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August 17th-24th
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This chapter takes place right after the last one.
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"Doug, I can't go any further," Carol said, walking towards the ER. They had had to drop the car off in the parking lot because there was no room in the ambulance bay. Doug was holding her arm, his other arm wrapped firmly around her waist to keep her steady. Carol was waddling awkwardly.
"Yes, you can," Doug said. She glanced at him, shook her head.
"He's right between my knees!" She exclaimed.
"He better not be," Doug said.
"Ohh," Carol moaned and stopped. She squeezed her eyes closed. Doug moved around in front of her and brushed a gloved hand over her face.
"Alright, baby, alright. Hold on to me. Breath. That's good," Doug breathed with her as she dropped her head to his shoulder and moaned through clenched teeth. After a few moments she straightened as best she could and nodded.
"Okay. Get me inside," She said. Doug chuckled.
"You don't need me to carry you in, do you?" He asked.
"Would you? They say walking just makes it go faster. If it goes any faster this baby will be born in the ambulance bay!" Carol breathed. He chuckled and shook his head slightly.
"Alright, Carol. If I drop you, it's your fault," He said. She breathed deeply, in and out, basically ignoring him. He smiled and crouched a bit, supporting the back of her knees with his arm and hauled her into his arms and groaned. She couldn't help but grin a bit.
"I'm fat," She stated. He smiled and headed toward the ER.
"No, you're beautiful,"
"I'm a cow," She said. He chuckled.
"Well, then, the most beautiful cow I've ever seen," He said, pushing through the ER doors. Randi and Mark looked up from the desk when the doors opened. Mark's eyes widened and he rushed around the desk as Doug placed Carol into the nearest empty wheelchair.
"What's wrong? What happened?" Mark asked. Doug chuckled.
"Carol says the baby is between her knees and she couldn't walk," He said and began to push Carol toward the elevators as Mark walked beside them.
"So, you're alright?" Mark asked Carol. She smiled up at him.
"As alright as I can be," She said.
"How far apart are the contractions?"
"About 17 minutes now," Doug replied.
"Well, get her upstairs!" Mark exclaimed. Doug laughed as he stopped the wheelchair in front of the elevators and pushed one of the buttons.
"Yes, doctor!"
o-----o
"How are you doing, sweetheart?" Doug asked. Carol smiled at him as he took her hand into his own.
"I love you, Doug, but I love the epidural man more," Carol said. Doug chuckled and kissed her knuckles. Doug reached out with his free hand and rubbed her stomach gently. She smiled at him and placed her other hand on top of his. "What time is it?" Carol asked. Doug glanced at the watch on his wrist.
"12:45," He replied.
"Thanksgiving," Carol said. He nodded.
"We're going to have a turkey baby," Doug said. Carol grinned.
"Oh," She said suddenly.
"What? What is it, Carol?"
"I think my water just broke," Carol replied, raising her legs. Abby Lockhart, who had just come into the room and heard her statement, lifted the covers and looked in.
"Yup, nice and clear fluid. I'll get Dr. Coburn."
"Here we go," Doug murmured and bent over Carol, giving her a kiss as his heart thudded nervously against his chest.
o-----o
"Push, Carol, push," Dr. Coburn urged. Carol gripped Doug's hand and moaned as Doug counted quietly along with Dr. Coburn. "Ten, okay, relax."
"You're doing great, darling," Doug brushed the hair off her sweaty forehead and kissed her temple. Carol shook her head.
"I can't do it anymore," She said, tears gathering in her eyes. Doug smiled.
"Yes you can, Carol. I've watched you through all of this, you can do it," He said. She smiled slightly and closed her eyes.
"Carol, are you ready?" Dr. Coburn asked. Carol slowly opened her eyes and shook her head.
"No," She replied but pushed herself up. Doug managed to get part of his body behind her and held her up, let her lean against him as he whispered comforting words into her ear.
"Okay, Carol, push until ten," Coburn said. Carol nodded and began to push, veins popping out on her forehead as Dr. Coburn counted. A tear slid from Carol's eye and landed on Doug's shirt. "Alright, here's the head. Stop pushing, Carol! Stop pushing!" Coburn yelled. Carol groaned and her head fell back on Doug's shoulder as the baby's shoulders slid out. Doug reveled in awe at the dark hair on the child's head. His child. The baby was pulled the rest of the way out and Dr. Coburn held the baby. Doug craned his neck, trying to see if it was a boy or a girl, just as the baby let out a loud wail. Dr. Coburn grinned.
"It's a boy!" She announced. Doug laughed in amazement as he saw the red, squalling face of his son. Carol laughed and watched as Coburn lay the baby on her chest.
"Oh, Doug, look at him," Carol smiled and Doug bent over them, love spilling through him like warm sunshine. His son, his child. He couldn't erase the grin on his face as Carol nuzzled the baby's head to her. Carol looked up at Doug and saw the pride in his face, the joy. He kissed her quickly before he was jolted from his thoughts by Dr. Coburn, handing him a pair of scissors. His grin widened as he took the scissors. He glanced at Carol before cutting the cord where the nurse indicated.
The baby's cries had reduced to whimpers as Carol stroked his tiny body. A nurse smiled at Carol.
"I have to take him now," She said, "I'll bring him right back," Carol nodded and watched as Doug helped the nurse gather his son into the soft hospital blanket and take him over to the weight machine. Doug bent over Carol, took her face into his hands and kissed her firmly on the lips. She giggled and wrapped her hands around his wrists.
"We have a son," Doug said softly. She nodded and felt him wipe a tear from her cheek.
"We do,"
"I love you, Carol. I love you," Doug said and kissed her again. When he pulled away, Carol saw the tears shining in his eyes.
"I love you, too, Doug."
o-----o
Carol lay in her hospital bed, sound asleep from exhaustion. Doug glanced at her and smiled before turning his face down to the small bundle in his arms. His son was wrapped up in a blue blanket, a small blue cap on his head. He yawned and his tiny fist hit Doug squarely on the chest.
"Oh, I love you," Doug said quietly and watched as the baby's eyes opened just a bit. Doug grinned at the deep chocolate eyes he saw there. His son had his eyes. Doug reached up and slipped the small hat off the child's head, looking at all that dark baby hair in surprise. He hadn't expected his baby to have so much hair, so much of Carol's hair. He smiled and traced a gentle finger over the baby's dark locks.
"You need a name, son," Doug murmured and turned quickly at the sound of a soft knock on the door. He turned and saw Mark and Elizabeth watching him. He smiled and walked to the doorway.
"What're you doing here? It's five o'clock in the morning," Doug said quietly. Mark smiled.
"I had the night shift and Elizabeth came when I called her to tell her about the baby," Mark replied, equally as quiet as Doug when he saw Carol sleeping.
"He's adorable," Elizabeth said. Doug chuckled. "Look at all that hair!"
"What's his name?" Mark asked. Doug chuckled again.
"He doesn't have one," Doug replied, "Carol fell asleep before we could choose," Mark and Elizabeth smiled.
"May I hold him?" Elizabeth asked. Doug nodded.
"Sure," He replied and gently made the pass from his arms to Elizabeth's. She cooed slightly as the baby looked up at her.
"He has your eyes," Mark said.
"He has Carol's mouth and hair," Doug replied, watching his son as love swirled through him. The baby's face scrunched and he began to cry softly. "I think he's hungry. The nurse said he had some formula but he probably wants more."
"Doug?" Doug turned as Carol stirred in bed, awakened by the sound of her child crying. Elizabeth gave the baby back to Doug and he walked to Carol's bed.
"I think he's hungry," Doug said. Carol pushed herself up in bed.
"We'll leave you three alone," Mark said and took Elizabeth's hand into his. Doug and Carol smiled at them as they exited the room. The baby continued to cry.
"Do you think you could feed him?" Doug asked. Carol glanced up at him, a bit nervous.
"Umm..I'll try," She replied. Doug smiled.
"Okay, here, take him," Doug replied and Carol took her son into her arms. Doug gently instructed her how to hold the baby and watched with delight as his son latched on to Carol's breast. She gasped.
"Oh, wow," She said. Doug smiled.
"It'll take some getting used to," He said, stroking a hand over the baby's moving cheek. Carol shifted a bit and glanced up at him.
"I'm glad you're here," She said. Doug smiled.
"Me too," He said and kissed her softly. "But, guess what?"
"What?" Carol replied.
"Our son needs a name," He said. Carol laughed softly as she looked down at her child.
"Yes, he does," She paused, "I still really like Aiden."
"Me too," Doug replied.
"Aiden it is, then. What about his middle name?" Carol asked, glancing up and meeting Doug's gaze.
"Michael," Doug answered helpfully. She smiled.
"Aiden Michael Ross. Has a nice ring to it," Carol said. Doug chuckled.
"Yes, it does. So, it's settled?" He asked. Carol smiled up at him and nodded.
"It's settled," She replied and offered her mouth to Doug's. He pressed his lips to hers and imagined the rest of his life with these two people he loved so dearly.
o-----o
A month later, on Christmas morning, Doug opened in his eyes and stretched his free arm. Carol was lying on his other arm and was cuddled against his chest. He smiled down at her and trailed his hand down her arm.
He marveled in the fact that she was lying here, beside him, on Christmas morning. That she loved him and he was capable of loving her in return. He grinned slightly before carefully sliding his arm out from under her and easing away from her. She sighed in her sleep and shifted slightly but didn't wake. He crept out of the room and into the living room and smiled at the Christmas tree, with piles of presents underneath, before heading up the stairs to the nursery.
He walked slowly into Aiden's room and peeked over the crib to meet chocolate eyes with another pair of chocolate eyes. Aiden grinned his little baby grin and kicked at the sight of George, waving his little arms about. Doug reached over and turned off the baby monitor so he wouldn't wake Carol. Then he bent over the crib and lifted his tiny son into his arms.
"How's my man?" Doug asked and supported Aiden's head with his hand and held Aiden up in front of him, his tiny feet resting against Doug's chest. Aiden gurgled and Doug chuckled. "Are you wet? Why don't we see," Doug walked to the changing table and placed Aiden down on it. He bent over his son and kissed his neck as he unbuttoned the red sleeper that had tiny reindeers on it. Aiden bumped the side of Doug's face with his small fist and drooled a bit out the side of his mouth. Doug laughed quietly and expertly changed the baby's diaper and redressed him.
He hoisted Aiden up and held the baby against his chest, the tiny head full of hair resting on George's shoulder.
"Let's go get Mommy!" Doug suggested and patted Aiden's bottom slightly as he headed out of the room and down the steps. Aiden lifted his head and looked at the Christmas tree as Doug passed it on his way back to the bedroom. Doug walked into the bedroom and smiled at Carol, who had rolled onto her back sometime during Doug's journey upstairs. Doug shifted the baby in his arms until Aiden was face down and Doug had a supporting hand under his chest and neck and another holding his torso and legs.
Doug bent onto the bed and held Aiden in front of Carol's face. Aiden gurgled and his tiny arms swung above Carol's head.
"Mommy, Mommy, wake up! It's Christmas! I want my presents!" Doug said in a childlike voice and nudged Carol with his knees. She sighed and shifted. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" Doug said in the same voice. "Mommmmy!" He exaggerated and chuckled as Aiden bumped Carol's nose with a flying fist. Carol mumbled under her breath and opened her eyes slowly. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw her son's face above her. She glanced at Doug and laughed huskily.
"Doug, you're insane," She said and shifted up onto her elbows as Doug pulled Aiden back a few inches. "How's my baby?" She asked and grinned when Doug replied in his baby voice. "Tell Daddy you don't sound like that!" Carol said and puckered her lips. Doug moved the baby forward and Carol brushed her lips against Aiden's and watched him grin. Doug shifted and brought Aiden down to his lap, sitting him up and leaning Aiden against him.
"He's very responsive for a one-month-old," Doug said and let Aiden grip his fingers. Carol yawned, then lifted her hands to stretch.
"Ahh..," She groaned a bit as she settled back. Aiden made a little impatient baby sound and Carol smiled. "Uh-oh. I think Mommy's boy is hungry!" Doug chuckled and handed Aiden to Carol.
"I'll go light up the tree and get everything ready and you can feed him," Doug said. Carol nodded and settled back against the headboard to feed her child. Doug smiled and kissed her quickly before bounded out of the room. Carol smiled as Aiden latched on.
"Your Daddy's a little crazy," She whispered and kissed Aiden's forehead with a wide grin on her face.
o-----o
"We're exhausted," Doug said. He was lying on the couch and Aiden was laying on Doug's chest, asleep. Carol smiled and pushed aside one of the toy's Helen had gotten Aiden.
"I can see that," She said quietly and walked to the couch. She sat down and rubbed her finger over Aiden's ear. "He's such a beautiful baby. I've seen plenty of babies at work and most of them are cute, but he's beautiful," Doug smiled.
"He's a perfect mixture of us," Doug said. Carol grinned and shook her head before lying down, stretching her legs out beside Doug's before entwining one of them with his. She slid a hand over his chest and laid her palm on Aiden's diapered bottom.
"Today was nice," She murmured, nestling her head into Doug's shoulder. He chuckled.
"Helen was extra nice to me today," Doug said. Carol smiled and turned her nose into his shirt, smelling that scent she loved so much.
"When she saw how you doted on Aiden, I think you melted her heart a bit," Carol said and looked up at him. He smiled and brushed a hand through her hair.
"So then, how many kids is it going to take to convince her?" Doug asked and laughed as Carol rolled her eyes. He brushed his lips gently against her jaw and she turned her face back to his and kissed him softly on the lips.
"How many kids do you want?" She asked him. He lifted his eyebrows and puckered his lips, considering.
"Two more. What about you?" He asked. She smiled.
"Something like that," She paused. "I was really close to my sisters. We came right after one another, so we were close in age and I just liked that close knit friendship we had and I want my children to share that, too. I couldn't imagine myself without both of my sisters. We aren't exactly close nowadays, but we try," Doug nodded.
"Well, at least we agree on the children issue. It wouldn't be good if I wanted fifteen more and you wanted one more," Doug said. Carol laughed softly.
"If you wanted fifteen kids, I'm sorry but you'd be out of luck." Doug chuckled and ran his finger down her cheek.
"So when is Carol Jr. coming along?" Doug asked. Carol laughed.
"I hope we don't call her that!" Carol said. Doug chuckled.
"Alright, then, Caroline," He suggested. Carol raised an eyebrow and shook her head.
"No way!" She sighed. "When do you want the next one to come?" He chuckled.
"Well, if we get started now, it might just takes us four months to get pregnant. By then Aid would be five months old and then give you another nine months and he would be over a year old. Fourteen months to be exact."
"Or, I could get pregnant right away and Aiden would be only ten months old and we'd have two very young children. Two babies."
"Yes, that's a possibility," Doug said and smiled. "What to do, what to do.."
"How about we wait a few months, until Aiden is about six months old and then we start trying again. If it takes a little while, he'll be old enough and if it happens right away, he'll still be old enough," Carol suggested. Doug smiled.
"Sounds good to me," He said. Carol smiled and pressed her lips to his again. He cupped her chin in his hand and moaned softly against her lips. She pulled away just slightly.
"Why don't we put this little squirt to bed and get some practice for his future siblings," Carol suggested, grinning wickedly. Doug's eyebrows lifted.
"Why, Carol Hathaway, I do believe you're trying to seduce me," Doug said, wiggling his eyebrows. She laughed and sat up on the couch, lifting Aiden into her arms. Doug stood and wrapped his arms around her waist and growled into the back of her neck. She laughed softly and began to walk up the stairs.
o-----o
Doug walked down the hallway, carrying Aiden in his baby seat as he headed to daycare. It was a rare day that Aiden had to go there. Normally Helen watched him, but today she and Javier were going on a senior citizen trip. Doug glanced down at his son and saw he was still asleep. Doug looked up again and saw Donald Anspaugh turn around the corner and head his way. Doug smiled briefly and was going to continue on but Donald stopped him.
"Dr. Ross?" Doug paused and looked at him.
"Dr. Anspaugh," Doug replied.
"I need to talk to you. Meet me in my office after you take this little guy to daycare," Donald smiled down at Aiden before looking back up at Doug. Doug nodded.
"Alright," He shifted on his feet and watched Dr. Anspaugh smile and walk off. Doug shook his head and continued walking.
o-----o
Ten minutes later, Doug knocked on Anspaugh's door.
"Come in," He heard from inside. He slowly opened and peeked his head in before coming in the full way, shutting the door behind him. Donald smiled. "Have a seat," He said and placed a piece of paper into a pile before turning back to Doug, as Doug sat in the chair. Doug cleared his throat and met Anspaugh's gaze. "Do you enjoy working on the pedes floor?" Donald asked. Doug shrugged.
"Well, I like it. Being able to help the children. But it's not the same as the ER. You get to know patients upstairs," Doug replied.
"Do you like the fast pace of the ER better?" Doug ticked his head to the side and glanced out the window briefly.
"Yes, I suppose I do," He replied. Donald nodded.
"So, if I were to offer you a position in the ER, would you take it?" Donald asked. Doug paused and nearly let his mouth fall open.
"Well, I uh...I guess it depends on the position and the requirements."
"Requirements?"
"Who I will be working under...," Doug trailed off and Donald caught the hint.
"So if I was to offer you a position where you would be working as an emergency care pediatrician and under me, not Kerry or Mark, you'd take it?"
"What about Cleo?" Doug asked.
"She quit," Donald answered.
"What? Why?"
"I don't really know the details, but I think it has something to do with Peter Benton," Dr. Anspaugh said. Doug raised his eyebrows.
"Ah," He replied. Donald nodded.
"So, would you be interested in her position?"
"Just like that?" Doug asked, a bit suspicious.
"Dr. Ross, I know you're a great doctor. You may not follow the rules exactly as the hospital would like, but you are one of the greatest pediatrician's I've ever worked with. And since you left, I've had to evaluate my own job," Dr. Anspaugh sighed. "You remember my son, Scotty? He died from cancer," Doug nodded and shifted slightly in his chair. "If something had happened to him where it was necessary for his doctor to do something that didn't follow the rules, but would have made Scotty better, I would have wanted that doctor to do everything he could in his power, regardless of what the rules were. And I realized that as I evaluated myself as a doctor. I can't fault you for your patient care and that's what is supposed to be important. The people, the patients. I may not agree with everything you do, but it's always in the best interest of the patient and that's what this hospital needs," He paused. "So, if you're interested, you'll be given your old job back as pediatric attending in the ER. And you will not have to answer to Mark or Kerry, they will be your equals. Any and all problems you have with them should come to me."
"I guess," Doug paused, "I'll accept," Doug grinned slightly, "I really want that job," Donald grinned.
"Great! So, now, to discuss your schedule," Anspaugh started and Doug couldn't contain the huge smile of happiness on his face. He got his old job back. Now everything could be the same, be normal. He sighed and couldn't wait to tell Carol.'
o-----o
"Oh, yeah, there's was something sort of important I wanted to tell you," Doug said as he and Carol walked into the front door of the house. Carol shifted the baby carrier in her arms and looked at him.
"What's that?" She asked, closing the door behind her and setting Aiden on the floor so she could take off her coat and shoes.
"Well, this morning when I was taking Aiden to daycare, Anspaugh stopped me in the hall," Carol's head whipped up and she looked at him, standing there, talking nonchalantly.
"What for?"
"Oh, he wanted me to meet him in his office," Doug shrugged. "So, I went to his office after I dropped Aiden off," Carol slid out of her jacket and watched him intently. "He asked me how I liked the job upstairs and I told him it was alright and he asked if I liked the ER better. So, I told him the truth and said yes. Then he told me how Cleo quit because of something Peter did," Doug paused and took a deep breath. "So, Anspaugh told me that even though I didn't follow the rules very well, I was one of the best pediatrician's he had ever worked with and that the patients were what should be important. So he offered me my old job back as the ER pediatric attending and I start tomorrow," Carol's jaw dropped. "No big deal."
"No big deal? No big deal!?" Carol exclaimed and jumped into his arms.
"You're going to work in the ER again?" She asked. Doug chuckled.
"Yes, I am," He replied. Carol's face lit up with a huge smile and she pressed her mouth to his with excitement and wrapped her arms around his neck. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground and squeezed her tightly.
"Oh, this is great!" Carol exclaimed when he placed her back on her feet. Doug laughed and kissed her again.
o-----o
The next night, Doug came into the house, a huge smile on his face. Carol grinned up at him from her perch on the couch where she was feeding Aiden. She had just gotten home herself about an hour ago.
"How was work?" She asked. He laughed and sat beside her, kissing her with a flourish. She giggled.
"It was great! I didn't lose any patients but I saved a few lives. Helped a few kids," The grin stayed on his face. "It was like coming home!" Carol laughed softly.
"I'm glad it was a good day for you," She said. He sighed and picked up her left hand, rubbing his finger over the diamond engagement ring sitting there. That had been sitting there, alone, for so long. Carol slid her hand away from his as Aiden finished and she lifted him up, patting his back until he burped as Doug sat quietly, watching.
"I'll put him upstairs," Doug said quietly. Carol nodded.
"Alright," She replied and shifted the baby over to Doug. He took him upstairs and Carol lay her head back on the couch, closing her eyes and smiling. She opened her eyes and turned her head as she heard Doug coming down the stairs. He sat beside her on the couch again and leaned over, kissing her gently. She smiled and rubbed her hand over his cheek.
"Carol, there's something I want to discuss," Doug said. Carol nodded slowly, seeing the serious look on his face.
"Okay," She said, slightly confused. Doug paused and reached down, taking her left hand into his own.
"I love you," He said and looked at her. She smiled and lifted an eyebrow.
"You know I love you, too, Doug," She replied. He smiled softly and nodded.
"I know. Anyway...I know I gave you this ring a long time ago," Doug said, rubbing his finger over it and Carol nearly gasped, realizing what he wanted to talk about. She opened her mouth to speak but he held up a finger. "Nearly two years ago," He trailed off and looked down at the ring. "Your my life. You and Aiden. Even though I love my job, I could do without it. I need you and Aiden. I know we haven't really talked about it, but I want it to all be official. I want you to be my wife," Doug said and looked up at her, ready to let her speak again. Carol's eyes had filled with tears and she smiled warmly.
"Oh, Doug."
"I don't want to wait anymore. I love you, you love me. We have a son. I'm ready..And I hope you're ready. I just..," Carol lifted her hand and pressed her fingers to his lips to silence him. He stopped and met her watery gaze with his nervous one.
"I'm ready," She whispered. Doug's smiled spread like wildfire.
"I know we've been through some hard times," Doug paused, "Some really hard times, but I promise to always be there for you, no matter what," He said. Carol wiped at the single tear that slid down her cheek and wrapped her arms around his neck and turned her face into it.
"I love you, Doug. I want to be your wife. Forever and always," She whispered. He smiled wildly and turned his head into her hair as he wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her close, cherishing her.
His life was finally together. He had an amazing fiancé, a beautiful son, and a job he loved. What more could a man ask for?
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