A/N:It should be obvious, I hope, but this isn't a continuing story, so much as three small 'what-if' stories. Variations on a theme, if you will.
At first, Elizabeth had thought nothing of it. Typical locker-room chatter between some other nurses, she had only listened with half an ear as she changed into her street clothes. A woman had gone into labor, delivered a healthy child, and then hemorrhaged, dying despite all efforts to save her. Sad, but sad things happened every day in General Hospital.
The furtive glances in her direction, accompanied by quickly hushed voices, as she'd turned away from her locker was a different story.
Foreboding starting to churn in her gut, she had detoured back to the nurses' station and logged on to the computer, and was now scrolling through Labor & Delivery records to find the name of today's deceased patient. It was silly, probably a complete stranger, she'd just make sure and then go home...
Siobhan Spencer.
With suddenly numbed fingers, she logged off and headed toward the stairs at a run.
When she reached the NICU, however, she stopped. She could see Lucky through the window, pacing restlessly in circles around a bassinet at the far end of the room. She had read the chart, she knew the baby was technically premature but completely healthy; normally that would mean staying in the mother's room until checkout, but in this case...
She couldn't think of what to say, she and Lucky had not spoken beyond the absolute necessities involving Cam and Aidan in months. Not since that awful day he had told her Siobhan was pregnant and she had accused him of trying to replace Jake. She flinched at the memory and pushed the door open.
She went straight to Lucky and wrapped her arms around him. She half-expected him to stiffen and pull away, tears came to her eyes when he choked out her name and leaned into her embrace. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.
He did step away then, though he clasped her hand. His eyes were red-rimmed but there were no tears in them.
"I don't...it happened so fast," he said, voice ragged and disbelieving. Studying his face, she thought he looked more shocked than grief-stricken.
He didn't really love her, she thought, not for the first time. The thought brought her no satisfaction. If she knew Lucky - and she did - that might make it worse for him in the days ahead.
"I have to call her family. In Ireland," he said in a distant tone. "And the boys, I have to tell them. I don't know how," he added.
Elizabeth felt her heart sink. Aidan was still too little to understand death, but not to pick up on the emotions of everyone around him, and Cam... Cam liked Siobhan and had already known far more grief than any eight year-old boy should.
"I'll help you," she said firmly. "We'll do that together. Is this the baby?" she asked, turning toward the bassinet. A foolish question, but she thought it was a good idea to divert his attention. "You should hold her. Hold her as much as you can." He gave her startled look, but obediently picked her up and cuddled her close to his chest.
"Oh," he said softly, and Elizabeth wondered if this was actually the first time he had held his new child. They stood in silence for several minutes before Lucky shocked her by turning and placing the baby in her arms.
"Oh," she echoed, staring. "She looks like Aidan." Lucky laughed and if it sounded a little watery, it was still a laugh. "I guess that's not surprising. Except, look at that!" The baby stretched suddenly, blue eyes popping open, and the tiny hat on her head slid halfway off, revealing wispy tufts of hair that was a definite reddish-gold in color.
"She's beautiful, Lucky," she said in complete sincerity. "Does she have a name?"
"Siobhan," he swallowed hard on the name, but continued on. "Siobhan was thinking Maeve, she told me it was the name of a warrior goddess. I wasn't so sure about it, but..." he shrugged.
Elizabeth wanted badly to hug him again, but hitched the baby up higher instead. "Hello, Maeve Spencer. My name is Elizabeth. We're going to be good friends, all right? You're a lucky little girl, because your daddy loves you so much and you have two big brothers who are gonna love you like crazy, too. And you have two guardian angels. One is your mother, who is always going to look out for you and the other is your brother Jake." Her vision blurred and she became aware of Lucky's arm around her shoulders.