"Where is Christine?" Rossi demanded as the nurse showed the men into the changing room.
"On her way to the delivery room," the nurse informed them. "You had better hurry!"
When the three men, dressed in scrubs, emerged from the changing room, Dr. Sullivan was waiting for them. "Dr. Nielson is doing just fine," he assured them. "Now, I've already briefed the nurses, so let's go deliver some babies!"
Dr. Sullivan led the way into the delivery room where Christine was already positioned on the table, tightly grasping Nurse Marci's hand. After completing yet another contraction, she looked over and a smile filled her tired face. "You're here – You made it!" she exclaimed.
Rossi quickly took his place at Christine's head and gave her a kiss, while Hotch and Reid moved down to join the doctor.
"Get ready to push some more," the doctor instructed. "Okay, again, and really hard this time and - I have a head! Who is going to cut the first cord?"
Hotch nodded at Reid. "I'm going first," Reid told the doctor.
"Okay, come over here," the doctor instructed him. "Here we go – And, we have a little - girl! Now, cut right here."
Reid's hands were shaking as he accepted the instrument from the nurse and carefully cut the umbilical cord.
"Come with me," the nurse told Reid as she guided him off to the side of the delivery room. "We need to get your daughter cleaned up, tested, and checked out by her pediatrician."
"APGAR score," Reid remembered as he smiled at the newborn.
"Next!" the doctor called out. "Hurry up! This second baby isn't wasting any time!"
Hotch quickly moved into position.
"Okay, and we have a – boy," Dr. Sullivan announced. "Now, for the cord."
Hotch quickly accepted the instrument and waited for the doctor's instructions.
"You've done this before," Dr. Sullivan observed cheerfully. "Okay, right here."
As Hotch cut the cord, another nurse appeared to take the baby and lead Hotch off to watch as she cleaned him up.
Rossi had tears in his eyes as he looked down at Christine. "Congratulations, Mom!" he told her softly as he kissed her.
