I Choose You : A New Chapter

Family Matters

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...you make me happy, when skies are gray..." Cassie softly sang the tune her dad used to sing her when she was just baby to her own baby. Ben watched this from the doorframe he was leaning on. He had just stepped out to inform his family that nothing had changed since the hour they've been here. 

He walked up to the bed and sat down on it. "Our little boy," Cassie said. "Our little Aiden." Ben smiled and ran his thumb across Aiden's head. "Aiden Cumberbatch," he softly said. "It's got a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" He kissed his son's head, then noticed he was falling asleep. 

"Here, I'll put him back in the crib so he can sleep," Ben softly said, as he gently took Aiden and put him in the hospital provided crib. As he turned back to Cassie, he accidentally bumped into the tray that had her food on it and knocked it all over. 

It made the biggest noise and he was dreading on the noise that would come next...but it never did. Aiden didn't wake up. "Got yourself a strong sleeper there," a nurse quietly said as she walked in. "Rare to get those around here. I have your release papers here. Just sign them and you're free to go."

Ben thanked her, then quickly signed the papers. "Let's get you two home," he said with a smile. After helping Cassie get up and get dressed, he picked up Aiden. "Here you are, mummy," he whispered, as he handed him to her. 

She was sitting in a wheel chair (she deemed that ridiculous) and held her son as Ben wheeled her out. His family was sitting in the lobby waiting and they all shot up when they saw her. Adam, Martin, Tom, and the rest of the boys were there as well. 

"Look at him," Adam whispered. Wanda put her hand over her heart and said, "He's so beautiful." Tim pulled them all away from crowding around them and said, "Alright, there will be plenty of time to see him at the house. For now, let's let these three get home." 

He gave his grandson a warm smile, before ushering them all away. Ben wheeled Cassie until they got to the car, then carefully strapped in his newborn son. He placed a kiss on his head, before getting into the drivers seat. 

"Do you think it's odd he hasn't woken up yet?" Ben asked in a hushed tone as he drove carefully home. Cassie, who was sitting in the back with Aiden, shrugged and told him, "The nurse said he's a heavy sleeper. I think that will be good for us." Ben couldn't help but chuckle. 

When they were only a few minutes away from home, Aiden decided to wake up. "Hi, baby," Cassie softly cooed. "Daddy's almost got us home." Aiden squirmed a little bit, then reached out and grabbed Cassie's finger. She kissed his head, then smiled to the rearview mirror when she saw Ben watching them fondly. 

Ben pulled up in front of their house, then quickly got out. He opened the door for Cassie, then reached in and unbuckled Aiden from his car seat. "Here we are, little man," he said, as he gently placed him in the carrier. 

They walked into the house and was immediately greeted by Jake. "Jake, no! Down!" Ben's voice echoed loudly through the house, but it didn't seem to effect Aiden at all. "That's so weird," Cassie thought aloud, but shrugged it off. 

"Alright, my boy," Ben said, as he took Aiden and held him close to his chest, "welcome home." He placed a kiss on his head, then started walking through the house. "This is the kitchen," he said. "Next room in here is the living room. Upstairs we've got your room and our room." He went upstairs with Cassie trailing behind. 

He opened the door to the nursery and said, "Here's your room. Your mummy painted all this just for you." It's true, Cassie hauled her five month along pregnant ass up a ladder and painted the room when she was bored. 

Ben was nearly in tears when he saw it because, what looked like little black dots on the wall, was actually stick figure paintings of their life together so far. It was exactly like what she drew him back in their first year of college. He still has those pictures. 

"God, you're perfect aren't you?" He quietly asked, as he looked down at the bundle in his arms. Cassie came up behind him and looked over his shoulder. "He's so perfect," she said. Ben turned his head and gave her a peck on the lips. 

"Thank you," he told her. "Thank you for giving me our beautiful boy. There is absolutely nothing I can do to repay you for this." He kissed her lips, then her cheek, and then looked back down to Aiden. He was starting to fall asleep again, so Ben put him in the crib. 

Of course, as soon as that happened, the doorbell rang...but Aiden didn't budge! "Okay, what the hell?" Ben whispered. "Either we have the most well-behaved baby in the entire bleeding world or our son just gives no fucks."

Even Cassie had to admit this was getting weird. "Let's stick with most well-behaved baby," she whispered. "Come on, let's go let your parents in before your mom breaks down the door."

**

"Bloody hell, what on earth is going on?" Ben groggily asked, as he got up from bed. Aiden was balling his eyes out and screaming bloody murder. They decided to put his crib in their room until he developed a sleeping schedule (as advised by his mother), so there was no way Ben was sleeping past this one.

Cassie was almost in tears herself because she couldn't calm Aiden down! "I don't know," she said, "I tried feeding him, he doesn't need to be changed...I don't know!" Ben took Aiden from her and soothingly said, "Hey, hey it's alright, buddy. Come on, calm down."

Nothing. 

They each took turns talking and singing to him, but nothing worked! Eventually, Aiden just passed out from the exhaustion of crying. "Jesus, that was horrible," Ben whispered, as he put Aiden in his crib. "Nothing quite prepares you for that, does it?"

When he turned around, he saw Cassie face first in bed, snoring loudly. He smiled, then pulled the blankets up over her, before getting into bed himself. 

The next morning, Ben woke up a little later than usual. When he looked over, he saw Cassie was gone and that Aiden's crib was empty. With a loud groan, he got up and stumbled downstairs. What he walked in on was quite the sight. 

Cassie was pacing around the room with Aiden clinging on to her breast. When she fed him for the first time in the hospital, Ben thought there was no greater sight in the world. He fell more and more in love with his wife and baby. 

"Well, look at you both," Ben said with a smile, as he walked up to them. "Morning, love." He kissed Cassie on the lips, then pressed a light kiss to his son's head. "I'm going to feed Jake, then make us some breakfast. Have your parents called yet?"

Cassie sadly shook her head. "I'm sure they're just...busy," she told him. He doubted that, but didn't say anything. Instead, he fed Jake, then made himself and Cassie some breakfast. As he was mixing the eggs in the pan, the home phone started to ring. 

Ben turned down the stove, then answered, "Hello?" He listened to the person on the other line for a few seconds...but then his eyes went wide and he dropped a plate in his hand. "S-Sorry, can you repeat that?"

"I'm calling on behalf of Mark and Jenna Hansen. Them and their son Jordan have been in a serious accident."