Hi Everyone, I've been a little busy, but hope to update as quick as I can. Somehow reviews motivate me to find time to write, so keep them coming. This chapter is a bit of a filler. I know where I want this story to go, but I keep getting stuck trying to get there. I think I could make days go on forever and ever just like on the show. Let me know what you'd like to see happen. Will Bree make it? How will Jason and Sam cope with life outside of Port Charles? How are Sonny's problems going to affect Jason and his ability to be there for Sam and the girls?
Sam sat in the wheelchair holding Danni as Jason ran toward Bree's room. She took a deep breath, trying not to scare Danni, who was already overwhelmed with the baby and the NICU. She started to cry wishing there were a way to make all the pain and the stress go away.
"Mommy, why did Daddy run so fast? What's blue?" Danni asked.
"Daddy ran to check on your sister. Those are just the words doctors use," Sam tried to explain as vaguely as she could because she knew that Danni was already confused.
"Is Bree all right?" Danni asked.
"I'm not sure baby girl, but the doctors and the nurses are going to take good care of her," Sam told her daughter as she held her in her arms and ran her fingers through her hair.
As Sam held Danni close and comforted her, she wondered what was happening with Bree. Sam hadn't even gotten to hold her baby, but touching her felt like heaven. She prayed silently that whatever was happening down the hall, Bree would be ok.
Jason stood outside of the room as he watched the neonatologist, the charge nurse, Debbie, and other neonatal nurse practitioners work. He watched as they removed the tube that was connected to the ventilator and just like a well-oiled machine, they inserted a new tube. The medical staff acted quickly and Jason was amazed at the care that was taken of his tiny daughter. Jason's eyes began to well up as he thought about his petite baby lying there helpless and unaware of all the people working to save her life. Jason wondered how Sam was doing. He knew his wife couldn't take much more and he dreaded that Danni had witnessed all of this. Jason considered leaving Breanna's room and comforting Sam, but then he realized that she would want him with the baby.
After several minutes had passed, the neonatologist came out into the hallway. "Mr. Morgan, your daughter is going to be just fine, although we had a bit of a scare."
"What kind of a scare?" Jason asked.
"Well, babies in the NICU sometimes need extra help to breathe. Your daughter was connected to the ventilator (or breathing machine) via an endotracheal tube, a plastic tube placed into the windpipe through her nose. She was having difficulty breathing with this tube, so we had to switch to a tracheostomy, a plastic tube inserted directly into the trachea, that's connected to the ventilator on the other end. There are many different kinds of ventilators, but they all accomplish the same basic purpose: to help a baby breathe. Her vitals are good and the new tube is working nicely. You can go in with her if you'd like, but we have a team that will be with her for the next several hours, just in case."
"I left my wife and daughter inside the corridor, so I need to let them know what's going on. We'll be up in my wife's room. Can you keep us posted on any changes?" Jason asked. He wanted nothing more than to sit in Bree's room and stay with her, but he hated so many people. He also knew that Sam would need him.
"Absolutely," the doctor informed him. "I know this is your second baby in the NICU, but that doesn't make it easier. Please let us know if you have any questions."
"Thank you," Jason spoke. As he walked down the hall, the doctor's words stuck with him. He thought about how Sam must have felt when he was in Pentonville and she was there with Danni. Michael was like a son to him, and he knew that Sam had supported his decision, but he could never get back the time he lost. As he turned the corner, he saw Sam sitting there, comforting Danni and he was reminded how selfless she was, always putting the needs of others ahead of her own.
Jason knelt down to Sam's level and realized Danni had fallen asleep. He gently stroked Sam's hair. "She's ok. They had to switch the tube that was connected to the ventilator, but she's fine now." Jason explained as he kissed Sam's forehead. "I can take you down there if you want; either to check on Bree or talk to the doctor," Jason said as he rubbed his thumb over the tears on Sam's cheek.
"No Jason. Danni's wiped out and overwhelmed. I feel like she's been neglected lately. Let's take her up to my room. Bree's in good hands. Danni had to have the tube switched a few times while she was on a ventilator, so I know it's pretty routine, but the few minutes of code blue are scary to say the least."
"You're amazing, you know that," Jason said to her as he smiled and looked into her eyes. He couldn't believe that she was so calm despite the chaos surrounding their life.
"Well thank you, the NICU is like a roller coaster ride, so fasten your seatbelt," Sam said trying to lighten the mood.
"Speaking of a ride, let's get you back up to that room."
As they were riding in the elevator, Jason massaged Sam's shoulders gently, wishing he could massage away the pain and the worry as easily. "We still need to call Alexis," he said.
"Yes, my mother is only trying to help. Jase, do you think it's selfish for Danni to stay here with us, just for tonight?" Sam asked.
"Well let's see, our daughter has been shuffled between our friends and family for months. Tomorrow is her birthday. We've got clothes and a pull out sofa in your room. Not to mention the fact that she's out cold and sleeping comfortably in your arms- I'd say not selfish at all to keep her with us," Jason reassured her.
"Just for tonight, I just want to hold her in my arms," Sam said, still heartbroken she couldn't hold both her babies. "Jason, I was so scared when you took off, I didn't know what was going to happen. Danni clung to me even tighter and in that moment, all I remembered was how empty it felt to lose Lila. That can't happen again."
"Sam, it won't," Jason said quietly as he placed her hand in his for a moment until the elevator beeped.
The elevator reached the floor to Sam's room and they stepped off. Jason quietly pushed Sam down the hall knowing that she needed Danni there almost as much as Danni needed her. In the room, Jason stepped away from Sam and placed pillows and blankets on the sofa. He picked Danni up carefully from Sam's arms and placed her lovingly on the sofa. Sam smiled, just watching the care he took with their daughter made her heart soften, Jason had his little princess wrapped around his finger. He then moved back to Sam and despite no doctor or nurse, lifted her up and placed her in the hospital bed. "How's that?" He asked.
"Almost perfect," she answered.
"Just almost?" he questioned.
"Yeah it would be better if you did this," she said as she reached up and pulled him down into a kiss. It started slow and sensual, but quickly turned fiery and full of passion. The truth was that they both needed each other more than they realized.
Jason pulled away and looked over to Danni who was fast asleep. "I'm going to take this wheelchair back, then I'll see if I can move her here with you," Jason said.
"Now that would be pure perfection," Sam said.
"But first, you have to call Alexis," Jason said as he handed her the cell phone.
"Sure, give me the toughest job," Sam protested.
"She is your mother," Jason said walking out the door.
Sam dialed Alexis' cell and bit her bottom lip as she waited impatiently for her mother to pick up.
"Hello," Alexis answered.
"Hi mom, it's-" Sam started to tell Alexis about their evening, but Alexis jumped in.
"Honey, what's taken you so long, is something wrong?" her mother asked in a concerned voice.
"Mom, everything is fine now. Bree had a scare and they had to reinsert the tube to the ventilator," Sam explained.
"Oh no, while you were there?" Alexis asked.
"Well we were leaving the NICU when we realized something was wrong. Jason went back and I stayed with Danni," Sam explained.
"Oh honey how is she? Are you ready for me to come and get her?"
"Well Mom, to be completely honest, she is exhausted and sleeping on the sofa in here. I think she is overwhelmed by the NICU and Mom, she just needs me. I haven't been there for her," Sam explained feeling completely guilty for her older daughter.
"Sam, you've done all you can. It sounds like Danni is right where she needs to be and where you need her to be."
"Thanks for understanding."
"What about tomorrow?" Alexis asked.
"I want her here with us and then we'll figure it out," Sam pleaded with her mother to drop the issue, but Alexis continued.
"So you don't want Danni in school?"
"Mom, I hate when Danni misses school, but I am not sending her on a plane with you or anyone else until I've spent some time with her and reassured her that even though her world has been turned upside down, I love her and am here. I appreciate your help, but please don't ask again. Jason and I are doing what we think is best for our family," Sam was beginning to get annoyed.
"All right honey, just don't forget we're your family too," Alexis insisted.
"Mom, I could never forget that, we just need some time, just us," Sam pleaded.
"Just know that we love you. We'll probably fly out before you're awake, so we'll chat on the phone."
"Thanks Mom. Talk to you tomorrow," Sam said as she hung up the phone and sighed a very deep sigh, just as Jason walked into the room.
"So how'd Alexis take Danni staying here?" Jason asked.
"Well, I think deep down she understands, but you know Alexis the control freak. She's worried about Danni missing school. Jason, I don't like her missing school, but the look on her face tonight when we were with Bree, I just know she needs us," Sam spoke as Jason walked over, took his boots off and climbed in the bed beside her and she curled into his side.
"Sam, you're Danni's mother. You know what she needs. I think right now, that's you. Anyway, I have a little surprise for tomorrow."
"A surprise?" Sam looked confused.
"Well it is our daughter's 4th birthday, you didn't think I was going to forget. It is the first one I'll get to celebrate with her," Jason explained.
"Jason, 4 years ago, I was in this hospital. My mom, sisters, Maxie, and Spinelli, they were all here, but I couldn't have felt more alone," Sam spoke honestly.
"I'm sorry if I ever made you feel alone or as if you didn't matter," Jason said but Sam took her index finger and put it over his lips.
"Stop Jason. I knew Michael had to be protected. You did something few men would have done and I love you for it. And see, didn't it all work out?"
"It worked out, but who would have thought that last night before I went back to Pentonville we would have created a miracle," Jason wondered aloud.
"Well if I remember that night, which I do, even though I had next to zero chances of getting pregnant we improved the odds considerably," she said in a suggestive voice as Jason continued to hold her and stroke her arms.
"Sam you know I'd give anything to have been there the first 3 years of Danni's life," Jason explained.
"You were Jason, all the phone calls and letters. She knew you loved her."
"But she had you. You were her rock. You taught her so much and I just can't tell you how much that means to me. Now we have this different life and we're in this together. Bree is going to be just fine and we're going to go home with both of our girls before you know it."
"We've always been in this together." Sam paused momentarily looking over his shoulder to Danni lying there, " Jase, I'm worried about her on that sofa. If she wakes up, she's in a strange place-"
"All right, I'll move to the sofa and bring her over with you like I planned," Jason said.
"Well Danni's not very big and I love having your warm arms around me…is it selfish to want both of you close to me?" Sam asked nervously.
"I think I can arrange that," Jason said.
"I'd like that," Sam said shaking her head up and down and smiling at him.
When Jason picked Danni up, she woke up momentarily.
"Daddy?" she questioned.
"Shh princess, go back to sleep. You're staying with me and Mommy tonight," Jason said as he laid her in the hospital bed with Sam.
Sam and Danni were asleep quickly. As Jason lie to the side of the hospital bed, he watched them. Danni was curled up between Sam and the bedrail. Sam was comfortably lying in Jason's arms. Jason, very uncomfortable to say the least, was perfectly content just watching them sleep peacefully.
When the nurse came in to check on Sam, she kind of looked at Jason in a strange way. Then she smiled. "Sorry to disturb you, I just wanted to check on the patient."
"She's out," Jason said.
"Good Night," the nurse said as she walked out. Jason realized that they probably looked a little funny in the hospital bed, but he loved his family so much and he knew he would do anything for them.
Jason had a restless night, but he expected that when he agreed to sleep in the hospital bed. Sam had to wake up a few times during the night. She had to pump breast milk and as loud as the pump was, Danni slept peacefully right through it.