In My Life

By Donna and Abs

Things were settling back into a routine on Edan. There had been several good rainstorms, but nothing like the huge one that had caused so much damage. After making a few necessary trips with the Dòchas, Connor docked his ship and gave his crew an extended vacation. He wasn't going on any more voyages until after Katherine had her baby! She was actually not due until after Faia, but being herself a midwife, she had confided to Connor that she thought she would go early.   

He did not question her.  And he actually hoped she *would* go before anyone else.  Because he knew she would be putting stress on herself, helping to deliver the many babies due that month.  Giles had asked for help with Melissa, being his own wife, and it was all Connor could do to hold Katherine back! 

She wasn't moving very fast anymore, but the doctors were pleased with how things were going after the rather rocky start of her pregnancy. And judging from the strength of the kicks that her child was delivering, the baby was just as healthy. Katherine was scheduled for her OB appointment bright and early on Friday morning, and once the cart was hitched up, she waddled out to it. "Maybe we can have lunch at Kasumi's," she suggested as her two men helped her up into the seat. Of course, no one turned that down!  And off they went to town, happy as larks.  

Sarah Jo was the only nurse on duty, she discovered when she arrived; both Ancelin and Terrance Shepherd had gone to Camelot to await Melissa's child.  It only seemed right that Ancey go, since it would be her niece, and they wanted a doctor to accompany her.  But there were plenty of doctors left, including Doc Adams, to deal with the Edan babies. 

Of course, Kat had been teasing her old friend horribly, knowing that delivering babies had not exactly been his favorite part of doctoring. When they had *shared* a practice in New Orleans, he had left all the birthing calls for her to take care of when it was at all possible. As Sarah Jo and Doc got her settled in the exam room, Kat asked if she thought Duncan and Methos would like to join them for lunch.  

"If you're considering Kasumi's, you will no doubt find them there already," grinned Doc.  "Although, since that Italian woman opened her kitchen . . ."  He shrugged.  "Immigrants to bring spice to a place, don't you agree?" 

"Oh yes," Katherine agreed, wincing as her belly tightened and her little one delivered a direct blow to the ribs in retaliation. "The baby has dropped, by the way," she told her friends. "And I've been having *warm-up* contractions now for several days around the clock. Shouldn't be too much longer. Maybe even tonight or tomorrow."  

"Let me be the judge of that," Doc said haughtily as Sarah Jo finished arranging the patient for an internal.  Doc began to examine her.  After a moment his eyebrows rose. "Well," he said as he removed his hand, "I should say you are in fact right, and it is any day now.  You might be calling us later today.  You're fully effaced and already 2 cm dilated." 

Katherine stuck her tongue out at him, with an *I told you so* look on her face. "So, can I go home then? Or do you want to check me after lunch. I'm not missing that. I'm starving!"  

"Might as well come back," he sighed.  "But eat light?  If you are ready to go into labor, a heavy meal can be the worst thing you can do." 

She made a rude noise. "Don't you think I know that, Ben?"  

"You know it, but does your appetite know it?" he grinned back, helping her to sit up." 

"See you in a couple of hours then," she promised. "Now scram so I can get dressed." She was in high spirits. Her long wait was almost over.  

Smiling, he slid out of the room with a confidential, yet still intimate wink.  "Not that I haven't seen it already," he added just outside the door.  

Both Sarah Jo and Katherine rolled their eyes and giggled. A short time later, they were on their way over to Kasumi's. Ben and Sarah Jo had decided to tag along at the last moment to make sure that Katherine behaved herself. As predicted, Duncan and Methos were there, chatting over hot tea and egg drop soup while they waited for their main meal to come.  

Seeing her, both men rose.  Methos smiled, looking at her middle, and asked, "Soon?" 

"Very soon," she chuckled as she reached for a chair. "Did you leave some soup for me? Labor is hard work, you know!"  

Both men ran for her chair.  Methos looked arrogant and Duncan snarled, "You've got two other expectant mothers, go hang around them!"  The Ancient One just glared.  He wasn't about to dwell on his current love life in such a public place. 

"Behave, boys," Katherine said, grunting as she eased herself down in the chair. Connor just chuckled, and let they both take the seats on each side of her, while he and John pushed another table up against the one she was sitting at so they could all sit down together. "Will Faia be coming in this afternoon for her checkup?" Ben asked, his own eyes twinkling with merriment.  

"You know, YOU can go to Hell," Methos said.  "You'd have to ask Lupe anyway.  To get anywhere near Her Highness you have to go through She of the Humongous Fangs." 

Katherine sighed and then winced again as her belly tightened even harder than the last time. "She never has liked you very much, has she?"

"No.  And now that she likes BOTH Faia and Crystal, I haven't had a minute's peace with either of them.  Please, let's talk about your baby.  I am losing my appetite discussing the others." 

"Well, by this time tomorrow, I do believe it will be all over," she said, shifting in her chair uncomfortably.  

"That is good news.  Are you staying in town just in case?  Or do MacLeod and I have to follow you back to that farm of yours?" 

"I would like to have my baby at home, if at all possible,” Kat said firmly.  “But it will all depend on how things are going after lunch."  

"Either way," said Doc, "it looks like you will be having an audience." 

Katherine shrugged. "That was always a given, Ben," she said as she dug into the bowl of soup that Kasumi placed in front of her. "I'll take some rice and chicken. Nothing spicy," she told the young Japanese girl. "Maybe some of your delicious Tempura veggies too!"  

"But not too much of it," he warned.  “Kasumi might make you a doggie bag, so you can have some when you get home.  Small meals for now." 

She made a face at him. "I know, I know!" After eating about half the soup she pushed it aside and then attacked her main course. But even as hungry as she was, she didn't have much room in her distended belly for a meal, and after eating a few bites of rice, chicken and veggies, pronounced herself full.  

Doc and Methos both seemed to relax, and Duncan, seeing THEM relax, decided that meant that *he* could. As they all ate, everyone was well aware that Katherine, although she was trying hard not to show it, was very uncomfortable. Somewhere along the line, Doc had taken out his pocket watch and was timing what he thought might be contractions as inconspicuously as possible.  

Not that they did not notice it, for they were all mentally calculating them (and looking at wrist watches, which could be done far more easily than a pocket watch) as well. 

"Can I go home now?" Katherine said, pushing herself up out of the chair, one hand supporting her belly as she stood.  

"Not without a check," said Doc and Methos together. 

She sighed. "Make it a quick one then. I really want to have this baby in me own bed!"  

"You have a little time," Doc explained, "but riding in a wagon might not do you much good.  We will get in the wagon and I will check you there, then keep track of you while we travel.  I'm afraid it might progress quite rapidly on the way and you might not make it to your bed.  If that happens I want to be there." 

"Sounds good to me," she agreed. The wagon was brought around, and Kasumi lent them a futon style of mattress for her to lie on in the back. Methos and Duncan ran to get their horses, and to tell the ones left at the clinic that Doc and Sarah Jo would be gone for a while.  

Everyone was pretty excited.  As an afterthought, Methos asked Helm to send someone over to the Hotel.  "Just in case they might wonder where I've gotten to."  Helm smiled sympathetically and agreed.  He'd send Quinn over later, to see how Faia was doing.  He'd planned it anyway. 

Connor drove the wagon slowly down the road, trying not to hit any rough spots. John Clayton supported Katherine’s head in his lap, making soothing little ape noises while Katherine dealt with the extra motion of the wagon during her now very obvious labor pains. Ben checked her as gently as he could given the circumstances, and when Methos and Duncan came racing up to join them, he held up four fingers. She was definitely progressing!  

But not too quickly, which is what had worried them all.  Having the baby in the back of a wagon was not exactly what anyone had envisioned! 

Her farm was one of the closer ones to town, and they made it without any undue stress on the laboring woman. In fact, they all had to fuss at her when she volunteered to make them some tea! "I feel fine!" she reassured them, but as she started to walk towards her house, she suddenly stopped. "Uh oh," she gasped. "Me water just broke!" Sure enough, a puddle was forming on the ground between her outspread legs.  

Clayton swooped down, scooped her up, and carried her into the house.  No one could make out what he was saying, but they all agreed with his actions, and even applauded a little, right there on the lawn. 

She was taken straight up to her room, and in between the next several contractions, they got her undressed and in her bed. Her midwife bag was already waiting beside it, as if she had known that it would be needed that day. The contractions were now about four to five minutes apart, and getting stronger each time.  

Sarah Jo assisted Doc Adams, using the stuff from the bag, while no less than FOUR would-be fathers paced or tried to get a turn coaching the laboring mother.  They took shifts! 

During all this, Katherine was in good humor, teasing all the men without mercy in between contractions, until they became so close together, she couldn't find the breath to speak. But she kept control of her pain through the breathing techniques she had taught many other women to use, never crying out in pain even once.  

They were all proud of her.  Methos watched all with interest - there was every chance the baby was his.  But as he watched the other men he felt a sort of detachment coming over him: Kat belonged to Connor and always would.  Clayton was sure it was his baby and would hear nothing to the contrary (it was a miracle he was not shooing them all out!).  And of course, Duncan was the other *rightful* biological father.  He had two other known pregnancies.  But he still had to be here, to see the little boy or

girl brought into the world.  Whoever would eventually raise him or her it could be the first of his children ever to see the light of day, and he just could not give that up. 

Katherine's almost festive mood changed dramatically as she hit the stage called Transition. She was now fully dilated and waiting for the urge to push to start. When Ben tried to check her again, she slapped his hand away and grumbled something in her native Scottish Gaelic that made Connor chuckle that evil sounding laugh of his. Kat's reaction was to toss a pillow at him, which he easily dodged.  

"I'd be careful if I were you, Doc," said Duncan, who had also understood it. 

"When I need your help, Highlander, I'll ask for it!"  The Methos-doctor identity scoffed.  "I've forgotten more languages than you will ever know!"  Behind him, Methos suppressed a chuckle. 

"Out of me way, Ben, or yer gang to ha' me foot up that thing ye call a nose!" Katherine growled as she struggled to sit up. She took several deep breaths as she grabbed her knees and pulled them apart. As she bore down with all her might, Clayton held her up on one side, while Sarah Jo supported and encouraged her on the other.  

"You, my friend," drawled Methos casually, "are what is known as a catcher.  Stay where you are, and catch the bugger when it comes out."  But his eyes were shining and he barely blinked, waiting to see the new arrival. 

The contraction ended, and Katherine fell back against the pillows, her body damp with sweat. A moment later, she groaned and sat up once more as she strove to push her baby out. It wasn't easy. It was a fairly large size one, and she was a very petite woman, with a slender, girl-like build to her.  

Doc frowned.  He hoped they would not need to do a C-section on her.  Not that Kat would be in any danger. She was still Immortal, even if they could have babies here.  But he knew how much she'd fight him if he suggested it. 

She was most certainly giving it everything she had, and then somehow reached inside of her for even more strength. Groaning loudly as she pushed as hard as she could, Doc could see the dark curls on the baby's head.  

"Here we go, people!" he called, getting ready to deliver the head.  "Come on now, Kat, don't give out on me now!” 

Kat was too busy to reply. She gasped, taking in another deep breath, and then bore down once more, pushing her baby's head out into the world.  

Sarah Jo cleaned the nose quickly while Doc checked to be sure the cord was not wrapped around the neck.  "Now, the shoulders, love.  This may hurt some.  I'd rather do it without cutting you but I might have to.  You are very small." 

She nodded, then started to pant as he gently eased the widest part of the baby out of her. Even with those measures, she still tore a great deal. Not that it mattered. Once the baby was out, her body would heal itself.  

The shoulders delivered, the rest of the infant slid out easily.  "It's a girl!" he announced, then bumped heads with several others, all trying to get a look. 

The little girl squeaked, and then started to complain loudly about the loss of her nice warm spot next to her mother's heart. Connor took the spot that Sarah Jo vacated, and he and John held Katherine as she wept with joy at the sight of her newborn daughter. This is what she had wished for all her life! And now it had finally come to pass! 

Methos, meanwhile, watched from afar, wishing he could be part of the happy family group, but also understanding why he could not.  As he watched, he determined to go over to the Hotel after this and, Lupe's sharp teeth notwithstanding, make it up to Faia and Crystal both!