JUNE 4th

“Happy Birthday, John,” Lucy whispers into her sleeping husband's ear.

Struggling to open his eyes he smiles at the sight of his very pregnant wife attempting to balance a breakfast tray. Sitting it down on the nightstand, she picks up a bowl of cereal to hand to him.

“Breakfast in bed, man what a way to start the day,” he smiles, as he stretches ands sits up.

Bending over to give him a kiss, Lucy accidently spills the cereal all over him

“Oops!” she laughs.

“Come here,” he smiles, pulling her down on the bed and kissing her.

“John, no sex, until after....”

“But it's my birthday,” he says, in a silly whiny voice.

“But-” she starts to say, but is interrupted by his kisses covering her mouth. As they throw caution to the wind and make passionate love.

LATER THAT MORNING

Walking into the lounge, Lucy so excited it's John's birthday, she can hardly stop talking.

“Remember, you just CAN'T work late tonight, because of our dinner reservations.”

“Come on Luce, it's only my birthday, you don't need to make a big deal out of it.”

“Why John Truman Carter, YES I do!” she replies firmly. “It's your first one since… well, since we've been together, and I want it to be special,” she says, heading to their locker, but continuing to talk, “Dominic's is my treat,” she giggles.

“Let me get this straight, your money is mine, mine is yours, it sounds like to me, I'm going to be paying for it, anyway you look at it,” he laughs.

“Well, I made the reservations,” she smiles.

“And picked out the place. You know if I had my way, we'd stay home and have take out.

“I just thought, the babies will be here before you know it, and this maybe the last time we really can go out, but if you want to stay home, I'll cancel, no biggie,” she says, beginning to whine, but all the time smiling.

“No. We'll go,” he grins, “I don't want to do anything to upset your delicate hormonal balance,” glancing at his watch, “We're late.”

“I've got a food excuse, besides, Kerry doesn't mind. I'm just bidding my time anyway,” rubbing her stomach, “And as long as you show up at a decent time, she won't complain. She hasn't yet, has she?”

“No, she knows you'd go running to Romano, if she did.”

“Give me a break, just because it's common knowledge, mom and Romano are an item now days, do you think I'd stoop to that?” she smiles.

“Well....” he laughs.

“Okay, okay don't answer that,” giving him a kiss.

“Well, I don't know about you, but some of us does have to work for a living,” closing the locker.

“John please, can I do something other that paperwork, I promise I won't exert myself.”

“You mean like you did earlier this morning?”

“It was worth it, wasn't it?” she answers, with a mischievous grin, as she starts to grope him.

Putting her at arm's length, she smiles, “We'll have plenty of time for that after the babies are born.

“If you think between feeding, diapers, and fussing babies, I'm going to have time for that anytime soon, you're mistaken,” she sulks.

“Then we'll just have to make it a point to call in the reinforcements. Gamma has offered, I don't know how many times, and you know there are people here that would jump at the chance.”

“Whatever!” she bitches, pushing him away.

“Great,” he thinks to himself, “We'll talk later,” he says, trying to make it up with her.

“Nope. Going to be busy doing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TODAY!” she yells, storming out of the lounge.

Leaving the lounge, she heads straight to the desk, “Randi have you seen Dr. Weaver?”

“Yeah, exam two. Why?”

“I need to talk to her about her Chief Resident.”

“Okay,” Randi grimaces, “Ouch, that hurt,” she says as John comes out of the door.

“Lucy, wait, can't we talk about this?” he asks, quietly not want to draw any attention to their disagreement.

“I'm not talking to you,” she yells, as she goes in search of Kerry.

“What's the matter Carter, problems in paradise?” muses Jerry.

“God, it's been a long pregnancy,” he sighs, “Give me a damn chart!”

Finding Weaver finishing up with a patient, she immediately begins, “For three weeks, I've been doing nothing but answering phones and pushing paper. PLEASE, may I see some patients?” she begs.

“Lucy, you know as well as I do, that it was decided months ago, your work schedule would change,” Weaver reminds her.

“But...”

“It's either this, or you start your maternity leave now,” Weaver says firmly.

“I just didn't think it would be this hard to stand by and let others help,” Lucy replies, calming down.

“I know, all our instincts tell us to help, but there comes a time when you have to sit back and let others help you,” Kerry says.

“Well, I don't have to like it,” Lucy complains and storms off.

“For John's sake, I hope she has those babies soon,” Kerry thinks to herself, shaking her head and smiling.

Resigning herself to doing charts, she begins the tedious job of making sure all the charts are complete. Her back starting to ache, she decides to take a break.

“Randi, I'm taking a break. If by some chance, I'm needed, page,” she says sarcastically.

Heading to the elevator, she pushes the top button and enters, as she turns around, she sees John staring at her. Glaring back at him she gives him a look of defiance, as the doors close. After a few minutes alone, she is joined by Susan.

“How'd you know I was up here?” Lucy sighs.

“John told me he had a pretty good idea where you'd be. Do you want to talk?”

“Well, like ALWAYS, he's right,” she replies sarcastically.

“Lucy don't be like that, all he wants is what's good for you and the babies,” she reasons. Studying her for a few minutes, “It's not the work, is it?”

“No, it's not.” Lucy quietly whispers, wiping the tears away that were forming in her eyes.

“I am a good listener.”

“With the babies coming pretty soon, I guess I'm wondering if I'm going to be a good mom.”

“Reality finally setting in?” Susan grins.

“Yeah, after all these months, we're finally going to be able to hold these little guys,” she says, rubbing her large stomach. I'm scared, and I'm not ready.”

“Are you regretting your decision?”

“God no, but bringing a child into this world is difficult enough, let alone two.”

“Look, you're going to make mistakes, but that's how you learn. I've seen you with kids downstairs, you're a natural.”

“That's what John says to, but when it's your own, it's different. How do I know how I'll act when there's an emergency? Like a doctor or a mom?”

“You and Carter will do great. Besides, it's still hard to imagine him a dad.”

“Hard for you to imagine?! Last year at this time, I was still his med student, now I'm his wife, and going to have his children.”

“Life takes some odd twists sometimes, doesn't it?”

“Yeah it does. I just don't want to get so involved with the babies, that our life together suffers.”

“You guys have been through too much to let that happen. Talk to John, if something's bothering you, let him know. Remember, communication.”

“Kind of like what we're not doing today right?, letting a smile come to her tear stained face.

“Exactly. Now I don't know about you, but it's getting a little warm up here, let's go back to work.”

“Easy for you to say,” Lucy grins as they head back downstairs.

Going back to doing charts, Lucy soon feels a pair of strong hand gently massaging her shoulders.

“That feels so... good,” she quietly whispers, as she closes her eyes and relaxes.

“Is everything okay now?” he quietly asks.

“Yeah, I'm just tired, that's all. Sorry about earlier Thanks for sending her up,” she sighs.

Turning around in her chair, John stoops to her level, so she wouldn't have to stand.

“So, do you want to talk about it?” he quietly asks.

“No, it can wait till we get home. If you don't mind though, if when I'm finished with these, and if you or Kerry don't have anything else planned for me, could I take a break? I think this morning's little activity has finally caught up with me,” she winks.

“If you're sure everything's okay,” he says laying his hand on her stomach. As soon as he does, Lucy has a contraction.

“John?”

“Yeah, I felt it. Have you had any others?”

“Just little twinges, nothing like that one.”

“Finish up here and go lie down somewhere. I'll check on you later.”

“But John-“ she whines.

“Just do it,” he says firmly.

“Carter, multiple hit and run victims coming in, in five minutes,” Haleh interrupts.

“Go, I'll be fine,” Lucy insists.

Giving her a kiss on the top of her head, he leaves to take charge of the ER, not realizing before the day was over, he would become a father.