Choosing Life

Chapter Twenty Four

The day Mal had been looking forward to and dreading had finally arrived. It was the day that Stephanie and Maurice were officially discharged from the hospital and able to make their way home with their parents.

Of course, Mal had been looking forward to that as it was her children essentially getting a clean bill of health. A guarantee that there'd be no health scares in the future. Her kids would be fine.

However, she'd also been dreading it because it meant she'd have to deal with her worst enemy since becoming Queen. The media.

Dean, to his credit, had set up exclusive interviews with Snow White and Edward Darling; their television station and newspaper respectively had the reputations of being friendly to the Royal family. Plus it was a good way to get the twins acclimated to flashes going off around them.

Though even the most patient baby would get fussy with this lot, Mal thought as she stood outside the door of the hospital. Ben was holding their daughter while she had their son firmly in her arms. Honestly, while I know the kingdom getting an heir is exciting, did every single news corporation have to come out?

However, the news corporations weren't the only ones who'd come out to the hospital that day. Harry and Jay were stationed by the limo to ensure no one would mess with the kids and of course one of Ben's new hires for the guards was standing right next to Ben.

Ben had offered him the day off out of habit but Cameron Bubbles had refused, reminding Ben of what he had told him upon his hiring.

"Thank you all but your time for photos has ended," Cameron said, speaking just as Stephanie had begun to whimper slightly. "Let's let King Ben and Queen Mal get their children home and then, if they so choose, they'll contact you about possibly allowing for interviews and photos with the royal family."

"Remind me to give this guy a raise," Ben muttered into Mal's ear.

"See how nice it is to actually use your guards?" Mal muttered back to him. "Though I'm disappointed he didn't say the 'whole' royal family."

"That's because everyone and their mother knows that Estelle and Nyx are part of our family...and hey, we'll get to introduce them to the kids today."

Mal shook her head, more than a little amused. "Come on then, let's get these guys to the limo and then we can get them home."

Ben smiled and the two of them made their way through the throngs of reporters. Most of them were giving them a wide birth, though Ben did stop about halfway through to talk with one of them.

I've taught you well Ben, Mal thought as she noticed the person Ben was talking to was Edward Darling. He was probably one of the two most trusted media personalities for the royal family, Snow being the second. However she was with her own family, understandable with Emma being pregnant.

"...How's your family doing?" Mal heard Ben ask.

"They're doing well, sire," Edward said with a small smile. "Of course Wendy is more than looking forward to the fact that I'm working part time as opposed to the full schedule I had before. Granted anything was better than when I was off on the front lines but still, she likes it when I'm home."

"I've got a wife like that too," Ben said, looking over at Mal and giving her a smile.

"I'll let you get to the limo sire," Edward told him. "Congratulations again, Jane and Daniel send their congratulations as well."

"Tell them thank you and they didn't need to."

"They wanted to," Edward said and then seemed to melt into the crowd of reporters as Ben and Mal made their way to the awaiting limo at the end of the throng of reporters. Things were seemingly going well, what with the press obeying the cut off time for pictures and the only cameras rolling being those of the television media.