Ho Ho Ho all! I hope you are having a safe and merry Christmas/Holidays/Present-Time or whatever pleases you! I have been reluctant to post this chapter for many reasons but mostly because a) I am sad to see the story end and b) I thought since the baby was coming on Christmas maybe this chapter should too...therefore this is my present to you extra long for your patience!

I dedicate this to my little buddy G who just turned five on Christmas Eve who keeps me happy and entertained with stories about the day her little brothers were born:-)

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My thoughts were racing right along with my frantic heart beat after impact. All around us was snow, snow, and more snow. Just barely, from the top of the windshield, could you see more falling steadily about us. I looked left to George where he was intermittedly banging on the steering wheel and cursing the night.

The truck was going nowhere.

"George, this is not going to work. We cannot be stuck. I cannot be in labor. Not now. Not at your mother's house. Not stuck in a truck."

"Thanks for the reality check there Dr. Seuss."

Another contraction ripped through me.

"You do not get to be sarcastic! You get to get me out of here now!"

"Lay back."

"What?"

"Lay back. I need to check your vitals and your progress."

"No. A doctor in a hospital does."

"I am a doctor, Iz. You too are a doctor. You know better. Lay back."

"No! Right here, in this moment, you are my boyfriend, a soon-to-be father, not a doctor in a hospital!"

"I am a doctor in a truck with a laboring girlfriend that, like it or not appears to be ready to push out my kid."

I started to fight him once again, but I knew he was right. I could not account for the cervix, but the rest of me was fighting to let my baby loose. I laid back slowly. Still I was hoping that an ambulance would come past. Maybe another motorist. Just not here.

George went about fussing with a few pillows and some blankets for warmth and comfort. Our only win was that we were in an extended cab that allowed at least a little room to work. With his learned precsion, he set up towels, washcloths, his medical bag, two gallon jugs of water, and a plastic basin on the dashboard. Watching him work mechanically was like a drug of sorts. There was a routine comfort to be drawn from seeing him do what I myself had done many times before. I handed him my small bag of diapers, baby toiletries, baby clothing, and blankets without a thought. Just as thoughtlessly he took them and began arranging and discarding as needed.

After another rough contraction, I realized that my comfort could be drawn from more than just the OR routine. In all of his efficiency, his complete competence shined. He truly was an amazing, capable doctor. Then it struck me how lucky we were to have him as Daddy in our growing family.

"George, you boggle my mind. Aren't you scared?"

"Scared of what?"

"Scared of what? We are about to have a baby! In your mom's truck! In a winter storm while we are stuck in snow! And you? You are cool as could be! Putting together a makeshift maternity ward on a dashboard like it happens all the time!"

He stopped his preparations for just a moment, staring into his own eyes in the rearview mirror. It was like a trance. He stared on as he began to talk.

"Dad always told me that the role of a father was to always stand proud and above no matter what the situation. As a doctor, I was taught to always be prepared, always expect the worse, be quick, analyze every angle and prioritize, there is no room for mistakes when you are talking life or death. Now here I am, in the worst situation I could fathom for the birth of my first child. I don't know what to do except to do what I have been taught."

"But are you scared? You are all steely and resolved, a hardcore surgeon to the bone over there, and I am here, the most unpleasant version of ankles up in a Ford. For once I can't read you when I need to the most."

"I am frightened. But I am also excited. We are going to be official parents now. While this set up sucks, I am proud in a barbaric way that it's me, you, and the wilderness. I will be the one to guide you, comfort you, take care of you and our baby. I won't be a bystander when the baby crowns, I will get to do more than hold a hand and cut an umbillical cord. To be a surgeon you must have confidence, but it is unparalleled to deliver a new life that signifies me becoming a father."

I felt almost awkward in the intimate dark where his confessions hung heavy in the air. I know he loves me, but the declarations that he lets loose every great once and a while always leave me breathless and elated. And for all the emotion that he made flesh with words, he dove in fast to assess the birth of our child. Only a doctor, right?

"What's the news doc?"

"Your vitals are good, and I am getting a strong heartbeat for the baby. Right now you are between six and seven centimeters dilated. Looks like anytime now really."

"Check again."

"Why?"

"Please, George."

Once again he went through meticulously checking and charting on a scrap piece of paper he found in his bag.

"Same deal, Iz. Six to seven centimeters dilated, everything is looking good. It'll all be over soon."

"I'm not ready. Got anything in your bag to slow this down?"

"There is no slowing down. It's natural time for the baby to come, and the labor is progressing text book. Really, we are looking at best case scenario here."

"I am not ready."

"You are fine."

"No, George, I am not. I am not ready to be a mother. Certainly not a good one. This has to stop. I can't."

"What are you talking about?"

"I did not have a happy childhood. My mom tried for a while, but she certainly didn't hand me blueprints. I can feed, and clean, and clothe. I can articulate several hundred ailments and illnesses in babies and children. I can bake, but I can't relate. I havent had the time to catch up on children's books and movies. I have never seen The Wizard of Oz! Some say it's great, some say it's freaky and riddled with political character, how would I know? How can I sit with my kid and not know what is next? What if the kid is scared, but I am too freaked to help? I am not ready."

"The Wizard of Oz? Is that what this comes down to? You are too scared to give birth because you haven't seen The Wizard of Oz?"

"It's an analogy...it's just...what am I going to do when all of my supposed expertise proves useless when I am at home alone with a bored toddler and I've got nothing? No frame of reference?"

He stoicly let me squeeze his hand as the pain silenced me. When it subsided, he spoke again.

"That's the thing, Iz. You are not alone. You will never be all alone. Sure, there are times when I will be on call, and maybe everyone is out of the house or occupied, but you will never be truly alone. Mom will always be a call or drive away, same for me. If you're lost you have friends and family to find you. Maybe the concept is kinda new, but your back is covered. I swear that on my life. As for the rest? I know you. You will be a fantastic mother. If a couple of flying monkeys freak you out, you will find a way to make it work in your favor. Our baby will just love you more for your honesty, or maybe your silliness when you're covering your face and making it look like it's all for fun!"

"One more thing..."

"Come on! I have used everything in my arsenal to help you!"

He playfully tweaked my nose.

"What about Hannah? What are we going to tell her? We promised that we would go over and see her tomorrow night, and call if I went into labor so that she could come up to the hospital for the birth and see her new kind-of brother or sister!"

"We can call her now, I think I still have a signal. She will understand that we don't want her out in a storm trying to get to a hospital that we are not at. She will be just as happy having a Christmas with us right in the room with the baby there. I bet that will even make it better. Call her."

I took his phone, but I wasn't so sure. Our relationship had steadily improved over the past few months, but it still felt a little strained. Like one disappointment would be one more too many. Still, I dialed knowing that she really wouldn't forgive me if I didn't at least let her know. It would be that right then, my labor decided to mean business. George ducked to check me out once again while I waited for an answer.

Her mother answered as I groaned out once again.

"Izzie?"

In a pant a sputtered out, "Hi! Merry Christmas! Hannah there?"

"Are you okay? Baby okay? I thought we were seeing you and George tomorrow?"

"I am about to have this kid anytime now, it looks like. Hannah! Please!"

"I'll go get her!"

Hannah chose to pick up during one particularly visceral scream.

"Izzie? Are you okay?"

"I'll be just fine honey! Look, I just wanted to tell you that I am about to go into labor now. It looks like we can't come over tomorrow night, but maybe Mom and Dad can bring you over to see us. We have presents!"

"You are having the baby right now? Are you at the hospital?"

"Not exactly. It's pretty bad out here, and on the way we slid off the road and we're stuck."

"But the baby! You won't be okay!"

"Hannah, we will be just fine. The snow should stop soon, the family knows we are out here and so do the emergency workers. Besides, don't you think George is the best doctor ever?"

"I know he is, but I don't know it's safe!"

"It is as safe as it can be. Louise packed us lots of supplies in case the baby decided to come. We are warm, and all set up. I will have George take pictures of the whole thing and text them to your mom so you can see for yourself. But look, there will be no baby if I don't start pushing, I will call you as soon as we're done."

"Bye, Mom. Be safe."

Tears slid down my cheeks as I hung up.

"Izzie, we are in crunch time. You have surpassed eight and a half centimeters, and dilating steadily. It's time to get ready to push."

He looked up.

"What's the tears for?"

"Hannah called me Mom."

"Merry Christmas, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Are you ready to start?"

"As ready as I will ever be."

"I love you Isobel Stevens."

"I love you George O'Malley."

With a curt nod, he leaned back down, bracing my knees with his hands. I clasped onto his grasp and let out my first push.

"Okay, baby, breathe for a minute. You are doing just fine."

"It doesn't feel fine!"

"Maybe not now, but it'll be fine when it's over. Push!"

I bore down once more.

"George, no more!"

"Izzie, I can literally feel the baby's head! One more push to crown. Come on!"

"I want this to be fucking over!"

"You are crowning! I can see the head!"

"I don't care!"

"Yes you do! It's almost over, then you can rest! Push!"

It was like a time warp all of a sudden. We were in the space of moments, but everything was floating lazily it seemed. In short spurts my body revealed a tiny angry face, shoulders, torso, belly, and with final assistance, a set of little legs. A piercing shriek rang out into the night like a song.

I dropped my body back against the seat and door. Everything felt like a strange mass of jello from head to toe. I sighed with sweet relief as George lifted our baby up.

The sweetest look of pure adoration crossed his face as he sighed, "It's a girl!"

"A girl? We have a little girl? Oh my God! We are parents! We did it!"

"We did."

He laid her against my bare stomach and prepared to cut the umbilical cord. I stroked her tiny arms as she struggled with the indignity of birth. The weakened pushes of my afterbirth came gently and almost unnoticed in the bliss.

"Do you think she is perfect, George?"

"All ten fingers, and all ten toes. She's quite a bit smaller than we anticipated, but she looks healthy."

As he snipped the cord and tied it off. he picked her up gently and placed her in the shallow basin to be cleansed. I nodded off as he handled our baby girl's care. Swaddled snugly in her first diapering and gown along with a thick, plush blanket, he tapped my leg til I woke.

"Are you ready to hold her, Mommy? I think she is a little hungry."

I nodded tensely and took her into my arms. She took to my bare breast like the most natural thing in the world. Quietly suckling, she took ahold of my finger and drifted off to sleep.

George watched curiously as he began to clean me up. I didn't even noticed until I felt the loose pants slip over my thighs, barely helping as he pushed them up past my thighs.

"You are looking pretty good there, Izzie. I've saved the afterbirth for analysis when we get into the city. Your bleeding looks minimal. Because of her size, an episiotomy wasn't necessary. Vitals look in good range for the both of you. I think we've nailed the best outcome here."

"That's good."

"Are you tired?"

"Very."

"You did great."

I finally looked up and smiled.

"We did, Daddy."

He reached over to stroke her cheek.

"We did. What are we going to name her?"

"I don't know. You?"

"She doesn't look like the names we had picked out. They don't adequately encompass her."

"They really don't."

I took a look at the clock next to us.

"Time of birth, Dr. O'Malley?"

"Eleven fifty-nine p.m. December twenty fourth of two-thousand and seven."

"How about Noella?"

"Like the first? With an Italian twist?"

"Don't laugh!"

"I like it! Just don't call her Noella Bella! Or set her crib music to The First Noel!"

"Shut up! How about Noella Louise O'Malley?"

"After my Mom?"

"After your Mom."

"I like it!"

We sat there like that for nearly an hour, just staring at each other and our daughter in awe. She simply was amazing from her tiny frame to her quiet snores.

"Y'know, Iz, I almost forgot your present!"

As he reached back cheerily to retrieve it, I began to worry.

Don't lie!

You've seen Knocked Up and every other baby movie with unwed parents, and you're thinking the same-he has a ring! I love him, but I was no blushing bride right then. I sighed in relief when he handed me a differently shaped box than that of a ring.

I tore quietly as to not wake Noella, but loudly burst out into laughter as the approaching lights of a wrecker and ambulance bounced off the front of my present...

A DVD of The Wizard of Oz.

"You were so stressed out one night when we first met about your lack of pop kid culture, and frankly I was shocked you hadn't seen it too. Given your earlier outburst, I chose correctly. Merry Christmas!"

I gave him a quick kiss as the EMT's came for our rescue.

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A/N: To the mommies, I may not have the labor/delivery 100 because I haven't had my own basically. Hope I kept it mostly correct since I am mostly going from what I have seen/heard from my friends or family that have been there!