The Brightest Stars ✨

Chapter 41

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I know I'm the worst! I'm so sorry, please accept this chapter in penance! How is everyone? I hope we're all okay! We've got a heatwave in London, I'm currently under a tree in the park trying to fan my underboobs *crying emoji* _______________________

Chapter 41

Gabe felt like he was underwater. The flurry of activity around him seemed to move in slow motion, with voices garbled and distant, as if muffled by an impenetrable barrier.

The surgical team darted around, their movements precise but surreal, and he struggled to grasp the gravity of the situation. His chest felt tight, and he was acutely aware of every beat of his heart, every shallow breath he took.

His mum's voice cut through the haze, clear and firm. "She needs you."

Those words were like a life raft in a raging sea. Gabe's vision focused on her, her calmness providing a stark contrast to the chaos around him. The reality of the situation hit him with full force. Natalia needed him and he had to be there for her, no matter how disoriented he felt.

He quickly found his footing, moving towards the operating room where Natalia was being prepped. As he entered, he saw her lying on the table, her face uncharacteristically pale and tense. Gabe's heart ached at the sight. He reached for her hand, trying to convey reassurance through his touch. The medical team worked efficiently, their chatter now more comprehensible to him as he forced himself to focus on her.

Dr. Karonovsky's voice broke through the fog of his thoughts. "We're going to put her under general anaesthesia now. Gabe, you'll have to step out until the procedure is underway."

Gabe nodded, though every instinct screamed at him to stay by Natalia's side. He watched as the team prepared her for the anaesthesia from outside the operating room.

In the waiting area, time seemed to stretch endlessly. Gabe paced back and forth, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on him. Elizabeth and Shaneese sat nearby, their faces a blend of concern and stoicism. Lima, oddly quiet for once, was staring unblinkingly into space.

The minutes ticked by with excruciating slowness. Gabe's mind raced, replaying every moment of the past few hours, every decision made, every word spoken. The reality of an emergency C-section was sinking in, and he grappled with the fear that something could go wrong despite the reassurances.

Should they even have attempted the natural birth considering the circumstances, guilt gnawed at the bottom of his stomach. It was her choice, his brain supplied but in his heart he knew that he should have insisted on an elective caesarean, he should have put his foot down. This was on him.

Just when he thought he couldn't bear the waiting any longer, the doors to the operating room finally swung open. Dr. Karonovsky emerged, his face a mask of professional calm.

"Gabe?" he said, and Gabe felt a jolt of apprehension as he moved forward. "We have a healthy baby girl."

The words took a moment to register. Gabe's legs felt weak, and he had to steady himself. "Is Natalia okay?" he asked, his voice cracking.

"She's stable. The procedure went smoothly. We'll be monitoring her closely, but she's in good hands," Dr. Karonovsky assured him.

Gabe let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding. "Can I see her?"

"Not just yet," the doctor said gently. "We need to complete a few more checks, but you'll be able to see her soon."

Gabe nodded, his heart now focused on the fact that he had a daughter. He needed to see her, to hold her, to understand the reality of this new life they had brought into the world.

As he waited, his mom came over and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You did great, Gabe. She's going to be okay."

Gabe managed a weak smile, his emotions a whirlwind. "I hope so. I just want to see Natalia and our baby."

Eventually, he was led to a small, private area where he could meet their daughter. The sight of her—tiny and wrinkled, wrapped snugly in a blanket—filled him with a profound sense of awe. He looked down at her, overwhelmed by the sheer miracle of her existence. She was the culmination of every right decision he'd ever made in his life and she was perfect.

When Natalia was finally brought from the recovery room, Gabe was there by her side. He took her hand gently, his heart full of relief and gratitude.

He spoke though she was still sleeping off the anaesthesia. "You did it," he said softly. "We did it."

Gabe felt a surge of love and responsibility unlike anything he had ever known. He was willing to bend himself into any and every form, to protect them from all harm. That was his life's new purpose.

"What do you think about the name Nicole?" He asked Natalia's sleeping form, his daughter let out what seemed like a war cry at that, and the matter was settled.

"Why is her head like that? Gabe! She's got a head like something out of Aliens, Jesus, Gabe!" Were Natalia's first words as soon as she woke up. She was surprisingly coherent for someone that had passed out during childbirth and had undergone an emergency operation.

He stifled a laugh. "Hello, to you too sunshine."

"But, Gabe her head!"

"I know, I know," He soothed. "I asked the same thing, it's completely normal. It happened when they pulled her out. It will be a normal shape in a couple of hours."

He should have insisted with Elizabeth and Shaneese that they put a hat on her, but the temperature was turned up all the way in the maternity unit for these small babies and their moms, they were afraid she would overheat.

She settled down after that, her face going from alarm to exhaustion. "Can I hold her?"

"Of course you can, Mama." Gabe grinned. He knew she wasn't strong enough to fully hold the baby yet. So he laid her in between Natalia's chest and the crook of her neck. The baby, his daughter, burrowed her face into Natalia's skin rooting for milk.

"She's hungry," Natalia said in mid-cry. "I don't think I can — "

"I know, Baby. We gave her a bottle. She's not hungry, she just wants to smell her, Mama. She missed you. Everything is going to be fine. Just focus on feeling better, okay?"

"She's got your pointy elf ears," Natalia giggled after a while and Gabe laughed with her elated that he had managed to avert two small crises in the span of 10 minutes. Maybe he wasn't going to be completely useless at being a Dad.