A/N: Another one shot to keep you all going. This one was partly inspired by Stacy Rodriguez922, it isn't exactly what you suggested but it is along the same vein, so hope you enjoy. ;) I am coming to the end of my ideas for these one shots although I have a few more I want to do, so if you have any ideas I will do my best to achieve them. It all depends what inspires me. Anyway, I hope you will read, review and enjoy! :)

An Unexpected Arrival

Morgan

I stared in disbelief at the results. I had been feeling under the weather for the past few weeks; nausea, hot flushes and violent mood swings resulting in angry outbursts that even 47 was starting to fear. But at no point during all of that had I suspected a thing.

"I'd say you're about three weeks gone." The kindly Doctor said, her cheeks dimpling as she smiled warmly at me.

"Are you absolutely positive?" I queried. My brain unwilling to accept the facts despite them being placed in front of me.

"About as positive as you are." The Doctor said with a chuckle. "Congratulations."

I was pregnant. The word sounded foreign to me, and I had to turn it over a couple of times before it really began to sink in.

"Holy shit." The Doctor's smile faded slightly and she raised her eyebrows at my unexpected reaction.

"Not good news then?" She tentatively asked. I blinked, my expression dazed.

"No…no…It's just…I didn't expect it that's all." She didn't look convinced.

"Do you know who the father is?" I couldn't help a rather loud snort escaping me, which only aided in raising her eyebrows further.

"Yes, I have a pretty good idea." I managed to spluttered out. My cheeks flaring red as the thought of telling said father suddenly became a horrible, concrete reality. "Oh, holy shit." I repeated looking down at the small sheet of paper proclaiming my abrupt promotion to baby factory. He was away at the moment, completing a simple contract that didn't require my particular expertise. Which meant I could stay in Wales and look after Seren, instead of dragging Victoria or Charlie in for childminding duty.

"I'll schedule you in for an ultrasound in about a month so that we can set your due date." The Doctor said, typing something into her computer. I continued to stare numbly at the slip of paper, my hands shaking ever so slightly as I thought about what to do.

A baby? Were we ready for that? We already had Seren but she had been created in a lab against our knowledge and was already six by the time 47 had met her. A jarring image of the intimidating assassin in his immaculate suit holding a drooling baby on his knee suddenly entered my mind. All the blood drained from my face as I considered the possibility that he wouldn't want it. My hand curled around my still flat stomach unconsciously and I swallowed down a lump in my throat.

Mumbling my thanks to the now extremely concerned Doctor, I gathered my things and collected Seren from the waiting room where she had been methodically taking apart some of the children toys left for the younger patients. She looked up at me with those unnerving ice blue eyes, a disassembled bead maze in her hand.

"Rydych chi'n iawn ma?" You okay ma? She asked, her expression worried as she dropped her project and stood up to greet me. I noticed she always switched to Welsh when she thought there was a problem. When me or 47 had a tense conversation about a contract or about another freelancer trying their luck with us she would always wander into the middle of it speaking in her native tongue. It had frustrated 47 no end to begin with, but now he was almost as fluent as we were, he accepted it more.

My hand gripped my stomach again as I thought about the small gestures he made with Seren. Surely they were a sign that this baby wouldn't be such an unwelcome surprise. Right?

I let out a long sigh and took my daughter's hand. "Everything's fine cariad. Come on, I think you've done enough damage here." I led her away from the scene of carnage she had created and mouthed a sincere 'sorry' to the peeved receptionist. I was quiet all the way back to the farm. Seren chatted to me non-stop, switching between Welsh and English, obviously picking up on my tense mood.

Once home we finished the chores around the farm. I let Seren take the lead on the heavier lifting, unsure whether I should be doing anything too strenuous now. I sensed a deep dive on the internet. She didn't seem to mind, lifting whole bales of hay above her head until I told her to stop before she crushed one of the sheep. I prepared dinner and sent her to bed in a bemused daze, going through the motions whilst my mind thought of morning sickness and swelling tummies.

Realistically how long could I hope to put off telling him? I would be showing within a month and once that started any normal man would know something was off. But 47 wasn't a normal man. I groaned and rubbed a hand over my face as I sat alone in the kitchen, my untouched tea in front of me. Could I even drink caffeine anymore?

"Christ alive. What a fucking mess." I cursed to the empty room. Things had been going fine between us. We were married, he seemed to be adjusting to Seren more and more, he stayed with us for weeks at a time when he wasn't 'working' and he had been becoming more intimate with me. And therein lies your problem Morgan. I thought bitterly, resting my head in my hands. It had been exactly what I had wanted for me and Seren, but now this baby would likely throw everything off balance. Destroying our delicate ecosystem.

The morning sickness started two days later. Almost as if it had been waiting for me to know. Seren watched anxiously as I ran to the toilet for the third time that day. "Did you eat something bad?" She asked, a serious frown on her face which made her look so much like her father it nearly sent me running for a fourth time.

"Yes." The abrupt response was all I could manage and Seren visibly flinched at my tone. I had been trying to keep my anger in check all day, but with my raging hormones my patience was a thin glass wall with a lot of cracks in it. 47 was due to return tomorrow and no matter how many times I rehearsed it in my head, I couldn't get the words right. I had decided to tell him first and see where we were after that. I didn't want to reveal to Seren that she was going to be a sister until I knew where her father stood on events.

I was a jittery bag of nerves by the time I heard the familiar sound of the Audi pulling up into the yard the next day. It was already nearly midnight and I would usually have been in bed asleep when he crept soundlessly into our room and into our bed. But tonight was different. I was sat on the sofa in the small living room of the farm house, one lamp on and the embers of a fire in the grate. I shifted nervously as I heard the door quietly open and click shut behind him. His soft footsteps paused on their normal route to the bedroom as he clocked the light on downstairs. It had only been two weeks since I had last seen him but my heart still tripped over itself at the sight of his tall, imposing figure in the doorway.

"What are you doing down here?" He asked, no preamble. His glacial eyes fixed on me sending delicious shivers down my spine. God, these fucking hormones.

"Can you sit?" He narrowed his eyes, his angular face suspicious. "Or come in? Just don't stand in the doorway like that, you're making me nervous."

He slowly raised one black eyebrow and stepped fluidly into the living room. He was even more intoxicating stood over me, his outline highlighted by the single lamp. His traditional black suit and red tie making him look like a billionaire businessman rather than a professional killer for hire. I noticed he was still wearing his black leather gloves. The ones he used to unsure no fingerprints were left at the scene of whatever hit he had committed last. He studied me with a face as impassive as granite, slowly pulling each finger free from said gloves and sliding them off deftly. I could feel my heart galloping in my chest, and my stomach gave a rebellious jolt as it threatened to reveal my unexpected news before I was ready.

"What's wrong Morgan?" 47 said, his voice smooth as silk but an undeniable warning in those words. He knew something was wrong and I had better tell him or he'd force it out of me. I swallowed the bile trying its best to push its way up my throat and took in a steadying breath.

"I went to the Doctor's while you were away." Before I could continue he was sat beside me, his expression tense. His eyes boring into me like diamond drills.

"Are you ill?" Is Seren okay?" A brief but bright flare of warmth shot through my chest at his sudden switch in mood. He was worried. Maybe this wasn't going to be such a disaster. Then I took in the unmistakable scent of gunpowder and blood which always seemed to follow him round days after a contract, and my hope died as quickly as it had come. This wasn't a man who wanted children. This was a man who was made to kill and despite my repeated efforts to persuade him otherwise believed it with every fibre of his being.

I looked down at my hands which were clasped tightly around my flannel pyjamas. Unimpressed by my pause, I felt a firm but gentle finger insert itself under my chin, tilting my head back up to look at the assassin sat next to me. "Morgan?" His voice was as firm as his grip, but I could see the slight flicker of concern in his arresting eyes.

"Please. Please don't get angry." I blurted out. The first sign of tears entering my eyes. 47's frown deepened and he removed his hand slowly.

"What's happened?"

"I went to the Doctor's because I wasn't feeling well, and…in my defence I had no idea we could even…that you could…I thought you were…" I had rehearsed and rehearsed and rehearsed my lines, but sat in the quiet living room with his stoic demeanour I couldn't seem to get them out in the right order.

"I'm pregnant." I finally spat out, my voice jumping several octaves in the process. A heavy silence settled between us and for the first time since knowing him, I genuinely had absolutely no idea what 47 was thinking. He sat rigidly still, his expression blank, his eyes taking on a glazed, faraway look. I kept similarly motionless, afraid any movement would trigger something in him.

We stayed like that for what felt like hours before I finally moved due to my impatience and the increasing need to pee. "Ummm, 47?" I probed. Just stopping short of poking the assassin lest I risk losing another finger.

He blinked slowly; once, twice, his eyes clearing as they drifted down to my stomach. "About three weeks she said." I answered his unasked question, a nervous wobble in my voice. His eyes returned achingly slowly to my face.

"In the hotel, in Portugal?" He said. I nodded, having come to the same conclusion myself.

"Afraid so." One eyebrow lifted slowly up and the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Well, that'll teach me." He said, his tone amused. I felt my mouth drop open in disbelief as his mouth quirked up into a half smile.

"You're not upset?" The question popped out before I could stop it. 47 looked mildly confused although the smile stayed in place.

"Why would I be angry? It's not your fault. Last time I checked it takes two people to create a life." It was my turn to look stunned.

"You do realise what a baby entails right? You weren't around the last time I went through this and I didn't even give birth to Seren." 47 smile stretched up into one of his full smiles he only reserved for me.

"I am well aware of all that, but the thought of telling you to get rid of it or give it up for adoption…well, I know what that would do to you Morgan and I'm not sure I could live with myself either." If my jaw could have hit the floor it would have.

"So…so we're doing this?" I asked, my voice a hushed whisper as if speaking too loud would change his mind. His smile dropped and for a moment my heart sank with it. But before I could let my hormones send me into an emotional whirl, he reached out and cupped my face with one of his large hands.

"I think we've handled enough together to be able to do this. Don't you?" Warmth spread throughout my body, enveloping my stomach and our new child and radiating out to fill the room. My husband leant forward and tenderly kissed my mouth. Fire flashed through my veins and my thoughts turned to jelly under his touch. I would really need to get a grip on these hormones.

"You look tired, let's get you to bed." He murmured against my mouth and before I could protest he had scoped me up into his arms and was already half way up the stairs. "Does Seren know?" He asked quietly as we passed her closed door.

"Not yet. Wanted to see how you took the news first." I whispered back. My body vibrated as he gave a low chuckle moving us soundlessly into our bedroom.

"I'll leave that to you. Seeing as you did such a good job telling me." He said, placing me delicately on the bed as if I were made of glass. I groaned as the next unpleasant hurdle loomed ahead of me. But it was quickly forgotten as my husband finished undressing and slid into bed next to me. He pulled me against him so my back was flush with his chest and rested his chin above my head on the pillow. I could already feel myself drifting off, relieved that nothing bad had happened and I still had my extraordinary husband by my side.

The last thing I remembered was the slow, steady rhythm of 47's breath as he fell asleep, his one arm wrapped around me, his large hand placed on my stomach in a protective gesture.

"If you don't sit down now, I will make you sit."

His harsh command lost some of its edge as I eyed him up, bowl and whisk in hand, egg whites dripping from the utensil.

"I will. I'm just worried you're going to burn the place down that's all." I said with a smirk. 47 didn't look similarly amused. Glowering at me in an attempt to look threatening.

"I am more than capable of cooking Morgan. Now sit." This time I obeyed. Sinking into one of the chairs placed around the dining room table, a cheeky glint in my eye. It wasn't an elegant manoeuvre by any measure, as my gigantic balloon of a belly made it hard to do anything elegantly anymore. But I did my best. The assassin turned chef gave me a stern look before turning back to his masterpiece. I shot a look at Seren who was sat opposite me drawing and winked at her playfully.

I was now well into my third trimester and only a two weeks out from my due date. I had been coping fine until about a month previous, going about my daily chores on the farm as if nothing were out of the ordinary. Then on my last trip to the Doctor, which 47 had insisting on joining me for, she had instructed I take it easy, with a capital 'E'. Of course 47 had leapt into overdrive, practically fly-kicking anything remotely heavy or labour intensive out of my grip as if it was designed to kill me. It had been endearing at first, but now my patience was wearing thin, so I had invented a new game in my boredom, how far could I push my husband to breaking point. So far he was holding out, but I knew I'd get him before the baby arrived.

"Do you think the baby will like eggs as much as I do?" Seren asked. I smiled at her warmly.

"Maybe. I think your father is partial to them seeing as that's about all he cooks for us so there's a good chance." 47 shot me a deadly look over his shoulder as he continued to whisk the eggs to within an inch of their life.

"Does that mean I won't have as many eggs then, if the baby likes them?" Seren's acceptance to becoming a sibling had been a slightly rockier journey than her father's. After explaining numerous times the baby wasn't to be treated like Bran her border collie, or any other animal on the farm for that matter, she really hadn't been sure what they would be for. As if the baby needed a purpose. Now she had taken to ensuring that all the things she enjoyed wouldn't be halved or lessened in anyway when her new brother or sister arrived.

"If they like eggs we'll just buy more." 47 said pragmatically. Seren stared at the back of her father's head for a moment, contemplating that fact. Then seemingly satisfied she nodded and returned to her drawing. The baby gave an obstinate kick as if to add their own penny's worth to the discussion. I huffed in surprise, gripping my stomach. 47's eyes were on me in a flash, his expression questioning. I smiled at him reassuringly and rubbed gently at the sore spot our child had created. It certainly had its father's strength.

We had discussed a few times the possibility of creating another impossible child, like Seren. Although the results would be a lot more random this time around, having been made the natural way not in a test tube, there was still a good chance that it would inherit some of its father's…exceptional traits. I had been less concerned having already been around the block with a stroppy, super strength toddler but 47 had got that fearful look in his eyes he sometimes got when Seren acted abnormally. I knew his greatest fear was dooming another to the same hand he had been dealt. He had done his best with Victoria and Seren, and now we were adding another worry to his list.

"Victoria said she was fine to watch Seren around the due date." I said, reminded of the unusual woman that had become part of our family. 47 was deep in concentration however and so simply nodded in response as he cook the omelette he was making.

I lapsed into a contented quiet. Seren happily drawing away, it was hard to believe she was nearly eight, 47 cooking the only thing he seemed to know how to and me and the baby sat in blissful harmony as I waited for my husband to be done.

It didn't last long however, as a riot abruptly broke out in the yard outside. Bran erupted into a string of violent barking startling the ewes in the barn who began to bleat and bang against their pens insistently.

"What in the actual-" I began. 47 went to turn off the cooker and see what was happening but I held up a hand, attempting to stand up as I stopped him. "No, you stay. I'll go see what that mad dog is doing."

He opened his mouth to argue, but my patience had officially been used up today and I quickly snapped back, "I think I can handle that dopey mutt on my own." My expression must have matched my tone as he shut his mouth slowly and turned back to his cooking. Although I could feel his cool gaze on my back as I waddled towards the back door.

Outside I looked around trying to locate the source of the barking. With a grunt of frustration my gaze settled on the barn, the epicentre for whatever the fuck was going on. I moved in a cumbersome way towards the chaos, my hands wedge firmly on the small of my back, my belly thrust out to keep my balance centred. I opened the small door to the sheep barn and let out a shout of fury.

Bran had managed to not only get into the pen with the lambing ewes but had got himself stuck in between the slats of one of the gates. He was squirming and writhing trying to free himself whilst emitting an absolute racket. The pregnant sheep he'd been trying to make 'friends' with were huddled in the far corner, bleating and rolling their eyes in alarm. If he didn't stop it soon there would be more than one new arrival to the farm.

Stomping over I glared down at the trapped dog. "Bran! Aros!" I snarled. But Bran was in such a state of panic that he didn't even flinch at my command. Not seeing another way out of this I pitched forward, reaching out to grab the scruff of his neck to help him out of his predicament. As I wrapped a hand round his fur Bran managed to loosen himself from the gate's grasp and leap forward into the pen, jerking my arm and sending me tumbling to the floor face first.

I let out a harsh cry as I landed on my distended stomach. A barbed lance of pain shooting up my spine. It took a moment for me to get myself upright, the weight from the baby making it almost impossible to push off from the floor. By the time I was sat with my back against the sheep pen, a familiar set of legs were positioned in front of me and an angry set of blue eyes looking down at me.

"You shouldn't have done that." 47 growled, his eyes flashing fire as he took in my straw filled hair and mud stained stomach.

"I'm fin-" I began, but an alarming tugging feel on my stomach and a seeping wetness down my leg stopped me in my tracks. 47 registered the panic in my expression and was instantly crouched in front of me, the anger replaced with concern.

"What is it?" He asked, his tone serious. I stared into his ethereal blue eyes and swallowed hard as the first squeeze of pain gripped my uterus.

"I think my waters just broke."

47

The pacing wasn't helping, but it was all I could think to do. I felt trapped, helpless, weak, unable to help my wife who was currently screaming as if she were being murdered in the next room.

It had taken me precisely ten minutes to load everyone into the car and another hour to get them to the hospital. There had been no time to call Victoria before so Seren had come with us, her face fixed in a look of horror at the animalistic sounds of pain her mother was making. I had quickly summoned Victoria the minute we were there, but she was still around an hour away and I wasn't going to leave Seren alone in the waiting area or take her into whatever nightmare awaited us in Morgan's private room. Which meant I was trapped listening to her being torn apart with no way to stop the pain.

"Pa mor hit y bydd?" How long will it be? Seren asked. Her voice miserable as she looked up at me with round eyes.

"Dydw I ddim yn gwybod." I don't know. I replied trying to soften my expression to help her relax, but finding it almost impossible when Morgan let out another piercing scream. Seren flinched and shot across the waiting area to my side, her small hand slid into mine and gripped it tightly.

"Dw I ddim yn ei hoffi." I don't like it.

"Nor do I." I murmured back. Resigned to my agonising wait.

I tried to distract her, and myself, by teaching her how to tie a perfect Windsor knot using my tie. She was just refining her technique, kneeling on my lap, her small hands moving the red silk around my neck, when Victoria finally arrived.

"I got here as fast as I could." She huffed out, her green eyes bright with adrenaline. As if to welcome her to the party Morgan let out another loud shout of pain, a few choice curse words thrown in for good measure. Victoria raised her eyebrows and gave Seren a glance.

"Is she okay?" She asked gesturing towards the girl on my lap with her head. I didn't answer, letting Seren finish her knot before gripping her around the waist and gently lifting her off of me.

"I'm going to see your mother now. Stay here with Victoria." She looked up at me with a baleful expression as I stood and walked towards the door to Morgan's private room. I had seen some things in my life that most people would consider horrifying and I had done things which would turn a normal man's stomach, but nothing could prepare me for what I saw in that room.

Morgan was lying with her knees propped up on the bed, her face was covered in perspiration and there were tears running down her cheeks. Her long brown hair was hanging around her face, giving her a wild look as she grimaced against yet another contraction. A round faced nurse was leaning down by her feet, peering under the sheet covering her lower half.

"You're doing really well sweetie. Just a few more centimetres and we can get this party started." Morgan moaned as she ground her teeth together, then began to pant, her eyes flying open to immediately land on me.

"Where the hell have you been?" She growled, her brown eyes flashing with anger. I took an involuntary step back, half tempted to retreat back to the limbo of the waiting area rather than face her fury. But then the nurse noticed my presence and rushed over to me, her expression stern.

"You going to stand there like a damp squib son or go and support your wife?" I blinked down at the small, fierce woman and suddenly felt extremely out of place and outnumbered.

"I was waiting for Victoria to take over with Seren, sorry." I muttered, feeling like a scolded child as I walked over to stand beside Morgan. She looked up at me, the pain evident in her expression and I felt the overwhelming urge to relieve her of whatever was causing her such misery. Unfortunately that something was my child trying to force its way out of her by any means necessary.

"Is she…okay?" Morgan asked between pants.

"I think so." I replied truthfully. Her eyes suddenly slammed shut and she bared her teeth in a pained expression.

"Arrrgggghhhhhooooooohmmyyyygoooood." She half yelled, half snarled.

"Deep breaths sweetie." The nurse instructed, resuming her position between Morgan's legs. I stood uselessly by my wife's head as she forced herself through another contraction. Her knuckles turning bone white as they gripped onto the sheet by her sides. The nurse glanced up and gave me an amused look.

"You can touch her you know. You won't break her." I scowled back but she was already back under the sheet examining parts of my wife only I was meant to see. Although right now I had absolutely no intention of going anywhere near that area. Tentatively I stretched out my hand and placed it over Morgan's clenched fist. Instantly her eyes were on me, the angry pain fading away to desperate fear.

"It hurts…so…bad." I gently unhooked her fingers from the sheet and held her hand firmly in mine.

"I can see that." I murmured. A tear rolled down her cheek, exhaustion etched into every line of her face. I was used to watching people in pain, but when it was someone I cared about it felt like I was being tortured too. I doubted whether even losing her finger had been this painful.

"Alright honey, I think we're about ready to roll here." The nurse announced grandly as she peaked out from under the sheet. "On the next contraction I want you to start pushing, okay?" Her eyes slid from Morgan's face to our clasped hands. "I'd be careful of that hand son if I were you." She said in a mock warning tone. I frowned at her, trying to decipher what she meant, when the next contraction hit and Morgan did indeed start pushing. And crushed my hand at the same time.

Determined not to cry out I gritted my teeth together and rode the pain with her. What followed was one of the most painful, distressing experiences of my life. It took twenty minutes to push our child into the world; twenty minutes of gut wrenching screams from Morgan, twenty minutes of barked orders from a strange woman in between her legs and twenty minutes for all the bones in my hand to be pulverised by my surprisingly strong wife. We started the twenty minutes with just three people in the room and ended it with four.

The loud wailing cries were the first sign that the nightmare was over. Then the nurse let out a happy sound as she straightened up, an alarmingly purple, squawking thing in her arms. Morgan laughed, the tears still rolling down her face as she peered over her knees at what she had just achieved, and I was stood, spellbound, unable to fathom what had truly just happened.

"Congratulations both, it's a healthy baby boy." The nurse proclaimed, efficiently dealing with the cord that still connected our son to Morgan and wrapping him up in a blanket. "He's going to be a looker just like his Daddy, I can tell. I'll let you say hello and then I'll go clean him up." She said shooting me a wink and gently laying the still screaming baby onto Morgan's chest.

"Look…look at him." Was all she could manage as she stared down at the boy, his eyes screwed shut, his tiny fists waving around. There was a dark mop of hair plastered on his head and I wondered if he would have Morgan's eyes as well. She held out a finger to our son and he instantly clamped one of his small hands around it, his insistent cries dimming to mewls.

"We made this." She said, turning to look up at me with a wonderous expression. I felt my mouth turn up as I looked down at my brave wife and my new born son. I had a son.

"We certainly did" I said, stroking a hand over Morgan's dishevelled hair. She took my hand in her free one and brought it to her mouth, planting a feather light kiss on the palm.

"Thank you." She murmured. My eyebrows pulled down in confusion and I was about to ask her what for when the nurse returned, ready to take the baby away for cleaning.

"So, any ideas on names?" She asked as she carefully extracted our son from Morgan. I kept my eyes trained on her every movement, watching for any sign that she might harm him.

"I was thinking Carwyn for the middle name, after my Dad." She glanced up at me, her eyes shining with tears, "And Rhydian for his first name, after my Uncle." My smile widened briefly and I nodded at her. It was a good name, belonging to a good man.

"He's a serious little chap isn't he?" Charlie mused as he waved a podgy finger in front of Rhydian's face. The baby's sharp, intelligent brown eyes, which I had been glad to see he inherited from his mother, watched the finger dance in front of him. His round face was set in a stern expression of concentration, his favourite pose. His face was framed by thick wavy curls of chocolate brown hair, another Williams trait. He was gripping onto my shirt with one chubby hand, the other was resting on my arm as I held onto him.

Morgan liked to joke that Seren was my carbon copy in looks but hers in personality. Whereas, Rhydian looked like a regular Williams descendant but had taken on my mannerisms to an uncanny extent. His preferred position was right here, held at head height in my arms. He only let Morgan take him without a fuss for feeding and nap times. All other moments in his hectic daily schedule he liked to spend with me, surveying the land from a decent height.

He rarely cried, choosing instead to glare intently at anything he disapproved of and often had a serious analysing look about him when dealing with everything else. At first I had been reluctant to encourage the behaviour, but once Rhydian had made it abundantly clear he wasn't going to change no matter what I thought, I accepted my 'little shadow', as Morgan called him, and carried him everywhere with me.

"He takes after his father." Victoria cut in, flashing me a sly grin and pinching Rhydian on one of his dimpled cheeks. To which my son responded by giving her a death stare even I could be proud of.

"That he does." Charlie guffawed.

"What's so funny over here?" Morgan asked, smiling broadly as she came over to our gathering in the farm house kitchen.

"We were just wondering when you'd be getting Rudy a matching suit so he can really be 47's twin." Victoria said her grin stretching further at my unamused expression. Morgan let out a loud, carefree laugh.

"I'll see what I can do." She looked at me, her eyes twinkling with mirth as Seren barrelled into the already overcrowded kitchen.

"Ma, why did you go? I was just starting to win." She asked, an indignant expression on her face. Right now both children resembled me more than anyone else, only highlighting my obvious part in creating them. It was an odd concept to me still. Never once in my previous life had I imagined, or even entertained, the possibility of fatherhood. Now I had two offspring and a wife, I was practically domesticated.

My daughter's icy blue eyes flashed between the assembled adults, her mouth set in an annoyed line. Morgan smiled down at her, unperturbed as she always was with the fierce expression on her face.

"I'm just coming to give your brother his feed then I'll be right back with you cariad." She said calmly, holding her hands out to me. Wordlessly I extracted Rhydian's hand from my shirt and passed him over to his mother. He gave me an outraged look over her shoulder before Morgan opened the fridge and he understood what was about to transpire. Balancing him on her hip she got his bottle ready. It was clear from watching her with the baby that she had done this all before, and not for the first time since he had been born I felt a pang of regret at having not been here for her when it had been Seren.

"I'm hungry too." Seren exclaimed, her bottom lip jutting out as she watched her mother cradle her baby brother. Managing Seren's temper tantrums had become a daily chore for both of us. Apparently she was under the impression that Rhydian was here to steal everything from her, including her parents and her Uncle's name. And so, being the little tactician she was, she had made it her task to usurp him wherever possible. Especially when it came to Morgan's attention. I could see the beginnings of a storm brewing now as she stared enviously up at Rhydian with focused blue eyes.

"What were you playing?" I asked, drawing her attention to me before she decided to grab the baby from her mother's arms.

"Ma was teaching me chess." She replied, her tone brittle.

"Come. I'll finish the game with you." I stated simply and led her out of the kitchen. Victoria gave an amused snort behind me.

"This should be good." She commented following us into the living room.

The chess board was set up on the coffee table in the centre of the room. Two cushions lay on the floor either side and a half finished game was already in progress.

"Black or white?" I queried.

"White." Seren replied and I nodded. Of course Morgan would let her pick the white pieces. They had the initial advantage by virtue of going first. I folded myself onto the cushion that faced the black half of the board and waited for Seren to take her place.

"What was she teaching you?"

"How to play the Queen's gambit." Seren said, a small frown creasing her forehead as she stared down at her pieces. I felt my mouth twitch up at the corner. The Queen's gambit was a well-known chess manoeuvre that forced the black player into either defending their Queen, playing it safe and giving whites the advantage, or risk their Queen thereby turning a defensive play into an offensive one. It was a good strategy to teach the child, seeing as its main lesson was whether to use the Queen piece to its full potential or protect her at all costs.

I looked down at the pieces Morgan had been playing with and saw she had obviously accepted the gambit and was currently cornering Seren's Rook and Knight with her Queen. Continuing Morgan's play I began to take away Seren's pieces one by one, explaining what I was doing when the girl looked confused. She soon relaxed as my attention stayed firmly on her, and I could see her taking in everything I was telling her. Her eyes fixed on my hand every time I moved a piece across the board.

The gentle murmur of Morgan, Charlie and Victoria's conversation in the kitchen was rudely interrupted by a disgruntled noise from Rhydian. I heard Morgan sooth him but he only responded with a further string of outrage, increasing in volume gradually.

"I think he wants you." She said apologetically, walking into the living room holding a squirming baby in her arms. Seren's eyes flashed up to her little brother, a look of annoyance on her face. I quietly tapped the table drawing my daughter's attention to me, and giving her a deliberate look. She lowered her gaze but I knew she was upset the baby had once again taken the attention off her.

"Give him to me." I said in a low voice, keeping my eyes fixed on Seren.

"You sure?" Morgan asked and I answered by holding out my hands for my son. Rhydian stopped moving the moment he found himself in my grasp. I settled him in my lap facing his sister, his little hands resting on the coffee table between us.

"Let's continue." I said, Seren's downturned head snapped up to me. She stared at me, her mouth set in a thin line, as she sized up the new addition to our game. Rhydian was looking intently at one of the pieces nearest him, completely unaware of his sister's venomous looks. "I said let's continue." I repeated, enunciating each word.

Seren moved her next piece earning a relieved sigh from Morgan who had been watching the whole tense exchange. We progressed with the game and ended with me checkmating her with my Queen.

"And that's the aim of the Queen's gambit. Do you understand?" I said, shifting Rhydian in my grip as he tried to lean forward and take one of the pieces. Seren nodded slowly and began to get up.

Rhydian suddenly let out an unexpectedly, loud squawk of indignation. Seren frowned at him, her tolerance for her brother today limited. She straightened up and the baby squawked again, banging a tiny fist on the table.

"What's wrong with him?" She asked, her tone sour. No one answered, the gathered adults all as nonplussed as she was. When no one responded to his cries of protest Rhydian wriggled in my grasp and reached for one of the discarded chess pieces. I loosened my grip intrigued to see what he was after, allowing him to close the distance and curl a hand around one black pawn. His movements slow and deliberate he lifted the pawn and placed it perfectly in one of its starting squares.

"Well blow me down." Charlie said, grinning from ear to ear. "I think he wants to play with you Seren."

She looked down at the baby in my hands as he leant forward again and grasped another pawn, placing it with uncanny precision next to its comrade. Morgan let out a low breathy laugh. Pausing in his task Rhydian looked up at his big sister and displeased with her lack of enthusiasm at playing with him let out another disapproving bark as if to tell her to sit down.

The pair stared at each other for a moment, the rest of us holding our breath as they both decided where they stood in this uneasy relationship. Then finally Seren smiled at the baby boy in my lap and slowly sank back down onto her cushion.

"I guess I can play again if he really wants to." She said beginning to reassemble her side of the board. We watched as the children worked together to replace all the pieces, Rhydian's dexterity and accurate placement an unexpected development.

I shared a glance with Morgan and she raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on her face. Bending down she placed her smiling mouth against my ear.

"I think he's going to be as surprising as his sister." She whispered in a low voice, so only I could hear. I felt my mouth turning up into a half smile as I observed my two offspring in their temporary truce and thought about all the details that led me to this moment. All the things I had done, all the bridges I had burnt and all the lives I had ended. And thought it was a funny kind of justice that I would find myself surrounded by people I could call friends, watching my children play together with the woman I loved by my side. Life was indeed full of unexpected events and arrivals.