12 hours. Arizona had been laying in bed for 12 hours and still no baby. She was tired and wanted her daughter. She had enough of being pregnant. She had been given stadol for the labor mainly due to the fact that she wasn't dilated. She was uncomfortable, but not in tons of pain. Callie was right by her side and she had convinced her mother and sister to go to the hotel, because it was going to be a while.
"She's not coming. I want to go home. I can lie in bed there." Arizona whined. Callie climbed into the bed with her and held her.
"She's coming. She's just taking her time. Maybe she understands that we are a little scared and nervous."
"Cal, I'm tired. I don't want to be pregnant anymore. I want to hold her. I want to see her."
"I know baby. I know. You've been hogging her"
"Hey, you could have been the one to do it this time but no you wanted me to have YOUR baby. You could have easily carried her yourself."
"I know I could have. But think of it the way I do. You're having my baby. There's nothing more special than that."
"I know I'm complaining a lot, I'm sorry. I know it wasn't easy on you. You being a pin cushion so we could have her."
"Yes, but you secretly enjoyed sticking me." she teased and nudged her side a little. Arizona leaned in and kissed her softly. "I sort of did. You hate needles but I love you for doing it, even though you didn't have to."
"I know, but we agreed to have each other's child. And it was worth it." she said and placed her hand on Arizona's belly. Arizona laid her head on Callie's shoulder just about to fall asleep when the doctor came in. Arizona sighed.
"Please tell me she's ready. I'm tired and I want to go home." she said sitting up quickly. Dr. Bradley placed his hand on her knee and smiled.
"I'll do a quick exam and we'll see how things are going." he stated and pulled back the sheets. Arizona relaxed as he examined her. As he finished he frowned a bit.
"You're at 5 cm. You've jumped 3 cm but your labor is starting to slow." he said and took off his gloves. Arizona laid her head back and blew out a gush of air, trying not to cry.
"I know it's frustrating but we're going to start you on pitocin and we can get you the epidural. You know though after you get it you aren't able to get up. With the stadol you're able to get up and if you choose to stay with that we can give you quick acting meds right before the delivery. If you don't progress we'll do a cesarean." he explained as he went to the monitor and looked at her contractions. Arizona looked to Callie.
"It's your decision baby, you are giving birth to her. You do what you think is best for you." Callie said softly, as she took Arizona's hand in hers. She rubbed her thumb over the back of her hand as Arizona's tears began to fall.
"I'm scared, Cal. I don't know what I want."
"Shh, baby, I know. " she whispered and pulled her to her.
"If I take the stadol, promise not to hate me for what ever comes out of my mouth during delivery?" Arizona asked, pulling her face away to look at Callie.
"I promise." Callie smiled and wiped away her tears.
"I'll pass on the epidural."
"Are you sure?" Dr. Bradley asked. Arizona looked to Callie then to their hands and back to the doctor.
"We're sure."
"Ok. I'll have the nurse come in and start the pitocin." he said and then left the two alone.
"So, we're having a baby."
"Looks like it. I'm going to call mom real quick and update the mob outside. Get some rest, baby." Callie kissed her forehead and got up from the bed. She helped Arizona lay down and covered her before leaving the room.
"Torres!" Callie turned as her name was yelled. She saw her former roommate come toward her, Owen Hunt not far behind.
"Yes, Cristina?"
"What's going on?"
"They are giving her pitocin and we're going from there. If she doesn't progress they are going to do a c-section. She doesn't want that. She's scared. I'd appreciate it if you would go sit with her while I call my mom. I'm sure she'd love the company."
"Sure. But you owe me. I don't babysit."
"You're not babysitting."
"Yeah yeah. Go call your mother, I'll go sit with blondie."
"Thank you. Hey Owen."
"Hey, Dr. Torres."
"Owen, you have been dating my best friend for over a year now. You can call me Callie." she chuckled and hugged him quickly. "Thank you guys, for being here. It means a lot to the both of us. I think she'd like to see you as well." she said then left to make the phone call. Owen followed Cristina into the room. Arizona smiled brightly as they entered the room.
"Hey!" she said cheerfully and sat up in the bed. Over the past year the four friends had become very close. Arizona had spent many nights at the apartment Callie had once shared with Cristina.
"Your other half made me come babysit you." Cristina complained, and sat down in a chair near the door.
"You do realize there's a chair closer, right?" Owen pointed out.
"Yes, but I'm staying as far away from that as possible." she said and waved her arms around Arizona's lower half. Arizona chuckled and shook her head at the resident.
"It's not contagious."
"No shit, Sherlock. I'm just not willing to see her girly parts."
"You know, you're sitting below my head. So you'd get a full shot, especially sitting by the door." Arizona raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest. Cristina quickly got up out of her chair and moved to the one next to the bed.
"That's what I thought you'd do." Cristina rolled her eyes and looked at the monitor and then at Arizona. "You miserable yet?"
"Cristina!" Owen shouted.
"What? I'm making conversation." Cristina shrugged. She wasn't used to the girly talk. She didn't know what to say in this situation. Callie and Arizona were the first of her friends to have a child.
"It's okay, Owen. I'm more than miserable. I want to have her already."
"Why not take the easy road and have the c-section?"
"I want to at least try to have her. I would hate to just give up and have surgery when my body is made to do this."
"Yeah, but it's not really necessary. We have the means to just take you out of your misery."
"Is that really ALL you think about?"
"Pretty much."
"I figured. What happens when you and Owen have kids?"
"Not going to happen. Me and kids don't mix. Owen knows that and yet he still wants to marry me."
"What?! Did you just say marry you?"
"Yup. He asked me last night but you had to go and have a baby so I didn't get to tell anyone."
"Yay!"
"Oh god, she said yay."
"I did. It's exciting news. I'm super happy for you guys."
"How in the world can you still manage to be bubbly and you're about to push a kid out of you?"
"Is she always this grumpy?"
"Always, but I've learned to deal with it."
"Hey, I'm sitting right here!"
"Oh, you are? I thought you were the nurse."
"That's low, blondie. Really low. " Cristina scowled.
"I'm kidding. Lighten up. I'm the one here in pain."
"Sure looks like it to me."
"I'm on stadol, and I'm not contracted very much."
"Oh you will once they give you the pitocin. Speaking of, here comes your nurse now." Cristina said and moved out of the way as the nurse came in with the pitocin. She hung the small bag and connected it to Arizona's IV.
"Dr. Bradley has given you a larger dose so we get things moving along quickly. You should be contracting soon. Let us know if you change your mind on the epidural so we get it to you before it's too late." she said and then gave her a shot of stadol through the IV. Arizona nodded and the nurse quickly left the room.
"You're choosing to be in pain? Are you nuts?"
"Cristina, leave her alone. It's her body."
"Thank you, Owen." Arizona said just as Callie came back into the room.
"Mom and Aria are coming back. Mom wants to be here when she's born. So they are coming to wait. Mom also wanted me to ask if she's allowed in here."
"Of course. She's her granddaughter. She should be here." she said and held her hand out to Callie. Cal walked over ad took it, then sat on the bed with her.
"Ok, since you're back I'm leaving." Cristina said and got up to leave.
"Um, Yang, don't you have something to tell Callie?"
"What? I do?" she asked. Arizona cleared her throat then looked to Owen and back to Cristina.
"Oh, yeah. Owen proposed, I said yes."
"That's great!" Callie said and got up and hugged her.
"You're hugging me, why?"
"Because it's a hugging kind of news."
"Whatever, get off me."
"Fine. Congratulations. You two deserve to be happy." she said and let her go. Cristina and Owen both waved and left the two of them alone. Callie climbed into bed with her and looked up at the pitocin drip.
"He really wants to speed everything up."
"Yeah, but I'm not complaining. I want to speed things up." She said and laid down in the bed with her. She pulled Arizona into her arms and held her for a while. 15 minutes passed and Arizona started to contract. She gripped Callie's hand hard as she breathed through the intense pain.
"Breathe, baby." Callie coached and rubbed small circles into her back. Callie moved Arizona to her side and pressed harder into her back. "How's that, baby?" she asked as Arizona breathed through the contraction.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
3 hours later
"I changed my mind. I want the damn epidural!" Arizona screamed as her contractions increased. She had been in hard labor for the last two hours.
"I'll get the nurse." Callie said and started to leave.
"Don't you dare leave. This is your baby! You're not going anywhere!" she screamed as she grabbed Callie shirt and tugged her back to the bed. Callie's eyes widened.
"Okay, okay." she said and pressed the call button.
"Could someone please come in here? She wants the epidural and now. "
"Yes, ma'am. Someone will be in right away to examine her."
"Thank you." she responded and turned off the call light.
"They are on the way."
"Well they need to get here faster." she said and gripped the sheets.
"I know, they are coming. Hold on a few minutes, love." Callie pushed back Arizona's sweaty hair and the door opened and the nurse walked in.
"Hey, sweetie. I'm going to do a quick exam and then call the doctor." she said and walked to the bed. She pulled back the sheets and examined her. Her eyes widened and she pulled away her hand.
"What's wrong?!" Arizona yelled as she saw her face.
"No time for the epidural, Dr. Robbins. You're at ten. I need to get the doctor here." she said and ran out the door. Arizona shook her head.
"No, no, no. I can't be! I need the drugs. I can't do this." she said, hysterically. Callie placed her hands on either side of her face.
"Arizona, you can do this. You are the strongest woman I know. You can do this. You can bring our daughter into this world."
"I'm scared, Callie."
"I am too, baby. You can do this. I have complete faith in you. I'll be right here with you."
"What happened?! I saw the nurse run out of here" screamed Callie's mom as she burst through the door. Callie laughed a bit and so did Arizona.
"Nothing Mom. The baby is coming." Callie said with a huge smile.
"Really?!" Daniela said, hopeful.
"Really. But Arizona is doing it naturally. She can't get the epidural. She went too fast." Callie explained.
"Sweetie, I don't have to be in here if you don't want me in here." Daniela said and walked over to Arizona.
"No, it's okay. I want you here. You deserve to be here. "she said and squeezed her hand gently.
"Okay, honey. I'll stay up here."
"That's fine with me. Callie will be with the doctor. We discussed that. Callie wants to see it all." she said and looked up at Callie. Callie leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Dr. Bradley rushed into the room, all geared up to deliver the baby.
"Oh thank god you're here. I need to push, now!" Arizona said, gratefully. Dr. Bradley smiled lightly and pulled away the sheets and grinned as he examined her.
"Well, looks like someone is eager to get here now. She's right here. Okay, I want you to give me a big push." he said and watched her closely. Callie and a nurse helped Arizona pull her knees up and Arizona breathed deeply before pushing with everything she hand. She squeezed her eyes shut as she tried not to scream at the pain. As she released the push she screamed.
"Very good. She's moving quickly. You're doing great. Give me another big push. Ready and push." he coached and Arizona pushed again unable to stop the scream that she wanted to suppress. Callie couldn't decide where she wanted to watch. She glanced back and forth between the doctor to Arizona.
"Oh my god it burns!" Arizona screamed as the baby began to crown. Callie looked down and started to cry as she saw the top of the baby's head.
"She's right there. Ari, I can see her! She has a head full of hair." she said as she looked up at Arizona. Arizona released her breath and pushed once again. Her body was taking control.
"Stop, stop, stop. Just for a second. I need to clear her airways." Dr. Bradley instructed. He cleared her mouth and nose quickly then looked up to Arizona.
"I need you to give me one more big push." he coached and Arizona pushed as hard as she could, screaming as the baby's shoulders were delivered. As the baby was free, Arizona collapsed to the bed, exhausted. Dr. Bradley placed the screaming infant on Arizona's chest.
"Oh, she looks just like Calliope did when she was born!" Daniela said in awe as she looked at the baby. Callie looked at Arizona and then to her mother and smiled.
"That's because she's mine, mom." she said softly. Daniela clasped her hands over her mouth and began to cry.
"She's yours?"
"She is. We wanted it to be very personal. I took hormone injections and then my eggs were extracted. Arizona carried her." Callie explained. Daniela leaned over and kissed Arizona's cheek.
"Oh thank you, Arizona!"
"No thank you necessary. It's what we wanted." she said through tearful eyes. Dr. Bradley handed a pair of scissors to Callie and Callie cut the cord. Callie kissed the top of Arizona's head as she touched their daughter.
"She's perfect, Ari. Absolutely perfect. I love you." she whispered as she cried.
"I love you too." she replied and looked up into the tear flooded brown eyes. Emilee cried hard and Arizona wrapped her arms tightly around the infant. The nurse came over and took the baby for a moment.
"I'll be right back. Just going to clean her up and get her measured. She'll be right back. Congratulations." she said and took the baby. Callie followed behind her. She wasn't letting their daughter out of her sight.
"7 lbs, 9 oz." the nurse stated as she was weighed. Arizona just watched as Callie watched protectively over the baby.
"She's very long. She's 21 and a half inches long." the nurses a bit surprised. Callie giggled.
"She takes after me." she said as she looked at Emilee's long legs. The little girl was all legs. Once she was cleaned and placed in a blanket, Callie picked up her daughter and stared down at her. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead. Daniela picked up her phone and snapped a quick photo of the mother and child. She then sent the photo.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Luis was sitting in his den, staring at a photo of his little girl when she was born. He didn't know what he was doing. He had cut her off and he was miserable. He didn't go because he didn't know what his daughter would say to him. He picked up a glass of liquor and took a sip just as his phone signaled he had a new message. He picked it up and cried as he looked at the text from his wife. It was a photo of his daughter kissing her new daughter. She looked like Callie. He then read the message attached.
Hi, grandpa. Mommy and I love you very much. I'm sad you aren't here. Emilee Aribella Torres
p.s She's biologically Calliope's, Luis.
Luis stared intently at the screen of his blackberry and knew what he had to do.