A/N: Epilogue! As promised (to some, at least). :) Hope you like-ey!
Oh, and I'll probably be back in a week or two with a new story. :) No promises as to what it'll be yet, but I have some ideas brewing. :)
Until then, enjoy the epilogue, and thanks for reading! :) Oh, and pretty please, review one last time on your way out! :)
Disclaimer: I owneth not Covert Affairs. :*(
Epilogue
Annie watched with a tired smile as Auggie felt his way over to her, his right arm cocooning their newborn daughter, his left arm reaching out, ghosting along the wall and each obstacle until he reached her side.
He had the proudest look on his face, his forehead only inches from their baby girl's. He was whispering something to her softly, and she loved the way he was so completely focused on her, like nothing mattered more to him.
When his knees hit the hospital bed lightly, he carefully maneuvered himself, lowering himself onto the bed. He glanced up in Annie's direction, a careful, tender smile lighting his face. With the hand not cradling their daughter's fragile neck, he reached up and caressed her cheek lightly and leaned in for a brief kiss. "Hey, babe."
She couldn't help but grin in reply. "Hi."
He transitioned the baby in his arms carefully, handing her over to Annie. "I want you to meet Rachel Anaïs Anderson."
Tears filled her eyes as she accepted her daughter into her arms. She studied little Rachel quietly. "Sh-she's okay?" she whispered tearfully, and when Auggie nodded softly, all the stress melted out of her body.
After a hard twenty-six hours of labor and finding out the umbilical cord had been wrapped around Rachel's neck twice, the nurses had rushed her from the room with little explanation or reassurance. Annie had lost it. Auggie had held her for an hour straight, absorbing her heart wrenching sobs and whispering comforting words to her that did little to assuage her fears—or his.
But now, Rachel was cuddled in her arms, and she was perfect. Auggie's curly dark hair, Annie's nose and mouth, Auggie's ears. One of her little hands escaped the blanket she was tightly wrapped in, and Annie reached out by instinct, letting Rachel grab a hold of Annie's thumb.
She kissed her daughter's forehead gently. "Hey, baby," she whispered, her voice choked with her tears.
Annie glanced up at Auggie, who was waiting expectantly for her reaction. "Auggie, she's perfect," she whispered.
She was going to cry.
She'd waited for 38 eight weeks, through all the morning sickness and the crazy cravings, the Braxton Hicks contractions, being benched by Joan since the end of her first trimester, and then the scare in the delivery room… and now, now Rachel was here.
She was here, and Annie was a mommy, again. Rachel was so perfect. How could one moment lead to this miracle?
She stirred, making a cute gurgling noise, and Annie's heart melted. When Chloe and Katia were born, Dani had always bragged that she had the best kids in the world. But in that moment, Annie was sure that as awesome as Chloe and Kate were, they had nothing on Rachel.
She smiled softly and caressed Rachel's cheek as Annie watched her sleep. She glanced up at Auggie, and then it hit her, what he'd said. Rachel Anaïs Anderson... Anaïs? "Hey!" she protested in a whisper, sending him a look. "I thought we decided on Amaya!"
He chuckled at how long it'd taken her to realize it. They'd agreed on Rachel Amaya—Amaya for both of their mothers (Amelia and Maya)—months ago, almost immediately after they'd found out the gender. Annie'd tried to push for Violet as the first name—she loved it so much more than Rachel—but after she'd told him about her dream from three years ago, there was no way he was letting her use Violet instead of Rachel.
But after being with Annie for the past 26 hours, he couldn't help it. He'd wanted to name Rachel after Annie ever since they knew it was a girl, but Annie had complained that Rachel Anne was just too boring, and using Anne made her feel too conceited.
A sheepish look covered his face. "Oh, yeah, um… well, I was hoping you wouldn't mind that."
She watched him, waiting for his answer, and she almost laughed as he squirmed under her gaze. "Well, I just—Annie…" He reached out to her, letting his nervousness fade away, and he caressed her cheek gently and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He leaned in to kiss her softly. "Baby, I love you, okay? And I love Rachel. I just want to be able to always remember you when I think of our little girl. Please?" He let his hand trail down Annie's arm, until he found one of Rachel's silky cheeks. He stroked it gently with his thumb. "Besides. Tell me she doesn't look like a Rachel Anaïs."
She smirked as she watched him. He was so adamant about this, so convinced. He would be so happy if she said yes. Besides, she was a Rachel Anaïs. "Okay," she said, sighing for affect. "Rachel Anaïs Anderson. But you know your mom's gonna be mad we didn't name Rachel after her anymore."
He laughed. "Mom can deal with it."
From the open doorway, a good-humored, sweet alto voice called out, "Mom can deal with what?"
Annie smirked as Auggie's head whipped around, trying to figure out who was standing in the doorway besides his mother. A small crowd had developed outside her hospital room, and they were all craning their necks, leaning into the room, trying to get a glimpse of Rachel. Danielle and Amy Anderson, of course, were in front of everyone else.
Annie groaned. They never got any privacy.
Auggie's groan echoed her own. "Why didn't you tell me they were there?" he hissed.
She giggled at his expense, but when she glanced back at the door, filled with people just itching to hold her baby, she went strangely quiet, and she held Rachel just a little bit tighter.
Auggie instinctively understood her reaction, and he leaned over Rachel's body carefully, planting a gentle kiss on Annie's lips. "I'll be right back," he whispered, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
Annie watched with an intrigued smile as Auggie sauntered over to the small crowd pressed together in the doorway, and he started talking to the group, his hands moving animatedly. Soon their faces became crestfallen, and they started grumbling and complaining.
But slowly, one by one, they started turning away, until Aurélie remained. She pressed a soft, plush bunny into Auggie's hands. "Here, Dad. Give this to Rachel, will you?"
A slow smile crossed Auggie's face and he reached up, caressing Ari's cheek gently before she turned away. She waved to Annie from the doorway. "Bye, Mom! I'll bring Chloe and Kate by a little bit later."
And then they were alone.
She smirked as she watched Auggie saunter back over to her, grinning smugly at what he'd just done. When he was within reach, she tugged him down onto the bed, dropping her head onto his shoulder and snuggling into his side. "Thank you."
He chuckled and dropped a kiss onto her forehead. "You're welcome. But I think my mom almost had a heart attack when she realized she wasn't going to get to hold her first granddaughter."
Annie grinned into his shoulder. "I think she'll live."
They lay like that, in each other's arms, until Auggie felt Annie falling asleep in his arms. Slowly, Auggie reached over and took Rachel from her, placing her in the bassinet one of the nurses had left by Annie's bed.
He smiled softly as he heard Rachel yawn and as her little arms fell at her sides.
He felt his way back to the bed and climbed in next to Annie, pulling her back against him. She snuggled in closer to his chest and sighed contentedly. "Mmm, hi," she whispered sleepily.
Auggie grinned down at her, gently pushing her hair out of her face. "Comfy?"
She shrugged and wrapped her left arm around his waist, letting her eyes droop shut. "Not as much as at home, but it'll do."
Auggie smirked as his eyes drifted shut, too. It had been a long two days. He brushed a soft kiss against her soft hair. "Sleep well, babe."
She grinned into his chest. "You, too." The silence drifted between them comfortably, and Annie slowly drifted off to sweet sleep.
Despite all the friends and family and work and taking care of Aurélie that had filled the past few years, when it came down to it, their worlds still revolved around each other, and nothing would ever change that.
A/N: Tada! I hope you liked it! Please review on your way out! :)