Chapter Six

Charlie was crying and she wouldn't stop. Sam was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

She had woken up to Charlie crying a little after three am and thought that she needed a feeding or a diaper change. She did both of those things and hadn't put Charlie down in her crib for more than a minute when she started crying again. Sam rocked her in the rocking chair, sang to her, tried every technique that had been working for the past three weeks but still she wouldn't stop. She tried putting Charlie back in her bassinet, thinking that maybe after a few days of sleeping in her crib she had started to miss it. Hours passed and nothing Sam did worked, Charlie just kept on crying, and she was reaching her wit's end.

It was nearing nine am, which meant that Charlie had been crying for nearly six hours non-stop. It was worse even than in Sam's first week with her. At least then she could at least get Charlie to sleep for a couple of hours before she woke up and started crying again. This couldn't be healthy. Sam started to panic, thinking that maybe she was sick or that something hurt and crying was the only way she could let Sam know this.

She put Charlie down in her playpen and frantically dialed on her phone. Freddie's phone went to voicemail and she knew he was in class but this was an emergency. She kept calling until he finally picked up.

"Sam? What is it?"

"You have to get over here, Freddie," she said.

"Why? What's wrong? Is that Charlie crying?"

"Yes. And she won't stop." Her voice wavered and tears prickled in her own eyes. "I think she's sick or hurt and I don't know what to do!"

"Okay, okay. Sam, listen to me. I want you to take Charlie to the emergency room at Seattle General. My mom's at work, I'll call her and tell her to wait for you. I'm leaving right now, okay? I'll meet you there."

"Okay," she breathed.

Sam was worried out of her mind but glad to at least have a plan of action. She got Charlie dressed and ready and it was only when she had pushed her stroller out to the living room that she realized she was still wearing sweatpants and an oversized shirt. She quickly got herself dressed and she was out the door.

True to Freddie's word, Marissa was standing near the door of the emergency room when Sam walked in. Marissa picked up the crying infant and winced at the volume of Charlie's screams.

"How long has she been crying?" Marissa asked.

"Since about three this morning and she hasn't stopped. Is she sick? Do you think something hurts? Maybe it's her stomach, she didn't eat very much this morning, not even half her bottle. And I couldn't tell if she burped because she was just crying and crying…" Sam wringed out her hands, the worry and panic she was feeling was putting her on emotional overload.

Marissa put the baby down and took Sam's hands. "Sam…Samantha! Look at me," she said. "You have to calm down."

Sam thought about the irony in Marissa Benson, possibly the highest strung person in Seattle, telling her to calm down.

"Charlie will be just fine. It's perfectly normal for infants to cry a lot."

Sam looked her in the eye. "Was Freddie like this? What did you do?"

"Freddie wasn't particularly fussy, he was such a calm baby…"

"What would you have done if he was like this then?"

Marissa sighed. "I would have had a nervous breakdown," she admitted. "You're right. The on-call pediatrician today is Dr. Evans. She owes me a favor, I'll see if she can squeeze you in right away."

She led Sam to the seats and left her for a moment to talk to the person at the desk. She came back with a clipboard.

"I just need you to fill out these forms and I'll be right back."

"Thank you, Marissa," Sam said.

She nodded and squeezed her hand. "It'll be alright, dear."

Marissa hadn't been gone five minutes when Freddie arrived, looking disheveled and worried. He spotted them right away thanks to Charlie's crying and he picked her up.

"How long?" He asked, sitting beside Sam.

"Since about three this morning."

"And she hasn't stopped?"

Sam shook her head.

"Where's my mom?" He looked around. "Wasn't she here?"

"She was. She went to talk to the doctor, to ask if she can see us right away. I have to fill out these forms." Sam looked down and realized her hand was shaking. Freddie noticed it too.

"Here, take her," he said, handing Charlie over. "I'll do that."

Sam leaned into him and lowered her voice, though this wasn't really necessary since no one would be able to hear them over Charlie's cries. "Do you think they'll find out she's not mine?"

Freddie looked at her. "It'll be okay, Sam."

"I wish you and your mom would stop saying that. You can't know that!"

Charlie started crying louder when Sam raised her voice and she took a deep breath, calming herself down, and rubbing Charlie's back, trying to soothe her.

"Should I just say that she's mine?"

"No, I think it's better to be honest. They won't try to take her away. You're here, you're her caregiver. And my mom will run interference. God…" Freddie closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "I should have scheduled that meeting with Ian's dad already. I'm so sorry, Sam."

Marissa came back then, appearing out of a door and headed straight towards them.

"I talked to Dr. Evans, she'll be able to see you. I just need the paperwork," she said.

Freddie quickly finished it while Sam dictated her information and Marissa took it with her as she once again disappeared through the doors.

Sam stood up to rock and jiggle Charlie, which seemed to be the only thing to calm her somewhat. When she tired, Freddie switched with her.

"Sorry I pulled you out of class," Sam said as she watched Freddie sway back and forth.

"Are you kidding me? I'm glad you called."

"Ugh, I haven't called the restaurant."

"Call them now," Freddie said. "I've got her."

"What if your mom comes back for us?"

"I doubt she'll be back anytime soon but if she does, we'll wait for you."

Sam stood up reluctantly. "Alright."

She stepped outside of the ER and managed to get ahold of Julie on her cell. She filled her in on what was going on and Julie assured her that she would hold down the fort at the restaurant and that she would call Gibby if she needed any help. Sam hung up the phone and leaned against the wall for a moment. She felt guilty for even thinking it, but she was grateful to finally get away from the incessant crying. Her eardrums had been taking a beating for nearly eight hours straight and she just needed a break. A small break, was that too much to ask? But then Sam thought about Charlie and whatever that was causing the crying might really be hurting her and she couldn't stay away any longer. She slammed back through the doors and walked straight to Freddie, taking Charlie from him and tucking her into her chest.

Freddie stayed near, his hand on Charlie's head.

"Do you think she's in a lot of pain?" Sam asked, her voice small, unable to keep the fear out of it.

Freddie wrapped his arms around both her and Charlie, being careful to leave some space between them for the baby to breathe and move. "I don't know," he said honestly. "She'll be alright though."

Charlie seemed to like her position between them, her cries stopping for the first time in hours. Sam's eyes widened as she looked down at Charlie, her little baby face still pinched and unhappy but mercifully quiet.

"Don't move," she muttered.

He adjusted his position a little so he could hold her tighter. "Wouldn't dream of it," he said into her hair in a voice so low that Sam wondered if she was meant to hear it.

She didn't know how long they stood there, Sam's heart was beating so fast in her chest that she wondered that it didn't bother Charlie.

It wasn't until they heard a throat clear and they turned to see Marissa that Freddie stepped away. Charlie started crying again.

"Dr. Evans will see you now," Marissa told them. "Come with me."

They followed her through a door and into a corridor, Freddie pushing the stroller while Sam held Charlie, rubbing her back and whispering to her, trying to get her to calm down again.

Marissa stopped to talk to another nurse passing by and then ushered them into an exam room.

"I need to take Charlie to get her weighed and check her vitals," Marissa said, moving to take her from Sam, who just held her closer.

"Where? Can't I go with you?"

"It's just down the hall and it'll only be a few minutes," Marissa assured her.

"It's alright, Sam," Freddie said, rubbing her shoulder.

Sam looked down at her little red faced, miserable baby and reluctantly handed her over, kissing her forehead as she did so. Charlie started crying louder as she left Sam's arms but it didn't deter Marissa. Sam watched them leave the room, not moving even as Charlie's cries grew fainter as they moved farther down the hall. Freddie came over and put an arm around her, steering her towards a chair.

"I'm scared, Freddie," she whispered. He kneeled down next to her, taking her shaking hands in his.

"Me too," he said.

Sam hated hospitals and she hated doctors. Not being a person who got sick very often combined with her mother's lack of medical insurance meant that she never really went to the hospital or saw a doctor when she was a kid. The last memory she had of being in a hospital because of her own injury was when she had twisted and sprained her wrist after falling out of a tree, that was back in the second grade and when Melanie was still around. She had been in a lot of pain and scared out of her mind, even though she had tried to put on a brave front. But now, being here for Charlie, Sam would break every single bone in her body if it meant that Charlie would be alright and Sam could take her place as the patient. She didn't even care to put on a brave front now, her baby could be sick and she was absolutely terrified.

"So this is what parenthood is like?" Sam asked. "Not being able to sleep, constant exhaustion, and this nagging worry that never goes away?"

"I guess so," Freddie shrugged helplessly.

"It sucks," she said petulantly.

They could hear Charlie's cries again, getting louder and louder and Sam stood up to meet Marissa in the doorway, taking the baby from her immediately and Charlie calmed somewhat, whimpering into Sam's chest.

Marissa sat down on Sam's vacated chair, looking relieved to be freed from Charlie. Sam jiggled her around until she looked so exhausted that Freddie just had to take the baby from her. This time Charlie didn't protest the switch, settling in Freddie's arms as he took over the jiggling.

Sam turned to see Marissa watching them carefully, the blank poker face making her feel more nervous than any overt showing of emotion from the older woman. She wanted to say something, maybe thank her again for helping them but the door opened and the doctor walked in.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Evans," she said, smiling pleasantly at them despite Charlie's crying. She was petite with shoulder length blonde hair, and a friendly, open face.

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Rachel," Marissa said.

"Oh, it's no problem, Marissa. This must be…" She looked down at her chart. "Charlotte?"

"Charlie," Sam corrected, taking her from Freddie.

"This is my son, Freddie," Marissa introduced. "He is not the father."

"Mom," Freddie cut in, irritation in his voice.

"And that's Sam," she continued like she hadn't heard him. "She's the baby's aunt and guardian."

"Alright, why don't you just lay Charlie down here," she moved to the exam table and Sam laid Charlie down, her cries getting louder as she left Sam's embrace and got put onto the rough paper lining the exam bed.

Sam carefully held her squirming body down as the doctor put a small stethoscope on her chest and listened to her heartbeat and then proceeded to examine her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. Charlie didn't like it at all, screaming her little head off as both Sam and Freddie stood by, trying to calm her.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Sam asked, picking Charlie up as soon as the doctor was done and began writing on her chart.

"How long has she been crying?" Dr. Evans asked.

"Since three this morning but she's never cried for so long."

"It could be nothing more than colic," she said.

"Could be? You're not sure?"

Dr. Evans smiled placatingly. "It's hard to tell after just less than a day but I can tell you, Sam, that Charlie looks perfectly healthy. Her ear and throat passageways check out fine, she has no fever, therefore we can rule out an ear infection. Colic affects a lot of newborns and most of the time, it's nothing serious."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" Sam asked.

"Just keep doing what you're doing," she nodded at Sam's rocking and swaying, which had calmed Charlie's screams into little whimpers. "Colicky babies tend to respond well to rocking and close parental affection. What type of formula do you use?"

"Infagro," Freddie answered.

"Has Charlie ever been breastfed?"

"I don't know," Sam said. "Knowing Melanie, probably not."

"Sometimes colic is caused by the baby having some gastric problems. Have you ever had problems feeding or burping her?"

"No."

"No squirming or crying that indicates a rejection of her bottle?"

"No," Sam and Freddie said at the same time.

"Okay, then we won't alter her formula or feeding schedule in any way." Dr. Evans sat down at her table and Sam sat in the chair across from her, Charlie in her arms, while Freddie stood behind her, a hand on her shoulder.

Marissa still sat in her own chair, feeling increasingly not needed but unable to leave. As much as she hated to think it, Charlie was practically her grandchild. She didn't want to believe it the first time she had found out about the baby but now, watching Freddie…his panic when he called her, his attention and devotion to both Charlie and Sam since he got to the hospital…All of it had confirmed what she thought and feared.

"Do you think she's in any pain, doc?" Sam asked, looking down worriedly at Charlie.

"No, I don't think so," Dr. Evans assured her.

"But she's crying so much…"

"This could be nothing, some babies have bouts of colic that lasts for days or even weeks without any real cause. Right now you can just continue to rock and soothe her, feed and burp her regularly and keep a watch for any gastric problems or fussiness during feeding time. I'll also prescribe some probiotics-"

"Wait," Freddie interrupted. "Isn't that bacteria?"

Sam frowned and held Charlie closer.

"It's good bacteria, it won't harm her."

"Why are you giving her medicine if you're saying nothing's wrong?" Sam demanded.

"Well, it's been known to reduce crying in colicky infants."

"That's it? So it's like if I said she's not sleeping, you'll just give her some sleeping pills and knock her out? I don't care about the crying, I care about WHY she's crying!"

"Sam," Marissa cut in. "Dr. Evans is just doing her job-"

"No, it's alright, Marissa. I get this a lot. Sam, I know you're worried, I wish there was something I could say or do to ease your fears but the only answer here is time and careful observation. This bout of crying could pass in a matter of days or it could last weeks. I'm going to need both of you," she indicated both Sam and Freddie. "To be very observant and attentive to Charlie's cries and reactions, see if there's any indication that she's feeling pain or discomfort, particularly after a feeding or a bowel movement. If you see anything or if the crying persists for more than a week, come back and we'll figure out how to proceed from there."

Freddie rubbed Sam's shoulder soothingly. He kneeled down next to her.

"Hey, it's okay," he said in a low voice. "At least she's saying that there's nothing wrong with Charlie."

Sam looked at Charlie, who had finally fallen asleep, her cheek pressed against Sam's chest.

"I'll still give you the prescription," Dr. Evans said. "But if you'd like, you don't have to use it until after five days or more has gone by and the crying persists."

Freddie nodded, taking the prescription from her. "Thanks, doctor."

"Sam, do you know if Charlie has had all of her vaccinations?"

Sam looked up, startled. "Shots?"

"Yes, at her age they are necessary."

"I don't know. Melanie never said…"

"It says in her file that she was born at New Jersey General?"

"Yeah, that's what it says on her birth certificate."

"Alright, I'll give them a call and have them fax Charlie's file. I just need you to sign a waiver to allow it," she passed over a paper which Sam signed. "I'll find out what vaccinations she's had and if she still needs anything, I'll give you a call."

Dr. Evans stood up and Marissa stood with her.

"Thank you again, Rachel," she said, shaking her hand and walking her to the door.

"No problem. Keep me updated, will you, Marissa?"

"I will," she smiled and turned back to Sam and Freddie when the doctor had left.

"See, nothing to worry about," she said brightly.

Sam scowled at her. "Don't tell me not to worry about my baby."

Freddie stood up, looking ready to mediate a fight between Sam and his mother but Marissa simply smiled.

"I know. A mother never stops worrying. It's part of the job, Sam."

Sam's brow furrowed at being called a mother. But she looked down at Charlie, sleeping, her face pressed against her chest and her little hand gripping the front of Sam's shirt. There really was no denying it, she may not have given birth to Charlie but she certainly felt like her mom. This little baby was her entire world and she'd do anything to keep her happy, safe, and healthy.

After they had taken her home, Charlie had a long sleep where it seemed she gathered up all of her lung strength and unleashed it on Sam and Freddie at maximum capacity. She spent the next five days crying nearly nonstop. The only time she did stop was when she tired and fell asleep but the crying began anew when she woke up.

Sam and Freddie both had to stay home, taking turns to rock and jiggle her, which soothed her enough to quiet her cries though not stop it completely. Neither of them had left the apartment, both unable to part from Charlie and also when she was awake, Charlie seemed to sense when one of them wasn't in the same room as her and started crying more urgently. Freddie couldn't even go home, he'd started sleeping on the couch. After one night Sam had taken pity on him and showed him that the couch turned into a pull-out bed.

Sam wondered at what her life had become as she prepared Charlie's bottle for a one am feeding. For the first time in six days they had managed to get her to sleep before eight pm and both Sam and Freddie had passed out in their beds. But then they'd been awoken at nearly one by Charlie's relentless crying, which they both recognized as her hungry cry, and now Freddie had her in the living room while Sam heated the milk. It was still hard to believe that at nineteen she was already doing the parenting thing. It wasn't exactly what she ever pictured her life would be.

She tested the milk on her arm and walked out to the living room, handing the bottle to Freddie. He laid Charlie down on the bed beside him and gave her the bottle, lying down and propping his head on one hand while he held the bottle up with the other. Sam lay down on the other side of Charlie, yawning tiredly.

"You can go back to bed, Sam," Freddie said. "I'll put her down after she's done eating."

"Too tired to move," Sam groaned, pressing her face into Freddie's pillow, which smelled like his shampoo. "Just wanna stay right here."

He chuckled and handed over his blanket, which Sam happily snuggled under. She watched through sleepy eyes as Freddie repositioned himself and stroked Charlie's hair while she sucked her bottle. He was looking down at her adoringly, in a way that Sam hadn't seen him look at anyone before, not even her. Strangely enough, it didn't make her jealous. It warmed her heart that Freddie could love Charlie so much, made her feel things that she didn't want to think about too hard.

"Maybe we should find a bigger apartment," she said through a yawn.

Freddie looked up at her. "What?"

"You practically live here already, Charlie won't let you go anywhere, and it's gonna suck to not have your own room. If we split the rent, we could probably afford a three bedroom place, right?"

"Sam, are you asking me to move in with you?"

She flushed as she realized that was exactly what she was asking.

"Don't be a girl, Fredweird. It's just for Charlie," she mumbled.

He raised an eyebrow. "For Charlie?"

"Nevermind. It was a dumb idea."

"No," he said quickly. "We should talk about this."

"Nah, I don't wanna move. I like this apartment."

"Sam."

"Forget it," she shoved the blanket off herself and moved to get up, jostling the bed as she did so.

"Sam-" Freddie started but Charlie released her bottle and started crying. Freddie cursed as droplets of milk splattered onto Charlie's chest.

"Don't curse in front of the baby," Sam scolded as she lay back down and rubbed Charlie's stomach soothingly.

She calmed down and Freddie was able to put the bottle back in her mouth.

He looked at her and Sam pointedly stared at her hand, rubbing circles on Charlie's tummy.

"I think I did see some ads with apartment units that have three or four bedrooms. I never bothered to inquire because they're too big for just me. But we can look at them."

Charlie closed her eyes and her breathing evened out, the bottle slipping from her lips.

Sam raised her eyes. "Yeah?"

Freddie placed his hand over hers. "Yeah."

She snuggled under the blanket, Freddie only a foot away from her and Charlie in between them. It was like they were a real family. They felt like a real family and as Sam's heavy lids drooped to a close, she could feel very acutely the warm weight of Freddie's hand on top of hers and Charlie's little tummy moving up and down beneath them.

Maybe her life wasn't turning out how she ever expected or dreamed that it would, but right at that moment, Sam wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.

A/N: My finals start on Monday and this is how I procrastinate. :/ Charlie's colic was actually only supposed to be the first part of chapter 6 but then this turned out to be really long and I felt it deserved a chapter of its own. This means that the story will be one chapter longer than my outline but I can deal with that. Thank you all for your continued support, all your kind and encouraging words, the faves and alerts. This story is turning into a wild ride and I'm glad to have you guys on board. :D

I have a twitter account: heartlines12. Follow me if you like. :)

Read

~The CABAL~

annierocket aussiemma axel100 BaalRulesbeforeskylines BoxOfTrinkets Braxenimos Coyote Laughs Deviocity Dwyn Arthur FMellark heartlines iCarlyAngst JamesTheGreater KeyLimePie14 KingxLeon21 Moviepal Myjumpingsocks ober22 Pieequals36 Pigwiz pearlbutton328 PsychoticAppleSauce Rhiabrey Skye sidouxamer Spinlight Tech-Man TheWrtrInMe Twowritehands User1-FlynnK Virgoleo23 Waffels Of Doom WhiteKnightro WildPomegranate xXACCEBXx

From fluff, to face melting angst.

The Cabal authors produce the best.

Follow us on Twitter: iCabalOfficial

Find us on fanfiction net: iCabal