Promises
          Chapter 16 
 

 Eight hours and twenty minutes later, Jacob Edward Bauer was born. The gathering in the waiting room was still there when Rick came to announce his son's arrival. Much to Danny's relief, Michelle had fallen asleep on the couch. After much prodding, he had convinced her she needed to get some sleep and since she refused to go home, she could at least sleep on the couch in the waiting room. When Rick appeared, everyone jumped up.
"How is Abby?" Michelle asked first.
"She's doing great," Rick beamed. "She was so amazing! And the baby is beautiful!"
"I'm so happy for you," Michelle hugged him with tears in her eyes. "When can we see him?"
"They took him to the nursery to get cleaned up and then they're going to bring him back in to Abby," Rick explained.
"Well, we want to see Abby too," Harley said.
"She fell asleep," Rick laughed. "But I know she'll wake up as soon as they bring the baby back in to her."
"Well, we'll wait out here until they bring him back," Michelle said. "And let Abby get some rest too."
Danny was about to protest when Rick cut him off. He looked into his sister's tired eyes and gave her the look she had come to know during her growing up years.
"Don't start on me Rick," she began.
"Michelle," he said. "You look tired. Dr. Sedwick talked to me little bit ago and she's worried about you too. You need to go home and get some rest."
"I agree," Danny said.
"I feel fine," she protested.
"Michelle," Rick said with that look again. "Don't lie to me."
"Okay," she sighed. "Maybe I am a little tired, but I at least want to see my nephew before I go."
"I think I can arrange that," he kissed her on the forehead. "But as soon as you see him, it's straight home and to bed."
"Can I come with you?" Danny asked.
"Of course," Rick said. "He's your first nephew too."
"We're going to wait here with Meta," Phillip said.
"Okay, I'll try to get them to let me bring Jacob back with me," Rick said.
They took the quick walk to the nursery and immediately spotted the newest Bauer. The nurses were trying to get his measurements and he was screaming the entire time.
"That's definitely your son," Michelle laughed, punching Rick in the arm.
"Come on," Rick said leading them to the door of the nursery.
He went on in while Danny and Michelle waited at the door. Rick said something to the nurses and he quickly turned and motioned for one of them to come in.
"You go on in with Rick," Danny began. "I'll wait here."
Danny swallowed around the lump in his throat as he saw his wife holding her first nephew. He couldn't help but imagine what it was going to be like when they had their baby. Before he met Michelle, he never pictured himself with a family of his own. It wasn't that he didn't want one, he just didn't think it was meant for him, given the life he had been born into. But Michelle had changed all that. She was the love of his life and now she was giving him something he never thought he would have. They were going to be a family and he was going to make sure they had the normal, happy life Michelle so desperately wanted…what he so desperately wanted.

It took some effort, but Danny finally drug Michelle away from the nursery. He knew how tired she was, but she refused to admit it. Much to her dismay, she told on herself when she fell asleep on the way home. She didn't wake up until Danny opened the passenger door and unfastened her seatbelt.
"I can't believe I fell asleep," she groaned, rubbing her eyes.
"Well," he said, picking her up in his arms. "You are going straight to bed."
"What a wonderful idea," Michelle smiled seductively, nibbling at his neck.
"No," Danny said sternly. "You are going to get some sleep."
"Oh come on," she said disappointed as he opened the front door. "You're no fun."
He was silent as he carefully punched in the numbers on the alarm panel. Then he looked at the frown on her face and couldn't help but laugh. "What am I going to do with you?"
"Well I had idea, but you were not interested," she said.
"Not interested?" he choked out. "Are you kidding? Baby, I am always interested. But you are tired and you need your rest. Dr. Sedwick did say you were supposed to stay off your feet for a few days and you haven't been doing much of that."
By this time he had made his way up the stairs to their bedroom, with Michelle still in his arms. He sat her down on the unmade bed and pulled the covers over her. "Now get some sleep."
"It's only 7:00," she protested, sitting up.
"I know, but you didn't get much sleep last night," he reminded.
"Oh yeah," she smiled. "I think you had a little something to do with that."
"That's why you're staying here and I'm going to go downstairs," he explained with a smile, sitting down next to her.
"Are you saying you can't control yourself?" she asked mischievously, placing kisses all over his face.
"I can never control myself where you are concerned," he groaned, capturing her mouth with his. She started to pull him down with her on the bed when he broke away. "Oh no you don't."
"What?" she asked innocently.
"You are going to get some rest," he demanded, getting off the bed.
"Okay," she grunted. "But I'm not staying in this bed either. You're not the only one who can't handle it. I'll go lie on the sofa in the living room.
He nodded, "Okay. And I'll fix us some dinner."
"This noble act is really sweet, but it sure isn't any fun," she walked past him and down the stairs.
"Believe me, I know," he sighed following her.

Within the hour, Danny had whipped up a spaghetti dinner for the two of them. Michelle never failed to be amazed at the many talents of her husband. He wanted to bring her a tray in the living room so she wouldn't have to leave the couch, but she insisted on eating a normal dinner with him in the dining room. She set the table and decided they needed a candlelight dinner. It had been so long since they had shared a meal. She needed this…they needed this.
After Danny set the food on the table, he poured himself a glass of wine and Michelle a glass of milk, her choice of drink these days. He had to admit this was nice. He had missed being with her like this. Before they could finish their dinner the phone rang.
"Let the machine get it," Danny pleaded.
"It may be Rick," she got up to answer it.
"Hello," she answered
"Michelle, it's Drew."
"Hey," she responded. "What's up?"
"I just wanted to know why you were in the hospital and no one let me know?" Drew snapped.
"I'm sorry," Michelle apologized. "You know I wasn't feeling well at Rick's and the next day I started feeling worse. Rick just wanted me to stay overnight for observation."
"Bill said you were pretty sick," Drew explained.
"You talked to Bill?" Michelle panicked. She had told him about being poisoned, but he promised he wouldn't tell anyone.
"Yeah, he came into Millennium today. I asked him how you were feeling and he told me you had been in the hospital. He said you had some kind of virus," she said.
"It was," Michelle sighed. Of course, Bill hadn't broken his promise. In all the years she had known him he never had.
"So are you feeling better now?" Drew asked, breaking her from her thoughts.
"Much," Michelle answered. "My husband is taking very good care of me."
Danny looked up and motioned for her to come back and finish her dinner, but she waved him off.
"Good," Drew said. "But next time let me know what's going on with you. I mean how did Bill find out and I didn't know?"
"I don't know," Michelle said. "I just assumed Pilar told him."
"Oh yeah, I forgot about her," she said. "So what are you doing tomorrow? I'm going shopping for a wedding present for Selena and Buzz. You want to go?"
"I think I'm under house arrest," Michelle explained. "But as soon as my guard will let me out, I'll give you a call."
"Okay, just call me," Drew said.
"I will," Michelle said. "We'll talk later. Bye."
"What was that all about?" Danny asked as she sat back down.
"Drew wanting to know why I didn't tell her I was in the hospital," she said. "She had talked to Bill, but he didn't tell her anything."
"Good," Danny nodded. "I know you trust her, but I think it's best if we keep it under wraps until we find out who is responsible."
"I understand," she said. "But I wish…" she stopped as the doorbell rang.
"It's Grand Central Station around here," Danny groaned.
"I'll get it," Michelle jumped up.
Before he could even stop her she was at the door. "Michelle," he said getting up to follow her. "Wait! Don't open it until…"
He froze as he heard her let out a scream.