A/N: My dear muse, Perdita hasn't wandered off, so I have another chapter. I know there are a bunch of you out there reading. Please review too. Thanks.


Tess slowly opened her eyes. She blinked a few times trying to get her bearings. The room was not as bright. The crew was gone, Don was gone, the baby was gone. The bed had both rails up and blankets padding both rails. Tess realized she was out of the operating room and in a recovery area.

"Welcome back, Mrs. Flack. How are you feeling?" Yet another nurse smiled down at her.

"Cold?"

"Completely understandable. I'll get you another blanket." Tess felt a very warm blanket being tucked around her. "Better?" Tess nodded. "You'll be here a few more minutes and then we'll take ya back to your room. Yer baby will be there a little while after you. He's in the nursery right now getting his first set of vitals taken and a few other tests." Tess just nodded again and closed her eyes.

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Tess opened her eyes again as she was being wheeled down the hall in a bed. The transporters pushed her up next to a bed with a view out the window. The other bed in the room was empty. Tess felt relieved. She didn't really want a roommate right now. They dropped the side of the bed.

"Hiya, Mrs. Flack. I'm Linda. I'm your nurse until 7pm. We need to get ya into yer bed now. Can ya scoot over or do you need some help?"

Tess concentrated hard, wrinkles etched into her forehead. She shook her head. "I can't get my legs to move."

"That's quite alright. A spinal block will do that to a body." She nodded at the transporter. "We'll get ya all settled." The nurse and the transporter carefully slid Tess from one bed to the other. Linda raised the rail as the transporter wheeled the other bed out of the room. She turned back to Tess. "Now, are you hungry?"

"Yes. Actually pretty hungry."

Linda smiled. "Well, the good news is that I can order ya something ta eat. Bad news is yer on clear liquids until the doctor clears you."

"Clear liquids?" Tess looked crestfallen. Don walked in. He took one look at Tess and panic bloomed inside him. He looked for the baby.

"Everything OK?"

Tess saw his face and gave him a reassuring smile. "Everything is fine. Except that I'm on a liquid diet." Linda nodded at her and headed out.

"Oh, is that all."

Tess rolled her eyes. "Is that all? That sucks." Don chuckled. "Thanks for the sympathy. Don't forget I just got cut open and had your kid extracted."

Don sat down. "I'm sorry." He picked up her hand. "I shouldn't laugh. I know how much this sucks. I've been there." He squeezed her hand. "I promise as soon as you can have real food, I'll bring you the biggest plate of chicken paprikash."

Tess smiled slightly. "It won't be as good as mine." She saw movement in the doorway and grinned as a nurse wheeled a bassinet into the room. She squeezed Don's hand hard. "Look who's back to join us."

"Yes. Somebody wants to see his mommy," smiled the nurse. "I'm Emily. I'm your son's nurse until 7pm."

Don huffed. "Our son has his own nurse."

Emily laughed. "Not a private nurse. I've got a couple of other babies to keep track of. When your little guy goes to the nursery or has to go in for a check, I'll be the one to take him."

"Until 7pm."

"Right. Then he will get a new nurse. So does he have a name?"

Tess and Don looked at each other. Don smiled at the nurse, eyes twinkling. "Well, we're still negotiating that one."

She smiled back. "You've still got time before the papers need to be filed." She carefully picked up the baby. "Are you ready to try nursing, Mrs. Flack?"

Tess colored slightly. "I..."

"I'll only bug you about it this first time. Just in case you need some help getting him to latch on." Emily passed Tess her son. Don moved toward the door.

"I'll..ah..be..."

Emily looked at him and raised and eyebrow. "You scared of seeing your wife's breast? Gonna run every time she feeds the baby?" Don stood there with his mouth hanging open. She turned back to Tess and worked on getting the baby to nurse. When all was settled she smiled. "I'll leave you guys alone." She left the room.

Don settled back into the chair. He watched Tess and the baby. Tess met his eyes and smiled. She brushed her fingers over the baby's head. Don grinned and shook his head.

"What?"

"Yer beautiful, ya know that?"

Tess laughed. The baby squirmed slightly and Tess shifted him a little. "Shhh. Sorry. Your daddy's just a little crazy. But you'll learn that soon enough." She smiled at Don. "So about his name. What do you think about Edmund?"

Don looked at the baby. His brows creased. "I dunno. He doesn't look much like an Eddie. How about Michael?"

Tess thought a bit. "Michael Flack isn't so bad. Mike Flack. Mikey Flack." She looked down at the baby. "I like Curtis."

Don guffawed. "I'll bet you do, but if ya think yer naming my kid after a Detroit Tiger..."

"It was just a suggestion," grinned Tess. "Gordon?"

"Now, yer just being silly. Ya think a Red Wing is a better choice? No, not Gordie either. What do ya think of James?"

Tess didn't answer. She shifted the baby and pulled her gown back up. She looked down at him, tracing her fingers over his cheek. "James Flack. Jimmy Flack." The baby opened his eyes. "Look he knows his name already." Don leaned in so his head touched Tess'. "James Donald Flack. We can call him J.D."

Don shook his head. "We said we wouldn't name him after me. James Daniel Flack."

"You're gonna give Danny a swelled head."

"Oh, I'm sure we can cut him back down to size."

"James Daniel Flack it is then."

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