Worlds Collide

A/N: Hikaru, thanks! And you know, hard to believe next chapter will be the last, save for whatever I decide to put in the little area called The Rest of the Story.

Also, anyone interested in seeing some interesting fan art for For Her. For Him. please visit: http://wantingmemories.deviantart.com/art/Damn-It-64452450

Chapter 65

Shower

Two months later

“Winry, I’m going to kill your husband,” Ed yelled from the kitchen, shaking out snow from his shirt. “I just need your permission.”

“The automail’s working just fine,” Winry called back. “It’s been six weeks since it was installed. Kill away.”

“Winry!” Al yelled, inching toward the back door of the house, away from a murderous older brother.

“Your own wife gave me permission, little brother,” Ed said as he practically pounced Al into the snow.

“You shouldn’t be out in the cold like this, Brother,” Al said as he dumped a handful of the powdery mix onto Ed’s hair. “Think of your ports.”

“Working better than ever, thanks to Aideen.”

“Speaking of her, looks like we’re entertaining her just a bit,” Al said as he managed to roll the smaller but considerably heavier man from him. Ed had to agree, at least, as much as he could from the tiny glimpse he got of Aideen as he was unceremoniously buried in the snow. Knowing the metal would be freezing cold, Ed thrust his hand up the front of Al’s shirt, actually earning a girly squeal from his younger brother.

“That’s fighting dirty.”

“You started it throwing snow down the front of my shirt.”

The two continued their little fight out in the snow until a voice bellowed from inside the house. “You two juveniles get your asses in this house now, or I’m not treating either of you if you catch pneumonia.”

“Yeah, get in here, or Grandmama won’t treat your asses.” At the sound of Juliana’s little voice, both Elrics burst into laughter.

“I’d have thought you’d be the one teaching your adopted niece foul language, Brother,” Al said as he stood and brushed himself off.

“Yeah, well the good doctor can do enough swearing of her own when she’s not thinking about it.” Ed shook out his long main of hair, running both hands—thank fate, the gods he didn’t believe in, the Gate, and especially the dark haired teen smiling at him from the window—through the gold tail, shaking out as much of the white snow as he could. “Though, I have to agree with her. It’s one thing when you’re all flesh, but cold metal isn’t all that pleasant. Let’s get inside and get changed. I’m sure Nicholas has an interesting shirt you can borrow until yours dries.”

Al chuckled as they came through the door to the kitchen side-by-side, hearing simultaneous snaps and feeling a blast of warm air surrounding them.

“That is a very handy trick, Nicholas,” Roy said, snapping again to re-heat the cooling air around the smaller alchemist.

“Damn it Roy, I’m dry, stop it.”

“Worried you’ll shrink, Ed?”

“Bite me, old man.” Ed pulled out the now-loose leather band holding his hair in place and shook out the still long mane, smiling up at his husband as he walked by the cake and punch set out for the baby shower.

Looking at the cake, that Gracia had somehow found time to make in the midst of the whirlwind of her five-month-old grandson, Ed was grateful for the fact that his family was able to embrace this new addition. Though he wasn’t usually a poetic person, finding flowery language took much too much time to get the point across, Ed had to admit that the last few weeks, the house had seemed bright once again.

Initially, Ed thought maybe it was only his perception of the situation, as Aideen had accidentally tapped into both her own and Nikki’s alchemy in trying to catch him and allowed Ed to have his automail reattached. He considered that his outlook along had been altered because he was no longer feeling useless. But he had to admit that Roy seemed happier than he had in ages and so did Nicholas. For Aideen, there was the lingering fear that her accidental use of alchemy had injured Nikki, but thankfully, having Nicholas in the house and Raine making regular visits, they put many of those fears to rest. Nikki was still small, but fully developed for how far along Aideen was, and the expectant mother was on a very strict bedrest just in case.

Not really realizing he was doing it, Ed visibly shuddered. His daughter was going to be a mother in another month. That thought, more so than the idea that he was going to be a grandfather, disturbed him. Truth be told, he’d contemplated the possibility that he’d become a grandfather young, but he’d expected his first grandchild to come from Nicholas, certainly not Aideen, at least if one came while he was still this age.

Ed turned the corner into the study, seeing Rose helping to prop Aideen up on pillows, while trying to ignore her husband who was trying to cater to Aideen’s every need. Aideen flashed a nervous smile in Ed’s direction, but not at Ed. When he saw a taller blond not far from him, Ed realized that Fletcher had been the target of her little exchange.

Honestly, the younger father didn’t know how he felt about that. All he knew was that Aideen smiled more freely, laughed easier, and seemed content after having not been for so long. His issues weren’t the age difference, considering his with Roy was larger. Nor was it even the fact that Fletcher had known Aideen since birth, nearly. He had hardly been present until Aideen was ten and even then did much of his work underground. Ed felt an odd twinge at them being together, but the fact that he was just getting to know his daughter made it difficult to share her time with her new boyfriend—even if the two wouldn’t classify themselves at that stage.

********

Frank watched as Elysia, her baby boy in her arms, came over and rescued Aideen from the well-meanng, but in-fighting Armstrongs.

“Aideen,” Elysia said. “Would you like to hold Michael?”

“Oh, I…” the teen stammered as she tried to shift into position. “Okay.” Her hand went to her stomach, which was beginning to resemble a small watermelon. She was at what now, thirty-four, thirty-five weeks? Frank wasn’t exactly sure. He just knew there was just over a month left before the new baby came along, a fact he had to know well because of Nina’s constant pestering. Speaking of his often vanishing child, he looked for her in the crowded room. Really, he didn’t know why he hadn’t started at the most obvious place, near the baby being passed into Aideen’s arms, little Juliana not far behind.

There was an age difference between the girls of five years, though it appeared the opposite of what it was, as Juliana had just celebrated her fifth birthday a month before, while Nina seemed to be all of ten years old. Thankfully, though, the girl no longer had the aches and pains from her body trying to adjust to the doll’s apparent age.

The two young girls watched as Elysia passed the baby to her.

“He’s getting so big,” Nina said, looking up at both the boy’s mother and then Aideen before lightly stroking over little Michael’s black hair.

“But he’s still little,” Juliana said, looking down at Aideen’s enormous stomach. “And there’s another one in there?”

“Yes. A little girl,” Aideen answered, seeming to have acquired a new ability recently to talk to children. To the best of his knowledge, Frank couldn’t remember her being so easy with them before. Nina was holding out her hand to touch the teenager’s stomach. She received a nod from the young woman before laying a hand over the polka dotted bump.

“I don’t feel anything,” Nina said.

“She hasn’t been moving as much today. It’s getting kind of cramped in there for her.”

The two girls nodded. Though, everyone seemed to have noticed that Aideen’s stomach seemed to be lower than it had been.

Watching them, Frank wouldn’t call Aideen a natural when it came to holding the fidgeting baby, but there was a strange draw to her like that. All the children in the room, from the two girls already there to Al’s two youngest, seemed drawn to the young woman as she cradled little Michael. He felt sorry for Aideen, that she hadn’t gotten more time to figure out who she was as an individual before she was trying to decide who she would be as a mother. Even at the back of the room, Frank could see the trepidation in the brown and gold eyes. She shifted and squirmed a bit in discomfort, apparently having problems getting comfortable.

As he stood, sipping on a very sweet punch that Ed had undoubtedly made, Frank felt a hand filling his own. With a smile, Frank squeezed the familiar calloused hand, not even looking down at the smaller man at his side. He received a squeeze in return.

“I think we’re going to need to distract the children,” Frank said. “Aideen’s starting to look claustrophobic there.”

Thankfully, before Frank could come up with something half as interesting as the baby in Aideen’s arms and the one in her belly, Nicholas called out, “Cake’s ready.”

There was a lot of noise as the children pulled themselves away from Aideen and went out to the kitchen. The blond teen poked his head in from the kitchen, meeting the grateful gaze of his sister.

Nicholas held two pieces of cake in his hands, a vanilla with the multi-colored icing, and a chocolate one from the other half of the cake with mounds of the sugary icing, obviously for himself.

Aideen saw the cake, appearing to consider it for a moment, then told Nicholas to set it on the nearby table, as it held very little interest at the moment, and she couldn’t accept it with her hands full of baby. Instead, she propped little Michael on top of the overly round bump and played with the tiny boy who attempted to grab her hands, amused by the red paint on her nails.

Nicholas smiled, rubbing the little dark head of hair, making a face that earned a heartwarming laugh from both his sister and the baby as he walked back to Kain and Frank.

“I was wondering if I could ask you a favor,” Nicholas said. “My friend Victor is running late and will be here any time now.”

Frank looked down at Kain, curiously.

“Victor’s been acting a little strange around me. I think It’s because I’m not particular whether it comes to men or women, but I wonder if it’s just me or not. I know he’s seen Dad and Papa together. I mean, who in this country hasn’t? But, I thought maybe if the two of you—”

“Performed lewd acts in front of him?” Frank asked with an arched eyebrow, earning a backhand to his gut from the shorter man at his side.

“Frank!” Kain scolded.

“Well, you don’t have to scar the children for life,” Nicholas said with a roll of his coal black eyes. “Just be affectionate around him. I’m trying to figure out if it’s men together in general or if it’s just me.”

“And if it’s just you?” Kain asked. Nicholas only shrugged.

“At least I’ll know.”

Frank looked at the blond strangely but nodded his head all the same. He didn’t reallhy need to be doing a favor to show affection to his younger husband.

********

Al watched his older brother tucking his long hair behind his ears. He hadn’t bothered to tie it back up after their tussle outside. Al had cut a good portion of his own hair off, leaving it just long enough to tie back out of his face. Ed’s practically hung to the small of his back, and Al wondered just how long his older brother would keep the hair at that length.

As he watched Roy come up beside Ed, whispering something in the smaller man’s ear, hand wrapping itself in the gold locks, Al had to assume that the hair would stay this length as long as Roy Mustang was still enamored by it. Watching the two of them, so easily talking to one another, flirting, joking, Al still felt a twinge of guilt for his jealousy over their closeness and doubts that they would ever work—many of which he’d left unsaid.

Al stepped into the study where Winry was discussing the basics of automail mechanics to Major Falman. The man was a literal encyclopedia and could talk about anything with near-expert detail. He saw Aideen lounging on the sofa with Elysia’s son resting against her shoulder, shifting herself to get comfortable with the baby in her arms. Though he knew there was still a long way to go for the teen, Al couldn’t help but feel the smallest bit of pride at the progress she’d made. She’d trusted him to talk about everything, from her time with Dante to the pregnancy, to the way she felt about Fletcher Tringham. He’d done his best to talk her through her problems, and sometimes just provide an understanding ear. Despite the fact that he knew this amount recovery was hers, Al felt pride knowing he’d helped her find it.

Though, he had to admit that a portion of it came from the two blonds now talking in the corner. Nicholas had been Nicholas, completely unchanged by the knowledge of what his sister had gone through. He had teased her, he had bickered with her, and he had loved her like a brother should. Really, his nephew had done his fair share in helping the entire family heal. Then there was Fletcher, who Al knew had realized his feelings for Aideen a little over a year ago. It made the Soul Alchemist wonder if Fletcher had any idea of how long Aideen had feelings for him. While the rest of the family had taken their relationship as one of friends or that of a mentor, possibly even of family, Aideen had a crush on him all along, one that only grew and became more awkward as she reached an age where she felt it could go somewhere. Al knew how rare it was for a first crush to become a mutual love—as he was one of the rare cases of when it happened—but to have it happen was something spectacular, and you could tell by looking at Aideen, even Fletcher.

It was a shame that, in trying to be tactful, the couple couldn’t admit they were that. Both had agreed that it would be better for them to be together after Nikki’s birth, not wanting to hurt the Armstrongs or to let them think that somehow they were dishonoring Phillip’s memory by bringing a new father figure into the mix. Rose had already shown some dislike for the fact that nearly everyone was referring to the unborn baby as Nikki, when her first name would be Phillis. Al agreed that Aideen was probably wise not to push things by making her relationship public.

Al couldn’t help but feel content as he watched at this party, his sons and daughters mingling with the other children their age, his niece and nephew already so adult. Breda was splitting a piece of chicken with Flint, having made his peace with at least this one dog while caring for it while the family was recovering. The other family pet was currently snuggling up to Raine, who was struggling not to trip over the dark gray cat as she carried both her plate and Juliana’s to one of the chairs. Juliana dutifully followed behind. Though marriage would probably never happen for the Raine and Vato, Juliana had solidified their family as had her mother, Kathy, in her own way. It had been a shock when Kathy’s will had included that she wanted both her father and Raine to raise Juliana. Despite the arguments the two women had over the years, Kathy had felt Raine more than capable of taking care of Juliana.

To watch the little red-headed girl, there really was no doubt in it.

Elysia crossed the distance of the study to take her baby from Aideen, and the teen struggled to stand.

“Aideen,” General Armstrong said, having forgone calling her Miss Mustang as she was now family, “please tell me what you need. I will retrieve it for you.”

“I really have to do this myself,” she answered, though Al suspected it wouldn’t be enough to deter the good-natured giant.

“You are to be on bed rest. It would not do well for you and the baby to overtax yourself.”

Scowling up at him, the beginnings of hormones taking over, if nearly literal dark cloud was any sign, Aideen all but hissed, “Unless you can help me use the bathroom, help me up.”

Al snickered at the flustered expression on the older man’s face as he guided Aideen to her feet and allowed her to walk—waddle—to the bathroom. Thankfully what could have been a very nasty incident with a hormonal woman became nothing more than a moment’s glare and some angry muttering as she left the room, hand gripping her back.

********

Nicholas smirked at his sister and shook his head at the general. Armstrong had a son of his own, surely he remembered what hormonal, pregnant women were like. Nicholas was still nursing the bruise on his ribs for teasing his sister about her adopted waddle. He hated to imagine what she would be like in a few weeks when she actually delivered the baby. The poor sucker—and it wasn’t going to be him—who held her hand through the delivery would probably find his or her own crushed.

When the doorbell rang, Nicholas all but leapt over the party guests to greet his friend. He didn’t want to admit to himself how much he wanted to see the reaction on Victor’s face to Frank and Kain. Nicholas couldn’t explain it, but he needed some confirmation one way or another that Victor wasn’t going to have issues with Nicholas’s preferences, or lack thereof. Nicholas wasn’t going to change his behavior or guide himself strictly to women just because he was afraid how his friend would react that he found a man attractive. Nicholas looked for the way people carried themselves, looked at personality, interests, and appearance to an extent.

Nicholas felt strange for thinking how much his friend’s opinion meant to him, but he knew it did. Victor had been one of the few not to treat him differently when Nicholas had first shown an interest in both genders. He had merely asked if Nicholas liked men too, said he okay with it, and made the condition that Nicholas not hit on him. Some in the school behaved like he’d betrayed them by not telling them this honestly personal and private detail about himself. Victor had just asked that If Nicholas decided to do something like this again, that he inform his friends first so they knew what the media was talking about when they were looking for an exclusive interview.

Opening the door, Nicholas found a very excited Victor waving around a letter. “I got in!” Victor yelled, throwing his arms around Nicholas. “I’m going to the academy!”

“Congratulations!” Nicholas said as he returned the embrace, his mind counting down until his friend realized they were hugging one another.

3… 2… 1…

“Oh, sorry,” Victor said, backing off as though Nicholas had the plague. The blond restrained himself from rolling his eyes at his friend, instead congratulating Victor once again as the dark-haired teen grinned from ear to ear.

“What’s this about the academy?” Nicholas heard his papa say behind him.

“Fuhrer, sir, I am going to start as a cadet this January for the Spring term.”

“Then congratulations are in order. The academy is a fine place to hone your abilities.”

“Not that you’d know. He didn’t graduate from it,” Nicholas’s dad said, poking his papa in the ribs.

“You didn’t even attend,” the older man responded back, putting an arm around the smaller parent and crushing him to his side.

“Come on in,” Nicholas said. “We’ve got plenty of cake and food.”

The moment they walked into the study, the announcement was made about Victor’s acceptance into the academy, and the future cadet found himself surrounded by well-wishers, nearly all of whom had some form of rank or were related to someone of rank. At first, Nicholas found it amusing that his friend, not yet a member of the military had so many connections through Nicholas. Then, that same thought started to make him sick. What if Nicholas’s preferences did disgust Victor, but he had always wanted to join the military?

Coal black eyes followed the darker-complected teen as he shook hand after hand, then talked to Kain and Frank. There was no flinching, not even the faintest flicker of disgust in his eyes. He even knelt down to talk to Nina about a few sports she had a growing interest in before laughing at her twisted face when her fathers kissed.

“You’re too old to be kissing,” she said, her voice holding more than a hint of a whine. Victor only laughed harder.

Nicholas felt as though his head might explode trying to figure this out.

********

Russell was standing in the kitchen, half listening to the guests talking about Victor’s admission into the military academy, Nicholas’s plans to take the state alchemist’s exam rather than do the academy, and even the presents they’d gotten the baby.

“I couldn’t resist it. I got Nikki a little red coat,” Ed said. “Even put a Flamel on the back.”

“You have an obsession with that coat,” Roy told him.

Russell was glad he’d managed to get here without feeling too sorry for himself. Yet, he couldn’t that he didn’t quite feel a part of this group. Like it or not, he and Wrath had secluded himself from the world, and now that he had to face it all alone, Russell felt lost and just a bit awkward. His brother was in the room talking with Rose Armstrong, ruffling the hair of young Alex as he did.

Fletcher was always more of a natural at fitting in.

Standing where he was, he heard a voice from the hall. He stepped out, following the sound.

“Someone, help!” Russell ran faster to the bathroom.

“Aideen?”

“I’m bleeding. Tell them I’m bleeding.”

“Bleeding where?”

“I think I’m in labor, where do you think I’m bleeding from?”

“Okay!” he yelled back, exasperated and worried.

He ran into the study, prepared at first to just yell out that Aideen was in trouble. Realizing the insanity that that would cause, he instead discretely grabbed Raine and pulled her into the hall, dragging her to the bathroom. He was trying to convey silently what the problem was as he pulled her to the bathroom door.

“Princess?” Raine called out.

“Auntie, there’s blood.”

“You’re going to have to let me in.” There was a click on the other side and Russell found himself being pulled inside. “I’m going to need your help.”

“But, but I’m…”

“If we let that crowd in there know exactly what’s going on, we’ll have a crowded bathroom.”

For the first time that he could remember, Russell found himself blushing.

“I’m just going to ask you to get a wet washcloth. You don’t have to look at a damned thing. Calm down.”

Aideen left out a pained moan. “I thought it was just back cramps or from sitting in the same position.”

Russell turned his back to the two women and grabbed a washcloth from the sink and began putting warm water on it.

He could see the two women shifting behind him in the mirror, though he didn’t dare look down. Aideen was moved to the floor, where her aunt began to examine her. Russell wrung out the washcloth just enough before handing it to Raine.

“Brace her back, Russell,” Raine said.

Eyes squinted just enough so that he couldn’t see anything he didn’t really have the desire to, he sat behind Aideen, propping her up and rubbing slow circles on her back.

“Aideen, why didn’t you tell me?”

“I told you,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks, “I didn’t realize. I hadn’t felt it more than a couple times. Then I came in here. I didn’t know. I’m sorry.”

“You’ve never gone through this, Princess. Nothing to apologize for. Your dad was in full-out labor and didn’t realize it. Let’s just see.” Russell continued to rub Aideen’s back.

“Okay, Princess,” Raine’s voice was unsteady. “We need to get you to the hospital.”

Aideen arched in pain against Russell’s chest.

“Looks like this little one’s got the same patience as the rest of the family,” Raine lowered Aideen’s long flowing skirt. “Russell, how well do you think you can carry her?”

“The arm’s fine, if she trusts me,” Russell said, wondering where his sudden confidence came from. He noticed a faint nod from the pregnant young woman despite her tears. Carefully, gently as he could, Russell pulled Aideen into his arms, carrying her from the bathroom, led by Raine.

“Tell the guards. By the time I’ve told the rest, I’m sure that half the study will be out there with you.”

Russell was at a total loss for how he got himself into this situation, for what to do with the crying, pregnant teen, in labor, in his arms, and for how to offer comfort for someone who had yet to come to full term.

She sobbed, and he tried to say some words of comfort, but they only came out as unintelligible noises in a soothing tone.

********

Never in his life had Roy managed to beat Ed running anywhere, but today, he found himself into the vehicle beside their daughter before even Ed could make it to the driveway. She was resting her back on Russell sobbing before crying out in pain. Roy grabbed hold of her hand, wishing he or Ed had used the information Nicholas had given them, how to transfer the pregnancy. He wanted to take away her pain.

“Papa,” she croaked out. Roy could see a flash of her when she was only four, suffering from the effects of poison. But now, he was faced with a young woman, prepared to give birth to her own child. And this young woman, still very much his daughter, was in pain and was sick with worry. He took the hand whose color and texture so closely matched his own. He worried for her as he brushed her hair from her forehead.

“I’m here. I’ll always be here, Sweetie.”

“Papa, I’m not supposed to be in labor yet. I’m not supposed to. It just isn’t right. It’s my fault.”

“It’s not your fault,” a raspy, strained voice said as Ed climbed into the seat beside him. “Not your fault at all.”

The ride was full of words of affirmation, her own sobs of guilt and worry, all the while Ed and Roy held one another’s hands, trying to offer support to one another and still channel it to their daughter.

The sickening part had been watching her go behind metal doors, having to stay in the waiting room. They’d paced, they’d clung to one another. Rose and Armstrong seemed to have resolved their differences as they waited in one part of the large room. Nicholas had sunk to the floor, knees pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped around them, the automail reflecting the sickening yellow light that glowed down on the previously happy party.

Ed was a mass of nerves, pacing and jumping at the slightest noise or movement. Roy was following a different path, much less hurried than his husband’s, but all the while, the older man was lamenting how useless he felt. He was the fuhrer of the country, was one of the top alchemists and was related to the four usually listed above him. So why the hell couldn’t he do something about this?

When Raine appeared in the hall, standing in front of the place where Nicholas had positioned himself on the hall floor, she looked at the awaiting family with concern. “She’s in preterm labor. We can delay it, but if we do, I worry about the health of the baby. I’ve tried to help the baby develop as much as I can with alchemy and medicine. She will probably have to spend some time in an incubator, but delivering tonight is our best option.”

The two fathers shared a look before nodding numbly. “And Aideen?” Roy asked.

“It isn’t going to be easy on her. I can’t pretend it will, but we will do what we can. Preterm happens for a lot of pregnancies. The only thing we’re concerned about is how quickly she’s moving through the stages. This isn’t going to be a long labor, for good or for bad.”

“Is because of what Dante did?” Ed said, his voice harsh as it nearly spat the woman’s name out.

“Probably,” Raine answered. “She altered things about Aideen to ensure she got pregnant and prevented any traditional symptoms from showing up. We can’t know what that could have done. I have to get back in there.” She patted Ed’s shoulder and took Roy’s hand before heading back to the room where Aideen was currently in labor.

“Auntie?” Nicholas asked. “I was supposed to be with my sister.”

Raine paused a moment, biting her lower lip. “Come on, Squirt. Let’s get you scrubbed up. Having an extra alchemist there with your skills certainly can’t hurt.”

“I want to be there,” Ed said, insistently.

“The room’s full as it is. If she’s got family in there other than me, it’s got to be someone who can be of use. Sorry, Baby. Come on, Nicholas.”

The teen nodded and jumped up from the floor to follow her out the door, leaving Roy with a very angry Ed who was far more mobile than he’d been a few months ago.

“Who the hell does she think she is?” Ed asked no one. “That is my damned daughter in there! I’m not useless!”

Roy agreed, but from years as Raine's younger brother, he knew arguing with her was pointless. He also knew he could trust her to do the right thing. Though he wanted to be with Aideen through this as much as Ed, Roy's role would be restraining the smaller alchemist and preventing him from making a scene or blowing something up. Knowing words would only serve to infuriate the younger man more, Roy only wrapped his arms around Ed, holding the smaller man’s back to his own chest, restraining him as he fought against Roy’s grip.

“It’s not fair!” Ed yelled. “Damn it! It’s not fair.”

“Ed,” Roy said, his voice somewhere between chastising and soothing. “We have to wait. We just have to wait.”

********

Fletcher knew his presence seemed strange compared to that of Aideen’s family and the Armstrongs, but he simply couldn’t bring himself to wait at home. He had to agree with Ed that waiting was hell. He wanted to be in there with her, wanted to be able to hold her hand, to at least be able to offer some kind of support for the young woman he was just starting a relationship with.

He watching the clock, his leg twitched with each tick of the second hand. Beside him, his brother had an arm wrapped around him, speaking in a low voice that normally wouldn’t have been heard, but in the near silence of the waiting room, it practically ricocheted off the walls.

“She’s strong, Fletcher,” he said. “We both know she’ll be fine.”

Fletcher could only nod. How long had she been in there in labor? Was it nearly two hours now? How long was normal? And if it went too fast, would she be in danger?

Once again, Raine stepped out, blood on her scrub shirt; Aideen’s blood. Fletcher felt as though he was going to be sick, but he wouldn’t allow it. He waited to listen, his ears straining as she pulled the two fathers into the hallway and spoke in a hushed voice.

“…Cord is wrapped… to operate… a C-section…”

“Isn’t there another option?” Ed asked.

“How dangerous is this?” That was Roy.

“Standard practice in cases … risks are few… will be… I’ll take… of the Princess.”

They were going to have to cut Aideen open. The cord was wrapped around Nikki.

And with that, Fletcher broke. He’s been through so much with Aideen, always trying to find the positive. She had to be okay because he didn’t want to consider the option. He had only just finally told her how he felt; they just now exchanged a few kisses, made plans for things to do after Nikki’s birth. He’d allowed himself to think of a future with her, one where he would be as good as a father to Aideen’s daughter. One where they could have a child of their own, but only if it wasn’t a risk to Aideen.

Sitting next to his older brother, Fletcher’s eyes began to fill with unshed tears. The tears flowed freely as Russell wrapped him tightly in both arms as he hadn’t done since Fletcher was a child.

He bitterly laughed to himself and muttered. “So much for keeping this quiet.”

********

Aideen knew she’d passed out at some point during the delivery, or after, she was so foggy she couldn’t quite remember. She remembered the excruciating pain, doctors, nurses saying that she was bleeding, that there was no way she could easily survive this. She felt someone rubbing her arm, and she glanced over at the hand, following it up the arm to its owner. Nicholas.

“You want to see her?” Nicholas asked. Her? Who was “her?” Aideen blinked a few times, trying to understand what he was saying, understanding that for the first time in a month she was able to lay on her back without feeling like her insides were being squeezed out of her. She looked down at her stomach. It was flat, or mostly flat. It was sore, too.

“Aideen? You okay there?” Nicholas was rubbing her arm. “Do you want to see Nikki? She’s here.”

“My stomach. It hurts.”

“The umbilical cord got twisted somehow. She’s okay, but they were afraid it would choke her as they delivered her. You were on the verge of passing out from pain anyway. They had to cut her out. Auntie healed it as much as she could, but she said you’re going to be sore.”

She’d been operated on. That explained a little. She’d been put under anesthesia only a few times in her life, and she always felt sluggish afterward, as though nothing she heard or said made sense. “Nikki’s here?

“Mm-hmm.” He smiled at her. “She’s a little thing, but she’s here and she’s healthy.” She watched as Nicholas pushed a button above her. “To let Auntie know you’re awake. The whole family’s waiting to see you both. Well, they got to see Nikki through the glass, but not in person.”

She followed him with her eyes as he crossed the room, moving to a glass or plastic container. An incubator, the less-foggy part of her mind supplied. He wheeled the thing over to Aideen’s bedside, using alchemy to lower the legs enough that the young mother could see her child.

The baby was wearing a tiny pink anklet, her name written across it in blue ink. “Phillis Nichole Mustang.” Aideen looked at the thin little body, the red little face and tiny bald head. This was her daughter.

“You can put your hands through the side to touch her. She likes touch.” Nicholas smiled at Aideen, making it obvious that statement came from experience. Though she loved her brother, she felt somewhat indignant that he’d gotten to feel her daughter before she did. Aideen wondered, looking up at her scrunched up, red face, she wondered what color her eyes would be, whether her hair would be jet black or chocolate brown, possibly even blond. Her lips had the same bow shape as Aideen’s, and at least in the small child, she could see that. She could see her claim on her baby.

“Hey, Rosebud,” Aideen said, wondering at herself where Rosebud had come from and considered it some sort of Mustang trait to force nicknames upon friends and family. As she spoke, she kept her voice soft; she poked her hands through the side, seeing the faintest reaction from Nikki with each word and touch. “Says here on the side you were five pounds seven ounces. It sure felt like a lot more than that. What am I going to do with you if this is a sign of how impatient you’re always going to be? Couldn’t stand to miss your own party, could you?”

There was a knock on the door. “Mommy and baby doing okay?” Raine asked as she came in.

“Mommy feels like shit,” Aideen said, still feeling strange with that idea. Mommy. “But I’m here. She’s here.”

“Yes she is,” Raine said. “She’s premature, but thankfully, tomorrow, I think you will be able to actually hold her for a while. She was surprisingly far developed for just over thirty-five weeks. As you can see, no need for tubes for the stubborn little one.”

“Can we come in yet?” her dad demanded from outside.

“You want to see your obnoxious and pushy family?” Raine asked. Aideen nodded, trying not to chuckle too hard and aggravate her incision.

Raine no sooner stepped aside than two pairs of new grandparents came bursting into the room, carefully showering affection on her, then standing around Nikki’s little incubator, a look of awe on all of their faces.

Then, Aideen heard her dad utter words she never thought she’d hear him, of all people, say about another. “She’s so small.”

“Whose daughter are you calling small?” Aideen asked defensively, but with a faint smile on her face.