One week after the baby shower, Dave and Lilian walked through the small park near their house, holding hands and watching as little kids played on the swings. It was a somewhat cold night, though it was a lot warmer than what it had been lately. For the first time in two months, there was no snow on the ground.

"It's beautiful out here," Lilian commented, her gloved hand squeezing Dave's bare hand. Looking down, Lilian frowned as she asked, "Aren't you cold?"

"Nah," Dave said with a shrug, stopping suddenly. "This looks like a good spot," he commented.

Lilian giggled, shaking her head. "I still don't know how you got my fat seven month pregnant butt out in forty degree weather for a hot cocoa and cookies picnic," she told him, carefully settling down on the soft blanket he had just set down on the grass.

"Are you too cold?" Dave asked, concerned as he looked down at Lilian.

"No, I'm fine," his wife replied. "I just want some of that hot cocoa."

"Ask and ye shall receive," Dave said, opening a thermos and pouring some of the hot cocoa into a mug for her. "Wow, it really is still hot."

"That's why they call it a thermos, you big baboon," Lilian replied, shaking her head teasingly. "God. I have to explain everything to you. And here I thought I was the blonde in this relationship."

"Hey, hush. Keep it up and you won't get any cookies… and they're your favorite," Dave teased.

"You have oatmeal raisin?" Lilian asked eagerly, nearly laughing when Dave's face fell slightly.

"I thought peanut butter cookies were your favorite," he said softly, looking almost like a puppy who was about to get in trouble.

"I'm just kidding, Dave," Lilian answered, shaking her head and laughing. "I know that you know what my favorite cookie is!"

Dave shook his head. "Jeez, woman, you're gonna drive me nuts," he muttered, opening a Tupperware container and placing it between the two of them. "These are from Mom," he told her, watching with a small grin as she eagerly reached for a cookie. "When I told her about our little picnic, she insisted on making these for you."

"Mmm…" Lilian said, closing her eyes as she savored the flavor of the cookie. "Remind me to call Mom and thank her tomorrow."

Dave moved closer to Lilian, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her forehead. "Thank you for coming out with me," he said softly. "I know it's not fun for you to move around a lot, but I really appreciate you coming out."

"Hey, it beats sitting around watching reruns of Law and Order: Criminal Intent and Special Victims Unit," Lilian replied, leaning in toward him. "I love doing things like this with you. And besides, me and Sophia can always use the exercise."

"Me, too," he said softly. "Lil, about the baby's name…"

"Oh, please tell me you haven't changed your mind and want to name her Persephone now," Lilian answered, shaking her head at the idea of that particular name Dave had liked.

"No, no, Lil. I still like the name Sophia."

"Me, too."

"But we need to give her a middle name."

"Yeah, we do. And it is not going to be Maria, that's for sure," Lilian added.

"No," Dave agreed. "But what about giving her your middle name? Sophia Anne."

"Sophia Anne," Lilian repeated slowly. "I like it."

"Me, too. Plus, she'll have something in common with her mother besides her drop dead gorgeous looks."

"You are such a suck up," Lilian replied with a shake of her head, leaning up and kissing Dave gently.

"Yeah, but you still love me."

"I do. I love you."

"I love you too, Lilian. With all my heart," he added, kissing her back softly.

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Something wasn't right.

Lilian knew that the second she woke up, a cold sweat coming over her body as soon as she forced her eyes open from the fitful sleep she was having. "Dave," she mumbled hoarsely, rolling over and trying to grasp him.

Lilian regretted the action immediately, for an excruciating pain racked her lower back and abdomen. She cried out, her hand finding Dave's bicep as she gripped it.

"What the hell?" Dave asked sleepily, shooting up at the pain in his arm. He immediately forgot about his arm, his attention going to his wife. "Lil?" he asked, panic lacing his voice when he saw the pained look on her face. "What's wrong?" She didn't answer; rather, she had her eyes clenched shut, her back slightly arched. "Baby, talk to me!"

"I… I don't know, Dave," Lilian finally managed to gasp. "It hurts."

"Okay," Dave replied, now fully awake, trying to remain calm. "Just relax, okay, Sugar? I'm going to call 9-1-1." Reaching over, he grabbed the cordless phone, shaky hands dialing before he reached back to take Lilian's hand in his.

"9-1-1, what's your emergency?"

"Yes, my name is Dave Batista. I need an ambulance. My wife… she's pregnant and in a lot of pain."

"Is she in labor?"

"I… I don't know," Dave replied, wincing when another wave of pain washed over Lilian's body and she gripped his hand even tighter.

"Okay… how far along is she, Dave?"

"She's thirty-four weeks along," Dave answered numbly.

"Okay, what is your address?" the operator asked, trying to keep her voice level so she did not scare Dave even more than he already was.

Dave rattled off their address quickly, looking down at Lilian. Her face was ashen, but she managed to open her eyes slightly, scared green eyes meeting terrified brown eyes. "It's going to be okay, Sugar. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Lilian murmured, crying out when another painful spasm hit her.

"Okay, Dave, I need you to tell me this," the 9-1-1 operator interrupted calmly. "Did your wife's water break or is she vaginally bleeding?"

Dave froze at the question, his eyes darting to Lilian. "I… I don't know."

"Dave, I need you to check," the operator told him. "It's very important."

Taking a deep breath, he stood up, walking around the side of the bed. Lilian moaned when she felt him reaching for her nightgown. "It's okay, baby. I just need to see something for the nice lady on the phone, okay?" She relaxed slightly, and Dave reached down, moving the bedspread and lifting up her nightgown, nearly gasping at what he saw.

"There's… there's water on the bed… and she's bleeding. Badly."

"Okay," the operator replied, her voice still steady. "Dave, more than likely your wife is in premature labor. The ambulance is about two minutes away. I need you to unlock your door then go back to be with your wife."

"Okay," Dave said numbly, setting the phone down for a moment. "Lil, I'm going to unlock the door really quickly then I'll be right back, okay?"

Lilian nodded weakly, letting her hand drop to the bedspread when he let go. True to his word, he returned moments later, retaking her hand in his. "Dave… if I don't make it through this… I love you. I love you so much," Lilian murmured, closing her eyes.

"Lily, don't talk like that," Dave chastised tearfully. "You and Sophia are going to be just fine."

"You don't know that," Lilian replied softly, forcing her eyes open. "I-"

Her sentence was cut off when two paramedics made their way into the room. "Hello, dear," one of the paramedics, an older gentleman, greeted Lilian. "What seems to be the problem?"

Lilian opened her mouth to reply, only to scream when another pain filled contraction washed over her body. "I think she's in premature labor," Dave filled in helplessly, gripping Lilian's hand tightly.

"Okay… we're going to move you as quickly to the hospital as possible. What's your name, honey?" the other paramedic, a younger woman, asked as she examined Lilian.

"Lilian," the little blonde replied through gritted teeth.

"Okay, Lilian. We're going to take good care of you."

Lilian nodded, her eyes meeting Dave's. The terror in his eyes was enough to nearly break her heart. "I'm sorry," she murmured to Dave, tears spilling over her cheeks as the two paramedics worked carefully to place her on a backboard to get her on a stretcher.

"Lil… you have nothing to be sorry about," Dave whispered, his voice thick with tears as well. "You're going to be fine… you and Sophia."

"How do you know?" Lilian whispered, screaming hoarsely when another painful contraction hit her.

"Okay, let's move," the older paramedic instructed, the two easily carrying Lilian through the hallway, Dave following closely behind.

"I'm riding with her," Dave said firmly once she was loaded into the ambulance.

"Okay. Get in."

----------

The huge doors to the emergency room banged open, a doctor meeting Lilian, Dave, and the paramedics immediately. "What do we have?" the doctor asked briskly, taking a hold of the stretcher and leading them toward a room.

"Thirty year old female, premature labor, contractions are ten minutes apart," the younger paramedic stated quickly, helping to steer the stretcher toward a trauma room.

"Okay… Lilian," the doctor said after checking her chart. "I'm Dr. Lewis. I just want to take a look really quick, okay?"

Lilian nodded weakly, her head falling backwards as the doctor gently guided her feet into stirrups. Dave smiled encouragingly at his wife, pushing a few sweaty strands of hair back.

"Shit."

At that muttered expletive, Lilian and Dave both looked at Dr. Lewis, horrified. She ignored their looks, barking orders at the nurses in the room. "This baby isn't waiting any longer! Page Dr. Hicks, 9-1-1, and tell her to have the N.I.C.U. ready!"

"N.I.C.U.?" Lilian asked, panic rising in her chest. "But-"

"Okay, Lilian," Dr. Lewis cut her off. "I know you're scared to death, but I need you to concentrate on what you learned in childbirth classes. When you feel the next contraction, I need you to push on the count of three. Dave, I want you to hold her hands, okay?"

Lilian barely had a chance to respond before she felt a contraction coming on. "Oh, God," she yelled.

"One, two, three, push," Dr. Lewis said. "And, one, two, three, breath." Lilian let out a deep breath, tears welling in her eyes. "She's crowning! The next push should be it," Dr. Lewis told Lilian. "You're doing wonderful, Lilian. I know you're scared, but you are doing great."

"You're doing fabulous, baby," Dave added, ignoring the pain in his hands from the death grip she had on them.

Lilian opened her mouth to bite off the snarky reply about him putting her in this position in the first place, only to gasp in pain. "Okay, Lilian, one more push!" Dr. Lewis encouraged. "One, two, three, push!" Lilian let out a loud cry of frustration at this, only to have her heart nearly stop when Dr. Lewis exclaimed, "She's out!"

Then, the doctor murmured the three scariest words Lilian had ever heard in her life.

"She's not breathing."

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End Part 4.4