Reece was mesmerized by the peaceful baby in his arms. He sat silently as Marjorie congratulated and enthusiastically talked about the new arrival with Autumn and Winter. Autumn felt changed, she felt more aware, more sympathetic, more protective. If people thought they had seen the Guard Dog before they hadn't seen anything yet.
After a while of Reece holding the small baby, she began to stir, getting restless and wanting her mother's touch. Alora began to wail as Autumn held her hands out to Reece who awkwardly assed the newborn over slowly. Autumn rocked her new child slowly and tried to soothe her, shushing her. But Alora wouldn't settle.
"Give her here my love" Winter said confidently holding his arms out and carefully pulling his daughter into his chest. He smiled as Alora started to quieten down, looking up into winter's dark eyes that were full of love.
Marjorie suddenly remembered the gift bag with the present they had bought for Alora. Marjorie picked up the bag trying her best not to rustle and make too much noise. She quickly pulled out a black, soft, Jelly cat bat. Autumn looked away from where her eyes were fixed on Winter and slowly glanced towards Marjorie holding the bat stuffed toy. Autumn smiled slightly as Marjorie slowly wandered over to winter.
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"Marjorie, you know us so well" She smirked as Marjorie placed the bat in Winters arms next to Alora. Marjorie edged closer to Autumn smiling.
"I have worked with you for 3 years remember." Marjorie replied beaming. Then the unimaginable happened. Autumn raised her arms for Marjorie. Marjorie was taken aback but followed through with the embrace. The last time something like this happened was a traumatic event Marjorie hoped no one in the room would have to relive. The hug lasted for a while, Autumn's head resting on the front of Marjorie's chest as she leant down to hold her friend.
Alora slowly drifted to sleep with a tiny arm round a part of the bat, as Winter rocked his sleeping child. He was smiling uncontrollably but all Marjorie could think about was how natural the pair seemed with the baby. Marjorie just stared at Alora, her eyes full of love, while sitting on Reece's lap as there were no other available chairs. Winter noticed this.
"Marjorie, would you like to hold her again?" Marjorie turned her head over to Winter who was already slowly standing up, careful not to wake his sleeping loves. Autumn at this point had drifted off into a needed, deep sleep. Marjorie nodded, smiling enthusiastically holding her arms out. Winter placed Alora in her arms before returning to his seat yawning. Marjorie immediately smiled as the calm baby was placed in her arms. Alora carefully reached one of her small arms up, trying to touch Marjorie's hair but failing.
Reece noticed Winter getting tired and yawning.
"Winter, why don't you sleep as well? We'll keep an eye on this little button." Reece offered.
"Button?" Marjorie asked quietly as Winter fell asleep in record time.
"Yeah, look at her little nose." Rece smiled tracing his pinky finger down the bridge of Alora's nose before kissing Marjorie's cheek softly. Marjorie leaned back into Reece still securely cradling Alora. Reece placed a hand behind Alora's head as Marjorie held her body with two hands. The couple savored this sweet moment wondering if this would be them in the future but with their own little one.
"Reece?" Marjorie tentatively asked in a hushed whisper, carefully not to wake up all three of the Fortune-Knights. Reece let out a low 'Mhm' keeping his eyes on the angelic baby.
"Have... Have you ever thought about having children before?" Before Marjorie had met Reece, she would never in a million years even think of having children but now she had found him it felt natural and destined to happen. Reece paused for a moment,
"With you, yes of course, You'd make an amazing mother," Reece replied thinking if there was a deeper meaning to this. Marjorie nodded slowly and silently, letting a smile spread over her face.
After a long, needed rest Autumn woke, smiling as she saw Winter sleeping as peacefully as she was. She glanced over to her right where Marjorie was sitting on top of Reece's lap cuddling her daughter. She couldn't help but smile, seeing all the support around her, Winter, Marjorie, Reece, everyone she would have never expected to be this big of a part in her life. Autumn silently spectated the couple who were beaming at their niece. They hadn't realized Autumn had awoken just yet, so she let things play out, hearing their conversation about becoming parents.
"And I think you'd make an amazing Dad." Marjorie said in a low tone raising her eyes up at Reece whose eyes were transfixed on Alora.
"What are we going to do then? Just let it happen if it happens?" Reece asked, both of his arms wrapped round Marjorie, his hands placed on top of hers.
"I guess so" Marjorie smiled imagining her and Reece as parents. Autumn pretended to stir awake making the couple's heads shoot up.
"How'd you sleep?" Reece asked smiling slightly as Marjorie stood up and carefully placed Alora, stomach first on Autumn's chest. Alora nuzzled her face deeper into Autumns chest and eventually fell asleep with a hand clutched around Autumn's index finger.
"Probably the best sleep of my life, I'm exhausted." Autumn admitted leaving a tender kiss on the top of Alora's short, matted curls, making Reece smile.
"Well, you did just give birth to a whole human," Marjorie admited smiling over to the sleeping baby who was still gripping onto Autumn's finger. "She's very calm, isn't she?" Reece nodded in agreement wrapping his arms round Marjorie.
"Should we tell a doctor?" Autumn said in a slight panic.
"No, my love, she's perfectly healthy don't you worry." Marjorie reassured the stressed mother. Not long later, Winter woke next to his beloved wife who was cradling their daughter smiling wider than he had ever seen her before.
"My love." Winter lovingly spoke as he placed a kiss on Autumn's and then Alora's cheek. "My Sweet" Autumn smiled back lovingly at Winter until all the adult's attention was drawn to the door. The nurse from earlier strolled in holding a clipboard, she looked up.
"I was going to let you know earlier but you all seemed so peaceful. Visiting time finished 3 hours ago, Its almost one in the morning."
"Really?" Reece asked in disbelief checking his silver watch on his wrist.
"God, I didn't even notice." Marjorie admitted.
"Yeah, so unfortunately, I'm going to have to ask you to leave. But visiting times open again at six." The nurse instructed before walking out of the room.
Marjorie stood up smiling at Autumn and nodding her head at winter.
"Make sure you get some rest, okay?" Marjorie said sternly but lovingly at the foot of Autumn's bed. Reece reluctantly stood up and dusted off his jeans. He stepped over to Autumn and placed a hand on her shoulder before sliding his finger down Alora's cheek.
"I'll come back in the morning" Reece assured Autumn as he walked up to Winter who stood up as he came closer. Reece shook Winter's hand before hugging him quickly and whispering 'Thank you' in his ear. Reece and Marjorie said their goodbyes again before leaving the room.
"Seems like Alora might get a cousin in the near future then." Autumn stated as she slowly passed their now awake baby to Winter.
"What do you mean by that my love?" Winter asked quietly staring at his beautiful daughter's face smiling.
"I'll tell you later." Autumn smiled slightly taking a mental snapshot of Winter holding the silent and very small Alora Niamh Fortune-Knight.
