MARINA ONE-SHOTS

CHAPTER 7: Baby Duties

Maya knocked twice on Carina's door before hearing a familiar, "Come in!" She smiled brightly, pushed the door open, and walked inside to see her wife bent over a pile of paperwork, brows furrowed, her body stiff as a bow.

"Jo, I told you to look at my post-ops. Why are you here?" Carina said, without even caring to look up. Maya stifled a laugh, knowing this was common with her wife. Maya smiled as she held the baby boy in her arms and he smiled back at his mom, understanding absolutely nothing of the situation.

"I'm not Jo, and I think your post-ops are doing just fine." Carina's head whipped up and a huge smile took over her face instantly, as she looked at her wife standing in the doorway with their grinning son in her arms.

"Maya! Andrea!" The baby perked up when he heard his name being called and babbled something as Carina quickly got up and walked over to her family. Her family. Carina couldn't get enough of that. She loved them. She loved the fact that finally, after everything, she had a family. She had a wife and she had a baby boy. She was loved just the way she loved them.

"I am so sorry, I told you I would take him today." Maya started and dropped the diaper bag on the floor. Baby Andrea held out his arms for Carina as he tried to push out of Maya's arms, "But I'm being called in."

Carina took Andrea into her arms and pressed a kiss to his cheek, only to make him giggle.

Carina smiled at Maya, "Go. I have him."

Maya sighed, smile slipping off her face for a moment, "I love you two." She pressed her lips on Andrea's forehead before leaning up and kissing her wife.

Maya never told Carina about the fires she ran into or when. But sometimes, Carina knew. Times like this.

"I'm going to come back soon. You won't even know I'm gone. I swear." Maya stroked the boy's blond hair.

"I know you will." Carina leaned down a little and pulled her in for another kiss, lingering a little longer than a usual peck. She knew Maya needed all the support; this was the way Carina could give everything required. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Maya said and cleared her throat, moving back towards the door. Andrea tried to reach out, but Carina shushed him, bouncing him on her hip.

"I changed him a while ago, so he won't be needing a new diaper very soon. But he might need to have a little food and sleep. He's tired." Maya pressed two fingers on her lip and blew them one last kiss, before escaping the office.

It was always hard, to leave her wife and kid alone before going into a fire. And not just any fire, a five-alarm. Maya tried not to overthink and exited the hospital.

Meanwhile, Carina went back to her desk and sat Andrea down on her lap. He looked up at her expectantly, smiling at his mother.

"Yes, bambino, you're stuck with me for now." Carina kissed the baby's forehead and handed him a toy before securing a hand around his waist and going back to completing her charts.

He continued his undecipherable babble and laughed every time Carina ticked a box or signed her name. Carina couldn't help but smile wider at every little laugh her baby gave out. She loved being a mom. And even Andrea was a delight to be around. He didn't fuss much. He was always happy, bright, and shiny. And he loved the people in the hospital as much as he loved the fire station. Carina smiled when he tried to take hold of a pen and draw something on a piece of paper.

A knock made Carina look up from the papers, only to see Amelia enter. She instantly smiled after seeing the baby in her arms and went forward to pick him up, "What's the youngest doctor of Grey-Sloan doing here today?" Amelia nuzzled her nose into the baby's hair making the baby laugh.