They were surrounded by the sounds of war but all Miles could hear was one sound. The nurse turned midwife telling his Laura to push. "Only your damn child would choose be born in the middle of a battle!" Laura yelled.
Miles turned away from the flap where he was trying to make sure that no one got close enough to hurt them. "It's not like I planned for the President's men to attack us right now."
"I still fucking hate you!"
"That's not what you said when you found out."
Laura wanted to reply but she was interrupted by her own scream. Miles turned back to the entrance of the tent and let off a burst of bullets to cover Charlie running towards them. "How's it going?" she panted.
"I'm panicked and she's pissed," Miles shrugged. "A normal Tuesday for us."
Charlie laughed. "Guess this means I didn't' miss the delivery then."
"Nope, you've got time left." Laura let out another yell. "Just as long as you have earplugs with you."
"I think I can handle it," Charlie told him.
They turned their attention back to the fighting outside and protecting the new mother while Laura wailed in childbirth. Miles was beginning to worry about how long this was taking. He had only been around delivering mothers twice. Once for Charlie and once for Danny. He couldn't remember Rachel taking so long to deliver. But maybe that was just him. It probably felt longer since they were right in the middle of a war zone and could be killed at any moment.
He was beginning to really worry when Bass ducked in the tent. "I'm out of ammo," he explained breathlessly.
"Over there," Charlie replied with a jerk of her head.
"You had to let your empire deteriorate to this," Miles sighed as he shot two more fighters trying to reach their position.
"You started this," Bass reminded him. "Everything was fine before you tried to kill me."
"Not the way your men tell it," Charlie pointed out in a cool voice. She would work with Monroe in order to keep from being killed but she didn't' have to like it.
"Could you can the blame game until after I've given birth?" Laura snapped. "I'm in enough pain you don't' have to give me a headache too."
Bass turned to her as he loaded more ammunition. "How's it going?" he asked softly.
Laura glared at him. "How do you think it's going?" she growled.
"Go help them defend the tent," the midwife advised. "You, honey, need to keep pushing."
"I've been pushing. The kid isn't coming out."
"Just do as I tell you."
Miles held his breath and tried to concentrate on what was in front of him. There was nothing he could do for Laura now. It was up to her, the midwife and a god he wasn't sure he believed in. His job was to keep the enemy from getting too close.
So sudden it didn't register at first, a new sound echoed through the tent. It was screaming but these screams were louder, longer and higher than Laura's had been. "Miles," the midwife called, "Come see your new son."
Miles dropped his gun in shock. He had a son. He turned to see an exhausted but happy Laura holding a squalling baby still covered in the mess that came with birth. "Let them clean him up first," Laura protested as he reached for the boy.
"No," Miles replied softly, completely consumed by the new life in his arms. "No, he's perfect like this."
Miles gently cradled the fragile body against his own, not minding the stench and stains that were sure to come from this. "My son," he whispered, leaning down to kiss the tiny baby's forehead. His little boy closely resembled his mother with her olive skin and dark hair. But when the boy managed to peer through gummy lids, Miles couldn't' deny that his own eyes were staring back at him. The child reached out to him and for the first time in what felt like years, Miles Matheson laughed. A real laugh from deep within his soul. He looked to Charlie and Bass. "I'm father," he told them with a grin. "I have a little boy."
"Congratulations," Bass smiled.
"He's wonderful," Charlie agreed.
Miles turned to Laura. "Look what you did," he said in an awed whisper.
"We did it," Laura smiled.
They were surrounded by the sounds of war but all Miles could hear was one sound. The sound of his little boy announcing his arrival to the world.