Two Dog Night

Prologue

"Come on, sweetheart, give me one last big, strong push!" The man clutched desperately at his wife's hand as she bore down on herself, pushing with all her might; the man knew- they all knew- that this baby would more than likely lead a life of disabilities, if she lived at all. Still, his baby girl was coming, and that gave him more hope than fear.

With one last push, the woman sank back onto the pillows with a pained, sleepy smile and let her eyes slip closed for a brief second, just before all hell broke loose. Once she'd regained herself, she became the mother bear that everyone almost instinctively knew to be wary of, snapping orders and demanding to know what had become of her baby.

She knew there was something wrong with her baby- they all did. Her eyes locked with her husband's as her arms opened wide to receive their bundle of joy, her heart constricting in her chest. "Why isn't she crying?!?"

No one answered, even Filomena, and that scared her- it angered her. Sucking in a breath, she practically snatched the bundle from Filomena's arms and clutched her close. Even as angry as she was that no one would answer her, she now held her baby in her arms; there would be time for anger later. Right now, it was all about that precious little baby girl she held; her husband quickly sat at her side, his own eyes wide with wonder as he gazed at their baby. "Giselle Eleonora."

Even as the woman sighed the baby's name, she never stirred, sending the man and woman into another panic; surely she couldn't be dead! She was their miracle baby, surely the goddess wouldn't take her away from them! Then, the gentle pitter-patter of the baby's beating heart caused tears to well up in the woman's eyes, and one would have to be deaf not to hear the gut-wrenching sob released from the man.

"Whatever happens to her, whatever disabilities she may have, just remember, sweetheart, that she is alive; she's here with us, right now, and no one will ever take her away from us, not even the moon goddess herself." The man's voice was soft as he swore the oath, vowing then and there to always look after and protect his baby girl, and his wife- his girls.

Sighing in complete and utter bliss, the woman kissed her baby's tiny forehead before surrendering the bundle into her father's arms; the woman's eyes locked with her husband's as she gently kissed his lips, wishing he could feel what she was at that very moment. She had never been happier, never so complete; she had her Mate, her baby, and her Pack, and no one would ever take any of that away from her.

It was only with the borrowed strength from her Wolf that she was able to stand up from the bed and stalk slowly towards the attending doctors; she'd endured a horrendous, 22 hour labor, and was more on edge than she'd ever been. Her voice was quiet as she spoke, but her eyes sent the doctors straight into the ground six feet beneath her feet, "Why hasn't my baby cried yet?!? Why doesn't she seem to hear me?!?"

No one answered, though they were going to wish they had. "Answer me!" Her voice was loud and angry, but overflowed with the desperation of a mother, as her eyes became heavy with tears; all of a sudden, the weight of the world was on her shoulders, and she couldn't take it anymore.

With a heart-wrenching sob, she sank to her knees on the ground and buried her face in her hands; she wasn't even more sure if she was angry and heartbroken or relieved and blessed. Her baby had obvious signs of disabilities, that was more than true, but at least she was alive- at least she was finally with them.

"She was born a deaf-mute." The only other male in the room besides her Mate happened to be the doctor, and she couldn't think of anyone else she'd rather have torn the throat out of; it wasn't his fault her baby girl had been born the way she was- it wasn't anyone's fault but the monsters who had tortured her so long ago- he was just merely a means to an end.

"I am so sorry, Luna Daughter." The doctor didn't even stay in the room long enough to help the woman back into bed; instead, he tucked his tail between his legs and ran.

"Bella, sweetheart, don't focus on her disabilities." Her husband's voice was a soft echo through the room as he reluctantly handed the baby over to Filomena before cradling his wife in his arms. "She's here with us, alive, and that's more than we can ask for."

~000~

A little girl growing up dreams of one day finding her husband and starting a family. She dreams of telling her husband and children that she loves them, and hearing the same in return. She dreams of a happy ending, full of love and laughter, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.

Those are all wonderful things to dream about, of course, and even more wonderful to achieve, but when a child is born with disabilities, it's the little things that count. A mother wants to be able to hear her daughter say her first word, a father wants to know that his baby girl can hear him say that she can't wear makeup until she's thirty.

Of course, as little girls and wannabe men dreaming of their future families, they don't think about the little things. They take for granted that their baby girl can hear them say her name for the first time, or that their baby girl will tell them she loves them when she is old enough to speak.

But for parents raising a baby girl with the ability to neither speak nor hear, it's the small, everyday things that come to mean so much; when their daughter smiles in glee rather than squeals as her father chases her around their backyard, that's an accomplishment; when their daughter rolls her eyes instead of cursing her mother's name for not letting her go out with a boy, that's a celebration.

Either way, every single day is a new journey, one that every mother and father thanks the goddess for.

A/N: and with that, we begin the journey of Giselle Eleonora, daughter of Abellia and Luciano, as she struggles with her disabilities and finding her Mate.