Four months later
"And now on BBC One, it's time for Homes under the Hammer," the TV announcer said.
'No thanks' Kate thought and reached for the remote before turning the TV off. She threw the remote down in disgust as she flopped back on the sofa.
She was on the second week of her maternity leave and she was bored rigid already. Kate had worked until she was eight months pregnant when she could just about waddle let alone walk. Running was out of the question and sitting down was so uncomfortable on the office chairs.
Keen to try and do everything she could to improve her confidence at being a mother to this child, Kate had decided with Steve's support to take maternity leave for a whole year. She felt it would help her develop a much better relationship with the baby if she did that rather than the three months she had taken with Josh before Mark had taken over.
The baby moved and pressed on her bladder causing Kate to need the toilet. She groaned in frustration. She must have been about twenty times already this morning and she was now going for her twenty first. Feeling like a beached whale she manoeuvred herself off the sofa and headed to the bathroom.
To add to Kate's woes, she had had to endure an exceedingly hot summer throughout her third trimester which showed no signs of dissipating in her final month. She was constantly uncomfortable and couldn't get cool whatever she wore. Today she was in a strappy tight maxi dress that clung to her body. Mark had never liked her wearing such clothes when she had been pregnant with Josh as he said it drew too much attention to her bump. Steve had no such qualms and Kate rather thought he liked her wearing such things especially when he was with her. It was like a badge of virility. He liked everyone knowing that he had got Kate pregnant and her body was swollen with his child.
Thinking about Steve as she lowered her humongous body on to the toilet she came to a decision. She never wanted to feel this awful again in her life, so in order to prevent it, she was going to have to ban Steve coming within an inch of her between the months of...she counted backwards on her fingers...October and December. That way if she ever did get pregnant again, she would not be in her third trimester over the summer months.
She knew she was being a little uncharitable blaming her current situation entirely on Steve but she couldn't help herself. He was the one who had told her it would be fine to have sex when she had missed a contraceptive pill.
Finishing in the bathroom, Kate made her way to the nursery, hoping it would improve her mood. They had gone with a Winnie the Pooh theme using yellow walls with transfers of the characters. The curtains and lamp shades all bore illustrations from the stories as well.
Kate entered the peaceful room and sat on the large rocking chair they had placed there. It would be where she sat and nursed their child whenever he or she arrived. The furniture in the room- a crib, changing table and a wardrobe were all in white. Steve and his dad had assembled them one weekend when his parents had visited with fewer mishaps than anticipated, particularly the crib.
Kate looked over at the small bed. There was a mobile attached to it with small stuffed toys from Winnie the Pooh that rotated and played a lullaby. The bed itself was currently rather crowded with larger stuffed characters from the story. Every single character to be precise- a present from AC-12. MIT and other friends had given them lots of clothes and muslin cloths which were hanging in the wardrobe.
Also present in the room was the pram they had brought and the car seat that would also attach to some wheels. Everything was ready, they just had to wait for the occupant to arrive.
With her mood improved, Kate decided to head in to town to get some food in. There was a lovely new deli that had just opened that sold a variety of salad food which would be nice on such a hot day. She would get the bus as she couldn't fit behind the steering wheel of the car at the moment. Kate headed to the kitchen to get her handbag and keys and found Bonnie stretched out on the kitchen floor tiles trying to keep cool. With her fur coat she was having a worse time than Kate in the heat.
"I'll let you stay here," Kate told the dog as she refreshed her water bowl with cold water. The dog walker would be round to walk her a bit later anyway.
The trip in to town was quick and the bus stop was near the deli so Kate didn't have all that far to walk. The shop had its air conditioning on and with the display fridges was lovely and cool and Kate took her time deciding what to buy her and Steve for their evening meal.
With that job done and not wanting to go home she decided to drop in on Steve at work for a bit if company.
"Oh my god!" Steve said when he saw her enter the office. "Is it time?" He asked as he quickly went over to her, unsure of the reason for this impromptu visit.
"No," Kate replied. "Just wanted someone to talk to," she informed him as she slowly made her way to his desk and lowered herself into a seat, rubbing her back as she did so. Perhaps she had overdone it with all the walking this morning.
"You've got really bad timing mate," Steve said. "I'm just about to leave with a team for a raid on a police station," he continued. Kate suddenly remembered that Steve had been muttering something similar that morning over breakfast but she hadn't been paying full attention as the baby had been in an awkward position and she'd felt really uncomfortable.
"Never mind," Kate replied. "I can still chat to those here. I'm bored by myself at home, Steve," she explained.
"I'd like that," piped up Chloe from her desk. She was staying behind to help co-ordinate things from the office.
"Ok," said Steve. "Just make sure she behaves," He told Chloe, pointing at Kate.
"Oi! I'm always well behaved," Kate bantered back before Steve gave her a quick kiss whilst rubbing her belly at the same time. He received a kick from his child in reply. "Stay safe," she said as Steve departed with the rest of the team.
"How are you?" Chloe asked once they were alone.
"Really uncomfortable today," Kate moaned. "Thank god there's only two weeks to go,". As if to prove her point she got a sharp kick in the ribs from her fidgety baby. "Ow! Will you pack it in!" she scolded her child as she rubbed the spot where she had been kicked. "Can I make you a drink?" Kate asked Chloe.
"Shouldn't I be getting one for you?" Chloe asked back.
"I'm actually more comfortable standing than sitting in these god awful chairs. You'd be doing me a favour," Kate acknowledged as she carefully stood.
"Ok. A cup of coffee would be good thanks," Chloe answered.
"Coming right up," Kate replied as she slowly walked to the kitchen. Her swollen belly making it difficult to weave between the desks.
She reached the kitchen and set about making the refreshments when a sharp pain rippled through her abdomen. "Ow!" Kate said before stopping what she was doing and rubbed her belly. It quickly subsided and she was back to making the drinks. The next pain came fairly swiftly afterwards, and this time was accompanied by a splat sound as Kate realised her waters had just broken.
Back in the office, Chloe thought that Kate was taking rather a long time making the drinks. The raid team were still on route and she wasn't needed just yet so she got up to see what was keeping her. Opening the kitchen door, she found Kate stood in a pool of wet, bracing herself against the kitchen top as she groaned her way through a contraction.
"Are you in labour?" Chloe asked.
"Think so," Kate managed to say despite the pain.
"I'll go get the gaffer," Chloe said before disappearing swiftly. She headed to Ted's office and knocked in the door.
"Enter!" She heard him bark.
"Err Sir, we have a bit of a problem," Chloe started to explain.
"Already? They've only just left," Ted interrupted thinking she was talking about the raid.
"It's not work. It's Kate. She's in labour in the kitchen,".
Ted looked shocked at the news. He was completely out of his depth in helping with this problem but as senior officer he was being asked for advice. "Are you sure?" he asked as he followed Chloe back to the kitchen, hoping she had somehow been mistaken. One look at Kate however and it was obvious that she wasn't.
"Ok Kate," Ted soothed, as he walked over to his former colleague, "let's move you somewhere more private, eh?" He suggested and Kate nodded.
With Chloe's help they managed to escort Kate into the main office before another contraction struck. "Can someone get ambulance control on the phone and tell them we have a woman in labour here," Ted barked to anyone who was listening. "And someone else get DI Arnott back here immediately!". Two people jumped in to action doing as ordered.
Looking around the work space, Ted tried to find the best place to put Kate, realising for the first time that floor to ceiling glass walls didn't provide much privacy for anyone.
"I'm not giving birth in the fucking interview room in full view of everyone," Kate managed to inform Ted rather forcefully as another contraction started, having come to the same conclusion.
"I think my office will be best," Ted suggested. All glass was covered by blinds and his door was wooden. Once her contraction had passed, he helped Chloe get her seated on the sofa that was present. "Stay with her Chloe," Ted ordered before walking out.
Across town, Steve's team had just pulled up at the police station they were going to search. As leader, Steve was giving a quick run down of everyone's tasks when he was interrupted by a PC.
"Sir, you're needed back at AC-12,".
"I don't think so. I'm leading this search team," he replied, wondering if the PC had got the wrong orders.
"Kate's in labour," the PC persisted.
"What?!" Steve said shocked. She was fine when he had left only a short time ago. "Are you sure?".
"That was the message that came through," the PC insisted.
"I can take over this," Steve's DS said. He was a very capable officer and Steve had no worries leaving him in charge.
"Ok. Thanks mate," Steve replied.
"I'll drive you back," the PC said before they headed to the police car. "Blues and two's?" He asked, wondering if he should use lights and sirens to get Steve back to AC-12.
"Absolutely," Steve agreed as it began to dawn on him that he was about to become a father.
"Oh god! I don't remember it hurting this much with Josh," Kate complained as yet another contraction wracked her body. They were coming thick and fast with hardly any let up in between.
"You're doing really well," Chloe soothed.
"Where's Steve?".
"He's on his way," Chloe informed her.
The door to the office opened and Ted appeared a little awkwardly. "How's it going?" He asked.
"Ok," Chloe replied.
"Good, good. Ambulance is on its way," Ted informed them, glad to have done something positive. He placed some towels in the room that someone had found after raiding the shower cubicles in the AC-12 changing rooms. They were always useful in labour according to all the films he had seen.
"Will they be long?" Kate asked from her seat on the sofa. "That contraction felt a little different. Like I needed to push," she informed her friends.
Ted's eyes widened again. He didn't know much about childbirth but that sounded like the baby was going to imminently arrive. "Get me ambulance control back on the phone!" He shouted loudly as he headed back out the office.
"Are you sure?" Chloe asked Kate.
"I think so," Kate confided. "Oh god! Another one," she informed Chloe as she felt her next cramp start. "Oh yeah. Really want to push," Kate said as it progressed.
Ted reappeared with a phone to his ear, in conversation with a paramedic. "Umm they want someone to have a little look down below," Ted informed Kate, very embarrassed.
"Ok. Just do it sir. I don't really fucking care right now," Kate replied. She had already removed her wet underwear and was wearing a maxi dress so it wasn't going to be difficult for Ted to take a glance with a bit of privacy. "Another ones coming," she said as she gritted her teeth and prepared herself for another wave of pain.
Ted had a quick glance under her dress before standing back up. "No. I can't see the head," he told the other person on the phone. "How much longer before the paramedics get here?" He asked worried.
Outside, the car Steve was in screeched to a halt outside the AC-12 building at the same time as an ambulance. "You here for Kate?" Steve asked them as he rushed over to the paramedics.
"Woman in labour," he was told.
"Yes it's Kate. I'll show you the way," he told them as he waited whilst they got the necessary equipment. They were soon riding in the lift.
"You dad?" The male paramedic asked.
"Yep," Steve replied, anxious to get to Kate's side.
The lift pinged and Steve was marching out into the office searching for his partner. "Kate!" He shouted.
Inside Ted's office, Kate heard Steve calling for her. "I'm here, Steve," she replied. He was soon by her side with two paramedics in tow.
"I'm sorry for dragging you away from your search and raid party," she apologised as Steve took Chloe's place beside her. Ted and Chloe quietly exited the office and left the professionals to it.
"I thought you said you always stayed out of trouble," Steve teased as he kissed her sweaty forehead.
"Kate is it?" The male paramedic asked and Kate nodded. "I'm just going to have a little look ok? See what's going on,".
"Ok," Kate replied. "Oh another contraction is starting!" She said as she gripped Steve's hand.
"Right well we're not going to make it to hospital," the paramedic said after the pain had stopped.
"I didn't think so," Kate agreed.
"This your first?".
"No second," Kate replied.
"Well they always tend to be faster than your first. You've done really well Kate. I can see baby's head. Won't be long before they arrive, ok?".
"Ok. Not sure the gaffer's going to be very pleased with me is he. I'm going to totally ruin this sofa," she teased and everyone smiled.
"I'm Paul by the way and this is Sarah," the paramedic introduced themselves. "We're just going to get a few things ready. Let us know when the next contraction starts ok?".
"Yep," Kate replied. "Ah it's coming," she informed them. "I really want to push!".
"Push then!" Paul ordered. "Lovely...excellent..." He encouraged the mother-to-be through the pain.
"Oh god!" Cried Kate in relief as it subsided.
"Next contraction I think we'll have the head delivered," he informed the parents. Steve kissed Kate at the news. She was doing amazingly well.
As promised, Paul delivered their baby's head with the next pain. "Pant Kate," he instructed whilst he searched to make sure there wasn't any umbilical cord around the baby's neck. "You guys ready to be parents? I think we'll have baby out next time. Sarah can you put a towel on Kate's chest. We'll put baby straight there," he instructed his junior colleague. "You know what you're having?" He asked Steve.
"No. We wanted it to be a surprise," Steve answered.
"Oh god. Here we go again," Kate declared.
"C'mon Kate. You're doing great!" Steve encouraged his partner. It wasn't long before Kates cries of pain were replaced by the tiny squawks of their child as Paul placed the baby into Kates arms. "It's a girl!" Steve declared as he took a good look at his daughter through the tears that had appeared out of nowhere. "Well done, mate," he congratulated Kate as he gave her a kiss. He was amazed at what she had just done.
"Hey you," Kate said to her daughter as she kissed her child's forehead. Hearing her mother's voice and heartbeat as she lay on Kates chest, the baby gradually settled.
Once he had attended a bit more to Kate, Paul dried her and swaddled her in a towel before placing her back in her mums arms.
"Thank you," Kate said to Paul and Sarah. "God I feel a lot better now that's all over," she told everyone.
"You did great," Paul told her. "I've got the placenta in a bag for them to check at the hospital. I'm fairly sure it's all there but they are the experts. We'll just have a bit of a tidy up before taking you all to the hospital to check you and little miss over," he informed them.
"Can I get you a drink?" Sarah asked.
"I was getting a tea when this all started . I could really murder a cuppa right now," Kate replied.
Sarah and Paul left the new family alone together for a little while whilst they went about their tasks.
"She's beautiful, mate," Steve informed Kate.
"I know," Kate replied. They both couldn't stop staring at their daughter as she lay in her mothers arms. It didn't take long before she gradually opened her eyes and took her first look at the world around her.
"Hi! I'm your Mummy," Kate greeted her. "And this is your Daddy,".
Sarah appeared with Kate's drink. "You want to hold her?" Kate asked Steve.
"Can I?" He asked, excitedly.
"Of course. She is yours as well," she teased before gently handing the baby over to Steve and helped get her nestled in her father's arms before gratefully having her cup of tea. "I think there might be a few people waiting to meet her on the other side of that door," Kate mentioned. Steve took the hint.
Sarah opened the door for Steve as he was concentrating so much on the precious bundle in his arms that he didn't want to use one hand to open the door and risk dropping her. Everyone turned to look at Steve and his new baby.
"I'd like to introduce you all to my baby daughter," he told them.
"Oh my goodness," Chloe said as she quickly moved to take a look at the baby. "She's absolutely gorgeous,".
You've done well there, Steve," Ted commented. "Congratulations,".
"Kate did all the hard work," Steve reminded Ted.
"She ok?".
"Now the labour's over! She's having a well earned cup of tea," Steve informed his boss. "You can stick your head in and say Hello if you want,".
Ted took him up on his offer and tapped on the door before opening it. "Well done, Kate. She's a real stunner," he said.
"Thanks Sir," Kate replied. "I'm sorry I scared you all there for a while,".
"Not to worry. Nice to have new life born here. Makes a change,".
The ambulance gurney soon was brought up and Kate loaded on to it before her daughter placed in her arms for the trip to the hospital. Steve went to speak to Ted whilst it was happening. "Umm, you know that paternity leave I had requested?".
"I suppose you are going to want to take it a bit earlier?" Ted guessed. Steve nodded, hoping his wish would be granted. "Go be with your family. "I'll see you in two weeks," Ted said, dismissing him.
"Thanks, sir," Steve said before hurrying back to Kate's side.
