Title: It Happened One Night

Author: Anna McLain

Rating: G

Pairings: None, Ray is RayK

Spoilers: Possibly the voice over at the end of COTW2, MSTB.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Archiving is fine, just let me know.

RSY list Challenge: write a fic that's either a birth, a wedding/romance, or a funeral/loss, and include mangoes, a cowboy hat, a circus clown, and UFO within it.

"So, Stanley, uh, Ray, thanks for giving me a ride to the hospital."

Ray Kowalski glanced at the very pregnant woman in the passenger seat of his black GTO. "No prob. Just..." He spared a quick look for the road, then turned back to her. "Just...don't do anything on my seats, okay?"

She snarled at him, dark eyes narrowed to slits. "Don't worry, Mr. Hot Rod! The contractions are still a couple of minutes apart. And if Tony's stupid...car...hadn't...OWW!" She doubled over in pain, short fingernails dimpling the leather seat.

Ray's blue eyes widened in alarm. He didn't know which was worse, her pain or the possibility of rips in his seat. He bit his lower lip and squirmed, turning his eyes back to the road.

At that moment, a blinding white light from overhead shone down on them, obscuring the road. Ray let off the gas.

Too late.

The open-topped delivery truck appeared out of nowhere. Ray slammed on the brakes. The GTO slid, fishtailing on the rain-slick street.

The crash was deafening. The truck rocked. Ripe fruit pelted the car, coating the windshield.

Ray braced himself and held his breath.

The GTO stopped with a lurch.

Breathing hard and stunned, Ray's first reaction was to turn on the wipers and clear away the green slime.

Franny's moan was cut short.

Ray's heart slammed into his throat, making him gag. He turned panicked eyes to Franny. One look into her eyes told him he was going to have a mess on his seats. Then her water broke. With a grimace, he leapt from the car, green slime dousing his head and shoulders. He bumped into the truck driver with the door. Both men shielded their eyes from the brilliant light.

"Blankets! Blankets!" Ray shouted. "Baby comin'! Call an ambulance!"

He swiped at the sweet stuff dripping down his face. "Smelly! What is it?"

"Mangoes," the driver called as he rushed off.

Ray ducked back inside. Franny had turned, one knee pressed against the steering wheel. Her face was a mask of pain.

"My hat, my hat, my hat," she muttered, the words barely coherent.

Ray rifled through her duffel, pulling out a wrinkled cowboy hat. He held it out. She snatched it away and tossed it onto the light-bleached dash and staring at it.

"Focus, focus, focus," she mumbled.

Ray frowned, then shook his head.

A few minutes later the wail of a newborn pierced the night. Ray met Franny's eyes, both laughing. He laid her son on her chest.

Behind him, he heard running footsteps. He backed out of the car and turned to find himself eyes to red nose with a clown. He jumped away, staring at the neon orange hair and garish pink suit.

"I'm a doctor," the clown said.

Ray stared.

"Party," the clown explained. "How's the baby?"

"Pissed," Ray said.

The clown doctor peeked inside the car. Ray and the driver squinted up at the light. Suddenly, it shot straight up, growing smaller and smaller. Then it stopped and shot sideways, too fast for them to watch.

The two men blinked in the sudden darkness. A crowd ran up and surrounded them.

"The light," a man cried.

"What? The UFO?" Ray asked.

"The light in the sky! Where's the baby?"

They all fell silent as the new life greeted the night.

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Finis

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