The room lay quiet and the bedside candle has long since burned out but she doesn't need much light to find her way around the dark room. The faint moon light that peeks in from the window provides just enough shadow and the space is familiar. She stands by the bed waiting to be acknowledged, her dark brown eyes heavy with sleep.
"Pa-pa..." She calls out once…twice.
Benvolio stirs. The voice is so soft that he almost thinks he is still dreaming until he feels a light tug of his bed sheet. A heavy yawn escapes his lips and he palms his lands lazily over his eyes.
"Olivia my love, can you not sleep?" His voice was gentle, just a note above a whisper. This had become a new routine for the little girl, finding her way from her nursery to her parent's sleeping chambers during the night. When she hears the familiar sound of her father's voice in the darkened room she blinks back the tears that brim in her eyes. Whimpering, she holds her arms out to him, squirming impatiently.
"Pa-pa…"
"Come, Olive." Benvolio replies and pulls her up next to him. Once placed atop the bed she quietly nestles her body into her favorite sleeping position which is tucked right below her father's collar bone. She snuggles her body as close as she can into him. Benvolio sleepily tousles his fingers through the curly ebony strands the little one acquired from her mother until she falls asleep, which doesn't take long. He's learned this as the quickest way to soothe her whenever she is restless.
"Sleep, little one." he says soothingly, softly kissing Olivia's cheek and pulls the white sheets over her little body to keep her warm during the night. A yawn escapes Benvolio's lips while he waits for a bit to make sure Olivia has fallen into a sound sleep, still stroking her hair.
Just then Rosaline stirs but he can tell she is still asleep. She lets out a small restless sigh and shifts behind him. Not too long after he feels the familiar weight of her arm lazily draped over his torso and smiles drowsily to himself as his wife shifts once more to nestle closer to him in her sleep. Not only did their daughter mirror his wife's appearance but the two also shared the same sleeping habits.
It was hard to believe that not too long ago Benvolio Montague's nights were filled with overwhelming sadness. The deaths of Romeo and Mercutio, the only two people he lived for, were a constant weight on his shoulders. That and being forced to take ownership of an inheritance he wasn't worthy of but by the Lord's mercy a good and decent yet brave and strong-willed Capulet woman came into his life and gave him something to live for.
Rosaline Capulet had managed to steal Benvolio's heart along the streets of Verona but the little girl securely tucked in his arms had become it's owner on the very day she was born. These two were now the most important people in Benvolio's world. His Rose and his Olive. He would commit to tear down the walls of Verona himself to protect both their safety and happiness, should that day ever come.
With the room once again quiet Benvolio yawns once more and closes his eyes, slowly succumbing to the slumber tugging at him.
EPILOGUE:
Benvolio can see the brightness of the sun through his closed eyes. Although he is awake his body is still tired so he decides to stay wrapped beneath his bed sheets a bit longer. That plan, however, doesn't last long. He feels soft curly hair on his shoulder and tiny warm hands on his back.
"Good Morning Pa-pa!" he hears followed by a muffled but delighted chuckle from Rosaline and he grins into his pillow because yes, it is a good morning indeed.