This is the last in the Shattered Promises series! Yep it's been a ride (all 99,828 words of thecomplete series!) Hope you enjoy this last piece as much as I've enjoyed writing it!
1. Things Fall Apart.
2. Picking Up The Pieces.
3. (a & b.) Starting Over.
4. Getting It Right.
5. Getting To Know You.
6. Happy Endings.
7. Sleepless Nights.
8. See You In My Dreams.
9. Scattered Photographs.
10. Dreams Really Do Come True.
11. Celebrations.
12. Turning Full Circle.
Rating: T just to be on the safe side.
Disclaimer: JAG and its main characters belong to the genius who is DPB and to CBS. I don't make any profit from writing any of these fics, but simply get to exercise my overactive imagination every now and then. Please don't sue me, as I'm just a student with no money and way too much time on my hands:0)
Summary: The whole JAG family waits to welcome a new member when events take an unexpected turn.
Spoilers: None. This isn't set at any particular point in the JAG timeline and there are no specific references to any episodes.
Feedback, as always, is very much appreciated. Please don't hesitate to press the 'review' button!
OOOO
Turning Full Circle
Harm and Mac were sitting in her office, as they put the final touches to a case, which they had been working on all week. A knock sounded on their door and Tiner stuck his head in.
"Sorry to bother you, Ma'am, Sir," he apologized, "but the Admiral has asked to see you both in his office."
"We'll be right there, Tiner," Mac told him.
As they packed up, Harm commented, "Wow, that was quick! We've barely just finished this one, now he's going to give us another."
"It must be pretty important!" Mac agreed.
As they got to the Admiral's outer office, Tiner told them, "Just go straight in, Ma'am, Sir."
They did so and were greeted by the somber face of the Admiral. Harm and Mac immediately knew that this was nothing to do with a case, a notion that was proved to be correct when the Admiral addressed them using their first names.
"Harm, Mac. I'm afraid that this isn't a work related meeting."
Harm and Mac immediately sobered and AJ continued, " I was contacted, ten minutes ago, by Clayton Webb. I'm afraid he had some very serious news. First, may I just enquire how Cathy and Mikey are doing in Norfolk?"
"They're doing great, Sir," Harm told him, "Mac and I were just talking to them last night. Cathy started her maternity leave last week and her doctor is estimating the baby to be born around the 3rd of next month. She and Mikey are coming home in about a week's time, to have the baby here, in D.C."
"That's wonderful," the Admiral told them, "On a more serious note, however, I was contacted by Clayton Webb, this morning. He had some news, which will concern Cathy. This morning, Cathy's Uncle, Jim Davidson was found dead, in his prison cell. In turns out that he hanged himself, sometime last night."
Mac let out a gasp, while Harm frowned, worriedly.
"No information of this has been released, so far," the Admiral continued, "but it won't be long before it is, so Clay was very determined that it should come from one of us, not from the press."
"That's one thing that Cathy doesn't need, right now," Harm commented.
"Exactly," the Admiral agreed, " That's why I thought that it was important that the news come from the two of you. Do you two think that you can be the ones to tell her?"
"I'm not so sure," Mac told him, honestly, "It's just going to be so difficult. But, I'd much rather her hear from one of us, than from a newspaper or the TV or something."
"I'm not sure we are the best people to tell her," Harm cut in, suddenly, "I mean, she is happily married, has a husband now. Maybe it would be better if Mikey broke the news."
"Maybe," Mac agreed, "Let's get in touch with Mikey and ask him what he thinks is best."
Harm and Mac quickly phoned Mikey and told him the news, which greatly concerned him.
"This is the worst time for this kind of a worry," he told Mac, worriedly, "Cathy's got enough on her plate."
"Yeah," Mac agreed, "But we still have to tell her. If we didn't and she found out some other way, she'd never forgive us."
"Yeah, I know," Mikey conceded, "but that still doesn't mean that I don't want to protect her from it. The baby's due in a few weeks now. I've only just gotten her to really rest, she was as apprehensive as anything to start this maternity leave."
"I know how stubborn she can be when it comes to that," Mac told Mikey, understandingly, "but this is still something that she has to be told about, as soon as possible."
"Yeah," Mikey agreed, "don't worry about it, Mac. I'll tell her as gently as I can."
"If it's okay with you, Harm and I would like to be there, when you tell her," Mac asked Mikey, "so that we're on hand. It would make us feel better, if we could offer some support."
"Yeah, of course," Mikey agreed, "I think it would really help if you and Harm could be here."
"Okay," Mac told him, "Harm and I will drive up tonight."
"I'll let her know, when I get home tonight," Mikey told Mac, "just before you arrive. I think she'll need some time to take it all in, before you and Harm get here."
So plans were arranged and Harm and Mac went home to pack and prepare themselves for the torturous task at hand.
OOOO
It was already dark, by the time that they got into the naval base in Norfolk. Harm and Mac parked and Harm lifted the suitcase out of the boot, while Mac lifted a sleeping baby Katie from her car seat.
They saw that the front door had been left open, in anticipation of their arrival and walked in, leaving the suitcase in the hall.
They walked through to the living room, to find Cathy and Mikey on the couch, Cathy sitting across Mikey's knee as he soothed her, holding her close and stroking her hair.
Mikey looked up as Harm and Mac walked in, then gently told Cathy, "Sweetie, Harm and Mac are here."
At this, Cathy looked up at them, her face tear stained and her eyes red and puffy. Mikey helped her to her feet and she slowly waddled across to Mac, her large, heavily pregnant stomach slowing her down, significantly. Mac took her into her arms and held her as close as she was able.
"It's okay Sweetheart," she soothed Cathy, "He'll never hurt you again."
Harm also came forward giving Cathy a cuddle and a comforting kiss on the top of the head.
Afterwards, they sat down on the sofa and chairs and prepared to talk. Mac eyed Cathy as she sat, blank faced and shocked.
"What are you thinking, Sweetie?" she asked her, concerned.
"I don't know what to think, Mac," Cathy told her, "I just don't know what to think. I always thought that I'd be relieved when this day came. But I just wasn't expecting it. I don't know what to think now."
Mac understandingly squeezed Cathy's hand.
"It's almost as if he's escaped, you know?" Cathy continued, "When he was in there, he was faced, everyday, with what he did, it was something that he couldn't get away from. But now he has, now he won't have to atone for what he did to me."
"He'll always have to account for what he did," Harm told Cathy, reassuringly, "whether it's in life or in death. But with him gone, you will be able to move on with your life, knowing that he can never come back to hurt you, ever again."
Cathy just looked at the floor.
"I'm not so sure about that," Cathy told the group.
OOOO
The next day, Harm, Mac, Katie, Mikey and Cathy drove back to DC. Mikey's car was packed full of all of the baby supplies they would need, once the baby was born.
Mac helped Cathy into the house, while Harm and Mikey started to unpack the car.
On their second trip back to the car, the Robert's car pulled into the drive and Harm and Mikey watched as Harriet and Bud climbed out.
They went and gave Mikey a hug, before asking him and Harm, "How's Cathy doing?"
"She's inside with Mac," Mikey told them, "She was quite upset when I told her, but we've all been trying to keep her as calm as possible."
Harriet then went inside to see Cathy and Mac, while Bud stayed outside and gave Mikey and Harm a hand with the baby supplies in the back of the car.
Later, as they were all eating dinner together, Mac noticed that Cathy was simply picking at her food, not looking too interested.
"Sweetheart, is the food okay?" she asked Cathy.
"Yeah. Sorry Mac, it's great. I'm just not feeling that hungry, I don't feel too well, actually."
"C'mon, babe," Mikey told her, "You have to keep up your strength. Try and eat for the baby's sake."
Cathy nodded, and then resumed eating, as best as she was able. She just wasn't feeling up to it tonight. Something wasn't quite right, she could feel it. However, she wasn't able to put her finger on it.
OOOO
Later that night, after Bud and Harriet left, Mikey and Cathy went to bed early, both deciding that a good night's sleep would be the best thing for them. However, Cathy still wasn't feeling any better, which Mikey put down to stress.
"You'll feel much better after you get some sleep," he told her, cuddling up behind her and resting his hand on her belly, as he always did while they slept.
Cathy just nodded and gave him a kiss goodnight then lay her head down and she closed her eyes, trying to calm down and get some sleep.
OOOO
Mikey was awakened at 4.50 next morning by an odd sound, coming from the bathroom. He started to worry as his hand drifted instinctively to the empty space in the bed, next to him.
"Cathy?" he called, concerned, as he quickly climbed out of the bed and rushed to the bathroom.
He found Cathy kneeling on the floor, in front of the toilet, being violently sick.
"Sweetie, what's wrong?" he asked her, trying not to show how panicked he was.
After a second, she was able to look up and Mikey clearly saw pain and panic etched across her face.
"Mikey, I think something's wrong!" she told him, gasping.
"What is it, honey? Are you in pain?" he asked her
She nodded, trying to keep back tears of panic.
"It's okay, baby," Mikey reassured her, "I'll get Harm and Mac, then we'll get you to the hospital. Everything's going to be alright."
Before he left to get Harm and Mac, he got a blanket and wrapped it around Cathy, so that she didn't get cold.
Next, he ran through to the main bedroom and knocked on the door, shouting, "Harm, Mac! Something's wrong!"
After a second, Harm managed to stumble to the door, emerging still half-asleep. Mac came after him, asking, "What's wrong Mikey?"
"There's something wrong with Cathy. She's being sick and I think that she's in pain."
They quickly rushed through to Cathy, where Mac set about comforting Cathy, while trying to ascertain what was wrong.
"Cathy, honey? Tell me, what's wrong, sweetie," she implored Cathy.
"Mac," Cathy complained, "I hurt all over, my head hurts, and I feel really sick. I think there's something really wrong. Mac, I don't want to lose this baby!"
"It's okay sweetie, we're going to get you to a hospital," Harm assured her, "Do you think you can walk?"
"I don't know," Cathy told him, unsurely rising to her feet.
However, a wave of dizziness hit her and she collapsed into Mikeys arms.
"Whoa! It's okay, babe, I've got you," he told her, reassuring her.
"Mikey, my head really hurts!" Cathy told him.
Mikey lifted Cathy into his arms, and carried her through to the bedroom, where he placed her on the bed and wrapped the bed sheets around her.
"Harm, would you grab Cathy's overnight bag out of the wardrobe?" he asked Harm, before he lifted Cathy back into his arms and sat on the bed, cradling her.
Harm and Mac quickly went through to their room to get dressed and wake up Katie then Harm went out and put Cathy's bag in the car and started the engine. After that, he went to check on how they were all getting on, in the house. Mikey had changed into jeans and a t-shirt and was just carrying Cathy out of the bedroom, Cathy's head cradled in the crook of his neck.
"Is she doing alright?" Harm asked Mac, who came out of the bedroom after them, with a sleepy baby Katie in her arms.
"She's in a lot of pain, Harm," Mac told him, worriedly, "I'd better give Harriet and Bud a call, to let them know what's going on.
As Mikey carefully lowered Cathy into the back seat of the car, her head slumped back against the headrest.
"Cathy?" Mikey asked her, anxiously, "babe, are you okay?"
However, Cathy didn't answer him, even when he touched her cheek, trying to stir her. He checked her pulse and found, to his great relief that it was still very strong and regular, though a bit too fast.
"What's wrong Mikey?" Mac asked him, feeling the rising panic in her throat.
"She's passed out," Mikey told her, "But her pulse still seems to be very strong. We need to get to the hospital, quick."
Harm and Mac wasted no time in getting into the car, with Katie on Mac's knee, before Harm put his foot down and sped away. In the car, on the way to the hospital, Mac phoned Harriet and Bud on her cellphone, informing them of the situation, so far. Mac was about to say that she would call them again, when they had more news, when Harriet told her that they would be there as soon as they could, insisting on coming to the hospital as well.
OOOO
When they reached the ER, Cathy was lifted onto gurney and wheeled in, as Harm, Mac and Mikey tried to fill the doctors in on as much information as possible.
"You say that she was complaining of head pain and dizziness?" the doctor asked them.
"Yes, that's right," Mikey told him, "She was sick a few times, too."
"When is her due date?" the doctor asked, again.
"In just over three weeks. Cathy was saying that she was in a lot of pain. She thought that there might be something wrong with the baby. Please, don't let anything happen to my wife and my baby," Mikey pleaded.
Don't you worry," the doctor told him, "We're going to do all in our power to help them. Your wife and your baby are in good hands."
After this, Mac and Mikey were asked to wait in the waiting room and Harm went to move his car, while the doctors examined Cathy.
Harriet and Bud Roberts arrived soon afterwards, with little AJ in tow, still wearing his pajamas. After explaining all they could, they settled down once again, to wait for the doctors. Once it had turned six o'clock, Harm went to phone the Admiral, who would probably be up by this time. The Admiral arrived at the hospital within half an hour and joined the others in the tense environment of the waiting room.
Finally, the doctor came to see them, explaining that Cathy's current condition was caused by severely high blood pressure.
"I'm afraid that we won't be able to let Ms. Carter go home," he told them.
"Roberts," Mikey corrected him.
"Sorry," the doctor apologized, explaining, "We saw a lot of your wife when she still had her maiden name. Force of habit, I'm afraid. But, Mr. Roberts, your wife is suffering from high blood pressure that has been triggered by the pregnancy. We'll need to keep her in, until we can get her blood pressure down. This may take some time, as we'll only be able to use certain medication, in light of your wife's condition. But while she's here, we'll keep the best possible eye on her and on your baby."
"Thank you," Mikey told the man, gratefully, shaking him by the hand.
After this, the doctor took Mikey to see Cathy, in her room, while the others waited in the waiting room. After a few minutes, Mikey emerged to let the others know that Cathy was sleeping, comfortably. After assuring them that he would stay and keep a close eye on her, the rest of the group left to go home and get some more sleep, knowing that Cathy was being well cared for by the hospital staff. They arranged to come back in a few hours, to see how Cathy was getting on then.
After they had gone, Mikey went back to Cathy's bedside, settling down in a chair, watching Cathy as she slept, peacefully.
He placed a hand on her belly and gently caressed it, telling their baby, softly, "You stay where you are, son. It's not time to come out, just yet. Don't you worry, Daddy's right here."
OOOO
Harm and Mac arrived back at the hospital, a few hours later. They had a bunch of flowers for Cathy with them and a soft cuddly toy, which they told her, was for the baby, from Katie.
"She was adamant that the baby have a present as well," Mac told them, amused, "even if he's not going to be here for a few more weeks."
Cathy was feeling a lot better, now that the medication was starting to kick in and had greater peace of mind, because the doctors had attached a fetal monitor to her stomach, to monitor the baby's heartbeat. Harm and Mac noticed the quiet, fast-paced beeps being admitted by the machine, as they took a seat by the bed.
"Is that the baby's heartbeat?" Mac asked Cathy, excitedly.
"Yep!" Cathy told her proudly, "That's my little boy's heart beating!"
"How are you so sure that this one's going to be a boy?" Harm asked her, in awe, "You said that you asked your doctor not to tell you at the scan".
"It's just a feeling I have, I just know," Cathy told him, "The doctor didn't tell me."
"Mothers have a sense about these things," Mac added.
"Yeah, I remember you said the same thing, when we were having Katie," Harm recalled, "and you were right too!"
At that moment, Harriet, Bud, AJ Chegwidden and Clayton Webb came through the door, all with more flowers, gift baskets and soft toys for Cathy and the baby.
"Good grief!" Cathy exclaimed, "He's not going to be born for another three weeks! And he's getting spoiled rotten already!"
"How are you doing, darlin'?" the Admiral asked her, going over and giving her a big hug.
"We're both doing fine," Cathy told him, "The doctor just says that I was worrying myself sick, that's all. He says I can go home later on today."
"And you're to have complete bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy," Mikey added, "I'm going to make sure that you don't lift a finger, until this baby is born."
Cathy just grimaced and nodded at this. Even if she didn't like to be inactive like this, it was something that she was willing to do, for the sake of their baby.
OOOO
Cathy was released from the hospital, that evening and went back home to Harm and Mac's house.
For the entire week, Mikey waited on her, hand and foot, while Harm and Mac were working, then they would keep her company when they arrived home. There wasn't an awful lot for Cathy to do except lie on the couch and watch the TV, which bored her pretty soon. When Harm arrived home one night, a few days later, he presented her with a cassette tape player and a few books on tape. He had managed to find two foreign language tapes, one in French, the other in Spanish. This at least gave Cathy a bit more to do, so made her confinement a bit more bearable.
However, one day, about a week and a half before the baby was due, Cathy found herself hot and bothered. She couldn't shake the compulsion to go and sort out a couple of the baby's things, which were in her and Mikey's bedroom. She didn't actually realize that her compulsion had a name; 'Nesting.' Long periods of sitting on the couch had made her back ache, so she decided that a short walk around would help.
"What are you doing up on your feet?" Mikey asked her as she walked into the bedroom.
He was fixing back together the baby's crib, which he and Harm had dismantled, for the journey from Norfolk.
"My back hurts from lying on that couch," Cathy complained to him.
"The doctor said that you need to get total rest," Mikey told her, "Do you think that you might be better in bed?"
"No, Mikey," Cathy told him, shaking her head, "I need to move around. I can't stand being laid up on that couch all of the time."
Mikey gave a sigh, then went to Cathy to give her back a rub and try to persuade her to lie back down. But Cathy simply shook her head. After that, they finally compromised that Cathy would lie down in a hot bath, so Cathy went into the bathroom, to run some water. After a minute though, she called to Mikey to come in.
"Mikey," she asked him, "Can you come in here and help me reach the ties at the back of my blouse?"
Mikey dutifully did so and Cathy twisted as he went to undo the ties. However, they both paused, as there was a sudden rush of liquid down Cathy's legs.
"Uh-oh!" Cathy uttered, looking Mikey in the eye, "I'm pretty sure that was my waters breaking."
"So that ache in your back wasn't from lying on the couch?" he asked her.
"It would seem not," Cathy told him, "I think it must have been my contractions starting."
At that moment, they heard Harm and Mac arrive home from work, walking through the door. Mikey quickly went to the wardrobe and took out Cathy's overnight bag for the hospital, while Cathy sorted out a few items from the pile of baby things, stacked in the corner.
"Diapers, bottles, milk formula, wet wipes, sanitary towels, baby's layette, blankets,"
Cathy told Mikey, "Do you think there's anything else we're going to need?"
"Don't worry," Mikey told her, "If there is, I'll step out and buy them."
"Okay," Cathy told him, "I guess that's everything. Looks like we're all ready to go! Will you go and call the midwife? I'll be out in a second. I want to get changed out of these clothes."
Mikey went out into the living room, where Harm and Mac were standing in the hallway, putting down their briefcases.
"Is Cathy in bed?" Harm asked him, noticing that Cathy was missing from the couch.
"Sorry, guys. We're going to have to leave, now," Mikey told them.
"What?" Harm asked, not understanding, "We've only just got in!"
"It's time to go to the hospital," Mikey elaborated, "Cathy's gone into labor."
Mac's jaw dropped and then she rushed through to the bedroom, to give Cathy a hand.
Mikey proceeded to call the midwife and let her know they were setting off for the hospital. She told them that she would see them there.
The four of them climbed into the car, then Mac phoned Harriet to see if she could pick Katie up from daycare, while she was there collecting little AJ. Harriet assured her that she would do so, and organize for a babysitter, before coming to the hospital with Bud.
OOOO
When they arrived at Bethesda, Cathy was relieved to be able to walk to the maternity unit, not to be brought in on a gurney, as she had been every one of the other many times she had been brought into the hospital's ER.
They were met by their midwife, who greeted them with an enthusiastic smile, telling them, "Don't worry, everything is going to go like clockwork!"
Harm and Mac left to sit in the waiting room, both of them anxious and excited.
"I hate not being the one in there!" Mac joked to Harm.
"It's so …frustrating not being there, not being able to do something," Harm added.
"Hey!" Mac suddenly thought, "We're going to be waiting for a while now. Why don't we go and raid the gift shop? We could go out and buy some presents and some toys for the baby, too, while we wait."
As they walked out towards the gift shop, Harm asked Mac, "So, do you think that the baby's going to be a boy, like Cathy believes?"
"I'm pretty sure she's going to be right," Mac replied, convinced.
OOOO
Harriet and Bud arrived a little while later, just after Harm and Mac had gotten back from their shopping trip. Harriet admired the blue colored helium balloons that they had gotten from the gift shop. Bud carried their large gift for the baby, wrapped in blue paper with ducks on it, complete with blue ribbons.
"Wow, and I thought we were getting excited!" she exclaimed, seeing the big bags of toys that Harm was carrying.
"We did go a bit overboard," Mac admitted, "but we're just so excited!"
"Is there any word, yet?" Bud asked them.
"No, not yet," Harm replied, "The doctor said it would be quite a while yet. Cathy was still in the first stage of labor, when we arrived. Then Mac and I went down to the gift shop, 'to buy a couple of things!' And you can see how that ended up!"
Just then, Mikey appeared through the swinging doors from the maternity ward.
"How's it going?" they all questioned him, anxiously.
"She's in quite a bit of pain, now that the contractions are closer together," he told them, "Mac, Harriet? She asked if you would come and see her?"
"Of course we will!" Mac exclaimed, then she and Harriet rushed away with the nurse to Cathy's room.
Mikey, in the meantime, sat down with the rest of the group to have a cup of coffee and settle his frayed nerves.
OOOO
When Mac and Harriet entered Cathy's room, Cathy was standing up next to the window, in the midst of another contraction.
"Sweetie?" Mac asked her quietly, "Are you doing okay?" going over to rub Cathy's back and help her through the contraction.
Once the contraction had passed, Cathy turned around to hug Harriet and Mac, who then sat her down on the bed and began to give her plenty of encouragement.
OOOO
After about an hour, when Mac and Harriet returned and Mikey went back into Cathy's room, Harm went to call the Admiral.
On the phone, Harm told the Admiral, "Sir, it looks as if you're going to become a Godfather a little sooner than anticipated."
At that, AJ dropped everything, not even stopping to clear away his left-over dinner, before rushing down the hospital, of course loaded with enough gifts, flowers and brightly colored balloons to eclipse the sun! After this, everyone settled down once more in the now bustling, excited waiting room, to wait it out.
By eleven o'clock that night, there was still no further news. In her hospital room, Cathy was being checked again by the mid-wife, a womancalled DocterGray. She looked a bit concerned with how the labor was progressing. As Cathy sweated and strained through another contraction, she told them,
"Now, I know you wanted to have this baby naturally, but it doesn't seem as if he is moving anywhere. I think, if nothing is happening within the next hour, then you should opt to have a caesarean."
"No," Cathy insisted, " I can have this baby naturally. I don't want the caesarean."
"Okay," Doctor Gray conceded, "We'll just wait and see what happens."
Thankfully, within the next half an hour, the labor seemed to be progressing smoothly, so when Cathy was completely dilated, she was wheeled into the delivery room.
Mikey joined her, after donning the usual surgical scrubs and mask.
He stayed by Cathy's side, encouraging her through each contraction. The contractions had left Cathy extremely tired and her hair was plastered across her face and down the back of her neck with sweat.
Cathy seemed to be awfully tired and disconcerted, so Mikey continued to encourage her.
"C'mon Sweetie!" he told her, "You can do this. In the end, we're going to have our beautiful baby boy, then all of the hard work will have paid off!"
Cathy nodded, exhausted, but gathered her remaining strength to push again, on the next contraction.
"That's wonderful!" Doctor Gray told them, "That's the baby's head out, now. We just need another strong push, then we'll be able to start bringing the baby's shoulders through."
Cathy gritted her teeth and bore down on the next contraction, straining with all of her might, still managing to muster the strength from somewhere.
"Alright, stop pushing now, Cathy," Doctor Gray instructed her, "I've got to get your baby's shoulders through…and rather wide ones they are too!"
"That's from your family!" Mikey joked.
He only managed to get a bit of a pained chuckle from Cathy, who was really suffering as the midwife maneuvered the baby's shoulders through. After one more final push, Cathy let out a cry of relief as she felt the baby come through and slide free.
"You've got a healthy baby boy!" Doctor Gray congratulated the two proud parents, as the handsome baby boy felt his first seconds of the outside world. After cleaning him off, checking to make sure that his mouth and nose were clear and performing all of the preliminary checks, Doctor Gray passed him to Cathy and Mikey, who were, by this time, crying with joy.
"We've got our little boy!" Mikey exclaimed, hardly able to believe his eyes.
"He's perfect!" Cathy sighed, minutely examining the baby's tiny pink fingers and toes.
Just then, as the doctor finished cutting the umbilical cord, the tiny little boy let out an indignant howl, that echoed around the room and Cathy and Mikey began to happily half-laugh and half-cry, at the same time. Then, Cathy undid the side or her wrap-around gown and held her tiny son to her breast, who latched on and continued to suckle away, happily. Mikey looked on in amazement, softly stroking the little boy's head, then leaned down to give Cathy a soft kiss.
"Isn't he amazing!" Cathy exclaimed, "He looks just like you!"
Mikey chuckled, pulling back the bottom corner of the little boy's blanket and taking a peek, before proclaiming, proudly, "Yep, I'd say he's a Roberts man, alright! …But some of him is pure Carter."
You're right, Mikey," Cathy exclaimed, laughing, "He's got the Carter mouth…and my Daddy's broad shoulders!"
After a minute, Doctor Gray spoke up, looking at the beautiful sight of this happy young couple with the miracle that they had both created.
"So, do you know what you're going to call this little guy?"
At this, Mikey and Cathy both looked at one another, with a small smile on their faces.
OOOO
Cathy and their baby boy had been brought back into their room, after he had gone through a last check and was pronounced to be in the peak of health. Cathy was, by this time, asleep, absolutely exhausted after the long, strenuous labor.
Mikey had spent the next few minutes staring down at his tiny son in wonderment, before coming to his senses and remembering that everyone was still waiting for news, out in the waiting room. He walked out to the hospital waiting room, still dressed in his surgical scrubs, with his mask dangling around his neck.
Everyone stood as they saw Mikey coming, with a huge smile plastered across his face.
All was silent, until he told them, "We've got a beautiful baby boy! He's a healthy eight pounds, thirteen ounces!"
The large crowdgave a cheer before theyenveloped him and congratulated him heartily.
OOOO
Mikey opened the door to the hospital room and quietly ushered everyone in. Cathy was still sound asleep, looking peacefully happy, even in sleep. Mac saw that she was absolutely soaked with sweat, after her strenuous task, so went and planted a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Congratulations, Sweetie!" she told the sleeping young woman, who was like a best friend, little sister and daughter to her, "I can't believe that you're a Mommy, already! It seems like yesterday, when you were only sixteen and Harm and I were coming to bring you home!"
The family had been through so much since then, but now it seemed as if everything had turned full circle and Cathy was having her own family, starting a new generation.
Mac then went to join the rest of the group who were gathered around the baby's cot, admiring the handsome young boy, who was the latest addition to the family.
"Mac," Mikey told her, "I'd like you to meet your new nephew, Adam Carter Roberts."
Mac laughed giddily, as Mikey picked the tiny bundle up and placed him in her arms.
"Hi there, Adam!" Mac greeted him, with tears in her eyes, "I'm your Aunty Mac. We're all going to love you, so much! Welcome to the family!"
The End