Hey guys! Sorry for the delay. I finally binge watched 13 Reasons Why this week (when I should have been writing) and am now even more in love with Kate Walsh than I already was, which I never knew was possible. That's all fine and good except I'm having a hard time getting out of Olivia Baker headspace and back into Addison Montgomery headspace. Anyways, I added chapter 12 on Wednesday but it never showed it was updated so if you missed it (most of my regulars haven't reviewed so I feel like you probably did miss it) definitely read it first!
A few days later Ella was back in surgery, leaving Addison to wait anxiously in her room for an update. It was a simple procedure - removing the drain and replacing the skull cap - that didn't require Derek to cut into Ella's brain, but that didn't stop her from wringing her hands and checking the time every other minute. "Addison, relax!" Callie ordered.
"But it's been forever-"
"It's been an hour. Addison, it's a simple procedure. Derek could do it in his sleep. She's fine. Chill out and eat your lunch."
"Don't you have somewhere to be?"
Callie grinned. Addison had her snark back, a sure sign that she was definitely starting to feel better. "Not for half an hour, so you're stuck with me. Now eat!"
Addison sneered and poked at the gummy-looking macaroni and cheese. "I really don't think this is even food. How are patients supposed to get better eating it?" She took one bite and pushed it away. "Nope, can't do- Derek!" She brightened at the appearance of his smiling face in the doorway. "How is she?"
"She's great. Made it through like a champ. She's in recovery now. Someone will come get you when she's back in the NICU."
"Well, I could go see her in recovery…" That was true, she could. Parents aren't generally allowed in recovery, but who would stop Doctor Addison Forbes Montgomery?
"Addison, relax. It won't be long. Finish your...whatever that is."
"Yeah, that's what I said." She poked it again and grimaced. "You think I can get pizza delivered up here?" Derek chuckled and walked away shaking his head.
Callie laughed. "Tell you what. You choke that down now and I promise I'll bring you real food when I get off tonight. Deal?"
"Deal."
She had just finished when an aide entered the room with a wheelchair. "Your daughter is out of recovery," she announced cheerfully.
"Look, I can walk, you know. Made it all the way down the hall and back this morning."
"Hospital policy, doctor Montgomery." Of course Addison knew that. She reluctantly got in and was soon facing a very happy Alex.
"She's still pretty groggy, but off the vent already. She did great."
Addison got to her feet slowly as the baby started whimpering. "Oh, I know, baby, I know you feel yucky. It's okay. Mommy's here," she soothed as she rubbed the baby's belly. She was so focused on Ella that she didn't notice Alex drag a rocking chair over.
"Sit."
"I'm fine. I can't see her from down there," she argued.
"Yes you can." He took her by the shoulders and all but forced her to sit before turning to the isolette. She was about to protest when she realized what was happening. Soon Alex was lifting a swaddled Ella from the isolette and gently settling her in Addison's arms, careful not to disrupt any of the wires or tubes attached to her tiny body. "There. How's the view?"
She swallowed hard and blinked back tears. "Perfect." She stroked Ella's cheek and giggled when the baby turned towards her, mouth open wide and making a sucking motion. "Oh, I think somebody's hungry. Yes I do. Are you ready to eat, baby girl?" she cooed before looking up at Alex. "What do you think, Doctor Karev, too soon?"
"I think she's alert enough to give it a try, but you knew that already," he accused.
"Look, I'm trying not to be that know-it-all worst-patient-ever doctor, okay? Go with it."
He laughed and shook his head. "It was a nice try. You want a bottle, or…"
"No, I want to try nursing. I'm off the narcotics," she assured him as she unsnapped her gown. It took a bit of help from a nurse to get Ella positioned, especially with Addison's ribs still being sore, but soon the baby was latched on and suckling frantically. "Look at you go, you little piggy. You really were hungry, huh?"
Alex got up and planted a kiss on Addison's forehead. "Okay, much as I'd love to hang out with my two favorite girls, I have patients to check on and surgery. I'll catch ya later."
He returned a few hours later to find Addison rocking contentedly with Ella propped up on her shoulder. "You're still here."
"I am. We've had a very exciting afternoon. I got to change her diaper, and give her a bath, and she just ate again," Addison announced happily as she patted the baby's back, then laughed as Ella let out a surprisingly loud burp. "And now she spit up all down my back, didn't she?"
"That she did. I'm afraid your super sexy hospital robe is ruined," he teased as he took Ella and settled her in the isolette to examine her. "Any more seizures?"
"Yeah, a half dozen or so, just small ones. Derek stopped by. He wants to switch up her meds to see if we can get them under control before she goes home."
"He's talking about discharging her already?"
"Oh, not yet, but she should be ready to move to the level II nursery in a few days. He thinks I might be able to take her home by the end of next week."
"Nice. What about you?" He knew most c section patients were able to go home within three to five days and she was four days post-op.
She frowned. "I was hoping for today or tomorrow, but Adams thinks I need a few more days since it wasn't just a typical c section."
"And you didn't sign out AMA? I'm shocked," he taunted.
"I told you, I'm trying to be a good patient! And even if I was discharged I'd still be here all day anyways, so what's the difference?" she pointed out as she got back in the wheelchair. "Besides, I have a little...problem to work out."
"A problem? What kind of problem?" he asked as he pushed her back to her room.
"It's nothing, just typical post-c section stuff. Adams has it under control, don't worry."
"If you say so." They got back to her room and he waited for her to use the bathroom before getting her settled in bed. "Get some rest. I'll stop by after my shift."
OoOoOoO
A few days later Alex had just checked in with a patient in maternity whose baby he would be operating on and was about to head to lunch when he heard Doctor Adams. "I'll send her right in, Doctor Montgomery," she said before leaving the room.
Curious, he approached Addison's room and found her sitting on the bed, still dressed in a hospital gown, scowling. "Hey. I thought you were leaving this morning."
"Yeah, well, I can't go."
"I see that, but why?" He reached for her chart and flipped it open.
"No, Alex, remember the other day when I said I had a problem? I can't...go. You know…"
Alex snapped the chart shut and dropped it back in the slot. "Oh, you mean…"
"Yeah."
"Like, not at all? All week?"
"Yeah."
Alex grimaced. "Dude, that sucks."
"Yeah, I know."
"You do know you can take some-"
Addison shook her head and sighed. "Tried that yesterday. And the day before. Didn't help at all, so now Adams is sending the intern to do a...you know." By now she was more than scowling; it was more like a death stare and Alex was barely suppressing the urge to laugh. "You gotta help me! An intern! Sticking that thing…"
"Okay, I realize you were unconscious at the time but just so you're aware, that intern scrubbed in on your surgery so there isn't much of you she hasn't seen at this point…" Alex interrupted.
"Not helping, Alex." Addison blushed and buried her face in her hands for a minute before looking back up at him. "You gotta help me. When she gets here just tell her I went, I'm good, I can go home. Okay?"
"I'm not lying for you. There is a reason we don't discharge patients until they have a bowel movement. If there is something more serious going on, it's better to find out while you're still here."
"Oh, come on! I'm a doctor! I'll be fine. Just tell her."
"You're the one that's in a rush to get out of here, you tell her."
She blushed even more. "Okay, so I may have lied to Adams already...more than once...so she may have told the intern not to believe me…"
This time Alex couldn't hold back the laughter. "What happened to you trying to be a good patient? But really, what's the big deal? It's perfectly normal after surgery, when you're on painkillers...it's nothing to be embarrassed about, we're professionals, we see it all the time," he recited, knowing she'd probably given the same speech thousands of times herself.
"That's easy for you to say! You're not the one getting a tube shoved up your...oh, hi Doctor
Nordgren." She shot a withering gaze towards the door and Alex turned to see the petite blonde intern looking every bit as embarrassed as Addison.
The intern forced a smile. "Doctor Montgomery, Doctor Adams said I have to…"
"Yeah," Addison said dryly before turning to Alex and mouthing save me. When he just shook his head and snorted she looked back at Nina. "I appreciate it, Doctor Nordgren, but Doctor Karev here can take care of that."
Alex jumped up from his chair. "Oh, geez, look at the time! I better go check on the Benton baby," he lied before bolting out the door. "I'll see you later!"
"Karev!" she shouted, but he was long gone. She huffed and glared at the intern. "Okay, then. Let's just get this over with," she muttered, resigning herself to her fate.
OoOoOoO
Alex was rounding on his patients when Addison entered the NICU a few hours later, fully dressed. "I take it you worked your problems out?" he snickered, earning him a slap to the back of the head.
"Not funny, Karev," she grumbled, but laughed despite her best efforts not to. "But yes, problem solved - no thanks to you - and I'm free."
"Well, that's good. I'm glad you're feeling better. So, you need a ride home?"
"No, I called a cab. It'll be here in an hour, I just want to see Ella before I leave," she said as she scooped her daughter up, then got settled in the rocking chair to nurse her.
"So, Williams says she's ready to go to the level II nursery. They're moving her tomorrow morning."
"You say that like it's a bad thing," Addison mused as she rocked.
"No, it's good, one step closer to going home. I just won't get to see her as much and have to trust some other resident to take care of her," Alex admitted.
Addison's heart melted. "Aw, Alex, she'll be home soon and then you'll get to see her every day. But until then I'm sure the other resident will take good care of her."
The hour ended much too soon. Addison bit her lip and fought back tears as she reluctantly put Ella back in the isolette. "How do people do this, go home without their babies?"
"Addison, she'll be fine. You'll be back tomorrow, and the day after that, and every day after that until she's ready to go. She's in good hands, and I will call you if anything happens, I promise," Alex said as he wiped the tears away with his thumbs before kissing her forehead. "Okay? Now go. Spend as much time as you want in the shower, sleep in your own bed without being woken up every hour, and eat something besides hospital food. I'll stop by when I get out, and I'll even bring dinner."
Okay, yes, much of the second part of this chapter revolves entirely around #2. I'm almost ashamed to post it but it is a concern after surgery and also I felt we needed a bit of humor so there you go. And let's be real, Addison is just awkward af sometimes (I mean, hel-lo, she got poison oak where no one wants poison oak) so I feel like this is something that would happen. You're welcome. Or, I'm sorry. I don't know. Next chapter will be better, I promise.