This is perhaps the sweetest chapter I've written

Moana was absolutely out like a light after that extensive labor and birth. It had lasted a total of 6 hours and now the village was quiet and peaceful, save for the storm that still continued. In the chiefs fale, Keoni was busy being attentive with his newborn daughter, who was also sound asleep.

Huihana, her mother in law, Moana's cousin Pania, and Sina were all staying with the new parents for a few days until Moana had enough strength to resume her chief duties, but they would be assisting in her for the next month or so while her body recovered from pregnancy, in addition, that Moana was told she wouldn't be doing a whole lot for her first month post-partum.

Overall, fairly straightforward and easy to do, Keoni felt confident that he could do at least a decent job at parenting, even though he didn't know much in terms of fatherhood since he never had one himself.

While rocking Laeli in his arms and humming a lullaby that Sina taught him, he saw a luminous figure in the corner of his peripheral vision, he turned and smiled upon seeing his mother sitting next to a sleeping Moana. Mother and son smiled as Keoni took a seat next to her.

"Oh, ipo, she's precious..." Fetis gushed seeing her granddaughter for the first time, Keoni beamed.

"I can't believe I have a little girl now..." He whispered softly. He stroked Laeli's cheek, to which she moved her arm and scrunched up her face, yawning, and Fetia chuckled.

"She reminds me of when you and your sister were born... the most precious things." Keoni looked up.

"Did... dad think the same thing?" Fetia nodded.

"I absolutely did." Mother and son turned to see Lawai'a's spirit manifest. Lawai'a's gaze softened seeing his granddaughter for the first time as well, taking a seat next to his son and getting a good look at the newborn. Laeli peeled open her eyes and looked up at her father, gurgling in delight. Fetia looked down at her and asked, "Could I hold her?" Keoni nodded.

"Of course." He gently handed Laeli to his mother and she happily cradled her gently.

"She looks just like you." Fetia gushed. She nuzzled her nose against Laeli's, making the newborn giggle. Keoni smiled seeing his mother cradle his daughter, if cameras existed then, he would have taken a picture. "I imagine Moana is excited about motherhood?" Fetia asked softly. Keoni nodded happily. Lawai'a just watched happily.

"She is, she's stoked to teach her everything she knows."

"Ah, hoping this little one will be a voyager?" Lawai'a asked with amusement. Keoni nodded again, chuckling at the thought. He and Moana had discussed this several times during her pregnancy, he certainly wasn't opposed to it.

"Yeah, we both want her to follow in her ancestor's footsteps, someday at least. It's just a matter of when we decide to start teaching her those skills."

"That is a pretty big decision to make, but I know you both will do just fine, and you have Moana's family to help and guide you through parenthood. I can only provide so much to help you and your sister." Fetia was right, as a goddess, she could only provide enough guidance for those that looked up to her, there were limits on how much she could help, and it sometimes made her wish she could've just ended up as a spirit instead... but yet, she wouldn't trade her current position for anything else in the world, as long as she could watch over her daughter and son and watch them grow.

She would often think back to when her children were newborns and watching them grow up. She was watching her twin grandsons grow up, and now she had a little granddaughter to watch over, it was a treasure, and she could already sense that her granddaughter was going to be so much like her mother.

After a little longer, Fetia handed Laeli back to her father and said goodbye, leaving him to his thoughts. Lawai'a hung around for a little while longer, since he never got much time with his son, and he felt regret never being there for him.

"It's not something I talk about often, but regret is a very strong emotion, son. And my biggest regret was never being able to be a father to you and your sister, and being there for your mother..." Keoni shook his head.

"Dad... you didn't have control over the forces that took your life. The gods have a funny way of deciding fate..." Lawai'a gave a hesitant nod.

"Very true." He paused for a moment. "Even though I didn't get to be a father for you, I was there for your sister. And the one thing I took away as being a father, is that listening will be one of your best attributes, especially when they're toddlers. Toddlers have a lot to say and need ways to express themselves. Be there to listen, they have surprising things to say." Keoni chuckled.

"The friends of mine who have kids already, and Enele have said the same thing."

"And also, cherish your time with her..." Keoni nodded, feeling his father's pain. Having been taken away too soon was a lot, and Keoni knew he wanted to cherish every second he had with his daughter, and what good father wouldn't? After all, he did help make her. After a little while longer, Lawai'a eventually said goodbye and vanished into thin air, finally leaving Keoni alone with his daughter and his thoughts. He looked down at the little human in his arms.

"Those were your grandparents. My mom and dad. Your gramma is a goddess, goddess of the stars. She helped your mother and I find each other... if it wasn't for her, you wouldn't be here. And your grandfather is here in spirit, watching over all of us." Laeli yawned and sucked on her tiny hand, beginning to fall asleep.

"You'll have a lot of expectations on your shoulders once you grow up, but don't worry, we're going to be with you every step of the way. And I'll keep you safe..." With a yawn of his own, he delicately placed Laeli between him and Moana, who was still out like a light. Keoni looked at his two girls, he knew it would be a wild road ahead of them, but he was ready for anything, and he felt a new kind of confidence he didn't think he'd feel, and he knew what it was, and he welcomed it.