Sorry I haven't updated in a really long time, but I'm back. I suffered through the worst kind of writer's block I ever hope to experience and trying to balance school. I'll be updating my other stories soon as well so stay tuned!
Today is the day that Emily's set to be released and her nerves were at an all time high. Physical therapy had been kicking her ass, but it was a welcome feeling to know that she would soon be getting back in the pool and regain her strength now that her shoulder had healed properly. Her eyesight started to return slowly as she could make out the difference between light and dark and sees shadows. Amelia was coming to visit Emily back at the house, if she could make it out the hospital on time.
"Hi, we have your discharge papers," the nurse says and Emily looks towards her.
"Thank you, my mom has to sign them right?" Emily asks.
"No, your 18, her just sign here," she says moving Emily's hand to the place where she has to sign and it's the best she could do with a weak hand and no sight.
"Thank you," she says as she's being moved over to a wheelchair. She could smell her before smelling the nature of being outside for the first time in months. The orange scent invades her nose and looks up to see the outline of her body.
"Hey Ali," she says.
"Hey Em, you ready to go?" she asks.
"Yes, I can't wait," she says as Alison and the nurse helps her into the car. The drive home is spent in silence, as they both are too excited to say much of anything. Once Alison pulls up outside of the house, she goes to open up Emily's door but is stopped.
"I got it Ali," she says in defiance as she takes out her white cane and feels around for the front of her house that she can't remember. She ends up tumbling a little over a crack and gets frustrated but still refuses to let Alison help her. After a few more minutes she makes it to the door and knocks. Alison comes along side of her and unlocks the door, once its open she steps through.
"Surprise," she hears a collection of screams and it scares the living shit out of her. Luckily she's been able to remember voices and whom they belong to and she hears her mom, Aria Spencer, Hanna, and Danny.
"Thanks guys," she smiles at them through her glasses
"Welcome home Em," her friends come to hug her and she sees their shadows. After cake and ice cream, most guests leave to give her privacy. All who's left are Danny, Amelia, Alison and her mom.
"Would you like to go to your room Emily?" her mom asks and she nods. "Let me help".
"No mom, I've got it," she says and feels eyes watching her as she tumbles up a few steps, but she refuses to ask for help. After what seems like forever she makes it to the top where she doesn't remember where her room is, but feels a presence behind her.
"Second room on the left," her mom says and follows down the pathway while feeling the walls. She sees a light coming what she assumes is a door further down and she enters the room, hoping she'd have these flashes of memories in the room she'd occupied for over a decade, but nothing came. She felt around for her bed, already exhausted from the day's events.
"Can I hold Amelia?" she asks knowing that they're all there watching her patiently to see her reaction.
"Of course," Danny rushes towards her and places Amelia in her outstretched arms. She hadn't held the baby since her time in the hospital and it felt familiar to have the little one in her arms.
"Can I be alone with her?" she asks somewhat annoyed that they're watching her like hawks.
"Certainly, just call for help if you need it," her mom says and she hears the six footsteps descending the stairs and lets out a sigh of relief. She hears the baby babble coming from her daughter and her heart swells in overwhelming love that she thought was only reserved for Alison, but it was unlike any other to love a bundle of joy that came from her.
"Mama," Amelia says with a hand in her mouth.
"That's right, I'm your mama," she smiles at the baby and lies back against the pillows and place the girl on her chest as they fall into a state of sleep. She wakes up to loud crying and its like nails on a chalkboard it being so high pitched. "Shhh, don't cry," she holds the baby tighter, but it does nothing to quiet her as Emily is bought back to a memory.
"You have to relax," the midwife stated.
"I'm trying, when is Danny going to get here?" I asked in clenched teeth.
"Soon, he'll be here soon, and so will your little one," she smiles as another contraction hits.
"Ahhhhh," I scream and begin breathing heavily.
"Breathe with me, in and out, in and out," the midwife says and I try to follow her.
"I have to push, I can't hold it in," I say through clenched teeth.
"Not just yet, you have to wait for a few more centimeters," the nurse explains but I keep shaking my head. After the contraction passes she puts a few ice chips in my mouth and places a cool rag on my head.
"I'm here," Danny says rushing in taking off his shirt. "Hey beautiful, you ready for this?" he asks and I shake my head. "Yes you are, I don't know about you, but I'm ready to see this little girl we created. I bet she looks just like her mom".
"Okay you're ready," the doctor says speaking for the first time. "I need you to give me a big push," he says and I squeeze Danny's hand and lift up a little for leverage and give the hardest push of my life.
"Ahhh motherfucker," I scream at Danny. "I'm going to kill you".
"Okay relax now," the doctor instructs and I let my head fall back and Danny places another ice chip in my mouth. After two minutes the doctor instructs me to push again. "Ahhh!"
"That's right keep pushing," Danny encourages.
"You keep pushing," I snap back through clenched teeth and squeeze his hand so hard I though it might break.
"I'm see the baby's head," the doctor states. "Just a few more pushes and you'll see your daughter! Another push".
"Ahhh," I scream but quit mid way. "I can't do this," I cry to Danny.
"You have to, I don't care if you break my hand, but you have to push," he kisses my forehead and I give the hardest push thus far.
"That's it!" Danny says looking over the sheet. "I can see her! Just one more baby".
"Oh my God!" I scream through the last push and feel a wave of emptiness.
"And she's out," the doctor states as he pats our little girl on her butt which prompts her to start screaming. "Would you like to cut the chord papa?" he asks Danny who comes out of a state of shock and smiles. The midwife hands him the scissors and he clips the umbilical chord as she lets out a series of cries. The sweat matts my hair to my face and the gown to my skin. The doctor takes her away to go wash her off and check over her vitals. In that time, Danny comes over to wipe my face with a rag.
"You did great beautiful," he says and kisses my cheek.
"Thanks," I say and the doctor returns with our daughter in a pink onesie. He hands her to me and my arms wrap around her.
"Oh God Danny, she's so beautiful. She looks like your mom," I say to him and he smiles.
"She has blonde hair and blue eyes," he comments. "But she has your smile," he smiles down at the bundle.
"She has your ears and your nose," I tell him.
"She's as perfect as her mom," his voice cracks at the end.
"What's wrong?" I ask worriedly.
"Thank you for giving me something to love unconditionally. She's beautiful and there's no one I want to protect more. Thank you for creating something so beautiful and perfect with me. I love you Emily Fields," he says and leans forward to kiss me and in that moment there's nothing I wanted to do more. The emotions of the day and having this special bond with him were absolutely perfect. We pulled apart and smile at each other before a light cough turned our attention to the baby who wanted all of it, staring back at us with a toothless grin.
"Amelia," I say.
"What?" he asks.
"That's her name, Amelia," I tell him and he smiles.
"It's perfect," he says. "Amelia Jo De León," he says and looks at me with a questioning look.
"Yes, I want her to have a piece of you forever," I answer allowing our daughter to take his last name.
"We've chosen a name," he smiles to the midwife.
"Oh what is it?" she asks excitedly.
"Amelia Jo De León, when can we have the birth certificate?" he asks.
"I'll have the doctor get it right away, it may take a day or two," she responds and Danny nods before shooing her away. The baby begins to cry and no amount of bouncing could stop her.
"I think she's hungry," he says looking at me and the nerves take hold even though I've read about it. I move a piece of the gown out of the way and pull the baby closer until she latches on to my nipple. It was a funny feeling at first until I looked down at her, with her eyes closed and looking so peaceful. I fell in love with her in a matter of seconds and now she's the most important person in my life. I hear a snap of a picture and look up to see Danny taking pictures. "These are for my parents, and one day we'll be able to share it with your parents". I smile at the camera and caress her little strands of hair.
She's bought out of the memory by Amelia crying. She remembers that cry and removes her shirt and unclasps her bra and pulls Amelia up to her left breast. Even though she can't see things fully, its familiar movements and begins to cry as she now remembers pieces that were once missing. She smells his cologne and the feeling of a blanket being placed over her exposed chest.
"Thank you Danny," she says in recognition.
"You look stunning," he says and the silence in the room is interrupted by the sound of a snap of a picture from a phone and she can't help but chuckle.
"I remember," she smiles down at the little girl and looks up at Danny.
"You…" he chokes up.
"I remember everything, I remember being in the house on the beach, I remember squeezing your hand, I remember pushing really hard and screaming, I remember holding her in my arms like this, I remember naming her, I remember your parents taking her away. I remember," she cries softly as she focuses on the baby.
"That's good, that's really good sweetie," Pam walks toward the side of the bed and places her hand on her shoulder.
"Yeah it's really good, I remember all my friends and family, and most importantly I remember this little one. Tell me she hasn't changed Danny," I laugh a little sadly.
"Not much, her hair is a little longer, but still blonde, her eyes are more expressive, like an ocean blue instead of that clear blue, and she still has your smile. She loves the water just like her mom, so bath time is her favorite," he says and everyone chuckles at the last part.
"I can't wait to see her," she says so full of love and her emotion spills over to everyone in the room who nod their heads in agreement that Emily regaining full eyesight is the best remedy for recovery. If she were to look into those baby blues again, it would be like putting a piece of her heart back in place. It would make her whole again, and that's what everyone wanted for her, to be complete, after months of looking as if she were on the brink of death.