Summary: Addison performs a c-section and runs into some complications with the baby, leaving Jake to close Meredith up. Meanwhile, everyone discusses different name options for the newborn baby boy Shepherd.
"Do they have any names picked out yet?" Amelia asked, looking over at Mark.
"I don't think so," Mark replied after thinking about it for a minute. Amelia looked over at Lexie.
"I think they wanted to name him after Derek," Lexie shrugged.
"Of course he did," Amelia mocked, making everyone chuckle.
"Wait, if I'd been a boy, would my name be Derek?" Audrey asked, half-jokingly.
"You know? I actually don't know," Amelia mused, trying to remember if they'd ever talked to her about boy baby names.
"Addie wanted to use her grandfather's name. I don't know how Derek felt about that, though," Mark chimed in.
"Addie," Derek said frantically as he popped his head out of the door before Addison could respond to Mark's comment.
"Yeah?" Addison asked, turning her head to see him.
"We need you," Derek said, before disappearing back into the room.
Addison looked confused, but stood up nonetheless, pulling Jake to come with her. She knew she could probably handle whatever it was alone, but on a personal level, she liked working with her husband. Plus, he was a great working partner for her and a great doctor.
"What's wrong?" Addison asked as she walked in, with Jake following closely behind.
"There's a face presentation. I told them they needed a c-section," Connie explained.
"Okay, so what do you need me for?" Addison asked, still a little confused.
"I want you to do it," Meredith said.
"Me?" Addison asked.
"Yes, you," Meredith confirmed.
Addison was confused, but with Meredith taking deep breaths and clearly in pain, she didn't question it. She dismissed Connie and called to book an OR; Addison knew better than to talk back to a laboring mom, especially a first-time laboring mom facing complications.
"So, why'd you want Addison as your O.B. instead of Dr. Ryan? I mean, I know Addison's the best, but I'm also biased, being her husband and all," Jake asked.
Addison chuckled and blushed as Jake looked over at his wife lovingly, and Derek definitely took notice. She was happy, and he couldn't be happier for her. After everything that had happened between them over the years, it was all he ever wanted for her.
"Because that dummy didn't think anything was wrong, even though Meredith told her something was. And then, guess what? Something was wrong," Cristina answered for her friend, waiting until after Dr. Ryan left the room. Her response, while honest, garnered some glares from Derek and Addison.
"You are one of the best surgeons in the world, but more importantly, you believed me when she didn't," Meredith said, taking deep breaths.
"I need my doctor to believe me," Meredith added. Addison nodded in understanding before someone called back to let her know an OR had opened up for Meredith's c-section.
Soon, they were all on the move, wheeling Meredith out of the room to take her down to the OR. Everyone outside stood up, seeing the gurney come out, concerned and curious.
"She needs a c-section, so we're taking her down to the OR," Derek explained.
"Can I watch?" Angela asked excitedly. Jake gave her a look.
"What?" Angela asked innocently.
"Meredith?" Addison asked.
"Sure, whatever," Meredith replied, unbothered.
Angela smiled widely before following Derek, Addison, Jake, Cristina, and Meredith. Everyone else stayed in the waiting room watching the kids. Henry stayed close to Audrey, burying his head in her chest as they sat, still a little shaken up by everything that had happened at the restaurant.
In the OR, Addison performed Meredith's c-section while Jake assisted and Angela sat up in the gallery, watching. Derek and Cristina stood by Meredith's side, keeping her calm.
"There he is," Addison said, her smile widening.
"I don't hear crying. Why isn't he crying?" Meredith asked, frantic.
"I'm sure she's got it," Derek tried to calm his wife, but he was worried too, watching his ex-wife carry the baby over to the side, with Jake following closely behind.
"Well?" Cristina asked after Addison didn't reply after enough time had passed.
"Addie," Derek said sternly.
"He's just in a little respiratory distress, so we're gonna intubate, but everything's gonna be okay," Addison replied as she and some scrub nurses continued working on the baby.
"Jake, you good to close?" Addison asked, glancing back at her husband as he walked back over to Meredith.
"I got it. Go," Jake replied as he got to work closing Meredith up.
"Derek, go with him. Do not leave his side for a second. Do you hear me?" Meredith asked.
"Okay," Derek agreed.
"Yang, don't leave her side. Make sure she's okay. You understand me?" Derek asked.
"Who do you think you're talking to?" Cristina joked as Derek kissed Meredith on the forehead before following Addison and her team with the baby, now intubated, toward the NICU.
"So, you really asked Addison to go to Fiji with you on your second date?" Cristina asked once things had calmed in the OR room. From the gallery, Angela giggled. Jake chuckled as he continued working on closing Meredith.
"Cristina! He's a little busy right now," Meredith scolded.
"He's just closing. I could do it with my eyes closed. No offense," Cristina replied, directing her last comment towards Jake.
"No offense taken," Jake replied, brushing it off.
"I mean, I'd do it, but I think we're close enough as it is," Cristina joked.
"So, did you?" Cristina asked, going back to Jake.
"Yes, yes I did," Jake replied.
"Bold move," Cristina commented.
"I already had the trip planned. I just…invited her to come along," Jake said.
"Still. Fiji as a third date…," Meredith commented as Jake continued brushing it off.
"Give it to me straight, Addie," Derek said after they reached the NICU and Addison had finished setting everything up with the rest of the team of residents.
"He's a little smaller and a little less developed than I would've liked at 33 weeks, but he's got a good shot," Addison replied.
"How long does he need the intubation?" Derek asked.
"I'd say at least a few days. He's in pretty good shape as a preemie," Addison replied as she looked down at the baby in the incubator.
"So, he's gonna be okay?" Derek asked, needing her confirmation.
"He should be just fine, Derek," Addison reassured him, briefly touching his arm and smiling before grabbing the baby's charts to fill out.
"And Jake? He's good?" Derek asked, referring to her husband's surgical skills.
"Yes," Addison said without hesitation. If he wasn't so stressed out right now, she would've been insulted that Derek didn't think Jake was a more-than-capable surgeon. Derek nodded. If she was even a little worried, she would've told him. He was sure of that.
Derek pulled a chair to sit beside the baby in the incubator as Addison continued working. Ten minutes later, Cristina came up and strapped on a gown and a mask before entering the NICU.
"How is she?" Derek asked, turning to face her.
"She's great. Fiji brought her up to a recovery room," Cristina replied.
"Fiji?" Derek asked.
"How…how do you even know about that?" Addison asked.
"Know about what?" Derek asked, looking over at Addison.
"I asked She-Shepherd what I should call him. She said you guys call him Fiji Guy," Cristina chuckled.
"Were you really gonna go to Fiji with him on your third date?" Cristina asked.
"You what?" Derek asked, amused, as he turned to look at Addison.
"Yes, but I didn't," Addison said, trying to defend herself. She admitted it was crazy, but it was also romantic.
"He really asked you to go to Fiji with him for your third date?" Derek asked.
"Yes! He didn't end up going either 'cause of a patient emergency, but we finally did go to Fiji on our honeymoon," Addison replied, practically blushing.
"She said you hooked up with your ex instead," Cristina smirked. Derek looked even more amused than before as he chuckled.
"Okay, that's enough recapping of my love life," Addison said, stopping them from going further.
"So, Fiji's the best nickname you could come up with?" Derek asked, chuckling.
"Well, actually, Angela had a pretty good suggestion," Cristina mused. Derek and Addison looked over, curious.
"McFuego," Cristina smirked. Addison giggled.
"McFuego? Really?" Derek asked.
"It means fire in Spanish," Cristina smiled suggestively.
"Angela helped you come up with a nickname?" Addison asked after her laughs subsided.
"Well, that and Amelia," Cristina replied. Addison shook her head as she smiled. The two of them together were always quite the pair.
"We were gonna go with McHottie, but, apparently, that was Nancy's nickname," Cristina rolled her eyes.
"You gave Nancy a nickname? When?" Derek asked.
"Probably when she came to visit. You interns were almost worse than the nurses," Addison commented.
"So, instead of McHottie, you came up with McFuego?" Derek asked.
"It means fire in Spanish," Cristina smirked, repeating herself from earlier.
"Wait, weren't you with Jake while he was closing Meredith?" Derek asked.
"Yeah," Cristina replied. Addison giggled, picturing Jake just standing and working while they were talking about giving him a nickname. Derek just shook his head and felt bad for the guy standing there working while they were talking about him.
"Derek, why don't you go visit your wife and I'll watch over baby boy Shepherd? And I'm assuming this means Dr. Yang here's staying, too," Addison suggested, changing the subject. Cristina nodded and smiled to confirm.
"Alright," Derek chuckled as he got up, switching places with Cristina.
The second Derek stepped foot into Meredith's room, he found Lexie in the room with Zola sitting next to her.
"Daddy!" Zola exclaimed, running over to him.
"Hey, Princess," Derek said, picking her up and kissing her cheek.
"How is he?" Meredith asked, clearing her throat as her voice sounded hoarse.
"He's good. He's gonna be intubated for a few days, but Addie says he's gonna be okay," Derek replied.
"Can I see him?" Meredith asked, looking over at Jake.
"If you feel strong enough, we can wheel you over to the NICU," Jake said. She'd still need another day or two to recover more from her c-section, but he knew Meredith was strong enough to go for a visit if she was up for it.
"Yes, I'm fine, let's go," Meredith replied.
"I'll find a wheelchair," Lexie said, getting up.
"Thanks, Lex," Derek added before she left the room.
On the way to grab a wheelchair, Lexie passed everyone else in the waiting room, still waiting for answers.
"How are they?" Mark asked.
"Good. The baby's intubated, but Dr. Montgomery said it should only be for a few days," Lexie informed them as she walked past. After disappearing around the corner, she came back, pushing a wheelchair.
"Can we see them?" Audrey asked hesitantly.
"Oh, yeah," Lexie replied, smiling before going back to pushing the wheelchair toward Meredith's room.
"Just in small groups. We can't have too many people in the NICU," Lexie added, motioning for everyone to follow her.
Jake and Derek helped Meredith into her wheelchair before they all headed over to the NICU, where Addison and Cristina were monitoring the baby. After seeing everyone, Cristina made her way out to let other people get their turn. Derek went first with Meredith and Zola. Technically, it was supposed to be two people at a time, but Addison made an exception for them.
"Zola, this is your new brother," Derek said, holding her in his arms but lowering her just slightly to get a better look at the baby.
"Why's he in the box?" Zola asked, looking up curiously at her dad.
"He's having a little trouble breathing, so this incubator and the tube in his mouth are helping him breathe," Derek pointed out.
"Oh," Zola said, accepting it easily.
Addison stood back, letting the happy family have their moment together as a foursome, where Jake knocked on the glass, motioning for her to come out. As she came out, she saw Henry holding his arms out to her while Audrey held him. Addison took Henry off her daughter's hands while Jake walked into the NICU, switching places with her.
Derek, Meredith, and Zola stayed watching the baby for a few more minutes before Derek brought Zola back out to stay with Lexie before getting Audrey to come in to join him. He wanted her to meet her new brother first, before everyone else got in there. Audrey peered over the glass, watching the baby breathe with the tube in his mouth, sleeping peacefully.
"So, what's his name?" Audrey asked, curious.
"We don't have one yet," Derek replied.
"I like Noah," Derek mused.
"What about Addison?" Meredith suggested.
"You want to name our baby after my ex-wife?" Derek asked.
"Wouldn't that be confusing?" Audrey added. Derek motioned toward his daughter, agreeing with her.
"I mean, maybe, but she saved my life, Derek. And his life. I feel like we should honor that somehow," Meredith said, still staring at the baby in the incubator.
"Jake helped; Jake's a better name," Derek commented. Clearly, neither of them cared that Jake was still in the room. Meanwhile, Jake stood back, watching them talk, smiling through his amusement, but stayed out of the conversation.
"All he did was close me up. No offense, Jake," Meredith replied, looking back towards Jake, who just smiled politely back.
"Okay, fine, but I'm not giving our baby the same name as my ex-wife," Derek protested.
"What's Addison's middle name?" Meredith asked. Audrey looked over at her dad, also curious.
"Adrienne," Derek replied, sighing.
"That's a good name," Meredith commented.
"It's also Audrey's middle name," Derek pointed out.
"It is?" Audrey asked.
She'd grown up with the middle name, Mirielle, also French for "miraculous". Evelyn told her they'd given her that name because she was their little miracle baby. Audrey looked back on the moment she'd told her and felt sick thinking about it now.
"Yeah," Derek confirmed, smiling.
"Can't we just pick a name we both like that isn't my ex-wife's name?" Derek asked. Meredith sighed and thought hard for a minute.
"You're welcome to suggest something, too," Derek said, looking over at Audrey. Naming a baby felt like a lot of pressure but an honor to Audrey, but she wasn't sure if she had any the couple would like.
"Sebastian?" Audrey tried.
"Sebastian Shepherd? Kind of a mouthful, don't you think?" Derek asked playfully.
"Not any more than Audrey Adrienne," Audrey quipped, making Meredith laugh. All Derek could think was that she got Amelia and Addison's sense of humor.
"What about William?" Meredith suggested. The look on Audrey's face showed she liked the name, and Derek couldn't help but laugh over the irony.
"What?" Meredith asked as she and Audrey laughed along, confused.
"William is Addison's grandfather's name. It's also what we would've named Audrey if she'd been a boy," Derek informed them. Audrey smiled.
"That's perfect then!" Meredith commented excitedly.
"Derek William Shepherd. I like it," Meredith added. Audrey giggled. Lexie was right; they already had their minds set on naming him after Derek.
They cooed over the baby for a little while longer before Derek and Audrey left the room to let other people have a turn to visit with the baby. But only after they told everyone what they'd name the baby.
"Wasn't that Addison's grandfather's name?" Amelia asked.
"Yeah, that's kind of why Meredith liked it so much. She wanted to name him after you, Addison," Derek replied. Addison blushed, unable to hide the wide smile spreading on her face.
"Wait, if you liked the name so much, why wasn't Henry named William?" Angela asked, curious as she looked over at Addison, who still had Henry in her arms.
"Because I looked at him and knew his name was Henry," Addison said, looking at Henry in her arms before kissing his nose, making him giggle.
"Plus, Grandpa actually met Audrey, but not Henry," Addison added.
"He met me?" Audrey asked, curious.
"He was pretty sick at the time, but yeah. He was so excited when we let him hold you for the first and, well, only time," Addison replied, feeling choked up, thinking about her late grandfather. Derek rubbed his ex-wife's back gently.
"He just sat in our living room holding you for hours while you slept. Addison sat on the couch beside him and they just…watched you sleep for almost two hours. His nurse finally told him it was time to go home since it was getting late," Derek added.
"He had lung cancer. Stage four. He and Birdy were big smokers back in the day, and Grandpa stopped when I begged him to when I was…around the same age you are now, actually. He died a few months before your first birthday," Addison recounted. Everyone nodded, letting the somber mood hang for a moment.
"Does this mean we can see the baby now?" Lexie finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, go ahead," Derek said, motioning for her to go in.
"I got her," Derek added, referring to Sofia after seeing Mark watch Lexie walk into the room.
"Thanks, man," Mark smiled before going in to see the baby.
While Mark and Lexie visited and cooed over the sleeping baby, Meredith watched from afar, still sitting in her wheelchair.
"We should get you back to your room, Meredith," Jake said, feeling a little guilty about interrupting the happy moment. Truth be told, most doctors would've already brought her back to her room to get some rest.
"You can come back tomorrow to visit, but Dr. Montgomery's got him from here," Jake said.
"Fine," Meredith replied. She could try to argue, but she knew her body needed the rest.
Eventually, everyone visited with baby William, including the couple's other friends in the hospital who had gotten word of the baby's birth. By the time it got dark outside, Derek was sitting in Meredith's room, quietly eating mac and cheese from the cafeteria with Zola.
Addison had gone back and forth between checking on Meredith and checking on the baby, but by now, Jake convinced her the resident O.B. had the rest covered. Addison agreed, but she still insisted on sticking it out for a few more days until William could breathe on his own. After she changed out of her scrubs, she found Audrey looking in on Derek, Meredith, and Zola.
"Hey," Addison said softly, gently touching her shoulder.
"Hey," Audrey said, straightening up her posture.
"You know, you can go in there. You're family now, too," Addison reminded her.
"I know, I just…I don't know, wanted to give them some privacy," Audrey replied.
"Why did you want to name me after your grandfather?" Audrey asked, curious after watching Derek, Meredith, and Zola for another minute.
"He was one of my favorite people in the world. My family is…complicated; they always have been and probably always will be, but he…he looked out for me. He didn't care about what people thought nearly as much as Bizzy or The Captain. He just…wanted me to be happy. He and Birdy, my grandmother, were the first people I told when I started telling people I was pregnant with you," Addison replied.
"And Henry?" Audrey asked, giggling. She'd been there when Angela had asked the same question, but she wondered if her answer would be any different now that they were alone.
"Henry…looked like a Henry. I wish I had a better story or explanation, but it's honest," Addison replied.
"I guess I've gotta admit you're right. He really does look like a Henry," Audrey said, giggling.
"What do you think about grabbing something to eat? Outside of the hospital, I mean," Addison added after remembering Derek, Zola, and even Meredith were having cafeteria macaroni and cheese for dinner.
"You hungry?" Addison asked.
"Yeah, I am," Audrey realized she hadn't eaten much that day. Mark had been nice enough to get lunch for everyone at the restaurant before they all met up at the hospital, so at least she'd had lunch, but she hadn't eaten since Meredith's c-section.
"Good. Amelia wants burgers," Addison laughed before wrapping an arm around her shoulder and walking back to where she knew Jake, Angela, Henry, and Amelia were waiting for them. When Jake saw the girls, he smiled as it reminded him of when Addison walked with an arm draped over Amelia or Angela'sshoulders.
"There you are! I'm starving," Amelia joked. Addison and Audrey laughed.
"Me too!" Henry agreed enthusiastically.
"Okay, let's go," Addison added as Jake knelt to help Henry put on his jacket.
"What's the best burger place in Seattle, anyway?" Amelia asked as she put on her jacket.
"Dick's," Alex chimed in as he passed by.
"Well, hello to you, too, Karev," Addison joked, chuckling to herself.
"Dick's also opens late ," Alex added before continuing to walk away.
"Alex Karev, ladies and gentlemen," Addison added, making Alex smirk and bow playfully before walking to the nurse's station.
"Ooh, he's right—Dick's Drive-In. Closes at two A.M.," Angela said, reading it off her phone after looking it up.
"Told you!" Alex called out, not even looking up from his paperwork.
"Probably does well with the college crowd," Jake added as they all started walking.
"Or the inebriated," Amelia quipped, using a word she knew was both appropriate and too big of a word for Henry to repeat back.
"Not to mention doctors with weird hours," Addison added.
"You wanna come?" Angela asked, looking over at Alex. Alex looked up from his paperwork, not entirely sure if she was asking him. He looked behind him to see if there was anyone else there and then turned back to face everyone. When he saw Angela smiling back at him, he knew she was, indeed, asking him.
"I'm sure he has some work to finish," Jake interjected.
"Sure," Alex shrugged. He could go for a burger. Plus, he could see the look on Addison's face, and he found it amusing making her feel uncomfortable.
"Really?" Addison and Amelia asked in unison.
"Yeah. Just give me a minute to change," Alex said, before walking away.
Angela had a big smile on her face while they all stood there waiting, which Amelia definitely took notice of. She made a face, which started a whole silent conversation with Angela where she realized Angela had a little crush on him. Amelia didn't expect it, but she found it amusing. Alex Karev didn't seem like her type, but who was she to judge? He definitely wasn't the worst guy she'd ever liked.
Less than two minutes later, they saw Alex come back out, now in his street clothes, ready to go. They all smiled before walking toward the hospital exit and piling into Jake's rental car and Alex's car, since they didn't have enough room for all of them in one car. Angela, Amelia, and Audrey rode in Alex's car while Jake and Addison kept Henry with them.
"So, how do you like Seattle so far?" Alex asked no one in particular. Amelia had been here before briefly, but Angela and Audrey hadn't.
"It's nice. I like that it's cooler here," Angela replied. Amelia looked over at Audrey, wanting to know her answer as well.
"The weather here's pretty similar to Toledo," Audrey added.
"Good to know," Amelia commented as Alex drove.
When they got there, they found a large, vintage-style drive-in with the word Dick's in big, orange, cursive letters. As they got out of the car, they saw Jake get Henry out of his car seat before running over to greet them.
"Hey, squirt," Amelia smiled as Angela picked him up.
"Hi, Auntie. Hi, Audi," Henry waved to both girls.
"Henry, this is our new friend, Alex. Can you say hi?" Angela asked, turning so he could get a better look at him. Alex gave him a small smile and waved back.
"Hi," Henry said shyly.
Alex chuckled before they all walked closer toward the drive-in windows to line up and read the menu. The kid was cute, and he had a soft spot for kids. He always had, despite pretending like he didn't when he was younger. Now that he was older and a bona fide pediatric surgeon, Alex didn't feel the need to hide it anymore.
After figuring out what they wanted to eat, they ordered their food, with Jake offering to pay for everyone, before sitting down at a nearby table. As they ate, Angela asked Jake, Addison, and, ultimately, Alex and Amelia, questions about Meredith's c-section surgery and the baby's respiratory problems. Meanwhile, Audrey ate alongside Henry, making silly faces to make him laugh.
Once they finished dinner, they all drove back to the hospital, where Alex and the girls arrived first. Since Alex had work to get back to, he let the girls walk in with him before saying goodbye and telling Angela to text him when Addison came to pick them up. Usually, he would've just said goodbye, but with everything going on with Audrey's situation, he felt the need to confirm Angela and Audrey would be okay. When Angela texted him not even a full five minutes later, Alex was happy he'd asked.
As Alex and Angela exchanged phone numbers, unbeknownst to them, Dr. Leah Murphy spotted them in the lobby before scurrying back to work. She knew Alex was a flirt, but she didn't expect him to be into someone so young. Regardless, she ran back upstairs and found her friend, Dr. Stephanie Edwards, and told her all about it. By noon the next day, word had spread about how Alex was going out with a 20-year-old, and it was a rumor that didn't sit right with a certain Dr. Jo Wilson.
A/N: Chapter title inspired by the song, Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy) by John Lennon. Thanks to darlingwrecks for the nickname suggestion! Much better than what I was gonna go with, which I did still keep in there, which was just Fiji ?. Hope you guys continue to like where this story's going. This, unfortunately, didn't line up with the upcoming holidays as this story is somewhere in July, time-wise, but regardless, I hope everyone has a good holiday season. Thanks again for everyone's kind comments about this story so far 3. New chapter coming soon!
