NOTE: Finally, the cute part starts.

Hope you like it.

Chapter eleven: Eleven Thirty

"Theo? Teddy bear, wake up."

Theodore blearily blinked his eyes. Eleanor was standing in front of him in her mint green nightgown. Her fur was damp with sweat and mussed up in all directions. But her green eyes were sparkling with happiness.

"Ellie?" The chipmunk sat up and moved out of his brothers' embrace. "Are you okay?"

"Never better," Eleanor beamed, taking hold of Theodore's paws and kissing them. "Come with me. Come meet your family."

The chipette led him across the table. When they got to the end, Eleanor jumped from the table to the counter in a single leap.

"Oooh! It feels so good to be able to do that!" She giggled. Theodore hopped over to join her and both of them scampered across the counter to the cupboard.

"Give me a boost Theo?"

Theodore crouched down and cupped his front paws together. Eleanor placed one hind paw in his cupped paws and Theodore lifted. The momentum sent her up high enough to grab the edge of the cupboard and haul herself in.

As soon as her tail vanished into the cupboard, Theodore sprang up himself. In the cupboard, he again saw Eleanor's tail disappearing into the hole in the wall. Taking a deep breath, he scrambled in behind her.

Bathed in the light of the nightlight plugged into the newly installed outlet, Eleanor was climbing into the pile of shredded cloths. She had stripped off her nightgown and was circling around a small indent in the center of the nest.

"Do you mind taking off your hoodie?" she asked, "I'm trying to keep things really natural around the babies."

Theodore pulled his hoodie off, shaking visibly. Gathering his nerves, he tiptoed forward and peered into the bed.

Curled around each other were three little forms. Their eyes were shut tight and they appeared to be sleeping. But as soon as Eleanor got close enough, their heads inched up and they let out some weak whimpers. Theodore was stunned. They were so beautiful. All three of them had round chubby cheeks and little round bodies. Their thin layer of fur was the color of straw and Theodore knew they all would have beautifully green eyes.

"They're gorgeous aren't they?" Eleanor sighed, "Two girls and a boy." At the sound of her voice, the babies whimpered louder and wiggled furiously.

"Always hungry," Eleanor laughed. She scooped up two of the babies in her arms and cradled them by her breasts. Eagerly, they latched on and began to suckle greedily, their tails wiggling like puppies.

"Are those the girls?" Theodore asked hoarsely.

Eleanor nodded, kissing each girl's head. Theodore climbed into the nest to focus some attention on his son. Without his sisters' warmth, he had started to shiver. The chipmunk lifted him up and held him close to his chest. Tiny paws grabbed at his fur and the shivering stopped.

Theodore sat down and rocked his son gently, humming. To his surprise, the baby blinked open his pale green eyes that looked just like Eleanor's.

"I though they wouldn't see for a few weeks," he gasped.

"He still can't," Eleanor reassured him, "He's just testing the waters."

Theodore kissed his son's head and felt a little paw swat lightly at his cheek. "Thank you Ellie," he whispered tears beginning to trickle down his face "Thank you for this beautiful family."

"You helped Theo," Eleanor chuckled. Laying one baby down her lap, she lifted the other onto her shoulder and began patting her back. The baby let out a hiccup and Eleanor switched girls.

"Have you named them yet?" Theodore asked.

"Of course not." Eleanor lay down her contented daughters and held out her arms for her son. "I waited to do that with you."

Theodore gazed down at his son before passing him to his mother. As the infant eagerly suckled down his diner, Theodore knew there could be no other name.

"Can we call him Dave?" he asked. "Dave has done so much for us and he's the greatest person I know. I want to honor the man I call dad."

Eleanor smiled and nodded. "Could we call him David? It might get a little confusing."

"I'm fine with that." The chipmunk curled up next to his daughters now, stroking their fur. Even so young, he could already see the slightly darker stripes running down their backs.

"If you don't mind, I think I have a name for her," Eleanor pointed to the baby further from Theodore. She was smaller than her sister, though not as small as David, and her fur was a little lighter. She had already fallen asleep and her little snores ruffled her sister's fur.

"I'd like to call her Clara. Her light fur looks like Claire's hair and just like you, I love my mother so much. I'd like to honor her too."

"That's perfect, Ellie," Theodore smiled. He touched Clara's beautiful fur and felt her gentle breathing.

Her sister, still awake, reached up and grasped at her daddy's arm. Laughing lightly, Theodore placed his paw on the side of his other daughter's face. She latched onto the side of his finger and sucked. It didn't hurt, so Theodore let her suck as he took in her beautiful face. And he was struck by how familiar her nose and her jaw line were to him.

"Ellie . . ." Theodore gaped. "She looks just like my mother."

"Really?" Eleanor was very surprised. "You actually remember your birth mother? I hardly remember mine."

"I kinda remember her," Theodore admitted, "She was very kind and lovely, with a strong face and long dark fur. Apart from her fur and, I'm sure her eye color, she looks just like her. Ellie, is it okay if I make one more tribute?"

"You want to name her after your mother?" Eleanor now started tearing up. "That's darling Teddy bear. What was your mother's name?"

"Vinny."

"I love it."

Theodore smiled even bigger than ever. He slid his knuckle out of Vinny's mouth. By now she too had fallen asleep, snuggled next to Clara. Eleanor placed David, now asleep, with his siblings. The three babies curled around each other, breathing nearly in rhythm.

Theodore reached over his babies and grasped Eleanor's paw. "I couldn't have asked for a better family Ellie. And you are the perfect mother."

"And you are the perfect father," Eleanor smiled happily. Then she rubbed her eyes with her free paw. "Goodness! Hours of labor can take a lot out of you."

"Why don't you sleep Ellie? I'll watch the little one's, they'll be no trouble."

"They're hours old, they can't get into much mischief."

"Just sleep, my angel," Theodore soothed. He began humming "Baby Mine" softly. Eleanor sighed and pulled the chipmunk's paw up until it was nestled under her chin. Theodore kept humming until Eleanor's head went limp as she dozed off. It only took a few minutes for him to doze off. All five slept peacefully in the light from the nightlight. Until morning when all five woke hungry.