This story is almost over (two more chapters after this), so I've started a new one about Joe until I can figure out where to take Katelyn and Joe next (after the new book comes out). The story is called Sniper, so please read and review!

39.

*Katelyn*

"I still have to see him."

"I figured you'd say that," Zach said. "Just don't go in with false hope, okay?"

I nodded. "I need to see him, Zach."

Zach nodded and headed for the door, opening it and gesturing for me to go first. We walked to the car as quickly as my pregnant body would allow and then Zach got in the driver's side to take us to the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women.

"Do I need to start thinking of a cover story?" I asked.

"No," he answered. "Ms. Morgan knows."

"You told her?"

"Yes."

That seemed easier somehow. The truth. "Okay; good. So, can you tell me what happened?"

"Some," Zach said. "I have no idea what went on while they had him captured."

I nodded. "The parts you do know, then."

He took a breath and began to tell me about his trip with Cammie into "the tombs". I listened patiently, only interrupting when I had a question that I didn't think could wait. Finally, he finished his tale and I breathed in twice. "So he was fighting hard."

Zach nodded. "I've never known him to fight softly."

I managed a small smile. "That's true. So true."

"And you were okay the whole time I was gone? No complications?"

I shook my head. "Just a lot of boring hours waiting for news."

He nodded. "I'm sorry that the news you finally got isn't what you deserve."

"He's alive," I whispered, looking out the window at the night sky, lit up with stars. "That's enough."

"If it helps," Zach said timidly. "He's not brain dead. The doctors say that's really good."

"Thanks," I told him. "That does help a little bit." It meant that there was now an actual fighting chance that Joe would wake up. He had to wake up. He just had to.

For the rest of the drive, we were totally silent. I figured that he was probably thinking about Cammie and I was plenty busy thinking about Joe. I picked through all of my memories of him, trying to keep a happy and positive image of him. I saw him on our wedding day, and saw him slide the ring onto my finger. "With this ring, I thee wed." And I had said those same words as I put a ring onto his finger. And we had danced that night in Paris…

"We're here," Zach said, stopping at the guard station to talk to a guard for a few seconds. We were waved through and Zach drove right up to the front door, where Rachel Morgan, my old headmistress, was waiting.

She smiled at me when I stepped out of the car. "It's good to see you again, Katelyn."

"Thank you," I replied as years and years of Culture training kicked into gear. "You as well."

"I'm sorry that it couldn't be under better circumstances," she said and gave me a sad smile. It was then that I remembered that she knew what it was like to lose a husband. She'd been through that. With Joe's best friend.

"I agree," I said.

"Come on inside," she insisted. "It's chilly out here and that's not good for the baby."

I followed her into the mansion and Zach was close behind both of us. As we walked, Rachel said, "I'm sure Zach already told you that he explained everything to me."

I nodded. "Yes; he told me that he did."

"I think it's great," she said. "You and Joe, I mean. He deserves someone to make him happy. He's always seemed broken somewhere deep down inside. I'm glad that someone was finally able to help fix him."

"He fixed me, too," I whispered softly.

We reached the doors to the infirmary then and just as we were about to enter, Abby Cameron came out, her eyes rimmed in red. She looked at me and reached out to touch my shoulder. "You're his wife."

"Yeah," I nodded, wondering if she felt guilty for kissing him earlier in the year.

She gave me a watery smile. "I'm so sorry. He didn't deserve this."

"He's not dead," I snapped.

"I know," she said quickly. "Just… He didn't deserve any of this."

"I know," I replied, my voice breaking.

She headed off down the hall and Rachel gestured for the doors. "Do you want to be alone?"

"That'd be nice," I said.

She nodded and Zach put a hand on my shoulder from behind. "I'll be right here."

I covered his hand with my own. "Thank you."

"Take your time," Rachel said.

I gave her a smile before entering the infirmary. The far bed on the right was the only one that was occupied, so that's where I headed at a slow walk, my hand son my stomach in that nervous habit that they had. In fact, my stomach was actually beginning to cramp and I felt a little nauseous. Stress probably wasn't doing a lot of favors to the baby.

Some parts of his body were wrapped securely, and he looked as if he still had ash on some parts of him. One of his eyes was swollen shut and the other was shut because of his unconscious state. His hair was more disheveled than ever and he looked so…broken.

Joe.

And then I felt an almost unmanageable pain in my stomach and I cried out.

"Katelyn!" Zach shouted as he came running into the infirmary, Rachel Morgan close behind him. I clutched at my stomach as I sank slowly to the ground, trying to grit my teeth and fight off the pain.

What's going on?

"Oh," I heard Rachel say. "Zach, she's having the baby. I'll get her into the bed; you go and get a doctor."

The baby.

My baby.

"Breathe," Rachel told me. "I'm going to help you."

And she did. She helped me into the bed and she helped me change into a gown. Another pain hit and tears rolled down my cheeks. Rachel held my hand as I squeezed hers to death and she said, "I'll stay here with you."

And then, the doctor came, slipping on a mask. "Let's deliver a baby."

My baby.