Very special thanks go to amigonelaurax and BlackxValentine for their lovely reviews :] And of course an enormous thanks to Legal-Assassin-006 for her continuous support and faithful reviews! I am so grateful! Another flashback for you dearies. I know that last chapter was adorable and lovey at the end but Eames and our dear Estelle have a long way to go! Enjoy chapter eleven!
"Wow Mally, you made that look easy."
"I hate you."
"That's a lie, love, and you know it."
Mal set her head back down on the hospital pillow, "Fine. I dislike you a lot right now."
Estelle pursed her lips and laughed with the rest of the room. She felt an arm snake around her waist and smiled, leaning backwards to kiss the underside of the person's chin.
"How'd you know it was me?" Eames asked.
She shrugged, "I know you."
Arthur rolled his eyes at the two, "Two lovesick couples is way more than I can handle."
"Stick in the mud," Eames mumbled.
Cobb laughed and shifted the bundle in his arms, "Now now, Eames. Don't want my little guy to grow up with your mouth, do we?"
The englishman laughed and motioned to the room, "With a family like this I'd say he's already doomed."
Mal groaned, "Don't saaaaay that!"
Estelle chuckled and brushed her best friend's hair from her face, "You know we're going to spoil James rotten just like we did with Phillipa."
Mal smiled, "I know, I know. Ugh, I am so tired."
"You? Tired?" Estelle playfully scoffed, "You were in labor for twenty minutes! You should be doing jumping jacks by now! Some women are in labor for two bloody days!"
Mal groaned sleepily, "Too bad for them."
"Want to hold him, Stell?" Cobb asked.
Estelle smiled, "Of course."
He passed the blue bundle to his friend and marveled at how well she handled him. Of course, she had done the same with Phillipa as well. She was just meant to be a mother. Cobb watched Eames smile over at her and then look down at James inside the blanket. He stuck out his index finger and Dom watched as his son's tiny little hands reached out to grab it. Mal smiled widely and motioned for her husband to lean in closer.
"They are going to make amazing parents," she whispered to him.
He nodded and kissed her temple, "That they are, Mal. That they are."
They both watched as Estelle and Eames interacted with baby James. It was amazing to see. They both handled a baby so incredibly well. Mal could hardly contain her excitement at the thought of her best friend being pregnant.
"He's so cute," Estelle said, looking down at the baby boy in her arms.
Eames cocked his head, "Kind of looks like Dom though."
She scrunched her nose up and mock whispered, "I guess not that cute."
Dom rolled his eyes, "I heard that."
Estelle faked surprise, "Did you now?"
Nash chuckled from beside Arthur and said, "They make a fine pair don't they?"
Arthur smiled and nodded, "As much as it pains me to say it, Eames is good for her."
"Nah mate," Eames said, throwing an arm around his girlfriend's shoulder and hugging her close, "She's good for me."
Mal squealed and clapped her hands, "So adorable! But before you two start snogging, can I have my baby back?"
Estelle rolled her eyes and laughed, handing her James, "Only because you asked so nicely."
Later that night, when everyone had returned home, Eames and Estelle were lying in Estelle's bed. She was drawing little designs on his bare chest absentmindedly.
"Darling, if you keep doing that you will put me to sleep."
She looked up at him and smirked, "Do I bore you now?"
He laughed, "No, it's just very soothing," he leaned down and kissed her, "Like doing that is."
She smiled and rested her head on his chest, "I like this."
"What, love?"
She waved her hand around in the air lazily, "This. All of this. Me, you, our friends. Everything."
His hold around her tightened, "Me too, Stell."
She planted a sweet little kiss on his chest, "I could stay here forever."
He smiled into her hair, "Then do it."
She chuckled, "We'd have to get up eventually."
"Nahh," he said, "We can just become one with the bed."
She burst into laughter, "That's silly."
She felt him shrug, "It would work for me."
"Being with you works for me," she told him.
He kissed the top of her head again and tilted her head up so that she was looking up at him, their eyes connecting. She smiled and shifted herself so that she was directly across from him, their noses touching. He gently brushed some hair out of her face and kissed the tip of her nose.
"I love you," he told her.
Water swelled up in her eyes. She couldn't remember ever being happier than at that moment. She kissed him back with all the love and passion inside of her and smiled into it like a love drunk teenager. They pulled away grinning.
"I love you too."
They both smiled at each other stupidly as she rolled on top of him.
