S5: Chapter 09: Labor Strike

“Are you seeing this?” Dustin asked turning on the news. Channel 7 was covering a protest down in front of City Hall concerning the recent decrease in local businesses, loss of small business competition, jobs and the hike in unemployment.

“What’s happening?” Ryan asked stopping beside him and watching the raid unfold.

“Backlash after everything that happened with Mayor Delaney. The voters put this new guy in his seat and once he made office he put in place some policies that have everyone crying outrage. On top of the fact that the state’s minimum wage was decreased, Mayor Shitforbrains negotiated contracts with companies overseas and moved several jobs out of the city. A lot of people are out of work because of it. And instead of using the county assets and funds where they should go, the unemployment and new hire resources, he is undermining an entire revamp of the streets in the financial district.”

“How the hell can he get away with that? No wonder they’re protesting.”

“Yeah, he won’t last too long.”

“Good, you got your gear on. We’re moving out,” Brett instructed as he entered the room. Pointing towards the screen he nodded at the protesters that seemed to grow in number. “Our Director is concerned the protest will get out of hand but apparently they are moving towards Mayor Robinson’s mansion; we need to get him out of the city until the dust settles.”

“So what we’re acting as personal bodyguards for the moron that painted a target on his back? What the hell did he think would happen approving the contracts he did? That the city would thank him and ask for another?”

“Yeah well we have our orders; asshole or not we as federal agents cannot allow anyone to launch an attack on a city official no matter how much we disagree with him. We’re taking him up to a safe house in Nantucket and letting the locals qualm the rioters.”

“Fine,” Dustin grumbled and grabbed his duffel bag. “But if the man tries to talk policy with me my fist might find a comfortable spot against his jaw.”

Brett shrugged, “Hey if you feel the need to swat the bug I can overlook the injury in the line of duty. Mosquitoes are pretty big this time of year.”

The team arrived at the mansion and entered inside through the large crowds forming outside his gate. “Oh I’m so glad you’re here. Normally I would fly but unfortunately the masses might not appreciate my sitting beside them on the commercial flights.”

“Yeah no shit,” Ryan commented and shrugged when Brett turned to look at him. He opened his bag and tossed a vest at the man they were set to move. “Put that on; wouldn’t want you to catch an accidental bullet from somewhere.”

Angrily the man took a step towards Ryan and shoved a finger into his face. “Listen you, if I wanted…”

“Mayor, it’s best you listen to my partner’s advice and get the flak jacket strapped in place. The growing crowd outside aren’t in the best of moods and I’m sure like everyone else their patience is wearing thin,” Brett stepped in to block the Mayor’s route to Ryan. “Let’s try and make this trip as comfortable as we can please. You don’t have any friends here, so keep quiet and keep your head down and we’ll do our best to secure your transport.” He moved towards the door as the man finished getting ready. “Where is your family?”

“They’ve already been sent upstate along with our aides.”

“Good. Dustin You and I will take the lead; Victor and Ryan secure the rear and let’s get the package to the truck. Are we ready? Let’s move out.”

Brett opened the back of the vehicle and watched the side as Dustin moved closer towards the gate to block any type of anticipated resistance. Once Ryan exited the house, Victor placed a raid shield over the mayor and they helped him step into the back of the vehicle. Dustin hopped into the back with him and Ryan while Victor took the driver’s seat and Brett went shotgun. Punching in the address to the GPS, Brett made his report to HQ concerning their move allowing their backup to track their progress.

“We have a chance to do something extraordinary!” Mayor Robinson exclaimed when they’d made it a good distance out of the state. “With the number of jobs that would open up to the hundreds of unemployed, the city can rebuild and get back on its feet and make Bridgeport a household name once again!”

“And what about the hundreds of families left jobless and broke? You eliminated their source of income and probably caused a lot of them to lose their homes in the process,” Ryan argued listening to the drivel the man spewed.

“It was a necessary evil! These weren’t jobs that our town needed. I removed the rabble from their everyday grind and toll for something much more beneficial to the city!”

“Brett…” Dustin warned as every word out of the Mayor’s mouth caused him to grind his gloved fist into his open hand.

“Mayor do you know what you and a bottle of insecticide have in common?” Brett asked without turning around.

Mayor Robinson thought for a moment before replying with a “No.”

“Well if you don’t plan on finding out, I wanna suggest you keep your mouth shut.”

“Are you threatening me?”

Removing his sidearm, he pulled the slide backed, confirmed there was a bullet in the chamber and turned to look at the Mayor. “Not yet I’m not.”

The man slinked against the wall of the van and silenced himself. Victor shot Brett a smirk as he pulled the van onto Interstate 95 north, just past the New Jersey Turnpike. “So how’s Yve doing? Are you tired of the pregnancy ups and downs yet?”

“Nope I don’t see what the big deal is really. She hasn’t been very hormonal or maybe I’m just use to her mood swings with everything we’ve been through already. Her cravings weren’t more than I could handle so that was a plus too. Now we’re just waiting for these next 4 weeks to pass and welcome home our bundle of joy.”

“Any names yet? Any ideas at all?” Brett smiled and nodded no. “Come on Man, I know yall have talked about this. Why are you so stuck on the whole ‘secret’ thing anyway?”

“Because we learned the sex of the child that didn’t make it and I kind of started talking to her about all the things I could have had with my son. Yve thinks that if we just let our baby grow without the pressures already of ‘our son will be a famous sports star’ or ‘our daughter will be a doctor’ it’ll make the pregnancy less stressed and easier. I agreed because anything I can do to make her happy I’m all for. To be honest the not knowing was killing me the first three months. After a while I got used to the idea of a surprise. Plus it’s been fun arguing back and forth about the sex of the baby. She’s dead set on having a little girl but I know it’s a boy, has to be.”

“Well once your son or daughter gets here, which one of you is taking the time off to be with the baby? I guess Vette would get some maternity leave but…”

“We haven’t really…you know she’s not giving it up man.”

“Yeah,” Vic laughed. “That’s my girl.”

Coming up to one of the partial toll roads, Victor pulled in behind a large 18-wheeler. “You know this is one thing I really love about the south, no tolls.”

“Why do you care Vic?” Ryan laughed. “It’s not like you have to pay it. Flashing your badge always seems to work.”

“Yeah but it’s just the simple fact that we have to pull in and stop. We’re not using the lights so can’t skate through on an emergency. Sucks.” Pulling up to the booth Victor flashed his sexiest ‘come hither’ smile to the cashier, showed her his badge and waited for her to lift the gate.

“You have a nice time up there,” she smiled in return.

“Oh don’t worry, we plan to!”

“Well we’re in Connecticut folks,” Dustin announced and pushed his legs out to stretch a bit. “Think we can find some food or something soon?”

“Yeah sure. I wouldn’t want our nerd to starve.”

“Whoa, whoa with that ok? Yvette’s the only one I wouldn’t hit for calling me that or my Meeks. You don’t have a black girls’ ass so you can’t pull it off and I’ll smack you, try it again!”

They stopped at a small diner, ordered lunch and were back on the road in no time. “Well folks we’re over halfway to our destination,” Ryan glanced over at the road sign and sighed. “And soon we can get rid of you.”

Hopping back onto I-95 north, Victor easily merged again into the light traffic and started off towards Massachusetts. “So how’s Yvette taking Ethan’s death?” Dustin asked as he stretched himself out on his seat.

“She’s uh…bottling it in if she’s feeling anything about it. The night he was killed he had bought a few gifts for our baby. He never got to finish putting them up on the shelves so that’s what she did when we got home. Scott brought her the photographs of him and her Mom that he’d kept from her; she tucked those away in an old photo album and hasn’t looked at them since.”

“CIA say anything about his body?”

“The Russians took it. When they went to the facility to confirm his death, they found a large quantity of his blood, skin, hair and clothing. There were bullet casings with his DNA burned into it and drag marks leading out of the building all in his blood. They checked the video and found the men pulling him out of the room but they have no idea why they took his corpse. I don’t think they’d have done an official ceremony for him anyway since he was one of their dirty little secrets so Yve wouldn’t have gotten to grieve for him. Although I don’t really know if she would have wanted to anyway.”

“Of course she would have, Brett,” Victor shrugged. “Whatever past indiscretions they may have had the one, undeniable fact remains that he was her father. If not for him she would not exist. You can hate the man and his life’s work. You can hate who and what he was and became but that blood is still a bond and runs deeper than any hatred ever could. She’s grieving. If for anything she’s grieving over the man he was to her as a child; the loss of a father and the sole surviving blood relation she had.”

“Well either way she’s not talking about it. I asked her, tried to get her to tell me anything about what she was maybe thinking about but I never get anything more than an ‘I’m fine’ before she’s changing the subject.”

“Sounds like she’s just not ready to open up,” Ryan suggested as he thought about Stefanie and how long it took her to come to grips with her pain. “Trust me when she’s ready, she’ll let you know.”

They drove for another twenty minutes and Dustin tapped the monitor of the screen he had been watching. “That’s strange.”

“What?” Brett asked keeping his focus on the book in his hands.

“I saw that same green van at the diner back there. I thought it was funny, they had Virginia plates. Figured they were road tripping too but…now I’m not so sure.” He pushed the camera zoom to try and get a clear shot of the driver but Victor was too far ahead. “Hey Vic, you wanna get off here, make a right and then reenter the interstate for me?”

Doing as instructed, Victor turned off of I-95 and followed it down the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike before remerging onto the interstate. “Just as I thought. Don’t look now but I think we’re being followed.” Dustin continued monitoring the progress of the vehicle on the screen from the bumper cam. “And I think he knows we’re onto him. He’s weaving in and out of traffic frantically trying to gain on us.”

“Victor try and get around this truck so we can lose his sight and reroute towards our destination,” Brett instructed and kept watch with Dustin.

Victor merged into the right lane and swept around a small passenger van with a family inside before merging again into the left. Following the road signs that led towards Massachusetts, he again switched lanes gaining four or five car lengths ahead of the pursuing vehicle.

The large green SUV circled around the van and came up quickly on the transport’s bumper. He tapped them once and Victor increased speed. Tapped them twice and Victor changed lanes. He switched behind Victor and again tapped the bumper. “He does NOT want to play chicken with an armored police vehicle! See what you can do to get him off otherwise this is gonna get real nasty, real soon for these people up here,” Ryan advised.

Victor continued dotting the traffic but to no avail coming up on an exit, Victor took the opportunity to break off and minimize the possible damage to civilian motorists. Pulling off of Waterford Parkway he drove down Cross Road west passing the Cross Road Presbyterian Church. “Shit I should have gone left! We’re heading into a residential area.”

“That’s fine just keep going down Cross until you see Boston Post Road and merge left near the JCPenney. There’s a factory lot there we can confront these guys,” Dustin guided.

Pulling into the vacant lot, Dustin and Ryan hopped out of the back and took Mayor Robinson into the building. “Stay here and remain out of sight.”

“Wait can’t I have a gun or something?”

“You can stay here and remain out of sight,” Ryan repeated and joined Victor and Brett outside. 

“Ok they should be here any minute. Ryan you take the left sector and stay down until we know their intentions. Dustin you’re on the right, same thing. Victor see if you can get a vantage point with the Barrett. I’ll be the point of contact. If anything looks off, one of you get to the Mayor and get him out of here as quickly as possible. Check your comms.” After testing the equipment to ensure everyone was in contact Brett motioned with his hands and raised his weapon. “Alright keep a watch on each other’s backs, let’s move!”

A few moments later the SUV started down Boston Post. “I have a visual, suspects entering kill zone,” Victor reported from his position on the roof.

“Alright no one moves until you get the order.” 

“It doesn’t look as though they are slowing down. They’ve spotted the transport and are flying down the road, Cobra.” He waited a moment and watched Brett kneel down in front of the front bumper. “Suspects are almost to our 20. Cobra change positions, over.” He looked down and again noticed Brett had not moved from his spot. “Brett the van is aimed right for you GET OUT OF THERE NOW!”

With only a split second to react, Brett leapt from his position towards the tire pile Dustin held for cover as the SUV rammed head on into the transport vehicle. A fire quickly flared up from the massive pile of twisted metal and the occupants of the green van exited and darted in various directions. 

Pulling out an assault rifle, the driver of the SUV fired on Ryan’s location. Brett changed positions and returned shots covering him until he could get a better vantage. “We’re pinned down! Victor what do you see?” Brett yelled over the shooting as he and Ryan returned fire at the men a few yards away.

“Four got out of the truck,” Victor reported as he set his sights on one. Squeezing the trigger gently under his index he rocketed a shot directly at the man’s chest. The velocity of the round was enough to send the blood splattered man a good distance towards the street. He landed hard against the pavement, his gun a few inches from his body. “Three to go.”

Dustin popped up and fired his weapon at the man standing beside the building. If any of them made it inside, the Mayor was done for. “I’m gonna head around back and get to the mayor,” he spoke over his shoulder. “Cover me.”

Brett pulled up from the stacks of tires and fired towards the burning wreck as Dustin darted to the side of the building and the second dead gunman. Checking around the back door, he kicked it in and moved towards Mayor Robinson. “Get your head down,” he ordered and stood above him watching the action from a front window.

Ryan had rolled away from the stack of crates that provided his cover. Leaping towards the side of the building a gunman revealed himself and shot towards him. Brett hurriedly bounced up and took him out before any of his shots made it towards Ryan. “There’s just one left!” he announced over the comms. “Vic can you see him?”

“I’ll tell you in a second.” Scanning through the scope, he landed on a small black boot tip pointing out from behind a pile of boxes. “Got ‘em.” He fired and the gunman popped up dancing on his injured foot. One shot more and he too was lying face down on the dirt. “All clear, I’m coming down.”

The team entered the building after securing the four men. Brett contacted HQ and requested another transport vehicle. They drove the last three hours to Massachusetts without incident and handed the Mayor off to another team in Nantucket. “Well that was fun. It probably would have been better had the Mayor caught a stray bullet.”

“Yeah, well there’s always hope; we still have to get him back home to Bridgeport again.”

“True,” Dustin laughed.

Brett called Scott to let him know what transpired on the drive up and got some unexpected news. “Yve’s in labor!” he exclaimed as he hurried back towards the team. “We have to get back now!” Flagging down a cab, the crew jumped in and quickly started for the airport. Purchasing flights for the shortest destination back home, the team waited in the terminal for the plane to be announced. Once boarded Brett settled into his seat; anxious and excited about the announcement he went over all of the “what ifs” considering Yvette was not due for another four weeks.

“Try and relax Brett, she may be going into false labor you know?” Victor tried to calm his anxiety. “It’s your kid’s way of saying ‘hey guess what, I’m still here’. Trust me she’ll be fine.”

“And what if she’s not? She’s not due until a month from now man…a whole month! Can you imagine the size of my baby being that premature?” He dropped his head into his hands for the duration of the near two hour flight and tried to get the images of a miscarriage out of his head.

“Where is she? Did I miss it?” Brett panted as he rushed through the double doors of the ER.

“She was wheeled to the back, Brett, calm down you haven’t missed a thing,” Regina smiled and watched her panicked son dance around the room. “Hold on a second and the nurse will take you back to see her.”

He nodded and continued pacing the front lobby with Scott as Regina hugged closer to Terrance. “Hey,” he looked over at his father-in-law. “How are you holding up? You don’t look so good.”

“I’m fine Brett, just a little…”

“He’s as ‘bout as worried as you are,” Terrance laughed. “First timers; I can only imagine what I looked like when you were coming.”

“Oh we can get into that Terry! I think our doctor was more ready to operate on you for heart failure than he was me. I swear you were having a heart attack! And when I started to push, Lord you looked about ready to pass out when Brett’s big head popped out from between my legs!”

“Mom! Gross ok?”

“What? Your wife is about to do the same thing!”

“Yeah but it’s not me and I’d really like to avoid the whole,” he motioned with his hands indicating her legs and in between and sighed, “Gah! Just too much information alright? I don’t need that kind of visual!”

“Mr. Knight?” a nurse smiled and walked over to grab him.

“Thank God!” he quickly followed after her and entered the back looking for his wife.

“Ohhhh mmyyy GOD!” Scott winced once more hearing the screams echoing out of the delivery room corridor. Ever since he got the call he’d been a ball of nerves anxiously awaiting to stare into the eyes of his grandson or daughter. He just knew he’d fall in love instantly either way and could not wait to dote on his new little person. He peeked down the hall as another shriek shot forth and rang in his ears. He wanted to go in and be with her but he knew it wasn’t his place. He blew out a breath and paced in front of the swinging metal doors as the nervous tension began filling his chest causing it to tighten.

“Scott why don’t you come join us?” Regina smiled and patted a spot beside her on the waiting room couch. Admittedly she was just as anxious but hers were of a much different purpose. Regina was desperate and hoping her first grandchild was a beautiful little girl. Someone she could take on trips to places she always wanted to go with her own but never could because it was more geared for girls including dress shopping, tea parties, trips to the spa and crafts. Though she taught her boys how to cook she always wanted to give that gift to her little girl.

Scott smiled politely as he strolled towards her. Blowing out another nervous breath he slipped onto the soft leather bench beside Brett’s mother and tried to keep his eyes from the door down the hall. “It’s been eight hours now when are we going to know something?”

“Oh Dear eight hours is nothing! When I had my Brett I was in labor for fourteen! We got lucky with his brother Nathan; he was only nine.” Scott groaned loudly and Regina laughed at him as she took his hands into hers. “Don’t worry about it now; I’m sure everything is fine. What with the way she’s screaming she’s surely pushing at this point. And knowing the size of my husband’s head I’m sure that’s what she’s having to deal with right now Lord knows he cursed both our sons with it. I can only imagine my granddaughter with that thing as well!” Terrance grunted behind her and the smile grew on her face. “He only knows what I’m saying is true. It’s why he’s not saying anything.”

“I’m gonna get a fresh cup, you two want anything?” Scott nodded no but Regina handed Terrance her paper cup and watched him head towards the vending machines.

The doors to delivery opened with a whirring pop as the electronic buzzer sounded and Scott was instantly on his feet. Seconds later Brett appeared from behind the double doors with a huge smile on his face as he made a beeline towards the waiting parents. “It’s a boy! Nine pounds, ten ounces, nineteen and a half inches long and he has Yve’s eyes! He is so little and sweet and…he’s my son! I’m a Daddy!”

“That’s great Brett!” Regina threw her arms around her eldest and clutched him tight. “How’s Yvette?”

“Happy it’s over,” he chuckled. “For a moment there I just knew she’d crushed every bone in my hand but it was worth it and I’d do it all again.” He backed away from his mother and accepted handshakes and pats from both fathers standing beside him.

“When can we see him?” Scott asked finally feeling his stomach muscles begin to relax.

“They are getting him cleaned up now and he’ll…”

“Mr. Knight?” the attending nurse rushed out after him, “You’re needed by your wife it’s an emergency!”

It took Brett less than a second to register the panic in the woman’s voice before he was rushing back towards the doors. The minute he reached the hall he could hear Yvette crying and screaming and just knew something was wrong with his son. He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind and choked down the fear that was slowly invading every nerve in his body and wrenching his muscles. He had to get to the both of them fast! Slowing his pace he sidestepped an IV a nurse was rolling out of the room and threw himself to Yve’s side. “Vette?”

“We…baby…twin…” she sobbed as she struggled to breathe.

“What did she say?”

“You’re having twins Mr. Knight but your other baby is breeched.”

“What? What does that mean? Is he alright? How did you not know we were having twins? We were on time to every appointment and…”

“The second heartbeat was hidden behind the first and apparently so was the body. Your firstborn overshadowed this baby; it’s not uncommon for that to happen but…” 

“But what does that mean for treatment and health? She wasn’t getting prenatal care for two babies just the one!”

“I’m aware of that Mr. Knight but we’re doing what we can to create a safe environment for this baby. When her water broke the second child turned and moved in an opposite direction causing this breech. Please don’t be alarmed I promise I will do everything in my power to ensure we deliver this baby as healthy as possible.” The doctor bit on her bottom lip and kept her attention on Yvette as she thought quickly over the best procedure to take for the baby. At this point an emergency Cesarean Section would be risky for both mother and child and she didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks with either of them. Turning the baby could present the same types of complications as well and she feared spiking the baby’s heart rate which would result in a C-Section. She decided to have a breech birth and informed the nurse to coach Yvette to calm her heart rate. Countless moments ticked away and what seemed like hours for Brett was in reality only two minutes before Yvette was pushing again. 

He held onto her hand tight, begging her to use him as support and take whatever she needed; he’d deal with a broken bone later. Whispering a silent prayer in her ear he encouraged her to continue pushing. Harder and harder she struggled gripping the bed sheets with one hand and her husband’s arm with the other.

Tears rolled down her already stained cheeks and fell softly against her gown as she leaned forward into her knees clutching at her legs to summon up the strength for another push. “Come on Baby you can do this,” Brett whispered gently against her neck as he rubbed a hand across her back. “Just one more, just one more and you’re done.”

“We’re almost there Mrs. Knight. Give me one good push and we’re done.”

She sucked in as much oxygen as she could and gritted her teeth and pushed as hard as she could. Once, no sounds of relief and no baby’s cries; twice and she was met with the same silence. Leaning back again she shoved her entire body into a third push and was rewarded with the rumbling sounds of weeping that led to her own burst of tears. Yvette fell back into her pillows and a nurse moved towards her head and attached an oxygen hose to help with her breathing for a moment. “You…you lied…to…me,” she swatted at Brett. “That was…three pushes.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead as he continued brushing at her hair. Lazily she watched Brett and he watched as the nurse cleaned baby number two, measured and gently placed her in a small incubator another nurse carted into the room. Brett’s eyes widen in fear as she closed the top over the baby and pushed the wheeled bed out of the room. “Is he ok?” His hand slowly left Yvette’s as he leaned towards the doctor and a wave of nausea flushed through his gut. “Why can’t I see him?”

“She is three pounds, one ounce seventeen inches long. Now it’s not uncommon for twins to have low birth weights so I don’t want you to panic but she is six pounds lower than her brother and we typically don’t discharge babies under five pounds. She’ll have to remain in the NICU until we can get her weight up and it’s best we minimize any exposure to external elements until she’s at a higher weight as well. Once we have her settled we will let you see her Sir.” She turned and followed a nurse from the room as two new ones came in to prepare Yvette for her move.

“Brett?” He almost forgot she was still laying there as his mind began to race. He turned with a stiff smile that he knew she could see right through. Panic was written very clearly across his face and it made Yvette nervous just seeing it. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing; our baby just has a low birth weight but she’s fine.”

“She?”

“Yeah a little girl. The uh the doctor said she’s three pounds but it’s normal for twins. We’ll see her soon.” He glanced over at the nurse as she pulled bloody linen from the bed and another started wiping Yvette clean. “They are going to get you to your room and I’ll be right there. I’m going to go tell our parents the good news ok? I love you,” he leaned over and kissed her before slowly backing out of the room.

Stopping just outside the door he leaned against the wall and dropped his head against the plaster. His eyes closed briefly and he inhaled and exhaled slowly. He prayed that their little girl would be fine. Though he kept hearing “normal”, nothing about what he was feeling was normal. After living through the “maybes”, the “would’ves”, and the “could’ves” of their miscarriage, Brett could not imagine and was not prepared for the death of their delivered and breathing child.

He pulled himself from the wall and started for the waiting room. Painting on a straight face he pushed through the double doors and immediately his parents and Scott were in his face with their questions about the “emergency” the nurse had referenced. “Is the baby alright?” “How’s Yvette?” “What happened?” “Was there a complication?” “When can we see the baby?”

He dropped his gaze momentarily and looked up into the six awaiting eyes. “Yvette’s fine, our son is fine and they are both being moved up to a room on the fourth floor.”

“Then what was all that about?” Terrance asked watching his son carefully and noting the pain and anxiety laced within his features.

“We had twins.”

“Twins!?” Regina echoed enthusiastically.

“Yes. She was born a breech that was the emergency. No one knew we were having another baby which means Yve wasn’t getting the right prenatal care. She was born at three pounds, one ounce and they moved her to the NICU for now but we’ll get to see her soon.”

“SHE!?” Brett could only nod at the excitement in his mother’s voice before the strain of tears he tried to push back began to fall. “Oh Honey!” She wrapped him up in her arms again and he cried against her shoulder as she lovingly stroked a hand through his hair. “I’m sure she will be just fine. You have to understand this is a Knight we’re talking about and if it’s one thing I know my babies all have fighting spirits.”

“They said her birth weight wasn’t really anything to be worried about but you should have seen her. She was so tiny. I know she wasn’t due for another month and that would also factor in but…I just don’t want anything to happen to her,” he cried harder as he held himself against his Mother.

“Mr. Knight, Sir?” a nurse cleared her throat behind him. “They’re ready on four.”

“What room?” Scott asked as Brett tried composing himself.

“422.”

“Thank you.” Running his face over his sleeve Brett excused himself to the restroom to wash away signs of his tears before leading his family towards Yvette’s room. He smiled when he entered and saw her cradling their son in her arms.

“Look who it is! Is that Daddy? Is Daddy coming to see us?” she gently swayed her nine pounds of joy until Brett moved in closer and stole him from her arms. Trying to contain his excitement he grudgingly released him to his Mother first and watched as the grandparents took turns cooing over their first grandchild. “Eight minutes apart, Daddy,” Yvette announced. “And Mom you have a granddaughter.”

“I know I can’t wait to see her!” She smiled widely, stepped beside the bed and rubbed the hair back on Yvette’s head, “How are you feeling Honey? Can I get you anything?”

“No I’m fine. I’m worried and trying not to worry but until I know what’s happening with her I won’t be able to think of anything else.”

“Well have you two decided on names yet? You know since you decided to keep the sex a secret and wouldn’t divulge any choices on names either.” Scott asked rocking the baby in his arms as he took a seat in the rocker across from Yvette’s bed.

“Yes Pop we have names for both of them.”

“And interestingly enough they both start with ‘A’ it’s kind of like we subconsciously knew.” Brett added. “Our son is named after you Scott, Austin.” Scott smiled at both Brett and Yvette and looked down into the piercing green eyes of the little boy in his arms. “Austin Michael.”

“And our little girl has both my Mom’s name and a little bit of Regina, Autumn Rose.”

“Oh that’s beautiful! It fits her perfectly!” Regina jumped again.

Terrance moved towards Scott and stole little Austin and he headed to his daughter’s bed to see about her. “Autumn will be fine sweetheart. Don’t stress out right now. I’m sure she’s receiving the best treatment possible. And if not there are four highly trained persons and a headstrong grandmother in this room that I’m sure would be able to get results.” Yvette laughed and accepted the kiss from his lips to her cheek. “I love you Yvette.”

“I love you too Daddy.” She glanced at Brett whose smile seemed to keep growing bigger and bigger and sighed. “What?”

“Nothing I’m just incredibly, incredibly happy right now.”

“Ok Daddy I want to know the truth. On a scale of 1 to 10 how freaked out were you out in that waiting room?” Yvette smirked knowingly at Scott as he tensed up and shrugged as though he had no idea what she was talking about.

“I’d say he was about a 35 rounding a 50,” Regina answered for him causing everyone to burst out in laughter. “I swear I’ve never seen a man’s face turn the many shades his had with all the worry. I don’t know what he thought was happening to you but he could not sit still!”

“Aww Daddy! That’s so cute!” Scott rolled his eyes and stepped back from the bed.

“Yeah, yeah say what you want but it’s perfectly normal to worry about your only child. It got worse when I saw the way Brett…” he cut off the last of his words realizing he shouldn’t tell Yvette about his son-in-law’s worry about their little girl. She admitted she was already nervous and he knows how she gets when something seems out of her control. 

“Knock-knock! Excuse me I’m looking for Mr. Knight,” a cheery male nurse entered the room behind Regina. Brett pointed to himself and the nurse moved to the middle of the room so everyone could hear him. “We have your little girl in a viewing area right now for you to see. Now with the exception of the parents, only one person is allowed in the room with her at a time. There is a clean room just before the NICU where you will have to scrub down before entering but she’s happy and waiting to meet you.”

He wheeled the chair towards the bed and Brett helped Yvette into it as his Mother and Scott both followed. Terrance stayed behind with Austin waiting on one or the other to return so he could see his granddaughter as well. Yvette rolled next to the bed and peeked into the crib. The nurse lifted her and sat her into Yvette’s arms. “Oh she’s so tiny,” she smiled staring into the crystal blue eyes of her baby girl. “Hi there, how’s Mommy’s little girl? She has your eyes Brett!”

He leaned over to take a peek and smiled. Yvette kissed her cheek and let him slip her out of her arms. “There’s the one that was making all the fuss inside Mommy’s tummy!”

“Uh no, that was your son! She was the sweet one; slept like she should, didn’t kick and never made me vomit!”

“What? You don’t know that!”

“I do so! You were so convinced we were having a boy and he was the first one out and that’s only because he had no room left to jab my ribcage!”

“No it was her trust me. All that time I kept referring to her as a male child she was simply trying to tell Daddy that she was in there too. Isn’t that right Precious?”

“Typical man; blame everything on the women.”

“And Autumn’s learned that lesson early!” he kissed her again and laughed as her hand clamped around his lips.

“She’s a smart girl! It looks like she doesn’t want to listen to you spout lies about her. And she’s telling you that you can keep your cooties too!”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Author's note: Yes, Brett's clothing changed sometime during the delivery. He decided to have a wardrobe malfunction and inexplicably go bald and blobby on 'Everyday 1' outfit so I just switched him to 'Everyday 2'. Sigh...he was fined for holding up production!**

Continue ---->