That first meeting
The car outside, white with dark specks where the old paint was chipping away, was still in the driveway. The visit was a surprise, as one might imagine, when a group of men were strategizing how to get several young women and men from a torture site whilst preferably not getting themselves killed. Dexter sat back in his chair by the window and looked out tiredly. From what Erskine had listened in to, Gordon's brother and sister-in-law were at the house for something or other. He hoped they were gone soon. He wanted this meeting over with so the mission was over with. He had an appointment with a nurse and a bottle of brandy.
The nurse came after the bottle, he hoped. When he was getting his stomach pumped.
Rubbing his face, he turned to his brothers.
Saracen and Anton were looking through their contracts and messaging people for help. Erskine was messing with his hair in the mirror. Skulduggery stood still as a statue in the corner, pretending to be the epitome of patience. Ghastly was about to fall asleep in the armchair with a sketch pad on his lap of some lacey design or something like that. They were as bored as he was then.
"How long will this take?" He asked Saracen.
"Who knows?" Saracen replied briskly. He was still mad with him then. They hadn't seen each other in seven years. The last meeting had been hot, full of passion and in the pitch black. Dexter had been the one to leave. And lose his phone. Saracen believed he had purposefully misplaced it, but Dexter had been honest in losing it, but that didn't stop the saltiness Saracen was sending his way. "And even if they do know, you sure don't."
"Don't be immature," Anton admonished quietly.
"Yes Dad," Saracen rolled his eyes. "Look behind you, idiot."
Dexter did and saw the car was actually halfway down the drive already. He got up swiftly and the room followed behind him. They went down to the dining room where they'd been working before and then stood still in his tracks.
Gordon was in the living room.
"What are you doing?" He asked, eyes on the object in Gordon's arms.
"Look, Stephie," Gordon said, picking up one of the infants little arms. "It's Dexter! Say, 'Hello Dexter!'"
"That's your niece?" Erskine asked, getting closer to the blue-eyed thing. "Aww, she's kinda cute."
"Kind of?" Gordon asked with an eye roll. "She's the cutest. Look, she has tiny toes."
"Oh, yeah, she does," Erskine said, peering at them. "Doesn't do much, does she?"
The child immediate started squirming and opened its mouth to scream.
"Look what you did now," Ghastly mocked from the doorway. Erskine turned and glared at him.
"Shut up," Erskine said, and then awkwardly patted the crying babies tummy. "There there, kid. I didn't mean to offend you. You can do lots of stuff, I'm sure."
Surprisingly, the child actually settled down. Curious as to how Erskine actually managed that, Dexter and the others went further into the room and sat down. Gordon and the kid sat on the loveseat alone. Apparently, no one wanted to be that near the infant.
"Why is she here?" Ghastly asked, putting his notebook on the coffee table.
"Melissa needs to go to a medical appointment and Desmond has to go into work because someone made a building he's constructing fall half to pieces," Gordon informed them. "Melissa's mother was meant to take Stephanie but she cancelled – apparently she forgot she had a nail appointment and can't possibly have a kid with her."
"Bit shity," Dexter said.
"If Stephanie repeats what you just said," Gordon warned, looking at him crossly.
Dexter held his hands up in surrender. "She's too young to say anything!" He defended. "And anyway, it is shity for her to not take the kid. Why'd they give it to you, anyway?"
"Because I'm her uncle," Gordon smiled, looking down at the staring child. She yawned, showing off her gums. "And I'm going to be named her godfather at the Christening. I never thought I'd be a godfather."
Saracen shrugged. "Happens sometimes."
Skulduggery looked at him. "When have you ever been a godfather?"
"I haven't," Saracen said. "But I know it happens."
"Such wisdom," Anton taunted.
The kid began to cry again then, but even when they were quiet and Gordon bounced her, she didn't stop, and he declared she needed feeding. Dexter was going to make a boob joke, but Gordon got a bottle out too quickly for it to work and he had to compress the urge to say anything.
"Come on," Gordon told them. "We might as well get this planning done at the same time. Anyone want more tea or coffee?"
The men hesitated, but ultimately, they followed Gordon out of the room to the kitchen muttering about drinks. The bottle was already in the microwave when Dexter slowly shuffled into the room. Most surprisingly, though, was the fact Erskine was holding the kid. Dexter raised his eyebrows. "What you got there?"
"A baby," Erskine replied softly. "She's so sweet."
"She's not crying, either," Gordon nodded. "Number one uncle rule: never let the kid cry."
"I'm not an uncle," Erskine reminded him.
"Yeah, but I am," Gordon said proudly. "And as uncle, I am using you to stop her crying. Thus making me a good uncle for making Stephanie not cry."
Dexter had to chuckle at his friend's logic. Whatever worked, he guessed. He'd taken a six-hour flight into Ireland the day before sitting next to twin toddlers that had cried, thrown stuff, run around and been general nightmares, so he was more than glad she stopped crying. "What are we doing with the back entrance then? Moving that way or using a 'copter for the roof?"
"There aren't any helicopters we can get our hands on," Skulduggery said from his place looking out the window. "The Irish Sanctuary doesn't have one."
"Yes it does," he frowned.
"Skulduggery blew it up," Saracen told him.
"What? How?" Erskine asked.
Skulduggery shrugged. "It's a long story involving boats, water and being shot into the water by boats."
"That wasn't a long story," Ghastly said mildly, pouring himself and Anton teas. The microwave dinged and Gordon got the bottle out. There was a pause as they watched him check the temperature of the formula on his lip and then thrust the bottle at Erskine.
"What?" Erskine said, backing away with the baby. "No way, I can't feed a baby. You take her."
"She'll cry if I take her!" Gordon argued. "You have to do it!"
"I can't! I'm not an uncle, I don't know how!" Erskine cried.
Stephanie started to fidget. "Now you've upset her," Dexter grinned, knowing how it would panic his friend.
"Oh God, no!" Erskine panicked. "Take her back!"
"She'll cry!" Gordon said back. "Oh, give her to someone else! Maybe she's bored of you."
"Ghastly–"
"Don't even try," Ghastly muttered, drinking from his mug.
Erskine looked at Anton and then shook his head, knowing it wouldn't work. Saracen had backed out of the room already and Skulduggery was shaking his head before Erskine had turned to look in his direction. Erskine looked like he was going to cry with the kid when suddenly, Gordon pushed him towards Dexter and in the next moment, Dexter had to save the kid from being crushed and had it in his arms.
Oh god. He was holding the kid.
It was in his arms.
It was still crying.
Oh, fuck no!
"Take it back!" He shouted.
"No!" Erskine cried and ran from the room.
Dexter turned on Gordon. "You can't expect me to look after your niece. I don't know the first thing about kids!"
"You just need to hold a bottle and her head!" Gordon said quickly. "Sit down, it's easier. Here, take the bottle."
Dexter did, somehow, and Gordon adjusted his grip on the child and freed up his other hand to choke his friend, but before he had the chance to grab his neck, a bottle was put in it and shoved towards the kid's face.
Grimacing, Dexter shoved the teat into the kid's mouth. It cried once more, but then started to suck on it and the whining stopped. Relief flooded him.
Until he looked in her eyes.
She was starting up at him with giant, bright blue eyes, a thick frame of dark eyelashes surrounding them. Her little nose was scrunched up from how big the bottle teat was, having to open her mouth so wide, but it was actually incredibly sweet, and the little breaths she made between swallowing the milk pulled on his heart and very suddenly, he knew that he loved this baby with every fibre in his being. He would die for this child. He'd throw another human into a fire to save this child from minor pain. And she just kept looking right into his eyes, staring at him like she could see into his soul and was judging the very core of who he was. Did he deserve to hold such an innocent, perfect being in his arms? Was he tainting her perfectness with his bloodstained hands? Did the haunted memories that lingered in the forefront of his mind scare her, make her hate him on an innate level, or did she see only the fear and doubts and sudden, all-encompassing love?
It felt as though his whole world had been rocked. He'd never fed a baby before. She was so sweet and they stared at each other the whole time, her perfect little eyes never leaving his own. When she stopped sucking at the bottle and just lay there, looking at him and holding the teat in her mouth, Dexter very gently pulled it out and she made some movements like grasping at air with her mouth, and then closed it. Carefully, he used his sleeve to wipe the milk from her chin and the bit that was down her neck and very carefully pulled her up so she was laying on his chest. He softly rubbed her back and burped her until he'd heard the faint sound of two burps, and then just rocked her, looking down the whole time at her precious little head. She had soft, patchy hair, all dark and straight. There was only a bit, but he could see, in his mind, how she would grow up into a child and a young woman, with a little nose, big innocent eyes, and a grin. Maybe she'd have curly hair when she was older, or dye it like girls did so much these days, and perhaps get her ears pierced. He saw her whole life and wished for the first time that he would get to see it all. Get to guide and love her and lead her to amazing things. He'd never wanted something so badly in his life and all he could do was rock her and kiss the top of her sleeping head.
An hour must have gone by because he only looked up next when the grandfather clock dinged that it was three in the afternoon. His brothers were all sitting at the table and speaking softly about the mission they had to do. He caught Saracen's eye and they softly looked at each other. He didn't care about the mission any more. He wanted to kidnap Stephanie and raise her himself.
But, that would be wrong. And when the grandfather clock hit four o'clock, the others decided they would prefer to sit on the comfier sofas and went into the other room, Dexter trailing behind.
"How is she?" Gordon asked softly when they had sat down.
Dexter took a deep breath. "She's good," he forced out, not sure at all how he could explain his feelings. Was it creepy, for a random old man to fall so in love with a baby? He didn't feel any creepy feeling towards her, but he didn't want to come across like that at all.
"I know what you mean," Gordon said.
"Can I hold her?" Saracen asked suddenly. Gordon shrugged his permission, and Dexter's heart skipped a beat. Not a good skipping. The skipping of pain now that he had to give up his baby. Swallowing a lump in his throat, Dexter sat forwards and gently leant Stephanie back so she was laying flat and handed her into Saracen's arms. She was still sleeping.
He watched in silence with the others how Saracen held her to his chest and looked at her sleeping face. He was expressionless, but when he moved one of his hands to stroke her hair, Dexter could see a slight tremble in his fingers. "She's sleeping," was all he could get out.
"I want a turn!" Erskine demanded from his seat next to Saracen.
"You already had a turn," Saracen frowned.
"I want a proper go," he sulked, and after a moment of looking at the child, Saracen handed her over.
Now in Erskine's arms, the sleeping child looked a little more in danger to Dexter but he pushed the feeling down. Erskine would never, ever hurt a child, but nothing he thought calmed his racing heart of the panic that he might get even a hair out of place. Erskine looked down at her and stroke her little knuckles. He 'aww'-ed when she wrinkled her nose in her sleep. Then his face went very solemn and he looked at her intently.
He looked up at Gordon. "She's perfect," he said emotionally, and then looked back at Stephanie. "I love you."
Dexter had to smile at his brother.
"My turn then," Ghastly said, getting out of his chair to take Stephanie.
Erskine smiled and handed her over easily, pleased to see Ghastly smiling. He was always happy when his brothers were happy, it was the best part about Erskine. Carefully, she was handed over and Ghastly sat in his chair again. Stephanie yawned and stretched one arm out and Ghastly looked down at her with wide eyes. "Err, maybe you should take her back," he said quickly but was too late as Stephanie had already opened her eyes.
She looked up at him and Ghastly looked down at her. Dexter watched as Stephanie looked at him as intently as she had Dexter, and saw as Ghastly's insecurities over his scars faded. A child so young didn't care about how his friend looked and it was a lovely moment even for Dexter to watch as Ghastly's heart also melted for the girl. He didn't take either hand from supporting her body, but he did let her wave her hands and grab one of his jacket buttons. After getting to spend five minutes with her, it was Anton's turn and he took her into his gigantic hands.
Anton's turn was somewhat amusing if only because he was so much larger than Stephanie. He held her with one hand and her head was supported by his wrist and it just made her look as if she had shrunk. She made a sound, some baby talk, and he answered her gently, asking what she would like to do. She tilted her head a fraction and it made it seem as if she was listening to him. It was hard to find words to say to her, it seemed, because Anton just looked at her with a fond expression and softly used his thumb to wipe dribble from her mouth.
A few moments later, he looked to Skulduggery.
He seemed reluctant, but with everyone staring, even Gordon, Anton stood and let Skulduggery take Stephanie from his arms.
This wasn't the first child he had held since his own, Dexter knew. They'd both saved children from all sorts of dangers before, but had he held one just to get to know them since his own? Dexter doubted it. His heart ached for his friend as he looked down at her, and she looked right into his skull. "How are you, then?" He asked her. "Everyone seemed to really like you. You must have some special charms to make them all like you so much, huh? What is it that you're doing then?"
Stephanie made a grunting noise.
"You better not be–" She farted on him. "Oh. That's not very nice at all."
Dexter laughed, feeling immense pride. She was a good girl!
"You are sweet I suppose, when you're not being nasty," Skulduggery said drily. "I'm not changing your nappy by the way. I don't think they are either. You'll go back to your Uncle Gordon for nappy changes. How about you come and see my car. Do you like cars? The Bentley is the best car out there you know."
Dexter shook his head as Skulduggery took her to the window to look outside at his car, which as parked around the corner of the house and out of sight of the main drive. Dexter assumed Stephanie's parents had missed it because he was sure they wouldn't have left their child here if they knew Gordon had company.
"How long until her parents are back?" Ghastly asked, practically reading his thoughts.
"In the next half hour I expect," Gordon said sadly. "If I had known you'd take to her so well I'd have invited you all to meet her before. I had her last week for the afternoon. If you'd like, she'll be here next weekend overnight if you'd like to come?"
Dexter immediately knew he'd be there. Erskine was louder in his pleasure at the idea, and in the end, they were all nodding.
When Melissa and Desmond's car came down the driveway, Gordon took Stephanie from Dexter, as he'd been able to take her from Skulduggery earlier and kept her from everyone else successfully, even changing her poopy nappy although it had been with help from Gordon and he'd felt very out of place. It was gut-wrenching to walk away from the baby, especially as she begun crying as soon as the Dead Men had left the room. His whole soul felt like it was being ripped from his body and he hoped at least it stayed with her and she'd know he loved her.
They all stood at the window at the top of the stairs, miserably watching the car drive away with baby Stephanie in the back. He missed her already.
And that was the first time the Dead Men met Valkyrie. They are the sweetest!
I thought it would be best done from Dexter's perspective as I have done him in the proper story (I think? I'm at chapter 135 posting this so I may not have, its a very long story to remember everything!). A Dead Men meets baby Stephanie always goes well, but I think I will be posting this separately to my OS story place because it just fits the actual books so well that everyone should see it! But if you are coming from my Raising Cain story, this is in that story timeline. It just works regardless and I thought everyone should enjoy. Hope you guys don't mind! I may do some follow-up cuteness, but that will for sure be on the OS place, so if you like this, get reading Skulduggery Pleasant: Raising Cain, and the OS stories!
All ideas for future OS's (for Raising Cain or just anything in general) is always appreciated! Thank you for reading :)