A.N. - Not going to blab too much this time, just enjoy! Thanks for the reviews, keep 'em coming!

Disclaimer - Here's me, not owning The O.C. (Hey, that rhymed!)

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A nurse rolled silently into the room, wheeling an ultrasound machine behind her and plugged it's complication of wires into that of a more complicated system. She fussed with the tangle of cables for a few moments more and turned to Summer who was constantly wriggling to try and find comfort in the hospital bed.

Seth was beside her, on a cushioned chair, with his hand making long strokes over belly. Summer focused on her breathing but couldn't conceal the looks of discomfort on her face.

The nurse helped her to re-arrange the pillows and tried to relax her. She had already had blood taken and that was bad enough.

"A doctor will be in to check on you soon. Just try to take long breaths until then."

"Excuse me…Nurse," For the first time since their arrival, Summer removed the hand that had protected her baby and held it out.

"Alman." She smiled, "Zana."

Summer gave Seth a worried glance, which he acknowledged with the squeeze of a clammy hand.

"There's nothing wrong, is there?"

Nurse Alman just fell back on a saying that was becoming a cliché. "The doctor will be in shortly. You'll know more then." And with a sympathetic glance, nodded and went away about some other business.

Summer felt the tears well up in her eyes, tried to hold them back. She had done enough crying today. She needed to be strong for the baby, for Seth and for herself.

"If this is my fault…."

"Shhhh baby, it's not." Seth stroked her hair and belly at the same time.

"No. Let me say it." She said firmly, drew his head up so they were looking eye to eye. "If there was anything I could have done, if it was something I was doing, or wasn't doing that caused this. I'll never forgive myself." She let the tears fall silently down her cheeks and the way they caught in the light made Seth think she was even more beautiful. Not just his girl anymore, the mother of his child.

Summer didn't really notice the tears but Seth wiped them from her face with his thumb and stretched to lay a kiss on her stomach. On her cheek. Then on her lips and whispered while he did so, "Everything's going to be ok. Just have faith."

"But what if it's not enough? What if something happens? Now, or later."

"Then we'll face it together. We're stronger together."

She lay her head on top of his and fell instantly into sleep, the tension in her stomach bundling up in a fierce wave and then dissipating peacefully into dreams.

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Wherever her dreams took her, it was a calm place for she awoke with a smile on her lips and she felt like more of her old self. Summer Roberts could handle anything that came her way. And she was going to.

The doctor appeared almost silently into the room, the brisk opening of the door causing Seth and Summer both to jolt. Doctor Owens was a tall, feminine woman, with wheat coloured hair twisted loosely at the nape of her neck and strong blue eyes that locked immediately onto Summer's own nervous ones. A warm smile was directed to no-one in particular. She looked through a flip chart and made some quick notes.

"Lets see….Ms Roberts, yes I have your results here but I'm going to take another look to double check, ok?"

Summer nodded and shifted up in the bed so she could straighten her back.

"Would you like some privacy or…." She glanced at Seth who looked awkwardly at Summer.

"No, it's alright, he can stay."

"Right, this should just take a moment, then I'll do the ultrasound."

Dr Owens worked quickly and efficiently, Summer noted. She applied pressure in certain areas of her belly and asked her how things felt but otherwise the exam was over soon. Then the ice cold gel was being applied again and the monitor of the ultrasound appeared with a little fuzzy grey blur. A little arm moved upwards and disappeared.

"See," Dr Owens pointed to the movement. "He seems just fine, quite an active little guy."

Summer and Seth shared a grin. "Don't I know. He's been practicing synchronized swimming or gymnastics for the past few months! It always feels strange to know that there's a little person in there, flailing about." Summer passed a look to her stomach, with what one might call fear.

After a few more 'ooooh's' and 'ahhhh's,' the machine was switched off and the doctor was making more notes in her chart.

"Well, it seems you have a healthy baby in there. A lot of movement is natural and it can mean when the time comes for him to come out, he'll be able to turn into the exit position easily. Especially after all that practice. Unless you're thinking about a C-section?"

"No, no. I thought about that but I wanted to be able to be there with him every step of the way."

"That's perfectly fine. Now about your contractions."

Summer gripped Seth's hand harder and he had to bite his tongue to focus the pain elsewhere. She did have a vice grip.

"They were what you call false labour. I'm sure you've heard of it. Braxton-Hicks."

"Oh thank god!" Cried Summer, wrapping her arms around Seth's neck and burying deep. "I thought it was serious and that's why you put it off to the end and, god, our baby's fine Cohen. You were right."

"I told you it would be Sum." He pressed a kiss to her forehead while she let out an exaggerated sigh. "Is there anything I can do to stop them happening again?"

"They can occur from time to time in a lot of pregnancies. Most women find that gentle exercise, like just walking, or drinking water can ease the pain."

"So did I just make a big deal out of nothing?" Summer asked.

"No. You were right to come in. A lot of people assume they're in false labour because they aren't at the last stages of pregnancy, and they can be in premature labour. With Braxton-Hicks, contractions don't get closer together and stop becoming increasingly painful after a while. If you ever have the slightest of doubt again, don't hesitate in coming back, especially that you're in your last trimester."

"Thanks. Thank you so much doctor, you've been great." Summer smiled so much, her jaws ached.

"No, you've been great. I spoke with Dr James before I came in and she has to be in Denver for a few months. Family emergency. So I'll be stepping in as your labour doctor and OBGYN. So any of your pregnancy related queries can be directed at me now ."

"That's great. Thanks again."

"Your welcome. If all goes well I'll see you again when you're going to be a Mom!" And she left the room, with a beaming smile sent backwards.

Seth and Summer embraced furiously and kissed each other feverishly.

"When you're going to be a Mom." Seth repeated.

"I know, it's all so surreal."

"Yeah, and it's beautiful Sum. I'm gonna go call my parents."

"Ok, hurry up."

As he was leaving the room, he stop and glanced back at Summer

"I love you." And he left her with a glow on her face and warmth in her heart.

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It was late. Going on midnight when Seth and Summer arrived back at the Cohen's. The lights were still on in the house and the moment they closed the door behind them, Kirsten was racing towards them, her clothes and hair still perfect for the time of night. Before Summer could even register her appearance, she was drawn into an embrace.

Seth had managed to convince his parents to go home, with the promise he'd call immediately if anything was wrong. He knew Summer would need to be alone with him when dealing with the prospect that something was wrong in her pregnancy. But everything was okay, and they were home.

Kirsten's hands circled Summer's back and then she rested them on her bulging stomach, looking at her with nervous anticipation. Tears threatened to fall but just remained glimmering in her eyes and softening her face. Summer placed her hand's atop Kirsten's and let a few more seconds pass by.

"Everything's fine. Everything's perfect." Summer smiled and let herself be held again. Seth placed a protective hand to the small of her back and planted a soothing kiss in her hair.

Kirsten walked to her son and cried into his shoulder, smiling and laughing as she did so. Sandy came behind her and pulled her into him.

"Well?" he beamed at Summer, "What exactly was wrong?"

She had one hand in Seth's and the other on her mid-section.

"Braxton-Hicks. Thank god it was nothing more."

"So everything's as it should be?"

"Better. We got another ultrasound." Seth re-adjusted their positions so he was behind her, with his hands on her belly and hers on top of his.

"We have a healthy baby." he finished for her. "And I have a beautiful fiancée, who I want to be with for the rest of my life. And parents I love. I'm grateful for every day. So, yes. Everything's as it should be. But better."

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So thank you all for reading. Just some of my usual fluffy stuff there. But I love it!

I'll try and update again soon, so please, please, please leave a review!

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