Caught in the Flames

Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Five

As always, none of this is mine. I'm just the perv who want to make our beloved Twilight characters swear, drink, and go at it like horny rabbits. This story will be a combination of love, suspense, some violence and steamy, sweaty sex.

Chapter 165

BPOV

I stayed in the ICU for two days. The spinal took forever to wear off. I couldn't walk nor feel my legs for an entire day. Some people just have different reactions to the medications and obviously, mine was a bit more severe. When I was able to walk, I was as shaky as a newborn deer. I clung to Edward or my father, who had flown in from Forks to meet his granddaughter, walking on unsteady limbs. Once I was able to walk, I was released to the post-partum floor, right around the corner from the nursery and NICU.

I didn't stay in my room for very long. I was assessed by Dr. Popper and changed into some loose-fitting clothing. Edward rolled us to the NICU. We washed our hands and Edward put a smock over our clothes before rolling us inside. The incubator that Marie was in was closest to a bank of windows. Esme and Charlie were hovering, watching our daughter. I felt guilty, not seeing her before this. Edward locked my wheelchair and I pushed myself up, hobbling closer.

"Here's your momma, peanut," Charlie whispered, his finger rubbing Marie's belly. "She's been sick and working like hell to see you."

"Don't curse in front of your granddaughter," I chided, slipping my hands inside of the incubator. Charlie chuckled, his mustache twitching. "Hey, baby. It's Mommy. I'm ..." Tears slid down my cheeks as I broke down. "I'm so happy you're okay."

"Every moment she's getting stronger," Edward said, his arm supporting me. "She's even triggering the vent. Dr. Raab said that we can try switching to a CPAP later this afternoon."

"What's that?" I asked.

"CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure," Edward explained. "They would fit a set of nasal prongs into Marie's nose to provide this respiratory support. The baby's blood oxygen level is good now and we want to try and wean her off the oxygen so she can breathe on her own."

"And she's gained two ounces," Esme said proudly.

"I want to hold her," I whispered, moving my finger to her hand. She gripped it tightly, turning her tiny head toward me.

"When she's on the CPAP you can," Edward said, pushing a chair toward me. Gently, he guided me to sit. I grimaced, my incision pulling. I stayed in the NICU, talking with the nurses and learning as much as I could in order to care for my baby. Dr. Raab did feel that Marie was ready for a CPAP and she was fitted with a tiny mask around her head. Once that was situated, I was able to hold my baby for the first time. Edward was taking pictures with his phone, crying as I cuddled our miracle to my chest.

I was discharged two days later after I took a shit.Modesty does not matter when you are a new mother. Marie was still admitted. She was doing well on the CPAP and was able to nurse without it on. Each day, she could nurse for longer amounts of time. Today, she was able to nurse for a full fifteen minutes before she had to be placed back onto the CPAP. She was growing by leaps and bounds. Dr. Raab was hopeful that she'd be able to leave in about two weeks.

And those two weeks flew. Dr. Raab was happy with Marie's progress and she gave us the go ahead to bring her home. Edward and I, with our newly purchased Range Rover, since mine was blown up, settled our five pound, seven ounce baby girl into her car seat, heading home as a new family. Since we'd been at the hospital nearly around the clock, Esme, Carlisle, Charlie and Alice finished the nursery. All of the presents from our baby shower were put away and the few items that Edward had yet to assemble were completed by my father and Emmett.