Chapter 17 – The Progress (2)

Disclaimers: I do not own CM or its characters. I do own all OCs, including doctors, and extra siblings, cousins, etc.
Spoilers: None
Rating: T

Thank you to those who reviewed! We are almost to 60! Also, a reminder that if you are enjoying the story, please be sure to follow it, as well. Now that I have this story planned out for further into the future, I will be prewriting chapters, and updating frequently!

To sweetkid45, oh, Emilia will, most definitely, be so far past the moon and among the stars excited when JJ gets to come home. :) To Daisyangel, thank you! I figured it was time for Sandy to be nice for one, and speak politely/in a nicer tone of voice to Gabe. And lastly, to Bohogal1998 and Kensi1997, thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)

Reminders: Emma-Jo is JJ's big sister. She is 12 years old. Emilia is Elizabeth and James Prentiss's daughter. She is 8 years old.

Notes: A HUGE milestone is reached by Jennifer, one that her entire family, plus Emilia and the Prentiss family, have been waiting for since she was born!

Baby Stats:

Juliet: 20 weeks old (adjusted age 11 weeks). 5 lbs. 2 ounces 18 inches long.
Lucas: 20 weeks old (adjusted age 11 weeks). 5 lbs. 9 ounces. 17.5 inches long.
Jennifer: 19 weeks old (adjusted age 11 weeks). 4 lbs. 2 ounces. 16¾ inches long.

Enjoy!

6 weeks later – November 19th, 1978

*Philadelphia Chidlren's Hospital*

Today is a good day.

Today is a great day.

A day that the families who are closest to the Jareaus have hoped to happen since Jennifer's birth.

Today is November nineteenth, 1978.

Today, Juliet and Lucas are 20 weeks old. Jennifer is 19 weeks old.

And today?

Jennifer weighs a whopping four pounds and 2 ounces. She is just centimeters shy of being 17 inches long, and the fact that she made it to that weight and length is absolutely amazing.

She is still the "baby" of the family, though, since Lucas is 17.5 inches and Jules is 18 inches long.

Michael enters the Nursery with Caleb, Emma-Jo, Elijah, and Emilia. Roslyn is not here as she has a cold and could not come, while Gabriel is grounded for misbehaving last week.

Michael did not think this was something he should be grounded "from", but he is exhausted from driving back and forth to the Hospital, which adds up to be being 10 hours a day, not including the two hours he spends with Jennifer, and dealing with five older kids and two infants.

He knows it will be even harder once he actually starts back to work – he is surgeon at the Pittsburgh Hospital – but for now, his boss is continuing to give him Paid Leave.

He just did not have the energy to argue with Sandy about it.

Since Jennifer is still in the NICU, Michael and the kids wash up, put on their gowns, gloves, and masks, and then they enter the NICU.

"Good morning, Michael!" Jo greets. "I see you have some of Miss Jennifer's big siblings here today."

"Hi, Nurse Jo," Elijah waves while Emilia and Caleb go to Jennifer's cot, and Emma-Jo just walks around looking at the other babies.

"We have some great news for you today, Michael. Some wonderful news about Miss Jennifer."

Before he can ask 'what', as he genuinely forgot about how much progress Jennifer is making, and that this day was coming up, Emilia squealing gets his attention.

"Misser Michael, look!"

She is gesturing widely to Jennifer's cot. Michael walks closer, slowly, and…

His breath catches.

A sticker, round, purple and pink, with white letters that spell out, "NICU Graduate" is stuck to the side of the plastic top, next to hand-drawn pictures made by Roslyn, Emma-Jo, Emilia, and Emilia's little brother, Malachi.

Michael snaps his head towards Jo, and the nurse grins.

"Congratulations, Mr. Jareau, your daughter is officially strong enough, big enough, and capable enough to graduate from the NICU."

His heart speeds up. Those words are ones he wished and hoped to hear for over four months.

But now?

Now that he has actually heard them?

Now that it is true, that they are true, that this actually happening?

"Ar-Are you sure?" He chokes it out, turning to fully face Nurse Jo. "I-I mean… Maybe she isn't strong enough. Have you double-checked that the weighing machine is working? An-And maybe you just got the numbers mixed up. There is–" Michael breathes out harshly. "There's no way she is ready."

Instead of being offended by the words, Nurse Jo just smiles. She can understand his trepidation.

After all, it was less than 3 months ago that Dr. Jacobs was saying that Jennifer probably would not make it through the next 48 hours.

It was less than three months ago that Sandy and Michael had their children, parents, and siblings come say goodbye to Jennifer, and were so sure that they would be planning her funeral by the end of that same week.

And now?

Now it is almost Thanksgiving. Next month will be their first Christmas.

So yeah, she can understand.

And she smiles reassuringly, as she says, "Yes, Michael, I am sure. Jennifer is officially over 4 pounds, at 4.2 lbs. And she is just shy of being 17 inches long. She can keep her temperature and blood pressure stable, she is able to tolerate time outside her warming incubator, and she can receive feeds and medicine through her G-tube. She has no sicknesses at the moment, her x-rays are clear…"

Jo walks closer, placing a hand on Michael's shoulder.

"She's ready, Michael. Your baby is leaving the NICU. She is a Graduate. You should be proud. You have a very strong baby girl, and she is going to continue to show everyone just how strong she is."

It is not long before Dr. Jacobs is making the announcement.

"Ladies and Gentlemen of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, today, we say 'farewell' and 'good luck' to a member who has proven to us that, sometimes, the doctors, the tests, the books, the professionals are wrong."

He steps closer to Jennifer's cot, and a few parents cheer once they realize who the graduate is today.

"Today, we say 'farewell' to Jennifer Hope Ann-Elisabeth Jareau." A pause for the cheers, which Emilia and Emma-Jo join in on. "If you would like to participate, please follow me outside, to where you can pick up a confetti popper and noise maker."

Jennifer is dressed in her gown and hat. Michael remembers that day, 3 months ago, when he was looking at all the letters and pictures drawn by people or kids of the Hospital.

Now the wish for Jennifer being able to wear her cap and gown has come true.

All the kids in the room flock to the doors. They line up, grab confetti poppers, and start down the hallway, with Jennifer and her family at the start of the line.

"Look at all these people, Dad!" Emma-Jo gasps. "Who are they?"

Michael turns to look at them as they approach the Nursery door. Dads with kids on their shoulders, moms giving piggyback rides, older kids cheering Jennifer's name…

People, strangers, who are as happy about Jennifer graduating as the baby girl's actual relatives are.

"Family," He whispers to her. "These are our family."

"But we don't know them… ?" She kind of trails off in a questioning tone.

Michael wraps an arm around Emma, as the parents, children, doctors, and nurses bid them 'farewell' and 'good luck'.

"No, we don't know them personally, but everyone in that room goes through similar things in similar ways. They are our special family. Family who will always be able to say, 'I get it. I've been there, too.'"

They turn and enter the Nursery after that.

They are one step closer to the end. Just a little longer, and Jennifer will be home for the Holidays.

I literally cried while writing this. She is older now, stronger, and healthier. She is in the regular Nursery, and likes just a little more before she can officially come home!

Next up is a MAJOR milestone. What do you think it could be?

Please review and let me know what you thought! :)

Extra notes:

This chapter is in celebration of having almost 1,000,000 words archived/published. Thank you to EVERYONE who has ever read, reviewed on, followed, favorited, suggested ideas, etc. for any of my stories. I would not be here without you all!

Also, I want to give a shoutout to those of you who are down in Louisiana or Mexico, and anywhere else where Tropical Storm Cristobal has or will be hitting. It is supposed to hit sometime probably within the next 24 hours. Please stay safe down there!