This part is dedicated to Aimless, who very patiently waited for the answer for the question, "How did they get the baby!" I know she was close to come and get me several times.

Judson had expected Mac to be a little upset with him when he returned but even he was surprised by the lightning bolts her eyes threw at him. She was definitely more than just a little upset with him. Slowly he set his duffle bag down on the ground.

"I'm sorry Mac; I know I should have told you!"

"You darn right, you should have told me!" the irritation in her voice was clearly audible, "Don't pull that disappearing act on me ever again!"

"I said I'm sorry!" Judson gave her a look that reminded her of a lost puppy and instantly made her forget about her anger.

"Guess I could forgive you just this once!" she said in a slightly softer voice.

"Thanks, I really need to tell you what I found out!" he walked over to the couch and sat down, slowly stretching his legs, ignoring the expectant looks of Mac and Mary Sue.

When he still remained silent Mac finally threw him another disapproving look, "Okay, are you going to tell us or do we have to beat it out of you?"

Judson gave her a grin, "I found some of Gabe's real family!"

The short sentence hit the room like a bomb and changed the atmosphere in an instant. There was just a moment of calm before Judson felt himself embraced by Mac's arms. He had no time to recover before he felt a kiss planted on his mouth. Looking more than just a little surprised, he could tell by the look on Mac's face that she was just as overwhelmed as he. Slowly she loosened her grip on him and pulled back.

"This is the greatest news I have heard in weeks!" she said a little too fast, trying to make everyone forget what she had just done. "So what are they like?"

Judson had a slight smile on his face when he answered, "They are great people but that is really all I can tell you at the moment. Gabe has to hear the good news first!"

Mac gave him a small pout, "Boy, you sure have a lot of secrets lately!"

Now Mary Sue interfered, "Mac, Judson obviously has his reasons, plus I agree, after all that Gabe has been through, he needs to be the one to hear the news first!"

++++++

Three days after Gabe had been moved back to Boston he was sure that his worst fears had come true. It had been tough for him to accept that he would never be able to walk again. In many ways he still hadn't. Sometimes he would dream he was running just to wake up and realize he couldn't feel his legs. In a way it had been better at the Center, it had been almost normal there. But being back at the place he had grown up at it was different. The servants at the main house gave him this look that very clearly spoke of pity. And his nurse, or prison guard as he secretly called her, had taken even the least bit of independence away from him. Strong as a bear, she would just pick him up and carry him around like a rag doll. Any time he was left alone, like at night, his wheel chair would be out of reach. He wasn't even allowed privacy in the bathroom.

In the beginning he had adamantly protested against this treatment but very soon he had given up, realizing, that he didn't have the power to do anything against it. Anna Peet just ignored him, telling him with her thundering voice that he was too sick to do anything on his own. So he would just close his eyes and bitie his lips when she performed especially humiliating task like undressing or bathing him. Only at night he would allow his tears to flow freely, still holding a blanket over his mouth to not let his torturer in the next room hear his sobs.

++++++

November 7th, 1978

Susan Flaherty entered the clinic with a feeling of anxiety. Since early this morning she had experienced a backache that somehow was different from the one she was used to. Also from time to time she would feel a twinge in her tight abdomen that lasted for several seconds. Even though she knew she still had a little while to her actual due date, she had been hopeful that just maybe this was it after all. Yet when the twinge hadn't intensified and also hadn't established any kind of pattern she had finally given up. It was probably just what the doctor had called false labor. Still, now that she was actually going to see the doctor, she was hoping he would tell her that her wait was going to be over.

The clinic was unusually quiet today, it was Saturday and they always closed at noon, which was only about half an hour from now. She didn't have to wait at all to get into the exam room. By the time she had undressed and slipped the flimsy gown on, the nurse came in with a pile of papers.

"I need you to sign them for me!" she stated, "These are the preadmission papers for the hospital. If you sign them now it will save you a lot of time when you actually get there and are already in labor!"

She handed them to her. Susan started to look over them and had just signed the first one when Dr. Newman came in.

"Ah, Mrs. Flaherty, why don't to finish signing the papers, the nurse will make you copies and you can read them later at home. When you are done, please lie down, I need to do an exam today!" he gave her one of his smiles that always made her feel uncomfortable. There was just something missing in it, it never quite seemed to reach his eyes.

Reluctantly Susan signed the rest of the papers, then she laid back, putting her feet in the stir-ups. She had gone through the procedure a lot lately but it still made her feel uneasy. Slowly she took a few deep breaths, trying to relax as she felt the doctor examine her. It seemed especially uncomfortable today and she couldn't help but feel relieved when it was finally over.

"Well, everything looks fine, no sign yet that the little one is going to show soon!"

For a moment she was sure she read something like disappointment in the doctor's eyes. Unable to think of any reason for this, she convinced herself that she had been wrong. After she sat up again, she explained the symptoms she had experienced for the last few hours.

"You look a little dehydrated; this could be the cause for some of your problems!" Dr. Newman explained, "I think, I am going to give you some IV fluids, this should make you feel better. We can do it right here!"

He turned to the nurse and gave her some instructions, than led Susan in the next room that had a bed in it.

"This will be more comfortable for you!" he explained, "It will take about 2 hours for the IV to run, I don't want to rush it, although it is only Normal Saline and some Vitamins. I want you to rest over the weekend and come back Monday morning for another check!"

He retrieved a small bottle from a locked cabinet and started to fill a syringe with some of the fluid. After the nurse had returned and started the IV line, he injected it into the line.

"These are the vitamins I was talking about. Why don't you relax, I have the nurse check on you frequently and I will stick around until you are ready to leave!"

Susan gave him a grateful look; maybe he really was more compassionate than she had thought.

++++++

After Dr. Newman and the nurse had left the room, Susan grabbed one of the magazines that was on the table beside the bed and started to look through it. She had just finished an article on the needs of newborn babies when the nurse returned to check her vital signs and make sure the IV was running alright. Being sure that everything was okay, she started to leave the room.

 In the door she turned around once more, "Would you like me to dim the light a little so you can get some rest?" she asked.

Susan thought for a moment, then she nodded, "Thank you; that would be nice!"

Being alone once again, she made herself as comfortable as possible. She hadn't really been sleeping well the last few weeks; something that all her friends told her was very natural for the end of the pregnancy, so it didn't take long before she found herself dozing off. Within a short time she started to dream. She was in the hospital, about to give birth. She could feel the contraction come and go, getting more and more painful. She started to breath heavy, trying to ease the pain yet it just intensified until it became unbearable. Screaming out loud, she woke up with a start, finding that the pain hadn't been part of the dream. It was real; making her feel like her abdomen was going to burst.

"Oh God, help me, something is wrong!" she prayed out loud while she tried to get up.

The pain grabbed her even more as she attempted to stand, making her hold on to the table in order not to fall. At the same time she felt a warm liquid running down her legs. Looking down she realized her legs started to turn red from the blood that already was starting to pool on the floor around her feet. Dizziness overcame her and as she lost the fight with consciousness, her last thought was one of fear, not for herself but for the unborn child she was carrying.

++++++

November 8th, 1978

James Patterson smiled a smile of absolute satisfaction. He was sitting in one of the expensive leather chairs in the library of his home. Lifting his glass of expensive Irish whisky toward his son who sat across from him, he knew that things had once again gone his way. He had another grandson and no one would ever know that the baby was actually not of his blood.

For a while things not looked very good. Thomas Jameson had called late yesterday afternoon and told him that there had been some complications during the birth and they were not sure if the baby would survive. Throughout the night it had been touch and go but this morning his son had brought him the good news that the child was going to live.

"That idiot Dr. Newman gave the mother an overdose of Pitocin, a drug that is used to induce labor. It caused her uterus to rupture and she almost bled to death. At the last moment they were able to get the baby and they had to do a hysterectomy in order to save the mother. She is still in critical condition. Because of the stress and lack of oxygen during birth they weren't sure if the child was going to make it!" William Patterson ended his report.

"And they are sure there won't be any permanent damage?"

"As sure as they can be at this time, the Neonatal Pediatrician wants to keep him in the intensive care nursery for another two days. He says it looks promising and if there are no complications, we can take him home at that time."

The older Patterson smiled again, "I guess a retarded child could be good publicity for your political career. Still, I rather have a healthy grandchild. By the way, how are Catherine and little Constance?"

"Just fine, Catherine can hardly wait to finally leave the hospital. She saw her new son this morning and although she hasn't been able to hold him yet, she is already in love with him!"

"I hope she doesn't know anything about the circumstances of his birth?" for a moment there was slight concern in the old mans voice.

"Father, I know my wife well enough to know she would have never agreed to this. She thinks the mother is an unwed teenager that was so ashamed of being pregnant that she did not want the adoptive parents to meet her!"

"Good!" James Patterson was satisfied that his son very obviously had total control over his family. He leaned forward to fill his son's glass once again, then he continued, "So what is my youngest grandchild's name going to be?"

"Gabriel after your father and Jonathan for Catherine's twin brother who died at birth!"

"Very good, we will make sure that he will grow up to be a real Patterson in every aspect!" There was much pride in the voice of the Patterson patriarch. His son was a worthy heir to his empire.