Disclaimer: I don't own anything, they belong to Kripke and the CW, but I do own my own characters
BETA: the awesome Vonnie836
A/N: I do not have any medical knowledge whatsoever. I did my research and found information so please don't get mad at me, if I got information wrong I was trying my best.
A/N: Placental abruption is an uncommon and serious complication of pregnancy.
Warning: *tissue alert* and this is a flashback chapter
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
November 2nd 2003
"Hey Jessica, I'll see you tonight, I have some things to do around town." Melinda, who was in town visiting her cousin, yelled out.
"Ok have fun." A very pregnant Jessica replied, wobbling over to the couch and turning on the television. A few minutes after Mel left Sam walked into the apartment with a bag.
"I got the ice cream you wanted babe." He told her, walking to the kitchen and scooping some in a bowl he took out of the cupboards, before going back and handing it to his girlfriend.
"Thanks so much Sam, I've been craving this all day." A grateful Jess replied, immediately starting to eat the ice cream.
While she was eating, Sam sat next to her rubbing her stomach and starting to talk to the baby.
"Hi Matthew, it's me daddy."
The baby kicked in reply.
"I guess he is happy to hear you today." Jessica said with a big smile on her face.
"I think he is." Sam's smile was just as big, "I can't wait to see our son in a few months."
"You're not the only one, I want to look into his eyes and know we created him." She placed the now empty plate on the floor and rubbed her pregnant stomach. Sam looked at her and kissed her.
After breaking apart, they cuddled up and Sam changed the channel to the news then covered both of them with a blanket, gently rubbing her stomach.
"I love you and I love this baby. I love our family." He whispered in her ear.
Jessica smiled at him, "I love you too."
The news started and Sam looked at her, noticing how tired she looked.
"Babe, why don't you go to bed and take a nap?" Helping her off the couch, he assisted her to the bedroom.
"I think I will take a nap." She yawned.
Once Sam helped Jess lie down, he covered her with a blanket and made sure she was ok and comfortable, before he left the room and went back to watch the news.
OOOOOOOO
A half hour later
Jessica was still in bed napping, when the curtains started to move a little and the window opened up halfway. An unknown person crawled in through it. The determination with which he walked up to her, made it clear he had a mission to complete.
Standing beside the bed, he closed his eyes and started to speak, "Yes father, I'm in the house and I found her. Once I do this the child will not exist anymore."
The demon, because that's what he was, placed his hands over Jess protruding stomach and started speaking an incantation. As soon as he sensed the child nearly stopped fighting he disappeared.
Jessica awoke immediately, feeling excruciating pain and screamed out.
"Sam"
Hearing the scream of his girlfriend, Sam ran immediately to the bedroom.
"What's wrong?" He asked, terrified by the expression on her face.
Looking at him with pain etched on her face, she felt her stomach begin to cramp again.
"Jess?"
A big tear rolled down Jessica's cheek, as the pain intensified, "I think something's wrong." She said, placing her hands on her abdomen.
Sam immediately began to panic, breathing deeply, he pulled himself together to try and remain calm for Jess, "Okay, um, I'll get your shoes and we'll go to the hospital." She nodded, trying not to cry - but still several tears escaped her eyes.
Sam returned a moment later. While hanging up the phone, he quickly helped Jess put her shoes on then gently wiped away her tears, scooping her into his arms and taking her to the living room
"I'm sure everything's okay." Sam gently reassured. "I called 911 and your grandmother, she will be here in a few minutes."
Jessica shook her head, "No, something's wrong, I know it!"
Just then the door bell rang and the voices could be heard. Getting up, Sam opened the door and told the men what the problem was. As soon as they loaded Jess in to the ambulance, Leslie arrived.
"Sam. what's wrong?" She asked with terror in her voice.
"We can talk in the hospital, go with Jess. I need to get her bag that is inside." Sam said, starting to panic.
Once Leslie boarded the ambulance and it took off, Melinda was coming back to the house and saw it leave. Running inside the house, she found Sam in the bedroom, throwing a few of Jess' things into an overnight bag. Taking the bag, he told her to follow him. Hurrying to the car, he told her on the way to the hospital what had happened.
OOOOOOO
Once they arrived, a nurse took Sam to the room they placed Jessica in. Sam walked over to her and held her hand tightly, as they waited for the doctor to come examine her.
Jess could not keep herself from crying, "Sam, I'm scared." She whispered softly, while Sam gently squeezed her hand, he too was terrified, "I know babe, but…" He was interrupted by a doctor walking into the room.
"Hi I'm doctor Hank. So Jessica, can you tell me what's going on?"
Jess tried to stop her tears, as she began, "I was taking a nap and woke up because I felt this terrible pain. Then my stomach started to cramp." Her voice trailed off, as more tears fell down her cheeks and another pain hit her, having her scream because of the severity of it. Trickles of blood started to appear between her legs, not going unnoticed by the doctor. Rushing out the room, he returned with 2 orderlies.
"What's wrong with her?" Sam asked, now in full blown panic mode upon seeing Jess in this much distress and bleeding.
"I think we are dealing with a possible placental abruption." The doctor explained, helping the orderlies place a crying Jess on the gurney.
"Sam, it hurts so much!" She cried out again, when another pain hit, "AHHH"
"We are going to take her upstairs"
"Ok" Sam acknowledged with tears in his eyes. He turned towards Jessica "Babe, they are going to take you up and see if there is something wrong with the baby."
"I'm scared Sam, what if we lose the baby?" Jess cried.
"We won't, ok, he will fight." Sam kissed her and watched, as they took her away. He walked towards the waiting room to see Leslie on the phone and Melinda holding her sister's hand.
OOOOOOO
Meanwhile in the surgical suite –
Standing around surgical table containing an anesthetized Jessica, the obstetric surgeon and his assistants got to work.
"Okay, we need to get this baby out quickly and stop the bleeding, before she bleeds out." He ordered.
One of his assistants handed him a scalpel and he dragged it across the lower part of Jessica's stomach. Putting it aside he called for the abdominal retractor. After receiving it, he spread both sides of the abdominal apart to allow access to the womb. Cutting into it with much care, as no not injure the baby, he inserted two smaller retractors and ordered another helper to hold on to them it apart also. That done, he screamed for suction, while using the scalpel to burst the membranes. Reaching inside with both hands, he gripped the baby and pulled it out. While handing it to the by standing pediatrician, a nurse clamped the umbilical cord with two forceps, before cutting in between.
"How's the baby doing"?
"Not good. He isn't breathing"
She used the infant ambu bag, carefully squeezing air into the tiny lungs, while one of the nurses lightly pressed against his chest, trying to get his heart going.
"Come on little one, breathe baby."
Continuing to work frantically on him, they rolled the warming bed out to the neonatal ICU.
Meanwhile the obstetrician continued to operate on Jessica. "Darn it, there is too much blood, I can't see where it's coming from."
Grabbing the suction tube form one of his assistants, he cleared the area, hoping to finally be able to see the cause of the bleed.
"There it is!" He cauterized the bleeder, and then stepped back, "Ok, clean it up, and then close her. Make sure she gets another couple units of pack cells. I'm going to check on the baby, then out to inform the family."
OOOOOOO
"I talked to Jessica parents they said they will be here by tonight" Leslie said, after getting off the phone and sitting down in one of the chair.
"Ok" Sam acknowledged, continuing to pack back and forth, while waiting for news on Jessica and the baby.
"Sam you need to calm down, Jess and the baby will be fine." Melinda spoke up.
"How do you know? You weren't in the room Mel, she was screaming, because she was in so much pain."
"Even though..." before Mel could finish, she saw the doctor walk towards them.
"Sam, I'm afraid the news I have isn't all good." Dr. Hank stated, looking around the family.
"W...what h...happened?" Sam stuttered, looking at him with tears in his eyes.
"We went in and managed to take the baby. The pediatrician we had on standby took over and they took him to the ICU." He paused for a moment, searching for the right words, "Sam, they tried everything, but he didn't respond. I'm sorry, but we couldn't save your son."
He watched the broken young man and the family, knowing the blow he just had to deal them was having a devastating effect.
"That can't be, that baby was fine and now you're saying it is dead?" A shocked Leslie cried out.
"I'm sorry, I promise you, we did everything we could but because of the placenta separating the baby was without oxygen for too long." He once again looked at Sam, noting the trembling around the young man's mouth and the desperate question standing in his eyes. Putting his hand on his shoulder, he said, "Jessica will be fine, we stopped the bleeding and my assistant is closing her up as we speak. She will be moved to a room soon." He hated this part of the job, yet at least this time he didn't have to tell the family that both, mother and baby died.
"Once Jessica is back in her room someone will come and get you, so you can be with her." He continued, when his pager went off. Pulling it out, looked at it. "You have to excuse me; I have another emergency to tend to. I'll be back later to check on your girlfriend."
Once the doctor left the atmosphere changed dramatically. Everyone was in a somber mood and no words were spoken.
OOOOOOO
"Ok, we're ready to take her up to the room now." A nurse said, walking with the doctor while wheeling Jessica out the post surgical unit.
"Ok, that's good, I'll go inform the family and see if they have any questions." Dr. Hank walked towards the waiting room with the grieving family.
Seeing the doctor enter, everyone looked at him expectantly.
"Jessica is out of surgery and on her way to a room right now. But I would like to know do any of you have any questions for me?"
"How could this happen? She went for a check-up last week and they said everything was fine and that the baby was healthy." Leslie asked.
"Well this is what happened; Jessica had a complication, known as placental abruption which means the separation of the placenta from the wall of the uterus. The Placenta is the organ, where the exchange of nutrients and oxygen from mother to fetus takes placed. If it separates, it can deprive the baby of oxygen and nutrients and cause heavy bleeding in the mother." said the doctor. He paused to let the young father and the rest family grasp, what he explained.
"Is this common?" asked Melinda, looking at the doctor.
"Luckily it isn't which makes this even more tragic. It usually happens when there is a trauma, like a fall or a car accident, but sometimes there is no known cause."
"What trauma? She went to take a nap and woke up screaming in pain." Sam questioned.
"Sam, I'm not saying there was any; something happened that complicated her pregnancy. Sadly, sometimes these things just happened. We tried our best, but we were too late to save him, I'm honestly sorry."
"Can we go see my cousin now?" Julie wondered, just wanting to make sure Jess was alright and prepare her for the most heart wrenching news.
"In a few minutes a nurse will be out to show you to her room. Now, if there are no more questions for me I'll be off."Dr. Hank said, taking his leave from the family.
As promised, a few minutes later a nurse showed up and took them to Jess' room.
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Jessica woke up slowly to her family surrounding her.
"Hey sweetie, you're awake!" Leslie said at seeing her granddaughter open her eyes.
"Grandma" Jess croaked out.
"Hey Jess, don't talk too much babe, you came out of surgery a few hours ago." Sam tried to settle her upon hearing the sound of her voice.
"What happened?"
"You had a placental abruption and they had to do an emergency C section. You nearly died from the bleed, but they were able to stop it." Melinda explained, getting up and moving over to her bed.
"I know what that means; I am studying to be a doctor. But Matthew, where is he?"
"Sweetie, why don't you rest for a little while longer?" Leslie encouraged her, trying to avoid telling her the sad news.
"No, I need to know what happened, where is the baby Sam, where is he?"
Looking around, she noticed the sad looks on her family faces.
"What is it, what's wrong? Please, you have to tell me!"
Sitting down beside her on the bed, Sam put his hands on her arms, "Jess, babe, they…they couldn't save Matthew, he was without oxygen for too long by the time they got to him. I'm so sorry baby!" By now tears are running down his face unchecked, his resolve to keep strong for Jess no longer enough to keep the pain in check.
For a moment Jessica looked around like she didn't understand; only when the meaning of the words finally sank in, she placed her hands on her now vacant stomach and cried.
"Sweetie it's okay, everything will be okay" Leslie tried to comfort the young mother, who just learned the most heart wrenching news any mother never could ever hear.
"NO, it won't be okay, I just lost my baby; how can anything ever make that okay?" Jessica pushed out in between crying, while Sam did his best to provide her with comfort he didn't feel himself.
When Dr. Hank entered the room few minutes later to check on his patient, he realized she had already been told about what happened.
Saddened, yet relieved that he didn't have to be the bringer of bad news again, he said, "Jessica, Sam, I know what you've been through has been a lot. Losing a baby before you ever got to meet him is very difficult. That's why we give parents the option to spend a few hours with their child, hold it and say good-bye. But it's up to you. If you decide not to, we understand and we will give you a photograph and a birth certificate."
"we would like to see him" Sam said looking at Jess then at the doctor
"Okay, I will get him for you!" The doctor said, leaving the room. A few minutes later he returned holding the baby bundled up in a pretty ruffled blue blanket. A young nurse with a camera accompanied him. He gently laid the baby into the young father arms and left the room so the family could have their time with the baby.
Carefully, as if afraid he might hurt the dead infant, Sam unwrapped the blanket from the tiny body.
"Oh Sam, he looks so beautiful!" Jessica said in awe, looking at their son that she would never be able to take home and watch grow up.
"He looks a little bit like me" Sam replied, laying down next to Jess, so both could hold their son. Staying in the background, as unobtrusive as possible, the nurse took picture of the small family.
After giving them enough time, Leslie walked closer to the grieving parents, "Can I hold him?"
Waiting for a nod, she took the baby out of Sam's arm, "Hi little one, my name is Leslie, I am your great grandmother" She whispered, wiping her tears with a napkin.
The nurse continued to take pictures, while Leslie, Melinda and Julie took turns with the baby. At last Julie gave the infant back to Jess and Sam.
"You might not know this but your daddy and I love you and will see you again one day." Jess sobbed, one hand gently stroking through the dark long hair, while the other wiped away her tears.
"Hey little man, I'm your daddy." Sam held his son close to his girlfriend, the woman he loved so much, watching the tiny, yet so perfect body, who was supposed to be full of life and who they were supposed to protect and raise, instead lying limply in his arms, ripped away from them before they ever had a chance to meet him.
A few hours later Jessica parents rushed into the room, having been able to use a friend's jet.
"Mom, dad…" Jessica cried, when she saw her parents.
"Baby, I'm here now, is that him?" Katie Moore asked when she saw her daughter holding her baby.
"Yeah, it's Matthew, mom he's gone!" She sobbed as her parents embraced her.
"I know baby, I know."
After spending a little more time with the baby, the dreaded moment came, when the nurse entered the room again.
"Are you ready?" She gently asked the grieving parents.
Hesitant, yet knowing that they would have to let go, both of them nodded, yet Jessica was having a hard time letting him go.
"Jess, it's time to say goodbye, they have to take Matthew!" Sam whispered into her ear, while tearing up at the realization, this was the last time he would see Matthew.
"I…I can't, it's too hard, Sam. I can't let him go, please, I just can't let him go, he is my baby." She cried.
"Honey, it's time to let him go in peace!" Katie tried to sooth her.
Still reluctant, she laid the baby into the arms of the waiting nurse, who gently wrapped the blanket around him and quietly left the room. As soon as the door closed behind her, Jessica broke down crying. Sam, who was still lying by her side, wrapped his arms around her and together they let their grief flow openly.
It was three days later, when Jessica was released from the hospital, without the child she and Sam created. Her parents stayed in town for several weeks to stand by her during this tough time.
Author's Note: How many teared up, while reading this? I know I did while writing it. Plus I would like to thank my beta for helping me trough the medical stuff she is awesome