Ardeth carefully headed towards the wall and put his hand over it before pressing one of the stones and a door opened. He walked back to Catlanda and began to help her out of the room.

"Are you alright Cat?" he asked her.

She nodded as they continued on through the tunnels. She looked around at the bare walls.

"We are on the other side of the temple. This place is big. It took me weeks to look around this place when I first came here," she gasped as she was half-dragged down the corridor. "The others are no doubt at the altar, where we first travelled to the future."

Ardeth nodded in agreement, both knowing that they somehow managed to get where they ended up on the way to the altar. They were in 1939 just the same even though the group was in two different places in the temple. Catlanda limply hung onto the Spire as they continued on.

Soon, they stopped for a rest. It was actually on Ardeth's insistence that they do so. Catlanda sat against the wall, eyes half closed as Ardeth walked up ahead a bit. When he went back to her, he saw her hand resting comfortably on her stomach. Her eyes were completely closed and her breathing was calm. He knelt in front of her and she opened her eyes slightly.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked her with worry in his voice.

"Yes, I am fine. I will be fine until this child decides to finally come," she whispered.

Ardeth nodded. He knew this child would change their lives forever, maybe even the balance of power if it turned out to be a boy. He sighed, knowing that at least some of the people would be angry as he put his hand over hers. The two looked at each other.

"We had better start looking for the others again. They probably have begun looking for us and it would be best if we search for them as well," Ardeth told her.

Catlanda nodded as she climbed to her feet, with some help from Ardeth and they continued on down the corridor.

00000

"Where could they be? This place is only so big!" wondered Evie as she, Iscantil and Ayanna began to look around the place.

"There are things even we do not know about these places Evelyn. They could be somewhere and we not know it until it is too late," Ayanna told them. "Cat knows this place more that we do simply beacuse she has been here more times."

"And she is with child that could come at any time. We have to find her before she gives birth to the child," Iscantil added. "It will be difficult for one person to deliver a baby, even for Ardeth. He has not witnessed a birth before, not even Catlanda's."

Evie took a deep breath as she and the others continued looking around. Jonathan, Rick, Sharak, Marok and even Alex began to help in the search.

00000

Ardeth led the way down the corridor. Catlanda still held the Spire and she leaned against it the entire way. When she stopped, Ardeth took notice and faced her.

"What is wrong?" he asked her as he rushed to her side. "Is it the child?"

"The baby is coming," she replied, followed by a screech.

Two hands went to her stomach, one hers, the other Ardeth's. He gazed into her pain-filled eyes.

"How long...?" he started.

"For some time now but I did not expect it be so soon though. Not for a while yet. I was hoping we could find my grandmothers before the child came but it cannot wait," she replied with a gasp, her long hair covering her face. "There is a room nearby that we can go into."

She pointed the way and Ardeth took her in there. It was fully equiped with a bed and other necessities that Ardeth needed. He was a bit amazed before he remembered what he was told before.

'You know the Spire does not normally deal with health issues but when it come with births, especially one dealing with the Keeper, then it makes an exception.'

Ardeth helped her onto the bed and helped prepare his daughter for what needed to be done. He draped a blanket over her now bare legs, another over her bare chest (It was exposed on her insistence). Ardeth thought about what needed to be done as he laid a few blankets underneath her body. The Spire's eyes illuminated the room. He kept another blanket nearby for the child.

"Breathe, Cat. You can do this. Push," he told he as he watched for the baby.

Catlanda pushed again as her father placed his hands on her outspread knees. He moved in closer, thinking he was too far away to do anything for her. She yelled and pushed again as he continued to give her the support that she needed during this time.

After a few tense moments, Ardeth could see a mop of hair poking out. Ardeth gave a gasp of happiness once he saw this. He connected eyes with his daughter.

"It is coming," he whispered to her.

She gave a small smile before she breathed deeply again. She pushed again and spread her legs further, allowing Ardeth to have better access to the baby. He kept an eye on the child as it came out further from inside the body. Catlanda pushed again as Ardeth held onto the part of the child that was already outside. The shoulders made it past the barrier and the child came out more easily. Ardeth wrapped the child in a blanket as it decided to cry at that moment. Catlanda began to cry as she reached out for her child. Ardeth handed the baby to her after he cut the cord. She cradled the child as Ardeth began to clean up the mess left behind from in between her legs. She didn't even notice as he placed a clean blanket between her legs and closed them before he covered them up completely with the one already there. He wiped away the fluids from off of his hands as he looked over at her.

"So beautiful. I never believed this day would come," she whispered as she stared at her child.

"Yes, it is beautiful and I never would have believed it myself I had not seen the moment it been conceived in," he agreed. "I hated to see you like that Cat. I really did. He hurt you in a way I never believed could ever happen to a member of my family."

He knew he brought back memories they both wanted to forget with that statement. He sighed as he sat behind her and she leaned up against him, child in hand.

"What is it? Girl or boy?" he finally asked.

Catlanda moved the blanket enough so they could both see.

"It is a boy. The heir to the Medjai tribe," she told him, looking away from Ardeth.

Ardeth gave a small sigh as he sat put an arm around her and the now calm child.

00000

The group called over and over again for the two missing Medjai.

"It's hopeless! We'll never find them now. We're even in an unexplored tunnel. We'll get lost now," Jonathan whined.

"We can't give up Jonathan. They must be here somewhere and we have to find them soon. Catlanda and her unborn baby are at risk here!" Evie scolded.

They went on for a little while longer until Marok saw a light coming from one of the rooms, almost hidden and missed by them all. He hurried towards it and looked inside. His eyes widened at what he saw. He was looking at Ardeth and Catlanda. She was sleeping in a bed as he stayed awake beside her, stroking her hair. What amazed him the most was the bundle tucked within her arms.

"Did she...?" he quietly started before staring at Ardeth. "Did you...?"

Ardeth nodded as he silently made his way over to the door and outside to meet the group. He motioned for them to be quiet before they began to ask any questions.

"She had the baby already. It is a boy," he told them.

Ayanna's eyes widened as she walked up to her son.

"And you handled this all by yourself?" she asked him.

Ardeth nodded. His mother was happy with this as she looked inside the room.

"Then we must let her rest. We will travel back to the tribe as soon as we possibly can but right now is not it. We will go travel ahead as long as there is light Ardeth. You can meet up with us at the tribe as soon as they are safe to travel," she said

The group started to head out of the ruins. Marok stayed back with Ardeth, who was grinning from ear to ear.

"You go in with her. I will keep watch over you," he offered as he bowed his head.

Ardeth nodded as he put an hand on the younger Medjai's shoulder before walking back inside. He sat down next to her sleeping form again. He placed one hand on her stomach and she reacted in her sleep.

"Our future begins today," he whispered to himself as she moved towards the warmth of his body.

The End.

Author's Note - So there is it. She's had her child. Thanks Deana for all you've done for me. You're wonderful. sniff sniff