Summary: Lydia gives birth. (General Fraser is Jamie Fraser (Outlander) & Mrs. Fraser is my OC Ruthie their fic is Entreat Me Not to Leave) - May or may not be canon compliant.

"Fire!" Ben shouted.

Seconds later, the sound of a canon echoed through the air. Hit. The British's defense took another beating. His men quickly went to work to ready the canon again. Fifty yards to his right stood General Washington, spyglass in hand. The other direction stood General Fraser, also armed with a spyglass. The sound of another canon filled the air. Another hit.

Ben looked in the distance. A white flag was being raised by the British. Were they truly surrendering? Ben held his arm out for his men to cease for a moment as he turned toward General Washington, waiting to see if he had noticed. Washington raised his spyglass and then lowered it amidst the sound of another canon firing. Moments later shouts of cease-fire began.

Soon, Ben and his men joined in the shouts, which quickly turned to cheers. He thrust his sword in the air in celebration. They had out-smarted the British and won the Battle of Yorktown. Caleb whooped beside Ben before the two embraced in a tight hug. To see the fruits of their labor brought to fruition gave them much satisfaction. Their little spy ring had helped them earn this victory. Ben was so caught up in the celebration that he hadn't noticed that General Fraser had left his post and headed his direction.

"Tallmadge," a Scottish voice called nearby.

Ben turned to see General Fraser walking toward him with his wife on his arm. He walked to meet them. "General Fraser, we've won, sir," Ben said extending his hand.

"Aye, I believe, there'll no be much more fighting in this war," Fraser said shaking Ben's hand. He paused for a moment and glanced at his wife, who gave a slight nod of her head. General Fraser cleared his throat. "My wife has just come from the hospital tent. Yer wife..."

Ben's face immediately paled. He didn't even wait for General Fraser to continue. Instead, he took off in a sprint headed toward the hospital tent, the plume of his helmet billowing wildly.

General Fraser chuckled and Mrs. Fraser turned toward him. "You could have told him, you know," she told her husband with her hands resting on her hips.

"That your great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandsire was born? I dinna think it my place." He smiled at his wife and drew her close to him.

"No? That's a first for you. And I think you had a few too many greats there." Mrs. Fraser nudged her husband. He bent down and kissed the top of her head before turning to watch Ben run frantically.

"Ye ought to go after the lad, no?"

Mrs. Fraser nodded and followed after Ben.

Ben was out of his mind with worry as he ran toward the hospital tent. He had told Lydia to stay out of harm's way, especially in her condition. But his wife was as stubborn as they come and had a mind of her own when it came to certain matters. He silently prayed that she was still alive so that he might chastise her for her carelessness later.

He quickly passed many soldiers, likely on their way to the same place he was headed. Ben knew he ought to help them, but Lyddie. If something happened to her...he would never forgive himself. Mary Woodhull, his sister-in-law, exited the hospital tent as Ben approached. Her apron was covered in blood and Ben felt his heart sink. How bad was it?

"Lyddie, where's Lyddie?" Ben nearly shouted at Mary.

Mary looked up at him and smiled as she washed her hands using a towel. "She's inside. You can go see her if you'd like. She's in the back corner. Ben, I must tell you..."

Ben didn't wait for what she was about to tell him. He stepped through the opening of the tent and headed for the back corner looking for his wife, ignoring the wounded men surrounding him. And then he spotted her. For a moment his heart seemed to stop. Lydia was on a cot, propped up with a child in her arms. His child. Ben felt tears beginning to prick at his eyes.

Lydia noticed him standing there and she smiled at him. "Come meet your son, Benj," she told him beckoning him with one hand.

"My--my son?" Ben managed, barely above a whisper.

She smiled softly and nodded her head. "Come, Benjamin," she told him again.

So, Ben approached her slowly. He seemed almost shy, a sight rarely seen. Once he was at his wife's side, Lydia told him to wash his hands because Mrs. Fraser had directed hands be washed before touching the baby. So, he washed his hands and then knelt at his wife's side, holding onto her hand as he looked down at his son. He was asleep and snuggled close in his mother's arm.

Ben reached out to touch him but then hesitated. "He--he's perfect," Ben whispered, a powerful love he had never felt before surging through him. Lydia then lifted the babe's tiny hand and brought it to Ben's. The newborn immediately clasped his small hand around Ben's finger.

"This is your father," Lydia whispered to the baby. She then looked at Ben. "Would you like to hold him?" It wasn't so much a question, more of a formality. But Lydia waited for Ben to nod his head and then she passed their son into his arms.

Ben wrapped his arms tightly around his son. "Hi, son," he whispered, his voice cracking as the tears that had stung his eyes now began to fall. Ben gently began to rock his son, who didn't even cry. The babe seemed content in his arms. "What are we going to call you?" Ben asked his son.

"I was thinking Samuel, after your brother," Lydia said, beaming at her husband.

Ben nodded his head and sniffed. "And Thomas for yours."

Both Samuel and Thomas were now dead, but they had been good older siblings to each of them. "Samuel Thomas Woodhull Tallmadge," Ben whispered to his son, holding him tight.

Lydia moved over so that Ben could sit beside her on the cot. Ben sat. In one arm he held his newborn son and the other he wrapped around his wife. Together, they sat there basking in the joy and happiness that a newborn brings. The Battle of Yorktown changed everything for them...in more ways than one.