Title: Family Time
Author: Ceridwyn2
Feedback address: jlynnsca@gmail.com
Date in Calendar: 26 June 2012
Fandom: Hospital Central
Pairing: Maca/Esther
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 1280
Summary: the importance of family
Spoilers/Warnings: no warnings; takes place around mid-S17.
Advertisement: Part of the FSAC:DD12

Disclaimer: The characters and setting belong to Telecinco. Just borrowing them temporarily.

Author's Notes: Though it took a while to find where in their 11-season relationship story to set a story, I thought the latter part of their relationship wasn't often covered in English-language HC fanfic. So, here we go.

Beta: Hysteria74

The emergency department of Madrid's Central Hospital was already humming with activity when Maca and Esther arrived with their daughters in tow, much to the amusement of Teresa, whose face lit up on seeing the young girls.

"Hola, chicas!" Teresa greeted them as she came from around her desk. Crouching down, she hugged Patricia, delighting in the young girl's playful giggles. As she stood to caress Paula's face, she looked up at their parents to see Maca's amused grin. "I thought you both weren't working until this afternoon."

"We're not," Esther responded, nodding over at her youngest daughter who had curled into Maca's arms. "Paula has her annual check up this morning, so we thought we'd take the girls to the park when we were done."

Patricia brightened at her mother's mention of the park and looked up at her. "Slide, mami?"

Maca grinned down at Patricia. "Sí, mi pequeña." Truthfully, she loved going to the park with her kids; it allowed her to indulge herself in her inner child that loved to play. Often she and Esther would sit and play with Paula while keeping an eye as Pedrito and Patricia played on the playground set.

Esther grinned over at her wife as understood the laughing glint in her eyes. "Come on, cariño. The sooner this is done, the sooner you get to play on the swings." Nudging Maca with a pat on her rear end, she pushed past the doors.

"Later, Teresa," Maca added with a laugh and followed Esther as she headed to the bank of elevators, inwardly thankful that they weren't stopped by any other colleagues. Quite possibly a miracle given how busy the hallways were.

Patricia had only had a few whimpers as the lab techs took blood from her arm to fill their vials. Overall, Maca and Esther had been careful to make sure that Patricia didn't get sick since her immune system wasn't as strong as the others because of the anti-rejection drugs. Though quite used to having needles, Patricia still didn't like it much and she curled into her mama's arms.

For all the experiences Maca and Esther had been through in their work with children, no parents like it when her own kids got sick, but Patricia had been doing well lately and growing, though she was smaller than many of those of her age.

Wrapping an arm around her family Maca, kissed their heads. Since it was going to take a while before the test results would back, and the lab had their contact information, Maca said, "I think I remember mama saying we were going to go to the park. What do you think, girls?"

"Yay!" both girls responded, and Patricia squirmed, wanting to get down from the stretcher.

Maca picked up Patricia and Esther had Paula in her arms as they picked up their purses and headed back downstairs. Having a few extra moments now that they were more relaxed after the blood work, they met up with Claudia who was coming towards them and they stopped to say hello.

"Such a beautiful family," Claudia said as she leaned in and gave them all a kiss on the cheek. "How is everything?"

"Good," Esther responded with a smile. "Patricia had some tests this morning and now we're going to the park."

In a conspiratorial grin, Claudia asked, "Do you think Javier would mind if I played hooky with you?"

"Probably. But it would be fun," Maca said, returning the grin.

"Quite possibly." Claudia looked up the hallway where someone was calling her name. "Alas, work beckons. See you later."

A tug on Maca's sleeve reminded her that her daughters were anxiously waiting to go. "Come on then."

Just up around the corner from the hospital was a small park and since it was a lovely day, they just decided to walk. The slight breeze making the otherwise heated day of summer feel a lot better. As Esther sat on the edge of the sandbox enjoying watching Paula playing with the sand and making tunnels, Maca was chasing Patricia around the playground set, both of them giggling and the young girl squealing as Maca picked her up and tickled her.

It was times like these that Esther marveled that they were able to get back together, but she was happy that they were. With all they'd been through in the past few years, she never really stopped loving Maca; the other woman was the other half of her heart. With a big smile as she looked over at her wife, she was reminded of the playfulness that had returned to their relationship.

After wearing themselves out on the playground set, Maca returned to Esther's side and the two young girls played in the sandbox. Wrapping her arms around her wife's waist, she felt the other woman lean back against her and she sighed, contented with life, with her family, with work – well for the most part. She'd learned to deal with the politics of being in an administrative position, but it was her work as a pediatrician that challenged her more.

"Te quiero, cariño," Maca whispered into Esther's ear and then nuzzled into her neck.

Esther turned slightly and met Maca's lips with her own. "Yo tambien, siempre." Laying her head back against Maca's shoulder she smiled as she looked over at her girls. Pedrito would be getting out of school later and they'd have just enough time to see him before he went to Esther's mother's home along with the girls for the evening while they were at work. But for right now, she was enjoying her time before she faced the chaos that came with working in the emergency department of one of Madrid's busiest hospitals.

Their contemplation was temporarily halted as Maca's mobile phone rang. Picking up the call, Maca listened for a moment before her face broke out into a big grin. She barely hit the end button before she yelped and gave Esther a big kiss.

"Good news, I take it?" Esther joked as they broke from the kiss.

"Patricia's blood work is all within normal limits," Maca responded, unable to contain her happiness. Hearing her name being mentioned, the girl and her younger sister came over to them, climbing up in their laps.

"Mami?" Patricia asked, looking up at Maca.

"Come here, pretty girl," Maca said, pulling Patricia into a hug. "You're a healthy little girl, sweetheart."

Wrapping Paula into a hug, Esther kissed the head of their youngest child, and the one who made Patricia's health possible. "You're our little angel, Paula."

Looking over at Esther, Maca grinned. "I think this deserves some ice cream, don't you girls?"

"Ice cream?" Patricia responded, her cherub face lighting up in a big smile, her face crinkling the same way Esther's did.

Giving Maca a chagrined look, Esther awkwardly got herself into a standing position as Paula still had her arms wrapped around her mother's neck. "You're spoiling them," she said with mock annoyance as she could scarcely scold Maca for her exuberance when it made her so happy. And when Maca was happy, so was she.

"Yes, I am." Once they were both standing, Maca leaned over and gave Esther another kiss. "Come on. To find ice cream." Carrying Patricia in a piggyback ride, Maca laughed and wrapped one arm over Esther's shoulder. She decided that she'd pick up a treat for Pedrito, too, when they got closer to home so she could put it in the freezer for when he got home from school. Life could not get much better than spending time with her family.