Alex's Special Delivery
By: The Confused One
Disclaimer: Nope, sorry, don't own anything associated with the show. Making no money. Just playing. Please don't sue. Thanks
Warning: There are a few places in this fic that are a bit graphic. It's nothing REALLY bad, but be warned, it's not a G fic.
A/N: Someone on a list that I'm on mentioned Bobby and Bishop helping Alex deliver her baby. I couldn't resist. This is my version of it. It's, interesting. LOL Please enjoy, and remember to review. Thanks.
Alex sat at her desk reading, thankful that the lights had, at least so far, stayed on. She put down her book and looked up at the clock and rolled her eyes. It was already ten-thirty, and the snow hadn't even let up yet. She was beginning to fear that the two of them would be stuck there for a couple of days.
She looked over into one of the side rooms. She saw Bobby staring intently at pictures of tire marks. She smiled seeing the frustration on his face. Alex assessed that Bobby had been in there alone for hours by that point, and was apparently getting nowhere fast. For his sake she wished Bishop had stayed. She figured he could use some help, but Bishop had managed to get out before the storm got so bad that they were snowed in, along with a handful of other people. She would have gone to help him herself, but it wasn't her case, and she really couldn't get involved. She sighed. At least he was able to take advantage of being snowed in and try to get some work done. Alex was sure she would be spending the next couple of days bored out of her mind, she had long since finished all the paperwork she needed to do, the whole reason she had stayed longer in the first place. With another sigh she picked back up her mystery novel and began reading again.
Alex was still reading when she saw a hand come between her and the book, jolting her out of her reading. She looked up to see Bobby in front of her. She smiled and sheepishly said, "Sorry. Were you saying something?"
She was seriously embarrassed now. Bobby could tell. He smiled brightly. They both enjoyed getting the best of the other. He replied, "I was, just wanted to, to know what you thought of the tire marks."
Alex smiled back. She had guessed it had to do with the tire marks. It might not be her case, technically, but who was she to turn down her desperate partner, who was looking for confirmation on a piece of evidence. Taking a deep breath she hesitantly replied, "Alright. Let's see them."
With a smile of satisfaction, Bobby plopped two photographs on Alex's desk for her to look at. It took Alex a minute to catch the difference in the tire marks. Pointing at places in the photographs she replied, "There. They're not the same car."
With a nod, Bobby mumbled a thank you. With a smile he headed back to the room that he had been occupying and had his stuff all sprawled out in. She smiled amused by his antics and happiness to be proven right. Looking at the clock though made Alex frown again. It was only ten forty-five. With another sigh she began reading again, hoping to not be interrupted for a while longer, then she could find a place in the building to try and get some sleep. Of course this wasn't going to be an easy feat, considering her ever-protruding belly. There were times she wished she had never agreed to this surrogacy gig. This was one of those times. She just knew there wouldn't be a place in the whole building that she would be comfortable.
She was so busy grimacing about her sleeping options that the feeling took a moment to register in her brain. There was suddenly something uncomfortably wet in her chair. Pulling herself out of her chair, she suddenly realized that the liquid was coming from herself! With a look of wide-eyed panic Alex called into the meeting room, "Bobby."
Hearing his name, Bobby immediately walked out of the room, and into the main room. He immediately saw the panic on Alex's face, taking in her presence; he noticed her pants were wet. His head snapped up to meet her eyes. He was now panicking himself. He hesitantly asked, "What's wrong?"
Running her hands through her hair she announced, "I think my water just broke."
This did little to calm Bobby down. He instantly began walking towards his partner. He asked, "You sure, because you're not due for another eight days?"
Alex was exasperated. She had an urge to throttle him at that moment for asking such a stupid question. Course it also made her wonder how in the world he knew her due date. She spoke with a little more edge to her voice than she meant, "Yes, I'm sure."
Alex could see the panic and worry in his eyes, but he desperately tried to cover it up and soothingly reply, "Alright, we just need to find you a soft place."
Alex was suddenly confused. She replied, "No, no, I need to call my sister, my doctor, the hospital.."
Bobby grabbed Alex's hand, effectively getting her to shut up. Looking down from their hands to his face Bobby reminded her, "Eames, we're snowed in. Remember?"
Jerking her hand away Alex felt like she was going to be sick. She couldn't believe this was happening. This was the last situation she had wanted to find herself in. Looking away from Bobby she began to let her panic seep into her voice, "I can't do this here."
Catching her gaze, Bobby held it. He assured her, "Yes, you can. We don't exactly have a say in this situation. He wants out."
Alex couldn't exactly put her finger on why, but Bobby's little pep talk did nothing but make her giggle. Feeling sudden pains, which Alex immediately identified as contractions Alex knew Bobby was right she wasn't going to have a choice in this matter. It passed before Bobby was able to get extremely suspicious, which thrilled Alex. She didn't want him to worry more than he was already having to. Running her hands through her hair again, Alex found her strength again. She trusted Bobby. She knew he'd do whatever it took to make sure that she and her nephew both made it out of this mess more or less in tact. Surrendering her fears she quietly asked, "Now what?"
Alex could see the wheels turning in his head. He was recalling information from somewhere in that brain of her. She couldn't help but smile at this. It suddenly dawned on her that how closely he had been keeping track of her pregnancy and how many books he must have read on the subject by this point. It made her feel better. He'd at least have a clue as to what was to come. He finally replied, "There's a couch in the hallway out there. It's probably the softest place in the whole building."
With that Alex was off. Bobby followed attentively behind her. He was terrified and not sure he had all the information he was going to need for this. Yes, inside Bobby Goren was most definitely a complete mess, but there was no way he was going to let Alex know this, yet anyway. He helped and hovered as Alex lay down on the couch. She was hoping this would be a quick process, and actually hoped for more labor pains, because she knew as well as anyone else that the longer between contractions the longer till the baby is born. She definitely didn't want a long labor. He had been hovering over her for only just a few moments, but she was already sick of it. Looking at him she snapped, "I'm not going to break Goren. You can back off a little, you know."
Bobby sheepishly stepped away and mumbled, "Sorry. I'll, I'm going to go find some things for us to use."
She immediately regretted snapping at him, but he was driving her crazy. Her voice was purposely and most decidedly calmer when she answered, "I'll be fine Goren, I promise. Go get what we need."
With that Bobby nodded and left Alex to herself. It was then that Alex admitted to herself how happy she was to have Bobby as a friend and partner. She had no doubt that he would do anything for her. She knew Bobby was just one step away from her doctor at this point. She just knew that he had bought and read a good ten books, at least, on pregnancy and birth. She knew he knew more than she did even! She smiled at the thought.
It took another ten minutes before Bobby returned. In that time Alex had made it through another round of contractions. Sticking to her breathing, she was sure that her body wasn't ready. Bobby hurriedly walked around the corner and began laying out his loot. Alex smiled to herself to see the armloads of things that he was hoping might help. He had managed to get some Tylenol, scissors, towels, napkins, and even a bowl of water. The worried expression on his face only seemed to lessen slightly as he asked, "How's it going?"
Alex arched her eyebrows. She sarcastically replied, "It's going great."
Bobby gave her an exasperated look. He was seriously not in the mood for her normal sarcasm. He tried again, "Any contractions? Anything?"
Alex knew she had to tell him the truth. Taking a deep breath she confessed, "I'm sorry. Two sets of contractions so far. This is probably going to take a while."
The last comment elicited a nod from Bobby. He soothingly replied, "For your sake hopefully not that long."
Alex was hoping he was right. She didn't want this to take very long. Alex looked up at Bobby. She hesitantly reminded, "You need to help me get my pants off."
Bobby immediately met her gaze. He was horrified. The fact that she had to be exposed hadn't even crossed his mind. He felt a little shy about doing this too, after all this was Alex, his partner and best friend. Something about it felt a little like he was taking advantage of her. He just wasn't comfortable with the whole idea. He didn't want her to be uncomfortable with the situation and him, by extension, later. Alex was the best partner he had ever had, he didn't want to muddy up the relationship, not like this anyway. He loved her and didn't want to hurt her. He just stared blankly into Alex's face, which was stifling laughs. She couldn't understand why he was embarrassed and worried about taking her pants off. She exasperatedly teased Bobby, "Come on! You can't be serious. You're embarrassed to undress me? The Great Bobby Goren who flirts with most of the women who work in this building and has gone out with a great deal of them is embarrassed about taking off my pants?"
Secretly Alex was flattered that he seemed to have such respect for her that he didn't want to hurt her. She knew that was the real reason he wasn't already helping her out of her pants, but there wasn't exactly room for modesty at this point. Not to mention that she oddly enough didn't mind him seeing her undressed. It didn't bother her. In fact she almost liked the idea. She figured this was not the time to start contemplating their relationship. She was pleased though to see a smile form on across his face. He hadn't failed to also see the humor in his modesty, but apparently seeing the humor in the situation didn't keep it from being uncomfortable for him. He quietly asked, "You, are you sure you want me to."
Alex couldn't believe he was still acting this way. For a fleeting moment she considered that he just didn't feel worthy of seeing her that way, but she dismissed the idea as irrelevant at the moment. They could talk about them later. She could dwell on their relationship later. Right now she was having a baby, and she didn't have time to debate this. She emphatically and exasperatedly replied, "Yes, I'm sure. I can't have this baby with these pants on now can I? I know you're trying to be a gentleman and sweet, and I love you for it, but we really don't have the luxury of debating this."
Bobby knew she was right. He just didn't feel right about it. He didn't feel like he had the right to be doing this. With a sigh he walked around to her feet. Alex lifted her right leg, and Bobby gingerly removed her slip on shoe. Switching feet Bobby dropped them both shoes onto the floor beside the couch. Alex arched her back as Bobby pulled at the elastic pants. They pulled down and off her skin easier than Bobby had expected. Haphazardly folding the pants, Bobby placed them beside the shoes. He had managed to not look at her underwear till that point. She was wearing a lacy black pair of soaking wet underwear. Putting aside the obvious images that the pair of underwear conjured up for him, Bobby easily removed those too. He was beginning to wonder what the big deal really was and contemplating their relationship. He quickly put the thoughts out of his head. He didn't have time to think about how he feels about her. Loosely folding the underwear and throwing it on top of the pants
Turning back to face her, he found she had a very uneasy look on her face. Before he can say a word Alex explained, "Contraction coming on."
Without thinking he go to her side and grabbed her hand, and proceeded to help her through her breathing. Within moments it's over. The two stare at each other for a long moment before Bobby let go of her hand. Looking Bobby in the eye Alex asked, "How dilated am I down there?"
By now Alex had her knees bent and her legs spread out. With a little nervousness Bobby stood up and walked around to get a good view of how far along she was. With a frown he began looking Alex in the eyes he answered, "You're up to about four centimeters."
Alex banged her head against the couch in annoyance. This was taking forever. Getting a glance at her watch she could see it was already eleven thirty. She disappointedly fumed, "Great."
Listening to the pain and hardship she was going through Bobby wished there was something he could do for her, anything. He hated feeling helpless, and watching his partner suffer through painful labor definitely qualified as causing Bobby Goren to feel helpless. Bobby stood up off of his knees. He replied, "I think you're progressing fairly fast."
Alex shot him a death glare. She really didn't care about averages and the norm. She wanted to go faster than that. She just wanted it over. She had only had three rounds of contractions, and she was already dreading the next. Each moment this drug on the impatient Eames hated it all the more. Her acceptance from nearly an hour ago was gone. She was getting tired. Not to mention that the longer she had to stare just about straight up to see her partner, the more she was sure he was still growing and becoming some sort of giant. She heard someone opening a pill bottle. Looking over at Bobby she watched with a half smile as he opened the bottle and broke the seal. Removing two or three pills he finally looked up at her. She could see the questioning look on his face. He asked, "Can you take these without water? I can go get you some."
Alex smiled. She couldn't help but wonder how in the world he got to be so sweet. Sitting up Alex interrupted, "I can take them dry."
Bobby smiled. Placing the gel caplets into Alex's now outstretched hand he replied, "They should help a little anyway."
Alex smiled. Popping them in her mouth one at a time and swallowing she wondered how Bobby was able to procure Tylenol. She knew that he kept aspirin. That was his choice of painkillers. She figured it would be story for later. She watched as he removed his suit coat and rolled up his sleeves. She smiled as she watched him drape the coat over one of the chairs in the lobby area.
Alex noticed that Bobby now sat, facing her, with his legs straight out at the side of the couch. He had paced for a few minutes, in silence, before some more contractions had pulled right back to her side. Now, she was sure, he hadn't moved since then, and hadn't really said a word. The constant silence was getting to her. She hated silence, especially from him. Alex sitting up again spoke, "You're too quiet. What are you thinking about over there?"
Bobby smiled his wirily grin that she loved so much. He replied, "Sorry, I just, I'm worried."
Alex smiled. He didn't need to explain any further. She reasoned, "You know women have been doing this for thousands of years, they generally survive."
Bobby smiled back. She definitely had a point, but he also had a point, "But they're not you, and you don't have someone helping you that's done this before."
Alex shrugged. She replied, "Couple of things Goren, first off, I trust you with my life. You can't tell me you haven't been ticking off my due date on some calendar, and that you haven't read at least ten books on pregnancy and delivery. So, I think I'm in pretty good hands, can't be any worse than people who didn't even know how a baby was made beyond it's done through sex. We've come quite a lot farther than that, don't ya think? Besides, there have been plenty of women who look like me that have given birth and were fine. This might be painful, and the boredom is driving me crazy, but I have faith in you. We'll be fine."
Bobby has always been in awe of Alexandra Eames, but he was never more so than in that moment. He never understood how, but he was like an open book for her. She was the only person who could truly ever get into his head. He sheepishly replied, "It's fifteen books."
Alex erupted in fits of giggles, that in the end she figured had been a bad idea, considering the pain that accompanied them. She dryly replied, "Probably own them all too."
Bobby's face was beet red. Nope, he would never understand how she got so good at figuring him out. His next statement was more of a whisper, "Yeah, I do."
Alex shook her head and chastised him, "You know, there are a lot better ways to spend your money than on in-depth studies on subjects that aren't going to affect you or anyone else you know for a long time."
Bobby shot her another smile. It was true, he had gone a bit overboard, but hey, this was Alex he had been thinking about. There wasn't a thing about the pregnancy and delivery that might come up that he wouldn't understand. He replied, "I wouldn't be complaining about me doing research right now Alex. You're the one in labor."
Alex couldn't help but smile. He had a point. At the moment, she had to be glad that he had spent so much money and time researching. That's when another contraction hit her. She grimaced, and Bobby instinctively knew what was wrong now. Grabbing her hand and coaching her through was becoming their method.
Course Alex wouldn't admit it, but she liked it when he held her hand. She liked the feel of her hand in his much larger one. She loved how it made her tingle all over. Course this was after the contractions had passed, and he continued to hold her hand for a few seconds afterwards, and she had no idea that Bobby felt the same way. Leaning her head back once they had finished she enjoyed her few seconds.
This time she didn't even watch him sit back down after he let go of her hand. She just continued staring at the ceiling letting the pain fully dissipate. She jumped when a wet washcloth started gliding over her forehead wiping away the sweat and cooling her down a little. Looking into Bobby's eyes she gave him a small smile and whispered, "Thanks."
Bobby smiled back as he wiped her cheeks and chin. Putting the washcloth back into the bowl, Bobby peaked around the other side of the couch to check how dilated she was. Before Alex could ask Bobby replied, "You're up to six. You're getting there, Eames. Hopefully it won't take too much longer."
Alex shook her head. Sitting up again she replied, "They're getting longer and more painful. You gave me so Tylenol earlier."
It made him sick to have to deny her some painkillers, but he knew he couldn't give her anymore till afterwards. He had already given her three or four. He really wasn't even sure that he should have given her that much. Pain relievers weren't exactly hot topics in the pregnancy books. He hesitantly replied, "Eames, you, you can't have anymore right now. I've already given you more than you should have had, and you're in labor, I can't be sure it's safe for anyone."
Alex groaned. Logically she knew he was right, but she really would like to just tell him to shove recommended dosages and the baby, and give her some more painkillers. Normally Alex finds that she's pretty hearty and can handle her share of pain, but this was more pain than she wanted. She snapped, "Fine. Whatever."
Bobby tilted his head slightly trying to figure out where the remark had really come from. The only thing he could think of was that apparently giving birth made Alex moody. He smiled at the absurdity of his thinking; of course it would make her moody. He calmly replied, "Alex, you know.."
Alex had known how awful it had sounded the moment it came out of her mouth. She was snapping at the guy who risked his life daily for several years now with her, the guy who had bought and read fifteen books cover to cover on the subject of pregnancy and delivery, the guy who had scowered the building for the supplies they would need for her to have as safe a delivery as possible, the guy who was sitting with her and helping her through each contraction, and the guy who had given her any painkillers at all. She had no right to snap at him, and she knew it. She had regretted it, and refused to look at him while he seemed to be scrutinizing her. She was about to apologize when he started to speak. With just three words she knew where the conversation was going. She immediately interrupted, "No, I know. You would if you could. I'm sorry. I have no right to snap at you. I'm just tired, in pain, and frustrated."
Brushing his hand across Alex's cheek and brushing away a few strands of hair he replied, "I know, and I'm sorry. I wish I could make it easier on you."
It made Alex feel better to know he cared so much. With a small smile she replied, "I know. Thank you."
Bobby just smiled back. He settled back down on the floor, just continuing his vigil. After a few minutes more contractions took Bobby to her side again. Once they were over Alex stared at the ceiling again. Without a word Bobby moved hair out of her face again, and he continued to hold her hand, it made him feel better. He tried to be optimistic, "Well, the plus is things are moving along. The contractions are longer and are getting more frequent."
Alex nodded in agreement. Turning her head she looked at him and asked, "Are you sure everything is ok?"
Bobby held her gaze as he answered, "As sure as I can be."
Alex pulled her hand away from his. She nodded before replying, "I had to ask."
With that Bobby leaned over her and kissed her forehead. They just stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Bobby whispered, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Even in that snow, I'd find a way to get you to a hospital first."
Alex smiled. Sometimes she felt like Bobby was more of a guardian angel than just a friend and detective. She replied, "I trust you. Don't worry."
It was Bobby's turn to smile. As far as he was concerned Alex was the most remarkable woman he had ever met. Sitting back down Bobby replied, "It's alright to be scared. I'm not a doctor."
Alex nodded. She really didn't care though. She knew that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. She replied, "Yeah, well, you're not a bad second place."
Bobby smiled. He was glad to have her vote of confidence, but her worry and pain was worrying him too. Not having any experience with women in labor he wasn't sure if she was having more pain that she should be having or if they were both being paranoid. Wiping Alex's face again with the washcloth, all he knew for sure was that she was in major amounts of pain. He could see it on her face. Putting the cloth down Bobby broke the silence, "How did you get to be so brave anyway?"
Alex smiled again. She didn't see herself as brave, but she liked the thought. She replied, "I'm not brave, Bobby. I'm terrified. I'm just trusting you."
Bobby had been hoping that she wasn't just relying on him for strength. He really was hoping that she was using some of her own innate strength. He repeated, "Alex, I'm not a doctor."
Alex nodded in understanding. She replied, "I know that, but I trust you. You won't let anything happen to me. That I'm sure of."
With that Bobby nodded his acceptance. She was right. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe. Of course, within moments more there were more contractions, and Bobby dutifully took his place by her side. Once they passed Bobby looked apologetically at Alex. He spoke, "The worst ones yet."
Alex answered with just a nod. She wasn't feeling particularly talkative. Bobby squeezed her hand and wiped her face again with the washcloth. After a moment he replied, "We're past midnight."
Alex nodded with annoyance. She hated that it was taking so long. Bobby let go of her hand and moved around the side. Looking back up he met her eyes and replied, "You're about eight now."
Alex looked at him hopefully. She was hoping to be able to get this over with soon. She weakly asked, "How many more?"
Bobby hated how much this was taking out of her. He hated, more than anything, the thought of her in pain, and he also hated dashing her hopes. He could hear the hope in her voice. He hesitantly replied, "Two. You, you have to get to ten."
With that Alex smacked her head on the pillow. The frustration was mounting again. Between the pain and frustration of how long it was taking, Alex wasn't sure how much longer she could stand it. She bitterly and sarcastically added, "Great."
Bobby looked at her sympathetically before adding, "Really, shouldn't take too much longer."
Alex answered him with a glare. Pushing herself back up straight she replied, "How thick were those books anyway?"
Bobby smiled at the change of subject. Looking away he replied, "Most of them are pretty thick."
Alex smiled to herself. She figured as much. She replied, "They must have cost a fortune."
In embarrassment Bobby refused to make eye contact with Alex. He sheepishly denied, "They weren't that expensive. I just wanted to make sure I knew everything I needed to know about your pregnancy."
Alex couldn't help but smile in appreciation. There were definitely times, like this, that she was sure the he was in the running for greatest guy ever. She appreciatively replied, "You must have read the same freaking crap about eight or nine times at least."
With a smile Bobby admitted, "Yeah. They generally were a little repetitive."
Alex rolled her eyes. She cooed, "Well, it's sweet. You know, you're way too good to me."
That's when more contractions hit. Bobby was at her side. Alex squeezed his hand this time, not that it bothered Bobby. He just wanted to help her through it. Once it was over Alex stopped squeezing his hand, and the blood began to return. She frowned as he wiped her face again, and apologized, "I'm sorry."
Bobby looked a little confused as he put down the rag. He asked, "For what?"
Alex arched her eyebrows as she straightened up again. Rolling her eyes she replied, "Your hand."
Bobby smiled. Looking at it he commented, "Oh, I've done worse. You know that."
With that Alex smiled. She couldn't argue with him about that. She had seen him cut himself just to prove a point. She shook her head and the memory away. Looking at her hand she asked, "You still have that scar, don't you?"
Bobby continued smiling as he answered, "Yes, I suppose I do. I cut it pretty deep that time."
Alex was immediately alarmed. She instantly met his eyes and asked, "That time?"
Bobby shrugged and nonchalantly replied, "Yeah, I've done it before that too."
Rolling her eyes Alex muttered, "Figures."
Bobby smiled. He enjoyed freaking her out. He replied, "I go with what works."
Alex couldn't help but smile. She teased, "Yeah, well, you didn't have to bandage your hand afterwards. Cutting your hand was no problem, but God forbid I put any antiseptic on it. It took me nearly twenty minutes to get it cleaned and ready to be bandaged because you were acting like such a baby."
Bobby couldn't help but smile and look down at the floor in embarrassment at the same time. He tried to explain, "I, I never liked that stuff."
Alex smiled before retorting, "Obviously."
Bobby smiled again before coming back at her, "Well at least I don't sit around reading those romance novels, pretending to read over the reports."
Alex continued smiling. She teased back, "At least I don't sit around here playing video games, flaunting my boredom. What's the matter Bobby? Miss- puppy-dog-eyes not interesting enough?"
Bobby laughed. It was true. Bishop did seem to have those puppy dog eyes and was hanging all over him. He sobered a little and spoke, "It's not the same without you, that's for sure. But yeah, I've been bored."
This made Alex smile even more. She loved it when she got confessions out of him, well at least when they were harmless funny things. She replied, "And I think everyone knows it too. You could try you know."
Bobby sheepishly smiled at Alex. He knew she was right, but he also knew no one, especially not Bishop, would compare. He replied, "I probably should. It's not like it's going to matter though. She'll be gone in a couple of weeks."
Rolling her eyes Alex replied, "True enough. Bu do try. It's ok for you to get along with other people, ya know. I will be back, even if you learn to live with Bishop."
Bobby was definitely glad to hear those words. He never wanted to really lose Alex as a partner. As far as Bobby was concerned, Alex was his perfect partner. He had never been in sync so well with a partner. Even the ones he had gotten along with were never this good. As far as he was concerned, no one matched Alex. No one ever would. She didn't have to worry; he'd do anything to assure he got her back. He replied, "Trust me, I put up with her. Nothing is going to make me happier than having you back."
Alex smiled some more. She replied, "Thanks. I thought you'd feel that way."
Bobby looked a little surprised. With a little worry in his voice he replied, "Why wouldn't I? You're the best partner I've ever had."
Alex definitely appreciated the confidence and the compliment. Course, that was before the next contractions, which Bobby helped her through, as usual. After wiping her down, and assuring himself that she was pretty ok, Bobby let go of her hand again. Scooting over to check her cervix, he noticed that she was finally at about ten. Looking up at her he smiled, "Well, you made it. You're at ten. Next round, you're going to need to push."
Alex gave a relieved sigh. She was pleased to know that it would be over soon. Looking Bobby in the eyes Alex desperately tried to gather more strength from him. She replied, "This should be fun."
Another smile from Bobby had her smiling too. He sat away from her, waiting. When she felt another one coming on her eyes instantly went to Bobby. He nodded in understanding and quickly got into position waiting for the baby to come out. He calmly began coaching, "Alright, Alex, push."
Alex immediately began pushing. Concentrating on the pushing so much, she was almost being able to tune out Bobby's encouraging coaching. She felt tired, sick, and in major pain from the push she had given. Looking Bobby in the eye again she began pushing again. His encouragement kept her going. Gasping for breath she breathlessly spoke, "I can't do this."
Catching her eye Bobby emphatically yelled back, "Yes, you can. You're almost there. Just a little more. Let's go Alex. You can handle this."
With a deep breath Alex closed her eyes in silent agreement. Pushing as hard as she could again, she was in shock when she heard a baby crying. Her eyes were open instantly. She felt like she was about to pass out, but she was immediately fascinated with this new baby. Bobby smiled up at her. Alex smiled and felt a tad guilty; Bobby had blood all over his suit now. She shook her head. She asked weakly, "How's he doing?"
With an even larger smile at the still crying baby, Bobby replied, "Almost done."
Alex waited for a few more moments. She knew Bobby was taking the umbilical cord removal serious. They both knew that one or both could bleed out if they weren't disconnected properly. She was beginning to worry when Bobby looked up at her with an even bigger and more triumphant smile. He replied, "He's loose now."
Alex nodded her approval and acceptance at this news. She watched with amazement and amusement as she watched Bobby look at the bloody baby and coo, "Now, it's time to get cleaned up isn't it. Say, yeah. Before Aunt Alex sees us, we should be presentable."
Standing now, Bobby headed out the door. Bobby called back over his shoulder to Alex, "I'll be right back. I want to get him clean."
Alex laughed and kept her smile till they returned. In fact, she had almost fallen asleep actually when she heard them approaching again. She noticed that Bobby had managed to find some sort of sheet or cloth to use as a diaper. She smiled and asked, "So he's alright?"
Bobby nodded with satisfaction. He replied, "Oh, yeah, he's great. You want to hold him a second?"
Alex enthusiastically replied, "Yeah, I would love to hold him."
With the goofy smile on Bobby's face still, he went around and assessed what was going on with Alex. Breathing a sigh of relief at not seeing anything wrong he took a moment to watch Alex hold her nephew. He quietly asked, "Do they have a name for him yet?"
Alex shook her head no. She responded, "They can't decide on George or Ryan."
Bobby nodded, understanding the problem. He replied, "They'll chose the perfect name."
Alex smiled up at him. She replied, "Thank you. You went above and beyond tonight."
Bobby sat down beside her and the baby. Lowering his head he replied, "Nothing more than what you needed. I didn't do anything special."
Alex shook her head. She didn't understand why he didn't get it. She decided that it would be best not to press the subject. She asked, "Now what?"
Bobby yawned. Moving the sleeping baby onto some blankets on the floor Bobby replied, "I think we sleep, while we can."
Alex smiled. She agreed. It had been a long night. It was time to get some sleep. Bobby covered the baby up with another blanket, before covering Alex and himself. Alex smirked. She quietly spoke, "Night Bobby."
Laying down Bobby smiled and returned the sentiment, "Good night Alex."
They were both sure that at any moment the baby was going to wake up crying.
Disclaimer: Nope, sorry, don't own anything associated with the show. Making no money. Just playing. Please don't sue. Thanks
Warning: There are a few places in this fic that are a bit graphic. It's nothing REALLY bad, but be warned, it's not a G fic.
A/N: Someone on a list that I'm on mentioned Bobby and Bishop helping Alex deliver her baby. I couldn't resist. This is my version of it. It's, interesting. LOL Please enjoy, and remember to review. Thanks.
Alex sat at her desk reading, thankful that the lights had, at least so far, stayed on. She put down her book and looked up at the clock and rolled her eyes. It was already ten-thirty, and the snow hadn't even let up yet. She was beginning to fear that the two of them would be stuck there for a couple of days.
She looked over into one of the side rooms. She saw Bobby staring intently at pictures of tire marks. She smiled seeing the frustration on his face. Alex assessed that Bobby had been in there alone for hours by that point, and was apparently getting nowhere fast. For his sake she wished Bishop had stayed. She figured he could use some help, but Bishop had managed to get out before the storm got so bad that they were snowed in, along with a handful of other people. She would have gone to help him herself, but it wasn't her case, and she really couldn't get involved. She sighed. At least he was able to take advantage of being snowed in and try to get some work done. Alex was sure she would be spending the next couple of days bored out of her mind, she had long since finished all the paperwork she needed to do, the whole reason she had stayed longer in the first place. With another sigh she picked back up her mystery novel and began reading again.
Alex was still reading when she saw a hand come between her and the book, jolting her out of her reading. She looked up to see Bobby in front of her. She smiled and sheepishly said, "Sorry. Were you saying something?"
She was seriously embarrassed now. Bobby could tell. He smiled brightly. They both enjoyed getting the best of the other. He replied, "I was, just wanted to, to know what you thought of the tire marks."
Alex smiled back. She had guessed it had to do with the tire marks. It might not be her case, technically, but who was she to turn down her desperate partner, who was looking for confirmation on a piece of evidence. Taking a deep breath she hesitantly replied, "Alright. Let's see them."
With a smile of satisfaction, Bobby plopped two photographs on Alex's desk for her to look at. It took Alex a minute to catch the difference in the tire marks. Pointing at places in the photographs she replied, "There. They're not the same car."
With a nod, Bobby mumbled a thank you. With a smile he headed back to the room that he had been occupying and had his stuff all sprawled out in. She smiled amused by his antics and happiness to be proven right. Looking at the clock though made Alex frown again. It was only ten forty-five. With another sigh she began reading again, hoping to not be interrupted for a while longer, then she could find a place in the building to try and get some sleep. Of course this wasn't going to be an easy feat, considering her ever-protruding belly. There were times she wished she had never agreed to this surrogacy gig. This was one of those times. She just knew there wouldn't be a place in the whole building that she would be comfortable.
She was so busy grimacing about her sleeping options that the feeling took a moment to register in her brain. There was suddenly something uncomfortably wet in her chair. Pulling herself out of her chair, she suddenly realized that the liquid was coming from herself! With a look of wide-eyed panic Alex called into the meeting room, "Bobby."
Hearing his name, Bobby immediately walked out of the room, and into the main room. He immediately saw the panic on Alex's face, taking in her presence; he noticed her pants were wet. His head snapped up to meet her eyes. He was now panicking himself. He hesitantly asked, "What's wrong?"
Running her hands through her hair she announced, "I think my water just broke."
This did little to calm Bobby down. He instantly began walking towards his partner. He asked, "You sure, because you're not due for another eight days?"
Alex was exasperated. She had an urge to throttle him at that moment for asking such a stupid question. Course it also made her wonder how in the world he knew her due date. She spoke with a little more edge to her voice than she meant, "Yes, I'm sure."
Alex could see the panic and worry in his eyes, but he desperately tried to cover it up and soothingly reply, "Alright, we just need to find you a soft place."
Alex was suddenly confused. She replied, "No, no, I need to call my sister, my doctor, the hospital.."
Bobby grabbed Alex's hand, effectively getting her to shut up. Looking down from their hands to his face Bobby reminded her, "Eames, we're snowed in. Remember?"
Jerking her hand away Alex felt like she was going to be sick. She couldn't believe this was happening. This was the last situation she had wanted to find herself in. Looking away from Bobby she began to let her panic seep into her voice, "I can't do this here."
Catching her gaze, Bobby held it. He assured her, "Yes, you can. We don't exactly have a say in this situation. He wants out."
Alex couldn't exactly put her finger on why, but Bobby's little pep talk did nothing but make her giggle. Feeling sudden pains, which Alex immediately identified as contractions Alex knew Bobby was right she wasn't going to have a choice in this matter. It passed before Bobby was able to get extremely suspicious, which thrilled Alex. She didn't want him to worry more than he was already having to. Running her hands through her hair again, Alex found her strength again. She trusted Bobby. She knew he'd do whatever it took to make sure that she and her nephew both made it out of this mess more or less in tact. Surrendering her fears she quietly asked, "Now what?"
Alex could see the wheels turning in his head. He was recalling information from somewhere in that brain of her. She couldn't help but smile at this. It suddenly dawned on her that how closely he had been keeping track of her pregnancy and how many books he must have read on the subject by this point. It made her feel better. He'd at least have a clue as to what was to come. He finally replied, "There's a couch in the hallway out there. It's probably the softest place in the whole building."
With that Alex was off. Bobby followed attentively behind her. He was terrified and not sure he had all the information he was going to need for this. Yes, inside Bobby Goren was most definitely a complete mess, but there was no way he was going to let Alex know this, yet anyway. He helped and hovered as Alex lay down on the couch. She was hoping this would be a quick process, and actually hoped for more labor pains, because she knew as well as anyone else that the longer between contractions the longer till the baby is born. She definitely didn't want a long labor. He had been hovering over her for only just a few moments, but she was already sick of it. Looking at him she snapped, "I'm not going to break Goren. You can back off a little, you know."
Bobby sheepishly stepped away and mumbled, "Sorry. I'll, I'm going to go find some things for us to use."
She immediately regretted snapping at him, but he was driving her crazy. Her voice was purposely and most decidedly calmer when she answered, "I'll be fine Goren, I promise. Go get what we need."
With that Bobby nodded and left Alex to herself. It was then that Alex admitted to herself how happy she was to have Bobby as a friend and partner. She had no doubt that he would do anything for her. She knew Bobby was just one step away from her doctor at this point. She just knew that he had bought and read a good ten books, at least, on pregnancy and birth. She knew he knew more than she did even! She smiled at the thought.
It took another ten minutes before Bobby returned. In that time Alex had made it through another round of contractions. Sticking to her breathing, she was sure that her body wasn't ready. Bobby hurriedly walked around the corner and began laying out his loot. Alex smiled to herself to see the armloads of things that he was hoping might help. He had managed to get some Tylenol, scissors, towels, napkins, and even a bowl of water. The worried expression on his face only seemed to lessen slightly as he asked, "How's it going?"
Alex arched her eyebrows. She sarcastically replied, "It's going great."
Bobby gave her an exasperated look. He was seriously not in the mood for her normal sarcasm. He tried again, "Any contractions? Anything?"
Alex knew she had to tell him the truth. Taking a deep breath she confessed, "I'm sorry. Two sets of contractions so far. This is probably going to take a while."
The last comment elicited a nod from Bobby. He soothingly replied, "For your sake hopefully not that long."
Alex was hoping he was right. She didn't want this to take very long. Alex looked up at Bobby. She hesitantly reminded, "You need to help me get my pants off."
Bobby immediately met her gaze. He was horrified. The fact that she had to be exposed hadn't even crossed his mind. He felt a little shy about doing this too, after all this was Alex, his partner and best friend. Something about it felt a little like he was taking advantage of her. He just wasn't comfortable with the whole idea. He didn't want her to be uncomfortable with the situation and him, by extension, later. Alex was the best partner he had ever had, he didn't want to muddy up the relationship, not like this anyway. He loved her and didn't want to hurt her. He just stared blankly into Alex's face, which was stifling laughs. She couldn't understand why he was embarrassed and worried about taking her pants off. She exasperatedly teased Bobby, "Come on! You can't be serious. You're embarrassed to undress me? The Great Bobby Goren who flirts with most of the women who work in this building and has gone out with a great deal of them is embarrassed about taking off my pants?"
Secretly Alex was flattered that he seemed to have such respect for her that he didn't want to hurt her. She knew that was the real reason he wasn't already helping her out of her pants, but there wasn't exactly room for modesty at this point. Not to mention that she oddly enough didn't mind him seeing her undressed. It didn't bother her. In fact she almost liked the idea. She figured this was not the time to start contemplating their relationship. She was pleased though to see a smile form on across his face. He hadn't failed to also see the humor in his modesty, but apparently seeing the humor in the situation didn't keep it from being uncomfortable for him. He quietly asked, "You, are you sure you want me to."
Alex couldn't believe he was still acting this way. For a fleeting moment she considered that he just didn't feel worthy of seeing her that way, but she dismissed the idea as irrelevant at the moment. They could talk about them later. She could dwell on their relationship later. Right now she was having a baby, and she didn't have time to debate this. She emphatically and exasperatedly replied, "Yes, I'm sure. I can't have this baby with these pants on now can I? I know you're trying to be a gentleman and sweet, and I love you for it, but we really don't have the luxury of debating this."
Bobby knew she was right. He just didn't feel right about it. He didn't feel like he had the right to be doing this. With a sigh he walked around to her feet. Alex lifted her right leg, and Bobby gingerly removed her slip on shoe. Switching feet Bobby dropped them both shoes onto the floor beside the couch. Alex arched her back as Bobby pulled at the elastic pants. They pulled down and off her skin easier than Bobby had expected. Haphazardly folding the pants, Bobby placed them beside the shoes. He had managed to not look at her underwear till that point. She was wearing a lacy black pair of soaking wet underwear. Putting aside the obvious images that the pair of underwear conjured up for him, Bobby easily removed those too. He was beginning to wonder what the big deal really was and contemplating their relationship. He quickly put the thoughts out of his head. He didn't have time to think about how he feels about her. Loosely folding the underwear and throwing it on top of the pants
Turning back to face her, he found she had a very uneasy look on her face. Before he can say a word Alex explained, "Contraction coming on."
Without thinking he go to her side and grabbed her hand, and proceeded to help her through her breathing. Within moments it's over. The two stare at each other for a long moment before Bobby let go of her hand. Looking Bobby in the eye Alex asked, "How dilated am I down there?"
By now Alex had her knees bent and her legs spread out. With a little nervousness Bobby stood up and walked around to get a good view of how far along she was. With a frown he began looking Alex in the eyes he answered, "You're up to about four centimeters."
Alex banged her head against the couch in annoyance. This was taking forever. Getting a glance at her watch she could see it was already eleven thirty. She disappointedly fumed, "Great."
Listening to the pain and hardship she was going through Bobby wished there was something he could do for her, anything. He hated feeling helpless, and watching his partner suffer through painful labor definitely qualified as causing Bobby Goren to feel helpless. Bobby stood up off of his knees. He replied, "I think you're progressing fairly fast."
Alex shot him a death glare. She really didn't care about averages and the norm. She wanted to go faster than that. She just wanted it over. She had only had three rounds of contractions, and she was already dreading the next. Each moment this drug on the impatient Eames hated it all the more. Her acceptance from nearly an hour ago was gone. She was getting tired. Not to mention that the longer she had to stare just about straight up to see her partner, the more she was sure he was still growing and becoming some sort of giant. She heard someone opening a pill bottle. Looking over at Bobby she watched with a half smile as he opened the bottle and broke the seal. Removing two or three pills he finally looked up at her. She could see the questioning look on his face. He asked, "Can you take these without water? I can go get you some."
Alex smiled. She couldn't help but wonder how in the world he got to be so sweet. Sitting up Alex interrupted, "I can take them dry."
Bobby smiled. Placing the gel caplets into Alex's now outstretched hand he replied, "They should help a little anyway."
Alex smiled. Popping them in her mouth one at a time and swallowing she wondered how Bobby was able to procure Tylenol. She knew that he kept aspirin. That was his choice of painkillers. She figured it would be story for later. She watched as he removed his suit coat and rolled up his sleeves. She smiled as she watched him drape the coat over one of the chairs in the lobby area.
Alex noticed that Bobby now sat, facing her, with his legs straight out at the side of the couch. He had paced for a few minutes, in silence, before some more contractions had pulled right back to her side. Now, she was sure, he hadn't moved since then, and hadn't really said a word. The constant silence was getting to her. She hated silence, especially from him. Alex sitting up again spoke, "You're too quiet. What are you thinking about over there?"
Bobby smiled his wirily grin that she loved so much. He replied, "Sorry, I just, I'm worried."
Alex smiled. He didn't need to explain any further. She reasoned, "You know women have been doing this for thousands of years, they generally survive."
Bobby smiled back. She definitely had a point, but he also had a point, "But they're not you, and you don't have someone helping you that's done this before."
Alex shrugged. She replied, "Couple of things Goren, first off, I trust you with my life. You can't tell me you haven't been ticking off my due date on some calendar, and that you haven't read at least ten books on pregnancy and delivery. So, I think I'm in pretty good hands, can't be any worse than people who didn't even know how a baby was made beyond it's done through sex. We've come quite a lot farther than that, don't ya think? Besides, there have been plenty of women who look like me that have given birth and were fine. This might be painful, and the boredom is driving me crazy, but I have faith in you. We'll be fine."
Bobby has always been in awe of Alexandra Eames, but he was never more so than in that moment. He never understood how, but he was like an open book for her. She was the only person who could truly ever get into his head. He sheepishly replied, "It's fifteen books."
Alex erupted in fits of giggles, that in the end she figured had been a bad idea, considering the pain that accompanied them. She dryly replied, "Probably own them all too."
Bobby's face was beet red. Nope, he would never understand how she got so good at figuring him out. His next statement was more of a whisper, "Yeah, I do."
Alex shook her head and chastised him, "You know, there are a lot better ways to spend your money than on in-depth studies on subjects that aren't going to affect you or anyone else you know for a long time."
Bobby shot her another smile. It was true, he had gone a bit overboard, but hey, this was Alex he had been thinking about. There wasn't a thing about the pregnancy and delivery that might come up that he wouldn't understand. He replied, "I wouldn't be complaining about me doing research right now Alex. You're the one in labor."
Alex couldn't help but smile. He had a point. At the moment, she had to be glad that he had spent so much money and time researching. That's when another contraction hit her. She grimaced, and Bobby instinctively knew what was wrong now. Grabbing her hand and coaching her through was becoming their method.
Course Alex wouldn't admit it, but she liked it when he held her hand. She liked the feel of her hand in his much larger one. She loved how it made her tingle all over. Course this was after the contractions had passed, and he continued to hold her hand for a few seconds afterwards, and she had no idea that Bobby felt the same way. Leaning her head back once they had finished she enjoyed her few seconds.
This time she didn't even watch him sit back down after he let go of her hand. She just continued staring at the ceiling letting the pain fully dissipate. She jumped when a wet washcloth started gliding over her forehead wiping away the sweat and cooling her down a little. Looking into Bobby's eyes she gave him a small smile and whispered, "Thanks."
Bobby smiled back as he wiped her cheeks and chin. Putting the washcloth back into the bowl, Bobby peaked around the other side of the couch to check how dilated she was. Before Alex could ask Bobby replied, "You're up to six. You're getting there, Eames. Hopefully it won't take too much longer."
Alex shook her head. Sitting up again she replied, "They're getting longer and more painful. You gave me so Tylenol earlier."
It made him sick to have to deny her some painkillers, but he knew he couldn't give her anymore till afterwards. He had already given her three or four. He really wasn't even sure that he should have given her that much. Pain relievers weren't exactly hot topics in the pregnancy books. He hesitantly replied, "Eames, you, you can't have anymore right now. I've already given you more than you should have had, and you're in labor, I can't be sure it's safe for anyone."
Alex groaned. Logically she knew he was right, but she really would like to just tell him to shove recommended dosages and the baby, and give her some more painkillers. Normally Alex finds that she's pretty hearty and can handle her share of pain, but this was more pain than she wanted. She snapped, "Fine. Whatever."
Bobby tilted his head slightly trying to figure out where the remark had really come from. The only thing he could think of was that apparently giving birth made Alex moody. He smiled at the absurdity of his thinking; of course it would make her moody. He calmly replied, "Alex, you know.."
Alex had known how awful it had sounded the moment it came out of her mouth. She was snapping at the guy who risked his life daily for several years now with her, the guy who had bought and read fifteen books cover to cover on the subject of pregnancy and delivery, the guy who had scowered the building for the supplies they would need for her to have as safe a delivery as possible, the guy who was sitting with her and helping her through each contraction, and the guy who had given her any painkillers at all. She had no right to snap at him, and she knew it. She had regretted it, and refused to look at him while he seemed to be scrutinizing her. She was about to apologize when he started to speak. With just three words she knew where the conversation was going. She immediately interrupted, "No, I know. You would if you could. I'm sorry. I have no right to snap at you. I'm just tired, in pain, and frustrated."
Brushing his hand across Alex's cheek and brushing away a few strands of hair he replied, "I know, and I'm sorry. I wish I could make it easier on you."
It made Alex feel better to know he cared so much. With a small smile she replied, "I know. Thank you."
Bobby just smiled back. He settled back down on the floor, just continuing his vigil. After a few minutes more contractions took Bobby to her side again. Once they were over Alex stared at the ceiling again. Without a word Bobby moved hair out of her face again, and he continued to hold her hand, it made him feel better. He tried to be optimistic, "Well, the plus is things are moving along. The contractions are longer and are getting more frequent."
Alex nodded in agreement. Turning her head she looked at him and asked, "Are you sure everything is ok?"
Bobby held her gaze as he answered, "As sure as I can be."
Alex pulled her hand away from his. She nodded before replying, "I had to ask."
With that Bobby leaned over her and kissed her forehead. They just stared into each other's eyes for a moment before Bobby whispered, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Even in that snow, I'd find a way to get you to a hospital first."
Alex smiled. Sometimes she felt like Bobby was more of a guardian angel than just a friend and detective. She replied, "I trust you. Don't worry."
It was Bobby's turn to smile. As far as he was concerned Alex was the most remarkable woman he had ever met. Sitting back down Bobby replied, "It's alright to be scared. I'm not a doctor."
Alex nodded. She really didn't care though. She knew that he wouldn't let anything happen to her. She replied, "Yeah, well, you're not a bad second place."
Bobby smiled. He was glad to have her vote of confidence, but her worry and pain was worrying him too. Not having any experience with women in labor he wasn't sure if she was having more pain that she should be having or if they were both being paranoid. Wiping Alex's face again with the washcloth, all he knew for sure was that she was in major amounts of pain. He could see it on her face. Putting the cloth down Bobby broke the silence, "How did you get to be so brave anyway?"
Alex smiled again. She didn't see herself as brave, but she liked the thought. She replied, "I'm not brave, Bobby. I'm terrified. I'm just trusting you."
Bobby had been hoping that she wasn't just relying on him for strength. He really was hoping that she was using some of her own innate strength. He repeated, "Alex, I'm not a doctor."
Alex nodded in understanding. She replied, "I know that, but I trust you. You won't let anything happen to me. That I'm sure of."
With that Bobby nodded his acceptance. She was right. He would do whatever it took to keep her safe. Of course, within moments more there were more contractions, and Bobby dutifully took his place by her side. Once they passed Bobby looked apologetically at Alex. He spoke, "The worst ones yet."
Alex answered with just a nod. She wasn't feeling particularly talkative. Bobby squeezed her hand and wiped her face again with the washcloth. After a moment he replied, "We're past midnight."
Alex nodded with annoyance. She hated that it was taking so long. Bobby let go of her hand and moved around the side. Looking back up he met her eyes and replied, "You're about eight now."
Alex looked at him hopefully. She was hoping to be able to get this over with soon. She weakly asked, "How many more?"
Bobby hated how much this was taking out of her. He hated, more than anything, the thought of her in pain, and he also hated dashing her hopes. He could hear the hope in her voice. He hesitantly replied, "Two. You, you have to get to ten."
With that Alex smacked her head on the pillow. The frustration was mounting again. Between the pain and frustration of how long it was taking, Alex wasn't sure how much longer she could stand it. She bitterly and sarcastically added, "Great."
Bobby looked at her sympathetically before adding, "Really, shouldn't take too much longer."
Alex answered him with a glare. Pushing herself back up straight she replied, "How thick were those books anyway?"
Bobby smiled at the change of subject. Looking away he replied, "Most of them are pretty thick."
Alex smiled to herself. She figured as much. She replied, "They must have cost a fortune."
In embarrassment Bobby refused to make eye contact with Alex. He sheepishly denied, "They weren't that expensive. I just wanted to make sure I knew everything I needed to know about your pregnancy."
Alex couldn't help but smile in appreciation. There were definitely times, like this, that she was sure the he was in the running for greatest guy ever. She appreciatively replied, "You must have read the same freaking crap about eight or nine times at least."
With a smile Bobby admitted, "Yeah. They generally were a little repetitive."
Alex rolled her eyes. She cooed, "Well, it's sweet. You know, you're way too good to me."
That's when more contractions hit. Bobby was at her side. Alex squeezed his hand this time, not that it bothered Bobby. He just wanted to help her through it. Once it was over Alex stopped squeezing his hand, and the blood began to return. She frowned as he wiped her face again, and apologized, "I'm sorry."
Bobby looked a little confused as he put down the rag. He asked, "For what?"
Alex arched her eyebrows as she straightened up again. Rolling her eyes she replied, "Your hand."
Bobby smiled. Looking at it he commented, "Oh, I've done worse. You know that."
With that Alex smiled. She couldn't argue with him about that. She had seen him cut himself just to prove a point. She shook her head and the memory away. Looking at her hand she asked, "You still have that scar, don't you?"
Bobby continued smiling as he answered, "Yes, I suppose I do. I cut it pretty deep that time."
Alex was immediately alarmed. She instantly met his eyes and asked, "That time?"
Bobby shrugged and nonchalantly replied, "Yeah, I've done it before that too."
Rolling her eyes Alex muttered, "Figures."
Bobby smiled. He enjoyed freaking her out. He replied, "I go with what works."
Alex couldn't help but smile. She teased, "Yeah, well, you didn't have to bandage your hand afterwards. Cutting your hand was no problem, but God forbid I put any antiseptic on it. It took me nearly twenty minutes to get it cleaned and ready to be bandaged because you were acting like such a baby."
Bobby couldn't help but smile and look down at the floor in embarrassment at the same time. He tried to explain, "I, I never liked that stuff."
Alex smiled before retorting, "Obviously."
Bobby smiled again before coming back at her, "Well at least I don't sit around reading those romance novels, pretending to read over the reports."
Alex continued smiling. She teased back, "At least I don't sit around here playing video games, flaunting my boredom. What's the matter Bobby? Miss- puppy-dog-eyes not interesting enough?"
Bobby laughed. It was true. Bishop did seem to have those puppy dog eyes and was hanging all over him. He sobered a little and spoke, "It's not the same without you, that's for sure. But yeah, I've been bored."
This made Alex smile even more. She loved it when she got confessions out of him, well at least when they were harmless funny things. She replied, "And I think everyone knows it too. You could try you know."
Bobby sheepishly smiled at Alex. He knew she was right, but he also knew no one, especially not Bishop, would compare. He replied, "I probably should. It's not like it's going to matter though. She'll be gone in a couple of weeks."
Rolling her eyes Alex replied, "True enough. Bu do try. It's ok for you to get along with other people, ya know. I will be back, even if you learn to live with Bishop."
Bobby was definitely glad to hear those words. He never wanted to really lose Alex as a partner. As far as Bobby was concerned, Alex was his perfect partner. He had never been in sync so well with a partner. Even the ones he had gotten along with were never this good. As far as he was concerned, no one matched Alex. No one ever would. She didn't have to worry; he'd do anything to assure he got her back. He replied, "Trust me, I put up with her. Nothing is going to make me happier than having you back."
Alex smiled some more. She replied, "Thanks. I thought you'd feel that way."
Bobby looked a little surprised. With a little worry in his voice he replied, "Why wouldn't I? You're the best partner I've ever had."
Alex definitely appreciated the confidence and the compliment. Course, that was before the next contractions, which Bobby helped her through, as usual. After wiping her down, and assuring himself that she was pretty ok, Bobby let go of her hand again. Scooting over to check her cervix, he noticed that she was finally at about ten. Looking up at her he smiled, "Well, you made it. You're at ten. Next round, you're going to need to push."
Alex gave a relieved sigh. She was pleased to know that it would be over soon. Looking Bobby in the eyes Alex desperately tried to gather more strength from him. She replied, "This should be fun."
Another smile from Bobby had her smiling too. He sat away from her, waiting. When she felt another one coming on her eyes instantly went to Bobby. He nodded in understanding and quickly got into position waiting for the baby to come out. He calmly began coaching, "Alright, Alex, push."
Alex immediately began pushing. Concentrating on the pushing so much, she was almost being able to tune out Bobby's encouraging coaching. She felt tired, sick, and in major pain from the push she had given. Looking Bobby in the eye again she began pushing again. His encouragement kept her going. Gasping for breath she breathlessly spoke, "I can't do this."
Catching her eye Bobby emphatically yelled back, "Yes, you can. You're almost there. Just a little more. Let's go Alex. You can handle this."
With a deep breath Alex closed her eyes in silent agreement. Pushing as hard as she could again, she was in shock when she heard a baby crying. Her eyes were open instantly. She felt like she was about to pass out, but she was immediately fascinated with this new baby. Bobby smiled up at her. Alex smiled and felt a tad guilty; Bobby had blood all over his suit now. She shook her head. She asked weakly, "How's he doing?"
With an even larger smile at the still crying baby, Bobby replied, "Almost done."
Alex waited for a few more moments. She knew Bobby was taking the umbilical cord removal serious. They both knew that one or both could bleed out if they weren't disconnected properly. She was beginning to worry when Bobby looked up at her with an even bigger and more triumphant smile. He replied, "He's loose now."
Alex nodded her approval and acceptance at this news. She watched with amazement and amusement as she watched Bobby look at the bloody baby and coo, "Now, it's time to get cleaned up isn't it. Say, yeah. Before Aunt Alex sees us, we should be presentable."
Standing now, Bobby headed out the door. Bobby called back over his shoulder to Alex, "I'll be right back. I want to get him clean."
Alex laughed and kept her smile till they returned. In fact, she had almost fallen asleep actually when she heard them approaching again. She noticed that Bobby had managed to find some sort of sheet or cloth to use as a diaper. She smiled and asked, "So he's alright?"
Bobby nodded with satisfaction. He replied, "Oh, yeah, he's great. You want to hold him a second?"
Alex enthusiastically replied, "Yeah, I would love to hold him."
With the goofy smile on Bobby's face still, he went around and assessed what was going on with Alex. Breathing a sigh of relief at not seeing anything wrong he took a moment to watch Alex hold her nephew. He quietly asked, "Do they have a name for him yet?"
Alex shook her head no. She responded, "They can't decide on George or Ryan."
Bobby nodded, understanding the problem. He replied, "They'll chose the perfect name."
Alex smiled up at him. She replied, "Thank you. You went above and beyond tonight."
Bobby sat down beside her and the baby. Lowering his head he replied, "Nothing more than what you needed. I didn't do anything special."
Alex shook her head. She didn't understand why he didn't get it. She decided that it would be best not to press the subject. She asked, "Now what?"
Bobby yawned. Moving the sleeping baby onto some blankets on the floor Bobby replied, "I think we sleep, while we can."
Alex smiled. She agreed. It had been a long night. It was time to get some sleep. Bobby covered the baby up with another blanket, before covering Alex and himself. Alex smirked. She quietly spoke, "Night Bobby."
Laying down Bobby smiled and returned the sentiment, "Good night Alex."
They were both sure that at any moment the baby was going to wake up crying.