Alex's POV
We wheel Zola into the OR, where the nurses finish up prep while Robbins and I scrub. I've operated on important patients before. I've operated on kids who I've known since they were in my NICU. I've even operated on Zola before Mer adopted her. But this one is different. Robbins does this all the time, she's a fetal surgeon. But i work with kids, so it's not very often that I get two patients in one. Two lives on the line, instead of one.
I tie on the papery surgical gown that rose crinkles when I move, and pull on my favorite scrub cap, the one I save for special surgeries. I step towards the table so I can get a clear view of the field and easy access to the baby when he's out, still managing to stay out of the way.
Zola's is still unconscious, so if I hadn't been paying attention to every detail in this OR, I might not have noticed when the anesthesiologist started the anesthesia.
"Scalpel," Arizona says firmly, grabbing hold of the tool and making the first cut. She immediately starts loosing blood, her heart rate bottoming out.
Robbins rustles around, trying to locate the bleed. The monitors are beeping like crazy, so I don't notice when Arizona occasionally calls for suction or clamp.
A few moment later, she lifts the tiny baby, clamping and cutting the cord before I jump in and grab the baby. He's not crying or squirming in my arms.
I listen for breath sounds and a heartbeat.
"He's not Breathing." I say, after cleaning him up.
I hate to ignore it, but I need to tune everything else out in order to save this baby. I don't notice when Zola becomes stable, only the frail baby laying in the incubator before me.
My intern stands next to me, waiting for instruction.
"Start CPR. Use to fingers, and don't be afraid to use pressure. He's tougher than he looks."
He starts pumping his chest, and I push an IV medication to strengthen the baby's lungs.
I intubate and start a feeding tube, then I run an ultrasound to confirm everything looks good- or as good as it can be for such I preterm baby. I put a few electrodes on various spots on his chest so we can monitor his stats. On goes his diaper and hat before i close the incubator and have him wheeled to the NICU.
"I want someone watching the baby 24/7. Page me if anything changes."
I turn around and see Robbins taking off her gown and gloves in the scrub room, and the gurney is gone. Puddles of blood and dirty sponges cover the floor, and the small group of doctors gathered in the gallery have cleared out. The nurse must have seen the look of panic on my face, because she states, "She's been moved to recovery."
I tear off my blood stained gear, walking out towards the waiting area to inform Meredith and Andrew everything that happened in surgery.
"Alex?" Meredith asks, looking back at me with hopeful eyes.
"They're both stable. Baby is in the NICU, but he's not breathing on his own. I had to intubate, but he's in the clear for now. We need to get him through the next 12 hours and then we can get a better idea of how we'll proceed."
"And Zola?"
"Room 2849."
Andrew and Meredith hurry towards the wing we're she's resting, but Michael stays behind.
"You alright, buddy?" I ask, knowing how hard it can be to have a sick baby.
"Can I... see him? The baby, is it okay if I go up to visit?" He says.
"Of course. He's to weak to be touched right now, but you can sit with him. And talk. The best thing for him right now is just to hear your voice, to know someone it there. Come on, I'll take you up now."
I lead him to the NICU and give him one of the pink NICU gowns and tie on my own before reaching out to tie his, to. I open the door and hear a gush of air escape, followed by the steady beeping of heart monitors.
I walk over to the bed that the baby is in and pull up a chair for him to sit in.
"Is he supposed to be that small? And have all of those tubes?"
"He was born really early. His body hasn't developed enough for it to do everything it needs on his own. The thick tube is to help him breathe. The little one in his arm is giving him medicine, and the clear one in his nose is a feeding tube. The wires monitor his heart so we can make sure he's okay."
"And- He can like that?"
"In a few weeks his lungs will mature enough for him to breath on his own. Then he can go home."
He looks at the baby carefully, his gaze gentle as if looking to closely could hurt the baby. He presses his finger against the glass and whispers something I can't hear to the sleeping newborn.
"Can I see Zola?" He asks. Just then, Arizona walks in.
"I'm heading to check on her, I'll take you down now." She says.
They walk out and I sit with the baby for a while longer, until I feel a hand on my shoulder. I know who it is even before she presses her lips on the back of my neck. Jo.
"You okay? I know you've had a long day. How's the baby?" She asks.
"He's stable, for now."
She leans into me and I hold her, letting everything melt away, even just for a second.
"Come on, let's go see Zo. I heard she's awake." She grabs my hand and pulls me back into the hallway. Back into reality.
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Growing up too fast
FanfictionHer mother is a world class surgeon. Her father was too. And 14 year old Zola Grey-Shepherd is a freshman in high school. She was the type of girl who studied every day, never stayed out late, never had time for boys-𝘞𝘢𝘴. Until one night she made...
