A/N: sooo it's been a little while since I last updated. I've made a few minor changes medically in previous chapters and had Arthur telling Morgana about his amnesia slightly earlier. Anyway, on with the story!
"Not as many doctors today, this will be different" Gwen commented.
"They're all in they're, right?" Morgana asked.
"Most are in theatre I believe. Flamingo ward had a double two double two, Elephant ward did as well, something on the alligator intense care with a transplant patient so a double two again and there's a bone marrow transplant on fox ward".
"Blimey. So it's a busy night in the hospital" Morgana commented.
"Here's to a night of doing nothing?" Gwen asked. "It's quite quiet down this end, isn't it?"
"It sure is" Morgana agreed, frowning slightly as the matron walked over. "Shh, you're not meant to say the Q word!"
"Okay we have an in-uterine transfer in from the cardiac ward, repeat an in-uterine transfer from cardiac ward" the matron called across the nurses station. Morgana and Gwen looked at each other absolutely perplexed.
"Excuse me?" Morgana asked. "Didn't they just have a major emergency anyway?"
"The mum of one of the children on a cardiac wards—I believe it's the cardiac intensive care here is pregnant, has been experiencing contractions during her child's heart transplant and now they think her waters have broken".
"Good lord!" Morgana gasped as she covered her mouth.
"Child is in recovery, mum not in a good way and I need a midwife there as soon as possible, we've contacted UCLH but it's looking unlikely they'll make it. Morgana, I need you to get down to alligator ward. It's 28 week twins, trying for vaginal birth and genetic heart issues. Gwen, I need you on standby with a giraffe or lullaby warmer and the neonatal team. I'm calling the bleep holder, let's get on it team".
"On it" Morgana nodded with a small smile, already standing up and making her way to the ward doors, Gwen hot on her heels.
"I haven't done this in ages" Morgana told Gwen excitedly.
"Done what?" Gwen frowned slightly as she looked around for the spare resuscitaire.
"Delivered a baby" Morgana grinned.
"Right, alligator ward is same floor in different building, you go as I have to get the spare neonatal resuscitaire". Gwen said as Morgana quickly ran to the Alligator ward while she went to grab the needed equipment.
"Okay looks like we need the quickest handover ever" the cardiac nurse said. "Mum's called Sarah, this is her third baby and she's just twenty nine weeks with twins, identical with the same amniotic sac and placenta experiencing regular contractions and has had waters gone with blood in them. Child just had a heart transplant and is still in recovery, we managed to get mum a bed in a side room so there's that at least".
"Okay could I get some more sterile gloves please in size seven" Morgana said, trying not to show her face at the mention of mono-chorionic mono-amnion twins. Even more difficult, the most difficult type of twins. Maybe she should've changed into scrubs, it was more likely that it would end in a trip to theatre that way. But she didn't have the time. "And I've got a delivery kit. Towels too, we need lots of towels. And a ziploc bag. Well two, two ziploc bags".
"I'll get the towels" the healthcare assistant said.
"In we go" Morgana breathed as she pulled on an apron and blue pair of latex gloves, knocking on the door and then entering after hearing a stressed out "come in". The dad stood there, bald and wide eyed with his hands clasped behind his head.
"Are you the doctor?" He asked.
"No, I'm Morgana I'm a midwife and I'll be here to help you deliver your babies" Morgana greeted as she went over to the bed. "How you doing?"
"Not great arghhhh" the mother trailed off.
"Is it okay if I do a quick examination to see how far along you are?" Morgana checked. Sarah nodded in agreement and Morgana set her trolley up, quickly changing her gloves and washing her hands as Gwen walked in with the lullaby warmer and neonatologist.
"I'm Doctor Graham" the doctor in maroon scrubs introduced. "I'll be looking after you and your baby. How far along is she?"
"Twenty-nine weeks and she is fully effaced and dilated" Morgana said as she looked at the doctor.
"I need to push" the mother announced.
"With your next contraction you can start to push" Morgana nodded at the mother then looked down at the bed. "Who's got the sandwich bags?"
"Keep pushing, that's good" the doctor nodded. "And I have them here".
"Baby looks well positioned, should be a fairly easy birth. Delivered any before?" Morgana looked at the doctor.
The doctor looked almost horrified. "Not since medical school. I'm better at dealing with them once they're out the womb".
"I can see the head!" Morgana announced.
"That was quick" the doctor exclaimed.
"Gwen, keep an eye on dad. And if you think you're going to faint or throw up, sit down or get out" Morgana ordered.
"I'm okay, I've got an eye on dad just in case" Gwen nodded, looking between Morgana crouched on the floor and the horrified looking dad at the top end.
Slow, controlled Morgana remembered. "Okay, now I need you to pant, just nice and slow there".
"Okay" the mother grunted, inhaling sharply.
Morgana adjusted the sheets over the mother's legs and held it in place. Morgana checked the time. "Head out at 23:14, someone write that down".
"On it" The healthcare assistanct said, though Morgana paid her no mind.
Extension, Morgana reminded herself, one minute for restitution. Not that she needed to wait that long. "I need you to push one last time then baby will be here, can you do that for me Sarah?" Morgana looked up at the mother. "I know you're tired, but we need you to push. Baby A is almost here". Sarah looked to her husband for encouragement before gritting her teeth and pushing. Morgana grabbed a towel, pulling the baby down into the bed immediately. She wrapped the baby and vigorously rubbed at it alongside the doctor who was putting suction and an oxygen mask over it's face until it let out a soft mewl. It seemed to be doing well for a premature baby. The doctor put it into a ziploc bag, Morgana clamping and cutting the cord.
"Is neonatal here?" Somebody knocked on the door and immediately entered, a swarm of bodies in burgundy scrubs.
"Gwen do you mind getting me another bed pad?" Morgana asked. "And something to deliver the placenta into. We need some oxytocin. She's loosing quite a bit of blood".
"You don't think she's going to haemmorhage?" Doctor Graham asked.
"I'm hoping it won't come to that" Morgana grimaced. "There's only one placenta so we can't deliver that yet".
"Then what about baby B?"
"Baby B will come when baby B is ready" Morgana said as she glanced over at the newborn on the giraffe, watching at the top was lowered onto the incubator. "I'm just going to inject the emergency oxytocin. Can we let mum see baby, please?"
One of the doctors huffed slightly, another one grabbing the incubator and wheeling it over to the bed.
"Time to deliver the placenta it seems for baby A" Morgana said. "I need a dish for that, then again for Baby B". The cord lengthened, Morgana gently tugged on it and pulled down. "I'm not sure if it's fully detached yet. We'll have to wait and see. Gwen, keep an eye on dad to make sure he doesn't faint". The room was bustling, though there was a moment of quietness. A brief moment of peace, for nothing else mattered. Yes, things could easily escalate and there was no telling what could happen with the second baby, or the placenta either but all Morgana knew was that nothing else mattered, for a child had just been born and it felt as though all time had temporarily stopped. Nothing mattered, apart from what was happening in that side room on the paediatrics cardiac ward. Morgana looked down and was and back to reality from the brief adrenaline rush. The bleeding intensified, Morgana pulled on the placenta and with a gush of blood it was out.
Thank god for that Morgana thought to herself. "I'm just going to feel how baby B is lying" Morgana announced. The door slammed open with the sound of alarms and the team of obstetricians and midwives entered the room. They'd be able to take it from there, though they would have a lot of notes to write up. Somewhat covered in gunk, once things had settled down and the ambulance had taken the mother to another hospital, Morgana and Gwen went to the changing room, grabbing a pair of scrubs from the tall metal rack.
"Sure is a night to remember. Grab a photo of me?"
"Why, of course" Gwen smiled. "Hurry up and change, we need to get back to work".
Fortunately, the rest of the shift was that reminiscent of a 'regular' night shift on the ward.
"What a shift" Morgana sighed as she and Gwen entered the changing room at the end of the shift. It was almost nine o'clock, suffice to say that both women had stayed well past their shift times. Though for all that had happened, it was worth it a million times over.
"You're telling me" Gwen agreed with a chuckle. "And I'm not the one who was covered in blood".
"Exactly" Morgana sighed once more as she looked at her tunic, crumpled up into a carrier bag. As expected, it ended up dirty from the birth so she had to change. "Sure is a night to remember. Second of March, 23:14."
"That's sure one way to initiate the conversation with Arthur".
"What conversation?" Morgana frowned.
"The having kids one" Gwen teased.
Morgana grinned and laughed. "I don't know where you got that one from".
"Oh come on, you're moving in together. First comes love, then comes marriage, then along comes Morgana with a baby carriage" Gwen grinned.
Morgana smiled and swatted Gwen's hand away. "I mean, I guess we do have to discuss it don't we? Just with the history, that's all really I'm worried about".
"Look Morgana, this is the first birth I've ever seen" Gwen offered as they sat next to one another. "You, kneeling on that bed as that first baby was born, you couldn't have done it better to be honest. The moments between life and death, where there's two lives in your hands … technically three 'cause it was twins. Just think about it, having the conversation with him".
Morgana looked up, a small smile on her face. "That's a lot to think about that I hadn't thought about before. Right, so for now I'm calling an Uber and going home to Arthur". Morgana felt a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration as she went home, smiling as she looked out the window knowing she was going home. There was nothing quite like going home after a long shift, and Morgana was most certainly ready to go home. It felt as though she was walking on air in an odd sleep-deprived way as she took the lift up and then put her key in the door, taking off her shoes and putting her meal pot in the kitchen before she went to the living room.
"Morning" Arthur greeted. "How was work?"
"Just hold me, please" Morgana murmured. Arthur held out his arms and Morgana leant against him as they sat on the sofa.
"Rough night?" Arthur asked as he kissed her forehead.
Morgana frowned slightly then smiled. "Not exactly. I may have delivered a baby".
"You did?" Arthur looked surprised. "I thought your place only had babies after birth, not delivering them there".
"Long story short, we had a mum of one of the kids in another ward who was in premature labour. She gave birth and I delivered the baby".
"That makes more sense" Arthur said. "You delivered a baby?"
"I delivered a freaking baby" Morgana grinned. "Actually, there's something I want to talk to you about".
"Sure, what is it?"
"Have you ever thought about kids?" Morgana asked. "Having kids".
Arthur pondered for a moment before answering. "Not that I can remember. I was married before so presumably it came up before the divorce but I would like to have kids one day in the future. And you?"
"There's sorting I need to tell you" Morgana said as she pulled down the right side of her trousers. "I was stabbed, a few years ago by an ex-boyfriend of mine. The location of the stabbing meant that I had to have open abdominal surgery, and while they were in there they had to remove one of my fallopians tubes which means it could be more difficult for me to have kids".
"Oh" Arthur said slowly. "I had no idea".
"It's why I was afraid to get attached and be vulnerable with you before, as when I fell in love before, well" Morgana chuckled nervously as she gestured to the scar on her right hip. "That happened. At the time I was certain I would never fall in love again and never have kids, so it wasn't really something I thought about before I met you".
"That's.." Arthur briefly looked into the distance. "That's okay. I really appreciate you being open and honest with me Morgana. Thank you for telling me".
"Have you considered it though? Having children" Morgana asked.
"Well, I'd want more than one" Arthur said. "I mean I'm guessing I was an only child? Seeing as presumably if I did have siblings wouldn't they like turn up? Be there? Then I'd have a clearer idea of who I was maybe. And you?"
"I'd want two" Morgana answered. "I think? I was alone in the foster system for years and always dreamt of having a brother or a sister. I never really thought about it, having kids".
"What changed?" Arthur asked.
"I fell in love" Morgana said, looking into Arthur's eyes. "Arthur, I love you".