Betty covered her mouth, feeling a sharp pain in her stomach.
"Betty…" William said slowly.
"Get away from her!" Don ordered, rushing to Betty's side, wrapping his arm around her back.
"Your water broke," Judy said softly, standing in the doorway.
"I don't feel well," Betty murmured, her head slumping onto Don's shoulder.
Don kissed the side of Betty's head. "We're leaving."
"She needs to go to a hospital; she'll never make it back to the city," William said slowly.
"Dr. Aldrich, I need Dr. Aldrich," Betty moaned, wincing.
"Have her go to Pennsylvania Hospital," Judy ordered, keeping a watchful eye on the guests that were milling about the dining area.
"No…I want to have the baby in New York…."
"We can't make it back it time," Don said gently, massaging her lower back. "We're losing time."
"Let me go with you," William insisted.
Don shot his brother-in-law a murderous glare. "You've done enough!"
"Don," Betty moaned.
Judy quickly shut the door and locked it from the inside, so that no one could come in. "It'll be okay, Betty." Judy looked to Don, reminding him of that as well. "You shouldn't be driving her, and you don't know the streets as well as William does," Judy added gently. "Take the Lincoln, and have William drive while you sit in the back with Betty. I'll stay here and man the rest of the reception."
Betty shot Don a desperate look. Don placed a kiss on Betty's brow. "Let's go," Don glared at William. "We can't lose any more time."
William nodded his head, instructing them to follow them out the front of the garage, so that they could go undetected.
Don wordlessly opened the door for Betty, allowing her to scoot in first, and coming in behind her. "Do you know where you're going?" Don demanded of William as he turned the ignition.
William nodded his head. "We'll be there in no time, and take you straight to the maternity unit."
"They're not my doctors," Betty said quietly.
"They're better," William asserted. "Pennsylvania Hospital is known country wide for its advances in medicine."
Betty grimaced, closing her eyes. Don squeezed her shoulder, leaning forward to the front of the car. "I'll never forget what you did to her today, causing her to have the baby weeks early."
"You think I don't know that," William whispered, turning a corner. "She was my sister before she became your wife."
"If anything happens to her or the baby…" Don threatened low enough so that Betty couldn't hear, "You'll be grieving for more than just your father."
Don sat back and looked at his partner, barely able to breath. "We're almost there," Don promised, more for himself than for her.
True to his word, William kept the drive short, pulling to the front entrance so that Don and Betty could rush in for medical attention. William then turned to find a parking space, cursing himself for the part that he knew he played in Betty's premature labor.
Betty found herself sitting in waiting room chair, while Don spoke to one of the nurses. Nodding at Betty, she handed Don a set of forms as she set off to call the New York Hospital for information about Elizabeth Draper.
Betty found her hands shaking as she tried to add her information to the sign in sheet.
Don rested his hand on her knee. "They're calling Dr. Aldrich, there's no need to worry."
"It's a little late for that," Betty fretted. "The baby's early, what if something happens…"
Don quickly cut her off. "Don't talk like that. Everything will be fine."
"I've heard that one before," Betty muttered, scribbling the pen on the side of the page in an attempt to get it to work.
Don lifted the clipboard and pen from her lap. "Let me do that; you just sit and wait."
It wasn't much longer before Betty was called by the head nurse.
"You can go to the gentleman's solarium," the head nurse explained, helping Betty settle into her wheelchair.
Betty winced once more in pain. "My first two weren't this terrible."
Don stood and hunched down next to Betty, his nose grazing her hair. "You are going to be fine," he promised, squeezing her hand. "Everything is going to be fine," he said slowly, standing back up.
Betty shot Don a doubtful look.
"We need to hurry," the head nurse interrupted. "You're having the baby prematurely, but I'm sure that everything will be fine."
Don stole a kiss on Betty's cheek before the nurse began to push her down the hall. "Hang in there Betts," Don encouraged, for himself and for her.
