Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 00:53:14 -0500
From: Matt Hunter <m_n_hunter@hotmail.com>
Subject: Search and Rescue 26 (Celebrity/boy-bands)

Well, I've managed to put another installment together in record time (for
me, anyway).  To those of you I haven't gotten back to yet, I will, but I
figured you'd want me to get this chapter done first.  Hope you'll enjoy
this one.

My thanks to a lot of people, but a few in particular, especially Karen, who
realizes just how badly I need an editor, and of course fellow authors and
friends, Sprout and DLS, I love you both--Drewbie for making the days better
and DLS for making everything better.  SHMILY, sweetie.

The same warnings/disclaimers apply, so back up a few chapters if you
shouldn't be here.

And to Joshua, my love always...


"Search and Rescue"
by Matt Hunter

Chapter 26

	I shut the locker door and pulled my scrub top over my head.  I picked up
the stethoscope I had placed on the table and threw it over my neck.  When I
bent over to tie my shoelaces, I saw a massive set of calves behind me.

	"Hi, Scott.  What's up?"

	"Just came in to say hello," he smiled.  "I haven't been on since you've
been back."

	I grinned and stood upright, resting my arm atop the coffeemaker.
"Speaking of which, please tell me I don't have to go on leave any time
soon.  After JC and I got back, I took off almost a month and a half before
he had to go back on the road, and I have exactly jack and shit for time
off."

	He just chuckled.  "Nope.  As a matter of fact, we sent your replacement
back to his normal unit, so you better get your ass back to work.  We've got
a job to do."

	"I wouldn't have it any other way," I smiled, "and stop checking out my
ass."

	He just rolled his eyes and left the room with a smirk.  It was good to be
back.  I finished off my cup of coffee and headed out for the chopper.


	As soon as I had my earpiece in place, I could hear Heidi, even over the
helicopter's engines.  "Welcome back."

	I just laughed and positioned my mouthpiece.  "Guys, I've been back for
over a week."

	"Yeah," Scott agreed, "but you're just now back on your regular shift."

	"How could time with you clowns be regular?" I teased.

	"Yup," Heidi smiled beside me, "he's back to normal, or at least as normal
as he gets."

	"I love you, too," I grinned.

	"I'm sure my husband will be thrilled," she shot back.


	Fairly typical night, for us, anyway.  We made three runs.  One dumbass
tried to pass a tractor-trailer on the bridge, and wound up getting wedged
up against the wall in his exploding minivan for his troubles.  He had
extensive burns, and we were hardly surprised when he died in mid-flight.
The second one was a two-year-old who'd managed to nearly hang himself with
a mini-blind cord.  Normally, one of the fire department ambulances would
pick up something like that, but they lived way out in the county, and there
wasn't enough time.  It was pretty routine, and other than being shaken and
scared, he was fine before we touched down.  Finally, some motorcycle rider
played a game of chicken with the highway, and he lost.  He definitely
wouldn't be riding one of those deathtraps any time soon.

	About 5 a.m., I was heading for the sleep room upstairs when my shoulder
radio clicked to life.

	"Wing-3, this is dispatch.  Do you copy?"

	Rolling my eyes, I gave up on any hopes of getting home on time and sighed,
"Yeah, dispatch.  This is three.  Go ahead."

	"We've got a twenty-nine year old female, thirty-six weeks gestation, with
intense contraction pain and major blood loss."

	"Copy that, dispatch, but this sounds like a ground call.  Are they out of
area?"

	"Negative, Wing-3.  I was told to pass this along to you by Wing-1."

	I was puzzled.  Why had Scott told them to tell me?  First of all, he was
the one that gave a thumbs-up to a fly-out, not me.

	"Did he give a reason, dispatch?"

	"Affirmative, Wing-3.  He said you knew the patient."

	I *knew* the patient?  Who did I know who was thirty-six we . . . ?  Oh, my
God.  It was Kathy.

	"Copy that, dispatch.  Tell Wings-1, 2, and 4 to meet on the pad."

	"Negative, Wing-3.  Wing-1 says they're already there and to get your ass
in gear."

	"Wing-3 out."

	I charged out to the landing area, and breathless, I leapt into the
chopper, which began to lift off the moment they saw me.  True to form,
Scott, Heidi, and Eric were ready to go.

	"You better get a roadblock, Matt," Heidi reminded me.  "We don't need
anything slowing us down."

	I nodded.  "Dispatch, this is Wing-3.  We need a one-six-six-zero at the
following location . . . ," I began, finishing with Kathy's address.  When
my radio went silent, so did everyone inside the helicopter.  A sudden sense
of deja vu chilled me to my soul.


	When we landed in the cove, all the neighborhood gawkers emerged from their
homes to see the commotion.  I sprang out before we had fully landed, Eric
close behind.  When we got to the door, I reached for my key, but my ring
was in my locker.  "I don't have the key!" I shouted.

	"I do," Eric said flatly as he charged into the door with his shoulder.
The door didn't give.

	"You've been watching too much television, rookie," I remarked as I brought
my foot up to kick beside the knob, knowing it to be the weakest point of
door.  As expected, the wood around the knob gave way, letting the brass
fall to the floor, and the door swung open wide.

	"God, no," I prayed quietly as I rushed to Kathy's side, massive amounts of
blood between her thighs, on her nightgown, and down the fabric of the
couch.  I froze for some indeterminate amount of time.  Staring at her
unconscious form, I couldn't even see Kathy any more.  I was suddenly a
teenager staring at a wife about to die, and I was powerless to stop it
again.

	Eric finally shook me back to my senses, and underneath the strings of
blond hair, I saw one of my dearest friends in the world, about to lose both
her life and her child's.  She had that same graven pallor that Ashley had.
The perspiration had dried on her skin, leaving her cool and clammy.  She
felt like Ashley had when I held her dying body in my arms.  I resolved
myself then and there that she wasn't going to lose her baby and I wasn't
about to lose her.

	"What are we looking at?" Heidi asked from behind me.

	"Abruptio placentae," I stated matter-of-factly, motioning for Eric to help
me carry her outside.  We needed to load-and-go.

	"Are you sure?" Eric asked.

	"Yes, God damn it!  Just help me!"


	We were back aboard and in the air in less than three minutes.  I started
hooking up the monitor while Heidi took vital signs and Eric started oxygen
wide open.  Scott began rattling off questions from the front.

	"Does she have PIH?"

	"No," I answered.  "Blood pressure has always been fine."

	"Cigarettes or alcohol?"

	"No."

	"Cocaine?"

	"Get serious, Scott," I barked.

	"I had to ask.  Did she have an amnio?"

	"Weeks ago.  Too long ago for retroplacental bleeding from a needle
puncture."

	"Any mention of a short cord?"

	"No!" I yelled.  "It's idiopathic!  Can we move on?!"

	"She's shocky," Heidi whispered quietly into her mouthpiece.

	"Sounds like a Class 3," Scott announced coolly as we flew faster and
faster towards the hospital.

	"No shit!" I screamed.

	"Matt calm down, shut up, and do as I say," Scott told me flatly.  "I do
not need any hysterics
hurting our chances at saving her and the baby."

	"Sorry," I choked out.

	"Okay.  Eric, get some labs ready--draw me a CBC with diff, a PT/PTT, and
type and cross four units.  Just to make sure there's no mistake, draw me a
separate fibrinogen, fibrin, fibrin split products, and d-Dimer, and call
receiving and tell them to have four units of O-neg ready to hang and the
ultrasound tech waiting for us."

	Eric nodded, and Scott continued.

	"Make sure the non-rebreather is at 15," he told Eric without stopping,
"and Heidi, get me two 16-gauges with crystalloids wide open."

	"IVs are already in," she replied.  "You want normal or lactate?"

	"I don't care," Scott answered, while I hooked up a fetal monitor.
"There's still a question about using volume replacement before correcting
the coagulopathies, but we need to do what we can right now anyway.  I need
an in-and-out UA, . . . ."

	"Got it," I interrupted, producing the specimen cup I had beside me.

	". . . gases, . . . ."

	"Done," I announced, withdrawing the needle from the artery.

	"Okay.  Heidi, how are our vitals?"

	"Pulse remains shocky, and BP is falling."

	"Okay, start Dopamine and titrate up . . . ."

	"Done," Heidi told him.  "I'm already up to 20 mcg, and I haven't hit the
seventies."

	"Okay.  I don't want Levophed.  Too risky in pregnancy.  Matt, how's the
kid?"

	"Baby's distressed, and mom's teetering on v-fib," I answered, wiping the
tears from my eyes.

	"Heidi, stop the Dopamine.  I don't want to add to the cardiac sequelae.
Bolus her with vasopressin and titrate up to 0.5 U/min."

	As soon as the words left his mouth, we came to an abrupt stop on the
pavement below.  Receiving grabbed the sides of the gurney and started
rolling immediately.  Before we were out of the chopper good, the ultrasound
tech was on one side and a unit of blood was on the rapid infuser.

	"Get OB down here for a stat section!" Scott shouted as he approached the
doors.  Cindy nodded and grabbed the phone immediately.

	Before I knew it, Kathy was gone.  They had rolled her to OR, leaving me
standing there, helpless, while Heidi rubbed my back and Eric assured me
everything was going to be alright.


	Somewhere, amidst all the confusion, Cathy had managed to pull up Kathy's
information on her computer and called Kevin, who was apparently already on
his way.  Kathy must have called him.  I know he was panicked.  He was
supposed to be flying in three days from now to stay with her until the baby
arrived.

	"Dear God, please don't take Kathy away from me," I prayed silently to
myself.  "I don't think I could survive losing someone else." The tears
streamed unimpeded down my face, and I didn't have the strength to fight
them.  I cried for hours, before exhaustion finally overtook me.


	I felt someone running their fingers through my hair, and I strained to
open my eyes.  My first instinct was to sit up, but someone had placed a
blanket atop me.  After finally getting untangled, I rubbed my eyes and
glanced at who was beside me.

	"Kristin!" I greeted, recognizing the blond face smiling at me.  I leaned
over and hugged her.  Though I was happy to see her, I knew that if she was
here, someone else was, too.

	My question was short-lived, as Kevin rounded the corner with a tray of
three coffees.  I stood up and stretched while he set the tray down.  I
walked over to him and hugged him tightly.  He kissed my cheek, and I could
feel a tear run down the side of my face that was not my own.  I pulled away
from him enough to wipe underneath his eyes.  "I'm glad you're here," I told
him.

	"Me, too," he agreed, nodding his head.

	"I'm glad you're both here," I corrected, glancing back at Kristin.  Taking
Kevin's hand, I led him to the uncomfortable couch, and we all sat.

	"How is she?" he asked me.

	"Honestly?  I don't know.  No one's given me an update since they took her
back to surgery."

	"They haven't told us any more than that, either," Kevin said.

	"I'm really scared," I confessed.

	"We all are," Kristin weakly half-smiled.

	"I know," I nodded.  "It's good to see you again, by the way.  I haven't
seen you since Kathy left Florida."

	"That reminds me," she smiled, "she has to make it, because she owes me
half of the clean-up
expenses for our apartment.  That place was a disaster area."

	"If it hadn't been, she couldn't have lived there," I laughed through my
tears, grateful for any light moment.  "By the way, congratulations on the
engagement."

	"Thanks," Kevin replied flatly.

	"Kathy was thrilled," I told him, trying to focus my mind elsewhere.  "Who
better to get together than her old roommate and her old boyfriend?"

	"I called to tell her," Kristin chuckled for a minute before continuing,
"and she told me I was a good rebound relationship for him."

	"Never mind the fact that Kevin that dated both of you on-again, off-again
at least three times a piece that I know of," I smiled.

	"Four," Kevin corrected, "but who's counting?"

	"Four," I conceded.  "If memory serves, Kristin introduced you to Kathy
first, right?"

	Kevin nodded.

	I started counting for a second, but Kristin grabbed my hand.  "Yes, this
is number five for me," she smiled.

	"Thought so," I grinned, "though you're the first one to get a real
commitment from Prince Charming over there.  If I'd known you and Kathy
would be playing musical boyfriends with him that often, the only kind of
commitment you two would have gotten would have been to the nuthouse."

	"Get it right," he smiled.  "I'm Aladdin."

	"Maybe it's not too late for the padded walls after all," I smiled.  The
smile blanched from my face as a woman in surgical scrubs approached.

	"How is she, Maddie?" I asked as I rose to my feet.  Shaking my head with
realization, I introduced  everyone.  "Dr. Madeline Sawyer, this is Kevin
Richardson, the baby's father, and Kristin Willits, his fiance."

	"A pleasure," she smiled, shaking both of their hands, "and both mother and
son are doing fine."

	"Thank God," I sighed, finally breathing again.

	Kevin's tears grew steady as his knees buckled beneath him.  I grabbed his
arm to support him.  "I have a son?" he asked incredulously.

	Maddie smiled, "Forgive me, I've never been big on the old school ways, but
let me try this again.  Congratulations, Mr. Richardson, it's a boy."

	"When can we see them?" I asked, Kevin obviously not thinking too clearly.

	"In just a few minutes.  I'll send someone out to get you," she told us.
"She had lost a lot of blood, but once we delivered the baby and got the
bleeding under control, both of them improved dramatically.  I'm keeping her
in intensive care for a few days because we're still titrating vasopressors
to keep her pressure up, but once she's had a little rest, I'm positive we
can wean her off of them.  My best guess is by tomorrow sometime at the
latest.  I would keep her anyway just to watch for sepsis, DIC, and any
amniotic emboli.  Otherwise, they both look good and should be able to go
home in a few days."

	"Thank you, Maddie," I told her, wiping my eyes.

	"My pleasure," she acknowledged.


	True to her word, one of the OB nurses whose name I didn't know came out to
get us.  She led us back to the postpartum intensive care rooms.  When we
walked in the room, Kathy looked like a ghost, but she was alive, she was
awake, and she was smiling.  We couldn't ask for more than that.  I turned
my head and sniffed deeply, but it was no use.  The tears came anyway.

	She outstretched her arms and enfolded them around me.  I could feel the
abdominal dressing over the cesarean scar, but if it bothered her, she
didn't show it.  "I thought I was gonna lose you there for a minute," I
cried in her ear.

	"For a minute there, you pretty much did," she replied, her answer filled
with as much laughter as tears.  "Thank you."

	"Thank you," I whispered, "for not leaving me."

	"Would I do that to you?" she laughed.  "Besides, Ashley would kick my
ass."

	Realizing I was monopolizing her, I stepped to the side and let Kevin plant
a prolonged kiss on her cheek.  He wiped his eyes, which had obviously been
crying, even from Kathy's medicated perspective.

	"Hey, Kris," Kathy smiled at her friend.

	"Hey, Kat," Kristin smiled, stepping forward to take a seat on the edge of
the bed.  She grabbed Kathy's hands in her own and placed her forehead
against Kathy's.

	"Excuse me," I heard from behind me.  I turned to see another nurse holding
a baby in her arms.  "But I have someone who feels left out."

	I smiled at her and stared in awe at one of the most perfect-looking
newborns I had ever seen.  I stroked his cheek, and he turned instinctually
towards my finger.  Any trouble he'd had coming into this world seemed
forgotten now.  He was swaddled in one of baby blue hospital blankets.
"Would you like to hold him?" she asked me.

	I just grinned and shook my head.  "I think Dad might have something to say
about it."

	Kevin stood up, shaking his head and walking towards me.  "What am I gonna
say?"

	"That you want to hold your son," I smiled, folding my arms and stepping
back.

	When the nurse handed the baby to him, the look of sheer wonder that
overtook him was truly something to behold.  The best way to describe it is
that he was truly humbled by the fact that this child was his.  I stepped
over to the bed and held Kathy's hand.  A tear escaped her before she caught
it, but otherwise, she sat motionless, smiling at watching Kevin and their
son.

	Kristin ran a finger across the baby's adorable nose.  "He's beautiful,
Kat."

	"Thanks, Kris," Kathy smiled, even brighter, squeezing my hand.

	"Have you decided on a name?" the nurse asked.  "I need to get started on
the birth certificate."

	"Actually," Kathy smiled at me, "Kevin and I argued about baby names a few
months back, but ultimately, we never found a combination we agreed on."

	"Um, so we're going to call the child `Baby Boy?'" I laughed.

	"No," Kathy laughed as she handed the clipboard and pen back to the nurse.
"He finally gave in to my superior wisdom and let me pick by myself."

	"So you don't even know?" I asked Kevin.  He just shook his head.

	"I decided on a name that would mean a lot to both of the important men in
my life," she smiled.  "That's why I decided on Gerald Ashley Richardson."

	Kevin and I were both speechless.  We were the more emotional pair in the
room.  Kathy sat on the edge of her bed and pulled both of us to the
mattress beside her and into a hug.  After sitting there through idle
chatter for a few minutes, I had to leave the room.  Though so much time had
passed, the hurt hadn't, and I was starting to get emotional.


	I walked back to the empty waiting room.  I looked out at the night sky and
the profile of the city in the distance.  Pushing my hands into my pockets,
I just stood there, motionless, reflecting on my thoughts, I guess.

	"Penny for your thoughts," I heard a voice offer as a hand came to rest on
my shoulder.

	"Hey, Kev," I smiled back to him, turning again towards the window so I
could try to regain my composure.  "Don't steal my lines."

	"Whatever works," he grinned, stepping around me and pressing his back
against the window.  "Kathy and I talked it over, and we've decided to call
the baby Ashley."

	A tear was already halfway down my face, and I was beginning to snot up for
lack of any better descriptor when I started to laugh.  "That's a cruel
thing to do to your son, Kev," I smiled.  "Are you trying to get him beat up
in school?"

	"Well, Kathy'd pretty well made up her mind anyway," Kevin laughed, "but I
agree wholeheartedly."

	"That's sweet," I tried to smile before making a futile attempt to avert my
gaze.

	"But it hurts, doesn't it?" he asked after studying me for a few moments.
It was as though he was reading my mind.

	I met his gaze again and just smiled.  "A little, I guess."

	"I understand," he nodded.

	"I suppose you do, in a way," I agreed.  "Is that bad?"

	"Not at all," he shook his head, "but I think his grandfather would have
been proud to have a namesake."

	"Ash would have loved it, too."

	"Thinking about how things might have been?" he asked me.

	"Not in that way," I told him.  "It was just when I looked at him a while
ago.  It brought back a lot of memories."

	"Wondering how much different things would have been if Carolyn and
Catherine had lived?" he asked.

	"You've got a good memory," I smiled.  "I think I've said those names a
half-dozen times in the last ten years.  Yeah, I guess I was.  Maybe even a
bit jealous.  How sad is that?"

	"Not much," he smiled back.  "You've rushed through the last twelve years,
and I'd say it's fairly normal to feel like you missed a lot of the girls'
childhood, as well as your own."

	I just nodded and stared more intently out the window.  He wrapped his arms
around me in a tight embrace.  "Come on," Kevin said softly.  "Mom and your
new godson are worried about you."






	It had been a *long* night.  It was almost noon now, and I hadn't been
asleep in well over a day.  I was so relieved to get back to the hospital, I
could barely walk.  I tilted my head forward and let it rest on my locker
for a few minutes.  Eric asked me if I was okay, and I assured him that
despite sheer exhaustion, I was.

	I pulled my scrub top off and threw it in the hamper.  Loosening the
drawstring on my pants, I did the same with them.  As I was pulling on my
jeans, I could hear my cell phone ringing under my shirt.

	"Hello," I answered in more yawn than greeting.

	"Is that anyway to say good morning?"

	"Hey, hon," I smiled at JC's voice in spite of myself.  "Sorry, I'm just
beat."

	"I know," he told me sympathetically.

	"So where are you?" I asked him.  "Philadelphia, D.C., Chicago, or Orlando?
  I've lost track of my copy of the schedule."

	"It's okay.  It wouldn't have helped you anyway," he laughed.  "I'm in
Memphis."

	"Good," I grinned giddily.  "How long this time?"

	"Three days," he replied.

	"Better than last time," I pointed out.  "Would you mind if I slept through
part of your first day here?  I don't think I can keep my eyes open one more
minute--not even for you."

	"Gee, come home to see my fiance and this is the reception I get," he
observed sarcastically.

	"Josh . . . ," I began.

	"I'll make you a deal," he cut in.

	"I'm listening," I said cautiously after pulling my shirt over my head and
shutting my locker.

	"See if Kathy needs a baby-sitter."

	"Josh . . . ," I began again, smiling.

	"Well, I need *some* cute guy to hold my interests."

	"Very funny," I grinned.  "You know, Kathy, Kevin, and I were worried about
the confusion Ashley's going to have early on getting Kevin and I confused
as `Daddy' because he's not around all the time.  I don't think any of us
realized that you would be the one he'd most likely think was his father."

	"Hey, I'm not that bad," he pouted.  "I'm not around *that* much."

	"Let's see--three days this week, Wednesday and Thursday last week,
*Monday* and Thursday the week before, and the weekend before that.  Do you
really want me to go on?  He's only five months old now, but I'm quite sure
I can think back that far."

	"Okay, okay," he laughed in surrender.  "I confess, I love spending time
with him.  You got to be a daddy.  I didn't.  Having a kid around that young
is new to me, and I love it."

	"I know," I sighed.  "I'll stop by and pick him up.  I'm sure Kathy would
appreciate the sleep."

	"Good," he said smugly.

	I laughed, "Don't get too proud of yourself.  Your timing's perfect."

	"What do you mean?" he asked intrepidly.

	"Some wedding planner Kathy's hired is coming over this afternoon anyway.
As long as you're here . . . ."

	"Okay, okay," he sighed again.  "Is Kathy sure we can trust this woman to
be discreet?"

	"Apparently," I told him.  "She said this *guy* has the hots for you
anyway."

	"Great," he added in his Eric Cartman voice.

	"I'll see you when I get home," I chuckled.  "I love you."

	"I love you most," he answered.

	"Do not," I shot back.

	"Do so," he continued, and so our dialogue continued all the way to Kathy's
house.


	"We're home," I announced as we came through the door.  I threw the keys on
the table and lifted Ashley further into my arm as I shook the diaper bag
free.

	"Bout time," I heard JC answer from behind me as he twisted my head
backwards for a kiss while he took the baby into his arms.  "Now go get some
sleep."

	"Why do I suddenly feel like the other man?" I smiled.

	"Because you are, maybe?" he grinned back, kissing me on the nose.

	Shaking my head, I started into the kitchen for a drink.  "Gee," I smirked,
"I feel loved."

	"You should," I heard JC call from the other room.

	"Oh, really?" I asked with a smile.  "And why exactly is that?  I just get
home after a long night of work, my fiance who's only in town for days at a
time, and he's rushing me off to sleep."

	"Only so I can rush you off to bed later," he grinned.  "You're no good to
me if you're exhausted."

	"Duly noted," I smiled, poking my head around the counter to watch them.
When I watch JC and Ashley together, it took my breath away.  This man was
made to be a father.  I turned out the light in the kitchen and stood in the
doorframe.

	"You're a very lucky little boy," JC said, talking to Ashley like he
expected a response at any time.  "You have a ton of people who love you."

	Ashley just cooed playing with the blocks while "Uncle" Josh supported him
against his arm.

	"Your mother and father, for one," JC smiled, completely oblivious to the
fact that he was talking to an infant.  "And don't let it go to your head,
but with a gene pool like those two, you're gonna be gorgeous."

	Ashley laughed and looked up at him.  JC just smiled, and those dimples
emerged.

	"At last count, I think you've got over a dozen `uncles' and a few `aunts,'
but just so you know where we stand, I'm here to make sure than Uncle Matt
and I are your favorites," JC grinned as he handed him one of the umpteen
million toys that he and Justin had bought not long after the baby was born.

	I just smiled to myself, shook my head, and walked back to the bedroom for
a nap.  I was asleep almost the instant I hit the pillow.  When I awoke some
time later, it was dark outside my window again, so I knew I'd been asleep
for hours.  It didn't get dark this time of year until late.

	Stumbling to my feet, I tried to mat down my bed head hair.  I staggered
down the hall for a few minutes, pausing long enough to squint my eyes until
the clock on the stove came into focus.  It was the middle of the night.  I
just grinned to myself, thinking "So much for just taking a nap."

	I was surprised I hadn't heard Ashley getting grumpy.  Normally, the sounds
of a baby crying could wake me from the soundest sleep.  Investigating, I
followed the light being cast from the television in the living room.  The
sound was down, and some black and white movie from the 30s or 40s was on.
JC was stretched out on the couch with Ashley resting on his bare chest.

	Though the baby was sound asleep, JC looked at least semi-awake.  Ashley
had his index finger held fast in his tiny hand, while JC used his free hand
to brush the blond, already darkening hair back from his sleeping face.
This man I loved more by the second just laid there, contently, singing some
soothing lullaby.

	"Hey," he called softly when he saw me.

	"Hey, yourself," I smiled back.  "Do you get any sleep when you're here?"

	"Not really," he grinned, "but I don't mind."

	"The guys would have a stroke if they knew you were passing up sleep," I
laughed quietly.

	He just shook his head and smiled.  "Justin could relate.  Having a little
brother that small is almost the same thing."

	"In some ways," I agreed, "but not all.  You're a natural at this, you
know."

	"What?" he laughed.

	"Being a father," I answered.

	"Don't be silly," he grinned.

	"I'm not," I smiled, shaking my head.  "Everything's instinctive to you,
and you don't get upset, no matter how cranky he gets."

	"He doesn't get upset that often," he said modestly as he shifted out from
underneath so he could place Ashley against a pillow to keep him from
rolling off the couch.

	"Like that," I observed quietly.

	"What?" he asked, unable to hear.

	"Nothing," I told him.  "Though it's worth noting that you're right about
one thing."

	"And what's that?" he smiled, standing his full height next to me and
popping his back, which he knew I hated.  "Sorry."

	I shook my head again, telling him to forget that.  "That child isn't fussy
around you."

	"He's a good kid," JC smiled proudly at him.

	"He's a great kid," I corrected, "but the fact remains that he behaves
better for you than he does for Kathy, Kevin, Kristin, or me."

	He leaned over and kissed Ashley on his hand.  "Let's get some sleep," I
told him.  "Both of us." JC nodded and pulled me down to the blanket
outspread on the floor beside the couch.  Hooking his arms beneath mine, he
pressed tightly against me and kissed my neck.  His warm breath electrified
me, but it also soothed me, and soon, we were both out cold.



	When I heard the doorbell ring, I could scarcely believe my ears.  The baby
was starting to cry, so I rubbed my eyes and reached for him.  Before I
could reach him, JC was already on his feet, and when he slid his hands
underneath his armpits, Ashley was suddenly content once more.  I could only
sit there on the blanket, my head propped against my hand, and watch in
wonder, smiling.

	"Who in blazes could that be?" I croaked hoarsely.

	"Maybe that wedding planner," JC offered.

	"Oh, yeah," I said, with sudden realization.  "I thought he was coming by
yesterday."

	"He was," JC called as he entered the hallway.  "His secretary called to
say he was running late, and I asked if we could reschedule it for this
morning."

	"This early?" I asked incredulously.

	"Of course not this early, but I didn't exactly set a time."

	Looking around, it dawned on me that it was no wonder he was so chipper.
He was awake.  A half-empty cup of coffee was sitting in the floor next to
the newspaper.  Laughing to myself, I grabbed the cup and took a sip.  I
didn't think anything could make him an early riser.

	"I thought you said Kathy said this guy liked me," JC said as he and Ashley
came back into the living room.

	"Her exact words were he'd trade his immortal soul if he could jump your
bones for the night," I grinned.

	He turned a fiery crimson.  "Well, he seemed surprised to see me.  I mean,
he recognized me and all, but he seemed to snap out of it and ask for you."

	"Okay," I said, rising to my feet and straightening the T-shirt and pajama
bottoms I had on.


	"I think there's some confusion," a familiar voice stated.  When I looked
up from checking to make sure I was at least semi-presentable, all words
failed me when I saw who was standing there.  I couldn't speak.  I couldn't
breathe.  I couldn't believe he was there.

	JC looked at me, concerned.  "What's going on?"

	"Rich," I said simply.



TO BE CONTINUED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Comments are always welcome at: m_n_hunter@hotmail.com