Opal Dreams and Magnolia Memories

This is a continuation of the last chapter, picking up immediately where it left off. Also, I have no medical knowledge, so ignore any obvious errors in that arena.

Please review!

"What about her? We need to do this in a hospital, not the clinic."

"I know. Stupid kid let her be in labor for hours and ... "

"She probably wouldn't let him take her. She's probably not here legally. It happens a lot around here. She didn't want to be deported."

Alex took a deep breath and looked at the girl on the gurney.

"Iz, look, she'll keep losing blood until we get the baby out. We've got to do a C-section."

"Are you sure the baby won't move?"

"The baby is completely stuck on her pelvis. It's not moving. The only chance that either of them have is for us to take the baby."

Their eyes locked for a moment, and she knew he was dead serious.

"Okay. Okay, let's do it."

"BP's down to 80/50."

"We've got to do this now."

"Sara, go to the supply room and get the cesarean kit and everything we'll need for surgery."

The nurse looked up at Izzie with trepidation.

"Go!" Izzie shouted, thankful she had thought to order one for the clinic.

"We can't put her under. We'll have to use a local," Alex noted.

Sara came back with the kit, as well as surgical drapes, gowns and gloves.

"Give her the local anesthetic just above the pelvis."

At that moment, the girl became more conscious and began yelling things in Spanish.

"Also, start an IV and give her a sedative."

Alex and Izzie went to sterilize their hands as well as they possibly could before preforming the surgery.

They moved back into the room, putting on their gloves and gowns.

"She's ready."

Without hesitation, Alex took the scalpel and opened up the girl's abdomen. He pulled her belly apart at the incision, knowing hie didn't have time to be gentle. He quickly located the baby and tried to maneuver it out of the birth canal.

"Iz, I need you to push the baby back up towards me. Do it gently."

She knew all of this of course, but she knew Alex was running this show. She did as she was told, but the baby wouldn't budge.

"BP's still falling."

"Dammit! Izzie, try again."

She moved the tiny head slightly left, and then felt it move back into its mother. Within seconds, Alex had pulled the bundle from its womb and held the baby boy in his arms. The child was blue, but was breathing. Alex handed the child off to Izzie, knowing that the mother was in more immediate danger.

Izzie quickly evaluated the baby.

"The boy's heart rate is rising. He's getting more color in his face." She used the smalled oxygen mask they had to get him breathing normally. "Come on, little guy."

They all breathed a sigh of relief when the baby let out a thin wail.

She turned her attention back to Alex.

"How's the mother."

"Give Sara the baby. I need you to come help me."

"What's wrong?" she asked as she handed the now whimpering newborn to the nurse and hurried to Alex's side.

"Her uterus is torn. She's bleeding too heavily."

"Damn." She immediately began helping Alex.

"Hold this clamp." Izzie followed his instructions, and watched as Alex skillfully began repairing the tear.

Soon the bleeding was under control and Alex as able to close up Marisol's stomach.

"You did it."

Izzie and Alex grinned ear to ear as they heard the ambulance arrive to take the mother and the baby to the hospital in Savannah.

Nine hours later, after spending the rest of the day at the clinic, Alex and Izzie walked into the hospital room that was occupied by the young Mexican girl and her baby. She was sleeping soundly, as was her baby. The teenage boy that had brought her to the clinic was seated in the chair next to the bed, snoring lightly.

Alex picked up the chart at the end of the bed, checking her stats and vital readings. She would pull through.

"Dr. Stevens."

Izzie and Alex turned at the sound of the voice from the doorway.

The man, clearly in his late fifties, wearing a pristine white lab coat, motioned for them to follow him.

"Dr. Hayes, this is Dr. Alex Karev, OB / neonatal surgical resident at Seattle Grace Hospital. Alex, This is Dr. Fletcher Hayes. He's the Chief of Staff here," Izzie said pointedly eyeing Alex.

The two men shook hands, but it was clear that Dr. Hayes was all business.

"You two performed the c-section on this girl?"

"Dr. Hayes, she was dying. I know that it wasn't the smartest thing to do, opening her up at the clinic, but honestly, she wouldn't have made it back in time. She was bleeding out. I've don't the procedure several times, and Alex has done it too many times to count. We knew our options, and we really had no choice. She would have died on the table. Her baby would have died. They're both alive now. That's what's important."

Alex just stood there and let her talk.

"Whoa, Dr. Stevens. I wasn't going to reprimand you. I was going to tell you that you made the right choice. You both knew that you were qualified to handle the situation, and you did. Dr. Karev, my chief of obstetrics was very impressed with how you handled the bleeding and the torn uterus. You have a real talent, young man."

"Thank you, Sir."

"But seeing as you don't work in this hospital and therefore are not covered by insurance, try not to cut anyone else open for the rest of your stay, all right?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Dr. Fletcher," Izzie spoke up. "what's going to happen to Marisol?"

The Chief glanced back into the patient's room.

"INS will have to evaluate the situation. Her fate is in the hands of the government. Past that, its anyone's guess. The baby is half American, so it makes the situation more difficult. We'll just have to wait and see what happens."

Izzie nodded.

"Stevens," he turned to look at the tall blonde. "I know that you were already planning to be off on Wednesday. You did well today. You've been working so hard lately, you deserve a break. I want you to take the tomorrow and Thursday off too. I'll get your shifts covered. You two just enjoy the next few days."

The older doctor patted Alex on the back as he excused himself and walked back down the hallway. Izzie was left gaping in his wake.

"Did he really just give me two days off?"

"Yep."

Alex smiled and raised his eyebrows.