*Lacey's pov
"Adam!" I screamed, my body shaking and my eyes flew open. "Lacey!" His hand grabbed mine, "Lacey?" He said again tears streaming down his face, "oh baby" he said openly sobbing. "Adam" I said wanting to pull him close but I had no strength, "what.. What happened? Where am I?" I asked. "You're in the hospital babe, let me get a nurse first," "no please not yet" I begged, the exhaustion was evident in my voice. "What happened?" I asked again. "Well, you were in labor, Rachel was driving you here when you called me" he started, "I remember that, I remember being told to push too but you weren't here, Rachel said you were on your way, in a car or something" I said remembering. "Right, I made it babe, just like I promised, I got to your room and..." He stalled, trailing off. "What?" I asked. "You were struggling pretty bad, your blood pressure was dropping and so was the baby's, you were both in distress. I got there and the doctor yelled to have you moved for an emergency c-section" he explained. I put my hand shakily to my stomach and winced, it hurt. "The baby is fine, the doctor did the procedure in 30 seconds, but, you're blood pressure kept dropping, you lost a lot of blood" he said dragging it out. "What is it!" I said distraught. "Babe, you were gone for 15 minutes. They couldn't get you back. The doctor called it and came out to tell me, I ran in and kissed you and begged you to come back to me and you did" he said.
I looked at him shaking violently, "I was dead for 15 minutes?" I asked feeling sick and numb. He nodded, "that was last week" he finished. "I've been out for a week?" I asked. He nodded still holding my hand. "What about the baby?" I asked. "Perfect" he said. "What is it?" I wondered. "A daughter" he said. Tears rolled down my cheeks, "a daughter," I repeated. Adam and I cried together for a few minutes before he went to get a nurse. I tried to gather my thoughts when the nurse came in asking about my name, the date, my birthday, where I was, why I was there, and so on. She asked about the president, asked me to count to twenty, say my abc's and say them again backwards. "Everything seems just fine Mrs. Levine, it's good to have you back" she said writing in my chart. She left and I stared at Adam.
He was watching me intently. "Addy?" I said softly. He dropped down on the bed his head in his hands crying. I sat up slowly, very aware of the pain in my stomach though it was flatter than before, and rested my hand on his shoulder, "Addy, come here" I said trying to get him closer. I tugged at his arm with all my strength until he moved closer to me. I wrapped my arms around him playing with his hair, "I'm here" I whispered soothingly. "It alright now, I'm here" I said resting my forehead on his. "I love you Lacey Joy." "I love you Adam Noah" I said back and kissed him lightly. We sat like that lost in each other's eyes forever. "I want to see her" I said finally, breaking the silence. "Not now you need to rest" he said. "Adam I've been out for a week, that's plenty of rest" I said, "I want to see her." He sighed, "let me see what I can do" he said and left the room leaving me with my thoughts. I've been out for a week, what did he name her? He couldn't have left our daughter nameless for a week. Thoughts swirled through my head as I tried to remember, remember anything.
He came in then, "they said they'd see about getting a wheelchair and they'd let me know" he said an sat down beside me once more. "What's her name?" I asked. "I couldn't name her without you" he said and I could hear his heart breaking. I nodded, and his phone rang. "It's Rachel," he said. "Hey Rach" he put it on speaker. "How're you holding up?" She asked. "I'm great, she woke up Rach, she's up and talking and perfect" he said beaming at me. "What?!" She yelled, "Matty come here she's up!" She yelled. "Hi Rach" I said then. "It is so good to hear your voice" she said. "Lace?" Matt yelled into the phoned, "hey Matt" I said and smiled. This family has done so much for me. "How are you!" They asked now also on speakerphone, "I'm okay, a little weak but okay" I said. "Have you seen the baby yet?" Rachel asked. "No we're working on it" I said. "Is there a name?" She asked. I looked at Adam, "we'll let you know" I said. "You better" she laughed, "get some rest Hun, we'll be by tomorrow." "I will, and Rachel, thank you" I said knowing I couldn't have done it without her. "welcome Hun, night." "Night" I smiled.
Adam was staring again, "you don't have to stare, I'm not going anywhere" I said. He nodded, "any thoughts for names?" He asked. "I like Alice and Briar Rose" I said, "what about you?" "I like Briar Rose too, and I like Willow. I was hoping for a boy though, I liked the name I picked out" he said shrugging. "Whats that?" I asked. "Ryder" he said. I smiled, "I like that too" I said. The nurse came in with a wheelchair and smiled, "would you like to meet your baby?" She asked. I nodded happily, all exhaustion left my body, I wanted nothing more than to see her. "I got it" Adam said taking the wheelchair. The nurse smiled and left, Adam helped me in and wheeled me down. We entered the nursery and the nurse smiled, "it's very good to see you Mrs. Levine" she said. "Thanks" I said softly. "I'll get her" she said. Adam put me next to a rocking chair, and sat. She nurse came back holding a small pink bundle and handed her to me. "Hi Briar Rose" I smiled tears filling my eyes. Adam wiped them away and kissed my head. It was such a beautiful moment I wanted nothing to spoil it.
Adam's phone rang again, "it's mom, I'll be right back" he said kissing me then Briar Rose. She was so tiny, and I couldn't help but blame myself for it. "Hi baby girl, it's mommy" I said tears thick in my voice. "I love you so much baby" I whispered holding her close. The nurse came over then, "have you named her?" She asked. "Briar Rose" I said certain that was it, Adam and I both like it. "I'll leave this here, you can fill it out before you go" she said. Adam came back and filled out the birth certificate. "Let's get you back" he said, rubbing my shoulder. I nodded and we gave her back for the night and gave the nurse her birth certificate. Adam wheeled me back slowly, "mom and dad are happy to hear you're up" he said. "Did you tell my parents?" I asked. "Uh no, I didn't think you'd want them to know." I nodded, "you sure you're alright?" Adam asked. "Just a little off, it's a lot to handle finding out you were dead for 15 minutes" I said. I couldn't wrap my head around it. He helped me back into bed and held my hand, "I can't wait to get you home" he whispered. "Are you going to stay?" I asked, "I mean now that I'm awake?" "Yea, I wanna talk to your doctor when she comes back on duty" he said. I nodded and laid back trying to turn off my head. "Sleep Lacey, you'll feel better" he said. I nodded, "don't forget to tell Rachel her name" I said sleepily. "I won't, go to sleep baby" he said kissing me. I drifted to sleep easily, exhaustion taking over.
I woke up to Adam's voice again, "please I'd hate to wake her, can't it wait until later?" He asked. "Not if she wants to go home" a voice said. Adam sighed, "wake up sweetheart." I opened my eyes slowly squinting in the bright overhead light. "The doctors have to run some tests before they can determine if you can go home" he said softly biting his lip, "is it alright if they do it now? They can wait if you're not ready" he assured me. "Mm yea" I said still sleepy. "Sure, I just wanna get home" I said staring into those familiar, safe, hazel eyes. He smiled and kissed my forehead. They wheeled me out and down a few hallways taking lefts and rights here and there. I was lost, no idea where I was. They wheeled me into a room with a big machine I had never seen before. The technician explained what was going to happen and helped me on the table. The machine covered my head and made me feel uneasy. Once it was turned on I tensed though it wasn't necessary. When it was over they moved me to another room for another test. Test after test was conducted, each one seeming to take longer than the last.
I was finally wheeled back to my room where I found Adam and Briar Rose. I smiled, "you're back" he said. "That took forever" I groaned. "You should have your results in a couple hours, and you should know if you can go home by then" the nurse said and left. I looked at Adam, hearing his phone ring. "You going to get that?" I asked. He shook his head. "That's your PR agent isn't it?" I asked recognizing the ring. "Yes" he said focusing on Briar Rose. "What's going on?" I asked. "Nothing Lacey, really it's nothing" he said. "Adam Noah Levine, what is going on?" I said clearly stating each word slowly. "She has been calling daily since I rushed home and cancelled shows. She's spoken with Shawn and he's doing everything he can to make it all work and give me time at home. She's not happy" he said shrugging beaming down at our daughter.
I tried to stand, my legs weak from lack of movement and proper nutrients the past week. Adam laid Briar Rose down and came to help me. "Lacey it's not a big deal" he said his arm around my back guiding me to the bed to sit. "It is a big deal Adam, you've worked so hard to get here now your just going to throw it all away?" I asked holding his hands in my lap. "I'm not throwing it away, I just have priorities" he said. "Look Lacey, Shawn's working it out to get those shows made up later this year, so no one misses out. But I told him I can't leave you right now, it's bad enough the voice live shows won't wait any." He said struggling to keep his cool. "I want to do it all and keep you and Briar Rose safe, but you both need me right now" he finished. I put my head down knowing he was right, "at least keep up with the voice, you can miss everything for us" I said. "Lacey you're still so weak, I can't. You need to build you're strength, I don't want to you struggling to walk and take care of her" he said. "I'll make it all work out, I need you to do that for me though, I need you to hold on to your life" I said. He cupped my face, caressing my cheeks with his thumbs, "you are my life" he whispered kissing me deeply.