12 Days of Christmas

Day 2: Good Omens

Summary: EdenCrowleyFell gives born to her and Crowley's baby during Christmas.

.................

They hadn't expected this. Perhaps one could say they had overdone the whole "making up lost time" thing. Maybe they hadn't left Kalhia's bedroom for what polite company would consider an unreasonable amount of time in the weeks following the failed Armageddon.

Maybe Crowley had noticed odd things in the subsequent months like Kalhia going off the taste of wine and craving sushi wrapped in crepes, pickled gherkin cake, and oysters topped with Marmite. Maybe he noticed she often snapped over minor disagreements and got cuddly and tearful afterwards. He had assumed that she was just adjusting to a non-Heavenly life. They really hadn't expected this.

"I – bu– w– I – how??" Crowley stumbled over syllables as he stared at the baby in his arms. Kalhia winced as she tried to sit up in the hospital bed, a sheen of sweat daring to remain on her anointed brow.

They had come to the hospital expecting it to be some sort of stomach issue – there was no going back to Heaven for a new corporation now, and it was better to get these things sorted by humans who knew what they were doing. 11 hours and 6 minutes after the pains started – Crowley noted the time with some anxiety – a baby entered their lives.

"So... is it human?" Kalhia asked, grimacing as she tried to get comfortable.

"She," Crowley mumbled, running a finger gently over their little girl's nose. She wriggled it but didn't wake. The last newborn he had handled had been Adam, not that he had been called that at the time.

"Or is it an angel? Or a demon? If we even count as those anymore after everything... Or is it some mixture of both? Perhaps like the Nephilim but... more demonic?"

"SHE, angel."

"Oh good lord, Crowley, we can't handle children. We never planned for this."

"I know," Crowley said softly. Ever since he had been handed the little girl, he had noticed a swooping sensation in his stomach that reminded him of when he had first met Kalhia and found out what had happened to the flaming sword. Love , he thought, but different . He cuddled the baby's soft head gently under his jaw.

The new baby smell was intoxicating, the urge to keep her close against him and protect her was overwhelming. "I know, but... well she's here now."

Kalhia sighed, "I suppose she is." She side-eyed Crowley. "And I can see that you're irretrievably besotted."

"Hmm?" Crowley looked up.

She rolled her eyes, "Fine. I'm sure we can find a suitable nanny to bring her up."

"WE ARE NOT GETTING A NANNY!" Crowley hissed, startling the little girl awake, her face turning an alarming shade of purple-red as she began to wail. Crowley soothed and rocked her, and in a miraculously short time she was once again asleep, peachy-pink faced, breathing softly against his chest.

Crowley pushed his hair back with his free hand, a look of relief crossing his face before he scowled at Kalhia. "We are not getting a nanny," he whispered, "We aren't going to be those parents."

"Hmm. I suppose upbringing is everything. Look how Warlock turned out..."

"EXCUSE ME – " Crowley began to growl, but caught himself, continuing quietly, "what are you saying about my childcare skills??"

"Not you, dear boy, you were a wonderful nanny. I meant because his parents were, well, never really around."

"Oh," Crowley shrank back, all the irritation and annoyance gone instantly from his face as he looked back at their little girl, "Yeah. That's...that's my point."

They were silent for a few moments, Crowley watching the baby, and Kalhia watching Crowley. Her face softened and she patted the bed next to her, "Come here, you two."

"I thought the nurse said I wasn't allowed to sit on the bed?"

"Nonsense." She reached up and hesitantly took the baby. Crowley helped her position the child so that her head was supported and squeezed himself onto the edge of the bed to curl around them both. He placed a kiss to Kalhia's temple and she hummed, leaning into it. Their baby seemed to snuggle in too, her lips a perfect cupid's bow pout as she slept.

"I suppose," She continued, "Well, I suppose we deserve a bit of a break from everything, don't we? We did save the world after all..."

"Wellllll, we were there."

"Quite. What I'm trying to say is, maybe, uh, that is, it would be nice to... live in it. Together. As a family." She blushed, looking away from Crowley at the pink-faced bundle in her arms.

"She is beautiful. Do you know, I think she has your nose," She whispered, and Crowley couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. A little family. He never thought he would ever be part of a family, not really.

"Oh, Heavens." Kalhia looked up at him. "We have to think of a name! Well now, let's think..."

"Kalhia after her mother? Ashtoreth after her dad??" Crowley teased, and they both giggled quietly, "No maybe not. Um..."

"What about 'Agnes'? She saved our lives, in a way?" She offered.

"Er, bit old fashioned?"

"Yes, perhaps...Oh look, her hair looks like it might be red. Scarlett?"

"Ngk, nah, I think that was War's alias."

"Oh. Perhaps not then. Oh, Eve?" She smiled up at Crowley.

"Um...maybe as a middle name?"

"Alright, let's keep thinking."

They stared at her for so long they lost track of time, but they never got bored. Eventually the midwife came in to check them over.

"You did very well for a first baby, you know," the midwife was saying, "A lot of first-time mother's get very panicky. You were so calm. Have you done one of those – uh, oh now, what are they – oh yes – those hypno-birthing courses?"

"Sorry?" Kalhia asked, yawning.

"Yeah," Crowley answered from across the room, lying with ease as he rocked the baby, "Yeah we did."

"Ooh they are wonderful I hear. A bit modern for me, but then I've seen a lot of fads come and go, and that one seems to have stuck around," she shrugged, "Who knows, it seems to be working for you anyway." She checked her upside-down watch and then looked between the besotted father and the dozing mother and smiled, "Ah, poor pet. Your wife needs her rest. Why don't you two take a seat in the armchair over here – it rocks too, you know – there's a call button on the wall right there, yes, yes, just there. My name's Aubrey, and the team that are on tonight are really lovely. If you need anything at all just press it."

Crowley shuffled back into the seat as the midwife left. He looked down at the snoozing cherub in his arms, "Hmm... Aubrey..." The baby opened her deep ocean-blue eyes.

"What do you think? Agnes? Eve?"

She stared at him, frowning for a moment as she tried to focus her eyes and instead found herself squinting.

"Or... Aubrey?"

The baby seemed to find a point of focus and smiled, all gums, before her eyes drooped back down and she settled peacefully back to sleep against his chest.