I looked at the clock again and groaned. We had been here for almost two hours and I was only eight centimetres dilated. At this rate, we were going to be here into the early morning.

Dimitri was trying to comfort me the best he could, but let's be honest, there wasn't a whole lot he could do aside from letting me squeeze his hand and helping me walk around.

"Do you want more ice chips?" Dimitri asked as he helped me sit back on the bed, kneeling down in front of me while his hands slipped over my lower back. I shrugged and rested my forehead against his shoulder as he rubbed his fingers firmly against the base of my spine.

I was getting tired of this, the rolling contractions. I was to the point where I felt like when one would finally end another one would start.

"Why do the women have to be the ones who push watermelon-sized babies out of small holes. Why can't it be the men?" I whined through gritted teeth. Dimitri shushed me in a soothing tone and kissed the top of my head.

"Roza, if I could, I would do it for you," Dimitri said, rubbing his fingers up my spine.

I groaned and felt my toes curl as pain rippled through my body again before pulled back to lay back on the bed. Dimitri plumped up my pillow and handed me my cup of ice chips. I gave him a weak smile and put a few cold chips into my mouth as Dr. Miles walked into the room.

"How are we doing in here?" Dr. Miles asked as he pulled a pair of latex gloves.

"I'm thinking ten, doc. I've visualizing ten," I groaned putting my cup on the table beside me. Dr. Miles nodded and lifted the sheet over my legs, doing a quick exam.

"Well. I think you have some master visualization skills. You are fully effaced and dilated. I'm going to get the nurses in here and we will get started," Dr. Miles said with a kind look, pulling his gloves off and laying the sheet back over my legs.

"Oh, thank God," I said in relief, tipping my head back against the pillows. Dimitri gave me a sympathetic look as when Dr. Miles and the nurses came back in, getting everything ready to go. I get situated on the bed with Dimitri standing beside me, I get my legs into the stirrups.

Once everything when set up and in place, I was about to burst in pain. If Dimitri felt pain as I squeeze his hand in a death grip, he said nothing nor made a face. Dr. Miles gave me a reassuring look and told me to push when I felt the need, and it was like my body went into autopilot. I barely heard the words said to me, in encouragement or guidance.

All I could see was directly in front of me. It was like I had tunnel vision and the only thing that mattered was getting her out. The burn was intense and I vaguely heard Dr. Miles tell me to relax as the baby crowned. I took a shallow breath and leaned my head back, meeting a set of brown eyes that lent me strength.

"You're almost there Rose. When I tell you to push again, push," Dr. Miles said and I lift my head up to look at him. I nod and suck in a breath, waiting for his cue. When he gave word I started to push again, and after what felt like minutes, I felt Sofia's body slip out and into the waiting hands of Dr. Miles.

Dr. Miles clipped the cord and handed her off to a nurse to get all the gunk out of her mouth and nose. I waited with my eyes trained on the nurse's back until I could hear a noise come from her direction. I felt like every ounce of energy had left my body and I slumped back into the pillows. Dimitri brushed his lips over my sweat-covered forehead, stroking my cheek affectionately.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him, giving him a tired smile. I tilted my head up and he leaned in to press his lips against mine. We were interrupted a moment later when a nurse came towards us, a squirming bundle in her arms. Dimitri helped me unsnap the closure on the top of my hospital gown, and the nurse handed me our baby.

I felt my heart swell at my first glimpse of her. I felt like a piece of me that was missing was filled. I felt Dimitri's hand over mine and his head against mine, looking down at the beautiful creation that brought us together.

"She is beautiful," I whispered, running the back of my finger over her cheek. Sofia moved her head against my finger, making little grunting noises as she shifted in my arms. She was so small but so perfect.

And even now, I could see her resemblance to Jenny.

I sighed and let my eyes fall shut as I felt her warmth seeping into my chest.

"We need to get her cleaned up and take her measurements," one of the nurses said kindly, standing just behind Dimitri. I opened my eyes and nodded, letting the nurse take Sofia away. I gave Dimitri a pointed look to go with them and he got up, squeezing my hand before following the nurse across the room.

"Alright Rose, here's the easier part. Just a few more pushes and you can have all the time with your little girl," Dr. Miles said, pulling my attention back to him. There was a slight pinch in my thigh from an injection a nurse gave and the contractions continued mildly. Instinctually, I started to push. I could feel a slight gush between my legs.

"Rose, I need you to stop pushing," Dr. Miles said urgently, taking one of the sterile towels and putting it between my legs. I nodded and tried to relax my lower body, but I could barely feel below the belly button.

"Oh god," one of the nurses said quietly as she handed Dr. Miles a sponge-looking object.

"'Oh god' what?" Dimitri asked, looking away from Sofia. I tried to sit up a bit more to look, but one of the nurses gently pushed me back down.

"I need more," Dr. Miles said just as quietly, taking another sponge-like object from the nurse beside him.

"What is happening?" Dimitri asked, torn between coming to me and staying with Sofia.

Dr. Miles kept working as he spoke. "Dimitri, Rose; you're hemorrhaging. I need you to lay back and let us work. I do not want you to panic, just take a few deep breaths," Dr. Miles said as the nurse beside me placed an oxygen mask over my face.

Dimitri left Sofia to come to me, but the nurse with Sofia stopped him, insisting that he was just going to get in the way. I tried to give him a reassuring head nod and focused on him and Sofia, trying to keep myself from getting worked up.

It felt like forever before Dr. Miles sat back and let out a slow breath. "You're okay now. There was a slight tear in your cervix. I needed to give you a few stitches, but we are going to keep you here for twenty-four-hour observation."

I nodded and pulled my mask off, handing it back to the nurse. I turned to look at Dimitri again and found him coming towards me, little bundle in his hands. I smiled and took Sofia from him, laying her down on my chest again.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Dr. Miles speaking to the nurse that spoke earlier, but it looked more like chastising than anything else.

Shortly after that, I was moved into a private room.

Dimitri took a few photos of me and of Sofia before sending them to his mother and my dad. Dimitri sat down on the bed beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him and handed Sofia to him, smiling joyfully at seeing him hold someone so small.

Dimitri carefully stroked Sofia's head with his thumb before lifting er to his lips, pressing them tenderly to her forehead. He spoke to her quietly, cooing his happiness as she opened her eyes for the first time. They were so light, almost grey as she gazed up in curiosity.

"I didn't know my heart could feel so full," Dimitri whispered quietly, his eyes never leaving Sofia's. I chuckled and leaned over to look at Sofia too.

"Children do that to you," I whispered back, running my finger over her arm. Dimitri nodded and smiled at Sofia as she started opening and closing her mouth.

"Ah, that's my cue," I said, recognizing the movement. Her belly was calling for food. I got into a comfortable position and took Sofia from Dimitri, adjusting my gown. Dimitri sat and watched as I got Sofia to latch when his phone broke the silence. He pulled it out, checked whatever the notification was and turned it off before putting it on the table beside us.

"I thought you needed to be available," I joked quietly. Dimitri smirked and wrapped his arm back around my waist.

"Nobody needs my attention more than you two. Everyone and everything else can wait," he replied, running the tip of his nose against my cheek. I smiled again and ran my finger over Sofia's cheek while Dimitri's other hand stroked the top of my head. Sofia's little fist lifted up towards me and I kissed her little fingers, breathing in that fresh newborn baby smell.

"Rest Roza," Dimitri whispered, "You did well."


I let Dimitri carry the carrier to the door, leaning into his side as we walked slowly in the quiet hallway. The staff in the lobby were prepared for our arrival and had a service door open and ready for us. Word had already gotten out about Sofia's early arrival and paparazzi were waiting at the front entrance.

Jeffrey, the building manager, led us through the service halls and to the service elevator so we could avoid everyone and get to the penthouse without disturbance.

"How are you feel, Ms. Hathaway?"

"I'm sore and tired, but I feel good otherwise," I said quietly, my head against Dimitri's shoulder.

"Boy or girl?"

"A girl," Dimitri supplied proudly, "Sofia Roslyn."

Jeffrey smiled and nodded his head, gesturing for us to exit the elevator before him. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," I said as we stepped out and into the hallway. Jeffrey nodded and opened the service door and closed it behind us.

The penthouse was shockingly quiet when we unlocked the door. I sighed quietly and toed my shoes off, letting Dimitri lead me further into the house. I could hear Sofia snuffling in her carrier so I plonked myself on the couch, pulling the throw around me.

I watched Dimitri unbuckle Sofia from the carrier, cooing at her quietly and kissing her bloated cheek before sitting down next to me. I snuggled in close and looked down at Sofia, the ever-present smile on my face. I couldn't stop smiling. Every time I looked at her, I smiled so wide that it hurt my cheeks.

Our silence didn't last very long when the front door opened, and footfalls filled the main room.

I turned my head to find Olena and Dimitri's sisters filling through the door with their children, Lissa and my dad bringing up the rear. Dimitri quickly put his finger to his lips, indicating to keep quiet as Sofia was dozing to sleep. We discovered that she was a screamer if startled.

They all filed towards the couch quietly, multiple awes and cooing as they got their first glimpse of the newest member of our family. Dad had a particularly happy look on his face, his eyes taking in his infant granddaughter.

"Dad? You want to hold her first?" I asked, knowing that this was just important to him as it was to me. He looked to Olena and she nodded encouragingly, not being disheartened by us asking him first. Dad came around the couch and sat next to me, leaving the empty spot beside Dimitri for Olena.

Dimitri leaned towards me and handed Sofia to her grandfather.

I leaned my head on Dimitri's shoulder and sighed happily. It felt like forever ago that I had met him for the first time. In the beginning, we were just two people who came together to produce a baby for one, but now we had more than that. We had a family.


I forgot how tired I was the first week with Jenny. This time around, I felt like I was a little more prepared. Dimitri, on the other hand, was not. The poor guy would wake up every time Sofia cried in the night and would get up, even if I told him it wasn't his turn to be up with her. I forgot about how hard the first week was. The cracked nipples, your whole body aching all over, closing your eyes for a moment only to realize that you've slept for an hour. I was luckier this time since there were two of us.

On top of that, Dimitri started the legal battle with Tasha. His lawyer agreed with him that nothing would be done until a paternity test was run, and even then, Tasha was being difficult.

"Her difficulty proves it. If she knew for a fact that her child was yours, she wouldn't fight the paternity test," Dimitri's lawyer, Mason Ashford, explained. It was a funny surprise as I knew Mason from high school. He was in the same year as Lissa's brother Andre, and graduated the year we started high school. No longer the adorable blue eyes, red-haired and freckled face boy. He was an established lawyer with a well-known firm. And it suited him well.

To make things easier on Dimitri, Mason agreed to come and see us here. Dimitri sat across from him on the couch as I walked behind them, gently bouncing Sofia. She was restless and was fighting sleep. Mason's eyes would track my movement every so often as he spoke with Dimitri.

"Can I ask you a personal question? It may seem out of place?"

"Of course," Dimitri said.

"You know for sure that Sofia is biologically yours, correct?"

"Pardon me?" I asked sharply, my brows furrowing.

"Yes, we are very sure that Sofia is biologically mine. She was conceived in vitro," Dimitri supplied, "Why?"

Mason raised his hand in apology towards me. "Just want to know for sure. Genetically, if Natasha's child is yours, he will have similar genetic markings to Sofia."

"Can't the court subpoena a paternity test? I mean, her child is three years old and she's just raising this now? Dimitri didn't even know until two weeks ago. She never tried to contact him about this until now," I said, patting Sofia's bottom as I came around the couch. Mason's lips pulled into a tight line.

"According to the Claim, she states that she tried to make contact multiple times in the last year."

"But why now? Out of the blue?"

"Her son is ill. Sickle Cell Anemia."

"Then all you need to do is test Dimitri for Sickle Cell anemia or see if he carries the traits. Both parents generally need to carry the gene for you to pass it to a child. It's rare for only one parent to have the trait and pass it on."

Both Dimitri and Mason look at me, Dimitri's brow raised in curiosity.

"How do you know that?" Dimitri asked.

"After Jenny died, I went into a bit of a research binge. I wanted to find out what happened so bad that I researched a lot of diseases for children. It was one of the diseases I can across. Obviously, do a paternity test if you can, but checking that could make things easier too."

"Either way, our divorce was because Natasha had more than one affair during our marriage, there is a high chance that her child is not mine," Dimitri stated, placing his hand on my knee, squeezing it gently. "How quickly could the courts subpoena Natasha?"

Mason opened his mouth when his phone rang, halting what he was going to say. He gave us an apologetic look and pulled out his phone, reading the screen for a few moments.

"They already have. The Honourable Judge Wakeford sent the subpoena twenty minutes ago. She has two weeks to have one run."

I looked to Dimitri and let out a deep breath. Hopefully, we would have the answers we need soon, and hopefully, we could put this situation behind us. But it comes to be that Dimitri is the father, our lives were about to change.

Again.


DPOV

I thought I was prepared for fatherhood. But I wasn't.

Financially and physically, I was fully prepared. What I wasn't prepared for was the overwhelming draw to Sofia. I never wanted to put her down or let her go. She was like the calm in my storm. It was too early to see which one of us she favoured look wise, but she was already beautiful. It was funny to see how much Sofia was in our arms. If she wasn't in mine, she was in Rose's, or Lissa's, or Abe's. Mama and my sisters left a few days ago and when they were here, Sofia was always in their arms too.

I watched Rose and Sofia sleep on the couch, and I didn't want to move in case I woke one of them. Rose had Sofia placed on her chest, secured in her arms and the sling over Rose's chest. Rose had insisted that having skin-to-skin contact as much as possible was important for Sofia, so usually at night, I would lay on the bed with Sofia on my bare chest.

From here I could see that Rose was doing similar, the sling covering her chest while keeping Sofia secure and warm.

"I can feel you staring at me," Rose mumbled, cracking an eye open and looking at me. I smiled at her and crossed the small space between the chair and the couch, crouching down beside them.

"Can you blame me?" I asked with a chuckle, "I have a beautiful woman and a beautiful daughter." Rose hummed a laugh and closed her eye, rubbing her hand over Sofia's back.

"She smells so good," Rose said quietly, further proving her statement by dipping her head down to smell Sofia's wisps of hair.

I nodded in agreement and pulled the blanket off the back of the couch, draping it over Rose's legs. Rose smiled at me as she stopped rubbing Sofia's back.

"I love you," she said running her fingers over my cheek. I caught her fingers in mine and kissed her palm, pulling a laugh from her as the stubble on my chin tickled her.

"I love you too."

"How do you think things will change if it turns out that you are a paternal match?" Rose asked quietly, almost timidly. It was a thought that had gone through my mind so many times since receiving the Claim. I wasn't about to turn my back if Natasha's son was mine, and the idea of having a newborn and a sick toddler was overwhelming, but I had to think about one thing at a time.

I knew that I was a father to one child, and I needed to focus on that so that I would feel like I was going crazy.

"I'm not sure yet. Let's just take things one step at a time, okay? I want to focus on these important moments right now instead of dwelling on the unknown," I said, not feeling completely happy with my word choice, but it was the only thing that came to mind.

Rose gave me a sympathetic look, understanding that I wasn't sure what to say because I wasn't sure how I felt about the situation.

A grumble pulled me from my thoughts, and I smiled watching Sofia squirm slightly in her mother's embrace, rubbing her face against Rose's breast. I brushed the back of my fingers over Sofia's cheek and looked up to find a look on Rose's face that usually meant I was in for a rough time.

"What?" I asked with a laugh.

"How much do you love me?" Rose asked, smiling at me while biting her lip.

"A lot?"

"Will you make pancakes for dinner? The ones your mother made while she was here? I can't stop thinking about them," Rose asked sweetly, milking me for everything thing I'm worth with her smile and twinkling eyes.

"I think I can manage that," I said quietly, leaning over and pressing my lips to her forehead. "But I want some baby time before I do that," I said.

Rose rolls her eyes playfully and sits up, gently pulling Sofia from her confines. "That perfect because I really need a shower," she said, handing my precious girl to me. Rose pushed herself off the couch and I took her spot, leaning back into the couch cushions.

I pulled my legs up and rested Sofia against my legs, support her with my hands as her eyes opened. Every time Sofia opened her eyes and looked at me, or my general direction I was entranced.

"You're the prettiest girl in the world, you know that?" I said quietly, smiling to myself as Sofia just stared at me. Sofia blinked at me and made a sigh-like noise, making me laugh. I picked her up again and laid her back against my shoulder, kissing the top of her head and breathing deeply.

Rose was right. Sofia really did smell good.


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