Absolution- Alias Fanfiction

21) New Life..

AN: Music for this chapter (on repeat): Safe and Sound by Sheryl Crow, I Shall Believe by Sheryl Crow, Dream by The Cranberries, Inner Smile by Texas, Timeless by Kate Havnevik, Ice by Sarah McLachlan.

TWENTY-ONE

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*Safe And Sound*

In the early hours of the morning, Sydney had fallen asleep sitting in a chair next to Irina, while Lena slept against her chest. She had yet to change out of the clothes she'd worn to the Execution and into the ones Vaughn had brought back for her. She was awakened by Lena's soft stirring and found a nurse hanging a new IV bag for Irina and checking her vitals.

"Good morning." The nurse smiled softly. Seeing Sydney's gaze go immediately to her mother's monitors she added, "Don't worry. She's holding her own and improving every hour."

Sydney smiled and glanced around the room, noticing both her father and Katya were absent. She found her father standing just outside the glass speaking with Kendall who'd just returned to the hospital after going home last night and checking in with the office this morning.

"How much longer do you think it will be, before she wakes up?" Sydney picked up her mother's limp hand, rubbing the back with her thumb.

"Can't say. She's been through a terrible ordeal and sleep is the body's natural way of giving the body time to heal." The nurse smiled sadly seeing the fallen look on Sydney's face. "I have an idea." She leaned over Irina and gently untied the hospital gown from behind her neck, pulling the gown down just enough to expose part of Irina's chest.

Sydney was watching her with mild fascination.

"May I?" The nurse motioned for Sydney to hand her the baby. Still unsure what the woman was going to do, Sydney gently passed her Lena.

Katya had returned with coffee and stood just as awestruck by what the nurse was doing as Sydney.

The nurse laid Lena gently on the bed and proceeded to remove her clothing, "In the NIC-U, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, they do what's called, 'kangarooing.' It's where the mother or father spends hours with their premature babies, chest to chest, heartbeat to heartbeat."

Leaving the baby just in a diaper she turned Lena onto her stomach and laid her directly on Irina's chest .

"This kind of connection has been scientifically proven to improve the baby's health and lead to a speedier recovery." She explained while covering Lena and Irina with Lena's soft baby blanket. "If it works for the babies, it should work the other way around as well and help your mother to a speedier recovery." She smiled at Sydney and Katya when she'd finished, "You watch...your mother's breathing will soon become in-sync with your sister's." She winked and moved to leave the room.

"Thank you." Sydney smiled, marveled by this technique.

Minutes after the nurse had left, Irina's heartbeat had picked up and she was beginning to breathe on her own in-sync with Lena.

Jack and Kendall had come in, wondering what was going on and Sydney filled them in on the kangarooing technique that seemed to be working. All stood fascinated, watching the change in Irina, as the baby slept on her chest.