When The Storm Comes (When We're Older alternative ending)

the awe of a newborn

Vince

Two hours later

"Hey, kiddo..." I spoke softly, not wanting to startle her as I approached her from behind.

She turned her head in my direction, holding her baby in her arms. Her short hair was tangled at her neck, sweat still dripping from her forehead.

She was sitting at what seemed to be a dining room table, the only light coming from the small candle in front of her. It'd been a few hours since we arrived at this cabin and treated Thomas. A few hours since Newt found Mae and a few hours since we all found out she had given birth and somehow escaped from WICKED on her own.

Even with her absent expression and the color drained from her face, she still looked more and more like her mother every day.

Mae forced a small smile. "Hey."

I pointed at the seat next to her, and she shrugged, inviting me to sit with her. I pulled the chair from underneath the table and sat, my hands rubbing against my dirty jeans. She looked me up and down and continued to rock her baby, not saying a word.

I didn't know what to say. After all this time I thought I would have some great big confession to tell her when I saw her again. I wanted to tell her what I thought of her, that she was my baby girl, but all I could do was watch her cradle her own baby girl in her arms.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, I considered giving her the space she probably wanted when she spoke softly, her voice gravelly.

"You're quiet." She said, looking down at her sleeping child.

I licked my lips nervously. "Is that a problem?"

She breathed a laugh. "No. It's just I could never get you to shut up nine months ago."

I exhaled sharply at the hint of sarcasm that's been missing for so long. I tried not to make it seem like such a big deal. "You know me... I always have something to say."

The ends of her lips twitched up into a quick grin, then fell again. If I blinked, I would have missed it.

Her expression hurt my heart. Her once bright blue eyes were dull—she had her mother's eyes. Mary's eyes were always so bright and full of life, even in the darkest times. From the time I'd gotten to know Mae, she had that trait too. But seeing her like this... I wanted to kill whoever had hurt her so terribly that it made the life drain from her eyes.

"How did you find me?" She mumbled slowly, eyes staying on her child.

I swallowed my emotions. "Ali escaped from the facility a while ago. He knew where it was, the problem was getting to Canada from Africa."

"Africa?" She turned her head in curiosity.

"Africa." I nodded. "Safe Haven's there."

She turned back to her baby, who had let out a low whine. Mae rocked her gently, softly moving the blanket she was wrapped in from her face.

I looked at the small child, studying her face as she slept soundly in her mother's arms. Her nose was so small, her big cheeks taking up most of her face. She had pale skin and blonde hair, like her father's. As much as I wanted to deck Newt in the face for getting Mae pregnant, when I looked at the baby girl all I wanted to do was hold her and forget about every bad thing in the world.

"She doesn't have a name yet..." Mae whispered, taking advantage of the quiet.

I pushed my lips to the side, wanting to keep her talking. I missed her voice so much. "Have you thought of any?"