See chapter one for disclaimer

A/N: I'm so sorry for the long time in between chapters! Because of health reasons, I need to stop this story and take a bit of a hiatus, so this will be the last chapter. I'm sorry for inconvenience. I'll send out an e-mail to be e-mail group when I do have a new story up. Thanks for reading!

May 18

Beyond The Horizon

Chapter 9: A friend arrives

Claire Kinkirk flitted down the stairs, seemingly walking on air. She walked into the kitchen where there were chocolate chip pancakes laid out on a plate. A piece of paper laid on the table next to it with a picture of a cake and "Happy 16th Birthday Claire" scrawled across the top in large pink letters. She smiled and bit into her pancakes: still warm. She looked around the silent kitchen. Her mother and father were both at work, while her brother and sister were still asleep. It was, after all, only 6:30, and she was the only one that had to leave at 7:00. Sometimes she wished that she was still in middle or elementary school, being able to sleep in as late as her brother and sister still could. She took the last bite of her birthday pancake and started for her room where she grabbed her backpack and started out the door for her bus stop.

When she got there, she was met by her friends who had balloons and gifts for her. With smiles, they got on the bus, and for the first time in awhile, she was actually looking forward to school.

Faith put both of her hands on her gigantic stomach as the baby kicked endlessly. Due in only four days, she looked set to pop. She frowned. When the baby first started kicking, back at about 5 or 6 months into this, she found it fun, but now, it was just plain annoying. Her baby had some pretty serious leg muscles that he or she wanted to show off before the birth and Faith didn't find in amusing at all. Sam on the other hand loved to watch her stomach bounce from side to side as their child kicked. Faith said it was only because he couldn't feel it that he enjoyed it and he agreed that she was probably right. She stood up and stretched her arms above her head, and as she did so, felt liquid streaming down her legs. She squealed out of surprise and looked down.

"Sam!" She cried.

"What's wrong?" He asked, looking up.

"My...my..."

"What?" He asked impatiently, standing.

"My water just broke!" He seemed to stand in shock for a moment before he ran for her bag as she felt her first contraction. He was back in less than two minutes.

"Get in the car: we're going to the hospital."

The next 15 hours were the longest that Faith felt that she had ever endured. Up until the 9th hour, she was without painkillers, and was not a pleasant person to be around. After she received her epideural, she seemed to calm down a bit and began to act normally again. Her last hour of labor came quickly and soon the doctor was there and ready to deliver the new baby.

After almost 30 exhausting minutes, a baby's cry was heard, filling the room, and Faith let out a relieved sigh: it was over. She and Sam waited in suspense for news of the gender. Finally, the doctor cried out:

"Congratulations! You have a son." Faith smiled brightly and looked at her husband. They were parents. The baby cried loudly as he was weighed and wrapped up. After a few minutes, a nurse approached holding a small blue bundle.

"Here's you son. What's his name?" She asked, handing him to his mother.

"Benjamin Samuel Camden." She answered with tears in her eyes. Sam leaned forward and stroked the baby's face.

"Hi Ben!" He said quietly. "I'm your dad."

"Want to hold him?" Faith asked. Sam nodded and reached out, taking the small warm baby into his arms.

"Hi." He said again, kissing his son's forehead. "We're going to have so much fun together..."

The End

A/N: Hope that you enjoyed Beyond the Horizon! Please review, and stay tuned for an epilogue.