Mini Machine
A/N: Hi all! Apologies for the rather extended break. Final year of college combined with work has left me constantly tired and crawling into be every night. I still have plenty of ideas I want to get out there but it may take a little while. I'm feeling a bit rusty, but hopefully my characters don't convey that too much! Also, needless to say my story does not follow cannon at all.
She heard a gentle knock on the door, quickly followed by the swish of new air entering the room. Without even thinking she raised her voice to make sure it carried through the bathroom door and declared, "I told you I didn't need that ridiculous five dollar super fibre smoothie Jackson! I did it all by myself, so there! I've conquered the post-surgery blockage so you owe me bragging rights."
The door was thin enough that she heard a familiar chuckle that then evolved into a full bellied laugh. "I didn't need to know that Keps, but thanks for the delightful image. Good for you by the way." The familiar voice she had missed over the past few, dramatic, days echoed through to April as she perched, mortified on the edge of the toilet.
"Oh God, I'm sorry! Umm, I'll be out in a minute or two," she blustered, knowing full well she was bright red and blotchy all over.
"No hurry, I'll just get to know Mini Machine here, we have a bit of catching up to do."
Post major surgery life meant that April moved at a glacial pace as she hauled herself into a standing position, fixed the ridiculous excuse for post C-section underwear the hospital provided, readjusted her pyjamas and finally washed her hands. She exited the bathroom by holding onto the door, slightly hunched over as a concession to the burning pain in her abdomen. Riggs was by her side almost immediately, simultaneously holding her up while giving her a gentle hug.
"You are never to scare me like that again, ok? Or be that dramatic again, trust you to give birth like that Keps," It was clear that his joking tone was a veneer for his alarm. April simply squeezed his arm as he helped her back into bed and fussed over like a mother hen. It was only when he had set her up at the exact angle he though was best for wound healing and asked her if she needed a drink or ice chips three times in a row that he pulled up a chair and sank into it.
"So, speaking of things we're never allowed to do again," she began, giving him an indulgent, tired smile as she smoothed the sheet over her lap. "You're never allowed to go on a ridiculous mountain man retreat with no outside communication located in Montana again. Like, ever."
"I'm sorry I missed all this, I really am." He looked at her earnestly and his voice became gruff with emotion. "When I heard what happened, I couldn't even believe it…. It's amazing that you both survived this April." They both turned to look at Mae, her tiny brow bunched up as slept in her cot at the end of the bed.
"Yeah, it wouldn't be my preferred method of delivery, but hey, I got a baby that I can raise out of it so it's not all terrible." Her voice wobbled and she blinked rapidly, knowing that once she started crying it was nearly impossible to stop.
"I'd say you got something pretty incredible out of it, most definitely." At that moment Mae began to stir slightly, letting out a soft sigh. "Can I?" Riggs asked apprehensively, which was very unlike him.
"Go for it, but I'm warning you I generally run out of patience after other people have her for about six minutes and then I demand her back."
He bent over the cot with a look of wonder on his face and gently scooped her up, cradling her to his chest as he tentatively sat down. "She's pretty amazing, she's tiny and light. With the way she barrelled into the world, I think we have future trauma surgeon on our hands. Wouldn't that be fun, hey?" Riggs directed the last part at the baby who was zonked out in his arms as he gently rocked her.
April snorted softly at the cooing tone her daughter had brought out in the oh-so tough Australian. "Not if Catherine has anything to do with it. She's already planning on shaping Mae into the next director of the foundation and into a second generation reconstructive surgeon." With this April rolled her eyes somewhat involuntarily.
"Yikes, I wouldn't want to get on the bad side of that women, she kind of scares me." Nathan pulled a face as he gave Mae his pinkie finger to curl her miniscule hand around.
"Oh she doesn't scare me anymore. I was raised on a rural farm with three crazy sisters, it takes a lot to get under my skin these days."
"Like Jackson", he phrased the question innocently enough but had a twinkle in his eye.
"Not at all," April scoffed. "Moving in together benefits us all. I get a chance to recover and we get equal time with Mae while she's super tiny. It's a mutually beneficial thing."
"Well I can think of another mutually beneficial thing that got you in this situation in the first place…" Nathan joked, pretending to cover one of Mae's ears with his larger hand.
This caused Aprils mouth to drop open as she searched in vain for a retort.
Nathan shrugged nonchalantly, "I'm just speaking the truth here Keps, don't shoot the messenger."
"You are incorrigible Nathan Riggs. Absolutely incorrigible."
They soon lapsed into an easy and comfortable silence as he continued to gently rock the baby and she sat there contemplating her bizarre life. After a few minutes they were interrupted by a tap at the door and Meredith appeared with an iPad in front of her face.
As soon as he saw the blonde, Nathan jumped up and gently passed the still sleeping baby to her mother. He gave April a quick kiss on her head and nodded brusquely to the other surgeon as he swiftly exited the room. Meredith visibly reddened but she continued talking to the screen as if nothing had happened.
"So then, while we were all at the wedding the ambulance arrived with Kepner, and Bailey and Robbins basically had to re-arrange the majority of her abdomen. But can you believe the no anaesthesia thing? I nearly vomited when I heard and God knows I've been through enough physically painful crap." With this Meredith lowered herself onto the side of April's bed, giving the redhead the chance to see Cristina on the other end of the line.
"I give it up to you Kepner, you are seriously bad ass and a bit terrifying. You almost beat the heart in the box in terms interest. Almost. Congratulations on the spawn by the way, I guess." It was good to see that Switzerland hadn't changed Cristina's bluntness.
"Thanks, she's worth it. Though it really hurts!"
"Well duh, you had Bailey's husband slice into your stomach on Mer's kitchen table. I think that may be the weirdest thing that has ever happened there, which is really saying something." Cristina's mouth puckered as she recalled all the things that that space had seen over the years.
"Speaking of weird, what's going on with you and Riggs, Meredith?" April asked innocently ash she stroked Mae's head absentmindedly.
Now it was Meredith turn to go red as the normally calm woman became flustered. "Ummm….."
A/N: So I wrote this in under an hour and it's late, so please forgive any mistakes and typos. I hope you enjoyed it!