A/N: Hey guys, so this is kind of a fix it fic following the events of the season 16 finale as far as Amelia giving birth because even though it was a beautiful scene, I feel like this entire SL could've had a lot more depth to it and this is one of the ways I think it should've gone. I know I usually write merluca but Amelia is one of my favorite characters so I hope y'all like this too! Also, in this version the stuff with Richard isn't happening that day.
The reality was setting in, more than ever before. Even more so than the moment that ultrasound illuminated and a singular strong steady heartbeat echoed in the exam room. Amelia Shepherd's water had just broke, right when she was in the middle of surgery, because of course it did, and she was now being wheeled to the OB floor.
Link was right by her side, attempting to stay as cool calm and collected as he possibly could given the fact that his child was mere hours from making its grand entrance into the world. "Okay, okay. This is happening. This is really happening. What should I do? Is there someone I should call for you?"
"All I need right now is you, Link. But yes, there is someone I need you to call. Two someones actually. My sisters..Addison and Charlotte." Amelia said to him.
Besides Link, they were the only two she needed right now more than anything. They knew a side of her that no one in Seattle really knew, and their support was the most crucial in her mind.
Amelia got settled into her delivery suite, monitors whirring monotonously to keep track of both her and the baby's health. Her mind began to wander to places she buried long ago. Not because she wanted to forget, how could she ever, but because it was too painful.
She remembered sitting in that hospital bed preparing to give birth to her beautiful baby boy, her beautiful baby boy who was born without a brain, who she held in her arms for 43 minutes but in her heart for a life time. How could she ever forget.
"We will try to make this as comfortable for you as possible, but it is going to get very painful. Are you sure I can't give you anything?" Carina spoke, pulling Amelia from her thoughts.
"Yes, I'm sure." Amelia answered quickly without hesitation. "No meds."
Link appeared in the doorway several minutes later and for a brief moment Amelia's pain subsided. It was hard not to with the way he was practically beaming from ear to ear. His bright optimism and easygoing nature was one of the many things that Amelia loved so dearly about him.
"Hey, so I got ahold of Addison and Charlotte, and it turns out they're already in Seattle and need a ride from the airport." Link informed her.
Amelia let out a breathless chuckle. "Of course they are. I guess I must've let off some kind of bat signal alerting that I'm in active labor."
Link laughed and bent down pressing a soft kiss to Amelia's lips. "I'm gonna go get your sisters. You stay put." He teased.
"I did have a hot yoga session scheduled in about an hour, so, no promises." Amelia shrugged.
"God I love you." Link grinned softly.
"Love you more." Amelia replied.
And with that, Link was on his way to the airport and Amelia was once again left with her own thoughts, but not for long.
"Up for a couple of visitors?" She heard a voice say along with a tap on the door.
Amelia looked up to see that it was Maggie and Meredith.
"Hey, we heard you were in labor and got here as soon as we could." Meredith said.
"How are you feeling?" Maggie asked.
"As good as I can possibly feel considering I'm about to push a mini human out of me." Amelia said with a smile.
"Of course, I mean, giving birth, that's gotta be a big deal for you." Maggie acknowledged.
Amelia paused briefly. She figured now would be a good time as any to tell the two women about her Christopher. "You're right, it is a big deal. And this isn't my first time giving birth.."
Expressions of shock and bewilderment appeared on the two women's faces.
"I gave birth to a baby boy. He was born with anencephaly and lived for 43 minutes. For 43 minutes I was the mom of a beautiful little boy and losing him nearly killed me." Amelia sighed, wiping away several tears as they fell.
Maggie quickly rushed closer to Amelia's sighed, placing an arm around her and wiping a stray tear from her cheek. "Amelia, oh my god, I'm so sorry. I had no idea.."
Amelia shook her head. "It's okay. Not many people know. For the longest time no one did except for my LA family."
"There's certain things I don't like to talk much about either, so I get it." Meredith said to her.
Amelia nodded sympathetically towards her sister in law. "And even though Link knows, I haven't been completely honest with him as far as just how scary this has been for me, mostly because I didn't wanna freak him out."
The truth of the matter was, Amelia was borderline obsessed with the health of this baby from the very moment she learned of his existence. She went through the grueling task of having every possible test done, sometimes more than once. Multiple unnecessary ultrasounds, just to be sure. To any outsider it would seem she was just paranoid, but after all Amelia had been through the first time around, she felt she earned that right.
"Speaking of Link, where is he?" Maggie asked.
"He went to go get Addie and Charlotte from the airport. They flew in so they could be here for me." Amelia explained. "They were there for me the first time around and I couldn't imagine them not being here this time."
Another hour went by, Maggie and Meredith long gone to their respective ORs for scheduled surgeries, when suddenly Amelia heard an all too familiar voice.
"There's our glowing mommy to be." The voice chimed. Addison walked into the room with her arms wide open towards Amelia.
"Hey stranger, long time no see." Charlotte added as she walked in with Addison.
Amelia embraced the two women in her arms. "You're really here. You have no idea how happy I am to see you guys. I don't think I could do this without you."
"Of course we're here, Amy. You're having a baby" Addison beamed proudly as she affectionately swept a hand through Amelia's hair. "Henry's home with Jake. But he wanted his auntie Amy to know he says hi and can't wait to hold the baby."
Amelia smiled at the two women in front of her who each meant so much to her and for a moment she forgot all about the immense amount of pain she was in. "Are the triplets not with you, Char? God, I haven't seen them since they were still in diapers. How old are they now?"
"Nope, they're at home with Cooper. Mason's there helpin' so hopefully I won't come home to too much of a disaster." She laughed a bit. "The girls are 7 going on 17," Charlotte took out her phone to show Amelia recent photos of them.
"Wow, they're so big now. And so beautiful." Amelia found herself starting to tear up, to which she quickly blamed the hormones.
"Yeah well they have my genes to thank for that." Charlotte replied. "Speaking of genes, you really hit the jackpot with human Ken doll out there."
Amelia laughed. "Yeah, Link's a great guy and he's so good to me and the best father I ever could have asked for this baby to have. I love him."
"Well, just from the car ride from the airport we can tell how much of a good guy he is, especially the way he talked about you." Addison pointed out.
"He has our blessing that's for damn sure." Charlotte added.
Amelia, Addison, and Charlotte all laughed and in the moment it almost felt just like old times at Seaside Health and Wellness Center.
They spent the rest of that time catching up and reminiscing on the time they all shared together in LA.
"We really missed you, Amelia. You should come out to visit more. I'm glad you built this amazing life and family for yourself out here, but we're your family too." Addison said after a brief lull of silence.
Amelia sighed. "I know I know. I missed you guys too. And I'm sorry for ghosting you the way I have been. I guess, it's just, for so long I wanted to put that part of my life behind me. But obviously my time in LA wasn't all bad. I mean, I had you guys. And that kind of thinking wasn't fair to you. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. I get that." Charlotte said, but from here on out, don't be such a stranger. Or I'll hunt your ass down and drag you back to California if I have to."
Amelia chuckled a bit. "Alright, it's a deal. Once baby's old enough, Link and I will plan a trip out there so they can meet all you crazy ass people."
The neurosurgeon's laughter quickly turned into cries of agony as intense labor pains began to hit her like a ton of bricks. Addison and Charlotte stood on either side of her, holding her hand and rubbing her back as needed.
"W-where the hell is Link? This baby is coming and I need him here!" Amelia groaned through gritted teeth.
Addison told the nurse who had come in to check Amelia's vitals to page Link and he arrived almost instantly.
"Hey, I got here as fast as I could. Is it baby time?" Link said to Amelia, taking her hand into his.
Amelia locked in a death grip on his hand and nodded. "It's baby time."
Sweat glistened Amelia's forehead as well as tears welling in her eyes. The contractions only became more intense as time went on.
"Addie?" Amelia's voice broke as she spoke.
"Yes, sweetheart? I'm here. I'm right here." Addison reassured her.
Amelia's eyes darted from Addison, Charlotte, and Link. "I..I can't do this..I..I can't!" She cried.
"Of course you can do this! Amelia Shepherd you've been through hell and back and all it's done is make you this strong kickass top of the world neurosurgeon with a gorgeous man who loves you and a beautiful baby on the way. You can do this!" Charlotte told her sincerely.
"She's right, Amelia. You can do this. Just think of us holding our beautiful baby boy in our arms. Just imagine." Link said to her.
Amelia managed a smile and her breathing leveled a bit.
She looked at Addison with glassy tear stained eyes. "Addie, I know Carina's my doctor and she's been great, but now that you're here, there's nothing else I want in the world than for you to deliver my baby. Can you do that for me? Please?"
"Of course I can do that for you, Amy, I'll..just have to go make sure I have privileges and get some scrubs." Addison answered.
"Of course you have privileges. You're Addison fucking Montgomery." Amelia laughed.
Addison shook her head, same old Amelia even when going through quite possibly the worst pain there is. "Still, just for formality's sake."
"Dr.Bailey's the chief so just go talk to her." Amelia told her.
"Miranda's the chief?" Addison said, "definitely no surprise there. I always knew she had it in her. Good for her."
And with that, she went to go find Dr. Bailey.
Amelia was so grateful to have Charlotte there with her, who understood better than anyone why she couldn't have meds and had to do this completely naturally. She was always no nonsense and knew just what to say to make Amelia laugh.
Addison came back a short while later sporting the familiar baby pink scrubs. "Alright, let's get this started. Time to meet your baby boy."
They prepped Amelia for labor and now it was time to push. Immediately, Amelia noticed the vast difference of the atmosphere in the room compared to the birth of Christopher. She felt nothing but pure love in this room and not an ounce of sorrow. She was giving birth to a healthy baby boy. A healthy baby boy who she could hold for as long as her heart's content.
Link remained by her side the entire time that she brought their son into the world.
After a lot of screaming and one final push, Lincoln Scout Shepherd made his grand entrance into the world.
Addison was grinning from ear to ear as she handed the baby to Amelia. "Here he is."
Amelia readily took the baby into her arms. For a moment she simply stared at him, admiring his every stunning perfect in every way little feature. "He's so beautiful." She cried, gently cradling his tiny head.
"Beautiful just like his mommy." Link stated.
Amelia gazed up at him, gently stroking his cheek. "It's not all me. Daddy had a lot to do with it too."
Addison and Charlotte both gave their congratulations to the brand new parents.
"Thanks guys. I couldn't have done this without either of you." Amelia told them.
The women then left Amelia and Link alone to bond with their baby, and the serenity of this moment was unlike anything Amelia had ever felt before, the unbreakable bond unlike any other.
It was everything she dreamt it would be and so much more.