If Gillian was thirty-four weeks she would have been sent home to 'wait and see' about what happened next with her labour. But because she was only thirty-two, the baby needed monitoring and it needed it's lungs to have steroid treatment to help kick start their function once he was born. Because he was going to be born. Gillian's cervix was effacing, the baby had turned, he had settled into her pelvis, her waters had broken. This was it. There was no doubt. Doctor Johansson didn't want to put Gillian on bed rest for the next two weeks. Now it was merely a matter of time. Of waiting and seeing. Gillian hated to wait. Especially if there was no definitive end in sight.

The steroids were to be given in two shots, twelve hours apart. Gillian was given the first straight away, along with a drug to try and slow her labour down. The medication wasn't an exact science of actually preventing contractions for more than forty-eight hours and labour would proceed if it was meant to anyway. That was the nature of those kinds of drugs. They would not stop labour, but they might be able to stall it for a few days at a time. Cal wondered at the necessity of pointless chemicals but Gillian was worried about the baby enough to agree to the treatment. Anything that would give him a chance in the real world before his time. And who was Cal to intervene under these circumstances? They were just trying to buy enough time for the course of steroids, not those two extra weeks. So that was what they were waiting for and that was why she agreed to the preventative medication. They were waiting for the hours to trickle by so she could get the second dose the following afternoon and then after that, when the anti-labour meds were ceased, if her labour suddenly kicked in with force again, it would be ok. As ok as it could be anyway, given the

circumstances.

Dana arrived to take Lewis. She wanted to see Gillian. But Cal told her her daughter was sleeping, which he hoped was actually true, and refused to let her in the room. Gillian was stressed out and she needed peace and quiet; she needed to gather herself again. Cal had taken Lewis to sit in the corridor and explain what was happening, why they had taken a sudden trip in the middle of the night to the hospital and why Grandma was going to come and get him. Dana wasn't happy about being essentially barred from seeing her own daughter but Cal was not in the mood for niceties and he simply told her how it was. She asked him to keep her informed. He said he would. He thanked her for taking Lewis home. She said it was fine. But she said it in that clipped way and Cal caught a flash of contempt in his direction that made him want to chuckle, if he was in the mood for winding up his mother-in-law, which he was not right now.

And then Cal snuck back into Gillian's room. She was on her side, facing the door, her eyes closed. She didn't look peaceful though, the opposite in fact, tense and tired. Her eyes fluttered open as he came in. She had an IV line taped to the back of her hand and the foetal monitor around her stomach; both meant she couldn't get out of bed easily and pace around. Cal supposed that was a good thing in one way; horrifically restrictive in the other. "Hey," she greeted warily.

"Hi," Cal almost whispered. He felt like he was on the edge of collapse. The fact that he had to be strong for her was holding him together right now.

"Come here," Gillian requested, extending her needled hand.

Cal approached quickly and slipped his hand into hers cautiously. "How you doin'?"

"Fine," she seemed slightly optimistic.

"Anymore contractions?"

She shook her head against the pillow and Cal could almost hear her add 'for now'. "Lewis?"

"With your Mum. She's takin' him home, to our place."

Gillian nodded.

"I talked to him about what's goin' on." Cal took a seat. "But I dunno if he'll get it."

"I love that you do that. Try and explain to him. Talk to him like he's a little adult."

Cal gave a slight smile. "How else is he gonna learn?" Gillian seemed to perk up at the distraction of conversation. So he kept talking. "At what point do you think I should start callin' people?"

"Well," Gillian turned his wrist to read his watch. "You'll have to ring the Group soon to let them know we won't be in."

"Right," Cal agreed. Good. He hadn't thought of that.

"Mom will no doubt let Matthew and Kate know," Gillian gave a shrug.

"I guess we should wait and see," Cal mimicked what Johansson had talked to them about. He had gone home on 'standby', as soon as there was a change, he would be back. Otherwise, with Gillian under cessation orders, there wasn't much else he could do. The nursing staff were monitoring mother and baby.

"I guess," Gillian agreed.

Cal watched her for a moment. She seemed a little less stressed now. Maybe her mother's arrival had made her anxious? "You should try and get some sleep," Cal prompted gently. Tomorrow it could very well be all on.

"You should too," Gillian shot back.

Cal realised he was still in his pyjamas, technically. He also realised they had forgotten the baby bag that had been packed three times and was beside their bedroom door. Of course, it had been designed for use two months from now, but still. There were comfortable pyjamas for Gillian, toothbrush and other toiletries; clothes for the baby to go home in. As it was now Gillian was in a hospital gown and they had nothing of theirs with them. Cal wondered if they would let her get changed into something familiar anyway.

"You could always go home," Gillian tried tentatively.

"Not on your life," Cal quickly retorted. "Are you kiddin' me?" He leaned forward so his chin was resting on the bed. "I'm not leavin' you."

"Nothing's happening."

"I just had a very awkward convasation with your mutha," Cal jerked a thumb over his shoulder to indicate exactly where said conversation had taken place. "About takin' Lewis home cos I was gonna be here with you. Don't make me show up at home and have her question me about what the hell is goin' on now."

Gillian gave a slight laugh. "Ok, ok, I'll spare you!"

"Thank you," Cal grumped.

"You know," Gillian mused. "If you wanted to hang out, you could have just said."

Cal's heart warmed slightly at her playful tone. Good. She needed that.

PJ

Cal made sure to call the Lightman Group and let them know, without shedding too many details, that he and Gillian were up at the hospital. He told them they probably wouldn't be more than a day but that was just a flat out lie on his part. He intended to call them again tomorrow, make up more vague 'oh gosh it's just taking so much longer than I thought it was' excuses. He didn't want them taking it upon themselves to suddenly show up either.

After that he attempted to snooze in the guest chair, but all the foreign sounds around him kept him on the edge of consciousness and he couldn't switch off properly. Every time an announcement was made outside their room. Every time a particularly raucous cart went by. Every time the nurse came in to check on Gillian and the baby. An orderly arrived with breakfast for Gillian, which she picked at until Cal threatened to force feed her. She had to keep her strength up. It was important for later. As soon as he made any mention of the baby and the job she had to do in giving birth she got more focussed and clearly shoved aside any despondency she was prone to falling in to. If that kind of guilt tactic worked, Cal was all for it. He had to head for the cafeteria to get something to eat himself. While there he made a quick phone call to Emily. He had a massive favour to ask of her. She agreed to it, without knowing what the favour was, though a little suspiciously.

"It sounds like you're using a public phone."

"I am," Cal confirmed. "Listen, Gillian's gone into labour early and in our rush out the door," he kept talking over her exclaimed 'oh my god!' "I forgot the baby bag. Can you get it for me and bring it down? I know it's out of your way." But he hated to ring Gillian's mother to ask for yet another favour. It was better to spread the load. And it would mean having to load Lewis into the car and there was a chance he might still be asleep at this hour and he'd already had a disrupted night...

"Of course Dad. Can I do anything else for you?"

"Well, actually, I wouldn't mind a change of clothes." Jeans weren't so bad, but the t-shirt he had on smelt like sleep. "And my toothbrush please."

"Yeah of course."

"And if it's not too traumatic, some undawear."

Emily laughed. "I'll close my eyes and grab whatever I come across."

"Thank you," Cal put relief into his tone.

"Sure Dad. Is everything ok though?" She sounded concerned. "How close is Gillian to delivering?"

"Um, fine, for now but uh..." he stopped. Don't go there. He explained how the medical staff suppressed Gillian's labour to give the baby a course of steroids. "Maybe tomorrow," he added. Poor tomorrow. So much pressure.

"Where's Lewis?'
"At home, with Gill's Mum."

"Ok."

Cal waited.

"You know, I could bring him up if you wanted."

"Actually, maybe late-a this evenin' would be good. Gill will be more settled then and hopefully have got some sleep." In fact, Cal hoped she was sleeping now, every chance she got. Lots of rest. "Can I call you?"

"Yeah. I have a class to get to now but as soon as it's over."

"Yes, please, go to class first and then I'll call you about comin' up."

That bought him at least an hour of class time plus travel time, plus screwing around time. Two hours. He would be ready to deal with his children in at least two hours. Two of them, not the third. Not yet. He wasn't ready yet. He promised to call Dana and let her know the new plan so Emily wouldn't get an inquisition for trying to leave with her brother or items from the house. Not that she should anyway... but he knew Dana. She would probably want to go with them. He might have to warn Gillian and she might have to suck it up. There was only so much fobbing off of parents that was acceptable, no matter what the circumstances.

"Thanks luv, really, thank you so much."

"Dad come on, it's not a big deal. Talk to you later."

PJ

Gillian shifted uncomfortably where she lay, Lewis on the bed next to her, being careful because 'Mum was not very well'. Cal could easily see that she was tired; the smaller signs of her irritation were an effortless read, for him. He doubted her mother noticed them or wanted to. She was in a preachy kind of mood, telling Gillian what she should have done to prevent the labour, like that would help now, and what she should be doing to make sure the baby arrived safely, as if she didn't already know. She had given birth before. Lewis, bless him, carried on in only the way he knew how, explaining to Emily all about how the foetal monitor worked and how the baby was going to come out of his mother's vagina. He was oblivious to the tension Cal could sense building in the boy's mother; she could very well lose her temper soon.

"Wow. That's really interesting Lewis," Emily told her brother, her almost standard response when he either said something embarrassing, or something she didn't understand.

Dana gave one of her slight upturns of her nose at the conversation the four- and-a-half-year-old was having with his sister, her way of saying she disapproved. Too bad. If that was what Lewis wanted to talk about then so be it. Emily had known about the birds and bees since she was very small too. And this was a far better illustration for Lewis to see. Too bad he wasn't going to be in the room when the baby actually did come out. Then he really would get the message about where babies came from. Cal wondered what Dana's problem was exactly. That Lewis knew how babies were made or the detail in which he now knew? Or about him sharing it with the room? He almost laughed. Lewis had spectacular timing.

Gillian finally looked over and caught Cal's eye. He came forward from where he had been leaning against the window. "I hate to be rude," he started with a lie. "But Gill's due for the second round of steroids so," he made a 'shove off' gesture, not afraid of being abrasive at all. He watched as Dana preened herself up affronted. When he had first met her he hadn't seen what Gillian shrunk from. But now he knew her, he saw it all the time. It was a shame they needed her to take Lewis for them.

Emily leaned down to give Gillian a brief hug. "You take care," Emily instructed softly. "And I hope everything goes ok."

Gillian gave her a tentative smile. "Thanks. Me too."

"Bye Lewis," Emily leaned down to give the boy a hug.

"Bye Emy," Lewis wrapped his much shorter arms around her. He finger-spelled 'E' and 'M' "Aw nice hugs." He pulled back and rubbed 'A' hands up and down his arms for 'hug'. Then he asked, "When I see you again?" 'See' was 'two' fingers near the eyes and moving away. He pointed at his sister and then rammed the finger tips of his right hand into the palm of his left. Both hands were flat, the fingers together, and that was 'again'.

"Soon," she told him. Making 'H' hands and rubbing the edge of her middle finger against the top of her left index finger. A bit like the sign for name but with the added motion. "Tomorrow probably." Tomorrow was almost like a 'thumbs up' gesture but starting with the thumb pointing back towards the shoulder and bringing it forward on the arc of the wrist so the thumb was pointing up towards the ceiling.

Lewis grinned at her. Emily gave Cal a long squeeze goodbye too. He rocked her back and forth roughly until she laughed slightly and gave him a shove. "Thank you darlin'," he told her. She made him promise to call her tomorrow. At the door she waved goodbye to the room. Lewis knelt on his knees and waved back enthusiastically.

Gillian reached out to straighten her son's shirt. She tugged on it to get his attention. "Do I get a hug goodbye too?"

"Are we going?" Lewis signed 'go', gesturing towards the door.

"Yes," she told him, just in case there was any confusion for anyone else in the room. "You're going," she added, just in case there was any confusion for him about who was staying. He crawled forward to hug her, reminding her they had to be careful of the wires and tubes. Gillian planted kisses on his face, where she could reach. He shifted out of her tight embrace slightly to give her cheek a smacking kiss. "Lovely," she told him. She brought her fingers to her mouth and moved them forward firmly. "Thank you. I love you Lewis." She held her hand up in the 'I', the 'L' and the 'Y' sign.

Lewis signed it the long way as he said it slowly. "I. Love. You. Mum." He grinned, pleased with himself.

"All right little man," Cal stepped in. He picked Lewis up off the bed and the boy immediately wrapped his legs around his father's waist. Dana hugged her daughter too, said something about getting some sleep to keep her strength up. Cal headed for the door with Lewis and stepped into the corridor. He put him down again. "You be good for Grandma ok?" 'Good', 'Grandma' and finger-spelled 'ok'.

Lewis nodded.

"Good boy," Cal told him. "I love you too." He signed it the long way, to emphasis the point.

"Dad, when is the baby coming out?" He signed 'here' by pointing at his feet.

"Tomorrow," Cal told him. Hopefully this would all be over tomorrow. Dana appeared and took Lewis's hand and Cal stood and watched them head down the corridor, a feeling of sadness creeping in to his bones. He waited until they reached the end of the corridor, shook it off and went back to his wife.

Gillian had moved to her side again, facing the door. She watched him come in. She held out her hand for him and Cal approached, slipping his fingers into hers. He squeezed gently, not sure what to say, realising he didn't have to say anything. Being there was enough. Sometimes words would only get in the way.

And then the nurse came in with a tray.