Who Wants To Live Forever...

A Dream Of Sweet Illusion...

7th September 1985

London

Roger's POV

 "I knew you could do it!" I told Felix as the doctor updated us and advised he had gained 14 ounces since he was born. Dom and I shared a enthused grin as the doctor continued with the report. So far his tests had shown he didn't have any major issues. Yes, he was quite small, but his lungs were doing well and his breathing was stable. He responded to stimuli and clearly could see and hear. It was promising news.

"Do you think he will be okay then?" Dom questioned. The doctor smiled and nodded as he closed his file.

"I think he will be fine..." he assured her. "I do want you to keep in mind that his growth may be stunted by being so premature..." he cautioned. "It may not be an issue but some babies born this early take quite a while to catch up..." he advised. I squeezed Felix's little hand and smiled at him.

"You'll be brilliant...no matter what size you are!" I promised him. The doctor left the nursery and Dom got situated in a chair to feed him. She had been expressing her milk for the nurses to feed him since he was born. With him being older and bigger now, they encouraged her to try and feed him directly. She had been assisted by one of the nurses and I sat back and watched as Dom held our tiny baby in her arms and tried to get him to latch on.

"Come on..." Dom cooed to him. He took a bit to get settled and finally took hold. A look of elation crossing Dom's face as she fed her son from her breast. I leaned forward to get a better look and found the contentment on both of their faces heartwarming.

"I'm glad this worked out..." I told Dom as she watched Felix and then looked up at me.

"They say it's better for them..." she reminded me. "It's not a big deal to pump my milk but this feels more intimate...like we are connecting..." Dom admitted. I could appreciate that sentiment.

"I know Clare enjoyed nursing Jimi..." I told her. "Not that I ever watched her do it..." I quickly assured her. Dom grinned at my slight awkwardness on the topic.

"She was nursing her child Roger...it's okay if you saw her do it..." she pointed out.

"I left that to Brian..." I explained. "He quite enjoyed watching Jimi nurse..." I divulged. "He told me it was magical how a mother can do that..." I remarked.  She smiled warmly hearing this.

"Do you know if Tiger Lily was nursed?" Dom asked me. I shrugged. I didn't know and realized I probably never would know.

"The only people who could tell me that are gone..." I replied. Dom's face grew solemn.

"Sorry..." she quickly reacted. I smiled at her.

"It's okay..." I told her. "It's just something I never thought to ask her Gran...before she died..." I explained.

"I imagine there are a lot of things you'll never know...or Tiger Lily for that matter..." Dom remarked. "That's a shame..." she said as I nodded agreement and lifted my arms over my head to stretch.  Trying not to think about what Tigs missed out on with her mother being gone.

"It is..." I agreed. I stayed and was given the task of burping my son once he finished eating. I gently took his tiny body and laid it across my arm like the nurse showed me. Carefully rubbing the air from his tummy. Feeling accomplished when he offered up a tiny burp and a small amount of milk. It reminded me of the time Tiger Lily threw up a whole bottle all over me. This was different though. I didn't mind these days and was grateful that I was here to be a part of his early days in this world. I got cleaned up after placing my son back into his tiny plastic bed. Dom and I said goodbye and left the nursery.