Love's A Hard Game To Play

Baby Buckingham

Christine stared down wide eyed at the puddle of water underneath Stevie.
"Oh no! This cannot be happening!" Stevie sobbed.
Christine walked in and wrapped an arm around Stevie. "It's okay love, everything is going to be okay. Let's get you back in bed and I'll page someone to check you over."

Christine led Stevie back to bed; she then pressed the call button.
"I want Lindsey!" Stevie cried as she held her belly.
"I'll...I'll go find him." Christine said as a nurse came into the room.

Christine told the nurse what was going on.
The nurse then rushed to page Stevie's doctor.
Christine walked into the hallway to find Lindsey but it wasn't necessary. Lindsey came into view at the end of the hall.
He saw Christine and knew something was going on.
He ran to her and Christine led him into the room. Mick and John following close behind.

"Linds!" Stevie sobbed. "My water broke! It's too early for the baby to come!"
Lindsey held her hand and said. "It's going to be okay Steph."
"How can...you be sure?" Stevie said quietly.
Lindsey looked into her eyes and said. "Because I can feel it; everything is going to be alright. You'll see."
Stevie smiled a little. "Okay. I believe you. I love you."
"I love you too." Lindsey replied then kissed Stevie on her lips.

Just then, Stevie's doctor walked in.
"Hello Mrs. Buckingham." The doctor said. "Let's check to see where you are at."

Stevie nodded then laid back so her doctor could examine her. Mick and John stepped out into the hallway.

"Well Mrs. Buckingham, you are in labor. There's no way to stop it; your water broke so there's no going back at this point." She said. "Also, you are at three centimeters. Let's get you changed into a gown and set the prenatal monitor so we can keep an eye on your baby."

Stevie was helped by Lindsey into the hospital gown and into the bed.
The doctor put the prenatal monitor around Stevie's belly and began monitoring the baby's heartbeat and Stevie's contractions.

Christine asked to be taken to a different room so Stevie could have some privacy but Stevie wanted Christine close, so Christine got back into her bed that was still next to Stevie's.

After an hour of monitoring Stevie, the doctor excused herself.
Stevie's contractions were fifteen minutes apart; the baby's heartbeat was normal and was doing really well.

Once alone, Stevie turned to Lindsey and asked. "Any news about my mom and dad?"
Lindsey shook his head, "No. No one has come by in a while."

Stevie couldn't stop the tears that began to roll down her cheeks. She knew the window of time was closing and her parents lives were hanging in the balance.
She prayed with all her might that by some miracle, her parents would be alright.

Mick and John came back to the room and sat down in their places that they occupied before.

Every fifteen minutes, Stevie would breathe through her contractions, occasionally crying out in pain. Lindsey kept her hand in his while rubbing her back with his free hand.
As much as Stevie was afraid for her parents lives, she finally accepted that she wouldn't be able to do anything herself to help them. She just had to put her faith in the police and hope for the best. For now, she needed to concentrate on her son.

After some time, there was a knock on the door. Mick stood up to answer it since he was the closet to it.

The two detectives walked in looking relieved.
"Mrs. Buckingham..." One detective said. "Your parents are alright. We...well, the policemen of Phoenix captured Joe."

They told Stevie what the Phoenix P.D. told them. They told her about the other inmate Mike Clark and how he saved her parents from Joe. Also, they told her that Joe was shot and was rushed into surgery where he died on the operating table.