Here it is, the final chapter! If I hadn't had technical difficulties that resulted in not having a computer for the last few months, this chapter would have been published around the baby's "birth date." Bonus points if you can tell me which Covert Affair's actor/actress's birthday little baby Campbell was born on! Please review with your thoughts and thank you for reading. When I started this, I had no idea it would be so long!
**Joan's POV**
Serena Anne Campbell was born on March 25, 2011 at 8:13 pm. Arthur had arrived at the hospital no more than 15 minutes after Annie and I did, and Annie hung back and called Madison, Gabrielle, and Auggie to let them know I had gone into labor. It was the most pain I have ever been in, and it's safe to say that those women who only have one child are onto something. But at the same time, it's beautiful in a way. It sounds corny to explain it like that, but your perspective on everything changes. She was so beautiful when she was born, 8 pounds and 15 inches. Everything about her is tiny, from her toes to her eyes.
Naming her was easier than we thought after all. After she was born, I was exhausted and Arthur was holding her when he asked what I wanted to name her. I took a deep breath and then said, "I think we should name her after my mom."
"You sure? It won't be too hard for you?"
"No, it feels right."
It did hurt to think about my mom. When I was 23, I was visiting home for Madison's high school graduation. It was 3 days after her graduation, the night before I went home, and my parents were out to dinner, and we were watching a movie. The home phone rang, and the moment I picked it up was the moment I would regret for the rest of my life. It was a police officer, telling me my parents had been in a car accident. My dad was stable, but my mom was gone. I went into shock, crying so hard my entire body shook violently. I scared the shit out of Madison, who took the phone from me and learned the same thing I did. We later found out that the car that hit them was some guy being chased by police and FBI agents because of some terrorist act he attempted to execute. My parents and Maddy were living in Oregon at the time, and they had been chasing this guy since Canada. The bastard survived, and my mother was gone.
Now I'm staring down at Serena in my arms, wrapped in a blanket. She is sleeping, but I don't even want to look away from her peaceful face. I don't even look up when I hear Arthur re-enter the room. He walks to my hospital bed and I scoot over a little so he can sit with us. I grin at the us part of that thought. Me and baby Serena. Arthur laughs.
"What are you grinning at? It looks like your face is going to break from smiling," he teases, stroking my hair.
I smile at him. "I'm just so happy."
He kisses Serena's head. "Me too."
After a few moments, Arthur says, "Annie and Auggie are outside. They said they'd love to see you and the baby when you're up for it."
I handed him Serena gently. "I have to use the bathroom, and then I'll be good."
When I emerged from the tiny bathroom in my hospital room, Annie and Auggie were standing by the bed, Annie's hand on Auggie's upper arm, and they were talking to Arthur.
"Hey, guys."
"Joan!" Annie threw her arms around me. "I wanted to stay after she was born, but the nurse told me it might be good to let you two sleep."
Annie had been in the room when Serena was born. I had explained to Arthur while we were waiting for my contractions to come that I felt the baby should have someone like Annie in her life, and being her godmother seemed like a perfect fit. Annie was good with kids, and she had done so much more for me than she knew in the last few months.
"It's fine," I assured her, getting back into the hospital bed. "Arthur, can you and Auggie maybe get me some water? I want to talk to Annie for a moment."
"Yeah," Arthur said, handing me Serena. He put his hand on Auggie's shoulder and awkwardly guided him out of the room. Annie and I giggled.
"Doesn't look as natural as when we help Auggie, does it?," Annie laughed. She sat down on the edge of the bed and cooed at the baby. "She is so beautiful, Joan."
"She's your goddaughter," I said softly, looking at Annie. "And her middle name is….Anne."
Annie beamed. "I feel honored."
"Do you want to hold her?," I asked. Annie nodded her head, and I carefully handed Serena to her. Annie automatically went into mommy-mode, cradling the little bundle in her arms.
"She's such a heavy sleeper."
"Yeah, until we get home, and then I'm sure she'll be wide awake," I laughed. "You know, Annie, I'm so glad she has you in her life. And I'm so grateful I've had you in my life the past year."
Annie looked at me, her eyes kind and beautiful. "What did I do?"
"You reminded me of me. Well, of who I used to be. Before things got complicated with Arthur and we stopped trusting each other. Before I was the Ice Queen-" I lowered my voice, even though my daughter was a newborn and asleep. "-Bitch of the DPD. You made me reevaluate myself, from your determined attitude on your first mission. And you've been there for me for the last 9 months, helping me get my extra work done, making sure I didn't pass out on my office couch, driving me to the hospital. I – we are lucky to have you in our lives."
I looked at my daughter, still sleeping in Annie's arms. "Right, Serena?"
Annie smiled lovingly at me, just as Arthur and Auggie were reentering the room, a glass of water in Arthur's hand. He set it down on the bedside table, and Annie handed him Serena. Then Annie leaned over and hugged me. I put arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
"Thank you," she said to me. Arthur looked on with a grin.
"You told her?," he asked, settling back onto the bed next to me.
"Yeah," I said. I turned to Auggie. "Sorry you have to be here and hear everyone talk about the baby when you can't see her."
Auggie laughed. "It's fine. Anyway, how do I know you're not just tricking me and she looks all squished?," he joked. We all laughed. I marveled at how bright and joyful his eyes looked, despite his blindness.
"Take my word for it, Auggie," Annie said, smiling down at her goddaughter. "She's absolutely perfect."
And that's that ;) Please check back with me occasionally, I have another Covert Affairs fic and at least 2 more Castle ones in the process of being written, and they will be published in the next few months, I hope!
Little Miss Isabelle – your idea of using Anneliese as a way to honor Annie and use Elise as a nickname was so good! I wanted to use it, but I also had a plan early on to address Joan's mother after setting it up a bit in chp. 20, and I wanted a little bit more emotional Joan even after her pregnancy. But seriously, you almost made me change the ending! However, you did give me a good middle name! Thanks for being an awesome reader with great name ideas :)
And a special thanks to Nicole, for helping me perfect the backstory of Joan's mother! ;)