Omega Lab

Chapter 23 Bittersweet

Chapter 23 Bittersweet

It was after midnight when Kevin walked out to the waiting room on the birthing floor. Cash and Tenpo were huddled together fast asleep. Bashir and Kira were talking quietly and jumped up from their seats.

Kevin smiled and held up his hands stopping them before they could start. "They're doing great. It's a boy. He's early but he's already five pounds."

Bashir felt the blood rushing out of his body and grabbed onto Kira. A huge grin spread across his face. "A boy?"

Kevin nodded.

Kira clapped him on the back. "Congrats, Bashir."

Cash rubbed his eyes and looked around. "What's going on?"

"It's a boy," Bashir announced.

His face lit up. "Congratulations, Dr. Bashir and Tenpo."

Bashir squeezed Tenpo tightly and turned back to Kevin. "How's Sena?"

Kevin's smile faded a little and he pulled Bashir away. "Let's talk over here a moment."

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Tenpo buried his face in Bashir's chest and cried. Cash cried silently clutching Kira's hand. Kira grit her teeth holding back her tears and squeezed Bashir's hand with her other. They stared through the observation window to Sena's room at his lifeless form.

An oxygen mask covered his nose and mouth. An IV line ran from his arm to two bags hanging nearby. Colorful lines danced up and down on another monitor. Wires snaked out the left sleeve of his gown attached to another machine that had red and white graph paper with black peaks and valleys printed on it. A nasal cannula delivered oxygen to his body. Bashir stared expressionless into the room as Kevin's words replayed in his ears.

Placenta abruptio. Loss of blood. Uncontrolled hemorrhaging. Hysterectomy. Drug induced coma.

Bashir closed his eyes and leaned his forehead on the cool glass. His voice cracked. "My poor Sena."

Everyone looked at him.

Tears streamed down his face. "What am I gonna tell him? What do I say?"

Tenpo pulled away and his eyes grew wide. He'd never seen Bashir like this. "Bashir?" His alpha had never shown weakness.

Bashir was overcome. For once, he didn't know how to fix something. He covered his face and began to sob. "This is gonna devastate him. I'll lose him."

"You won't lose him." Tenpo hugged him as his own guilt intensified. "Kevin said he's in a medical induced coma so his body can heal itself faster."

Kira squeezed his hand. "You can't break down right now, Bashir. The baby needs you."

He wiped his eyes and took a deep breath.

She pecked Cash on the cheek. "I'll be right back."

Cash blew his nose and tried to smile. "Okay."

She dragged Bashir behind her. "Tenpo, keep an eye on my crybaby while I get this one cleaned up."

They walked down the hallway and ducked into a women's bathroom. Kira stood guard by the door as Bashir splashed water on his face and smoothed back his hair.

"I look like shit," he noted looking at the dark circles under his eyes and the thin red veins cutting across the whites of his eyes.

She snorted. "You think so? You've been up for over 36 hours, right?"

He leaned against the counter. "That sounds about right."

"You haven't eaten anything or drank anything other than coffee ."

"That is true," he agreed.

She put a reassuring hand on his back. "I've already made the calls.  Kevin and Peter took the day off and will be here around nine. Get breakfast with Tenpo then go see your son. Cash and I are also off.  We will watch over Sena until they get here.  We will notify you the millisecond there is any change."

He turned and looked at her. For everyone to take off and be at the hospital with him and his partners made so many emotions go through Bashir.  "You'd all do all that for me?"

She turned her head and crossed her arms. She's a prideful creature, after all.  "Don't read too much into it."

He laughed and bear hugged her. She was all alpha - bossy, arrogant, moody, and a workaholic.  But she was also his colleague, his friend, his sister and prone to bouts of kindness, tenderness, and generosity among other things.  Despite the shit that came out of her mouth.  He laid his head on her shoulder and sighed deeply.  "Thank you."