THE FIRST YEAR: 1953-1954

Chapter 13. Master Charles Emerson Winchester IV.

Margaret smacked Pierce's hand away.

"Go away, Pierce, let me die in my misery!" she wailed.

"Come on, Margaret, you need to take this!" He tried again to get her to take the vitamin and mineral formula her obstetrician and Charles had worked out for her pregnancy. "For the BABY," he stressed.

"This baby is getting all he or she needs, from ME!"

At her seventh month she'd begun exhibiting signs of severe anemia, with the associated fatigue and pallor. Charles was the first one to notice it and had rushed her to the Emergency Department of Boston Mercy, where Margaret had been working for the last three months.

Her OB and her husband both agreed that she should go on indefinite maternity leave and remain at home, preferably in bed. Charles knew how unlikely THAT would be, but he tried.

A week before her due date, he'd called their friend Hawkeye Pierce to come stay with her, if he could take the time away from his own patients in Maine.

"I'll take the time, Charles," he said from Crabapple Cove. "I don't even want to think about Margaret being alone and going into labor, or even worse, hemorrhaging from the severe anemia or lack of clotting factor, with nobody home! Besides, I certainly don't want to miss the birth of your baby!"

Charles sighed in great relief. If Pierce wasn't able to come, he would have asked McIntyre, being an acquaintance of Margaret's at the 4077th before Charles' own arrival there. Given a choice, however, he wanted someone they both knew extremely well.

Pierce knocked on the mansion's main entrance, suitcase in one hand, medical bag tucked under one arm. He asked Rogers if there was someone who could bring in the additional medical supplies he'd brought along, just in case.

"Certainly, sir, I shall get someone to assist you immediately. You will find Dr. Winchester and Dr. McIntyre on the patio. May I get you a beverage, sir?"

"No, thank you," he said, smiling as he entered the foyer. "I'm sure Dr. Winchester has beverage enough."

"Very good, sir."

Hawkeye found Trapper and Charles playing chess, each sipping a fine German beer.

"Hey, Hawk!" Trapper waved as he concentrated on the move Charles had just made.

"Hello, Pierce. You have arrived in time to see me beat McIntyre in chess."

Hawkeye went to view their game, taking a beer from the cooler set under the table by their feet.

Trapper harumphed and leaned back in his chair. "Let's see, this is the fifth game, and I've won three. I'd say the odds are in my favor, Charles. At least the fifth game today."

He looked at a pad of paper. Hawkeye looked too, curious.

"What's that?"

Charles tapped it, "THAT is our running total of who's won how many games. I am determined that I've got to be better at SOMETHING over McIntyre!"

Hawkeye had to laugh. Charles and Trapper were both rather chagrined, and had to reluctantly admit, that they were equally skilled in thoracic surgery. They'd both attended Harvard and both graduated valedictorian. Charles had been certain he could best McIntyre at chess, so early on he'd kept in his own head how many games won and loss between the two. By the tenth game, it was becoming obvious that this, too, was another area in which neither excelled.

Hawkeye sat in a lounge chair nearby, kicking up his feet and swigging his beer. He pointed to Charles.

"I know one thing, Charles! You've got him beat in pomposity!"

Trapper barked out a laugh and made a move.

Charles looked at the game and groaned. "PIERCE! You're distracting us!"

Trapper laughed, "He's not distracting me in the slightest, Winchester."

Charles scowled and re-examined the board, taking the last move into consideration. A few moments later, he reached over and toppled his King, conceding the game to Trapper.

Trapper handed the pencil to Charles. "Here, as loser, YOU get to tally MY win!"

"Oh, that's how it works. How humiliating, Charles!" Pierce crowed.

"No comments from the Peanut Gallery," Winchester replied.

Hawkeye looked around. "So, where's Margaret? HOW'S Margaret?"

Margaret was in bed. Still. Her due date had come and gone.

"Margaret, come on, for the baby."

"It makes me nauseous, Pierce!"

He quietly held the big pill and glass of water. He'd wait her out if he had to.

She seemed to sense this and took the pill, washed it down and handed the glass back to Hawkeye.

"I need to get up, get outta here," she grumbled.

"Did you need help?"

"I can go to the bathroom, Pierce, I'm not wounded!"

He moved back, but refused to leave until he saw her close the bathroom door behind her. He was getting concerned; the baby had dropped into position weeks before, and it was obvious from the shape of her big belly that she'd been having contractions. They must not be too severe, he thought, if she hadn't cried out.

Hawkeye went to the hallway intercom. Charles and his parents had insisted on putting them in throughout the mansion in case Margaret had to call someone for help.

He felt strange using them, such new technology! He pushed the "Speak" button, and queried, "Honoria?"

He waited a moment and heard her response.

"Yes? Where are you, Hawkeye?"

"In the hall outside of Margaret's room. She went to the bathroom, but I..." and he looked behind him, "I suspect she's been having minor Braxton-Hicks contractions today, and not telling me or Charles. Can you come up here and check on her? She only went in a moment ago, but I'd like you here if you could."

Honoria was there in minutes, breathing hard. "Sometimes I think this house is j-j-just too darned b-big!"

He laughed and agreed, leading her into Margaret's room.

Honoria tapped on the door. "Margaret? Are you all right?"

They heard a panting sound from within. "H-h-honoria, where's H-hawkeye? It's...it's time, I think!"

Honoria tried the door and went in, just as Margaret collapsed partway to the floor, her arm hanging onto the sink, her hand clutching her lower belly.

"HAWKEYE!" Honoria yelled, "G-get in here!"

He ran in, helping Margaret to stand. Honoria went to take Margaret's other arm, and slipped, landing hard on the tiled floor.

Hawkeye looked down and groaned when he saw the fluid on the floor. "Uh, Honoria, are you okay? C'mon, we've got to get her into bed."

The two of them managed to get Margaret comfortable. Hawkeye ran back into the bathroom to look at the floor once more. In the clear amniotic fluid that had burst forth, he saw streaks and clots of blood.

He motioned to Honoria to stay with her and ran into the hall to the phone he knew was there. He called for an ambulance, and once confirmation had been received that it had been dispatched asked to be transferred to Dr. Winchester.

"Winchester."

"Charles, she's coming into the ER shortly, they've already sent the ambulance for her," Hawkeye exclaimed, talking fast enough where he didn't leave Charles a chance to interrupt. "Charles, STAY THERE, she's going to need you, she's going to need her OB there."

Charles leaned back heavily into his chair. He was terrified to ask, but he had to know. "Pierce, is...is there a problem?"

When Hawkeye didn't immediately reply, assuring him all was well, Charles knew his answer.

"Charles...there was blood in the amniotic fluid. Not a LOT, mind you, there were streaks and small clots throughout, like it hadn't come from any specific area internally. I don't think it's abruptio or previa."

OH GOD, no, Charles thought, feeling a wave of panic come on. Pierce had been right to order him to remain at the hospital. He could do nothing for her and the baby if he tried to go home. The ambulance could get there and back faster with lights and sirens blaring.

"I-I'll call her OB, Pierce, and wait for her in the ER."

"Charles...Charles, I'm sure it'll work out okay, we caught her right when it happened. It was only minutes ago. I'll do what I can from here until we get her in there. I'll be in the ambulance, wait for us!"

He hung up.

Charles put his head in his hands and took a calming breath as he'd learned from Honoria. It seemed to help somewhat.

He got up to find McIntyre.

Trapper looked up to see Charles coming into the Doctors' Lounge. The look on Winchester's face spoke volumes.

Trapper stood up, going to Charles. "What's wrong? Margaret?"

"She's coming into the ER shortly. Pierce already called the ambulance."

"Well, that's great, Charles!" Trapper smiled, motioning for him to go to the door. His smiled slowly melted away when he realized Charles was not overjoyed about his pregnant wife coming in.

"Is something wrong, Charles?"

"Blood in the fluid."

"Oh, God, no, Charles!" He put his hand on Charles' shoulder, not saying anything.

"I needed to talk to someone, McIntyre, which is why I sought you out. Can you take the time to wait in the ER with me, until Margaret and Hawkeye show up?"

"Yes, certainly, let's get down there. You could consider yourself on leave now, if you'd like, and I'll take over the department, like when you two got married."

"That would be wise, yes. I-I find I cannot think right now, I'm just...just..." He couldn't finish.

They reached the door to the stairs down, that led to the ER.

Trapper went to the ambulance bay to wait while Charles called Margaret's OB.

Charles joined Trapper outside, leaning against the railing with him.

"One good thing from all this: Dr. Mendel is already here at the hospital. He'll be here shortly."

Neither said a word for a few moments, their ears straining for the sounds of an ambulance siren getting closer.

"She's strong, Charles, and has a doctor with her already. It couldn't be any better than that. I'm sure things will be fine!"

Dr. Mendel burst through the door the other two had exited previously, breathing from running down the stairs.

"Anything yet?"

As if in answer, they heard the siren of the ambulance getting closer. Within seconds it was parked and Margaret was wheeled to the labor and delivery room.

Charles, Trapper and Hawkeye couldn't help but hover around as Dr. Mendel and the OB nurses on his staff went into action. He finally motioned the three to gown up, if they were going to be loitering in the OB surgical suite.

The anesthetist put Margaret into a type of twilight sleep, where she was semi-conscious but could not feel pain. Charles alternated between talking softly to her, knowing she could hear, and going to observe Mendel.

Charles looked up from wiping sweat off Margaret's face when the obstetrician said his name. The man was smiling and stood up.

"Doctor?"

"It's not as serious as we thought, Charles. When the mucus plug came loose, it had caused some minor bleeding. It's not too uncommon. Not having seen the fluid, I couldn't say if that's what it was. I was hoping, but didn't want to get your own hopes up if it was more serious."

He pointed down. "We've cleaned her up, so if it's what you two want, we can stop the anesthesia and you and she can bring your baby into the world together!"

Charles smiled behind his mask, his blue eyes sparkling with joy finally.

"That would be excellent, Doctor."

Over the next hour Margaret slowly came back to consciousness, the anesthesia working its way out of her body. She looked around.

"Got a crowd in here!" she exclaimed, sounding more like herself. Then the first real contraction hit, and she almost doubled over.

Charles talked her through it, telling her to do Honoria's calming breaths, over and over.

Margaret glared at Hawkeye and Trapper, who were still at the other end with Dr. Mendel, watching her show.

"You...two...goons do NOT need to be down there!" she yelled.

Charles smiled at his wife and turned to her two friends. "Yes, gentlemen, why don't you two come down here to talk to her, and I'll be there to catch the baby!"

The hard labor continued for two more hours, a blessedly short amount of time for a first-time mother. Trapper and Hawkeye took turns holding her hand and fetching her ice chips to soothe her parched throat and mouth.

"AH, Margaret, that one did it, the head's crowning!" Charles yelled. He looked to Mendel, who nodded silently that all was progressing well.

Mendel told Margaret, "I'm willing to bet three or four more pushes and you'll be done, Margaret! Go with it, when your body tells you to push, then PUSH!"

Pierce and McIntyre held a hand each as she bent forward, letting her body's muscles bear down.

First push. "The head's completely out, Margaret!"

The OB nurse was there with a bulb for Charles to clear away the mucus and fluid from the baby's mouth and nostrils.

Second push. "The shoulder's out, Margaret!"

Mendel told Margaret, "Once the first shoulder is out, the rest of the baby can slide on through."

"I...KNOW...that, Doctor," she panted.

He laughed, "I'm not used to being surrounded by doctors and delivering a nurse!"

Third push. "There's the other shoulder," Charles exclaimed as he gently eased the baby along, now that he could grip him or her. He was steadying the head and supporting the little neck.

Mendel was leaning close, watching Charles deliver his own baby. "You're doing fine, Charles, just fine."

Fourth push. Margaret squeezed Hawkeye's and Trapper's hands one final time, encouraging the bearing-down sensation, screaming out. "CHARLES! Did that do it?"

Charles was glad he'd had both hands supporting the baby, because with the last push the remainder of the amniotic fluid swooshed forth, along with the baby.

He quickly and very gently turned the baby over, propping him on his long forearm and his large hand, and massaged the baby's back. The OB nurse leaned in to clear away any additional fluids coming out of mouth and nose, and the baby coughed, then cried with gusto.

Margaret gasped when she heard that beautiful sound.

Charles held the baby up, still attached to the umbilical cord, for Margaret to see.

"Margaret, my love, we have a SON!"

Margaret was laughing and crying at the same time, looking at her newborn baby and the look on Charles' face as he proudly held his son up for all to see. The nurse moved in with the clamps and scissors, and a small table, and Charles cut the umbilical cord. He handed the baby to the nurse for a moment so she could perform her tasks.

Trapper and Hawkeye each kissed Margaret's cheeks, and turned to Charles, clapping him on the shoulders in congratulations.

The nurse returned quickly, the newborn baby wrapped snugly in a blanket and wearing a little tiny cap on his head.

"Here you are, Doctor," she said, smiling. "He weighs in at seven pounds, three ounces, and 20 inches long!"

"Can I, Charles?" Margaret asked softly.

He pulled a chair up alongside her, with a pillow to tuck under her arm for support, and handed her their son. He leaned in to talk softly to his wife, cooing at his minutes-old baby.

Dr. Mendel leaned down and whispered to Charles, "I'll be back in a few minutes, so we can finish up."

Charles nodded his head, not saying anything. He only had eyes and ears for his family.

Hawkeye and Trapper followed the obstetrician out, so the three could have some bonding time.

Charles rubbed his finger along the baby's cheek, causing the infant to turn toward him. He couldn't help but laugh. He put the tip of his pinky finger, now cleaned and scrubbed, into the baby's pursed mouth. The baby immediately began to suckle on it, his little jaw working up and down.

Margaret and Charles laughed with such glee, they thought they'd burst with pride.

"Let's see how he does this time, Margaret." Charles touched the baby's little palm with his index finger, and the tiny fingers curled around it, gripping him with a surprising hold.

Charles smiled at his son. He didn't care who saw the tears streaming down his face. Seems like the baby was the only one NOT crying.

Charles leaned toward Margaret.

"Margaret, we made this child in love, and you and I together have brought him into this world with love." He kissed her sweetly on the mouth. "I love you so much."

Fin.

(Author's Note: I'm going to eventually do similar 'first year back' stories with all the main characters. Frank's next, since I've pretty much got him done. His will cover from when he left the 4077th into 1954. It's going to be rather surprising. I cried as I typed it, it's that good! Stay tuned.)