Just Survive (Complete)

Chapter 68

Eight Months Later.....
Shane woke up in bed, feeling Bethany's warm body next to him. He smiled slightly, snuggling closer to her.
"Good morning..." He mumbled softly, placing a gentle kiss on the back of her neck. She hummed happily and wrapped her arms tightly around him. They stayed like that for several minutes, enjoying each other's company.
After a few moments, they heard Ryan and Tyler running downstairs with Lucky right behind them, letting the dog out to run around in the yard.
"Are we going to tell them today?" Beth asked, pulling on her clothes.
"Yes, if you want to. I don't know why you'd ever want to hide our relationship, but I understand if you don't feel ready to tell them all yet." Shane explained quietly. Beth nodded and started to walk towards the door before pausing.
"We might have to wait; Ashley's getting close to her due date!" She mentioned nervously. Shane grinned.
"I can wait a little longer...besides, Jenny has already been calling you Aunt Beth."
*******
"Colby!  It's time! Get down here!" Ashley called. She was nervous but had a smile on her face.
"What!? Okay...I'm carrying you to the doctor."
"No! We agreed on a midwife at home! Besides, your leg still hurts!"
Colby sighed, running his hands through his hair.
"Okay...I'm dropping Jenny with Kelly though!" he said, walking into the bedroom where his toddler daughter was playing.
"Jenny, doll, you're going to visit Aunt Kelly! When you get home, we'll have a big surprise for you!" Colby told his daughter. He picked her up and carried her downstairs, walking a few houses down to drop her off with Kelly, who was living with Zach. The midwife was called, and Colby sat on the porch with Zach and Shane, waiting for his wife to give birth.
The midwife came out eventually.
"Colby, your wife needs you...this isn't the old days! You can be with her!"
"Okay!" He jumped up and followed the midwife inside.
Colby sat next to the bed, holding Ashley's hand as she was lying in a huge hospital gown.  She was crying, and he kept running his hand through her hair as tears poured down his face.
"I wish our parents were alive for this...." He muttered softly as he watched his wife labor for what felt like hours. His whole body tensed as he saw his wife in pain. After a while, her labor began to subside and she collapsed weakly into her husband's arms.
"Ashley! Baby, please open your eyes!"
Her eyes fluttered open, and she managed to smile at him.
"Take some deep breaths! Just a few more pushes!" the midwife encouraged her. She squeezed Colby's hand as her husband cried.
"Come on babe! Just another push!" he whispered encouragingly as he kissed the top of her head lovingly. Her breathing became erratic, but she pushed once again. Tears streamed down his face as he watched his wife's face contort with effort.
"I know it hurts...I love you Ashley...but you're almost there! Push one more time and everything is going to be okay. Don't worry...please keep pushing!"
"I love you...so much!" She breathed shakily. Then after several more pushes, her eyes finally opened wide and she let out a scream before the baby's first cry rang throughout the room.
"You did it!" Colby praised.
"It's a girl!" the midwife said as she bundled the baby up after letting Colby cut the cord.
The chaos had calmed, and the tiny newborn was asleep.
"We're naming her Sarah," Colby whispered as tears began to flow freely from his eyes.
He leaned over, kissing his baby girl on the forehead before looking up into his wife's tearful green eyes.
"We're a family now....but we always were one," Ashley whispered. Colby wiped away his tears before leaning in to place a tender kiss on his wife's lips.
"Yes, we are sweetheart. And we will never be apart."
"Welcome to the world Sarah."
They would not leave each other's side.
******
A day later, Shane and Beth got some gifts together for the young mother and baby and called Ryan and Tyler for a big announcement.
"Boys...how would you like it if Beth and I got married?" Shane asked.
The boys looked surprised, and huge smiles lit up their faces.
"Really?? Mom?! Dad!!" they exclaimed. They gave each other high fives before hugging and congratulating their adopted parents.
******
Jenny looked at her newborn sister in wonder.
"Baby!" she squealed.
"Yes! Your baby sister!" Ashley told her as she held her against her chest. Jenny giggled before stroking the baby's peach fuzz hair.
The sun was setting on a peaceful evening at the Jackson settlement. The air was filled with laughter and the sweet sound of children playing. Shane and Beth stood hand in hand, watching the scene before them with hearts full of love.

Colby and Ashley sat on the porch, Sarah in Ashley's arms, while Jenny played at their feet. The bond between the sisters was evident, a connection that went beyond words.

Zach and Kelly were chatting with Ryan and Tyler, all of them looking like a true family, united by love and shared experiences. The hardships they had faced only made their bond stronger.

As the evening turned to night, the group gathered around a bonfire, the flames dancing in the darkness. Shane stood up, a smile on his face, and called for everyone's attention.

"Tonight is a special night," Shane began, his voice full of emotion. "We have been through so much together, and we have become more than just a group of survivors. We have become a family."

Shane looked at Beth, his eyes shining with love. "Beth and I have a big announcement to make. We have decided to make our family official. Will you marry me, Beth?"

Tears welled up in Beth's eyes as she nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Yes, Shane, I will marry you."

The flames of the bonfire danced in the night, casting flickering shadows on the faces of the group gathered around it. Shane and Beth stood hand in hand, their eyes locked in a shared moment of profound love. The air was filled with anticipation, a palpable sense of something special about to unfold.

As the cheers and applause subsided, Shane's voice cut through the night, carrying a weight of emotion that resonated with everyone.

His words were met with nods of agreement and soft murmurs of affirmation. The bond between them had been forged in the storm of hardship, and it shone brightly in the faces of each member of the group. Under the twinkling stars and surrounded by their makeshift family, Shane and Beth exchanged vows, their promises of love and commitment intertwined with the night air.

The group erupted into cheers once again, the joy and love of the moment filling their hearts to the brim.
Ashley stole a glance at Colby, a tender smile curving her lips as she held their newborn daughter close. The tiny bundle in her arms seemed to sense the love and warmth of the moment, sleeping soundly in the embrace of her family.

As the night deepened, the fire crackled and the laughter echoed into the darkness, a symphony of shared joy and companionship. They knew that the road ahead would be fraught with challenges, but they also knew that they would face them together, as a family united by love, trust, and the unbreakable bond that had formed between them in the face of survival.
The End