Chapter 29

Laura turned in her husband's arms and buried her face in his shoulder tearfully laughing. Mike moved his arms around her shoulders as he felt the rumbling stir of his developing offspring objecting to his stomach being too close to their space.

"The natives are restless," Mike responded as he snuggled Laura tighter to him and freed one hand to rub the bulging tummy, "All right there boys you play nice in there."

Laura had so looked forward to the first time Mike would feel the lives within her but the first movements he finally detected were so subtle he wasn't sure what he was feeling. The realization that there was a life form moving beneath his hands came gradually and over time. Lately Mike was beginning to believe that his offspring were responding to his touch and he had read in one of the hundreds of books, which he searched through for the directions to becoming the perfect father, the research was showing that the developing child could recognize voices that spoke to them from outside the womb. Because of that information when he was reading to the children to get them to sleep the night before he was really reading to his unborn sons and hoped that by the time his guests returned home he would be able to get over his uneasiness and be able to continue reading to Laura's stomach when they were alone.

He was also working on his lullabies on his piano keyboard and Laura really enjoyed joining in with her violin knowing full well the day would come when her hands would be full for a while.

Laura and Mike moved to the kitchen where Mike helped Laura get breakfast for the group and watched her closely. He knew well of her conflicting feelings concerning Jessica, they talked about them often. Things in that area were getting better and better all the time especially where they and her parents had made and effort to always stay on the same page but caution was still needed with every word spoken.

When the Garcia's came to breakfast Carlos was vocally appreciative to Mike for talking to him before he fell asleep and so was Malinda. The Children were all now dressed in their own clothes and since they fit much better than the borrowed t-shirts they slept in there wasn't room under Jessica's shirt for Laura's teddy bear.

Jessica had replaced it with a much smaller stuffed lamb and was very proud of the fact that her baby's heart played a song not just go thump thump.

Once breakfast was over the children hurried out back to play and climb the tree with adult supervision while Laura and Malinda cleaned up the dishes and watched from the windows.

With Carlos's help the kids were able to get up to the lowest of the decks in the tree and run around. Robert was asking if they could build one like it in the tree in their neighbors yard but Carlos had to explain that that wasn't a good idea. Robert then started asking how long it would take the tree they planted last year to get big enough to build a tree house in.

Jessica wanted very much to join her siblings in the tree house but she had a little complication. Her pretend pregnancy just wasn't cooperating. It was taking at least one hand at the bottom of her shirt at all times to keep her baby from falling out of her shirt and it took both hands if she was going to climb the ladder to the tree house. Carlos tried tucking her shirt in her pants but it wasn't quite long enough to stay tucked in while she moved around and played, it was Mike that came up with a possible solution.

"You know Jessica; if it were okay with you I could maybe babysit your baby while you climbed the tree."

Jessica stood silently for a moment and looked Mike over and he was expecting her to come up with any one of a number of reasons why he couldn't babysit her baby, starting with because he was a boy, he even wondered if she would be afraid of the baby getting hurt if he sat on it. What he wasn't prepared for –

"O-tay, but you have to make sure you be nice with my baby and no drink any beer or picey food, and eat your vegablels and you have to check the heart beats lots of times and no laying down on your tummy cause you'll squish it."

Carlos let out one of those strangled gasps that happen when you're trying so hard not to laugh but can't help it, "one of the ladies in the preschool co-op had a baby about two months ago, all the women would gather around while the kids were coloring and compare pregnancy stories," Carlos offered at Mike's questioning gaze in his direction.

Mike just smiled, "I think I can abide by those rules for a while."

That stuffed lamb was stuffed up Mike's shirt so fast he didn't have time to laugh as Jessica asked if he wanted to use, "My stepascope or your own one."

With a smirk of his own Mike opted to use her stethoscope because he thought it best that she not be climbing the tree with it around her neck. With her dad holding on to her as she climbed the ladder she was only about three feet off the ground before she turned to look at Mike. "Now don't you let my daddy have that baby, he'll set it down someplace and forget where he put it."

Carlos looked offended and perhaps a little guilty but not at all like he was taking things personally as he continued to help his youngest child up into the lower deck of the tree house. Jessica's first act when she was on the deck was to call down to Mike. "Dose that baby still have a helpy heart beat?"

Mike quickly slipped the stethoscope in his ears and placed the bell on the lump in his shirt, A lump that was rather high on his chest for a pregnancy by the way, and after giving the paw a squeeze to start the music, Mike confirmed that the heart was going strong and sounded just like Mary had a little Lamb. When he removed the ear pieces from his ears Mike heard the laughter coming from the kitchen behind him and blushed slightly but enjoyed the moment.

A half hour later Jessica and Jasmine were still playing a make believe game in the tree house while Mike and Carlos sat on the patio below them talking. Robert was at their side assembling the stroller the Garcia's gave Mike and Laura as a gift. There was no hurry to get it assembled but putting things together was something Robert really enjoyed so they were letting him do it.

"You know I envy you," Carlos spoke to Mike while he kept his daughters in sight every second, "That's one thing Malinda and I have never shared is a pregnancy and all that goes with it.

Getting to watch your wife's stomach swell and feel the new life getting ready to come out into the world."

Mike could understand Carlos's feelings but couldn't think of anything to say so he didn't say anything.

"Are babies that are born better than ones that are adopted?" Jasmine asked from the tree house and the two men realized they were being listened to more than they thought they were.

"NO," Mike was quick to answer.

"Absolutely not," Carlos took over the conversation and it didn't take Mike long to realize that Carlos had been preparing for this talk for a long time. "There is no difference in how Mike and Laura's babies are being born than the way you were born," Carlos talked as he reached up and coaxed his two girls to jump from the tree house into his arms one at a time then carried them back to the lounge where he sat them down on his lap.

"Every baby starts inside a momma's tummy just like the ones in Laura's tummy, the only difference is how you guys came to be part of our family."

"But you just told Uncle Mike that you were jealous of him and Laura," Robert joined the conversation.

Carlos turned a thoughtful gaze at his son. "I'm not going to lie to you. A pregnancy, the time it takes a baby to grow inside a momma's tummy, can be an exciting time in a Mom and Dad's life and there is a part of me that is sorry that I missed out on all of that. But at the same time I also missed out on you crying all night because your teeth were coming in, and having to get up in the middle of the night to feed you because your tummies were too small to hold enough food to get you through the night and the best part of all I never had to deal with your poopy diapers."

"But you got to do all that stuff for Jessica, Doesn't that mean you love her more?" Robert wanted to know.

"No that doesn't mean I love her more, that just means I know what I'm saying when I say that I don't miss not getting to deal with all of that stuff with you and Jasmine." Carlos spoke and then Jessica started crying and jumped down off of his lap and went running into the house.

"Daddy doesn't love me because I had poopy diapers," She wailed as she ran into her mother's arms.

Carlos and Malinda were still trying to get Jessica to understand what her dad was really trying to say when Laura left for work but it was clear the little girl was still a little cool toward her father.

Mike walked Laura to her car just to make sure she was alright with the situation and as soon as she was sure she was out of sight and hearing range Laura turned and held on to Mike as she buried her face in his shoulder.

When she gained control Laura pulled back and wiped her eyes and looked up at her supportive husband, "I really did do the right thing when she was born, they love her so much."

"Yes they do, and I'm sure even she'll realize that in time." Mike smiled as his own eyes filled; He knew very well that his wife had always loved the child she gave up, and that it was because of that love and the desire for her to have the best life could offer that she did give her up.

Mike stood in the drive way and watched Laura until she was out of sight and then he slipped in the back door of the house so he didn't interrupt the family discussion that was taking place.

While Laura was at work Carlos and Malinda took their bunch to the Zoo and then the next morning, while Laura slept in after a rough night at work, Mike fixed breakfast before their guests headed off to Disney Land for the day, the next day after Laura had finished an early shift they all went to the beach and the children all got sun burned even with copious applications of sun screen.

Through all of their activities Jessica came up with some interesting ways to keep her baby in her shirt. None of them were totally successful but they were creative. When Mike was around, he baby sat a lot and it always brought a smile to Laura's face to see it.

When Mike went back on duty Carlos and the children came by for another tour of the station and to visit with the guys. They all got a kick out of the little girl with the stuffed Lamb up her shirt when she walked in and somehow managed to keep from laughing too loudly.

"You's the person who telled me I have to sare my Aura," Jessica stood at the captain's feet looking up at him.

"That's right," Hank stooped down to be at more of a conversation level with the young girl, "How's that working out?"

Jessica kept her arms folded at the bottom of her shirt to hold her baby in place as she tilted her head to the side in thought. "I guess it's tay, Arua has to sare her Mike with me and he baby sits my baby for me." Jessica then leaned forward in an effort to talk secretively with the wise captain. "He never baby sits Aura's baby for her, I think he lubes me more than him does her."

There were a whole lot of firemen who had to turn their backs on their guests to hide their giggles at that moment.

Just as their first visit at the station Jessica was much more interested in the squad and asked John and Roy to show her what they had to take care of tiny babies. Both of the medics took a turn listening to her baby's heart beat. While Roy barely managed to keep from laughing, John had a very thoughtful smile on his face as he looked deep into the little girl's eyes as he held the stethoscope in the proper place. Roy could tell by the look in Johnny's eyes that Johnny knew just like he did.

Jasmine interrupted the moment by blowing the air horn on the engine and Jessica turned to her, "I want to do that."

The little girl ran to the cab of the engine and when Chet lifted her up to put her in the cab her baby fell from her shirt. Without letting go of the girl Chet bent down so that she could take hold of her little lamb but instead of tucking it back in her shirt she reached out and stuffed it down Mike's uniform top.

"Can you baby sit for me Unca Mike." It really wasn't a question since the stuffed lamb was already down his shirt.

Mike knew his face was the same color as the engine he was standing next to, it was one thing to have a lamb stuck down your shirt when you were surrounded by other kids and their parents but to do so in front of the guys, well it was most certainly not the same.

Mike sat down on the running board and sucked it up and played his part as Johnny ran for his camera, Chet announced he would boil some water and gather shoe laces and Roy stepped into the camera frame placing his hand on the bump in Mike's shirt and held his other had up to look at his watch, as if timing contractions. Marco and Cap were laughing so hard they couldn't do anything. Carlos had his hands full with three kids in the cab of the fire engine keeping them from pulling knobs. He felt for his friend but in truth he wished his wife was there with the movie camera more.

The sounds of the air horn nearly drown out the klaxons as they announced the next run. The understanding Carlos was quick to take hold of Jessica's hand and stop her from blowing the horn so the men could listen to their assignment. Then Carlos quickly pulled Jasmine out of the cab of the engine while helping Robert climb down.

Mike scooped Jessica into one arm as he lowered her toward the floor and stuffed her lamb back in her shirt before he pulled on his coat and climbed in behind the steering wheel trusting Carlos to get the children and himself out of the station.

Hank acknowledged the call then passed a call slip through the squad window before taking his place in the engine. Before he even shut his door behind him Hank reached over and ran his hand down Mike's chest and stomach.

"Just needed to know if I needed to call out an extra squad in case we have an emergency delivery," he explained to his engineer with a cheesy grin on his face as Mike just started the engine and pulled out behind the squad.

00000

At Rampart things were surprisingly calm. Two shifts of doctors and medical workers were gathered in the doctor's lounge sharing information on patients and anything else that needed to be passed on to the oncoming workers.

"Laura," Kell Brackett called out getting her attention as he worked his way across the room to her. "I was wondering if you've made any plans about when you want to start your time off to have your babies?" I know this is your first pregnancy so you probably don't realized how uncomfortable you're going to be and how hard it is going to be to get around your last month or so."

Dr. Early could see Laura's discomfort from where he was receiving a report on a patient in an observation room; he was just trying to decide if he should step into the conversation when Laura looked at Dr. Brackett.

"Would you mind if we took this conversation to your office?"

Kell was slightly surprised but of course agreed and the two medical workers made their way down the hall each getting distracted along the way.

Once the door was closed behind them Kell sat in the chair behind his desk while Laura took the chair at the side of it.

"Laura, I know to the unsuspecting observer you being pregnant might not be the first thing they think of but I assure you that those of us that have worked with you these last month's it's quite obvious by now."

"I'm sure this whole hospital knew I was pregnant before the rescue helicopters left for that pesticides plant without me." Laura tried to make it clear that she wasn't even trying to hide her condition.

"Okay so why did you want to have this discussion in my office?"

"I'm not primavera," Laura blurted out, "this isn't my first pregnancy."

Showing his surprise at this news Kell silently leaned back in his chair. "I see. I didn't know you had another child. Does your husband know?"

"Yes, Mike knows, he knew before we were married."

"Where is the child, was it a live birth?"

"Yes, it was a very uneventful pregnancy and I chose to place the child for adoption. My husband at the time didn't want the child and before I left him he had gone to great effort to cause a miscarriage, my marriage wasn't recognized in the United States and I a . . . well I just felt it was the best thing to do at the time."

Kell remained silent for a moment to think his next words through carefully. "I must admit I have no idea what you must have gone through but I want you to know that I respect you for the choice you made and that this information will not leave my office. I am however not sure why we're having this conversation."

"You were asking what my plans were concerning maternity leave, and you were under the assumption that I didn't know what to expect."

"Oh, yeah," Brackett realized why they were having that conversation.

"I worked right up to the delivery of my first pregnancy, my last shift ended about four hours before she was born and I actually went jogging between the first contractions. Once my water broke, I decided it must be the real thing and took a bus back to the hospital where I delivered an hour later. I guess the reason for this conversation is to tell you that I'm kind of planning to do the same thing this time.

"Of course there are a few complications that might change things this time around, giving that I'm carrying twins, and that they are sharing an umbilical cord. At this point we're actually planning to deliver by C Section. So things will get scheduled a little closer to time depending on how the babies continue to develop. But if the truth be known, if I'm going to have any problems I'd really rather be right here when they start and I know my husband will be happier if I'm here and he just has to join me rather than worry about taking care of me while he's trying to get me here."

Kell managed to find a smile. He had heard about her husband's panic attack early in the pregnancy and in truth he really did understand the feelings that had just been explained to him.

"Well I'd appreciate it if you would keep me informed of any dates and possible complications as things go along, and I do reserve the right to impose leave if I feel you're ability to move or your health is compromised."

"If you try I'll probably fight you but for right now I respect that decision," Laura agreed with a cautious grin.

00000

Roy had ridden in with the patient it was a drug over dose in a young single mother with two children. John brought the squad in behind him and then walked into the emergency department to find that his help was not wanted in the treatment room at the time. John left a message at the desk that he would be waiting in the squad and when Roy found him there he was so many miles away in thought that when Roy reached out and touched his shoulder John jumped high enough to bump his head on the top of the squad.

"Something has been bugging you all afternoon," Roy laid it out, he had been pretty sure his partner would talk about it sooner or later but he was thinking it was time to apply a little persuasion. "Are you ready to talk about it now?"

"How's the girl doing, she going to make it?" John wasn't really trying to change the subject but he wanted to know.

"She'll make it," Roy shared some of his partner's disgust, "she told the doctor that she's pregnant again and she just took enough to cause a miscarriage."

John snapped to attention with the news Roy gave and then just shook his head.

While John organized his thoughts Roy moved around the squad and slipped in behind the wheel.

"Some of the people we work with," John started to talk and then stopped; Roy understood that those weren't the words his partner wanted to use. "You know when Mike told us that his wife and placed a child for adoption before they met, I, a, I wasn't sure how I felt about that.

"I mean given who her grandfather is and all I was sure the child was still on the reservation. I mean my people are real particular about keeping their off spring close, it stems back to where the white men tired to take all the Indian children and teach them to be civilized.

"It's so mixed up you know. The authorities won't let any one out of the tribe have the kids but if their mixed blood the people in the tribe don't want them. They tend to be really abused and most of the time they're careful about it and make sure that it doesn't show.

"See, I know who Laura's grandfather is, for decades he's been a big advocate for returning the race to its purest form, I was a kid when he came to my tribe to share his plan for superiority, if I was an outcast before I really was after he left. My dad told me about how people like him would marry brothers and sisters together till they had deformed children because the genes were so screwed up. Some of the people who believed in this guys plan came to my Mom and tried to get her to leave me and my dad so she could take part in their breeding program. They really got ugly when my Dad was killed in a car accident, I've often wondered if it wasn't deliberate, I've wondered if he wasn't really murdered so they could get my mother away from him. When she got sick. . . ."

Roy could tell now that John needed to talk more that he had before realized so he just drove the squad to a parking spot away from the emergency entrance and parked to give his partner the time he needed to get his feelings and story out.

"When my mom knew she wasn't going to get well she did everything in her power to make sure I got off the reservation. Thank heavens My Dad's sister was willing to take me in because there is no way the tribal council would have let me go otherwise."

John stopped talking again and just like every other time the subject of his youth came up it was clear he wasn't willing to discus any details.

"You know who that little girl is don't you?" John turned and looked Roy in the eyes.

"What little girl," Roy tried to deny that he knew it too but John's glare bore down on him. "You mean Jessica?"

"Do you think Mike knows that she's the child Laura gave up?" John persisted.

Roy let out a sigh and took in another breath holding it in his cheeks then slowly blowing it out. "I don't see how he could not know, that little girl is a carbon copy of Laura, in more than just looks. From what you tell me she must have gone with a private adoption to make sure her daughter stayed off the reservation."

"That must be hard watching her grow up with someone else," John speculated.

"I can't even comprehend what it would be like to give a child up." Roy finally felt as if he could add something. "I'm sure she did what she thought was best for the child, I think it might be easier to be able to watch the child grow and know that she's loved and being taken care of instead of having to wonder. I don't know, really I have no idea what she must feel."

"Do you think they're going to tell her, who her birth mother is I mean?"

Roy looked at his partner for a moment in thought then let out a sigh again. "I think the time will come when she'll figure it out if they don't."

"So what do we do?" John shared his biggest confusion. "Should we tell Stoker we know?"

"NO, no I think this is one of those things we just need to keep to ourselves. If Mike had wanted us to know he would have told us. We are just speculating you know, there is a chance that we're wrong. I think it's best we never talk about it."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Johnny conceded and there was nothing more said until dispatch radioed asking them for their status.