Livvie laid awake in the darkness, listening to the sound of Rafe's steady breathing beside her. She always fell asleep with her mind filled with anxious worries and tonight was no different. She was always worried, scared that Rafe would learn the truth of Ayden's paternity and leave her to find Alison. But now that their son was soon to arrive, Livvie felt secure in thinking that Rafe was definitely hers now. The baby growing inside of her belonged to Rafe and even if Ayden was not part of him, this child was. Rafe wouldn't abandon his son. Livvie remembered the joy in Rafe's eyes when she had told him she was pregnant again and how that elation had only grown the day that they had learned they were to have a boy. She recalled how they had stared at the black and white monitor before them, their fingers intertwined next to Livvie's gel covered abdomen, and how a mixture of emotions had welled up in Rafe's eyes when the doctor made the announcement.
This night, Livvie worried about the pain coursing through her body. She knew that it was too early to go to the hospital, but she wasn't sure how much longer she could lay there in silence. But then, as she contemplated whether or not to wake Rafe, Livvie felt the liquid wetting the mattress beneath her.
"Rafe?"
Her husband made no sound and after waiting another moment, she nudged his ribs. "Rafe?" she said again. His eyes popped open and he stared at her blankly for a second, his mind still groggy with sleep.
"What will it be this time? Root beer or a candy bar?" he asked.
"I think it will be the hospital this time," she replied and he quickly sat straight up in bed.
"What? Already?"
"My water just broke. We need to hurry," Livvie told him. In response, he rapidly jumped from the mattress and pulled on his clothes in record time. He gathered Livvie's things and made a quick dash to the car. As he walked back through the house, Livvie could hear him speaking into the cordless phone.
"Mrs. Young? I am terribly sorry to call at this hour, but Livvie is in labor and I was hoping you could stay with Ayden," Livvie heard no more of the conversation for she was carried away on a wave of pain. Once the pain had momentarily subsided, Rafe was helping her to the car, passing a haggard Mrs. Young on their way out the door.
Later in the early hours of the morning, Rafe was banished from the delivery room and forced to wait in an empty waiting area. He had not been informed of his wife's condition, but he had heard a comment between the nurses about the baby been caught. Unable to withstand the isolation, Rafe called Mrs. Young and asked her to bring Ayden to him and soon he was holding his tired daughter in his arms. He was going mad staring at the stark white walls around him with no sound but Ayden's rhythmic breathing to fill his ears. He damned every doctor and nurse in that accursed hospital for not letting him know anything about the well being of Livvie or his son. Suddenly, without knowing why, Rafe approached the pay phone across the room. He dialed a number he was amazed he remembered and listened to the ringing in the receiver.
"Hello?" a sleepy male voice answered.
"Kevin? This is Rafe," he said.
"Rafe, what's wrong?" Kevin Collins demanded. They had not spoken since Rafe and Livvie left Port Charles and this call was unexpected. Rafe quickly began to pour out the whole story.
"And now the doctor's aren't telling me anything. Every time I ask, all I get are vague answers. I was hoping that maybe you could help me out," Rafe concluded.
There was a long pause but Kevin responded, "Give me about thirty minutes and I'll be right there." With a click, Rafe was alone again. He replaced the phone and walked back to his sleeping child. As he brushed a soft tendril off of her face, Ayden's eyes flickered open.
"Daddy, where's mommy?" she asked in her quiet piping voice.
"Mommy's having your little brother right now," he answered.
"When will I get to see him?" she yawned, her voice becoming sleepy again.
"Soon baby. Real soon," he kissed the top of her head and she drifted off.
A few moments later, another nurse meandered through the waiting room. Rafe quickly looked at her imploringly. "Do you know what's going on with my wife? Her name is Olivia Kovich," he said.
"I'm sorry sir, but I just clocked on a minute ago. I don't have any information," and she breezed out again.
True to his word, Kevin arrived a half-hour later.
"What have you heard?" he inquired.
"Nothing so far. I'm so pissed at every person in this hospital that I could scream," Rafe fumed.
Kevin took a moment to calm his son-in-law down but stopped when he saw Ayden.
"Is that her? Is that Ayden?"
"Yes. That's your granddaughter." Kevin silently strode over to the sleeping child and knelt down in front of her. Kevin's eyes roamed over Ayden's face, mesmerized by her innocent beauty.
"Mr. Kovich?" a voice said from behind. Rafe quickly whirled around and faced the nurse. "Your baby has been delivered, but he hasn't been stabilized yet," she told him and continued. Somehow, she ended up giving him information without telling him a damn thing. When he inquired about Livvie, she only replied, "We're doing everything we can," and retreated out of the waiting area.
Anger surged up in him and before he could stop himself, Rafe let out a yell and hit the closest wall he could find before slumping into one of the cushioned chairs.
"I have a son, but I don't know if he's all right and they won't tell me anything about my wife. I'm going insane here!" he said to Kevin. Kevin did not reply, but sat down next to Rafe, amazed at the tears welling in his son-in-law's eyes.
"You know, I did what you told me to. I gave Livvie my whole heart and I have given her all of the love and stability I can give. I finally realized last night just how happy I was with my life and how much I truly loved my family. So why am I suddenly faced with losing Livvie and our son just as soon as I understand how much I need them? Of all of the things that I faced in Port Charles, the Avatar, the vampires, all of the evil, I have never been scared like I am right now," Rafe spoke quietly. Kevin could not give him an answer but sat quietly by his side. They sat together for an interminable amount of time before another nurse came to retrieve Rafe. Kevin said he would stay with Ayden and Rafe left with the nurse.
Rafe walked behind the woman before coming to an open door. The nurse made a gesture for him to go on in and he complied. Quietly, Rafe entered and sat down on the hard plastic chair next to Livvie's bed and took her hand in his, interlocking their fingers. He leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on her cheek and as he smoothed her raven hair, Livvie's eyes opened wearily.
"Hi sweetie," she greeted him in a raspy voice groggy with drugged sleep. "Where's the baby?" she questioned. Rafe did not know how to answer her inquiry. He did not want to alarm her if there was anything wrong, but he did not want to lie to her and give her false hope.
"Rafe, where's the baby?" she asked again, a panicked note in her voice. Rafe opened his mouth to respond, but a voice from behind replied, "He's right here."
Rafe whirled around to see a nurse carrying a tiny bundle in her arms. "Is he..." Rafe began to ask, but did not know how to phrase the question.
"He's perfectly healthy Mr. Kovich. He gave us a little scare, but he's just fine now," the nurse assured him and deposited the baby into Livvie's arms.
Livvie tenderly caressed the baby's cheek and breathed a small sigh of amazement. "Look what we did," she said and tilted the baby toward Rafe. He stared in awe at the small red thing before him and he looked on in wonder. Just then, the baby began to whimper and fuss. Livvie pulled him closer to her in attempts to comfort the child, but he only grew louder. Rafe held out his arms and Livvie carefully handed the baby to him. Almost immediately, their son quieted down and soon fell asleep again.
"I told you he was going to be daddy's little boy," Livvie told Rafe.
Rafe held his son carefully in his hands. The baby's head just fit inside Rafe's palm, like a doll. Rafe moved the baby into the crook of his arm and then sat down on the bed next to Livvie. Livvie wormed her way under Rafe's arm as she had done so many times before and together they stared at the miracle that they had created.
"What do you think about naming him Colin?" Rafe suggested, "After your father's last name? Colin Michael, maybe?"
"After daddy's last name?" Livvie repeated, "You and my father don't get along. Why would you want to name the baby after him?"
"Your father and I used to not see eye to eye on some things, but I realize that I was wrong. I think it's time that our children have a grandfather. Ayden's probably getting acquainted with him right now,"
"Daddy's here?" she asked, her eyes full of surprise and joyful tears. Livvie really did love her father and she had missed him. The separation could have been easily remedied, but all of them, Rafe, Livvie, and Kevin, were extremely stubborn people.
"Yeah. He's staying with Ayden out in the waiting room," Rafe responded.
"Not anymore. Ayden was begging to see her little brother," Kevin said from the doorway with Ayden in his arms. Ayden wriggled free from his grasp and ran on her sturdy little legs toward the bed. She stood on tiptoe to catch a glimpse of her new sibling and Kevin placed her on the mattress.
"Ayden, this is your little brother Colin," Livvie told her daughter. Ayden peered into the mass of blankets and after staring at the little bundle, she carefully leaned forward and placed a delicate kiss on Colin's head.
"Hi Colin," Ayden said to the baby in Rafe's arms. Livvie pulled Ayden close to her and began to run her fingers through Ayden's soft curls.
"Daddy, come meet your grandson, Colin Michael Kovich," Livvie spoke to her father. Kevin took a step toward the bed and looked at the child held so protectively by Rafe. Gently, Rafe handed Colin to his grandfather.
Rafe Kovich looked at the scene before him, his newborn son in the arms of his loving grandfather and his glowing wife and precious daughter entwined in his arms, and joyous tears sprang up in his eyes. This was not the life he had expected, but life has surprises up its sleeve. Rafe had always thought that he would live happily ever after with Alison and continue his calling as a slayer, but that life had been torn from him when he married Livvie. Now, that rip, that tear, had been mended. Rafe knew that this was his happy ending. His life with Livvie and Ayden and Colin wasn't exactly what he had always dreamed of... it was better.
A/N: I know, I know. It's totally cheesy and all that jazz, but please be kind when reviewing. I just went with this story and my fingers wrote what my imagination invented. Hope everyone enjoyed. - IrethAnwarunya