Jo looked for a way to ease the pain as she looked around the bedroom. She thought about lying down as the bed looked so inviting. But then she looked towards the bathroom and thought about how nice the shower had felt that morning. She walked over to the shower, quickly stripped out of her dress, and turned on the hot water. Jo let the water cascade over her body as she threw her hair up into a messy bun. She moved so that she was bending over with her hands on the railing. Alex had installed it after she came home from the hospital.

The next contraction hit a few seconds later and with the hot water on her back, it eased the pain a little bit or at least made it more manageable. Jo was able to breathe through this contraction a little better. Thus she was able to relax more after the contraction ended and closed her eyes as she rested.

Now she understood why all her patients wanted to labor in the tubs. Even though as an obstetrician it was a difficult obstacle and kind of a pain in the ass to get dredged in a bath of human fluids. But from the mother's perspective, it was so much easier.

Jo let out a sigh of relief as she looked at her bump in the reflection of the glass. She wanted to memorize how it would look for the last time. Jo grabbed her phone and took a few pictures. This would be her last few moments pregnant, and part of her wanted to save it. Despite how much she also wanted it over. She looked down at her bump again and cradled it with her hand.

"Will I guess you made up your mind about when you were finally going to come out," Jo said to her baby, except this time they didn't respond, although she could still feel them move a little bit. She knew they wouldn't be moving a whole lot while she was in labor.

"I can't wait to kiss you, especially your cute little toes," Jo said as she smiled, thinking about how she would be holding her baby in a few hours. "You're going to be brought to this crazy world, but no matter what we love you so much. Even if you are another little girl, your daddy's going to be so happy. He's the best daddy in the world and your sisters are amazing, although I can't promise they'll always be nice to you. I can promise that I'll always try to make them play nicely with you. And I promise I'll always be on your side, baby…"

Jo trailed off as another contraction hit her. She breathed through this one and stood under the water, counting down the seconds for it to end.

"For the sake of your Mama, please make this easy on me," Jo said as she talked to her baby who awarded her with his strong kick as her contraction ended.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

While Jo was trying to relax in the shower, Alex was downstairs frantically trying to make lunch and find a babysitter. He had already called Link but apparently, he was already at the hospital, and so were Amelia and Maggie. Even Jules the intern was busy, so he called the person he probably should have called first, Meredith.

It rang a few times as Alex spread the peanut butter onto two slices of bread so hard that it cut through the slice. He wondered if the girls would notice or care. They were pretty good about that stuff, but Luna was occasionally weird about it, and given her tantrum early he decided just to get another piece of bread.

Finally, Meredith picked up.

"Hey Alex what's up?" Meredith asked as she casually responded to him.

"Jo's in labor can you come over and watch the girls?" Alex said, getting it all out of his mouth so fast he wasn't sure if Meredith had heard him.

"Yes, I'll be right over, I just have to get the kids," Meredith said as he heard her get up and yell at Zola and Bailey in the background.

"Great, thank you," Alex said as he let out a sigh of relief.

"How far apart are her contractions?"

"They're still about fifteen minutes apart so we got a little bit of leeway, but I want to get her to the hospital soon, especially because of her heart.

"Have you checked it?"

"No, oh shit," Alex said as he looked over at the girls to see if they had heard him.

He had put on a movie and they were glued to the screen as they watched Elsa and Anna sing. He hoped it would distract them enough that they wouldn't notice Jo in pain and him panicking.

"Okay, listen to me! You're going to go upstairs grab the heart monitor and put it on Jo. I'm going to hang up, but we're getting in the car now and we'll be there in ten minutes. But call an ambulance if her heart rate is elevated or if it declines, then call me back?"

"Yeah, okay, thank you, Meredith. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I know and you're welcome."

"Okay," Alex said as they hung up.

He looked down at the sandwiches, in his haste and distraction he had put the two peanut butter pieces together and the jelly piece together. With a shake of his head, he ripped it apart and put them back together correctly. He still ended up cutting them weirdly. Thought the girls wouldn't complain. After adding carrots and chips with some watered down juice he put them out in front of them.

Helena looked up at him and smiled. "Thank you."

But Luna just stared at the TV until he forced the sandwich plate into her lap. She looked down for a second, grabbing her sandwich and eating it with a quick thank you sign. With both of the girls fed and entertained, he ran back upstairs to check on Jo. However, he didn't find her in their bedroom.

"Jo, Jo where are you?" Alex called out looking around for her frantically.

"I'm in here," Jo said as she yelled from the bathroom and Alex heard the shower running.

"What are you doing in the shower," Alex exclaimed as Jo looked up at him with a glare and he immediately regretted his words.

"I am in labor!" Jo said, pronouncing each word to make her point. "I am allowed to labor where ever the fuck I want."

"Fair enough," Alex said, nodding. "But I need to put the heart monitor on you."

"Ugh fine," Jo said with a sigh as he grabbed the towel and held it open for her.

Alex helped quickly dry her off and Jo let him hold her hand and put one arm around her waist as he guided her to lay down on the bed. Jo let out a sigh of relief and closed her eyes as she lay down. Alex put the heart leads on her chest and hooked it up to the monitor. He also pulled out his stethoscope and listened. Her heart rate was elevated, but it wasn't too much of a concern. He also took a chance to listen to the baby's heart and smiled.

"Are they doing alright," Jo asked him, opening her eyes.

"Yeah they're doing great and so are you," Alex said, with a nod.

"Can I go back into the shower now?" Jo said reaching for the wires.

"Yeah," Alex said, however, he only took the wires off and left the sticky tabs on, knowing that they would stay on in the water. He helped Jo get back in the shower and turned on the water as she relaxed.

"Daddy, daddy!" the girls called desperately, he looked back at Jo, who nodded at him, and knowing she was fine, he raced back downstairs.

"What is it, baby?" Alex asked, looking around his heart racing.

"Chips peas," Helena said, holding up her empty plate to him.

"More carrots, peas," Luna asked, looking up at him with a smile.

He realized they had no idea Jo was in labor, nor should they. Alex tried to breathe and put on a smile. "Okay, girls."

Alex spent the next few minutes going back between Jo and the girls and waiting for Meredith to get there.

As soon as he got the girls settled with more snacks, he ran back upstairs to check on Jo in the shower. He held her through the contractions, although she was still standing under the water and was adamant about staying there.

He wrapped his arms around Jo, however, as soon as he did, the girls called back. They wanted him to watch the movie with them, then Jo was screaming for him to come back and be with her. However, Luna started to throw another tantrum as nap time approached and he had to help her and leave Jo yelling for him. When he got back to Jo she cried and begged him not to leave her as Helena called for him again, crying that Luna had hit her, and Alex sighed looking at Jo, who cried as he told her he had to go.

He went up and down, back and forth, between them. He feels like he's running around like a chicken with its head cut off. The contractions were now five minutes apart and he was anxious to get to the hospital. He texted Meredith again, but she was still five minutes away and couldn't seem to get there quick enough. Finally, he saw Meredith's car pull up as he ran down the stairs.

"Thank God, you're here," Alex said as he opened the front door as Meredith and her kids ran out of the car.

"Sorry, we got stuck behind a bus," Meredith said as she came in before looking him up and down. "Why are you all wet?"

"Jo's in the shower," Alex said, as he pulled off his shirt.

"Uncle Alex, is Auntie Jo really going to have her baby?" Ellis asked excitedly as she bounded over to him.

"Yeah sweetie but first we got to go to the hospital," Alex said as he grabbed the bags on the bench next to the door.

"Daddy!" Helena whined as she ran up to him holding her arms up.

"Helena I can't," Alex sighed as he heard Jo's moaning from upstairs, and he knew they didn't have much time.

"I got her Alex," Meredith said, picking her up although Helena flailed back and cried.

"No, Daddy," Helena cried, dissolving into a full-blown meltdown and Alex put the bags back down and took Helena from Meredith.

He held her close, she rested her head on his shoulder and her cries died down as he swayed back and forth. "She's just tired. They both are, why don't I see if I can get her to sleep before I go, she'll probably be out in a few minutes."

"Alex!" Jo called from upstairs and Alex turned to go to her, but Meredith stopped him.

"I'll go get Jo out of the shower," Meredith said as she headed upstairs. "Bailey, can you put these bags in Uncle Alex's car? Zola and Ellis, can you help Uncle Alex put Luna and Helena down for a nap?"

"Don't worry Uncle Alex, Mom will help Aunt Jo and the girls will be asleep in no time. Then you and Aunt Jo will be off to the hospital," Zola said as she walked into the living room and sat next to Luna, pulling her into her lap as Ellis turned off the TV and closed the blinds.

Alex sighed again as he paced around, holding Helena. He begged the universe that she would fall asleep before Jo had the baby in the shower.