The Immunity

Chapter Eleven

We were in the air for three hours, I was barely feeling my contractions, they were very mild and I was totally thinking that I could give birth to these twins.

Shawn was watching me carefully, "It really doesn't hurt that bad?"

I shook my head, "It feels like a huge needle pricking me, it's uncomfortable but beara-" my body tightened as another contraction hit, it was closer now and more painful. I grunted as it lasted for forty seconds, longer than it had before. Once it faded, I huffed, "That one hurt a bit."

• • •

Thirty-five minutes later, another one hit and I strained against the buckle clenching up. Shawn grabbed my hand and held it tightly, I squeezing it until the contraction faded. I whimpered, "It's getting worse."

He reached over and grabbed both my hands, "It's okay, I'm here with you. You are going to be okay."

• • •

Darren walked out thirty minutes later, "We have over two hours left, how are you holding up Phoebe?"

I was experiencing another contraction at this point and all I said was, "Aghhhh." It was getting more and more painful.

Darren nodded, and walked back to the front of the plane. I was squeezing Shawn's hands tighter than before, and he was looking at me with concern. The contraction faded and I felt hot and clammy from undergoing the intensifying pain.

I stared at Shawn, defeat in my eyes, I was giving up, he saw it and started undoing the elaborate clips on his buckle. I protested halfheartedly, "No. Stay buckled."

He shook his head, "You need me right now Phoebe. I can't just sit beside you and let you suffer."

I looked at him gratefully, a small smile creeping up on my lips.

• • •

About an hour and a half later the contractions were closer together, only about fifteen minutes apart. I was sweating and panting, having just gotten passed another contraction. The fact that I was stuck on this plane and felt like I trapped in this buckle was not helping me feel better at all. Shawn was crouched in front of me when I finally started to process my surroundings again, the pain overpowering all my senses but touch. He stroked my cheek and used his other arm to wipe the sweat off my forehead, "You're doing great Phoebe, only half an hour left, okay? Darren is trying to get us there in fifteen minutes, so hang in there."

"It's not up to me Shawn, I can't do this here. I won't have this baby in this plane!"

"Hey, you won't have to, Darren called ahead, there is a doctor waiting for us when we get there. They will make sure that you deliver on the ground, safe and sound. Okay? Trust me," he tucked a strand of brown hair behind my ear.

I nodded, "How long?"

"What? Phoebe I just told you-"

"No, since the last contraction?"

A guard spoke up from his seat, looking at the time on his old fashioned wrist watch, "Five minutes and counting you've got ten minutes till the next one."

I visibly relaxed, then looked at him, "Thank you...?"

I asked him his name, he smiled, "Cal, my name is Cal. I've been keeping track for you since the both of you are too busy getting through the pain."