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CHAPTER 13 - A new soul

Three weeks later, both Aaron and Emily could say that things had gotten better between the two of them. Much better. Saying that things were perfect would be an overstatement, but they could slowly feel that they were getting somewhere. Refusing to put labels on their relation was probably the best decision they had made in a while. At first, Emily was the less convinced with this idea. She felt like she needed some stability and of course, not putting labels was not stability. But after a few weeks, she could definitely say that this sort of limbo they were in was a good idea. It meant that they didn't worry about anything, that sometimes when they needed comfort, they were together, and when they needed to be alone, they were alone. Things were never getting far between them, it was just a kiss on the forehead or the cheek, a cuddle sometimes, a reassuring hand on the shoulder, but it was just enough for them to feel good.

Around them, things had gotten better too. Gemma could finally tolerate Aaron, and even though they were always pushing each other's buttons, it was now more childish bickering than real dislike. They could spend time in the same room without being mean to each other, and Gemma had even approved of Aaron coming over to the girls' apartment more than once to finish building the nursery. Though, the red-haired was still on the lookout when it was coming to Aaron and Emily's relationship. It's not that she wanted to intervene, she knew she had no right to say anything, and she didn't want to anyway, but she was also worried that Emily was getting a little too optimistic. She could see that Aaron was restraining himself from being too cuddly or too nice with Emily, and she didn't like that. She could understand why, Aaron still had a long way to go before being able to trust Emily completely, but she was just afraid that he would run away and break Emily's heart. That said, Gemma was sometimes surprising herself to think that Aaron was perfect for Emily and that they were meant to be together. She could see how happy Emily had been in the past few weeks, and she definitely knew that Aaron was the reason of such a happy mood.

Seth was very happy too that things were almost back to normal. Being able to talk to both his friends in the meantime, back to the good old times before all of this happened, was really making him happy. He could laugh with his friends, joke with them, vent after a hard day. He could go out with them during the week-end when he wanted. At some point, he had even come around to help finish building the nursery. He too, could see the change in Aaron and Emily's moods. He had dared asking Aaron at one point, where they were in their relation, but the National Security Adviser had brushed things off, not wanting to enlarge on the situation. Seth could have been disappointed not to know, but no. He was happy, because he knew that if they didn't want to talk about it, it meant that things were getting better. That's how Aaron and Emily were always working, and he knew it.

Due in two weeks, Emily was still working at the White House. She had been told repeatedly to finally start her maternity leave and to take things slow, but she was not listening. She didn't see the point of taking days off before she would actually have the baby, especially since she was feeling perfectly fine, despite her back and her feet hurting most of the time. Her little scare a few weeks back seemed completely forgotten, which was worrying her friends a lot. So, of course, Phil and Aaron were doing most of her work. They were not even offering to help her anymore, they were just telling because they knew that she wouldn't listen otherwise. Emily was spending most of her time at her desk, reading papers, writing memos or organizing things, but every time she wanted to set up a meeting with someone, Aaron or Phil were intervening, saying that they would do it instead of her. Emily had complained a few times to Seth and to Gemma, but both her friends were agreeing with Aaron and Phil, and this was utterly annoying her. She felt useless, stuck at her desk while the world was on fire. But deep inside, sometimes she could admit that her friends were right and that she needed to take things slow.

On that very warm Tuesday of the end of the summer, Aaron was busy in the commands op. A huge crisis had started with the Middle East and he didn't know when he would come out of this. It was annoying him to be stuck in a room in a basement of the White House most of the day, especially since he had a lot of other things to do, but he knew that it was his job and that they needed to get things done fast. As Emily's deputy, Phil had taken her spot in the commands op for the past few weeks, since everybody now refused for her to be called on an ongoing crisis while she could give birth at any time.

It was already late in the afternoon when Aaron came back up to his office to go over some things before going back down to the commands op. He really hoped that everything would be over soon, but he knew that everything could go down fast in the Middle East. He walked by Emily's office quickly to ask her how everything was going, but she was just bored and desperate to have something to do. She wanted to go home, but the sole idea of going out of the West Wing when it was almost 90 degrees outside was preventing her from doing anything.

"Hey, how is everything going?" he asked as he knocked at her door.

"I'm just bored…" she complained.

"Why don't you just go home? It's like what, almost five?" he said looking at his watch. "Nothing needing you in the White House is going to happen now anyway…"

"Thanks for making me feel even more useless than I already am…" she said, groaning.

"Em…"

"No, I know you're right… But I just wish I could do something else than organizing papers and preparing the schedule for tomorrow… It just sucks to be stuck at a desk… I can't even go to meetings anymore…"

"I know it sucks, but do you really consider giving birth in front of a Congress member during a meeting, or in front of an Ambassador?"

"Yeah, no… Probably not the best kind of idea…" she sighed, defeated.

Aaron chuckled and left her to go back to the commands op. He had only had time for a quick break today and was dying to come home and rest. He also desperately wanted the crisis to be over, and he was almost impatient to go back down to the PEOC, wondering if any progress had been made since he had left.

It's only a couple of hours later that he finally came back upstairs for good. He knew he probably would have to come back tomorrow, but nothing more could be done for now, and they were just waiting on news. It was past seven but knew that he still had a lot to do, and would probably come home later in the night. Coming out of the elevator, he was jumped over by Seth who was waiting for him in the hallway.

"Damnit, finally…" the Press Secretary said.

"What is going on?" Aaron asked, surprised.

"Gemma took Emily to the maternity ward a couple of hours ago… She started having contractions just after you went back downstairs. Let's go I'm taking you there…"

"Wait what, why didn't you tell me before?" Aaron exclaimed.

"You were commands op…"

"Yeah I know, but…"

"It's okay, don't worry you'll be there for the delivery. Labor had barely started last time I got news from Gemma…" Seth reassured Aaron.

They quickly walked to Aaron's office for him to pack up his things, and then drove to the hospital as Seth told him everything that had happened in two hours. It was already past eight in the evening, and Aaron realized that he could say goodbye to his night of sleep. He would be up all night supporting Emily in giving birth. Arriving there, they quickly headed to the room where Emily was, and they were greeted by Gemma who was waiting outside while the doctors were checking on her best friend.

"How is she?" Aaron asked, concerned.

"In pain… But the labor seems pretty fast, she probably won't suffer very long."

"How fast?"

"Fast enough that she wanted to keep her legs close as long as you're not here…"

Seth chuckled at Gemma's answer, and Aaron smiled softly. He was feeling bad for Emily, he couldn't imagine how much she was suffering, but it was making him happy that she didn't want to give birth without him by her side.

"When can I see her?" he asked.

"As soon as the doctor is out…" she paused. "Which is now…" she continued as she saw the doctor coming out.

Aaron rushed by Emily's side and she sighed loudly when she saw him.

"Finally…" she exclaimed.

"I know, I'm sorry… Seth was desperately waiting for me outside of the elevator to the commands op…" he answered, kissing her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I'm gonna die… It just hurts so bad" she whined.

Aaron gave Emily his hand so that she could tighten her grip around it, which she did as soon as she felt a contraction coming. She already looked exhausted and stressed out. They both were suddenly realizing that it was coming, that they would become parents in just a few hours.

"How far along are you?"

"5… It's pretty fast apparently, but it feels like it's been hours to me."

"Can I get you anything? I don't really know what to do…"

"Just stay here… Please don't leave me."

"I won't. I promise I won't." Aaron answered, kissing her forehead once more.

Aaron tried to make conversation to distract Emily from the contractions. Seth and Gemma came around for a bit, trying to support Emily in this ordeal. But with the hours passing, Seth decided to leave to get some sleep, and left the trio alone. It was a little after midnight when Emily was fully dilated, and the doctors asked for only one person to stay by Emily's side as it was time to deliver the baby. Gemma and Aaron both looked at each other, but Emily's hand gripped to Aaron's made Gemma realize that Aaron should be the one here.

"Stay with here, I'll wait outside…" she said.

"You sure?"

"Yeah…"

Aaron nodded thankfully. He was relieved to see that Gemma was fine with Aaron being in Emily's life. Deep inside, he had been worried that she wouldn't let him be there for the delivery, even though all the tensions were appeased now.

Things started going fast around the parents-to-be, and when Emily was asked to push, it felt like time was put on a hold. Nothing mattered anymore but the delivery of this little baby, Aaron's hand tightened around Emily's, encouraging her to push every time she had too. Emily could feel the tears fall down her cheeks as she was pushing. It was only the adrenaline that was making her push. She was exhausted, she could herself weaken with every push, but she knew she didn't have the choice. Suddenly, the heard the doctor say that the head was out and that just one last push was needed. And by 12:53 p.m., they heard a baby cry out loud and they knew it was it. Aaron and Emily were parents.

"It's a girl!" the doctor exclaimed.

Olivia Rhodes-Shore was born fifty-three minutes after midnight on that Wednesday. Emily cried, Aaron cried too. They were both over the moon, finally being parents despite everything that happened between them, and for the first time in months, they didn't think of anything else but their beautiful daughter being born. They were both extremely exhausted too. It's not before 3 a.m. that Emily was finally in a room and had fed Olivia for the first time, Aaron and Gemma both by her side. It was the middle of the night and had just texted a few close relatives to announce the good news, knowing that everybody was probably sound asleep and not aware of that new little soul being born in Washington. Shortly after, Gemma left, knowing that she had to go to work in the morning, and Aaron decided to stay the night by Emily's side.

"You're gonna have to go to work tomorrow. You should rest in your own bed…" Emily said, yawning.

"What? No… I'm not letting you alone three hours after you gave birth to our daughter. Who would do that? Come on…" Aaron answered, taking her hand in his.

Emily smiled softly, and even before Aaron could kiss her forehead, she was falling asleep, soon followed by Aaron, still holding her hand.

It was a little before ten in the morning but Aaron was already back at the White House after a very short night. Sleeping in a chair was really not comfortable, nor was sleeping in a hospital. They had been woken up more than once and were not really rested. Allowing himself to come in later than usual, he had just taken the time to come back to his place to take a shower and change, and he was now walking around the hallways of the West Wing with a very large cup of dark coffee in his hand, his fuel for the day.

"Aaron, what are you doing here today?"

"I'm sorry, sir?" Aaron asked, not understanding.

It was Tom Kirkman who had caught him in the hallway as he was walking toward Phil's office, and Aaron was surprised with the President's comment.

"Didn't Emily give birth last night?" the President asked.

"She did... but…" Aaron answered.

"Aaron, I know you're the father of her child. Just take a few days off, spend time with them…"

Aaron rose an eyebrow, surprised.

"How?" he asked.

"How do I know?" Tom Kirkman answered.

Aaron nodded.

"Come on, I know what is happening in my building... You don't have to tell me for me to know it… Congratulations! What's her name, it's a girl, right?"

"Yeah… Olivia, but we'll probably call her Liv or Livy."

"Do you already have pictures?" Tom Kirkman asked, smiling.

"I do…"

Aaron took his phone out and showed a couple of pictures to the President.

"She is absolutely gorgeous!" Tom Kirkman exclaimed. "Do you know when Emily will be out of the hospital?"

"She should be out tonight or tomorrow morning. Most probably tonight though, since everything looks good."

"Fine, I'll go say hello in the afternoon, I'll ask Mike to take me there."

"You don't have to, Sir…"

"Come on, you know I will!"

Aaron nodded and smiled gently.

"Come on, go back to them" the President continued.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, of course I am. The world can run without you guys for a few days…"

"Thank you Sir, I'll just head to Phil's office quickly and go back to the hospital afterwards."

Tom Kirkman shook Aaron's hand and walked back to the Oval Office, leaving the National Security Adviser to his own business. Aaron knew that Gemma was with Emily at the hospital, she had ended up taken the morning off to stay with the new mom. Texting Gemma, he asked her when she needed to be at the White House to take over by Emily's side. They didn't want to leave her alone so soon after giving birth to Olivia. He talked with Phil a little bit, showing him pictures of Olivia too. It felt good to talk to someone freely about it, Phil was one of the only ones in the West Wing to actually know what had happened between Aaron and Emily and that he was the father of her baby, even though everybody had guessed a long time ago. And then, he crossed path with Seth who said that he was just coming back from the hospital to see Emily and Olivia. Aaron lost track of time, talking with his friends, and it was already noon before he had time to do anything. He decided to head the Capitol to have lunch with his cousin. Nadia was excited to be an aunt and already wanted to spoil Olivia with hundreds of cuddly toys, clothes and other presents.

"Do you have pictures?" Nadia asked, bouncing on her seat with excitement.

"Of course…" Aaron smiled, unlocking his phone and showing her pictures.

"Oh my God, she's the cutest. She looks like you, doesn't she?" Nadia exclaimed.

"Nad… She's just a baby, how do you want her to look like anyone…" Aaron chuckled.

"But it's true, she has your nose, and your jaw too…" Nadia continued.

"Don't you think you're a little biased?" Aaron laughed, shaking his head.

"Yeah, probably…" Nadia laughed too.

Soon the cousins had to separate ways as Nadia was going back to work and Aaron was headed to the hospital. When he arrived there, Olivia was softly whimpering, ready to be fed. Emily offered him to do it, and he sat in the chair with Olivia in his arms. A nurse came around with a bottle ready, and Aaron was suddenly feeling unsure of how to do it. He couldn't still quite believe that this little thing in his arms was his daughter, she seemed so fragile he was almost worried she would break. It seemed like the world had stopped around him, he was so proud to be a dad, so proud to give her the bottle and have her in his arms. Emily snapped a couple of pictures of Aaron feeding their daughter, and she could almost imagine that they were a real family. Exhaustion and dreams of this family made her shed a tear, and when Aaron noticed after having fed Olivia, he sat next to Emily, their baby girl still in his arms. He put his free arm around Emily to cuddle her and she let herself to crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing…" she deflected.

"Em…" he scolded gently.

"It's just… I'm thinking about what we could be, about this perfect family we could be if I had not been that stubborn and I had not done all these stupid things…"

"We might not be that perfect family for now, but I have hope that we will, one day. We just have to give us time to work things out and heal properly, both of us. But we'll be fine…" he reassured her.

Aaron put Olivia back in her little bassinet and came back to cuddle Emily.

"Trust me, I know things will be okay, one day." he said.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Reassured, she fell asleep hung to his chest, and knew that one day, they would be that perfect family she was still dreaming of.