The Starting Line (Reupload)

14

SOFIA ROBBIN TORRES-AMEDEO 0 WEEK, 482 grams.

   Eleanora smiled as her brother looked at his daughter through the glass with bright eyes. She looks back at the board she was writing on, sitting on the other side of the incubator.

Whenever she had some free time, Eleanora would go to the NICU and sit next to her little niece, Sofia. Max was usually there, having taken some time off from work so he could focus on Sofia and help Arizona get Callie better.

"She moved her hand!" Max shouted, shooting up into his seat with a victorious smile. Eleanora watched, her smile brightening when she saw Sofia move her hand a little. "That's my girl! She's the strongest baby here, you know. A real Amedeo."

"Of course she is," Eleanora told him, the siblings high-fiving each other. Eleanora looked towards the incubator, giving the baby a small wave.

Max looked at his daughter and let out a soft sigh. Eleanora frowned at him a little in doubt. Max didn't look at his sister but spoke in a happy voice.

"She is my perfect girl."

____

   "There they are, my three favorite people, how is everyone?" Mark asked, wrapping his arms around his wife from behind. Eleanora smiled, leaning back into his arms as she stirred the pot of soup she was making.

"We're all fine. Baby one keeps kicking me like he's a football player,​and baby number two is still moving as if he were dancing."

"And what about you?" Mark asked, placing his head in the crook of her neck. Giving little kisses there, Eleanora laughed.

"I'm fine. We had two trial patients today, and Derek let me close in an emergency craniotomy. Plus, Sofia is waving her hand like she's saying hello."

"She has that Torres strength," Mark commented, Eleanora smiling.

"Max thinks it's Amedeo's strength."

Mark smiled, pressing one last kiss to his wife's neck before pulling away. He went to the refrigerator, pulling out a bottle of water.

He looked at his wife for a moment, his eyes soft. She walked away from the oven and walked over to the counter, opened an article, and started reading it.

"I love you," Mark told her, Eleanora looking at him. She flashed him a dazzling smile, nodding her head a little.

"I know, Mark. I love you too."

Mark smiled, walking over and pressing a quick kiss to her lips before turning and heading into the living room.

"I know. What's not to love?"

____

   Eleanora is standing on the operating room table, drill in hand. Derek was on one side and Meredith on the other.

She notices that the patient's heart rate is elevated and looks at the Derek. "His heart rate is 102."

Derek frowns a little before lowering himself to look at his patient, his voice calm. "Are you nervous, Ed?"

"Yes, it's like going to the dentist, only worse."

"Well, this will be over before you know it." Derek tells him. The door opens and the OR nurse enters with the folder.

Derek nods to Eleanora, and she grabs the drill and starts it. "I'm going to start drilling, Ed. You won't feel anything, though. Just take a deep breath, and-"

Suddenly, Ed begins to writhe and grunt in pain. Eleanora looks up, the machines starting to go crazy.

"Ed? Try to relax for me, okay?"