The castle was humming on the day Rapunzel went into labor.

Cassandra was bustling back and forth along with all the other staff, carrying fresh linen to rooms, warm water, or overall, just cleaning the castle to make sure everything that had a place was in it as well as childproofed and sanitary.

Eugene stayed glued to Rapunzel's side and Joshua often popped in right upon the hour until the time of his sibling's birth drew closer, then and only then did he linger closer to the hospital wing of the palace.

Michael was busy listening to the harrowing tale, as so spun by Varian, of the night of his own birth, so similar, and right within these castle walls, Lance chiming in occasionally as they all awaited outside the room in the early morning.

Joshua listened with a bittersweet smile, he remembered with malice his role in all of that, as well as the death of Ruby, which panged his heart and left him heavy with guilt. Rapunzel was a wonderful mother, there was no doubt about it, but she didn't understand the abandonment, the fear, the thieving, the life as Ruby had.

Ruby had lived it and she had a dream to get Joshua out of it, a dream which she never got to see come true. Joshua sighed and brushed tears from his eyes as he sniffled, his silent emotions drowned out by Gothel and Arianna bickering light-heartedly over who the child's favorite grandmother would be, would it be a boy or girl, what it would look like, anything they could to take their minds off the pain they knew so well from many years passed.

Cassandra and Elaine looked frazzled as they poked in around the corner, Elaine walking over and sitting next to Joshua while Cassandra unceremoniously plopped into the closest chair she could find and held a hand above her heart and the other above her barely distended abdomen. "Any word yet?" She breathed, eyes tired and curious.

"Not yet, but it's getting close." Lance said excitedly, he was so excited for Eugene and Rapunzel, for this would officially return the favor he and Cassandra had done thirteen and a half years ago.

"Mom, dad?" Michael bounced over the chair he was on and sat before them on the floor, curious brown eyes wide and full of wonder, which hadn't been lost in the years since his childhood. "Where do babies come from?"

Cassandra and Lance both exchanged flushed glances, this was neither the time nor the place for "the talk" and he most certainty wasn't old enough yet.

As if to save them the awkward dodging of the question, Eugene burst out the door with the dopiest grin on his face imaginable, murmuring and shouting in varying moments as he waltzed down the hall. "It's a boy! It's a boy!"

Everyone in their own right and time stood and made room to move into the delivery room, but Joshua was the first. He planted himself excitedly in the chair next to his mother and looked curiously, but also nervously at the bundle of green blankets in her arms. He silently mouthed something but said nothing as the Mid-wives and doctors ushered everyone back in the hall so as not to overwhelm the new mother and child, Karla muttering something about Eugene running off and how absolutely ridiculous it was for a new father to act like that.

"Joshua...!" Rapunzel smiled tiredly and shifted a bit to face him, the babe in her arms making a gurgling noise at the movement. "Would you like to meet your baby brother?"

Joshua swallowed, sniffed and nodded, carefully inching closer to peer over Rapunzel's shoulder at the bundle within the blankets. He dared not move or breath as the blanket creature unraveled and blossomed. First little, stubby, peachy pink fingers uncurled from one hand and then another, followed slowly by an equally chubby arm all moving to remove some of the blanket from around his head and face. The baby yawned and rubbed his eyes, grabbing fistfuls of blanket and rubbing his fingers over the surface.

Joshua blinked and nearly fell back into his chair, his dark skin going pale. "He's..." The words failed him but thankfully, or unthankfully depending upon your perspective, a young boy who had his father's restraint and mother and grandmother's sharp tongue announced.

"He's blonde!" Michael's explanation was louder than what he had intended, and the baby fussed and wriggled in Rapunzel's arms, to which she immediately turned her attention to in order to quiet him down. Casandra snatched her own son's wrist and pulled him away from the open door where he had been eavesdropping and quietly reprimanded him.

Joshua watched his younger brother fuss and flail, immune to Rapunzel's shushes and quietly reached a large finger towards the tiny ones, softly prodding it much to the baby's surprise. The baby stopped fussing and grunted, blinking new eyes to focus on the dark thing dangling in front of him with curiosity. Tiny fingers latched on and fingers were soon followed by mouth. Joshua chuckled softly, sniffing and let his brother gnaw and suckle upon the digit. "It kind of tickles... and it's slobbery." He laughed softly.

Rapunzel herself laughed softly and watched with a tender, motherly gaze. "He likes you."

"Yeah, I guess so, huh?" Joshua muttered, a bright smile overtook his face and he watched, mesmerized by his brother.

"Would you like to hold him?" Rapunzel questioned, her gaze moving from the newborn to the shocked gaze of chocolate.

"Can I? I mean I'm so big and he's so small what if I hurt him by accident?" Joshua fretted, carefully withdrawing his finger from the small grasp to hold it close to his chest.

"You won't," Rapunzel assured. "Give me your arms." She carefully moved over so Joshua could take the baby easier. "Now watch his head." She reminded and Joshua nodded silently, swallowing as the full weight of his brother was place in his arms.

"He's heavier than he looks." Joshua laughed, holding his brother close and watching as he moved in the blankets.

"Yeah, no kidding." Rapunzel chuckled.

It was about this time that Eugene came back in, still looking as euphoric as ever, and sat carefully on the end of the bed. He glanced to Rapunzel with a smile and she nodded. Eugene cleared his throat and looked at Joshua who was almost trembling in delight as his little brother reached up to play with his much larger hands. Joshua looked up at his parents and his jovial gaze switched to one of concern with how they were staring at him. A bead of nervous sweat formed on his brow and he tensed. "What?"

"Nothing, just watching our boys. Speaking of which Joshua, your mother and I have been talking and-" Eugene began Rapunzel excitedly picking up where he had trailed off.

"And we decided that we would like you to pick out his name. The whole thing."

"The whole thing?" Joshua echoed with wide eyes. "I don't deserve- I mean I'm not even your son, I'm..."

"Joshua Cupid, we wouldn't have said it just now if we didn't mean it. Please." Eugene said gently resting a hand on the boy who he had brought into their family who was now a young man, yet still so young and unsure of himself.

"Ok..." Joshua murmured, looking deeply into the brown eyes of his little brother. He had freckles, a face full of tiny little splotches, just like Rapunzel did. His hair was little wisps of golden blonde hair that looked like sunshine shining through trees in bright forest. His eyes reflected something new and vibrant, curiosity and mischief, something he had once seen in his own eyes of similar color. It took a moment of thought, and perhaps it was a strange familiarity to someone who had that twinkle in their eyes so long since snuffed that guided his decision. "Don't be mad but... I'd like to name him after ma."

Does anyone recall from Her dork, his baby who Joshua's "Ma" is?

Anyways, I hope this is what you all were looking for and I promise that things will happen that might not be expected in the next few chapters, in fact a- *slaps hand over mouth* I won't spoil it.

Please enjoy and review your thoughts, I love to hear from you guys. Ryder. I'm looking at you because I know you have read the last few chapters.

Anyways, thank you all so much for reading this far and please stay safe!