Let me just start this chapter by saying that I am not a medical professional. I spent two years taking blood pressure and drawing blood, but anything outside of that is well beyond me. Anything medical in this story is from a quick Google search. Plus this is a work of fiction, so we can just take it as it is. Alright, enjoy. Let's have some babies!
Chapter 47
It was a few weeks later and the two couples met up in the orthopedics lab to discuss some specifics about their clinic. Webber was very excited to get the project off of the ground and was putting a bit of pressure on them to get everything ready. Owen and April had recently returned from Iraq so the trauma surgeons were not so stretched thin. They were able to hold weekly meetings and quite a bit had been discussed already. The space was being renovated at that very moment. This meeting was for Callie to explain her artificial cartilage to the other women.
'So the goal here is to recreate what real cartilage is supposed to do. It needs to be strong enough to hold the joint in place and withstand the stress it will go under when the person moves. It also has to be durable because it won't be able to fix itself like normal cartilage. I almost have it. It looks like it will work, but then it just melts to jelly instead of where I need it to be.' Callie said.
'This is confusing. It needs to be cartilage without being real cartilage.' Amber said.
'Hence artificial.' Callie laughed.
'Yeah, yeah. Smartass. What can we do to help?'
'I need to try different polymers. It's really trial and error. If it doesn't work, try something else.'
The four women got to work. Each taking a corner of the lab to experiment. They had already been at it for hours. 'Calliope, I think we need to take a break from this. My head is starting to hurt.' Arizona said.
'That's not a bad idea. We can meet back in a bit. Regroup and clear our heads.' Lexie said looking her girlfriend up and down.
Amber caught on quickly to what Lexie was wanting. 'Yeah. Let's take a break.'
They both took off out of the lab. They tried not to be too obvious, but the giggling in the hall before the door shut was a clear indication that they were headed to the nearest on call room.
'Well there's no telling when they'll be back.' Callie said rolling her eyes.
'Aw, Calliope. Are you jealous? Are you unsatisfied?' Arizona asked as she stalked over to her wife. 'They might be on to something though. I think we need to lock that lab door. I think we need to clear our heads too.'
She brought her hands up to Callie's hips and slid them under her scrub top. She scratched her nails along Callie's back. Callie's body reacted immediately. Her arms breaking out in goosebumps and shivers sent down her spine.
'Um, I'm…uh…satissfied. I just…uh…want to figure out… the cartilage.' Callie stuttered out. Arizona brought her mouth up to Callie's neck and kissed along her jawline and up to her ear. She pressed the lightest kisses to her exposed collarbone, across her chest and up the other side of her neck. Callie leaned her head to give Arizona more room to work her wonderful magic. She opened her eye briefly and looked at her cartilage in her work area. She closed her eyes again as she got lost in Arizona's touch, but her eyes shot back open and she broke out of Arizona's hold.
'Calliope…what the hell?' Arizona asked raising her voice. This was not what she was expecting.
'Arizona… look.' she said pointing to the cartilage she had created. The perfect cartilage that was a major key to their new project.
'CALLIOPE! We have cartilage.' Arizona started jumping up and down.
'We have cartilage baby!' Just then a gush of liquid ran down Callie's legs. 'And my water just broke.'
It was about forty five minutes later when Amber and Lexie returned to the lab after their romp in the on call room. They swung the door open and saw that it was completely empty. 'I didn't think we took that long. Do you think they gave up for the day?' Lexie asked.
'I don't know. Maybe they were getting something to eat? They left a mess though.' Amber said.
They walked around the room and started cleaning up the mess that they left in their stations. 'Oh my God, Babe! Look!' Amber exclaimed as she approached Callie's station.
'That's…'
'Yeah… They figured it out. Wait, what's that puddle?'
'It looks like water. We were using water, but not that much.' Lexie said.
'Oh shit.'
'What?'
'Maternity floor. Now.'
They ran to the elevators and mashed the button over and over. It didn't help the elevator to move any faster. They huffed and waited a few seconds before they just decided to take the stairs. They ran up the three flights of stairs to the maternity floor. They ran to the nurses station. 'Ca…Callie. Where's Callie?' Amber asked out of breath.
'Room 502.' the nurse said.
They ran down the hall. When they got to the door, they fixed each other's scrub tops and swept the fallen hair out of each other's face. After a nod of approval from both and a quick kiss, they knocked on the door.
'Come in.'
They opened the door and Callie was laying in the hospital bed. Arizona was seated by her side gently stroking the back of Callie's hand.
'Did you two have a good time?' Callie asked.
'It was fine. Are you in labor? How far apart are your contractions?' Lexie rushed out.
'Wait, FINE?! I don't do fine!' Amber said. Lexie gave her a sharp look. She looked back at Callie. 'Nevermind, not important. Are you having contractions?'
'My water just broke guys. It's going to be awhile. You should know this Amber. You've given birth twice.' Callie said laughing at the women's clear overreactions.
'Ok, first of all… I wasn't conscious for Riley's birth and Maci is almost five. Forgive me for forgetting this information.' Amber said pouting. Lexie wrapped her girlfriend in a big hug. She leaned in to kiss away the pout.
'Amber, calm down. I'm just messing with you. No. I'm not having contractions yet. Addison said she wants to keep me here because I am having multiple babies. So far, we are all ok.' Callie explained.
'How the hell are you two so calm?' Lexie asked.
'I don't know. My water broke downstairs and we just walked up here. I don't think it hit us yet.' Arizona asked.
'Can't wait to see when it actually hits you that you are going to be parents soon. Like possibly today.' Amber said.
Callie and Arizona's eye widened as reality finally hit them. 'Holy shit, Calliope. We are going to be parents. Like TO-day. Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh my God. They're coming. Soon.' Arizona said as she shot up from her seat, running her hands through her hair. She started biting the fingernail on her thumb. A nervous habit she had from childhood.
'Oh my God. Arizona! We are not ready! We don't have our bag packed. Do we have enough diapers, bottles, wipes? We are not ready for this!' Callie said with tears in her eyes.
'Thaaaaaat's more like it.' Amber said quietly to Lexie. Lexie turned her head so that the expectant parents would not see her laughing. 'Ok. Ok. Guys. Calm down before I need you to breathe into some paper bags or something. You both are more than ready. You're ready. I promise you. No one on Earth is more prepared and stocked up on diapers and every other baby need. I've seen the stockpile guys. You are both ready. You got this. Do everything you would do if it were our kids or someone else's kid, but then, at the end of the day, you keep them. You can't give these two back. Your babies. Your cute little squishy faced babies. You're going to be amazing mothers. Anyone can see that.' Amber said making her way to the side of the bed.
Callie and Arizona both took a deep breath. 'Thank you Amber. We kinda freaked out there.'
'It's going to happen. It will probably happen again, but you got me and you have Lexie. We are here. All of our other friends are here. Just think about your babies. I promise it will calm you down. Think about the first time you heard their heartbeats, the first time you saw them on the ultrasound monitor, and think about the first time you get to hold them.' Amber said softly. 'Have either of you called your parents?'
'Not yet.' Arizona said.
'How about we call them for you? We'll go get the lab cleaned up. You won't have to worry about anything else right now.'
'Thank you guys. That would be great.' Callie said.
'Ok. We will be back.' All was calm. For now.
'ARIZONA! This fucking hurts! Oh my God. I need an epidural!' Callie yelled. Her contractions were getting closer and closer together. She was in intense pain.
'I'll get Addison. We'll see how far along you are.' Arizona tried to remain calm for her wife. Inside, she was hurting to see her wife in such pain. She wished that she could just give her the epidural herself. She left the room and leaned against the wall for a brief second. She pinched the sides of her nose. She needed to hold it together.
Addison appeared from around the corner. 'That bad huh? Let's see where we are at. We can hear her clear across the whole floor.'
'I HEARD THAT ADDISON. GIVE ME SOME FUCKING DRUGS!' Callie yelled from inside the room.
They reentered the room and Addison slapped on some gloves. 'Let me just check you.' She felt to see how far Callie was dilated. 'Alright Cal, you are ready for your epidural.'
'Thank you!' Callie slunk back down in the bed. She was so ready for the pain to end.
Barbara and Daniel were the first to arrive. They hopped on a plane immediately after they were called with the exciting news. 'Knock, knock.' Barbara said as she opened the door.
Callie looked towards the door and smiled warmly. She was a very happy lady now that her epidural had kicked in. 'Hello Barbara, Daniel. Glad you made it safely.'
'It was a quick flight Dear. We are so excited. Our first grandchildren! Oh, it's overwhelming.' Barbara said as she wiped a tear from her face.
The couple were busy catching up with Arizona's parents when Addison came back in the room. 'Another check. We should be just about there.' Addison checked Callie and hummed. 'We're ready, Cal.'
Callie had been pushing for over an hour now. Their first baby was being a little stubborn. They wanted to stay in Callie's nice, warm womb. 'Arizona! I'm so tired. I can't do this.' Callie cried.
'Calliope, look at me Beautiful. You can do this. I know you can. I'm right here, Baby. You can do this.' Arizona said wiping hair from Callie's sweat covered forehead.
Callie nodded her head with new determination. 'Alright Cal, here comes the next contraction. Push!' Callie put her chin to her chest and pushed with more force than ever before. 'Baby A is crowning. You got this, Callie. A few more pushes and the head will be out. The shoulders are going to be the hardest part, but you can do it.'
She flopped back in the bed. Arizona wiped her forehead again and placed a gentle kiss. 'I love you Callie. I love you so much.'
'Alright, we have a head full of black hair. Just like yours Callie.' Addison said. 'Ready, and push, push, push.'
Callie grunted and strained in order to push her baby's shoulders out. Finally after what seemed like hours and hours of pushing, the baby came out. 'It's a boy!'
'Calliope! Our son. Oh my God, we have a son. I'm so proud of you, Baby.'
The nurses took baby boy from Addison and started cleaning him. He had not cried yet. Callie and Arizona looked over at him and waited. And waited. And waited.
'He's not crying Addie. What's wrong?' Callie was starting to panic. Her baby was not crying.
It started quietly, but it was there. The slight blubbering cry of their newborn son. It was like he had to get warmed up because after a second, he was crying hard. And what a set of lungs their son had! It was the most beautiful sound they had ever heard. Arizona laid a passionate kiss to Callie's lips.
'Alright, alright you two. We have another one in there. Callie on the next contraction, you know what to do. Let's get this girl out of there.' Addison said. She was almost in tears herself, but had to remain professional.
Barbara, Daniel, Amber, Lexie, and about half of the hospital were in the waiting area of the maternity floor. Lexie was laying on top of Amber as they slept curled up on one of the benches. Susan had come by and picked up the kids so they could be there for their friends. Barbara smiled. She was worried about the other woman when she heard about her bastard of a nephew. She was happy to see she was ok. Daniel was pacing nervously. He was not a man to show much emotion so he paced. They were waiting for almost two hours when Arizona finally came out of the room. She had a huge smile on her face as she walked up to her friends and family. Meredith tapped her sister to wake them up. 'They're here.' she said simply. 'They need some time to run their tests and to get cleaned up properly. You can see them soon. They're perfect.'
Daniel and Barbara were the first to enter the room. 'Oh my goodness! Girls, they are so precious. Look at them Daniel. Perfect little angels.' Barbara cooed over the two babies that Callie had in her arms. Amber, Lexie, and their other hospital friends came in a few minutes later. They couldn't wait anymore.
Tears immediately started falling. The little pink and blue bundles were a very welcome addition to the hospital family. 'What are their names?' Barbara asked.
'Our little girl is Naya Sophia Robbins-Torres. She weighed five pounds three ounces. She didn't give us any problems. Came out crying. She's a champ.' Arizona said. Callie tried to tilt her little girl so that everyone can see. Arizona took the little pink cap off of Naya so that everyone could see her light brown curls. She pulled the little blanket down showing off her cute little sleeping face.
'And what is his name?' Barbara asked.
'This is Levi Mitchell Robbins-Torres. He weighed five pounds eight ounces. He put up a fight to come out. I think he liked being warm.' Callie said as his cap was removed to show his dark black hair. She smiled brightly and made eye contact with Amber who couldn't control the tears that were streaming down her face. Lexie rubbed small circles on her back as she leaned into her touch.
They spent some time passing the babies around. Holding them, cooing at them. They were so precious and made the cutest little baby noises. Everyone filtered out eventually to give the new family some time alone.
Arizona gasped softly as a thought suddenly hit her. 'Calliope, do you know what today is?'
Callie thought about it for a minute. It was a regular Wednesday. It wasn't a big, major holiday. Then, she thought about the date and smiled. 'April 17.'
'What is it with us and the 17th?' Arizona asked looking down at her sleeping daughter.
'I don't know, but today is one of the best days of my life. We are a family. Look at these babies, Arizona. They are crack babies. I can't get enough of them.' Callie said as she caressed her son's cheek.
'I know what you mean, but let's not call our children crack babies. You want to feed them and we can get a little bit of sleep?'
'Yeah. Sleep when they sleep, right?'
