Camden's Crib

Summary: While visiting his parents to collect some items for his and Sofia's baby, Cedric discovers a crib that his mother has held onto for over thirty years. Curious, he inquires about it, and he's stunned to find out the truth.

Disclaimer: I don't want to spoil anything, so when you see it, that's what I own. Nana and Tanya belong to MarionetteJ2X. Everyone else belongs to Craig Gerber.

A/N: If you wanted something emotional, here you go. It's going to be somewhat sad, but also very heartwarming. With that said, I hope you enjoy.

*Story*

July had always been a relatively hot yet beautiful month in Enchancia, and this was no different. The flowers were in full bloom. Honeybees were hard at work. The birds were flying high in the clear skies. The sun was shining down on the land. The water was crystal clear with the lightest of winds swooping by to tickle the surface every now and again.

And with the progression of another month, so progressed something else. Amber was now five months pregnant with her second child, and Sofia had pretty much figured out that she was now around four months pregnant. Both princesses were starting to show a bit more, especially Amber, but they stayed inside the castle more often than not, so people outside their main circle of family and friends were unaware of how far along each sister was.

Since Sofia was farther along in her pregnancy, Cedric finally decided it was time to begin the transition so that he could take care of her easier while Cordelia could take over as royal sorceress. Therefore, thanks to Roland, they secured a guest suite on the second floor of the castle, nearly secluded from most other rooms and the daily hustle and bustle of the workers. With magic, it wasn't difficult to move their personal items from the tower chambers to their new bedroom.

Nearly daily, while Sofia spent time with Amber and Vivian, along with the kids, Cedric would work with Cordelia and show her everything to do with the workshop (though she knew a lot of it pretty well by now, considering how often she'd taken over for him in the past). Still, he did notate where everything was, help her organize things to her liking, cleaned out some old unnecessary items, and so on. Before long, the workshop looked similar to what he was used to, but also had a distinct 'Cordelia' feel to it. It definitely had a lot more pink and green by the time she was finished decorating.

"If you and the princess are going to live in the castle now," Wormwood began one afternoon after another day spent working with Cordelia, "where am I to stay?" He flew after his master as they descended the stairs in the tower.

"Wormy, you can go wherever you like," Cedric laughed. "You know that. You have wings, after all." He nodded toward his left shoulder, where the raven soon alighted. "You're more than welcome to stay with Sofia and me, though you may be more comfortable remaining in the tower with Cordelia. It's completely up to you. Granted, you should probably also have Nina and the little ones tagging along as well."

"Yes, of course. Oh, and I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but your sister likes to sing loudly and off key every evening when she's heading to bed." Wormwood grimaced and shook his head. "I swear I hear wolves howling in the distance as a result."

The sorcerer chuckled. "Well… Would you like to stay with us then? There's a separate room linked to the guest room that's unoccupied, so you could have plenty of space. We could set up your perch and some other space for Nina and the babies, a place for food, and anything else you all might need to be comfortable."

"You were never this nice to me in the past," the bird pointed out, smirking. "What? Marrying the princess softened you even more? Oh, no, not just that… Let's not forget about the little ball of sunshine you two have coming. Because we know if this is a child of Sofia's, that little one will probably be nothing but sunshine."

"Do you want to move into the spare room or not?" Cedric asked pointedly, rolling his eyes. "Or would you rather stay with Cordy and her apparent wolf-howl-inducing singing?"

Wormwood scoffed. "Is that even a question? I'll take my chances being your next-door neighbor rather than risk losing my hearing from overexposure to Cordelia's wailing."

So, Wormwood and his family soon received their own small room next door to Cedric's and Sofia's room, complete with all the amenities they needed to be comfortable. Meanwhile, Cedric's and Sofia's room was something straight out of a magical painting, almost.

While not nearly as large as her old room or as small as his previous one, this particular room was a medium and comfortable size for the couple. The walls were a lovely eggplant shade, offset by the cream ceiling and light marble floor. They had a large canopy bed made of pure carved mahogany. The sheets and pillow shams were purple while the heavy quilt was a matte black color. There were matching curtains on either side of the bed, but they were tied back for now rather than drawn closed. Both sides of the bed had a small table with a lamp and other items (wands, jewelry, and so forth). Dark curtains that matched those on the canopy bed lined the two large windows as well.

Sofia's trunk from her childhood days rested in front of the bed, filled with her own memories, but also Cedric's as well now. They even had some of Nana's and Tanya's old toys that they no longer played with and outfits they could no longer wear. That's right: the girls were actually growing—slowly but surely. Even Nana.

Now that they were back in the castle, they did have a walk-in closet, though of course not as big as Sofia's old one. It was spacious enough for them to walk in and sit if they wanted, with Cedric's clothing on the left and Sofia's on the right. In the main section of the room, there was also a vanity with a large mirror, the tabletop filled with hair brushes, combs, hair ties and ribbons, perfume and cologne bottles, and other items they might need.

One unique thing they had in this room was a live aquarium, filled with a few magical species of fish: Calista's idea, believe it or not. Some glowed multicolored, some changed their appearance, and some could even disappear and reappear. They were not only fun to watch but also rather relaxing too, which was much needed sometimes.

Last but not least, toward the center of the room and across from the bed, there was a simple black loveseat in front of a currently unused fireplace, the mantle decorated with portraits of Cedric and Sofia and their little family, and of course several other things. Even a certain snow globe from the past found its way onto the mantle.

There was only one thing that they seemed to be missing.

"We need a crib," Sofia pointed out one night as she and Cedric were lying in bed, her fingers tracing his as he rested his head on her shoulder after a long day of working with Cordelia. "I can't believe I didn't think about that before… I would ask Mom, but she gave Corban's to Amber for Alamea, and now that she's outgrown it, the next baby will get it." She released his hand and lifted her hand to his hair, gently running her fingers through his locks. "Any ideas?"

"Mm… If I'm not mistaken, I think Mother might still have our old crib." He lifted his hand to his mouth, yawning. "It may not be fancy, but cribs from our time were made out of solid wood, so it would be very sturdy."

She giggled. "Oh, Cedric… 'Cribs from our time.' You make it sound like you're 80 years old."

"Well, I'm not exactly a spring chicken, my dear."

She smiled as he sat up, stretching. "It doesn't matter. Not to me…" She reached down and unbuttoned the bottom half of her pajama top, her hands gently caressing the sides of her abdomen. "And not to our baby…"

Cedric hummed softly before leaning forward, placing soft kisses on her tummy, then proceeding to offer the same attention to her fingers. He glanced up at her, seeing a serene smile still lingering on her lips. He carefully placed his hands on either side of her head, leaning down and kissing her lovingly. "Our baby," he repeated with a soft laugh. "Still…such a surreal thing to say…"

Sofia grinned. "What was it someone said? A 'Cedfia' baby? Kind of cute, huh? Maybe if the baby's a girl, we should name her Cedfia."

He chuckled, stroking her hair. "I think that might be a little too obvious, my love. Perhaps something more meaningful… We need a little peace in our lives… Maybe this little one will be our peace."

She nodded. "We can talk about names later. Right now…" She reached up and cupped his face in her hands, ever so softly brushing his nose with hers. "I don't want to talk…"

Cedric smiled, nodding in understanding. "Neither do I…"

The next morning, Cedric and Sofia got up and prepared for the day, and after breakfast, they decided to head out to Mystic Meadows to visit his parents. It was probably a longshot seeing if that elusive crib still existed, but it was worth a try. Regardless, they'd get to see Goodwyn and Winifred, if nothing else. The girls decided to stay behind with Miranda, who was making blankets for the babies (and they seemed intrigued by that and wanted to help, much to the queen's delight).

When they arrived at the older couple's homestead, Winifred greeted them with the brightest smile and most obvious enthusiasm they'd seen in a while. They'd of course told her about the baby at the beginning, but they hadn't seen her or Goodwyn since Calista's graduation, and it was fairly obvious the baby was starting to grow more rapidly now than before.

"Ceddy-kins!" Winifred gushed happily as she hugged her son, and she chuckled heartily as he returned the favor. She then moved over to her daughter-in-law, gently hugging her. "Oh, dear Sofia, it's so good to see you. How are you feeling, my dear girl? Sore at all? Nauseated? Irritable?"

"Mother, please," Cedric chided, rolling his eyes as Sofia laughed at the woman's numerous questions. "Could you not overwhelm her when we've only just arrived?"

"I'm just checking on my daughter-in-law," she responded proudly, releasing Sofia from her hold and leading them both into the house. "I remember what it was like to be pregnant. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows."

Sofia shrugged. "It hasn't been that bad. I got a little sick at the beginning, and I do feel some discomfort every now and then, but overall…"

"As a young and first-time mother, be grateful." The older woman gestured for them to sit on the sofa, which they did, before following suit in her own chair. "It could have been really painful. For instance, my pregnancy with Cedric…" She sighed dramatically as she threw one hand to her head. "I couldn't wait for him to be born. You talk about an intrusive visitor: always kicking me, keeping me up at night… And then he had the nerve to be born at just after midnight."

Cedric offered his mother a deadpanned expression as Sofia giggled next to him. "I hate to tell you this, Mother, but I can't help what I did as a fetus."

Winifred let out a hearty laugh after hearing her son's interesting retort. "Fair enough, Ceddy-kins. I'm pleased to see both of you, but I thought you said you wouldn't be able to come by for a while." She played with the ruffles on one of her sofa pillows as she eyed them curiously. "What changed your mind?"

"Do you still have the crib you used for Cordelia and me?" He noticed the strange look pass over Winifred's face and wondered if maybe that was a ridiculous question. "I mean… Granted, I'm well aware that it has been a number of years since either of us last used it, but—"

"It's not that, Cedric," the older woman interjected, surprising both Cedric and Sofia when she not only used his full first name but also managed to sound very serious. "We ended up having to get rid of your crib, because it had suffered some water damage and was beginning to wear away."

"Aw, that's okay, Mrs. Winifred," Sofia assured her, smiling. "I'm sure we'll find one."

"I didn't say I didn't have one," the older sorceress returned, a secretive and somewhat mischievous smile on her face. "Follow me."

Curious, the couple stood and did as she asked, their minds reeling with what she could possibly have to show them. They watched her unlock a door to a room that was rarely opened (which they supposed was a storage room), and slowly she led them inside.

The room was dimly lit with a few candles, and the atmosphere was a bit more somber when compared to the rest of the well-lit and romantically decorated house. The walls were a dark navy blue, and the small space was lined with several unused items, including a few sets of infant clothing, a tiny yellow blanket, some soft mittens (often placed on babies' hands to prevent their nails from catching on something or scratching someone or themselves), and…

"Whose crib is that?" Cedric wondered as he slowly approached the beautiful dark oak piece of furniture, covered in dust and a few cobwebs, but still sturdy and a sign of wonderful craftsmanship. Hearing no immediate response, he glanced down toward Winifred, who was running her hand over the side of the crib. "Mummy?"

The woman smiled sadly as she gazed up at her son. It was rare that he called her 'Mummy' anymore, but it made her heart swell when he did say it. It was like a treasure from the past that she could hang onto. "It's…your brother's. Camden's."

Sofia frowned, confused. "I didn't know you had a brother, Cedric."

He blinked at her before glancing back at his mother. "N-Neither did I…"

Winifred sighed. "I never told you or your sister, but when you were both in Hexley Hall, I became pregnant again. It was rather unexpected, because your father and I were both well into our later years by then, as you know… And needless to say, I didn't want to get too excited, because I knew the risks of having a child at such an age, especially since I'd been so ill that year. I thought I wasn't going to make it, much less the baby…" She sighed, shaking her head. "Your father was able to use his wand and a revelation spell, which told us that the baby was a boy. We liked the 'C' theme we had going on with you and Cordy, and we finally settled on Camden for the little one."

Sofia leaned against the wall as she listened, and her eyes darted back and forth between her husband and her mother-in-law.

"He was…so excited. He couldn't believe we were having another little boy." She smiled sadly at the memory. "But one day, I wasn't feeling well, and Goody decided to check on the baby. When he muttered his spell…" She gripped the side of the crib, feeling a bit overwhelmed as the memories flooded in her mind. "Th-There was…no heartbeat…" She closed her eyes, turning her head from the other two, who had gasped. "The baby had—I had miscarried… And I didn't want to upset either of you, so… We just never told you."

"Mother…" Cedric was in awe. How could she not tell him such an important event in her life? In their lives… Maybe the baby hadn't made it, but he was still… He could tell that his mother was shaken from the revelation, so he moved forward and wrapped her in a warm hug.

Winifred sighed as she returned the hug, patting her son's back. "I'm sorry I never told you," she whispered, sounding both guilty yet relieved at the same time. Guilty for keeping the secret, but relieved that it was finally known… "I guess…part of me knew it was time to tell this story… And it would honor Camden in a way if I were to give you his crib…"

"Why didn't you give it to Cordelia when she had Calista?" Sofia wondered, genuinely curious.

"I had actually wanted to, but that wretched Caledon had already bought her a brand new one before I even had the chance," she managed through gritted teeth, seething just thinking about her ex-son-in-law. She sighed, her anger melting away as she smiled toward Sofia. "But maybe it was meant to be… Maybe you were fated to have this for your baby…"

Cedric chuckled softly as he glanced at Sofia, who seemed enamored by the story. "What do you think, my love? Will this crib work?"

Sofia smiled at him before moving over to Winifred, hugging the woman and catching her a bit off guard as she did. "I think it's perfect," she mumbled, more to Winifred than to Cedric, who still heard her. She then smiled down toward her mother-in-law. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Winifred. We'll take care of the crib, in honor of your baby boy."

"Oh, Sofia…" She smiled, wiping a few tears away, before pulling both Cedric and Sofia into a group hug, which they both readily returned. "Thank you so much…"

That evening, Cedric stood in front of the crib, which was settled along the wall, nicely cleaned and decorated in cream and lavender bedding. They still didn't know if they were having a boy or girl yet and wouldn't be able to find out until a little bit later with his magic spell, but for now… For now, it was perfect. He hummed as he felt arms wrap around him from behind, and he turned, pulling Sofia into a warm hug. "You know, if we have a boy…"

She giggled. "I was just thinking the same thing. 'Camden' is a cute name…" She saw him nod, and she reached up to fluff out his bangs, causing him to chuckle. "You ready for bed?"

"I'll be there in just a moment." He kissed her forehead before looking back at the crib, lowering into the interior and moving the tiny pillow around, straightening the small blanket. "There…" He then followed after Sofia, his mind filled with uncertainties, and even horrors… A miscarriage… It wasn't that uncommon, unfortunately, especially with younger mothers. Sofia was only twenty and still relatively young, and he was now worried that her first pregnancy may not pan out like they'd hoped. What if she lost the baby? He couldn't even bear to think about it… He paused at the foot of the bed, gazing down at the princess, who had tucked herself into the comfortable covers.

Sofia looked over at the sorcerer, eyes narrowing in concern. "Cedric…" Realizing what must have been on his mind, she simply held out one hand, smiling as he walked over and took it, removing his shoes first before sliding under the covers next to her. "You would have been a good big brother to Camden," she told him kindly as she played with the buttons on his shirt.

"Y-You think so?" Seeing her nod, he hummed in appreciation. "I just hope I can be a good father to…our little dove."

"Dove?" She paused, blinking at him. "Why a dove?"

"A dove is…pure, good, and wholesome. It's a sign of peace." He grasped her hands, lifting them to his lips before gently kissing each one. "And our little dove has already given me a sense of peace, like nothing I've ever felt before."

"Hmm." She moved forward, kissing him softly on the lips. "Maybe our baby will change the world then." She giggled sleepily as he embraced her lovingly, humming against her hair.

"With you as the mother?" He chuckled warmly. "I have no doubt." He kissed her once again before whispering, "Good night, Sofia."

She smiled as she rested her head on his chest. "Good night, Cedric." She placed her hand on her tummy, feeling Cedric's hand move to rest there as well. "Good night, little dove."

The end