Disclaimer, don't own the characters or the concept, I'm just borrowing them.
***
It seems like we have been waiting in this Hospital room forever. But in fact, its only been a few hours.
"Guys."
I look up, Face is standing in the doorway, holding a tiny bundle in a white blanket, gently cradling her head. He looks tired and disheveled and elated.
I feel my own expression break into a face splitting grin.
BA gets there first, smiling gently as he strokes one large finger across the screwed up little face. "Hey little one. Welcome to our family."
Face shoots him a look of pleasure and gratitude. BA just nods gruffly.
Murdock reaches over to gently brush back the single curl of spun gold.
"She has your eyes Facey." He observes solemnly.
Face looks at his daughter with an expression of awe and wonder. "Yeah," He clears his throat. "Amazing isn't it?"
Murdock puts a hand on Face's shoulder, causing the kid to look up. I see his emotions rise to the surface as Murdock gives him a proud smile.
"You're gonna be the best Daddy ever Face."
"I had a good teacher." Face looks at me a little shyly.
I hide my smile. We might be a fairly unconventional family but I wouldn't have things any other way.
Knowing Face I don't think I can tell him that too often.
"Do you think I might get a chance to hold my grand daughter?" I ask gruffly.
Face smiles at me and his eyes twinkle. "Sure .. Grandpa."
She's so tiny and Murdock's right, She does have his eyes.
"What are you gonna call her?" Murdock asks.
"She ain't no puppy fool." BA scowled. "Takes time to decide what to call a person."
"Actually." Face gives me a lop sided smile. "We had thought of a name."
"Oh?" I raise a brow. "Care to enlighten us Lieutenant?"
"Hannah," Face spoke softly. "We'd like to call her Hannah."
I feel something warm and unexpected blossom in my chest.
"That's a fine name, Lieutenant," I swallow hard. "A damn fine name."
"Colonel," Murdock looks shocked and puts his hands over the two tiny ears. "Not in front of the bambino"
"Sorry," I grin, wishing I had a cigar.
"Colonel," Reading my thoughts as always my second-in-command, offers me a cigar. Of a particularly fine vintage.
"Nice, Face," I grin approvingly. "Very nice."
"Nothing for but the best for my daughter." Face vows quietly.
I hide my frown as I head out towards the ornamental gardens to enjoy my cigar in peace.
I know my Lieutenant and something tell me we are going to need to talk.
***
Sometime later I head back up to the maternity floor and look in one his wife. She looks tired, but happy, as I lean over to kiss her.
"Where's Face?"
"He was supposed to have gone home about an hour ago, but I have it on good authority that he is upstairs watching our daughter sleep. I don't think anything short of a direct order is going to get him to shift." She hints.
"I'll care take of him." I promise her.
"You always do Hannibal," she smiles warmly. "You always do."
He's leaning against the glass partition, his hands in his pockets, his eyes fixed on the tiny bundle in the third crib. At this time of night the corridor is almost deserted and we have the place to ourselves.
He doesn't look up as I fall in beside him. But I know, he knows, I'm here.
"She's lovely Face."
"Yeah." His voice is oddly flat and I sigh.
I'd been waiting for this.
"Spit it out Lieutenant." I command gently.
"How could he do it Hannibal?" Face's voice cracks with tiredness and emotion. "How could he feel like this and just walk away?"
Damn Bancroft.
Damn him to hell for casting his shadow over what should have been a day of nothing but joy.
"I don't know Face." I admit truthfully.
"He knew, all that time he knew, who I was, where I was, but he did nothing," I hear Face swallow hard, but he won't look at me. "He never really wanted me did he?" he asks hollowly.
"Face .." I struggle to bring my own emotions under control.
"He couldn't have loved me," There is an element of realization in his tone. "Not like this," he looks at his daughter. "Cause, if he did, he could never have left."
"He was a worthless slime who didn't deserve you." I spit bitterly.
Face stills and I curse myself for letting my emotions get the better of me. This was his father for God's sake. Murdock was gonna kill me.
Then I hear him.
"God. I love you Hannibal."
That brings my head up sharply, and I turn to see looking at me, his eyes bright, but a definite quirk on his lips.
"You've never left me," he speaks softly, "Not in Nam, not in Fort Bragg, not all those years on the run, no matter how many times I screwed up, you've always been there for me. Like now."
I step closer to him and wrap my arm around his shoulders.
"There's nowhere else I'd rather be, son." I vow sincerely.
And together we look at the future. Our future.