Please note the bump up in rating. It possibly should have been bumped up before now, but the following chapters definitely warrant it.

Four weeks later

"And let's bring the production forward. I know the extra labor could cost us but we may be able to secure other contracts if we get this one done promptly. Very good, thank you. Yes, goodbye."

Oliver raised his eyes as he hung up the phone and Grace walked into the office looking despondent.

"Oh dear", Oliver's face fell. Grace had reminded him the previous night that her period was overdue. She had secretly begun to get excited that it hadn't arrived yet but Oliver could tell by the look on her face that it had reared its ugly and painful head today.

She sat down in her chair and sighed. She held her cramping stomach. It felt even more sore than it usually did. Grace knew that was because the pain was more than physical.

"What are we doing wrong?" He asked rhetorically, though she did in fact have an answer to that question.

"Well, I've been doing some reading and it seems that at different parts of the month, according to where a woman is at in her cycle, she can be more or less fertile."

"Have we been trying at the wrong time of the month?"

"Well, we've been trying just after my period, whereas the highest point of fertility is actually the few days leading up to it."

Oliver raised his eyebrows in interest, then paused for a moment to take stock of the fact that he and his secretary were really sitting there in his office discussing her menstrual cycle.

"Should we plan for three weeks from now, then?"

"It might help", Grace shrugged shyly.

"What's on my schedule for that time?"

Grace picked up his diary and rifled through it until she found the proposed dates.

"Oh, darn it."

"What?"

"You're away in Michigan for the Business Owners and Farmers convention all of that week."

"Damn. I need you here to hold down the fort, too."

Pushing it out to the start of the following month would extend the time even further, but now they had to add another month on top to try again at the optimal time. Grace felt deflated but put on a brave face. "It's alright. We can try again in August."

"July's such a hot month anyway", he said lightly, trying to cheer her up.

"True. I don't fancy sweating all that much", she offered him a slight smirk after which they shared a secret little laugh.

…

July came and Oliver left for his trip to Michigan.

Grace saw him off at the airport, waving sadly goodbye to him. She still felt despondent about the fact that they wouldn't have the chance to try for a baby that month but the meetings he would be attending were important for the business which meant they were also important to her.

She went back home and tried to continue on as normally as possible. Everyone around her knew how much more restless she was when Mr. Warbucks wasn't around and how much more mopey she got. It was like she lost all direction and sense of purpose when he wasn't there for her to dote on. Even though there was still a fair bit of work to be getting on with, it just wasn't the same without him there.

Everyone knew that a large part of it was simply because she missed him. Now of course, there was an added reason for her to mourn his absence, one that everyone in the house was aware of.

The constant reminder that time was quite literally slipping away on her kept Grace far from focused on her work. The plaguing thought that every day she wasn't yet pregnant was a day closer to it never becoming a reality.

She wasn't getting any younger and her chances of carrying a baby to full term successfully grew slimmer by the moment. Mr. Warbucks himself wasn't exactly a young man and she was painfully aware that for either one of them, time may have already been running out.

By the fourth day of Mr. Warbucks being away in Michigan, Grace's incessant and disturbing thoughts were causing such an utter distraction to her concentration that she had to walk away from her desk to go outside and take a walk.

With the fresh air around her and the warm morning sun on her back, Grace felt some relief but still, tears came to her eyes. Tears of worry, of fear that she might never become a Mother.

Time was so precious. She knew it was probably unlikely, but she was so worried that this extra month between her and Mr. Warbucks trying to conceive could potentially be the difference between failure and success.

She had to see him. She just had to. She knew her period was due to come any day now and she didn't want to leave anything to chance, not even one more month. She just had to be a Mother. In her heart, in her very soul, Grace knew that's what she'd been put on the Earth to do.

She ran inside, all the way thinking of a plan for how she was going to be able to get herself to Michigan. The only logic she had went into planning her journey, and not into what she was actually going to do once she had arrived at her destination.

She tried to think of how and who could get her there the fastest - it was then that it struck her.

She picked up the phone and dialed the number for the White House, only pausing for a second to think about how enraged Oliver would be at her for asking the newly-elected Democratic President for his help.

"Yes hello, my name is Grace Farrell, I'm the Secretary of Oliver Warbucks. I'd like to speak to President Roosevelt, please."

Grace waited a few moments while her call was being transferred. She'd no idea if she would even get through to the President, until she heard the unmistakable timbre of his voice on the other end of the phone.

"Miss Farrell, I was wondering when I might get the pleasure of receiving your call."

"Good morning, Mr. President. The pleasure is mine completely, Sir."

"I wasn't sure if your Mr. Warbucks was ever going to respond to my request for a meeting but I'm very pleased-"

"Actually, Mr. President, I know it's awfully precocious of me, I mean we don't even know each other yet, but I was hoping I might be able to ask you for a favor."

"I'm listening, Miss Farrell", the President responded with a lilt of humor in his voice.

"I believe you have a new aircraft, a rather fast one."

President Roosevelt chortled heartily. "Yes, I think you could say that."

"And I've also heard that it doesn't even require an airport to land."

"No, it can land anywhere, even in the water. Fantastic invention!"

"It sounds remarkable. Could I borrow it?" She cut quickly to the chase and could swear she heard the President gasp in response to her bravado.

After a long pause, the President said. "I'll tell you what, Miss Farrell. If you can get Mr. Warbucks to come and see me within the month, you may borrow my plane."

Thinking about the situation she was in, about the reason she was trying to get to Michigan and what she was throwing all caution to the wind to achieve once she got there, Grace was hit with a huge feeling of nerves, yet a huge boost of self-confidence all at once.

"I assure you, Mr. President, that Mr. Warbucks will do anything I ask of him."

…

The Douglas Dolphin RD-2 aircraft was landing on the lawn of the Warbucks Mansion within ninety minutes. Grace, who had hurriedly packed a small suitcase, rushed out to meet it with the entire household staff coming to marvel at the sight of the President's Plane on their lawn and more importantly, to wave Grace off as she left on her very important mission.

Grace arrived in Detroit just before 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The pilot was able to land not too far from the hotel where Oliver's convention was at and Grace immediately took off towards it on foot.

She arrived, breathless and asked the concierge for directions to where the convention was taking place, thanking them quickly and running straight upstairs, too amped up to take the elevator.

There were many types of people attending the convention, from all walks of life. Some men in suits but mostly on-the-ground workers and farmers, "backbone of America" kind of folks.

This was one of the things Grace admired about her boss. That he still attended these things and mingled with these sorts of people. No matter how far he'd climbed to the top, he never forgot the ones whose shoulders he'd stood on to get there.

Even if he himself didn't always recognize it, he had a big heart for people. That was why he was here after all, to pay homage to them all and to inspire them to achieve success like he had.

And within moments, Grace found herself clapping eyes with the man she'd just flown five hours to get to.

His face registered astonishment as he looked back at her. He quickly excused himself from the conversation he was having and crossed the room to where she was. "Miss Farrell? What are you doing here?"

She was still catching her breath as she responded. "Oh, Mr. Warbucks, I…I had to come. I had to…to see you." She stepped close enough to him that they could speak discreetly.

"I've been in such a state, full of such fear that my time to be a Mother may be running out. I-I was so afraid of missing our potential last chance. Oh, Sir, I haven't slept at all these past few days and I…" She paused for a moment and noticed the look on his face. He looked absolutely befuddled, like he absolutely could not believe how insane and irresponsible she had been by leaving her most important post back at home, where he'd trusted her to hold down the fort, then somehow convincing herself that if she came all this way, he'd be able to drop everything straight away to go and be with her?

At least that's what Grace saw, and it served to wake her up, like a slap in the face.

"Oh my goodness, I…I'm so sorry. I don't know what's come over me, what I was thinking. I've behaved so impetuously. And I've come all this way on such a witless whim. I don't know what compelled me to…God, I'm such a fool."

He stared at her helplessly. He didn't think she was a fool. He thought she was a woman with a desperate need who would do whatever it took to get it. He understood her all too well. He'd been so desperate to escape poverty that he'd done everything humanly possible to become as far removed from it as he could get.

Despite the fact that he knew what she was going through however, he was still bewildered that she was actually there. Not only that, but he also had his obligations to keep to.

"Grace, I…I have to give a presentation in fifteen minutes."

Her face fell, but she was more ashamed of herself than she was disappointed in him.

"Of course. I'm so sorry, Sir. I've acted completely impulsively, forgive me. I'm just…a little bit out of my mind", she let out a sob, tears falling from her eyes.

Oliver's heart broke to see her in such a state.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll…return home immediately", she said shakily, turning to exit straight back out from where she'd just come in.

Oliver watched her walking away looking so disheveled, so distraught. He had never seen her like this. He realized with panic that if he let her leave and caused her to go feeling this way, he might never get his confident, tenacious secretary back again, and that would defeat the whole purpose of all their efforts so far.

He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't lose her.

He could not, would not, let her down.

Despite knowing he was supposed to be on stage giving a speech in fifteen minutes, he couldn't just let her leave in such a state.

There was only one thing he could do to immediately quell her insecurities.

He ran out into the hallway, grabbing her hand as he caught up with her, but not pausing for a moment. He pulled her along with him, not even stopping when she squeaked, "Where are we going?"

With a clear determination, he threw open the door of a nearby restroom and pulled her inside, despite her cries of protest that they were entering the mens room.

"Shh, we have to be quiet…and quick", he warned her as he gave her the shock of her life by lifting her onto the basin.

"What-" was all she managed to get out before a gasp stole the rest of her words as he, with impressive strength, lifted her up with one arm and raised her skirt with his other hand.

If she was able to form a coherent thought, she might have said something along the lines of: "Sir, we can't do this here."

But Grace was sleep-deprived, jet-lagged, and completely and utterly desperate.

She barely even noticed that he'd managed to open his trousers, and she certainly didn't comprehend that he had somehow found a way past her undergarments until he was pulling her to the edge of the marble sink and sharply entering her.

Her wail echoed around the room and he instantly slapped a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. She gasped for air as he slid in and out of her, her strained breath hot on the palm of his hand.

As their eyes met, he saw that hers were full of shock but also…relief.

It was as if all the tension she had been holding in her body had melted away.

She held his gaze with tears in her eyes. Not tears of pain, but of immense gratitude.

As his breath became more and more labored, her whimpering vanished, and was replaced with awed silence.

He shuddered and fell against her, both of their arms wrapped tightly around one another until his movements had ceased and his head dropped down to her chest, his arms flopping at his sides.

After several moments of them both trying to catch their breath and Grace gently cradling his head between her bosom, he heard her panting against his ear, "If our child ends up being conceived in a men's room, I swear…"

He raised his head, cackling softly at her unexpected statement. He was so happy to see that her previous anguish and sadness was gone and that she looked just like his Grace again - with the feisty personality to match.

"Well, I figured if a man walked in and found us, I'd most likely be congratulated. If a woman walked in and found us, I'd most likely be arrested."

Her own shriek of laughter caught Grace by surprise and she clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.

He grinned shyly at her as he fixed his trousers. "I'm sorry to rush this, but…"

"Oh no, you must go. Hurry!" She pushed him, stepping right back into work-mode.

"Will you stay and listen?"

"Very proudly so", she told him with a tender smile.

"Wish me luck", he said as he helped her down from the countertop and hastily rushed out of the room.

Grace released a breath of air as she straightened her skirt, then murmured softly to herself, "I'm wishing us both luck."

…

Oliver's presentation was received with thunderous applause and cheers.

In spite of the hard times and the ridicule he received from many reporters and the majority of the average Joes, he was still a greatly respected man in the business world and he had, without a doubt, inspired each and every person in that room.

It took a very long time for him to move through the crowd of those wishing to speak with him, to pick his brains or to simply offer their thanks or congratulations.

Grace watched him work the room from the corner of it, smiling fondly at the sight. She'd worked for him a long time and she'd seen how hard he'd slogged every single day of his career to achieve the success he had.

She had to admit to herself how pleased she was that she'd made the decision to come to Michigan that day, not only to give herself another chance to conceive a baby with him, but to have the opportunity to see him here like this, to hear his empowering speech.

She was so incredibly proud.

When he finally made eye contact with her, he blew out his cheeks to show his exhaustion and relief that the mingling was over.

She gave a little laugh and patted him on the arm. "Well done."

"Thank you", he answered wearily yet warmly.

"See you downstairs, Warbucks", a man in a suit muttered to Oliver as he passed him and Grace.

"See you there", Oliver replied before turning to Grace. "Will you join me for dinner?"

"Oh, I really should be getting back to New York."

"What? At this time of day. Don't be ridiculous. It'll take hours for you to get back, even if you do manage to get a flight."

She pursed her lips, not wanting to reveal to him just yet that she had the President's Plane at her disposal. And he was right in any case, no matter what, it would still take hours to get back home.

There was one slight problem though.

"I don't even have a room."

He met her eyes gently. "I have a room."

Off her look of trepidation, he added. "It's an executive suite. There's plenty of space."

Grace's stomach growled and she realized, not for the first time, how hungry and exhausted she was after spending the majority of the day traveling.

"Well, dinner and a place to rest are, as it happens, exactly what I need right now so thank you, yes, I'll gladly accept your invitation."

"Good", he responded jovially. "You might want to get freshened up before we eat?"

"Very much so", she responded emphatically, gratefully taking the room key from him as he handed it to her.

"I'll see you in the restaurant when you're ready."

"Mr. Warbucks…thank you", she said sincerely to him before he walked away.

"My pleasure", he replied suavely as he left her to go downstairs.

Something in the way he said it made her heart skip a beat. Something in the way he looked at her as he said it left Grace wondering just how much his "pleasure" may have come into it.