Tory gritted her teeth and sweat broke out on her forehead. Finally, when the cramp passed, she gasped, “Yes.”

“Tory,” Reese said urgently. “What’s happening?”

“I—” Tory clenched her jaws as another wave of pain coursed through her abdomen. “I think the placenta is separating from the uterine wall. That’s what’s causing the bleeding.”

Neither of them spoke for a moment as the EMT situated the external fetal heart monitor. The seconds it took for him to get a reading seemed endless. “Heart rate’s normal.”

“Watch it carefully for decelerations,” Tory instructed as she drew a shaky breath. She looked into Reese’s eyes and said, “They’re probably going to have to section me quickly, especially if the baby’s heart rate drops.”

“Can we wait for Wendy?” Reese asked hoarsely.

Tory shook her head. “We could try to wait, but there’s a danger for the baby if the hemorrhage worsens.”

“What about you?” Reese whispered, her insides so tight she could barely breathe. It’s you, Tory. Only you. You’re my heart. My soul.

“I’ll be okay.”

Reese had never been so scared in her life. She had to rely on what Tory was telling her, because she didn’t understand what was happening.

“They’ve called the OB guy to come in,” the EMT reported as he pulled a syringe and medication vial from the red tackle box that contained his emergency drugs.

“What is that?” Tory asked.

“Mag sulfate.”

“What’s it for?” Reese questioned.

The EMT hung the drip. “Helps prevent seizures from the hypertension and premature labor.”

Seizures. Jesus Christ. Reese thought her head might explode. “What about her blood pressure?”

“As soon as I get this drip going,” he said calmly, “I’ll give her a dose of nifedipine. That should take the edge off.”

“No,” Tory said forcefully. “Not until we’re in the emergency room. If my pressure drops and the baby becomes hypoxia, we need someone who can section me stat.”

“You’re still bleeding at a pretty good rate.” He regarded her solemnly. “That might settle down some if your blood pressure were a little lower.”

“We’ll be there soon, won’t we?” Tory asked, her face tightening as yet another wave of pain began to crest.

“ETA 6 minutes.”

“Then we wait.”

Tory closed her eyes, trying to gather her strength. Reese lifted her lover’s hand to her lips and held a kiss against the pale skin. The only comfort she could find in the nightmare world of the rocking van was the steady, rapid beat of the fetal heart monitor.

The instant the EMTs shoved the stretcher through the double doors into the emergency room, both men started shouting.

“…placental abruption…hemorrhage…hypertension…thirty-three weeks…OB stat”

A tall, thin balding man in a white coat approached on the run. “I’m Dr. Saunders, the emergency room physician. I called the OB attending. He should be here in forty-five minutes.”

“That might be too long,” Tory gasped. “Is there an OB resident in the house?”

“A second year,” the ER physician advised. “Not senior enough for what you need. I consulted the in-house general surgeon, just in case.”

“I’m expecting her obstetrician to call any second,” Reese stated as several nurses assisted the EMTs in moving Tory to a gurney. “When I tried to reach her earlier, I got her service.”

“Fine. We’ll alert the operating room to prepare for an emergency Caesarean section. I’ve called in the pediatric intensivist from home.”

“What have we got?” a deep voice questioned from behind Reese.

Reese turned as K.T. O’Bannon’s dark eyes fell on Tory. “She’s bleeding,” Reese murmured quietly, almost choking on the words.

K.T. nodded to Reese, then leaned over the bed and briefly ran her fingers over Tory’s cheek. Gently, she said, “Hi, Vic. I thought it had to be you when I heard that a pregnant doctor was coming in. I always seem to be on call when you roll in.”

“Just your luck,” Tory whispered.

“What’s the situation?”

“I think I’m getting ready to deliver this baby,” Tory gasped, her green eyes almost all pupil, her brow running with sweat. “I’m bleeding pretty rapidly.”

“Pressure’s up there too,” K.T. murmured as she quickly scanned the monitors surrounding the bed. She glanced at the OB resident, a freckle-faced, blond-haired boy who looked to be about fifteen, as he hurried up to the bedside. “Can you give me a status check on the baby?”

With a surprising degree of aplomb, the young man dragged over a portable ultrasound, checked the monitors, and did a quick evaluation. “Can’t tell the extent of the abruption. Fetal heart rate’s good with no dips, though. And there’s movement.”

Reese rapidly searched the faces clustered around Tory, frantically trying to decipher the medical shorthand. Sharply, she asked, “What does that mean?”

“It means the baby’s alive,” the resident said flatly.

Reese felt as if she’d been shot. It took her a second to get her breath. “You mean there’s a chance it might not be?”

“With a moderate to severe placental abruption, the fetal mortality rate is very high,” the resident dutifully reported.

“Christ, will you shut up,” K.T. snapped. “All I want you to do is stand here and monitor the baby. If you see a problem, tell me. Otherwise, I don’t want to hear anything from you.”

Purposefully, she turned partly away from him and looked steadily into Reese’s eyes. “The baby’s fine. The baby’s going to be fine as long as we keep a careful watch on things.”

“What about Tory?” Reese clutched the bed rail so hard her fingers ached. In a strangled voice, she repeated desperately, “K.T., what about Tory?”

“I’m not going to let anything happen to Tory.” K.T. angled back to Tory. “We may not be able to wait for a phone consultation with Wendy. You ready for that?”

“Yes,” Tory said, struggling with pain and fatigue and fear. “K.T…can you do this?”

“Of course I can,” K.T. said with absolute certainty. She tilted her chin toward the OB resident. “I’ll bring Junior here along for back up.”

“Then go ahead.” Tory closed her eyes.

“I won’t let you down, Vic,” K.T. murmured. Then she gestured to Reese and said in a low voice, “I need to speak with you over here.”

Reluctantly, Reese released Tory’s hand, stepped away from the stretcher, and followed.

“I’ll have to take Tory to the operating room very soon,” K.T. reported. “She could start bleeding more heavily at any minute, and that’s not only a risk to her life, but to the baby’s.”

“Okay,” Reese said hoarsely. “Whatever you need to do.”

K.T. nodded. “Good. I’ll need you to sign the consents.”

Reese complied, then walked on wooden legs back to Tory’s side. “I love you, Tory.”

Tory’s lids fluttered open. She smiled softly. “You’ve given me everything I’ve ever wanted, sweetheart. If…if I—”

“Don’t.” Reese stopped her with a kiss. When she drew back, her blue eyes were calm. “We’re not saying goodbye. Not now. Not ever.”

“I lov—”

“We’ve got a dip in the fetal heart rate,” the OB resident called out.

“That’s it,” K.T. said firmly, grasping the bottom of the stretcher and propelling it out of the small cubicle as the resident grabbed hold of the other end. “Let’s move, everybody.”

Reese ran beside the gurney, trying to hold Tory’s gaze. Her lover’s eyes were clouded with pain and worry. The elevator doors slid open, most of the people piled on along with the stretcher, and Reese was forced to step back.

When the doors closed with a quiet swush, she was left alone in the suddenly still hallway. She had never felt so empty in her life.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

Kate stood in the doorway of a small waiting room down the hall from two windowless, gray metal doors marked with a red sign that proclaimed No Admittance - Labor and Delivery. Her daughter sat alone, head bowed, face hidden in her hands

“Reese?” Kate said softly as she approached. “Honey?”

Reese looked up, her eyes hollow pits of pain. “Mom?”

Kate slid onto the vinyl sofa beside her daughter and put an arm around her waist. “They told me downstairs that Tory was in delivery. Any news?”

Reese shook her head. When she spoke her voice was rusty, as if she hadn’t used it in a long time. “What are you doing here?”

“Bri brought me. She and Caroline are outside in the hall.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” Reese whispered. “They’ve been in there half an hour. Shouldn’t they…shouldn’t something have happened by now?”

“I’m sure they’re all busy, honey.” Her voice was gentle now as she slowly rubbed her hand up and down Reese’s back. “It doesn’t mean a thing.”

Reese met her mother’s gaze. “I don’t want Tory to die. I don’t care about anything else—god, not even…” her voice broke, her eyes flooding with tears. “She’d hate me if she knew.”

“No, honey,” Kate murmured. “She wouldn’t. Tory would understand. I know she loves you that much, too.”

“But she’s all I can think about—”

“It’s natural for you to fear for your lover’s life. There’s nothing to feel badly about.”

Reese cleared her throat, making an effort to focus. “Did you say Bri was here?”

“Just outside with her girlfriend.” Kate stood. “Shall I get them?”

“Yes. Thanks.”

A minute later, Bri and Caroline entered.

“Hey,” Bri said quietly, stopping a few feet from Reese, her hands in her pockets.

Caroline leaned down, kissed Reese on the cheek, then settled close to her on the couch. She rested one small hand lightly on Reese’s forearm. Gently, she asked, “Any word on Tory and the baby?”

“Not yet.”

When Caroline linked her fingers through Reese’s, Reese held on gratefully, then met Bri’s eyes. The young officer looked worried but steady, and Reese found her familiar presence a comfort. “Thanks for bringing Kate.”

“No problem.” Bri didn’t know what the hell to say. It made her insides turn to water to see Reese looking so scared and trying to pretend she wasn’t.

Caroline must have seen the edge of panic in Bri’s expression, because she held out her other hand. “Sit down, baby.”

Bri reached for Carre and did as she was told. The three of them were sitting pressed together in silence when K.T. appeared in the doorway. Reese jumped to her feet and rushed across the room. The surgeon murmured something and Reese sagged, then steadied herself with a hand against the doorjamb. After a second’s hesitation, K.T. put a hand on the back of Reese’s neck, leaned close, and spoke into her ear. Reese nodded, squared her shoulders, and disappeared around the corner.

“Oh fuck.” Bri stared at Carre. Her voice was high and tight. “What do you think is going on?”

“It will be okay, baby,” Caroline said gently, putting an arm around Bri’s waist. She kissed her temple. “Nothing will happen to Tory.”

Bri closed her eyes and leaned into Carre’s certain strength. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she whispered.

“Me, too,” Caroline murmured. And I always will be.

Tory was the only patient in the small recovery room. Reese stepped inside, a yellow cotton cover gown over her uniform, and swallowed hard when she saw how pale and still her lover appeared.

“Tor?” she whispered softly.

Tory moaned faintly and opened her eyes with effort. Her pupils were dilated and unfocused. “Reese?”

With her free hand, Reese smoothed Tory’s damp hair back from her forehead. “We have a baby daughter,” Reese informed her gently. “K.T. says everything went fine.”

Tory and the baby are stable. Tory bled heavily but the hemorrhage has stopped for now. If we can keep her pressure down, she might make it without a transfusion. The baby was a little slow to breathe but she seems okay now. The neonatologist is evaluating her.

“What…was…her…Apgar?”

“I don’t know, love. The pediatrician has her right now.”

“Have you…seen her yet?” Tory blinked, and her eyes seemed clearer.

“I’m going to go see her in a few minutes. The doctors have to check her out first.” Reese leaned over and kissed Tory’s forehead. “You did great, Tor.”

“Might have been better…if I’d waited a bit longer,” Tory said with a weak smile. “You okay, sweetheart?”

“Yeah, fine,” Reese said huskily. “I love you.”

A nurse approached with a practiced smile.“I’m sorry. Dr. King needs some rest. You can come back in a little while.”

“All right,” Reese replied, although she made no move to leave. She was uncertain if she would be able to force herself away from Tory’s side. She wasn’t yet convinced that something wasn’t going to happen to take her away. “You’ll be okay?”