(✓) iv.| 𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐇 𝐂𝐈𝐑𝐂𝐋𝐄, 𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝.

⁴⁷ my sweet girl

—

LEXIE TIREDLY OPENED HER EYES, feeling pain shoot throughout her body as she did so, letting out a small groan, her sore, exhausted body had gone through so much.

she looked around the empty room for a moment, before her eyes were falling on miles, who was sitting in a chair beside her, holding the baby in his arms as he glanced down at her,

he looked up at lexie, who was now staring at him, his eyes lit up for a moment, "hey, you okay?" he asked her, she let out a small nod before reaching her hand out to touch miles' leg.

"i-i'm sorry" she said through her dry raspy voice, that was now gone from all that she went through, miles' brows furrowed before he shook his head, "sorry? why are you sorry?" he asked with concern,

lexie glanced up at the clock,

it was 5:43 am.

"i'm sorry that you have to spend your birthday like this, in a hospital" she said through her raspy voice once again, miles scoffed before he shook his head, "this..." he began,

"this is best birthday gift i could ever ask for" he said as he cocked his head towards their daughter that was in his arms, he scooted closer to lexie as he saw the smile on her face,

"do you want to hold her?" miles asked once again now that lexie was rested, but lexie stiffened in the bed for a moment before shaking her head, "no, no, i'm tired" she shrugged it off,

miles' face fell for a moment.

"okay" he pushed himself back, trying to be understanding as he stared down at their still, nameless baby that rested so perfectly in his arms, he never wanted to let her go.

he stared at lexies body tense uncomfortably, not wanting to ask, but knowing her well enough to know something was wrong.

lexie didn't want to hold the baby.

lexie didn't want to hold her daughter.

the baby fussed against miles before whining and letting out a cry, to which he tried to lull his daughter into relaxing with a parental touch, but she continued to cry.

"shhhh it's okay" he attempted to comfort his daughter with a soft whisper, but she wouldn't stop whining against his touch, causing miles to shoot a concerned and overwhelmed gaze over to lexie, who was simply... staring,

"lex please hold her" he begged as he stood up, but lexie flinched backwards before snapping, "no!" she shouted, making miles' face fully fall before breathless words escaped his lips, just above a whisper,

"no?" he questioned so softly he was shocked lexie could even hear him, panic washed all over his face, "no, just no, stop, please" was all she said before miles just stared at her,

heartbroken.

"why?" was all he softly asked, but lexie just shook her head, "no" was all she said again, miles glanced down at the baby in his arms, pain washed across his face as he looked at her.

this baby had a mother that didn't want to hold her.

miles swallowed thickly, "okay" was all he said, pain so prevalent in his voice that lexie felt her heart rip out of her chest in that moment, she felt guilty, guilty that she was doing this to him and her.