1640 Romeo
Friday Afternoon
The delivery nurse, a young woman named Natalie, read the monitor attached to Lisa. "It looks as though this was a false alarm. The contractions have stopped, her water hasn't broken." She turned to Harm. "You can take her home now."
A look of panic covered Lisa's features. What was Harm going to do to her? Harm merely nodded and said "I'll go get the car." Without looking at her again he walked out the door. Natalie helped Lisa into a wheelchair and rolled her around to the pick-up spot. Harm helped her into the passenger seat, still not uttering a word. He pulled out of the parking lot, heading for his apartment.
Lisa meekly spoke up, "My stuff is at a hotel."
Harm responded with the first look she had gotten from him, his expression unreadable. "We need to get you into bed and resting. I'll send someone over to pick up your stuff." He said this quietly and firmly in a tone that brooked no argument.
"Okay," she said softly. 'Not that I will need it much longer,' she thought to herself.
1730 Romeo
Harm's Apartment
"Thanks, Brother. I owe you one" Sergei had come to the door to pick up Lisa's hotel key so he could retrieve her stuff. Lisa was now ensconced on the sofa bed watching the TV Clay had dropped off during the Angel Shark Investigation. As soon as Sergei had left, Harm walked over to the TV and turned it off. "We need to talk. Why didn't you tell me you had decided to keep the baby?"
"I didn't want to hurt you any more. But I couldn't just let you not know, either way it turns out. The day before I went to have my first prenatal exam, my father called and said we needed to talk. He knew we were getting serious, and wanted to warn me about having children. I always knew my mother died when I was born. He told me she had a rare disorder that caused her to bleed to death during delivery. She found out about it while she was still pregnant, and could have ended the pregnancy and saved herself. When I found out that my mother had voluntarily given her life for me, how could I not give my baby the same chance? That's why I went away. The chances are about 75% that either the baby or I will die, Harm. And lately I am getting the feeling that I am the one who is going to die. So I brought her back to you to love."
Harm sunk to the couch beside her and gathered her into his arms. "Why didn't you tell me? We could have dealt with this together. We could have been together the last few months, instead of grieving on our own."
"Like I said, I didn't want to hurt you any more. If I had told you she was still alive and she was the one who didn't make it, it would have ripped open wounds that are just starting to heal. I would have just let you go on hating me, and picked up the pieces and gone on. But as I also said, I am getting these vibes that it is going to be me. I felt sure enough that I brought her to you. I can't believe my lawyer told you what he did. I'm going to fire him if it's the last thing I do."
"And I am going to marry you. Whichever one of you doesn't make it is going to be buried with my last name." His face carried the same mulish expression it had worn in the car.
"When?" she asked.
"Tomorrow. The courthouse opens at eight, unless you'd rather pick up a license and get married somewhere else. There is no time to get a church, unless Chaplain Turner will marry us."
"I'd like that if we can swing it."
"I'll go call him now."
Saturday Morning
1100 Romeo
Arlington Cemetery Chapel
"Dearly Beloved." Reverend Turner opened the ceremony with the familiar greeting. Harm and Lisa stood before the altar, Harm in his dress blues and Lisa in a winter white maternity dress that Harriet had bought to wear for Christmas Eve. The small chapel was packed to the gills with all of the JAG staff and their families, some hastily called D.C. friends of Lisa's, and their families. They had called their families right after calling Rev. Turner, and Frank had flown the Lear out of the hangar an hour and a half later. They made a brief stop in St. Louis to pick up Lisa's father and another pilot, so Frank could join Trish in the back of the plane and get some shut-eye.
The ceremony was short as Lisa couldn't be on her feet for long. There was a lunch reception graciously provided by the Admiral's Wives Club, led by Mrs. Sheffield. Then Harm and Lisa went home to enjoy the precious time they had left together.
1200 Romeo
Wednesday Morning
Arlington Cemetery
The memorial service for Loren Singer having been concluded, Harm flipped open his cell phone to check on Lisa. She had insisted she would be fine alone for an hour or two, but he wasn't taking any chances. When there was no answer, he began to panic. He hit the button to check his messages and found one from a hysterical Tiner.
" Mrs. Rabb called, she is in labor. I know your cell is turned off, so I am going to go get her and take her to Bethesda. Meet us there as soon as you can." Harm quickly told the rest of the group what was going on, and then left for the hospital.
Bethesda Maternity Ward
1255 Romeo
The car rounded the corner into the hospital parking lot on two wheels. He slammed the door without bothering to stop and lock it. "The one time I am truly in a hurry and there is a five car pileup."
Harm arrived at the delivery room door, having quickly changed into the scrubs that the nurse had thrown at him. Lisa smiled at him from her bed, and then winced as another contraction hit. Jason Tiner winced as well, from the huge amount of pressure she was using as she gripped his hand. He assuaged his pain by eyeing the nurse. Natalie was on duty again, and he couldn't help but admire her figure as she bent over to retrieve the washcloth she had dropped after wiping Lisa's sweaty forehead.
Lisa was holding her own, at least for now. The doctor came in; he was the same specialist that had delivered the twins the week before. "The baby's vitals are excellent. There is a 90% certainty she will be fine."
"And Lisa?" Harm ventured.
"We won't know until the baby gets out and the placenta separates. If she starts to bleed out, then it is over. There is no way to stop it once it starts, although we will try." Harm nodded quietly and took Jason's place next to Lisa.
The next few hours were uneventful. Then the contractions began to come closer and closer together - way too fast. Lisa had a look of panic on her face. A minute later the doctor said, "Here she comes. Come down here and get ready, Commander."
Harm nodded to Tiner, who went into the hall to see if the rest of the group was there. The admiral came into the room when he returned, stating. "I sent the others home. No matter what happens, you don't need a crowd." He moved up to the head of the bed and took Lisa's hand, motioning to Tiner to take the other side.
The doctor pressed the call button. "We're getting close in here. Get the rest of the team ready, and pray that we don't need you."
At 2102 a tiny baby girl entered the world. Her mother pronounced, "Abigail. Abigail means "Father's Joy. I picked it out months ago.""
Harm swallowed deeply, trying to restrain his tears. "What about a middle name?" he finally managed to choke out.
"You can pick."
"Diane."
"Abigail Diane. 'Father's Joy Devine.' It's perfect." Suddenly a look of horror crossed her face. "It's happening, isn't it."
The doctor nodded. "I'm afraid so." He hit the button again. "get the team in here, NOW."
Lisa beckoned Harm to her side. "I love you. Take care of our little girl for me. And promise me that you won't shut yourself off. Grieve all you need, but then go on. Abby needs a mother down here. too. You take care of her here, and I'll watch from above. And I'll look after any others you have, too." She squeezed his hand and they sat quietly for a second.
The room was suddenly full of doctors, forcing the rest of them back from the bed. They worked furiously for about ten minutes until suddenly they stilled. A quiet voice said "Call it. Time of death, 2221."
Harm sat by the bed and held Lisa's hand, while AJ went to call Jeff. Harm rose, kissed Lisa's forehead and then pulled the sheet over her face. Then he went in search of Abigail. Nurse Robley met them at the end of the hall. "I was just going to come find you." She led them to a small room, and a second later Harriet Roberts emerged.
Seeing Harm's confused look, she said simply, "Tiner called me. I just got the cutest photo. Go see before they wake up. I brought a baby outfit and I can take pictures when she wakes up. Becky and Bobbie have the announcements covered, " Harm hugged her and then tiptoed into the room, which was the small lounge they had used when the twins were born. In the overstuffed chair sat Tiner, Natalie snuggled in his lap. Baby Abigail was snoozing in her arms, with Jason's arm around both of them.
"They are going to make a cute couple. I'm glad I will be out of the JAG office by Valentine's Day. There's going to be so much romance in the air you could choke. Natalie and Jason and Jen and Jeff, Sturgis and Bobbie, Bud and Harriet are always lovey-dovey and I think Chloe is coming." AJ had come up behind him.
"Jeff and Jen? When did that happen? Harm questioned softly, not wanting to wake the sleeping trio.
" I don't know, but she answered Jeff's phone at 2300, sounding rather sleepy. They're on their way here." Harriet re-entered the room, with a toy from the 24 hr. gift shop. She was closely followed by the topics of their gossip. They sat down and began to plan Lisa's funeral. When Nurse Robley arrived to take Abby to the nursery, she found all of them fast asleep.
