"So, how am I doing?"
Lucas looked up from her chart. "Well, considering you did everything I told you not to, better than I expected."
Maxie smiled at her cousin. "I'm sorry?"
Lucas grinned back, relaxing from his doctor persona. "No, I'm sorry. I should've listened to you. Obviously seeing the baby did you a world of good."
"It did. And as soon as Mac gets rid of that stupid restraining order, Nathan will be back and everything is going to work out."
"Look," Lucas said pulling his stool closer to her. "I know you want everything to be perfect but you and Nathan still have things to work out."
"You think I don't know that?" She sighed. "I totally screwed up and I don't know how he's ever going to forgive me but he came when I needed him. He still loves me and I love him. We're going to work it out somehow."
"You know Maxie, you've always had a weird optimism about life. I hope everything does work out just like you want it to." Lucas got up and went to the door. He gave her a brief smile before opening the door to a waiting Nathan. "Well, speak of the devil," Lucas remarked looking over his shoulder at Maxie.
"Am I interrupting something?" Nathan asked, his eyes firmly on Maxie.
"Lucas was just leaving," Maxie replied matching his gaze.
Lucas looked between them, shrugging. "I was. Nathan, she's still recovering. Take it easy on her," he added as a warning before leaving them alone.
Nathan shifted uncomfortably in the doorway, looking nervous and tense. He had showered and shaved since the last time she had seen him. "Can I come in?" He asked.
"Of course." She sat up a little more, shifting over on the bed. "I was hoping you would come back soon. I didn't know what Mac would do."
"We had a good talk." He sat next to her on the hospital bed, hesitantly touching her hand. She dropped her eyes to their hands and linked hers through his confidently.
"So no more restraining order?"
"No more restraining order," he echoed with a small smile.
"Good. Look, Nathan, there's something I need to say-"
"You don't have to say anything," he interrupted quickly. "I know I screwed up. I should never left."
"Nathan, I love you but let me say this." She covered his hands with hers, squeezing gently. "I don't want to fight anymore. I don't want us to argue or blame each other for anything. All I want is for us to love each other and help our baby. Can we do that?"
Nathan, who was always so stoic in even the most upsetting of situations, blinked back the tears welling in his eyes. "Max-" He paused and cleared his throat. "That's what I want. But we need to talk first. I have something to say and you just have to hear it okay?"
"No." She shook her head. "If we really have to do this then I'm not done. You have to hear me out first."
Nathan nodded, waiting for her to continue. He dropped his eyes from hers looking as if he expected her to rail on him. She wasn't going to. Since he'd taken her to see the baby, Maxie had thought a lot about the last six months. She'd realized why she had kept things from him and how wrong she had been. She had kicked him out because she was angry but it wasn't him she was angry with; she was angry with herself for jeopardizing their life.
"I should have told you right away that Dr. Lee was worried. But I didn't. I was scared and selfish. I wanted everything to be perfect. I thought if you knew there was trouble...well, I didn't know what you would do and that scared me. So I didn't tell you and I hid how I was feeling and ignored the stress. And I was so wrong. All of this is my fault."
"No, no-"
"Don't." She wiped away a tear from her cheek. "I know it is. I was selfish and all three of us paid for it. When I was unconscious, I had a dream you were drowning and you kept telling me it was your fault. No matter what you think Nathan, none of this is because of anything you did."
"And no matter what you say, Maxie," Nathan returned. "Nothing will convince me that I wasn't at fault. I appreciate what you said but the truth is that I should never have left. I should have stayed and taken care of you."
"So we were both wrong. I'm sorry, Nathan." Maxie inched closer to him. "I promise I will never keep anything from you ever again. Can you forgive me?"
"There's nothing to forgive. I love you Maxie." He released her hands and pulled her close, kissing her gently. "It killed me to think I could have stopped all of this from happening. I'll never walk away from you again. Will you forgive me for walking away?"
"Nathan, don't be stupid. There's nothing to forgive!" She threw herself into his arms, clinging to his neck. "I love you too."
They sat, entwined in each other's arms finding comfort with each other at long last. Maxie rested her cheek against his chest, listening to his heart beat. All of the fear and anger she'd felt for the last couple of months melted away. This was the first time she had connected with Nathan in months and the relief she felt was overwhelming.
"I found your present," Nathan said after a while. She pulled back and looked at him, puzzled. "The frame," he prompted.
She bit her lip uncertainly. "You're not mad?"
"That you bought me a present?" Nathan grinned. "No, not at all. In fact," he added, digging into his pocket. "It made me realize that I never got you a gift."
He pulled out a small velvet box and placed it gently in her hand. She opened it, touching the small gold charm. "For my bracelet. It's my birthstone."
"It's our daughter's birthstone," he corrected gently. "I don't think you know this, but you have the same birthday."
"We do?"
Nathan nodded. "You don't mind, do you?"
"As if I could do anything about it now," Maxie laughed. "Thank you Nathan. This is so thoughtful." She closed the box. "But you're not mad about the frame are you? I mean, I chose a name without you."
"Yes, you did. Don't worry, I like it. And I'm tired of people telling me to name the baby. Speaking of, how would you like to go see her?"
"The baby? Of course I would! Am I allowed?"
"Who cares? Wait here." He disappeared into the hallway and returned a moment later with an orderly pushing a wheelchair. "Ready to sneak out of here?"
Maxie grinned, reaching for her robe. "I don't know what happened to my straight arrow husband, but I kind of like this rule breaker."
Nathan picked her up and settled her into the wheelchair. He thanked the orderly and took over, pushing her to the elevator. They passed Elizabeth and Griffin deep in conversation. Maxie watched as they leaned closer to each other, oblivious to anyone but each other.
"What's going on there?" Maxie whispered.
"None of our business is what's going on," Nathan returned as the elevator doors closed on them. Moments later, they were at the NICU. Nathan stopped the wheelchair outside the room. "Feel up to going in?"
Maxie nodded, letting Nathan lead her into the room where a nurse was finishing changing the baby's diaper. She looked up at them, smiling in recognition. "Detective West. I'm glad you're here. I spoke with Dr. Lee and she agreed."
"Agreed with what?" Maxie asked, transfixed by the baby.
"Dr. Lee thinks the baby is strong enough to be held." He kissed the top of Maxie's head. "Would you like to hold your daughter?"
She nodded, holding her arms out to the nurse who placed the swaddled baby in her arms. Nathan knelt down next to her, looking from Maxie to the baby. "I've been waiting to see this since we found out we were having a baby," he murmured. "You're both so beautiful."
"I look terrible," Maxie replied with an arched eyebrow. "But she's gorgeous." She looked down at the baby with a serene smile. "Yes, you are Nathalie."
"Nathalie Mariah Jones-West. That's a mouthful."
"And Mariah Maximilliana or James Nathan Reeves West Obrecht isn't?"
"In all fairness, only two of those names really count." Nathan smoothed the blanket back away from the baby's face. "You know I'm just going to call her Mariah, don't you?"
Maxie reached out her hand and drew him closer. "Of course we are. Our whole family goes by their middle names."
"That's right," Nathan said wrapping them both in his arms. "Our family."