"Wake up...wake up...wake up... please..," he pleads.
"Sir, she is bleeding profusely," Maria warns.
Fitz leaps to his feet as his mind goes into overdrive.
"NO! This can't be happening. Burt! Henry! We are driving. I am driving!"
"With all due respect, Sir, I don't think you are in any condition to drive."
"I AM YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF. I GIVE THE ORDERS, I DON'T TAKE THEM; IS THAT CLEAR?!"
Silence.
"IS THAT CLEAR?"
"Yes, Sir."
They clean up and tend to Olivia as best they can and then begin heading to the garage. With Liv in his arms and the baby in Maria's he changes his mind.
"O'kay, you drive." He wasn't about to leave her side for even a second. As they make their way to the hospital Fitz pleads with God.
"...hello? Are you up there? You can't be this cruel. When we're finally happy? Our baby needs her mother. We deserve to be happy. Don't take her away from us. Please.."
There had been a break in the weather long enough to allow plows to clear some of the main highways. This allowed them to arrive at the hospital faster than Fitz had anticipated. Grateful. He rushes them in through the emergency room doors and hands his girls over to the awaiting medical personnel. And then, he waits. And he waits. He waits for what seems like an eternity but in reality has only been about twenty minutes, when the doctor comes to a distressed Fitz.
"Doctor! How is she?"
"She has lost a lot of blood. We're doing everything we can, Mr. President."
"That's not enough! You don't understand. She is everything! She is everything to me, and I can not lose her... I would never forgive myself if...
"You did everything right, Sir. According to the medical records we received from Dr. Leibowitz, your wife has a rare blood type, O-, and because of the hemorrhaging before, the baby's blood mixed with hers causing your wife's body to produce antibodies against the baby's positive blood type."
"Speak plainly, doctor!"
"Don't blame yourself for this."
Fitz seems unconvinced.
"...and my baby?"
"She's a miracle. Perfectly healthy! Just a little under 5 pounds," the doctor smiles brightly at the new daddy.
From nowhere, the lights turn off and then back on again.
"What's happening?"
"Nothing to worry about, that's just the generator kicking in. The power has been flickering off and on all night because of the ice storm. Come with me, i'll take you to your wife."
"Doctor, I want her with us. Our baby... ." The doctor starts to protest but Fitz insists.
"It'll help my wife if our baby is there."
"Alright, i'll see what I can arrange."
"Thank you, doctor."
Fitz sits at his wife's bedside for what seems like another eternity. She still has not awoken. Finally, two nurses come to them with the incubator housing their small infant. They leave the incubator at Olivia's bedside. Fitz looks at his girls. They both seem so small and frail, and yet so peaceful. As Fitz approaches the incubator his baby girl awakens and fusses a little. Daddy is tempted to let his baby's small cries go on for a moment, hoping it will awaken mommy but he can't refuse her.
"Looks like I can't say 'no' to you either... my little miracle. What would your mom think if I named you Miracle? ...hmm?" He gently kisses her forehead and takes her to Olivia. "Wake up, sweetheart, and meet little Miracle. Sweetheart? I know how much you hate when I call you that. So wake up and chide me. Tell me how generic it is." With baby in hand, Fitz looks at his wife expectantly... certain that she would wake right then and there... he is disappointed. "Mommy is always so stubborn," he complains to the peaceful baby.
"No, i'm not," she whispers, hoarsely.
Fitz's elation is subtle, quiet. As though he'd spent the entire night running around without a destination and he'd finally arrived; home.
"Hi."
"Hi. You can call me sweetheart for the rest of our days but our baby's name is, Lia."
"Lia?"
"Lia," she confirms.
As Liv rolls to her side he tucks baby Lia into the curve of her body allowing mother and baby to meet face to face, finally.
The doctor comes to check on his patient, "And how is our First Family doing?"
"We're fine doctor!" Fitz happily replies. "When can I take them home?"
"It's 4 o'clock in the morning, Sir, and we still need to run a few tests."
"Run whatever tests you like but my baby is not spending her first Christmas in hospital. Right, sweetheart?" He looks to Olivia for support. She smiles at him then looks to the doctor.
"Forgive him, doctor. When my husband sets his mind on something there is no changing it." Fitz nods in agreement.
"Fine. Ten more minutes, then I'll need my tests."
"Twenty!"
The doctor walks out shaking his head, but honored; so much love in the little family.
Olivia is already nursing the baby and Fitz looks on in awe of the whole process.
"Lia Hope Grant?"
Olivia purses her lips and amends, "Lia Hope Pope-Grant."
They both gaze at her. Her little hands attempting to grab at her mother's breast as she suckles.
"Have you ever seen such a perfect thing in your life?" he asks.
She shakes her head, "No."
A/N:
"Sometimes "No" is just the perfect word. And there you have it! A Christmas Miracle! Sense & Sensibilities now welcome;) "
Leave comments/reviews here, or find me on twitter scandal_redhot ("family photos" posted there)
"It might seem implausible but I can so see Fitz being that guy, who knows how to deliver a baby. #AnythingForLiv "