CHAPTER 8

"Can you get a heartbeat?" Arizona said anxiously to Addison. Her face pale and panicked, as she gripped Callie's hand. She was used to reassuring anxious parents, not being one herself.

Apart from the low whirring of the monitors, the sterile white hospital room fell deadly silent as Addison ignored Arizona for a second, frowning and concentrating.

"Okay,"Addison finally said, as she turned to face Arizona and Callie smiling. "There it is, one heartbeat. It's faint, but it's there." The relief clearly evident in Addison's voice, as she smiled at them some more and they all heard the faintest sound of a little heartbeat thundering away, like tiny galloping horses.

"Oh, thank god." Callie said gently, as she leaned in to hug her wife, choking back tears.

"I knew it. He's a fighter." Arizona said, her eyes glistening with tears too.

"He?" Callie and Addison, both said together.

"Oh, I meant she, sorry." Arizona replied hastily. She didn't know why she kept referring to her un-born daughter as 'he', but she did.

"Well, you're not out of the woods yet I'm afraid. We're going to need you to stay in at least overnight. The baby's heart beat is still very weak and we need to monitor it. You've passed a lot of blood and that together with the pains you've been having and the sudden rise in your blood pressure, means I need to monitor you and if needed carry out further investigation. We also need to rule out all possibilities of genetic diseases." Addison said as kindly as she could. She was concerned, she had seen many cases like this before and they could easily go one of either two ways.

Arizona's face quickly returned to one of panic, as Callie rubbed her forearm affectionately and said. "Everything's going to be ok. We have one of the country's best OB/GYN's. Our baby is going to be just fine, right, Addie?"

"Right," Addison replied reassuringly.

"You speak to Alex?" Arizona suddenly said, her blue eyes meeting Callie's expectantly.

"Oh, yeah, I spoke to him. He said he needs to clear his schedule and then he'll be on the first flight." Callie replied, with a fresh forced smile. She knew that seeing Alex would cheer Arizona up.

"Really? He really said he'd do that for me?" Arizona replied, as her lips curled up in to a soft smile.

Callie's face dropped slightly, as she added "Yep, he said it wouldn't be too big a deal and besides you know as well as I do, that he'd do anything for you. I still don't get why he couldn't just do the tests back in Baltimore though?"

Arizona sighed, she didn't like the tone of Callie's voice. She knew Callie was more than a little apprehensive about Alex's involvement with their unborn child. But Arizona wanted him there, they needed to carry out some important tests on both of them and it felt like the right thing to do, to carry them all out in Seattle. with Addison. Plus, it would be good to see her friend at the moment too.

"We've been through this. I want Addison to oversee it all. You said it yourself, she's the best. If there is a problem, we need to detect it immediately." Arizona said, as her cheeks flushed at Callie.

"It is easier, if he's here." Addison interrupted, trying to diffuse the tense atmosphere, as she raised her eyebrows.

A silence followed, as Addison then said "I'm going to come back later," before quietly leaving the room.

"The main thing is, our baby is okay." Arizona said, as she bit her lip and reached for Callie's hand. Trying to choke back the inevitable flow of tears that such an emotional day would bring on. Hours earlier they had been excitedly choosing out furniture for their baby's room and bickering about which colour paint to buy. That was all before she had been rushed in to hospital and their baby's heart had nearly stopped beating. The thought of which was almost too terrible for Arizona to comprehend.

"You need some rest. It's past midnight. I'll come back in the morning." Callie said gently, kissing her wife on the cheek.

Stepping out of the taxi, Alex looked fondly up at the place he'd called home for a good eight years of his life. Seattle Grace Hospital.

It felt good to be back, as he made his way through the large entrance doors.

Pressing the button for the elevator, all the many memories came flooding back. There had been some drama, some sadness and also some steep learning curves. But on the whole, it had shaped him in to the man he was today and he smiled to himself as he embraced the many ghosts that still lingered along the maze of corridors left behind from his crazy intern days and then his residency years. Causing him to inevitably think of Arizona and then remember the reason why he was back here again after all this time.

…

"Alex, you made it," Arizona said, beaming as he walked in to the room to join her and Callie. He looked every bit the handsome successful attending now, she thought, as he smiled back at her and said "Good to see you both."

"Thank you, so much, for coming Alex. I know how busy you are up at Hopkins." Arizona said.

"No worries, I had some leave to take anyway, and it will be tough, but I'm sure that somehow they'll cope without me for a few days." Alex joked, as Arizona giggled back and Callie smiled politely.

"Besides, we need to make sure this little one of yours is okay," Alex replied more seriously.

The door then suddenly swung open and Addison marched in. "Dr Karev, good to see you." Addison exclaimed, smiling, as unable to help herself, she flung her arms around Alex, crushing him as she drew him in to a wide friendly hug. As cocky and arrogant as he had been back in the day, Alex, had always been one of Addison's favourite interns. She blushed slightly as she remembered, that had been for more than one reason.

"Dr Montgomery, what are you doing back here?" Alex replied, as she finally let him go.

"I'm back here as temporary head of Obstetrics. Don't ask me why, but for some reason I just can't keep away from the place. Anyway, tell me about you. I hear you're doing exceptionally well at Hopkins and you're a father now too."

Alex shrugged. "Yeah, keeps me busy I guess."

"Well, it's great you're here, because we need to run quite a few tests on both you and Arizona…" Addison said; as she went on to fill Alex in on the seriousness of the current situation with Arizona and Callie's unborn baby.

"So, any questions?" Addison finally said, after she had finished her explanation.

Arizona and Callie looked at each other as Arizona said "No, I don't think so….. Alex?" Causing them to all turn and look at Alex.

"No, all seems straightforward enough." Alex replied, feeling uneasy at being sudden centre of attention.

"Great, I'll be back shortly then." Addison said, as she left the room, leaving Alex alone with Arizona and Callie.

Callie's pager then beeped dramatically, as she turned to glance at it on her waist, her dark hair flopping over her face, as she groaned and exclaimed. "I've got to go," squeezing Arizona's hand.

...

"So, is Izzie cool with you being here?" Arizona asked Alex, as he sat down on the vacant seat next to her bed.

"Yeah, Iz is cool, she sends her love," Alex replied.

"That's great, please send ours back too," Arizona said cheerfully.

There was a brief silence then, as Alex looked back at Arizona to see her eyes had filled up with tears and she looked at him and said. "Alex, I knew this was too good to be true. Whenever anything good happens in my life, suddenly something bad happens. We're all doctors, Addison didn't have to say anything, I saw the look on her face, on Callies, on yours. This is touch and go. I'm scared. I can't let anything happen to this baby, Alex."

Alex moved closer to her and took her hand, as he said gently. "This kid is a fighter, and nothing is going to happen to her if she has even half the courage and determination of her Mom."

Arizona smiled, as Alex's kind words made her cry even more and she whispered "Or, her Dad." Causing them both to flinch, as Arizona realized what she had just said. She couldn't quite believe that she had just called, Alex, the baby's Dad. She knew that he would never be her father, but biologically Arizona's baby was half Alex, and Arizona had meant it when she had said if her baby inherited even half his determination and strength of character, she'd be sure to be okay.

...

"I don't know how you can drink this stuff?" Alex said, as he walked in to the room with a peppermint tea for Arizona and a coffee for himself.

"Thanks…." Arizona said, as she took it and Alex sat down. "I don't know where Addison's got to. She must be held up." Arizona then said, as she carefully removed the lid on her tea and sipped it.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere... Oh, I bumped in to Callie and she'll be here shortly." Alex said, as he gently stroked his chin. It had been over four hours since they had carried out the tests and they were now waiting nervously for the results. Addison had promised them they would be prioritised and she would be back with them as soon as they were in.

"Okay, sorry guys, emergency" Addison said, as she finally walked in clutching Arizona's chart tightly, followed closely by a flustered Callie who rushed to Arizona's side, gripping her hand.

Addison pulled her glasses on as she opened Arizona's chart and said. "Well, the good news is we have one healthy baby. All tests for genetic diseases or abnormalities have proved negative, so, you're both free to go." Gesturing her head towards Arizona and Alex.

Looking directly at Arizona then, Addison said "The bad news is, however, I'm fairly certain the bleeding, cramps and raised blood pressure are direct results of you over doing things, Arizona. Your body is telling you, you need to make some changes for both the baby's sake and your own. So, I have to seriously advise you to rapidly cut back on your working hours."

Arizona gulped with relief and looked at Callie as they both tried to digest Addison's words.

Alex rubbed his hands together as he stepped out of the cold and in to the warm, inviting bar that had been his second home for years.

He felt a rush of nostalgia, it sure was good to be back, as he scanned the crowded room for his friends. Immediately spotting the familiar crowd of Meredith and Derek, Cristina and Owen, Arizona and Callie and Mark and Addison, all stood over by the bar chatting. Alex quickly made his way up to the bar to join them, grinning at Joe as he ordered his usual.

"Dr Karev, some things never change, good to have you back" Joe said, grinning back at Alex, as he placed his beer firmly down on the bar in front of him.

"Alex, you made it," Arizona said excitedly, as she walked up to him and gave him a hug.

"Well, my flights not until tomorrow morning, so would be rude not to stop by my favourite bar for a drink and see everyone." Alex said smiling.

Holding up her glass, Arizona then said. "Don't worry, it's just orange juice and I'm only having the one before heading home, Doctor's orders." As she laughed, and arched her head in Addison's direction, where Addison was stood deep in a conversation with Callie and Mark.

"Okay, whatever..." Alex said, feeling a little uncomfortable suddenly.

"Actually, Alex, there's something I wanted to talk to you about before you go home." Arizona said, her voice taking on a more serious tone.

"Okay," Alex replied, as he felt his face drop. The last time he'd seen that look on Arizona's face, she'd asked him to produce a cupful of his best swimmers for her.

"It's about what Addison said, about me taking things easier and cutting back my hours. Well, Callie and I were discussing it earlier and I don't want to take any more risks with this baby. I've achieved as much as I want to with me career. Being head of Ped's has been great, but I've spoken to the Chief and I've decided to cut my hours right back and step down as head of department. At least until this little one is born and I've taken my maternity leave," she said, as she rubbed her stomach and went on to say. "So…I've run it by the Chief and I was wondering, whether you couldn't be tempted back to Seattle, to take over as new head of Ped's? Obviously only a temporary basis to start with, then who knows?….."

Alex was completely lost for words, he had certainly not been expecting that as he stuttered. "Err…"

Arizona quickly jumped in before he had the chance to say anything else, her blue eyes twinkling at him as she said. "You know, you're so ready for this Alex, you'd be amazing…..Plus, you'd be my boss." She added smiling and pleading with her eyes some more, saying. "So, come on what do you say?"…..

a/n – Thanks for reviews.