Disclaimer: The characters and situations of the TV program "SPACE: Above and Beyond" are the creations of Glen Morgan and James Wong, Fox Broadcasting and Hard Eight Productions, and have been used without permission. No copyright infringement is intended. Dylan Mackenzie belongs to me.
Rating: NC-17 This story contains sex - don't say you didn't know!
Once again - MANY THANKS to Karen, she's the bestest beta ever, and Vasalysa - who showed me the dark side!
Chapter 6.
Three days later, Dill woke in the night. The Braxton Hicks contractions were much more violent. She lay for a while, hoping that they would subside. It wasn't that they were painful, just uncomfortable. As she lay there, she watched Ty sleeping. He was snuggled close to her breast, one hand resting on it still. Dill smiled at the way, the past few nights, he'd gone to sleep suckling on her. She knew it had been a hard few days for him. They'd come under attack three more times. Each time Ty had spent hours on the bridge co-ordinating the Saratoga's battle plans, sending squadrons out to fight knowing that many may never make it back. He'd crept into bed with her at some point during each night exhausted, and she'd woken each morning to find him sleeping, but latched on to her breast. Dill was beginning to wonder if they were going to need to find him a replacement breast when she left. A dummy perhaps.
The image made her laugh. She reached down and stroked his head absently, wondering what he would have looked like as a baby. Very much as Cameron and Hamish did, she imagined. That started her thinking about Isobel, wondering if she, too, would look like her father. Dill hoped that she did. Ty, she knew, was hoping the baby would look like her. Thinking of Isobel made Dill think about any future children they may have. Did she really want more? She knew Ty wasn't keen, but that he would do whatever she wanted, without too many complaints. After all, she chuckled, he certainly enjoyed the process of making them!
Dill looked down at her husband as she felt him stir. "Go back to sleep, Ty," she whispered, stroking his head. He blearily opened his eyes, smiled at her, and closed them again.
"Hello, Dill," he mumbled. "What time is it?"
"Time for you to go back to sleep, like a good marine," she told him.
"Seriously, Dill," he yawned, rolling away from her and stretching.
Dill glanced at the clock on the wall. "It says 04:30, and that's definitely a time when you should be sleeping, not stretching away and showing the world your morning erection. Go take a pee and come back to bed."
"How romantic," Ty chuckled. "Must come of being married. Are you impressed by it? Oh no. It's 'go take a pee', not 'come here and make passionate love to me' or 'you're not going to waste that, are you?'… Oh no. My elf just tells me to take a pee."
"Well, what can I say? I've seen it before," she smiled in answer. "I'm serious though. Go take a pee and come back to bed. What time did you come to bed, anyway?"
"About 02:00," he yawned, standing up and heading to the bathroom.
As he climbed back into bed, Dill kissed him. "See? I told you - all you needed was a pee. Now back to sleep with you. "
"Yes, ma'am," Ty mumbled into her breast as he snuggled down to sleep, only to leap up moments later when the alarm klaxons sounded.
"Shit!" he muttered. "I was just getting cosy, too."
Ty dressed quickly, and with a quick kiss, ran for the bridge as Dill headed to the boys' room, to try and sooth them back to sleep.
Nobody got much sleep that night as the battle raged on around the ship. Dill eventually took the boys into bed with her. She lay in the dark and watched as the hammerheads flew past the window. Dill could see the bright flashes in the distance, telling her of gunfire and missiles being launched. Imagining she could feel the throb of the carrier as it fired its laser cannons and torpedoes she was grateful, though she felt guilty about it, that Ty was no longer able to fly a hammerhead. Dill was worried about the 58th, too. Iona would be devastated if anything happened to Cooper, and Ty would be devastated if anything happened to any of them. Dill wasn't a praying person, but she prayed now - for all the poor souls out there fighting the chigs, and for those on the Saratoga, desperately trying to keep all of them safe. Being able to see the flashes out in space brought it home to her - the reality of the war… what Ty dealt with on a daily basis. Not once did it occur to her to pray for herself and the boys. She simply snuggled them down in the bed with her and laid waiting for it to end.
It ended four hours later, and Ty stumbled through the door an hour after that. He collapsed onto the bed and Dill undressed him and tucked him in. He was totally unresponsive as she rolled him about, removing his clothes. Kissing his forehead, she left him to sleep and took the boys to get some breakfast.
Dill sat, almost alone, in the mess with the boys. The rest of the ships' crew appeared to have followed McQueen's lead and gone to bed. As she fed the boys, grateful that they served porridge here, even if it was a pale comparison of what they had at home, the young corporal appeared at her side.
"Are you ok, ma'am?" he asked. "Would you like a hand feeding them?"
Dill looked up at him. "Thank you. If you're sure it's ok?"
The young man settled himself on a chair and began to feed Hamish. "Oh, yes. It appears our chef is friends with the Washington's chef. He asked him to watch out for you. 'Take real good care of her and those boys' was the way he put it, I believe." The boy grinned. "I take it you know Chef Thomas?"
"Yes, I do," she smiled. "Do you?"
"I worked under him on the Colin Powell. He's a bit of a tartar, but an excellent chef," the corporal said. "Very fair with all his staff. It's very unusual for a tank to rise so far." He blushed as he saw Dill's raised eyebrow. "Sorry, ma'am. I forgot about the colonel. But then, that's so easy to do. I mean, he's not at all what you expect. I was brought up being told all sorts of rubbish about tanks…"
"Invitro's," she corrected him gently.
"Yes, ma'am. Invitro's. When I arrived on the Colin Powell Chef Thomas wasn't like any of the things I'd been told. It was a real shock, but a good one!"
Dill smiled as he chatted away, totally at ease with helping Hamish.
"And then when I came here, well… to be honest, the colonel scares the living daylights out of me! But he's not at all like I'd been told that ta… sorry, invitro's are. I mean, he's amazing! He's done so much. I really admire him." The boy stopped for a moment to wipe Hamish's mouth. "Shall I get them some pancakes, ma'am? Or some eggs and toast? What about some juice?"
Dill almost laughed at his eagerness. "Some juice and just toast would be great, thanks."
The corporal came back with a tray. "I brought some eggs and bacon, with toast, for you ma'am. I mean, you need to keep your strength up too." He sat back down and handed a piece of toast to each boy. "May I ask, ma'am, how you know Chef Thomas?"
"First let me ask you a question," Dill replied. "You've been so helpful, and I don't know what your name is. Well, I can see that it's Corporal Hudson, but what's your Christian name?"
The young lad blushed. "Its Joe."
"Well, Joe," she said as she held out her hand, "I'm Dylan, and I'm pleased to meet you."
"Dylan?" he asked. "That's Chef Thomas's name too."
"I know. I'm named after him. He's my father." she told him.
"Your father?" Joe looked astounded.
"That's right." Dill chuckled unable to help herself, seeing the bewildered look on his face.
"So you're Dylan Thomas too?"
"No, I'm Dylan McQueen."
"Of course," he grinned. "Sorry, that just took me by surprise. I'm not sure why. I guess it's because you don't come across many ta…invitro's with families."
"It's ok, I understand," Dill smiled. "Now then, it looks like these young men have finished their breakfast, so I'd better take them back and give them a thorough clean up. Thank you so much, Joe, for helping me. Do you have little ones at home? You're a natural."
"No, I come from a very large family," Joe grinned. "Will you be alright getting back, or shall I help?"
"I think we can manage, thanks. As you can see, Hamish is happy to walk, and I think Cameron just wants to get back to see his daddy." The little boy wriggled in Dill's arms, cuddling his doll. "Mind you, he'll have to wait. We left him snoring soundly."
"Shall I bring him something to eat?"
"That would be really nice, thank you. But I'd leave it a few hours. He really needs to sleep."
"No problem, ma'am." Joe glanced at his watch. "It's what, 10:00 now? So at about 13:00?"
"Perfect," Dill smiled. "Thank you so much. I'll let my father know how kind you've been to us, too. I'm sure he'll appreciate it. I know Ty does."
"I'll bring lunch for all of you then, ma'am." The boy trotted off back in the direction of the kitchen.
Dill smiled at him as Joe left. He was such a nice young man, she thought, as she hurried after Hamish, who'd decided that he'd waited long enough and was heading out the door.
McQueen finally awoke several hours later, the smell of food drawing him to the other room where Dill was helping the boys with their lunch. She looked up as he came in, dressed in sweatpants and his tank top.
"Hello, my love. Sleep well?" she smiled at him.
"Yes," he yawned, stretching. "And I'm starved. Is there anything there for me?"
"Joe brought you a great big steak, with the biggest baked potato I ever saw!" she told him. "He said that the chef thought you deserved it after the past few days. I gather Glen was delivered the same thing. It arrived just a minute ago; it's still nice and hot. Sit down and eat it before it goes cold."
"Who's Joe?" Ty asked, sitting down and lifting the cover on the plate. He raised his eyebrows. "Real steak? I must make sure I say thank you to the chef. God, I'm so hungry." He attacked the food as though he'd not eaten in days.
"Slow down. You'll get indigestion. No one's going to take it away from you." Dill scolded.
"You didn't answer my question," he told her, looking up. "Who's Joe?"
"Corporal Hudson. I got chatting to him this morning when I took the boys to get some breakfast. He helped me feed them." Dill smiled indulgently at him as he shovelled the steak into his mouth. "Slow down, Ty! You look like Hamish does when he sees chocolate! For goodness sake, did you eat yesterday?"
"No, only breakfast with you and the boys," Ty mumbled through a mouthful of food.
"Here I am trying to teach these boys table manners, and you seem to have forgotten yours," she laughed.
"Sorry," McQueen grinned in reply. "But until I sat down, I didn't realise how hungry I was. So you've been chatting up the kitchen staff, have you? Should I be worried?"
"He's that young corporal who helped me with the boys that day, when you had to run. Hamish! Your brother does not want mashed potatoes in his ears, thank you!" Dill turned again to Ty. "He worked on the Colin Powell with dad, who apparently sent along a message to the chef here to take good care of us!"
"I can see that," he said pointing at his plate.
"Oh, and Glen sent a message." Dill thought for a moment. "He said he wants to see you in his quarters, once you'd resurfaced to the land of the living!"
McQueen smiled. "Sounds like Glen. I guess we have a lot to talk about. Once I've finished this I'll shower and go see him." He yawned again.
"It looks to me like you could do with going back to bed. I've never seen you sleep so soundly. You must have been truly exhausted."
Ty nodded, and swallowing his mouthful of food, smiled. "Tell me about it. I may have been engineered to go for a long time on little sleep, but even I need to crash sometimes. And I've not had much more than a few hours a night for days."
"Well, you've only had about four hours now, my love. Perhaps you should go back to bed."
"I'll have an early night tonight." Ty shook his head. "If Glen wants to see me, then I'd better not keep him waiting too long."
"I doubt he expects you for a while yet, Ty," Dill told him.
"I'll go see Glen first. I can sleep later. Anyway, I want to see you in that underwear." He grinned lecherously.
Dill blushed. "Well, we'll see."
"I see," Ty teased. "Half the ship can see you cavorting in the pool wearing it, but your own husband, who, I might add, has been busy keeping you safe from chigs for the past few days, doesn't? Tell me if that's fair?"
"I was not cavorting!" she protested. "I was keeping your son from drowning. The person cavorting was definitely Iona!"
"Well," Ty said, pushing the plate away from him, "someone was cavorting, and it certainly wasn't me."
"How am I supposed to cavort, anyway? Look at the size of me! Flounder like a beached whale, maybe. Cavort, definitely not!" Dill laughed.
"If you're a very good girl I'll let you cavort with me later," Ty leered, kissing the back of her neck and reaching around to tweak a nipple.
"Go away," she giggled. "Go on, clear off, you lecherous beast! Don't you ever have anything else on your mind?"
"Not with you around, looking so sexy!" he shouted from the bathroom.
"Oh, give over!" she yelled back, laughing.
After his shower, McQueen dressed and headed off to see the Commodore, leaving Dill once again to her own devices with the boys. Just as she began wondering what to do with them, there was a knock at the door. Opening it, Dill found West, Vansen and Damphousse standing there.
"Come in," she smiled. "Ty's not here. He went to see Glen, the Commodore."
"We didn't come to see the colonel, ma'am," West told her.
"We figured that you probably didn't get much sleep last night, so we wondered if maybe we could take the boys off your hands for a while," Vansen asked.
"Yes, we thought that we'd give you a chance to get some rest," Damphousse added.
Dill smiled. "Thank you. That would be lovely. You guys are so considerate. I think that they're just about sick to death of my company!"
"We're just looking out for our own, ma'am," West grinned.
"We decided that as the colonel's our family, you guys are part of ours, too. After all, we were his family before he met you. That makes you part of the 58th." Vansen told her.
"I think I get the gist of what you're telling me," Dill chuckled.
"Welcome to the Wildcards," Damphousse told her, holding out a patch. "It was Coop's idea. He says he feels like the boys are our little brothers. I think we all agree with that."
Dill took the patch, holding it gingerly. "I feel really honoured. Thank you. I don't know what to say. Wherever should I put it?"
"You don't have to wear it, ma'am, but we wanted you to have it." West smiled.
"Oh, stop with the ma'am!" Dill cried, hugging each of them in turn. "My name is Dylan. Please, call me that." She suddenly stood stock-still. "Oh my goodness!"
"What?" West asked, worry creasing his brow.
"I just had a hideous thought. Do you remember that day you came to the beach house - it must have been nearly three years ago?" At their nods, Dill smiled. "Well, that day Glen told Ty you were coming to check out your new mum. It totally freaked me out."
"I remember," Damphousse smiled.
"Yes. Well, it's haunting me again, isn't it?" At their blank looks, Dill laughed. "If you look on Ty as a father figure, and the boys as your little brothers, what does that make me?"
Vansen laughed out loud. "Our mother!"
"Suddenly I feel about a hundred and eighty!" Dill laughed. She turned as the boys wrapped themselves around her legs, clambering for her attention. "Hey little guys, want to have some fun with the big guys?" She turned back to the 58th. "Let me pack them a bag. Lucky for you I just changed them. But if they need changing again, just bring them back. I won't hold it against you!"
Ten minutes later Dill lay down on the bed, snuggling into the covers that Ty had left in a heap. She held her stomach as yet another contraction caught her attention. Promising herself that she'd speak to Iona about it, she fell asleep.
Dill had yet again fed the boys and put them to bed by herself. She was thinking that maybe the time had come to take them home, now that Cameron was happy with his doll and Ty was back to his regular duties. As she climbed into bed herself, with a glance at the wall clock, 22:30, she sighed. So much for an early night, she thought. And she'd put her new underwear on especially.
She was sound asleep by the time Ty crept into bed at 23:45. Lifting the covers to slip in bedside her, his eyebrows raised as he saw what she was wearing. Unable to resist, he began kissing her throat, shoulders, stomach, and breasts, all the while gently stroking her swollen abdomen. She moaned and slowly rolled towards him.
"If you're not my husband, I'm going to scream blue murder," Dill whispered.
"Sorry I'm so late. I've been holed up with Glen all day, going over the reports about that damned wormhole." He kissed her as she smiled at him. "Thanks for sending us something to eat. That was you, wasn't it?"
"Yes. I knew that once you two got all involved, you at least, wouldn't stop to eat. And call me odd, but I don't think I could stand to watch you stuffing yourself again like you did today."
"Sorry," Ty grinned. His hand slipped over her underwear. "This is nice. Very nice. It looks much nicer on than it did hanging up to dry."
"I should hope so, but I'm hoping it'll look even better once Isobel is born. Ty," she reached to stroke his face, "I think it's time for the boys and I to go home. Do you think you'll be able to get home to see her born?"
"Why now?" he asked, not wanting to lose her.
"You're back to your regular duties. Cameron is happy with his doll. And quite frankly, I think the boys are beginning to get bored. At least at home they can play in the garden out in the fresh air, and I can do other things. Get the builders in, at least.", At his puzzled look, Dill smiled. "The place needs extending. Either that, or knocking down and rebuilding with far more bedrooms than it has."
"Knocking it down is a bit drastic, isn't it? Where would you and the children stay?"
"With my mother, or one of the holiday cottages. But I'm just going to have an extra two bedrooms added, and another bathroom. Isobel can have our bedroom and we'll move into one of the new ones. A nice roomy one with an en-suite."
"Don't go, Dill, please. Stay till Isobel is born at least, please? I won't be able to see her otherwise, not now this whole wormhole issue has to be dealt with. Please Dill?" Ty pleaded, pulling her to him.
"Oh Ty," she sighed. "Amy was right, you know. I'll never make it as a military wife. I can't stand knowing that you're around, but not seeing you for hours and hours. At least when you come home to us you're mine the whole time. I hate sharing you with your job, and I hate myself for feeling like it. I'm sorry."
"Amy was not right!" Ty told her sternly. "Why the hell do you think they don't allow families on board usually? Because everyone gets too stressed. I want to be with you all the time, Dill, but can't. As you said, I have a job to do. But that doesn't mean I don't enjoy having you here. Please," he began, softly stroking her belly again, and kissing her ears and neck, "stay until Isobel is born. Then I can reasonably take you home and stay for a day or two. Please Dill."
"Well, as you ask so nicely…." Dill sighed, as his hands began to stroke ever lower, making her wriggle under his attentions. "How can I possibly say no? Try to spend some time with me and the boys though, eh?"
"Let me show you just what I think about when I'm not with you," Ty breathed into her ear, his tongue flicking inside gently.
"Oh god, Ty," Dill groaned. "Yes, please."
They were soon lost in the heat of their passion, a flurry of kisses, licks and nibbles, of thrusts, cries and soft gentle touches, until at last he held her close, as with his final thrusts he came, her body's shudders and the clenching muscles around his pumping cock pulling him over the edge with her.
He lay behind her, his hands still desperately clutching her hips as he regained his breath. Feeling himself soften and slip out of her, he rolled her over to face him, pulling her in for a kiss.
"God, how I love you," she whispered. "I mean, what other man would actually find such a blimp sexy?"
"How can you ask that?" he smiled. "You're sexy to me all the time."
"But sexiest when I'm pregnant or breastfeeding," Dill chuckled. "I consider that I have four babies - the boys, Isobel and you, the biggest of the lot! Just think, you really didn't want to try my milk at all. Now look at you - you can't get enough!"
"Can I help it if it tastes so good? And if I have to keep you pregnant all the time to enjoy it, I damn well will." Ty murmured, his hands softly stroking her back. "Seven kids, was it you said you wanted?"
"Oh no, my love. At least a dozen!" she teased.
"No problem. After all, it's not me that has to give birth to them, is it?" he grinned.
"Oh, I don't know about that. Think about it… how much more famous you could be - Colonel McQueen, the famous invitro war hero becomes a mother, carrying his own babies!" Dill giggled. "Mind you, you'd have a hell of a time trying to suck your own breasts."
They lay in each other's arms laughing, until Dill suddenly clutched at her stomach, her eyes wide with shock.
"Dill!" Ty cried, feeling a sudden wetness in the bed. Leaping out, he stared at her. "What the hell?"
"My water's burst" she gasped, as a contraction gripped her small frame.
"I knew we shouldn't be doing it!" he cried. "You kept telling me it was okay. Now look! I've broken your waters!" McQueen began rummaging for his clothes, pulling things on haphazardly. "We have to get you to sickbay! Hell, I need to get someone to stay with the little guys." He stood holding his flight suit. "I'm sorry, Dill. I didn't mean to hurt you."
Now that the contraction had passed, she was able to speak. "Stop panicking, Ty. You didn't break my waters. I know you're a big boy, but you ain't that big, mister!" she gasped.
He just stood and stared at her in disbelief. "You're making jokes about my size at a time like this?"
"Oh, for gods sake, Ty, calm down. Get dressed and go find Iona. I want her delivering this baby. But put your clothes on first. She'll get a fright if you turn up wearing nothing but your socks and turtleneck. Lovely as you are, you at least need to put your underwear on," Dill laughed, her laugh turning into a grimace as another contraction hit.
That galvanised her husband into action. He hurriedly finished dressing. "They're too close together, Dill," he whispered, pale and worried as she lay gasping on the bed. "I'm taking you to sickbay right now."
He wrapped her in a sheet and picking her up, ran from the room.
"The boys, Ty!" Dill gasped as they flew down the corridor. "We can't leave them on their own!"
"Shit!" McQueen muttered. Then, to his relief, a crewman came into sight. "You!" he barked, making the man jump and turn pale with shock. "The Wildcards! Go tell them I need someone at my wife's quarters right now!" He glared at the crewman. "Go! Now! At the double!"
The man took off as though the devil was at his heels.
Dill groaned, as another contraction hit almost as the last one finished.
"They're too close together, Dill," Ty repeated as he ran.
"Iona" she gasped, her breath coming in low, breathy pants.
"I know, love, but please, I need to get you to sickbay," he softly said to her as he burst through the doors, scaring the life out of the nurses at their station.
"She's having contractions. Her waters broke about five mikes ago, but they're too close together!" McQueen yelled, looking about him. "Where's Nurse Wilson?"
"She's off duty," said a nurse, guiding him into a private room.
"Well, I need someone to go get Iona Campbell from the guest quarters right now," he ordered. "And I need someone to go to my wife's quarters and check the Wildcards are there!"
"Colonel, calm down," the nurse told him. "Let us take it from here. Put her down on the bed, and you go do those things yourself. When you get back, she'll still be here."
"Don't you damn well tell me to calm down! My wife is having contractions a month early! If you think I'm leaving here until I know she and the baby are fine, then you don't know me at all!" Ty was puce with fury and fear.
"Ty," Dill entreated, one hand reaching to stroke his face. "It's okay, my love. The nurse is right. And anyway, I need you to get me something to wear. I'm naked as a jaybird under here."
He looked down at her, snuggled close in his arms, his anger immediately replaced with concern. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, my lover, but hurry. I need you "
"I'll be right back," Ty assured her, laying her onto the bed. "I'll check on the boys first, and then I'll go get Iona. I'll be real quick, even if I have to run all the way."
"You do that, my love" Dill smiled. "But before you go, a kiss?"
He bent to kiss her. "Don't you go having that baby until I get back"
"Oh no, Colonel Sir. I wouldn't dream of it. Hear that, Isobel? Daddy says just you stay right where you are until he gets back." Dill's smile slipped as another contraction arrived. "Go, Ty. And please be quick!"
He turned and ran.
Vansen and Damphousse jumped as he burst through the door.
"Is everything okay, sir?" Damphousse asked, clearly worried by the look on his face.
"Yeah. Someone pounded on the door and said you needed us here at the double," Vansen yawned.
"Dill's gone into labour. I just took her to sickbay." McQueen told them.
"But it's too soon!" Damphousse cried.
"I know that!" he snapped. "Just look after the little guys, will you? Cameron should be fine, just so long as he has that doll."
"Of course we will, sir" Vansen told him. "I hope she's okay."
McQueen stared at her, his face a picture of misery. "So do I, Shane, so do I. I'm sorry I snapped at you," he sighed, running a hand over his face, "it's just that this is my fault. I have to go get Iona. I'll let you know what happens. Shane, Vanessa, thank you."
"Sir!" Damphousse called as he reached the door. "Don't worry. I'm sure it's not your fault."
"Yes, it is. I should have been more careful. I just got carried away." To their surprise, their leader blushed. "I'll be back later," he sputtered and ran out of the door.
Minutes later he was pounding on Iona's door. Ty was unsurprised that Hawkes opened it.
"What?" Cooper mumbled, rubbing his eyes before he saw who it was.
"Dill's gone into labour. She needs Iona," McQueen told him, and then he was gone, racing back to sickbay and cursing himself, as he realised he hadn't gotten Dill anything to wear.
Bursting through the door of Dill's quarters again, McQueen grinned. "Sorry, ladies. I need to get her something to wear." He disappeared into the bedroom and emerged clutching what was obviously one of his shirts.
"Sir, wouldn't a nightdress be better?" Vansen asked.
"Dill doesn't wear them. I don't think she even owns one," he frowned. "This is what she'll want." That said, he was gone, leaving the two women grinning at each other.
~~~~
By the time he arrived back in sickbay, Iona had arrived and a multitude of machinery had appeared.
"Hey, Dill," Ty called as he stood in the doorway, unsure what to do, as the nurses bustled about attaching her to things.
"Hey, Ty," Dill smiled wearily. "Bring me anything to wear? Because I sure as hell am not staying in this hideous hospital gown!"
"I brought you my shirt. I thought you'd prefer that to anything else."
"Oh, what a darling you are!" she grinned. "I knew there was a good reason to marry you." Dill looked about her. "Was it in this room?"
Ty glanced about, and quickly checked the door number. "Yes, it was."
"Then it's the perfect place for Isobel to be born." she smiled. "How romantic… our daughter born in the very room we were married in."
"Will you stop fidgeting, Dylan?" Iona said. "If you're going to put that shirt on, then hurry up! I need to see how dilated you are. You can wait outside please, TC."
"He stays, Iona," Dill told her. "It's not like he hasn't seen it all before. Don't you go anywhere, Ty, no matter what she says. I want you here, holding my hand."
"There's no place else I want to be," Ty said, helping her with the shirt. "I need to let the commodore know I won't be available for my bridge duty though." He smiled. "And, of course, arrange for the chigs not to attack."
"I can do that," one of the nurses offered. "Telling the commodore isn't a problem. But I'm not sure I can promise anything with the chigs." She left the room in a hurry.
"Ty, if the chigs do attack, I'll understand if you have to leave." Dill told him.
"No, Dill. Nothing is going to make me leave you until Isobel is born, not even a chig attack." Ty squeezed her hand. "Of course, once she's born, if they attack, I'll say hello to her and then I'll go."
"And so you should," she gasped as another contraction arrived.
"It's okay, Dill," Iona said. "You're fully dilated already. This baby is being born now. You won't have to wait long, TC. Are you feeling the need to push yet, Dylan?
"No," Dill grinned mischievously. "Actually, what I've been feeling is hungry. What I wouldn't give for a rasher of bacon."
"No food, Dylan, just in case. But I'm certain that once Isobel is here we can rustle you up something."
"Ask Joe in the kitchen. He's a lovely young chap. I'm sure he'd find me something," Dill gasped, as a second contraction followed straightaway.
Iona stared at her, and then looked up at McQueen, who shook his head smiling.
"She's been chatting up the kitchen staff. I think young Hudson would roast himself if she asked him to," he laughed.
Unable to speak because of the contraction, Dill contented herself with hitting him.
Three hours later McQueen sat on a bed having his hand plastered.
"You really should have told us earlier, colonel." the nurse chided him.
"What good would it have done? It's not as if it's my gun hand."
"Well, you ought to have told us about your shoulder. You needn't have suffered that pain. It only takes seconds to put it back. We could have done it without you even leaving the room," she scolded him. "Instead, you waited until someone bumped into you!"
"It was worth it," he smiled, "to see my daughter being born. Are they all that fast?"
"Oh, no. Mrs. McQueen had an exceptionally fast delivery. Usually you're looking at a good ten to twelve hours. At least," the nurse told him, absorbed in her work. "Did you see your other children born?"
"Yes, but that was a c-section. Cameron was in distress. They were early, too." Ty told her.
"Twins often are. After all, they don't have a lot of room in there, so they just want to get out," she laughed.
"This was just…." McQueen sat there, lost for words. "Well, it was just… amazing."
"Ah, the joys of fatherhood. Just think, sir - now you have nothing to worry about until she starts dating." The nurse smiled.
"Dating?" McQueen looked at her, horrified. "My god, I hadn't even thought of that."
"Don't worry, sir. I'm sure you'll frighten off all but the most ardent admirers." She chuckled. "Well, that's me done, sir. It'll take about a week before you can have the plaster off. And don't get it wet for at least twenty-four hours."
"Thank you," he said, smiling as he slipped off the bed. "If you'll excuse me, there are two girls I need to see."
"Sir?" the nurse asked as he reached the door.
"Yes?"
"For someone so tiny, she's awfully strong. I've heard about husbands getting their hands broken, but to have pulled your shoulder out too?" She shook her head.
"My wife is half invitro," he told her. "Believe me when I tell you, she may be tiny, but she hefts one hell of a punch!"
"After seeing what she did to you, I can believe it, sir. Be careful of that shoulder," she told his disappearing back.
He slipped quietly into Dill's room, smiling at the sight of her sleeping, the baby in a makeshift cot next to her. Ty went to look at his tiny daughter. Finding her awake, he picked her up.
"Hello, Isobel. It's daddy. Welcome to the Saratoga. You look so much like your mommy. Shush, don't cry." He rocked her gently in his arms, kissing her head. He was astounded at her full head of brown hair. "Are you hungry, little one? Mommy's asleep right now, but soon she'll wake up and feed you. Until then, it's you and me, and the stars. Look." Ty held her to the window. "Look - this is what daddy sees everyday."
"Oh, I'd like a picture of you like that," Dill whispered, smiling at him as he turned around. "Pass her over and I'll feed her." She reached to take the baby, noticing his plastered hand. "Ty, your hand?"
"You broke it," he said matter of factly, sitting himself on the end of the bed. "While you were cursing me to hell and back. You squeezed it so hard, I felt something crack. I had no idea Dill, that you knew so many curse words."
"Sorry," Dill blushed, looking down at the baby in her arms. "I didn't mean them. You do know that, don't you?"
"Of course I do," he smiled. "I'm quite sure some of those things you threatened me with aren't actually anatomically possible." Ty rubbed his shoulder. "Mind you, it hurt like hell. Especially when you yanked my shoulder right out of its socket."
"You're joking!" she cried out, aghast at the very idea.
"You really did it. The nurses out there have all had a good laugh about it," he nodded.
"I'm sorry, Ty. I really am," Dill whispered.
"It's okay," he told her, kissing her forehead. "Iona told me that even natural born woman have been known to do it. And you're half invitro, after all. Are you up to visitors yet? I know two little boys who would love to see their mommy and new sister. They've been raising hell for Vansen and Damphousse."
"Once I've finished feeding her. But shouldn't they be asleep? It's still early, isn't it?"
"It's 04:30, but I woke them up when I went to get you that shirt. I didn't mean to, but they woke up as I left, Vansen said. And they've been awake ever since. The girls have had hours of amusement at my expense," Ty grimaced. "They've been watching those damned optical discs you made me make!"
"The ones of you reading to the boys?" Dill laughed. At his nod, she laughed more. "I'm not surprised. The look on your face is priceless on some of them. You really didn't like The Wind in The Willows, did you?"
"No, I did not," Ty scowled. "Why can't you find something more interesting?"
"The Three Musketeers - you can do that one next, I think. You'll like that," she smiled at him. "Or maybe not. I'll find something exciting for you to read."
"Just so long as it's not talking trains or animals!" he agreed. "Mind you, I quite liked Winnie the Pooh. But I'll divorce you if you tell anyone!"
"Oh, I just love Piglet," Dill chuckled. "Piglet was always my favourite. In fact, in a funny sort of way, you remind me of Piglet."
"I remind you of Piglet? In what twisted universe is that?" Ty smiled. "So does that make you Pooh?"
"I've been his shape for quite a while now!" she laughed. "And I have no idea why you remind me of Piglet, but you do."
"It must be my fondness for green striped sweaters." Ty grinned. "Where do you get these things from? Can I take her? She's asleep, isn't she?"
The door opened and Iona came in, with Hawkes at her heels. "We just came to say a quick hello," Iona smiled. "Is she asleep? Can I have a cuddle?"
McQueen reluctantly handed his baby daughter over to Iona, who arched an eyebrow. "Possessive already, TC?"
Ty scowled at her and sat back down on the bed. This time he sat next to Dill, so he could cuddle her.
"Oh, she's real cute!" Hawkes whispered, grinning. "She has lots of hair. I didn't know babies had hair. I thought it kinda grew as they got bigger."
"Hamish had a fair amount of hair," Dill reminded him.
"Well, she's so tiny. I don't remember the twins being so small." Cooper told them. He looked at Dill. "Can I hold her?"
"Of course you can, Cooper," Dill smiled.
McQueen took the baby from Iona - causing both Dill and Iona to laugh - and handed her to Hawkes. "Hold her like this," he showed him. "Support her head properly. She's not a sack of potatoes, Hawkes! If you don't hold her properly, I'm taking her back!"
"Sit down, Ty. He's holding her fine," Dill laughed.
"Oh, wow!" Hawkes gasped. "She opened her eyes! They're so blue!" He looked up at Dill and McQueen. "She's just amazing. You're so lucky. I mean, you have the boys, and now you have her."
"Thank you, Hawkes. I know how lucky we are," McQueen told him softly. He sat watching the look of wonder on Hawkes' face, and the enormous grin that broke across his face as the baby stared at him.
Ty looked at Dill as she squeezed his arm. "He's totally besotted," she whispered, nodding at Hawkes. "That's almost the same look you got when you held her for the first time. Only you had a look of pride, too."
"I did not look like that," Ty whispered back to Dill, kissing her happily.
"Yes, you did," Dill giggled, stroking his face.
"I did not. I was in far too much pain," her husband chuckled.
"Are you two at it again?" Iona asked. "I'd say get a room, but you already have one."
"Iona!" Dill protested with a laugh. "Stop it! You are so rude sometimes."
"Well, I'm just worried that four weeks after we get home you'll be telling me you're pregnant again!" Iona told her.
"I don't believe you. I really don't!" Dill shook her head in amusement.
"Well, since you met him you seem to be always pregnant."
"Ladies, do you mind?" McQueen blushed.
"Yeah, Isobel can hear you," Hawkes told them severely, holding the baby close to his chest. "She's too young to hear that kind of talk!"
The others looked at each other, and burst out laughing.
McQueen went to fetch the boys after Iona and Hawkes had left, after Hawkes had reluctantly handed Isobel back to her father. Ty arrived back, Cameron in his arms, and Hamish toddling along in front of him yelling 'ello!' to all the nurses, just as Nurse Wilson left the room.
"Here you are," Laura smiled, "with the big brothers. She's beautiful. But if I were you, I'd not let Cameron see you holding her just at the moment. Make sure you give him plenty of cuddles until he's happy to see her."
"That's exactly what Dill said." Ty grabbed for Hamish, who had decided to investigate a very expensive looking piece of equipment. "Come on, little guys, let's go see mommy, shall we?" He opened the door and almost pushed Hamish through it.
"Hello, my lovers!" Dill cried. "Come and give your mummy a snuggle. I'm sure we can fit all of us on here. You too, Ty. I want all my boys up here with me!"
"Be careful, Dill. You just had a baby," Ty reminded her, sitting himself down on the end of the bed after giving her a kiss. He sat Cameron next to her, and picked up Hamish.
"And there I was, thinking it was just a touch of constipation! It's not like last time, Ty. We don't have stitches to worry about. In fact," Dill grinned wickedly, "I'll heal a lot faster than last time."
"Dylan McQueen!" Ty chuckled. "And you called me lecherous!"
"Can I help it if my husband is a damn sexy man who just happens to turn me on like no one else ever has?" she smiled sweetly.
"Well, I'm telling you woman, no more children for a while. Let's just enjoy the ones we have. You want more? Then you'll have to wait a year or two, at least. Let me get to know this lot properly first."
"You are such a sweetie," she smiled. "There I was, expecting you to say no more at all. And then you go and say I just have to wait. God, I love you, Tyrus McQueen. I promise not to throw the condoms away next time." Dill looked at the boys. "And I love you boys, too! Give your mummy a snuggle. Come on!"
Isobel decided at that moment that she was being ignored, and McQueen jumped up to get her.
"Here you go," he said, handing her to Dill. "Look boys, it's your baby sister. Isn't she lovely?"
Both toddlers sat and stared at the baby as Dill fed her. Hamish finally wriggled his way up the bed to say 'ello' and give her hair a tug.
"Hamish, no!" McQueen told him sternly. "Kisses… you have to give her kisses. Just like mommy gives you. Like I give you."
Cameron sat and watched, clutching his doll to him. Eventually he crawled to McQueen and sat in his lap, looking at the baby from there.
"Its okay, little guy," McQueen whispered to him, stroking his hair. "Mommy still loves you. Why don't you say hello to your sister? Want me to hold you while you do? No hair pulling, though. Or biting. Biting is bad, isn't it? We talked about biting, didn't we? Remember when you bit daddy?"
Ty held Cameron close to the baby, carefully watching as the toddler reached out to touch her. His little face lit with a smile as she opened her eyes. Very slowly, the boy lowered his head. Both parents watched anxiously, as instead of the expected bite, he kissed her.
"Good boy, Cameron!" Ty told him, giving the toddler a kiss. He leaned over to kiss Hamish too, so he wouldn't feel left out. Cameron yawned a huge yawn, starting both Hamish and McQueen off.
"I think my boys had better go to bed," Dill laughed. "Go on, Ty. Go and put them to bed. And go back to bed yourself. after all, I put you through the wringer a bit, too." She pointed to his hand. "And it's not like you actually got any sleep in the first place."
"Are you sure?" Ty yawned. "I am pretty tired. You must be too." He picked up both boys. "Come on, little guys, no wriggling now. I can't use this hand properly, since mommy squeezed it too hard." Ty bent to kiss Dill and Isobel. "We'll be back later. Can I tell the rest of the 58th they can visit?"
"Of course, but later, let me have another nap first. And if you see that lovely young chap, it would be nice if you spoke to him. Smile though, Ty. He's terrified of you," Dill told him. "Now to go to bed - all three of you."
"Yes, mommy," Ty laughed, pushing the door open with his foot and carrying the boys off.
Three weeks later McQueen flew his family and Iona home, courtesy of the Commodore's private launch. They made a brief stop at the Washington, which like the Saratoga, was also heading towards Earth, so that Dill's father could meet his new granddaughter. After an agreeable couple of hours, McQueen hustled the group back onto the launch again and took them home.
Arriving in Scotland once more, he was surprised at the strong feeling of homecoming that engulfed him as they landed in the clearing behind their home.
Watching his young sons making straight for the climbing frame in the garden brought a smile to his face.
"They're glad to be home," Dill said, coming up behind him, Isobel in her arms.
"They're not the only ones," Ty smiled, wrapping an arm around his wife and daughter. "Look. Cameron's dropped that damned doll."
"Come on," Dill smiled. "The little guys will be okay for a minute. Let's go get the kettle on. I suspect we'll be getting visitors any time soon."
"Your mother, at the very least!" Iona laughed. "I'm off. I'll catch up with you later, Dylan. See you, TC. Are you heading back today, or staying overnight?"
"He's staying overnight, aren't you?" Dill winked at him.
"I guess I am," he laughed.
"Then behave yourselves," Iona said with a grin. "And you, mister, wear a condom!"
McQueen smiled.
"Iona! Really!" Dill cried.
"I mean it!" Iona told him. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, you only have to look at her and she's pregnant!"
"That is not true!" Dill laughed. "Clear off, Campbell. Go on, clear off!"
"I'm gone!" she snickered, grabbing her bag and disappearing into the trees.
Taking Dill's arm and leading her towards the house, McQueen smiled. "She's right though, Dill. We do need to think about protection of some sort."
"Oh, for goodness sake, the chances of it happening again are probably millions to one. If you're that concerned, let's get a doctor to check you over while you're here. See what's happening down there with those little soldiers of yours."
"You'd love that, wouldn't you?" he smirked.
"What? Having someone fiddling with your nether regions? I don't think so!" Dill laughed. "The only person allowed to fiddle down there is me."
"Just a minute!" Ty protested. "This is my body we're talking about here. Don't I get a say in who fiddles with it?"
"As I recall, you said something about honouring me with your body at our marriage. Or was my hearing off that day?" Dill chuckled.
"Well, I've certainly done that," Ty grinned.
"Oh yes, my love, you certainly have," she smiled, handing him the baby. "Now here, take your latest proof of that while I open this door."
Smiling and following the wife he adored, carrying the latest addition to his own personal clan, Tyrus Cassius McQueen knew he was home.
Fin.
Previous : Part Five
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