35 weeks down, zero weeks to go. I had my hands pushed up against the wall of the hallway, my back flat as I took big breaths in and big breaths out. It was only a braxton hicks contraction I kept telling myself. I felt the pain ease and I slowly stood up right, my hands resting on my back so I could hold my large belly upright.
"Hey babe have you seen my….Are you alright?" she asked noting the pain in my face.
"Just braxton hicks,' I muttered unconvincingly.
"Can I have a quick look?" Arizona asked with a touch of concern and curiosity merging into her voice.
"Do it in the room, it might look a bit odd if Aria or Sofia saw you poking around own there," I half smirked.
Arizona placed her hand around my waist and she hobbled me slowly down the hall, her spare hand holding my hand more for strength than stability. "Just lie down and prop your legs up" Arizona said as she helped me onto the bed.
"Romantic," I teased as I settled onto the bed, my head resting firmly on Arizona's pillow.
"Sorry my darling. Please will you put your legs up?" she asked as she leant down and playfully kissed my lips.
I slowly raised my legs causing Arizona to smile lightly, "I'm just going to feel around," she informed me before she slowly positioned her head between my legs.
"This is so not sexy," I muttered.
Arizona kissed the inside of my thigh to ease my mind before she finally slipped her finger into my cervix, feeling off to the side slightly. "Babe how long have you been having the contractions?" Arizona asked me as she moved her fingers to the other side.
"Most of last night and this morning," she said aimlessly.
"Cal, you're in labour," Arizona said as she raised her head up between my legs.
"I can't be. My water hasn't broken," I responded defensively. I was a doctor, how could I miss the signs?
"Yeah I know. Let's get you to the hospital. We might have to break it ourselves if it doesn't break soon," she said with a big grin plastered on her face. "They are coming," she said as she put my legs down and leant over to kiss me, a slight chuckle escaping her lips as she did, "our boys are coming," she repeated. "Let me call an ambulance," she muttered before pecking my lips one more time and standing up.
"No ambulance, what a fuss. I'm fine for now, just drive me," I begged.
"Aria, Sof," Arizona called as she grabbed the bag that we had packed weeks before for this exact moment.
"Yeah mama?" Sof called from the end of the hall, her head buried in her tablet.
"Mum is going into labour, get your Aunt Aria and tell her to meet us at the hospital," Arizona called back, her voice attempting to stay calm. "Let's go," she murmured nervously as she swung the bag that carried my clothes and all the necessities for the twins over her shoulder.
I slowly edged myself onto the edge of the bed, Arizona took my hand and helped pull me up with slight difficulty; I was very large.
"Is there anything you want me to grab?" Aria asked as she hurried into the doorway, Sofia in tow, both females looking towards us with absolutely no clue what to do.
"Just bring the car seats and their blankets, we have the rest," I informed her as Arizona helped me past the girls, down the hall and into the car.
"Ooooh god," I said as I held onto the side of the car my face scrunching itself up in retaliation to the pain.
"Just breathe baby," Arizona said as she drove carefully down the road towards the hospital, one of her hands resting on mine in attempt to relieve some pain.
"Speed up Arizona," I yelled as I attempted to breathe through the pain.
Arizona looked at her dashboard and like she had been for months now she was driving well under the speed limit. Last time I was pregnant things in the car didn't end up going so well so subconsciously Arizona had resorted to being that nana driver on the road that everybody loved to hate.
When we got to the hospital, Arizona parked in the emergency car park and ran around to my side of the car, "Get a gurney, Callie is in labour," Arizona yelled to the very first person that shot out the door which just so happened to be Webber.
Webber darted back inside returning with an intern and a gurney, "Who's your OB -GYN?" Webber asked as Arizona and Webber simultaneously helped me onto the gurney.
"We want Dr Abshaw," I said as they wheeled me through the E.R.
"Dr Torres, what are you doing here?" a young intern asked in a puzzled tone.
"Really Dr Karbati?" Webber asked him with disbelief.
I was just about to make a smart assed response when I felt another contraction come on, "Oh crap," I said suddenly as I grabbed hold of the gurney rails from either side.
"We need to get Monti down here now, she is only a few centimeters dilated but her water hasn't broken," Arizona explained as she took my hand allowing me to squeeze it while the pain surged my body.
"Dr Karbati, call up for Dr Abshaw, tell her Dr Torres is in labour," Webber called as the wheeled me into a private room just off the E.R. while they found me something more permanent.
"Can I get you two anything while you wait?" Webber asked as I took big breaths in and big breaths out, my head shaking furiously just to get him to shut up.
"Sofia and Aria," Arizona piped up. "Can you take them somewhere to wait?" Arizona questioned before feeling another tight squeeze on her hand.
"ARGGGG," I groaned as I tilted my head back my hand tightly wrapping around Arizona's so that she could feel the slightest bit of my pain.
"Keep breathing baby," Arizona whispered as she settled beside my head, her eyes locked on my face hoping to comfort me.
I slowly felt my body relax, the contraction passing and the pain diminishing. I released Arizona's hand allowing her hand a small break before the next contraction.
Arizona leant down and pushed my hair from my forehead before laying a light kiss to my head, "I love you," she reminded me. The moment was interrupted by an energetically feisty red haired woman.
"Dr Torres," Dr Abshaw greeted pleasantly as she walked into the room putting gloves on as she spoke. 'Dr Robbins," she added as she took my legs and propped them up. Much more matter ,of fact than Arizona had been. "I'm just going to see how far along you are," she stated as she slipped her hand between my hand and poked around. "You're 3 centimeters dilated," she informed us both as she removed her hand from between my legs, removed her glove and grabbed the fresh chart that had been hung from my bed.
"What about the amniotic membrane?" Arizona questioned.
"We will have to break it manually. As you would know it's not uncommon for a woman to go into labour before her water breaks," Dr Abshaw reminded us both as she scratched down some notes on my chart and hung it back into place. "How far apart are the contractions?" she asked as she grabbed a fresh glove and pulled it onto her hand in preparation for breaking my water.
"I'd say about 10 minutes, maybe 15,' Arizona answered as she looked to me for confirmation.
I nodded in agreeance.
"Well Dr Torres," she said as she pulled up a chair and positioned herself between my legs.
"When you're poking around my vjay jay please call me Callie," I insisted as I doubled up my knees and let my legs flop apart. I knew the procedure, I had performed it myself a few times. It was pain free for both mother and child or in my case, children.
"It might be a bit cold," she warned as she lubricated her glove fingers and slipped them into my cervix and began searching for the amniotic membrane which was usually pretty straightforward to find.
"Did you bring the diapers?" I asked Arizona nervously, any attempt to get my mind off the fact we were going to have two new children in a short period of time.
"Yes baby, I brought the diapers," she assured me, her hands wrapped around mine in attempt to calm my nerves.
"What about the carseats? We forgot the carseats," I said in a flustered tone.
"Aria has them," Arizona promised as she kissed her lips against my hand.
"Okay Callie, I'm about to hook the amniotic membrane," Dr Abshaw warned us and within seconds, amniotic fluid, also known to many as water, was falling to the ground. "All done," she said proudly as she rolled her seat backwards and hung her tools back onto the trolley. "I'm going to have some interns come down and take you up to the maternity ward, you're a little way away yet so make yourself comfortable, you know the drill," she smiled as she removed both her gloves and disposed of them.
"Dr Abshaw, you're aware that we are expecting a child with down syndrome," Arizona questioned on my behalf before she could escape the room.
"I am. I have no concerns. I have seen the latest scans and the little guy looks healthy," she smiled positively.
"Will you test him for heart defects? Infection? Blood disorders?" Arizona asked curiously, rattling off just a few common health issues associated with down syndrome babies.
"I will run them all, on both your boys if that makes you feel better," she promised.
"Thank you," I piped up.
Dr Abshaw nodded politely before sanitising her hands and exiting the room.
Not long after Dr Abshaw left, an intern by the name of Eric Manslaw came to move us to the maternity ward. It was calmer in the maternity ward, filled with newborn babies and their parents.
"Should I bring Sof in to say hi before you're not really up to it?" Arizona asked as she covered my lower body with a sheet, just to cover my bare bottom half.
"Yes. I miss her already," I gushed causing Arizona to smile. "No wonder you're her favorite," Arizona muttered before kissing my lips and going in search of Sofia.
I rested my hands on my stomach, rubbing them lightly as if that would minimize the pain of childbirth. I hadn't been through a traditional childbirth before so as much as I loathed the concept of both my boys barging their way out of my very, very small cervix I also looked forward to it. Or as forward to it as a woman about to tear her cervix apart could.
Arizona returned back with Sofia skipping along behind her. Sofia climbed up onto the bed unannounced and snuggled into my side. I slipped my arm beneath her and held her against my body. "Are you excited to meet your brothers?" I asked her quietly.
Arizona and I had done our very best to prepare Sofia for the boys arrival. We had told her everything we could about down syndrome but realised she wouldn't fully understand until she met him. We explained to her how two babies were a lot of work but just because they seemed to get a lot of attention it didn't mean we didn't love her or want to spend time with her. In theory we had covered all the bases but the concepts coming to life was going to be a whole other challenge for the young girl.
"Yes" she stated simply. "What are their names going to be mum?" Sofia asked curiously.
I looked up at Arizona. We had talked about it but had opted to wait until after the birth before we told anybody. We didn't like the idea of assigning names to children before we laid eyes on them. What if we liked the name Tommy but the boy come out and didn't look like a Tommy?
"We aren't sure what their names are yet baby," Arizona explained. "When the boys are born your mum and I will talk about it. I promise you'll be the first to know," Arizona said as she leant over and flicked a strand of hair from Sofia's eyes.
"Arizona, I'm getting anoth…' I started to say before the pain took over me.
Arizona lifted Sofia off the bed to allow space for me to breath. I breathed in and out, my left hand gripping the side of the bed tightly while my right held tightly onto Arizona's. "Oh flaming flamingo," I yelled trying to swap my curse words out for more child friendly words.
"Is the babies coming?" Sofia asked.
"No sweetheart, not yet. This is called a contraction," Arizona tried to explain so Sofia wouldn't get scared.
"Mummy looks hurt," she stated as she walked to my side and placed her hand on mine, trying to copy her Mama's attempt at consoling me.
Slowly the contraction started to loosen and my body relaxed back to its normal position. The pain was unbearable but lucky for me it never lasted more than 30 seconds.
"Mummy are you okay?" Sofia asked as she patted my hand like it was her cat.
"Yes honey, I'm okay," I said slightly breathless.
"I think mum needs a rest," Arizona said reluctantly. "Say goodbye," Arizona instructed Sofia.
Sofia climbed half up onto the bed so she had enough arm reach to wrap her arms around me. I held her for a second, my lips resting against her head as I took in her smell. I was no longer the mom of just one, I was the mother of three. "See you soon girly," I said before releasing her, her tiny feet falling back onto the ground.
Arizona held out her hand and Sofia happily took it. Arizona returned not long later, pulling the sliding door closed behind her as she settled in beside me. "My mum called," Arizona said as she leant back in her chair, both of us taking the opportunity to relax when we could.
"Did they get the AM flight?" I asked her curiously.
"No, they are getting the one that gets in at 6pm. They are going to catch a cab to the house," Arizona explained. "I thought we could set the basement up for them. It's all set up for guests, I just have to put some light bulbs in," she added.
"Have you heard from my parents?" I asked curiously.
"Aria managed to get your father on the phone. He sends his wishes and he wants photos but your mother has forbid him from coming," Arizona said plainly.
"She is a stubborn woman. I'm not only having a baby with my lesbian lover but I'm having it out of wedlock, AGAIN," I half laughed.
"Does that worry you?" Arizona asked as she peered up at me.
"That I'm having children out of wedlock?" I asked.
"No… I guess more that we aren't officially married," she said simply.
"When I think about it, it angers me that we filed for divorce to start with," I admitted as I hung my hand off the side of the bed for Arizona to take hold of.
"We stuffed up," Arizona admitted as she took my hand lovingly inside of hers. "Would you want to marry me again?" Arizona asked simply.
"Of course," I said immediately. "I wouldn't want the whole big wedding though," I said honestly. "If we were to do it legally again, I thought it would be quite cool if we took a cruise and did it in international waters or went away somewhere special together," I explained all options that seemed unlikely given our soon to be newborn babies.
"We will do it one day," Arizona said as she stood up and towered over my bed.
"Are you nervous?" I asked Arizona who had appeared brave and unphased by the concept of twins from the moment we found out.
"Definitely," she admitted as she placed her hand on my chest lovingly. "Then I remember these boys have you as a Mum and I realise everything will be fine," she said just as the door swung open and Dr Abshaw walked in.
"How are you feeling Mums?" she asked kindly.
"A bit worried I'll never sleep again," I admitted.
"Should we have another look?" Dr Abshaw suggested as she grabbed a fresh pair of gloves and slipped them on.
I tucked my legs up into the styrups connected to the end of my bed so that Dr Abshaw could maneuver herself between my legs with ease.
"4cm. You're coming along slowly," she said as she swabbed her fingers around my cervix.
The night dragged on. Neither of us managed to get any rest in between the repetitive and constant contractions. Considering how slow my dilation was I was having a lot of contractions, even for a mother of twins. When I was at 10cm and finally ready to push, everybody knew it. My head was covered in sweat, my hand clutched onto Arizona for dear life and I screamed an awful lot.
"I need you to push for me Callie," Dr Abshaw said as she held the cervix open, the head only just popping through.
Arizona had one hand on my forehead, her hand pushing back my hair as often as I needed it while my other hand attempted to soak up some of her pain. "Push baby," I said to her in encouragement.
"ARgg," she screamed as she gave her first big push.
"More fluids," Dr Abshaw said to one of of her coworkers who began swapping out a fluid bag. "One big push Callie," Dr Abshaw said, hoping that one would be enough to pop the shoulders out.
I took a deep breath in and seconds later I blew it out, pushing with all my might. "We have the first one," she said as she handed the small infant over to the nurse who quickly took him to wipe him down and do the other necessary things to ensure he was healthy.
"He is beautiful," I said with my last final breath before my BP dropped and I passed out.
"What is happening?" Arizona asked, her voice filled with fear.
"We need an OR," Dr Abshaw yelled towards her doctors who clicked Callie's bed into gear and started moving her out of the room. Arizona ran beside the bed, her hand still wrapped firmly around my hand even though my muscles were limp.
"Is she alright?" Arizona repeated over and over again.
"Your baby is in distress, we need to prepare to deliver the second baby via c-section," she called as she pushed the bed towards the elevator, jabbing at the button with force.
"I'm scrubbing in," Arizona insisted.
"Dr Robbins, I understand you have this kind of swing in your own department but you're not in your department anymore. This is the maternity ward. You don't come any further. I'll send someone for you when we have mother and child stabilised," Dr Abshaw said as she elevator dung open and her and her colleague wheeled me into the elevator.
Arizona found herself staring at the doors while they slammed shut. She knew all about the complications of a baby in distress and the impacts it could have on both mother and child. She also knew c-sections could be easier and relatively pain free, but knowing their second babies risk for a range of different health issues she didn't expect either of them to be so lucky.
Arizona shot back to the room in a hurry, she wanted to check on their first child. Arizona arrived just as the nurse finished taking his vitals and deeming him fit and healthy. She placed the boy into Arizona's arms and Arizona fell instantly in love. He was so unbelievably tiny, he had bright blue eyes and blonde, see through like hair on his head, just like Arizona. Arizona couldn't take her eyes off him. He was perfect.
"My wife," Arizona said as she finally pulled her eyes from the small boy.
"We haven't heard anything," the nurse said disappointingly. She just as much as I wanted to hear the news.
Dr Abshaw had opened me up, her hands carefully maneuvering into my uterious to grab the baby out. She pulled him out, clipped his chord and passed him off to Alex Karev almost immediately.
"Is he breathing?" Dr Abshaw asked Karev as she quickly got to work on stabilizing me.
"Not yet," Karev said reluctantly as he pushed his two fingers against the infant's chest while a nurse pumped air into the small boys body. There was a stillness about the OR while both mother and baby were touch and go then almost at once, as if one triggered the other my stats improved and the baby began to cry, a high pitched cry that made everybody sigh with relief. "The kids okay," he said with relief as he wrapped the infant up and handed him over to a nurse who almost immediately took him for his full work up.
"Somebody needs to tell Robbins," Dr Abshaw announced.
"I will," Karev agreed. "Is Torres okay?" he asked curiously.
"She will be fine. Mum's a fighter," Dr Abshaw noted.
"That she is, that she is," Karev said with a slight nod before he exited the OR and began scrubbing out.
Arizona sat rocking the first of the twins in her arms, her eyes glancing up every 30 seconds in search of answers. Karev appeared in the doorway, his gown still on and his scrub cap clenched in his hands.
"Is she okay? Is the baby okay?" Arizona asked as she instantly stood to her feet.
"Your son is fine. The nurse just took him. Callie is doing good too. Dr Abshaw is closing her up and she will be back up," Karev explained, a smile spreading across his face. "You're little guy… The other one," he said "That is a kid that knows how to fight." Alex said proudly as she glanced down at the baby in Arizona's arms.
"What does he look like?" Arizona asked, desperate for a glimpse of her second child.
"Like him," he nodded towards the baby in Arizona's arms.
Arizona found herself staring at her son again. His perfect fingers and his perfect toes. His beautiful sparkly blue eyes and his fair but noticeable blonde hair so obviously reflecting my own. I
"Dr Robbins," a voice called causing Arizona to tear her eyes from her son. The nurse was holding a second baby, all wrapped up in the blanket we had provided for him. "We thought you might want to meet your son," she smiled as she placed the small baby into my other arm.
Arizona watched him the entire time, from the moment he entered the room until the moment his beautiful blue, almond shaped eyes peered up at her. It wasn't until she tasted salt on her lips that she realised she was crying. She had two, beautiful, healthy boys that she loved more than she could even put into words.
5 minutes later I was rolled into the room, unconscious from the anesthesia. Arizona stood up from the seat she had rested on and walked over to my bedside. She wanted to touch me but her hands were full so instead she just talked.
"This is your Mummy," Arizona said as she held the boys up slightly so their little eyes could settle on their mother for the first time. "Calliope," Arizona said with such love as she glanced down on her wife, "they are perfect," she said so sincerely before she leant over and placed a kiss on my forehead. "We love you," she muttered before she decided to settle both the boys into the cribs provided by the hospital. Her arms weren't used to holding two babies.
The anesthesia wore off in 20 minutes which was probably due to the fact I had been under anesthesia so often. "The boys?" I croaked, my voice the surgery.
Arizona heard my voice and rushed over from the crib to my bedside, "They are fine. They are perfect Calliope," Arizona said with a large smile spreading over her lips. "They are just perfect," she repeated as she leant over and kissed my lips.
"Can I see them?" I pleaded against her lips.
Arizona nodded before she went over and picked up the first child to enter the world and carried him over to me, placing him up against my chest, his small blue eyes peering up at me. Arizona went back to get the second child to enter the world and she held him against her own chest.
"I can hold both," I promised ambitiously. I wanted to see them both. I wanted to know them both individually and together.
"Babe you're stitches are fresh," Arizona informed me.
"You've already spent all this time with them," I cried, tears falling from my eyes irrationally. "I want to meet him," I whispered.
Arizona looked down at the baby boy in her arms and she walked over to my side, placing him onto the other side of my chest, her hand resting under the small boys head as I explored each one of their faces.
"Hey buddies," I said as tears silently fell down my face. "You guys are so little," I whispered as I leant down and gave them both a kiss on the forehead. "Are they healthy?" I asked, my eyes flicking up to settle on Arizona's briefly.
"This little fella has a heart murmur," she said pointed to the baby they least expected to carry a heart murmur, "but nothing that we can't easily monitor," she said proudly.
"What do you want to name them?" Arizona asked me.
"I like your idea," I said as I stared at the boys in my arms, my eyes soaking up every inch of their human figures. It never ceased to amaze me that I had grown these tiny humans inside of me. "Charles, Charlee for short," I said as I looked up at the woman who had given me two perfect children.
"And Cayden?" she asked curiously.
"Do you think they suit them? I asked her.
Arizona grabbed Charlee from my arms and she held him up against her body, his small, light blue eyes only highlighted by his beautiful almond shaped eyes. "Charlee," she said as she placed a kiss to his cheek, "do you like that Mr Charlee?" she asked the small boy who lay silent in her arms.
"Cayden," I repeated a few times, getting used to the name myself. "He suits it," I admitted as I brushed his hair with my hand. "How does Cayden Timothy Robbins Torres sound?" I asked her, my eyes flicking up to see her reaction. We hadn't talked middle names but I knew from the moment we knew we were having boys that one of them would inherit the middle name Timothy.
Arizona reached out with her spare hand and rested it lightly on Cayden's chest. "Cayden Timothy Robbins Torres," she repeated as she rubbed his tiny belly. "It's perfect," she said with a small smile before she leant over and pressed her lips against mine, "I love the name," she whispered against my lips.
"What about Charlee?" I asked, her body still low to mine so I could look right into Charlee's face. "What do you think Mr Charlee? What do you want your middle name to be?" I asked him placing my pinky finger towards his mouth, his little lips instantly grabbing hold of it and sucking it.
"I think he is hungry," Arizona noted.
"I'll take him," I said as I handed Cayden over to Arizona and she lay Charlee into my arms. I pushed back his light blonde hair before raising my gown and resting him against my breast. He didn't attach immediately, I had to prop his mouth open slightly and push my nipple into my mouth but once he got started he kept sucking.
"I was thinking," Arizona said as she rocked Cayden against her body. "How do you feel about Alexander for Charlee's middle name? Karev was the one that got him breathing, he is a good friend of ours and he loves Sofia….'
"Charles Alexander Robbins Torres," I interrupted letting the name roll of my tongue. "Do you think that name? Charlee Alexander Robbins Torres," I said again as I ran my hand over Charlee's small head. "I love it," I said as I looked up at Arizona.
After some alone time with the boys, Arizona walked out into the waiting area where Aria and Sofia sat patiently awaiting the arrival of the twins. Sofia was the first to spot Arizona in the room and she jumped off her seat and ran over to her. Arizona knelt down so Sofia could see Charlee. "Meet Charlee Alexander Robbins Torres," Arizona said as she watched Sofia pat Charlee's head, once again, like it was her cat.
"What's the other boys name?" Aria asked her eyes still locked on Charlee.
"Cayden," Arizona said with a smile. "Cayden Timothy Robbins Torres," Arizona informed the two of them.
"Those are pretty names Mama," Sofia complimented as she kissed her baby brothers head. She was clearly smitten. "Do you want to meet Cayden?" she asked them as she slowly stood up.
"You take Sofia," Aria said simply. "You should spend some time with your family" she stated.
"Don't be silly Aria, you are family," Arizona said as she placed her arm around Aria's waist and urged her down the hall.
When they arrived back Cayden was still feeding. I held his two tiny feet in my single hand, my eyes locked on his small mouth as it moved in and out, sucking milk from my breasts. "Hey," I said as Sofia walked into the room, Arizona, Charlee and Aria in tow.
"Is he having his breakfast?" Sofia asked as she leaned over the bed to have a look.
"They have had a busy morning so they need their breakfast," I said with a smile as I felt Cayden release my nipple. I tried to put him back on but he just sat there with it in his mouth. I pulled him off, covering my breast as I lay him against my chest.
"Can I hold one?" Sofia said as she looked between her parents.
"Mama has to bump Cayden so why don't you hold Charlee," Arizona suggested as she looked over to Aria for help.
"I can burp Cayden if you'd like," Aria said in attempt to be helpful.
I handed Cayden off to Aria who for a short second didn't quite know what to do with a baby of that size. She held him against her chest, his small head resting over her shoulder. With one hand she lightly tapped his back while she supported the head with the other hand.
Arizona sat Sofia down on the chair and knelt down beside her, placing Charlee nicely into her arms. Sofia looked down on her little brother, taking in his tiny features. He slowly drifted off to sleep in her arms, his small thumb resting in his mouth.
"Mama why does he look different to Cayden if they are twins?" Sofia asked curiously, her eyes still stuck on Charlee.
"They are fraternal twins sweetheart, and Charlee has down syndrome. Remember how Mummy and I told you about that?" Arizona asked her as she tried to determine how Sofia was feeling.
"It means he is special and might look different to me," Sofia repeated word for word from what I had told her.
"He is pretty," Sofia said quietly. "I think I will like him," she added as she leant down and gave him a kiss.
Two perfect boys. One perfect daughter and a perfect wife. I was one happy girl. I couldn't imagine life getting much better than this single moment.