August 17, 0440h

	Dinah left Barbara and Leslie in the kitchen and ducked into the computer 
workroom to catch her breath.
 	Damn Bruce!  Where *was* he?  Would it kill him to call in once in a 
while?
 	The strains of the day were really starting to catch up with her, she 
realized, and wished she had brought her coffee with her.  Her stomach was jumpy 
and she didn't think it was the baby kicking.
 	Her eyes fell on the computer.  The Oracle line was abandoned-they'd 
missed a step again.  Too much of this and things would come unraveled, she 
reminded herself, stepping closer to check the logs.  If someone had left a non-
emergency message, maybe she could route them an answer before-
 	Her eyes widened as she saw Spud curled exhaustedly in the large manager's 
chair he sat in when he stayed with Babs during her time as Oracle.  They'd put 
him to bed almost an hour ago!  How could he have made it back here?
She crouched down next to the chair and tenderly brushed sticky curls away from 
his hot face.  He was running a bit of a fever himself, she noticed. Just enough 
to force the exhausted little body into restorative mode.
 	Dinah started to wonder what he was doing in here, but she knew, deep down 
in her heart, she knew there was only one reason.
 	To call Bruce.
 	She ran trembling fingertips over the keyboard.  The keys were smooth and cool under her touch, steady  little 
knobs that did miracles.  She wondered wildly what would happen if she pressed them, if she called Bruce.  She 
wondered if Spud had talked to him.  If her husband's voice had actually entered this room, reaching out to them, heard 
only by Spud.  She blinked back tears and hefted Spud in her arms, laying his head on her shoulder. With luck, she'd be 
able to get him back in bed without Babs ever noticing he was gone.