Title: The Knock on the Door
Fandom: Call The Midwife
Rating: G
Length: 768
Summary:  Sergeant Woolf has knocked on the front door at Nonnatus House, waking Sister Julienne.  She in turn has knocked on Nurse Anderson's door.

The insistent knocking roused Nurse Lucille Anderson from her sleep.  Blearily she looked at her clock, but it was still too dark for her to make out the time.  She wondered whether she had overslept, but the darkness implied that she hadn’t.  “Come in!” she called, her voice sounding fuzzy.

“I’m sorry to disturb you,” Sister Julienne began as she entered.  “But Sergeant Woolf woke me by knocking at the front door.  The police were called to a group hiding in a warehouse, and there’s a woman whose gone into labour.”

Lucille sat up and began to gather her clothes together.  “I thought Nurse Crane was top of the list?” she asked.

“Nurse Crane was called out late yesterday evening, and Nurse Dyer returned in the early hours, so I’m afraid there’s no-one else who can go.  I’d go myself, but …”

“Sister Julienne, you’re still suffering with a heavy cold.  It wouldn’t do either you or the patient any good if you were to go.  Please tell Sergeant Woolf I’ll be with him shortly.”

Lucille dressed rapidly, pulling on an extra layer, since there would be no heating in the warehouse, and then hurriedly made her way to the front door, collecting her bag as you went.  Sergeant Woolf was waiting for you.

“Thank you for coming, nurse,” he said.  “Sorry for dragging you out of bed.”

“That’s all right,” Lucille replied.  “These things happen.”

Sgt Woolf drove them to the warehouse.  They were met by two constables, one of whom said, “This way, nurse.  You’ll need to watch your step.”

He shone his torch in front of them and Lucille carefully made her way across the cluttered warehouse floor and up some rickety steps.

When they reached the top of the stairs, the constable passed over the torch.  “You’d better take this,” he said.  “I can just about see to find my way back.”

“I thought there was a group of people, not just one,” Lucille said. 

“They scarpered when they heard us coming.  We’ve picked up a couple of them, the rest got away; for the moment.  The woman couldn’t run.”

“Has an ambulance been called?” Lucille raised her voice, the constable already making his way across the warehouse floor.

“I think the sergeant asked for one.”

“Can you check, please.”

Lucille went over to the woman who was huddled in the corner.  She set down the torch to provide as much light as possible and smiled at the mother.  “It’s okay, I’m a midwife, I’ve come to help you.”

The woman looked at her blankly and Lucille realised she didn’t understand.  She removed her coat and her thick cardigan and hoped the sight of her uniform would provide some reassurance.  It seemed to do so, for the woman gave a small nod.

Lucille told the woman she was going to examine her, and although the woman clearly didn’t understand what she had said, she didn’t try to resist.

As she was doing so, she heard heavy footsteps crossing the warehouse floor below, and a voice called out “Ambulance!”

“Up here!” she shouted.

The two ambulance men came up the stairs, carrying a stretcher.

“Good,” Lucille said.  “We need to get this lady out.  We’ve still got a little time and I’d much rather she didn’t deliver in here.”

“It ain’t going to be easy,” one of the ambulance men said.

“We can do it,” the other replied.  “Coped with worse in the war.  You’ll need to come with us in the ambulance though, nurse.”

“That’s okay,” Lucille replied.  “I understand.”

The woman was clearly alarmed when the ambulance men helped her onto the stretcher, but Lucille squeezed her hand and then waited for her as they carried her down the stairs.  She took the woman’s hand again and walked with them to the ambulance.

The journey to hospital was uneventful and when they arrived Lucille was greeted by another midwife who said, “Thank you, nurse, we’ll take over.”

Lucille nodded.  “May I wait a little?”

“Of course, we’ll let you know when anything happens.”

Lucille sank gratefully onto a bench.  Half an hour later the midwife appeared and said, “A baby girl has been safely delivered and mother and baby are doing well.”

“Thank you,” Lucille said.

“Would you like to see her for a minute?”

“Yes, please.”

“Come this way.”  The midwife showed Lucille to a ward.

Lucille entered, and the woman smiled at her and held up her baby.  Lucille smiled back.  She walked over and gently stroked the baby’s forehead.  Then she smiled again and waved goodbye.  The woman waved back.