All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.

This story follows right after When I'm Gone: Third Installment to GONE Saga, so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.

The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12th and will progress from there.

AN: Sorry it took a whole week! Ages of appearing children are as follows: Nika (11yrs old/6th grade), Vivi (10yrs old/6th grade), Ian (9yrs old/4th grade), Patrick (4yrs old) and Carlos (4months). And as always, the age next to the chapter belongs to Gabriel.

Shout-outs to all my awesome reviewers. I love you all! You know who you are.

Chapter Forty-One (10yrs old)

"How is she?"

Rose looked up at Seth, a hand on Julie's shoulder in a show of support, "She won't talk. She hasn't looked away from that spot on the floor –I'm pretty sure she hasn't even blinked."

Seth studied his friend, feeling empathy for her –had it not been for Charlie, she'd be sitting here alone.

"I called Lyn," he moved to sit at Julie's other side, a little concerned about the fact that she didn't move, "She still has eight more hours to go at the hospital but said she'll call her mom –she should be here in an hour or so."

They sat there in silence, the only noise coming from outside the waiting room. Looking down at his phone, he turned it in his hands, wondering what he should say or if there was anything to say at all.

Glancing at Julie, he studied the blank look on her face, watching as she kept her eyes on the floor, not moving at all –it creeped him out a bit being the only ones he knew to stay that still for a long period of time were vampires.

"Julie," his voice was low so he wouldn't startle her but it made no difference –she didn't even twinge, "Hey Jules. It's going to be alright. He'll be okay. You'll see."

She didn't respond, didn't react in any way, her hands hanging between her thighs, her shoulders slumped.

One of the nurses had given her a pair of scrub bottoms along with hospital socks to wear –apparently, she had ridden in the ambulance with Lian wearing a t-shirt and panties, nothing else.

Slouching in his chair, he decided not to say anything else, hoping that she felt some comfort in their presence. Another half hour passed before a doctor walked in, Seth standing up as he asked, "Are you Lian Young's family?"

Seth answered once he realized Julie wasn't going to say anything, "I'm his cousin."

"I'm Dr. Shen," they shook hands, the doctor keeping eye contact as he explained; "We've stopped the seizures using lorazepam. The CT scan and MRI results show a tumor in the occipital lobe, putting pressure on the visual cortex. Was Mr. Young in an accident recently?"

Once again, Seth looked to Julie but at her lack of response, he turned back to the doctor, "He was in a car accident some months ago –it left him blind."

"I believe the tumor is benign and result of the brain injury that caused his blindness," Dr. Shen slipped his hands into the pockets of his white coat, "It's operable and there shouldn't be any complications being its mostly on the surface between the skull and the brain."

"Okay," Seth nodded, sticking his hands into the pockets of his jeans, "That's good."

"Well," the doctor had a slightly sheepish look on his face, "We do have one small problem."

"And that is?"

"We don't have a neurosurgeon on staff. Washington Medical has one but he's in Florida on a consult."

Seth's jaw clenched as he looked over at Julie –she still hadn't moved at all. He wondered if she had even heard a single word the doctor had spoken –she was really starting to worry him.

"We've contacted Harborview Medical but apparently their neurosurgeon is currently on Sabbatical."

Seth nodded, his brain spinning fast until it finally settled on the obvious solution, "Do you have the equipment necessary for this kind of surgery?"

Dr. Shen arched an eyebrow, "Yes, we do."

"Reserve the surgery room; I'll get someone in three hours."

The doctor's surprise at Seth's words showed on his face but simply nodded, turning to walk out of the waiting room as Seth dialed into his phone.

Time seemed to drag on, Rose staying next to Julie as Seth paced the length of the waiting room, all the while talking on the phone.

The coldness inside her seeped slowly into the corners of her soul, pushing away the warmth of happy memories and dragging her under with the weight of utter despair.

This was why some mermaids chose the ocean over true love…it hurt too damn much. The only way she could keep from losing it was to let the numbing cold take over.

It had been over an hour, Seth no longer in the waiting room since he'd gone in search of Lian's doctor. Rose bit her lip as she blinked back tears. Something about the way she held herself –as if she were alone, just her in a sea of heartache –made this even more painful than if she had been in tears.

A sound at the door had Rose looking up, Jiao rushing across the room to take the seat she vacated, "Julie, baby."

After a minute or two of no response from her, Jiao looked up at Rose, her long blue-black hair pulled back in a ponytail at the base of her neck, "How long has she been like this?"

Rose looked at her watch, wincing at the discomfort of her breasts –she needed to go to Sue's to feed her baby soon, "Since we got here about two hours ago."

Jiao closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh before she turned her attention back to her daughter, "Julie, listen to me. Don't hide from this –you won't be able to find your way back."

Rose watched as Jiao stroke Julie's long hair, fingers occasionally getting caught in the tangles of her red brown curls, "Baby, I know this hurts…but it comes with the territory. You can't close yourself off to the pain if you want to experience the joy of love –they come hand in hand, baby."

Rose held her breath as Julie closed her eyes, a rainbow hued tear rolling down her cheek as she softly whispered, "How did you…when Daddy died, how did you survive?"

Jiao rested her forehead against Julie's shoulder, her arms wrapped around her daughter, "I had you. Your father made me so happy. He loved me for who I was…for what I was. Most importantly, he gave me the best of himself –in you."

"We weren't enough for him."

"That's not true," Jiao's almond shaped eyes glittered brightly, the hue of her irises a rich amethyst, "What your father did…it had nothing to do with us."

"I don't know if I can do this, mama. I don't know if I can survive without him."

Rose watched, mystified because she couldn't understand what was being said but she could see something that made her ache deep inside –Julie and her mother were very close.

"If it comes to that, you'll have to learn. There's a part of him in you –you'll never be without him and this baby will need you so much."

They looked up as Seth walked into the waiting room, followed by Dr. Shen and Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Edward Cullen following behind 'his father.'

"Miss Nelson," Dr. Shen stopped before Julie and her mother, feeling slightly uncomfortable at the tear tracks on both their faces, "Mr. Clearwater wanted me to inform you that Dr. Cullen will be performing the surgery. Now, I need to finish last minute details so if you will all excuse me. Dr. Cullen, we'll be in OR three."

"Thank you, Dr. Shen," Carlisle shook the doctor's hand before turning his attention back to Julie and Jiao, feeling the same amazement Edward was expressing as he stared at them.

"Stop trying to read my mind," Julie's voice was cold, her eyes dark as she looked up at Edward.

"I'm sorry," Edward stepped out from behind Carlisle, his hands clasped behind his back, "I'm just…I wasn't aware you existed."

"You exist," Julie's pupils nearly swallowed her irises, the only visibility of the purple color a thin ring around the black, "Why shouldn't we?"

"It seems myths are based on truth more so than lies," Carlisle's smooth voice cut into the tension in the room, an eyebrow lifting in surprise when Julie turned to look at Seth, "Why are they here?"

Seth reached to give her shoulder a reassuring squeeze but she moved back –she couldn't tolerate being touched by him or anyone else that wasn't her mother, "If anyone can do this without any mistakes, its Carlisle."

"The blood –"

"Edward's going to be outside the OR, monitoring Lian's thoughts. Carlisle's self control is enviable –nothing will happen to Lian."

"If it does –"

"It won't."

"If it does," she stood up, Jiao staying in her seat, her own eyes moving between Carlisle and Edward as Julie pointed at Seth, "I'm holding you responsible."


Three Days Later

The beeping finally got annoying enough for him to fight through the fog that filled his head, a heavy weight on his chest making it hard to breathe deeply.

Reaching up with his free hand –the other one seemed to be restrained against his body –he opened his eyes, quickly closing them against the bright light, the shock to his system causing him to groan under his breath.

The weight on his chest shifted and he got curious enough to open his eyes, this time bit by bit to get used to the lack of darkness.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he moved his hand up to her face, gently moving her hair away. She was sleeping, a small furrow between her eyebrows letting him know it wasn't a peaceful sleep –probably uncomfortable as well considering she was bend over sideways, precariously sitting on the edge of his bed.

Smoothing his thumb between her eyebrows, he watched as her long eyelashes –for the first time he realized they were a deep red –fluttering open, her pupils contracting as the purple hue of her eyes glittered like jewels, "Good morning beautiful."

"Julian…" her eyes welled up with tears as she carefully straightened up –he was pretty sure her back was hurting depending on how long she'd been draped over him like a blanket.

"This I could get used to," he kept his hand on her face, his thumb moving over her bottom lip, dark brown eyes intently studying the face he had missed seeing for the past four months, "Waking up every morning to your beautiful face for the rest of my life."

Julie couldn't stop crying, hiccups accentuating her sobs, the tender look he gave her having her cry harder.

"Hey," he pushed himself to a seating position, breathing through the dizziness before he pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back as she cried into his shoulder, "Shh, it's okay baby. Everything's okay."

She tried to talk but the tears kept coming, her body shuddering as she clung to him, the hospital gown he wore getting soaked as he kept trying to calm her down, "Come on, baby. You need to stop crying. This can't be good for our little tadpole."

A hiccuping giggle escaped her as she pulled back, wiping the back of her hand over her cheeks as she smiled at him, loving the way his brown eyes sparkled as he stared into hers, "You can see."

Lian's smile grew as he traced her jaw with his fingers, "I can see you."

Taking his hand in both of hers, she pressed a kiss in the center of his palm before pressing it against her cheek, "I'm so happy you're okay…that you didn't leave me."

"I promised I wouldn't, remember," he thumbed her bottom lip before moving his hand into her hair, gripping the back of her neck as she hung onto his forearm.

Pulling her into him, he covered her mouth with his, a low groan escaping him at the strong emotions crashing into him…exhilarating in their intensity, frightening in their strength yet fulfilling in their presence.

Julie melted into him, her entire being vibrating with life and love and joy. Wrapping her arms around his torso, she tilted her head to rest against his shoulder as the kiss slowly deepened, like melting chocolate getting sweeter and hotter with every second it spend over the fire.

How she wished she could bury herself deep into his heart, hide under his skin where nothing outside of his love could touch her.

"Well, if that ain't a sign of feeling better, I don't know what is."

They didn't break apart, didn't abort the kiss with surprise or embarrassment –instead, they let it slowly come to an end, their lips lightly clinging to each other before they parted, staring into her eyes for a few seconds longer before looking up at his visitors, "Didn't you know a mermaid's kiss makes it all better?"

Seth laughed, his hand squeezing the smaller one he held as he looked into his wife's hazel eyes, "The only thing that would work for me is the kiss of a certain Spanish señorita."

Rose rolled her eyes, the blush covering her cheeks letting him know she appreciated his words, "To each his own. It's good to see you're doing better, Lian."

"It's good to see, period," Lian kissed Julie's forehead, his arms wrapped around her, keeping her in the safe harbor of his embrace.

"Maybe now that you're awake, Julie will eat," Seth slipped his fingers into the pockets of his jeans, thinking how strangely perfect they looked together –it was almost like seeing one of his brothers with their imprint, like seeing himself with Rose. It was so obvious those two were meant to be together –it now made sense why fate had brought Julie into his life.

He watched Lian turn to Julie, concern showing in his eyes, "When was the last time you ate?"

Julie shrugged, having no desire to move from where she was even though she was finally feeling something other than the numbing cold in her soul, "I can't remember."

"When they brought you in three days ago," Seth answered when his cousin looked to him, shrugging at Julie's glare, "At least I'm assuming you two had dinner."

"Do me a favor and take her to get something to eat," Lian asked, Seth nodding as Julie began to argue, "Julian –"

He gently placed his fingertips against her lips, resting his forehead on hers as he whispered, "Please, baby. I need you to take care of yourself. For me…for us."

He moved his mouth to her ear, whispering softly as he brought a hand down to rest against her lower stomach.

She finally nodded, giving him a squeeze before pulling back, pressing a smiling kiss against his lips, "I'll ask the doctor if I can bring you a milkshake."

"That sounds good."

He watched her move away, his brown eyes moving over her to see if there were any differences but she was still as slender as he remembered.

Julie didn't want to leave him but he had been right –three days of no food wasn't good for their baby. She smiled at Rose, a pleading look she wasn't aware of in her eyes, "Can you stay with him? I won't take long."

"Sure."

Seth kissed the back of Rose's hand before letting it go, holding the door open for Julie before following behind her.

The silence was comfortable as Lian gave Rose a smile well known to make a girl's heart flutter, "Didn't you just have a baby?"

Rose laughed, moving to sit in a chair beside the bed, the dark blue tank top she wore under a brown suede jacket showing off a trim waist, "It's amazing what four months of breastfeeding can do. When is yours due?"

Lian's eyebrows arched in surprise, "Did Julie tell you?"

"No," Rose's smile was tender as she pointed at his hand, "Seth would do that before I started showing. Rick does the same thing with Leah –that's how we know she's pregnant."

Lian chuckled, pushing the button to raise the head of the bed, leaning back into the pillows with a sigh, "How many does she have now?"

"Six," Rose crossed her legs, resting her elbow on the chair's arm rest, "But from the way I've seen Rick around her, I'm thinking there will be a new Laskaris baby next year."

"Is she not showing," Lian reached up to rub his forehead, fingers encountering the bandage wrapped around his head, finally wondering what the hell had happened to land him in the hospital again.

"Although I've heard a woman shows sooner after her first pregnancy, Leah seems to be the exception to that. She's back to a size four a month after giving birth –every time. It took me three months to be able to fit into my jeans again."

Lian chuckled at the disgust in her voice, "You sound jealous."

"No, I just think it unfair. I bet Julie will be the same way."

Lian gave a groaning laugh, wincing as the blood pressure cuff on his right arm started to inflate, "Why am I here?"

"That seems to be our cue."

He watched as two doctors walked in, relieved he was finally going to get some answers. It took a good half hour for them to explain, the pain he was feeling worsening in intensity as time passed.

Rose sat quietly as the doctors took turns talking, Lian nodding in understanding, feeling the relief of knowing the tumor had been completely removed and not cancerous but a result to his previous head injury.

"Do you have any questions?"

Lian lifted his arm, "Can I get this removed?"

"I'll send in a nurse to remove the pressure cuff," Dr. Shen took the chart offered by Dr. Cullen, taking a pen from his breast pocket to add in his own notes, "We'd like to have you under observation for another forty eight hours before releasing you. Would you like some pain medication for that headache?"

"Not right now."

"Mr. Young," Dr. Cullen arched an eyebrow, Lian wondering randomly why the guy wasn't making tons of money as an actor with his looks, "The pain is going to get worse."

"I know," Lian let out a sigh as he closed his eyes, wondering how long it will take to feel like himself again, "But it'll knock me out and I want to be awake when Julie returns. Once she gets here, I'll take it."


October 10th

"So what did you do?"

Nika lifted a shoulder, flipping through the magazine on her lap single handedly as Vivi held her other hand, carefully applying the neon pink polish over her neatly shaped nails, "Told him the truth. Daddy won't let me date until I'm sixteen."

It was Nika's eleventh birthday and since she hadn't wanted a party this year, she had invited Vivi over for dinner and a sleepover. They were in Nika's bedroom, sitting cross-legged on her bed as they faced each other, both girls barefoot with all the necessary items needed to do their nails between them.

"I just think it's so cool you got asked out," Vivi moved from Nika's index finger to her thumb, capping the polish before picking up a small pot with silver glitter, lightly sprinkling it over the wet nails, the towels under them catching the leftover glitter, "Davey really likes you."

"But I don't like him."

"I know, I know," Vivi twisted the cap back on the glitter, tossing it into her box of stuff necessary for girl time, pulling out a bottle of clear polish to seal in the glitter, "You're in love with Bradley."

"I'm not in love with Bradley," Nika's cheeks flushed, tendrils of dark hair escaping her high ponytail and framing her oval shaped face, "I just think he's cute."

They both giggled, Vivi finishing Nika's nails and closing the bottle, her own similarly done but with neon purple instead of pink, "He kind of looks like his dad."

"Uncle Sam's not bad looking for an old guy," she said, tongue in cheek, both of them laughing as Vivi looked through her box to pull out the toe separators, the song playing softly on the radio changing to Cyndi Lauper's 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun.'

"I love this song," Nika exclaimed, scrambling off the bed and moving across the bedroom floor, turning up the volume before grabbing a brush to use as a microphone. Vivi laughed, grabbing one of her flower printed nail files and jumping off the bed to join her best friend as they sung at the top of their lungs.

I come home in the morning light
My mother says when you gonna live your life right
Oh mother dear we're not the fortunate ones
And girls they want to have fun
Oh girls just want to have fun

Jared turned the knob, quietly opening the door and leaning against the frame to watch the girls as they danced around, their high ponytail bouncing and swinging as they kept on with their own little show.

The phone rings in the middle of the night
My father yells what you gonna do with your life
Oh daddy dear you know you're still number one
But girls just want to have fun
Oh girls just want to have

That's all they really want
Some fun
When the working day is done
Girls–they want to have fun
Oh girls just want to have fun

Vivi sang the backup lyrics, jumping in place as Nika danced, turning from one foot to the other, her legs long and graceful in the pair of Capri leggings she wore with one of her Daddy's plain shirts she had tie-dyed, the hem tied in a knot around her slim hips.

Some boys take a beautiful girl
And hide her away from the rest of the world
I want to be the one to walk in the sun
Oh girls they want to have fun
Oh girls just want to have

Nika executed a perfect pirouette, a passing glimpse of her father's grinning face having her stop, her face flushing as she turned down the radio's volume; Vivi's blush was even more visible due to her alabaster skin.

"Daddy," Nika bit her lip, hiding the brush behind her back, "How long have you been watching?"

"Long enough to know you two make quite the duo," Jared chuckled as Vivi ducked her face, setting the nail file on Nika's vanity as he stepped into the bedroom, "Your mama send me to get you two. Dinner's ready."

"Oh, okay," Nika set her brush on the vanity, turning the radio off as she looked over at Vivi, "We'll do our toes after dinner."

Vivi nodded, giggling as Jared jerked his thumb over his shoulder, "Okay, Nickel-bee, hop on."

"Daddy," Nika gave him that look she'd adopted from her mother ever since she started wearing training bras, "I'm too old for piggy back rides."

"I don't think so," Jared did that finger wagging thing, Nika and Vivi laughing as he stood at the foot of the bed, "It is beneath you to walk to the kitchen on your birthday, so hop on."

Giggling, Nika climbed on her bed to jump onto her father's back, her arms wrapped around his neck as he wrapped his arms over her knees, looking at a smiling Vivi with a grin, "Now, Vivi, if you will please do the honors of announcing the birthday princess."

She laughed, having never done this but knowing it was a tradition on birthdays in the Hatch household. Running with a skip to lead Jared down the hall towards the kitchen, she announced in a loud regal tone, "Make way, make way! Here comes the birthday princess!"

Kim, Ian and Patrick stood around the kitchen table, clapping and cheering as Nika threw her arms up over her head, secure in her father's hold, "Thank you, thank you! I declare today…a holiday!"

They all cheered, Nika laughing as her father swung her around to sit her down at the head of the table, which was usually his seat.

Kim leaned down to kiss her daughter's cheek, Ian handing the birthday crown to his mother as Patrick held up the wooden spoon they used as a scepter in his chubby hands. Placing the crown on her head and handing her the scepter, they all sat down as soon as Nika gave them a regal nod.

"Birthday Princess," Jared sat very straight, his hands folded on the table as he asked, "What shall we do first? Dinner or gifts?"

Nika tapped the wooden spoon against her chin before giving them a big grin, "Let's open gifts!"

Vivi enjoyed herself as Patrick and Ian took turns bringing Nika's gifts, her best friend exuberantly ripping them open, exclaiming over everything, even the Popsicle stick picture frame four year old Patrick had glued together and decorated with seashells, a picture of their family at the beach with a beautiful sunset as the backdrop in place -Vivi was able to tell right away the picture was taking by her aunt.

Vivi was glad to see the way Nika's face lit up at gift she had gotten her, opening a metal box similar to hers. There were several dozen bottles of nail polish of all shades and colors, small pots of glitter, detail nail pens, nail stickers and tiny colorful stick-on jewels, "Vivi, this is awesome! I love it!"

Vivi grinned, pointing at the metal box, "There's a tray underneath the bottles –it has nail files, toe separators, nail clippers and cuticle sticks. There's also hand lotion, polish remover and other stuff necessary for girl time."

"So cool!"

Ian made a gagging sound, stopping when his dad turned to look at him, "Sorry. It's just…that's really girly."

"Well, it's a good thing it's not for you then," Jared teased his son before handing a small teal box with a white silk ribbon tied into a bow on top, "This one's from mom and me."

Nika's smile was beautiful as she slid the ribbon off the box, popping the lid open, a gasp escaping her as she carefully pulled out a thin silver necklace with a heart shaped locket hanging from it.

"Oh," Nika watched the locket spin around, her dark brown eyes bright as she looked up at her parents, "It's beautiful! Thank you!"

Placing it back in the Tiffany & Co. engraved box, she got out of her chair to hug her parents, kissing their cheeks before returning to her seat.

"Can we eat now," Ian flipped his fork as he looked over at his sister, "I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry."

Ian rolled his dark brown eyes, "I'm nine years old."

Vivi and Nika laughed –that was always his answer to everything.

Jared took the gifts and set them aside on the kitchen counter as Kim brought out the pan from the oven, all of their eyes growing big as she announced, "Mexican lasagna for dinner."

"Yay!"


10:48PM

They were lying on the living room floor, a blanket spread out under them as they shared one pillow, their bodies pointing opposite ways as the movie continued on.

Since it was her birthday –and a Friday –mama and Daddy had let them stay up late but they had to be quiet so the boys wouldn't wake up.

"What's it like?"

Nika's eyes moved from the screen to Vivi's face, finding her friend's eyes on the ceiling instead of watching the movie, "What's what like?"

"Getting asked out," Vivi turned her head to look at Nika, her long gold-red hair in a braid over her shoulder.

"It's okay, I guess," Nika shrugged, moving to her side to prop herself up on her elbow, resting her head on her fist, "It would probably be nicer if I liked him."

Vivi nodded, her eyes going back to studying the ceiling, "I wonder when Gabe will ask me out on a date."

"He probably won't," Nika quickly explained herself when she caught the hurt look on her best friend's face, "What I mean is he'll probably just tell you that you're going on a date instead of ask."

Vivi chuckled, thinking back on her aunt's wedding when he had told her she was going to marry him, "He is kind of bossy, isn't he?"

"Kind of," Nika flopped back, her hair spreading over the pillow, "Just like fire is kind of hot."

They muffled their laughter in their hands, their eyes dancing as a soft knock sounded at the front door.

Looking at the time on the DVD player, she scrambled up on her feet to go open the front door, smiling brightly at the familiar person standing in her porch, "Doug! You made it."

Doug laughed softly, waving over Nika's head at Jared's shadow in the hallway before looking down at her, "Just barely. My last class ended at eight and it's a two hour drive."

Nika grinned as she placed one bare foot over the other, her pink glittery toes matching her fingers, "You should have ran –it wouldn't have taken as long."

"But then I would have been all sweaty and smelly."

"Eww."

Doug laughed, handing her a small box tied with twine, "Exactly. This is for you."

Nika took the box, her brown eyes dancing as she undid the string, hoping it was a replacement for the threaded bracelet he had given her on her first birthday –it was too small and she now had to use it to hold her diary and jewelry box keys.

Opening the lid, her eyes grew wide in surprise. Not only was it the same bracelet with the same threaded colors but he had somehow embroidered the intricate pattern into a supple piece of light brown leather, a couple of silver snaps on one side for the purpose of readjusting the size, "How did you do this?"

He gave her a sheepish smile, "With lots of pricked fingers."

Nika giggled, holding it out to him so he could help her snap it on, "Thank you. It's perfect."

Making sure the fit was snug, he snapped it onto her left wrist, giving her a smile full of sincere charm, "Happy birthday, Monika."

Nika wrinkled her nose, giving him a beautiful smile -he was the only one, aside from her mother, that got away with calling her by her given name, "Thank you. See you tomorrow."

Doug waved over her head, giving her one last smile before stepping off the porch and heading to his car.

Closing the door, she turned to help Vivi pick up the living room when her Daddy softly told them it was time for bed; they had a long day tomorrow.

They were going to the mall to shop for new dresses and shoes because in the evening, they would be going into Seattle to see the Freemont Players perform Sleeping Beauty and the Pea.

It was going to be their first time seeing a real life ballet performance –to date, it was the best birthday ever.


October 21st

Seth closed the kitchen door behind him, setting the grocery bags on the counter before heading into the living room.

A smile broke across his face at the sight of his Rose cross-legged in the middle of the living room floor, a blue blanket spread out under her.

Leaning against the arch, he watched her, enjoying the way her shoulders curved forward, the straps of the hot pink top somehow emphasizing the beautiful curves as her long hair –it had grown about an inch or so below the small of her back –slid over her arm when she leaned down, a beautiful smile on her face.

His four month old son was in her arms, his bottom wedged into the hollow created by her crossed legs and his head cradled in her cupped hands. He was waving his tiny arms as he looked up at his mother, laughing every time she leaned down to touch her nose to his, his tiny hands opening and closing towards her face when she pulled back.

A faint clicking sound had him looking up and he got sight of the digital camera set up on the tripod and focused on the sweet scene in the middle of the floor –it was something Rose liked to do every month to mark Carlos' life. Several of those pictures, from the day he was born onward, hung on their walls and he had to say –they were breathtaking.

Pushing away from the wall, he moved forward to sit behind Rose, one leg folded under him, the other bent to prop his arm on it as he placed his other hand beside her hip, his arm pressed against her back, "How's my little man doing?"

Rose giggled, tossing her hair back as she looked up at him, the silk spilling over his arm and causing a shiver to run down his back, "He learned something new."

"Really," Seth leaned his forehead against hers for a few seconds before looking down at Carlos, reaching to curve his large hand over the top of his tiny head, his soft dark hair the exact shade as Rose's, "What did you learn, buddy?"

Carlos gurgled, kicking his chubby legs, the tiny Redskins t-shirt he wore along with his diaper riding up a bit to reveal the round curve of his belly as he moved his big light brown eyes from Rose's face to Seth's then back.

"Check this out," Rose leaned forward slightly, her face breaking out into a sudden expression of surprise, Seth laughing as Carlos mirrored her, "That is awesome!"

Rose gave her son's chubby cheek a nibbling kiss, his giggles high and sweet as he grabbed a hank of her hair and yanked, "Ouch. Carlos, sueltame el pelo. Sueltalo." *Let go of my hair. Let go.*

The baby pouted up at her as he relaxed his tiny fingers long enough for Rose to push her hair back over her shoulder as Seth looked at her in surprise, "You speak Spanish to him?"

"I want him to understand it," Rose looked at her husband, her hazel eyes staring into his brown-green ones, "Its' part of his heritage…it doesn't bother you, does it?"

"No," Seth's smile was soft as he reached up to tuck her hair behind a small perfectly shaped ear, tugging gently at the lobe, "I just didn't know."

"You can speak Quileute to him," Rose offered as she turned her eyes back at her wiggling baby, his tiny feet pushing against her stomach as Seth pressed a kiss to the side of her head, "I would if I could."

Rose looked up at him in surprise as he gave her a sheepish smile, "All I know is that poem I tell him every night."

"Oh," Rose tilted her head to the side, her eyes losing focus slightly and Seth knew she was thinking something over before she looked at him again, "Do they teach Quileute at the school?"

Seth nodded, looking down at his son to watch him as he arched his neck, his tiny nose bumping against his father's thumb before he reached up to grab it, "There not many people who can speak the language fluently –a handful, really. There's Billy, Mr. Ateara, Mrs. Hoopsun at school…we learn it growing up but we don't use it so with time, we lose it."

"Its' part of your heritage, Seth," she scolded him gently, looking down at their son who was now happily gnawing at his father's thumb, "Its part of his heritage."

"It's important to you, uh," Seth studied her profile as she continued to look at their son, feeling his heart expanding as she shyly nodded, her eyes filling up with tears as she stroked her thumbs over chubby cheeks, "I want him to know who he is, where he comes from. I want him to have roots…a place he can call home if he ever decides to go out into the world. I don't ever want him to feel like he's just a piece of fluff in the wind, going from place to place but never finding where to belong."

Moving until he sat behind her, his long legs on either side of her hips, he wrapped his arms around her, his cheek pressed against hers, "You have a place where you belong, baby –right here. I know it wasn't easy growing up the way you did, constantly running; never being able to just be but it got you here, with me. I promise you…Carlos will never have to experience what you experienced –never."

Rose smiled, leaning her head back to look into his eyes before she pressed her lips against his, the soft innocent kiss quickly unraveling as Seth curved his fingers along her jaw, his tongue stroking over her bottom lip seeking entrance which she granted willingly.

A few seconds into the kiss, Carlos let out a shriek of displeasure –he didn't like being ignored and really, it wasn't his fault…after all, his parents were always with him and talking to him along with his cousins so to have them so focused on each other and not on him was unusual and therefore unlikeable.

Breaking apart with a soft laugh, Rose rested her forehead against the bridge of his nose for a few seconds before turning back to Carlos, laughing at the scowl on his round little face, "He looks like you, Seth."

Seth chuckled as he rubbed his freed thumb between the furrowed eyebrows, "I think he looks like you. He's definitely got your eyes and hair…and your skin tone."

"That could change with time," Rose laughed as Carlos batted Seth's hand away, his tongue pushing out of his tiny mouth in a sign of hunger, "But for sure, he's got your personality."

"What," Seth wrapped his arms under hers as she brought him up into the cradle position, watching as she pulled down her top, Carlos latching on greedily –for some weird reason he couldn't explain, he loved watching his wife breastfeed their son…the more up close and personal, the better, "That kid is all De La Luna –I've never thrown temper tantrums like that."

Rose laughed, tilting her head to the side to look into his eyes, a small sigh escaping her as she studied his face, "I hope he looks like you…you're so beautiful."

Seth chuckled, dropping his head to press an open mouthed kiss against her shoulder, his hot breath dancing along her skin, "Handsome, baby. The word you should use is handsome."

Rose's laugh turned into a moan as Seth dragged a finger over her shoulder, pulling the strap down her arm as he followed with his mouth, "Seth…I'm feeding your son."

"I know," Seth grinned against her warm skin, his eyes following his finger as it slowly traced the neckline of the pink top across her unoccupied breast, the skin silky and warm, "How about after you finish taking care of his needs, you give me a hand with mine?"

Rose laughed, her stomach clenching as he opened his hand against it, her bent arm cradled in his, their son cradled in hers, "Is a hand all you want?"

"Mhm," Seth moved up her shoulder, licking and sucking lightly, reaching that spot behind her ear and giving it a gentle bite before whispering into her ear, "I want a full course meal."