❝𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐋'𝐒 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃❞ ɢʀᴇʏ·s ᴀɴᴀᴛᴏᴍʏ

CHAPTER SIX.

"Okay, there's been a train accident, I'm aware that you know that. There's a lot of people in the ER and there's unbelievable cases and I know it sounds sick and twisted but holy shit, there's a man and a woman bound together by a metal barrel and they have to sacrifice one of them to save the other and—"

Addison interrupts her. "Inside are two women, both pregnant. They had the same donor, so their children will be brother and sister."

Maddox's eyes widen, impressed. "Brother and sister? That's so cute, why didn't you mention that before?" It's an almost reproachful tone, so Addison arches an eyebrow. "Dr. Shepherd."

"You do realize your way of speaking to me is unprofessional, right?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am. It's just that I'm very excited."

Dr. Shepherd simply smiles, glancing around the room. "Don't be. It's nice to know someone in this hospital doesn't hate me. Let your actions do the talking, okay? And don't call me ma'am, it makes me feel old."

"Got it," Maddox nods. When she enters, the two women are lying on different gurneys. Addison informs her that one is about to leave for surgery, and the other has just started having contractions.

"Brooke, we've booked an OR, but they're not going to last long, so we need to go now," Dr. Shepherd communicates to the patient. Maddox puts her hands in her pockets, waiting.

"Right now? But we're supposed to be together. We took classes," Brooke whines a little, and Maddox commiserates with her, so she positions herself next to her gurney, touching her arm gently.

"I'm sorry, but we can't wait."

"It's okay, Brooky. Go have your C-section. And enjoy those drugs. It's no fun for my vagina anymore," her friend complains, feeling more contractions.

"Dr. Easton," Dr. Shepherd calls after her, and Maddox nods, ready.

"No," Brooke cuts them off. "If I have to go, she has to stay. Someone has to stay with Jana, please."

"Brooke," Addison calls after her. "Dr. Easton is a surgeon, but I'm going to find—"

"It's okay," Maddox says in her most reassuring voice. "I'll stay," she smiles at Brooke to put her mind at ease, and she can see Addison shoot her a look that she can't quite decipher, but that stirs her up a little inside. "Here's what we're going to do. You go into surgery, deliver a baby while Jana does the same, and then I get to see brother and sister together. Jana, you have permission to squeeze my hand as hard as you can, okay?" Maddox sends a short nod to Addison, who returns it, and then they disappear. Maddox holds Jana's hand as the resident obstetrician monitors contractions. "No fathers, huh?"

"She's my best friend since third grade. We wanted our kids to be together like we have been, so we got the same donor, but no fathers, no."

"I'll have your back here, then. And don't worry, you'll make a great mother. If I'd had two mothers and they were anything like my current and only mother, I wouldn't have turned out as twisted as I am," Maddox murmurs, the resident stares at her and Jana laughs, eliciting a contraction. "Okay, Jana, push!"

The next morning, it is precisely the sound of a baby whimpering that keeps her awake. She hasn't slept for almost twenty-four hours, but helping to bring a life into this world has seemed so impressive to her that she barely notices the dark circles under her eyes. She sips her coffee as she watches Jana smile as she looks at her baby and a nurse drops off a tray with breakfast. Maddox calmly looks over the clinical information, and with a sigh and a soft smile, checks that all is well.

Addison walks in the door shortly after, looking like she slept the same as she did, and says good morning to Jana, but Jana is so tired that she barely notices her friend Brooke's absence on the gurney next to her. So it's Maddox who asks about her.