Playing with fire (Amelia Shepherd) ABANDONED

Twenty

"What did you just say?" Andy said. Mallie frowned as she looked slowly at Pruitt.

"I'm saying I'm wired this way. I was trained by my dad, brainwashed, really, that if I see an opportunity-" Maya said.

"Running out of time? Oh, my God. Is this what you've been trying to tell me? Is it back?" Andy said. Pruitt sighed.

"Testicular cancer. It's metastasized. Months. Six, maybe," Pruitt said.

Mallie's mouth fell open. JJ gasped and Mallie looked sharply back at her.

"She's coming. She's coming. Oh, I need to push. Ohhh. Ohhh," JJ cried.

"No, I-I can't do this! I can't do this!" JJ sobbed.

"‭Okay. You can do this, JJ. You have this," Andy said, kneeling at Mallie's side while Mallie got her gloves on to deliver the baby.

"No, I'm in a... I'm in a fire station. I want an epidural. I need to go to the hospital," JJ cried.

"Hey, hey," Andy said quickly.

"No, no. I need to stop. I need to stop," JJ begged.

"Hey, hey, this is life. This happens all the time. Babies are born, and it hurts, and then it will be okay. Alright, you're gonna hold your baby in your arms, and the pain will be a memory. But we can't stop. We don't quit. You have so much strength inside of you. And whenever we feel like quitting, that is our chance to dig deeper than ever, to be the hero. Be your baby's hero. You got this. Come on," Andy said.

"Whenever you're ready, JJ," Mallie said. JJ nodded and started pushing. "That's it, there you go," Mallie said.

"One more, JJ!" Maya said from over Mallie's shoulder.

"I was on the pill!" JJ sobbed.

"Push, push," Maya said.

Mallie cupped the screaming baby girl as she came out, holding her against her chest while she grabbed the two clamps and clamped the chord. Pruitt cut it and Mallie smiled down at the baby.

"Hi, mija. You ready to meet your mama?" she cooed.

Andy wrapped the baby in a towel and handed it to JJ, Mallie quickly cleaning up so Dean could come and meet his daughter.

"Congratulations, JJ," Mallie said.

"Thank you," JJ whispered.

Mallie squeezed her shoulder and stood up, leaving the room.

"Someone tell Miller his baby girl is here while I clean up," Mallie said.

"Will do," Vic beamed, running to find Dean.

"Cruz, man," Dean said, walking over to Mallie that night as she sat in the beanery with coffee.

"Miller, my guy," Mallie smiled. She stood up and Dean wrapped her into a massive hug, kissing her forehead.

"Thank you so much for delivering my baby girl," he said quietly.

"Of course, man. You're family," she grinned.

"Seriously," Dean said. "You brought her into this world. I, uh, I want to ask you to be her godmother. JJ agreed, too," he said.

"Decent!" Mallie gasped. "What's her name?" she asked.

"Yeah, we don't know yet," Dean chuckled. "But you and Shepherd are godmothers, alright?" he said.

"You got it, man. We've got a little badass on our hands," Mallie grinned, patting him on the back as he walked away to get back to his baby.