This story is rated M for some violence, coarse language, and minor adult themes.

It is not appropriate for readers under the age of 16 and should not be viewed by such.

Disclaimer – same as the other parts.


New York City, NY, USA – September, 2009

It was a full two hours before I heard his voice in the doorway. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" I heard a fist pound on the doorframe. "I shouldn't have lost my temper."

I sat up, staring at him. "When did you lose your temper, exactly?"

"When I suggested doing something as irrational as killing such an innocent thing." He sighed. "Our child – we shouldn't get overexcited about what it may look like, you're right." He sat down on the bed next to me. "It wasn't fair of me to react that way. I should be happy about this."

"If you're not, it's all right," I said quietly.

"No, I…I am," he said. "It's just…extremely sudden, Kitten. I didn't expect this for awhile yet."

"That's two of us."

He looked at me. "Are…are you happy?"

I sighed, touching his arm. "Of course I am. It's just…kind of sudden. I really wasn't planning on being a mother just yet."

He leaned over and kissed me. "It's all right. I'll be right here with you."


New York City, NY, USA – May, 2010

I checked the clock impatiently, tapping my foot on the floor. "Where is he?"

Almost immediately, Erik came into the room, cursing. "I should just fire him…that bastard…" He spotted me, already dressed, and stopped mid-step. "Mon Dieu…Kit, you're beautiful."

"Oh, don't lie," I said, walking over and swatting him on the arm playfully. "I'm enormous. I'm so fat I could be the sixth borough." I laughed. "Kitten Island…wouldn't that be something?"

He kissed my forehead, straightening his tie. "Stop. You're not fat, you're just full of baby. And that'll change soon enough." He sighed. "We couldn't have conceived so it wouldn't be due in May?"

"What's so wrong with May?"

"Aside from this nagging feeling that it's going to be born on my birthday…and be another little me…" He shook his head. "Oh, well…shall we?"

I took his arm, thinking as we left the penthouse. "Darling, who was it you were cursing at?"

He punched the button on the lift and looked at me. "Oh…uh…Darius."

"Why?"

"He keeps trying to kill me – and half the crew."

I sighed. "Then have him arrested."

"I can't." He ran a hand through his hair. "We…uh…no one can prove it's him, not with certainty. It's more of a suspicion, really." We stepped into the lift, and the doors shut. "It could be him, but then again, it could be Toby and half the stage crew – it could be Sophia, for all I know. I just wish I could prove it was him for certain – it worries me, what with you and soon, our child…" He kissed my forehead, rubbing my stomach through my dress. "My family."

"It'll be all right," I said as we stepped out of the lift into the lobby. "We'll find out who it is."

Leaving the building, we climbed into the limousine and headed off to the gala banquet. As soon as we stepped inside, I knew it would be a night like no other – I immediately felt a cramp so strong I needed to lean against Erik for a moment. "Are you all right?" he asked, panicked.

"Fine, darling," I whispered. "Just a cramp. It's passed. Let's go mingle." He took me around the room, introducing me to influential people – my cramps didn't let up, and seemed to be coming quicker and quicker, and lasting longer and longer. After about an hour, I spotted a man standing in the corner and knew I had to get Erik to notice. "Darling, look," I said, gesturing. "Is that who I think it is?"

I watched him grin. "I didn't know Crawford would be here." He grabbed my hand and started dragging me across the room. "You have to meet him – you haven't officially met yet, and the man was at our wedding, for God's sake." We reached him after a few minutes of dodging people, and he smiled as he caught sight of us. Erik introduced us, and he reached a hand out toward me.

As I went to shake it, I felt something cold against my skin under my dress. With a start, I realized my water had broken. "Oh, no…Erik…" He stared at me for a moment. "Love, we have to go."

"Why?" he whispered, as Crawford walked off. "I thought you idolized the man."

"It's not that." I tugged at his sleeve. "I just don't want to give birth on the buffet table."

As the words seemed to sink in, he turned an interesting shade of red. "Are you…you're not…?" I nodded, and before I could say another word, he was escorting me out of the room and into the limo, telling our driver to head for the nearest hospital. "You can't have my son anywhere but a hospital."

Just before the cramps started hitting badly, I stared at him. "Who said it was a boy? You didn't want to know, remember?"

"True." I clenched my teeth together to keep from screaming, but he saw it. "John, drive through them if you have to! Just get us there and quickly!"


Erik

"Pacing isn't going to help, Mr. Muhlheim."

I stared at Sophia for a minute. It had been nice of her to rush down to the hospital – leaving her own newborn with her husband – but she didn't need to state the obvious. "Thank you, Sophia. I wasn't sure if it was or not." I shook my head, glancing toward the doors, knowing Meg was sitting with Kit and helping her. I could feel myself shaking – then I felt Sophia's hands on my shoulders, and the side of her head against my neck.

"It'll be all right. She'll be all right."

I put my hand over hers. "Yeah, I know she will. I just…" I sighed – a shaky thing I hadn't meant to let out. "I want to just rush in there and help. I can't stand being out here, doing nothing."

"Well, that's your lot," she muttered.

I turned to her. "Is everything all right? I think you sound more despondent than I do."

She sank into a chair, head in her hands. "No…Pete's taking everything away from me. The house, most of the money…" She sniffled, and I saw tears. "O…our child…" As soon as the words left her mouth, she started sobbing.

I sat down, patting her back. "Sophia, don't. He can't take the baby away from you – you have…"

She shook her head. "I already lost that battle. I do nothing but work – I'm always at the theatre. How am I supposed to take care of a baby like that?"

"And you think I can't help with that?" She looked at me. "We'll cut down your hours, find someone to help you take care of your child. Sophia…why didn't you just ask me? Why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't want to burden you when I knew you were having a child, too, sir."

As I went to speak again, I heard footsteps near me. "Mr. Muhlheim?" I shot to my feet, nearly knocking the doctor over. "You're being paged." She was smiling, and led me into the room.

Kit was half-sitting in the bed, holding a tiny bundle of pink blankets. "Hi, darling," she said, spotting me.

"Hi." I pulled a chair next to her and sat. "Is that…?"

She nodded. "Your daughter."

I held my breath for a moment as the words hit me. "My son's a girl?"

She nodded again. "Yes, love. Would you like to see her?"

I could feel my heart pounding hard enough to explode. "Sure." Afraid though I was, I watched her pull the blankets back from the baby's face, and she tipped her up so I could see. My breath caught in my throat. "Kit, she…she's…" I felt tears in my eyes, and without even trying, I let them fall. "Oh, Kit…" I kissed her, then leaned down and softly touched a kiss to my daughter's forehead.

"Erik, you're crying," Kit whispered.

"I am." I looked at her, putting my arm about her. "She's so beautiful." I felt Meg's hand on my shoulder, and turned slightly to look at her. "Look, Meg. My daughter."

She nodded. "Congratulations, you two."

I looked back to Kit. She was grinning. "What?"

"And you were afraid you'd pass it on." She stroked the baby's right cheek – smooth and perfect. "See? I told you it was just paranoia."

I grinned as well. "I suppose it was." I stroked both their cheeks at once. "Does she have a name?"