"It's a girl."
Nox's arms were cradled around the child, who slept with her eyes shut peacefully, small hands clutching her shirt. Her lips were slightly parted, her body swaddled with blankets.
Lloyd was beside the medical bed, on his knees, a smile breaking across his face at the sight of the child. His child. His thumb stroked her tiny hand, so small in comparison to his.
Nox smiled warmly. "She has your hands."
Lloyd pressed a kiss to her lips. "She has your lips."
Nox laughed softly, so as not to wake the child.
It happened twelve hours earlier. Because they couldn't leave the base to go to an actual hospital, they had to stick with that they were given in the lab and medical wing, which were just barely enough.
Romanov finished setting up the heart-monitoring equipment. "She came weeks early. But… heart rate is normal, system is working fine, brainwave development is flawless…"
Lloyd glanced up with creased brows. "Will she make it?"
"It's impossible to tell. Children are stronger than you may think, and this one is no exception. If she keeps up like this, she has a good chance. Her genes have picked up many of Nox's… special traits. It is wise that you start training her how to control her abilities."
Then tension in Nox's heart still wasn't relieved, but she was soon distracted by the smallest sound of a yawn.
The girl gave a yawn, her tiny arms reaching for the air. Her eyes blinked, staring tiredly at Nox and Lloyd in the warm light.
"Gold," Nox whispered, admiring her eyes. "She has your golden brown eyes."
Lloyd gingerly played with a string of her honey brown hair. "She has your hair."
The girl reached out for Lloyd's hand, holding it tightly. Nox gently moved the child towards Lloyd, in a gesture to hold her. Lloyd was hesitant, but ultimately decided to hold his daughter. She wrapped her small arms around him, then moved her hands to his empty sword sheath. He'd taken the sword off the avoid injuring her, and kept it on the far end of the room, but not too far, should something happen for them to defend themselves.
Lloyd chuckled and spoke softly. "Just wait a few years, baby girl. You'll be a warrior soon."
Nox's brows creased together, but before she could say anything, Romanov spoke up, keeping his eyes on the monitor. "The rest can come in now."
Lloyd nodded, placing the child back in Nox's care.
Romanov slowly pried the door open, and jolted when Etrius deftly swung it open. "We've been standing out here for hours."
"I have a feeling you're doing this on purpose." Ivan growled.
"Are you going to let us in or what?" Beecher glared at Romanov with that usual edge in his tone.
Romanov frowned behind his round wire-framed glasses. "Yes, you may come in now. Just keep it quiet."
Etrius and Beecher pushed past him, making their way to the bed. Normally, Beecher would've said something to express his annoyance at Nox and Lloyd. Normally, Ivan would push them to train with the team. Normally, Etrius would boss them around into doing actual work instead of locking themselves in their room all day.
But this time, the minute they saw the smallest and frailest child in Nox and Lloyd's arms, they could only stare in awe.
"We welcome the newest member of the Elite Team," Nox laughed as the girl began to kick at the air, slightly unravelling the blankets. She swaddled them around her again. "Angel."
A low sniffing came from the door, and it creaked open the slightest bit. Timber trotted inside.
"Ah—!" Romanov stood in the wolf's way. "No dogs."
"He's not a dog. He's a wolf." Ivan frowned, as Timber moved around Romanov, towards Nox and Lloyd.
"Nox—" Romanov warned, but she only smiled.
"Let him get to know her. They'll be spending a lot of time together, so why not?"
Timber leaped up, his front paws on the mattress. He sniffed the blankets that Angel was wrapped in.
"Timber," Nox gently pried back the blankets. "This is Angel."
Timber sniffed the blankets around Angel's form, then snuffed her air, blowing some strands back. Angel gave a gleeful laugh.
Timber snorted, then leaped back down and exited the room somberly.
"He's jealous." Lloyd chuckled, then looked back up at Etrius, Beecher and Ivan. "I know those looks on your faces too. Don't worry, each of you will take turns in looking after her." He spoke in a mocking tone, bringing a giggle out of Nox.
Etrius frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means we'll be changing diapers while these two are off battling monsters." Beecher snorted.
"Aw come on, Uncle Beecher, it'll be fun!" Nox held back a laugh.
Beecher's mouth fell open. "You did not just call me that."
"I'm sure Uncle Etrius will feel differently?" Lloyd snickered.
"You are not calling me that."
"Uncle Ivan?"
Ivan shook his head.
Etrius scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Whatever." And he marched out the door.
"Aww, come on, Uncle Etrius." Nox called after him after he vanished down the hall.
After a while of silence, Nox spoke up. "Any word from Boomer?"
Beecher shook his head. "Nothing. Both he and Grace have been living on the southern side of the forest. If I didn't know any better, I'd say they're having kids of their own—" Beecher just stopped talking altogether once he noticed the faraway look in Nox's eyes.
"Sorry."
Nox changed the subject. "And what about…"
"Nothing from The General yet. By now, I think it's safe to assume that he's really gone."
The door creaked open again. Scott entered the room, his eyes immediately moving to the little piece of heaven wrapped up in blankets. A quick smile crossed his face as he approached them.
Lloyd always felt uncomfortable in Scott's presence. The mere knowledge that Lloyd had come into the team to replace Scott made him want to escape into the forest. But he held his tongue and reminded himself that Scott was only here because of Angel. She had to keep a relationship with the entire team if she was going to survive in the future.
Scott kneeled beside the bed, his green eyes taking the child in. Her gold eyes held his for a fleeing moment, and something silent passed between them. Literally.
Scott backed away, pressing a hand to his head and uttering a groan.
Nox frowned. "What's—"
"Her powers are surfacing quickly." Romanov spoke up. "Nox, it is best you begin training with her as soon as possible."
Nox's arms stiffened, causing Angel to glance up at her with confusion. "Fine. I'll train her, but she is never becoming a weapon."
Lloyd's eyes narrowed. "She needs to learn how to defend herself in the future."
"I said I would train her to control her powers and keep herself safe. Nobody is going to train her to fight or—" She bit her lip. Kill.
"I'm afraid Lloyd is right," Romanov walked towards the four of them. "Whether or not The General lives, you are all still rebels. This child has the blood of a Psychic, the blood of an Immortal, and the blood of a Descendant. She is special. People will come after her. It was you and Lloyd's choice to bring her to the world."
Nox bowed her head over her child as Romanov continued speaking.
"If she doesn't adapt to the way things are, and quickly, I'm afraid she won't last very long."
Nox sighed, as Angel reached out to touch her face. "Fine. I'll train her, but only train her to defend herself. You're right. We asked for this. It's time we started taking responsibility."