I am loving being on break becasue it means time to write. This is all going to come to a screeching hault when school starts again on Monday. Anyway, here is the next chapter.
Derek took the two minute ambulance ride with their little girl to Children's hospital where she was taken up to the NICU. He had been there before to see JJ's kids and was familiar with how it worked.
They brought Peanut to a warming table, carefully taking her out of the isolette and placing her on the table. They placed an IV and a feeding tube as Derek looked on.
"Sir," a nurse said, coming to him, "Is there anything I can get you?"
"No," he said, just wanting to stay with his little girl.
Once she was stabilized and done with all her tests, she was put back in the isolette and taken to a place in the NICU that Derek knew would be home for a while.
"She looks good," Dr. Whitman said as she came up to him, "Does she have a name?"
"Not yet," Derek said, "Emily and I hadn't picked yet. We weren't expecting her."
"I understand," Dr. Whitman said, "You can take some pictures of her to show her mommy, but I'm afraid that Emily won't be able to get over here to see her until she is released from the hospital."
Derek nodded, knowing it was going to kill Emily not to be able to see Peanut for a few days, but that it was best for her to heal.
"I'm going to go back to the other hospital to check on Emily," Derek said, not wanting to leave their little girl, but wanting to make sure Emily was alright.
"Go ahead," Dr. Whitman said, "But there is some paperwork you need to fill out before you go."
"Of course," Derek said, following the doctor to the nurses' station outside of the NICU.
Derek was given several pages of paperwork and went to work filling everything out.
Once it was done, he handed it back to the nurse before leaving Children's hospital and starting the quick ten minute walk back to the main hospital where Emily was.
On the way back, he called his sister. It was already 6:30 and he knew Desi would be up.
"Hey," his sister said, answering, "How's Emily doing?"
"Well," Derek said, "You have a niece."
"Oh my gosh," Desi said, knowing that her sister-in-law had only been 24 and a half weeks, "Is she alright? Is Emily alright?"
"The baby is doing fine. She is 1lb. 2 oz. 10.6 inches long. She's the tiniest thing I've ever seen, but she's so beautiful. She's at Children's now," Derek explained, "I haven't seen Emily since the baby was born, but I will let you know how she is. I'm sure she will want to see the boys, but I'll let you know when. You can tell them about the baby and I'll send you one of the pictures to show them."
"Alright," Desi said, "Congratulations on her being born. What's her name? I'll keep her in my prayers."
"Thanks," Derek said, "She doesn't have a name just yet, but I'll let you know when we decide on one. And can you call Mama. I have another call to make before I go see Emily and I want to be with her as soon as possible."
"Of course," Desiree said, "Let me know if you need anything else. Give Emily my love."
"Of course," Derek said, "See you soon."
They hung up and Derek picked up his pace a bit. The air was cold this early and he didn't have a jacket. He dialed JJ's number next and the blonde answered quickly.
"Is she alright?" JJ asked immediately, "Is the baby ok?"
"Good morning to you too," Derek said, laughing a bit, "We have a little girl. 1lb. 2oz. 10.6 inches long. I haven't seen Emily since the surgery, but I will let you know."
"Oh my," JJ said, feeling for her best friend, "Is the baby alright?"
"She's a little fighter," Derek said, "Nothing major, just the normal preemie stuff right now."
"Did you two get a chance to name her yet?" JJ asked, remembering naming her kids and not being ready for it when the triplets were born.
"Not yet," Derek said, "But I'll let you know. I can send you a picture of her. Can you call the rest of the team and let them know what's going on when you get a chance?"
"Of course," JJ said, knowing how overwhelming it was with a preemie in the NICU, "I'll let you go. Let me know if you guys need anything and when you're ready for visitors."
"Alright," Derek said, entering the main hospital, "I need to go see Em. I'll talk to you later."
"Congratulations," JJ said as the two hung up.
Derek made his way up to maternity, but Emily was not in her room.
"Excuse me," he said, going to the desk, "Where is Emily Morgan, room 548?"
"Are you her husband?" the nurse asked, looking up.
"Yes," Derek said, showing her the bracelet her had to match him to Emily. He had another one for Peanut too.
"She's up in recovery," the nurse said, checking her computer system, "She should be back down here in about ten minutes. You can wait in her room for her."
"Thank you," Derek said, going back to the empty hospital room.
He decided to call Emily's mom to let her know what's going on.
"Hello," the older woman said, answering his phone.
"Hello Elizabeth," Derek said, glad his mother-in-law had finally started allowing him to call her by her first name.
"Good morning Derek," the ambassador said, "How is Emily doing this morning?"
"Well," he said, knowing the news was going to be hard for her to hear, "You have a granddaughter."
"Emily had her?" she asked, not wanting to believe that the baby was born so early, "Are they alright?"
"Emily is still in recovery from her C-Section," Derek said, "Our little girl is already at Children's. She is doing alright for a micro-preemie, but she still needs a lot of support."
"What's her name?" Elizabeth asked, "When can I see her?"
"Emily and I still need to decide on a name," Derek said, "And I'll let you know when you can come. Emily is probably going to be very tired because she barely slept last night and Peanut was born at 3:47 this morning."
"Alright," Elizabeth said, wanting to be there for her daughter, but knowing that she needed to let them just be a family.
"I'll talk to you later," he said, knowing Emily would be back any minute.
"Just let me know if you need anything," the ambassador said.
"Will do," Derek said, hanging up the phone.
After he hung up, he just sat in the silence of the room for a minute, thinking about what had just happened in his life.
He was now a father of three amazingly perfect children. He was so scared for his baby girl though. He knew that babies that small had a survival rate around 40% thanks to the books he had been reading. He also knew there could be major complications and all he wanted to do was protect his mini-princess. He pulled up the photos on his phone, sending them to a few people before gazing at the tiny baby in the picture. She was half hidden by cords and tubes, but she was so perfect.
Just as he was about to go ask again about Emily, she was wheeled in on a bed.
"Hey Princess," he said, going to her.
"Hey," she said, looking up at him sleepily, "Why aren't you with Peanut?"
"Because I needed to check on her mommy," Derek said, kissing Emily's forehead before turning to the nurses who had brought her in.
"She's doing really well," one nurse said, "She has had some shaking which is normal because of the epidural." "Alright," Derek said, just glad his wife was alright.
"Just call if you need anything," the nurse said, "Dr. Julian will be in to check on you in an hour."
"Thank you," Emily said as the nurses left, "How is our little girl?"
"She's a fighter," Derek said, pulling out his phone, "She's attached to a million machines and tubes, but she is so beautiful. Here she is."
Tears splashed down Emily's cheeks as she looked at her little baby girl covered in tubes, so tiny.
"When can I see her?" Emily asked, wanting more than just the pictures.
"When you get released," he said, hating to be the bearer of bad news.
"But that's not for three days," Emily said, looking at him, "I need to see her now."
"I know," he said, sitting down on the bed and hugging her, "But you need to get yourself better. Let me worry about Peanut."
Emily just cried into his shirt for a while, the emotions of the day finally coming out.
"She needs a name," Derek said as Emily's crying wore off.
"Alexia," Emily said, looking at him.
"It's perfect," he said, "What about a middle name?"
"You choose," she said, smiling up at him.
"How about Madison?" he said, "It means strong fighter."
"Alexia Madison," Emily said, smiling, "Our little peanut."
So the votes are in and Alexia"Lexi" won by three votes. Thanks to everyone who voted on her name. I hope you liked this chapter! What would you like to see in the next chapter? Let me know! Thanks everyone!