"Hey..." Luka said as he came out of the bedroom and saw her bundled up in a shawl on the couch. "How long have you been up?" Abby shrugged and flipped the channels on the television.

"Couldn't sleep," she said and settled back with her feet propped on the coffee table. She pulled the shawl closer around her and zoned in on the television tuned to a news program.

"I have an early meeting this morning so I am going to grab something on the way to the hospital for breakfast," he said as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Want to meet me later for lunch?" She nodded.

"I might do that," she said without looking at him. Luka frowned a little in confusion and watched her for a long moment before leaving the apartment. When he was gone, Abby let out a long breath and then pulled a stopwatch from under the shawl. She looked at it and grimaced slightly.

"'Fifteen minutes...again?" she sighed wearily.

It was much later in the day when Abby paid the cab driver and carried her bag into the ambulance bay doors.

"Jerry," she asked as she dropped the bag on the floor and leaned on the counter. "Do you have any idea where Luka is?" Luka came out of an exam room and saw her. He smiled.

"Hi," he said as he slipped the patient chart back into the file on the counter. "You're a little late for lunch but I think I can leave for a few minutes now." Abby sighed.

"We're having a baby," she said.

"I know..." Luka said with a smile.

"No...Luka...we're having a baby...now," she said. "I have been in labor since 4:30 this morning." Luka's smile faded as looked at her and then down at his watch. He looked up at her again.

"Nine hours?" he said. "Why didn't you tell me? I'll call Coburn."

"I already did," she said. "They're expecting us upstairs. I wasn't sure if it was the real thing but...oh boy...I am sure now!" She clenched her fists and drew in a deep breath. Luka grabbed her forearms across the counter and slowly counted with her until she let out her breath.

"Oh damn..." she whispered. 'My water just broke." Luka grabbed a wheel chair from the end of the counter and wheeled it around to her. He helped her into the chair and then picked up her bag.

'Jerry..." he said.

"I know, I know," the desk clerk said as he held up the phone. "Call Dr. Weaver. I'm on it." Luka nodded and headed quickly toward the elevator with the wheelchair.

"How far apart are they?" He asked as the elevator doors closed.

"About 6 minutes now, I think," Abby said. "Sometimes closer, sometimes 7 minutes apart. It's been like that for about an hour and a half. Coburn thought I should come in to be on the safe side. I thought I could get you through the entire shift before you had to leave though."

"You should have called me," Luka massaged her shoulder gently.

"I didn't want you hovering over me, Luka," she said. "I can't stand it when you hover."

The elevator doors opened and Luka pushed the chair onto the OB/GYN floor. Luka wheeled her quickly to the nursing station and spoke to a nurse. They were ushered into a nearby birthing room and Luka helped her onto the bed. He removed her sodden maternity jeans and tee shirt and handed her the hospital gown. Abby put a second gown over her shoulders like a jacket. Luka slipped her bare feet into some slippers she'd brought from home. They looked up as Dr. Coburn and a young, freckled faced nurse came in. The girl was pushing a small equipment cart.

"Abby, this is Marcie," Janet Coburn said. "She is your labor and delivery nurse." She leaned toward the girl slightly. "Learn from her," she instructed. "Abby was one of our best OB nurses till the ER stole her away. Now she walks on the wild side down there as a doctor." Marcie nodded enthusiastically.

"So...how many times have you done this?" Abby asked. Marcie looked uncertainly at Dr. Coburn and then smiled brightly.

"You're the first!" she said. Abby looked at Luka and sighed.

"We had to be at a teaching hospital?" she whispered. He chuckled and kissed her nose.

"Okay, Luka," Janet Coburn said briskly. "Out...while we get her set up here. I need to examine her."

"But I can stay. I'm a doctor," he protested.

"Maybe so," she said firmly. ""but you are a dad in here and dads need to take a break...right now." Luka frowned and cast a glance toward a very amused Abby.

"I'll be right outside," he said as he bumped into the door not wanting to take his eyes off her. Abby nodded and turned her attention to her doctor.

Luka leaned against the wall next to the birthing room door and checked his watch. He dropped his hands and tapped the wall impatiently. He sighed and watched the workings of the nurse's station in front of him. He nodded and smiled as people spoke to him. His mind was racing. He should go back to the ER to seewhen Kerrywould arrive. But he didn't want to leave Abby. He looked at his watch again. It seemed like an eternity before Marcie came to the door for him. Luka went to the bed where Abby was watching as Dr. Coburn fastened a fetal monitor band around her belly. She looked up and took his hand in her's. She squeezed it tightly and tried to smile. It was just a moment before the sound of the baby's heart beat could be heard beating steadily. Luka grinned.

'We're not as far along as we thought we were but almost there," Dr. Coburn said. "The baby is in a good position so we're going to wait a bit for her IV. It will help a lot if she is on her feet. Go for a couple of walks...you know the drill. We will let gravity do some of the work here. Are you still planning on trying this without any pain medications?" Abby nodded. Dr. Coburn shrugged in approval.

"Okay then. I'll check on you in a little while," she said and smiled as Marcie pushed the cart from the room. Abby was finally alone with Luka. They looked at one another and started to giggle.

"This is so crazy..." she sighed. "Can you believe it's really happening?" He reached over to her and held her close.

"Wanna go for a walk?" he asked. She nodded and looked at the cordless fetal monitor for a second.

"In a minute..." she said. Luka put his hand protectively on her belly and felt it grow into a hard, tight knot. Abby held her breath and gazed intently at him as he held her hands and counted for her. She let out a deep breath when the contraction was over. He took her by the elbow and helped her off the bed and slowly across the room to the door. He opened the door and they looked out into the busy corridor. Abby looked up at him and grimaced. He shook his head.

"Let's stay in here," he said. "We'll dance."

"You don't dance."

"You didn't complain on New Year's Eve."

"That was dancing?"

Luka frowned playfully and Abby looked around for a radio or cd player.

"I didn't bring any music."

Luka reached to pick up the phone and called the ER. He spoke quietly to Jerry. It was just a few minutes later that Chuny appeared with the radio they kept at the admit desk. She was grinning as she plugged the machine into the wall.

"All set," she said. "You two have the entire ER all in a dither. And everyone is upset because I won the draw to bring this up to you!" She kissed Abby's cheek and hugged Luka.

"Oh...and heads up on this one," she smiled. 'If this baby is born after midnight, Morris wins the baby pool...so step it up a notch, okay? He will never let us live it down." Luka laughed.

"Good luck!" she said and left them alone. Luka turned to the radio setting and fiddled with the knobs until he got a music station. He turned to her and bowed low in a courtly manner. Abby laughed and slipped her arms around his neck and pressed herself close to his chest. Luka wrapped his arms around her and held her. He closed his eyes and reveled in the feel of her warmth and softness...and their child in between them.

The relative peace of just being together lasted only an hour. Then the world closed in as the baby made way into their lives. The transitioning phase had been difficult for her. She had horrible back labor as well. It nearly killed him whenever she cried...but she still insisted on no pain medication. Luka was sweating as he talked her through each contraction and helped her focus on the task at hand...which meant not pushing. It was a relief to them both when she finally could.

"I don't think I can do this," Abby whimpered as she fell back against Luka's arms. "I'm too tired."

"Come on, Abby," Dr. Coburn said. "One more good push and we'll have the head."

"It's already crowning, Abby," Luka said as he tightened his grasp on her shoulders. "We're almost there. What did you say you were going to do? Pump it out?" Abby squeezed her eyes shut and tried not to laugh.

"Don't do this now, Luka...please?" she groaned with a laugh.

"It's almost over," he said softly in her ear and braced her as she sat up again and pushed. He grimaced in pain as she squeezed his hand with all her might.

"Okay...we've got the head," Dr. Coburn turned a wrinkled face in her hands and quickly suctioned out the baby's mouth and nose. Luka looked down and started to cry.

"Oh, it's got my hair!" he exclaimed and kissed Abby's hand, not taking his eyes off his child.

"What is it?" Abby asked as she panted and began to push again.

"I don't know yet," he cried...and suddenly a slippery little body was in Dr. Coburn's hands. She turned the baby over and laid her on Abby's stomach.

"It's a girl," Luka choked. He buried his face against her forehead and sobbed. "It's a girl..." Abby lifted her hand to the back of his head and reached the other down to her daughter's damp hair trying to see her. She sighed and laughed as the baby wailed. Tears rolled down her face.

"Come on, Dr. Kovac," Dr. Coburn said brightly. "Pull yourself together. Someone has to cut the cord." Luka straightened, blinked his eyes and kissed Abby's cheek. He laughed as he took in the baby's wrinkled little body. He took the surgical scissors from Dr. Coburn and cut carefully through the cord that bound his daughter to her mother. Then he took the blanket that was offered to him and wrapped the baby up gently. He lifted her and placed her in Abby's arms.

"Oh...hi, sweetheart," Abby sighed as she sniffed and kissed the baby's head. Luka chuckled and wiped the tears off her cheeks.

"I love you," he said suddenly. 'I love you so much." Luka was overwhelmed and stunned with the power of the statement he had just made. It felt so unfamiliar. Had he never said it to her before? Abby looked up at him, stunned for a moment, and nodded.

"I know..." she said tearfully. "Me too."

Luka's lips quivered and he encircled his family carefully into an embrace and held them close.

Later, Abby opened her eyes slowly and blinked trying to remember where she was. She stretched a bit and the events of the night before came flooding back. She had been so tired and so wired at the same time. When had she fallen asleep? Her eyes rested on Luka in the recliner next to her bed. He was holding the baby in his arms. He smiled at her.

"Hi," he whispered. Abby smiled softly.

"Have you put her down at all?" she asked. Luka shook his head and peeked down at his daughter's sleeping face.

"You are so going to spoil her, " Abby warned.

"Yeah..." Luka drawled with a grin. Abby noticed the splint on his little finger.

"What happened to your finger?" she asked.

"Ah...it's...uh...broken," he grinned sheepishly.

"Did I do that?" Her eyes widened and then she tried to suppress a laugh. "I'm so sorry." Luka smiled and shrugged. He shifted in the recliner.

"I have been waiting for you so we can check her out again together," he said.

Abby pushed the buttons to raise the head of her bed higher and Luka stood up. He placed the snugly wrapped bundle in her arms and Abby caught her breath as she searched the serene sleeping face of her just hours old daughter. Luka pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"She is so beautiful," Abby sighed. "Look at her hair." Abby brushed a finger across her daughter's brow and fingered the already long, feathery dark hair that covered her head. She carefully began to loosen the blanket and the baby frowned at the disturbance. She wasn't happy about losing the security of that tight blanket so she crammed her fists under her chin and drew her tiny knees up into a ball. Luka chuckled and gently rubbed one of her minuscule feet.

"Six pounds even...ten fingers...ten toes..." he said softly. "You do good work."

"We...do good work," Abby said and threaded the fingers of one of her hands through his.

"Thank you, Luka," she said, not taking her eyes off the baby.

"For what?" he asked softly.

"For helping me do this," she sighed. "I didn't really know how much I wanted this...us...until right this minute." She looked up at him and he kissed her gently. He grinned and rubbed his nose against her's. It was at that moment that Lauren Abigail Kovac decided to grab some of that attention for herself. She was hungry after all. She stretched and let out a wail to let her doting parents know exactly who was the boss in the family.