Micky ran from the studio. Karen ran quickly to keep up with him. He reached Chea and Brianna just about when Brianna was about to let Chea drop to the floor. He caught Chea by the arm.
"How far apart are the contractions?" He asked.
"I don't know." Brianna said. "I havent been keeping track, I been trying to keep a pregnant woman from crushing me."
"Ohh!" Chea moaned.
"It sounds like they are pretty far apart." Micky said. Karen nodded. He would know, they have been through this time and time again.
"We oughta get to the hospital." Brianna said. "I'll get the car." She ran to the door. "Oh keys!" She called to Karen.
"There is no car! We came in the limo." Karen said.
"Right." Brianna said.
"We'll have to take the limo. The driver already went home for the weekend." Micky said.
"Honey, since when can you drive a limo?" Chea asked warily.
"Chea, I'm man of many talents." He smiled.
"Thats for sure." Karen laughed.
They helped Chea out to the limo, and Micky drove them to the hospital.
Mercy General
Chea and Micky sat in a wheelchair by the front admissions desk. Micky was signing some papers. Karen kneeled down next to Chea.
"How you feeling?" Karen asked.
"Considering on how I've never really done this before, I'm terrified." Chea said. "What if something goes wrong?"
"Nothings gonna go wrong, Chea." Brianna promised. She patted her on the head. "This is the best place for delivering babies in the whole US, maybe even in the world."
"You're just saying that to make me feel better, and fre e PR." Chea joked.
"I know." Brianna said. Truth is I'm as nervous as you, maybe even more, she thought to herself.
"Okay, guys, we're gonna get a room!" Micky said taking the "Drivers seat" of the wheel chair.
"Will we get a tv?" Chea asked. "Cable?"
"Only the best for you." Micky promised.
Cheas Delivery Room
A nurse was checking out Cheas current condition. Chea was very uncomfortable with this woman checking her out, even though Micky said she was her regular doctor.
"Shes not fully dilated yet." The nurse said. "It might be a long wait."
"Okay." Chea said. The nurse left and Chea turned on the tv on. There was a musical on.
"Hey, I think this is the guy from American Psycho." Karen said.
"Yeah?" Brianna turned. "Ohhhhh Newsies! I LOVE Newsies!" She jumped up and down in front of the TV. "And look, its Mush!" She giggled. "He kinda looks like Micky don't you think?"
Karen smiled and shook her head while Brianna stood transfixed on a scene.
"Do you want anything honey?" Micky said. "I'm gonna call the others. Man they'll want to be here for Dolenz Lucky Number Seven." He laughed.
"Sure." Chea said. "Karen and I have to talk anyway."
"You guys talk a lot lately." Micky scratched his head.
"Girl talk." Karen said. "It would make you PUKE." She emphasized the word puke.
"Ah ok." Micky said.
"As long as you are taking orders, hon, why not get my a glass of Dr Pepper, a People magazine." She listed off. "A pad and a ball point pen." She finished.
"Right." Micky said. "I'll be back."
Micky left and closed the door. Chea turned the channel.
"Hey!" Brianna pouted. "They were gonna do the King Of New York bit."
"Sorry." Chea apologized.
"Meanie." Brianna said.
"Why the pad and pen?" Karen asked.
"No time like the present to start getting those lyrics down. Besides, if Micky sees what I'm doing, he'll ask. I'll tell him. What can be easier than that?" She smiled.
"It might be harder after you get your shot." Brianna said.
"Shot?" Chea asked.
"You get a shot in the spine to dull the pain." She explained. "After that any lyrics you would remember would be wacky."
"Uh no, no shot." Chea said. "Unlike the Ramones, I don't wanna be sedated."
"You'll be sorry." Karen and Brianna chimed in.
"I know, but let me worry about it." She said. "I've always wanted a natural birth. It's gods way." She finished.
"Okay." Brianna smiled.
"Look, since Micky went to make those calls, maybe someone ought to be down there to be the welcome wagon." Karen said. "You stay, here Brianna. You're the doctor in this group."
"Sure." Brianna said. "Only if she turns back on Newsies."
"All right." Chea said. She turned the channel back to the musical. "Happy now?"
"Ecstatic." Brianna said getting a chair.
Karen smiled and left the room. No sooner than she got around the corner someone grabbed her hand and pulled her around the corner.
"Mike!" She said.
"Shh." He whispered. "Hows everything?"
"Fine." She said lowering her voice down to his level. "Cheas in labor, shes fine."
"Great." Mike said. "I just wanted to check in. Plus I was hoping to talk more, alone where Chea or Brianna or anyone else could walk in."
"Sure." She said.
"Let's go over here."
"Over There"
Karen and Mike stood outside on a balcony overhanging the parking lot.
"So what else did you want to talk about?" She asked.
"Well, uh." He stammered. He stayed quiet for a minute. Mike was always nervous when he talked to her. He was like this when they first met, but now after all this time that tension had returned. Karen looked on as Mike tried to find the right words to say to her.
"I said I wanted to get the guys together, but thats only half true." He admitted.
"Why only half?" She asked.
"It's only half true because I truly want to get back together with you." Mike said. "I sensed that when I was with you. You looked so hopeful till I told you I wanted a band reunion but the thing is I want to have both. Have my cake and my girl back too."
"You do?" Karen asked. She could feel a smile creeping onto her face.
"I do." Mike said. "Darlin' Videoranch isnt the same without you. Remember how we used to sit down and watch my collection of music videos and make fun of the worst ones? Kinda like that show you guys like with the guy and the robot." He went to her. She looked up at him. "I'm hoping for a brand new start." Mike said. "So we can forget about the past and everything that went on. Sure I'm still a little mad about the show and everything but thats because I always thought it would be us. I guess fate works that way." He took her in his arms and squeezed her tightly. "What do you think?"
"What do I think?" Karen asked as he let go. "I'll tell you what I think. I think...."
The door slammed open next to them. Karen jumped a mile. It was Micky.
"Don't do that Dolenz!" Mike said. "We're all old enough for heart attacks here!"
"Sorry Mike." Micky said. "Hey Mike!"
"Hey." Mike said.
"Nice to see you." Micky said. "Whatcha doing here?"
"Well I...." Mike said.
"He came cause I called him. He just happened to be in town." Karen said. "Right?"
"Right." He said slyly winking at her.
Micky shook his head. "The others are here."
"Great!" Karen said. "Let's go join them."
Micky went back through the door. Karen was about to join him when Mike pulled her back. He kissed her on the lips. She pulled back and looked at him.
"What was that?" She asked.
"Something to think about." Mike said.
"Ohh," She smiled. "Ok."
Cheas Room
Cheas contractions were coming quicker now. She moaned and groaned. She held Briannas hand. She seemed to squeeze harder with ever contraction.
"OWWW!" Brianna said. "What are you, Superman? Let go!"
"I changed my mind! I wanna be sedated!" Chea whined.
Micky came in the door. "Hows my baby?" He asked taking Briannas place.
"Where the heck have you been?" Chea yelled at him. "There you go prancing all over town while I'm being squeezed like an orange in a orange juice machine!!!"
"I'm sorry!" Micky said.
"Yeah, you better be!" Chea said. "I don't care what you think MISTER DOLENZ, this is the LAST baby thats coming out of ME!"
"Okay okay!" Micky said. Chea almost socks him in the lower part of his body. "Brianna!" He said his voice going up an octave. "Get that anesthesiologist in here!"
"On the way." Brianna said. "I'm gonna join the others."
The hallway
Brianna went into the hallway where the others were waiting. Karen and Mike sat closely and were talking quietly. Peter and Phoebe looked like they were writing a new song for the baby. Davy looked at her.
"Davy." Brianna smiled. "I'm so glad to see you."
"You are?" Davy asked.
"Yeah, I am." Brianna smiled. "Do you want to go talk somewhere?"
"Sure." Davy said.
"Come on, I have the key to my office." Brianna said.
Karen and Mike looked at each other.
"I think the good time to approach Peter about a possible reunion is now." Mike said. "Davy just went away with Brianna."
"Yeah." Karen said. "Then all we have to do is Micky, and we'll wait for the baby to come first."
They got up and moved to where Peter and Phoebe sat.
"Hey guys, hows the song going?" Karen asked.
"Pretty good. Now all we have to do is see if its a boy or a girl." Peter said. "We wrote two versions."
"Great." Karen said.
"How would you feel about a reunion album?" Mike asked Peter. He looked at Mike.
"A reunion album?" Peter asked. "I dunno, its been so long."
"I know, but it seems like a good time for it." Mike said.
"You don't have to say yes right away." Karen said. "But I think its something to think about."
"Okay." Peter said. "What do you think Phoebe."
"I think you should do it." She smiled. "You been waiting for this for a long time."
"What the lady wants." Peter smiled.
"Great. All we have to do is get Micky and Davy." Karen said. I hope thats what Briannas doing, she thought.
Davy and Brianna kissed in the office. Brianna pulled away.
"Davy I have something to say to you." She said.
"I thought you were." Davy said moving in to kiss her again.
"Okay maybe two things." She laughed. "Davy, you've asked me every year if I would marry you."
"Yeah, I know."
"Well, this year is the last year." She said.
"I have to stop asking?" Davy asked with a pained look on his face.
"No. This is the year I say yes." She said and kissed him.
"Yes?" He asked pulling away.
"Yes." Brianna said.
"YAHOOO!" He yelled.
"Davy, this is a hospital zone." She chided him.
"Sorry. I just have to tell someone." He said. He grabbed her hand. "Let's go tell the guys."
"Wait, we have something else to talk about..." She hesitated.
"It can wait, right?" Davy asked.
"Yeah, I guess." Brianna said.
"Then lets go." Davy said. He pulled her along. She stopped him for a second so she could lock the door, then they went to the elevator bank.
The hallway
Davy and Brianna raced up to the quartet in the hallway.
"Brianna said yes!" Davy cried.
"Thats great!" Karen said and hugged her. "What bout the reunion?" She asked her in her ear.
"I didn't get a chance to address it." Brianna said.
"Congrats Davy." Mike said shaking his hand.
"Thanks man, it only took 30 years." He laughed.
"Speaking of 30 years, how would you like a reunion?" Peter asked.
"A reunion?" Davy asked. "I dunno man, its been so long. Would we even work well together anymore?"
"Its worth a try." Brianna said.
"Yeah?" Davy asked. "I'd have to think it over."
"Thats understandable." Karen nodded.
"Hows the baby coming?" Brianna asked.
"They havent come out in a while." Mike said. "Its been quiet."
"Strange." Brianna asked.
Cheas room
"Push darling." Micky said to Chea. She pushed again.
"Okay, do it again." The doctor said. She did so. "Okay, Chea we need you to give it once last push." He said.
"And then the baby will be out?" Chea asked.
"Yes." Micky kissed her on the head. "You're doing so good."
"I'm so tired." Chea said.
"Okay, and push!" The doctor said. She pushed with everything she had left. There was a long pause, then there was the sound of a baby crying.
Micky sighed a long sigh of relief.
"It's a girl!" The doctor said.
"Great job honey." He kissed Chea on the head. She smiled sleepily.
"Theres something wrong here." The doctor said. "We seem to have a lot of bleeding here. A lot of blood."
"Blood?" Micky asked. "What do you mean blood?"
"I don't know where its coming from. I can't stop it." He said.
Micky turned to Chea. "Chea, speak to me."
"I wanna go to sleep Micky." She said drowsily.
"Chea, this is no time for a nap." Micky said. "Please wake up."
"Just five minutes, ok?" She said as she closed her eyes.
"Chea?" Micky asked as he shook her. "Chea?" He said as his voice got a little louder.
The hallway
Brianna and Davy read a magazine together while Peter and Phoebe finished the song. Mike and Karen had returned from the cafeteria with some coffee.
"Have we missed anything?" Karen asked.
"I don't know." Brianna said. "There was a lot of rushing around, but no ones told us anything."
The door slowly opened. They looked at the door. It was Micky.
"Mick!" Karen said. She started to go up to him. She stopped when she saw the look on his face.
"Hi." He said.
"Whats wrong?" Brianna asked.
"Wheres the baby?" Mike asked.
"Well." Micky said. He sat down. "The babys fine. A beautiful little girl." He started to say.
"What a relief." Karen said. "So hows Chea?"
"Thats the thing." Micky said. He started to lose composure. "There were complications...she lost a lot of blood...too much to be replaced by a million transplants." He said. "She's gone."
"WHAT????" Karen and Brianna said.
"Shes gone." Micky said starting to cry. "Cheas dead."
