"Shit what do we do?" Mark says.
"We're all doctors. We are capable of delivering the baby ourselves." Cristina says. "By we, I mean you." He says pointing at Derek.
"Call the OB." Danny says. "She's on call tonight. She was there when I left a few hours ago."
"Okay, I'll call her." Mark says leaving the bar.
"Oh, okay." He says. "I guess we're having a baby in the bar." He says with a smile and helps her stand upright and lead her over to the counter. "Joe we have a situation. We have a baby fast on its way and we won't make it over to the hospital. We're gonna need a space. Some privacy preferably."
"Of course. I wouldn't want an audience if I was welcoming the miracle of life. Come out the back to the office. Plenty of room." He says pointing in the direction to the back room.
"Thank you so much Joe." Meredith says out of breath.
"Hey anything for my favourite couple." He says following them to the back room.
"We're gonna need towels. Lots and lots of towels." Meredith says as she has another contraction bracing against Derek.
"Just breathe Mer." Derek says rubbing her back.
"Never in my 15 years as a bartender have I had anything as crazy as this happen."
"Well feel honoured." Meredith says as she relaxes after the contraction.
"52 seconds." Derek says looking at his watch.
"I think it's almost time." Meredith says taking a deep breath.
"Dr French is on her way." Derek says. "If not you have my capable hands and about 30 other doctors out there."
"Who are all drunk." She says.
"Yeah that's true." He says. "If your 12 year old brother can deliver a baby then your 25 year old husband with a medical degree will be highly capable of delivering our child if the doctor happens to slip and break her leg on the way over."
She just smiles at him and kisses his lips. "Well one thing, this one is going to have a story to tell."
"One born at the hut, the other one at the bar. We've had one child born at the hospital. That's quite alright odds. Do you think somewhere it means good luck?" He says. "One thing though. We are finally having our baby."
"We're having our baby." She says smiling before grasping onto Derek as another contraction happens.
"You're doing great."
"Happy Hour! Free drinks!" Joe yells out. "In celebration of a new baby and because it's New Years!" He calls out.
"Well at least their having the time of their life." Meredith says. "I haven't had a drop of alcohol for 9 months. They can numb the pain of grief I have to push a baby out soon naturally. Most likely a 8 pound baby."
"Well we have a new beginning for the New Year. I think that's more special than drinks."
"It is." She says agreeing with a small smile.
"Alright Dr French is rushing over right now." Danny says entering the room with Mark and Cristina trailing behind with their arms filled with towels and gloves and water.
"I have your camera." Cristina says holding it up in the air.
"How far apart are the contractions?" Mark asks.
"Just under 1 minute." Derek says rubbing her back some more.
"Derek, Kaylee wanted to be here." She says grasping his shirt.
"We'll call Jackson after we get to the hospital. It will be late." She says.
"Alright. We can do that." He says.
"Ouch!" Meredith screams clutching her stomach.
"I think she's nearly ready." Cristina says. "Have you checked her?"
"No." Derek says. "Mer, how do you want to be?"
"On the ground please."
"Alright. Can I have a hand?" He asks.
The floor was covered in towels and Meredith was lowered down to the ground.
Derek helps her position herself and snaps a pair of gloves on his hands. Danny at his right shoulder helping him in being the second eyes.
"Mer, I'm just going to check you alright?" He says placing his hands on her knee.
Cristina settles herself down beside Meredith grasping her other knee, holding it with Mark grasping her hand.
"Do you even know what you're doing?" Mark asks.
"It's just a little foggy since I've done an OB rotation." He says racking his brain.
"I can feel the baby's head Derek. I'm sure I'm fully dilated." She says. "I really want to push." She says as another contraction hits.
"Don't push yet Mer." He says and does his best in checking her dilation.
"So?" Mark says.
"Derek, she's 10 centimetres." Danny says.
"She's ready to deliver." Derek says.
"Derek I really want to push. Can I push?" She asks.
"Just hold on for a little while longer Mer." He says. "Dr French will be here in no time."
"I'm here." Dr French says entering the room in a rush. "I'm here." She says placing her things down on the ground in hurry and unzipping her bag to prepare herself. She snaps on a pair of gloves as Meredith has another contraction again. "Has anyone checked her dilation?" She asks.
"We both think she's at ten centimetres." Danny says stepping away from Meredith.
Derek moves himself to her other hand and grasps her hand and Dr French carries out a second examination for confirmation for herself to see if there is any real danger in delivering.
In a flash she sets up a portable ultrasound for a reading at what is going on.
"Okay the baby is in a good position. Your ten centimetres and the baby is ready to make its entrance into the world. I bet you are two."
"Very much so." She says gritting her teeth and grasping Derek and Mark's hand as another contraction overcomes her body.
"Ouch." Mark yelps.
Meredith looks up to him, narrowing her eyes.
"Your grip. It just hurts."
"You're not about to push a baby the size of a watermelon out of a hole that is not big enough for that watermelon. You will not experience the pain we go through to bring you a child. No uterus no opinion."
Derek stifles a laugh and Dr French just shakes her head.
"Oh men who have never been in the birthing room." She says. "Next contraction Mer, I want you to push, alright?"
"Alright." She says nodding her head.
"Can one of you have the room cleared outside?" Dr French says.
"Just leave them be." Meredith says. "They have the music loud. We can shut the door. They're all doctors. They've heard a woman in labour before." She says.
"If you say so. Danny, can you just call the hospital and let them know how we're going and to get a bed ready and the paediatrician ready to meet us when we arrive at the hospital?"
"Of course." Danny says pulling her phone out and making the quick phone call.
"What's the time?" Meredith asks Derek.
"11:57." He says. "Nearly midnight."
She smiles at him and waits for that contraction to come so she can begin pushing.
"The hospital is on standby and they are sending an ambulance."
"I suppose that's the queue for us to leave." Cristina says.
"Stay." Meredith says as she grits her teeth together.
"I need a hand as well. Danny you can be my assistant. Mark and Cristina can you hold her legs for me?"
They all nod their heads as another contraction comes.
"Okay Mer, big push." Dr French says with a grin. "9 days over and we're finally getting an appearance."
She grasped Derek and Mark's hand tight and began to bear down.
"Good Meredith."
"You're doing so well." Derek whispers to her as Danny places a blanket on her belly for when the baby comes out.
Meredith let her body and her mind take over. She was doing this again for the 3rd time.
"Hi, we were called about a possible labour." The paramedics say entering the bar with the gurney in tow.
"Oh yes. They are just in the back. The doctor said she'd come out when the baby arrives. I'm pretty sure she's delivering now." Joe says.
"Come on Mer. You can do this." Cristina says rubbing her hand up and down her leg.
"I can see the head Meredith. Another big push."
Meredith pushed again and then again.
"Watch Derek." She says through gritted teeth.
"You sure?" Derek asks.
She nods her head and he moves to her feet taking the camera into his hands as Cristina moves to hold Meredith's hand.
"The baby is coming. It's really coming." He says with a huge smile.
"Head and shoulders are out one more big push Meredith and you'll have your new baby." Dr French says.
"Happy New Year!"
"You can do it." Cristina says smiling at her person. "Your new baby."
Meredith pushed for one final time and she was rewarded with the sound of gasping for air and then the beautiful sounds of crying.
"It's a beautiful, healthy girl." Dr French says with a small laugh while laying the crying newborn baby down on Meredith's stomach where Meredith wrapped the blanket around her crying baby. Meredith found tears come to her eyes and fall down her cheek.
Dr French clamped the cord and handed the scissors over the Derek to cut the cord and he did so with a huge smile. She tied the cord with the clip and attended to Meredith's post care treatment.
She was here. She was finally here after 9 days of waiting. Baby Shepherd was finally here. Baby Girl Shepherd was finally here.
"12:01 am." Danny says smiling. "Happy birthday little one."
"We have another girl." She says crying with a smile.
"We have a girl." Derek says kissing her lips and wiping the tears away from her face. "Happy New Year."
"Shh baby girl." Meredith says trying to soothe her baby girl. She places a kiss on the baby's forehead and takes in the baby's features. A full head of dark hair and beautiful big blue eyes. "Happy New Year Derek."
"Happy New Year Meredith." He says kissing her lips.
"Guys, she's beautiful." Mark says.
"Thank you." Meredith says with a huge smile on her face as Danny begins to clean down the baby and places the cap on her head that Dr French had brought with her.
Mark then disappeared out to the bar.
"It's a girl. We have a baby girl. A New Year baby!" Mark says yelling to the crowd of people. "Happy New Year!" Mark yells and grabs a beer off the counter toasting to the many people in the crowd.
"Happy New Year!" The crowd yells back.
"How's the Apgar?" Derek asks.
"9. A perfect 9." Dr French says. "9 days over and she scores a 9. She's beautiful."
The baby's cries were seized as she sucked on her mother's fingers and settled her eyes towards her mother.
"This is the most beautiful thing in the world." Mark says. "You can never get over seeing a new baby being born. The world just seems right for the moment." He says looking up and smiling at Danny who just blushes.
"Do we have a name yet?" Cristina asks. "We can't call her the baby or baby girl. She needs a name."
"That's true." Mark says.
Meredith turns to Derek and smiles as she says the name. "Zara. She's our little Zara."
"She is definitely a Zara." Derek says smiling and kisses her cheek before kissing Zara's hand.
"Zara is a beautiful name." Dr French says.
"What's her middle name? You can't just give her a first name and not a middle name." Danny says.
Meredith looks down at Zara and smiles like a brilliant idea popped into her head. Derek nodded his head at her to continue.
"I would like you all to meet..." She says looking up at everyone in the room. "Zara Sienna Shepherd."
"Oh it's beautiful." Cristina says.
"The paramedics are here Mer. They'll take you and Zara over to the hospital and we'll get her assessed and everything." Dr French says.
"Alright." Meredith says. "Welcome to the world little one." Meredith says as she leans down and kisses her newborn baby's cheek.
"We'll see you out." Cristina says as Danny and she leave the room and the paramedics enter the room.
"I see we have ourselves a baby." One of the medics says. "Congratulations."
"This must be the weirdest call out ever." She says.
"For the year it is." He says. "But this isn't the weirdest birth we've attended. There's be movie cinemas, beauty parlours, highways, the ferry, workplaces, it doesn't get any weirder than those."
"Well I had our first born at a hut on our land so we've had weird." She says smiling.
The paramedics help Meredith and baby up onto the gurney and stabilise the two of them. "We'll just take you across to the hospital."
Derek leans down and kisses Meredith's cheek and pushes the stray hair from her cheek and rubs the baby's hand that was clutched tightly around her mother's finger.
"I must seem so lazy. I could walk." She says.
"We're here and it saves you the long walk considering what you've just been through and the bad weather." He says. "Alright let's move."
They push the gurney out and they stop to see everyone clapping.
"Congratulations." Joe says kissing her cheek. "Do we have a name?"
"Zara Sienna Shepherd." Meredith says smiling.
"To Zara." Joe says holding up his glass of water.
"To Zara." Everyone says cheering.
"I'll see you round Doc." He says rubbing Meredith's shoulder.
Meredith was soon wheeled into the back of the gurney and driven across the road to the hospital.
"Meredith Grey, 5 minutes post-delivery. Healthy delivery. Still awaiting the third stage of labour. Zara Shepherd, 5 minutes old with an Apgar of 9 one minute after delivery and now a 10 five minutes after delivery. Paediatric work up is suggested." The paramedic says pushing the gurney into the OR where they were met with an excited Kaylee and Jackson, a paediatrician and a few other doctors including Richard.
"Mummy!"
"Hey baby." Meredith says.
"I hear we have a new addition." Richard says as the gurney is stopped against an ER bed. "Congratulations my love." He says kissing her cheek.
"Thank you." She says.
"Jackson, what are you doing here?"
"Well Dad heard about you and then messaged me and Kaylee was up, insisting to watch the fireworks and she read the message before me and insisted that we had to be here to meet you. She actually insisted that we get to the bar but I reminded her that she was too young to be there at that time." He says. "So we thought we'd meet you here."
"Well I love my welcome party."
"We've got to get you upstairs to recovery Meredith especially for a work up on baby Zara." Dr French says.
"We have a name?" Richard asks.
"Zara Sienna." Derek says.
"Beautiful name." Richard says. "I'll go and get your bag from the car."
Derek hands the keys over to Richard as she is transferred onto a bed and Zara is whisked into a
Meredith was admitted and transferred up to the maternity ward. Meredith was cleared and had delivered the afterbirth and Zara had her check over and was now swaddled in a clean blanket and a knitted cap was now on her full head of hair and Meredith herself was stitched up and in her room recovering after a long and exhausting 9 months.
"So how is she?" Meredith asks with a concerned tone as she fed Zara for the first time.
"9 and 10 for her Apgar." Dr French says. "She is 8 pounds and 3 ounces and she is 50 centimetres. Healthy breath sounds. Healthy beating heart. 10 fingers and 10 toes. You have a beautiful healthy baby girl. You couldn't ask for anything better."
"This is our 3rd child and it's so surreal each time."
"It truly is."
"She is absolutely gorgeous." Derek says.
"She really is. Those 9 days don't mean as much anymore. She is finally here and that is all that matters now." She says quietly. "We should let your mother and sisters know."
"I'll leave the three of you to be. Just page me if you need me."
He sat down beside her with Zara sleeping soundly after being fed and satisfied. Kaylee had been taken home after seeing her new sibling and Jackson promised to bring her in the morning after a good night's sleep. The doctors had cleared the room and left the three of them alone. Derek had his baby girl nestled in his arms with a firm hold on his finger.
"How should we tell them?" Derek asks.
"We should just send a picture of her, her name, her birth time, her birth destination, her weight, length and wish them a Happy New Year. They can call later for details."
She reaches for his phone and goes through the photos that had been captured in the short space of an hour. "We should send this one. They can see her blue eyes and her head of hair." She says.
"Okay then." He says smiling but not taking his eyes off Zara. "I know that we have done this three times now but the experience is just as good each of the other times. It's so surreal."
"I know. One minute she is inside me and the next she is here and we are holding her. We are holding our third child." She says. "Our baby girl."
"We have three children Mer." He says looking at her. "How did that happen?" He asks.
"The excessive consuption of alcohol and no contraception." She says with a smirk. "We made them out of love no matter what. Kaylee was a good thing for us. She made us realise what we wanted to be and grow up. Cooper finally made us see who we wanted to be with in life and now Zara…. Zara is our good thing. A good thing that came from a terrible situation and into a crowded bar, 9 days late on New Years Day."
"She is the baby who saved our marriage." Derek says.
"She really is."
The two share a long and lingering look. A look that was full of electricity and love. They share a long and lingering kiss before Derek's phone interrupted them.
"And now we are going to be bombarded with questions and congratulations." He says.
"Well it is New Year's Day. It's a great way to start a year with the birth of a baby." She tells him smiling.
There came a soft knock on the door and they saw Richard standing in the doorway with flowers in his hands.
"Is it alright if I come in?"
"Of course."
He walked to Meredith's side and looked at his granddaughter.
"I would like you to officially meet Zara Sienna. Your third grandchild." Meredith says as Derek hands Zara over to Richard to hold for the first time.
Richard settled Zara in his arms. Meredith realised that Zara was an average size baby but Richard holding her she looked tiny. She looked half to what to measure and half of what she weighed.
"So what did she come in as?"
"She came in at 8 pounds 3 ounces she is 50 centimetres and Dr French couldn't be more pleased with her heart and lungs. Her Apgar was 9 and 10. She is a perfectly healthy baby girl. Dr French would most likely tell me that I could go home in the morning."
"But we won't until Dr French discharges you. I don't think she wants to because she is so in love with Zara." Derek says. "We may have to keep a close eye on her."
"Well you might have to keep a close eye on me as well." Richard says. "I'm going to leave the three of you to get some rest before the army of people come through those doors in the morning."
"You can lay her down in the bassinet." Meredith tells him.
Derek and Meredith watch as he lays her down in the bassinet and watch as Zara fidgets but closes her eyes and falls asleep again.
"Night little girl. I will see you in the morning." He says kissing her forehead. "I'll come by in the morning before I start for the day and before everyone comes barging their way into the room."
Meredith smiles at him. "Okay. Go home and sleep." She tells him. "It's the new year."
Richard kisses Meredith's cheek and shakes Derek's hand.
"Congratulations you two. She is absolutely gorgeous."
They were left to themselves with a sleeping newborn and the New Year.
"I would say we should have our first drink for the year but there is no champagne." Derek says.
"We can toast with orange juice." She suggests as Dr French walks into the room.
"I'm sorry for popping in now. I know you would like to get some rest but I thought that I would let the two of you know that you have had the first baby of the Year." Dr French says.
"In Washington?" She asks.
"At the moment most of America."
"Little Zara is the first born in America?"
"She surely is." Dr French says. "You should expect a photographer here midmorning to photograph the precious Bubba and a news camera to capture the first baby of 2018."
"Way to go little girl." Meredith says to Zara. "You'll have your mug shot in the paper for all of America to see."
"Anyway I will come by later. Get some rest you two because it won't last long this peace and quiet."
"We are used to it Dr French. So bring it on." Meredith says.
"Happy New Year and congratulations." She says placing her hand on Meredith's leg.
"Thank you." Derek says to her.
Dr French leaves the two of them and Derek sits down beside her and hands her a glass of juice.
"We are toasting." Derek tells her.
"What too?"
"Zara. Our family. Our friends. And too being the first baby born in America."
She smiles. "To Zara. To Family. To friends and being first born in America."
"Cheers." Derek says with a smile.
They clink glasses and share a kiss.
"Thank you Meredith."
"I didn't do anything Derek."
"Yes you did and I will be grateful until my dying breath. Grateful for the gorgeous children you deliver and carry for 9 months. They come out healthy and gorgeous just like their mother."
"Zara has your eyes and hair though."
"But she's just like Kaylee. Her mother's nose and mouth. As soon as I saw her I knew that she and Kaylee would look exactly the same. Even Ma just told me then that she looks exactly like Kaylee did and she asked if we used a picture of Kaylee to trick her."
"Now that you point it out I realise that she does look like Kaylee. If they were closer in age they would get called twins. I can hear it now."
"Well no matter what she is gorgeous. I haven't seen a more gorgeous baby in my life. Just like Kaylee and Cooper."
She then started to feel the exhaustion overcome her body. The exhaustion that settled itself deep into her bones.
"You need your rest."
"So do you."
"And I will. I'm going to lie right here beside you and not leave your side."
She shut the light off and Derek lay behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Are you in pain?" He asks her. "Sore?"
"A little not too bad."
"Are you stitches okay?"
"They are fine."
"How many did you get?"
"7."
"More than Cooper and Kaylee."
"Zara is so much bigger than Kaylee. Cooper was longer and weighed more than Zara did. So I don't know why I have more stitches."
"She wanted to be the first baby born." He says.
"God our children our determined as soon as they enter the world." She says. "Hence why she was born at the bar."
"She'll be walking before we know it."
"I know and I don't want that to happen."
"We can always try for another."
"Let's just finish our residencies and finish the dream house before we think of another baby."
"I know you're already thinking about it." He says.
"I will admit that I am. We have 2 girls. We need to even it up with another boy."
"And we may. You need your rest before Zara wakes." He tells her. "And wants her feed."
"Yes Doc."
He kisses her cheek. "Thank you Meredith."
"Derek, I should be thanking you more." She says. "You did contribute to this."
"But I didn't push a big baby out of a very small…"
"Yeah I know." She says. "Third baby Derek." She says smiling. "Not that much pain."
He just holds her tighter and laughs.
"Is it weird to say 3 children?" He asks.
"It is. I mean, we're doctors; we've been parents since 18. I never thought in a million years at the start of 2010 would we ever welcome a baby and now in 2018 we would have 3 children. I mean she should have been born 9 days ago but she had other plans like to be born at the bar, on New Year's Day."
"Maybe it's a girl thing." He says. "Kaylee was at the hut and Zara at the bar. With very quick births when Cooper was at the hospital and you were in labour for 18 hours."
"I would never trade a short birth for 18 hours. Quick and simple. No anaesthesia."
"Well we do have stories to tell." He says kissing her cheek. "Come on, get some rest. You must be exhausted."
"Thank you Derek."
"No thank you Mer."
I'd like you all to officially meet Zara Sienna Shepherd!
And am I glad that she is here to for the family.
Reviews and thoughts would be great in celebration of the new baby.
I would have gotten this to you guys sooner but I have no idea where my days go. I'll try and be nice and update later this week for more Zara goodness and more drama to come not just for the family but everyone else at Seattle Grace.