CHAPTER 6

It had been the longest day at work. Elizabeth looked at her watch and she had been there for 12 hours. At least, she had no reason to leave the building so the heat of midday did not bother her.

Being 8 ½ months pregnant she was now down to just having nausea most of the day. The heat and humidity of mid-August only made her feel worse.

Intel was crazy and she was concerned about several of her assets. She had a meeting that lasted hours with Dalton over concerns that two of their assets were either compromised or spies. She wanted desperately to drop them. One of them was Isabelle's and she was fighting Elizabeth hard on this issue. Juliet had gone to Israel and was getting feedback on one of Elizabeth's from a very trusted source there.

She packed up a few files to read in bed that night and headed home. It was 6:30. If she made it there in time, she could help Stevie put the horses to bed. It still was the best way for her to put her day behind her and be present with her oldest.

She pulled Henry's Jeep up the gravel driveway. Since he was home with the girls, they had switched vehicles for the summer.

Henry and the girls were just heading out to the barn. She got out of the car and waddled her way over to them.

"Hey Babe! Long day. You feeling okay?" Henry greeted her with a quick kiss.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. But, let's put the horses in for the night and then we can rest." They walked to the barn with Allie and Stevie running ahead of them.

Henry gave Elizabeth a handful of sugar cubes. "I'll do the work, you just make sure Buttercup still loves you even though you stopped riding him!"

She looked at him and smiled, "I love you!"

After they finished the horses, ate dinner and put the girls to bed, Elizabeth sunk herself into the warm, bubby bath Henry ran for her while she finished reading to Stevie.

She then got into bed. She had been quiet most of the night.

Sliding into bed beside her, Henry asked again "You okay, babe?"

"Yeah, the intel is just really weird and that worries me."

Knowing that they really couldn't talk about it, he answered, "I'm sure all of you will figure it out."

The next month went by very fast. They had spent their free time working on the nursery and buying things for the baby. Isabelle threw a small shower at work.

Elizabeth and Henry were walking into her doctor's appointment after dropping Stevie off for her first day of Kindergarten. Allie was home with Miss Janie, who had started last week and may have been the best decision they ever made as parents. The girls loved her and she kept the house neat and tidy so they could focus on the baby and their work.

It was a great appointment the baby was healthy and in position for birth but her dilation hadn't started yet. She had some Braxton Hicks pains but that was it.

They were walking out and Elizabeth turned to Henry and said, "I have the sinking feeling I am going to be pregnant for another week or so."

Her phone rang and she answered it immediately. It was Dalton. Henry was only getting her side of the conversation. "Hey Conrad, what's up? WHAT?! When? Ohhh My God. I will be right there." She held her phone in her hand. "Henry, there's been an attack in New York. Get me to the office right away."

"What do you mean an attack?" he asked raising his voice a bit.

"A plane has struck the World Trade Center. Like a big plane not a small one," she answered.

Elizabeth stayed at work for the next 24 hours, sleeping at the office. Henry had been home with the girls as classes at UVA were cancelled until the government could conduct the investigation.

He had expressed concern for Elizabeth and the baby on more than one occasion in their conversations. She brushed him off saying she was fine.

But, she could use her tradecraft on anybody but Henry. He knew she was not okay.

She woke up on a cot in her office the morning of the September 12th from labor pains. She knew exactly what they were and checked her watch. She had time to call Henry to come and get her. Henry flew out of the house after calling Janie to come to the house early. Mitch was already there with the horses so he left the girls with him. He knew he could handle them for the 20 minutes before Janie got there.

Elizabeth could barely stand up the contractions were coming fast and hard. She had called Isabelle who came running into her office and found Elizabeth doubled over.

Isabelle immediately said, "I'm getting an ambulance."

"No! I am not being carried out of here so everyone can gawk at me!" Bess commanded.

"Oh Dear God, Bess you are having a baby! If you argue, it will be right here on this floor." Isabelle shot back at her.

"Just get me to your car. I promise not to push until we are at the hospital!" Elizabeth was adamant and Isabelle knew if she argued again they would have a problem.

Helping her into the car, Isabelle scowled at her and said, "I swear to God, if your water breaks or you give birth in my car, you are buying me a brand new one." She slammed the door after getting Elizabeth in.

He was on his way to Langley when Isabelle called him on the phone. "Henry, meet us at the hospital. Her labor pains got worse." Henry could hear her grunting in the background.

They raced to the hospital. Isabelle reminding Elizabeth to breathe using her work nickname, "Bess, breathe. It will be fine."

When she spoke you could tell she was only taking short breaths. "No, this is different. Something is wrong with the baby. It was fine yesterday but something changed."

"Okay, just breathe we are almost there. I knew I should have thrown you in the ambulance." Elizabeth shot Isabelle a look at that comment.

Henry arrived just minutes after Elizabeth at the hospital. They rushed him right up to the labor and delivery department. Elizabeth was already in a room with Isabelle. He and Isabelle traded off. The doctor pulled Henry out of the room.

"Your wife is dilated but the baby's head is stuck. We need to take her to the operating room. You will need to remain here in the waiting room."

"WHAT?! I am not leaving her side," he argued.

"Dr. McCord, you need to stay here! Your wife will be in good hands," the doctor said as they wheeled Elizabeth out of the room.

Isabelle looked at the doctor and said, "I will stay with him."

Henry looked at her knowing she needed to be at the office. "What?! I will call Dalton. I can work from here while we wait."

About a half hour later and a path from Henry's pacing on the waiting room carpet, the surgeon entered the room.

Isabelle hung up her phone. "Dr. McCord, you have a beautiful baby boy and your wife is going to be fine. It will take her some time to recover. Your son is in the nursery. You can go see him. We will come and get you when Elizabeth is awake."

He reached over and hugged Isabelle. They both cried. It had been the longest two days.

Henry said to Isabelle, "It feels so hard to celebrate while so many are suffering."

She looked at him with her hand still on his arm, "It does but this is life. We take the despair with the blessings. I'm so happy Bess is okay. I was really worried there."

Henry simply said, "I know. I am going to go see my son. Thank you for being the best friend she always needs."

Isabelle answered, "It goes both ways. I will call Dalton and Juliet. Go hug your baby for me."

Henry entered the nursery and the nurse handed him his son. The bundle wrapped in a blue blanket. His eyes were a darker blue than his mother's. He squirmed a little in Henry's arms and began to cry.

"Oh bud, you have to wait a little longer but Mommy will be here soon," he spoke to him through tears. Henry couldn't that his heart could completely break one day and the next be healed.

The nurse came over and put her hand on his shoulder. "He's beautiful. Your wife is awake and is ready for both of you."

She raised her head and slowly opened her eyes to see the greatest things she has ever seen in her life.

"That never gets old," she smiled as she looked at Henry holding their infant child. There was just something about him holding a baby that made her heart burst into a million little hearts.

He smiled and walked over to her. "You did amazing again, Babe. What do you want to name him?"

Her eyes went wide and she scooted her self up on the bed. "WHAT?! He's a boy."

"A beautiful boy" he answered quietly as he laid the sleeping baby in his mother's arms.

She stared at him and said, "I'm a boy Mom!"

Henry leaned over and kissed her gently. "I love you, babe!"

"I love you too," she answered not looking away from her.

They both stared down at their son. Henry wrapped his arm under Elizabeth's surrounding their youngest child with all the love the world could provide in that moment.

"If you wan to name him Benjamin, you can." Henry whispered to her.

She looked at him and smiled. "No, I was looking at names last night. Jason means healer. From the miscarriage, to losing Sammie and now yesterday's attacks, Henry, he was sent to heal us. Let's call him Jason."