~Chapter Six~

The Wilson Farm At Claxton Corners

After taking Sydney's phone from her and throwing a scare in Gage Wilson had got in his car and taken off in a trail of dust. Syd had heard the car start up the noise fading as the car disappeared down the lane.

"Oh Gage please find me," she desperately cried out another pain beginning to press down on her. As the pain began to subside she tried to concentrate on how long it had been since the last contraction. Looking at her watch she decided she would time them when the next one hit.

"How did I let myself get in this mess?" she chided herself all ready knowing it was just her being headstrong again and thinking she could handle it on her own. "Now both the baby and I both are going to pay," she said aloud tears streaming down her face.

With the Cooke determination that had gotten her through so many crisis Syd forced herself to first sit up and then to her feet. Slowly hugging the wall she began walking hoping that she would be able to make it to the van and then drive for help.

Making it to the kitchen door she pushed on the screen the old door easily giving way. "You can do this Cooke," she spoke aloud her focus on the open door that lead to the outside from the back porch. She took two small steps her vision beginning to blur from the dizziness of another contraction hitting. Crying out in pain she sank slowly to the floor once again in tears trying to breath and work her way through the pain.

Claxton Corners

Racing as fast as he could Sumner made it to Claxton Corners in record time hardly stopping before barrelling down the dirt road towards the old farm. His phone rang and he grabbed it to his ear. "Sumner," he shouted turning in the lane.

"Matt is she there?" It was Gage.

"I don't know yet Gage I can see her van but there is no sign of anyone," Sumner answered pulling to a stop beside Syd's vehicle.

"I'm about half way out there I should be there in another ten minutes," Gage informed him letting the line go dead.

Getting out of the car Sumner headed for the house gun drawn suddenly hearing Sydney cry out. Hurrying up the steps he found Syd on the floor another loud scream sounding from her as she tried not to bear down with the contraction.

"Sydney," Sumner yelled dropping down beside her taking hold of her hand.

"Sumner… where's Gage… I need Gage," she sobbed out. "This baby is going to be born now."

"Sydney you have to wait Gage is almost here," Sumner pleaded with her dialling 911 at the same time.

"I've got to push," Syd cried out again, "Sumner you have… to help… me," she got out interrupting his frantic call.

"Sumner?" Gage called out running towards the house.

"Gage in here Syd's having the baby," Sumner shouted never so glad to hear Gage's voice in his life.

Seeing his wife on the floor in pain Gage was instantly beside her. "Syd Honey I'm here. We're going to do this just like before all right?" he asked hoping he was hiding the fear and panic that was over taking him.

"I can't Gage… it hurts so much…" Syd whispered through tears as she clutched his hand.

"Now I know you'll be all right that is what you've told me every time just before each one of our kids was born," he smiled down at her. "Let me see how you're doing," he continued to talk gently easing her out of her pants. "The head is crowning just a few more good pushes Honey."

"Okay Gage," she started to say another contraction taking over.

"Push Syd come on push," Gage shouted encouragement. "Next time for sure," he told her another contraction hitting almost instantly.

The screaming of the emergency sirens could be heard coming closer to them as Sydney screamed out once again bringing the newest Gage into the world.

"A boy Syd," Gage shouted to her the air eerily quiet other then his words.

"Gage? What's wrong?" her words hitting him as the EMT's rushed in.

Handing his son to the emergency people he took Syd's hand wanting to comfort her but some how failing her as tears filled his eyes knowing the baby wasn't breathing.

No one spoke silently letting the EMTs do their job when suddenly the sweetest sound that either parent had ever heard filled the air a loud wail coming from their newborn infant.

"We need to get them both transported right now," one of the EMT was advising as the stretcher was being brought in.

"Can I hold him," Syd was begging as they were getting her ready to go.

"Mrs. Gage your son is having some respiratory distress…" the younger of the emergency team began to explain only to be cut off by his partner a seasoned woman.

"Let's get everyone in the unit and moving to the hospital and we'll see," she told Sydney patting her shoulder.

Syd nodded her head tears still welling in her eyes as she clutched tightly to Gage's hand. "I'm sorry Gage," she began to whisper unable to look at him blaming herself for what had happened.

She could feel his fingers on her cheek gently turning her head to face him as he moved along beside her. "You're not to blame," he told her, "I love you Syd we will get through this our son included."

She heard his words accepting what he said but in her heart she knew she would never forgive herself if she had hurt their son by this escapade.

Memorial Hospital

Gage stood at the window of the neo-natal nursery watching his son as he lay in his incubator crib. For all the dangerous terrifying things he had faced in the line of duty nothing was as terrifying as watching this tiny child hooked up to all those machines fighting for his life.

Suddenly a series of alarms began going off followed by a brigade of nurses rushing to another small crib. Gage found himself selfishly thanking God that it wasn't his son that was in trouble.

Wiping a tear from his eye with the heel of his palm he thought about the conversation he and Sydney had with Dakota's doctor. He smiled slightly Syd had fought him on the name but in the end had given in letting him add Sydney as a middle name. Doctor Mitchell had told them considering Dakota was only thirty-three weeks he was actually doing very well at holding his own. They wanted to keep him in the intensive care unit for the next couple of days to monitor him but he felt sure that they would be able to move him very soon. "He has a very good weight and if he doesn't loose any it won't be that long before he is going home with you," Doctor Mitchell had assured them.

"Gage?"

He turned around to see his wife standing there being assisted by a nurse. "Honey," he smiled going to her and putting his arm around her.

"I'll leave you for your husband to get you back to your room," the nurse told them.

"Thank you," Sydney answered forcing a smile of her own.

"You feeling okay?" Gage asked as concerned for her as Cody.

"I'm fine I just want to hold him," she confided in her husband leaning against him.

"The nurse said that you and I can go in any time day or night," he told her walking slowly with her to the door pulling it open so they could enter a small airlock chamber. They stopped long enough to wash hands and slip on sterile gowns before proceeding inside where the babies were.

Walking over to their son's crib they both stood silently looking at him. "Mr. and Mrs. Gage?" one of the nurses asked.

"Yes," Gage answered for the both of them not looking away from Cody.

"I'm Jeanie I'm Dakota's nurse," the woman introduced herself. "Mrs. Gage why don't you sit in the rocker here and I'll put him in your arms."

"Oh thank you," Syd exclaimed letting Gage help her to sit down.

A moment later Jeanie was pulling the leads for Cody's heart monitor and IV together to lift him into Syd's waiting arms. Cody some how sensing he was in his mother's arms settled snugly against her his little hand curling into a fist to push against his cheek. "Just like Chris used to do when he was a baby," Syd cooed at her new son looking up to smile at her husband.

Gage had crouched down in front of Syd cupping his hand around the baby's head softly stroking the black fuzz that crowned him. "He's going to be like you Syd," Gage beamed bringing his finger across Cody's cheek watching him yawn. "He's so small like you," he teased his wife watching her smile.

"I can see that this little guy is quite happy to see his mama and daddy he was kicking up quite a fuss just a little while ago," Jeanie began explaining to them.

"More proof he's going to be like you Syd," Gage teased.

"All right Francis," Syd cautioned her husband with a look.

Suddenly Dakota gave out a loud squawk followed by tears of definite displeasure. "Sydney are you up to feeding Dakota?" Jeanie questioned.

"Oh yes," Syd cried watching Jeanie pull the curtain around them. A moment later Syd had Cody to her breast the infant suckling greedily. "See he's a Gage after all," she told her husband finally relaxing a little.

Gage had stood up coming around behind Sydney placing his hands on her shoulders lovingly looking at both.

TBC