CHAPTER 28:

"Jen? Are you feeling all right?" Fiona asked. She was concerned, watching Jen walk across the room. She was sweating and looked red in the face.

"I'm fine. It's hot in here."

"Jen! It's November! It's freezing outside and you're hot? Are sure you're not in..."

"No! It's just a hot flash." Jen answered hastily, sitting down on the couch. "I'll be fine, just get me a drink of water would you?" Fiona glared at her doubtfully. She figured Jen was lying, that maybe she was having early contractions and didn't want to go to the hospital right away. Fiona poured her a cup of water and brought it over to Jen. Jen took a sip and flipped on the television. She watched blankly, not really caring what was actually on. Fiona sat on the opposite end of the couch, continuing to keep her eye on her friend. Jen watched the TV ignoring Fiona completely. Fiona continued to watch Jen for sign or anything of when she felt a contraction. She was going to time them. Fiona watched carefully for a long time before she noticed Jen took in a deep breath, and didn't let it out. Her fingers had grabbed the arm of the couch hard and she closed her eyes while the contraction happened. After Jen sighed and opened her eyes, Fiona folded her arms across her chest and cocked an eyebrow up.

"Just a hot flash?" Fiona said doubtfully. Jen glared at her. "How long have you been having them and how often?"

"About once every hour: since roughly four o'clock this morning." Jen mumbled, getting up off the couch to refill her glass.

"Well…don't you think that maybe you should get to the hospital that Dr. Little recommended?" Fiona suggested.

"I don't know, I don't think that it's that urgent I mean my water hasn't broke yet…" Jen retorted, getting up to refill her glass.

"Jen! Seriously! You don't want to be here with me when…." Fiona stopped dead as she heard something splash as it hit the floor. Fiona didn't dare turn round. "Please tell me that was the water in your cup and not your w-…"

"Oh my God….oh….no…." Jen was startled. Her water had broken.

"Oh…shit."

Luckily then, Cooper and James walked in the front door. James froze, looking between Fiona and his wife and the puddle of a clear liquid on the floor. He dropped his bags and looked at Jen.

"Is this happening?"

"Y-y-yeah…we've got to go. Now!" Jen stammered. James hurriedly escorted her outside. Before Cooper could lock his car, James told him what was happening. Things seemed to be going by in a blur and before she knew it, Jen was being wheeled in the hospital in a wheelchair. Eventually they gave her a room and admitted her.

"Ow…" Jen moaned in pain. James took her hand.

"You'll be fine."

"Yeah you're not the one having to push a baby out of her…" Jen stopped as a familiar face walked into the room. It was Dr. Little. "What are you doing here?" Jen asked in surprise.

"When one of my nurse friends called and said you had been admitted here at St. Mary's I figured you could use a familiar doctor for delivering this baby that I have been looking at on an ultrasound screen for the past six months."

"Oh so this is the doctor I haven't met." James said, standing up. He held out his hand.

"You must be her husband James, am I right?" Dr. Little replied.

"Yes, James Holt."

"Geoff Little." He replied as he shook James' hand. James stepped back and sat down beside Jen again. "All right, let's take a look shall we?"

"Oh thanks." Fiona said as Cooper gave her a chocolate bar, taking a seat next to her in the waiting area outside of Jen's room. Neither one of them wanted to go near Jen in labour so they decided to just wait outside. Fiona bit down on her chocolate bar, chewing through the soft caramel on the inside. Cooper sat next to her, doing the same in silence. Fiona took a moment to think about the man sitting next to her. She liked him, a lot. That was a fact. Whether or not he liked her back enough to commit to a relationship, well, to her, that remained a mystery.

"Okay, Jennifer, you can start pushing." Dr. Little said calmly. Jen looked at him and nodded. The pain had already begun and as she pushed, she felt nothing as painful as she had ever experienced before.

"BLOODY HELL!"

"I think the pushing has started. I can hear her out here." Cooper chuckled to Fiona.

"Yeah…glad I'm not the one holding her hand. Poor James." Fiona grinned. Cooper laughed.

"Same. Although I do have to say…"

"What?"

"I'd like to be the one to hold your hand." Cooper said with a flirty grin.

"Would you?" Fiona grinned back. Cooper reached down and took a firm hold on Fiona's hand.

"Yeah, I would. I don't know what it is about you, but…I like you and I hope you still like me even after I acted like an introverted idiot who couldn't express his feelings properly?"

"I still like you. Fact, I like you a lot. You'd have to be a real jerk for that to ever change. I can deal with your awkward people skills." Fiona replied with a grin. Cooper smiled, giving her hand a slight squeeze. Fiona turned to her right and her face was an inch away from Cooper's. She stared into his eyes and saw just how blue they really were. He stared back, smiling all the while. They slowly leaned towards the other and their lips met in a kiss. Fiona closed her eyes as she kissed him. She put her hand on the side of his face, drawing him forwards in his seat. Cooper moved his hand so that is was resting on the side of her head, her ear catching in between his fingers. He played with her hair, feeling how soft it was on his fingertips. She felt the slight stubble under her hand that had grown on Cooper's jaw. The two of them remained together in a kiss, never wanting to separate.