A Day of Peace And Quiet

Elizabeth leaned back and sighed. She glanced up at the sky and watched as the clouds drifted by.

"What about Rebecca?"

Rodney considered this for a moment and then said the name out loud.

"Rebecca. Well, I like it better than Rosalyn, Renee, Rita, or Rose."

"What about Rosanna?"

He smirked.

"And Rosanna."

Rodney shifted a little, getting in a more comfortable position.

"I like Rebecca a lot, actually. What about a middle name?"

"Rebecca Ann McKay."

He smiled.

"That's nice."

Elizabeth sucked in a quick breath and rubbed her stomach. Rodney covered her hand.

"Beth, are you okay?"

She lifted her head and gave him a small smile.

"I'm fine. The baby's been active since last night. Her kicks are getting stronger."

Rodney frowned.

"Would you like to go home and rest?"

"I'm resting now. Besides, the view is magnificent and we have a whole half bottle of sparkling grape juice to finish."

John could hear singing. He opened his eyes and glanced at the baby sleeping on his chest. Gently, he rubbed Jared's back and turned to the sound of Teyla's voice. She sat in a rocking chair breastfeeding John, or Jay as they called him. She looked up, meeting his gaze, and smiled.

"How long have we been out?"

She lifted the baby to her shoulder and burped him.

"You slept for an hour."

John rose from the bed and placed the baby in his bassinet. He watched as Teyla did the same. Reaching out, he pulled her into his arms and rested his chin on her head. For a few moments they simply held each other. They both glanced up as the lights flickered on and off and then suddenly stopped. John glanced at Teyla, who smiled. He shook his head.

"No. Today is my day off. I specifically requested it off so that we could spend some time together."

His communicator beeped. Teyla tilted her head and smirked. John sighed as he walked over to the nightstand and slipped on the ear piece.

"This is Sheppard."

"There, all set."

Rodney picked up the picnic basket and reached for Elizabeth's hand.

"You're suddenly very quiet."

She placed her hand on her stomach and frowned.

"I think we should stop by the infirmary."

Rodney froze.

"What? Why?"

"I think I'm in labor."

His eyes grew wide.

"But you're not due for another two weeks!"

"I know that Rodney, but the contractions are getting stronger and closer together."

"Contractions! I thought you said that it was just the baby kicking!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I've never done this before so excuse me if I get my signals crossed! Now can we go or would you like to have the baby right here?"

She stormed off not waiting for his reply; Rodney followed. Halfway down the corridor the lights began to flicker on and off and the suddenly stopped. Finally reaching the end of the hall, Rodney waved his hand in front of the sensor. When nothing happened, he manually entered the security code.

"No, no, no."

Rodney sighed trying to control his panic.

"What's wrong?"

"There's no power."

"What?"

He gestured to the ceiling.

"The flickering lights. There must have been some kind of power surge and now the transporters are down."

Elizabeth activated her ear piece.

"Control, this is Dr. McKay, please report."

"Elizabeth, this is John. It appears as if one of the conduits overloaded causing a power surge. Radek says the transporters on the upper levels are down and that it will take a few hours to fix them. We've had a few reports of minor injuries, but other than that we're fine."

"Uh, John."

"Yes Rodney."

"We've got a bit of a situation here."

John frowned.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"Well, first off we're in the northwest tower."

He sighed.

"And?"

"And Elizabeth is in labor."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"I'm sending a medical team, by foot they'll be there in an hour and forty-five minutes, two hours tops."

"That's nice, but I'm not sure we have that much time."

"Why is that?"

"Her water just broke!"

"Rodney calm down, just relax. Everything will be okay. Or you with me? Rodney?" "I'm with you."

"Good, now just hold tight. Carson, this is John."

"Sir."

He turned to the Sgt at the console.

"Dr. Beckett left for the mainland this morning."

John sighed.

"I need you to contact the infirmary, have them send a medical team to the Jumper bay and a doctor to the large conference room. Also radio the mainland and brief Carson of our situation. And someone page General Sheppard. I'll be in the conference room."

Sgt Woods nodded.

"Yes sir."

John turned and headed down the stairs.

"Lorne, this is Sheppard."

"Go ahead sir."

"I need a Jumper prepped and ready to take a medical team to the northwest tower immediately. It appears that Elizabeth has decided to go into labor while the transporters are down."

"Copy that sir, Lorne out."

John sat at the conference table.

"Zelenka, this is Sheppard."

"Go ahead Colonel."

"We've got an emergency. The McKays are in the northwest tower and Elizabeth has gone into labor. I need those transporters back up ten minutes ago."

"I'll see what I can do, Zelenka out."

"Sir."

He glanced at the door. Dr. Beckett has an ETA of fifteen minutes. General Sheppard and Colonel Rico are with him."

"Thank you."

Sgt Woods left, just as Dr. King walked into the room.

Elizabeth tensed as next contraction began to build. She rested her head against the wall and squeezed Rodney's hand.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!"

When she finally let go, he clenched and unclenched his hand trying to bring back the circulation. He looked at the pain etched on her face and sighed. Rodney reached inside the picnic basket for a cloth napkin. He dampened it with cool water and held it to Elizabeth's forehead.

"Are you okay Beth?"

She shook her head.

"The baby's dropped, I can feel it. Soon, I'll need to push."

"No, no pushing. John's sending a medical team. They'll be here as quick as a snap. Then you can push, okay?"

"John."

"Yes Rodney?"

"Beth says she's going to have to push soon!"

John frowned.

"Push? Okay Rodney, take a deep breath and try to calm down."

"Calm? Calm? I'm trapped in a tower hours away from help and my wife has gone into premature labor and you want me to stay calm? I'm a doctor of science, not medicine. I don't know anything about delivering babies!"

"Shut up McKay! Like you said that's your wife and child up there and they need your help, but you can't do that unless you clam down. Think about Elizabeth, she's probably a little scared right now. She's depending on you to see them through this, so keep it together."

He could hear Rodney take a deep breath.

"Good. Now, Carson is on his way back from the mainland, a medical team is being flown to the north tower, but it will still take about forty-five minutes for them to reach you and Dr. King is hear to talk you through this just in case the team can't reach you in time. Dr. King?"

While Rodney and the doctor discussed the supplies on hand, John ran a hand through his hair and sighed.

"I see Rodney is being his usual lovely self."

John glanced up to see Carson, Rico, and John Sr. enter the conference room.

"Where the hell have you guys been?"

Elizabeth was getting tired. The pain of each contraction was slowly sapping all of her strength. She knew that the delivery would start with the next contraction. Rolling her head to the side, she watched Rodney lining up items along the side of the blanket. Elizabeth smiled. She knew he was terrified, as she was, but he was trying.

"I love you Rodney."

He glanced up in surprise.

"I love you too Beth."

He brushed her damp hair from her forehead and kissed her brow.

"We have all of the supplies we need. So whenever you're ready, just let me know."

She grabbed his hand as the contraction started.

"Rodney!"

His smile faltered.

"Dr. King!"

"Rodney it's Carson."

"Carson, she's pushing!"

"She's having a contraction?"

"Yes!"

"Good Rodney, get ready to catch the baby's head."

"Okay I can see…..Oh my-!"

"Rodney, stay calm."

"But there's-!"

"Do you see the crown?"

"Crown? What crown?"

"Of the head, Rodney!"

"Yes, I the….WHOA!"

"What?"

Rodney swallowed.

"I have the head."

"Tell Elizabeth to stop pushing, she need to what for another contraction."

"She stopped."

"How is she doing?"

Rodney was breathing heavily.

"She's good."

"Good. For now you can clean the baby's airways, but be ready for that next push. Once the shoulders are free you can ease the baby out the rest of the way, okay?"

"Kay."

"Rodney it's coming."

"Carson it's coming."

Elizabeth's body shook with the strain. After this push she wasn't sure if she would be able to continue. Suddenly the pressure and pain were gone.

"I've got her."

She jerked when the baby suddenly wailed. Feeling something warm on her chest, Elizabeth looked down and smiled at her daughter. Rodney wrapped an arm around her shoulder and kissed her.

"You did it sweetheart."

"Rodney, is everything alright? Rodney?"

"Yes Carson we're fine, all three of us."

Carson turned to the other men in the room and smiled.

"Congratulations, you did an outstanding job."

John activated his ear piece.

"Zelenka, this is Sheppard. The emergency is over, but we still need those transporters. What's there ETIC?"

"They'll be up in another twenty to twenty-five minutes Colonel."

"Copy, Sheppard out."

Carson sighed.

"I guess I'll go make sure that the infirmary is prepped for our new arrivals. I'll see you guys later."

"Thanks Car-."

"Colonel Sheppard, this is Lorne."

"Go ahead Major."

"Sir, we've reached the McKays. I'm being told that mother and child are both fine. We're heading back now."

"Copy that."

He turned to Carson.

"The medical team has reached them, they should be back in an hour."

Carson turned to the door and found it blocked by Sgt Woods.

"Sir."

The sergeant glanced from John to his father.

"Sirs, the Daedalus is in orbit and requesting permission to land."

John glanced at his father, eyebrows raised.

"She's beautiful Elizabeth."

Col. Caldwell, Rico, John, his father, and Carson all smiled at the mother and child.

"Thank you."

Rico glanced across the infirmary bed at Rodney and shook his head. Rodney frowned.

"What?"

"Who would have thought that you would be the hero of the day?"

McKay smiled, so did John.

"I'm just glad you didn't faint with all that mucus and blood and then cutting the umbilical cord-. Rodney!"

"Tey, I'm back."

John sat on the sofa and let out a long sigh. He'd actually been gone for only three hours, but it felt more like thirty. Teyla came from the bedroom. She leaned over the sofa and kissed him.

"How did it go?"

He waited until she was cuddled by his side before answering.

"Hhhmm? Let me see. The transporters are back up, the Daedalus has returned, and Elizabeth had her baby."

She smiled.

"Yes I know, isn't that wonderful?"

John frowned.

"You know?"

"Yes, I ran into Rico at the mess hall."

"Well, mother and child are doing fine and Rodney is recovering from a head injury."

"Rodney was injured? How did that happen?"

"It was after the Daedalus beamed everyone into the infirmary; one minute we were just sitting around talking and the next he was on the floor."

Teyla laughed. "Poor Rodney, after all of that he fainted."

John wrapped his arm around her and smiled.

"No, today he passed out."