Thomgelica One-shots because not enough people write about them.

Happy Birthday

It was exactly a year since Angelica brought their wonderful daughter into the world.

Exactly a year since Angelica had passed while giving birth to their daughter.

A year since her passing and it hurt just as it did when it happened, when he first lost her. They said it got better as the days went on, but that had yet to be the case for him. The only thing that kept him going was their little girl, Coretta, she was the only thing that lit up these dark times for him.

Just when he felt as though the darkness was closing in on him and he was to be engulfed by it, his little girl pulled him back. She was so much like her mother, he could see it already. She was already so smart like Angelica, and just as stubborn and headstrong as Angelica was. Yet she was so sweet and kind, like her mother.

His baby girl was her mother's twin, and Angelica never got to see that.

She would never witness the little girl's bright smile that lit up the darkest of rooms. She would never hear the little girls laugh, that was so angelic. She would never get to read her bedtime stories or kiss her goodnight. His dear Angelica would never be able to experience the joys of motherhood because she had died giving birth to their little girl.

It was the most honorable way to go in Thomas’s eyes. Sacrificing yourself for your child, he would always be in awe of his wife because of that. He was forever grateful to her because, while he missed Angelica more than he could ever possibly express with words, he couldn’t imagine a life without Coretta.

He used to say he couldn’t imagine living without Angelica by his side, but he was doing it for the sake of their child, who Angelica had loved so much without even knowing the girl. He had promised to himself when Angelica had died that their daughter would know her mother, even if her body wasn't around, her presence still was in every room of the house. He made sure of that. Their daughter would know and admire the woman who gave up her life for her.

Standing in front of his wife’s grave, who was taken from this world much too soon, he was holding his one-year-old daughter. He didn't know what had possessed him to bring their daughter to her mother’s grave on the girl's birthday off all days, but something did.

Maybe it was Angelica’s spirit, maybe it was him missing his wife so much that he needed to be as close to her as possible. Even if it was just a slab of stone, he needed to be near her.

It was cold today, Angelica’s favorite weather. The wind was whipping around them, and his little girl's hair was flying all over the place. She had nice long curly locks, that she no doubt inherited from her mother and father.

Thomas pulled down the girl's hood of the coat she was wearing in an attempt to keep her hair from flying all about. The hood just flew right back off and Coretta gave a little giggle at that and earned a watery smile from Thomas.

He cleared his throat, trying to free himself of the lump that seemed to be blocking his airway, yet his voice was still nothing but a whisper. “This is your mom’s grave.” He told the one-year-old even though she didn’t get what was going on. She didn’t understand that today was the day he lost the love of his life and had been simultaneously introduced to a new one.

The emotions he felt on that day were a whirlwind and they still were. How was he supposed to be happy when he lost the woman he loved on this day, but how was he supposed to be sad and angry and all the other emotions that played into grief, when his daughter was brought into the world on this day?

“Mama?” The girl asked, tilting her head to the side in a way that reminded him so much of Angelica.

“Yeah, Mama.” He croaked, his little girl’s mother was a slab of stone. The girl never even got the chance to be held by her mom, all she had were second-hand memories of the formidable woman that her mother was.

Coretta squirmed in her father’s arms indicating that she wanted to be put down. He gently rested the girl on the ground and he watched as she clumsily walked closer to her mother’s grave. His girl bent down and rested a hand on Angelica’s grave, the spot where it said mother. Though Thomas knew that was most likely a coincidence he couldn't help but feel like his girl knew that that was her mom.

Coretta bent down and placed a feather-light kiss on the word mother before toddling back to Thomas. A lone tear had escaped Thomas’s eye at the scene, though, there were more begging to be let out.

He scooped the girl off the ground and placed the gentlest of kisses to her forehead. “I love you, Coretta.” He whispered to her, before cradling her to his chest.

“I miss you, Angelica.” He hoped his words were carried by the wind to wherever she was resting. He hoped she knew how much he loved her then and now. “I’m sorry that you won’t get to see Coretta grow up,” his voice broke as he spoke but he powered through. “But I thank you for giving her to me.” By now his face was coated in tears and his daughter gazed at him with confusion and worry in her eyes.

“No cry,” She placed a kiss on her father's cheek and gently wiped away his tears, even though they kept coming. Eventually, she gave up and gave him another kiss on the cheek. He hated crying in front of Coretta and usually, he didn't. Usually, he waited until it was night, and Coretta was safely tucked in bed, clutching a stuffed rabbit Angelica purchased before the girl was even born, before he broke down. Today, though, he couldn't stop the hot tears from streaming down his face.

“I’m fine, Coretta.” He promised the girl because while she couldn’t talk she understood perfectly well.

He took a deep breath and said his goodbyes to his wife, promising he would visit soon. “Let's go home.” After all, they still had to celebrate their dear girl's birthday.

A/N My attempt at angst. Did I do good? Also, don't ask me why I chose Coretta as their daughter's name okay. It just stuck, TRUST me I tried to change it. But you know Coretta Scott, Martin Luther King's wife was an amazing woman and so I think she's someone Angelica would maybe admire so I guess it works. Long rant....Sorry!