BAY CITY BABY BLUES
BY
MAURA I. KELLY
(BAY CITY, MARCH 1996)

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Nick Michaels looked over at his sleeping wife as he headed the car down the highway. Yvette looked exhausted. Not surprising, considering her pregnancy and the last few weeks she'd endured.

They were on their way home after attending to Yvette's Aunt's estate. Her stepfather's sister had died. They'd been close and Yvette had wanted very much to attend the funeral. She'd been in Canada almost a month now, settling all the necessary details. Being the only living relative, it was up to her to take care of all the minutia attached to this sad event.

Nick had wanted to stay with his wife and help her handle everything, but as lawyers for the City of Los Angeles, she as an assistant D.A. and he for the Public Defender's Office; they couldn't both be gone at the same time for such an extended period. Forced to stay longer, Yvette had decided to take her maternity leave early. Nick had flown up to Montreal with his wife to attend the funeral but had gone right back home. Now he'd come to get her. Yvette's doctor advised she shouldn't fly at this juncture of her pregnancy, so they'd opted to drive down to Chicago and catch the train back to L.A.

So here they were on the highway headed towards Chicago, having crossed the border sometime back. The morning had started out warm and sunny but as the day progressed, Nick noticed it gradually getting darker. The beautiful Spring day was changing. Being Southern California born and bred, Nick wasn't sure what this weather portended. He looked over at his wife and wondered if he should wake her and get an opinion. Yvette had lived in Canada all her life and would know more about this than he did, but she looked so tired he didn't want to disturb her much needed rest. The radio was playing a soft tune and he changed the dial, hoping to find news that might give him a clue as to what the weather might hold in store for them. Static blared out and was all that met his search.

As he looked out the windshield in frustration, he noticed the snow starting to fall, lazily at first, then much faster. Nick turned his wipers and headlights on. He looked over at the clock and saw it was barely 5:00, though it now looked like night had suddenly descended. He couldn't believe the storm had come in that fast. Nick slowed the car and pulled the map down from the dashboard as he tried to figure out where they were. He saw a sign flash by and read "Bay City - 25 miles." Nick wondered if he should pull off and try to reach the town or continue on. Realizing it would be stupid to proceed, he swung onto the turn-off.

The exit to Bay City was barely visible. He noticed it was a little rough, but then he'd never driven on a snowy road before. He was a pretty good skier and had spent a lot of time on the slopes at Mammoth and Big Bear. He'd even joined his cousins in Denver on many a ski trip, but he'd never been the one driving. He'd always left that up to someone more familiar with icy conditions. Now he wished he'd gotten some of that experience behind the wheel.

Nick looked over at his wife again and reluctantly decided it was time to wake her. The view out the front windshield was opaque; nothing could be seen and he needed her expertise. Yvette would know best how to proceed.

"Yvette," Nick called quietly. When there was no response, he called a little more insistently, trying to concentrate on keeping his eye on the now very white road.

Yvette opened her eyes and looked over at Nick sleepily, then out the front windshield. "Nick, where are we?"

"Oh... somewhere in Illinois, I think, in the middle of a blizzard." He tried to keep his voice unconcerned.

"When did this start?" Yvette still sounded groggy.

"'Bout half an hour ago. I never knew a storm could come up so fast."

Yvette shook her head, sitting up a little straighter to get her bearings. "It's a little unusual, especially at this time of the year, but we are near the Great Lakes. They do freaky things weather-wise."

"But it's March!" Nick exclaimed incredulously. "I really didn't think it could snow this late."

Yvette laughed at her husband's naivete. "This could happen in late spring as well, Nicky." She sobered however, as she got a good look outside. There wasn't much to see except white. "Do you know where we are?"

"I told you, Honey, we're in Illinois... somewhere." Nick gestured with the map he held in his right hand as he maneuvered the car with his left.

"Could you narrow it down a little bit?" she asked with a nervous laugh.

Nick made a face. "That's the problem. I hate to say it, but I think we're lost. I tried to get a reference, but I haven't been able to really see any signs..."

"What was the last one you saw?"

"A town called Bay City."

As Nick continued to navigate, Yvette grabbed the map from his hand. Using the small light in the car, she studied their route. "Bay City, Bay City..."

Nick could hear his wife mumbling under her breath as he tried to keep the car headed down a road that was rapidly disappearing. "Any luck?" Nick glanced over.

"Mmmmm" was all he heard as she continued staring at the map.

They were silent for a minute and then Yvette finally answered. "Here it is, Bay City. We're headed in the wrong direction, Nicky."

"What do you mean?"

"Chicago's the other way. It looks like you missed it entirely, Michaels." Yvette looked over at him with an annoyed expression. "Nice going, Sweetheart."

Nick felt a sharp retort on his lips but bit down on it. He knew his wife was just venting her frustration at the situation and using him as her target. Yvette was usually understanding and patient, much more than Nick, but her emotions had been closer to the surface than normal during the pregnancy and especially as the birth time drew nearer. Besides, he was already mad at himself for getting them into this situation.

The road was now impossible to see and Nick slowed the car to a crawl. "How bad off are we?"

"Well... we seem to be in the middle of what is called a white out, lost somewhere in a state we don't know anything about." Yvette turned to look at her husband contritely. "I'm sorry I snapped at you, Nicky. It's not your fault. If I'd been navigating like I was supposed to, we wouldn't have gotten lost."

Nick reached over and gripped his wife's small hand in his. "Hey, it's nobody's fault, we'll be okay. I probably should've woke you earlier, but I wanted you and our baby to get as much sleep as possible. Now we just have to figure out where we are so we can get back to where we want to be. Since you're the snow expert on this team, do you have any ideas as to what we should do?"

"First thing we do is stop the car so we don't..."

The car hit a patch of ice and fishtailed before Yvette could finish her comment. Nick slammed his foot down on the brakes but immediately realized his initial instinct was wrong. The car spun wildly as he wrestled with the steering wheel, trying to keep the car under control. He was dimly aware of Yvette shouting instructions to him but he couldn't think straight. He lost all maneuverablilty, finally coming to rest in the piled snowdrift at the side of the road. As the car settled, Nick saw steam shooting out from under the hood. He turned to check on his wife as Yvette finished her statement.

" ...end up hitting ice and plowing into a snowbank."

"Are you okay?" Nick asked anxiously.

"I'm fine. So's the baby." Yvette patted her stomach. "But the car isn't."

"That's for sure," Nick opened the door. "You stay here. I'm going to see how bad it is."

He stepped out and almost fell as his foot sunk down. Trudging around to the front, Nick inspected the damage. The impact had caused the grill to fracture and puncture the radiator. He could see packed snow in the grill as the steam kept rising from the hood. With a sigh of disgust, he walked back to his side and slipped into his seat, closing the door to keep out the cold.

"The radiator's gone," he informed his wife gloomily.

"I'm not surprised. That happens a lot in this type of weather. Of course you wouldn't know about that, being from L.A. and all," Yvette teased, giving her husband's hand a reassuring squeeze. "Our biggest problem right now is finding out how far we are from Bay City and what emergency supplies, if any, this rental has."

"What do you mean, if any?"

"My guess is there probably aren't any, and with the engine dead, we have no heat."

"I'll check the trunk, maybe someone left something we could use."

Grabbing the keys out of the ignition, Nick got out and once more waded through knee deep snow. Yvette could see him in the rearview mirror. As he opened the trunk, he was obscured from her view. It took him at least a minute before he slammed the trunk closed and Yvette spied him again coming around to the driver side.

"You were right, nothing!" Nick announced as he got back into the car. Looking over at his wife, he noticed her shivering. "Here, Honey, I brought you my leather jacket. I thought you might be chilly."

Nick helped Yvette into the jacket and then slid closer and put his arms around her, trying to warm her up. Rubbing her stomach as he held her, Nick leaned down to whisper, "How's my baby doing?" Hugging Yvette even closer, Nick planted a kiss on the top of her head. "Better?"

Nodding, Yvette looked up at him. "We can't stay here, you know. It's already getting too cold."

"I know, but you can't get very far in your condition and the snow might let up soon... or maybe someone will find us." Nick smiled encouragement.

Yvette, ever the more realistic of the two, frowned. "If we wait too long, we could freeze to death out here. This blizzard could go on for days, trust me. You're right about my condition though, I wouldn't get far. So you have to go and get help."

"Yvette, I can't leave you and our baby here alone. If the engine was working we could use the heater."

"You have to go. We can't stay here all night and even if the heater worked, we couldn't risk the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning. It's academic anyway, the engine's frozen by now."

"All right, then we go together."

"Nicky, sweetheart, we don't even know where the city is." Nick again started to protest as Yvette continued. "It's the only way, you know that."

Nick sighed. "You're right, Honey, you are right. I just..."

He was at a loss for words, then gave his wife a fierce hug and a lingering kiss. "Any ideas which way I should go?" He remarked jokingly as he looked around at the possibilities. "The snow makes it all look the same."

"You're asking me, Michaels?"

"Well, my darling wife, I don't know snow. If I had my way, we'd be sitting near the pool at home and not traipsing through a blizzard in the middle of Illinois."

"You're sure we're in Illinois?" Yvette commented lightly.

Nick shrugged. "Don't know. Is Illinois big and white?"

Yvette knew he was trying to keep things lighthearted for her benefit. She reached out to squeeze Nick's hand. "I suggest you go in the direction we originally came. The highway's that way and that's where we turned off onto the smaller road."

"Good," Nick replied, still reluctant to leave her. "Let me get you another coat and I'll be on my way."

* * *

Cass Winthrop drove cautiously through the gathering darkness, annoyed but not surprised by this late snowfall. He was headed home to spend a quiet and romantic evening with his wife, Frankie. Ever since they'd become parents two and a half years ago, they'd had very little time alone together. Their daughter, Charlotte wanted to visit her Aunt Felicia, Cass's best friend, so he and Frankie were planning to take advantage of the time off. Not that they wouldn't miss Charlie, even for one night. Cass hated to be away from his little girl too long and he knew Frankie felt the same way, but occasionally they needed time alone, especially if Charlie wanted any siblings. There was no one in the world he trusted more with Charlie than Felicia, but the whole thing would be moot if the storm got much worse.

Cass slowed even more as the blizzard gained intensity. He knew he was near the old mill road leading towards the Frame farm, but even his intimate knowledge of the area didn't help as the whiteness obscured everything and changed familiar landmarks.

Trying to see through the windshield was becoming a major problem. Cass wanted to be sure he didn't end up in a snowdrift; he'd done that once before, or hit black ice. He was concentrating so hard on driving that he was startled by the man who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Reacting quickly, he slammed his foot on the brakes. His car slid sideways off the road and plowed into a snowbank. Unhurt, but a bit rattled, Cass sat for a moment to gather his shattered wits, then climbed quickly out of his car to check on the person he'd tried to avoid. Much to Cass's relief, the man was still standing, apparently uninjured.

As soon as he saw Cass, the man rushed over. "Thank God. I need your help."

"What's wrong?" Cass asked, still a bit dazed by the turn of events.

"I'm lost... that is we're lost... my wife and I. I had to leave her back there." He pointed vaguely in the direction he'd come. "She's pregnant. Our car broke down and I decided... we decided I had to go for help, but other than knowing I'm in Illinois..." Nick looked around helplessly, catching his breath. "I don't know where the hell I am."

Cass immediately tried to soothe the younger man. If he understood him right, he was in pretty desperate straits. "It's all right. Glad to be of assistance. You said your wife is stuck somewhere?"

"Yes, our rental broke down in the storm..."

"So you left her and came to find help?" Cass concluded.

"Yes." Nick nodded vigorously.

Confidently, Cass reached into his coat pocket. "Fortunately I have my phone with me." He pulled out an object that looked like a phone... except that it was plastic and bright pink. He looked at the toy then up at the other man's bemused expression and laughed self-consciously. "My daughter, Charlie... she's two and a half... loves to talk on the phone but she seems to like mine better then her own. This is the third time this week she's switched them on me." Cass stuck it back into his pocket quickly. "Well, we'll have to do something else then, won't we? Which direction is your car?"

"That way." Nick pointed in a southerly direction. "I think. You know, nothing looks the same in the snow, does it?"

"Don't worry, we'll find her. Let me just get some things." Cass walked back to the trunk and started rummaging as the young man came up behind him.

"We're not driving?" he asked in surprise.

"Can't," Cass declared matter of factly, as he pulled out some flashlights and blankets. "Axle's broken."

The man quickly crouched down to look under the chassis, and spied the problem. "How'd you know?"

"Had it happen to me before." Cass handed him some of the blankets as he stood up. "Felt it go as soon as I hit the drift."

"Sorry 'bout that," Nick said sheepishly.

"Hey, it's all right. It's hard to know where you are in snow like this. Besides, it can be replaced, you can't. Come on, let's go find your wife."

"Thanks. By the way, Name's Michaels... Nick Michaels."

"Cass Winthrop."

The two men shook hands then started out towards the south... the direction Nick believed he'd come from. The storm had grown even more severe in just the few minutes they'd talked. Cass prayed they'd be able to find young Michael's wife in short order. He wasn't sure how long they'd last in these kind of conditions.

* * *

Yvette stared out at the blanket of white that was rapidly covering everything. She was shivering, even with the jackets Nick had retrieved. She knew how fast one could freeze to death in weather like this.

She rubbed her stomach in encouragement, or maybe because she needed the comfort herself.

"It's okay, little one, your daddy will be back real soon. At least you're staying nice and warm where you are right now." She felt a kick, as if the baby was answering his mother's comforting words.

She felt a little better after that, but then thought of poor Nicky. She knew he felt guilty for getting them lost, but it wasn't really his fault. He had absolutely no experience driving on ice covered roads and if she was going to blame anyone, it should be herself. Nicky hadn't wanted her to stay in Canada as long as she had, but she'd felt she owed it to her Aunt. She'd been like a mother to Yvette since she was small. But she certainly never expected to land them in this mess. Usually it was Nick who caught them up in some unlikely situation. He'd managed to do it again, but this time he had a lot of help from her.

She shivered again and realized it'd gotten even colder than just a few minutes ago. The wind's howling wouldn't have usually disturbed her... Canadians were more than a little used to the wind... But as she watched the snow, she was afraid the car might be buried. She had faith in her husband and knew in her heart he would find help and get back to her no matter what, but she was still frightened for the baby... and for Nicky.

She looked out the windshield and thought she saw a dark headed little boy just standing there and staring at her. She must be hallucinating; there couldn't be anyone there. He wasn't even wearing a coat to keep him warm. Yvette rubbed her eyes a second and when she opened them again, he was gone. She laughed at herself. Of course she'd imagined it. Distractedly, she caressed her stomach again.

"Daddy better come soon, huh, baby? Or Mommy's going to start seeing pink elephants."

She began to sing softly to her baby... a French lullaby her aunt used to sing to her, as she waited anxiously for Nick to return.

* * *

Mary Francis Frame Winthrop or Frankie, as she was known to her friends, looked at the kitchen table. She'd set it perfectly, crystal goblets for two, silver and her favorite china. The only problem... she was alone. She'd expected Cass to be back nearly an hour ago, but he hadn't shown up yet or even phoned. That worried her. She knew coming out to the farm took longer, but he should've been here by now, even with this unexpected storm. The three of them had been staying at her aunt's farm while the plumbing in their own house was being overhauled. They loved their beautiful old home, but after almost ll0 years, it needed a little refurbishing in some of it's old joints, plumbing and heating being top of the list. So, with her aunt and her family away, Cass, Frankie and Charlie had moved in.

Charlie had been visiting with her Dad at his office that day. Cass liked to take Charlie with him to work occasionally, when he wasn't needed in court. Besides, Frankie had been working on a case. Cass was supposed to have dropped Charlie off at Felicia's then come out. Why hadn't he called her yet? That wasn't like him. He knew she got worried when he didn't get home on time, especially when it snowed. He had a penchant for getting lost in it. Not that he wasn't a good driver, but Cass tended to get caught up in unexpected events. Of course, he would argue with her... Frankie had a reputation herself. She seemed to cause a lot of those events.

Maybe she should call him. He'd remembered to take his phone, that she knew because she'd handed it to him right before she left for the stakeout with her partner, Ryan Harrison. She looked at the kitchen clock again. Yes, she should definitely try him. Frankie picked up the receiver and punched in Cass's cellular number.

"H'llo" a very young, and very familiar feminine voice answered.

"Charlie, is that you?" Frankie said perplexed

"A'course, Mommy." Charlie giggled with delight.

"Where's Daddy, Sweetpea?"

"Daddy go bye-bye."

Frankie tried again. "Who are you with, Honey?"

"Auntie Fe'cia and Lo'na," Charlie returned promptly.

"Charlie, how many times have Daddy and I told you not to take his phone?"

"Gived him mine," Charlie answered stubbornly, near to tears.

"It's okay, Peanut, don't cry. Let me talk to Aunt Felicia." Frankie heard the sound of the phone being given over to someone else. She could hear her daughter in the background still sniffling and Lorna, Felicia's daughter, trying to coax her out of her tears. Felicia soon came on the line.

"Frankie?" Felicia sounded baffled but with there was a note of laughter in her voice as well. "Honey, I didn't even know Charlie had Cass's phone. It started ringing and she ran over to her little backpack and pulled it out. I suppose Cass is looking for it?"

"I don't know, he hasn't gotten home yet and I'm a little worried. What time did he leave?"

"Over an hour ago. He should be at the farm by now."

"That's what I thought too, but you know Cass and snowstorms," Frankie remarked in frustration.

"I'm sure he's all right, Honey." Felicia tried to reassure the younger woman. "He probably just got hung up. Do you sense any problems?"

"No, I feel he's fine. You're probably right," Frankie admitted.

"You could always call Ryan and have him send someone out to look."

"Not yet. I don't want to panic. I'll wait a while longer. Thanks for babysitting Charlie tonight. She always loves visiting with her Aunt Felicia."

"I love having her. Frankie, do call and let me know when Cass gets home, okay?"

"I sure will Felicia, talk to you later."

Frankie hung up and stood there, trying to analyze what she was feeling from her husband. Then a shiver ran through her, even though the kitchen was cozy and warm. That was it, that was what was troubling her. "Where are you Cass?" she asked out loud, "and why are you so cold?"

* * *

Cass shivered again as he sank up to his thighs in powdery snow. He saw Michaels ahead of him doing the same. The wind howled fiercely, attesting to just how bad the storm had gotten. Cass wondered what Frankie must be thinking. He should've been at the farm long before this and with no phone, he was unable to tell her where he was or summon help for this young couple who were obviously in trouble. Cass halted abruptly as he saved himself from running into Nick, who had stopped and was looking around in confusion.

"What's wrong?" he asked, not really wanting to hear the answer.

"I'm not sure which way to go." Nick had to raise his voice to be heard over the wind. "I was positive we were headed in the right direction but... none of the landmarks I used when I left are visible."

"You have to expect that. Do you remember how long it took to get from your car to where I found you on the road?"

"About thirty minutes."

"Which direction did you head?"

"I think I went south."

"Directly?"

Nick laughed ruefully at the question. "Well, as directly as I could with all this stuff blowing around."

Cass joined in with a laugh. "Good point. I think we should keep going north a bit longer. If you still don't know where we are, we can consider other options then."

Nick agreed to the suggestion and they both started again. After another fifteen or twenty minutes, Cass finally called a halt. They were both cold and tired and still hadn't found the car or Michaels' wife. Nick looked desperate.

"We can't quit now."

"I know, but we need to jog your memory for anything that'll tell us the correct direction." Cass leaned against a tree, trying to catch his breath. "Besides, you need to rest or I'll have to you carry. Slogging through snow like this is exhausting."

"Okay, okay, you're right," Nick panted. "I could use a few minutes, but we have to find her." Cass could tell Nick was feeling very despondent. It had been almost an hour now since he'd left Yvette and it was getting dark.

"We will, I promise." Cass glanced over at Nick who had joined him at the tree. "You never did tell me where you're from, Mr. Michaels?"

"Los Angeles... and it's Nick."

"Cass. Los Angeles... I hear it's a nice town... almost went there once. I have a sister who's..." Cass's voice trailed off as something in the distance caught his eye.

He thought he saw a dark haired young boy, maybe seven or eight. Just as suddenly as he'd appeared, the child vanished, as if he'd never been there. Cass stared in wonder at that spot for a long moment, then he looked over at Nick. From the expression on his face, it was obvious the other man was trying to decide if the light had been playing tricks on his weary eyes. Not really wanting to have to explain, Cass turned abruptly and headed off in the direction where they'd spied the little boy.

"Come on," he ordered brusquely.

"Where're you going?" Nick called as he hurried after Cass.

"I have a hunch, trust me." Cass waited for Nick to catch up to him.

Ten minutes later they spotted the rental car, now almost totally covered. Nick started to run as best he could in the soft powder.

"Yvette!"

He reached the car and tried to open the passenger door. Cass caught up to him and started helping him. It was jammed shut by the weight piled against it.

"Yvette!" Nick called again urgently.

As the door slowly came open, Cass trained his flashlight into the interior.

* * *

Yvette thought she heard a voice calling. No, maybe not. It was probably the wind. She'd been listening to it for so long now, it was starting to give her a bad case of the creeps. She was worried about Nicky; he should've been back by now. But then, they hadn't known for sure how far they'd strayed from the main highway. She should've gone with him.

Yeah right, Yvette. You would've just slowed him down. He has a better chance of making it by himself.

During the hour since Nick had set out, the car was almost covered and Yvette was keenly aware that her wait might be much longer than originally hoped. It was cold and it would get much colder... It had started out as such a beautiful March day, too.

"It's okay, baby, Daddy will be here soon... I promise." Yvette had passed the time talking and singing to the baby and he had responded with some encouraging kicks.

There it was again... a voice calling her name, but this time it sounded much closer and Yvette now had no doubt.

"Nicky!"

She tried to push open the door but it wouldn't budge. On the other side she heard the sound of someone digging and then she made out two different voices. Nick must've found help. As the door grudgingly moved, she spied her husband's anxious face. He had another man with him but Yvette caught only a glimpse of a dark, curly head as Nick enveloped her in a bear hug.

"Honey, are you all right?" he asked worriedly.

"We're fine.. a little cold, but okay."

Nick gave Yvette a blanket the other man handed him and then helped her out. He had to steady her as she climbed over the piled up snow.

"I see you found us some help."

Nick's gaze darted over to Cass, who had moved away and was looking in one direction and then another. Before Nick could call him, Cass walked back over.

"I think I know where we are and which way we should go." Cass extended his hand towards Yvette. "Hi, Cass Winthrop." Yvette took his hand as Nick introduced her. "A pleasure, Yvette." Cass smiled warmly. "And we promise to get you out of this storm and someplace warm very soon."

Yvette answered him just as graciously. "Thank you, Cass. We both," and Yvette indicated her stomach, "appreciate it.

"Which way?" Nick asked, getting back to the subject at hand.

"North."

"You sound pretty positive, how can you be so sure?"

"See that odd shaped structure?"

Nick squinted in the direction Cass was pointing. Yvette scanned the area as well. She could barely make out the silhouette of a building in the distance.

"I guess I see it... sort of," Nick replied.

"It's an old mill. We head straight for it, we'll find the Frame farm just beyond." Cass grinned at Yvette. "That's actually where I was headed when I 'ran into' your husband. It's the closest place around. I think you two must have turned onto the Old Mill Road instead of staying on the main highway."

"How long do you think it'll take?" Yvette was still shivering and Nick had wrapped his arms around her trying to give her some warmth.

"Not long, maybe a twenty, thirty minutes. The storm'll slow us down. It'll be pretty dark before we get there."

"I'm afraid I'm going to slow us even more," Yvette observed ruefully. "I don't move as fast as I used to."

"Or as gracefully," Nick added teasingly

"Don't worry," Cass assured her, giving her a kind smile. "With the two of us helping, we should be able to get you to the farm in no time."

Nick was still holding onto Yvette as they started after Cass. Before they had gone very far, their flashlights were the only light visible as the three headed in the direction Cass indicated.

* * *

As Frankie listened to the phone ringing at the other end of the line, she glanced at the clock in the kitchen for the seventh time in the last thirty minutes. It was now almost 7:00 and Cass still hadn't arrived. What could've happened to delay him? If she dared let it, her mind would easily conjure up countless horrible scenarios. She couldn't give in to that kind of fear.

A male voice finally answered the ringing at the other end. "Detective Harrison."

"Ryan... it's Frankie."

"Hi, Frankie," Ryan greeted brightly, then his voice changed to concern. "What's wrong?"

"How do you know anything's wrong?"

"You're my best friend, Frankie. I know you," Ryan reminded.

He was right. Ryan Harrison was not only her best friend but was also her partner. They'd run a private detective agency and now worked together at the Bay City police department. "Yeah, pal, you know me almost as well as Cass does."

"So what's the problem?"

"It's Cass. He's over two hours late getting home. He left Felicia's about 4:30, and before you ask, he hasn't called because Charlie borrowed his phone again."

"You guys really need to break her of that habit, you know."

"We're working on it, believe me. What about Cass? You know he's lousy in storms... getting lost... crashing cars."

"Frankie, he only did that once. The other time he got locked in a department store during a blizzard. He wasn't really lost, just... misplaced."

"That's true. It's just that I feel..." Frankie's voice trailed off.

"You think something's happened to him?"

"No, I sense he's okay, but there is something. I just can't put my finger on it."

"Tell you what, I'll try and have somebody check it out, but it's a mess out there, I can't promise anything."

"Thanks, Ryan, I..." and then the phone went dead. Frankie looked at the offending instrument with frustration. It wasn't an unusual occurrence during a snowstorm; too much weight and the telephone lines came down, especially out in the rural areas.

Frankie looked around, deciding she better get more candles. She'd seen a couple of flashlights around too. She knew if the phone was gone, the power wouldn't be far behind.

She started pulling out spare candles from the cupboard. She turned, suddenly aware of her husband.

"Cass?"

He was somewhere close by. She dropped the candles on the table, grabbed her parka and flew out the back door. Without giving it a second thought, she headed off towards the barn.

* * *

Cass's prediction of only thirty more minutes proved accurate, but the going had gotten rough and all three were exhausted, especially Yvette.

"Almost there." Cass was trying to encourage Yvette as he helped her along. Nick now led the way, the flashlight providing a feeble light. The two had switched places a number of times to spell each other.

Nick came stumbling towards his two companions. "I think I see a building a few hundred yards ahead. I'm going to go check."

"It should be the barn," Cass supplied hopefully.

"I'll find out." Nick headed back in the direction he'd come. The snow had continued unabated the whole time they'd been walking. He'd never realized a storm could rage on for so long. When he finally reached the building he'd seen, he was overjoyed to find that Cass had been right, it was a barn. They must be close to shelter now. Nick blindly felt his way around the structure. The next moment he found himself plowing into another person. They both fell into the frigid snow.

"Cass?" The voice was female and very puzzled.

Nick was elated, unmindful of the awkward position in which he'd landed. This must be Frankie. They'd made it to the farm. They were in the right place. Before Nick could extricate himself and get up off of the woman underneath him, he heard Cass's amused voice from above.

"I'd appreciate it if you would please get up off of my wife, Michaels."

Nick scrambled up as fast as he could, putting out a hand to help Frankie up as well.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay," Frankie commented breathlessly. "Besides, I'll forgive you since you brought my wayward husband home."

"It's good to see you too, baby." Cass smiled happily.

"Actually, he brought us home," Yvette corrected. She was still holding onto Cass.

"Introductions inside," Frankie ordered. "You all look like you could use a warm place and dry clothes. Come on." With a follow me gesture, Frankie led everyone away from the barn and across the short distance to the house.

The warmth of the brightly lit kitchen was welcome after the long trek. Cass lowered Yvette into one of the kitchen chairs and then greeted his wife again, this time more appropriately, with a long kiss and a welcome hug. Standing beside Yvette, Nick watched their reunion, appreciating the sentiment. He'd felt that same relief when they'd found the car.

"I was worried about you, Cass."

"Honey, I knew you would be and I would've called..."

"... but our daughter traded phones again, I know. I talked to her and Felicia when I was trying to find you."

Nick bent down to check on Yvette. She'd been very quiet since they'd entered the kitchen. He noticed her staring at the beautifully dressed table, all the china, silver and crystal, still sitting where Frankie had placed them hours ago.

"Looks like we interrupted a very special dinner," she whispered to Nick.

Frankie overheard Yvette and pulled away from her husband's embrace.

"We were just having an evening alone. We don't get many of those."

Cass interrupted to make formal introductions. "Frankie, these are the Michaels, Yvette and Nick. They're from Los Angeles and were headed to Chicago. They got a little sidetracked and I just happened to run across Nick here when he was looking for help."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," Frankie stated warmly. "Cass has a sister who lives in L.A.... Stacey, she's a lawyer just like he is."

"Stacey Winthrop is your sister?" Nick asked in disbelief.

"You know her?" Cass seemed as surprised as Nick.

"Know her," Yvette laughed. "I'd say we do. She's a very good friend of ours. "

"And a rival," Nick added. "Yvette's a deputy D.A. She's gone up against Stace a number of times. I get to work with her on occasion."

"Nick's a public defender," Yvette added by way of an explanation.

"A P.D. and a D.A. living together under the same roof," Cass marveled. "You guys must have some great fights."

"Very true," Yvette mused. "But it's the making up that we look forward too."

"Isn't that the truth." Cass smiled in wholehearted agreement.

"When you two've had a chance to catch your breath, I'll show you were you can freshen up. Then we'll have something to eat. I'm sure you must all be famished."

Frankie glanced around. It was as if the conversation had drained the last of their energy. Yvette was resting her chin in the palm of her hand, a glassy-eyed look in her eyes. Her husband was holding her other hand. He was seated beside her on the floor, looking exhausted. Cass was now leaning against one of the walls, as if he could no longer stand up on his own. His arms were crossed and his eyes closed. She made a sudden change in plan.

"I think maybe I'll feed you guys first."

* * *

Yvette felt cozy and comfortable. They had eaten an hour ago and then she'd taken the most wonderfully warm shower she'd ever had in her life. Frankie had given her some clothes, a loose fitting nightshirt and some baggy shorts that more than covered her advanced pregnancy. They'd been shown to a guest room upstairs, with a double bed and a connecting bathroom. Frankie put a couple of flashlights on the bureau, just in case they were needed. From her position on the bed, Yvette heard the sound of the shower shut off as Nick finished cleaning up. The door opened and he came out, rubbing his hair dry. He had another huge towel wrapped around his waist.

"Are the phones working yet?" he mumbled through the towel.

"No, but the lights are still on for now. We'll be lucky if we don't loose the power."

Nick came over and sat down next to her. "Well, at least we're somewhere safe and warm." He reached over and tenderly stroked Yvette's cheek. "I was so worried about you... both of you. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find help... but then I got lucky and Cass came along."

"How did you run into him?"

Nick laughed at his wife's phrasing. "Actually, Cass almost ran into me. I stupidly stepped out in front of his car. He wasn't going very fast, but he still had to swerve to miss me and he spun out. Broke the axle... that's why we walked."

"You would've had to do it anyway. No one could've driven in that stuff without a snowplow or snowmobile. Frankie told me the farm's pretty far out from the city. The Old Mill Road is only a small side route. Traffic is usually very light."

"Well, we definitely need to thank our lucky stars."

"Or our guardian angel for giving us very splendid rescuers. Cass and Frankie seem to be wonderful people." Yvette looked thoughtful for a moment. "We were so fortunate, Nicky. It could've ended totally different."

"I know, Honey, but I don't want to dwell on that. Let's think about our baby. My mom and your dad have been looking forward to this birth almost as much as we have."

"I know. Only a few more weeks. I really can't wait to get home. I should never have stayed so long in Canada."

"Hey, don't blame yourself again. You did what you had to. For the moment we're safe and our baby is safe and..."

The lights flickered out for a second and then came back on.

"Looks like you're right about the power."

Nick leaned over his wife and started kissing her on the neck and then across the lips. Yvette reached over and pulled Nick into an embrace, hugging him tightly.

"I was so worried about you," she whispered into his ear.

"Me too," Nick answered back, holding his wife and the baby she carried.

* * *

Cass was relaxing in the living room. He also had showered and felt much more comfortable out of his cold, wet clothes. Trudging through the snow had exhausted him. Frankie walked into the living room from the kitchen, carrying two mugs. Cass was stoking up the fire, adding a few more logs and now it roared merrily. He'd decided that sitting in front of the hearth, as close as possible to the flames, would warm him up all that much faster. He was still feeling a little chilled from the evening's excursion.

"Toasty yet?" Frankie inquired as she handed him a cup.

"Thanks. Almost, but I could use a little help." Cass took a sip as he looked slyly up at his wife. "Hmmm, camomile."

Frankie sat down beside him and leaned into his embrace. "How did you find Yvette, Cass? You never said. When Nick was telling Yvette and me the story, he said he'd gotten all turned around and lost. He didn't know which way the car was because the snow had buried all his landmarks." She looked up into his face, her expression one of curiosity. "But he said you knew, all of a sudden, which way to go and then you found it almost immediately." Frankie waited expectantly for an explanation.

"I didn't want to mention it in front of them... they might have thought I was crazy." Cass looked at his wife lovingly. "We both know I'm the logical and sensible one in this marriage."

"Your stalling, Winthrop. Out with it."

Cass sighed resignedly. "All right. I saw him... a dark headed little boy, about seven or eight years old. He was standing in the snow and you might say he pointed me in the right direction. Then he was gone." Cass looked at his wife expectantly to see what her reaction would be.

Frankie's face was full of wonder. "Are you sure, really?"

"Yes, he always seems to show up when I'm in trouble, doesn't he?"

"That's because you're always in trouble," Frankie reminded her husband with a chuckle then grew more serious. "He hasn't appeared in years. Why now and not back when Charlie was ill? We certainly could've used him."

"I don't know, Frankie. Maybe he wasn't there and I just imagined I saw him."

"You did find Yvette." At Cass's nod, she continued. "You must've seen him. Anyway, you found your way to safety and that's all that matters. We won't try to analyze it, we'll just accept it as we always have."

Cass sat and stared into the fire thoughtfully for a few minutes and then looked down at his wife. He was still holding her in his arms. "You're right, baby, as always and I'm sorry I missed our dinner." He started to nuzzle her neck and whispered softly. "I bet it would've been wonderful." Cass nestled even closer to his wife, his kisses slowly working down her neck to her shoulder. Frankie pulled away from him reluctantly.

"What's wrong?"

"Cass, we have company."

"So?" He pulled his wife close again and started working down the other side of her neck and shoulder. "I really don't think our guests will mind. Besides, they're probably asleep by now. It was a long trek."

Frankie now seemed to be having trouble concentrating as Cass kept up his nuzzling. "Aren't you tired, baby?"

"Seeing you revitalized me." Cass continued his slow lovemaking and pulled Frankie down full length when the lights flickered.

"The power's going to go." Frankie popped up from her previous position and tried to stand.

"They only flickered," Cass protested and pulled her back down again into his embrace, trying to ignore the interruption.

Abruptly all the power blew.

"Damn," Cass groaned softly. "Just when it was getting good."

Frankie scrambled up off the floor and put out her hand to help her husband stand. "The lights aren't the only problem we have."

"What do you mean?"

As if on cue, Nick came rushing down the stairs, flashlight in hand.

"I think my wife's in labor," he announced in a voice tinged with panic.

"Are you sure?" Cass asked, startled by this new development.

"Her water just broke and she's having contractions."

Cass and Frankie both followed Nick as he raced back up. They reached the guest room and found Yvette in the middle of another contraction.

"How far apart are they?" Frankie sat down next to a very worried looking Yvette and picked up one of her hands and held it reassuringly.

"I don't know," Nick told her.

"About three or four minutes," Yvette answered distractedly at the same time. She was concentrating on her breathing.

"Oh, boy," Cass breathed.

"What're we going to do?" Nick sounded desperate. "The telephones aren't working and we can't get to a hospital."

"And no doctors in the house when you need them either," Cass pointed out.

"Cass!" Frankie looked at her husband with exasperation.

"Sorry," he apologized contritely. "Just my coping mechanism kicking in."

"What does Cass mean?" Nick was curious.

"My Uncle John and Cass's brother, Morgan are both doctors."

"Just like cops, never one around when you need them," Nick joked.

"Guys, we have more immediate problems," Frankie declared as Yvette squeezed her hand tightly with the pain of another contraction.

Nick went back into panic mode. "This baby's coming now, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes, no doubt about that," Frankie pointed out. "But I don't think staying up here is a good idea. Yvette, do you think you can move enough to get downstairs?"

"Why?" Nick questioned.

"More room, more light and it's warmer down there by the fireplace. Nick, why don't you and Cass help Yvette while I go and get some candles and a few other things we might need." Frankie was all business as she directed the others. She got up from the bed and started to leave.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Cass whispered as Frankie passed him.

She turned and looked at her husband. "Cass, we don't have much choice, do we? That baby's coming no matter what we say about it. Besides, at least you and I have been through a birth. We could be considered veterans compared to Nick and Yvette. And at this point, our options are limited."

"So they are," Cass concurred, kissing his wife as she hurried out the door.

The journey to the living room was accomplished easier then anticipated. Yvette was somewhat doubled over, but managed to move quickly between contractions. Frankie had put down a couple of blankets and pillows on the floor near the fireplace. She came in carrying linen and towels and a pair of scissors. She handed these to her husband.

"Cass take the scissors please and heat them on the stove to sterilize them. Then wrap them up in a towel when you're done... and can you get more wood for the fire?"

"No problem, baby. I'll take care of it right away." Cass headed off to the kitchen.

"Yvette, I think the floor near the fire is the best place to put you. It's warm and there's plenty of room."

"Sounds good to me. Nick, can you help me down please?"

Nick seemed to be a man in a daze, unable to keep up with events yet. "Yvette, are you sure about this?"

"Nick, it isn't up to us anymore. This baby wants to come now."

"You're right. I guess I'm not thinking too clearly."

"I can't imagine why, sweetheart. We were only lost in a snowstorm and now our baby has decided to show up a month ahead of schedule." She paused as another contraction began.

Nick and Frankie helped her down onto the pallet of blankets and pillows. The contractions were now about a minute and a half apart. Yvette kept working on her breathing while Nick encouraged her.

"Looks like your baby's going to come fast like Charlie did," Frankie declared as she checked to see how things were progressing.

"You had a quick delivery?" Nick asked as he held onto his wife's hand.

"I was suppose to have my daughter at home with a midwife, but I ended up having her in an elevator instead."

"It was a hospital elevator," Cass pointed out as he came in with an armful of wood. He started building up the blaze.

"You got stuck in an elevator?" Yvette asked breathlessly.

"Oh, yes," Cass laughed. "Charlie was born in an elevator. Thank God, Morgan was with Frankie at the time."

"You missed seeing your baby born?" Nick inquired sadly.

"Actually, no he didn't," Frankie told them with a smile. "He promised me he would be with me, so he climbed down the shaft and came in through the roof."

"Just in the nick of time," Yvette said softly and then cried out as a strong contraction passed through her.

"They're faster and harder." Nick looked worriedly at his wife.

"Nick why don't you get behind Yvette and hold her," Frankie suggested. "That'll help her push."

Nick shifted his position and moved to sit with his wife in his arms. Frankie could see how nervous he was but he was the least of her concerns right now. The baby's head was crowning.

"Okay, Yvette. It's time to push," she instructed. "Nick, brace her so she has a lot of support."

It didn't take long. Frankie marveled at how steady her hands were as she cupped the emerging head and helped the small, slippery body slide out. Instantly he began to cry.

"It's a boy, a beautiful, beautiful boy," Frankie cried ecstatically as she held the infant up for his parents to see. She used one of the towels to wrap him up in and handed him to his mother.

Nick and Yvette seemed mesmerized as they beheld their new son. He was beautiful; Frankie was right. He had ten perfect little toes and fingers; he had big, inky blue eyes and dark hair plastered the sides of his head.

Cass and Frankie watched happily as the new parents and their new baby became better acquainted.

* * *

Frankie heard an insistent knocking and wished it would go away. When it continued, she figured she would have to go answer it since Cass didn't seem to want to move from his position on the floor. Then she suddenly came awake, aware that they had fallen asleep next to the fire. The events of the previous night all came back to her. She looked over at Yvette, still on the couch, holding her new baby. Nick was lying on the floor, one hand resting on his family protectively. She stumbled up out of Cass's embrace and started towards the door. Daylight now flooded the living room.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught her husband struggling to rise. The knocking hadn't wakened the new mother and baby, but Nick popped up at the noise. The pounding continued as Frankie yanked open the front door. Expecting to see snow piled up, she saw instead, a very serious looking Ryan Harrison, along with a snow cat and driver.

"Ryan?" Frankie was surprised to see her partner and blinked at him sleepily. "What are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad to see you."

"I'm sorry Frankie. We found Cass's car just off the highway. The axle was broken." Ryan's face was positively grim. "We haven't been able to find any trace of him though."

"Hi, Ryan!" Cass said brightly as he poked his head around the door.

"Cass, you're all right?" Ryan grinned delightedly and started to come in.

"I'm fine. Sorry, Ryan. We would have called..."

"...but the phones are out, I know. That's why I came out here as soon as we could get through."

"As you see, Ryan," Frankie happily indicated her husband, "Cass made it back home safely. Not only that... he brought friends with him."

Frankie gestured for Ryan to come further into the house and turned excitedly towards Nick and a now awake Yvette. "Hey, guys, we've got you a ride to the hospital. Ryan Harrison, this is Yvette and Nick Michaels... and their baby who doesn't have a name yet. He's just been born," Frankie announced brightly.

Ryan stood gaping in surprise at the couple holding their newborn infant. "What's been going on, guys?"

"You might say we've been practicing medicine without a license," Cass explained nonchalantly.

"But, the story can wait till later, Partner. We need to get the new mother and child to Bay City General."

* * *

Yvette's hospital room was full of flowers, balloons and cards, compliments of family members from many different parts of the country, all welcoming the new addition to the Michaels clan. Nick was slowly walking around, checking each arrangement and reeling off names to Yvette as to who had sent what.

"These balloons are from Buddy, Rafie, Matt and Darnell. Scott and Lia sent the huge basket of tulips. Andy and Caitlin sent the roses. The Stetsons and Carmichaels sent these two huge arrangements. Your father gave us the other balloons, did you talk to him yet?"

"Yes, he was so excited, just like your mother. He wanted to come out here right away, but I told him we'd be back home in another day."

"Mom was so thrilled. I know she's sorry she missed the birth, but..."

"...unforeseen circumstances do tend to intrude on major events in your family."

"My family? May I remind you, dear wife, that it's your family too."

"And now we have our family." Yvette sighed happily.

"Speaking of which, where is the little one anyway? I expected him to be here when I arrived."

"He was, but he had a routine check up to go through. He should be back any minute. They also would like to put a name on the birth certificate, if we ever come up with one."

"We do need to name him, don't we?" Nick laughed. "I mean, we did have any number of names picked out, but we were never definite on what we wanted. Got any ideas?"

Yvette nodded. "I have a wonderful idea, if you agree."

"Let's hear it."

"I'd like to name him after Cass and Frankie. What do you think?"

"I think that's great, Sweetheart." Nick came over and sat down beside his wife. He had a puzzled look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"I wonder what Cass stands for... Cassius, Cassidy... Casanova?"

Yvette giggled at the last name Nick had mentioned. "From what Frankie tells me, Casanova was a very apt name for him when they first met. But I like Cassidy. It's a strong name. Cassidy Franklin Michaels."

"I like it too," Nick agreed happily.

Just then a little girl with curly red hair dashed into the room. She looked around excitedly and then turned towards the door.

"No baby, Mommy. Where's baby?"

"Charlie, I told you to wait for us," Frankie scolded gently as she and Cass followed their daughter inside.

Undaunted, Charlie ran over to Nick. "Hi, Nick. Can I see baby?"

Nick laughed, scooped Charlie up and set her on the bed near Yvette. He'd been staying with the Winthrops the last couple of days and had grown very fond of their rambunctious little daughter.

"Now Charlie, let me introduce you to my wife. This is Yvette. Yvette, this is Charlie."

"Hi, Charlie."

"Hi, 'Vette," Charlie answered back shyly, unable to pronounce the whole name. "Where's baby?"

"One track mind," Cass observed as he picked his daughter up and cuddled her in his arms.

"Want to see baby, Daddy. Promised."

"And Daddy always keeps his promises, Charlie. Look." Frankie smiled as she pointed to the nurse who was just bringing in the new baby.

The nurse put the baby boy in his mother's arms and left the happy couple and their friends to enjoy the wonderful new arrival. Charlie was ecstatic.

"Charlie, let me introduce you to our new son. Charlotte Winthrop, this is Cassidy Franklin Michaels." Nick looked over at Cass and Frankie expectantly. "We hope you don't mind?"

"Mind? We're honored," Frankie replied happily.

"We'd also like you to be the godparents," Yvette told them. "You helped to bring our son into the world. We'd feel good knowing you'd be there for him if he ever needed anything."

Both Cass and Frankie nodded silent agreement. There seemed little left to say. Yvette gazed down at the tiny baby in her arms. Now he had a name and could be christened as an official member of the Michaels family.