So here's the final chapter - two more than I originally planned - and I have to admit so many words were changed since I "finished" writing this story in March! I really had fun, writing an Australian Edward/Masen for once.

There was no keeping the pregnancy from the team. Bella wanted them prepared for bouts of nausea, days when she'd have to lean on us to rest. Instead, she had energy galore, buzzing with excitement, and the girl who once thought she couldn't dance suddenly couldn't stop. Sharing the news with our parents made me realise how ecstatic I was, too.

Bypassing Sydney, we entered Alec's community, and they were amazing, giving us DNA and great stories for the documentary.

Farther south, we met people still struggling without water and power since the bushfires. Entire infrastructures had been obliterated, but they would not move away from the place they'd lived all their lives. One extended family had lost six homes between them, multiple sheds, vehicles, equipment, all their livestock, and hundreds of thousands of metres of fencing. Having been unable to afford the premiums to insure everything they owned; their short-term futures were bleak.

Each person had their own take on what had happened and what was still happening. Some had nothing but good things to say about the volunteers who helped them survive. Others were beaten down by the cold of two winters, living in donated caravans and shipping containers. Many voiced their disgust with a government that hadn't matched its response to the magnitude of the catastrophe.

Bella felt these stories had no place in this documentary, saying she'd like to return one day and show their lives restored. Her natural empathy made me certain she would give them the respect they deserved.

Staying clear of Melbourne, we were able to spend a few days in East Gippsland with Rose, Emmett, and a nearly one-year-old Cammy. FaceTiming with Sue and Harry while we were there was special, especially with Bella six months pregnant and Cammy attempting to stand.

It was wonderful when we finally met Mum at Cootamundra and a member of our mob was telling our story anonymously. Giving me just the facts, the woman spoke in a voice that bore no anger towards the circumstances that led to one of their precious children being taken away. We filmed the building where Nana went to "white" school, but Mum would not allow any footage of the farm. I took Bella out there just so she could see what it had looked like, and it was essentially the same as I remembered.

Mum recorded her own words to tell the story of the black swan, and I know she was pleased with how the segment turned out. Due to the DNA match I received, we had great success in getting samples to see how many of our ancestors might have made a similar journey.

We arrived back in Adelaide very proud of what we'd achieved. Bella had not only fulfilled her aim of telling a good story, she'd grown into an incredible producer/director, inspiring her team to fill her chapters with breathtaking visuals, wonderful characters, local and national issues, and I was sure our audience would be surprised by what they learned about a race of people who were generally misunderstood.

In our hearts, we knew a day would come when we'd be celebrating our success, but the way things ended wasn't quite what any of us expected. We'd come through with a basically finished documentary when projects had been shelved all over due to the pandemic. Jasper and Alec had done a substantial amount of editing, but with nothing left to pay for more studio time, Bella had to accept Jazz taking her precious baby back to the States to complete.

Alec was staying with Angela, thinking we hadn't already guessed he was going to propose, and I was honoured when he asked me to be part of their ceremony. We were so pleased we'd had something to do with bringing them together.

With the van life movement having exploded during covid, Jazz sold the van quickly, and they were going home. Bella was heartbroken saying goodbye to Jane and Alice, who had become as close as a sister, nurturing her through her pregnancy, giving her a practical education in motherhood.

Returning to Sydney, I thought I could resume a life like I had before, but the world I previously inhabited was still in recovery. There were no local assignments with National Geographic, and work for tour guides had completely dried up. Mum was thrilled to have us back but being out of work and living at Woollahra made me feel like a charity case.

Feeling depressed one day, I thought Jenks' infectious laugh would cheer me up. I only rang to give him shit about being a politician and to reminisce about the fun we'd had when we stayed with them in Darwin. It hadn't even rung when he answered.

"Were your ears burning? We were only talking about our time together the other day. Where are you? Are you finished yet?"

"Yeah, we're done. We're currently living with Esme and Carlisle. They've taken everything back to the States to be turned into the final product."

"So, what's next?"

"Not sure, yet."

"Not sure? Aren't you guys due soon? God, I've forgotten when."

"That's okay. It's the end of January. There's just no work around until everything opens up again."

"It's hit the Territory so hard."

"I know, mate. I've seen it firsthand, and I can tell you it's bloody soul-destroying losing your livelihood. First it was the fires and then the pandemic."

"Would you consider moving to Darwin? I could use you up here."

Jesus. "I didn't call to ask for a favour, Jenks—"

"Masen, it hasn't been announced yet, but I've literally just been named the new Minister for Tourism and Hospitality, and I'm going to need someone who understands the problems of the providers. As you can imagine, we're facing enormous challenges bringing tourists back while building the infrastructure to support them. You'd be great on the team."

I didn't know what to say when my brain was racing. Jenks had aspirations to lead the entire country one day, so this portfolio was just a stepping-stone for him, but a ministry job in tourism was too good for me to turn down right now.

"I'm serious about this offer, so please talk to Bella. You know how Julia adores her. Having a newborn around might just convince my wife it's time to start a family."

We did talk about it. Bella and I discussed the offer for days before I signed the contract he sent to me. She knew I wasn't happy about starting our life with a baby in my old bedroom at my parents' house. The money was decent, I had some flexibility to work from home, and we'd both liked the laid-back lifestyle in Darwin. We hadn't really found a perfect place to settle down, and Maggie's gushing reaction to our nearly completed documentary and Bella's ideas for future projects meant there was a good chance of getting more funding, so where we based ourselves wasn't really important.

The garbled sound of the pilot's voice comes through the speakers, stating our cruising speed and altitude. We're not expecting delays, so we should be arriving at approximately 6:00 am to clear skies and twenty-five degrees.

After finishing a bottle of water, I close my eyes, but there's no way to relax when my thoughts are racing. I can't help questioning why this is happening on the 7th of January—Christmas Day if you're an Orthodox Christian—and the day we found Serena in the snow. It has to be more than just chance.

I imagine calling Serena and getting an answer I'd never dream up on my own, but we don't do that anymore, not since Makenna frightened her with more information than she could handle. We are not telling a child that we're connected by someone who is no longer living, so we accept her predictions are reliable, but we don't seek explanations. We all agree that Serena's innocence must be protected, but I still wish I understood who or what has been guiding her to protect us. Maybe I could ask for a favour today.

The plane shudders through mild turbulence, and I'm reminded of all the international aircraft, permanently parked in the desert near Alice Springs Airport, and wonder how many are still in that graveyard. The sight of those hundred planes depicted so much about the pandemic: the way we killed business to save lives.

After vaccinating nearly everyone in the country, opening our borders has not swamped our hospital system. Of course, Santa bringing Omicron on his sleigh for Christmas has meant I now know more people who've caught it than haven't.

With case numbers still high, we've loosened our rules on mask wearing and isolating. Contact tracing and testing went out the window a while ago. Neither Bella nor I have caught it yet, but we're double vaxxed and will get our booster once the baby is born, so we're still careful but not worried. Dad has had it twice, and Mom was terrified, expecting it would kill her when she tested positive, but she wasn't very sick at all. Now she pretty much believes she's invincible.

"Good morning," the pilot's voice crackles through the speakers again. "We'll be starting our descent into Sydney shortly, where it's currently dry on the ground, and they're predicting a nice day. I need to advise that masks are still mandatory on all public transport in New South Wales, and that includes our airport terminals. On behalf of the pilots and crew, we'd like to thank you for flying Qantas, and we hope to see you back with us very soon."

Not long after, I feel us descend, and my stomach drops, but it's not because we're losing altitude. The flight attendant is collecting garbage, and I'm feeling nervous about turning my phone on and learning if my wife and son are okay.

The next announcement is made by a female, a little more distinct than the pilot's. "Please return your seats to the upright position and check the pocket in front so you don't leave anything on board. You may continue to use handheld devices in flight mode, but please ensure laptops and tablets are packed away and stowed under the seat for landing."

People become animated, zipping up bags and stashing them in front of their feet, continuing to play games and watch movies. A flight attendant prompts people to open the window covers, and I can see dawn approaching, so we must be on time. Then the person sitting next to me knocks into me with no apology, and I lean away from him, knotting up with anxiety. The pilot is instructing the cabin crew to prepare the aircraft for landing, and one of them bangs into my arm while striding purposefully up the aisle. I look out our window, and we're coming in low over the harbour, so it won't be long, now. Not long now, not long.

Our landing is spectacularly soft, the kind we should all applaud, but we've still got to reach the terminal, and I'm trapped in this bloody seat with no mention of using our phones. Frustrated, I turn mine on anyway and read a message from Dad, giving me the number of Bella's hospital room. I hope I misunderstood, and he'd always planned for her to spend the night there, rather than there's been a crisis since I spoke to him. Either way, his phone is now going to voicemail.

There is another message from an unknown number. Normally, I'd ignore it with the amount of spam I get lately, but everything could be important right now.

"It's Charlotte. Don't call me back. I have a sleeping Riley with me. We are parked at McDonald's, so text me and we'll come get you from Express Parking."

Everyone knows to wait at Macca's at Mascot when picking up passengers. It's been free airport parking for as long as I can remember.

"Do you know if Bella is okay?" I text back.

"I think so."

In my agitated state, I'm probably reading a lot into three short words, but it seems a little casual considering the circumstances, especially when she must have been sent here by Gemma or Dad. I half expect her to add, "Why do you ask?"

"Okay, good." I take a deep breath to steady my nerves, knowing Dad would have left more of a message if things were critical. "Won't be long."

My bag is slow coming off the flight, and I text Gemma as soon it appears on the conveyor belt. She sends a thumbs up, and I head for the exit and rip off my mask, rushing up the street to intercept her before she has to go in through the boom gate. There's a steady stream of traffic this morning, and I realise I don't know what she's driving. With two kids in the car, she is hardly going to reply to a text, and I'm sure there is only one entrance, so I hover at the corner. An SUV flashes its lights at me, and I think it's them, but the driver yells at me to watch where I'm going as if I looked like I was about to walk out in front of them. Bloody hell, I need to calm down.

Then I recognise the blue RAV4, and wave an arm in the air. Charlotte pulls into a free spot and jumps out to open the back.

"Thanks," I say, uncomfortable when we don't hug like we should. "You're up early."

"I'm lucky if these two sleep until dawn, Masen. Just don't tell Gemma that Bree is having a Hash Brown for breakfast, okay? I'm really hoping Riley's gonna stay in his milk coma since we're just dropping you off and going back home."

I cup my hand to the glass to get a good look at him. We've been over since we came back to Sydney, but he was asleep under a mosquito net. For a few seconds, I gaze down at him and wonder who my son will take after, aware that I'm about to witness the miracle of birth.

Opening my door, I grin at Bree who looks like she's stuffed most of her Hash Brown in her mouth. "He's a little bewdy."

Charlotte taps me on the leg and smiles. "Are you ready? You're going to meet your son today. It's a big deal."

I nod and exhale. "I just hope they're okay."

"Gemma says Gerandy's the best, and she will be there the minute you need her, so don't worry. At least don't let Bella see you worry. Fear will make her tense up and slow down the labour."

"Okay."

-0-

You'd think I'd know my way around a hospital I've been to many times, but I've never visited the Women's Hospital before. I enquire at the front desk, knowing people get moved within the system, but Isabella Edwards still has the same room number that Dad sent to me.

When I get up there, there's no bed where my wife is supposed to be, and they tell me she's been moved from Day Stay to the Antenatal Ward. No one seems to know why, and I could scream at them for not updating their information, but I have to stay calm. As a thousand scenarios run through my head, no matter what I'm faced with, I will act as if everything is under control.

Entering the new ward, a nurse drills me on their current restrictions. I must wear a mask in all public spaces in the hospital. Bella is only allowed one visitor for her entire stay, and once I leave, I won't be allowed to return.

Bella's door is closed, but I can see her through the little window, turned away from me in the darkened room. Dad comes immediately and, with his mask on, I can't see his expression, but his eyes show strain.

"How is she?"

He rubs my upper arm as if he sees my anxiety. "They're going to induce her when she wakes up."

"Is it worse?"

He shrugs, the way he does when he wants to give a simple answer. "He's not gaining anything by staying where he is."

"Dad, is it Bella or the baby you are worried about? Just tell me."

"His heart rate is normal and he's active, but her blood pressure was 200 over 120 last night. She has responded to more medication, but not enough. She insisted we didn't intervene until you arrived, though, so I gave her something for the headache, and she's been able to sleep for a couple of hours."

I nod, knowing they're as important to him as they are to me. In situations like this, I trust him implicitly.

"Come with me and I'll show you where you can get a cup of tea or coffee. You'll be here for the next few days I presume. Where's your suitcase?"

I realise what I've done as I follow him up the corridor. "God, I've left it in the back of Charlotte's car."

"I'll ask Gemma to drop it off."

"Dad, I want to be strong for Bella, but—"

He grips my shoulder to stop me saying anything more. "Masen, you have people here who know what they're doing. Today we celebrate the birth of a healthy boy."

I'm suddenly aware that he never had this opportunity with the two daughters he lost. My sisters. I blow out a breath, and he pulls me into the kind of hug that doesn't happen very often. He's never been an affectionate man, and Mum says he's had to learn to keep himself detached from his patients, but I treasure these moments when he lets his guard down and is just my dad.

We notice a nurse swiftly entering Bella's room, and one glance at Dad's reaction makes my heart pound. Bella is sitting up in bed and her shoulders sag when she sees me.

"I thought I heard your voice. I'm so happy you made it."

Wow, her face is fuller, and she's so much bigger in just two weeks that I have to resist the urge to place my hand on her belly. Instead, I sit down and smooth her messy hair, admiring the beauty that radiates from within. "You're supposed to be sleeping."

"They're going to induce me. That means he'll be born on—"

"I know," I kiss her. "It will be Christmas Day in Serena's family."

She stares at me, and I read unspoken words in her eyes. Bella has said for a long time that the universe is influencing our lives. Obviously, it hasn't always been perfect, but things usually turn out okay.

"We ruined your trip," she says, frowning. "You only had a few days to go."

"I should never have gone."

"Look at my hands." She turns them over so I can see the swelling. The monitor behind shows her blood pressure is 160 over 95.

I lift them to my lips. "It will subside once he's born."

"Except for some women, it continues and gets worse."

"That's extremely rare, Bella," Dad interjects. If he had his way, all medical information would be banned from the internet.

The door opens and a nurse enters, gowned up for surgery, wearing a face shield and a mask. "Good morning. I'm Bianca," she says with her voice raised so we can hear through the layers. "I will be your midwife today. If you're ready, Mrs. Edwards, we'll start the induction now." Bella looks afraid, knowing there's no turning back after this. We're not used to seeing people so covered in plastic, and in this situation, it's a little unsettling.

Dad reassures us and leaves when Bianca examines her, inserting a gel that will soften her cervix, and Bella has to stay horizontal for the next half hour. During that time, she sets up a drip that will administer the cocktail to bring on labour, and tells Bella what she might expect. Apparently, there's quite a range in how people react to this procedure. Pain levels are different for everyone, and we should not try to estimate how long delivery could take.

It's comforting when Bianca states she has never lost anyone to preeclampsia, saying she will keep baby and mother monitored constantly. Listening to our boy's heartbeat, she says he's absolutely fine, and I squeeze Bella's hand when she sighs, knowing what she's gone through to get to this day.

An hour later, Bella hasn't had a significant contraction, so Bianca ruptures her membranes, and we wait. When the labour starts to progress, I try to be patient. It seems to help when I put pressure on her lower back at the start of a contraction, but Bella doesn't really want anyone near her, so I can't do much more. Bianca pops in and out, monitoring as she promised, checking hourly for dilation, and making no judgement about Bella lying on her side rigidly wrapped around the long pillow she brought from home. This is not what I expected from childbirth, but she just keeps telling Bella to breathe and relax.

Bianca ends her shift and hands over to a nurse called Irina, who wears only scrubs and a mask, and asks a tonne of questions while going over Bella's chart. She's pleasant enough, telling Bianca to have a nice evening, but as soon as she's gone, Irina lowers herself until her face is level with Bella's grimace.

"The pain is going to get worse, Mrs. Edwards."

Bella doesn't respond, and I know her refusal to acknowledge the statement is stopping it from being true.

"You could move around and let gravity help you."

"I can't," Bella groans, already tired after a long night followed by hours of labour.

"Then you should look at alternatives. What about an epidural?"

"I heard it slows labour down."

"Lying in the fetal position and seizing up is what's slowing your labour down."

Bella looks at me, alarmed. "I don't want to harm our baby. I'm just—"

"I know." She cuts her off without letting her say what's making her anxious. "But it's my job to help you, so let's take this slowly and get you up and out of that bed."

Bella nods, pushing herself up, amazingly needing little assistance to sit and slide her puffy feet into her havvies. I chuckle at one of the many examples of us having to compromise on labels. I refuse to call them flip flops and she cannot say thongs, so we've shortened their name from Havaianas, the brand we always seem to buy.

Irina has Bella stand with both hands on the bed. "Do you need to use the bathroom?" she asks.

"Yes, but not in a hurry."

"Okay, I'm just going out to update our doctor. I'll be right back."

I smile at my wife, already rocking from side to side, and sit down beside her, ready to offer any support she needs. I'm conscious that it's not my place to fuss or offer advice.

"I understand now," she states, even smiling a little. "I needed a shove, and I like this nurse much better."

"I think you're doing great." It's the response I always planned to use on this day. I'm not sure how much she'll remember, but I've been told by Jasper and Emmett that I'm just inches away from stepping out of line.

She rests her arms on my shoulders and runs her fingers through my hair. "This kid is going to be in trouble when I see these gold streaks, 'cause I'll know he hasn't been wearing his hat."

I kiss her and laugh because she's always been fascinated by the sun and salt water changing the colour of my hair.

"Oh, that's much better," Irina states when she comes back in. "I'm going to unhook you for a while and go old school." Bella's eyes widen, so Irina explains. "Stethoscope for our baby boy and a blood pressure cuff will allow you to walk."

In the throes of a contraction, Bella leans on me, gripping my shoulders. It's apparent this one is already stronger.

"Could you stand up for me, Mr. Edwards, and hold onto her as if you're dancing?" Irina asks, and I nod, happy to do something to help.

"I think we can dispense with the formalities, now, don't you? The lady is Bella and I'm Masen."

She looks relieved. "I would normally get to first names quickly, but you're Dr. Edward's son, so I didn't bloody dare."

Laughing, I know I like Irina better, too.

We spend the next few hours walking up and down corridors, dancing with my arms firmly supporting her and her cheek on my shoulder. Bella sobs, desperate for the pain to be over. Her blood pressure remains high, but stable, and our baby's heartbeat stays strong. Irina suggests some relief in the warm water of the spa we have in our room.

"Is it too early to call him by his name?" Bella asks, physically spent, when I help her into the water. We've been singing a song ever since we found the perfect name for our son, knowing he had to be connected to Finland, but we've referred to him as "the baby" or "our son" until now.

"Finn, Finn, Finny?" I ask.

She giggles. "Not too skinny."

"Big fat chinny," I chuckle along with her, watching her relax.

"He's gonna be a piggy, drinking all the milky."

"Drinkin' all the tinnies."

Her look of disapproval has me making an adjustment. "Eating lots of chilli." She raises her eyebrows, hearing these new ones I'm just making up. We're being stupid, but it's leftover from the time when we feared the preeclampsia might starve him. Thank God, the ultrasounds have all shown he's remained a good size.

"All the way from Mississippi, or Philly, or Chile," she adds a new one of her own.

"Do they have chilli in Chile?" I enquire.

"Of course they do, silly," she replies with a laugh.

"I want to see my little Finny," I whine. I can hardly wait to see my son, now.

"Finn, Finn, Finny," she repeats, then braces herself for a contraction. She's doing much better now, breathing through the pain until she can speak again. "Whoa, this is the only time I am going through this madness. Who in their right mind does this again?"

I keep my trap shut about the two or three kids she has said she wanted, side-eyeing Irina who states that most women say never again at some point during their labour, but they're usually back in two or three years for another one. Everyone seems to forget the pain.

Dr. Gerandy arrives at last, going through Bella's progress with Irina, declaring that everything is going well. A woman's first labour is often long, especially with an early induction, and watching her go through a few contractions, he gives her good guidance on how she'll know when she's transitioning because he wants her out of the water for the birth.

He's been on vacation for a month, so this is the first time we've met him. We did get a lot of information from his office, and I'm already impressed with his straightforward bedside manner.

Bella is fully dilated at eleven o'clock, and she has to push while fatigued. Finn isn't born until after midnight, and it doesn't make sense, but the only thing that matters is that they're both okay. After watching him come into the world, I cut the cord between him and his mother, in awe of our child who's covered in cream and blood.

There is so much blood—more than I was prepared for—and Gerandy asks Irina to assist him. While they get to work, I'm in a dream, looking from Finn to Bella, barely comprehending it's Gemma in a mask who lifts him from her chest. He yells at being separated from the warmth of his mother's skin, and I hold Bella's hand as we watch Gemma talk to him.

Bella brings our joined hands to her lips, and I tell her I love her, never meaning it as much as I do in this moment. Gemma seems happy, declaring we have a spectacular boy, returning him to us clean and swaddled. He's three kilos and fifty centimetres long. He's good.

Bella's blood pressure has already lowered, and Gerandy wastes no time calling my father with good news. He mentions something about abruption but says there was only minimal hemorrhaging to settle. I want to know more about that, but not while he's confident enough to congratulate us and say his goodbyes.

"Finn, Finn, Finny," Bella sings to our beautiful boy, exhaustion apparent in her soft laugh and heavy eyes. I stay close, taking the sight of them in and trying to stop kissing them.

"Not so skinny," I say, so full of relief that my eyes fill with tears.

"I love this little chinny." Bella touches his chin, and he moves his mouth toward the sensation, instinctively hungry, and Irina is there to help Bella attach him for his first ever feed.

Both sets of parents are over the moon, and Dad explains the abruption was the placenta detaching from the wall of the uterus. He says it's common, so I wonder why nobody ever mentioned it before.

We send a picture of us with Finn to Makenna, and she's so excited, saying it's incredible he's been born on Christmas Day. I'm about to correct her when Bella reminds me that they're eight hours behind us. Sharing the same time zone as Finland, it will be January 7th over there for quite a while.

As I gaze at my son and feel full of love for him, I know there must be a reason he came into the world this way. Was Bella or Finn in significant danger? Could the abruption have been serious if Dad hadn't insisted they induce her today? I really should know better than to let my mind wander through these scenarios when I have no medical training, especially while I'm trying to fathom the forces that play with our lives.

I once assumed it was Tanya influencing us, but I've come to think it's more than just her now. It was Charlie who taught Bella that the magic of Christmas lives in our hearts when she was only little, and I think she and Tanya experienced the magic in Lapland when they were nine. For twenty years, it kept reminding her never to forget, and that's why she was ready when it called upon her again.

We met at Christmas, and I was in love with the magic in her heart before I fell for her beauty. We learned we'd been destined for each other during our life-changing journey to Lapland for a very special Christmas. Even though we missed out on our commitment ceremony, the magic had its own plan for that day, and I feel like it's here with us now.

We may never know how we were led to Serena, but I choose to believe she somehow holds the same magic in her heart, and I can't wait to see if Finn does, too. I'll definitely be watching for anything unusual he comes out with. My mind is wide open now, and Finn could very well be the key to how we're all connected.

One thing I've learned is the future is not in our hands to control. Shit happens. Plans have to change. I can only compare our lives to floating, being caught in a rip in the ocean, working to steer ourselves out of danger as much as we're able, but not fighting too hard against a power that's bigger than us all.

The end.

After two years, I wouldn't dare predict when we'll be free of the virus, but I do want to say something about my country. While our journey has devastated small businesses that will never reopen, detoured bright futures, and left people isolated and suffering with mental illness, we've still saved a chunk of lives because we cared enough to cooperate. While we've had thousands of deaths, it's so much better than it could have been. However, every single person who's died is one too many.

Please accept my condolences if you lost a friend or family member for any reason. It takes time, and there's no right or wrong way to adjust.

Remember to thank the people who look after us in doctors' rooms, hospitals, schools, and especially in war zones.

Try to take care of each other and live each day as if it's your last. Tell people that you love them.

Thanks to Sarcastic Bimbo for your help when we started, to Lizzie Paige for sharing your true story so bravely, to Alice's White Rabbit for helping me translate American into Australian.

And to my sister, Ipsita, I can never repay you for creating this story and then generously trusting me with it, for your encouragement, good taste, and especially your friendship.

And to you guys, thanks so much for reading xo

Christmas Dreaming was voted one of the Top 10 fics completed in August by visitors of www . twifanfictionrecs . com. Thanks so much for the votes!