“He is here,” says the carrier. In his arms rests the most beautiful sight in the world.
My heart lurches inside my chest.
Kaden, with his shock of black hair matted against his skull, lets out a short wail.
With the scanning tool, the carrier lasers the umbilical cord, releasing the baby’s connection from the placenta. Blood scents the air with a coppery tang.
“Please.” Tilly lets go of my hand and reaches toward our son. “I need to hold him.”
I scoop Kaden into my arms, not even caring that amniotic fluid and blood coats my clothes. I gaze in wonder at his tiny body. “We did it, Red. We made this perfect little guy. You and I.” Awe and happiness flow over me as I peer into his round face, his tiny nose, his long, black eyelashes.
As I bend to help Tilly cradle him in her arms, she lovingly hugs his body to her chest, then reaches for me with a smile. “He’s absolutely perfect.”
I slide into the bed and slip one arm under her back, then use my other hand to touch our son.My son.
He opens his eyes. Bright emerald irises gaze back at me. He doesn’t let out another cry. Instead, he intently watches me for a few seconds, then shifts his gaze to his mother, who coos and grins at him, stroking his face.
That bond with her, our connection through the nanobots I’d put in her blood all those months ago, returns full strength. Such love and contentment flows through it that for a moment, I can only stare at my beautiful family and wonder how I can be so lucky.
“Children, I’m coming to see that grandchild, so you better make sure everyone’s decent,” Grandma shouts, the sound of her moving feet creaking the wooden floor slats.
I pull a sheet over Tilly’s body and tuck it around her legs.
Everyone peeks around the curtain. When their eyes land on the baby, they all at once.
“Oh my God,” Harper exclaims. “How the hell did something that size come out of you?”
“A warrior shouldn’t have to be subjected to this kind of battle,” grumbles Rhys.
“How delightful.” Granny marches to the side of the bed, grins, then strokes Kaden’s hair. “He’s the spitting image of you, son, but he has your eyes, Tilly.”
“He’s so...wet-looking.” Harper says.
Rhys, standing a little farther back, crosses his arms over his chest. “He’s covered in—” His eyes roam the covers, probably taking in the blood and fluids. “—in stuff I do not even want to think about.”
“Wanna hold him?” I ask with mischief, knowing how uncomfortable the barbarian is right now.
“Uh, no thank you.” He stumbles backward a step and his eyes bulge. “I-I can run and get something, anything, just tell me what you need.”
“There’s no greater gift we need right now.” I kiss Tilly’s forehead. “Other than to share this moment with all of you.”
And it’s true. We’re so much stronger working together to protect the ones we love than trying to do everything on our own. It’s okay to admit when I need help. It’s not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength. It’s much harder to ask for help than not, and it took a true act of humility to ask for it from these people I’d wronged in the past.
KJ, now almost grown, stands on his back legs and lays a front paw on my thigh.
“You wanna meet him?” I ask.
He wags his tail and I chuckle, pushing the blankets back a bit so the dog can get a good look at our precious addition.
KJ gives Kaden’s head a sniff, tips his snout to me, then Tilly.
“What do ya think?” she asks as she strokes Kaden’s chubby cheeks.
With a high bark, KJ gives his approval, and everyone laughs.
“I have a feeling you two are going to be best buds when he’s older.” I give the dog’s head a pat.
KJ jumps onto the bed, wedges his body between mine and Tilly’s, and gently lays a paw on Kaden’s chest as if in protection.
With hope and light in my heart, I sling an arm around my family and hug them close. After a few minutes, I slide a hand into my waistband and pull the dagger from its sheath, not even bothering to glance at it.
I drop it into the trash near the bed. The metallic clang as it strikes the bottom of the can sounds like a door shutting on my past.
Strength flows from these unlikely friends. Tilly’s happiness and my willingness to accept help from others will keep us safe, and let my family thrive into the future.
I’ll never put her safety or happiness at risk again.
Earth will always be our home, my family’s home. I’ll never doubt it again.
