“Good morning, Dr Harris.” Rebecca looked up from her paperwork and frowned at her.

“Do I know you?”

“No,” Stephanie replied, fixing her with a cool stare, “but I know all about you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I'm sorry. That was rude. My name's Stephanie.” She held out a hand, and Rebecca stood up and took it warily. “Stephanie Anderson.” Rebecca's eyes widened. She instinctively pulled her hand back and used it to hold her swollen stomach. “Don't worry; I'm not here to start a fight. You don't need anyone to drag me out.” She set her briefcase on the floor and took her coat off, hanging it on the rack by the door. “Sorry, it's boiling in here. Don't you hate when that happens? You prepare for January weather, and suddenly you're in an oven. I hope you don't mind if I make myself comfortable.” Rebecca was speechless. Stephanie smoothed her waistcoat and sat opposite her. “You needn't look so scared. I only want to talk to you. I'm sure you can guess what it's about.”

“You can't-”

“Can't what? Sit down? Take off my coat? No, Rebecca – I assume I can call you Rebecca – I think right now you should let me talk.” Rebecca sat down. She couldn't look away from the woman in front of her. “First of all, no, I'm not Blaine's mother. I'm his step-mother. More importantly than that, I'm a lawyer, but hopefully that won't have to come into play. Even though I'm a very good one. Rebecca, I believe you have something that doesn't belong to you. Am I correct in thinking that you signed a contract, promising that you would be a surrogate for two of your friends? That you would carry their baby to term,” Rebecca opened her mouth to argue but Stephanie raised a hand to stop her, “knowing that after nine months you would have to give that baby to them?”

Rebecca nodded, unsure whether or not she was allowed to speak.

“Now, stop me if I'm wrong; I admit I've only heard one side of the story, but is it true that you lied to them about having miscarried, and proceeded to move to another state? Still pregnant with their child? Feel free to argue.” Rebecca mumbled something under her breath. “I didn't quite catch that, Dr Harris.”

“He's my baby. I'm his mother. Do you think you can just take him away?”

“I could ask you the same question.” Rebecca bowed her head slightly, but kept eye contact with Stephanie. She didn't have a choice. “So, congratulations. You got pregnant. So did a million other women. You're up there with teenagers and prostitutes and drunken morons. Any idiot can get pregnant; it doesn't make you anything special. It's just something that happened to you. It's the choices you make that show who you are. Deciding to help your best friends have a baby? That was pretty special. That's an amazing thing to do.”

“Are you done?”

“You know what else is amazing? Becoming a surgeon. Especially one so highly ranked. Your own office, that little sign telling me that you're head of your department, it's all very impressive.”

“What's your point?” She was glaring now, but still not looking away.

“My point, Rebecca, is that this took a lot more work to achieve. And it could all disappear. Are you planning on retiring to look after the baby? Or getting a nanny?”

“I'll get help. I'm going part-time.”

“I can't imagine that'll do your reputation much good. Head of Surgery sounds like a full-time position to me.”

“They can't fire me for having a baby; it's illegal.”

Stephanie raised an eyebrow.

“Because people never break the law, right? If one person can do it, a hospital can. They'll have pretty good representation, I expect. Actually, I know. I've worked for them before. Apparently they can afford the best.”

“What the hell is this? You think you can scare me into giving him up? I'll go to another hospital. I disappeared once; I can do it again.”

“That might be hard. I don't know if you've heard of Stone, Fields and Crewe. They're a legal firm based in Washington. My firm. I was actually relieved when I re-married. Stephanie Stone isn't a name that always gets taken seriously.” Rebecca's brow furrowed and her breathing was less calm. “You may be aware that we actually have numerous branches. We represent a lot of hospitals. Or we at least know people who do.” She noticed Rebecca frowning. “I’m sorry; I don't want to worry you. It's not healthy, in your condition.”

“So I have to choose between my career and my son? Like that's a choice?”

“No. For a start, he's not your son. He's theirs. And you know that. I want you to make a choice between doing the right thing, and not, but if I have to make that decision easier, I'm more than happy to do so. You have no right to stop them from being a family, Rebecca. You can fix this.” Rebecca stood up.

“And you can get the hell out of my office. You're not the only one with friends, you know.” Stephanie calmly, slowly, stood up as well.

“Maybe not. But I've never stolen children from any of mine. Never mind this place, you might have to leave the country to work again.”

“Fuck you. You can't just ambush me like this.”

“Like your friends ambushed Kurt and Blaine and pulled them out? Like you ambushed them with colleagues, making them lie to your best friends? That doesn't look good, does it? Implicating your place of work... Bad idea. And if we sue them, guess who they're going to come after?”

“Stop it.”

“I'm just telling you everything you need to know. We can get the baby back when he's born, and you can still have your life. You can keep everything you've worked for. Or we can fight you for him later, win, and destroy you.” She plucked her coat from the rack and folded it over her arm, and picked up her briefcase. It was empty. She didn't need paper to make her point. “I know you're not a bad person, Rebecca. I know how it feels, knowing he's there, feeling him move. But they deserve him. They can't lose him again.”

“I want you to leave. You can expect a call from my lawyer. He's good.” Stephanie took a deep breath. She wasn't smug or bitchy. She just told her, in a very matter-of-fact way:

“He probably already has my number. Good afternoon, Dr Harris.” She turned, her hair flicking behind her, and made her way down the hallway to meet her husband who had been listening the whole time. He was biting his lip, because even though he knew he should be taking this seriously, and he was, God that was why he'd fallen for her in the first place. She didn't smile, but nodded at him as if to say 'I know. We've got this.'

“Wow.”

“Let's get out of here. I believe I am awaiting a phone call.”