Luke(27)

And with that, she was gone.

*

When Faith saw who was at the clinic door, she ran toward it, hauling it open. One of her patients, Ally Freestead, fell into her arms sobbing in relief.

"Oh, thank God," she cried. "I need to sit down."

No wonder, she was nine months pregnant. Faith looked around to grab a chair, but Luke was already there, supporting the now panting Ally.

"How long have you been having pains?" he asked, putting his hand on her big belly and looking at his watch.

"Since the day I slept with the no good son-of-a-bitch who got me this way." Ally scrunched up her face and whimpered through the contraction.

"Hospital?" Luke asked Faith, seating Ally into a chair.

Ally panted. "No! I want Faith to deliver my baby here. Damn, this hurts! Give me a shot or something!"

Faith reached for her hand. "Do you remember the breathing exercises we've been doing?"

"Screw the exercises. I want drugs! Now! Oh God, now my legs are cramping, too!"

Faith dropped to her knees beside Ally and started rubbing her legs.

"Are those … bunny slippers?" Ally panted.

"You're hallucinating. Keep breathing," Faith said.

"Drugs!" Ally screamed.

"Ally, you wanted to do this naturally, remember? Now if we just breathe together—"

"Faith—" Ally grunted through the last of the pain and let out a lusty breath of relief when the contraction passed. "I don't mean to be rude, but this sucks far worse than you said it would."

"I know, but we can do this—"

"Oh, God, here comes another!"

Luke looked at Faith and shook his head. "We need to get her into a room."

"No, don't move me!"

"Ally—"

"I have to push!"

*

An hour later, Ally was sleeping peacefully, and Luke was holding a squalling, red-faced, furious little boy who'd been brought into the world in less than fifteen minutes and two pushes.

A miracle, he thought, staring raptly down as the infant waved a fist wildly, his lungs in fine and full working order. "Who in the world are you so pissed at already?" he murmured, laughing softly when the infant hushed, startled, at the sound of Luke's voice.

"You okay?"

Turning, he found Faith in the doorway watching him. Was he okay? He'd just watched her, as he had over and over again now, get thoroughly engrossed in her work. She'd panted alongside Ally, sweated and laughed and cried with her as well, giving, as she always did, one hundred and ten percent to every single patient she had.

God, he loved that about her.

"Want me to take him?" she asked, holding her arms out for the baby.

"I'm fine. He just came out hungry."

"Ally wants to try to put him to her breast. I thought I'd check his diaper first—"

"I already did."

She blinked. "Really?"

"Aren't doctors allowed to do that?"

"Well, yes, but—"

He stroked the soft, downy head of the little boy who was slowly winding up for another temper tantrum. "Because in case you haven't noticed, this patient and I are having a deep discussion on life's meaning."

She laughed. "It's just that M.D.s don't usually—" At his raised eyebrow, she stopped. "Okay, I have to admit, you're not the typical doctor."

Now that caught his attention. "There's a 'typical' doctor?"

"Yeah, at least from a nurse's perspective there is. They're egotistical, arrogant, impolite … just to mention a few character flaws."

"I have all those traits," he said quietly. "Just ask anyone I've ever worked with."

"Well, you've worked with me," she said just as quietly, moving closer, her eyes on his face. "And I have to say, I don't see it."

"Are you forgetting what landed me here in the first place?"

He stared at her, almost believing that. He hadn't realized there was anything wrong with his life before. Living for work had been all that mattered. Living for his patients.

But since he'd come here…

"You're the most compassionate man I've ever met," she whispered, putting her hand on his arm. "You're warm and giving, and—"

The infant in his arms let out one sharp howl, his eyes narrowed right on them. Then he opened his mouth, looking for all the world like a baby bird.

Faith laughed, and so did Luke, but his smile faded when he took a good long look at her. She was pale, and when she pushed a strand of hair from her face, her fingers shook slightly. With a frown, he reached out, stroked her jaw, and found her skin damp and clammy. "You okay?"

"Sure." But her smile wobbled and she didn't meet his eyes this time. "Just a long day."

Gently he bounced the baby, who was now crying, trying to soothe him as he kept his concentration on Faith. "After a long day, you yawn. You don't look like you're going to pass out." He stood up. "Sit down. Sit down," he repeated firmly when she weaved, and nudged her into the chair. "Faith—"

"It's probably just that stupid viral thing again," she said, leaning her head back, closing her eyes.