THE FARM PART 3

The pain hit her sharply and she sat up in the bed, sheet wrapped around her. She'd just had one hell of a nightmare, -she lost the baby AND Daryl- and she felt the pain a second time. The light came on and swearing, Daryl sat up in the bed behind her, his lips on her neck as he asked quietly, "Are you okay?"

"I don't know... I was having a nightmare and now I'm having these sharp pains." Lana was panicking; she was trying hard not to let it show through. Daryl's arms went around her from behind and he asked quietly, "Do I need ta go wake up Hershel?" and at first, Lana was about to write off the pain as maybe a side effect of the dream or gas or something but then she felt it again. And it felt like someone stabbing her in the stomach repeatedly. "Just give it a minute." Lana pleaded, but Daryl was getting out of bed, pulling on the jeans that lie on the floor beside the bed they had been sharing. "I'm goin ta get 'im up." Daryl said as he walked out the door of their room and down the hall to the room Hershel slept in, knocking.

Hershel woke up and made his way to the door, peeking out. "It's Lana, she's havin pains." Daryl said as he took a few deep breaths and tried to calm himself down. "She feels real warm too. Feverish." Hershel kind of had the feeling that the pains were just the baby stretching inside of her to make more room or something like Braxton Hicks, which his wife had had with all three of their daughters, but he didn't say anything. "Let's go and have a look then." Hershel said quietly, telling Daryl, "There's some whiskey left in my study. You look like you could use some calmin down."

Daryl shook his head and followed Hershel down the hallway and into the room with Lana, sliding back onto the bed behind her as he said quietly, "Stay calm. I'm not gon go anywhere."

Lana nodded; inside, she was freaking out. The pains felt like labor pains; she'd gotten her cell phone out of the drawer of the nightstand next to the bed and turned on the timer and she was just praying to God that the pains she felt were nothing more than Braxton Hicks contractions, because if she went into labor now, with no hospital to take the baby to... Her stomach churned and another pain came, right on schedule. She lay back so that Hershel could examine her and Daryl pulled her head into his lap, his rough fingers trailed slowly through her hair and he was talking more than he ever talked normally. She realized it then; despite him keeping an outward appearance of cool and calm, he was freaking out too.

When the next pain came, Hershel eyed her and asked, "How long has this been going on?"

"Just the past minute or two off and on... It feels like, " she sucked in a sharp breath and said quietly, "labor pains. But my water isn't broken... And some aren't as sharp as the others..." Lana said quietly, asking soon after, "Is the baby okay?" and after a few minutes of examination, Hershel looked up and said calmly, "It was Braxton Hicks contractions, I think. But I also think you need plenty of bed rest for a few days, and if you feel any more pains, let me know."

Daryl let out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding and when Hershel was out of the room, he scooted down into the bed, lifting the covers and helping Lana wiggle back beneath them. His arms closed around her carefully and he admitted in the darkness, "Scared the livin shit outta me." as his hand moved slowly over her rounding stomach, coming to rest over her hands. Lana answered quietly, "Scared the shit out of me too." as she rolled over and pulled Daryl into a kiss carefully. Daryl deepened the kiss, his hand coming up, resting on her cheek. "Yer still kind 'a feverish." as he pulled the covers up even higher around them. Lana snuggled against him and slipped her leg between his. His lips found her forehead in the darkness and he told her in a firm tone, "Means yer not gettin out 'a this bed, woman."

"I'll be fine. We're fine. We have you, Daryl." Lana said quietly as Daryl answered "And yer still not gettin outta this bed, woman." and smiled a little in the darkness. "I ain't special." he added a few seconds later as Lana shook her head and then argued with him, "You are, damn it."

"Woman, stop arguin and go to sleep. The man said ya needed ta rest." Daryl chuckled as he pulled her even closer and put his arm over her carefully. "That ain't hurtin, right?"

"I love being in your arms."

"Yeah, well, I don't wanna hurt either of ya." Daryl asked, wary look as he kissed her again and worked on getting himself calmed down. Because just the thought of something happening to Lana or the baby, the scare they had just now, it had truly scared the living hell out of him even if he wasn't quite sure how to really show it. "Night, Lana."

"Night, Daryl." Lana gave him a kiss and took a few deep breaths, calming herself down completely and she started to doze off in literal seconds.

CAVEAT LECTOR:

Another chapter posted and I am seriously beyond amazed at this point because I now have 42 reviews 62 favorites and 88 follows. And a special thanks to everyone who's favorited and followed and left reveiws because they mean the world to me and they keep me encouraged.

Okay, so I wanted to have them face a few obstacles. And obviously, I had to have one of them be Braxton Hicks contractions. I know it's a little early yet, but... you can feel them as early as the second trimester, which if Lana is at least 3 months along already, I think that's actually close to the second trimester... Anyway, maybe Daryl will say those 3 words soon? He's getting there, trust me. I hope you guys like this and I'm sorry if I freaked anyone out with the above chapter, I really am.

I love you all so much!