Newly appointed Captain Harris stood pacing just outside the hospital waiting room. He stopped every few feet to look anxiously at the double doors with the words "Surgery" etched into the glass, then would continue his trance-like pacing.

"For crying out loud, you're digging a hole through China. Just sit down!" Robert Holt commanded his young grandson as he held his wifes hand. "You're pacing's not helping no one."

"Sorry Poppy." John bowed his head as he sat next to his wife. Jane Harris took her husband's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. It was well past midnight on the small post hospital and the only sound that filled the room was the pattering chorus of raindrops as they hit the window.

Thirty minutes later and no word from any of the doctors had brought the Captain back to his quick, rythmatic pacing. Robert just rolled his eyes and smiled over at his wife who had since fallen asleep on his shoulder. Jane's heels clicked along the stark white tiles as she walked up the hall with four cups of coffee in a cardboard holder. She smiled at her husbands behavior and set the coffee down on the table in front of Robert. He nodded his thanks and woke his wife up gently. Jane walked over to her husband and forcibly pushed him into one of the "lumber supportive" (aka worlds most uncomfortable) chairs. He grumbled and grabbed one of the cups of coffee, taking a huge gulp of the burning hot, bitter liquid, he coughed and choked as it seared his throat all the way down. Jane rolled her eyes and smacked him on the back of the head.

"Thank God we're in a hospital." She mumbled under her breath before blowing on her coffee in an exaggerating way. Not taking the hint, John gulped the burning drink again and made a pained face at the stainless steel and glass doors.

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A woman in crisp blue scrubs slumped out of the double doors and watched in slight amusement as the Captain immediately jumped up and met her half way. He opened his mouth to ask something but she held up a hand and interrupted him.

"Everything went fine. There were no complications, and you can go in and see the patient now." She smiled as the Captain made a bee-line for the door with his wife trailing along behind him. She smiled warmly at the older couple who made their way up to her.

"Thank you, Major." The man shook her hand firmly.

"You're very welcome, sir." She nodded and made her way to the nurses station.

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The room was dimly lit, the only light in the room coming from the fixture that sat over the hospital bed where a young woman laid sound asleep with tubes and wires that ran from her to machines that clicked, beeped and whirred. Slowly her eyes opened and adjusted to the light. A loud scrapping sound was heard as a young man stepped into the light.

"He incredible." John Harris said in awe as he held a tiny baby in his arms. He looked to his sister and brought the baby up to the light so she could see him. Tears sprung to her eyes as she looked upon the face of the infant.

"He looks exactly like his father." she spoke around the lump in her throat as she looked at the empty chair beside her bed. She cleared her throat and spoke to her brother while he gently rocked the young one. "Where's everyone else?"

"Well, Jane went to call mom and dad, and Poppy took GranGran back to the motel to get some sleep." He spoke softly. "I wanted to be here when you woke up." He explained.

"I'm glad you were." She smiled as she gently took the child from his arms.

"What's his name?" John asked as he watched his sister rock the newborn boy. She smiled fondly in remembrance.

"Robert Christopher Doyle." She spoke as tears sprang to her eyes once more. John nodded.

"A good, strong name." He agreed.

"The perfect name." Agreed a second voice from the door. Ann smiled over at him and waved him back in. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up, but I ran down to the gift shop to buy you these." He pulled a bouquet of blue violets from behind his back and placed them down on the counter before coming over to the mother and child. John nodded at him before kissing his sister's cheek.

"I'll see you later." He kissed the soft head of baby Robert before departing the room.

Ann smiled as she handed the baby over to the Lieutenant. He smiled down at the baby he held in his arms and brought it over to the open window.

"You see?" He whispered. "You brought the rain." The sky let out a thunderous boom heralding in a tremendous streak of lightning. Baby Robert didn't stir as the sky's impressive display continued to light up the sky. The Lieutenant smiled as he walked back over to Ann. She moved over and he sat down next to her.

"Just like the night he was conceived." Lieutenant Christopher Doyle smiled down at his wife while his new son softly cooed in his sleep. He kissed the top of her head and shifted the baby into her arms.

"How could I forget?" He grinned mischievously and wiggled his eyebrows. She laughed and leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around her. He kissed her temple and held her close to him. Unable to stop his mind from drifting to the thought that he had almost missed the birth of his son, he swallowed hard and pushed the thought away, bringing his wife and baby closer into his embrace. He cleared his throat. "So, when can we try for another one?"

She laughed softly and kicked him in the shin. He winced theatrically.

"When men evolve and grow the organs necessary to carry children."

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"I hear the wind, call you name,

It calls me back, home again.

It sparks up the fire, a flame that still burns.

Oh its to you, I will always return.

... And in the hour of darkness, darlin',

Your light gets me through."

"I Will Always Return" Brian Adams