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"Your plane. It crashed. We thought you were on it." Peter crushed her body to his, and fresh tears sprang to his eyes as he felt his child kicking strongly against his belly. "Oh, God. I thought I'd lost you!" Tangling his fingers in her hair, he buried his face in it.
"Mother of God." Mike O'Brien's face paled as he crossed himself. "St. Christopher himself was watching over us, Katherine."
"We were on that plane, for about five minutes," Kacie said faintly as she exchanged shocked looks with her godfather and then stared down at her stomach. "Peter, I-I need to sit down."
He swept her into his arms and carried her into the apartment while the stunned but elated onlookers chattered among themselves in excitement and amazement.
Setting her down on the couch, Peter immediately sat next to her and pulled her onto his lap, holding her as she shivered. "Sweetheart, are you all right? Do I need to call Dr. Albin? What should I do?"
"Hold me. Just hold me."
Paul could stand the suspense no longer. "So...what happened, Mike? You were on that plane? How did you get off?"
"We were just getting settled in our seats when Katherine started to feel ill."
Peter's arms tightened around Kacie. "You were sick? Kermit, call 555-4496 and ask for --"
"No, I'm fine now. I am. But this morning, about eight, I started cramping, and I couldn't feel Baby moving any more. I got so scared. I-I was terrified that I was losing him." She stroked loving fingertips over her swollen belly, and Peter's hand joined hers there. "We made them let me off. They were only too glad not to have a medical emergency while in flight."
"I was bellowing for a doctor as soon as we were back down the jetway," Mike added. "We were in luck, because there had been a medical convention in town, and about a dozen doctors were waiting for the next flight to be called."
"I felt so foolish, because once we were off the plane, all my symptoms disappeared. The cramping stopped, Baby started kicking, and I felt fine."
"Why didn't you call me?" Peter demanded. "Why didn't you tell me what was happening?"
She reached up and caressed his cheek with her thumb. "Because I knew you would worry yourself sick, and there wasn't anything to worry about."
"Why didn't you call and tell me your flight plans had changed? How was I supposed to know when to pick you up from the airport?" Peter's tone was sharp, the emotional strain of the past several hours showing.
"Once we were sure Katherine was really well enough to fly, I called in a marker with a friend of mine," O'Brien interjected. "I don't like asking favors, even of friends, but I was anxious to get her home to you safely. This fellow owns a large brewery in Colorado, and he loaned us his company jet and pilot to fly us out here."
"That must be one huge favor he owed you," Kermit said.
Mike nodded. "That it is, and he knows this is only a partial payment. Anyway, what I'm trying to say, Peter, my lad, is that by using this plane, we were scheduled to be back here nearly two hours before the other flight. Katherine wanted to surprise you by getting home early."
"Surprise me you did." He hugged her close, then kissed her tenderly. "But next time, call." He closed his eyes and choked, "You don't know what these past few hours have been like."
"There won't be a next time," Kacie stated firmly. "Because if I ever even think about leaving you again, I want somebody to lock me up."
Blake suddenly asked, "Kacie, what time did you say you were on the plane?"
"About eight. Why?"
The group from the precinct stared at one another, then at Peter. "Because that's the same time Peter had his attack," Kermit answered slowly, as he pushed his sunglasses up on his head.
Kacie gasped and looked at Peter in concern. "An attack? What kind of attack? What happened to you? Why didn't you say anything?"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Peter spoke reassuringly. "It was nothing, Hon. I just couldn't breathe for a few minutes, and my chest hurt. It all went away before the paramedics even got there."
"Paramedics were called and you call that nothing?" Kacie's voice rose shrilly and she was obviously upset.
"I, too, had an attack. It was at the same time you spoke of."
Heads swiveled and everyone stared at Caine, who shrugged calmly. "It was as Peter said. The pains went away."
"Oh, it isn't possible, is it?" Annie's voice was hushed with awe. "That the baby somehow knew you were in danger, and -- "
"-- And Peter somehow knew his child was in danger -- " Jody continued the theory.
"-- Like Pop always knows when I'm in trouble." Peter stared intently into his father's eyes, and the elder Caine shrugged almost imperceptibly and winked solemnly.
Peter slid Kacie off his lap and sank to his knees beside the couch. Putting his face close to her stomach, he rubbed his palm over it as he spoke. "I want you to know, Baby, that I'm going to remember this day forever, and when you put that first dent in our family car, I am not going to say a word about it."
"No problem, Captain. I was planning on coming anyway. God, I hate things like this."
The door opened and Skalany stood there grinning happily. She laughed and called over her shoulder, "Hey, everybody, the chief and the captain are here!" She pulled them into the room chattering excitedly, "You're just in time for the wedding."
"Skalany, are you out of your mind?" Strenlich's face reddened angrily. "Peter has just lost his..." He caught sight of Kacie firmly entrenched in Peter's arms, and his mouth opened and closed uselessly as he stared.
Captain Simms raised an eyebrow and shook her head in disbelief, and Kermit moved over smoothly to stand beside her.
She whispered, "Isn't there that little matter of a marriage license? How were they able to --"
"You check the records at city hall tomorrow morning, and you'll find record of a license there."
"I don't want to know any more."
"Relax, Captain. The details were taken care of back in Denver, and the initial license and ceremony were deemed legal. This is just something they wanted to do."
Caine stood at the front of the room facing the young couple, Annie and Paul standing in their places as attendants. The others stood at a respectful distance and reminisced silently of the ceremony they had attended many months earlier.
Caine was quiet a moment and then flung his arms around Peter and Kacie, kissing both on the forehead before he stepped back and smiled at them.
"This is a day of great joy. A time of coming together, not only for this couple, but also for those of us who love them. We had thought this gathering would be one of sorrow, but have instead found rejoicing. We share in this joy, that of their love for one another, our love for them, and their love for us."
He gestured toward Peter and Kacie. "Are there thoughts you wish to share?"
They turned to one another, and Peter spoke first, his voice low and thick with emotion. "I have glimpsed a life without you, and I know, more than ever, that I never want to be parted from you. I was only half a man before you, one who didn't know what love and commitment were until you showed me. I vow to you that I will love and honor and cherish you all my life."
Kacie's lips trembled, and she wiped ineffectually at her tears. "We have seen sickness and health; we have seen good times and bad. We have loved each other through it all, and our love has grown stronger. My life is forever entwined with yours, and your love is helping me become the woman I wanted to be, the wife I dreamed of being, and, soon, the mother I hope to be. I give you my love, my life, my heart, my all, and I vow that I will love you and honor you and cherish you all the days of my life."
"You may now exchange your rings."
They took the rings they had previously removed and traded, and slid them back into their rightful places, holding each other's hand and turning their heads to look expectantly at Caine.
Clearing his throat, Caine went on with the ceremony, his voice thick with emotion. "May the exchange of rings symbolize your love. Walk slowly; see clearly. Embrace each other in pleasure and in pain. Together, seek truth. May the forces of the universe bind you together, make your spirits as one. You are now husband and wife." Gesturing with his hands, he pantomimed a motion of union. "You may now kiss the bride."
The bride and groom reached for one another eagerly, happily, and the kiss they shared went on amid the applause and cheers of their friends and family. Finally breaking apart and coming up for air, Peter rested his forehead against Kacie's and murmured possessively, "You're mine twice over now, and I'm not ever letting you go."
They received congratulatory handshakes, hugs, and kisses from the group, along with a check that Mike O'Brien tucked into the chest pocket of Peter's shirt. When Peter started to object, O'Brien scolded, "I'll hear none of your back talk here, young man. I promised to bring this young lady back to you safe and sound, and, while I did that, I neglected to include the things she took with her on her trip. Consider this a wedding gift, a trifle toward replacing her wardrobe, or my penance for being so foolish as to allow this to happen in the first place."
He reached out for Kacie. "Will you be giving your poor old Uncle Mike some love before I go? Have you forgiven me yet, Mavourneen?"
Sliding her arms around his neck, she nestled in his embrace. "You were forgiven before we ever left. I love you, Uncle Mike."
"Sure now," he choked. "You'll be calling me when the wee one is born, will you not? So I can come and be a doting grand-godfather?"
"Of course we will. You're not leaving until tomorrow, are you?"
"No, I'm leaving now, Katherine. I'm not wanting to take further advantage of my friend, and, besides, I'm thinking you'll soon be off on your honeymoon."
Peter's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "I hadn't thought of that. A second honeymoon? That bears looking into."
"Speaking of looking into..." Captain Simms walked up to Peter and took his jaw in her hand, inspecting his face from all angles. "Detective Caine, you look sick to me."
"What are you talking about, Captain? I feel fine."
She went on solemnly, as if he hadn't interrupted her. "As a matter of fact, you look downright contagious. After keeping my precinct in an uproar for the last how many weeks, I forbid you to come in to work tomorrow and spread your germs around. I don't want to see your face until Monday morning, is that clear?"
The puzzled look on Peter's face was replaced with understanding and gratitude. "Absolutely, Captain." He grinned. "Far be it from me to disobey a direct order from my superior officer."
"Oh, puh-leeze," Kermit snorted in mock disgust.