Chapter Four

Jamie joined Eddie in the waiting room. Bella fell asleep and Eddie laid her in the bassinet a nurse brought down from maternity. Finally, there was news on Mary

Jamie reached for Eddie's hand holding his breath as the doctor quietly gave them the news.

" Mr. And Mrs. Reagan, I'm Dr. Shapiro, I operated on your daughter..." He sat down with them. "She did very, very well."

"Will she be okay doctor?" Jamie asked the first thing that he was worried about

"She is still critical, she lost a great deal of blood," he replied. "Her left leg is already showing signs of bulking up but it's too soon to tell on the right leg.,

"What does that mean doctor? Will she walk again?" Eddie breathed in sharply

Jamie put his arm around her and she leaned into his chest. "It's too soon to tell, she is still facing the possibility of amputation at this point"

Both Jamie and Eddie cradled each other. "Can we see her doctor?"

"Yes," Dr. Shapiro replied. "Follow me this way. "

Holding Bella in one arm and the other resting around Eddie, Jamie followed.

Mary was still on oxygen and receiving blood. She looked so tiny in the PICU bed, hooked up to machines.

"Oh Mary," Eddie detached from Jamie to approach the bed reaching for her daughter.

Jamie stepped to the bed side, "She looks so small."

"She is small," Eddie sighed brushing a hand through Mary's hair.

Her skin was cold, Eddie hated for her to be cold. "Jamie..." She sniffled. "She needs to be warmed can you..."

"Of course," Jamie said softly wanting to do anything for his girl.

He got her the blankets then sat with Eddie in silent prayer.

Jamie sat, studying Mary, "She's a fighter our girl is strong like you Eddie."

"She's more your child than mine," Eddie replied. "She's got the Reagan grit. She's got your mother's spunk, always did, that's why we named her Mary, remember, we were going to name her Sarah, but she gave me such a go during labor and then she wasn't breathing right when she came out...Mary is a good name and she will be okay, she has to be okay."

Jamie nodded, "Yeah she will your right she has that Reagan stubbornness too."

Jamie stroked Mary's head, "Mary, you hear us, Angel? Daddy and Mommy are right here with you."

A small noise escaped, almost unheard if not followed by a second.

"Did she just make a sound?" Eddie asked as Jamie moved closer.

The machine beeped, there was silence, then Mary groaned and moved her fingers

Jamie and Eddie joined hands, their little girl was waking up and she would be so very scared.

After several lower groans Mary slowly fluttered her eyes blinking tiredly

Eddie smiled through tears, Jamie leaned down and met Mary's eyes. "Mary, it's Mommy baby. It's Mommy and Daddy, can you hear us sweetie?"

Mary turned her head slowly blinking again. "Mommy, daddy? I feel so yucky "

Eddie bit her lip, her baby girl was talking to her, when just a few hours ago she was in surgery fighting for her life.

"Mommy? I want to go home with you and daddy and Joe and.."

"I know," Jamie spoke softly. Eddie couldn't speak. "I know you want to go home, honey, but you've got a couple of really big boo boos.

"Why, Daddy? What happened? I want to go home, when can I?" Mary insisted.

She was already starting to drift off, the blood loss and the medicine making her weak.

"We are right here Mary, rest honey," Jamie whispered brushing her hair.

Eddie was having too hard a time speaking. She was scared, and she was tired. Mary's eyes fell closed again and she sighed, she was too out of it to know what was happening.

"She needs rest, Eddie, but our girl is okay, she was awake and talking that's a good sign," Jamie assured.

"Yeah," she replied. "Yeah, she is. There's one bad side to that though..."

"We'll cross that road when it comes, for right now though..."

Eddie wiped her eyes, "She and Joey were so close. They were the best of friends, how are we going to tell her that her little brother is gone?"

"I don't know," Jamie swallowed hard. "But we'll tell her together "

Eddie nodded and looked at Bella, "We need to have her taken home, she's too little to stay here and I need to stay with my Mary."

"I'm not leaving Mary either, maybe Dad can take her for the night," Jamie said

Eddie nodded, "I need you to go home and get my breast pump and some bottles. She's not ready to be off my milk by a mile."

"Okay, I'll be back soon." Jamie kissed Mary's head, "I'm coming right back baby girl," Jamie promised as he left.