Panic Switch
"Amelia, where are you going?" Owen called, chasing after the waddling woman in a backless gown, holding his hand out against the doors to the elevator to keep them from closing or allowing her exit.
"Nelson just took my patient into surgery."
"And?"
"And he's going to mess it up, I know it. I've worked on this guy's tumor for, like, three years, systematically shaving off pieces and removing bits to make sure he has as much time as possible and I am not going to let some half-rate neurosurgeon go in there and mess up all my hard work."
"So, what? You're going to scrub in while delivering?"
"If that's what it takes."
"You're almost eight centimeters dilated. You can't operate on someone's brain while pushing out a baby."
"Watch me."
"Amelia."
"Owen."
"What is this really about?"
She slunk back against the wall, giving a half-hearted shrug. "Nothing. I just don't want Nelson-"
"Nelson may not be as good as you, but he's perfectly capable of getting the job done. What's really going on?"
She was quiet, gritting her teeth as she sucked in a breath, declining to make any kind of eye contact. "Nothing."
He didn't respond, just waited.
"Last time I did this, it didn't end so well."
"Operated while giving birth?"
"You know what I mean."
"Yeah, I do." Owen took a few paces closer, reaching his hands out for hers. "Amelia, our baby is just fine. She's healthy and she's going to be so beautiful and amazing, just like her mom."
"I know how irrational I sound right now," she muttered. "I get it. But what if she's not, Owen? What if something goes wrong and I'm not meant to have healthy babies?"
"Everything is going to be fine. Addison is doing the delivery and she's the best we could ask for. She's not going to let anything happen to our daughter, and neither will I."
Amelia nodded slowly, lifting her gaze up to meet with his. A hint of a smile flashed across her lips. "I like when you say that."
"Say what?"
"Our daughter."
"I'll be saying it a lot more soon if you come back to the room. Can you do that?"
She gave another nod and he pressed a kiss to her hair. "Let's have us a baby."