Ghost of You

Thirty

"No, no, no" Stevie said, clutching her stomach. "I'm not due for two weeks. Lindsey said he would be here"

"It's going to be okay."

"I'm scared..." Stevie whimpered, tears falling down her face.

"Don't be scared. He's going to be precious and healthy."

"You think so?"

"I know so, Stephanie."

The sound of glass breaking terrified Stevie, causing her to cry even more. "Your sister..."

"I know, but forget about all of that and focus here" Vanessa said bringing a hand over Stevie's belly. "Focus, breathe. Where do you keep your towels?"

"Hall closet...what are you...?"

"I'm going to deliver this baby...or at least I'm going to try. I've helped with my mother's sister's and all the women folk around many times..."

"This isn't Gone With The Wind, Vanessa!"

"What's Gone With The Wind?" Vanessa asked.

"Nevermind, just call Lindsey or something...I need him."

"Stephanie...." Stevie's eyes pleaded with her and she nodded. "As you wish." Vanessa disappeared and tried her best to manipulate the phone in the hall, constantly looking out for her sister. She didn't want to be caught.

It took a few minutes but Vanessa came back

"He's not answering his phone Stevie, I've tried the line five times"

"I need him, I can't do this alone..." she sobbed

"You won't, I'm going to do this all with you! I promise I won't leave."

"Thank you! You may think I blame you for all this but I don't, I'm so happy you're here with me..."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else!"

Lindsey had finally just made it into his office after a couple of meetings, checking his answer phone to find static messages, he bolted upright when he heard Vanessa's voice saying something about Stevie, he grabbed his jacket and fled home, running every red light he found.

Stevie's contractions drew closer and closer together. She was sweating and crying, trying the best she could to try to remain calm. She was worried, nervous, scared...any emotion one could think of, she felt. She swayed and moaned through her contractions, still hearing destruction on the lower floors.

"Mmm...this hurts" Stevie said, grabbing onto the old vanity.

"I know but you're doing great."

"It doesn't feel like it"

"Imagine holding the little babe in your arms. Nothing else will matter after that." Vanessa said, moving a hand through Stevie's hair.

Lindsey slammed his car into park and ran up the drive, stripping off his jacket. The doors and windows were wide open and the place looked ransacked. Walking up the stairs he found extreme amounts of blood, gore and finally the lifeless body of his wife lying on the floor. Her stomach had been torn open, possibly by the jagged object that lay next to her. The baby was nowhere to be found and Lindsey sobbed. Who could have done this? He tried to touch her, smooth some of the blood off of her face and out of her hair but his hand went right through her. He stood up and roared in anger. It was another of Josephine's tricks. He looked around, hearing moaning and sobs from above.

"The attic" he said to himself. Josephine stood in the way and he swiped an arm through her, angering her all the more.

Lindsey raced to the attic, hashing through every obstacle that Josephine put in his way, eventually he made it to the attic stairs, quickly climbing them until he was in the safety of the attic

"Steph!" He called seeing his wife in obvious destress

"Oh my god you made it! He's coming Linds! Our Noah is on his way..." she gritted her teeth as another wave of pain hit her, Vanessa helping her to breath through them

"You've got everything you will need!" Vanessa told him and he saw all the towels and the boiling water by Stevie

"Wha...what? You expect me to deliver him?" He asked swallowing hard

"Lindsey, you either deliver him here, or you loose Stevie and Noah, it's really as simple as that, my sister will make sure of that."

"We can call an ambulance, have them get her to a hospital..."

"Lindsey, baby, there's no....mmm...time" she said, trying to manage her contractions.

"It's okay to be loud, Stephanie. This is hard work." Vanessa said. "Lindsey, pull up her dress and lay down some towels.

Lindsey was shaken but knew to agree. He nodded and lifted his wife's dress. When he looked down, instead of fainting like Vanessa had seen many a man do, he began to cry. "Oh my god, you're so strong, Steph."

"I don't feel strong"

"You are, my princess. I am so proud of you."

"He's coming...can you see his head?" Vanessa asked, and Lindsey nodded.

"I can, he's got so much dark hair, mama" Lindsey pat her thigh, smoothing it over with his hand. He sniffled and Stevie lay back, completely exhausted. "Are you having a contraction?" he asked.

"Uh-huh...mmmmm...." she moaned through the pain.

"Push, I will catch him, I promise"

"I can't...I'm getting tired..." she laid back exhausted

"Come on baby, just one or two more pushes and he'll be here!"

"I can't..." she cried

"Yes you can! You've had to deal with all of the Josephine stuff! You deserve to see your son! Come on Stephanie, just a couple more pushes!" Fletcher said, appearing from literally nowhere, Stevie nodded at him

"On the count of three, push! One...two...three...push!" Stevie pushed as hard as she could, most of the baby was out, but he just needed that last push to be free

"Come on, just once more honey! One...two...three...push!" Stevie did one last gigantic push before she felt a great pressure release from her body, falling backwards tiredly

"You did it, baby!" Lindsey said.

"Is he still a boy?" Stevie asked and Lindsey laughed.

"Yes, he's still a boy. Hold him, Steph." He was still attached as Lindsey carefully put him on her chest. While Stevie was in baby bliss, Lindsey went downstairs to call the doctor for a house call. Vanessa looked to the side and realized she could see Fletcher, staring down at Stevie and Noah so proudly.

"Fletcher" Vanessa whispered and Fletcher did a double take.

"I...I can't believe it" he said.

Lindsey went back up to the attic and was midway through a sentence when he stopped. Fletcher had reached out and touched Vanessa's cheek. Stevie looked up, smiling.

"I've missed you, we both have." Vanessa said. Fletcher's hand moved over Vanessa's belly and he became emotional.

"I can feel you." Fletcher said. "I can feel you"