"Ben, it's time."

"What?"

"Come on. Get up. It's time to put that diploma into practice." Another contraction hit just as I finished. I have never seen Ben go so pale so fast. "Go wake Margaret." All he managed was a nod before running out of the tent and across the compound. Contractions aren't that bad really. I wanted to snap iron girders but they're O.K. Margaret was at least coherent when she arrived.

"How far apart are they?"

"About nine minutes now." My contractions had great timing. As I finished speaking one hit.

"Just breathe. You'll be fine. Nearly there." Ben curled up at my head, supporting my shoulders as Margaret worked away. Any mother will say that trying to push something the size of a melon out a space the size of a lemon will hurt. And it does. Like hell. Margaret shouted push and I crushed poor Ben's hand into dust.

"The cord is around the neck. Just hold on."

"Are you sure? Will it be O.K.?" Ben had started to panic. He didn't want to move but didn't want to stay.

"All done. At the next contraction just push as normal."

"At least it's not nine hours!" I joked and yet again the impeccable timing kicking in.

"It's a boy!" Margaret shouted above the crying of our son. She handed the tiny baby to me while Ben cried on to my shoulder. I noticed that apart from being the most beautiful baby in the world, he had inherited Ben's soft black hair and long fingered hands. Yet he hadn't gotten Ben's eyes. He got my bright green ones.

"Thought of a name yet?" I hadn't noticed that Margaret had finished and woken Colonel Potter and BJ.

"Ben, do you want to tell all?"

"John Henry Daniel Pierce. After Henry Blake, Trapper John MacIntyre and my father."

"Congratulations."