Chapter 9

Sam sat in a glider inside the NICU unit. It was placed next to the incubator where his son lay, and he pushed his hand through the hole in the side so he could touch him. They made him wear rubber gloves and a paper gown, but that didn't stop him from sensing the warmth that radiated from Samuel Ethan Axe's body to his gloved hand. Yvette was too weak to be there, and torn between her and little Sam, he felt guilty for choosing his son. He would only stay a little while and divide his time between them. Little did he know how his constant vigil would wear him out, but it was impossible for him to get a good night's rest on the couch in Yvette's room and he couldn't sleep at home until he knew their son was okay. The first day he held Samuel in his arms, he wished that Yvette could be with them. A mother should bond with her child, and she was missing out. As he rocked the baby in the glider and assessed every little part of him, Sam felt a wave of love that was unlike anything he'd ever known. It wrapped around his heart as this little boy wrapped his hand around his daddy's finger. Bring on the drool, kid. I'm ready.

That was where Michael, Fiona, Jesse, and Maddie found him, asleep in the chair. A nurse was just putting the baby back into his incubator.

"How's he doing," Maddie asked.

"Which one?" The nurse smiled and spoke softly. "He's been one dedicated father, coming in here every couple of hours."

"Yvette said he's been jumping back and forth between here and her room. Looks like all that activity just wore him out," Fiona spoke with a sympathetic tone. "How's the little one?"

"He's a tough kid. He's hanging in there," the nurse replied as she rearranged the tubing attached to his little body.

"How long will he have to be in this thing?" Maddie pressed a hand to the plexiglass, a worried expression on her face.

"It depends on how he thrives. He's tough, and with the attention he's getting from Daddy, he probably won't be here more than a few weeks. He's early, but he's well developed." She lowered her voice. "Some of the other parents here aren't so lucky. Excuse me." The nurse slipped through the space between Sam's legs and where Fiona stood and continued on to the next incubator.

Sam stirred at the sound of voices and blinked. "Hey...what are you guys doing here?"

Fiona tapped his shin lightly with her toe and replied, "We came to see the baby and Yvette. Apparently, you've been spending a lot of time in here."

"Aw, jeez," Sam muttered and ran a hand across his face. "I was afraid Eve would be jealous."

Maddie smiled and patted his cheek. "She's been dying to get down here to spend time with little Sammy. She should be here tomorrow."

"His name is Sam, or Samuel. Not Sammy, ever."

"Oh. Okay." Maddie grinned and suggested, "Why don't we all go up and see Yvette?" He looked so tired, she hoped that they could persuade him to lay on the couch in Yvette's room and take a nap.

Michael and Jesse walked ahead with Sam between them, while Maddie and Fiona took up the rear. Yvette was sleeping peacefully, hooked up to all sorts of equipment. Sam crossed the room to her side and held onto her hand. It was warm and her pulse thrummed gently.

"Sam, go lay down," Michael ordered him gently. "She'll still be here when you wake up."

He and Jesse got him away from the bed and onto the couch. After some urging, he finally lay down and allowed someone to cover him with a blanket. They all took up positions and waited, and soon they heard him breathing softly. Sam was asleep.

Fiona rested her head on the back of the chair. "He is so exhausted," she whispered. "I can't believe what they both went through!"

They spoke in hushed tones, but Michael knew it was unnecessary. After working with Sam so long, he knew his friend. Once he was sure the danger was past, he could sleep like a log and nothing would bother him. Not even people talking.

"Okay, now I'm satisfied," Maddie declared as she stood. "Let's go home and allow these two time to rest."

Yvette's first visit to the NICU was with Sam at her side. The nurse helped her pick up the baby from the incubator and hold him while she sat in the glider beside it. Sam knelt on one knee and stuck close to them. He couldn't keep from touching him, marveling at the smallness of his hands and feet. The entire time, the baby's eyes were closed, but he was actively squirming and making little noises.

"I can't believe he's here, Sam."

"Me neither, even now. Every time I come in here, I just have to touch him, make sure he's real." His voice shook slightly as he spoke, because he was in complete awe of this baby, and even more amazed that he was his son. They spent a lot of time over the next three weeks hovering in the NICU, holding Samuel, letting him know his parents loved him very much and they wouldn't be satisfied until he came home. Nothing could keep Sam away, not even a request from Pearce to handle a mission alone. There were more important things in life than pleasing some stuffed suits. If he never worked for them again, it wouldn't matter. The goal now was to do whatever was necessary to take their child home.

They finally had a homecoming date, and Sam realized that he needed to get in gear to make it happen. He still had a crib to assemble and a car seat to install. The crib sat in its box in the nursery that Fiona painted a light blue similar to the bedroom downstairs, and she decorated the perimeter near the ceiling with a row of stenciled moons, planets, and stars. Sam turned on the light and entered the room. The box lay against the wall, challenging him with its size. He set the tool box down on the floor, pried open the large carton, and began the task of building his son's first bed.

"Honey, you have a visitor," Yvette softly got his attention. He was so wrapped up in what he was doing, he barely acknowledged her entrance into the room.

"Can it wait? I'm a little busy right now." He tightened a screw, glanced over his shoulder, and frowned. "Pearce. What are you doing here?"

She smiled. "I just had to see it for myself. I never thought I'd witness the mighty Sam Axe kneeling on the floor assembling...baby furniture. A high-powered rifle and scope, yes, but this?"

"Yeah, okay, you've had your little fun. Now leave me alone. I told you I'm taking a break from the spy business for awhile."

"Agent Pearce, would you like a lemonade or something?"

"That would be great. Thank you, Yvette."

Yvette tactfully left them alone. Pearce moved into the room, saw Sam struggling to fit a piece into a small hole, and got down on her knees. "Here, let me hold that."

"Thanks," he replied grudgingly. "I'd let Yvette help, but she still needs her rest."

"I can imagine when little Samuel comes home, he's going to be a handful. Just like his father."

Sam looked up, expecting to see some wry smirk on her face. Instead, he got a sympathetic smile. Still, he couldn't help but think she was up to something, and it was probably best just to get it out in the open. "What do you want, Pearce?"

"For starters? Those 40,000 dollar specs the CIA loaned you." She grinned.

"Ha ha, very funny."

"Seriously, I just wanted to let you know that I applaud your decision to make family your priority. A lot of guys I know wouldn't be so bold. And I wanted you to know that, whenever you're ready, and we have another mission for you, it's all yours."

"Why? I don't work for you guys."

"Apparently the last mission smoothed some feathers higher up, even while it helped to blow a hole in the organization. There were some powerful people who went down because of what happened in DC." She smiled again. "Maybe I'll tell you about it some day, or you can come in and read the report. Either way, you did good, Sam. Michael is lucky to have you on his team."

"Thanks." He returned his attention to the crib. "Can you hold that for me, please? Great. I'm almost done."

"When's he coming home?"

"Tonight." Sam's face lit up. "I can hardly wait. Little Sam E's going to love it here. At least, I hope so."

"Sam E?" She chuckled.

"Well, we had to come up with something to tell him apart from me!" He shook his head. "I would have been happy with another name, but Eve was adamant that he be named after me. And God forbid anybody calls him 'Junior'. So now we're stuck coming up with a distinguishing nickname." He used a wrench to pound a rail guide in place. "There, that'll do it. Thanks for the help, Pearce."

"You're welcome. And thank you, Sam, for your service to our country. I just hope you'll be willing to step up to the plate again."

He looked at her with a sheepish smile. "I don't think Eve would let me get away with not doing something. We'll talk in a couple months, okay?"

"Sounds good." She glanced at her watch. "I really have to get going. I'll stop by after Sam E's home. I haven't seen him yet." She waved and left the room just as Yvette brought her a glass. "Sorry, Yvette, I've got to run. Thanks for the lemonade anyway!" She brushed past and hurried down the stairs. "I'll let myself out!"

"What was that all about?"

"You know, I'm not really sure. I think she's trying to bait me into working with Mike again."

"You should."

"I will, as soon as I know you and Sam E are okay. Until he's home in his crib, I don't feel right going back to work." He finished tightening the last screw, and with a flourish of his hands, presented the completed furniture. "Well, what do you think?"

"It looks good." She hugged him close and smiled. "As usual, another job well done."

That afternoon, Sam installed the car seat in the back of their new vehicle. He'd been saving up for a car for awhile, and now was the time. The old Neon just wouldn't cut it, because he wanted something bigger and safer in which to carry his family. It just squeaked in next to his car, which meant he had a new home improvement project - building a shed for some of the stuff that occupied the garage. Owning a house was proving to be more than he bargained for, but he loved the place and so did Yvette. It had a great back yard, and some day it would house a swing set and a sandbox for their son. As soon as the car seat was installed, Yvette called him in for supper. One more hour down, two more to go, and Sam E would be home.

Yvette lay Sam E in his crib as soon as they came inside. They watched over him, studying his chest rising and falling with each tiny breath. His little fingers curled over Sam's index finger, barely able to circle it half way.

"He is such a sight, isn't he," Yvette asked dreamily as she finished tucking Sam E into a sleep sack.

"Sure is. I'm almost jealous of you being able to stay home all day with him."

She laughed. "We'll see how I feel about that when you come home with colorful stories of your exploits."

"Maybe things will work out and I can be around more for him. More than my dad was for me." A sadness filled his eyes and she held him. "He was gone so much, stationed somewhere, and it was always just Mom and me. I don't want that kind of life for my kids."

"Kids." She looked up at him. "Did you just say 'kids'?"

"I did." He grinned. "But we'll see how things go with this first one before we decide to subject any more to us. Deal?"

Yvette laughed. "You've got a deal, sweetheart. One's enough for now."

As they stood over the crib, watching their son sleep under a blanket of stars projected onto the ceiling by a fancy night light, Sam couldn't help but marvel at how full and complete he felt with a wife and family of his own. He never thought he would have space in his life for one, let alone both, and now that he had Yvette and Samuel, he held in his possession something that was priceless. He never knew what he was missing until now.

Crazy love was magnificent.