his grandmother nod her head as she replied, "I didn't have any doubt that she wouldn't be fine."

Leaving the hospital Lucas noticed the sun beginning to rise and felt his spirits lift with it, realizing that the rage that used to drive him seemed dim compared to the love that was now the source of his energy.


Dara was allowed to return home after three days in the hospital and Matt's satisfaction in her progress. Her stomach still ached from the surgery, but other than that and the twisted ankle she had sustained from her fall, she felt fine.

Matt and Lucas both agreed that it would be better if she weren't allowed crutches, that way she would have no alternative other than rest as she had been ordered to do.

Both Lucas and Dara had given great consideration the entire length of her hospital stay as to the baby's name. Finally Dara suggested Katherine Lucilla, after her and Lucas' grandmother.

Caleb, as with his brother and sister, had decided that Katherine was too long for a little baby, so he nicknamed her Rinie, which met with his parent's approval.

Dara's family was thrilled by the prospect of having been present for the birth of her baby. Kara had just voiced that opinion, sitting upstairs with Dara when Lucas entered the room to greet his wife.

Not paying any particular attention to the conversation as he was looking for something in the closet. He was totally caught off guard when Kara casually mentioned,

"You know, you should have the babies christened. You didn't have Alex and Riesa christened, so if you do it in the next couple of days we can be here for it."

Lucas stood very still, silently waiting for his wife's answer. She hadn't mentioned when the twins were born wanting to have them christened and Lucas hadn't suggested it. Now he waited with baited breath for Dara's reply.

Finally, she stated, "Kara, you know that I don't prescribe to any particular religion you know how I feel about that."

Lucas sighed in relief. Although she had a very strong belief and faith in God, she had explained to him before that she didn't believe in any one particular religion, rather that it was up to the individual to live by what his or her conscience dictated. He clearly remembered a statement that she had made one time on the subject,

"I really don't think that when I get to the gates of heaven that God will have taken attendance of all my time in a church, rather that he'll look and see what was in my heart and how much faith and belief I have in his presence, as well as how I treated others."

Lucas, thinking the conversation was over nearly froze when Kara offered the one reason that would sway Dara's feelings, "I know your opinion, but you know how mama and daddy would feel if they were here, so do it for them. Besides, it's family tradition."

Lucas listened intently and with a sinking heart as she finally gave in and agreed to call the preacher who had performed their mother's funeral service to see about christening all three children. Lucas knew he couldn't allow them to be christened, but he had no idea how to convince his wife of it without disclosing deep secrets he didn't want to expose.

Masking his frustrations as he re entered the bedroom he answered his wife calmly when she asked if he had heard the conversation between her and her sister. Shaking his head he lied convincingly, "No darlin. I'm sorry I didn't. Why?"

Dara explained, "Kara thinks that we should have the babies christened while they're here to attend. What do you think?"

Careful to hide his anxiousness, he replied nonchalantly, "I thought that we had decided that we didn't want to do that. That we were going to let the kids decide for themselves when they were older."

Kara interrupted, "Well it's just a family tradition, you're not baptizing them. You're just formally naming them."

Lucas looked at her with irritation, "I thought that was what we did when we filled out their birth certificates."

Dara looked at him in surprise, she had never heard him use that tone with either of her sisters. He had always seemed to like them.

Seeing the withering look his wife was now giving him, he reconsidered his words, "I'm sorry, I've just never gone in for all of those fancy ceremonies and such, and Dara and I had already discussed this and I thought that we had it settled. It's just upsetting to have our decision suddenly changed around." With that he left the room to go downstairs.

Kara looked at her sister in concern, "I didn't mean to offend him, should I apologize?"

Dara shook her head, not certain herself what had brought his change in temper, stating simply, "No, leave it alone. I'll talk to him later."


Lucas ventured downstairs in search of his grandmother, finding her in the kitchen and checking to make certain that no one else was around he motioned for her to join him outside in the garden swing.

Taking a seat on the bench Lucilla asked impatiently, "All right, boy. What's on your mind?"

Sighing in frustration he ground out, "She's considering having all three babies christened."

Lucilla stared at him in disbelief, "She cant do that, do you have any idea what would happen if she does?"

Lucas nodded, "Yeah, I have an idea."

Lucilla considered a moment; no child born with Buck blood flowing through their veins had ever been christened. Oh, the women like herself and she was certain, Dara had, but not the offspring. There were simply too many dangers involved. It was one thing to ignore and insult someone, but to do it in their own house was stupidity, which is what it would be to have the children christened.

Lucilla shook her head in dismay, "You have to stop her."

Lucas looked at her and answered sarcastically, "Oh really, I would never have thought of that mama. Now how in the hell do you propose that I do that?"

Lucilla eyed him evenly, "You're going to have to tell her."

Lucas shook his head vehemently, "Not on your life, if she ever finds out she'll leave and take the kids with her. even Caleb, and since she's legally his mother now she could do it."

Lucilla furrowed her brow in concentration, then her eyes lit up with an idea.

Lucas looked at her hopefully, "You've thought of something?"


Lucilla nodded, "Yes, I have and you wont have to tell her."

Lucas nodded, "All right, what do I do?"

Lucilla smiled, "Simple, you need to reason with her."

Lucas looked at her in disbelief, "What do you mean, 'reason' with her? I cant give her a good reason not to do it, aside from telling her the exact reason and that puts us back to square one."

Lucilla shook her head, "Correct me if I'm wrong but she's more reasonable when she's asleep, right?"

Lucas nodded, comprehending, "She'll think that it's her idea then I wont have to say a word."

Lucilla patted his arm, "Now you're catching on" Looking at him sternly, she advised, "But wait until tonight when everyone else is in bed. You cant afford to be interrupted, too much is riding on this."

Lucas nodded, and then considering a moment he asked with concern, "What if she's not exactly sound asleep? With her resting as much as she has and she's a light sleeper anyway, she might remember."

Lucilla shook her head, "I'll make up a little night cap for her tonight, and you just make that she drinks it. She'll sleep till the morning and whatever happens she won't remember it, I promise. I'll take care of the babies tonight, just make sure that she nurses Rinie before you give to her."

Lucas glanced at her cautiously, "It wont hurt her, will it?"

Lucilla looked at him with hurt at his mistrust in her eyes, "You know better than that, I wouldn't hurt that girl. No it wont hurt her, it'll just make your job a little easier." Seeing him debating the issue she reasoned with him, "Look boy, you have exactly two choices, either you tell her everything, which you seem reluctant to do, or you do it this way, but you cant have it both ways. One thing is for sure, you cant let her have them babies christened."

Lucas nodded his head at her statement, "You're right, lets do it your way." Satisfied that he had made the best decision given the circumstances, he went back inside muttering to himself, "Dara, I hope that you if you ever find this out that you'll understand."