Chapter 10: Christina Eleonora Kirk-McCoy

"You're kidding... right?"

Doctor Geoffrey M'Benga chuckled and turned the tricorder so Jamie Kirk-McCoy could see the little screen, even if she didn't fully understand the readings. "You're in labor", he repeated and took another look on the scans. "And for a while now. I take it your water hasn't broken yet?"

Jamie just gave him an are-you-serious?-glance. "No. Just got that backache the whole day." She sighed and shook her head. "Are you sure this is no false alarm? The baby isn't due for seven days."

"Seven days or seven hours - depends on which comes first", the doctor teased her.

"Yeah, very funny", she murmured and made a face due to the pain. "So... What now?"

Looking at the readings again M'Benga nodded. "Yep, that's a contraction. Sometimes they can manifest differently. And they will change and get more intense while you're dilating. Which you already are, by the way."

Jamie just groaned and allowed him to guide her into a private exam room. But instead of sitting down the mother-to-be went to the comm panel. "Kirk to bridge."

"Uhura here."

"Quick question: When's the away team due back?" Jamie asked casually.

"In about four hours", Uhura answered.

Jamie gave M'Benga a questioning glance. He just pointed to the readings he'd transferred from the tricorder to the computer in the room. On the screen she could read "estimated time to full dilation three to five hours".

"Uhm..." she started. "You better call Bones back to the ship."

"Captain, are you alright?" Now Spock joined the conversation and his voice sounded worried.

Jamie smiled at the fact that he called her by her rank although she was on maternity leave. "Peachy. Just... well, you know... in labor."

"What?" Uhura replied. "Oh my God. I'll comm him immediately. Congratulations! Bridge out."

"I'll get a few things and send you a nurse", M'Benga said and left.

Jamie sighed, sat down, swung her legs on the biobed and leant back against the headboard. She gently circled her hands over her belly.

Exactly three minutes later Doctor Leonard McCoy came running into the room, showing a mix of worry and happiness. "Jamie!"

She just smiled. "I'm fine, Bones."

But he didn't listen. He looked at the screens and placed his hands on her belly to check it. "I nearly got a heart attack when Uhura told me you went into labor."

Now Jamie grinned. "I think the peanut's in a hurry to meet her parents."

"Why didn't you say something before I started my shift and beamed on the planet?"

"I didn't notice. Really. Just had the usual back ache. It got worse, I went here and M'Benga told me I'm apparently in labor."

Chuckling Leonard shook his head. "You just can't do anything the normal way, can you, Darlin'?"

"Where would be the fun in that?" She grinned, but also sighed. "Can I have anything for the pain or am I allergic?"

"For a change there's a hypo I actually can give you", M'Benga answered, reentering the room.

"Geoff", Leonard greeted him.

The other doctor smiled. "Not the day you expected, hm?"

"No", Leonard laughed and smiled at his wife. "Much better."

Jamie groaned. "Ohhh... okay, now something's different..." She gasped and clutched the mattress of the biobed.

Both doctors studied the readings.

Leonard took one of Jamie's hands. He kissed it, then also placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

"Your daughter's really in a hurry now." M'Benga laughed. "As if she'd only waited for her Dad to get here."

"Let's get you changed into a medical gown", Leonard suggested and Jamie nodded.

Pink Alert informed the entire crew that Baby Kirk-McCoy was on its way. But still, two hours later Security started getting the first reports of loud screaming on the deck Medbay was on. Jamie Kirk, as it turned out.

Another hour after that Jamie was cursing her husband and clutching his hand very hard.

No, she wasn't allergic against the pain hypo - it simply didn't work properly and she screamed her guts out.

"One more You're doing great and I'll let Security throw you out", Jamie threatened her husband when the bearing down pains started.

Ten minutes later she made him hold her hand.

Finally, M'Benga asked Jamie to push one last time and a few moments later she heard her daughter cry for the first time

Leonard cut the umbilical cord and M'Benga wanted to clean the baby girl before handing her to Jamie, but she demanded to have her daughter. So the doctor laid the tiny creature on her chest and Jamie watched her mesmerized.

Jamie placed one hand on the baby's back and traced along her tiny head and arms with her other hand. She could barely hold back the tears of joy when her daughter wrapped her tiny hand around one of her fingers and yawned. "Hello, Christina... welcome to the world."

Leonard took a little towel and gently cleaned the baby laying on her mother. He placed a kiss on Jamie's temple. "I love you so much. Both of you."

Jamie smiled at him tiredly. "I love you, too, Bones."

"Am I allowed to praise you now, Darlin'?"

"Sorry for yelling at you."

He smiled. "Don't be, I can't imagine the pain you must have felt... You did really great, Darlin'. She's perfect."

Leonard kissed Jamie and reluctantly she allowed him to pick up Christina.

A nurse helped the new mother to get cleaned up herself, changed and from the gynecological chair to a biobed while Leonard McCoy attended to his newborn daughter. Finally he held the baby in a cute little golden onesie and a white blanket in his arms. Christina stirred and he saw that she was about to cry.

He looked to Jamie who was popped up against the headboard of the biobed. "Darlin', how are you feeling?"

She sighed. "Tired. But incredibly happy." She reached out. "Give her to me?"

Leonard smiled and nodded. "She's about to cry again. I guess she's hungry." Carefully he handed the baby to his wife.

A nurse who was tidying up nodded to them. "I'll give you some privacy. Shall I sent out some messages?"

"Tell the bridge crew that our daughter is healthy and beautiful. I will make a shipwide announcement soon", Jamie replied.

The nurse nodded and left.

Jamie opened her top and shifted Christina. With awe she watched how her daughter reacted by instinct and started to feed. "It feels weird..." Jamie whispered and smiled.

Leonard took a chair and sat down next to the biobed. He wasn't sure if he should look, but he couldn't get his eyes of Jamie breast-feeding their daughter for the first time.

A few minutes later the baby fell asleep and Jamie had a hard time to stay awake herself. But her stubbornness kicked in. Before resting she wanted to tell the crew about their little girl.

Also, Doctor M'Benga came back in to fill out the birth certificate. "So..." he started with a smile. "Christina?"

Jamie exchanged a look with Leonard who nodded. "Christina Eleonora Kirk-McCoy", she proclaimed.

M'Benga just nodded and smiled. "Uhura set up everything. Whenever you're ready. And after the announcement, you will sleep, Jamie."

"Don't worry, that won't be a problem."

M'Benga smiled again and gestured to a nurse to roll in the crib. Both of them left when Jamie started the announcement. She was sitting on the biobed with Christina in her arms and Leonard sat next to her.

A whistle noise sounded and on every screen on the Enterprise the words Pink Alert flashed.

"Hello everyone", Jamie started informally. "We would like you to meet Christina Eleonora Kirk-McCoy." She shifted the baby a little so the audience had a better look.

Little Christina yawned, blinked and fell asleep.

"She's a little early, but, well..." Jamie grinned. "She's a Kirk and we like to make a special entrance."

Leonard chuckled.

"Okay, I'm exhausted, so we'll keep this short. You'll soon see our little angel live. Kirk out."

The connection ended and Jamie sighed tiredly.

"You need to sleep now, Darlin'. Come one, lay down. I'll take Christina. And when you've rested a little we call our parents." He stood up and reached for the baby, but Jamie hesitated.

That made him chuckle. "Don't wanna let her go, hm?"

Jamie laid the baby down on the mattress and shifted onto her right side. Which wasn't that comfortable, but she couldn't lay on her back after being in that position for hours and wanted to keep her daughter close.

Leonard nodded and sat own next to the bed. Both of them placed a hand on Christina. Leonard leaned forward and kissed his wife gently.

Jamie sighed happily when the baby opened her bright blue eyes. "Do you think her eyes will stay blue?"

He smiled. "I hope so. She's already a little beauty and I hope she'll become as gorgeous as you."

She returned the smile and laid her head down. She was asleep a few moments later.

Leonard felt very happy watching his wife and his newborn daughter. He couldn't stop smiling.