Imminent Arrival
Ninth Month
Michael shivered as he climbed into the warmth of Kitt. The outside temperature had been steadily decreasing as the sun sank below the horizon. He was used to the California winters now, but sometimes the chill caught him unawares.
It was three weeks until Christmas, and he was as happy as he could ever be. He had gotten his Thanksgiving wish when Bonnie had returned home to FLAG to stay. He knew she was now only about two weeks from delivery, so he was expecting an early Christmas present as well.
It was hard at times, since her return, for them to be totally honest with each other. He could still see some residual hurt in her eyes when she looked at him, but he was willing to put forth the extra effort necessary and show her just how much she meant to him. He had taken to pampering her to the point where she was starting to feel spoiled.
He now placed the packages he had been carrying on the passenger seat and reached over to close his door. "Brrrrr." He stated as he rubbed at his leather-jacketed arms. "It's cold out there."
"Well, if you had done the shopping earlier, you wouldn't be feeling the cold now," Kitt replied with a touch of humor. "You would probably be back at the Foundation, inside its warm depths."
Michael started up the car. "Well, be glad you can't feel the cold." He pressed a button and the heater came on. Warm air flooded the compartment and he sighed.
"What makes you think I can't?" Kitt asked, a bit annoyed that Michael could casually dismiss the fact that he had taken Kitt out from a warm garage. "You're not the one who travels at some 60 miles per hour in the aforementioned frigid air."
Michael held back his grin, keeping a straight face he answered. "Well, buddy, think of it this way. What I bought Bonnie in those packages will be well worth any discomfort that either of us has had to go thorough." He shifted the car into reverse and backed away from the specialty baby store that he had made a special trip to. His order that he had placed two weeks ago had finally come in.
"Speaking of Bonnie, Michael has she picked out a name for the baby yet?" Kitt questioned as Michael put the car into drive and floored the pedal.
Now Michael let his smile show. "Actually, Kitt, we have. If the baby is a boy it will be named Daniel Robert Knight. If it is a girl, we were thinking of calling her either Charlene, Rebecca or Patricia with the middle name of Danielle and the last name of Knight."
Kitt stayed silent a moment as he placed this information in his data banks. He noticed a discrepancy and was curious. "Michael, if those are the names you have chosen, why does the baby not carry Bonnie's last name? Is it customary to give the baby of an unwed mother the father's last name?"
"Well, Kitt, we decided that it would be easier to give the baby the name now, and later, if we decide to marry we won't have to change the name." Michael said gently. The actual topic had been much debated and discussed.
"Forgive my abruptness, Michael," Kitt apologized. "But have you actually asked her to marry you?" He scanned all his previous data but could not come up with such an actual instance. "In fact, I don't recall you ever telling me that you considered the possibility."
"No, Kitt," Michael sighed his reply. "I never actually asked her." He didn't bother to elaborate his answer any further than that.
Sensing that Michael wished to keep the rest of his feelings to himself, Kitt focused on the highway outside. That soon bored him and he kept coming back to the fact that if Michael loved Bonnie so much, why did he not take the final step and ask her to be his wife? Was it because of Stephanie Mason? Was it because his first marriage had barely begun before he was made a widower? Kitt had so many questions to ask, but knew this was not the time to ask them.
Michael reached over and touched the package on the seat. What he had previously thought to be the perfect gift now seemed to be only a token. What if Bonnie really was unhappy with their decision to name the baby with his last name just to avoid problems later? He had noticed the light in her eyes was not as bright as it could have been at the idea.
Was she hoping for him to ask her to marry him before the baby was born? More importantly, did he love her enough to make that final commitment? Ever since Stevie's death, the prospect of marriage had frightened him. He didn't want to take that final step ever again. Or did he?
He needed time to think, now that Kitt had brought up the subject. He needed time to decide, and time was the one thing he was certainly running out of.
Bonnie was sitting in the main lab area, going over a checklist of things that needed to be done on Kitt while she would be in the hospital for the duration of her stay. She knew the techs and mechanics could manage this much without her.
Certain things needed to be done daily, such as refreshing his fuel supply and checking and recharging his power boosters. Other things could be done every other day, such as checking his alpha and beta circuits.
She didn't really know how long she would be gone, and she wanted Kitt to be taken care of completely in her absence. She smiled at the thought, here she was about to become a mother and it seemed like she already was one to Kitt.
Her hand drifted down to her swollen belly and rested there. She was ready now, more than ready to have this baby. The Lamaze classes she had been taking had prepared her enough for what was going to happen, and she was confident that Michael could coach her well enough for her to be able to manage the pain.
The first time he had shown up at the class, she had been delighted to know that she was important enough to him for him to be there to support her. He had listened well, and had helped her practice her breathing techniques to the point that they worked enough to relax her.
Oh she was ready now. Devon had turned the room next to hers into a nursery, and had even flown her stuff in from where she had abandoned it in her race to get back to FLAG. He had even helped her set up a nursery in her own apartment, should she desire to return there. Either way, the baby was well set for the next year of it's life.
Still, something was gnawing at her, and she felt incomplete and restless. With all the preparing she had been doing, she still felt like something was left out. Something important. She went over her mental list again. Kitt was going to be taken care of, so that left him out. The baby was prepared for, everything from diapers to clothes to bottles for the times when she would be unable to nurse the baby. That left that out. All her bills were paid, so that left them out.
Why did she feel this way? What was she missing? She frowned as she clutched the notepad in her hand. It had to be something stupid, or else it would be the first thing on her mind. She made a few more scribbled notes for the techs then capped her pen and placed both of them right by Kitt's main charts where they would not be missed.
The rest of her thoughts were dismissed as she heard the familiar turbine whine of Kitt's engine. The garage door opened and she could see him pull into bay 3 from her vantage point in the lab office. She had been wondering where Michael had taken off to in a rush earlier and now she was about to find out. She hoisted herself out of the chair with some effort and walked out to greet him. Waddled, was more like it. She felt her back twinge and reached behind herself to rub at an ache. Oh she was ready for this baby.
Michael was retrieving some packages from the front seat as she walked up to him. He closed the car door with his hip and smiled warmly at her. "Hi, Love." He placed the packages down on the roof of the car and reached for her.
She took his hand and allowed herself to fall into his warm embrace. He hugged her once, then bent down and kissed her deeply. She relished in the feel of his lips on hers, then broke the kiss, as her curiosity got the best of her. "Where did you go in such a hurry?" Her eyes darted from his face to the gifts on the roof.
He followed her gaze. "Oh, I had to pick a little something up. You wouldn't be curious by any chance, would you?" His eyes sparkled as he teased her. "You don't think these are for you, do you?"
"Oh, Michael, cut it out or I might have to get jealous and think you've got a secret lover you are not telling me about." She pretended to huff her reply. "Someone skinny and blonde and has legs that are tan and go all the way up to her neck." She made a rising motion with one hand as it reached above her head.
Michael rolled his eyes at the image she was presenting. "Nuh, uh. No long legs or blonde hair for this man." He kissed her briefly again then stepped back from her to grab the first package. "Now if you are a good girl, this one is for you." He teased her again and held it out in front of him.
She reached for it and was surprised to find it pulled back by him. "Michael?"
"Are you a good girl?" Mischief filled his face as he kept the box just out of her reach.
She jumped for the box and felt the edge of it brush her fingers. "I'm a good girl, but I'm gonna be bad if you don't let me see that box!" She had glimpsed the logo on the box and knew that it was from the specialty baby store that carried everything a new mother might need. What could Michael have possibly thought of that she hadn't?
"Ok, Sweetheart." He handed over the box and leaned against Kitt to better observe her reaction.
Bonnie placed the box on Kitt's hood as she slid her fingers up underneath it and lifted the cover off. Nestled within the tissue paper wrapping she found something soft and silky and a light shade of pink. She reached for the fabric and pulled out one of the most exquisite nightgowns she had ever seen. It was designed for a new mother, with strategically placed slits for nursing and trimmed in tiny satin rosebuds and lace. The bottom of the box also held a matching robe.
Her face lit up. "Oh, Michael! It's beautiful!" With all the preparing she had done for the baby, she had neglected to consider some of the things she might need.
Michael grinned as he fingered the fabric. "It's for those nights, when you want to be a mother and a lover. Sexy and sweet all rolled into one, just like the woman it was designed for."
Bonnie blushed a bit. "You are so transparent, Michael. I'll be surprised if this baby doesn't end up with a whole slew of brothers and sisters within ten years." She carefully folded the garments and placed them back into the box. "They are lovely, thank you." She reached over and kissed him deeply.
"Wow," he stated when she broke the kiss. "If that's the thanks I'm gonna get for that gift, I can't wait to see what I get for this one." Michael breathed as he reached for the other package. He didn't bother to tease her with it but just handed it to her. "This is to show you how much you and the baby mean to me."
She opened the box the same as the other one and what she found this time nestled in the tissue paper made her eyes well up with tears. She opened her mouth to say something, but found herself speechless. Inside the box was something very soft, warm and white. A baby blanket.
It looked like it had been spun from clouds, it was that soft, and on one corner it was embroidered with thick yellow flowing script. 'Heavenly Knight' was printed boldly in large letters. Underneath it was a small phrase. 'Heaven created and sent to this world to love.'
Bonnie traced each letter with one finger. This was the most touching of all her baby gifts she had ever received. She finally managed to find her voice. "Oh, Michael, I don't know what to say."
He placed one finger over her mouth to stop her from speaking. "Then don't say anything. The look in your eyes is plenty enough for me." He pointed to a space on one of the other corners of the blanket. "Once the baby is born, we can have the name and date embroidered on this corner in the same script."
She pulled Michael into a big hug and squeezed him as much as she was able. "Thank you, Michael."
"You're welcome. Come, let's go inside and you can thank me more in the room." He winked at her and got a small slap for his efforts.
She grabbed her boxes and rolled her eyes heavenward. "Men." Then she took his hand and let him lead her inside.
One week later
Bonnie sighed peacefully as she relaxed into Kitt's seat. Her latest visit to the doctor today had given them a good hope that the baby would be arriving shortly. Dr. Hunter had predicted that she would go into labor sometime within the next week.
That suited her just fine. She looked over to where Michael was sitting and driving and smiled. "Are you ready to become a daddy now?"
Michael had caught only the tail end of the sentence and the first think that registered in his mind was the words 'daddy, now.' He gulped. "Now, Bonnie?"
"No, silly." She giggled and rested her hand on her belly. "Not right now, but really soon."
He leaned over to give her a quick peck on the cheek. "Yes, I am."
"Good." She agreed and rubbed over her belly with one hand. "Because I'm more than ready to get this out of me. I'm tired of feeling like I have to pee all the time and my ankles being swollen and.."
Michael was saved from having to hear any more of what Bonnie was tired of by Kitt's familiar voice. "Excuse me, Michael, Bonnie, but Devon is calling."
Michael made a face at that news. Devon calling was never anything good. "Put him through, Kitt." He pressed a few buttons and Devon's face appeared on one of the monitors. "Yo, Devon."
"Michael, I'm sorry to intrude on your private time, but I need your help."
"What do you need?" Michael looked over to Bonnie, hoping it was nothing that was going to be considered even remotely dangerous.
"I need you to pick up someone and bring them to the Foundation." Devon stated as he rifled through a stack of papers sitting on his desk. "He needs to be picked up now, as he has just decided to turn state's witness. Do you remember the last case you just finished up?"
Michael groaned. "Yes, Devon. Don't tell me. You want me to get..."
Devon nodded. "Charley Simons. I know, I know, you had enough of him before." He stated with a soft sigh. "The man can't help it if he likes to talk, Michael."
"Talk? Devon that man doesn't come with an off switch. Can't you send a cab for him?" Michael made another face. "I've got Bonnie with me, Devon, and I need to bring her home."
"Michael, he needs to be picked up now. If the people he's turned against get wind that he is going to be pressing charges, it could get rather messy. I'd like to keep it as clean as possible."
Michael made one last try to get out of the assignment. "Come on, Devon. What am I supposed to do with Bonnie? I'm not going to just leave her on the side of the road and there is no place to drop her off here."
Devon smiled. "Think of it as a nice drive and a break from sitting around the mansion all the time. Just pick up Mr. Simons and bring him here."
"Yeah right." Michael grumbled, his previous good mood gone now. "Send the location to Kitt, we'll play taxi." He then pressed the buttons to disconnect the call. "Well, it looks like you aren't going home right now," he stated glumly as he turned to look at Bonnie.
"It's okay, Michael. I could use the change of scenery."
"Not once you meet Charley. You'll wish you were deaf."
"I have the coordinates, Michael," Kitt stated. "Shall I plot a course?"
"Yes, and make it the quickest one you can find." He growled. "I want to pick this guy up and have him in Devon's waiting arms as soon as possible."
Bonnie just laughed. "How bad can he be?"
Bonnie soon found out how bad Charley could be. They had made it to his location within two hours and had picked the man up. Five minutes after he had climbed into Kitt's back seat Bonnie was wishing she could open the door and jump out. The short and stocky man with slightly balding hair just didn't know when to stop talking.
It didn't matter that no one was answering him, like the proverbial Energizer bunny, he kept going, and going, and going...
"So you see," he said to no one in particular, "there I was, in the office, shifting through the papers, when I came across the ones that are going to put Mr. Hockney in trouble, BIG TIME! Oh yes sir! He's going to wish he never met me! I'm going to take those papers and..."
Bonnie had a brief flash of what he could do with his papers but didn't say so, as her mother had always taught her to be polite.
Still he didn't stop. Bonnie was beginning to wonder if he ever came up for air. "And then, I called Devon, because I knew he would want to see the papers." He patted the briefcase he was clutching. "These papers are going to free me, and give me a new life. I'm going to have a fresh new start, and a new chance to meet new people..."
Bonnie tried to ignore the chatter behind her. How much longer before they got rid of him? She glanced over to Michael who was also looking pained at the constant stream of useless prattle. He simply shrugged and mouthed, 'soon' to her.
Kitt was the one who finally broke into the man's endless chat. "Michael, I do believe we are being followed."
That shut Charley up long enough for Michael to turn around in the seat and see a white sedan tailing them. "This is not good. Kitt, how long have they been back there?"
"6.2 miles, Michael." Kitt responded.
He bit his lip. They couldn't let Charley be found, no matter how much they wanted to throw him out of the car. They needed him to break this last case wide open. Without his papers, they would have no evidence against his boss for embezzlement and theft of government funds. "Hang on, Bonnie. Things might get a little bit rough."
He floored the gas pedal as much as he dared to and they pulled away from the sedan. Still it didn't give up and continued to follow them. If anything, it speeded up as well. "Kitt, give me a visual of the area and overlay it with the most recent map."
Charley was now looking out the back window and his chattering had started up again. "Mr. Knight, I don't think you should let them get me, for with the papers I have, I could be in some serious trouble..."
Bonnie moaned and covered her eyes with one hand. She was getting a headache.
Kitt brought up the map and the visuals that were asked for. "Here you go, Michael. If you will notice there is a turn off just up the road, and you might be able to lose them if you take it and..."
Bonnie glanced out the window at the rush of trees passing by. All she wanted to do was get into a nice soft bed and rest for the remainder of the day.
"Hold on!" Michael suddenly barked and they made a very sharp right hand turn that had Bonnie grabbing at the armrest of the door. Charley was flung sideways and slid across the back seat.
The turn led them on a dirt road, loaded with brush and Bonnie could tell that it was seldom used. The terrain was as rough as any she had ever been on and even with Kitt's wonderful suspension; she was still tossed around like a rag in a clothes dryer. She was grateful for the laser restraints that held her to her seat, but she still longed for the old fashioned seatbelts that most cars had. She held on as much as she was able.
Charley in the back didn't miss a beat. "Whoa, Mr. Knight this is some road you have found. I haven't seen anything like this since I was a kid and used to take my bike and ride over dirt hills in the old empty lot behind the house. You see they were building a shopping center back then and the dirt would be piled up so high..."
Bonnie refrained from making a rude comment about the dirt; she was too busy trying to hold on to her lunch as Kitt rolled over another rocky patch of ground. Michael was also busy trying to keep control of the car and keep his passengers somewhat seated properly. He was nibbling at his lower lip as he rounded a tight bend in the road.
"Kitt, are you sure this is a road? It appears to be taking us nowhere and it's not deterring our pursuers any."
"Yes, Michael." Kitt replied indignantly. "In another mile you will connect with the main highway. As to our pursuers, well, I've found a way to stop them from following us."
Michael glanced once at Bonnie and then to the back at Charley who was still babbling on to no one in particular. He focused his attention back to the road. "And just what might that be?"
Bonnie's eyes widened as she saw what Kitt had planned. Up in front, blocking the road was a very large tree trunk. It had fallen so that the only way past it would be to climb over it. Or fly. She immediately knew what Kitt was expecting Michael to do. Her eyes closed and she began chanting a small prayer as she grabbed on to anything she could.
Michael saw the tree at the same time as Bonnie. His reaction was much different as he mentally calculated the point where he would have to press the Turbo Boost. "Next time, give me more warning, Pal." He ordered then pressed the button on the switchpod.
Kitt rose up in the air, pressing all three passengers into their seats as he literally flew over the fallen tree like a graceful cat just bounding away. The sedan that had been following them was forced to slam on its brakes and slid, stopping just short of the tree.
Kitt landed with a loud thump and a very large bump as all three people were thrown forward from the impact. Bonnie cried out at the landing, and for once, Charley was silent. Michael checked to make sure they were not being followed any more then pulled the car over to the side of the dirt road. They were far enough down the road that even if the guys in the sedan were to get out on foot they would have to walk quite a bit to reach them.
He was more worried about Bonnie, for she had leaned forward when the car had landed and still had not straightened up. He reached out one hand to touch her. "Bonnie? Are you okay?"
He heard a small cry and she finally sat up. He started to let out a relieved sigh, but upon seeing her face, he immediately got worried again. "What's wrong, Sweetheart?"
"Michael, we have a problem." All the color had left her face when Kitt had boosted into the air. The landing had an unfortunate effect on her. At the same time the wheels had touched down she had felt an enormous wetness run down her legs. At first thought she had imagined she had wet herself from the fear of the whole Turbo Boosting thing, but the amount of water that had soaked her clothing and the seat beneath her made her realize just what had happened.
She now was facing Michael's worried face. "My water broke." She moved her arms to show him her now soaked pants.
Michael looked from her soiled clothing to her face. He reacted immediately by starting the car back up. "Kitt, I need the fastest route to the nearest hospital."
Kitt plotted a course on one monitor. "Michael, the nearest hospital is over two hours away."
Michael looked in disbelief at the dashboard. "Kitt, that's almost all the way back to FLAG. Isn't there one closer?"
"No, Michael. Because we are located in the middle of nowhere, as you like to call this stretch of wilderness that you have brought us to, there are no hospitals out here." Kitt replied haughtily. "I'm a car, not an ambulance."
"Well, let's not waste any more time, let's go." Michael stepped on the pedal and pulled back out onto the dirt road.
Bonnie placed one hand on his arm as he steered the car. "It's okay, Michael. I've head that first babies can take hours to arrive."
"Let's hope so," Michael said somberly. "Let's hope this one takes its sweet time."
She nodded and relaxed back into the seat. Might as well get comfortable, she thought.
Both of them had forgotten about Charley, who was now eyeing them with wide eyes. "Is she going to have the baby here? In the car? Right now?"
"Not if I can do anything about it." Michael said and floored the pedal again. The dirt road finally connected with more familiar blacktop and he sighed. At least on the solid pavement they could travel a bit faster. He reached out a hand to touch Bonnie's shoulder. "Are you feeling any contractions yet?"
She nodded. "A bit. I think. I've never felt them before, so I'm not really sure." Her hands were resting over her stomach and rubbing it gently. "It's okay, Michael. I think we are going to be fine."
"Okay, you just rest and relax. I'll get you to the hospital in time." He gave her another gentle squeeze and then reached up to press a few of the overhead buttons. "Kitt, place a call to Dr. Hunter and have him meet us at the hospital. Advise him that Bonnie is in labor and will be arriving shortly."
"Yes, Michael." Kitt stated and immediately placed the call.
Charley had finally realized that silence was a better part of virtue. He was now sitting quietly in the back seat, clutching his briefcase and saying nothing. He had run out of things to say upon seeing Bonnie's more pressing problem.
Bonnie closed her eyes and allowed the motion of the car to soothe her. She would be fine. The baby would be fine. Everything would be fine.
Forty minutes later, she was doubting her previous assessment. Her contractions had starting coming at a more regular pace and they were getting stronger. She began to moan as each one approached.
Michael had turned control of the car over to Kitt and was now holding Bonnie's hand and helping her to breathe through them like they had been taught. He was very much worried and didn't know what to do. When he had been a police officer so many years ago, he had taken the basic first aid course but that training didn't include delivering a baby on the side of the road.
He knew Kitt was traveling as fast as he could possibly go without jostling his passengers any further and causing Bonnie any more discomfort. He wished that they had more room in the car, for he could see that the position Bonnie was in was not helping her contractions any. He didn't dare have Kitt stop the car, not even for Bonnie to slide into the back seat. He was afraid that if he got her back there, they would have trouble getting her out once they reached the hospital.
Bonnie was moaning again and clutching at her stomach. "Michael," she winced and squeezed his hand. "It hurts."
"I know, love, I know." He let her squeeze him as much as she needed to. With one hand he caressed her stomach, hoping that the motion would help her relax. "Just breathe through them, just like we practiced. Deep breath in, and count to three and let it out slowly."
She nodded and obeyed and when the contraction was over, she sagged back into the seat. Her hair was starting to get matted from sweating in the car and Michael wished he had a towel to wipe her brow off. He settled for brushing the sweaty strands from her face. "Is it over?" he asked her and she nodded again.
He sagged back into his seat, grateful for a minute to think and rest. He knew that Bonnie was running close now. This was not how he had pictured the birth going. He looked over to where she was resting and sighed. He was pretty sure this was not the way she had wanted it either. After another minute or so she moaned lightly and Michael asked, "Kitt, how far apart are the contractions?"
"Closer than you want them to be. They are four minutes and thirty seconds apart." Kitt replied. "When they reach a minute apart, that usually signifies the final stages of labor and the delivery begins."
"Wonderful," Michael muttered and reached over to take Bonnie's hand again. "How much longer until we reach the hospital?"
Kitt paused as he calculated then said softly. "Not soon enough. About another hour, Michael. I have increased speed by 10 but that is as fast as I think we can safely travel."
"Thanks, buddy." Michael wiped at Bonnie's brow again with his hand and sighed. She was moaning about being hot and he knew that it didn't have anything to do with the internal temperature of the car. He wiped his hand on his jeans and then squeezed her hand as the next contraction began. "Take a deep breath in."
Bonnie was tired of trying to breathe. She was miserable sitting up, she wanted to lie down or squat or anything else besides sit. This was making her back ache worse than she had ever felt. "Michael," she huffed his name as the contraction built. "We need," she puffed again. "To stop the car." This last bit was said as she gripped his hand in a vise-like maneuver. "This baby isn't going to wait." The sentence was groaned out as the contraction peaked and then declined. She took a few slow breaths and then nearly passed out.
"No, Bonnie, we can't stop now." Michael said gently while reaching up to take her face in his hands. "We have no supplies here, no blankets, no towels, nothing. If we stop now, and the baby is born, I don't know if it can survive." She mumbled something and Michael had to keep her focused on him. "Bonnie, listen to me, you can do this. First children take a while to come. We are gonna make it, do you hear me? Just breathe through them."
"Ok," she panted and closed her eyes to rest.
Charley was watching all this with wide-eyed wonder. Michael had almost forgotten that he was even in the car, it had become so quiet. Now he reached timidly into his pants pocket and withdrew a folded linen square which he reached forward and handed to Michael. "Here, you might want to use this to wipe her face."
Michael took the cloth handkerchief gratefully and flicked it open with a swish of his wrist. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." He said with a smile. "It's the least I can do to help."
Bonnie was moaning again and Michael couldn't believe that almost five minutes had passed since the last one. Boy time does fly when you are having fun, he thought to himself. He gripped her hand and began instructing her to breathe again.
Thirty minutes later, Bonnie was about to rip Michael into two pieces. The contractions were coming on a regular basis and they were strong. She had begun to feel the urge to bear down, but for the moment, it was easily resisted. She knew it wouldn't be long now. All she could focus on for the moment was the sharp pain that each contraction peaked into before finally leveling out and giving her a minute or two to rest.
"Michael," she panted. "I think the baby is coming now." All she wanted to do was get it out of her body and be rid of this intense pain.
Michael glanced at the dash monitor where the map was showing their route. "Hang on a bit longer, we are almost there." It was true. In another fifteen minutes they would be pulling up to the hospital doors. He wiped at her brow with the now soggy handkerchief. "Hang in there, love."
Bonnie nodded at the same time she took in another breath of air. "Oh no, not again!" One hand reached for Michael, while the other one gripped the dash so hard she was leaving nail marks in the vinyl. "Oh, god, Michael!"
"Breathe, Bonnie, come on, girl, and breathe through it." He focused his blue eyes on her face, forcing her to center on him. "Come on, focus and breathe. Don't push. Not yet."
Charley was fidgeting in the back seat, getting really nervous that a baby was going to be born in the car and somehow he thought it might be his fault. He wanted to help, but he knew that there was nothing that he could do. Just like Michael, he was helpless in this situation.
Bonnie panted and huffed and was losing her focus. It just hurt so bad, and it was like someone was trying to rip her insides out. She wanted pain meds, she wanted a soft bed, she wanted the hell out of this car. "Damn it, Michael!" she screamed. "I can't breathe anymore. It's not helping me any!" She slammed her hands at the car door. "Stop the car and let me out! I've gotta get out!"
Michael reached for her hands and held them down. He knew Kitt would not allow the door to be opened at any speed, but he didn't exactly know what Bonnie was capable of right now. "Sweetheart, we are almost there. Just a little bit longer."
"I want out! I want this baby out!" Bonnie panted as she yelled. "Not again!" The next contraction started and she began to scream. "OW!! OWW!! MICHAELLLLL!!!"
Michael himself was ready to put his fist through a window. He didn't know what else to try, as the breathing was not working anymore. He ran one hand through his curly hair and tried not to pull it out. "Bonnie, hang in there." He was relieved to see that they were entering the city now. It would be only minutes until they got to the hospital.
And those minutes passed quickly, for the next thing he knew, Kitt was pulling into the Emergency entrance. He hopped out as soon as the car stopped and ran inside to get a wheelchair and one of the on-duty nurses. He came back out less than a minute later wheeling the chair in front of him.
He opened Bonnie's door, and helped her into the chair. She was still screaming and yelling now about how she hated the pain and wanted it to just stop. Just as he was wheeling her into the entrance, he glimpsed Devon's worried face in the waiting room. With a quick nod towards Kitt, he let the other man know that Charley was still outside.
He then let the nurse lead him and Bonnie towards the elevator and up to the delivery room.
Kitt waited until everyone had taken their attention off of him and had left him alone before pulling quietly away from the Emergency entrance and finding an unoccupied parking space. Once he was settled, he used his scanner to tap into the hospital's records and find out which room Bonnie was going to be taken to. Then he tapped into the hospital's closed circuit cameras.
Bonnie had discussed this with him previously, she had told him to video tape the birth, and then if she wanted a copy of it, she could ask. If she changed her mind and wanted no one to have a copy, then she would have him delete it. At least then she wouldn't have a missed opportunity.
Kitt watched as they prepared Bonnie by stripping off her soiled clothes and putting her in a hospital gown. He also watched as they dressed Michael by putting a gown over his clothes. He had removed his jacket and was now wearing a surgical mask that dangled down untied, gloves, and the gown. He also had a hospital cap covering his brown locks. Kitt took a still picture to show Bonnie later. He was sure she would get a chuckle out of it.
Bonnie was prepped quickly and placed on the delivery bed. She had lost control of most of her reactions and was mostly yelling, and sobbing.
This bothered Kitt, for he had never seen her so out of control in his entire existence. He cared deeply about the people he worked with and seeing Bonnie so miserable was hard for him to understand. She always took care of him, had put him back together many times, almost from scratch and here she was- in the most pain possible and he could only watch.
He beeped Michael's comlink once and was relieved to get the man on the other side of the link. "What is it, Kitt?"
"I just wanted to let you know that I have the video set up, just like Bonnie planned. I'm hooked into the hospital cameras." Kitt advised his partner. "Is there anything else I can do?"
"No, Kitt. There is very little I can do at this point except wait." Michael responded with a note of worry in his voice.
"I'll be right here if you need me, Michael. Please tell Bonnie that I'm here for her as well."
"Thanks, pal. We appreciate it." Michael said as he signed off.
Now there was nothing left to do but let the video run and wait. Kitt turned off all non-essential systems and focused most of his processing power towards the video. He was going to witness the miracle of birth, the birth of a child that came from the love of the two people who meant the most to him and he wasn't going to miss a minute of it.
Bonnie was relieved when they finally had her laying down in the hospital bed. Nothing had felt more welcome to her aching back than being put up on the cold and stiff sheets. She had been prepped with an IV and was now left to labor on the bed. Michael was by her side, holding her hand and looking very worried.
She didn't have much time to concern herself with him as the doctor was now finishing up with his internal exam and smiling happily. Bonnie could feel the start of another contraction and tried to re-focus on her breathing techniques. The nurse by her side was helping her as was Michael. When the contraction peaked and then went away she was able to concentrate on what Dr. Hunter was saying.
"You are fully dilated and effaced. When you feel the urge to push, you can go right ahead and start. It seems that the car ride helped speed the labor up." He explained. "We are going to have ourselves a baby shortly."
Bonnie squeezed the hand she had been holding and her eyes swung up to meet Michael's. He looked ready to start crying, or laughing or possibly both. This was it, now or never. She felt the beginning of another contraction and with it, an urge to bear down hard. "Can I push?" she asked as she puffed out a breath of air.
"Go ahead," Dr. Hunter encouraged. "Give it all you got."
Michael helped Bonnie to sit up as she bore down as much as she was able. God that felt good! The contraction started to end and she leaned back against Michael, who was now sitting behind her on the bed for support. He was rubbing her lower back and that counter-pressure felt wonderful.
"Good job," he whispered in her ear. "You keep that up and we are going to be parents very soon," He then kissed her sweaty forehead and moved the hair away from her face.
"I love you, Michael," she managed to say just before the next contraction hit. This one was like a freight train slamming into her middle. She screwed her face up and put all her concentration into moving this baby out of her body and into the new world. Her hands were gripped tightly in Michael's as he gave her all his own strength through the connection.
"Push, Bonnie, push." He cheered her efforts on.
"The head is crowning," Dr. Hunter stated. "A few more good pushes and it will all be over with."
Bonnie felt the contraction ending and took a small breath of air. She barely had time to lay back before the next one hit her. She pulled herself up and pushed for all she was worth. "Out, out, out," she chanted as she gave in to the urges in her body.
It only took two more contractions before Dr. Hunter smiled and said loudly, "The head is out! One more solid push and your baby will be here!"
Michael and Bonnie were both watching the birth in the mirror that was hanging above the bed. He was amazed at just how wonderful this all was. His baby was being born. Another contraction started and he lifted Bonnie up a bit as she pushed with all her energy.
There was a loud splooshing sound and then a loud wail as the newborn entered the world. Bonnie sagged weakly into Michael's arms and he broke down and sobbed into her exhausted embrace. "That's our baby," he said. "Our baby."
The baby was wrapped in a blanket and placed on Bonnie's chest. "Congratulations," Dr. Hunter announced. "It's a girl."
Michael reached over and touched the top of the dark-haired infant gently. "Hello, darling. I'm your daddy." Tears were still running down his face as he greeted the new life he had helped create.
Bonnie cradled the baby to her chest. "Hello, Angel. So you're the one that's been kicking me night and day."
The nurse came and picked up the newborn. "I need to weigh her and wrap her up. I'll bring her right back."
Dr. Hunter then held up a small pair of scissors. "Mr. Knight, would you like to cut the cord?"
Michael nodded. "I'd love to." He gave Bonnie a big kiss and moved off the bed so she could rest.
The nurse helped deliver the afterbirth while Dr. Hunter tied off the umbilical cord and showed Michael where to cut. It only took a small snip and then baby was separate from mom for the first time in nine long months.
The baby was cleaned up and weighed, then a hat was put on her head. They took her footprints and put on a bracelet to match the one Bonnie was wearing. Finally they wrapped her in a blanket and brought her back to Bonnie's waiting arms.
"You can try to nurse her now," Bonnie was told. She looked at the small bundle in her arms and smiled. "Michael, she is so beautiful."
"Just like her mom." Michael said as he perched on the edge of Bonnie's bed. "Good job, Bonnie. You did great. I love you."
"I love you, Michael," Bonnie said and kissed him deeply. Then she brought the baby to her breast for the first meal.
Michael waked out of the delivery room with his surgical cap in his now ungloved hands. Devon immediately stood up and walked over to meet him. "How is she?" he asked.
"She's fine, Devon." Michael said with a grin. "It's a girl!" he proudly announced and beamed.
Devon pulled the young man into a quick hug. "Congratulations."
Michael was still overcome with joy and had to wipe the tears from his eyes. "Thanks. I'm going to get back to Bonnie. I just wanted to come out and let you know she's fine. I'll have Kitt tell you what room they put her in." Something finally filtered into his clouded mind and he frowned. "Where is Charley?"
Devon made a small motion with one hand to dismiss any worry. "Charley is fine. I had him picked up about twenty minutes ago and brought to the State Attorney's office. He is giving his whole recount of the past week as we speak."
"Better them than you, huh?" Michael was hard pressed not to smile.
"Yes, uh, well, get back to Bonnie and send her my love. I'll come back when she is fully settled in the room to meet your new daughter." Devon said and shook Michael's hand. "Take care."
"I will, Devon." He released the other man's hand and practically bounded back into the room where his new family awaited him.
Four days later Bonnie was released from the hospital and allowed to go home with the baby. Michael had installed the car seat into Kitt and had brought them home. He helped Bonnie get unpacked and even took his turn in holding little Rebecca Danielle Knight as they walked through the Foundation Mansion.
Bonnie loved to see him with the baby, there was not a more doting daddy than the one she had her eyes upon right now. He would hold his daughter carefully and safely. She couldn't help but smile at the amount of times he leaned over to kiss the small head.
Today he was carrying the baby to the main living room and placed her down in the bassinette so she could rest. Bonnie sat on the couch next to the baby and sighed. Now life was finally getting back to normal.
Michael sat beside her and hugged her. "I don't ever think I've told you just how happy you have made me. I used to think that I didn't want any children, but now I see nothing but the joy they bring. Thank you, Bonnie."
"Michael," she opened her mouth to respond but he stopped her with a single look.
"I also want to say that I was very scared about becoming a family, of loving someone so much that you want to spend eternity with them." He continued while looking deep into her eyes. "Bonnie I love you so much that I can't even bear the thought of spending the rest of my life without you and my daughter." He then produced a small box from somewhere that he had hidden nearby.
Bonnie gasped slightly as she realized just what he was about to do.
He got up from the couch and got down on one knee and took her hand in his own while opening up the box and showing her a most brilliant diamond. "Bonnie, please say you will do me the honor of becoming my wife. Will you marry me?"
Bonnie's head spun as her eyes filled with tears. She already had her baby, and her job at FLAG to make her content. But to be Michael's wife? Nothing would make her happier. She nodded as the tears slipped free. "Yes, Michael!" she nodded her head enthusiastically. "I'd love to marry you!"
He slipped the ring free from its velvet case and slid it onto her finger before entwining his hands in hers. He then pulled her towards him in a passionate kiss. "I love you, Bonnie."
The kiss was broken by the wail of a newborn who was very much awake and hungry. Bonnie released her hold on Michael. "Save that kiss for later, honey. I hear someone who wants my attention just as much as you do."
Michael chuckled as he lifted the baby up to pass her to Bonnie to nurse. Three months ago, he was miserable and now he was the happiest man on the planet. He watched as Bonnie attached the baby to her breast and began to feed her. Yes, he was the happiest man around. He had a beautiful baby, a wonderful woman who had just agreed to marry him and the world most exquisite wonder car for a partner.
He had it all, and he knew now he didn't need anything else for the rest of his life. Wilton Knight had it wrong. It wasn't that one man could make a difference, it was one woman. One special woman made all the difference in the world.
And with that thought in his mind he wrapped one arm around his family and smiled.
-The End