Stole My Heart ❤️ {a Jackson Avery Love Story} (continued)

Chapter 275:

Until pretty recently, doctors would slap a newborn on the back immediately after birth. It's not that they wanted to make the baby cry. They needed the baby to cry. It meant the baby could breathe on their own. Thankfully, we don't do that anymore. But we still hold our own breath until we hear that cry. And it doesn't matter if you're the baby's doctor or mother... it's the most beautiful sound in the world. The first time anyway.

3rd Person POV:

We see Jackson in Delilah's room once again after spending another night in her room. Dylan walks into the room to check on his brother.

Dylan: hey man.
Jackson: hey.

Dylan's heart broke seeing his brother so tired. His heart broke even more that his sister in-law wasn't awake yet.

Dylan: how is she?
Jackson: she's, uh, stable right now. Her morning labs are being rushed right now.

Dylan places a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder.

Dylan: come on man, we need to check on some of Lilah's plastics patients.

Jackson nods his head.

Jackson: I'll be back baby. I love you.

Jackson lets out a shaky breath as he walks out of the room.

Dylan: I love you bro. You know that right?
Jackson: yeah. Thanks. Love you too.

-later-

We see the doctors, plus Scotty, at a meeting outside.

Maggie: how's Meredith?

Reggie Carlson, who has taken over on Meredith's case, speaks up.

Carlson: her vital signs are stable. Her morning labs were good. Oxygen requirements are decreasing.
Winston: enough to take her off the vent?
Jackson: let's see if the trend continues.
Scotty: what about Delilah?
Leon: her vitals signs are steady. Her morning labs are average. Oxygen requirements are still the same sadly.
Jackson: can we try to get her off the vent?
Leon: we can try at some point today, but I don't have a lot of hope.
Webber: well, we need it. And not just for their sake. As of 5:00 this morning, we are down to our last four available ventilators. So until relief arrives, I need us all to think creatively.

Jackson tries his best to pay attention to Richard, but his mind was occupied with his wife. That was all he could think about. He missed his wife. All he wants is for her to get better. All he wants... is her.

-later-

After his sister in-law was taken into surgery, Cormac Hayes decided to walk around and buy some time. Somehow, he ended up in Delilah's room. He walks into the room and sits next to the girl.

Hayes: no pressure here Avery, but we need you to wake up. We all need you. This place is a mess without you. Your husband is restless, so is Shepherd, and we can't stand another loss. So we need some good news. Your kids need you. Your twins remind me of my boys. Your only girl, she gets your smile from you. She does this thing where she scrunches her nose and sticks her tongue out a little to the side. I can't lie, it's pretty darn cute. She likes to scream into the phone that she misses you, then it starts a fight with the twin brother, then the second youngest one starts crying 'cause his brother and sister are fighting then your oldest son swipes his phone away and tries to calm your second youngest down. Your kids really miss you. They really wish they could hear your voice. And honestly, I wouldn't mind hearing your voice.

Cormac wouldn't admit out loud, but he's learned to really like Delilah. When he worked with Cristina Yang, he would hear endless stories about her and he was happy to hear that all those stories were true. He wanted to get to know her more, and he can't do that if she's on a vent.