C armine Falcone sat in the waiting room of Gotham Hospital tapping his foot in an impatient matter. He had been leaning over his knees resting his elbows on his thighs. It had been less than an hour ago his own wife had given birth to his baby daughter. Although there were some...complications. She had come out having trouble breathing. The doctor's couldn't get it back to normal so they took the newborn into surgery. They had found a tear in her left lung and were in quick pursuit to fix it quickly. The older man's heart had felt like it was skipping beats. Finally a metal door swung open with a loud creak that brought the man out of his thoughts, "Mr. Falcone?"

He looked up at a man dressed in light blue scrubs and old worn white tennis shoes, "yes, that's me, what is going on?" He seemed impatient as he spoke.

"We were successfully able to repair the tear in your baby's lung, it came with many complications, but she will be ok, fully healthy," the doctor smiled as he delivered the news to the older gentlemen.

"Thank God," Carmine sighed as he looked at the ground.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, why have a child in later years? Why not earlier?" The doctor was intrigued on this subject.

"Because by then I would have enough life experience to really overcome whatever is thrown at me."

The man did nothing but nod, "would you like to see your baby?"

Carmine got up without an answer more than anticipated to finally see what rightfully belonged to himself and his wife. The doctor lead him to a room in a desolate hallway. He knocked twice before entering. When Falcone walked in he saw his wife, Louisa, hold in g onto a pink blanket smiling. Carmine took a few steps as a smile was plastered on his face as he looked past the blanket to see a small face sticking out from the blanket.

"Well hi there little lady," he spoke.

"Oh Carmine, isn't she just precious?" Louisa was staring down at the baby.

"She's gorgeous, Louisa," Carmine couldn't take his eyes off of the little being.

"You wanna hold her?" Louisa gestured the baby towards her husband, who in return, happily took the baby.

He looked down at the baby and spoke softly, "you have a lot to live up to, you're gonna do great things one day, and you're gonna have lots of power," he looked at his wife, "did you decide on the name?"

"Karmen Grace," she smiled at her husband.

In Carmine's opinion he would have much wanted a boy, but a girl could be used for so much more, girls were better at acting, he needed a good actress to close business deals, he knew she'd be a good deal maker, she had it in her blood.

"Well, Karmen Grace, your going to be a great heir," Carmine nodded down at the baby.

*Eastern Gotham*

"And we'd like to give a warm congratulations to Carmine and Louisa Falcone today, they brought their first child into the world this morning," a newscaster spoke on the little television in the restaurant of none other than Salvatore Maroni.

"Louisa was pregnant? And Carmine didn't tell?" Sal smirked evilly as he watched the news, "that's a recipe for disaster," he looked at one of his main men, "we'll give them time to settle, but then we make our move, we after the wife, and then the baby,"

"Don Maroni, what will that solve? That will only have Falcone after us more than he already is," one of his men spoke a bit worriedly.

"You haven't known the old man as long as I have, I know what he'll do," Maroni chuckled to himself.

*three months later*

The soft cries that echoed during the late hours of the night had been a regular at the Falcone residence for the past three months. Bottles had scattered throughout the house. The smell of baby powder lingered and stuck on everyone's clothes. All the symptoms of new baby syndrome.

Carmine had taken up working on the Crime Business from home. Not wanting to leave his newborn or Louisa by themselves knowing there would still be some sort of threat to them. Carmine hated to admit it, but he often did find himself getting off track and occupying himself on spending time with the infant. Often taking her on strolls through the Garden in the back of the manor. Other times cradling her in his arms until she fell asleep. When he wasn't paying attention to the infant he focused on protection and making sure the business was balanced. Too many people were out for the family.

Louisa's days were taken up by mostly entertaining the baby , nearly the same as Carmine, only feeding and other necessities were on her list. This one particular day was different though. The couple had not woken up peacefully like they normally did. They woke up to the sound of distressed cried from the infant. Both knew something was irregular about the entire situation. Something bad. Carmine was the first out of their bedroom, followed by a panicking Louisa. Both were in a hurry to make it to the child's nursery. When they made it they found the door to be partially more cracked than what they usually left it, "Carmine, I closed her door after she had woken last night, after she went back to sleep, I shut the door," Louisa spoke panicked

"My dear, you are probably mistaken," Falcone lied to get a false sense of security not only for his wife but for himself. He slowly pushed the door opened and what he found he had to admit made his heart skip a beat.

There stood none only than Salvatore Maroni surrounded by four of his men. In the Don's arms lay a whining Karmen. Louisa gasped as she gazed at the man who had a devious smirk on his face, "you two are heavy sleepers, kids been crying for ten minutes," he chuckled as he looked down at the baby, "gotta admit though," his Italian accent could be heard heavily, "she is a beauty."

"Maroni put my daughter down right now," Falcone spoke looking the other man deep in the eyes, "there are other ways to settle this."

"You're right, there are," he grinned down at the baby in his arms, "but why not take something that means most to you in order to show that I mean business?" the grin turned into an immense glare at the infant.

"Please just leave her be!" Louisa begged on the verge of tears.

"My dear, please stay calm," Falcone still kept his gaze on Maroni as he spoke, "What do you want, Maroni?"

"I want to hit you where it hurts, old man," Maroni still looked down at the child, "I am a reasonable man though, so I'll make you a trade," he snapped his finger and man pulled out his knife and walked towards Louisa. He grabbed her and held the knife to her neck, "well, more like a choice."

Louisa had whimpered audibly but knew how things like this worked. If she even made a cry they would kill her, "You're making me choose my daughter or my wife, what kind of sick person makes someone choose that?" Carmine raised his voice making Karmen;s cries a bit louder.

"I think your kid is volunteering, I would hurry up old man," Maroni looked up getting impatient.

"Carmine, just let me be the sacrifice, let her live, take my life, she is more important, she will be the heir," Louisa begged as she looked at her husband pleadingly.

Carmine battled with his thoughts for what seemed to drag on like years. The thought of losing his own wife. And at the hands of Maroni. It was that or his daughter. His sweet precious daughter. Or his gorgeous loving wife. What would he do? He finally came to his decision. He looked back from Maroni to his wife. Back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth.

"Louisa, forgive me my love, for my decision, but she must live on, I can't kill my own child, you know why I can't do that, Louisa," the man's eyes watered, it was rare for him to cry, something he never did.

"Carmine, I understand, she has to live," Louisa smiled sadly.

"If you must do it, please not here in my home," Carmine looked at Maroni and nodded, "and I would like my child back now."

"You're a wise man, Falcone, I hope your decision doesn't come back to bite you in the ass," he laughed before he gently layed the infant back down into her light purple crib. He then looked at Louisa. It intrigued him on how willing she was to give up her life for the child to live. She must really be important, "This is nothing personal Louisa, just doing business."

"I u-understand," Louisa looked at him as a tear fell from her face. She looked at Carmine, having the knife taken away from her throat, she walked towards him and place her hand on his cheek, "raise her right, Carmine, make her a leader, a strong leader."

Carmine nodded before he watched his wife being escorted out by Maroni's men. He slowly approached the crib and looked down at the baby who was now crying loudly. He picked her up and wrapped her in a blanket as he cradled her in his arms and cooed to her. He shushed her before he spoke, "I'm going to make you a strong woman, just like your mother, I won't let you forget," he rocked her back to sleep.