Strong [A Barson Fan Fic]

- 42 -

The plan was to keep Ezra with Lucia and Catalina until Benjamin was born. If he was with his grandmothers, that meant that Rafael could focus on his wife and their little boy wouldn't be underfoot all the time. They also didn't have to worry about getting Ezra to Lucia's apartment, while also rushing Olivia to the hospital.

On the third day, Olivia managed to sleep mostly. Rafael deep cleaned the house, while also trying to check in on his wife as often as possible. By that night, everything got really hectic, and Olivia decided that it was time to head to the hospital. She was tired of her doctor telling her no, and she felt like it was time to get checked and monitored.

"Olivia, I told you to just wait this out. If your water broke or your contractions got closer together, then you could come up." Dr. Lee sighed when she went in to see her patient.

"Dr. Lee, you have told me for almost three days straight to just wait it out. To relax and get some sleep. I have slept, I have taken baths, I have walked miles around my neighborhood, and now I need you to check me and tell me what is happening. I am in more pain than I was with Ezra, and I need to know that my baby is doing okay. That this extended labor isn't making him sick. Do you hear me?" Olivia huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Dr. Lee looked at Olivia for a moment before nodding.

"Okay. How far apart are your contractions?" The annoyed doctor asked.

"Eight minutes at the moment." Rafael spoke.

"Alright, and has your water broken yet?" Dr. Lee asked as a nurse helped Olivia to lie back.

"No, not yet." Olivia frowned.

"I don't think that this-" Dr. Lee spoke, but she stopped herself after starting to check Olivia. The room was silent for a few minutes before Dr. Lee nodded.

"Alright, we will admit you."

"Finally! How close am I?" Olivia asked quickly.

"You are at a seven. Now, we will move you upstairs and we will hook you up to IVs and the usual machines. Okay?"

"Okay. Thank you." Olivia spoke, and Dr. Lee just ignored her as she walked out.

By one in the morning, Olivia had gotten into a room and was busy pacing with the support of her husband. Olivia nor Rafael were very impressed with Dr. Lee right now, and Olivia was almost hoping that she'd get an on-call doctor instead for her delivery.

"I don't know why she had to be such a bitch to me. She kept telling me no, and I was worried about my baby. I didn't want Benjamin to get stressed out and not make it because I was in labor for too long." Olivia grumbled, as she looked at her husband.

"We can find you a new doctor after Benny is born. I don't like the way she is treating you either." Rafael frowned. He leaned in close and kissed his wife before they went back to pacing.

///

Four hours after Olivia got a room and thankfully got an on-call doctor due to Dr. Lee getting called away, Benjamin Adam Barba was born. He had been doing good, but just moments before he was born, his heart rate dropped and he was a blueish gray when he was whisked away.

"What's wrong with him?" Olivia whimpered as she tried to climb out of her bed and get to her son. A few nurses had to push her down as the doctor continued to clean her up.

"Babe, just relax. The doctors are taking care of him." Rafael spoke, but he was just as worked up and scared as his wife.

"Our baby shouldn't be gray, Rafa! He should be pink and crying! Rafa, what if he dies?!" Olivia sobbed.

"Olivia, I need you to sit still. If you can't, I will be forced to sedate you!" The doctor called.

"No, please! Just... Rafa, go be with him!"

Rafael quickly left his wife's side and walked over to where a bunch of nurses and a doctor were working on his son.

"Do you know what is wrong with him? He was doing fine up until he was born." Rafael struggled to speak as he ran his hands through his hair. He was trying to not cry, but he was failing. He and Olivia had fought so much over having another baby, and after they agreed and finally found out about Benny, being this close to losing him was scarier than anything else.

"Sir, please give us space. We don't have an update right now. We are going to be taking him to the NICU, and we will update you and your wife once we figure some things out. Okay?" A nurse spoke as she pushed Rafael back.

"O-okay." Rafael sniffled as tears slipped down his cheeks. He slowly walked back to Olivia's bedside, and Olivia looked at him.

"Anything?" She whispered, and Rafael shook his head.

"Nothing yet, but they are going to take him to the NICU to help him out."

"Go with him if you can, okay? Don't leave him alone. He needs us."

///

Rafael followed Benjamin down, but he wasn't allowed into the NICU. He stood outside and paced, before eventually pulling his phone out and calling his Mom. He needed her right now, and he was hoping that she'd be able to come up and be with them.

"Rafa?" Lucia yawned into the phone.

"Ma, so Benny is here." Rafael whimpered.

"Are these good tears or bad tears?" Lucia asked.

"Olivia and Benny were doing so good... Till he was born, and then he's heart rate dropped and he turned like super gray. He wasn't breathing, and he was limp. He's in the NICU right now, and I am freaking terrified. Olivia and I cannot stop crying, because we have prayed so hard for this little guy and now he might not make it... can you please come up to the hospital and be with us? We both need you." Rafael sobbed.

"Oh, honey. I will be up there soon. Abuela and I will be praying non stop for him."

"I don't know if that will be enough right now."