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Spencer opened his eyes to morning light pushing around the thermal curtains at the bedroom window. He stretched, yawned, and turned to see the digital clock read 9:52 a.m. He blinked and wondered how he'd managed to sleep so soundly after such a horrible night.

"No!"

Spencer jolted and rolled over to see his wife begin to thrash. "Stop, no, leave me…" Chriscelia punched out with her hands and twisted in her sheets. Sweat beaded on her forehead and her face screwed up in grief and pain. "Don't, no, my baby…"

"Chriscelia!

"No!" She screamed, and it was like the shriek of a damned soul. Spencer gathered her into his arms. "Don't," he soothed. "I'm here Celia. It's all right. Come back to me." He stroked her sweat-dampened hair back from her forehead and kissed her cheek. "It's all right," he whispered again. "Wake up, baby. Please."

Chriscelia's eyes opened wide, and she didn't seem to see him. "Go away," she cried miserably, and his heart broke. "It's me, Celia. It's Spencer. You're safe."

Spencer could see that she didn't see him, that her sight turned into the nightmare world she still inhabited. "My baby! Spencer, where are you? Don't let her hurt my baby!"

"Chriscelia, wake up, sweetheart."

"Spencer?" Her eyes finally cleared, and she gasped for breath as she clutched him tight and began to sob. "I was so scared; I couldn't find you or the baby. You disappeared, and I was alone."

"I'm here, Celia. The baby is right where she should be, safe inside you." He laid his hand on her abdomen. "She's growing strong and happy."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Celia?"

"I don't want to talk about it, okay. I just want to forget."

"Baby, I think you –"

"Don't; I said I don't want to talk. I need a shower."

Chriscelia pushed away from him and climbed out of bed. Spencer watched her walk slowly to the bathroom and disappear inside the door. He waited for fifteen minutes, but she didn't reappear, and he could hear the shower going. He hung his head, then decided that he'd make her favorite breakfast.

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Spencer closed the door on the oven and removed his oven mitts. He stood and stretched again as his eyes found the coffee maker, with a new pot of deliciously inviting coffee. He breathed in the heavenly scent and went to one of the oak cabinets and rummaged for his favorite mug. It wasn't there.

"Chriscelia," he called, "Do you know where my coffee mug is? Babe?" He called again when she didn't answer.

Hm… She always answered when he called to her. Maybe she'd fallen asleep again, and that thought made him frown. The last thing she needed was more bad dreams, but she also needed rest. He stood in the doorway from the kitchen that led to the great room and thought for a minute. He decided to find her and determine if she wanted to eat.

Chriscelia stood next to the baby's new crib when Spencer reached the nursery. Her back was to him, and he could hear that she cried. Her head was down, and her shoulders hunched as if for a blow. His heart broke again to see her in such agony.

"Celia," he said quietly, but she didn't acknowledge him.

"Honey," he went to her and tried to take her into his arms, but she yanked away and turned furious, and bloodshot eyes on him. "Don't touch me!"

Spencer held out both hands to Chriscelia, but she stepped backward and nearly ran into the crib. "It's your fault," she shouted and began to cry again. "That crazy woman did all of this to me because of you. I hate you!"

Spencer flinched and took a step toward her, his heart thumping so hard he couldn't speak as pain slammed through his gut. "Celia."

"Don't," she shook her head, and her eyes blazed with tears rolling down her face. "You don't get to call me that, not anymore. It's your fault. What if something happened to the baby? What if she hurt…"

Spencer jumped forward when Chriscelia's face drained of color, and her legs began to buckle. "I – Spencer, I don't feel so well," she swayed, and he caught her just before she hit the ground. "Honey," he cried. "Oh, god. Please no!"

He carried her to their bedroom and lay her as gently as possible on the bed. Luckily, his phone lay on one of their night tables. He snatched it up and dialed 911.

"You have to help me. My wife fainted. She's pregnant. Please help me," he nearly screamed the words.

"We will," said the calm voice on the other end of the phone. "What's your name, sir."

He gave his name and their address as calmly as he could, then he got up to pace around the room for what seemed like hours until he heard sirens in the distance. "It's okay," he said to Chriscelia," and his heart leaped with joy as her eyelids fluttered open. "It's okay. Stay with me."

Chriscelia looked up at him with eyes still filled with tears; then she reached out a hand to him. Spencer took it, bent over, and kissed her. "Help is here," he said. "I'll be right back."

The paramedics took over and worked in smooth coordination. The first medic wrapped her arm with a blood pressure cuff and took the readings while the second medic listened with a stethoscope, first for Chriscelia's heartbeat, then for the baby's heartbeat. They set up an IV and oxygen for Chriscelia. The blood pressure reading made the first paramedic frown. "Sir, your wife's blood pressure is dangerously high. We need to transport her to the hospital. She needs to be monitored, and the cause of her fainting spell determined. How long was she unconscious?"

"From the time I called 911 to about a minute before you arrived," Spencer said.

"Let's get her into the ambulance," said the first medic.

"What about the baby?" Spencer said anxiously.

"The heartbeat is strong and regular, but I'm sure the OB on call will order an ultrasound."

"Don't worry," said the second medic as they transferred Chriscelia to the gurney, "The on-call doc is the best around."

Spencer's eyebrows went up. "Really," he said, lamely.

"Yeah," said the first medic. "John should know because she's his wife."

"Spencer," said a weak voice.

Spencer looked down at her as they pushed the gurney through the nursery and out into the hallway. "I'm here, sweetheart."

"Sorry," she said weakly. "Love you."

"It's all right," he choked out, and tears filled his eyes. "You just rest."

"Hey," the medic said to her. "Stay with us, Chriscelia."

"Head hurts," Chriscelia complained.

"I know, once the ER doc's had the chance to examine you, I'm sure you'll get some pain meds."

They were about to load her in when Spencer said. "What hospital?"

"County General, just up the road about a mile. You're lucky to be so close."

"I'm right behind you, Celia," he said and leaned over to kiss her.

Spencer watched them close the doors, and the ambulance pull away with the light flashing in competition with the bright winter sunlight. He turned, ran back into the house to shut off the oven and grab his coat.

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Spencer watched his wife as she slept after her ultrasound. They'd let him stay in the room while the tech and the on-call OB made their examination of the baby. They'd agreed that the baby was well, no cause for alarm existed. He'd stopped holding his breath when he once again heard the baby's heartbeat. Chriscelia had cried but hadn't spoken during the examination. Her hand shook as it held Spencer's with a vice-like grip.

Now, he waited for the ER doctor to come back with test results. Two hours had passed since the ultrasound, and Spencer was on the point of going to search for the doctor when a face peeked around the curtain.

"Spence," JJ said and hurried to him.

Spencer stood and embraced JJ tightly enough to cause her pain, but she didn't complain. "I'm so glad you're here," he said and began to sob on her shoulder.

JJ held him until he pulled away and wiped at his eyes. "Here," she reached into her bag and handed him a travel sized pack of tissues.

"What happened? Is Chriscelia okay? Is the baby all right?

Spencer sat down and motioned for JJ to sit in the second, hard plastic and exceedingly uncomfortable chairs. "I'm not sure what happened. We're still waiting for the doctor and test results. We had an ultrasound, and they said the baby is okay, but… I still don't know if Chriscelia is all right. God, JJ. I can't lose either of them. Why is this happening? I get them back, and now this."

"I don't know," JJ said, and her deep blue eyes held sympathy and compassion for him in their depths. "I do know that she's going to be fine, Spencer. I believe it."

"How do you know?"

"Because I do," she said. "I can't explain it. I just know."

"I'm not sure I can believe in a feeling."

"That's okay, Spence. I'll believe it for both of us."

They sat in silence for a few minutes, then JJ said, "Emily said to tell you she wants you to take the next week off and depending on what the doctors say about Chriscelia, she'll adjust your leave time."

Spencer gave her a sad smile and nod, but there was something in his eyes that she didn't like, and a shiver ran through her. "Tell her I said thanks."

"I will. Garcia said to give you and your girls her love. She wanted to come with me, but Emily made the others stay away. She didn't want you overwhelmed, and I agree. They can visit you both later."

"I'm glad Emily told the others to stay away. It's not that I don't love you guys and want to see you, it's just – I can't deal with everyone right now."

"I understand better than you think," JJ said softly and smiled at him.

At that moment a tall man with coppery red hair, green eyes, and horn-rimmed glassed stepped into the room. "Hi, Dr. Reid. I have test results for you."

"Dr. Talbot, this is my colleague JJ. You can speak in front of her.

"The good news is that Mrs. Reid doesn't have toxemia."

Reid visibly relaxed and JJ thought he might have fallen if he hadn't been sitting already. She noticed that Chriscelia moved and her eyes fluttered open. "Spencer."

"Well, I'm glad to see you awake, Mrs. Reid," said the doctor. "I was just telling your husband that you don't have toxemia. I believe that your blood-pressure spike was due to extreme stress. After what Dr. Reid relayed to me about the last twenty-four hours, I'm not surprised."

"Oh, Spencer, I'm so glad," Chriscelia said, and she began to try to get out of bed.

"Not quite yet, young lady," said the doctor. "I want you to stay here until we finish your fluids," he tapped the bag hanging next to her bed. "Then you go home, and you go right to bed for at least another twenty-four hours."

"I'm feeling much better," Chriscelia pointed out.

"Yes, but we don't want a repeat, and next time it may not be just a reaction to unusual stress."

Chriscelia instantly sat back on her pillows. "Yes, sir."

"Dr. Reid, are you able to stay at home with her for the next couple of days?"

"Yes. I have the next week off."

"Spencer," Chriscelia tried to interrupt, but they ignored her.

"Good," said Dr. Talbot. "Make sure she stays in bed for at least twenty-four hours, and I want her to avoid as much stress as possible until your baby is born."

"Yes, doctor. Thank you."

"Make sure to follow up with your doctor in the next couple of days."

"I will," Chriscelia promised him.

"Your nurse will be in very soon. I suggest you take the time to rest and then go straight home."

The doctor left them there staring at each other. Spencer suddenly embraced her, and she kissed him until he had to pull back and say. "Hey, you're supposed to be resting."

"I know, but I wanted to apologize. I said some terrible things to you and –"

Spencer cut her off. "We'll talk about it later, Celia."

Chriscelia nodded, then seemed to notice JJ for the first time. "Hello, JJ. I'm very glad you're here."

"Me too," JJ said and hugged her carefully. "I'm so happy you and the baby are all right."

"I'm sorry I scared everyone."

"It's not your fault," JJ assured her. "It's been hell for both of you. Don't apologize."

"JJ's right," Spencer said and clutched her hand. "We're going to deal with this together, but right now, just rest and don't worry, okay."

"I'll try," Chriscelia said and then she grimaced. "I need a bathroom break."

"Let me grab a nurse," JJ said and jumped out of her chair.

"I don't need help," Chriscelia complained.

"You're going to have it whether or not you think you need it because I'm worried about you." Spencer insisted as JJ left the cubicle.

Chriscelia let her shoulders slump. "You're right. I promise I'll take it easy."

"Good," he leaned over and kissed her again. "I love you, Mrs. Reid.