A/N Thanks for the reviews.

CHAPTER 7

Enjoying a rare break at work, Arizona sank back heavily in to the nearest vacant chair and breathed a deep sigh of relief. In the past few months she had certainly found a new level of respect for pregnant woman. Arizona, had always been more than a little dismissive of expectant mother's. All their constant moaning, calling in to work sick and need for special treatment. They weren't ill, they were pregnant, she had always thought. Arizona had also naively assumed that she would sail through her own pregnancy, that there was no reason at all why it wouldn't be a complete breeze. She was fit and healthy she would work right up until she dropped, right?

However, Arizona couldn't have been more wrong. She was constantly fatigued, she could barely keep any food down, she had constant heart burn and backache and her ankles were swollen and sore, and then there was the dreadful mood swings, the bursting in to tears over nothing, snapping at Callie and god help 'anyone' who disagreed with her professional opinion. Arizona barely recognized herself and it was turning in to one hell of a roller coaster ride.

But then she pulled out the little 3D scan pictures that she secretly carried around with her in her scrubs and she glanced down at the image of the tiny little life growing inside her. Her and Callie's second baby. The baby that she and Alex had created months earlier and she smiled. It was all worth it!

Alex had been awake for eighteen hours when he got his first rest. Lying back on the hard uncomfortable bed in the on-call room, he took a deep breath and tried to wind down to sleep. But as hard as he tried, sleep just wouldn't come, as he tried to count his breaths and switch off his over active brain.

He thought about Izzie. Although she wouldn't admit it, Izzie would be enjoying the run of their double bed, his on-call nights were her excuse for an early night he'd discovered after he'd rung home at 9.30pm and woken her. Their two young boys would be out cold too. Fidgeting and lying awake, Alex tried to picture the comfort of his own home. He imagined he was on the sofa with Izzie's snuggle blanket, wrapped firmly around him. He was reaching out for Izzie, pulling the blanket further around him and finally he felt himself drifting off to sleep…..when his pager went off.

With his eyes still half closed, Alex located his pager on the bedside table. He looked down at it, a resident was struggling to put a line in. He was needed. Alex could feel the familiar buzz of adrenaline, kick starting him out of his light sleep, as he sat up. 'The resident can't get a line in, and they need me for that, this had better be good, he thought moodily.

…

It was several hours later, when Alex was back in the on call room, ready to shower, handover and head home. After he'd got up, he had in fact, found himself in the middle of an emergency, requiring his presence for several hours. Being a parent now himself, Alex saw his job in a different light, he had always been able to sympathize with the parents, that was a basic rule taught at med school. But actually being a parent, made him realize, that working in ped's you were treating two sets of patients, the kids and then their parents too, a concept you would never quite understand until you had a child of your own.

Before he left, Alex stopped by his office to kill some time before his replacement arrived. He sat bleary eyed at his computer, clearing out some old messages whilst he waited. He scanned the subject lines, a paediatrics conference, a second opinion and there right at the top, was a message from Arizona, the subject line saying – Scan Pictures.

Alex opened it, to see two 3D images of a little un-born life staring back at him. Alex had never really had any interest in baby scan pictures, the only exception being his own. But this one was different, he thought, as it was also a life that he'd helped create. A baby that was part of him. But he couldn't think of it like that, it wasn't his baby, it was Arizona and Callie's. He scrolled down to read the message.

Hey Stranger!

Thought you and Izzie might like to see our recent scan pictures. Everything is perfect and we are expecting a healthy baby girl! She's due Feb 20th.

We are just coming up to our second trimester now and all seems to be going well so far. Apart from the dreadful nausea that this kid is giving me, (don't know why they call it morning sickness, when it's actually all day and night sickness! But hey, it can't last much longer!)

Anyway we hope all is well with you, Izzie and the kids. Come and visit us soon!

All our love,

Arizona & Callie x

(And thanks again Alex, none of this would be happening now, if it wasn't for you!)

Alex smiled to himself as he finished reading Arizona's email. He hadn't realized just how good it would actually feel, to make his old mentor and good friend so happy, and after everything she'd been through, Arizona deserved it more than anyone. Although Alex would never have believed it, if someone had told him back in the old days in Seattle, when Arizona had been his boss and kicking his ass all the time for being the smart mouth resident she loved to hate. That he would eventually end up impregnating her one day!

It was all so real, now he had seen the pictures, and a girl too. Alex hadn't given much thought to the sex of the baby that he'd created with Arizona. But now he knew it was a girl, Alex started to actually picture a little girl, with the same cheeky, mischievous grins as his two sons, but with Arizona's blonde hair and sparkly blue eyes.

Alex then looked down to see a missed call from his wife on his phone and he felt a nervous pang, as he realized he would have to share Arizona's news with Izzie later. Izzie had been unusually closed about her feelings towards Arizona's pregnancy. She didn't have to say anything, Alex knew she found it difficult, so he avoided the topic. But he also knew, that secretly deep down it was painful for Izzie because she wanted them to have another baby of their own. Plus, she had always longed for a little girl, so the fact that he'd created one with Arizona would just be like adding insult to injury.

"Okay, so how about this one?" Callie said, picking up a light candy pink, paint tester.

"Oh, no, that's far too girly," Arizona said frowning.

"Well, we are having a girl," Callie replied, as clearly irritated, she put it back down. They had been out shopping for things for their un-born baby for hours now, and they couldn't seem to agree on anything.

"Oh, I sent Alex the scan pictures," Arizona said, changing the subject, as she continued to flick through the colour chart of paint testers.

"Oh, yeah, what did he say?" Callie replied, trying to sound casual, but an overly interested undertone coming through in her voice.

"I was thinking more of a lime green …something like this," Arizona said, ignoring the question about Alex, as she pulled out a bright vibrant green tester.

"No, no… that's way too boyish," Callie exclaimed.

"Oh, um… he hasn't replied yet. Probably busy, you know, life of a surgeon and all…." Arizona said, going back to the conversation about Alex.

Callie breathed a small sigh of relief. She liked Alex, a lot, but she didn't want him to have any involvement in her and Arizona's child. She knew he had signed his rights away, but that didn't stop him as their good friend, being able to take an overly keen interest if he wanted in what was going be his biological child, as well as her and Arizona's second addition to their family. Callie loved that Mark was a great father to her first child, her biological daughter, Sofia, but now, she just longed for her and Arizona to simply have a child that was all their own, no-one else's. Although, Callie also knew that Arizona was so overly grateful to Alex, that she was only too keen to share every detail of their journey to becoming parents again with him, and the problems that could create bothered Callie slightly.

"Well, she's going to be a tomboy. Like her Mom." Arizona said, as she rubbed her bump and smiled, forgetting the conversation about Alex again.

"You don't know that, she could be another princess like her other Mom and big sister," Callie replied playfully, with a knowing smile back at her wife.

"Nah, I can't be out numbered like that," Arizona grinned back, as she suddenly felt a rush of happiness. She didn't care how her little girl turned out, whether she wanted to be a ballerina or a truck driver. She would welcome her and love her regardless.

"Although, I guess. I can kind of be a bit of a princess too," Arizona said, as she stopped and gazed at her wife.

"What?" Callie said, as Arizona just stood still and stared at her.

"I love you." Arizona suddenly blurted out.

"I love you too.." Callie replied, slightly taken aback. Must be the hormones, she thought to herself, slightly amused at her wife's overly emotional behaviour.

"Okay, well let's compromise and get lilac then?" Callie said, turning back to the chart for a second, before she looked up to see Arizona had turned ghostly pale and was gripping on to the side of the paint aisle.

"You, okay?" Callie said, as she turned to steady her wife.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a twinge," Arizona said breathlessly.

"Let's sit down and get a drink." Callie said, as she steered Arizona to the nearest coffee shop.

…

"So, how about Monica?" Arizona said, as sat opposite her wife, she was sipping her drink, thumbing through a book of baby names.

"No, it's too harsh sounding, I like Holly?" Callie replied.

"No, I used to know a Holly I didn't like. Besides its too like Callie." Arizona said, as she continued to flip through the pages of the book.

Callie sighed, she had a sinking feeling they would never agree, and she felt as though somehow, this was an argument that it didn't look like she would win.

Arizona opened her mouth to say something else when her phone rang. "Oooh, it's Alex," she said excitedly, as she dug it out of her purse and Callie made an unimpressed face

"Alex!"

"Hey, Arizona," Alex said slightly awkwardly. Causing Arizona to smile, he still always sounded so uncomfortable talking to her on the phone, even though he was no longer her student and now her close friend and a fantastic surgeon in his own right.

"Did you get my email?" Arizona then gushed straight away.

"Umm… yeah. I picked it up this morning after I'd been on call all night. I've just got home, so thought I'd give you a quick call before I crash out... So, it's a girl then?"

"It's a girl. Well, Addison is fairly certain it is anyway" Arizona replied.

"Addison…?" Alex said, sounding confused.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. Addie's back in Seattle, she's our OB/GYN."

"Okay, that's great, I guess." Alex said, sounding more uncomfortable. He wasn't really sure why he'd called. It had been a spur of the moment decision to speak to her when he'd arrived home, after thinking some more about the email she'd sent.

Arizona glanced over to see Callie looking at her watch. "Its great to hear from you, but now's not actually a great time, Alex. We're out shopping, getting a few things for the baby. But its good to speak briefly. Call again soon, won't you?"

"Sure. Take care," Alex replied.

As she hung up, Arizona instantly felt a sharp jolt of pain hit her, and she doubled over.

"Arizona, are you okay?" Callie said, as she rushed over to her wife.

"Yeah, I'm okay….." Arizona said, before suddenly everything went black.

The house was empty, as Alex walked up the stairs and climbed in to bed, quickly falling in to a deep sleep. He awoke to the sound of his kids shouting.

"Ssshh..Daddy is sleeping." Alex heard Izzie say, as he pulled back the duvet and stepped out of bed. Still dressed in his grey sweat pants and black vest, he walked downstairs and in to the kitchen to join his family.

In the kitchen his two sons were sat around the table drawing, both looking up instantly and grinning as soon as they saw their father. Whilst Izzie was stood stirring what looked like a bowl of some sort of cake batter, dressed in skimpy shorts and a tight t-shirt, with her light blond hair loosely tied up and falling down her back. Alex ruffled both his kid's hair affectionately as he walked past them and straight over to his wife, wrapping his arms around the back of her waist and kissing the back of her neck, burying his face in to her soft hair. She smelt of vanilla essence, mixed with her usual perfume, the most magical scent in the world to Alex.

"So, how'd last night go?" Izzie said, as she licked the spoon before putting it down to spin around and face him, wrapping her arms around his neck and gazing in to his eyes.

"Rough!" he replied. "You mind if we take a rain check on going out tonight? I really don't feel like doing anything much, apart from enjoying a cold beer on the sofa."

Izzie looked a little disappointed, but she knew her husband only had to look at her a certain way with his soft brown eyes and she would forgive him anything, as she replied. "Sure. We can order take out, when the kids have gone to bed."

"I'm sorry, I know you were looking forward to going out." Alex said as he pressed his body in to hers feeling himself stir.

"It's okay, I'm sure we can still have some fun." Izzie said quietly, smiling a little as she felt a slight bulge against her, hitting the exact right spot. She glanced over to the other side of the room where her children were both busily engrossed in their drawing and she gently pushed Alex away with the palm of her hand, giggling as she said. "So, you can make it up to me later."

"Can't wait." Alex said grinning as he watched his wife move away from him.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, I heard from Arizona," Alex said as casually as he could, dipping his finger in to Izzie's cake batter and licking it. "They found out they're having a girl."

"Oh," was all Izzie could reply, as she looked away and felt her stomach churn with emotion. Alex had created a little girl with someone else.

...

"You okay, Iz? You seem miles away." Alex said, as later that night he looked at his wife sat on the sofa next to him. He could tell there was something on her mind. Izzie always looked naturally gorgeous, but tonight she had made a little more effort than usual, she had put on a short dress and her make-up looked more glamorous than was usual for a night in front of the television.

Izzie fidgeted with her nails, as she sad. "Alex, I wasn't completely honest yesterday when you saw me at the hospital. I went to talk to Kate about us having another baby."

"Izzie," Alex said, sighing. This was one conversation he knew he couldn't avoid, but he really didn't want to have it now.

"Alex, don't roll your eyes like that. This is important to me. It's not looking likely we'll conceive another baby naturally. So…."

Alex felt his cheeks flush, he had really hoped things wouldn't come to this. "No, Iz, the answer is no, and it always will be no."

"But, Alex…..they're still there, still sat back in Seattle waiting for us."

"I can't believe we are even having this conversation. You would really risk your health like that, your life, risk leaving me and the boys? For what, a small chance of another child?... Is this about Arizona, Iz? About her finding out she's having a girl?… Because, I can't believe you could be so selfish otherwise." Alex yelled.

Alex knew how stubborn Izzie could be, but on this matter, he was putting his foot down. The frozen embryos they'd created when Izzie had cancer, were still locked away somewhere in Seattle Grace Hospital. But Alex knew that there would be huge risks to her health, both physical and mental if they ever tried to get them implanted and use them now and it was a risk he never wanted to take. The thought of losing her terrified him.

Izzie felt tears forming in her eyes, she knew deep down Alex was right, as she said softly. "You're right. It's unrealistic to think that we could ever use them now. I mean, it probably wouldn't even work anyway. I guess I just got carried away."

Alex looked at the pain in his wife's big eyes, he hated seeing Izzie upset, as he drew her in to his arms and said gently. "You're enough for me, Iz. You always have been, and always will be. The boys have just made 'us' that extra bit special. We don't need to have another baby, you know that don't you?"

"I know, I love you." Izzie said, as she realized how Alex did and said little things to make her love him more and more each day.

Their eyes locked for a split second, before Alex moved his head to kiss her. Slowly at first before it became deeper and more urgent and he fell back on the sofa as she repositioned herself to straddle him and he slid his hands up to rest on her hips.

Within seconds their clothes were in a messy heap on the floor. Alex paused and looked at Izzie's matching black lace lingerie set, she'd really made an effort for him tonight, he thought, as he fumbled with the clasp on her bra, just as he heard his phone vibrate.

"Ignore it." Izzie whispered, as she nibbled at his neck.

But even though he wasn't on call anymore, Alex felt a strong urge to answer it, as he glanced down at the caller ID to see it was Callie.

Alex quickly put it to his ear, as he said breathlessly. "Callie. Everything okay?"

"Alex," Callie said, with an air of panic coming through in her voice. "Its Arizona. I think you need to come back to Seattle" .

...