A/N: It's been a very busy holiday season, so updates are gonna be a bit sporadic. Sorry about that, but updates will still be coming!
In the present moment, everything's one big, painful blur. Kristina barely registers the litany of voices calling her name, telling her to breathe, to keep pushing. She can't fully feel Dex's hand holding her own or the towel he occasionally presses to her face. His words, the same basic chants as the doctors and nurses surrounding her, somewhat manage to break through, her ears perking up ever-so-slightly as everyone else manages to get her attention.
"Okay, Kristina," Dr. Navarro begins, standing at the foot of the bed, her mask slightly muffling her words, "we're almost there. Just one more big push, okay?"
"I…I can't-" she gasps.
"It's almost over, Krissy," Amy stands to the woman's right, pushing some hair out of her face, "One more push: you can do it."
Kristina looks up at her, seeing nothing but a blurred silhouette. Dex presses the towel to her cheek, tapping gently against her skin. She turns his way, exhaustion and sadness in her features. He gives her a comforting smile, his grip on her hand a little bit tighter. She tries to mirror his expression as best she can before facing the doctor. The world blurs again as she pushes, Dr. Navarro's observations bouncing off her ears. She slams her head against the pillow as the pressure between her hips ceases, her breathing heavy and pronounced.
"She's out, she's out," Dr. Navarro's tone is sterile, clinical. She examines the newborn, eyebrows furrowing, before looking to Amy, "Nurse Driscoll, pull the incubator. Get the baby to the NICU now."
"On it," the nurse retrieves the device in question, wheeling it to the foot of the bed.
"What's going on?" Dex asks, eyes wide. Kristina doesn't react, her vision warped before going completely black, head slumped down to her right. Amy helps Dr. Navarro secure the newborn in the device before exiting the room, "Is she okay?"
Dr. Navarro stares at him for a moment, gently biting the inside of her bottom lip as she debates which answer she wants to give, "...Routine procedure."
Dex opens his mouth to respond, but quickly shuts it when he sees the doctor exit the room. He focuses his attention on Kristina, offering her still form a smile as he kisses her knuckles, his words gentle, "She's here, she's finally here."
His smile quickly drops when she doesn't react. He gently shakes her shoulder, "Kristina?"
He shakes her a bit harder, watching her head roll back against her pillow, "Kristina?!"
He immediately lets go of her hand, watching it lazily drop onto the bed. Panic surges through him as he leaves the room, grabbing the first doctor he sees.
"Excuse me," he begins, holding onto the man's arm and dragging him to the room, "I'm sorry to bother you, but my girlfriend just gave birth and she's unresponsive."
The doctor scowls at him before looking down at Kristina. He raises an eyebrow at her unconscious state before pulling the sheets up. He steps back immediately just as a few machines go off, pulling out his pager from his coat pocket, "I need available staff to Room 402. Patient's hemorrhaging post-birth."
Hemorrhaging…? Dex stares in shock, his face getting hot as tears sting his eyes. A couple nurses race into the room, inadvertently pushing him out. He wipes his face as he takes a seat on the brown sofa, pulling out his phone. He scrolls through his contact list just as the door opens, the device to his ear as he watches the nurses wheel Kristina around the corner.
"TJ…?" his voice shakes as he's sent immediately to voicemail, "It's m-me. I'm at the hospital, and…and Kristina had the baby, and…uh…call me. Please."
He then looks for Sonny's contact, getting the same dead end: "Boss, it's…it's me. Uh, Kristina…she…she h-had the baby. And…uh…things are…please c-call me when y-you get a ch-chance."
Someone please pick up… Dex ends up at Alexis's contact, pressing down. It rings twice before clicking.
"Hello?" the elder woman asks, "Dex? It's almost two in the morning; what's going on?"
"Alexis?" Dex clears his throat, wiping the last of his tears from his eyes, "Hey, um, how soon can you get to the hospital?"
"Is something wrong? Is it Kristina, or the baby? Are they okay?"
Dex doesn't respond, ducking his head down. His thumb sits against the bridge of his nose as he tries to keep his composure.
"Oh God…" her voice cracks, "I'll be there soon. What floor are you on?"
"The fourth. I'm…I'm right outside her room."
"Okay…okay. I'm on my way," the line goes dead. Dex leans back against the back of the couch, taking deep breaths before the sound of footsteps catches his attention.
"Doctor-" he immediately stands up, approaching Dr. Navarro as she walks his way, "How are they?"
The woman takes a deep breath, giving Dex a somber, hesitant look, "I can at least tell you they're both still alive."
"Kristina hemorrhaged?"
The doctor blinks, unresponsive and a bit stunned.
"I had a doctor check on her and that's what he said. I…" he leans in, his voice dropping to a whisper, "I know I'm not family but-"
"It's fine," she raises a hand, "Yes, Kristina hemorrhaged. She's in emergency surgery."
"And the baby? I know you said her going to the NICU is routine, but…something tells me there's more going on."
She gulps, staring at him. Dex's eyes sparkle with concern the longer her silence continues.
"Please," he says, his whisper broken.
"She's hanging in there."
"Hanging in there?" Alexis comes in from behind, eyes wide.
"Ms. Davis," Dr. Navarro nods, "I'm glad you're here."
"What's going on?" she stands next to Dex, a hand on his shoulder, "Tell us."
Dr. Navarro takes another breath, "Kristina gave birth, but…there were some complications. She hemorrhaged after birth, and we rushed her into emergency surgery. We found some…internal tearing and we're working on repairing the damage."
"How? How did this happen?"
"Kristina gave birth roughly two hours after she supposedly went into labor. That short amount of time is known as precipitous labor, which poses significant risks to both mother and baby."
"And how is the baby? Is she doing alright, at least?"
"...She wasn't breathing," Dex and Alexis both flinch out of dread, "I had Nurse Driscoll rush her to the NICU for immediate testing and treatment."
"What did you find?"
"There's amniotic fluid in her lungs that's caused an infection and, by extension, jaundice. She's getting the best care possible."
"The second you hear anything, please let us know."
"Will do," Dr. Navarro nods before turning walking off. Alexis looks at Dex and immediately pulls him into a hug. He sighs against her as her hand rubs his back.
"Thank you for calling me," they walk to the couch, "but please tell me you tried calling Molly or TJ first."
"I did, I did," Dex rapidly nods his head, "I called TJ and it went to voicemail. I called Sonny next and same thing."
"You let them know what's going on, right?"
"Yes," Dex rubs his palms against his knees, taking a series of rapid breaths. Alexis frowns at him, speechless as she observes his posture.
"Maybe you should lie down," she remarks.
"No, no, I can't," he shoots up, pacing the floor, "I don't want to do anything until I find out that Kristina and the baby are okay."
"It's still early. Treatment and surgery could take hours."
"I'll wait as long as it takes."
"You're not doing Kristina or that baby any favors by hurting yourself this way. Sleep, Dex, for their sake."
He's not sure when he, eventually, gave in to Alexis's insistence on getting some rest, nor is he sure how long he was out, but daylight spills through the hallway window when his eyes flutter open. He slowly sits up, running a hand through his hair as he adjusts to the light. It's only him in the waiting space, and the realization of just how quiet everything is causes anxiety to claw at him. He gets to his feet and walks towards the window into the room, heart skipping a beat when he sees Kristina snug in bed, a ventilator covering her nose and mouth.
"Thank God you're awake," Dex turns around immediately, staring on as Molly and TJ rush to him. Molly clasps her hands together, "We got your voicemail and rushed over. How is she?"
"I…" he opens his mouth before averting his gaze to Dr. Navarro, who walks in a few seconds later.
"I'm glad you're all here," the doctor begins, "I have some updates for you."
"Is everything okay with Kristina and our baby?" his question rushes out of his mouth.
"Kristina made it through surgery."
"Surgery…?" Molly asks in shock.
"She had internal tearing after going through precipitous labor."
"Precipitous labor?" Molly asks as TJ's mouth drops open.
"It's when a woman gives birth in a rapid amount of time, usually shorter than three hours," he answers, "It's dangerous for both the baby and the mother."
"Please tell me Krissy's going to be okay," Molly begs, "Please. She can't go out like this."
"She's recuperating from the surgery and trauma. Barring any potential setback, which is always possible, I have no reason to believe she won't pull through."
"And our baby girl? How's she?"
"I can bring you both to her if you'd like. She's healthy enough for visitors."
"Yes, please," Molly and TJ proceed to follow the doctor out, with the latter stopping just as he rounds the corner. He gives Dex a glance.
"Are you coming?" he asks.
"I…" Dex goes between the man and the room window.
"All we can do for Kristina is wait. And besides, I think someone deserves to formally meet her Uncle Dex."
Dex reluctantly follows TJ out, joining them all as they turn a few corners. They walk into the NICU wing, crossing the main lobby of the fourth floor. The doctor leads the trio to an unobstructed window, their eyes locked onto the tiny newborn in the incubator, a nasal cannula present.
"Oh my God…" Molly sighs in awe, "there she is. Our baby girl."
"What happened to her?" TJ looks at Dr. Navarro.
"We found amniotic fluid in her lungs, making it incredibly difficult for her to breathe. There was an infection as well, which led to her developing jaundice."
"And now?"
"The jaundice and infection are mostly gone thanks to some antibiotics, and we've managed to drain most of the fluid. She's gotten a lot stronger and is quite close to being completely healthy."
"How much longer will she be here?" Molly asks.
"In the incubator? If all continues to go well, she should be out within a couple hours, give or take."
"Can we go in the room?"
"Sure, but you'll have to wear protective gear. And out of precaution, leave the doors to the machine closed."
Molly and TJ go in first, their heads covered in a scrubs-blue shower cap. Standard blue surgical masks cover their face and a yellow protective poncho rests over their clothes. They don blue surgical gloves before walking in, standing on each side of the machine. Dex looks on, watching them through the window. Dr. Navarro offers him the same outfit: "You're allowed to go in as well."
His heart stops when he lays eyes on her. There's a tug, a beckoning, at his heart that draws him closer to the newborn, watching her tiny chest rise and fall in tandem with the machinery. Molly and TJ rest their hands on the top of the clear plastic, gazing lovingly at her while he stares in wonder, his body light and soaring.
"Look at her," Molly coos, "our baby girl."
"She's beautiful," TJ matches her tone, "absolutely beautiful."
"Hi, baby," Molly leans in close to the plastic, "it's Mommy and Daddy. It's so great to finally meet you."
"It might be a little hard to hear us," TJ mirrors his partner's posture, "but I promise you that it won't be that way soon. You'll be healthy and in our arms in no time."
"I can't wait for that," Molly looks TJ's way. He responds with a sweet smile.
"Yeah…" Dex mumbles absent-mindedly, squatting down. His eyes are level with the baby, his gaze practically unbreakable.
"I wish Kristina was here to see her," Molly sighs.
"Like Dr. Navarro said, if all goes well, then she will be," TJ rubs her shoulder, "She's getting the best care possible."
"And she's a tough woman," Dex stands up, "I don't doubt for a second that she'll recover."
"If not for you, she wouldn't even be here," Molly approaches him, "I'm sorry for all the times I snapped at you. You've been so good to Krissy and our daughter this entire time, and you deserve your kudos," she pulls him into a hug, "Thank you, Dex, truly."
"Morgan's lucky to have you as an uncle," TJ says with a smirk.
He pulls back in surprise, "Morgan?"
"Morgan Irene Davis-Ashford. We picked it the night of the baby shower."
"It's a great name."
The sound of something buzzing suddenly breaks the conversation apart. Molly sighs as she slams a hand on her back pocket.
"I'll be right back," she groans before exiting. TJ follows after her. Dex watches them exit, turning back to the newborn.
"Hey, little one," Dex squats down again, a few fingers against the plastic, "it's me, your Uncle Dex. I know things seem hard right now, but you're part of a very strong family. Your grandparents, your parents, and most of all, your aunt," a sad smile graces his face, "She's a fighter: a strong, strong woman. I'd like to think you got that from her…especially because she carried you for the past nine months," he stifles a laugh, "You're going to get through this and you're going to go home with your family, I promise."
"Dex?"
He gets to his feet, looking at Molly in the doorway. A smile graces her face, "Kristina's awake."
His footsteps are swift and firm and he turns each and every corner of the floor. He goes to his left and sees Alexis and TJ standing outside the door, eyes wide as they watch him open the hospital room door. His heart melts at the sight of her, their eyes meeting. He slowly walks towards her, eyes wide with wonder.
"Hi," his voice is full of air.
"Hi," she responds, eyeing his stiff posture and shocked expression, "You know I'm not a ghost, right? You can touch me."
He doesn't respond, a goofy smile on his face as he swallows her whole in a hug, kissing the top of her head before taking a seat on the nearby stool.
"Oh, crap," Kristina asks, taking his hand in hers, "I did a number on you, didn't I?"
"It's fine, it'll heal. How are you?"
"Tired," she runs a hand through her hair, "and in pain, but the painkillers are helping."
"Yeah," he smiles sadly, "it's been a rough couple of hours."
"What happened to me? I mean, I know I gave birth in a couple hours, but…something felt off."
"Yeah, um, you faced some complications. A quick birth is actually pretty dangerous."
"Clearly," she sighs.
"You had some…internal tearing," Dex gingerly rubs her hand with his thumb, "and there was some bleeding. Doctors worked overtime to save you and the baby."
"The baby," Kristina's eyebrows shoot up, "Oh my God, the baby! How is she?!"
"She's going to be okay."
"Going to be?! She should already be okay! What happened?!"
"She couldn't really breathe and she was dealing with an infection. But thankfully, that's all being dealt with and she's mostly healthy now."
"Mostly healthy?! That's not good enough!" Kristina snaps before relaxing, "I'm sorry, that was inappropriate."
"It's okay. You're worried about her; I get it. But I can tell you she's going to be just fine."
"The doctors said that?"
"They did…and I went to see her."
Her heart immediately skips a beat, cheeks flush as the thought of him seeing, or even holding, their little girl flashes in her mind, "You did?"
"Mhm, and she looked pretty good," he gives her a joyful smirk, "She's a tough little cookie, a fighter just like her aunt."
And her father, Kristina's grin exudes a sadness Dex doesn't pick up on. She gently drags her fingers across his palm, averting her gaze when she sees the bruises around his knuckles. The door in the corner of the room swings open, Alexis stepping into the doorway.
"Mom," Kristina suddenly inhales as she speaks. Dex steps aside as the elder woman rushes towards her daughter, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Thank God," Alexis coos, kissing Kristina's forehead, "Thank God you're awake."
"Where's Dad?"
"He's on his way."
"Have you seen the baby?"
"Not yet, but I know that Dex," she nods at him, "and Molly and TJ have. TJ told me she's going to pull through."
"Can I see her?"
"Molly or the baby?"
"We're right here."
All heads turn towards the doorway, where Molly and TJ stand by, a small bundle in the woman's hand. Kristina instantly feels herself relax, softening when she sees movement from under the blanket. Her heart skips a beat as Molly walks towards her, bringing the newborn closer.
Molly dons a sickeningly sweet smile as she gently helps Kristina cradle the infant, "I think it's time Morgan met her aunt."
"Morgan?"
"Morgan Irene Davis-Ashford."
"Wow," Kristina says, out of breath. The baby squirms a bit in her arms, her head against the fabric of the hospital gown.
"Dr. Navarro gave the all-clear?" Alexis asks as Dex takes a seat on the stool, Molly passing him by.
"She did," TJ nods, "Our baby girl's completely healthy now."
"And she's beautiful," Molly clasps her hands together, staring lovingly at her elder sister. Kristina doesn't look at her, wonder taking her over as she watches the baby relax against her.
"Look at her," Dex coos, reaching a hand out. The newborn immediately grasps his fingertip, gazing at him with curious wonder, "Hi, little one. It's nice to finally meet you."
Kristina feels tears sting the corners of her eyes as she watches him, planting a soft kiss to the baby's forehead. She doesn't speak up, her cheek against the baby's head as she sees Dex's face light up. Her joy swiftly falls apart internally, regret and dread filling her.
Hi, baby girl, she thinks to herself, finally looking away from Dex, Like Daddy said, it's nice to finally meet you, and we love you…I love you so, so much.
"You did great, Krissy," TJ remarks, "We couldn't be more grateful for you."
"Truly," Molly nods, standing by Dex, resting a hand on his shoulder while he remains focused on the newborn, "and with how comfortable she is right now, I think a bunch of visits to Aunt Krissy and Uncle Dex's place are in the near future."
Visits, the word strikes her in the heart, bitterness on her tongue. A small, nagging part of her claws away at her on the inside, and rather than suppress it, she lets it continue, visits…
"Okay," the youngest sister trades places with Dex, reaching her hands out, "I think it's time Morgan got to know the rest of her family-"
"No."
All eyes immediately land on Kristina, each one staring in confusion. Molly blinks a few times, "You don't want Mom to hold your niece?"
"She's not my niece."
Surprise colors everyone's face. Kristina's eyes dart around, a firm determination on her face as the newborn squirms against her, trying to get comfortable.
"Uh," Molly laughs awkwardly, "I'm pretty sure she is."
"She's your niece," Kristina says, "not mine."
"You agreed to carry a baby that's half-me and half-TJ. She's mine, not yours."
"No."
"Okay," TJ immediately intervenes, "Krissy, I know what you went through was pretty traumatic, and trauma bonds are normal-"
"It's not a trauma bond," she replies, a small part of her surprised at her defiance, "She's my baby."
No one responds, and Kristina goes from Dex and Alexis's wide eyes to TJ's reserved concern to Molly's present offense. She takes a deep breath, glancing down at the newborn, who stares up at her with sparkling brown eyes.
The determination in her face strikes daggers through everyone in the room, "She's my baby…and I'm going to keep her with me."