Another Star

"Miranda?" Ben asked.

"Yes?" She answered slowly.

"How… how are you feeling?"

Miranda didn't open her eyes. "Like someone opened me up and took a huge piece of me," she said with a smile.

"Yeah, something like that," Ben said.

"Where's Tuck?" She asked sipping some of the water that Ben was holding out to her.

"He's asleep in one of the waiting rooms." She started to respond. "And someone is watching him. He's fine. Just tired."Ben sat down on the edge of her bed. "But, uh, I need to tell you something."

"Oh God," she said as her eyes started to tear up. Ben scratched the side of his face and picked up her hand. He kissed it. "Just tell me." He inhaled and began to detail what happened during the birth of their child. Streams of tears flowed from her eyes. She pulled her hand back and covered her mouth: "Ohmygod!" She tried to sit up and winced at the pain. Miranda took a breath. And another one. The air didn't seem to want to pass.

"Relax, Miranda. Breathe," he answered calmly. She tried another breath and found that she could now breathe properly. "You're fine. Dr. Pratt came by a while ago and said that everything looks good."

"How's my baby?"

"Uh, our baby," Ben said with a smile. "And he's asleep. He's fine and perfect."

"He? Cheddar's not a girl?" Ben raised an eyebrow and shook his head. Miranda was so confused. She cocked her head. "Ahh, I remember Dr. Pratt saying Cheddar was a boy." Ben chuckled. "So, for 47 months I've been carrying what I thought was a girl. My little girl. And it's not a girl. It's a boy. Cheddar is a boy."

"Yes. And he's adorable," he said simply. "Wanna see him?"

"What do you think?" Miranda squealed. Ben placed the brown-skinned baby on her chest. His head was full of wet, soft hair. He looked at Miranda. She expected to see the brown eyes that both of his parents had. But, his eyes were ebony. So deep that she found herself getting lost in them. Then the baby's eyes smiled quickly and he closed them, snapping Miranda out of her trance. "Look at him. He's the cutest thing."

"And he's ours. The very best part of us." Ben kissed her forehead, running a hand along her hair. Ben stared at her, gritting his teeth.

She knew that look. He was hiding something. She just had to ask the right question. "I hope you didn't name him already because—"

Ben widened his eyes. "Uhh, actually, I did."

"Unh-uh!?" Ben made a sad face and she resisted the urge to laugh. "God, Ben Warren! I almost died! You couldn't wait for me to wake up!?"

Ben puffed his cheeks full of air and released it. "Miranda, you'll love it."

"Well, it's kinda too late to change it now, so lay it on me."

Ben took a deep breath. "Richard Anthony Bailey Warren." Ben made a face as Miranda nodded slowly. "You like it, right?"

A smile spread across her face. Damn him. "It's perfect! I love it!"

"I knew you would."

Miranda made a face and kissed her son. "Oh, no, you didn't."

"Well, I hoped you would." Husband and wife talked a little longer enjoying time with the baby.

There was a knock on the door and Callie waltz into the room carrying balloons and a medium-sized teddy bear. "Hey!" Callie said hugging Ben and then her best friend.

"Thanks for coming," Miranda said to her.

"Of course. And there are a bunch of people who want to see you, but I told them that they had to wait."

She laughed loudly. "Callie, meet Richard Anthony. Richard Anthony, meet your Auntie Callie." Callie smiled brightly. "Ben named him."

Callie gave Ben a thumbs-up. "Richard Anthony. After the Chief?" Miranda smiled. "That's so cool. Well, now we know the little guy will be amazing. And he's gorgeous. Just like his mommy. Miranda smiled. She swooned over the baby some more. "Sorry to cut this short," Callie started. "But I have to hustle to surgery; a guy's hand got stuck in a grinder."

"Ooo!" Miranda winced.

"Yeah, you should see his face. I'll be back later." She hugged Miranda again and was gone.

As she left, Richard came through the door. "Mandy. How are you?"

"I'm amazing," she said.

"I just, uh, came in here to see the newest addition."

"Of course," Ben said. "Want to hold him?"

"Sure. Yes!" Richard exclaimed. Richard sat in a chair in the corner of the room and Ben placed the baby in his arms. "Upset he's not a girl?"

Miranda shook her head. "No and I guess the machines can't be 100% 100% all of the time." Ben and Richard laughed.

"He's a wrinkly little thing, ain't he?" Richard asked with a deep laugh. Ben agreed. "But he's a handsome fellow. So, what do we call the prince?"

Ben winked at Miranda. "Richard Anthony Bailey Warren," she told him. Miranda watched her mentor's eyes began to water.

"Bailey, Warren." He shook his head. "Miranda, Ben… Mandy, you—you didn't have to name your child after me!" Richard whisper-shouted.

"I didn't," Miranda told him with a smile.

"What?"

"Ben did." She jerked her head in the direction of her husband.

Richard looked at Ben. "Now why in the world would you do that?"

Ben hummed. "Because you mean so much to Miranda. And to me. And because you've always been there for us, especially today. There isn't anyone else that I would have wanted to have talked Miranda through what Dr. Pratt knew before she went into surgery. You kept her strong and, for that, I thank you. We thank you."

"And we love you," Miranda added.

"Well… fine," he said. They were all quiet for a while. "This is so cool. I mean, it's amazing. No one's ever named a child after me."

"What a shame," Miranda said looking at him. "Can I hold my baby?" She asked gesturing to her youngest son.

"You mean my namesake?" Richard asked. Miranda smiled.

He gave the baby to Miranda. She stared at her son while her husband and mentor talked. "Warren, thank you. I knew you were a great guy."

"You're only saying that because I named my child after you."

"Maybe," the Chief answered and they shook hands.

Miranda interrupted their conversation. "Sir?"

"Yes, ma'am," he answered turning in her direction.

"Ben and I were talking earlier and we decided that we want you to be the baby's godfather."

"Only if you're up to it," Ben added holding out his hand again.

Richard looked up at the ceiling and then to a cheesing Miranda and finally to Ben's outstretched hand. "Nothing would give me more pleasure," he replied taking Ben's hand. They hugged.

"Thank you!" Miranda said.

"No, thank you," Richard said.

The door opened and Miranda looked up to see her parents walking into the room. "Momma? Daddy?"

"Oh, my baby!" Elena said. She hugged both Ben and Richard and then came to the side of Miranda's side.

The General Surgeon watched as her father shook hands with her husband and her mentor. Four of the five most important men in her life in one room. The only one missing was—"Mommy!" Tuck said coming into the room.

"Hey, baby," Miranda said smiling as more tears rolled down her face. She kissed her son's head and pinched his hair. It was definitely time for a haircut.

He touched his brother. "He's cute!"

"Miranda, he's beautiful," her mother said picking the baby up. "I thought you were having a girl?"

"So did we," she and Ben said together.

"So, what's this handsome boy's name?"

"Richard Anthony," Miranda said.

"That's a great name, a strong name," William said shaking Richard's hand again. "You've always been a second father to her."

"That's not the first time I've heard that," Richard said making everyone laugh.

"You're definitely family to us, Richard," Ben said gesturing between Miranda and himself.

"Yeah, my two dads, my two sons and my husband." Miranda yawned.

"Tired?" Her father said kissing her cheek.

She nodded. "Extremely."

"Well, let us go. We put our stuff in your guest room and we'll have a big dinner this weekend and you're coming over," Elena said turning to Richard. When Elena Bailey told you that you were going to do something, you did it. Richard nodded. He looked over at William and Ben who were smirking. Miranda started to protest. "Sweetheart, don't worry about it. I'll handle it." Before leaving the room, Elena, Richard and William all hugged her and gave her a kiss and left the room, leaving Miranda, Ben, Tuck and the baby alone.

Miranda looked over at her boys. She realized that she was outnumbered by them. She smiled and shook her head. "Mommy, can I hold him?" Miranda nodded.

"You have to be really careful, bud. He's like a… a wet piece of bread," Ben told him.

"I can rip him?!" Tuck asked. His eyes were wide and scared. Ben shook his head furiously as Tuck sat on the bed next to Miranda.

"No, of course not," Miranda said giving Ben a face. "You just have to be extra, extra, extra careful." He gave the baby to Tuck.

Ben looked at his wife who was rolling her eyes at him and shaking her head. "Whaa? When I'm exhausted I make bad analogies."

"Oh, you're tired?" She asked her husband. He nodded. "Did you just give birth to a live being?"

He shook his head. He leaned in a kissed her. "I couldn't have done what you did. My Super Shero. You were great in there."

"You sound surprised."

"No, of course not." He looked over at Tuck holding the baby. "I—"

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just admiring your work," he said making her blush.

Ben pulled a chair up to the bed. "So, uh, how are my parents out here so quickly?" Miranda asked.

Ben wiggled his eyebrows. "As soon as I got off the phone with you the very first time, I called them. My mom and dad should be here soon."

Miranda smiled. "Damn it, you're amazing." She reached out to him and stood up, facing her. He leaned down to kiss her. She put her hands on either side of his face and kissed him deeply. "I love you."

"I love you. And our family."

"Mommy?" Tuck asked.

"Yes, baby," she said softly.

"What do we call the baby?"

"His name is Richard Anthony, Tuck," she said smiling at her oldest son.

"I know that, but what do I call him?"

"Like a nickname?" She asked. Tuck nodded.

"Well, the nickname for Richard is usually Di…," Ben's voice trailed off. He looked at Miranda and they burst into a laughing fit. Tuck stared at them like they were crazy.

"On to the next option," Miranda said. She rubbed her eyes and yawned again. "Well, what about Richie? Or Ant? Are those too big or too manly for him?" She asked looking from her husband to her sons. Tuck wasn't paying them any mind. He was focused on his little brother, chatting away. "Well, I'm still gonna call him Cheddar," she chuckled.

Ben nodded. "Tony?" He answered his own question. "I don't know about that for a baby, maybe as he gets older." She agreed.

"We could call him 'RA'," Tuck said jumping back into the conversation.

"Ari?" Ben asked, with a confused look on his face. He was so cute.

"Noooo," Tuck said with a giggle. "RA, like 'R' for Richard and 'A' for Anthony. 'RA'."

"Honey, I love it," she said touching Tuck's shoulder gently. "That's brilliant."

"I agree, Tuck. Way to go, big brother." Tuck smiled widely.

There was a knock on the door. "Uh, Dr. Bailey?" A voice asked.

"Yes?"

"Can I come in?"

"Umm, sure."

"Who is it?" Ben mouthed. She shrugged.

Her resident, Lemon Rashad, came into the room. And Miranda was honestly surprised. "Hello, Rashad."

"Dr. Bailey, I'm on my way home, but I wanted to stop by and say congratulations to you and to Warren," she said looking from Miranda to Ben. "And I'm glad you're okay."

"Well, thank you… Lemon," Miranda said. The girl smiled.

"Yeah, thanks, Lemon," Ben said quickly.

Lemon pulled a card out of her pocketbook. "And I brought this for the baby."

"Wow! Thank you," Miranda said pushing Ben towards the card.

"Oh gosh, sorry," Ben started. "Lemon, this is our son, Tuck. Tuck this is one of our co-workers, Lemon."

Tuck smiled as the young doctor waved. "Lemon? Like the fruit?"

"William George, be kind," Miranda warned.

"It's okay," she said smiling at Tuck. He blushed. "I know all about you. Warren, um, Ben talks about you all of the time."

It was Ben's turn to blush. "And I got this for you." She pulled another card out of her bag. "I have a little brother, too." Tuck smiled at the girl. "Well, that's it, I just wanted to… uh, come by. Say congratulations and goodnight." She turned towards the door.

"Rashad?" Miranda called out.

"Yes?"

"Could you do us a favor?"

"Sure!" She said a little too excitedly. "I mean, yes, of course."

"Could you take our picture?"

The girl nodded and pulled out her phone. Ben handed her his phone as well. "Thanks, Lemon," he said. Ben took the baby from Tuck so the boy could reposition himself. "Wanna hold Cheddar for the picture?"

Tuck smiled sheepishly and buried his head into his mother's arms. "My arms hurt."

"Alright, I'll hold him," Ben nodded. He sat on the other side of Miranda. "He is 8.5 pounds."

Lemon spoke again: "Wow." She looked right into Miranda's eyes. "Just… wow! Good for you." Miranda twisted her and smiled. "All right, you guys," Lemons said focusing the family. "Say 'cheese'!"

At her statement, Tuck, Ben and Miranda cracked up as the flash hit their eyes, taking their first family photo.

"Thank you, Rashad," Miranda said again as the girl left the room. Ben got up from the bed and walked Cheddar around the room, Tuck right beside them. They talked and laughed. Her heart was bursting. She was so happy. Her family was perfect. Miranda looked at her husband. Ben, he was the most perfect guy. Her best friend. He was always there, always on her side even when he wanted to kick her off the edge of a cliff. And she would always have his back even when she wanted to run him through the blender. What they had was love. She realized that their lives would be amazing, especially if they had each other. Giving birth. Well, that had been the easy part. They could overcome any problem and nothing would hold them back from success with their family or in their careers. They were going on year two, their family was growing and everything was great. Plus, there were a lot more years to come and she was grateful that she'd get to spend them with her better half.

-The End-