The Insiders ↠ Jackson Avery

one; sanctuary

"The hospital was my safe place, my sanctuary. I love it here. Correction- loved it here."

Nola never realized just how much she loved it here. While Mercy West was her birthplace, the place of her first surgery, the first time she put on those orange scrubs and said "im a doctor- sorta". But there was just something about Seattle Grace. Something that made her feel official- like she could take on the medical world. It was light, bright. It gave her this feeling that everything would be okay. That she could make everything okay.

"Eight months, you're really getting there" Bailey smiled as the two of them stood in the elevator. Nola smiled down at the shorter doctor, the words only making her more excited, she couldn't wait to bring her little boy into the world. Nola would be the first to tell you that this wasn't her plan. It wasn't her plan to give birth halfway through her residency, to have absolutely nothing figured out. Nola was a planner, she'd figured out where she was going to college before she was eleven. Figured out what she wanted to do by fifteen. Saving lives. She first figured it out when she did lifeguard training, then again when a family member collapsed at a reunion; the paramedics told her that if she hadn't performed CPR- they would have died. Nola planned.

There was this rush for Nola. A rush outsider didn't understand. The idea that there wasn't anything but you keeping a patient alive. A rush knowing that every move you made, gave them another second. It was why working trauma was her favourite. Everything was simply "what is the best thing to do for them at that moment". That was her saying, the one quote she repeated over and over.

"Washington! There you are!"Bennett smiled as he threw his arm over her shoulders, even at 5'7, he towered over her Bailey rolled her eyes at the loudness of the resident too much for her this early in the day, or ever really when it comes to her.

"Please save me, she won't stop talking about your baby shower. If I have to hear about streamers one more time I will make sure I become a veggie on the ninth floor" Bennett told her, his face stone and serious as the two of them made their way towards the resident locker room.

"I think that was supposed to be a secret big guy" Nola laughed as she patted her best friend on the back, his eyes going wide as he held his breath in.

"You have to pretend you don't know, or she will make sure Im a veggie" Bennett pleaded, both of their smiles falling as April caught up with them.

"Who will make you a veggie?"

"Um, Bailey, that woman terrifies me"Bennett told the girl, who's competitiveness about throwing the "best baby shower anyone has ever seen" was almost as noticeable as a large yellow sticker from the peds floor.

Nola stopped walking as she sucked in a large breath through her teeth, both of her hands going to the top and bottom of her round belly.

"Nol? What's wrong?"Bennett asked, the protectiveness coming out of his voice as he rushed to her side.

"Can someone get me a wheelchair?!"He yelled, his head popping up to look around as all eyes went directly to the pregnant woman.

"It's fine, the pain is gone now"Nola promised, dismissing his look of concern as she started walking away, only to stop again as water filled her shoes.

"No, no, this isn't happening, it's not time yet. Ive got another month"Nola said, panic and fear lacing her eyes and voice as tears began to pile along the ridge.

"Go get that wheelchair!"Bennett demanded, without even a second thought, Nola's hand found Bennetts as she squeezed as tight as possible, the pain becoming stronger with every second. She'd felt uncomfortable when she woke up this morning, and then she thought she had heartburn, but it wasn't uncommon for late third-trimester uncomfortableness. If there was one thing Nola promised she'd never be, it would be a hypochondriac.

"Its gonna be okay, we went to those classes, we put all those saftey thingys in. God, that was the most painful week of my life"Bennett joked, trying his absolute best to make her laugh.

"Where is April?!"Nola grunted out, squeezing his hand tight again before the pressure passed and she felt better again. The first contraction had passed.

"False alarm"Nola declared, a smile on her face as she picked up her bag which had been dropped on the floor.

"False alarm? Your liquid is all over the floo-"

"Sir, you can't go up there!" Both Nola and Bennett dropped to the ground the sound of a loud bang, the taller boy scoping her and the bump up in his arms, as they sat on the ground.

"What was that?! Bennett? What was that?!"Nola asked, her heart rate spiking as she spoke over the screams. The boy didn't answer as his head moved a mile a minute. Nola could feel his heartbeat against her back, hear the heaviness of his breathing in her ear.

Before she could even look at the scene in front of her, she felt herself left up from the ground, moving fast towards a small room.

"I-I can't b-breath" Nola stated, her chest rising in and out at an alarming rate as Bennett placed her down on a cold floor, her back leaning against a supply closet. Her damp pants sticking to her thighs as she placed her hands on her bump.

"N-not today, okay? Please baby boy, not today" She whispered, her hands moving in circular motions.

"Nol, Nol, look at me okay?"Bennett said, sitting on his knees as he placed his hands in hers.

"Im gonna go out and see what's going on okay? I need to find something who can be here to monitor you. I'll be back" He told her, promised her.

"No! Absolutely not. Don't you dare leave me, Bennett Andrew Russo!"The tears were now streaming down her face, her head shaking as she held onto his hands like she never had before.

"I'll be right back, I promise okay? Just stay put, please. For the both of us"He begged, referring to him and the baby as he stood up, placing one last kiss on her forehead before he walked out the door, the sound of her sobs breaking his heart with every step.

The vibrating in her pocket distributed her thoughts, the code appearing on her pager made her bring her hand to her mouth as she sobbed even harder.

Lockdown.

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