Chapter Nineteen

*A Week and a Half Later*

Catherine and Steve were lying in bed wrapped up in each other after an exhausting night before. Suddenly, Steve's internal alarm clock went off, and he had to pull himself out of bed to go to work. He hated leaving Catherine at this point in the pregnancy, but since he was the sole income right now he had to go to work until the last possible moment. Steve broke his hold from Catherine as he lurked off to take a shower. She didn't stir one bit when he left her side. Right before he headed out, Steve placed a kiss on Catherine's cheek with a, "See you later, beautiful."

Catherine woke up about two hours later with some sharp pains radiating from her abdomen. Oh my God, I think I'm in labor, but I'm 2 ½ weeks early. These pains lasted for about 30 seconds, and were coming back at 3 minute intervals. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm in labor. I need to call Steve. Catherine grabbed her cell phone, and called her boyfriend. "Damn it, he's not answering. I'm going to give him hell for this. I'll try him again."

He finally answered with a laugh, "McGarrett."

"Hey, Steve. It's time."

"Hey, Cath, time for what?" Steve asked completely oblivious to what Catherine was referencing.

Danny gave Steve a "you dope, what else does 'it's time' mean when you have a pregnant girlfriend" look.

Finally, the thought registered in his mind, and his face turned a shade of white.

"Steve, I need you to come pick me up," Catherine said with urgency in her voice.

Steve was unable to speak, until he quickly spewed out the words, "Okay, Cath, we're on the way." Steve turned on the sirens as he made his way back to the house.

"Danny, I'm going to be a father," Steve exclaimed as he maneuvered his way through the traffic.

"Did you just realize that? Because I thought the moment Catherine showed up on your doorstep, and told you that she was pregnant would have been that moment, but that's just me," Danny commented as he attempted to ease Steve's tension.

"Ha, ha, Danny, are you done?"

"I'm never really done, but for right now, I am."

"Good," Steve smiled clearly seeing his partner's attempt to ease his nerves.

"Don't you think you should go a tad faster? I mean you're girlfriend is in labor."

"Did I just hear what I think I did? You want me to drive faster?" Steve let out a bellowing laugh.

"Yes, and you won't ever hear me say it again. This is a special circumstance."

"Okay, whatever you say Danny," Steve replied with a smirk. Oh God I just gave him permission to be more of an animal.

They arrived to Steve's house in a record amount of time. Catherine was waiting outside when she saw the guys pull up. Steve barreled out of the car, left the door open in the process, and rushed over to Catherine. He quickly put an arm around her, and helped her into the Camaro.

"Danny, get in the back," Steve ordered.

"What?"

"Get in the backseat, now!"

"Steve…"

"Payback's a bitch isn't it? Now get in the back before Catherine gives birth in the driveway."

"Fine," Danny conceded as he crawled into the back of his car.

Catherine was deeply breathing in and out as Steve placed her in the front seat. "Steve, maybe we should have taken those Lamaze classes," Catherine stated in between her contractions.

"Ummm…babe I think it's a little too late for that," Steve said before he closed the car door, darted over to driver's side, peeled out of the driveway, and flipped on the sirens.

Half way to the hospital Catherine let out a huge wail, which resulted in a wide eyed, jaw dropping expression from Steve. Danny saw Steve's reaction in the rearview mirror, and responded, "Steven, take a deep breath, Catherine needs you."

"I need you Steve," Catherine confirmed as she reached over to place her hand on Steve's leg giving it a squeeze.

Steve inhaled deeply, and stated "Alright, Cath." He, then, proceeded to weave in between cars as he broke multiple traffic laws.

"Steve, what is the matter with you? I told you to before to drive faster, not like a maniac," Danny said as Steve jumped the sidewalk nearly hitting a pedestrian.

"Danny, you sound like a broken record, and like I told you before, if you don't like my driving you can get out."

"Pffftt…just try not to kill us before we get to the hospital."

"Yeah, Steve, that would be great," Catherine agreed.

"Oh, you choose now to agree with Danny?" Steve teased.

They finally arrived at the hospital, and Steve pulled into the front entrance. He bolted out of the car, and ran over to the other side to retrieve Catherine whose contractions had become longer and more intense.

"Steeeeeve," Catherine yelled as she fiercely clutched Steve's shoulder.

"Ow, ow, ow, Cath, ease up." Danny was engulfed in laughter as he sat in the back, and watched his overly flustered partner. "Shut-up Danny."

Steve finally lifted Catherine out of the car, and walked her inside of the hospital. A nurse brought Catherine a wheelchair after seeing her situation, and began to wheel her into the nearest room while Steve followed. He was soon stopped by the receptionist who needed him to fill out necessary forms. During Steve's debacle with the receptionist, Danny had strutted in, and positioned himself next to his rattled partner.

"I need to go with her, she's having our baby," he defiantly told the receptionist.

"Steve, I'll go with her."

"Thanks, Danny."

"Steve?" Catherine said when she saw that he wasn't behind her.

"I'll be right there, Cath, Danny is going to stay with you while I fill out these papers."

After filling out the forms, Steve joined Catherine in her room. She was lying in the hospital bed with I.V's running in and out of her arms, and a fetal monitor strapped around her stomach. Steve was mesmerized by the quick heart beat that emanated from the machine. As he sat in the chair next to Catherine's bed, Steve thought about the first time he heard his son's heartbeat.

Catherine had shown up on Steve's doorstep just one month ago, and today he was going to be his first doctor's appointment with Catherine. On the drive up to the hospital Steve's hands were sweaty which affected his ability to grip the wheel. This was unlike him because he was normally cool, calm , and collected in life or death situations, but this doctor's appointment had Steve extremely flustered. He began to breathe heavily, and his heart started to race as they neared the hospital.

"Steve, are you alright?" Catherine paused, "I've never seen you like this before."

"Oh, I'm fine. I might be just a tad anxious about hearing his heartbeat for the first time."

"Steve, it's really amazing, it's nothing like you have ever heard before." Catherine's eyes were rimmed with tears as those words flowed from her lips.

Steve controlled his breathing before they entered the hospital. When they finally arrived to the room, Catherine lied back onto the bed, and waited for the doctor to enter. After the doctor appeared in the room she exclaimed, "Hi, I'm Dr. Reed, you must be the father? Catherine's been a patient of mine for about a month."

"Yes, I'm Commander McGarrett," Catherine nudged him, "I mean, Steve, my name is Steve."

"Nice to meet you…..Steve," Dr. Reed smirked in his direction, "So are you ready to see how your baby is progressing?" Steve and Catherine shook their heads in unison.

Out of nowhere, Steve heard what sounded like horse's galloping. "Is that….." Steve was at a loss for words. "Oh," Steve grinned as he glanced at Catherine's smiling face, then at the ultrasound monitor. He reached for Catherine's hand, and intertwined his fingers with hers. She looked over at him beaming from ear to ear. "That's our baby, unbelievable right?"

"It really is Catherine, and hearing his heartbeat is just…." Steve choked on his words.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

"It's like nothing I've ever heard before," Steve paused, "Nothing I've ever felt before."

Steve found himself drifting back into reality when Catherine yelled his name.

"I'm here Catherine."