Here is the final chapter of little Daniel.

I hope you enjoy it.

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Guest Reviews are at the end of the chapter.

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Seeing is Believing

Appendices #3

Sugar and Spice, and Everything Nice


"Papa! Come quick," Samuel's little voice was heard to say, causing both men to spring from their chairs and race towards the plaintive cry.

When they arrived in the grand hallway they saw Samuel and Daniel walking in from the backyard, the taller boy with his arm around the smaller one, as if assisting him. Daniel was in tears, his lower lip sticking out and quivering as he cried. It did not take long for both men to see the reason, for his trouser leg was pulled up and there was a trickle of blood oozing from a small wound on his right knee.

"Daniel jumped out of the swing when it was going too high and fell down," Samuel reported, still doing all he could to comfort his friend.

Christine must have heard the commotion from the kitchen, because she burst into the room just then, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel as her mothering eyes searched for the source of the tears.

"Oh, my little darling!" she gasped, seeing the pain on her little boy's face and rushing to him.

"Calm yourself, Christine," Erik instructed, doing his best to quiet his own frantic heart. He knew it was only a scrape, and that boys would be boys, but still, he too had to fight back the panic that had risen to his chest. He had lived through worse…much worse…and the last thing he wanted to do was overdramatize a simple scraped knee, allowing the little boy to retain some of his dignity. "He will need to be bandaged up, but I am certain he will survive."

"But he is bleeding!" Christine wailed, grabbing hold of Daniel under both arms and lifting him up to sit on the study table by the wall. She then knelt down in front of him and began to apply gentle pressure to the wound with her tea towel. "Erik, go fetch the medical kit…immediately!"

"Will he be all right?" Samuel asked, coming to stand next to Christine, obviously worried over the welfare of his friend. "He jumped from really, really high."

As if some sort of transformation instantly came over her, Christine turned from overwrought parent to soothing mother in one swift stroke. It was one thing to be fearful and worried for her child, it was quite another to worry a child by her fears.

"Daniel will be just fine," she guaranteed the boy, being sure to give the still whimpering one a comforting smile as well. "We will put a bandage on this scrape and then he will be good as new. Why don't you go into the kitchen and see about getting him a treat for being such a brave little patient? I think you will find some leftover rose biscuits in the tin on the counter…assuming Erik has not gotten to them first," she added with a hint of a smile.

Samuel was off like a shot, happy to be the bringer of sweets for his wounded friend. Erik returned then with the medical kit, an item that he insisted upon having on hand for emergencies such as these. It had come in handy during their early days together, and since then they both saw the usefulness of keeping it around. Today, it would seem, was no exception.

All the while, Daniel had begun to calm himself, possibly realizing that he was not going to die after all, and that he now had two kind adults looking after his welfare. When Christine had smiled at him, it was as if she had miraculously taken away all the pain and he was now mesmerized by her gentle touch and caring voice.

"I am going to put some medicine on your cut, and it might sting for just a moment," she warned, dripping some of the liquid from a glass bottle onto a piece of cotton. "Can you be a brave boy for me while I do it?"

Daniel bit down on his bottom lip with a touch of fear in his eyes, but after looking up at Erik and receiving a nod of confidence, he bobbed his own head up and down bravely. When the cotton touched his skin, he did give a sharp hiss, but he showed his mettle and held true to his word.

Erik could not have been more proud!

"There, all done," Christine told him, leaning in to blow on his knee to help stop the sting. She then wrapped a piece of gauze around the wound to keep it clean, before standing up and giving him a kiss on his mangled little cheek. "You were a very brave boy, Daniel."

Christine turned to shut the medical kit and missed the look of pure wonderment that came over the boy's face, his hand reaching up to touch where her lips had just been. Erik, however, had caught it all, realizing from his actions that perhaps that had been the very first time anyone had ever dared bestow a kiss upon his mangled face…perhaps his first kiss ever. It was obvious that Madame Leffere cared for Daniel, just as she cared for all those in her charge…yet perhaps kisses and displays of affection were limited due to the amount of children who came in and out the orphanage door. Forming attachments to the children would eventually lead to heartache, so keeping a somewhat professional distance might be the only way to avoid such pain. Either way, Daniel now looked at Christine the same way Erik had once gazed at Anna, when she had first proved her affection for him. There was no doubt in his mind that to Daniel, Christine was now nothing less than perfect…something Erik had known for years.

His thoughts were broken by Samuel returning from the kitchen, empty handed and looking quite upset.

"The tin is empty," he reported, eyeing Erik suspiciously. "All the rose biscuits are gone!"

At that, two more pairs of eyes met Erik's, giving him a condemning stare.

"How was I to know we would have need of some treats to soothe a scraped knee?" he asked in his defense. "They are my favorite too, you know."

"Come along, boys," Christine said with an amused shake of her head, lifting Daniel down from the table and helping him tug his trouser leg back in place. "We will go see if we can find some other kind of sweets to make up for the missing biscuits." And with one final grin towards the two men, she left holding each boy by the hand.

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Once they had gone, Amir turned and looked at Erik, raising his eyebrow at his friend.

"Am I not allowed to consume my own food in my own house?" Erik further asked, still sounding rather offended by all the accusatory glares.

"Not with a little boy in the house, you're not," Amir laughed. "Get used to it, Erik…your life is about to change. And here you thought you had it easy with Julianna."

"My life is not the only one about to be turned upside down," Erik informed his smug friend, wishing to wipe that goofy grin off his face. "I hate to tell you this, but Monique is going to be giving birth to a daughter this time. A baby girl, Daroga…what do you think of that?"

"H-h-how could you know?" the Persian sputtered, suddenly all tense from Erik's words. "You are only guessing!"

"Am I?" Erik pressed. "Have you not noticed the way your wife is carrying this child as opposed to the way she looked with Samuel? Christine carried high, and last time Monique carried low, yet note how elevated this new baby appears to sit. It is more than obvious that you will soon be the father of a pretty little girl. One with Monique's green eyes and slender, dancer's body. I guarantee it!" When Amir's mouth fell open and his eyes began to dart around, as if trying desperately to think of an argument against it, Erik could not help but drive in the knife of fear even further. "And by the size of her…it could easily be twins."

"T-t-two girls?" Amir gasped, all the air suddenly exiting his lungs, leaving him a bit light headed and in a full state of panic. "Monique would never be so treacherous as to afflict me with two little girls…would she?"

"I have never known your wife to have a mean-spirited bone in her body," Erik admitted. "Yet, I hardly think she is doing such a wicked thing to you on purpose. She was kind enough to bless you with a son first…yet I have no doubt that the fickle hand of fate has seen fit to send you girls this time." Erik made sure to put the stress on the plural form of the word, making the Persian cringe even more.

"Erik…you do know how to lay a man low!" Amir almost wailed, storming towards the door in a huff. "Give my apologies to Christine about lunch, I will not be staying. I will be back for Samuel after dinner." He then threw open the door, intent on exiting, but instead came face to face with Anna and Charles, poised to knock, the doting grandmother holding little Julianna in her arms.

"Monsieur Dessan," Charles greeted, apparently surprised to see him. "Leaving so soon? We have only just arrived."

"Yes, I fear I must be going," Amir apologized, stepping past the confused couple. "I am off to beg my wife not to treat me in such a horribly unforgiving manner!" Then he was gone, hurrying down the sidewalk, mumbling to himself all the way.

"Erik," Anna began, her voice low and full of suspicion. "What did you do?"

"ME?" Erik asked in a hurt tone. "Why would you assume I did anything?"

"Because every time we see that poor man in a snit, it is usually over something you have done or said," Charles replied, unable to hide the smirk on his face as he did.

"It is Monique who is going to give birth to a girl child, thus putting undue stress on that old fool's heart," Erik defended himself. "You can hardly blame me for THAT!"

"Ahhh, but must you point it out to him?" Anna was now chuckling as well. "You should allow the poor man to come to that realization himself….when the blessed day arrives."

"A few extra weeks of worry will hardly have much effect on his already greying hair," Erik said with a snort of derision. He was saved from any further scolding by his little girl, who reached out her arms to him.

"Da!" she called, making it clear that she wished for him to hold her.

"Ahhh, my little Jewel," Erik cooed, only too happy to take her from her grandmother. "Did you miss your father?"

"Da, no!" she insisted, patting her little hands on his still masked face. It shocked him that no matter which one he chose to wear, she still knew it was him beneath it…and she hated them all equally.

"I see you are wearing your mask for special occasions," Anna said, instantly curious as to why. "Did you have a meeting with some new clients today?"

"Something like that," Erik nodded, placing a kiss on his daughter's velvety cheek. "Yet, perhaps it is best if Christine was here to inform you of the joyous news as well."

"Joyous news?" Charles repeated, his face lighting up in a look of happy expectation. "Are we perhaps to be grandparents again?"

Erik was saved from having to answer that by the sound of laughter ringing from the direction of the kitchen as two little boys burst into the room, followed by a smiling Christine.

"We found one!" Daniel announced, holding up a tasty looking rose biscuit for Erik to see. Yet when he noticed the little girl in Erik's arms, as well as the older couple standing nearby, he skidded to a halt and grew very quiet.

"Mother…Father!" Christine greeted, her eyes lighting up with excitement over the prospect of sharing her wonderful news. "How fortunate that you are here!"

"Oh, and why is that?" Anna asked, her eyes darting from her daughter to the unfamiliar little boy standing beside Samuel. It didn't take her long to assess the situation and after only a few moments she felt the sting of tears threatening to fall. "Erik…have you and Christine…" was all she found she could ask.

"Anna, Charles," Erik began, walking over and kneeling down beside the still frightened looking little boy. "May I present to you, Daniel Trouville…our son."

"Your son?" Charles gasped, yet all Anna could do was release a sob of joy.

"We are adopting him," Christine explained, though she was certain that her parents had already figured that part out. She then spoke to the little boy in question. "Daniel, these are my parents…making them your grandmother and grandfather."

"Oh, my darling little boy!" Anna cried, going down on one knee. "Would you allow me to give you a hug?" She then stretched out her arms, eager to hold the little boy in her arms, one who reminded her so very much of Erik when he was younger.

Again Daniel looked nervous; he had met so many new people this day and was quite overwhelmed at how each one had been so accepting of him. He was about to look to his new mother and father for direction when Samuel leaned in and whispered in his ear.

"Go ahead…she is very nice and she bakes the best sweets too," his childish assurance giving Daniel all the confidence he needed.

With a hesitant smile, he walked forward and allowed the pleasant looking woman to engulf him in a very warm embrace.

"It is uncanny how much you remind me of Erik as a little boy," she told him, tears of joy now streaming down her face. "And it would appear that you have already formed a love for rose biscuits as well. They were always his favorite."

"Welcome to the family, son," Charles chimed in. "It is about time we got some new male blood. Erik and I have been sorely outnumbered by women until now!"

"Oh, Father," Christine laughed, touched at how quickly they seemed to be accepting Daniel. She knew they would, of course, but the swiftness of their doing so truly touched her heart. "I never heard you or Erik complain about this before."

"And why should we?" Erik spoke up, jostling Julianna in his arms just a bit to make her giggle. "As beautiful as our women are, we would be hard pressed to find any complaint."

"Daniel, I hope in time you will feel comfortable enough to call me Grandmother," Anna told the little boy, once she had finally released him from her hold.

"And I would be honored if you thought of me as your Grandfather as well," Charles insisted. "We can't wait to get to know you better."

Daniel knew he should answer, but he was suddenly speechless from all the love that was being bestowed upon him. He knew nothing of these people who were welcoming him into their family, yet just knowing they were related to the pretty lady who wanted to be his new mommy, gave him the courage to agree.

"Hello, Grandmother," he officially greeted the lady on her knees before him, as he shyly kissed her on the cheek. This caused Anna to let loose another tearful gasp as she felt her heart melt. He then stepped away and extended his hand to Charles. "Hello, Grandfather."

"What a polite young man you have here," the older man laughed as he took his offered hand and shook it. "I see he takes after my daughter in that respect," he added in a teasing tone.

"Daniel, there is someone else I would like you to meet," Erik spoke up, ignoring Charles' little dig. He was still kneeling down at the boy's level and little Julianna remained in his arms, now wide eyed and unusually quiet in the face of all the excitement. At Erik's words, Daniel returned to his side, staring at the beautiful blond girl as if she was the most fascinating thing in the world. "This is your sister, Julianna." He then turned to his daughter and added, "Julianna…meet your new brother…Daniel."

"Da!" the little girl spoke up, pointing at the boy in front of her, a wide grin spreading over her face. "Da!"

"She…she is trying to say my name!" Daniel crowed with pleasure, feeling as if she were indeed accepting him into the fold the only way she knew how. "Yes, little baby…I am Daniel."

"Da!" she repeated, stretching out her arms and grabbing hold of his shirt sleeves, pulling him in close enough to plant a very wet and slobbery kiss on his cheek. This made the little boy burst into giggles as he pulled away and wiped his face with the back of his hand.

"She does that a lot," Samuel informed him with an exasperated roll of his eyes. "I keep telling her that boys don't like to be kissed, but she never listens."

"I think she is nice," Daniel insisted, still a bit red in the face from her display of affection, yet unwilling for anyone to say anything against his new little sister. From what he had read in books, it was a brother's job to defend and protect his younger siblings, and he intended to take that job very seriously. He then held out his hand, offering her the rose biscuit he had earned. "Would you like it, Julianna? It is the last one."

"Da!" she squealed, taking it from him and cramming as much of it as she could into her little mouth.

"Something tells me she is going to enjoy having a big brother," Christine laughed as Erik did his best to halt the number of crumbs falling from his daughter's mouth onto the floor. "And Daniel, that was very sweet of you to give her your well-deserved treat."

"Well, if a lack of sweets is the issue, how about we go into the kitchen and whip up a fresh batch?" Anna suggested, eager to spend time with her two grandchildren. "I think by now I could bake them in my sleep!"

"And they would still turn out just as delicious," Erik nodded, a lump forming in his throat as he once again recalled the very first time the two of them had made the delightful confections.

"Would you like to come with us, little one?" Anna asked as she reached for Julianna. The little girl, knowing that her grandmother was always willing to spoil her with good things to eat, went willingly.

"And tell me, lad, what exactly did you do that earned you the last rose biscuit in the house?" Charles asked, reaching down to offer the child his hand.

"He skinned his knee and was a brave boy when they put the burning medicine on it!" Samuel piped up, making sure that he was not left out of the fun or conversation. He then took hold of Charles' other hand and the five of them headed towards the kitchen, listening as both boys took turns recounting the tale of how Daniel jumped out of the swing when it was going very, very high.

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Erik and Christine were left alone in the foyer, both of them unable to wipe the smiles off their faces. Moving to his side, she took hold of her husband's arm and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"Thank you, Erik," she whispered.

"For what?" he asked, sounding a bit confused.

"For everything!" she told him with a laugh. "For our life together, for our daughter, for our new son…and most of all, for loving me."

"Loving you has been the easiest thing I have ever done, Christine," Erik assured her, turning around and taking her into his arms. "You have no idea what joy you have brought to my dark existence. Every moment of happiness, every smile and every laugh I owe to you. Even those five people in the kitchen are in my life because of you."

"Well, I can hardly take credit for Samuel," she giggled, laying her cheek against his chest and snuggling in.

"Not necessarily," Erik mused. "If not for you, and how your love has mellowed me, I fear I would have killed the Daroga long ago, effectively snuffing out all hope for his progeny."

"Erik!" she scolded, trying to sound serious…and failing. "You would no sooner harm Amir than I would. He is your best friend, and you know it."

"Do I?" he asked, pulling back and giving her a wry grin.

Knowing she would never extract the answer she desired, Christine instead gave up and just continued to hold him.

"What would you have done if Madame Leffere had not agreed to let Daniel come home with us?" she asked after a few moments of silence, suddenly unable to even contemplate not having him there with them.

"I would have snuck back in the orphanage once it got dark and kidnapped the boy, of course," he answered in such a matter of fact way that it caused Christine to pull away and look at him in shock.

"Erik, you are not serious!" she gasped.

"I am the Opera Ghost after all," he reasoned. "And the Phantom is not dead…he has only been hibernating."

"Erik!" Her tone was now one of pure disbelief.

"Come now, my angel," Erik chuckled, once more pulling her to him in a reassuring manner. "I would have done no such thing. Yet there was a very strong possibility I would have taken up residence at the establishment until we could take him home, simply to protect him from any more bullying."

"Now that I can believe," she laughed, so proud of the man Erik had become.

Just then the kitchen door burst open and little Daniel came running out, grabbing both their hands and tugging at them to follow.

"Come on," he begged. "Grandmother says that she needs you to read the recipe to her or she can't make the rose biscuits!"

"And I thought she said she could make them in her sleep?" Erik laughed.

"She said that she can only do it with your help when she is awake!" the little boy insisted. "Please come help! Julianna wants more of them too, and I don't want her to cry!"

"Well now, if both our children require rose biscuits, who are we to deny them," Erik laughed, taking Christine by the hand as they followed the persistent Daniel back into the kitchen, the room ringing with laughter and love for many hours to come.

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When dinner time arrived and Amir had yet to return, Samuel was only too happy to stay and share in another meal with them. The rose biscuits had been baked to perfection and everyone, even Erik, was able to eat their fill after supper. Yet when Charles and Anna had finally decided to give the new family some alone time and left for home, Amir had still not come to fetch his son. Christine suggested that perhaps he and Monique simply wanted a night to themselves, but something about the whole situation was bothering Erik.

"He would not have chosen Daniel's first night here to foist his son off on us," he reasoned. He had since removed his rubber mask and replaced it with one of his breathable leather ones, opting to ease Daniel into the sight of his fully unmasked face tomorrow. "I think it would be wise for us to ask George to hitch up the carriage and drive us over to check on them."

"If you are that concerned," Christine nodded, knowing that if Erik was wanting to purposefully seek out Amir's company, it had to be for a good reason. "I will go tell the boys to get ready and then we will go."

Less than half an hour later, the five of them were heading through the streets of Paris on their way to Amir and Monique's modest little flat. Erik had offered multiple times to design and build a bigger and better place for the growing family, yet so far, Amir had declined. He had become rather attached to the apartment he had lived in after moving from Persia, and since Monique showed no signs of wishing to move, they had remained put.

Once they arrived, they left George with the carriage while Erik, Christine, Julianna and the boys headed up the steps to Amir's apartment. Samuel was not used to having to knock on his own door and was a bit put off at being made to wait to be admitted. Yet, when the door opened, it was the surprised face of Darius, and not Amir, that greeted them.

"M-m-monsieur Trouville," he stammered, having never quite gotten over his underlying fear of the intimidating man behind the mask. When he saw that he was not alone, Darius quickly stepped aside, allowing Christine and the children to enter. "Please, come in! I fear I must apologize for being the one to cause you to be out so late. For Master Dessan asked me to send a message to you by courier, explaining his delay in fetching the boy...but with all the excitement, I fear that it completely slipped my mind."

"What excitement?" Christine asked, shifting her sleeping daughter to the other hip in an effort to find a comfortable position.

"Why, the birth of the baby, of course," the skittish servant explained, as if such news was common knowledge.

"The baby is here?" Samuel asked, jumping up and down and clapping his hands.

"That is correct, Master Samuel," Darius laughed, reaching out to ruffle the boy's hair in an affectionate manner. "The doctor has been here for many hours now but I do believe the blessed event has at last taken place."

"Is Monique all right?" Christine asked, suddenly worried for her friend. "She was not due for a few more weeks yet. Is there any danger that the baby has come early?"

"Children arrive when they see fit, Christine," Erik told her, doing his best to calm his wife, while masking his own concerns as well. "I am certain that the Daroga and Monique simply miscalculated the due date...this is Amir we are talking about, after all."

Christine was about to scold Erik for making jokes at his friend's expense, especially on a special occasion such as this, but the sight of the doctor coming down the stairs made her lose her train of thought.

"Oh, if it isn't the Trouville family, how nice to see you again," the elderly man commented as he reached the bottom of the steps and headed over to them. Having been the same doctor who delivered Julianna, as well as Samuel, he was quite familiar with them all. "I see you have arrived just in time to greet the newest Dessan." He then looked down at the smiling boy, eagerly waiting to hear anything about his new sibling. "It would appear that you are now a big brother, Samuel. Congratulations."

"Is it a boy?" he asked. "Papa was sure it was going to be a boy!"

"I think that is news that I should allow your parents to deliver," he laughed, knowing full well when to keep his mouth shut. "It won't be long before you know if you have a brother or a sister." He then turned and looked at Erik and Christine, eyeing the sleeping girl with a broad smile. "And how is your little princess doing, Madame Trouville?"

"She is just fine," Christine assured him, shifting slightly so that the doctor could get a better look at her. "Perfectly healthy and growing like a weed."

"I can tell," he nodded. "It appears she has sprouted several inches since I last saw her." It was then that he spotted the shy little boy peeking out from behind Erik's pant leg and the kindly doctor was instantly intrigued. "Is this by chance little Daniel?" he asked, bending down a bit, so as to appear less frightening. "Do you remember me, boy?"

"Y-y-yes, sir," Daniel responded, recalling the kindly man who gave out peppermint sticks when he came to check on the children at the orphanage.

"My wife and I are in the process of adopting Daniel, Dr. Brun," Erik explained, not waiting for him to ask the question that was bound to follow.

"Splendid!" the doctor replied. "I commend you both on your generous spirit and open hearts. I can't imagine the boy finding a better home than with the two of you. I have complete confidence you will treat him with love and dignity, something I had often worried he might never find."

"You can be assured of it, Doctor," Erik nodded. The kindhearted man had long since earned the confidence of everyone in his family and Erik and he had many long discussions about the damage to his face and how it might have been caused. While the doctor had revealed that great things were being accomplished in the field of skin grafting, it was with much reluctance that he admitted they would most likely not be of any help to Erik. The scarring was far too extensive and with as thin as his skin was in places, Dr. Brun feared that it simply would not take hold. However, perhaps such techniques might be of some help in Daniel's case, and he made a mental note to ask about that at a later time…when the boy was not standing right there listening.

"Would it be all right for us to go up and see Monique and the baby?" Christine asked, pulling the doctor's attention away from Erik and Daniel.

"I am sure they would love a visit…but do not stay too long, I think all three of them could use the rest," he advised.

"Of course, doctor," Christine nodded.

"I'd best be going now," Dr. Brun told them all as he made his way to the door. "If I don't get home soon, my wife will forget what I look like and lock me out of the house." And with a friendly wave, he was gone.

Christine turned towards one of the comfortable looking sofas in the sitting room, and laid the sleeping Julianna down as gently as possible. The little girl fussed a bit but did not wake, and after asking Darius to keep an eye on her she headed for the stairs.

"Can I come too?" Samuel asked, eager to see his newest little playmate.

"I think it is best if we first tell your parents you are home," Erik told the boy, recalling how the miracle of birth tended to be rather...well, messy. He did not want the child to walk in on something that might traumatize him for life. "Wait here with Daniel and I will send your father down to fetch you, all right?"

"I will watch over the little ones, Monsieur Trouville," Darius assured him, having been Samuel's surrogate guardian ever since he was born.

With a nod of gratitude the two adults headed upstairs, leaving the now sulking Samuel behind. Thankfully, Daniel was only too willing to provide his new friend with the distraction of playing tour guide around his house, leaving very little for Darius to do other than make sure they stayed out of trouble.

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Christine knocked softly on the door to the master suite and when she heard a voice give permission to enter she did so slowly and with caution. When she saw that Monique was sitting up in bed, looking a bit harried, yet decent, she motioned to Erik that it was safe to follow.

"We were told that congratulations are in order," she told her friend with a smile as she hurried over to the bed and sat down, taking Monique's hand in hers and giving it a squeeze. "If I had known you had gone into labor I would have come immediately!"

"Everything happened rather suddenly; in fact the doctor barely had time to get here before the baby came." Monique replied with a very tired looking smile. "Besides, just knowing that you were taking care of Samuel, and that he was not underfoot or having to worry through all of this, eased my mind."

"I am glad to have been of some help then," Christine nodded, suddenly looking around the room as she searched for the newborn. When she spied Amir, sitting in a rocking chair near the window, there was suddenly no doubt where the baby lay. For the look of pure adoration on the Persian's face made it clear he was gazing down at his newest child. "May I ask if it is a boy or a girl?"

"It…I mean she, is a girl," Amir answered as he rose from his seat and made his way over to stand at the foot of the bed. "A perfectly adorable little girl."

"Just as I told you it would be," Erik added, not bothering to hide the smugness in his tone at all.

"Erik!" Christine scolded, giving him a stern look.

"No…you were right, Erik," Amir told him, never once taking his eyes off of his sleeping daughter. "You were right about everything."

"I…I was?" This startled Erik, for Amir hardly ever admitted that Erik was right…and certainly not about everything.

"It is just like you said, Erik…a daughter changes everything," Amir continued. "All I want to do is keep her safe in my arms and never let her go. To protect her from all the fear and pain of this world and be her champion from now on. Is that how you feel on a daily basis with Julianna, Erik?"

"It is," he assured him, a warm feeling of love spreading through his chest as he thought of his own little girl. "And it is exhausting!"

"Oh, you men!" Christine laughed. "Listen to them, Monique. It is as if we have no hand in raising our daughters…it will all be done by them and in the most absurd manner they can possibly imagine!"

"I feel that I will soon come to have a newfound respect for you, Christine," the tired mother chuckled. "You might have to give me a few pointers on how to handle my insane husband."

While their humorous words seemed to have no affect whatsoever on Amir, it did get a raised eyebrow and a harrumph out of Erik. Yet even he could not fault his wife for her jest.

"Is there anything I could help you with, Monique? Anything you need?" Christine questioned, recalling the ordeal her friend had just gone through.

"I do hate to impose, but since you asked," she answered, looking a bit sheepish, yet hopeful. "I would really love to take a quick bath and change my clothes."

"Of course!" Christine was only too happy to be of some assistance, having missed out on the miracle of birth. "Come, let me help you to the lavatory."

"Would you like me to carry you, my precious one?" Amir quickly offered, stepping around to the side of the bed.

"No, you just continue to bond with our daughter," she told him, allowing Christine to be the one to help her to her feet. "Christine and I will be done in just a little bit, in the meantime you should go down and introduce Samuel to his new little sister. Knowing him, he is chomping at the bit to see her." Then with a loving smile tossed in the direction of both their husbands, the two women headed for the bathroom door, Monique walking gingerly all the way.

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Once alone, Amir's attention was once again drawn back to the sleeping infant in his arms and his eyes took on an almost glassy stare as he watched her sleep.

"I would ask you if you wished to hold her, Erik," Amir continued. "Yet I fear that I am quite unable to relinquish her…even for only a few moments."

"That is quite understandable," Erik nodded, recalling how he too had been reluctant for anyone to hold Julianna at first as well. "Have you and Monique settled on a name?"

"Monique suggested that since we named Samuel Saeed after both our fathers…that we name this little princess after our mothers," Amir informed him. "Thus…she is to be christened, Lili Marie Dessan. It is quite fitting too, for in Persia, the name Lili means flower…and she is indeed my most treasured blossom."

"It is a very beautiful name, for such a beautiful girl," Erik commended.

Amir nodded, in full agreement…yet then his smile faded and he let loose a plaintive moan.

"Oh, Erik…what am I going to do?" he practically wailed. "I am not ready for this! I don't know what I will do when she comes of age and the young men start to come around! I will be far too old to do battle with them, to fend off those unworthy scoundrels who wish to pluck my little Lili from her protective garden!"

It was ironic to Erik that he had looked forward to this moment for quite some time, ever since he had suspected that Monique was to give birth to a female child, and yet now that it had arrived…he found no joy in it. The look of pure desperation on his friend's face only brought forth emotions of pity. How strange.

"Amir…" Erik began, placing his hand on the man's shoulder in an uncommon gesture of comfort. "You will survive this, the same way I am…one day at a time. And fear not, old man, since Julianna is a year your daughter's senior, you will have the benefit of my experience in how to handle such matters. I am sure between the two of us we will discover the best way to turn away young cads and see that our girls are protected from the wrong sort of men." His eyes then grew cold, narrowing slightly with a hint of death. "That or we can offer each other a plausible alibi for when we must murder the scoundrels and dispose of their worthless bodies!"

"Now, that is the helpful Erik I have come to rely on!" Amir laughed, his whole body shaking as he released all his pent up anxiety. Unfortunately the act woke Lili and her little face began to pucker up as if she were about to cry. "Oh, no, my little flower! Don't cry…shhhhh, your Papa is here and he is sorry for startling you…don't cry!" he cooed softly, rocking her gently until she settled down and returned to her exhausted slumber. After all, spending most of the day being born had thoroughly worn the little girl out.

"Perhaps it is best we introduce Lili to your son before she wakes and requires nourishment…something, I fear, you are woefully lacking the equipment to provide," Erik told him, gesturing towards the door.

"Indeed," Amir nodded, a fresh look of panic coming over his face.

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Minutes later the proud new father was kneeling down as he let his son get a good look at little Lili Marie.

"She is so tiny…even smaller than Julianna," he informed his father, reaching out to gently touch the top of her head.

"Yet in time, she will grow and be running around and wanting you to play with her just the same," Amir assured him. He then looked over at the newest Trouville and offered, "Would you like to come see her as well, Daniel?"

Eagerly he agreed and made his way over to where his friend stood. Peering down into the bundled up blankets, his little eyes grew wide with wonder.

"She is so pretty," he whispered, doing his best not to wake the sleeping angel.

And while the boy's words should have brought pride to Amir's heart, instead it caused that familiar feeling of dread to return instead. Was Daniel Trouville to be the first boy the Persian needed to worry about? He looked up at Erik, only to find his friend staring back with a smirk upon his masked face.

"Welcome to my nightmare," he told him with all seriousness.

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It was at least another hour before the Trouville family left and headed for home. For Christine would not leave without getting to hold the new infant at least once and it took quite a long time before Amir would be convinced to hand her over. Yet Monique finally intervened, pulling rank as Lili's mother and insisted that her friend get her turn with the babe. Erik could not help but feel a tug of longing as he watched his wife cuddle and coo with the child, wanting nothing more than to see her cradling more of their own children the same way. Granted they had one of each, their very own son and daughter now, but he would not forget his wife's desire for a total of four. He could certainly handle that many at least…he hoped.

As they waved farewell and climbed into the carriage, their kindly stable master George never saying a word about being left out on the street for so long, they were thoroughly exhausted. Julianna was still asleep, having missed every moment of Lili's introductions to the world, and snuggled against her father's chest as he sat down. Daniel's little eyes were drooping as well and when Christine patted her lap he was only too willing to climb up and allow her to cradle him in her arms. Soon he too was sound asleep, knowing that with his new family he was both loved and protected.

"I think today was indeed full of surprises," Christine stated as the carriage headed for home.

"Two of the best, I would say," Erik agreed, reaching over and touching his new son's head affectionately, letting his fingers run through his hair as he smoothed down an out of place tuft.

"No matter what surprises life may still have to throw our way, Erik Trouville, I know we will face it together and come out smiling," she concluded, taking his hand in hers as she leaned in to kiss his willing lips.

"And all because I found a drowned little angel on the shore of my lake," Erik smiled, recalling that day which began the best chapter of his life. "I don't think you will ever understand how much you changed things for me that day, my darling. You brought hope back into my darkened world."

"Just as you did for me," she pointed out. "I think back then, we were both blind, but it was love that led us back into the light."

"I love you so very much, Christine," Erik confessed, pulling her hand up to his lips and kissing the back of it reverently.

"I love you too, Erik," she replied, tears of happiness threatening to fall. "And I promise I will never stop!"

THE END...AGAIN!


Well, there you go. The end of the Daniel Chapters.

They are all one happy family, and MAYBE little Daniel just met his future wife! ha ha.

I think Anna and Charles are happy to welcome little Daniel into the fold.

And what did you think of Amir and his change of heart? Girls are going to be the death of those two men.

I have one more chapter to go (I think) with just a quick glimpse into the future when the kids are more mature. However it might take me a while to write it - things are kind of hectic at the moment, so be patient my dear readers. Just make sure you have hit 'follow author' and you will be alerted when it is posted.

Thanks again for all your wonderful reviews!

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Guest Reviews:

Mystery: Well I HOPE it is not as annoying as that song! Ha ha. And yes, this story WILL have an end. ha ha, I actually thought of having a flour mishap take place when they were all in the kitchen making the rose biscuits with Anna. Too funny. Oh they know how to do a good ballance of spoiling a child and just loving on them. ha ha. They will turn out fine. Well, if Amir buys Samuel a puppy, you can be sure Daniel will get one too. Daniel is very good...and quick at mimicking Erik!

Guest: I am glad you thought so. And you are quite welcome.

Happy Dance: Yep, I did have him do a few things just like Erik...I could not help myself. ha ha. Kids have very little tact and they speak the truth...Erik's face is pretty bad. ha ha. Yep, Samuel and Daniel will be buddies for life! Just like their fathers...who will still never admit it. ha ha.

PhantomChristine: Oh what a pretty shade of blue you are. ha ha. Well I hope you just DID read more, ha ha. Amir was lucky that Erik didn't punjab him for what he said! Will that man never learn?

redhouseclan: I am glad!

MlleNikki: Sorry about the cliffie...I had no other place to split it and the chapter got too long to only be in one piece. Amir and Erik will always be the best of friends who will never admit it. ha ha. They just can't help themselves. ha ha.