Storm Shelter

Chapter 3- Shock and Awe

"What do I have an answer for?" Mark asked, a little confused. He was leaning forward on the balls of his feet. He wanted to help her but something held him back. He waited for permission.

"God... He is messing with me. I told him I needed a warm place." She wildly gestured around, indicating the barn. "I said I couldn't give birth alone and there you are. At least He didn't leave me with just the horse." She smiled sardonically.

Again, Mark was dumbfounded but stayed balancing on his toes.

"Who are you, by the way? I guess it doesn't matter, so long as you aren't a serial killer." She slowly stood and held out a hand.

He released himself from his forced pose and approached her side. He grabbed her hand with his own and put the other on her back, supporting her. She turned her wild green eyes to look up at him. Her face was wet, from rain or sweat he wasn't sure.

"I'm Mark. Mark Mason. But I asked you first." He smiled at her, still bewildered that a pregnant woman had been in his family barn talking to Cliff!

"I'm Anna. Just Anna." She smiled tightly and gave herself over to his kind support. "Where am I anyway? I mean, I was in Wyoming the last I knew, but then my car...." She trailed off and tensed a little, bending her knees and squeezing Mark's hand.

Mark couldn't fathom how or why Anna had appeared, but he had a feeling she wouldn't tell him right now, and it seemed rude to press her in the current situation.

"Dubois is the nearest town. That's where we go for everything, but we aren't really apart of it either. That's how Matt likes it." WhydidItellherthat? Shedoesn'tcare...

"Hmmm" Anna didn't appear to be listening. She leaned forward and moaned, and the moan started to become a scream.

Mark felt a jolt of fear roll through him. The cows and horses started to stir in their stalls. Upset at being woken so early. He needed to get her to Matt and then go get Julia, immediately.

"Let's get you to the house." Mark motioned with the hand on her back. He was already thinking ahead to the 20 minute drive up the mountain to his sister's house.

"I can't go any farther." Anna whispered, shaking with pain.

Mark didn't even think. He lifted the hand he was holding over his head to settle around his neck, scooped her up and and strode out the barn door.

Anna made no protests.

"How did you come across our place? Its hard enough to find when you know its here." He had to ask her something, anything to distract her.

Panting and still keeping her eyes screwed shut, Anna spoke, "I don't know. My car stopped on the road. I hadn't been headed anywhere, just away from... just away. I knew it was dangerous to go out alone, but I couldn't just wait to be found."

She paused to pant. They were past the stove now, the wood and red embers long forgotten.

"I just felt a pull this way and I didn't question it. Then the rain started and the labor worsened and I almost gave up hope and curled into a ball. I would have if it was just me."

They had reached the house now and Mark leaned Anna down so she could open the door. He was yelling for Matthew before the door was even open all the way.

"Matt! Get up!" A sick bit of pleasure came from getting to return the ruse awakening. He quickly suppressed it though.

"Well I guess God was bringing you to us. He knew you'd need a midwife." Mark smiled reassuringly as her set her down at the kitchen table.

"Your brother is a midwife?" she asked confused.

Mark barked a laugh, "Not remotely. He's done plenty of cattle births though."

Anna frowned, "Then why..."

She was cut off by a loud stomping that came down some stairs and rounded the corner. Matt came stumbling blearily into the room. He was buttoning his pants and pulling on a plaid shirt all at once.

"Did the cows get out again? We better call Daniel to help this time...What the? Mark who is this?" Matt stopped in his tracks to take in the scene.

Ohboy, thiswillbefun.

A/N: This is a photo of Josh Dallas. He is my inspiration for Matt