Baby's First Surgery
A/N: So I've done a bit of basic googling in regards to medical procedures, but I just want to reiterate that I'm no expert, so please just go with it (but feel free to correct me on anything!). As always thank you all so much for reading and allowing me to babble on and on (you should hear how much I can talk in real life….)
God, epidurals were good. Like really, really good. No pain for the first time in nearly a week good. Scratch that they were great (though the need for a catheter made them slightly less great). April Kepner was feeling more than a bit miffed that she had missed out on the magic of anaesthesia the two times she's given birth when a thought suddenly crossed her mind and she began to chuckle softly while squinting up at the bright ceiling tiles.
"You ok there Kepner? Did I gave you the giggly stuff by accident or something?" Ben joked, giving her a kind grin as he fiddled with her drip and kept an eye on her bp monitor.
"What's so funny in here?" Addison questioned as she entered the OR, a nurse tying her gown as she moved fluidly.
April caught her breath as she answered their quizzical looks. "I'm a surgeon and I've just realised that this is the first time I've ever had surgery. I'm a surgeon who's never had surgery, it's just ironic is all. I spend my days elbow deep in people's bowels but this is the first time I'm receiving anaesthetic for anything but a filling. I'm also about to have surgery while awake, apparently I like to do everything backwards and sideways."
"It's becoming increasingly apparent April that you are a bit of an overachiever," Addison teased as she adjusted the overhead lamps and checked over her tools. "Oh, Bokee, I was wondering if I would see you here! You look well, with you here it's like I never left!" The two woman smiled broadly at each other as the surgical nurse deftly began to sort the area out (but not before giving April a wink as she lay there helplessly).
"Oh I have definitely felt the time since you've left," Bailey bustled quickly into the room, grabbing a stool and plopping down beside Aprils head, on the opposite side of the table to Addison. "When you left, infants like Kepner here and Karev up there weren't doing solo surgeries, they're making me feel ancient." Bailey punctuated her point by nodding towards April and then gesturing towards the gallery. "They also had a tendency to screw up epically back then so maybe it's not such a bad thing that we're all a bit older now."
For the first time since she was wheeled into the room April looked up at the viewing gallery. Exasperation, embarrassment, mild anger and the need to roll her eyes to high heaven flooded her. The area was packed with many surgeons settling themselves in for the 90 minute procedure that was going to be so epically boring. There was going to be no cutting, resecting, draining or transplanting, but yet they came. And not just any old surgeons but all of the ones she worked with, was friendly with, and used to be related to. Richards and Catherine were perched on one end with Maggie beside the former chief, all three having an animated discussion. Owen and Amelia were beside Maggie, hands clasped in Owens lap as they laughed about something. Alex and Arizona sat in the front row, busily discussing a case over lattes, though Alex paused and looked down when he heard his name mentioned and gave Bailey a sarcastic smile.
Arizona looked down and gave her friend a cheery wave and smile, mouthing encouraging words. The door to the gallery opened suddenly and Edwards slunk in and plopped down beside Arizona, looking visibly uncomfortable when she saw April staring them all down.
April, using her most commanding 'I was the chief resident so you had better listen and do what I say right now voice' demanded to know, "What are you all doing here? Hmmm? This is going to be boring and I know for a fact that every single one of you has much better things to be doing right now."
A slow beat passed as everyone in the gallery looked at each other and then the intercom was engaged as all the spectators began babbling explanations at once. April heard snippets of peoples hurried answers ranging from "Pioneering surgery…. Just had to witness the technique" and "Wanted to make sure you were all right, you had us so worried" to "I had nothing better to do honestly and people are screwing in the on-call room."
April then fixed her tired, but still effective glare on Bailey who shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm the chief Kepner, I can be anywhere at any time. I have to keep on top of the latest advances." She softened her gaze for a moment and patted April's arm gently, "Besides I thought it would be a good time to give your wound a good irrigation and dressing change, kill two birds with one numb stone."
April let out a strangled, tired sigh and adjusted her gaze back up to the gallery, "All right, all of you can stay but I don't want to hear anyone's opinions and remember that you were the ones who wanted to come and see Dr Forbes cut into my uterus with a robotic camera and scrape out scar tissue, so no complaints."
The assembled surgeons looked slightly shocked at the talking to they had just received but remained silent and wide eyed.
Just as Addison started the procedure and began narrating what she was doing and April closed her eyes and began her calming yoga breaths to door to the gallery creaked open again and everyone up there began shuffling around and murmuring. April's eyes snapped open, because mother's intuition is very real it turns out, thank you very much.
She was met with the sight of Jackson manoeuvring something into the space beside the chair he was occupying in the front row as the others surgeons leaned forward to look at what he had brought in and talked in much lower voices than usual.
Addison continued her work blithely as April spoke up "Jackson Andrew Avery, please tell me that you have not just done what I think you've done."
Jackson nervously scratched just below his left ear, a subtle tell that April had picked up on years ago. "Ehhh, well I might have. But it's no biggie, seriously it's fine", he blustered while giving off one his trademark charming smiles.
"No it is not! First of all, you're breaking like five hundred health and safety rules. Secondly, how did you get her off the maternity floor, because I think the board might need to re-think the child safety protections that are in place. And thirdly, it's just wrong. New born babies are not supposed to be watching surgeries!"
"April, honey, I'm going to need you to calm down please." Addison soothed as she continued to concentrate on her work while Bailey reached out and tucked a stray piece of hair back behind the red heads ear.
Catherine looked like she was going to jump in to defend her son but Richard placed his arm on hers and gave her a subtle head shake as Arizona shot her a warning glare.
"Apes," he uttered her old nickname tenderly, seemingly forgetting that others were present and a lot of time had passed since they were on such affectionate and fond terms with each. Seeing the gentleness in his eyes and hearing how softly and kindly he was talking to her took a bit of the wind out of Aprils sails but she still very much wanted to hear him try to explain himself.
"Number one, I cleared it with everyone on the maternity floor, so it's all good, our potential child abduction rates are extremely low at the hospital, and we had a conference about it once actually. Second of all, I hate to use the 'I'm on the board so I can flout a few rules' but I'm going to use it. She's all the way up here with me and eight other surgeons, so it's perfectly fine. I'm not going to have her observe beside Bailey or anything like that, she's staying up here getting cuddles from me until she can get some cuddles from her mama. Oh, look she's just waking up."
April's line of sight up to the viewing area was blocked slightly as Addison angled herself to get a better view of what she was doing on the screen. Jackson popped back up from bending over the cot a moment later, his right hand cradled lovingly around their daughters head. He gently flipped the stretching, yawning bundle around and held her up high so April could see her.
"Dude, you're Lion Kinging your kid," Alex snorted as Catherine began to frantically snap pictures like the slightly obsessed first grandmother that she was.
"And thirdly I thought it would be kind of cool to be able to tell her that the first ever surgery she got to watch was on her mom, plus I figured having her here might calm you down. If the roles were reversed I think I might like it." He was standing there looking so earnest as he gently rocked May that April felt the indignation and frustration completely leave her body. When they made eye contact she saw the man who she was married to, the man who would do anything to make her feel better, happier, and more secure. Once upon a time had briefly segued into the present and once again she felt that familiar feeling of complete, mutual trust and understanding flood her body.
"Fine," she acquiesced after a beat, "You can stay, but if she starts wailing and I start leaking milk you are to blame, got it? And thank you Jackson, for bringing her." She gave him a teary smile, because the damn hormones were making everything way more emotional, or so she rationalised it to herself.
"Any chance I could get a few minutes cuddling with my goddaughter? I haven't spent nearly enough time with her, I need to tell her the story of her mom, the training exercise and the torrential rain." Owen piped up, breaking up the slightly awkward and intense moment. Things got back to normal as the adults played 'Pass the Baby after Washing Our Hands Thoroughly Because Both of Her Parents Like to Cite Bacterial Infection Rates in Neonates Until You Agree to Fully Sterilise Your Hands.'
When everyone was immersed in cooing over the baby or intently watching the surgery Bailey surreptitiously leaned over under the guise of fixing the IV and conspiratorially whispered into April's ear "Ever think he might have been more than a bit worried about the prospect of you having surgery again? Hmmm? The poor man was a wreck when we were on the phone and when you in with Arizona and I. People don't just stop loving each other overnight, that much I know."
April looked up at the gallery again as Addison finished up. Within the people gathered there she saw her future, maybe not as she had once imagined and pined for, but still there and still vibrant.
A/N: Yet again sorry for the delay with this! Also, I wasn't too sure what Jacksons middle name was so I improvised with a name that I like and sounds rich enough for an Avery. We have one more instalment with Addison before she heads back to LA and after that I have some fun planned with living arrangements and the Kepner sisters visiting.