AN: I know, I know, enough with the short chapters! I'll try and make them longer—this one'll be a lot longer than the last one! I promise!

SAVE THE LAST DANCE

Chapter 11

"Ian?"

A grunt answered the whisper.

"Ian!"

He rolled over onto his stomach, his voice muffled as he spoke into the pillow. "Go 'way. I don' wanna ge' up righ' now."

"Ian!!" This time the hiss was accompanied by a sharp elbow to his ribs, and he cried out.

"Ow! Wha' was tha' for?" His voice was sleepy as he rubbed his eyes. "Wha's wrong?"

He squinted at the shadowy form of his beloved as she attempted to maneuver herself into a standing position. He heard her groan softly and saw her hunch over slightly. His eyes popped open as he scrambled up out of the mess of sheets and blankets and raced to her side. Kneeling at her feet, he looked up at her face, worry creasing his handsome features. "Baby? Are you all right?"

She grimaced and shook her head. "Don't be concerned; I'm only in labor."

At her words, he sprang up from the floor, shot into Michelle's room and woke her, and ran back in to his and Sara's bedroom. He grabbed the bag they'd packed for this particular occasion, called for Michelle to get her bag, and scooped Sara up into his arms, shooting out of the apartment with their daughter on his tail. He laid his precious cargo carefully in the back seat of his car, plunked Michelle down in the front passenger seat, the two bags secured on her lap, and circled the vehicle to drop into the driver's seat. He started the engine, threw it into reverse, then nearly plastered them all to the back windshield of the car when he hit the gas, slamming the pedal all the way to the floor. Fortunately, there were no squad cars on the route he took, or he would most likely have ended up with a whopping speeding ticket. They arrived at the hospital in record time, where Sara was whisked up to Maternity, her daughter and fiancé right behind her.

Later, as Sara rested between contractions, Michelle said, "See? Told you it was really, really soon."

"It would've helped it you'd have told us that it would only be three hours until it happened," Sara muttered dryly.

The girl shrugged, then asked, "Can I tell them their names when they come?"

Sara smiled. "Sure, sweetie."

"Daddy, I'm kind of hungry. Can we get something to eat for breakfast, please?"

"I—" He was cut off as another spasm of pain rolled over Sara's body, and her hand closed over his in a crushing grip. His eyes nearly burst out of his skull as the bones of his right hand were slowly decimated by his very pregnant, very vengeful fiancé. "Maybe—later," he managed to get out through gritted teeth.

"Ian Nottingham, I'm going to kill you for this!!!" Michelle stared at her mother. This had been her worst outburst yet. "I mean it!!"

When the mother-to-be (again) calmed down, Ian took her to get something to bring back to the room and eat.

This was going to be a long day.

********

AN: More to come soon. If I get enough feedback!