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Unexpected

by Audrey Brackett and Stephanie White

Rated: PG-13 for minor sexual situations and language

Authors' Notes: All song lyrics used without permission and with thanks. This was fun--our first collaboration! We think it turned out pretty good...but what matters is what YOU think! Please let us know!

COPYRIGHT: September 2000

~~~~~~~~~~~

Dixie McCall had a headache. Not just a little pressure-behind-the-eyes headache, but a full-blown, even-breathing-is-too-loud, please-someone-make-the-sun-not-so-bright headache. She reluctantly pried her eyes open--only to be nearly blinded by the morning sun streaming through the window.

‘Wait a minute,’ she thought to herself, confused. ‘My bedroom window faces west. Since WHEN does the sun rise in the west?’

Then it hit her. She wasn’t in her bedroom. She wasn’t in her bed and (after looking under the covers for a brief moment) she wasn’t in her clothes. That was about the time she realized something else. She wasn’t alone.

She chanced a look over her shoulder and saw a shock of dark hair and a very familiar face.

Kelly Brackett.

Her eyes widened in surprise and she strained her memory trying to remember the events of the previous night. She remembered a New Year’s Eve party. She remembered an awful lot of champagne. She remembered sharing a taxi with Brackett because both were too drunk to drive. After that, things started to get a little blurry. She remembered leftover mistletoe and the kiss and then…what? More champagne? Wine? Whiskey? It was more alcohol, whatever it was. The rest of the night was a blur. Although, she did vaguely remember that the sex--what little she could remember of it--had been extremely good.

She was just contemplating sneaking out of bed to call a cab when she felt him stir beside her. He groaned as he woke up and she realized he must be as hung over as she was. She turned to look at him and was amused at his slightly shocked expression as he realized that he wasn’t alone.

“Dixie?” he asked blearily. “Uh…did we…?”

She nodded. “I’m pretty sure we did. We had an awful lot to drink last night, didn’t we?”

Brackett started to sit up when his hangover asserted itself. He groaned as he fell back onto the pillows with a hand on his head. “You don’t remember much either, huh?”

“Nope. I remember the party and us sharing a cab. Not much else once we got here, though.”

“Me neither.”

“So, what do we do now?”

He rubbed his throbbing temples. “First, we get some Alka-Seltzer™. Then I make some coffee and we sit down and discuss this.”

He rolled out of bed, taking an afghan to wrap himself in and headed for the bathroom. Dixie sat in bed with the sheet wrapped around her wondering where her clothes had disappeared to as Brackett reappeared and tossed her a robe.

She looked up and saw him standing there in a pair of jeans. He walked over to the bed and handed her a glass with a very fizzy liquid in it. She smiled shyly as she took the glass.

“I’ll go make the coffee. I’ll meet you in the kitchen, okay?”

She nodded and he moved off. She quickly downed the Alka-Seltzer™ and put the robe on, pushing the sleeves up and lifting the hem off the ground so she could walk. She then wandered out to the kitchen.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Sitting in the kitchen, Dixie watched Kel getting the coffee mugs and pouring the coffee and realized he was deliberately avoiding eye contact.

“Kel? We need to talk about this. Do you think you’ll be able to make eye contact occasionally?”

He stopped and turned to look at her. “Sorry, Dix. It’s just kind of awkward. I mean…”

“I know. But neither of us remembers what happened, right?”

“You’re right, I guess.”

“You guess?” Dixie raised an eyebrow.

“I just remember an impression really,” he said with a shrug, “that we had a really good time.”

Dixie smiled. “That’s about all I’m left with too.”

“It’s unreasonable for us to pretend it didn’t happen,” Kel said. “But we were both extremely intoxicated, so we shouldn’t put more into an explanation than is there already. Things like this happen when people get drunk.”

“You’re right,” Dixie agreed. “It happened, but there’s no extra emotional tie here, I think. We ARE still friends, right?”

Kel gave her a grateful look. “Right.”

Dixie grinned as he handed her a coffee mug. “Now that that’s settled, do you happen to remember where we threw my clothes?”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Over the next few weeks, Dixie and Kel were able to put the incident behind them. Apart from occasionally snapping at each other for no good reason, it didn’t really affect their relationship much at all.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In February, Dixie missed her period. She thought nothing of it--putting it down to either stress (the ER had been VERY hectic lately) or menopause (at 42, it was a little early, but not totally unheard of). She went on with her life.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

March saw the annual firemen’s picnic for charity. Kel and Dixie were in attendance as well as Joe Early and Mike Morton and various other members of Rampart General’s staff.

Dixie was sitting at a picnic table watching the rest of the group playing Frisbee. For some reason, she didn’t have the energy to participate. She decided she’d make herself useful by offering to help with the barbecue. She stood up and began walking over to the grill that was being manned by Roy DeSoto.

Dixie waved to get his attention. “Roy? You need help over there?”

Roy looked up and waved his barbecue tongs, grinning. “Always, Dix! C’mon over!”

As Dixie got closer to the grill, she inhaled deeply. She had always loved the scent of charcoal burning and hamburgers cooking on an open flame. Not today, though. As soon as the smell reached her, the nausea that she had woken up with that morning returned with a vengeance. She bolted to the nearest trash barrel and lost what little was in her stomach.

Roy tossed the tongs over to Mike Stoker and then ran over to offer Dixie some assistance.

“Dix? You okay?” He put one hand on her back and another on her forehead as her vomiting turned to dry heaves.

Finally, she took a shuddering breath and stood up. “I guess I’m coming down with something. I woke up feeling pretty bad this morning, but I was feeling better by noon so I thought maybe it was something I ate last night. I guess it might just be a bug of some kind.”

“Well, look, Dixie, why don’t you go on home and put your feet up? If you want, I can stop by later to see how you’re feeling.”

“Thanks, Roy, but you don’t have to do that. I’ve been feeling pretty run-down lately and I made an appointment for a physical tomorrow anyway. I’ll be fine for tonight, though.”

“You should at least go home and get some rest.”

She looked at him with a smile. “Thanks, Roy. Oh, and if any of the doctors ask where I am, just tell them I was tired. I don’t need them worrying uselessly about me, okay?”

“Sure, Dix. You gonna be okay to drive home?”

“I’ll be fine, Roy. I’ll grab a can of soda on my way out to settle my stomach and I’ll be fine.”

“Okay. See you later, Dixie. I hope you feel better.”

“Thanks, Roy. I’ll see you later.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dixie was sitting at the base station two days later when the phone rang.

“ER nurses' station. Miss McCall speaking. Oh, hi, Terry. What? The doctor got my results back? What’s the verdict? Is it that virus that’s been going around? It’s what? You’re kidding, right? You can’t be serious, Terry! No, of course it’s not…oh, hell…yes, it IS possible. Uh…Terry, I’ve got to go. Another appointment? No…I’ll call you back to arrange it. Yeah, thanks for calling. Bye.”

Dixie sat staring at the phone for a rather long time. Finally she hung it up in a daze and stood up. It was about that same time that her brain caught up with the rest of her and decided it couldn’t handle the shock. The world went gray as Dixie crumpled bonelessly to the floor.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“That’s odd,” Johnny Gage said to his partner as they walked into the ER to get some supplies. “Dixie’s not at the desk. I wonder where she is?”

Roy looked around. “I dunno. It’s doesn’t seem to be a very busy day, so maybe she’s in the lounge having coffee or something.”

“Speaking of which, could you pour me a cup, partner?”

Roy looked at the crooked grin that was plastered all over his partner’s face and sighed. One of these days he’d learn to say no to Johnny. But a cup of coffee wasn’t such an imposition to worry about it. He went around the counter and nearly tripped on the prone figure on the floor. He looked down. His eyes went wide as he realized that Dixie was lying there, unconscious.

“Johnny, get Dr. Brackett! Dixie’s here! She’s out cold!” Roy shouted as he knelt beside Dixie and gently rolled her so that she was face up.

When Johnny returned with a very concerned Brackett in tow, Roy had just located an ammonia capsule and broken it under Dixie’s nose. She was coming around.

Brackett knelt beside her. “Dixie? Are you okay? Do you hurt anywhere? What happened?”

With Roy’s help, Dixie sat up. “I’m fine, Kel. There’s nothing wrong with me. I just fainted.”

“Dix, nobody JUST faints. Let’s get you into an exam room.” He started to lift her up.

“Kel!” she snapped as she squirmed out of his grasp. “I’m FINE. Let’s go to your office. You wanna know what’s wrong? That’s where I’ll tell you about it.”

“If you’re sure,” he said doubtfully.

“I’m sure,” Dixie sighed. She held up her hand and Johnny quickly stepped forward to pull her up.

“Can you guys find Carol for your supplies?” Dixie asked the bewildered paramedics.

“You sure you’re okay, Dixie?” Johnny asked one last time.

“I’m fine, Johnny. Don’t worry, okay? I’ll see you guys later.”

With that, Kel escorted Dixie to his office.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kel ushered Dixie into a seat in his office, shut the door and then went to sit on the edge of his desk facing the visibly upset blonde woman sitting there.

“Okay, Dix. Care to tell me what’s going on?”

“Uh…Kel…You happen to remember New Year’s Eve?”

“I remember there was a lot of alcohol involved; yes.”

“There was a bit more than alcohol involved.”

“What does our drunken tryst have to do with why you fainted?”

“Kel, has anyone ever told you about the birds and the bees?”

Brackett almost laughed at the question until he realized the reason for it. “Uh…Dixie? You’re not trying to tell me that you’re…”

“Pregnant,” she said quietly. “Yes, I am. The doctor’s office called and it was such a shock that I fainted.”

The dark haired man laughed nervously as he sat down, suddenly dizzy. “You’re joking, right? This is a joke, right?”

“I’m due somewhere around the end of September. It’s no joke.”

“This is going to sound incredibly callous of me, but is it mine?”

“No one else’s,” Dixie said with a nod. “I haven’t been with anyone since New Year’s. And no one immediately before either.”

“So, what do we do now?”

"I don't know, Kel. I was hoping you would."

Kel appeared to consider something for a moment, dismiss it, and then entertain the idea again. "You're about three months along, right?"

"Yeah. Why?"

He stood up, approaching her gently. "You know, it's still not too late to..."

Dixie's eyes filled with tears, and she impatiently brushed them away. She took his hand in hers, and drew it to her chest. "I CAN'T, Kel. When I first found out, I considered it for a split second...but I couldn't go through with an abortion. This is unexpected...Lord knows it's going to be difficult...but it's my baby. I just wouldn't be able to do it."

Secretly, he'd been hoping she'd say that. He knew that she was an ardent supporter of women's rights...that she believed if a woman wanted to have an abortion, it was "her body, her choice". But this was his baby too. He hugged her, stroking her hair idly. "Oh, Dix...I understand. This is definitely not going to be easy, though. It'll be risky at best, but we'll get through it. We always do."

A single tear slipped down her cheek before she could wipe it away. "I'm scared, Kel. Not just of parenthood...but I'm 42 years old. What if something goes wrong?"

"Then we'll handle it. I promise."

She forced a small smile. "God...I'm going to be a mother. I can't believe this."

"Neither can I." He patted her cheek affectionately. "I admit, it's probably going to hit me later. But for now...you just take care of yourself and that baby. We'll run all the tests...we'll be careful. We'll get through this."

"Funny...considering that not 'being careful' was what got us into this mess in the first place."

Brackett laughed. "Come on. We'd better get out there before Mike sends a search-and-rescue team. I told him I'd take a look at his patient in 3. She wants a second opinion."

"Oh?" Dixie was the professional once again. "What's the diagnosis?"

Kel thought about it for a second, then made a face. "Pregnancy."

"Well, then, I'd say it's perfectly appropriate." She smiled a little more sincerely now, and allowed him to put his arm around her shoulders for a moment as they left his office.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Johnny and Roy looked up as they heard the door to Brackett's office open. They had gotten the supplies from Carol, but had stuck around to see for themselves that Dixie was all right.

Johnny's brow furrowed in concern as he saw Brackett whisper something to Dixie before taking his arm away from her shoulders and walking off. She smiled wistfully, and nodded to herself before heading back to the nurses' station.

Dixie grinned when she saw that they had been waiting there. "It's so nice to know I have such a fan club. But, really, guys, I'm all right. I just got some news that...took me by surprise." She wasn't sure how she was going to tell everyone yet, and decided to postpone. "I'm fine." She adjusted her uniform slightly, as if it were getting too tight--something she'd been doing a lot in recent days.

"If you say so," Roy agreed, knowing it was best not to argue with her. Besides, he knew that if anything were seriously wrong with her, Brackett wouldn't be letting her work.

"I'm positive." Her smile widened almost imperceptibly, as if she found humor in that statement, as she unconsciously let her hand slip down to rest on her stomach.

The gesture wasn't lost on Johnny, and he raised an eyebrow ever so slightly as they said their goodbyes and left.

"Did you see it, Roy?" Johnny asked, once they were back in the squad. "I could swear...she was almost glowing! And when she did that thing with her hand...and you said she was feeling sick a couple days ago...and that thing she does with her clothes..."

Roy figured out where his partner was going with this, and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "So?"

"I mean, it's almost like...if she were...do you think she is?"

Roy shook his head softly. "If it's important, she'll tell us."

"Or we'll figure it out on our own soon enough."

"Don't be ridiculous, Johnny."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“You know, Kel,” Dixie said as they sat on the couch in her apartment later that evening. “We’re gonna have to tell people about this. We can’t keep it a secret.”

“Nobody said it was,” Kel said quietly.

“It’s just awkward, you know. I mean, we’re not married, neither of us are exactly spring chickens, and we can’t honestly say this child was a product of love--just a drunken one-night-stand.”

“When you put it like that, I understand your hesitation to tell people. But, Dixie, you’re nearly three months along. You’re going to start showing soon. I’d imagine your clothes are starting to feel a little confining even now. We really should start spreading the news ourselves rather than let the famous Rampart Grapevine do it.”

She sighed and leaned back on the couch, closing her eyes. “You’re right, but how are we going to do it?”

“I don’t know. I guess we just TELL people--no fanfare, just ‘hey, we’re having a baby’. Nothing fancy.”

“Let’s start with Joe. If anything, he might be able to give us some advice on how to tell people.”

“Sounds like a plan.” He said with a smile.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“You’re WHAT?” Joe’s incredulous voice matched the expression on his face.

Dixie nodded, “That’s what I said when my doctor’s office called.”

“Don’t just stand there gaping, Joe,” Kel said as Early’s shocked silence began to make him nervous. “Say something.”

“I don’t know what to say. I mean, it’s a bit of a shock, isn’t it?”

“That’s an understatement,” Dixie muttered.

“What are you planning to do?”

Dixie and Kel looked at each other for a moment and then back to Early.

“We’re going to have a baby,” Dixie said finally. “We wanted you to be the first to know.”

“I’m honored, but have you thought this through? I mean, no offense, Dixie, but you’re not exactly a young woman.”

“I’m 42,” Dixie said. “That’s not so old either.”

“It is when you’re talking about pregnancy. Are you actually planning to go through with it? I really couldn’t recommend it.”

“Joe, are you talking about what I think you’re talking about?” Kel asked the white-haired doctor.

“Abortion? I really think it’s the safest option, Kel. At her age, I think the sheer volume of possible complications would outweigh any other consideration.”

“Joe, I think I know about the complications. We’re going to address them if they come up, but you can’t honestly think…”

“Kel, let’s list them, shall we? There’s a higher risk of Down’s Syndrome in the child along with a host of other defects due to the mother’s age. And think about Dixie…what about placenta previa? What if she starts to hemorrhage? Kel, could you actually put her through that? She could die! And what about…”

“STOP IT! JUST STOP IT!” Dixie finally shouted as she leapt to her feet. “I’m still here, Joe. Or hadn’t you noticed? Just for the record--what I decide to do with my body is my own business. You’re talking about me like I’m a child who doesn’t understand these ‘grown-up’ things! Well, I DO understand them! Never think I don’t! To be honest, Joe, it scares the hell out of me. But I’ll leave you two men to discuss my future. Just remember that it’s MY body and I’ll do with it as I please!”

She turned on her heel and bolted from the room.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Roy and Johnny were standing at the coffee pot wondering where everyone had gone when Dixie came running by. The two paramedics looked at each other and then followed the obviously distraught nurse.

“Dixie? You okay?” Roy asked as they found her in the nurses lounge, crying.

“No! I’m NOT okay! I’m upset and I'm uncomfortable and the morning sickness is really starting to get to…” Dixie trailed off as she realized what she had just said and to whom.

Johnny gave Roy a look that said, ‘I told you so!’ and then turned his attention to Dixie. “Dixie? You’re pregnant?”

She sighed deeply and nodded. “Yes, I am, Johnny. Almost three months now.”

“Thought so,” Johnny said in typical Gage open-mouth-insert-foot style.

Dixie looked up at him, “You WHAT?”

“Uh…when we saw you the other day,” Johnny stammered, shifting from foot to foot. “I mean, you seemed different…I dunno…you were…well…glowing! You know how pregnant women get that look, right, Roy?”

“Don’t bring ME into this, Junior,” Roy protested, holding up his hands. “One thing I’ve learned being married--if you don’t KNOW a woman’s pregnant, NEVER tell her you thought she was.”

Dixie allowed herself to chuckle. “It’s all right, Johnny. You’ve got good instincts.”

“Uh…Dix? You’re not married, are you?” Johnny asked hesitantly. When she shook her head, he said, “do you mind if I ask…?”

“Dr. Brackett,” she said in a low voice.

“Brackett?” Johnny said in a surprised voice. “I didn’t know the two of you were…”

“We’re not,” Dixie said and then felt the tears well up again. “It was just one night! It wasn’t supposed to mean anything! I’m so confused. I don't know what to do.”

Johnny sat down next to the distraught woman and put an arm around her shoulders. “Hey, come on! You’re having a baby! That’s a wonderful thing! Look, I don’t know what you’re going through, so I can’t honestly say I understand. But you should know that Roy and me are your friends. You need anything; you just call one of us. Right, Pally?”

“Right,” Roy agreed, nodding his head. “Anything at all, Dix. Just name it.”

She sniffled and said, “A tissue might be nice.”

Johnny grinned and lunged for a box of tissues on the counter.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Now what?” Kel asked Joe as soon as the door slammed behind Dixie.

“I guess we were being a bit inconsiderate of her feelings.”

“We should have been talking to her instead of around her.”

Joe smiled ruefully. “Yeah, I guess we did get a little carried away. But really, Kel, HAVE you considered all that could go wrong?”

Brackett sighed and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “Joe, I’ve considered EVERYTHING that could go wrong--believe me, I have. And it DOES scare the hell out of me. Believe me when I say I don’t want to lose her. If she died because she decided to have this baby, I'd never forgive myself. But Joe, it’s my baby! I can’t forget that either. It’s a shock and it’s unexpected...but to be perfectly frank, it’s NOT unwanted.”

“Are you sure? I mean, YOU may want it, but how does Dixie feel?”

“I know what you’re thinking, Joe. But I don’t honestly think she’d do it.”

“If it’s truly what you want and you think you can handle the possible complications, then I hope you’re right. But, Kel, if she decides not to have the baby--you won’t really be able to stop her.”

Brackett turned on him--eyes wide. “She wouldn’t! I mean, she can’t! I mean…I gotta talk to her. Excuse me, Joe, I’ve got to find her.”

Joe knew there was no use trying to stop his friend as he bolted from the office in search of the mother of his child. He sighed and hoped to God his friends knew what they were doing.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kel found Dixie in the nurses' lounge surrounded by Roy and Johnny--both men sitting with their arms around the blonde. They looked up and when they saw who was there, they stood up and bid a hasty, yet reassuring, farewell to her.

“Hey, lady,” Kel said softly as soon as the paramedics were gone. “You okay?”

She nodded. “I’m fine, Kel. I just wish you wouldn’t talk about this as though it didn’t concern me.”

“I know. I’m sorry for that. Joe and I got a little carried away. He was bringing up a lot of points that I don’t want to think about, but that we have to consider. It frightened me and all I could think about was denying a possibility that is very likely because…well, it’s my baby too. I had never thought of myself as a father before, but I kind of like the idea. I don’t want you doing anything foolish.”

“You mean like having an abortion?” Dixie asked quietly.

“I know Joe probably scared you. Hell, he scared me too, but please tell me you’re not really considering it. I mean, I know if you really wanted to do it, I couldn’t stop you, but please don’t. I really want this baby.”

“I almost considered it again, when Joe started listing potential complications. But you don’t have to worry about me, Kel. I wouldn’t be able to go through with it. It’s my baby too…and probably my last chance to be a mother. I just need to know you’re gonna be there for us.”

“Always,” Kel said and then he did something that surprised them both: he leaned in and kissed her.

When they parted, they looked at each other with surprised (yet pleased) expressions on their faces.

“What was that for?” Dixie asked.

“Just because,” Brackett said with a shrug and a smile. “All right with you?”

“Very all right,” Dixie said as she leaned forward to claim his lips again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Mike Morton entered the nurse’s lounge looking for Dixie and found a surprise. Well, he found Dixie, but she was connected very intimately to Dr. Brackett. He cleared his throat and the embarrassed doctor and nurse jumped apart.

“Uh…what can I do for you, Mike?” Brackett asked, in an embarrassed tone.

“Actually, I was looking for…uh…Dixie,” Mike said, looking equally uncomfortable. “There’s a patient in three who could really use your attitude to calm him down.”

“My attitude?” Dixie said with a raised eyebrow.

“Uh…yeah. You know, that no-nonsense attitude you get with troublesome patients.” Mike said hastily trying to explain. “We’ve got one in three who won’t sit still.”

Dixie sighed and stood up. “What’s the problem?”

“He was in a knife fight and wants to find the guy that did this to him. He’s scared off three nurses already. You’re the only one I can think of who won’t be scared off so easily.”

“Is security watching him?” Dixie asked.

Mike nodded. “Yeah, that’s how I know he’ll still be there when you go to see him.”

“Dixie, you can’t face a guy like that!” Brackett said anxiously.

“Why not, Kel? I do it every day. One more supposed tough guy isn’t gonna kill me. Besides, security is in place. I’ll be fine.”

“Dixie, you’re not the only one to consider anymore.”

“Is there a problem?” Morton asked, looking confused. “Who else do you have to consider, Dixie?”

“My baby, Mike. I’m pregnant. Dr. Brackett and I are having a baby.”

“Oh. Okay, I’ll find someone else then,” Morton said, not skipping a beat. He stood up and headed out of the room.

Brackett and Dixie looked at each other. So far, Mike’s non-reaction had been the most surprising reaction yet. However, in the long run, they weren’t disappointed.

“WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!” came a very loud, very astonished voice from down the hall. Within seconds, Mike Morton had thrown himself back into the nurse’s lounge and was kneeling in front of Dixie in her chair. “Dixie? You’re pregnant? How? When? What? I…I…Congratulations!”

Dixie laughed. “You should know ‘how’ already--otherwise, you have no business being a doctor. As to when--sometime in September. What--is a baby. And thanks, Mike.”

Kel, meanwhile, was laughing harder than he had in months. Morton stood up and offered his hand to the mirthful doctor. Kel shook the proffered hand.

“Hey, is there anything I can do for you guys? Anything at all, you just name it!” Morton said.

“You can start by finding someone else to take care of that tough guy in three,” Brackett said as soon as he stopped laughing.

“Uh…right, you got it!” Mike said and headed out of the room again. Dixie and Kel could hear him muttering as the door closed, “A baby! Wow!”

As soon as the door was shut, both doctor and nurse burst out laughing again. Then Kel looked at Dixie and they resumed what they were doing prior to Morton’s original entrance.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

One week later, Brackett was at Dixie’s apartment watching her getting ready for work.

“Kel, you know you don’t have to pick me up for work every morning. I mean, if you want to carpool, that’s fine, but I can drive occasionally too.”

“I don’t mind, Dix. Aren’t you going to eat breakfast?” he asked as he noticed her going from her bedroom towards the front door without passing go and collecting $200 or even stopping in the kitchen for a bite to eat.

“Don’t even mention food, Kel!” Dixie said, turning slightly green. “Makes me nauseous. Then again, in the mornings, everything makes me nauseous.”

“Dixie, you need to eat! It’s not good for you or the little one to skip meals.”

“You find me something that won’t make me ill and I’ll eat. So far, I haven’t been able to find anything.”

“Remind me when we get to Rampart and I’ll get you something for the nausea. You need to eat, Dixie.”

“Kel! I told you not to mention food!” Dixie cried in an anguished tone as she bolted for the bathroom.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Ohhh..." Dixie moaned, holding her head in her hands, "I am sick and tired of being sick and tired."

Kel hugged her with one arm, sympathetic. It may have been their day off, but her morning sickness saw no such need for a vacation. It was only 9:00 A.M.--she still had a few hours to go before she'd get any relief. She also hadn't quite found the energy to get dressed yet. They were sitting on the bed in her bedroom; she was still in a nightgown.

Kel kissed Dixie's forehead tenderly. "Why don't you get some clothes on while I see if I can't dig up something to calm your stomach?"

She nodded, still miserable. "Okay." She managed to get up and walk to her closet as Brackett slipped out of the bedroom.

He wasn't able to find much. Once again, he worried about how much she was eating, but consoled himself with the fact that she seemed to eat well enough once the nausea abated. He finally located some crackers, though. He wasn't entirely certain of their theraputic qualities, but he'd heard they helped.

Kel had found he rather liked this situation--fussing over Dixie, taking care of her. He loved that they were having a baby. He had been meaning to ask her to marry him (and move in with him), but he wasn't quite sure when or how he should bring the matter up. He knew he loved Dixie, but he didn't know how he was going to convince her that it wasn't just because of the baby.

When he stepped back into Dixie's bedroom, she hadn't advanced much beyond the stage of having selected something to wear. She looked up from her vantage point on the bed, appraising both him and the package in his hand.

"Food, Kel?" she asked, incredulous--and somewhat queasy. "You bring me FOOD? My God, you're evil."

He'd have grinned if he hadn't known she was deadly serious. He held out a cracker. "Here, they're supposed to help."

"The only thing that would help is for me to have this kid."

"It'll pass before then, love," Kel soothed, surprising himself when he let the term of endearment slip in. "The morning sickness is supposed to be over after the third month."

"Thank God," Dixie muttered, biting at the edge of the cracker to appease him. It didn't help very much, but she seemed to be able to hold it down. She experimented with eating the rest of it, and sipped at the glass of water Brackett had also brought for her.

"You feel a little better?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, but not much." Pushing herself off of the bed, she crossed the room and opened the window for some fresh air--only to be assaulted by the smell of leaves burning down the street.

Dixie rushed to the bathroom, Kel right behind her. He held her hair back for her as she threw up, figuring it was the least he could do. After she was finished, he grabbed a nearby towel and wiped her face gently.

She sighed shakily, allowing him to draw her into an embrace. "Oh, Kel...I feel so lousy. I just want it to stop." Tears sprang to her eyes, and she cursed herself for them.

'Damn hormones!' she thought, thinking it stupid that she should be crying over something so simple.

Kel rocked with her slowly, rubbing her back in a soothing way. "I know, Dix...I know. I know you feel awful, but it'll stop soon...and in six months, we are going to have a beautiful little baby. Think of it that way." He paused, a thought occurring to him. "There's just one thing I don't understand, though."

"What's that?"

"If you're so sick in the mornings, how come you never noticed it before?"

"It just got bad recently," Dixie explained. "It was really fairly mild before then...I thought it was just menopause or something. Lord knows PMS was always worse in the mornings." Before this, there was no way she would have discussed things like this with him...but she supposed that the fact that they were having a child together now kind of negated the whole embarrassment issue.

Kel gave her a quick hug, stood up, and helped her to stand. "C'mon, Dix. Why don't you go put some clothes on...then we can go out, find something to take your mind off of this. Besides, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Several minutes later, Brackett found himself amused as Dixie went through a wide (but brief) range of emotions upon discovering that she couldn't get her favorite pair of jeans zipped up. He'd never have let her know it, though, especially since it concerned her weight. That was Handling Women 101.

When she finally gave up, sinking to the bed in despair, he put an arm around her. "Don't worry about it, Dix. This is completely normal, you know. You're three months pregnant."

"I know, but..."

Noting her insecurity, he pulled her a little closer. "It doesn't matter to me. No matter how much you weigh, I'll always think you're beautiful."

Oops. Well, so much for knowing everything about handling women. Even as he spoke the words, Kel Brackett knew they hadn't been smart. The look Dixie shot him told him as much. It was time for Plan B. Thinking quickly, he pulled the engagement ring out of his jacket pocket, and held it out to her as though it were a peace offering.

Dixie grinned, intrigued. She watched for a second as the diamond sparkled in the light, against the gold. "Wow, Kel...it's beautiful! You're just lucky I'm easily distracted by shiny objects."

"Marry me." Kel hadn't quite planned things this way, but then again, so little was going as planned recently. Life truly WAS what happened while you were busy making other plans.

Dixie looked down, and away. She didn't want to hurt him for the world, but she was afraid he was only asking her to do this for one reason. "Kel...oh, Kel...I can't."

"Why not?" Kel asked, though he suspected he already knew.

"I can't marry you just because of the baby. I DO love you, Kel--at least I'm very, very sure of it...but I don't want you to have to marry me because I'm pregnant with your child."

"OUR child," he corrected gently. "I want to be a part of this baby's life--and yours."

"You will be. You already are. But I'm afraid you don't know what you're getting yourself into. I want you to be happy, but you won't be if you're trapped into a marriage! I've seen it happen too many times to other people."

"Dammit, Dix! I love you and I want you to marry me! Maybe it took this kid to make me realize it, but I did!" Kel was extremely hurt by what he saw as her rejection.

Piercing blue eyes met soft grey. "Tell me this, Kel...if I had lost the baby, would you still have asked me to marry you?"

"Yes," he answered, with conviction and without hesitation.

She saw he meant what he'd said, but there was something he still WASN'T saying. "But...?"

"All right, Dixie, I can't lie to you. It would have hurt. A lot. I might have waited a while longer, but I'd still have asked. Besides, if it had happened--or DID happen, God forbid--it wouldn't be YOUR fault. I know that. I love you, and I want to spend forever with you."

She smiled at him, and knew the tears now falling from her eyes were tears of pure joy, not just hormones. "That's all I needed to know."

"I take it that's a 'yes'?"

"You bet it is."

He pulled her closer, and they sealed the deal with a kiss, the too-small jeans totally forgotten.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dixie sighed as she looked in the mirror in the nurse’s lounge. At just over four months pregnant, she was really showing and her maternity uniform was not as flattering as she would have liked. She rubbed a hand over the swelling in her abdomen and sighed again. She looked at the clock and mentally calculated how much longer she had until her doctor’s appointment.

‘Two more hours,’ she thought to herself. ‘Two more hours and he’s going to let me hear my baby’s heartbeat. Wow!’

“Penny for your thoughts.” Kel’s voice startled her and she jumped slightly before turning around.

“I’m THINKING you shouldn’t sneak up on a person like that.”

“Sorry,” he said as he came over to put his arms around her.

She leaned into the hug. “Enjoy this while you can. In another couple of months you won’t be able to get your arms around me.”

He chuckled. “I’ll find a way; don’t you worry about that. Your appointment is today, isn’t it?”

She nodded, “I’ve got Carol covering me for a couple of hours while I’m upstairs. You want to come up with me?”

“If we’re not too busy here, I'd love to.”

“Good, 'cause he says we should be able to listen to the baby’s heartbeat today.”

He reached down a hand and gently stroked the bulge that was his baby. “The baby’s heartbeat,” he murmured, awestruck by the thought. “It’s really real, isn’t it, Dixie? We’re really having a baby, aren’t we?”

She placed her hand over his. “Yes, we are. We are ALSO going to be late for our shift if we don’t move it. So come on.”

He chuckled again and allowed himself to be led out of the room.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Nurse’s Station, Miss McCall speaking. Oh, hi, Terry. You calling to remind me of my appointment in half an hour? What? Oh…no, that’s no problem. Will he be available later today? No? When’s his next available appointment, then? Two weeks? He’s really that busy? No, it's okay...two weeks will be fine. Two weeks from today…same time? Okay. See you then. Thanks for calling. Bye.”

Dixie put the phone down. She tried to stem the disappointment she felt at having to wait to hear her baby. But an emergency was an emergency and if her doctor had one, there was nothing she could do.

“Why the long face?” Joe Early’s voice broke through her reverie.

“Oh, I was supposed to have a doctor’s appointment in half an hour but Fred had an emergency.”

“That’s too bad. Everything going all right so far?”

Dixie nodded. “So far, so good. I’m just disappointed because he was going to let me hear the heartbeat today.”

“Well, if you like, I could take you into an examination room and let you have a listen.”

“You’d do that for me, Joe?”

Early smiled. Once he'd accepted the fact that his friends were going through with this, he'd even allowed himself to get wrapped up in a little bit of their excitement. He really WAS happy for them...and he loved seeing both of them so happy. “What else are friends for? Besides, I’d love to hear it too.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dixie settled back on the table in treatment room 2 and Joe gently lifted her shirt and adjusted her trousers so that he could get the stethoscope into position. Dixie propped her head up on her arm and watched as the white-haired doctor moved the small, cold piece of metal around until he found a heartbeat.

He smiled. “There it is! Sounds good, too. It…” he trailed off as he moved the stethoscope slightly.

“Joe? Is there something wrong?”

“Quiet for a minute, Dix.” Joe’s smile had faded and he was concentrating.

After a minute, Dixie was really getting worried, as Joe still had said nothing. “Joe, would you please just tell me what’s wrong? You’re scaring me here.”

Just then, Kel poked his head into the room. “Dixie? Carol told me you’d be in here. Joe? What’s up?”

“Kel, come over here and take a listen to this. I need a second opinion.”

“Joe? What’s wrong?” Kel’s voice took on a worried tone. Early just handed him the stethoscope.

He listened for a few minutes and then his eyes widened. “Joe, you didn’t hear what I think you heard, did you?”

“What?” Dixie asked.

“I’m pretty sure I did. And since you seemed to have heard it too, I don’t think there can be any doubt.”

“What?” Dixie asked again.

“But how?”

“Kel, you know the odds are greater in a woman of her age. It looks like it’s happened."

“Would someone PLEASE tell me what’s going on? What’s wrong?” Dixie all but screamed. She was terrified that something was seriously wrong with her baby.

Kel just handed the stethoscope back to Joe and headed towards the door in a daze.

Joe looked at Dixie and said one word that shocked her even more than the original phone call telling her she was pregnant. He said, “Twins.”

There was a slight scuffling noise by the door, but both doctor and nurse ignored it. Dixie was speechless for a full minute before finally finding her voice.

“Twins? As in two? As in more than one and less than three, right? Two for the price of one? Double trouble? I’m having two babies?”

“That’s generally the definition of the word twins,” Joe said dryly. “There were definitely two distinct heartbeats."

“My God,” she whispered. Then she sat up and said, “Kel didn’t say much, did he?”

“I think it was a bit of a shock. He probably headed out to his office.”

“Uh…no he didn’t.” Dixie said as she looked over Early’s shoulder. She pointed toward the door and he turned to see Brackett half-sitting and half-lying on the floor where he had apparently passed out.

Joe ran over to check Brackett while Dixie hastily did up her trousers and joined him.

Dixie handed Joe an ammonia capsule and he broke it under the unconscious doctor’s nose. Kel jumped at the foul odor and immediately tried to push Joe’s hand away.

“Okay, okay! I’m awake!” he exclaimed irritably. “What happened?”

“You passed out,” Joe explained with a grin. “Understandable given the circumstances.”

“I had the weirdest dream while I was out,” Kel said as he rubbed a hand across his forehead. “I dreamt that Dixie was carrying twins!”

Dixie chuckled, “No dream, Kel. We’re having two.”

“Twins? Really?” he asked as Joe helped him to a standing position. “My God!”

“I know what you mean,” Dixie said.

Kel moved forward and once again, placed his hands on her abdomen. She placed her hands over his and neither noticed when Early slipped out of the room to let the couple digest the news of this latest miracle.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Dixie, what on EARTH do you have for lunch?” Brackett’s mildly disgusted voice asked as he joined her at the small table in the cafeteria.

She shrugged and looked at the sandwich that she had brought from home. “Peanut butter, mayonnaise and pickles--why?”

“You’re joking, right?” Kel said as he made a face. “That’s disgusting!”

“Hey, at least I’m eating.”

Kel opened his mouth to protest and then decided he couldn’t argue with that logic. Besides, odd cravings were to be expected, right? He had always heard mothers-to-be would eat bizarre combinations of food--pickles and ice cream being the stereotype. He just had never seen anyone ACTUALLY eat like that before.

He shuddered as he watched her take a bite of the unholy combination. “Okay, I won’t complain. As long as you’re taking your vitamins, I won’t say anything about your…er…rather questionable diet.”

“Deal!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Questionable diet it was, too! Kel watched Dixie eat food in combinations that God never intended. There was the lime Jell-O and onions. There was M&M's with mustard. She even did the traditional pickles and ice cream. But her favorite, by far, was the peanut butter, mayonnaise and pickle sandwiches--on white bread, of course.

That’s not to say she never ate normal food. She did and when she did, Kel made sure they were healthy well-balanced meals. But when those cravings hit her, Kel just left the room.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Dammit!” Brackett’s annoyed voice distracted Dixie from where she was painting.

“Problem, Kel?”

“I’m missing a couple of the screws I need to finish this crib,” he said from amidst the pile of whitewashed wood that would soon house one of their infants. “I think I’ve got some in the garage. I’ll be right back.”

Dixie smiled and continued painting the nursery walls a very light, very airy, very neutral (after all, they didn’t know if they were having boys or girls or one of each yet) shade of yellow.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Brackett was digging through an old box of miscellaneous nails, screws, nuts and bolts looking for the right sized screws when Dixie’s voice startled him.

“KEL! COME QUICK!”

Panic consumed him. What could be wrong? Should he stop to call for paramedics first? Was Dixie in some sort of distress? Could the babies be in trouble? It couldn’t be labor--she was only five months pregnant, going on six--could it? Premature labor (at least THIS premature) would mean almost certain death for the babies and would be extremely hard on Dixie. He could lose all three of them.

He dropped the box--scattering nails everywhere. He ran through his house at top speed, worst-case scenarios running through his head. When he got to the nursery, he found Dixie sitting in the rocking chair with one hand on her abdomen.

“Dixie? You okay? What’s wrong?” he gasped as he came to kneel beside the chair.

She just smiled serenely, then took one of his hands and put it on her swollen belly. After a minute, he felt it. He looked at her, eyes wide with amazement.

“I felt a kick! My God! That’s incredible!”

Dixie laughed. “You act like you’ve never felt a baby kicking before.”

“I haven’t…I mean, I have, but this is different! This is my baby…our baby.”

“Yes, it is,” Dixie said softly and leaned forward to kiss him gently.

The two of them sat there like that for a long time, just feeling the kicking babies--smiling at each kick as though it were the first one.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It was that weekend that Brackett decided to bring up the subject that had been bugging him for awhile. Baby names.

He found Dixie in the kitchen eating breakfast. It was rare anymore when she was awake before him--she tired much more easily these days, but that was to be expected. Her hair was still hanging loose, swirling around her shoulders and the terry cotton bathrobe she wore. He loved the moments when he was able to see her like this. And so many more of them lie ahead.

Kel stole up behind her, and kissed her cheek. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to get you like this."

She gave him a look of amused tolerance. "What, barefoot and pregnant?"

"Sure, that too." Still grinning, he sat down at the table, across from her, noting with some relief that she appeared to be eating a normal breakfast and not some ungodly concoction dictated by her raging hormones. "You know, Dix, I think we should at least try to make a decision."

"About what?" she asked, momentarily setting aside a slice of toast. "The wedding date? I already told you, Kel, I'd really like to wait until after the twins are born. A maternity wedding gown is not exactly what I had in mind. I mean, LOOK at me!"

She had a point, of course, though he'd never have let on that he saw it. Dixie was nearing her sixth month, but looked as though she were well into her eighth. It was because she was carrying twins, of course, but he didn't really feel up to arguing the point with her. Kel knew he would only end up losing, anyhow. He reached out and placed a hand on her expanded waistline, feeling the life within.

"No, I was actually talking about what we're going to call the babies. They'll need names, you know."

"You realize I'm not due 'til September 16th, right?" Dixie was not only in an odd mood, she was also hungry. At the moment, naming her children was a secondary concern.

"I know, but it never hurts to plan ahead. I wanted to talk about it."

"Then talk. I'm listening."

"I kind of thought you'd want to help."

"Sure, fine...just let me eat first! Sheesh. First you complain about me NOT eating, then you complain about WHAT I'm eating...then you..."

"Okay," Brackett interjected, judging it best to cut off her rant before she really got into it. "Whatever you want. I'll be in the living room."

It didn't take long for Dixie to join him. Once she came in, she sat down on the couch and cuddled up next to him, putting her head on his shoulder. He slipped an arm around her, and smiled to himself. These were the moments to be cherished. Besides, after the babies came, they wouldn't have many quiet moments to themselves for a long, long time.

"What do you think about Lisa and Karen?" he asked.

"Who?"

"Not who, the names. How do you like the names?"

Dixie half-shrugged. "They're cute. We're going to have to pick two names for each, you know. We could have a boy. Or two."

Kel smiled an uneasy sort of smile. He personally was hoping both of the babies would be girls. Frankly, he didn't know how he would handle a boy. His own father had never been the best of examples...and fatherhood was going to be enough of a challenge without worrying that he'd be screwing his kid up for life or doing something else wrong. He wanted his children to have a perfect childhood--the perfect childhood he'd never been able to have. He doubted most parents wanted any less for their child, but it was especially important to him.

"What about Frankie and Johnny?" he asked, teasing.

She pulled back to look at him. "A SONG, Kel?"

"Well..." he replied, grinning, "it's got to be better than Bonnie and Clyde."

Dixie laughed. "We're naming CHILDREN, not pets! We might as well just call them George and Gracie if you're going to be like that."

The war was officially on. And Kel was certainly up for a challenge. "How about Benny and June, then?"

"Sonny and Cher."

"Marilyn and Carolyn."

"Sam and Samantha."

"Dusty and Rusty."

"Amy and Jamie."

"Eric and Erica."

"Aaron and Erin."

Kel leaned forward, gazing deep into Dixie's eyes, as though he were deadly serious. "We'll call her Trixie."

"Oh, you wouldn't dare!"

"Wouldn't I?"

Dixie's smile turned evil. "If that's the case, we could always call a boy Dana."

Kel laughed, and tried to come up with something to top her. They spent the next twenty or so minutes locked in this game of one-upmanship. They accomplished absolutely nothing--but they sure had fun doing it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

A week later, Dixie was kneeling on the floor painting the baseboards, while Kel was putting together the changing table--swearing every few minutes as the instructions would call for a piece that was not readily available. Every time he did, Dixie would look over at him and smile affectionately. He may have known a thing or two about putting together the human body, but she suspected that anything involving a hammer and nails was not in his realm of expertise.

She had just put the finishing touches on the baseboards of the one wall and stood up to move to another wall when the world started spinning. She just had time to gasp, "Kel!" before the gray mist swam before her eyes and she passed out.

Brackett looked up when she said his name just in time to see her start to fall. He barely managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

"Dixie?" He called her name as he patted her cheek. "Damn paint fumes! Come on, Dixie! Wake up!"

When she didn't so much as stir under his ministrations, he carefully picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. Once he got her settled on the bed, he pulled his BP cuff out of his little black bag and wrapped it around her arm. It read 90/57--way too low. He called the paramedics.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

'Squad 51, woman unconscious. 598 Merriweather Lane. 5-9-8 Merriweather. Cross street, Morse. Time out--13:34.'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Roy pulled the squad up to the house and he and Johnny started getting their equipment together. As they were doing that, the front door opened and Brackett came running out.

"I'm glad you guys got here so fast. It's Dixie; her blood pressure's taken a nosedive."

Roy and Johnny looked at each other in alarm and then followed the distraught doctor into the house.

Once inside, they found Dixie lying on the bed where Brackett had left her when he heard the sirens. The BP cuff was still wrapped around her arm.

"It was 90/57 about five minutes ago." Brackett said as Johnny stepped in and began taking her blood pressure again.

"BP 91/58, pulse 100. Respiration's 12," Johnny read off to Roy who wrote the stats down and looked at Brackett.

"What should we do, Doc?" Roy asked.

For the first time in his life, Brackett was truly afraid to make a decision. It was always easier when the patient was a no-name with no face that he could see. This time, it was the woman he loved and his children.

"Uh…Start an I.V. normal saline…no wait, make that D5W…or is saline better? Dammit!"

Johnny looked at Roy with eyes wide. He had never seen Brackett so completely flustered before.

"D5W might be better since she's pregnant," Roy offered. "It'll help prevent shock."

Brackett nodded. "D5W…okay, do it." He had known that! Why couldn't he think of it?

As, Johnny started the I.V., Roy went over and put his hand on Brackett's shoulder. "She's gonna be all right. Don't worry, Doc."

Brackett sighed and looked up into the concerned blue eyes. "I do worry about her, Roy. I mean, it's not like this pregnancy isn't risky--it is, extremely. I just love her so much...and it scares me that I could lose her."

"You won't," Roy vowed. "Not as long as Johnny and me are here, we won't let her go."

Brackett gave him a grateful smile and then turned his attention back to Dixie as he heard her moan softly.

Gradually, she opened her eyes to find a pair of warm brown eyes looking at her.

“Johnny? What’re you doing here?” She looked down at the I.V. in her arm. “What happened?”

“You passed out, Dix,” Johnny said.

Her eyes widened. “I did WHAT?”

Brackett came over to sit beside her on the bed. “Your blood pressure took a nosedive and you passed out. The ambulance should be here any minute to take you to Rampart. You just relax.”

Dixie started to sit up, only to be held down gently by Johnny. “Kel, I’m fine. The I.V. is apparently doing its job and I don’t need to go to Rampart!”

“Don’t argue with me, Dixie! You were unconscious! We can’t afford to take any chances!”

“I was only out for what, 5, 10 minutes? I’m fine and I don’t want to go to the hospital.”

“It was 5 or 10 minutes too long! And I don’t care what you want. You’re going to the hospital.”

“Uh, Doc,” Roy pointed out, “if she refuses to go, we can’t take her.”

This obviously hadn't occurred to Brackett before. He sighed, and tried a more tender approach. “Dixie, you need to go to Rampart. What if you had gone into hypovolemic shock? Please, let them take you. It'll make me feel better.”

She sighed. “All right, Kel. I’ll go--just for you. I’m fine, though, and I DON'T need to go.”

Brackett gave her a grateful smile and then went to let the ambulance attendants in.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The D5W did its job and within an hour, Dixie’s blood pressure had returned to normal. However, much to her chagrin, Dixie was admitted for overnight observation.

“It’s only because you’re pregnant, Dix,” Joe Early had told her as he admitted her. “Kel thinks it’s a good idea and so do I and so does your OB/GYN--whom I just talked to. At your age, this is an extremely high-risk pregnancy and we can’t be too careful.”

Dixie sighed. “I know that, Joe. I just hate being on this side of the stethoscope if you know what I mean.”

“They say doctors make the worst patients,” Joe said with a smile. “They never mentioned nurses.”

“We’re worse,” Dixie assured him, before settling back as the orderlies transferred her to a gurney to take her to her room.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dixie was sitting in the requisite wheelchair waiting for Joe to come and officially discharge her. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he walked in carrying a small sheaf of papers.

“Please tell me those are my discharge papers,” she said hopefully.

“Yep,” Joe told her, smiling. “We need this bed for someone who’s actually sick.”

“I told you there was nothing wrong with me,” Dixie insisted. “You guys just wouldn’t listen to me.”

“Well, I’d like to make it up to you,” Early said. He smiled at her again.

“How do you propose to do that?” she asked with a cocked eyebrow.

“Let me throw you a baby shower.”

“You want to throw a baby shower for me?”

“Yep. We could do it in the nurses lounge or I could reserve a conference room or something.”

“A baby shower?” Dixie repeated, as though she were having trouble getting her mind around the concept.

“With presents and everything. What do you say?”

Dixie grinned. “Okay, I think that would just about make up for this.” She gestured to the wheelchair.

Early chuckled. “All right then, how about next week, say…Wednesday?”

Dixie thought for a moment. “Could we make it Thursday or maybe Friday? I have a group of nurse trainees coming in for the day on Wednesday.”

Early nodded. “Sure, Dixie. How about Thursday afternoon? Say around 2?”

“Sounds good to me!” Dixie agreed with a satisfied smile. “Just remind everyone we need two of everything.”

Early laughed. “You got it, Dix.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Come on, Chet, cough up!” Johnny advanced on the shorter man, hand outstretched.

“Geez, Gage! I TOLD you I’d give you my share!”

“Sometime BEFORE the baby shower would be nice,” Johnny countered. “It’s the day after tomorrow. Roy and me are goin’ shopping in the morning, so I need everyone’s contribution.”

“All right, what’re the other guys giving?”

Johnny pulled out a list. “Uh…Roy and me are each putting in $35, Stoker is doin’ $25, Marco and Cap are doin’ $30."

Chet sighed and pulled out his wallet. He pulled out $30 and handed it to Johnny. Johnny accepted the money with a grin and recorded the contribution on his list.

“Okay, that adds up to $150,” Johnny said. “Roy and me were thinking of getting them a couple of car seats for the munchkins. How’s that sound to everyone?”

“Seventy-five dollars for a car seat?” Chet asked incredulously. “Are they really that much?”

Johnny shrugged. “If they’re less, we’ll use the difference to buy some baby bottles or something.”

“Sounds good, John,” said Captain Stanley from where he was sitting on the couch.

Roy came into the room. “While I was out last night, I picked up a card. Everyone want to sign it?”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Thursday afternoon found quite a crowd in the large conference room that Early had managed to reserve for the occasion. The room was festooned with pink and blue ribbons and balloons. There were deli trays and trays with vegetables and cheeses and sweets covering the large table. In the middle of the table, there was a cake that said 'Congratulations Dixie & Kel & Babies' with two little baby buggies decorating the large white sheet cake. In the corner of the room was an embarrassingly large pile of gifts. Dixie reflected that she was very glad she owned a station wagon, as she had no idea how they’d get this stuff home otherwise--short of renting a moving van.

After about half an hour of mingling, Dixie was made to sit down and open her presents. There were lots of baby clothes in blue, pink or neutral colors--depending on how certain the giver was about the sex of the babies. Station 51’s A-shift gave the couple two car seats, and a basket of baby supplies including pacifiers, bibs, bottles, rattles, a gift certificate for a diaper service for a month and two small stuffed rabbits. Mike Morton gave them two mobiles to hang from the cribs and Joe Early gave them a playpen--big enough for two.

Gradually, the party wound down and Brackett recruited Roy and Johnny to help him carry the gifts down to the car while Dixie sat back and let them spoil her.

Finally, everything was in the car and the food had been cleaned up (well, moved to the nurses lounge...where it was guaranteed to disappear in short order) and Kel came back to escort Dixie to the car. She stood up and froze. Kel looked at her curiously as her eyes widened and her hand moved to her abdomen.

“Dixie?” Brackett asked her, concerned. “Are you okay?”

“Um…Kel? I wouldn’t SWEAR to it, but I think I just had a contraction.”

“WHAT?” Kel asked, incredulous--and not a little scared. “It can’t be! You’re barely six months pregnant!”

“Now, let’s not panic yet. It could be Braxton-Hicks contractions. That’s a common thing at six months.”

“Or it could be trouble! Dixie, how many times do I have to tell you that you can’t afford to take chances? Let’s go down to maternity and have them take a look at you.”

“Kel, look. If it IS real--and I'm sure it's not--we’re at a hospital and that’s not such a bad thing. I don’t want to bother maternity until we’re sure.”

“Dixie…” Brackett said in a warning tone of voice.

“No! Look, Kel, the thing about Braxton-Hicks is that they’re erratic. We’ll wait and see how regular they come. If it looks like regular intervals, we’ll go to maternity. If it’s not, we’ll go home. Okay?”

Kel sighed. She had on her "don’t give me any trouble" persona--the one that she usually gave a certain dark-haired paramedic every time he insisted on going home after being injured.

“Okay. We’ll give it two hours. We ought to know in that time. Agreed?”

She smiled. “Two hours. Agreed.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Two hours later, Brackett drove as he and Dixie headed home.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Before they knew it, June had flown by and July was upon them. On the second of the month, Dixie just happened to stroll into the nurses' lounge at the same time as Carol. Smiling, she lowered herself into a chair and looked at the cup of coffee the other nurse had so thoughtfully provided.

"Oh...you're an angel." Dixie took a sip of the coffee, and grinned. "Kel would kill me if he knew about this, but one cup isn't going to hurt anything. I'm taking care of myself...he's just so worried. It's an endearing quality, but it's also driving me crazy! I don't know how I'm going to survive until September!"

Carol sat down at the table across from her, cradling her own cup of coffee. "He's that bad, huh?"

"And worse," Dixie sighed. "Oh, don't get me wrong...I love him, but he's completely on edge about this. I know it's a risky pregancy, but STILL--he makes everything out to be a hundred times worse than it is."

Carol leaned closer, grinning conspiratorially. "Lemme let you in on a little secret, Dixie...most fathers-to-be do. But I can understand your frustration."

"I think it would almost be easier if he WEREN'T a doctor. Then he'd only imagine what could go wrong instead of knowing. But, then again...they say the imagination can be worse."

"This is true."

Dixie smiled ruefully. "I swear, though, I can't even SIGH without him being all over me."

"You realize, of course," Carol began, "that most women would kill for this?"

"I'm not most women, Carol."

"Well, I knew THAT already..."

The door to the lounge opened at that moment, and Kate Michaels walked in, a goofy sort of grin on her face. Wordlessly, she poured a cup of coffee, and sighed in a lovelorn sort of way.

Dixie knew what was going on instantly. "Johnny and Roy are here, huh?"

Kate nodded, grinning sheepishly. "Am I that transparent?"

"To everyone but Johnny," Carol confirmed, trying not to laugh.

Kate shook her head, walking by the table. "I don't know what it is. Sometimes he gets a little flirty...but most of the time he doesn't even know I exist. Not in any sense that counts. I wish he'd make up his mind already."

"Oh, he'll come around," Dixie assured her. "One of these days, he will. Trust me."

'Kel did', she thought to herself with a smile.

"I just hope it's before he goes through every other ER nurse." Kate half-shrugged. "I'll take him any way I can get him, but being the last resort won't help my ego any."

Dixie laughed. "Are they here for supplies?" Seeing Kate's nod, she continued. "You want to handle it?"

Kate stared at her in something akin to disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"As serious as you want me to be."

"I love you for this, Dixie."

"Anytime, Kate." Dixie chuckled, noting the spring in Kate's step as she left. Kate had come a long way from the shy and troubled student nurse she'd been when she'd first walked through the doors of Rampart Emergency five years before. Dixie had taken an interest in the girl and decided to help her out. She'd taken Kate under her wing--training her personally. They'd become good friends as well, and it was nice to see her work paying off.

Carol was amused by Kate's exit as well. "It takes so little to make her so happy."

"Yeah, well, saved me the trouble. I didn't exactly feel like getting up anyway."

As fate would have it, Mike Morton stuck his head in the room a mere moment later. "Dixie? Can you help me out for a second?"

"Sure, Mike. What's the problem?"

"We've got an MVA coming in--pedestrian versus car. Can you keep an eye on the guy in 4 while I see if I can round up a few extra hands?"

"Sounds simple enough," Dixie agreed. She knew Mike wouldn't have offered her anything that would endanger her or the babies. "What's the case?"

"He's unconscious. I'd just feel a lot better if there were someone around when he woke up."

"Okay. I'll be right there." Dixie was torn. She was glad it was something easy and harmless...but on the other hand, she was almost insulted that it was something THAT easy and harmless. Oh, well. A case was a case.

As the door shut behind Morton, Dixie stood up--a little too quickly. She'd forgotten about the hypo-tension issues, and had to brace herself against a wave of dizziness. Precautions had been taken to keep her blood pressure from dropping low enough to make her pass out again, but she still couldn't get up too fast without getting a little dizzy. She waved away Carol's hand. "I'm fine, Carol. I just got up too quickly."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm all right, Carol, really."

"If you say so...” Carol sounded a bit doubtful, but knew that Dixie wasn't in a mood to argue.

"I do. But thanks."

"Anytime."

Dixie smiled at her and headed out to "meet" the patient in treatment room four.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When Dixie walked into treatment four, she was treated to the sight of a very large, very mean-looking, very unconscious man. She sighed and picked up his chart.

"Zack Roberts," she read aloud. She looked at the man. "They don't seem to have too many vitals on you; might as well make myself useful."

She picked up a BP cuff and stethoscope and walked over to the exam table. She took his blood pressure and noticed him stirring as she waited for the cuff to deflate. She leaned over him and smiled.

"Welcome back," she said to the confused man. "You're at Rampart General Hospital. Can you tell me what happened to you?"

"None of your damn business," he growled as he started to sit up. She put a hand on his chest to restrain him. "Get your hands offa me!"

"You're hurt," Dixie said in her best no-nonsense tone of voice. "You need to see a doctor."

"I don't need ANYTHING, bitch!" He sat up again, pushing her away slightly--but not without force.

She recognized where this scene was headed. She went to the door and yelled, "SECURITY! SECURITY!"

"You get away from that door!" the man snarled as he grabbed Dixie by her ponytail and dragged her around, ignoring her yelp of pain. "I ain't gonna get arrested again! I'm getting out of here and you ain't gonna stop me!"

With that, he flung her across the room, heedless of her obvious pregnancy. She felt herself crash backwards into the exam table before sliding gracelessly to the floor. Much more frightened than hurt, Dixie closed her eyes and hoped security would get Mr. Roberts soon--before he did anything else to her.

"WHAT THE HELL? DIXIE!" Kel's voice reached her ears just as she hit the ground.

He had heard her calling for security and went to help. When he saw the man throw the woman he loved--the PREGNANT woman he loved--across the room, he saw red. He lost all sense of himself as a doctor and became a vengeful lover. Zack Roberts went down hard against the sucker punch the doctor had thrown.

Just then, security arrived. Kel looked at the man at his feet, and then to the shocked security guards. "This man just attacked Nurse McCall. Take him to the prison ward and call the police. I want him arrested for assault."

The two security guards picked up Roberts and dragged him out of the room. Now that that was over, Kel felt a new rush of adrenaline as he realized that Dixie hadn't moved from where she lay on the floor. He quickly knelt down beside her and placed one hand on her shoulder and one on her abdomen.

"Dixie?" he asked in a frightened voice. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Kel." Dixie said as she struggled to sit up. "I was just playing dead until they got him out of here."

"You were playing it too well," Kel said as he picked her up and sat her on the exam table. "You scared the hell out of me. I thought he'd killed you. What were you doing alone in a room with someone like that, anyway?"

"He was unconscious when I got here," Dixie said, a little defensively. "Mike asked me to stay with him because he didn't want him waking up alone."

"Well, I'm going to have to have a little talk with Dr. Morton," Kel said, the anger evident in his voice.

"Now, Kel, it wasn't his fault. He didn't know the guy was gonna get violent when he woke up."

Kel sighed. "You know, this gives me a very good excuse to try to talk you into starting your maternity leave."

"Kel, I'm fine. I've still got two and a half months before the babies come and I don't want to spend them sitting around the house!"

"I'm not saying you should stay at home and sit," Brackett said. "Although that's not a bad idea."

"Kel!"

"I'm worried about you. This is a high-enough risk pregnancy without having it complicated by patients like that. Please, Dixie. For me?"

"Kel, I'm not ready to stop working yet," she said in a reasonable tone. "I'm fine. That guy scared me more than anything. I'm a nurse. Won't you let me use my own judgment?"

Kel sighed again. "Will you at least go home now and take tomorrow off to rest and recover a little?"

Dixie smiled at the compromise. "Okay, I can tell already I'm gonna be a little sore. I can go home and take a nice warm bath."

"That's my girl," Kel said as he put his arms around her. She leaned into the hug, allowing herself to be comforted by his presence. "I love you so much and I just don't want anything to go wrong."

"Everything's gonna be fine, Kel," Dixie said as she reluctantly pulled out of his embrace to look him in the eyes. "You'll see. It's going to be fine."

He smiled and gave her a quick kiss before helping her off the exam table. She was just getting ready to walk out when the door opened.

"Dixie? How's he…" Mike Morton's voice trailed off as he saw Dixie looking very disheveled and Brackett looking very angry.

"Dr. Morton," Kel said in his best angry administrator voice. "How in the hell could you leave Dixie in such a vulnerable position? Or...forget Dixie. How could you leave ANY woman who's seven months pregnant in a situation like that?"

"The guy was out cold," Morton offered weakly.

"He woke up and attacked Dixie."

Morton's eyes widened. "Oh, God, I am SO SORRY, Dixie! I had no idea he'd be violent. To be honest, I really didn't expect him to wake up so soon. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Mike," Dixie said reassuringly. Brackett, however, was not so reassuring.

"The point is that he could very easily have hurt her seriously," Brackett growled angrily. "If I ever hear of you doing something like this again…"

"Kel!" Dixie said. "It wasn't his fault! Let it go; I'm fine."

Brackett shot Morton one more withering glare before escorting Dixie out of the room.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The next morning, Dixie awoke slowly. She was stiff all over and attributed it to the altercation of the previous day. She stretched and found an empty space in the bed next to her. She smiled to herself remembering that Kel had to be at work particularly early that morning. She was grateful for the chance to sleep in. That was when she noticed that something didn't feel right.

She sat up gingerly and felt a wetness between her legs. She pulled the covers back and looked down. There was blood on the sheets.

Biting down the terror that rose in her throat, she reached for the phone on the bedside table and dialed a number she knew from memory. Frankly, she wasn't (consciously) 100% sure WHO she was going to reach--by this time she was functioning only on autopilot. The phone on the other end of the line rang--once, twice, a third time.

'Come on, come on...' she begged silently, 'pick up!'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Roy had the nagging feeling that it was going to be an incredibly long day. It wasn't much past 9:00 A.M., and already Chet and Johnny were going at each other full-force.

'Thank God we have tomorrow off!', he thought, sighing inwardly. 'These two would drive me insane if I had to put up with it much longer!'

Marco and Stoker weren't a lot of help--in fact, they enjoyed egging it on. Twenty minutes before, Captain Stanley had declared that he was surrounded by twits, and retreated to the relative safety of his office. So Roy was on his own.

He was glad when the phone rang. Maybe it would distract them. When it rang a second time, and no one seemed to notice, Roy nudged Henry off of his lap and got up to answer it. He picked up the phone just after the third ring.

"Station 51, Fireman DeSoto speaking." Even after all these years at the station, Roy was STILL never sure how to answer the phone...he usually went with what seemed best at the time.

"Roy?" the female voice on the other end asked. "I've...I've got a problem."

Roy knew that voice as well as he'd have known any other. "Dixie! What's wrong?"

There was a slight pause. When she replied, it was barely more than a whisper. He had to strain to hear the words.

"I'm bleeding, Roy. Could you and Johnny...?"

There was a fatalistic air to her tone, about as close as Roy knew she would come to admitting to him that she was terrified. "Of course, Dix! We'll be right there!"

"Thanks."

Roy smiled warmly, though he knew she couldn't see it. "Take it easy, okay? We'll be right over."

After hanging up, he informed both Stanley and the dispatcher that they were responding to a still alarm, and ran out to the squad with Johnny.

"What's up?" Johnny asked as they pulled out of the driveway. He was interested--still alarms were not exactly commonplace.

"It's Dixie," Roy informed him.

Johnny's eyebrows shot up. "It's not her blood pressure again, is it?"

"No." Roy sighed heavily, trying to get a handle on his worries. "It sounded like she might be hemorrhaging."

"Oh, man..." Johnny sighed. "I hope it's not too serious!"

"Me too, Junior," Roy assured him. "Me too."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Joe Early came out of the treatment room and saw Brackett standing by the base station. He sighed. This wasn’t going to be pleasant.

“Kel? Can I talk to you for a second?” Early said to the dark-haired doctor.

“Sure, Joe, what’s up?”

“It’s Dixie,” he said and put out a hand to steady his friend as he saw the blood drain from Brackett’s face.

“What’s wrong, Joe?” Kel asked in a quietly panicked voice.

“She had some bleeding. 51 brought her in a little while ago. I’ve sent her up for observation.”

“She WHAT?” Kel asked, eyes wide.

“It’s all right, Kel. She’s fine. Just a mild hemorrhage. It had just about stopped by the time Roy and Johnny got to her.”

“What about the babies?”

“They seem okay too. It’s all right. She’ll be fine. Your children will be fine. We’re just putting her under observation as a precaution.”

“Are you sure, Joe?”

“I’m sure, Kel,” the white-haired doctor replied with a gentle smile. “They’re moving her into observation room 3 for the night. She might be there already.”

“Thanks, Joe,” Kel said and then took off at top speed for observation room three.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dixie had the bed propped up and was reading a magazine when Kel came bursting through the door. She jumped a little in surprise and then braced herself for the onslaught she knew was coming.

“Why didn’t you call me?” Kel’s voice was controlled, but angry.

“I didn’t want to worry you any more than you already are,” Dixie answered in her most reasonable tone of voice.

“So I had to hear that you had been brought in from Joe Early?”

“Kel, I’m fine. The babies are fine and everything is okay. I called Roy and Johnny the minute I realized I was bleeding. It would’ve taken you three times as long to get there and you couldn’t have done much anyway. When they called in to Rampart, Joe was on the radio. I wasn’t trying to avoid you; I was trying not to worry you until I was sure there was something to worry about. And there isn’t.”

“You think I wouldn’t have worried if I went home and you weren’t there?” Kel demanded. He picked up her magazine. “Were you planning on telling me anytime soon? It doesn’t look like you were very eager to call me.”

“Joe said he’d tell you,” Dixie said, trying not to let her temper get the better of her. “Kel, please believe that I didn’t mean to exclude you. But I knew you’d get hysterical and I really didn’t need that--I was hysterical enough for both of us.”

Kel stopped and realized that she was right. He remembered the time she had passed out due to her blood pressure and recalled his inability to think clearly enough to treat her. He sighed and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck while his face molded itself into a rueful smile.

“Much as I hate to admit it, you’re right,” he said, a little shamefacedly. “I just get scared and I guess I get angry because it’s easier than dealing with the fear. The important thing in all of this is that you’re fine and the babies are fine and I know you’re doing your best and so am I.”

Dixie’s anger melted away. “I’m sorry, too. I should’ve called you after I got off the phone with Roy. Do you forgive me?”

“Only if you promise to forgive me.”

She smiled. “I forgive you.” She leaned forward towards him. He took the hint and kissed her.

After a few minutes, he finally stood up and said, “Well, I have to get back to work. I’ll come back up after my shift, okay?”

“I’ll see you then,” she said with a smile.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As Kel got back to the base station, he spied Roy and Johnny standing there, drinking coffee. He walked over to them and was just going to say hello, when he had an idea.

“Hey, Doc! How’s Dixie doing?” Johnny asked.

“She’s doing just fine, Johnny.” He looked at the two paramedics. “Thank you for taking such good care of her.”

“Hey, we promised you that as long as we’re around we wouldn’t let anything happen to her,” Roy said with a smile.

“Thanks, Roy,” he said--then paused, unsure of how to broach the subject. Finally, he decided on the best way to handle it. “Uh, Roy? Could I see you in my office for a minute?”

Johnny looked at Roy curiously before leaning over and whispering in his partner’s ear, “What’d you do now Pally?”

Roy shot him a glare before following the doctor to his office.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Roy entered Brackett’s office and sat down. Kel seemed nervous. He sat down in his own chair, then stood up and sat on the edge of the desk, then stood up again and sat down in the chair next to Roy.

“Roy, I need some advice,” he began, a little hesitantly.

“You need MY advice?” Roy asked--not sure he believed the normally self-confident doctor was asking him for his advice.

Brackett nodded. “It’s just…you’ve got two children, right?”

“Chris and Jenny; yeah. Why?”

“Well…how did you…um…how did you cope with…well…Joanne when she was pregnant?”

“You’re having problems dealing with Dixie?”

Brackett looked at the floor for a moment and then nodded. “I don’t know what to do, Roy! She’s just so STUBBORN. I mean, she called you today instead of calling ME. She gets in these moods sometimes where nothing will cheer her up...or if I look at her funny, she’ll bite my head off.”

Roy nodded, trying not to grin as widely as he wanted to.

Brackett continued. “I know I can’t be easy to handle either. I worry about her and I guess I DO nag at her a bit. But today was the last straw! I don’t know what to do with her! Did you have problems like this with Joanne?”

Roy chuckled. “Yeah, I did. I think most fathers-to-be do. Right now, her hormones are playing hell with her moods and she’s feeling fat and unattractive. You’re constantly hovering telling her what to eat and when to eat and how to take care of herself and what she should and shouldn’t do. Just occasionally remember to let her you know still love her. Give her flowers or something like that for no reason. Her mood swings and stubbornness will still drive you nuts, but trust me, this WILL help.”

“You really think so?”

“Trust me, Doc. Start treating her like a princess instead of a patient and she’ll tolerate your nagging a lot better.”

“Thanks, Roy. Thanks a lot,” Brackett said as he stood up and shook Roy’s hand. “I’ll try that.”

“Anytime, Doc. Good luck!” Roy called as he headed out of the office.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Well? What was that all about?” Johnny asked Roy as they walked back out to the squad.

“He just wanted to know how I handled Joanne when she was pregnant.”

“What’d you tell him?”

“Very carefully.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Less than five minutes after his shift ended, Brackett was sitting in Dixie's hospital room, watching her fight an inward battle with herself. She didn't seem to be winning, either. The silence was beginning to get uncomfortable, so he finally spoke up.

"What's on your mind?"

"Work," she sighed. "The twins. Zack Roberts. A lot of things."

He saw what she was getting at. "You think the attack is related to what happened this morning?"

Dixie shook her head slowly. "I'm not sure WHAT I think, Kel. Intellectually, I know it probably wasn't--that I'd have started bleeding sooner if it were--but I still can't help but wonder. And I'm scared. What if something like that happened again? And don't tell me it won't. We've had a lot of patients surprise us. What if I was hurt worse? My God, Kel, what if I lost the babies?"

"What if…?" Those two words could very easily drive you crazy.

Brackett turned away from her for a moment, not wanting to even think about the possibilities she was suggesting. He'd seen her hit that exam table--she'd hit hard. He shuddered to think what would have happened if she hadn't been fortunate enough to hit it with her back. He forced himself to look at her, but rested a hand on her stomach for reassurance, feeling the babies' movements. "What's your point, Dix?"

She looked down for a moment, picking at an invisible thread on the blanket. "I'm taking your advice."

He wasn't entirely sure what she meant by that. "Huh?"

"You said yesterday that you wanted me to take my maternity leave early," Dixie clarified. "I'm going to do it."

Down deep, Kel was relieved to hear that. He felt a thousand times better knowing that she'd be safe at home, safe from the Zack Robertses of life in the ER. But he also knew that her job had been her life for many years, and wondered what she would do with herself. "What'll you do at home?"

"I don't know yet," she admitted, grinning as she snuggled further down into the bed, feeling sleepy. It had been a long day, that was for sure. "I suppose I'll find something."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

She found something, all right, much to Brackett's amusement. He came home one day a week later, expecting to find her cleaning up the living room...or wondering how the chairs would look if she were to repaint them...or watching children's television in order to get a feel for what she was going to have to put up with in a few years. He figured it was at least better than her watching soap operas.

He didn't find her in the living room. Or the kitchen. Suddenly, her voice called out to him from the bedroom.

"Hey, Kel?"

"Yeah?"

"Do medical terms count in Scrabble?"

He honestly wasn't sure. He also didn't know why SHE wanted to know. "I don't know, Dix. I guess if everyone playing knows what they mean it'd be all right." He headed back toward the bedroom, wondering what on earth she could have been up to. He found her sitting on the bed with a Scrabble board, grinning triumphantly as she spelled out "synotia", then turned the board around.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Dixie looked up at him, the perfect picture of innocence. "Playing Scrabble."

"With WHO?" He figured it was reasonable that she might have gotten into some Scrabble-by-mail program or something. Well, they had one for chess...

"Myself. Why?"

Herself? Dixie was playing Scrabble with herself?! She really MUST have been bored. And it had only been a week...

Kel dreaded to think about what she was going to be like come the end of August, early September. "Well, at least you're winning."

She shrugged, and turned the board around. "Actually, I'm not."

"How can you lose when you're playing yourself?"

"I'm missing some pieces I think." She looked at the board, trying to figure out how she was going to top "synotia" with the letters she had on hand. Brackett glanced at the word, and looked at her oddly.

"You HAD to pick a birth defect."

Dixie laughed. "I didn't think of that! It's just a word!" She reached up, grabbed his hand, and pulled him closer to the bed. He sat down, obliging her. "Kel, the babies are going to be fine."

"I'm sure you're right." He placed a hand on her waist lovingly. "Little Heather and Heidi."

"Could always be Spencer and Nathaniel."

Kel smiled at her. "It could. What if we have one of each?"

"Heather and Nathaniel?" she suggested. "Spencer and Heidi?"

"Fine by me," he said, leaning forward to kiss her gently on the lips.

They had finally been able to decide on Heather Renee and Heidi Marie for girls and Spencer Michael and Nathaniel Lee for boys. Jacob Eli had been another consideration...as well as Sophia Rose. But they had preferred the aliteration of the girls' names (not matching, but they flowed), and Nathaniel and Spencer just seemed to fit.

Dixie shoved the game of Scrabble aside, smiling as it clattered to the floor. She could always pick it up later. She snuggled into Kel's arms. "It's so hard to believe, Kel. You and me...and the babies...we're going to be a family. And I love that, but to be honest, I'm worried about what kind of a mother I'll make."

"A wonderful one, I'm sure."

"It's nice to know you think so. But, Kel, my mother died when I was five years old. I barely remember her, let alone her parenting skills."

"To be honest, Dixie, I worry about fatherhood too. I still think of my childhood as an incredibly long and involved nightmare. That's the LAST thing I want for our kids."

"I suppose we're just going to have to learn as we go along," Dixie finally answered. "In reality, I guess most people do. I don't think anyone's really born knowing how to be a parent."

She had a point. Kel settled back onto the bed, contented for the moment just to be holding her and feeling their children move within her body. Where the hell had all this love come from? Seven months before, he'd thought he knew where he was going with his life. He'd thought he and Dixie were just friends, having cooled the relationship they'd started years before. He'd thought a drunken night of passion had been just that--one night, brought on by a little too much champagne. But it now seemed that alcohol had only loosened them up enough to let them get in touch with the feelings they'd been denying for so long now. This pregnancy had been shocking...but it had turned out to be such a wonderful thing for them both, despite the problems.

Dixie fell asleep a short time later, but Kel stayed there for what seemed to him like forever, watching her sleep. He honestly thought he COULD have done it forever.

'I could spend the rest of my life in this sweet surrender', he thought, then smiled at the sheer sappiness of the thought. 'Hey, you never know. Might make a pretty decent song someday.'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dixie was sitting in the recliner when Kel came home. She found that if she wanted to sleep on her back, it was either the recliner or nothing. Otherwise, the only way she was comfortable was lying on her side to sleep (and that was only BARELY comfortable).

She looked up at him, “I know I’ve still got a month and a half, but dammit, Kel! I’m sick of being pregnant. Do you realize I can’t fit behind the wheel of my car anymore?”

Kel fought the impulse to laugh at the mental image she had just created for him. He knew that to laugh at her now would sign his death warrant. Now he was really glad that he had taken Roy’s advice.

“I know how badly you’ve been feeling lately and I brought you something to cheer you up.”

She looked up expectantly. “What’d you bring me? Another woman to take this extra weight off me for the next two months? I could really use something like that, you know.”

Kel smiled and pulled his hand from behind his back to reveal a bouquet of white roses. Dixie’s face lit up like a Christmas tree.

“KEL! They’re beautiful! Could you put them in water for me? Maybe put them on the dining room table or something.”

Kel smiled and started to move toward the kitchen for a vase when he stopped. He turned back to Dixie.

“I almost forgot; I got you something else.” He pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to her.

She looked up at him with a smile and then turned her attention to unwrapping the gift. She tore off the paper and opened the small jewelry box. When she saw what was in it, she gasped.

"It’s gorgeous, Kel," she said as she lifted the diamond heart pendant out of the box. Suddenly, she found herself in tears.

“Dixie?” Kel was immediately concerned. “Are you okay? Don’t you like it?”

“Oh, Kel! I love it,” she sobbed. “It’s these damned hormones. It doesn’t take much to set me off lately.”

Kel gave her a sympathetic (if not a little hopeful) smile. “So they’re happy tears?”

Dixie smiled. “Yes, they’re happy tears. I love it, and I love the flowers and I love you.”

“I love you too, Dixie,” he said as he carefully put the necklace on her. He ran his fingers along the chain down her neck. She closed her eyes and sighed. He took the opportunity to kiss her.

When they came up for air, Dixie said, “You can cheer me up anytime you want.”

Brackett smiled and kissed her again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dixie winced as another Braxton-Hicks contraction hit her, and paused in what she was doing for the moment. They'd been getting stronger in recent days--and were coming more frequently today than usual. She'd only noticed it in the past three hours or so. It was better than the back pain that had been plaguing her before that, though. She got relief from the contractions, at least.

A small part of her mind worried that she might be going into labor, but she quickly dismissed the idea. Even if she were, it was more than likely a false labor. After all, the twins weren't due for another six weeks almost.

When the contraction passed, Dixie finished taking the freshly washed laundry out of the dryer, sighing as she realized that this was about as much excitement as she was going to get all day. After loading the laundry into the waiting basket, she left it sitting next to the living room couch. She could always fold it later. At the moment, she had the most incredible craving for something with peanut butter in it.

So, of course, they were out of peanut butter.

Dixie began searching the kitchen in hopes for finding something edible that looked halfway appealing. She'd wasted nearly ten minutes doing this when another contraction struck.

'I could get really tired of this really fast', she thought.

Suddenly, she felt a wetness between her legs, as the sweet smell of amniotic fluid drifted up to her nose. She looked down at the growing pool of liquid at her feet. Oh, God...her water had broken. This was for real. She was really in labor.

Dixie crossed over to the phone, and dialed the number for Rampart's emergency center. She waited for an answer. "Hi, Kate; it's Dixie. Listen...I need to talk to Dr. Brackett. Now."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Brackett was headed out of treatment room 2 when he saw Kate Michaels approaching him. He wondered what she would present him with next.

Like Johnny's vision of a "typical" Wednesday, July 28 had brought them their fair share of odd cases at Rampart's emergency room. And with the brushfire currently raging just outside of the city, it was fairly certain that they would get even more business later on that day.

"Doctor," Kate began without preamble. "Dixie's on the line--she wants to talk to you. Did you want to take it in your office?"

"Oh...yes," he answered, after the usual surge of concern had passed. She was probably just calling to say "hi" or see how things were going. Kate didn't seem particularly worried. "Did she sound all right?"

Kate shrugged. "She seemed fine...maybe a little impatient. I didn't notice much else. I'm sure everything's okay."

Brackett nodded, somewhat reassured, and headed into his office. He picked up the phone and clicked in on the line. "Dix?"

"Hi, Kel." She sighed. "You might want to come home."

The fear rose up again. "Why, what's wrong?! You're not bleeding again, are you?"

"Well, no..." He could hear her sigh again, as if she were trying to figure out how to put something. "I'm in labor, Kel."

"WHAT?"

"Labor, Kel. Contractions. Planning on giving birth sometime today."

"I know what it is, Dixie," he told her dryly. "Are you sure?"

"I wasn't until my water broke."

"WHAT?"

"You know, Kel," she replied, with undisguised amusement, "you really should consider expanding your vocabulary."

"Very funny, Dixie. Your water broke? Was the fluid clear?"

"Yeah, except for a little bit of blood. But that's normal, right?"

He nearly panicked again, until he remembered that it was just the bloody show...which was perfectly normal. "Right. Now, Dix..."

Just then, another contraction gripped her--much stronger than the previous ones had been. Much against Dixie's will, an almost animalistic groan of pain escaped her lips.

That was all Kel needed. He jumped up, before remembering he was only on the phone with her. "Dixie! Are you all right?"

"I'm...fine. Just...another...contraction." She took a deep, though shaky, breath after it had passed. "What could be more natural?"

"Dixie," Kel advised her, "just go lie down. I'll be right there, I promise."

"Okay." She wasn't planning on arguing this time.

"I love you."

She chuckled. "I love you too, Kel. Just don't hold me to that in an hour or two, all right?"

He smiled. "With any luck, you'll be well-medicated by that time."

"I certainly hope so."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The second he hung up with Dixie, Kel raced out of his office, nearly running Joe Early over.

Joe jumped back in surprise, and grinned. "Where's the fire, Kel?"

The younger doctor took a breath. "I've gotta get home, Joe--Dixie's in labor."

Joe raised an eyebrow--but then, he also knew that premature deliveries were common with twins. Six weeks wasn't exactly nothing, but the babies had a good chance. A very good chance, if all went well. He placed a calming hand on his friend's shoulder. "All right, go. I guess I'll see you back here soon?"

"And where else do you think I'd take her?"

"Good point." The white-haired doctor offered Kel a few words of advice while he still had the chance. "Relax, okay? I know it's early, but the babies are going to be fine. Dixie's going to be fine."

"Thanks, Joe." With those parting words, Brackett was out the door.

He ran to his car like a bat out of hell, for once not caring what anyone thought. His only focus was on Dixie, and the twins--the twins who were only hours away from making their debut.

Naturally, his car picked that moment to give him problems. The engine wouldn't turn over all the way.

"C'mon, c'mon," he growled at the engine. "Now is NOT the time to fall apart, you useless piece of junk!"

Brackett turned the key again, hard. This time the car sputtered to life. It didn't sound great, but it would work. He wished he hadn't taken Dixie's station wagon into the shop for a tune-up that morning. Of course, he'd had no way of knowing that his car would decide to pull a trick like this.

Merriweather Lane couldn't have come up soon enough. Kel pulled into his driveway, and rushed inside--but not before he turned off the car's engine, out of sheer habit.

Dixie was on the living room couch, half-reclining. She smiled at his entrance, and struggled to get up. He helped her, and wrapped a protective arm around her as he helped her out to the car.

"I wish I'd known," she sighed. "I'd have packed a bag or something..."

"It's okay. I'll bring some things up to the hospital for you later."

He helped her to fasten her seat belt, then placed the key into the ignition. He turned it.

Nothing. Not even a spark. He tried again, and then again. The car wouldn't start at all. Mentally, Kel cursed himself for turning the engine off in the first place. But the past was the past...and he was going to have to deal with the present.

He helped Dixie out of the car, knowing what she was thinking by the look on her face. It was probably the exact same question that was running through his own mind.

Namely, 'What are we going to do NOW?'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“DAMMIT!” Brackett slammed the phone down in frustration. Dixie looked up at him curiously.

“What’s wrong, Kel?” she managed to ask before another contraction gripped her. She gasped and half-doubled over.

Brackett ran over to sit beside her. She gripped his hand tightly until the spasm passed.

“I’m okay. It’s over,” she told him quietly. “What’s wrong, Kel?”

“I don’t want to worry you,” he said.

“I’m already worried. A little more worry isn’t going to hurt. What’s wrong?”

“There is not one rescue vehicle available in this city.”

Dixie’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding!”

“I only wish I were.” Brackett sighed ruefully. “The brushfires have a majority of them out of the city and the rest are occupied with a giant accident on the LA freeway. They’re saying it could be hours before anyone is available.”

“We could call a cab,” Dixie suggested.

“Why didn’t I think of that?” Kel asked as he reached for the phone and phone book.

“Because fathers-to-be never think straight?” Dixie wondered with a mischievous smile.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After fifteen minutes on the phone, Brackett discovered that a majority of the cab companies in the city were based on the wrong side of the LA freeway and it was estimated three to four hours before a cab could get through either the freeways or back streets that would be crowded by people avoiding the freeway. Kel was tempted to go ahead and order the cab, but Dixie wasn’t so sure.

“Kel, I am NOT going to have my babies in the back of a taxi cab! I refuse!”

“Dixie, you’re not that far along yet. I hardly think you’ll be ready to give birth in four hours.”

“Maybe not, but with traffic the way it is, how long do you think it would take to get to Rampart?”

“Dammit!” Kel swore under his breath and hung up the phone.

“Okay, I’m open to suggestions,” Dixie said right before she doubled over in pain.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Any luck?” Dixie asked Brackett as he came running back into the house.

The dark-haired doctor shook his head in defeat. “Not one neighbor was home.”

“What did you really expect, Kel? Everyone’s still at work and with the accident on the freeway, everyone is going to be late coming home.”

“I know, Dixie, but…”

“But nothing, Kel. You’re scared. I can tell. If it’s any consolation, I’m terrified. But it’s gonna happen today, whether we’re at Rampart or here. At the moment, I’m leaning towards here. We might want to get ready.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Less than twenty minutes later, Dixie was half-sitting, half-lying in bed with a sheet over her. They had filled the laundry basket with clean sheets and blankets so that Kel would have someplace to put the first infant while he delivered the second.

He dug through his medical bag to discover that it was woefully lacking in things he might need. The only pain medicines he seemed to have were aspirins--which were almost guaranteed to make Dixie nauseous rather than relieve her pain. He did find something to suction out the babies’ airways, and a pair of bandage scissors that would be useful in cutting the cords. Otherwise, besides the stethoscope and BP cuff, there was nothing else of use in the bag.

“Don’t suppose you have anything like Demerol in there, do you?” Dixie’s hopeful voice reached his ears as he sat staring hopelessly into his bag.

He shook his head. “Nope. No such luck, Dix.”

“I can’t believe you!” Dixie shouted as another contraction gripped her. “This is YOUR FAULT! YOU got me pregnant! And you don’t even have anything for the pain!”

Kel moved in to take her hand.

“Don’t you EVER touch me again!” she groaned. Then, after another minute, she relaxed. She looked up at Brackett and the terrified expression in her eyes broke his heart. “Kel? I’m scared.”

He moved around to where he was sitting next to her on the bed. He gently gathered her up in his arms and she rested her head on his shoulder.

“It’s gonna be all right, Dix,” he said, praying hard that he wasn’t lying. “We’re gonna get through this and we’re gonna have two beautiful babies. Don’t worry.”

They sat like that for a short time until another contraction gripped her. She whimpered and buried her face in his chest while her hands clutched at his shirt. He held her tightly offering what support he could, but felt remarkably helpless as the woman he loved so much hurt so badly.

He looked at the clock and did a mental calculation…3 minutes apart. It wouldn’t be long now. He sighed and realized that the contraction had passed and Dixie was still holding onto him like a lifeline. He wasn’t about to let her drown.

"Shhh…it's all right, Dixie," he soothed. "Listen, you hang on, all right? I'm just going to get a couple of blankets for the babies, okay?"

She nodded, but didn't release her grip quite yet. "Will they be all right? It's so soon..."

Kel hugged her comfortingly, trying to summon up his own courage. "They'll be fine. We've seen earlier ones than this. We'll put them in incubators for a couple of days...they'll be all right."

"But we can't get to the hospital," Dixie reminded him. "You said it would be hours. Can they wait that long?"

Kel looked at the clock, and--numbly--realized that it had been nearly five hours since he'd gotten her phone call. It seemed like a short labor, but then he realized that Dixie had probably been in labor for a few hours before calling. And early labor was often overlooked... "It HAS been hours, Dix. I'm gonna call them back now...but it's a strong possibility that I'll have to do the delivery myself, all right? Don't worry, though. I think I can handle it. I've done it dozens of times before."

'But these are MY children I'm delivering,' he thought worriedly--before it struck him that maybe that was the reason he'd rather have done it himself. 'Besides, traffic's still tied up. They wouldn't get here in time anyhow.'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

‘Squad 51, woman in labor--598 Merriweather Lane. 5-9-8 Merriweather. Cross street, Morse. Time out 18:05.’

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“That’s Brackett’s address, isn’t it?” Johnny said as he and Roy leapt into the squad.

Roy nodded, “Yeah, I think it is. It’s a little early, though.”

“I hope everything goes all right. I don’t think Brackett could handle it if anything went really wrong.”

“I know,” Roy said. “He really loves her and this has really had him worried.”

“Well, barring complications, I’m gonna enjoy this. It's always nice to help bring life INTO the world. ‘Specially after all that death and destruction on the freeway.”

Roy smiled. “You and me both, Junior!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dixie forced a smile. "How much longer?"

"Not very. In a few minutes you'll probably be ready to start pushing."

"I've been ready for awhile now!" she protested, seconds before the next contraction came. This one was particularly bad, and she cried out in both fear and pain. Kel wrapped his arms around her, doing what little he could.

"Don't let me die, Kel, please," she sobbed, terrified and hurting. "Don't let the babies die."

"They won't," he vowed, 100% unnerved by her words. "YOU won't. I promise. I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, all right?" This was tearing at his heartstrings more than words could say.

Slowly, Dixie released her death grip on his shirt, and laid back. "Go. Go get the blankets."

He nodded, wiping away the sweat from her forehead before giving her a quick kiss. "I'll be back before you know it."

He returned in moments with two of the thickest receiving blankets they had on hand. It wasn't something he'd have expected to need in the middle of a Los Angeles summer, but the babies were going to need the warmth. After both of the twins had been delivered, he and Dixie could hold them close for a little extra body heat. But first, he had to worry about escorting these little ones into the world.

Brackett examined Dixie, and gave her his warmest smile. "Everything's looking great, Dix. Now when the next contraction hits, I want you to push, all right?"

She nodded, muttering, "It's about time," under her breath, then seized up as the next one came. She followed her instincts this time, and started to push.

"C'mon, Dix," Kel encouraged her, "you're doing great. I can see the top of the baby's head...c'mon, push!" Dixie fell back against the pillow, drained by her efforts, and they waited for the next contraction. "All right...we're almost there...just give it a little bit more..."

Frankly, he hadn't a clue where these stock-footage words were coming from. He'd used them the first time he'd delivered a baby, and all the times after. He supposed that if it worked once, he might as well try it again. As the contraction began to lose its strength, Dixie gave it her all, and the baby's head emerged.

Kel couldn't help but feel a special sense of wonder. He felt it every time he'd helped to bring a child into the world, but it was amplified now--this was HIS child! "All right, Dix, we're doing great."

"WE?" she asked, panting for a breath. The hair surrounding her face was soaked with sweat--this was hard work!

He chose to ignore her comment, and focused on the task at hand. He checked the clock. The next contraction would hit very soon. While he knew that it was possible to deliver the baby without waiting for the contractions, it wasn't a good idea in this case. Dixie couldn't tire herself too quickly--she still had another baby to deliver after this one. And, besides...the contractions were only a minute, minute and a half apart now. "Okay, Dix. With the next one, it's the shoulders. You ready?"

"As I'll ever be, I suppose--oh!" Before she could get out another word, the next one came, and she bore down, holding her breath. Her main focus was on getting this kid out of her. That was all she cared about for the moment--Kel could handle the rest.

First the left shoulder was delivered, then the right. After that, it was only a simple matter for Kel to pull the baby free from its mother’s body. "I've got him! Hey, Dix, congratulations...it's a boy." He clamped off the cord, and cut it with the bandage scissors.

Dixie smiled tiredly, and angled her head to see their son as Kel wrapped him carefully in the blanket.

"There, there," Kel soothed the newborn, using the suction bulb to clear the baby's airway, "it's okay, Sport. Welcome to the world." All his fears about how he would handle having a boy flew from his mind as the baby's first cries filled the air, letting everyone know that he was NOT happy with the changes in his life. It sounded almost like a kitten mewing, but he was definitely crying--and not very weakly, either. He was all right.

After setting his tiny son down the basket, Kel wiped the tears from his cheeks with his sleeve. Everything had gone remarkably well; and he was relieved, given a sense of security. He could tell that Dixie was too.

Suddenly, her face contorted in pain, and she drew in a sharp breath. Another contraction. Brackett turned his immediate attention back to Dixie. They still had to deliver the second baby.

'One down, one to go...' he thought in an amused sort of way. "Okay, Dix, you know what to do."

Dixie took a deep breath and pushed for all she was worth. As the contraction passed, she relaxed against the pillows. Kel checked and didn’t see the other infant’s head yet. He wasn’t unduly concerned yet as this little one had a bit farther to go than its brother.

“Okay, Dixie. You’re doing fine. How ‘bout another push?”

“I’m tired, Kel! I don’t know if I can.”

“Yes, you can! I KNOW you can. You’re the strongest woman I know. You can do this!”

She looked into his eyes, searching for strength. She found it, and--when the next contraction hit--she bore down harder than she had before. The baby still wasn’t crowning. NOW Kel was getting a little bit concerned.

“Dixie, I want you to hold off on pushing for a minute,” he said as calmly as he could--trying not to worry her any more than she was already.

He gently reached in and felt the infant--but it wasn’t the head he was feeling. Breech presentation. He swore silently as he realized she was too far gone for him to have a hope of turning it. He felt along the infant’s body until he came to the neck. He gasped as he realized that the cord had wrapped itself around the baby’s neck. If Dixie pushed now, she would strangle her baby.

“Kel? What’s wrong? I need to push!” Dixie’s frantic voice reached him.

“No, Dixie. Don’t push yet. Everything’s all right, but you can’t push.”

“KEL! I’ve got to get it out! I can’t do this! I have to push! PLEASE! I've gotta get it out!”

“Dixie! Calm down. It’ll be okay, but you have to trust me. I know this is hard for you, but you have to avoid pushing for another minute or two.”

“Kel! Help me, please! The baby's COMING! I have to push!” Dixie’s anguished voice scared him more than anything he had experienced with her thus far. “I’ve got to get it out! I don’t want to die! Please!”

“Okay, Dixie. One more minute.” Kel said as he gently slid his finger between the baby’s neck and the umbilical cord. He slowly and methodically lifted it over and around the baby’s head so that it was no longer strangling the child. As soon as he was sure the immediate danger was passed, he moved his hands down to gently grasp the child’s feet--he was going to have to help this little one a bit more than its brother.

“All right, Dixie,” Kel said gently. “You can push now. I’m gonna help you and we’re going to try to do this with one big push, okay?”

She nodded and then, taking a deep breath, used the last of her strength to push the child from her body. As she pushed, Kel pulled and almost immediately, the boy’s sister entered the world. The placenta soon followed, but Kel admittedly wasn't quite as concerned with that as he would have been in another situation, with someone else--he had other things on his mind this time.

“It’s a girl, Dixie! We have a daughter!”

Dixie collapsed against the pillows with a cry of relief as Kel suctioned out the baby’s airway. That was when she noticed it.

“Kel? Why isn’t she crying?” Dixie sat up a little. “Kel? Is she breathing?”

Brackett looked down at the small body in his arms and realized that she wasn’t breathing. He gently massaged her chest. Still nothing. He put his mouth over the tiny mouth and nose and blew softly.

“Come on, Angel, breathe!” He whispered as he leaned down to breathe for the infant again. “Come on, Baby, you can do it!”

“Kel? What’s wrong? Why isn’t she breathing?” Dixie was on the verge of panic.

Just then, there was a tiny cough and little girl Brackett made her presence known--loudly. Kel looked at Dixie with tears in his eyes.

“She’s gonna be okay, Dixie! We did it! She’s gonna be okay!”

Dixie smiled, then her eyes rolled up in the back of her head as she lost consciousness.

“DIXIE!” Kel shouted in terror, as he finished cutting the umbilical cord. He barely remembered to wrap his daughter in the blanket and put her in the basket before going to Dixie's side.

He leaned forward to examine her and was relieved to find that she was still breathing and her heart was still beating--both at normal rates. He suddenly realized that she had passed out from sheer exhaustion. He almost laughed out loud with the relief of it. He leaned down and gently kissed her lips. She stirred slightly, but didn’t wake up. He smiled and went to the telephone to check on the status of the help he'd called for.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Roy pulled the squad up outside the house and Brackett came out to meet them.

“You guys are late!” he said, trying to sound stern--and failing miserably.

“Late?” Johnny asked. He shot Roy a questioning look and Roy just shrugged.

“Yes, late. You guys get stuck with traffic left from that pileup on the freeway?”

“Yeah,” Roy said. “Why?”

Brackett just smiled. “Follow me, guys.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

As they walked through the house, Johnny and Roy noticed two things: one was that Brackett, after just over four months of worry and panic, seemed remarkably calm--and two was the sound of crying babies.

“Doc?” Johnny wondered, eyes wide with amazement. “She had the babies already?”

Brackett turned and nodded, eyes shining. “Yep! A boy and a girl. We tried calling you guys hours ago, but were told that all the rescue vehicles were tied up for a few hours. Dixie’s sleeping. Poor thing passed out from sheer exhaustion.”

“I can imagine!” Roy said, remembering Joanne’s exhaustion after the birth of their children--and that had been one at a time--even with painkillers. He couldn’t imagine Dixie doing it twice in one day without anything for the pain. “But she IS all right, isn’t she?”

Brackett nodded. “Yeah, she seems to be. Come on,” he said as they reached the bedroom door. “I’d like to introduce you to my children."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kate sighed as she headed back to the nurses' station. It had been a very, very long day. Between the brushfires and the freeway accident, there had hardly been a moment to breathe around the emergency department. Plus, after Dr. Brackett had left, they'd been shorthanded--his replacement had gotten caught in traffic.

The phone rang, and Kate was tempted to let it. More problems were NOT what she needed at the moment. But her better judgement prevailed, and she picked up the handset. "Rampart Emergency, Kate Michaels speaking."

"Miss Michaels." Brackett's voice came over the line. "Is Dr. Early available?"

She grinned, thankful that this was at least something easy for her to handle. "Hold on a second. I'll look."

'I feel like a telephone operator today,' she told herself, amused by the thought. The accident had caused both the phones and the radio to be going non-stop. As well as caring for patients, Kate had found herself on top of many of those calls. 'I suppose there are worse jobs a girl could get, though.'

She poked her head into several of the treatment rooms before finding Dr. Early in 6. "Doctor? Are you busy?"

Early turned, grinning at her. "No, just enjoying a stolen moment. What can I do for you?"

Kate almost had to laugh. His personality and hers had always meshed well. "Not for ME, exactly...Dr. Brackett is on the phone. He's asking for you."

He nodded. "Okay, thanks. I'll be right there."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Joe picked up the phone at the nurses' station, wondering what the situation was. He'd figured that Kel and Dixie had decided to avoid getting caught in traffic and stayed home for the delivery...although Dixie could have still been in labor by then. It was always hard to predict such things--especially with the firstborn.

"Kel? Is everything all right?"

"Everything's great." Joe had never heard the man sound happier. "We're going to bring Dix and the twins in in a couple of minutes...can you have a couple of incubators ready?"

Joe understood. The twins WERE premature...it was always better to be safe than sorry. "Are they okay?"

"They seem to be. To be honest, I was a bit worried about whether or not their lungs were well developed enough, but that doesn't seem to be a problem. They're both crying...they look fine."

"How's Dixie?"

"She's all right. Tired, though."

"I'd say she has every right to be. Is she asleep?"

"Yeah."

"Okay, then...I guess I'll talk to her later. I think the traffic's cleared up as much as it ever will...it shouldn't take you too long to get here."

"After the day I've had...I don't care as long as they're all okay."

Joe smiled. "I can imagine. I'll see you soon." He paused a moment. "Oh, and, Kel...?"

"Hmm?"

"Congratulations."

In his mind's eye, he could almost see Kel smile. "Thanks."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The next morning, Dixie was actually starting to feel somewhat human again. At the very least, she was able to keep her eyes open for longer than 10 minutes at a time. She cradled her daughter in her arms, taking in the wonder of it all, and glanced over at Kel, who was holding their son.

"I think we need to actually name them, Kel."

He chuckled. "Yeah, I don't suppose it would do well to keep calling them 'him' and 'her' the rest of their lives." He glanced down at the newborn in his arms. "I know we said we were going to call a boy Nathaniel or Spencer...but neither one seems to fit him."

Dixie smiled, smoothing the little girl's dark hair gently. "I know what you mean. She doesn't look much like a Heidi or Heather, either."

"Boy, we sure called that one wrong." He smiled wryly. "What did we say the second choice was again? Jacob something?"

"Jacob," Dixie echoed. "I like it. I think it suits him. We could call him Jake."

Suddenly, the name that hadn't worked before seemed perfect. It was almost as if the baby had been born for the name. Kel smiled, cuddling the baby boy a little more. "Jake. It's perfect." Plus, it had a rugged sort of sound to it...he liked that. Lord knew growing up with a name like Kelly had never been easy. "We could still use one of the middle names we had...Michael?"

"Jacob Michael Brackett," Dixie said, testing the name aloud. "It works!"

Kel looked back down at the infant. "Well, buddy, whaddya think? You like it?"

The baby yawned in what had to be the most adorable way possible.

Dixie grinned. "I'd say that's a 'yes'. But what's he gonna call his sister?"

"Marie?" Brackett suggested, knowing it had been Dixie's stage name for years. He wanted to give her some legacy of her mother...and he knew he really COULDN'T get away with naming her Trixie...tempting as it may have been.

"Maybe as a middle name," Dixie allowed. She thought of the second choice for the girl's name, since that was what they had turned to for her brother. "Sophia Marie?" She frowned, sensing it didn't quite have the right ring to it.

"Sophie Marie?" Kel suggested, playing with it a little. The look they shared seconds later let both of them know that it was just what they'd been looking for.

"Jacob Michael and Sophie Marie," Dixie said, agreeing. She looked at her children just before a nurse returned to take them back to the nursery. "Well, guys, hope you like it." She was beginning to feel sleepy again. It was going to take her a few days to recover, but this was the one hospital stay she truly didn't mind.

As she fell asleep again, Kel leaned down to kiss her forehead, not wanting to wake her. He felt like the absolute luckiest man in the world--and wondered what he had ever done to deserve it all.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Three months later (October 20th, to be exact), the tiny church was packed to capacity with friends and family attending the wedding of Dixie McCall and Kelly Brackett.

“Hey, Roy, is my tie straight?” Johnny asked his partner as they stood in the small room waiting for the start of the wedding.

Roy turned and reached up to make a small adjustment to his partner’s bow tie. “There, that’s got it.”

Johnny smiled. “Thanks, Pally.”

Roy looked at the clock. “Hey, Junior, we’d better get going. It’s about time to start.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Kelly Brackett sighed nervously as he waited at the end of the aisle for his bride. Joe Early stood by him as best man and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Finally, the first strains of the processional filled the church and Kate Michaels as maid of honor started up the aisle. Then groomsman Roy DeSoto escorted his wife and bridesmaid Joanne up the aisle, followed by Johnny and Carol. Then, the music changed and the crowd stood up. Dixie appeared at the end of the aisle and Brackett’s jaw dropped.

Dixie was exquisite in an elegant, floor-length, ivory silk gown. It had an empire waist with pearls decorating the bodice and long sleeves. The simple train followed at a discreet length. Her hair was pinned up into an elegant French roll. She had a delicate diamond and pearl comb in her hair with a simple piece of chiffon acting as a veil, flowing down her back like a summer breeze. The look was made complete with a small bouquet of fall flowers.

Brackett was barely aware of the ceremony. He stood there, looking into Dixie’s eyes and wondering again what he had done to deserve such a gift. Less than a year ago, he couldn’t have imagined being married. Now here he was, repeating words fed to him by the minister, putting a ring on the finger of this wonderful woman in front of him.

Suddenly, he was aware that the minister was looking at him expectantly. For a moment he couldn’t for the life of him think of what he was supposed to do here.

“Uh…I said,” the minister said with an amused look on his face, “that you may kiss the bride.”

Brackett grinned at him before turning to Dixie. He looked at her for a moment before moving forward to kiss her.

“I love you,” he whispered just before his lips made contact with hers. Then there were no more words as their kiss promised a lifetime of happiness.

Finally, as they separated, they turned to face the congregation as the minister said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you for the first time, Dr. and Mrs. Kelly Brackett.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Magic Carpet Jazz Club had been closed to the public for the reception. Dixie’s brother-in-law (and owner of the club) had truly outdone himself. It looked like a magic land. There were special flower arrangements on all the tables and the candlelight gave the club a magical glow.

Kel and Dixie glided over the dance floor, not noticing anyone else. As far as they knew, they were the only people in the universe.

After a short time, the bandleader stood up to make an announcement. “Ladies and Gentlemen, I know this is her wedding, but I thought maybe Marie Ireland would like to come up here and sing a song to her new husband.”

There was a generous round of applause and after demurring for a brief moment, Dixie allowed herself to be ushered onstage. After a brief moment of conference with Dixie, the band began playing a slow, sensual melody.

‘You’re my thrill.
You do something to me.
You send chills right through me
When I look at you
‘Cause you’re my thrill.

You’re my thrill
How my pulse increases.
I just go to pieces.
When I look at you
‘Cause you’re my thrill.

Mmmmmm….
Nothing seems to matter.
Mmmmmm…
Here’s my heart on a silver platter.
Where’s my will?
Why this strange desire
That keeps mounting higher?
When I look at you
I can’t keep still.
‘Cause you’re my thrill.
You know you are my thrill.’
"You're My Thrill"--by J. Gorney & S. Clare

After another generous round of applause, Dixie stepped off the stage and into her new husband’s arms.

“That was wonderful, Dix,” he said as he leaned in to kiss her.

As their lips met, the applause became deafening. They parted and grinned at their guests. The bandleader struck up the band again, and the guests joined the newly married couple on the dance floor.

Finally, the evening was winding down and Dixie had gone to change into something a little more comfortable to leave for the honeymoon. While he was waiting for his new wife, Brackett approached Roy and Joanne DeSoto.

“Are you guys SURE you don’t mind watching Jake and Sophie this weekend?” he asked. He had been worried about leaving the twins so soon and Dixie was even worse, but one of their wedding gifts was a three-day cruise for their honeymoon. After much cajoling, it was determined that between Roy, Joanne and Joe Early (on the off chance a doctor was required), they could safely leave the twins for a long weekend.

“Don’t worry about it, Doc,” Roy said reassuringly. “We’ll take good care of your little ones.”

Joanne nodded. “Yes, don’t worry. I’ve done the infant thing before--and this time, Jennifer can’t wait to help me.”

Brackett chuckled. “Okay. It just seems too soon. I don’t know.”

“It’ll be okay,” Roy said. “We took good care of Dixie when she was pregnant, didn’t we?”

The doctor nodded. "Yes, and I appreciate it."

“Well, that promise I made goes for the twins too.”

Brackett held out his hand and shook Roy’s then leaned forward and kissed Joanne on the cheek. “Thank you both.”

Just then, Dixie came out wearing a dark blue dress that set off the color of her eyes. After making the same reassurances to Dixie that they had to Brackett, Roy and Joanne managed to convince Dixie it was okay to have a short honeymoon. The newlyweds then said goodbye to the rest of the party and headed home to spend one more night with their children before dropping them off at the DeSoto’s and leaving for their cruise.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

New Year's Eve came again before they knew it.

Dixie was sitting on the couch with Kel, five-month-old Jake asleep in her arms. Sophie was sitting in her father's lap, obviously tired but fighting it. And she was only five months old! One couldn't help but wonder what she would be like when she got older.

Both children seemed to take after their father in looks--but Jake definitely had his mother's blue eyes. Sophie's were, slowly but surely, starting to soften into a warm gray.

Dixie let her head fall onto her husband's shoulder as they watched Times Square in New York on a taped delay, marveling at the wonder of it all. How far they had come in twelve short months. In twelve months she had gone from Kelly Brackett's friend to his lover to his fiancee to his wife and the mother of his children. It seemed too short a time, but she loved it. Every moment of it. It hadn't been easy getting there, but she wouldn't have changed a thing for the world.

Finally, as the celebrators on the television welcomed 1977, little Sophie surrendered to sleep. Kel and Dixie gently carried the twins back to the nursery and laid them in their cribs, careful not to wake them. They stood there for a moment, watching their son and daughter sleep.

"They're angels," he whispered, kissing her cheek.

"Of course. They're sleeping." With these words, she smiled at him warmly and headed back out into the living room. He took a short detour to the kitchen, but joined her shortly, bearing two glasses of champagne.

Dixie's response was a raised eyebrow as she accepted the glass. "Wasn't this what got us into this whole mess in the first place, Kel?"

"Oh, I wouldn't call it a mess. Complicated, definitely, but not a mess." He brought his glass up to hers and they tapped them together, bringing in the new year. "Besides, Dix, haven't you heard? The end always comes back to the beginning."

"That's deep," she replied, gazing into his eyes lovingly.

He leaned forward, a rare mischievous grin on his face. "11th grade lit, Dixie. Don't ask me who came up with it, though."

"Still, it's deep--whoever came up with it." She wasn't convinced of its truth, but she didn't want to argue the point. She just wanted to live in this moment for the rest of her life--curled up with the man she loved, their two precious children sleeping peacefully only rooms away. She no longer cared what twists of fate had to have occurred for it to be possible...she was just thankful that it was.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you, Kel?"

"Not as much as I love you."

Ah...a challenge. She gave him her best evil grin. "Wanna bet?"

"Yes," he whispered, leaning forward to kiss her.

'I could get used to a challenge like this!'she thought, as she allowed Kel to pull her into his arms and kiss her again.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Dixie opened one eye cautiously and blinked against the bright light. The sun was streaming, as always, through the bedroom window and into her face.

She laughed softly to herself as she remembered that this was exactly what had happened a year before on that exact date.

'I suppose Kel was right,' she reasoned with herself. 'Maybe the end really DOES come back to the beginning.'

At least this time she wasn't hung over. And she knew where her clothes were.

And the children they had created that night a year ago were awake and demanding attention--quite vocally. She shoved back the covers, grabbed her robe, and started to get up. Kel grabbed her arm, causing her to turn around and give him a smile of affectionate tolerance.

"What is it?"

He sat up, pulled her just a little bit closer, and gave her a quick kiss on the lips before releasing her arm. "Happy New Year's, Dixie." He then got up as well, intending to follow her.

Her smile grew a little bit wider, and she let him slide an arm around her waist as they walked out of the room together. "And we've got so many more to come."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"No one told me I was going to find you.
Unexpected, what you did to my heart.
When I lost hope, you were there to remind me
This is the start.
And life is a road and I wanna keep going
Love is a river, I wanna keep flowing
Life is a road, now and forever
Wonderful journey
I'll be there when the world stops churning
I'll be there when the storm is through.
In the end I wanna be standing
At the beginning with you."
--"At the Beginning", written by Stephen Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens, from the ‘Anastasia’ Soundtrack
Sung by Donna Lewis and Richard Marx

~~~~~~~~~~~

The course of true love never did run smooth. --Shakespeare, "A Midsummer Night's Dream"

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