Don't Let Go: Deleted scenes & Extra's

Big Sister Duties

Takes place just after chapter 52 (My Little One) - When Ellie met Lily
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15th June 2026

Silence. The surrounding room stood in utter stillness as the arm of his watch scraped over the ungodly hour of three o'clock in the morning. Only that right then, in that blissful moment, it seemed a far cry from the witching hour that this particular time was often so strongly associated with. A gentle soundless breeze fluttered into the drawn curtains causing a gentle sway of ghostly movements within the material, the serene blue glow of the crescent moon seeping in its weak light to illuminate the small but vacant bassinet that stood beside the occupied hospital bed.

He watched over her, his wife. Ava's body spent of all energy, pushed to its absolute limit as she lay there beneath the clinical porcelain sheets, peacefully unconscious to the world around her as her mind forced her into a state of recovery. It truly was incredible what the female body could achieve... what it was capable of creating. It would forever be something that he was fascinated by- in awe of. How this woman who was not but a mere stranger but just a couple of years prior could take such an intimate part of him, combine it with her own and craft something so intricate and beautiful within her womb.

He should have at least made an attempt at allowing his mind to drift into a slumber but it seemed impossible. How could he? When his head was charged with a rediscovered rapture and a fear of missing out on the most minor of seconds. He cradled her within his arms, unable to put her down. His Lily May Miller. He'd lost recollection of how many times he had counted ten perfect titchy fingers and toes in the past few hours.

Joel reclined back within the arm chair, the dull ache within his spine going completely ignored- unfelt, as he allowed his lids to flicker closed. Not to sleep, that was out of the question but to absorb the long moment of bliss. The warm comforting weight bundled against his chest, the faint gentle fan of her microscopic breaths penetrating through the threadbare fabric of his shirt to tickle at his skin, the rise and fall of her delicate back beneath the breadth of his palm and the image of her little eyes pinned shut whilst she slept so deeply with her tummy filled with milk. He'd already long decided that he'd offer his life up and take the entire world down with him if it meant keeping this tiny baby girl safe from harm...

His moment of solitude solace disrupted at the sound of a soft click, lids cracking open just a fraction to catch the door handle lifting back into place. Brows furrowing, he shifted. His knees popping as he pulled himself to his feet, little Lily still nestled within his arms as he approached the entrance of the private ward he resided in. Tommy perhaps? Although it seemed a little late considering he had his own family to take care of. Maybe it was just the nurse, completing one last check in before turning in for the night herself?

Noiselessly, Joel tugged at the door knob. Twisting it open, he pulled the partition back a fraction to peer out. The slender but all too familiar figure already half way down the dimly lit corridor.

"Ellie?"

She looked back, glancing over her shoulder. Tired weary eyes and something akin to awkwardness staring right back at him, "I... uh... sorry. Didn't mean to wake you. Just that no one was home and..."

The teen trailed off, her eyes drifting away from Joel's face and falling to land on the bundle that he cradled against his chest, "Is that...?"

He couldn't help the way in which the corners of his lip tugged upward. His head bobbing with confirmation as his focus flickered to the infant and then back up to Ellie, "Uh, yeah...Came into the world just after ten. Good job you got to me when you did..."

"Shit, yeah. Really was a close call..." She scratched awkwardly at the back of her neck before allowing her arm to fall slack. She gave a quick nod, lips pulling into a tight line, "Well, congrats and all... It's, uh, it's late and I'm guessing you want some rest so I'll just... see you guys later..."