Chapter 17: Rough Start

Author: zeusfluff.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Blue Blood's characters. They belong to CBS. I do own all originals. Date Started: 5/12/24. Date Finished: 5/15/24. Enjoy!

Jamie felt very out of place suddenly as Doctor Matthews looked him square in the eye.

"Grab her legs."

He felt the color drain from his face behind his mask and he could only stare at her for a moment.

"Ok…"

Doctor Matthews kept looking at him and nodded.

"I realize this is out of your element Doctor Stevenson, but this is important. I want you to grab her left leg and put it as high above her head as you can get it."

Jamie kept up appearances and nodded, doing as Doctor Matthews instructed. She turned her attention back the woman they were helping, Tiana.

"Ok Tiana, give me a big push. That's it."

Keeping his mind focused, Jamie looked at the top of Doctor Matthews head. He saw her shake her head and then look up at him.

"This isn't going to work. We need the extraction vacuum. You can put her leg back down."

Tiana became confused.

"What's going on Doctor Matthews? Doctor Stevenson?"

Doctor Matthews fixed the sheet and then looked Jamie in the eye.

"Doctor Stevenson keep her calm and keep her still. This is going to take a few minutes."

Jamie took another quiet breath behind his mask and gave Tiana another sympathetic look.

"I want you to keep breathing Tiana. Doctor Matthews is going to get your baby out, ok?"

Tiana nodded and then looked to Doctor Matthews.

"What's going on? What's that noise?"

Doctor Matthew's concentrated on what she was doing in front of her but spoke up over the sheet.

"Keep breathing Tiana. You're going to feel some pressure for a few minutes. Your baby just needs a little help coming into the world. Try and relax, ok? I want you to stay absolutely still."

Tiana nodded and turned her attention back to Jamie.

"Is my baby ok?"

Jamie nodded and tried to keep her calm and concentrating.

"You're doing great Tiana. Almost there. Just another minute or so."

Jamie could feel a smile tugging at his lips as he heard a baby begin to cry behind the sheet. A frown soon replaced it. Squeezing Tiana's hand one more time, he let go and went behind the sheet and looked at the baby in Doctor Matthews arms. Lowering his voice, he spoke.

"His cry is weak. Here let me try something."

Doctor Matthews nodded and placed the little boy in Jamie's arms after he pulled a pair of gloves on. She then handed him the bulb syringe. He'd learned a few things helping Doctor Matthews out with deliveries. Clearing the baby boy's nose and mouth, he was doing his best to coax him to cry some more.

"Come on buddy. Give me a big cry now. Come on."

Jamie continued to watch the little boy move, but his cries were very quiet. Finally, after the last round of clearing out his nose and mouth, he finally let out a huge crying fit.

"There we go bud. That's a good cry. Let's get all that fluid out of your lungs. Good boy."

Doctor Matthews smiled at Jamie as she cut the umbilical cord separating the little boy from Tiana. Jamie held up the boy so that Tiana could see him.

"Congratulations Tiana. It's a boy!"

Tiana began to cry and held out her arms. Jamie carefully set the crying little boy on top of Tiana's chest, and she placed a seemingly larger hand on his tiny body.

"Hello baby boy. I'm your mommy Tiana. What should I call you?"

Jamie sunk down in the chair next to Eddie's bed. She held Patrick in her arms and was playing with one of his hands.

"Look at how tiny your little hand is buddy. I love it."

Eddie looked up from Patrick and frowned.

"What is it bub? You can tell me."

Jamie let out a sigh and then looked Eddie in the eye.

"We almost lost a baby."

Eddie watched Jamie's expression soften even more and then his eyes got glassy as he stared over at Patrick. She ran a finger over Patrick's tiny fingers and then his nose.

"Bub. Hey. Listen to me. That little boy is alive because of you. Not everything is in your control. I've lost count on how many times you used to tell me that when we were partners. It's ok to vent. I'm right here. We've both been dealing with a lot of things. Being stuck in this place doesn't help one bit. You and Doctor Matthews delivered our son without any problems. Look how handsome he is? Just like his daddy."

Jamie smirked and ran a hand over Patrick's tiny head.

"He is handsome, isn't he?"

Eddie snorted and wanted to play swat his arm but was mindful of Patrick in her arms.

"There's that arrogant attitude I've missed."

Jamie brushed it off and shook his head.

"All I could think of the whole time was what if he had been Patrick? I don't know what I would've done."

Eddie shook her head at Jamie and shifted Patrick in her arms, grabbing his hand with her right one.

"Bub, look at me. He's right here in my arms. He's safe and he's healthy. It's ok."

Nodding, Jamie leaned down and placed a tender kiss to Patrick's forehead.

"Daddy won't let anyone take you away from us again. I promise."

Patrick was fast asleep, so Jamie took him from Eddie's arms and placed him back inside the plastic bassinet. He saw Eddie shift uncomfortably and let out a breath.

"I want these stitches out. They are very sore and red."

Jamie frowned and started untucking the blankets and sheet from around her belly. His frown deepened as he looked at the gauze around her stomach was kind of a brown color.

"Let me get Doctor Matthews. It's probably just oozing. But it could be the start of an infection too."

Sighing, Eddie shook her head. Then she smirked at him.

"You doing all this, you're taking your job very seriously."

Jamie's gaze softened and he took the stethoscope from around his and put the earpieces in his ears. Putting the bell up to her chest, he listened.

"I do take this very seriously. Your heartbeat sounds a little strange, but then again, what do I know? I'll let Doctor Matthews interpret that."

Eddie gave Jamie a concerned look.

"What do you mean it sounds strange?"

Jamie took the stethoscope away and put it back behind his neck.

"Like its skipping two or three beats."

Doctor Matthews interrupted the couple's private conversation as she quickly entered and closed the door behind her.

"You rang Doctor Stevenson?"

Jamie nodded and pointed towards Eddie's belly.

"I think her stitches around her incision site are getting infected. That and her heartbeat sounds strange. Like its skipping two or three beats. I'm not very good at interpreting it."

Doctor Matthews nodded and pulled on a pair of gloves, carefully peeling back the gauze around Eddie's belly. Jamie winced when he saw how black and blue it was. Doctor Matthews looked at Eddie and then at Jamie.

"This is definitely infected. I'll get it cleaned out and give her some antibiotics. At least it's not smelling anaerobic yet. That would mean that the infection is almost past the point of fixing it. Which we are not thankfully. As for her heart, let me take a listen."

All the while, Eddie sat quietly as Doctor Matthews cleaned up her stitching and placed clean fresh gauze over her belly. She watched as Doctor Matthews listened to her heart.

"We'll start with putting you back on the heart monitor for at least half an hour. Still waiting for those test results to come back on whatever Rolanil gave you."

Eddie nodded and stayed still while Doctor Matthews put leads on her chest under her clean hospital gown. She shivered and looked up at Doctor Matthews.

"Those are cold."

Doctor Matthews gave her a sympathetic look and nodded.

"Sorry. Now I want you to stay still for the next thirty minutes while the heart rate monitor is measuring your heart rate. The machine will print out any anomalies it may find. Just lie back and relax. Have a nap if you'd like."

Eddie nodded and closed her eyes. Jamie kissed her forehead and reached for her hand, squeezing it. He watched the lines on the monitor go up and down. Doctor Matthews had left the room. So, the couple was now alone with Patrick who was still fast asleep. He whispered towards Eddie, and he knew she could hear him in her sleep.

"Don't worry Ed, we'll get out of here. I just have to get a plan together."

To Be Continued…

A/N: So, what'd you guys think? Let me know! Thanks!