Reconciliation

 Across the base, things were beginning to stir in the Koenig household. Alex and Emma were both up and running around the apartment asking for breakfast. Helena was about to start their breakfast when Kate's image appeared on the comm post. "Helena, can I come in? I have breakfast for the kids," Kate smiled and lifted the basket she was caring.

Helena moved over to the door panel and activated the switch opening the door. "Good morning Kate," responded Helena.

"Aunt Kate!" shouted Alex. "Did you bring us some breakfast?"

"I sure did, are you hungry for muffins?"

"Yes! I'm starved!" Alex answered enthusiastically.

The two women looked at each other and exchanged smiles. Alex was always starving. As Alex and Emma devoured the muffins, Kate and Helena sat down to talk over coffee.

"Where's John?" asked Kate. She watched Helena to read her reaction. She knew something was up with them although Helena would not admit it to her.

Looking down to avoid eye contact with Kate, Helena simply responded, "He's gone to the gym." She knew Kate really didn't like John all that much. She also knew that Kate suspected their marriage was in trouble. They'd been up half the night arguing. John had left around midnight saying he was going to sleep in his office again.

"Helena, you are 9 months pregnant, I can't believe he's not here to help you with the kids. What, did he sleep in his office again?" Kate asked keeping her voice low so the children couldn't' hear. Kate noticed the look of surprise on her face. "Helena, it's all over Alpha that you and John are... how shall I put this, estranged."

Helena suddenly felt sick. She knew that Alpha was a small community but she didn't realize that everyone knew her marriage was in trouble. Without answering Kate, she stood and moved across the room to stare out the window. She held her breath trying to maintain her composure. She told herself she couldn't cry in front of her children. Even though John and Helena fought almost every day, they had managed not to do so in front of the children, neither wanting to upset their offspring.

Realizing that she had upset her friend, Kate joined her at the window. "I'm sorry Helena. I didn't realize things were this bad. I'll get the children dressed and take them to the childcare center. Why don't you go back to bed?"

Kate cleared the kitchen and dressed Alex and Emma. Explaining that their mother wasn't feeling well, she allowed them to kiss their mother and was about to escort them out of the apartment when the door opened admitting a sweaty John Koenig.

"Daddy!" Alex and Emma screamed in unison, jumping into his arms.

"Good morning!" he knelt and returned their greeting with the same enthusiasm. "And just where are we heading this morning?"

"Aunt Kate's taking us to school," replied Alex. "Mommy's sick."

"Really," replied a very concerned John Koenig. He looked up at Kate for an explanation.

"Helena wasn't feeling well, so I sent her back to bed. We were just on our way out," Kate stated flatly as she glared down at Koenig.

"Well," he said hugging his children one last time, "don't let me hold you up."

"Daddy, you check Mommy?" Emma asked as seriously looking up into her father's eyes.

"Yes, Princess, Daddy will take care of Mommy," he winked at her as she took Kate's hand.

Katie gave John a look of disgust as they parted. You're not my favorite person either Kate, he thought as the door close behind them.

He quietly peered into their bedroom expecting to find his wife resting. Instead he found her sitting on the floor crying softly. John sat down next to her; she turned away from him as he took her hand. Guilt consumed him as he thought about their argument last night. It was the same one they'd been having since the test proved the baby to be health. She would argue that he really didn't want this child and he would try to convince her that he did. It was a never-ending circle of accusations and apologies. He didn't mean to cause her so much pain.

"Helena, I'm sorry...I don't want to fight." He fingered her wedding band as he spoke. His voice cracking with emotion.

At last she turned to face him. "John, everyone on this base knows about...us," cried Helena.

"I guess we aren't doing a very good job of hiding it," he added putting his arms around her to comfort her.

"John, I know you really don't want this baby, but it is going to happen. My due date is just three days away."

"Helena," he lifted her head so he could look into her eyes. "I know what I said that day in your office hurt you. I also know I can't take it back, I wish to God I could. But I do want this baby, you've got to believe that. Just like Alex and Emma, this baby is a part of both of us. And I'm going to love this baby just as much as I love them."

"I wish I could believe that," she said pulling away from him. "But I'm not sure if I do."

"Then can you tell me what I can do to convince you?" his anger rushing to the surface. Frustrated, he got up off the floor and went into the bathroom to shower, leaving Helena sitting on the floor crying.

Standing in the warm water, John leaned against the wall placing one hand on each side of the showerhead. What's it gonna take for her to believe me, he thought as he stood there. He was lost in thought when he felt her arms snake around his waist. Helena had joined him in the shower. She wanted to believe him. Wanting to be close to her husband again, she leaned her body against him, enjoying the warmth of his body.

"John, I'm sorry," she said after several minutes of silence. "I know this has been hard on you."

"I do really want this baby. I wish you would believe me," he spoke with his back to her. The small shower made it impossible for him to turn around.

"My head tells me I should, but my heart is...well, still confused. I do want to believe you. I do love you," she said softy as she moved her soapy hands up to his chest.

"Helena, stop!" He grabbed her hands. "Please don't tease me. You know what Bob said, no sexual intercourse while your pregnant."

"I know what he said." She pulled her hands from his grip and began moving them again. "John, I need to feel close to you, I need to hold you. I want to make love with you," she said hoping the intimate contact would somehow convince her heart of his desire to have this child.

"But the baby..." He stopped, inhaling sharply as her hands moved lower on his body.

"Well, I'm only three days from my due date and I'm tired of being pregnant," she mused.

"I don't know Helena...if something happens to the baby...I'm sorry, I just don't think it's a good idea." He stopped her hands again.

"Why? Are you opposed to making love to a woman that's nine months pregnant?" she said moving her hands again.

"No, it's not that," he laughed. "It's just...if something happens...I'm afraid you'll blame me," he admitted.

"Nothing is going to happen, I promise." She kissed his shoulder. "I'm going to be fine and this baby is going to be fine."

She laughed, "Don't you remember when I was overdue with Alex? We made love every night for a week hoping that would trigger my labor."

Laughing, he said, "I remember. Tell me Doctor Koenig, if we make love and you go into labor, are you going to tell Dr. Mathias what made you go into labor?"

"I don't think that's any of his business." She pulled her hands from around her husband, knowing that he was fully aroused. Using her sexy voice she added, "I'll be out here waiting if you change your mind."

She eased out of the shower leaving him to his thoughts. A few short minutes later she heard the water in the shower stop. He stepped out of the bathroom and smiled at her, as she lay naked on the bed. "Well, I guess what Bob doesn't know won't hurt him," he conceded

It was early evening when Bob Mathias came to check on Helena. He pushed the bell by the door to announce his arrival. As the door opened he saw Helena holding on to the wall and breathing heavily.

"Helena?" he shouted and rushed in.

"Bob, help me!" She moaned. "My water has broken and I'm in active labor."

Bob lifted his commlock and summoned a medical team to the Koenig apartment. He moved Helena over to the couch. As he checked her vitals he became alarmed at her blood pressure.

"Helena, your blood pressure is up. I think it best that we perform an emergency c-section." Mathias said in a tone that left no room for argument. Helena simply nodded, understanding that he was her doctor.

Bob lifted his commlock again and informed the medical staff to prepare an operating suite. He opened the door and allowed the medical team access to the patient.

"Helena, where's John?" he asked as the team prepared to transport her.

"I don't know," came her panicked reply.

"Don't worry, we'll find him," Mathis smiled and patted her hand.

He placed a quick call the Sandra in Command Center and asked her to locate the Commander and send him to Medical.

John was in a meeting with Alan and Bill Fraser when Sahn's face appeared on his slate.

"Yes, Sahn?" John responded

"Commander, Dr. Mathias has requested that you come to the Medical Center right away,"

"Is something wrong with Helena?" John was already out of his chair.

As a smile touched her face, Sahn responded "She's in labor, John." The news made Koenig stop in his tracks. It was as if his feet wouldn't move.

Alan and Bill looked at each other and smiled. Alan walked over to John and said, "what are you waiting for let's get down to medical."

When they arrived in medical, Helena was being prepped for surgery. Bob explained to John that Helena's blood pressure was extremely high. John asked if he could see Helena.

"I'll let you see her on one condition," Bob stated flatly. "You must not upset her, she doesn't need that right now."

John quickly agreed and was instructed by a nurse to put on a pair of scrubs. He did as he was told. Finally, he was allowed to see her. As he entered the room, she turned and looked at him, she was shaking and crying.

"Helena," he said bending down beside the bed so that they were face to face. "It will be OK, you told me so this morning," Her crying started to subside as she listened to his soft voice.

"You are going to be fine. The baby is going to be fine. You must relax honey, your blood pressure is too high. I'm here and I'm not leaving you." He smiled at her as he pushed the hair from her eyes. "It will all be over soon."

Helena took a deep breath and smiled weakly, "John, I didn't know if you'd come."

"I could never let you go through this alone, I love you. Like I told you this morning, I want this baby too."

"I love you," she reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

Ed Spencer entered the room and announced they were ready. John held Helena's hand as they wheeled her into the surgical suite.

Gloved and masked, Ben Vincent winked at her as they gave her the spinal.

John stood beside Helena's bed holding her hands as the surgery began. Minutes later, Bob told her she would feel some pressure. As Ed pushed on her stomach, the healthy pink baby popped out and immediately started crying. Everyone in the room laughed.

John peered over the drape and looked at his new son. His heart melted. "He's perfect, red hair too," John remarked, grinning and crying at the same time. He leaned down to kissed his wife, whispering "I love you."

"John, Would you like to cut the cord?" Mathias offered.

"Yes, Yes I would," came his quick response.

Helena watched as John cut the cord then the baby was quickly moved over to the warming table where he could be properly examined "Apparently, your son doesn't like the new surroundings," Ben teased as the baby continued to cry.

"What his name?" Ed asked as he helped Mathias close Helena's incision.

Helena smiled and looked over at John as he watched Ben attend to their new son. "His name is Richard, after my father," she stated. John smiled, knowing how special it was for Helena to name her son after her father.

"Richard, I like that name," Ed replied. "What his middle name?"

Helena again looked up at her husband. His reaction to Richard's birth surprised her. Watching him cut the cord, she finally realized that he had been telling her the truth all these months. He really did want this child. She looked at John watching their child and her heart swelled with love.

"His middle name is John," she stated as her tears began falling again.

John returned to kneel beside his wife's bed, tears were streaming down his face. "Are you sure?" He could hardly get the words out so overcome with emotion.

Helena was crying too and could only nod her head. John leaned over and kissed her passionately. Bob Mathias breathed a sign of relief, hoping all their problems would now be resolved.

Later as Helena recovered in her room, John entered with the new baby. In true Koenig tradition he formally introduced Richard to his mother. Helena smiled as John placed Richard in her arms. It was like the fourth of July for her. She had risked her health and her marriage and won.

"I love you Richard John Koenig," she whispered into his tiny ear.

Maureen J. Long

July, 1999