Chapter 15: Happy New Life

7:38pm

The guests began leaving around 6:30. It was New Year's Eve, so some went home to celebrate, while others went to other parties. Two of Kate's friends from Seattle decided that they wanted to join the New Year's Eve celebration in downtown LA. Grace, who had quickly become friends with Bob, decided to spend the evening at his house.

Jack's sister-in-law, Carol, and her husband were flying back to San Jose. Bob had a limo standing by to take them to the airport. Jack stood with them in the entrance hall saying goodbye. "Carol, Tom," Jack said, "thank you so much for coming. This means a lot to me. I really appreciate getting your approval." Carol was Teri's only sister and Jack had maintained a close friendship with her and her husband since Teri's death. They were the only family members who didn't blame him for Teri's death.

"Jack, we're just pleased to see you so happy. I know the rest of the family doesn't believe you deserve any happiness, but Tom and I do. Teri is gone, Jack. There is nothing any of us can do about that. You need to live your life and be happy. I think moving to Seattle is a great way to start over." She hugged him. "Now you call us as soon as that baby is born. Okay?" Jack assured her that he would. "If it's okay with you and Kate, we'd like to visit you next summer. We've never been to Seattle and we've heard it's beautiful."

"We'd love to have you." Jack said as he shook hands with Tom and they got in the limousine to go.

Jack returned to the living room to find Kate, Bob, Tony, Michelle, Kim, Chase and Grace all lounging in chairs and on sofas scattered around the room. Everyone looked exhausted. Even Riley sensed how tired everyone was. A room full of people normally meant lots of hands to pet him, but instead of bothering anyone, he lay quietly next to Bob. Jack dropped onto the sofa next to Kate suddenly realizing how really tired he was. He took Kate's hand, brought it up to his lips and kissed it.

"Does anyone else need a cup of coffee as much as I do?" Kate asked.

"Rosita left fresh pots of both regular and decaf in the kitchen before she left." Bob answered as he started to get up. "I'll go pour some."

"No, sit, Dad" Kate told him. "I've been sitting so much today that my back is bothering me. I need to get up and stretch. Who else wants coffee?"

When everyone agreed that they too wanted coffee, Tony offered to help Kate. "I waited tables from ages 12 to 22. I only joined the Marines so I could stop waiting tables." He laughed. "It's my destiny."

Tony and Kate started through the dining room when Kate stopped and gripped the back of a chair with both hands. She didn't utter a sound but Tony could tell as she nearly doubled over and her knuckles turned white from gripping the chair that she was in a great deal of pain. He reached out and held her shoulders. "Do you need to sit?" He asked her.

"No," she whispered panting rapidly. "I'm okay now. What time is it?"

"7:38. Why? When was your last contraction?"

"About ten minutes ago. They're still pretty irregular, but they seem a little closer together."

They walked into the kitchen and Kate directed Tony to the cups, sugar, creamer and a tray. In the meantime, Kate poured regular coffee and decaf into separate carafes. Tony had his back to Kate when he heard her voice strain slightly as she asked him again for the time.

He turned quickly. Kate was gripping the counter top but didn't seem to be in as much pain as the last time. "7:42, four minutes, Kate" he answered her. "Not that I would claim to know anything about the subject, but shouldn't you get to the hospital?"

"That one wasn't very strong. Let's see how long until the next one." They finished getting the coffee together. Kate arranged a plate of cookies as well and added them to Tony's tray along with the two carafes. Tony lifted the tray to his shoulder like a well trained waiter. "See, I still have the old touch." He turned to smile at Kate only to see her face cloud over. Tony set the tray on the counter and grabbed the nearest chair. He helped Kate into it. She clutched his upper arms and doubled over. This time a quiet, guttural groan escaped from deep in her throat. Tony looked at his watch. "Kate, it's 7:46. That's another four minutes. You need to call your doctor"

Kate nodded as the contraction subsided. She sat for a moment getting her breath. "I need to tell Jack." She said as she stood with Tony's help.

They walked back into the living room. Jack had his head back against the sofa pillows and his eyes closed. Kate crossed the room and gently shook his shoulder. "Hey, Sleepyhead. Wake up."

Jack opened his eyes with a start. "I'm sorry. That was rude. I didn't mean to fall asleep in front of everyone."

"Honey, we need to go to the hospital. I think we're about to have a baby."

With that, everyone in the room sat up. "I thought the doctor said another week." Jack said with a quizzical expression on his face.

"Well, I think she was wrong. Tony can verify it, I just had three contractions that were each four minutes apart and two of them were very strong. I'm going to call the doctor now, but I think she's going to tell me to go to the hospital."

Kim, Michelle and Grace all stood up and offered to help Kate get ready. "Do you have a bag packed?" Grace asked.

"No," Kate answered. "I need help with that and some help changing." The four women started toward the stairs. Kate stopped at the bottom and clung to the banister. This contraction was as bad as the last and again Kate could not control the cry of pain.

"Try to breathe, Honey," Grace told her. "It's worse when you hold your breath." Kate nodded but couldn't manage to draw a breath through all of the pain.

Tony instinctively looked at his watch. He grabbed Michelle's arm and turned her toward him. "That was only three minutes and ten seconds since the last one." He said quietly to her. "Do what you can to move this process along. She needs to go to the hospital."

Chase and Tony helped Jack up the stairs to change clothes while Bob went to get the car. Kate went to her bedroom and picked up her phone. She called her doctor's number and got her answering service. They told her the doctor would call her back soon. In the mean time, Grace found Kate's overnight bag in the closet and began filling it with essentials. Kim grabbed a pair of jeans and a white blouse out of the closet along with a pair of canvas sneakers and set them on the bed.

Kate sat on the bed and kicker her shoes off as the next contraction started. This one was longer and more painful than any of the previous contractions. This time it was Michelle who checked the time. Under three minutes, she thought nervously.

Jack's heart pounded as he heard his wife scream from the next room. He looked at Chase and Tony with a fear in his eyes that neither of them had ever seen before. They had both been through some life threatening situations with him and had seen a myriad of emotions from anger to frustration to grief, but neither of them had ever seen him display fear. "Get her to the hospital, now! Her contractions have gotten too close together; she needs to be at the hospital. You can get me there later. I'm just going to slow you down."

Bob had just come in the house from pulling the car around and was as the base of the stairs as Kate screamed. He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to bear the sound. He hated knowing that his daughter was in so much pain and he couldn't help her. He suddenly had the same helpless feeling that he got when one of his daughters cried. Bob bounded up the steps to offer assistance and to let them know the car was ready. He met Tony in the hallway. "Jack wants you to get her to the hospital. Chase and I will follow with Jack." Bob agreed and knocked on Kate's door. Grace opened the door a little and slipped out. She agreed with Bob and said Kate would be ready in a minute.

The contraction subsided and Michelle helped Kate out of her dress. She put on the blouse just as the phone rang. It was the doctor who listened to Kate's description of the contractions and, as expected, told her to go straight to the hospital. Michelle was ready to help her with the jeans and shoes but Kate stood up. "I've got to go to the bathroom first." Michelle helped her into the attached bathroom, then stepped out and closed the door.

Grace zipped up the overnight bag and stepped into the hall to give it to Bob to put in the car. Kim followed her and walked down the hall to talk to Chase while Michelle stood near the bathroom in case Kate needed any help. Michelle could hear the water running as Kate washed her hands. She was about to get the jeans from the bed when she heard Kate gasp sharply and begin to groan. She knocked on the door but didn't wait for an answer to enter. Kate was doubled over the vanity, her face contorted in agony, a tortured scream coming from between clenched teeth.

Michelle ran to her as did Grace. Jack heard her and grabbed his cane. He moved as quickly as he could. He nearly fell, but Chase and Tony each took one of his arms to steady him. They got him into Kate's room just as Michelle and Grace helped Kate from the bathroom over to the bed.

Tears of pain and fear filled Kate's eyes. The last contraction had barely passed when the next one started. This one was equally long and painful. "I feel like I need to push." She gasped.

"Kate, listen to me." Grace implored as she dropped to her knees so she was looking up at Kate. "I know how hard this is but you have to try not to push."

"No, Grace, I can't. I have to push. I don't think I can stop it."

Grace stood and looked at Michelle. "Call an ambulance." She directed her quietly. Michelle picked up Kate's phone off the dresser and ran into the hallway.

Jack was sitting beside Kate on the bed now. She leaned into him as she was gripped by another contraction. He held her and tried to calm her. "Sweetheart, Michelle is calling an ambulance. Why don't you lie down and try to relax." He knew how utterly ludicrous he sounded. How could he possible expect her to relax? He could feel his heart pounding in his throat. His only experience with childbirth was twenty years ago and Teri had been in the hospital for hours before Kim was finally delivered via a cesarean section.

"Oh, Jack," she sobbed. "I can't stop this. I have to push."

Michelle stood in the hallway talking to the emergency dispatcher. "How long before they get here?" She asked.

"About ten minutes, ma'am.

"Michelle, how much longer until we get some help?" Jack shouted at her. He was in CTU mode and despite his fear quickly took charge of the situation.

"Ten minutes," she answered wishing it was less.

Kate was lying on her side. Jack knelt on the floor next to the bed. She held his hands tightly. "Sweetheart," he whispered gently. It was taking every bit of self control to keep his voice from shaking, "just ten more minutes, you can hang on ten minutes, right?"

Kate nodded, her eyes wide and scared. They were the same eyes that tugged at Jack's heart when he rescued her from Syed Ali's house three years ago. Jack didn't pray often, but at that moment he found himself praying that help would arrive soon, that Kate and the baby would be alright. "Jack, I'm scared." Kate whispered between contractions.

"I know, Baby. So am I. It's going to be okay. It has to be." He kissed her forehead.

The minutes passed like hours but eventually the sound of a siren in the distance was audible to everyone. Bob ran down the stairs as it neared to usher the medics into the house. He was worth millions of dollars and he would give every cent of it right now if somehow his daughter could be magically transported to a hospital where she could give birth in a sterile environment with doctors all around ensuring her safety and pain killers to make her comfortable. He knew that wasn't possible, so the medics coming toward his house would have to do.

Bob rushed them upstairs and into Kate's room. Aaron was the medic in charge. He was tall and broad shouldered and muscular. He wore closely cropped hair and carried himself in such a manner that Jack guessed that he was ex-military. His voice was loud and authoritative, his manner gruff. He made it clear that he was in charge and Jack was happy to abdicate that responsibility at the moment.

Aaron knelt down next to the bed and spoke gently to Kate. Gone was the gruff overtone. His voice was compassionate and soft. He put his hand on Kate's arm. "What's you name, Honey?"

"Kate," she whispered.

"Okay, Kate, I'm Aaron. I'm going to examine you and decide whether you can make it to the hospital or if it's best for the baby to be born here. I need you to hang in there for me. I know you're scared, I know you're in pain. I'm going to make this as comfortable as possible."

He slipped on gloves while Kate worked through another contraction, then he examined her. Aaron looked at his partner who was already taking Kate's vital signs. "Get on the line with Good Samaritan. Send them her vitals and get an IV line started. Tell them to stand by. We can't get her to the hospital."

"Kate," Aaron said to her. "You're going to have the baby here, probably in just a couple of minutes. You're doing fine, just keep it up."

"Can you get her something for pain?" Jack asked.

"I'm sorry, sir, not at this point. If it makes you feel any better though, it shouldn't be much longer."

8:28pm

Aaron was right. Just over five minutes later Kate pushed for the final time and within seconds the baby's first cries filled the room. "Congratulations," Aaron said as he cut the umbilical cord. "You have a son."

Jack pulled Kate into his arms and they kissed. "You were right! It's a boy!" He said in an emotional voice. They watched as Aaron cleaned the baby up and quickly examined him. He then wrapped him in a clean blanket and put him in Kate's arms.

She cried as she got her first good look at him. "Oh, Jack, he's beautiful. Look how blue his eyes are!"

Kim squeezed Jack's shoulder and kissed his cheek. "Congratulations, you two. I always wanted a baby brother! I just didn't think it would take me twenty years to get one."

Michelle was next to offer her congratulations. "Can I offer you some friendly advice?" Kate asked her with a smile.

"Of course," Michelle answered.

"After living through the last 45 minutes, I would suggest that you and Tony consider adopting!"

Michelle smiled. "After spending the last 45 minutes with you I would seriously consider it, but you are about two months too late."

"You're pregnant?" Kate and Jack asked at the same time.

Michelle nodded. "Maybe we'll have a boy, too. Then the two of them can grow up together."

Just after the baby was born Grace slipped out into the hallway to find Bob waiting anxiously. He heard the baby crying and heaved a sigh of relief. Now he just needed to know that Kate was alright. "Congratulations," Grace said. "You have a beautiful grandson!"

"And Kate's okay?" He asked.

"She's tired, but she made it through. I suspect by tomorrow she'll forget how much pain she was in." Grace obviously knew what she was talking about.

"Oh, thank God," Bob said as he hugged her. The hug surprised both of them, but it felt so natural. "When can I see them?"

As if in answer to his question, Michelle opened the bedroom door. "Bob, would you like to see Kate and your grandson?"

Bob burst past Michelle and through the door. Kate was sitting propped up in bed holding the baby. Jack sat next to her with one arm around her shoulders and the other arm helping her to support the baby. He moved so that Bob could get close to his daughter. Bob leaned over and kissed her then sat on the edge of the bed. His eyes filled with tears as he looked at his first grandchild.

"Would you like to hold him, Dad?" Kate asked him.

Bob took the newborn in his arms. He was so tiny and so perfect. Soon Tony and Chase had joined the crowd in Kate's bedroom and were admiring the little bundle who had caused so much commotion in the last hour. He was now sleeping quietly not knowing what a fuss everyone was making over him.

Tony put his hand on Jack's shoulder. "You got lucky, Buddy." He teased. "The baby got Kate's good looks!"

"And thank God for that!" Jack responded with a laugh.

"Seriously, congratulations," Tony said shaking Jack's hand. "Do you have a name for him?"

"Of course he has a name." Kate answered. She took him from her father and held him up so he was facing everyone. "Let me introduce you all to Mason Robert Bauer."

"Mason? Like George Mason?" Tony asked.

"I thought Mason was going to be his middle name." Jack said.

"After you brought it up Jack, I started really thinking about it. We owe George Mason everything. You were right, you wouldn't be alive and the baby wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. Naming the baby after him seemed like the least we could do."

"You know if George were here he would hate it, don't you?" Tony said with a smile.

"Yeah, I know." Jack said overcome by thoughts of his old nemesis who had, in the end, saved his life.

Kate and Mason were soon loaded onto the ambulance and on their way to the hospital followed closely by Bob and Jack. Jack rode in silence thinking about the last year. So much had changed. He started the year as an undercover government agent addicted to heroin, tortured by painful memories and guilt, unable to recognize what a special relationship he had with Kate. He almost lost it all. He threw Kate away like a used rag and drove himself mercilessly at work; his own personal crusade to rid the world of terrorists. He nearly died in the process. Kate saved him and he knew it. She saved him from himself. He twisted his brand new wedding band around his finger, not yet used to the feeling. Now she was his wife, and she had given him a son. Happy New Year, he thought. It's going to be a Happy New Year and a Happy New Life.

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