DNA

Lance and Hannah Zoe Ackerman

I took deep breaths as I laid on the hospital bed. Erwin had to sit out with Hannah while Levi stayed with me with the birth of our new son. They were two years apart... Hannah and our son. I named Hannah at my aunt's request, Levi also came up with names for our son. Tells me that he'll tell me when it was time. 

"Here you are, Mrs. Ackerman." A nurse says as she gives me a small bundle. I take it from her and carefully held my baby son.

I hear him coo as I moved his blankets away from his small face. "Tch, he's so small." Levi says as he moves close to me. "But, he'll do."

"Yeah, you think I went through all that pain just so you can hate your child?"

"I don't hate children."

"But you do get annoyed, right?"

"Annoyed, but not hating them. I love Hannah with all my heart."

"Anyways, tell me, what's our son's name? I've been waiting for 5 months. 5! You know how painful it is not knowing what the surprise is?!"

"That's the whole point of a surprise, Hanji."

"Get Hannah here, quick. I want her to hold her younger brother."

"Tch, she gets to hold her brother and I don't get to hold my son first? I'm the one that put all the work in, taking care of you, helping you, even picking out a name. And I don't get special treatment?"

"One, you always need to care for your family. Two, you have the honors of naming our first son in this family."

"Probably going to be the only son in the family."

"Besides, you didn't go through all that pain to give birth to a child."

"Can't be that hard."

"Wanna try?"

"Hanji, you know science like it's on the back of your hand, guys can't get pregnant."

"And there's studies trying to figure it out, Levi. Don't backtalk the scientist."

"Let me hold my son. Please, Hanji, I'm begging you."

"Fine." I carefully hand the baby to Levi, "Give me the name."

"Lance. Lance Jackson Zoe Ackerman. Happy now?"

"Better." I watch Levi with Lance walk over to the entrance of the hospital room, waiting for Hannah.

Hannah was being carried over by Erwin, by this distance, I see her smile glowing in glee. I introduced them together and she was proud to have a little brother. Who knew how much joy they would bring as they grew older.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"And the match begins!" A coach says as the boxing match between Hannah and her male opponent, Dustin. According to her coach, Hannah was talented and stronger than the other young teens in her club. Seeing the way she moved, the way she dodge her opponent, I recognized them as Levi's moves. Ever since Hannah saw her father fight other people, she became interested. Training anytime she was free with her father, she was like a reincarnation of him, except with my physical looks.

"I bet Hannah's going to win, based on her previous matches, this Dustin person won't stand a chance." Lance says, adjusting his glasses. He may have Levi's physical looks, similar hair style, eye color, even their tone of voice, but Lance was just like me. A nerd... his teachers at school says how smart he was, unlike his older sister. He had a notepad with him, flipping pages from Hannah's previous matches and the score.

"Tch, Lance, can't you do anything that's out of books?" Levi says, closing the notepad. "Your sister is fighting."

"We all know she's going to win."

"Lance, just support her." I say, looking into his dark brown eyes. "She does the same to you whenever she attends your competitions. But she does support you."

"Sure thing... I guess." 

As Lance predicted, Hannah did win. Not only she won the match, but she won the championship. She won a gold trophy and a medal to symbolize her winnings over the year; I asked for other people to take photos of us all together. 

Those memories still cling on... for I know, we still live on in our children. My memory and guidance through Lance, and Levi's memories and his abilities were transferred through Hannah. Who knew life would pass so quickly? That day when we found out we were adopted to the times of finding our family. Aunt Ester... Kuchel Ackerman... Kuchel enjoyed watching her grandchildren be happy, something she wanted for Levi. I wonder how things would be... if our adoptive mother never told us about being adopted? Would I be with Erwin? Would I have had his children? I don't care... Levi's my life as well as my two children I have bared for him. I will remain loyal to him to the very end.