As tired as she was, it surprised her to wake up when Goliath had slid the balcony doors open.
"Hey, Big Guy," Elisa called quietly.
"Elisa," He called back, as quietly as the deep timbre of his voice would allow. "I was afraid that you were not home because your lights are out. Are you not feeling well?"
"I'm fine, just tired."
Goliath knelt down beside the couch, caressing the side of her face with his hand. "If you are sure."
"I'm sure," Elisa said with a smile.
The baby chose that moment to make his presence known by letting loose a howl that practically made Elisa's ears ring.
Elisa groaned and got to her feet. "Sorry, he must be hungry."
Goliath looked stunned… To say the least. "What…"
"It's a baby, Goliath. Not a time bomb, I promise." Elisa gently picked the baby up and tried to comfort him.
Goliath sent her a disgruntled look. "I know it is a baby. I am simply surprised. When I last saw you, you did not have one."
Elisa laughed. "A lot can change in a day, but this you would have noticed, believe me."
Goliath smiled at that. "Where did the baby come from?"
"Could you hold him for a minute?" Elisa asked in desperation. For something so small, the baby was proving to have a good amount of strength in his little limbs. "I need to make him something to eat, and I will fill you in."
Goliath held his arms out and awkwardly cradled the small infant in the crook of one arm. The baby was flailing his arms in the air, and Goliath offered one of his taloned fingers for the baby to grasp.
He was surprised that a hand so tiny could have such a firm grasp. He held the small child while Elisa mixed up the formula and told him the story from the night before.
Goliath was as angry as she had felt at first on behalf of the small life that he now held so gently.
Elisa handed Goliath the bottle without thinking. He lowered the nipple to the small puckered mouth and watched as the baby's small fists balled up in contentment.
Elisa sighed, and collapsed back on the couch. "I forgot how little sleep these little guys need."
Goliath looked confused.
"Let me guess," Elisa said tiredly. "Gargoyle children are hatched and stay awake all night, and sleep all day."
Goliath shrugged as if saying, "Of course."
Elisa puffed out a breath. "Well, human children sleep in small bursts."
"I can watch over him for a time," he offered his exhausted wife. "You should go get some more rest."
Elisa accepted the offer, gladly. "If you are willing, I'm not going to argue. Wake me up in an hour or so, though."
"Alright," Goliath agreed, turning his attention back to the small child.
That set up a pattern for the next few days. Elisa took some of her vacation time from work and was the primary caretaker during the day. Goliath took over at night to make sure that Elisa was able to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep.
They had even given him a name. Goliath suggested calling him Liam, an old Gaelic name meaning "strong willed warrior".
By the end of the week, they had moved Liam's crib from the living room into Elisa's room so that she could rest in her own bed.
Elisa was starting to dread the call from CPS telling her that they were coming. They had grown into a family unit without meaning to.
Maria finally called Elisa into her office on Elisa's first night back to work. Maria wanted to let her know that they had finally located Liam's birth records. His mother hadn't even bothered to register his birth with a name on the certificate. According to his birth records at the county hospital, he was listed only as Baby Boy Miller.
Elisa wept inside for the precious boy who had become a part of their lives.
"Elisa," Maria began haltingly. "Are you sure that you still want to give him up?"
"No," Elisa replied. "But what are my options?"
"Adopt him."
Elisa let out a startled laugh, but Maria burst in. "That was not a joke. I have not heard you so excited about anything since your wedding. This may be your chance to have a child with Goliath, and we both know how attached the Big Guy is getting to Liam by now."
Elisa smiled to herself. She had noticed the same thing.
"He's not a puppy, Maria," Elisa stated. "I can't just adopt him. Look at my life! My family! He would have gargoyles as extended family, a father who is a gargoyle, and would only be able to see them at night! Not to mention my work schedule. How would I be able to take care of a child?"
"Your parents did it," Maria snapped. "Your parents were working full time. Not to mention that your mother is african american, your father native american… and if you think that was easy on them at that time being a mixed race couple, let me tell you that they had their challenges. People were not nice to them. All that aside, you kids are some of the best, well rounded people I know."
Feeling put in her place, Elisa wisely kept silent.
"I will personally go to bat for you," Maria offered after a moment. "Just ask yourself if you want to keep that precious baby, or if you could let him go. I don't think you can let him go. I will call in every favor that I have with me to ask for to get an adoption put through quickly and quietly if that is what you want."
Elisa hesitated the barest of moments, wishing that she could talk to Goliath first and knowing that her answer was going to change both of their lives.
In the end, there was really only one answer. Despite her protestations, it was surprisingly easy to make. Elisa pictured Liam as she had last seen him, sleeping peacefully on the sofa and covered with a blue fleece blanket.
"Yes," Elisa said firmly. "That is what I want."
Maria had a friend in the CPS, and called him immediately. Within an hour, he had brought the forms to the station that would approve Elisa of fostering the child in the current emergency situation.
The next day, Elisa had nagged her mother, Diane, and sister, Beth, into shopping for things to decorate his bedroom. They had gone hog wild in a baby boutique, then moved on to a hardware store for baby proofing supplies.
By the time that Goliath rose for the evening, he found his son sleeping happily in a bright blue room that had colorful zoo animals on the walls.
Goliath somehow knew, without Elisa having told him, what the choice had been. He had picked her up, twirling her around the room laughing. He had agreed with the plan wholeheartedly, and took his new family out for a glide to the castle to share the news with the clan. The clan had accepted the news with excitement and acceptance of their friend's newfound family.
Not long after, it was official. Liam Thomas Maza was legally Elisa's son. Elisa wished like hell that Goliath could have been listed on the adoption certificate, but that was just not possible.
Diane and Beth helped out as much as they could over the next few months. They would come over to Elisa's and watch over Liam during the day so that Elisa could get some uninterrupted sleep. Lexington and Angela helped out a lot at night, freeing Goliath up to help Elisa on her patrols.
Finally, Liam started sleeping for longer periods, and they were able to get his schedule turned around with the help of some blackout curtains in his windows. He began sleeping all day, and awake at night when his father was there. The added bonus to this, was that Liam was able to spend the nights hanging out with his friends at Castle Wyvern while Elisa was at work.
Liam had fit into their family unit with surprising little effort, and had a large family and extended family to spoil him rotten.
If ever there was a little boy who deserved to be doted on, it was their little Liam.
For better or worse, their lives were going to change.