"Cadet Robyn Harmony Latham-Rabb" – Ch08– "It's a girl"
AU: Harm, Bobbi and a shared life.
A/N: "they aren't mine, I'm just playing with them - apart from any character created by myself". See Ch 01 for disclaimers.
Summary: this is a fictional story, in a fictional (slightly) Alternative Universe, about fictional characters who entertained us in a fictional TV series between 1995 and 2005. Comments and PMs and suggestions are most welcome; I shall update periodically. Mike
Canon: "*working title*" * there were no canon Bobbi episodes until Nov1999 *
A/N: published 22-OCT-2022: The summer of 1999 sees Harm and Bobbi settle into married life, along with the arrival of their first child. This chapter includes the final section of the much longer one, which was written and almost ready to go back ready in October 2021– until "someone" gagged! Frankly, after three partial chapters during the year, I want to get this off the books and get the birth done, so as to move onwards with the "family of three Rabbs". Mike: 22-10-2022.
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Ch08– "It's a girl"
Saturday 14th August 1999, 02:29hrs EST
Congresswoman Latham's apartment, Watergate South
The Watergate Complex, 700 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20037,
The late spring and early summer of 1999 had flown by; Harm had continued his service as a JAG lawyer and Bobbi had continued her hard gruelling labours on the Hill.
Despite developing a new wardrobe in maternity clothing (she was sponsored by three famous DC boutiques and was almost surprised at her elevation into "fashion icon on The Hill"), Bobbi had eventually listened to her body, Candice and the voice of her increasingly strident OB-GYN – and she stepped back after the Independence Day celebrations on Sunday July 4th and pulled up the drawbridge on Friday July 30th. Candice would stand in as first port of call for constituent matters, backed up by the constituency manager in Detroit.
Monday August 2nd 1999 was her first day of bed-rest. This was necessitated by her blood pressure spiking; after two days, everything returned to normal and the final six weeks of her confinement flew by smoothly. Harm learned lessons in the art of painting toenails, whilst Harriett Roberts became a regular visitor to the apartment, especially when Harm was tasked with out-of-town or even overseas missions.
In fairness, Chegwidden did try his best to keep Harm within the limits of CONUS during July and as close as possible to DC in August. He had crawled home, dog-tired, on Friday evening 13th August.
He should have heeded the date! His Roberta was not hanging around, once little Robyn Harmony decided to join the party!
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When her waters broke in the early hours of a Saturday morning, Bobbi simply elbowed Harm awake and pulled on her jogging pants, wriggled into a bra and shrugged on a sweatshirt. She sat on the edge of the bed whilst Harm (having quickly been cured of his "imminent new father" panic by the careful application of Bobbi's hand in a "loving slap"!) helped to pull on her socks and lace up her trainers.
Ever practical, she took off the Rabb family ring and laid it on her bedside table. Her wedding band, whilst snug throughout her pregnancy, would remain in place. Otherwise, she was bereft of anything which might become "lost" or "misplaced" in a busy maternity ward in the middle of the night.
Harm retrieved his Lexus from the visitor bay and then drove his precious cargo across town to their nominated obstetrics department. Alerted by his earlier call, the night team were ready, fully-briefed and (surprisingly for the early hours of a Saturday morning) well-caffeinated!
After the initial assessment ("only seven centimetres – it's gonna be a while") Bobbi sent Harm off to find coffee for himself and to alert the California Crew (after all, it was still just midnight on Friday in La Jolla) of the developments. Frank and Trish Burnett passed on their best wishes then headed for bed, ready to absorb the news of their grandchild whilst overlooking a California morning some seven or eight hours later.
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The hard work began at around 06:30hrs and Bobbi spent several hours panting, swearing and struggling. Eventually, just on the stroke of midday, her efforts were rewarded as little Robyn Harmony Latham-Rabb made her entrance. Initial checks pronounced the new arrival to be in good order, before Harm and Bobbi welcomed their daughter, experiencing the customary wonderment and delight of first-time parents.
Harm nuzzled Bobbi's neck before kissing her. "Thanks darling, for giving us such a wonderful gift."
"My pleasure, Tomcat. Remember – the teamwork continues for another 20 years from this point."
He gazed adoringly into her eyes as he replied:
"Until the day I die darling; you two are my priority."
"Thanks Harm, I love you so much."
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End of "Cadet Robyn Harmony Latham-Rabb" Ch08– "*working title*"
A/N: it's been a productive week and I need to re-focus, ready for the next chapter of "Long road to Justice", so "that's all for now, folks"!
Mike, United Kingdom, 22-10-2022
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