*Note: for this story, let's say there's actually a subway that takes
someone from New York City to "Port Charles"* lol
Rafe waited impatiently at the subway station in New York City. He had no clue what the big fuss was. It was backed up about half an hour, which was something you would expect on New Year's Eve and not an ordinary day like this. For Rafe, though, it wasn't an ordinary day. He had just found out that Alison was going into labor a month early. The baby's heart rate was also not what it should be, so there was a possibility that the doctor would have to perform a caesarean. He wanted to be there, so he was half tempted to shove through the crowd to the front to get the next ride, but that would be rude. Then some woman came out of nowhere and shoved past Rafe. He tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, just where do you think that you're going?"
"I'm so tired of waiting. I was just shopping in Macy's for a new pair of shoes and let me tell you, the line was so long! So I really don't want to wait in other lines, so if you'll just let me by, that would be great."
Rafe laughed. "Are you kidding me?"
"Look young man, I don't understand what you could be in a hurry for. To get back to your prostitute or something? I know you couldn't have anything important that you might be late for. I have a very important appointment to get my nails done."
"Well you're wrong. My wife is in labor right now, and might have to have a caesarean. So I think you should be the one to let me through. Have a nice day now!" Rafe nodded kindly at the woman and walked in front again.
Finally Rafe was able to get on the sub. After a pleasant but crowded ride, it arrived in Port Charles. He rushed to downtown to get a cab to General Hospital. He was greeted at the door by Lucy, who was pacing back and forth. Rafe and Alison had asked Lucy and Kevin to be the baby's godparents. "Oh Rafe, thank god you're finally here! I've been going nuts here. Alison's grandmother is held up in traffic, but Jack and Jamal are here. Gosh, I just don't know what........." Lucy kept rambling on and on as she always does.
"Uh, Lucy? Sorry to interrupt but my wife is in labor and I'd really like to go inside and see her."
"Oh of course! She's on the 6th floor, room 602. Tell her I'll be back in about five minutes. Doc and the girls are coming. Oh, I'm so excited! I'm going to be a godmother! Oh boy, this is quite a day." Lucy realized that Rafe was long gone after she had told him what room Alison was in. Some people that were walking in were giving her strange looks.
"Well what are you looking at, huh? My cousin was standing right there, I swear! I just didn't realize that he left. Guess I have been talking quite an awful lot. You know, I've been meaning to do some more reading. I've heard that it calms nerves......" The people that were looking at her shook their heads and laughed as they went into the hospital.
Meanwhile, Alison was trying to keep calm. Her grandmother was going to be held up in traffic for at least another half an hour it seemed and Rafe was still nowhere to be found. She looked up at the sky and started praying. "Hey, um, God, Ed, whoever is listening up there, can you please help me out? Look, this is Rafe's first child, and he needs to be here to see him or her being born. You have to get him here, as soon as possible that is." Her little prayer was interrupted by Karen and some nurses that had entered the room. Karen went to the equipment to check the progress and the baby's heart rate. She had the nurses record some numbers and then ordered them to get something.
"Alison, I'm afraid I haven't seen any change here. The baby's heart rate is not improving, which means we will have to do the caesarean now."
Alison almost dropped the glass of water she was drinking and exclaimed, "But Rafe isn't here yet!"
"I know sweetie, I'm so sorry. I'll let the nurses at the front desk know where we're going so that they can tell him if he gets here. In the meantime, just relax. It'll all be ok soon."
The nurses returned with a cot to wheel Alison into the surgery room. Just as Karen was laying her onto the cot, Rafe rushed into the room. "Angel, I'm so sorry! I got held up at the subway station, and then this lady.."
"Rafe, it's ok! Please don't start wigging out. You sound exactly like Lucy! You're right on time."
"That's right, Rafe. We're just about to take Alison to surgery to get the baby out, so just follow us," Karen said as she started to wheel Alison out of the room.
Rafe held her hand and kissed her lips softly. "I love you Alison."
"I love you too, Rafe. But oh the baby! What if they don't get it out in time, or something?"
Karen patted her head. "Don't worry, Alison. The baby will be just fine."
"Yeah, you hear that, angel? The baby will be ok. It will be the best baby on this earth, because it has you as a mother."
"Oh Rafe." Alison leaned up to give Rafe a kiss as they entered the surgery room.
"Rafe you can stay in here if you'd like, just as long as you stand at Alison's head. Colleen, page Dr. Thornheart for me please." While Karen was waiting for Ian, she set up Alison for the surgery. Ian, unaware of what was going on, came in.
"Alright, I'm here. So, what are the conditions?" Ian asked as he grabbed a mask and gloves.
"Alison discovered she was going into labor earlier. I checked her and found that her baby's heart rate wasn't what it should be."
Ian nodded hello to Rafe and went over to talk to Alison, who was still a little in fear. "Hang in there. I know you're a strong woman. We'll get this baby out before you know it."
Out in the waiting area, Amanda had finally arrived. She, along with Jack, Jamal, Kevin, and Serena, were trying to calm Lucy down. Jamal went over to Lucy and said, "Hey, you have got to calm down there. It's almost as if you're the one having the baby! Christina, I sure hope you don't take after your mother here when you grow up. Because if you do, man are we ever going to have some wild woman on our hands!" That got everyone in the waiting room to laugh.
Lucy cracked a little smile and said, "Alright, I know I'm a little on edge here but I'm just worried, that's all. Alison is like another daughter to me, so of course I'm going to be a little crazy while I wait."
Kevin put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Lucy, if this is how you act while Alison is having a baby, I'd hate to see what happens when it's Serena and Christina's turn."
"Oh Doc, please don't remind me! That makes me feel old!"
Amanda decided to break into the conversation and clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Ok everyone. Instead of sitting here discussing how Lucy is going nuts, why don't we discuss the Bears game or something?"
Everyone stopped the chatting and laughed. It wasn't that discussing the Bears was funny; it was the weirdness of the situation. Since when did Amanda Barrington want to discuss the Bears game?
Amanda shrugged her shoulders. "It was just a suggestion."
Jamal rolled his eyes. He still wasn't too fond of Alison's grandmother, but he had to admit that it was funny. "Yeah, great. But I don't think any of us want to talk football right now. I don't know about you guys, but I really want to know what's going on in there. How long could it take them, man?"
Lucy sighed deeply. "Yeah I know! Stupid doctors. They get paid all this money and they can't even..."
Everyone interrupted her and said the exact same thing at once, "Lucy, don't start again!" That outburst got another laugh from the other people in the waiting area.
Back in the surgery room, Ian and Karen were working diligently to get the baby out. Karen looked up to Rafe and Alison and said, "Ok guys, I just have to cut something here real quick and the baby will be out." Rafe held Alison's hand as Karen took a final cut to release the baby from Alison's stomach. Soon the room was filled with the loud cries of the newborn. Ian quickly cleaned off the baby and put it in a blanket. "Congratulations you two. You have a new healthy boy."
Tears of joy rolled down both Alison and Rafe's face. They were suddenly overwhelmed by a bright light that was illuminating over the room. As Ian handed Alison her new son, Rafe looked up to the sky and said, "Hey dad, looks like you got a new grandson. Bet he turns out to be just like you."
After Alison held her baby for a few minutes, she handed him to Rafe and said, "Rafe, look. He has a small patch of golden brown hair. And he looks so determined. Definitely going to take after his dad."
Rafe laughed and gave his son a small kiss on the head. "Well there little one, have I got some plans for you. Just wait until your older and I give you pointers on how to pick up the women. I won your mother over with my magic and charms."
Alison playfully slapped him on the arm. "Rafe Kovich!"
"What? It's the truth isn't it?"
Alison sighed. "Oh men! Now I have to deal with two of them."
Rafe suddenly got a look on his face and shouted, "The name!"
"Huh?"
"We were so busy planning everything else for the baby that we forgot to think of a name."
"Oh yeah that's right."
"Listen, if you don't mind, I think that a good one would be.."
"Ed?"
Rafe smiled. "How did you know?"
"Well he is the reason you're back here with me, right? Who better to name the baby after than him? And he is your father after all."
"Alright. So, Ed it is then."
Karen came over to Alison. "Hey, I really hate to break this up, but the new mother needs some rest. Rafe, you can bring out the baby to everyone for a few minutes, but then I have to put him in the nursery while Alison is resting."
Rafe gave Alison a kiss and took little Ed out into the waiting room. Lucy jumped up from her seat and ran over to Rafe. "Oh my goodness, what an adorable little baby! So, do I have a godson or a goddaughter? I can't really tell, seeing that the...well you know, is under the blanket and all."
"Lucy, this is your godson Ed."
"Oh Doc, come here, it's our godson!"
Amanda walked over to Rafe and the baby. "I still can't believe that I am a great grandmother."
"Well everyone, Dr. Wexler informed me that I have to take the baby to the nursery. Alison needs her rest, so you can come see us and the baby as soon as we get back home." Everyone congratulated Rafe and told him to congratulate Alison as well. He walked back to Alison's room and gave little Ed to Karen, who took him down to the nursery. Rafe stroked Alison's hair and kissed her forehead.
"Rafe, our baby was just born! We brought a whole new life into this world. You know, he could be a future inventor."
"Or a doctor."
"Or maybe he'll find the cure for AIDS and cancer."
"Whatever he does, he'll always have our love to guide him."
Alison smiled and gave him a sweet kiss. "I love you Rafe. Always"
"I love you Alison. Forever." A few moments later Alison drifted off to sleep in her bed and Rafe fell asleep in his chair.
Ed smiled down upon them from above. "I wish for you kids nothing but the best that the world can bring to you. You have many wonderful years ahead."
Rafe waited impatiently at the subway station in New York City. He had no clue what the big fuss was. It was backed up about half an hour, which was something you would expect on New Year's Eve and not an ordinary day like this. For Rafe, though, it wasn't an ordinary day. He had just found out that Alison was going into labor a month early. The baby's heart rate was also not what it should be, so there was a possibility that the doctor would have to perform a caesarean. He wanted to be there, so he was half tempted to shove through the crowd to the front to get the next ride, but that would be rude. Then some woman came out of nowhere and shoved past Rafe. He tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, just where do you think that you're going?"
"I'm so tired of waiting. I was just shopping in Macy's for a new pair of shoes and let me tell you, the line was so long! So I really don't want to wait in other lines, so if you'll just let me by, that would be great."
Rafe laughed. "Are you kidding me?"
"Look young man, I don't understand what you could be in a hurry for. To get back to your prostitute or something? I know you couldn't have anything important that you might be late for. I have a very important appointment to get my nails done."
"Well you're wrong. My wife is in labor right now, and might have to have a caesarean. So I think you should be the one to let me through. Have a nice day now!" Rafe nodded kindly at the woman and walked in front again.
Finally Rafe was able to get on the sub. After a pleasant but crowded ride, it arrived in Port Charles. He rushed to downtown to get a cab to General Hospital. He was greeted at the door by Lucy, who was pacing back and forth. Rafe and Alison had asked Lucy and Kevin to be the baby's godparents. "Oh Rafe, thank god you're finally here! I've been going nuts here. Alison's grandmother is held up in traffic, but Jack and Jamal are here. Gosh, I just don't know what........." Lucy kept rambling on and on as she always does.
"Uh, Lucy? Sorry to interrupt but my wife is in labor and I'd really like to go inside and see her."
"Oh of course! She's on the 6th floor, room 602. Tell her I'll be back in about five minutes. Doc and the girls are coming. Oh, I'm so excited! I'm going to be a godmother! Oh boy, this is quite a day." Lucy realized that Rafe was long gone after she had told him what room Alison was in. Some people that were walking in were giving her strange looks.
"Well what are you looking at, huh? My cousin was standing right there, I swear! I just didn't realize that he left. Guess I have been talking quite an awful lot. You know, I've been meaning to do some more reading. I've heard that it calms nerves......" The people that were looking at her shook their heads and laughed as they went into the hospital.
Meanwhile, Alison was trying to keep calm. Her grandmother was going to be held up in traffic for at least another half an hour it seemed and Rafe was still nowhere to be found. She looked up at the sky and started praying. "Hey, um, God, Ed, whoever is listening up there, can you please help me out? Look, this is Rafe's first child, and he needs to be here to see him or her being born. You have to get him here, as soon as possible that is." Her little prayer was interrupted by Karen and some nurses that had entered the room. Karen went to the equipment to check the progress and the baby's heart rate. She had the nurses record some numbers and then ordered them to get something.
"Alison, I'm afraid I haven't seen any change here. The baby's heart rate is not improving, which means we will have to do the caesarean now."
Alison almost dropped the glass of water she was drinking and exclaimed, "But Rafe isn't here yet!"
"I know sweetie, I'm so sorry. I'll let the nurses at the front desk know where we're going so that they can tell him if he gets here. In the meantime, just relax. It'll all be ok soon."
The nurses returned with a cot to wheel Alison into the surgery room. Just as Karen was laying her onto the cot, Rafe rushed into the room. "Angel, I'm so sorry! I got held up at the subway station, and then this lady.."
"Rafe, it's ok! Please don't start wigging out. You sound exactly like Lucy! You're right on time."
"That's right, Rafe. We're just about to take Alison to surgery to get the baby out, so just follow us," Karen said as she started to wheel Alison out of the room.
Rafe held her hand and kissed her lips softly. "I love you Alison."
"I love you too, Rafe. But oh the baby! What if they don't get it out in time, or something?"
Karen patted her head. "Don't worry, Alison. The baby will be just fine."
"Yeah, you hear that, angel? The baby will be ok. It will be the best baby on this earth, because it has you as a mother."
"Oh Rafe." Alison leaned up to give Rafe a kiss as they entered the surgery room.
"Rafe you can stay in here if you'd like, just as long as you stand at Alison's head. Colleen, page Dr. Thornheart for me please." While Karen was waiting for Ian, she set up Alison for the surgery. Ian, unaware of what was going on, came in.
"Alright, I'm here. So, what are the conditions?" Ian asked as he grabbed a mask and gloves.
"Alison discovered she was going into labor earlier. I checked her and found that her baby's heart rate wasn't what it should be."
Ian nodded hello to Rafe and went over to talk to Alison, who was still a little in fear. "Hang in there. I know you're a strong woman. We'll get this baby out before you know it."
Out in the waiting area, Amanda had finally arrived. She, along with Jack, Jamal, Kevin, and Serena, were trying to calm Lucy down. Jamal went over to Lucy and said, "Hey, you have got to calm down there. It's almost as if you're the one having the baby! Christina, I sure hope you don't take after your mother here when you grow up. Because if you do, man are we ever going to have some wild woman on our hands!" That got everyone in the waiting room to laugh.
Lucy cracked a little smile and said, "Alright, I know I'm a little on edge here but I'm just worried, that's all. Alison is like another daughter to me, so of course I'm going to be a little crazy while I wait."
Kevin put a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Lucy, if this is how you act while Alison is having a baby, I'd hate to see what happens when it's Serena and Christina's turn."
"Oh Doc, please don't remind me! That makes me feel old!"
Amanda decided to break into the conversation and clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Ok everyone. Instead of sitting here discussing how Lucy is going nuts, why don't we discuss the Bears game or something?"
Everyone stopped the chatting and laughed. It wasn't that discussing the Bears was funny; it was the weirdness of the situation. Since when did Amanda Barrington want to discuss the Bears game?
Amanda shrugged her shoulders. "It was just a suggestion."
Jamal rolled his eyes. He still wasn't too fond of Alison's grandmother, but he had to admit that it was funny. "Yeah, great. But I don't think any of us want to talk football right now. I don't know about you guys, but I really want to know what's going on in there. How long could it take them, man?"
Lucy sighed deeply. "Yeah I know! Stupid doctors. They get paid all this money and they can't even..."
Everyone interrupted her and said the exact same thing at once, "Lucy, don't start again!" That outburst got another laugh from the other people in the waiting area.
Back in the surgery room, Ian and Karen were working diligently to get the baby out. Karen looked up to Rafe and Alison and said, "Ok guys, I just have to cut something here real quick and the baby will be out." Rafe held Alison's hand as Karen took a final cut to release the baby from Alison's stomach. Soon the room was filled with the loud cries of the newborn. Ian quickly cleaned off the baby and put it in a blanket. "Congratulations you two. You have a new healthy boy."
Tears of joy rolled down both Alison and Rafe's face. They were suddenly overwhelmed by a bright light that was illuminating over the room. As Ian handed Alison her new son, Rafe looked up to the sky and said, "Hey dad, looks like you got a new grandson. Bet he turns out to be just like you."
After Alison held her baby for a few minutes, she handed him to Rafe and said, "Rafe, look. He has a small patch of golden brown hair. And he looks so determined. Definitely going to take after his dad."
Rafe laughed and gave his son a small kiss on the head. "Well there little one, have I got some plans for you. Just wait until your older and I give you pointers on how to pick up the women. I won your mother over with my magic and charms."
Alison playfully slapped him on the arm. "Rafe Kovich!"
"What? It's the truth isn't it?"
Alison sighed. "Oh men! Now I have to deal with two of them."
Rafe suddenly got a look on his face and shouted, "The name!"
"Huh?"
"We were so busy planning everything else for the baby that we forgot to think of a name."
"Oh yeah that's right."
"Listen, if you don't mind, I think that a good one would be.."
"Ed?"
Rafe smiled. "How did you know?"
"Well he is the reason you're back here with me, right? Who better to name the baby after than him? And he is your father after all."
"Alright. So, Ed it is then."
Karen came over to Alison. "Hey, I really hate to break this up, but the new mother needs some rest. Rafe, you can bring out the baby to everyone for a few minutes, but then I have to put him in the nursery while Alison is resting."
Rafe gave Alison a kiss and took little Ed out into the waiting room. Lucy jumped up from her seat and ran over to Rafe. "Oh my goodness, what an adorable little baby! So, do I have a godson or a goddaughter? I can't really tell, seeing that the...well you know, is under the blanket and all."
"Lucy, this is your godson Ed."
"Oh Doc, come here, it's our godson!"
Amanda walked over to Rafe and the baby. "I still can't believe that I am a great grandmother."
"Well everyone, Dr. Wexler informed me that I have to take the baby to the nursery. Alison needs her rest, so you can come see us and the baby as soon as we get back home." Everyone congratulated Rafe and told him to congratulate Alison as well. He walked back to Alison's room and gave little Ed to Karen, who took him down to the nursery. Rafe stroked Alison's hair and kissed her forehead.
"Rafe, our baby was just born! We brought a whole new life into this world. You know, he could be a future inventor."
"Or a doctor."
"Or maybe he'll find the cure for AIDS and cancer."
"Whatever he does, he'll always have our love to guide him."
Alison smiled and gave him a sweet kiss. "I love you Rafe. Always"
"I love you Alison. Forever." A few moments later Alison drifted off to sleep in her bed and Rafe fell asleep in his chair.
Ed smiled down upon them from above. "I wish for you kids nothing but the best that the world can bring to you. You have many wonderful years ahead."