A/N: see ch1 for all disclaimers and please review. (I know you're reading it)

It took him half the time it normally would to reach the infirmary and as he slowed down before entering through the doors Evan wondered how bad things were going to be.

His heart pounding Evan calmly walked in and paused, gazing around the infirmary. It was full with every available space taken up by a bed or cot.

And one of those beds held Max.

"Major?"

At hearing his name Evan turned around and saw Doctor Pierce. Looking at the man, he asked the question with his eyes.

"This way." Kevin said, motioning with his finger and moving forwards. As they walked past the beds, Kevin couldn't help but wonder who'd take over the infirmary now that Carson was gone. He hoped that it would be someone from the Expedition but knew that the IOA would demand someone new.

He stopped halfway down and turned to the left, picking up a chart at the end of the bed. "She's in this one." Kevin replied, stating the obvious.

Evan looked and did a double take. She was deathly still, pale from blood loss and her right arm was in a cast. "How bad?" he managed to get out.

"She's lost a lot of blood, but we were able to patch everything up before-" Kevin cut off, his voice hitching. "She'll make it." He replied after clearing his throat.

"And what about…" Evan asked, tearing his eyes away from Max's still body to look at Pierce. He couldn't even finish the sentence, afraid that if he did then he'd jinx it. As a practical man Evan knew that it wouldn't happen, that the outcome would be the same no matter if he did or didn't; but at the moment he clung to that shred of superstition.

Kevin shifted slightly, knowing what the Major was asking and not wanting to answer it. But he had to, to let him know the risk. "First of all, I want to tell you that in all the confusion there wasn't time to find out the name of everyone we worked on. Since she's only three months along and not showing that much we didn't know until I recognized her. And given her wounds we had to put her under instead of giving her a local."

"What does that have to do with it?" Lorne asked, confused but knowing that whatever it meant it wasn't good.

"There's the chance that she'll miscarry or there'll be a premature birth. There are more risks but those are the ones you should be worried about the most. We didn't realize who Maxine was until she had been under for a while."

Evan nodded numbly, letting everything sink in. Just when he thought things couldn't get any worse they did. "Can I stay for a few?" Evan asked, his voice oddly calm given what he had just learned.

Kevin nodded, knowing that the Major needed time to process every thing. "I'll be over there if you need anything."

Evan just nodded again, eerily quite. He continued to stand at the foot of the bed even after Kevin walked away. Looking at Max he couldn't help but feel guilty; if he hadn't asked for that extra half-hour then none of this would be happening. But no, he had to think of himself and now…

With one last look at Max, he turned around and walked out of the infirmary knowing that there was nothing he could do except wait and hope.

Heading back to their quarters, Evan took off his clothes and showered; wishing that all the blood on his hands came off that easy. After drying off and getting ready for sleep, Evan found that he couldn't bring himself to sleep in their bed; it just felt too big and empty without Max there with him.

So he pulled on a pair of BDU pants and a black t-shirt along with a pair of boots and headed back to the infirmary. Walking in he was greeted with a flurry of activity and, naturally, wondered what was going on. Then he saw them roll out a bed and caught a look of who it was.

Max.

Feeling like someone just sucker-punched him, Evan stopped mid-step and tried to understand what was going on. "What's going on?" he asked, stepping to the side and they neared.

"She'd bleeding internally." Kevin replied as they passed him.

Evan had a hard time understanding that. He had been gone ten minutes, twenty at most; how could things spiral out of control that quickly? "I thought you said that she'd be alright."

"And she will; it's just that I must have missed a few the first time." Kevin could see the mix of worry and anger in Lorne's eyes and rushed to reassure him. "We know what we're dealing with this time and everything's going to go fine."

"But what about the baby?"

Kevin stopped walking and looked Evan in the eyes. "I won't lie to you; going under again will increase the risk. But now that we know about her condition we can carefully administer the anesthetic which lowers the risk, but only slightly."

Evan didn't know if he should be relieved or not. It seemed like a double-edged sword to him; don't and Max most likely dies, do and the chance of a miscarriage increases. But even if that did happen, they could try again; something that wouldn't happen if Max died.

Nodding his head Evan said, "Thanks for telling it straight."

"You needed to know." Kevin replied, slightly shrugging his shoulders. Glancing at his watch he said, "It's late and it'll most likely take a bit, I want to make sure that we don't have to go in again. Why don't get some sleep? I'll call you when it's done."

"Uh…sure." Evan replied as Kevin started down the hallway. Looking at his own watch he was startled to see that it was already ten at night; almost seven hours passing since this nightmare began. Where had the time gone?

Walking into their quarters, Evan noticed how it suddenly seemed that much larger and quieter without Max there. She always had some kind of music playing, telling Evan that she didn't like silence. Making his way into the empty room that was going to be the nursery, Evan stood in the doorway leaning against the doorframe with his arms folded.

Until today he had been looking forwards to the day when it was all decorated and there was the newest addition to the Lorne family sleeping in there. Now…he wasn't sure that it was going to happen.

He hated not being able to do anything; he was a man of action, that's why he had joined the Air Force. But here he was waiting for God know how long for everything to (hopefully) turn out all right.

Moving away from the door, he walked into their room and sat on the edge of the bed, hanging his head while letting the emotions of the day wash over him. They hadn't even had their 6 month anniversary; having gotten married after the Ancients returned and now it looked like it was over before it began.

Evan shook his head at the thought. What the hell was he thinking?

Everything was going to be fine.

Laying down in just boxers and his t-shirt, he told himself to stop being so gloomy and that everything would work itself out. Closing his eyes he tried to fight off sleep, waiting for Pierce to call him but soon his eyes closed for the last time and Evan fell fast asleep.