Dakota (Ch 36)

He tried to keep Rebekah focused. He tried to keep her calm. He knew she was in pain. He knew she was concerned for her baby. And he knew there was a killer out there. He locked his eyes on hers. Another shot broke the silence and ripped their eyes from one another.

"Dammit."

He looked over his shoulder in the direction of the house. He didn't fully turn around, only checked the area out of the corner of his eye. For a moment he thought he saw movement at the door. He couldn't move. Not now. He had to focus on Rebekah.

"OK. It's alright. You're OK. Rebekah--"

He tapped her cheek with the back of his hand. He placed his thumbs on her eyelids and pulled them open.

"Beka...Beka. I need you to stay awake Rebekah. You can do this. You can do this for your baby. C'mon Beka, stay with me."

He removed his fingers. Her eyes fell shut, then slowly reopened. Her right arm twitched.

"Uh."

She couldn't say anything else. But she was awake. She found the strength to stay awake. The strength welled up from within.

"Keep your eyes open. Focus on something. Ignore the pain. Focus on something that can keep you awake."

He unbuttoned her jeans and slid them down. He pulled her shirt up over her belly. He took off his jacket and placed it under her legs.

"I need you to listen to me, OK?"

He looked back at her. Her head barely nodded. She didn't utter a sound.

"OK, when I tell you to push, I need you to try to push with everything that you have in you."

Again her head moved just slightly.

"Deep breath, Beka...and...push!"

Her back didn't arch. She didn't lean forward. She didn't squeeze his hand. But she pushed.

"Good. Good."

He readjusted his position. He now knelt between her legs, hands ready to cradle the infant. He pushed back some leaves and branches with the back of his hand.

"Uh."

She couldn't speak. But he knew that she was in pain. And the pain was very intense.

"OK. Time to go again. Push Rebekah, push."

Her body tensed and with the push he could now see the head. He kept coaching her. She pushed for a third time, a fourth, a fifth.

"Let's rest. Deep breaths. Calm it down."

He turned his head for a moment. He wanted to know what was going on in that house. He should have been there. He should have been inside. He should be taking down the killer right now. He wasn't happy with this alternative.

"Rebekah. We're almost there. But I need a big push. I need you to give it everything."

She nodded her acknowledgment. Tears filled the corners of her eyes. Sweat covered her brow. Her hair was matted into the leaves and pine needles behind her head.

"Ready? Push!"

She dug deep. Her eyes squeezed closed. Her ears turned red. Her mouth was held shut. He saw her fingers tense.

"Breathe, Beka, breathe!"

He had to remind her. She left out a deep gasp. The baby was fully crowned. She was so close.

"Alright. We gotta go again. One more Beka. One more, I promise that's all. But we gotta go now."

The baby was almost out. But for the moment it wasn't getting air. It's face was pressed against the wall of the birth canal. Kahle needed one more push to be able to slide the baby out.

"Now, Beka, now!"

The familiar sound echoed through the trees. Kahle knew it had been fired outside once again. But he didn't allow himself the time to turn and inspect the area. He didn't have time. He needed to get this baby out. He didn't have time to waste.

"Alright. It's OK. You're alright. Push! Push now Beka!"

Again her face grimaced. She brought herself slightly forward. She was stronger than he thought. His hands met the head as she successfully birthed the child. He gently pulled the baby the rest of the way from its mothers womb.

"Rebekah, it's a boy."

He pulled the jacket from the ground and did his best to wrap the tiny boy with it. He brushed off the loose leaves. The child's face was blue. It was early. She wasn't due for another 6 weeks. But he could tell that the boy was breathing.

"Rebekah, this is your baby boy. You did it. You made it. You're alright."

For the first time he looked up at her face. Her eyes again had that skyward gaze. They didn't blink. Her mouth hung slightly agape. Her palms both lay open and facing the shining sun. Hair clung to her forehead. Blood stained her chest and the ground between her legs. He lowered his head, and pulled her shirt down to cover her bare skin. He pushed her legs together with his knee. He knelt by her side and with one hand gently closed her eyes.

"You'll live on in him. He'll be safe. He'll be safe right here, always, under the Dakota sky."

He looked down at the infant in his arms. The child didn't move much. But his eyes rolled up for just a moment. To the sky.