It's Time

Casey had been sleeping peacefully when she awoke to the worst cramping she had ever experienced. She groaned and moved to get up when she felt the liquid trickling out of her and froze in disbelief. "Oh God!" She lunged as quickly for her phone as she could and dialed Amber's number. It rang three times before her friend answered with a raspy hello. "It's time! My water just broke!" She basically screamed into the phone.

"Crap! Okay, I'm on my way. Your bag is packed already right?"

Casey was shivering in pain and anxiety as she heard rustling on the other line, "Yes, it's in the car though."

"Okay. I'll be there soon."

Casey tried to relax as she hung up the phone, the pain had receded for the moment and she decided to try and make it to her car to grab the bag while she could.

She made it out the door and to her car just fine, but as she went to open the door a contraction nearly drove her to her knees. "Ahh!" She gripped her stomach and leaned against the car while it passed. When it stopped, she had tears in her eyes and she made herself move fast, grabbing the bag and making a dash for the door before she collapsed onto the couch in exhaustion.

Derek had starting coming with Chase to stake out Casey's house since he had found out and they were both shocked when her door slammed open and she came running out to her car. They both wondered if someone was chasing after her for a moment until she nearly toppled over and screamed in pain. Their eyes widened in tandem when they realized that she was in labor.

She straightened up, quickly grabbed a small bag out of her car and took off for her house, leaving the men speechless and stunned. A few seconds later, a little blue car came screeching to a stop in her driveway and a little blonde rushed inside the door. After about a minute or two, the girls came out with Casey nearly falling onto her friend. Derek could see that the little blonde could barely hold her up and jumped out to help without thinking.

"Let me carry her," he said as he reached them. Their heads snapped up to see him and Chase two steps behind him. Casey's eyes widened in surprise as she met his concerned gaze while Amber's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Derek? What are you doing here?" She asked in disbelief in seeing the man she had left sleeping nearly nine months ago and had never looked back.

Derek didn't answer, instead he gathered her into his arms and carried her to her friend's car. Chase quickly grabbed the bag from Amber with a sheepish smile on his face for the first time, she answered with a confused smile and let him take over.

"We'll ride with you girls," Chase said. "Get into the back with her and I'll drive. What hospital?"

The girls had no time to argue with these two intimidating and handsome men so they got in and let the men take the lead. "Grand Pres," Amber answered Chase as Casey curled in on herself because of another contraction. They were getting to be quicker and more painful and Amber was glad that she was free to comfort her friend while someone else drove them at break neck speed. She admired the diligence of these men and remembered them from the club that night. She also admired Chase as he drove, softly whispering comforting words to Casey who whimpered next to her, but never took her eyes from him. He was as handsome as his counterpart, with dirty blonde curly hair and sapphire blue eyes. She was straying away from her one night stand days and was closing in on the settle down stage but she hadn't found that one just yet, she secretly hoped that it could be Chase as he looked into the rear view mirror and met her eyes and smiled sweetly at her.

Derek gave Chase instructions to be quick but careful as they drove to the hospital. He dared a few looks back at Casey to make sure she was okay, noticing the beads of sweat and the pain on her face. He clenched his teeth at seeing her hurting, but he was elated that she was finally having this baby. He did the math, and unless she had had sex with someone else other than him around the same time, this baby was his. He didn't dare ask her while she was in labor though. Afterwards he would question her.

They skidded to a stop in front of the emergency entrance and while Chase was going to park the car first and then come to meet them, Derek picked Casey up and hurried to the doors while Amber tagged along behind him with the overnight bags.

"Help! My friend's in labor!" Amber immediately got the attention of several nurses and in a flood of people, got taken back to the delivery room. Amber answered their rapid fire questions while Casey groaned in pain in Derek's arms, clutching tightly to his shirt as if holding on for dear life.

"Are you the father?" A nurse suddenly asked him, he didn't know what to say but luckily Casey had come out of her contraction and answered without hesitation.

"Yes. He is." Their eyes met briefly before the nurse pulled him into the room with her and he gently laid her onto the bed so they could prep her for labor. Large green scrubs were thrust into Derek and Amber's hands with the urgent command to put them on quickly. They did and each took a side of Casey's and she gripped their hands tightly as another contraction hit her strongly.

"She's nine centimeters dilated! Grab Dr. Anderson!" The nurse in between her legs yelled to someone and a male nurse scrambled for the door and left the room.

A few moments later, a small female in a white lab coat strolled in purposefully and took over with no hesitation. Casey whimpered and Derek moved closer so she could rest her head on his shoulder.

"Just breathe sweetheart," he consoled her the best that he could, "you're doing great."

"She's fully dilated. Okay honey, time to push!" The doctor told her and Casey pushed with all her might, her body was on fire and felt as if she was being ripped in two as she screamed and held onto Derek's and Amber's hands for dear life, squeezing them until she was sure she would break them if she wasn't careful.

"Come on Case!" Amber said excitedly, "you're almost there! You got this!"

Derek rubbed Casey's hair, barely feeling the dampness on her head as he kept his eyes on the doctor in front of them. His gaze intense as if wishing for Casey's pain to be over soon.

With one last push, the baby came out and Casey's body sagged in relief. Her head resting against Derek for comfort and her gaze on the dark haired baby boy in the doctor's arms. She sighed happily at the sight and closed her eyes for just a second of rest.

The baby suddenly screamed and her eyes flew open in fear of something wrong but then she was handed the tiny baby and she held on to him gently, afraid to hurt him if she moved the wrong way.

"What's his name Casey?" Someone asked her and without taking her eyes off of him she stroked his little cheek reverently before answering.

"Colton Ray," she said softly. Derek smiled down at the two with an emotion he had never felt before. He stroked his son's head before leaning down kissing the top of Casey's head.

"He's perfect. You did amazing sweetheart," he whispered to her. She smiled up at him and he could see the fatigue in her blue eyes.

"The momma should get some rest now," a nurse came over and smiled at the four of them. She turned to look at Derek, "Would you like to hold your son, sir?" He looked to Casey for permission and she smiled serenely at him before handing the little boy to him. He gathered his son into his arms and rocked him gently.

Casey watched Derek hold their baby in his arms with a look of reverence in his dark eyes, she decided that she adores that look in his eyes and turned to her best friend who gave her a gentle hug.

"Good job Case, he is beautiful. I'm so proud of you," she whispered into her ear before grinning slyly at her, "and that man over there deserves to know his son too."

Casey looked over at Derek as he gently rocked their son and looked down at him with such love and awe and she felt her heart melt. She had originally thought that Derek didn't want to be in her life and that he would be angry with her for staying away and keeping such a big thing like her pregnancy away from him, but he had came out of nowhere and rescued her in her time of need with no questions asked.

A few minutes later, a nurse rolled in a little bed for Colton to sleep on and Derek put him down on it gently as the little boy had finally fallen asleep in his arms.

He turned to look at Casey and saw that she was sleeping as well. She must be so exhausted and hurting, he thought. He pulled a chair over and sat next to her bed and just watched her sleep. Her friend had fallen asleep on the visitors bed by the window not long after she gave Casey a hug, so Derek was all alone with his thoughts. He still had questions for Casey but he could wait until she woke up and was feeling better to ask them. Right now, he was just content with watching her sleep peacefully.

It didn't take long before Chase made an appearance, his keen eyes taking in the little boy and the two sleeping women before setting his eyes on his friend who was keeping a vigilant eye on the mother of his child.

"Congratulations Derek," he spoke quietly so as not to wake the others and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. Derek smiled up at him and Chase was glad that he was happy again.

"She did it all and she was amazing. I have a son!" He exclaimed and Chase's face broke out into a grin.

"Yes you do. Are you going to tell your dad about him?"

Derek's face fell at the mention of his father. He didn't want him to know of Casey or Colton. It would put their lives in danger and he didn't want that at all. An intense protectiveness fell over him and he shook his head. "He isn't to know of them, Chase. I don't want them in this life of ours."

Chase nodded in understanding, glancing over at Amber as she slept peacefully on her side facing him. He knew that if he ever found that special someone that he would do whatever it took to keep them safe, just like Derek.

"What are you going to do?"

Derek sighed and felt his heart breaking, "I'm going to have to break her heart..."