Chapter 67

"So, what was her name going to be if she was a boy?" Mac asked.

Thinking quickly he said the first thing that popped into his head, "Well, we were going to name a boy Matthew after your uncle."

"And middle name?" she grinned thinking her Uncle Matt would have been so honored.

"Um…Robert! After Bud and Harriett because they mean so much to both of us."

"Oh that is perfect!" She smiled up at him and taking his hand to bring it to her cheek she whispered, "The next one will be a boy, I promise."

"Next one?" AJ questioned.

"Yes," she hesitated, "You do want more than one, don't you? Or is it I just don't remember?"

"Of course! As many as you want, Sarah."

"Have we had any visitors while I was sleeping?" she smiled up at him.

"Visitors?"

"Yes," Mac giggled, "Like Bud and Harriett, or Harm, or anyone else from the office?"

"Oh! That would be a little difficult since we are not home," he explained.

"AJ, I know we aren't at home but hospitals have visiting hours."

"No, I mean we are not in Virginia, we're in Florida."

"We moved?"

"No, we were here on…vacation. We weren't expecting you to have the baby till we got home."

"Oh! When can we go home?"

"As soon as the doctor says you and Angela are ready."

When Mac had fallen asleep again AJ stopped by Skaggs' office to confirm his fear of what not leaving the hospital with Angela could do to Mac. After that, he knew he had to find a way for them to keep the baby.

Knowing that if they were to keep the baby, they would have to be married, his next stop was the Navy Chaplain on the base. The man looked at AJ with a measure of disbelief that he found hard to overcome. Finally it was AJ's sincerity and profession of love for Sarah that convinced the Chaplain he was for real.

"We will have to find a way to word this so she doesn't suspect that it is a marriage ceremony."

"What do you have to have to make it official?" AJ asked.

"I need her to acknowledge that she wants to be your wife and you her husband."

"That's something I want more than…"

He was interrupted, when the Chaplain said, "You aren't the problem, Sir."

After another few minutes of figuring, they came up with an equitable plan. The Chaplain would come by her room the next day to perform the ceremony, and they could get her to sign the marriage certificate by sliding in into the stack of forms that she would need to fill out to be released.

Sunday, April 18, 2004

0930 EST

Naval Clinic

Pensacola, Florida

AJ talked to one of the nurses and decided it would be all right for him to leave for a while. He hurried back to the hotel and took a quick shower and shaved. After putting on clean clothes and comfortable shoes, he found a pretty gown and robe for Sarah. The nurse had advised him that today she would be allowed to take a shower on her own. Knowing it would make her happy, he took her special perfume from Ms. Bea's too. Getting in the elevator he heard a voice that put a damper on his good mood.

"How's the happy family getting along?" came a snide remark from just behind him.

"Sarah and I are doing great and how did the meeting go with Commander Skaggs?" AJ calmly asked.

"We didn't get a lot, but enough to put him and his family into protective custody. Right now we're
keeping an eye out for any young pregnant girls being escorted inside," advised Webb. "Here, carry this on you at all times just in case this goes down before you two leave the clinic. I'll place a guard at Sarah's door, right before we begin."

AJ looked down at the gun Webb offered, he took it and placed it in the slacks behind his back. "What about the baby?" asked AJ. "Sarah is sure she's ours and Commander Skaggs felt losing it now would do serious harm to her mentally and emotionally." He knew it was wrong, but he had fallen in love with that tiny scrap of humanity, just as Sarah had done.

To be continued….