Terrified and Elated

Summary: Athos holds his and Sylvie's son just hours after his birth

It had been an hour since the sun had gone down. The midwife had left a couple of hours ago and Sylvie was sleeping peacefully for nearly as long.

Athos sat in a chair next to the bed, only a couple candles still burning. He looked down at the new life bundled up in a blanket held in his arms. Terrified and elated, the words repeated in his head as he looked at the tiny face and tiny hand that had managed to creep out of its cocoon of the warm blanket.

They hadn't named him yet. They had had numerous discussions on the topic for the last six months and still hadn't settled on anything.

He had a shockingly near full head of hair. It was dark with loose curls. His nose was all Sylvie Athos had insisted.

Athos touched his finger against his son's hand. His son, terrified was what he was feeling with that thought. The small hand flexed barely grasping Athos' single finger. Elated.

"This looks good on you."

Athos looked up surprised to hear her voice. Sylvie was propped up on the pillows smiling.

"What's that?" Athos asked standing up and walking the few feet to the bed sitting on the edge leaning against the headboard.

"Fatherhood."

Athos released an uncharacteristic snort.

Sylvie reached out caressing their son's hand still wrapped lightly around Athos' finger.

"You should sleep," Athos leaned his head down brushing the side of his nose against Sylvie's and kissing her lightly on her lips.

"He's going to need to be fed soon," she said.

That was their son's cue to wake up and begin to cry. Athos easily slipped him into Sylvie's arms. Athos wrapped his arm around her shoulders as she prepared to feed their child.

Athos knew there would be many more times of feeling terrified in the coming years, but he had a hope those moments would be outnumbered by feeling elated.

Fini