~*~o~*~
When complications arose with Marty's pregnancy, Todd stayed right by her side. "Todd, I don't want anything to happen to this baby," Marty spoke to him tearfully.
"Everything's going to be alright, Marty," Todd promised as he held her hand.
"Todd's right, Marty," Larry reassured her. "This baby is just being stubborn. He or she wanted to be breech, so we'll do a c-section. You and the baby are going to be fine."
Just then Patrick and Blair had arrived at the hospital and Patrick looked absolutely frantic. "We got your call. What's going on?" Patrick asked as he rushed to Marty's side.
"The baby went into distress... so we are doing a c-section," Larry explained. "We are taking Marty into the operating room right now."
"I want to go in with Marty," Patrick spoke up.
"No, I am going in with her," Todd disagreed.
"Marty, I'm afraid it's up to you. Only one person can go into the operating room with you," Larry explained.
"Todd," Marty said as she squeezed his hand. "I need Todd."
"I'm sorry, Patrick," Larry apologized as they started wheeling Marty away into the operating room.
Patrick had no other choice but to stay behind with Blair in the waiting room. "I should be in there..." he spoke as he hugged Blair. "It's my baby."
Blair wrapped her arms around him and held him tight. He kissed the top of her head as they comforted each other. "It will be alright, Patrick," she tried to soothe him.
"I hope so. I can't lose another child," he said sadly.
~*~o~*~
Marty lay on the operating table as Dr. Larry and the other medical staff preformed her c-section. She felt some tugging and pulling, but no real pain. "Todd, do you see the baby?" she asked him quietly.
"I'm afraid to look," Todd responded as he was feeling a little woozy. He held Marty's hand as he anxiously awaited the baby's cry. In a few moments, he heard what he had been waiting for- the loud, healthy cry of a newborn.
"Marty, you have a little girl," Larry announced.
Tears of happiness shone in Marty's eyes as she looked at Todd. "It's a girl," Marty said happily, so relieved to hear her baby's cry.
Todd kissed Marty's hand as a nurse brought the baby over to Todd and Marty. "She's so beautiful," Marty spoke, seeing that her little girl had bunches of thick dark hair.
In that moment, the baby opened her eyes and looked directly at Todd. "She has your eyes," Todd said in amazement when he noticed that her eyes were the same shade of dark-blue as Marty's.
"She's perfect," Marty said as the nurse brought the baby closer so Marty could kiss her little cheek.
"Todd, will you please take her out so that Patrick could see her?" Marty asked him.
Todd hesitated. It was the last thing he wanted to do, but he couldn't refuse Marty's request. Not when she looked at him with so much hope in her eyes. "Alright," he agreed reluctantly.
The nurse placed the newborn into Todd's arms as he looked down at her sweet little face. She wasn't his daughter- not his flesh and blood- but he already loved her so much. She was a part of Marty, the woman whom he loved. He vowed to love her and protect her just like his own.
"Hello there, little sweetheart," he said to the little girl as he cuddled her close.
Then he looked at Marty before he left the operating room. "What's her name?" he questioned. "You know they're going to ask."
"Her name is Elizabeth Caitlyn Thornhart," Marty told him.
Todd nodded. He loved the name... except for the "Thornhart" part, but there was nothing he could do about that. Elizabeth was Thornhart's baby, not his. Struggling against the lump that had formed in his throat, Todd walked out of the operating room as he carried the baby in his arms.
The minute he stepped into the waiting room, he was bombarded by a concerned Patrick and Blair. Patrick's eyes fell upon the child in Todd's arms. "Is that...?" he asked.
"Yes. This is Elizabeth," Todd stated. "Elizabeth Caitlyn... Thornhart."
"My daughter..." Patrick spoke as he reached out for the baby. He smiled as he took the tiny bundle into his arms.
"How's Marty?" Patrick asked when he finally looked up from the serene face of his infant daughter.
"She's okay. They're sewing her up right now."
Todd wanted to yell and scream at Thornhart, but in that moment he didn't have anything at all he could sling at the other man. All he wanted was to get back to Marty as he saw the tears filling up Patrick's eyes. "Look... I better take her back in to Marty now," Todd said as he reached out for the child.
Patrick gently kissed the baby's tiny dark head, then gently gave the baby back to Todd. "Take good care of her... and Marty," Patrick said in a voice that shook with emotion.
"I will," Todd swore as he cradled the baby against his chest. Todd then turned on his heel and returned to the operating room.
~*~o~*~
Patrick didn't say a word as he watched Todd walking away. Blair came up and placed her hand upon his arm. "Are you alright?" she asked him quietly.
"I'll be fine. I just don't want to intrude on Marty... and what she has with Todd," Patrick said as he turned his gaze onto Blair. "Why don't we go home? We'll give Marty some time to recover from the c-section... then we'll come back tomorrow."
"Alright," Blair said as huge tears filled up her eyes. Quietly, they started to fall.
"Blair, what it is it? What's wrong?" Patrick asked he lightly stroked her cheek.
"I'm scared," she spoke in half-sob.
"Of what?" he asked as he gazed into her amber eyes.
When Blair didn't respond, he was sure she was thinking of Brendan. He wrapped his arms around her in an attempt to soothe her, but Blair pushed him away. She started running from him. She disappeared down a corridor and headed toward the stairwell. With a concerned look on his face, Patrick went after her.
"Blair, come back!" he cried out.
Finally he caught up with her at the top of the stairs and pulled her into his arms. "Blair, what is it?" he asked. "What has you so upset?"
"Please talk to me," he encouraged.
"I'm pregnant," she told him.
"What?" he said in a gasp.
"It's true. I just found out I'm pregnant... and I'm scared I am going to lose another child."
Patrick held her in his arms as her tears fell. Tenderly he tried to soothe her. "Blair, what happened to our son was a freak accident. Everything will go well this time. I'll see to it," Patrick promised.
Looking into his eyes, Blair knew he meant it. "Just once, something is going to go right for us," she said to him through her tears.
"I promise it," said Patrick. "You just have to believe."
THE END