Merry Christmas Robson fans! Robbie and Laura are still my favorite TV pairing. I haven't written a story for them in over a year and was happy to have an idea for a Christmas story again. I would not have finished this story without the assistance of MHC1987 who graciously accepted my plea for an editor and proof reader. Many thanks to her! Any errors in the story are my own.
On Christmas Eve Laura stood at the window watching the rain pelt the glass. Beyond that all she could see was fog. It had been a dreary week, relentless rain, lots of bodies in the morgue, and many hours of hot work. For the first time in many years she was due to have both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off work. Two of her newest colleagues did not celebrate Christmas and had booked their hours months ago, wanting to give the others time to celebrate. Still mourning the death of Chief Superintendent Emery 'Merry' Worthy, Laura was not feeling very Christmassy. She would have preferred to work this year rather than go through the motions of holiday cheer.
"What about these?" Robbie called out from behind her where he was unboxing some Christmas decorations. Laura had not hung a single wreath, ribbon, ornament, or stocking. Wearing his reindeer glasses and colorful Christmas jumper, retired Detective Inspector Robbie Lewis was doing his best to press on.
Laura desperately searched for some sign of brightness when her wandering eyes were brought to her own driveway. She watched as a slow moving car slid off the road and came to rest at the end of their front walkway. Then came the loud screech of tyres spinning in vain on the ice. A man emerged from the vehicle and started for their front door. Laura watched as he slip-slided a few steps then resorted to crawling the rest of the way.
"Robbie, someone got his car stuck in our driveway and is now creeping up to the house. He must be either bloody stupid or desperate trying to drive in this weather." She tugged on the door to open it but the ice had sealed it shut. Robbie came and together the pair of them managed to get the door open to face a desperate and masked man.
"It's my wife! She's having a baby, our baby." He stopped for a breath of icy air and gesticulated wildly in the direction of the car. "I called the hospital to say that Jo was in labor and they warned us not to travel on these treacherous icy roads and no ambulances would come to the house. Local council has banned all travel on the roads for 12 hours. Our doctor wanted to talk us through labor and delivery. I know I wouldn't be able to do it so we started out in the car determined to get to the hospital." Another pause for air. "We only made it past 5 houses when we slid into your driveway. The car is encased in ice. The tyres won't do anything but spin. I looked at the house number and realized we slid off in front of the home of our neighborhood doctor." He looked admiringly at Laura. "You can deliver our baby, I mean please, if it wouldn't be too much trouble."
Stunned, Laura started to explain, "I'm not a..., nevermind, who told you I was a doctor?"
"We live next door to Donald the dog and his chap told us, said you were great in a crisis. Sorry, I'm Marty and my wife", he pointed toward the immobile car again, "Joanna, Jo; she's the one having the baby."
"We need to get her inside", Robbie started out the door and immediately slipped on the ice, banging into Marty.
Laura grabbed her medical bag and told them, "We should crawl on this ice so no one falls and breaks a bone." The men silently agreed and the three of them inched their way out to the car. Upon arrival Laura donned a mask and Robbie got the car door open and helped her get in to meet her patient.
"Joanna, I'm Laura Hobson."
"The doctor! I am so happy to meet you and would be grateful if you could deliver our baby."
"I'm not a…no matter, we need to get you inside."
Robbie and Marty were discussing pushing the heavily pregnant Jo up the drive. Laura stuck her head out of the car and told them she had a better idea.
The men agreed and made their way back to the house, Marty developing a swimming technique on the ice that Robbie mimicked. Once inside the house, Robbie led Marty down the cellar stairs in search of a long forgotten and very large item.
Marty stared with disbelief at the long object Robbie said they were going to use to convey Jo into the house. "Are you sure that thing is safe for all who sail on her and in icy conditions?"
Robbie, remembering many voyages with his grandson Jack, raised his eyebrows and said "I'm sure."
Robbie and Marty maneuvered the ship up the stairs from the cellar and out the front door. Back on their hands and knees they slid it down to the car. Laura, Robbie, and Marty carefully lowered Jo into Robbie's canoe. They slid the canoe with her precious cargo on the driveway to the front door and assisted Jo inside the rest of the way.
Laura considered their steep staircase and decided not to attempt moving Jo up to the second floor spare room. "Robbie, bring Osborn's Christmas present out in the front room by the window." Robbie nudged Marty along to their pile of presents and they pulled out the largest one from underneath.
They settled Jo onto Osborn's brand new giant sized dog bed. Daphne the cat always managed to take over Osborn's bed even though she had her own. This present was supposed to eliminate Osborn's lack of sleeping space. Daphne had no interest in the activity on the pet bed while the dog knew something big was happening and wanted to be part of it. Osborn crept over to the scene and lay down with his head on the new bed near Jo's feet.
While Laura asked Jo about her medical history and took vital signs assessing her condition, Marty excitedly talked about the baby. "It's, I mean he's a boy, and as he was due on Christmas Day we decided to name him Noel."
Laura set up a video conference with 3 of Oxford's most experienced obstetricians and was ready for the blessed event. Labor was progressing and Marty came to help his wife with her breathing exercises.
Robbie had made Laura a light meal and she sat down with him for a few minutes, forgoing the wine. "We are in good order. I have Mr. G and two of his colleagues on call to guide me through the actual birth. I haven't attended a birth since our grandniece Flavia was born." She took a few bites of Robbie's Christmas cannelloni. "Although that time I was merely another hand on deck, not the skipper." Robbie reached across the table and squeezed her free hand. "You'll be fine, nothing will go wrong."
"HELP!" they heard Jo shriek from the other room.
Racing to her patient, Laura had to step over the prone body of Marty. Jo, in gasps said, "Don't worry he's not dead, just passed out. He gets queasy when any medical procedures are involved. Will he be okay?"
"Robbie will sort him." The women watched as Robbie dragged Marty's body out of the way.
The next few hours were laborious. At the stroke of midnight the three consultants agreed that enough progress was made for Jo to begin pushing. Robbie propped Marty up so he could be present for the birth as Laura followed the sage advice of her colleagues. At the sight of the newborn, Marty passed out again. Laura checked the baby over before placing her tiny patient to Jo's arms.
Marty, after administrations from Robbie came to. "The baby, how is Noel? How's Jo?"
Laura stood over Marty as he lay stretched out on their sofa. "Jo is fine. And Noel is…"
Marty sprung upright, "What's the matter with Noel?"
"Calm down, Marty. Go be with your new family."
Marty knelt down on Osborn's bed next to Jo and the infant. Jo was smiling. "We won't be naming the baby Noel."
"We agreed on a Christmas name. Did you decide on something else?"
"Yes, meet Noelle". She settled their daughter in Marty's arms.
"A girl?" He looked at Laura.
"Sometimes there are mix-ups."
Osborn, still as a post, kept watch over 'his' baby.
Laura left them to spend some private family time. She sat down on the sofa and Robbie rubbed her back.
"Not exactly the Christmas we had planned eh pet?"
Tired to the bone, Laura managed a sleepy smile. "No, not as we planned. It has restored my Christmas spirit. I look forward to calls with all the family later in the day."
Marty joined them on the sofa. "My two beautiful ladies are asleep."
Robbie saw his slumped shoulders. "Why so glum, you should be on top of the world."
"With all the baby preparations and then the ice storm I never did get out to buy Jo a Christmas present." Jo had told Laura the same thing; she hadn't got a present for Marty. They sent Marty to the kitchen to have some coffee and Christmas cookies while Robbie and Laura made plans.
Later that morning Marty presented Jo with a beautiful blue silk robe and nightgown set while she gave him a state of the art camera to take photographs of their new baby.
Robbie and Laura enjoyed seeing their looks of surprise. Laura watched as her intended gift was splattered with mother's milk and baby drool while Robbie had to admit he was a bit relieved not to have to take up photography as a hobby. Perhaps he would build another canoe as the first one proved so useful.
Meanwhile Osborn had fetched a toy from his basket to offer the baby.
On Christmas morning the sun shone brightly and the air temperature rose. Miraculously by early afternoon the icy streets were a thing of the past. Marty and Jo prepared to take their Christmas baby home.
Marty brought the baby to Laura for a last cuddle before they left. "Jo and I were talking and we made a change to her name. She will be 'Laurel Noelle'. We can't thank you enough for all you've done for us in delivering our Christmas."
"It was my pleasure." Laura stroked the baby's cheek. "Thank-you Laurel Noelle for restoring my Christmas spirit."
As the new family headed out the door, Marty turned to ask one last question. "You never did say, Laura, what kind of doctor are you?"
Robbie and Laura exchanged a look and he replied, "She's a body doctor."
Marty was puzzled. "But what exactly is your specialist subject?" He peered intently at Laura.
"Corpses."
Marty held the baby tightly and hurried his ladies off to their now ice free vehicle.
Author's Note: When I first began writing Lewis fanfiction I had one baby granddaughter. Mr. Hobsonfan and I have since been blessed with 5 grandsons, the newest one born this month. With so many things to worry about we are trying to concentrate on the special moments in life and appreciating all that we have. Many wishes to all of you and your families and friends for joy, peace, and good health in the New Year.
Happy Trails. -H
