Chapter Text
It had been around a year since the two wives had decided to get pregnant.
They had begun their journey with a consultation with the OBGYN legend, Addison Montgomery, and then after injections, hormone drugs, egg retrievals and tons of pre-natal vitamins, they were ready for the last step; the transfer.
In the most chaotic day possible, full of tears and laughter, Jack dropping the sperm on poor Addison, who gave him a glare that could cripple entire empires, Carina bursting into tears, Maya attempting to wipe it up while reassuring them everything was fine, the transfer was made and they were sent home.
The first embryo was implanted a couple days later. After a couple days of waiting, the tests revealed that the embryo didn't stick. The two were disappointed, but at their next appointment, Addison reassured them.
"Sometimes these things happen. You certainly won't be the first group to have an embryo not stick on its first try. We collected nineteen eggs, so we have nineteen chances at this," Addison explained, writing down a couple things on her clipboard.
Vic and Travis had insisted on coming for moral support for both of their nervous friends. Their friendly, loving and optimistic presence helped to ease Maya and Carina's anxious minds, and Vic cracking jokes at the most inappropriate of times eased their hearts.
"Hey, it's your lucky number," Vic whispered, and Carina nodded tearfully. The blonde squeezed her wife’s hand in reassurance. The wordless gesture reminding the Italian that everything would be okay.
"Was Carina's bloodwork all clear?" Maya asked, forever worried about her wife.
"Clear as day, Maya," Addison assured, and then shooed the group out, minus Carina and Maya, to implant their second chance.
The second one didn't stick, and neither did the third. Despite the constant reassurance from Addison, they all couldn't help but feel despaired. Maya told Carina over and over that it was okay, that they'd keep going.
But, as much as those words helped, the Italian felt tremendous guilt.
She knew that it wasn't her fault, but she was losing sleep worrying if this would ever happen, hoping that they didn't give herself or Maya false hope.
Days after the fourth transfer, Emmett had come over while Travis was at work. Maya took some time off to be with Carina, so they spent the day relaxing and pampering themselves.
While Carina was in the bathroom, taking the pregnancy test, Emmett pulled Maya aside. "Can I tell you something?" he asked nervously, wringing his hands. Maya listened to Emmett's secret, and her eyes doubled in size.
"What? You-" Maya started, but was interrupted when Carina opened the door. "Now we wait," the Italian sighed, drying her hands. The blonde was tapping her foot anxiously, and without warning, snatched the test and threw it in the drawer.
"Out of sight, out of mind," Maya declared confidently.
"That didn't put it out of my mind, Maya!" Carina said, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
"How long has it been?" Maya asked impatiently.
"Ten seconds," Emmett replied with a giggle.
"I can't stand this," Carina whispered, sinking down on the couch with her head in her hands. Maya came and sat beside her wife, rubbing the Italian’s back. "What if I'm not meant to be a mamma?” Carina asked in a quiet voice.
“Carina, shush. You are so kind and gentle with Prue. You are meant to be just as caring with your own children. I promise, it will happen one day,” Emmett reassured.
The fifteen minutes seem to go by in an eternity.
Luckily, Emmett brought over the perfect distraction to get their minds off of the test in the form of Vic’s recent rescue dog (a pitbull affectionately named Mary Puppins, to Travis' horror), provided a much needed laugh, especially with her beloved lamb toy. While the two blondes were entertaining the dog, playing tug of war, the Italian snuck off to the bathroom, opening the drawer and taking the test out.
She looked at it, and sighed. Still nothing. She hummed to herself, tapping her fingers on the counter and took one more glance at it.
Except this time, there was a pink plus sign.
Carina's eyes flooded with tears.
She was pregnant.
In disbelief, the Italian walked out to the living room, and both Maya and Emmett turned to see her emerge from the bathroom, tears streaming down her face. "Oh no," Maya breathed out.
"I'm pregnant," she whispered, breaking out into a teary smile.
Emmett's hands flew to his mouth, and emitting a loud shriek, Maya ran and swept Carina up into a tight hug. She then opened her arms for the new uncle to be, and the three of them stayed in that embrace, each of them shedding happy tears, all of them laughing joyously.
Carina's pregnancy had been very overwhelming and eventful.
Tears were frequent, as were cravings and morning sickness. As expected, Maya spent the entire nine months worrying endlessly about her wife. She insisted on being at every appointment, involved in every ultrasound, phone call, consultation.
She was more than ready to spring into action, picking up dropped items, catering to her wife's every need...
"I'm not made of glass, tesoro," Carina would grumble.
"Let me spoil you, babe. You are carrying a baby inside of you... let me love you," Maya would pout, and Carina would giggle.
The Italian didn't mind all the doting, and the extra affection. In fact, her body demanded it. She needed to be spooned in order to sleep, and Maya's voice, paired with the blonde playing with her hair, always knocked her out quickly.
Maya would hold her wife, her snoring, glowing wife, and would smile.
She liked to watch Carina sleep; her beautiful face was so peaceful. Her freckles would glow in the moonlight, and her little snores escaping from her barely agape mouth would bring the blonde so much peace. Maya would trace her wife's face gently, and lay one hand on the bump and nuzzle her face in Carina's neck, breathing in her wife's scent as she drifted off to sleep.
Between getting up multiple times every hour to pee and the morning sickness, Carina was quickly irritated.
Her sleep felt fleeting, her brain foggy with exhaustion but when she'd crawl back into bed, meeting her sleeping wife... all felt worth it. Maya's mouth hung open, her eyelashes would flutter with dreams, her body occasionally twitching. Her arms would always be wrapped around the Italian. So, when Carina would come back to bed, she would move Maya's arms back around her.
The blonde would tighten her grip, mumbling incoherently as she would nuzzle her face back into Carina's neck, her hand resting on the Italian's bump and one just over Carina's heart.
"Are you sure that I don't need to stay home?" Maya asked in concern as she put a hand on the Italian's back.
For what felt like the millionth time, Carina was kneeling over the toilet, emptying her stomach.
"I'm f-fine-" The Italian was interrupted with a wave of nausea. Maya knelt next to her, tying Carina's curls into a messy bun, and rested a hand on her back.
"I'm sorry that this is so rough for you, my love. If I could take all your pain away, I would," Maya sighed, biting her lip out of worry.
"Y-you don't have to stay," Carina managed, her eyes still closed. Even opening her eyes would trigger even more nausea. She couldn't recall ever feeling this ill.
"I'm not going anywhere, babe. I'm going to call in sick-" Maya began.
"N-no, I'm fine!" Carina replied sharply, and then tears of frustration leaked out of her eyes. Her hand found Maya's, and then squeezed the blonde's hand.
"I don't want to leave you like this, Car," Maya said softly.
Carina felt the nausea finally recede, and she stood up, Maya helping her every second of the way. The blonde grabbed the Italian's toothbrush, loaded it with toothpaste and handed it to Carina, who gratefully cleaned her mouth before spitting, rinsing and then facing Maya once more.
"Tesoro, I'm okay, I promise. This is all apart of our journey. Now, I know you're late for work. Give me a kiss and go save lives, bellina," Carina said gently. Maya threw her arms around her and held her wife for a minute, breathing in her perfumed scent, pressing kiss after kiss to her neck, cheeks and lips. The Italian was giggling, her face aglow with joy.
"I am madly in love with you!" Maya called as she sprinted out the door, grabbing her backpack on the way.
Carina waved as she left, one hand on her stomach, her face still lit with a smile. She walked into the kitchen to grab a snack, but what met her made her eyes water. A protein and mango-orange juice based smoothie, paired with exactly what Carina was craving; a large banana chocolate chip muffin, applesauce, a pickle (don't ask), and some almonds.
On the cup was a sticky note, which read;
For when you feel better. I love you to the moon and back, my love.
Lucky to be your wife. Remember to text me today, and to take your prenatal vitamins <3
Kisses and hugs,
Your Maya
Carina smiled as she held the note to her chest, using the sleeves of Maya's hoodie that she was wearing to wipe her eyes.
As well, Maya would be frequently woken in the wee hours of the morning to fetch a craving; extra cheesy goldfish, double chocolate donuts, raspberry cannolis... as exhausted as she was, she was more than willing.
It was almost always something with chocolate.
After all, her wife was growing a life inside of her. The least the blonde could do was go get what her wife wanted.
Maya would come home with the food, and Carina would squeal with delight, often shedding tears of joy.
The blonde would lay back down, usually half on top of the Italian and instantly fall back asleep, breathing deeply as Carina munched happily, one hand on her food and the other playing with strands of Maya's blonde hair.
Then, they were handed an unexpected surprise.
Maya had blacked out when Addison announced it would be twins. Twins!
Once recovered from the shock, the two moms were so excited. They were going to have two babies! Vic and Travis insisted on hosting a gender reveal mashed with a baby shower, filled with party games, delicious food and the best people. Vic had cried when they had twisted the poppers, revealing one boy and one girl.
"They're going to be best friends," Carina sniffed as Ben lit the barbecue, chatting with Jack and Theo. They were hosting a family dinner, which was one of many according to Travis. The two wives couldn't be happier with how their family was rallying to help.
"We don't know that," Maya laughed. She couldn't believe that she was having a daughter AND a son! It didn't feel real. This felt like bliss, like she was floating, and nothing could pull her down.
"Nope, I do. Best. Friends," Carina insisted with a goofy smile on her face.
Vic, Andy, Maggie, Amelia and Teddy had spent the day making the nursery to surprise the moms, which made them both cry. It was a white room, with the rustic, dark cribs on the back wall, which each held a blanket made by Katherine Bishop, one purple and one green, as well as a stuffed animal that resident expert, Pru Miller, had selected. She had wisely decided on an otter and a cat. Between the two cribs was a large wicker basket filled with toys.
There was a lovely, thick black rug, and matching furniture; a dark rustic dresser, a rocking chair with yet another blanket handmade by the twins' grandmother (Katherine insisted upon it).
After the local newspaper had published an article about the two's journey to making a baby, they had found a large package on their doorstep the next day, paired with a note.
Congratulations, Mai. Can't wait to see the amazing mother you and your wife will become.
Always, Mason
They had opened it to find three paintings; one of Maya's captain helmet, one of Carina's pink scrubs folded neatly with a stethoscope resting against them, and one of a beautiful sunset, with two adult silhouettes watching, each of them holding a baby. After both of them had shed many, many tears, all three paintings had obviously been framed and hung on the walls of the nursery.
The closet was filled with baby clothes, diapers and other supplies, as was the dresser. Shelves were hung on the walls to display pictures of their family; Maya and Carina's wedding photos, the team at nineteen at the recent spaghetti dinner, Carina's selfies with some of her Grey-Sloan friends, and candid pictures at their baby shower. Travis threw in some portraits of sunsets, nature and more that he had recently taken up since starting a photography hobby.
Lastly, there was a beautiful, white wood bookshelf (bolted to the wall), which contained the ever growing collection of inclusive books; Red: A Crayon's Story, David Wants a Dress, All Kinds of Families, Everyone Is Welcome, to name a few, and of course, some of Maya and Carina's favourites as kids; Strega Nona, an Italian book about an old woman and her magical pot of pasta, and Pickles the Fire Cat, about a stray cat named Pickles who helped the fire crew save cats. Both women had cried upon seeing the nursery, and gave everyone involved big hugs.
As Vic so eloquently put it, "they're your babies but these kids will be our family, too,"
As the pregnancy progressed, Maya read stories to the babies, and liked to put headphones on the bump to introduce their beloved bands to their kids. While it alternated from classic Italian music, to the rock and roll that the blonde loved, it was clear that the twins were getting quite a show. Whenever they were sitting down, Maya would kiss Carina and her hand would find her bump, resting a hand on it in admiration, love and protectiveness. Both she and Carina would talk to the babies; being excited for their arrival, their days at work, the gossip in their life... the babies seemed to like that.
One night, in the second trimester, Maya had been explaining a call to the babies and the Italian when Carina gasped, her eyes widening almost comically.
"What, what is it," Maya stated quickly, instantly fearing the worst.
"Talk. Keep talking," Carina insisted quickly, her hand flying to her stomach.
"Carina, what's the matter?" Maya demanded. The Italian's eyes filled with tears as she smiled from ear to ear.
"You're scaring me," Maya added with worry.
Wordlessly, Carina grabbed Maya's hand and placed it on her stomach. "Bambini, Mommy and I are so excited to meet you..." Carina said with a shaky, joyful voice.
There it was. A kick! It felt like a flutter. Maya gasped as her jaw dropped. A little kiss against the warmth of her hand. Then another. And one more.
Maya's eyes met Carina's, and soon neither of them could see through their tears.
"Bambina, keep going! Tell us about your call!" Carina said with a giggle, wiping her tears.
"So, I told Jack to use foam as he entered..." Maya continued, each of them giggling with bliss as the kicks kept coming, their babies just as excited to meet them as the two moms were to meet their children.
Hormones. With the pregnancy progressing, Carina's hormones were constantly flying out of control. Tears at nearly everything occurred, so soon Maya made a list to keep track.
- The fact that swans can be gay and thought it was 'really nice'
- A commercial with a puppy
- I brought home apple fritter from our favourite bakery after work because she wanted something sweet
- Holding her hand when she didn't expect it as we walked up the stairs
- It was dark and I pretended to be Annabelle from the horror movie we just watched (understandable)
- Eating a bowl of fruit loops
- Wanting pineapple pizza but hating its mere existence
- Cooking her dinner after a long day
- Remembered that swans can be gay
There were many instances where the group would gather and Pru would giggle as she played with her bunny, and Carina would melt down into tears. Every time without fail, Pru would drop whatever she was doing, running up to the Italian and give her a hug.
"Don't be sad, auntie Carina!" she'd insist, but that only caused more tears.
Or, if Maya was just reading a book, she'd all of a sudden hear her wife sobbing. She'd put her book down to go investigate the matter, where she'd find Carina crying over a plant; "i-it's growing to be so pretty" the Italian wailed, or over a bird finding a worm, Carina sobbing for the worm's misfortune or the bird's luck, or just remotely anything, like finding the exact piece she needed for their puzzle.
"I-I-It's the one I needed!" Carina wailed. Maya would chuckle and wrap her wife in her arms, rubbing her back as she whispered that it was okay, that this was just her hormones acting up, and that the blonde loved her.
After several minutes, Carina would be hiccuping, sitting on Maya's lap as they continued the puzzle, the blonde's head leaning against her wife's arm.
Plus, Carina was constantly in the mood for adult activities. The blonde would be writing work emails on the couch when the Italian's hand would stray from her shoulder and move down her chest.
"CarINA!" Maya would shout. Carina's mouth would be pressed against Maya's neck, sucking and kissing, roughly and hungrily, her hands trying to undo Maya's belt and soon the blonde's mind wouldn't be on work anymore. She would put her computer away and let Carina straddle her, their clothes flying off faster than they could work them, and their hands moved quickly through one another's hair, and do just what the other person needed, their bodies covered in sweat and goosebumps from the thrill they both felt.
Then, finally the pregnancy came to an end. Carina made a visit at Maya's work, planning on surprising her wife with a picnic lunch, but before they could actually eat, Carina felt a sharp pain and looked to see her grey sweatpants becoming soaked. Before Maya could ask what had just happened, the first contraction hit, and the Italian gripped the desk as she yelled out in pain.
Through the chaos that being in labour brought, they made their way to the hospital and Addison was swiftly paged. Maya's poor hand was crushed as Carina squeezed it like a vice through each contraction, both of them screaming in pain. As things always were, labour and delivery did not go according to plan.
Ultimately, the twins were in a bad position, and Addison recommended a c-section, to which both mothers agreed. The Italian was rushed down the hall, Maya jogging and holding her hand, which was a difficult task. Levi helped the blonde quickly into some scrubs while Jo smoothed Carina's hair back, having set her on the table.
"We've got you, Carina," she reassured, looking into her mentor's eyes. The Italian nodded as tears cascaded down her face. She'd been on the other side of this procedure many times, but the fact that she was on the table unnerved her to no end.
"You're okay, sweetheart," Maya cooed as she sat down next to the table.
"M-Maya," Carina stuttered, looking into her wife's familiar blue eyes.
"I'm here, babe. I'm here," Maya coaxed, gripping her wife's hand tightly.
"I'm scared," Carina whispered. The blonde gently wiped her tears, swiping them away with her soft finger, and pressed a kiss to her lips.
"You're okay, honey. You are in the best hands possible. They're going to take care of you and our babies, okay?" Maya coaxed gently.
"Your wife is right, Carina. I've got you," Addison said, making sure everything was prepared and that the group was ready to start. Bokhee handed Addison a scalpel. "You may want to look away, Maya-" the OB began, but the blonde cut her off. "No. Never," Maya replied instantly, refusing to leave her wife.
Addison sighed. Some people were just so stubborn. She announced that she was beginning, and then made the first cut. While Maya refused to look anywhere but her wife's face, not keen on seeing her partner being disassembled like a lego, she was sort of curious. Maya began to turn her head when she heard a voice.
"No, don't look. You don't need anymore trauma," Carina said, redirecting the blonde's head towards her own.
"Oh, are we making jokes, now?" Maya asked with a laugh. "Always. I'm very funny," Carina replied with a grin. Maya nodded her head as she pressed a kiss to her wife's supple lips. Minutes passed as Addison navigated her way to the babies. Maya was whispering sweetly to Carina, who nearly forgot she was being operated on. All she could look at were her wife's baby blue eyes and dazzling smile, and feeling Maya's hands stroking her hair underneath the terrible hair net she had to wear.
"Baby A is here," Addison announced, holding up a baby, who wailing loudly. Both women gasped; they were officially parents! It was the most surreal feeling that they could have ever imagined. The amount of joy they felt in this moment was insane.
"Our son," Maya said with a huge smile. Jo handed Maya the scalpel to cut the umbilical cord, to which she did with shaky hands. She placed him in his bassinet, beginning to check him over while Addison continued, working for the second baby.
"How are you feeling, Carina?" Jo called out as she finished cleaning the infant off.
"Surreal. My bambini are finally here," the Italian said with a smile.
Once he was cleaned off, Jo handed him to Maya, and the baby quieted almost instantly.
"Andrea... it's me, your Mommy. Do you want to see your mamma?" Maya cooed, looking down at her beautiful baby boy, who had quieted.
Carina grinned so hard that her eyes watered. Maya gently sat down, supporting her son's head and held him out for Carina, who was able to kiss him. She laughed as tears leaked out of her eyes. They exchanged a glance; a magical look that radiated joy.
"And now... baby B!" Addison called out.
Their daughter was much quieter than expected. Instantly, they were worried. She was smaller than her brother, but the OBGYN was quick to reassure them. "She's okay. Just a quiet one," she said, checking the small baby, who's hand was resting against her head, as if she was thinking.
"My bambina. Our bambini. Go with them, Maya," Carina said nervously. Maya looked torn, not wanting to leave her wife but also not wanting to leave her children.
"I've got her, Maya," Jo said.
The blonde nodded, blowing her wife a kiss as she headed down the hall. Her two babies were cleaned yet again; Andrea's eyes nearly rolled into his head in pleasure as his hair was washed for the first time, and their baby girl, whose name Maya still needed to confirm with her wife, gave a little coo as the nurse massaged her hair. They were dried off, and then carted back to an examination room, where Doctor Cormac Hayes was waiting to run some tests.
"The newest additions to the team. May I?" He asked in his thick Irish accent.
"Of course," Maya said, and Cormac picked up her daughter. He set her down on the table, unwrapped her from her blanket, and listened to her heart. He nodded, and then listened to her lungs. The little baby gave a big yawn, her big blue eyes, similar to her mommy's, blinking slowly.
"I'll be done soon, little one," he chuckled, and continued the exam before wrapping her back up, and putting her little pink hat on her head before moving on to her brother. Andrea gave a cry when he was unwrapped, as if to protest how comfortable he was. He didn't like the cold stethoscope against his chest, voicing his discontent loudly.
"Shhh, Mommy's here..." Maya soothed. Hearing his mother's voice, Andrea's quieted his cries to a little coo. It took no time at all to finish the exam, where another nurse, Emily, knocked on the door.
"Captain Bishop-DeLuca? Your wife is out of surgery. We have her back in her room, and she wanted me to tell you to and I quote, hurry up," she reported.
Maya laughed. "Impatient as always,"
Cormac put his stethoscope away and rewrapped little Andrea. "All done. I'm very happy to report that both of your babies are in good health," he announced, and Maya breathed out a giant sigh of relief. "Thank you, so much. That means the world,"
They headed back to their room, nurse Emily, pushing the Bishop-DeLuca girl as Maya pushed Andrea's cart. The group was greeted with a squeal when they re-entered the room, Carina making some sort of jazz hands unironically.
"My bambini! Come here, you were gone too long," Carina demanded giddily.
"We had to get tests done! It could not have been any shorter if we tried," Maya laughed. The blonde quickly closed the distance between them, locking lips as they then stared at their children in disbelief and an impossible amount of love. "I can't believe they're finally here," Carina sighed happily.
"A dream come true. We're parents," Maya replied, looking at her wife with a grin spread from ear to ear. "Names. I know we had decided on Andrea, but for our girl?" Carina asked, breaking the comfortable silence that had lasted several minutes.
"I was thinking... Lucia?" Maya asked, and the reaction was immediate.
Carina burst into tears, holding her daughter but careful as to not cry on the infant, who had drifted off, happily snug in her blanket. Her adorably small eyebrows were furrowed, as if in thought. Maya rubbed her wife's back, helping guide her through the wave of emotions.
In her eyes, it was a no-brainer.
From what Maya had heard, Lucia DeLuca was amazing.
Sure, she had her own feelings, like how the blonde could never understand, not in a million years, how Lucia could abandon her daughter the way that Carina was left. She was only a child... Carina had suggested it, but she was a child. Still, Maya could not comprehend how a mother could leave her baby behind with someone that she herself could not face... Or, how Lucia could separate the two siblings who were two halves of one whole.
It broke Maya’s heart over and over to think of Carina all alone.
But, Lucia DeLuca was courageous. She loved her two children more than anything, and she taught them so much. She filled their lives with love, with memories, with laughter and light... Lucia shielded them from harm as much as she could, and dedicated herself to her famiglia. Lucia was the one who made Carina. Who gave Maya the chance at life that she needed. Lucia was the woman who made this all possible.
And knowing what she meant to Carina... that made Maya's mind up.
"You would do that? You would name our daughter after your mother-in-law?" Carina hiccuped. The thought of naming her bambina after her mamma, her hero, her world, the one who was taken away too soon...
"She gave me you. And I know how much she means to you. I am more than happy to honour her by giving our daughter her name," Maya concluded, and Carina grinned, tears falling quickly.
"Lucia Bishop-DeLuca, and Andrea Bishop-DeLuca," Carina whispered, and as if on cue, the two infants reacted.
Andrea gave a loud coo, while Lucia hummed.
Meant to be.
A little while later, the two wives were still brainstorming. It was shockingly hard, to give a human being a name. Knowing that their name would follow them throughout their entire life put a lot of pressure on Maya and Carina, so they were giving it their all.
Both of our bambini still need middle names," Carina pointed out.
"Do you have any ideas?" Maya replied, and the brunette hummed, adjusting her hold on her sleeping daughter. "We could do your brother's name, Mason, for Andrea's middle name?" the Italian offered, but Maya shook her head.
"Our son should be his own person. He should have a name of his own, not just a namesake for our brothers," the blonde stated.
"Good point... what about... uh... Matteo? It means gift from God. I know neither of us are really religious but... it captures how he is one of our little miracles from heaven," Carina suggested.
Maya grinned from ear to ear. "I like that. Andrea Matteo Bishop-DeLuca," Maya repeated, a smile spreading across her face. Her son squirmed, still asleep but she took that as a confirmation that he liked his name.
"And our girl?" Maya asked again, looking at her, snuggled down in the Italian's arms.
"I honestly don't know, bellina. Do you have any family names? Any names that you want to give her?" Carina asked.
“Uh… I have a suggestion,” Maya offered, and Carina gave her a nod, adjusting her hold on her babies; one on her lap and one in her arms. Two bundles of joy. Snuggly, wriggly babies.
“Willow,” the blonde said.
“For the bambina’s middle name?” Carina asked, and Maya smiled. There was an excited twinkle in her eye.
“Do you remember our third date?”
“Of course I do! I remember how nervous you were,” Carina teased, and Maya nodded. “Oh, you bet I was. I wanted to impress you, and I still do. You were called in unexpectedly, we had this whole plan but… of course work was important. You insisted to make something out of it, and I guess you called in favours because when I came back for your break, you in your pink scrubs and this beautiful smile were waiting for me outside, balancing a tray of hot drinks and a bag of goodies. We took a walk around the Grey-Sloan property and stopped by the pond, and sat underneath this tree. You pulled out a ziplock bag of green peas and I laughed at how unexpected it was. The ducks saw the peas, and came over. I remember you using this baby voice as you tried to divide the peas up for each duck, and made sure that the little runt at the back got his share, too,”
“Tesoro…”
“And that was the moment for me that I realized you weren’t just some girl. That like it or not, I had big, overwhelming feelings for you. For the girl who fed ducks peas on her break, for the one who brought me lasagna on hard days at work, for the one who insisted on hold me as I fell asleep when I felt anxious, for the one who goes above and beyond for her people. It was the moment I first thought about marrying you,”
By this point, Carina was crying again.
She set her son down next to his sister, Carina’s legs making a barrier around the infants, and pulled Maya into a hug. Crying and crying, the Italian held her wife, her sweet wife who… was unbelievably kind, caring and sentimental.
“I want our daughter to have that name because it was a willow tree we sat under, my love. It was such a special moment for me and I want to be reminded of that love when I call her name,” Maya whispered. She held the hold tightening around her, which was all the confirmation she needed.
"Willow. That's a cute name. That would fit her," Carina murmured minutes later with a hiccup, stroking her sleeping daughter's soft face, feeling the peach fuzz on her baby's cheeks. "Is that a yes?" Maya asked with a grin, and the Italian nodded, a smile on her face that illuminated the room.
"Lucia Willow Bishop-DeLuca and Andrea Matteo Bishop-DeLuca," Carina confirmed.
Maya's blue eyes sparkled with tears, and she bent down to kiss her wife. They rested their foreheads together, eyes closed and breathed in deeply. They were parents... they were finally moms.
Their dreams had come true. It was such a magical feeling.
"I heard that there are babies in here!" a happy voice sang.
They turned to see Vic, waltzing in with balloons, followed by Travis, Emmett, Andy, Jack, Ben, Theo and some of their Grey-Sloan friends, namely Amelia, Kai, Maggie, Teddy and Miranda. Their little room had become instantly full of supportive people, eager to meet their new niece and nephew.
"Our bambini are finally here," Carina said with a watery smile.
"Everyone..." Maya began, sitting down next to Carina, who was holding a sleeping bambina. The blonde adjusted her son in her arms as she looked at her friends proudly. "We would like you to meet Andrea Matteo Bishop-DeLuca and Lucia Willow Bishop-DeLuca," Maya announced.
Vic instantly burst into tears and buried her head in Travis' shoulder, who was confused at the explosion of emotion in his best friend. Miranda put her hand over her heart. Andy gasped and held Jack's hand, both of them smiling. Theo started to clap but was hit by Ben, mouthing not to wake the babies.
"Well? Can I hold my niece and nephew?" Amelia asked. Maya looked at Carina, who nodded.
"Who wants a baby once they've thoroughly cleaned their hands?" Maya asked. A line formed for the bathroom, and after his hands were clean, Jack stepped forward to take Lucia, while Amelia, who was next, held Andrea.
The two moms were heartily congratulated and given gifts; balloons, meals, the promise of a baby-proofed house, meals... everything the two new moms could need. Instantly, the group were bickering over who got to babysit first.
"I planned their baby shower. That makes me number one," Vic said smugly.
"No it doesn't!" Andy protested, while Jack tried to make the sperm argument, but was instantly shut down by multiple people. Maggie poked little Andrea's perfect, button nose as they marvelled over him, the infant blinking his big brown eyes at her.
"He's got your hair, Maya," Teddy commented as she pet his little blonde ringlets. "And my brother's curls," Carina added with a smile.
"I nearly forgot about his curly hair! The most perfect little ringlets," Maggie giggled. Amelia handed little Andrea to Teddy, while Vic got Lucia and was rocking her back and forth. Lucia's bright blue eyes stared inquisitively at her aunt, who had taken her little hat off and was smoothing her brown hair.
"How are you feeling, babe?" Maya asked, and the Italian blinked slowly. "Sleepy," Carina yawned.
"You can close your eyes," the blonde said softly. "I might... just for a little bit..." Carina murmured.
Maya moved her wife ever so slightly into her arms. The Italian leaned back against her wife, putting her head on Maya's shoulder. The blonde felt Carina's body go limp and heard her gentle snores. She looked around the room, at all of her team, practically her siblings, taking turns holding her son and daughter, and then back at her wife.
She could have never predicted how amazing her life could get.