CHAPTER 37: TALK ABOUT BAD TIMING

(Precinct Hallway)

(Madison's Point of View)

All of this mayhem about Alexis and LJ's abduction had everybody on edge. It was completely warranted, of course, but the baby was freaking out on me and kicking like crazy because she was reacting to my distress and doing what she could to make me stop. Of course, I couldn't calm down because Kate's daughters were missing, and she was devastated. (Watching her yell at her captain about the situation just about broke my heart because it was the first time it dawned on Kate just how much she loved her girls, even if she didn't give birth to either one of them) It didn't help matters much that everyone else in the room was in a state of panic, too, and that we all knew that peace wouldn't be our friend again until the girls were safe once more.

The baby decided that she would give me hell for not being calm and began to move around and stretch out in the limited space that she inhabited, just to get on my nerves. (I was secretly hoping that this meant she was getting ready to make her entrance into the world because she had an impatient but anxious mother, a nervous father, a joy-filled aunt and two very ecstatic brothers all waiting for her to come out and join us) My unborn daughter later decided to show me that she was still pissed off at me for being so worked up by putting as much weight as possible on my bladder, thus making my need for a bathroom break my number one priority.

It wasn't until I was on the way back from there that it happened.

A contraction.

Not a ridiculously annoying Braxton-Hicks contraction like the other day.

God no.

This one was real, and it hurt.

"Oh, come on!"

"Madison, are you okay?"

As I stood in front of the bathroom doors with a hand clamped over my belly, I saw Kate approaching me.

"No, Becks." I shook my head. "I'm not okay."

There was concern on my friend's face. "Did you have a contraction?"

"Yes." I squeezed my eyes shut as another one went through my body. "Make it stop. It hurts, and I don't like it."

Kate's voice was suddenly calm and collected while she stroked my face comfortingly. "Open your eyes, Maddie. Open your eyes, please, and look at me."

I did as I was told and let her set me down in a nearby empty chair. Kate made sure I was as comfortable as I could get before sitting down in the empty chair next to me.

"We need to get to the hospital." My friend held my hand as she spoke, and I suddenly couldn't believe that she was taking charge of my situation even though she was sick with worry about her missing children and unborn grandson, and she was heavily pregnant, too. "I'll go find Nicolas, and we'll get you there."

I shook my head again. "I don't think that will be happening, especially since I've gone through this pregnancy the same way my mom went through her pregnancies with Emily and Melissa."

"What are you talking about?"

"Mom told me that when she was pregnant with me, the time between her contractions, her water breaking and me being born was exactly an hour." I gave my belly a pat as the baby shifted restlessly. "She said that the times got shorter and shorter with the other two."

"Wow." Kate marveled. "You think that's what's happening now?"

"I do." I nodded; face burning with embarrassment as I started crying. "I miss my mom. She should be here right now."

Kate leaned forward and kissed me on the forehead, and framed my face in her hands. Her voice was sympathetic as she spoke. "I know how you feel, sweetie. Believe me, I am the only cop in this whole precinct who knows exactly how you feel and understands the pain."

We both fell silent for a moment, remembering the loved ones we'd lost along the way to get to where we were both standing now. It was truly unjust that they were gone.

…But then again, we live in an unjust kind of world…

A new voice joined the conversation. "Madison? Kate?"

My heart went faint with relief when I saw that Nicolas was standing in front of us.

He pulled me to my feet as I spoke. "I am so glad that you're here right now."

"What's going on?" He asked, pulling Kate to her feet, too.

"I just had a contraction."

I closed my eyes as yet another contraction tore through my body.

How the hell did mom do this three times?

…Maybe some questions are just better left unasked…

The soft caressing of Nicolas' hand on my arm brought me back to my senses.

"What are you thinking, mi amor?"

"Nothing…" I muttered.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Ye—oh…"

I stopped in midsentence when I felt something wet and very cold trickling down my legs and onto the floor. Backing up a little bit, I looked down and saw that a small puddle had formed in the spot where I had been standing. It didn't take a deep thinker to know what had just happened.

My water had broken, and my baby girl was about to make her way into the world.

After nine long months—lots of them filled with the hardest trials of my life, and at least six of those months were filled with the biggest adventures and most heartwarming moments I've ever experienced—I was finally going to be able to hold my baby girl at long lost.

AN: That whole thing I put in there about Madison's mom going through short labors like that? Well…that really happened to my friend's mom, so I know it can happen. Oh, and gold stars = reviews :D