And now, the star-crossed lovers are complete. Enjoy the birth of Juliet!

Chapter 4: "Innocence"

"This is the wisteria… your father's pride and joy…" Gnomeo giggled as I held him up to look at the tree, stretching out one hand like he was trying to grab an out-of reach branch. I smiled at his attempt. "One day, you'll be a warrior, just like your father, the great Lord Blueberry." I told him as I turned him around to face me again. "You'll protect and defend us and this tree from the reds." He let out a squeal of pleasure as I spoke the word. "No, no Gnomeo." I reminded him. "We don't like the reds, remember? Reds are bad." I gently shook him back and forth as I said this. He let out an adorable gurgle and stretched his hands for me. I obliged, pulling him close against me.

It was hard to believe he was already almost two months old. I closed my eyes and held him tight, humming gently to him as he played with my hair. It took me a few seconds to realize I was humming a song Cleon had taught me ten years ago. I opened my eyes and I abruptly changed to humming a blue lullaby, horrified that I had exposed my son to such music.

My thoughts tried to turn to Cleon but I pushed them away. I hadn't seen or heard from him since the raid and I didn't want to. It had helped that my life was now consumed with both Gnomeo and the everyday chores of the garden, leaving me little time to ponder my old friend. There had been pitifully little activity from the reds lately. It was as if they were distracted by something besides us. I didn't like it. Redbrick had to be up to something.

Gnomeo began to fuss; perhaps he was tired. I was moving to cradled him soothingly in my arms when I heard it.

Someone was screaming. I stood very still and listened. I couldn't recognize the voice but it was coming from the alley. Still carefully cradling Gnomeo, I rushed to the gate to see what was happening, my head spinning in anticipation. I knew they wouldn't leave us alone for long. I squared my shoulders and pushed open the gate. New mother/leader or not, if those reds wanted a fight, I was going to bring it.

"Ulrich, I want to ask you something." He just nodded, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. I sighed quietly. It had been a few months since Lord Blueberry's untimely death but Ulrich still seemed fixated on it and his revenge on the blues for his hat. Not that I blamed him for either. The nightmare where Kat yelled at me (or some variation of it) had become an almost nightly horror and I was afraid it was beginning to show. Hopefully, this talk would put my mind at ease.

My silence got Ulrich's attention. "Sure, ask away bro." He said to me. We were walking candidly along the alley towards the street. I had wanted to get away from the garden for a little while.

"When Silvia was pregnant with Tybalt…" I began, speaking of his son (and my few month old nephew). "… did you ever have bad dreams?"

He kicked at a loose pebble. "What kind?"

I kicked the same stone as we walked by it again. "You know… the kind that…makes you think… and worry…" I tried to sound unconcerned, but I knew I was failing.

Ulrich chuckled. "Is my fearless older brother plagued by the new father dream?" He taunted.

"Huh?"

He clapped me on the shoulder. "Ophelia told me you were anxious about this."

I looked over at him. "She did?"

He nodded. "She's worried about you Cleon." He said, sounding concerned himself. I could feel my anger rising; I didn't want his pity.

"I'm the one who should be worried for her!" I snapped back, feeling the fugue from so many sleepless nights plague me. "Don't you start with me too!"

As always, Ulrich was unfazed by my temper. "It's just that she knows you have a lot to worry about." He assured me, calmly. Immediately, I felt bad for snapping and angry at myself for being stupid. Whatever made me think I would be getting pity from my brother? "I think she thinks it's her responsibility to make sure you don't stress about her and your kid." Ulrich continued. "She doesn't want you to suffer over this." He stopped walking. We had reached the end of the alley. For awhile we just stood and stared out at the street, watching the humans' cars speed by.

I finally found the courage to speak again. "But that's my child too!" I exclaimed. "How can I not worry?"

Ulrich said nothing; he knew when I just needed to rant it all out.

The words came out before I could stop them. As always, my brother had found the root of my anxiety and was forcing me to dig at it. "Honestly, what if I'm too busy for it?" I was starting to pace the width of the alley arrogantly, hands behind my back. "Or too strict? Or... what if it doesn't like me?"

He started laughing, but not unkindly which finally made me shut up.

"Bro, being a father is not going to be that difficult for you!" He said. "If anything, it's going to be much, much easier for you than it is for everyone else!"

This surprised me so much, I stopped pacing. "What makes you say that?"

Ulrich shrugged. "You're our leader." He said simply. "You're practically a father to all of us already! Just be more of that for your kid."

"But how?"

He bit his lip, holding back a smile. "The same way you were with the students at the warrior academy last month: tough but lovable." I punched him lightly as he smirked.

"No, really?"

Ulrich rolled his eyes. "Yes. There wasn't a student there who didn't look up to you like a father after that day." I smiled at that. I had done a good job with the kids at the academy. A glimmer of hope was rising in me. Maybe, just maybe I could do the same for my kid too…

Ulrich's hand on my shoulder broke my thoughts. "Just always be there for them when they need you." He said, all joking aside. He wasn't talking about the academy kids. I nodded in agreement, thinking about dad.

He squeezed my shoulder. "And don't forget, Silvia and Ophelia and I are all here for you too. You don't have to lead your child alone."

I gave a weak smile. He had no idea how much better that made me feel.

We turned to head back to the garden.

"Speaking of the kid and your lovely wife… how are they?" Ulrich asked.

I sighed, feeling some of the anxiety return. "Fine I guess, Ophelia's just getting at little uptight."

He nodded knowingly. "Silvia was like that too near the end… it must be a woman thing." I made a noncommittal grunt.

"What did the frog say?" Ulrich asked.

"Nell only said the baby's already late." I rubbed one eye tiredly. "And if anything that's only made Ophelia more anxious to…" I trailed off as I caught sight of something by the red gate.

Ophelia was walking slowly back and forth across the alley, one hand on her huge stomach for balance. At her side, supporting her and keeping her company was Nell's young daughter Nanette.

The young frog caught sight of me and waved brightly. "Hello Lord Redbrick! Ulrich! Beautiful day huh?" I nodded absentmindedly to her, my focus being my wife.

"Ophelia? What are you..?"

"Don't mind me Cleon… I'm just trying to encourage this baby to get a move on…!" Ulrich and I took a half-step back at her response. She sounded more than a little stressed. I didn't blame her. She was already counting her 21st week and she was so huge she could barely do anything (which she claimed was like torture for her).

"My mum told her to take a walk." Nanette piped up excitedly, a tiny jet of water shooting out of her mouth as she spoke. "It's good help for the contractions." She said, clearly proud of herself for this knowledge.

It took a good five seconds for that to sink in. "Contractions… wait…. Are you in labor?"

Ophelia struggled to take another step, gritting her teeth. "Yes, but its fine..." Even Nanette knew she was lying.

I tried to breathe evenly. "When were you going to tell me?" I asked, sounding a little angry in spit of myself.

Ophelia looked up at me, eyes wide. "I didn't want you to worry…" She said, all frustration gone. I tried to ignore Ulrich's annoying I-told- you- so look.

I reached for Ophelia's arm. "We need to get you to Nell's…" I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

She shook me off, the frustration returning as quickly as it had left. "No Cleon, I was just there. I'm walking so that this baby knows…" She suddenly stopped dead, her face pale.

"Ophelia..?" For a second, I thought she had frozen herself. But then I noticed she was trembling. Her jaw was locked. Something was wrong…

Nanette stepped forward. "Lady Red is it time..?" She was clearly as excited about this as I was terrified.

Ophelia put one shaking hand on her stomach, leaned forward slightly and started breathing hard. Then she screamed.

"Ophelia!" Ulrich and I were at her side in a second.

"Easy there…" Ulrich's voice was shaking too. He patted her back awkwardly.

I turned to Nanette, who looked positively gleeful. "What do we do? What's happening?" My voice had never been this hysterical.

Ophelia was still bent double, trying to hold back her screams, making strange snarling noises.

Nanette sprang into action, squirting water everywhere. "It's finally time! I'll go warn mum!" And with that she was off, skipping towards the garden.

I stared after her, completely lost.

My wife's snarls were fading back into ragged breaths. Ulrich spoke up. "We'd better get her to Nell's." I thanked him with a nod. As he moved to Ophelia's side, he spotted something down the alley and his gaze darkened considerably. I followed his gaze.

There were some blue gnomes further down the alley by their gate. They were looking our way, startled by the screaming. I glanced at my brother, knowing all too well what he was thinking. I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him around.

"Come on, help me!" After a second, he nodded. As we lifted Ophelia into our arms and began to walk back towards the red garden I saw someone come out of the blue garden gate.

I only got a glance, but just that glance was enough. It was Lady Blueberry, back to her normal, slightly portly size and holding a small, blue bundle in her arms. For one second, our eyes locked. I fought that rising feeling that had been so strange before and turned away. So she had her child… Ulrich and I entered the garden, heading quickly for Nell's home. Well, I was about to have mine. I hoped.

I stared after Cleon as he and his brother carried Lady Redbrick away. I tried not to let my surprise show. I didn't know she was pregnant too… There was a strange, rising wave of emotion within me that left a strong taste in my mouth. Her screams echoed in my ears, the look on Cleon's face as our eyes locked refused to give me peace. This bitterness seemed to eat at me from within, starting from the old wounds in my chest where my parents, my husband and my best friend had once been.

I told myself it was just grim satisfaction, to see the killer of my father in pain. Yet somehow I knew it wasn't. Satisfaction didn't cause tears. I buried my face in Gnomeo's blanket, feeling him laugh and touch my hat curiously, oblivious to my internal turmoil.

Yes. This wasn't satisfaction. It was regret.

"You're doing great hon, just keep pushing." She sounded nervous… it had to be nervous… and she was just covering it up… for us… right?

Nell stroked my wife's shoulder. "That's it Ophelia, just like that… Nanette! More water!" Nanette nodded and squirted more water from her mouth onto a rag. Her mother took it and exchanged it for a spent rag pressed against Ophelia's forehead.

"Why are you doing that?" I demanded, dancing out of Nanette's way as she bustled around helping her mother. "Is she alright?" I asked, looking down at my prone wife.

Nell rolled her eyes. "Relax, it's just to keep her calm. And for the millionth and one time: no, she's fine."

I wasn't convinced. Ophelia was shaking; her breathing was irregular and loud. I stepped closer, hanging over Nell's shoulder as she cared for my wife. I saw her roll her eyes but ignored it.

"Are you sure she's okay…? She doesn't look so..."

I almost jumped through the roof as Ophelia screamed again.

I couldn't stand all this. "WHAT'S GOING ON? WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG?" I exploded.

Nell's shoulders fell noticeably. "This is why women have babies!" Nell screamed, rounding on me and making her daughter back up a few steps. "Because you men can't handle pain! Now go outside with your brother if you can't stand it!"

"No…NO CLEON STAY WITH ME!" Ophelia yelled, groping blindly for me. I rushed to her side and grabbed her hand.

"It's going to be okay…" I said my voice very high-pitched. "You're doing great…"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? I'M BEING TORN TO PIECES HERE!" Ophelia shouted at me, eyes wide. She suddenly squeezed my hand and I gasped in pain, thinking it would shatter in her grip.

"That's just the contractions making her this way…" Nell said to me. "Man up and deal with it!" Nanette along nodded enthusiastically. "Come on Ophelia... just hang in there…" Nell said to my wife.

I just closed my eyes and squeezed her hand back.

Ophelia let loose a blood-curdling scream, squeezing my hand again. I just held on, trying to give her my strength, to help her though this… please be okay… please… please…

"That's it!" My eyes flew open at the happiness in Nell's voice. She was cradling something in her arms. Something that moved. Ophelia's hand slipped out of my own and she took long, relieved breaths.

"Is… is..?" My voice was catching.

Nell stepped forward and handed me the squirming newborn. "That's your daughter." Softly, I took the child in my arms.

"A girl…" I said weakly. "A little girl…" I could not have been happier. The child snuggled against me as I looked at her with tearful eyes. She was perfect: her face exactly like her mother's, right down to the confident tilt of her nose. But the hair was mine, or at least the gorgeous chestnut brown mine used to be. I softly stroked her cheek. I could hear her breathing quietly into the sudden silence of the room.

Ophelia struggled to sit up. Nanette ran to help her. I brought our daughter close so she could see her at last. Softly, she reached out her hand and stroked the girl's beautiful face.

"We'll call her… Juliet… 'innocence.'" She said. Nanette looked up at the girl in my arms, smiling widely.

It was perfect; the perfect name for a perfect little girl. "Juliet…" I repeated. The tiny child in my arms opened her eyes at the sound of her name. I gasped. Her eyes were even more brilliant than Ophelia's. They stared up at me as innocently as her name implied. I was suddenly aware of just how small she was, how beautiful, and how delicate. I'll always protect you… I promised her silently as I held her close. No matter what, I'll keep you safe.

Sorry if it gets a little tedious, having two birth scenes in a row but I couldn't think of a better way to end this chapter.

Next chapter: Well… I don't really know yet… Suggestions?