AN: Well, here we are again. It's always such a pleasure. Well, maybe not so much. I'm happy with the way this story ends but I will miss it dearly.
Again, thank you so much to whoever managed to read through the entire story. I'm sorry about all of the breaks I had to take from it, but I kept my promise and finished this just for you. Your support has meant a lot to me and I appreciate every one of my readers.
Doug felt panic rising inside him with every month that passed. He had promised Valentine several times that no matter what, he would help her raise the baby. Secretly, though, he was afraid that he would resent the child if it came out with red hair. He didn't like to think this and tried to keep these thoughts out of his head.
Marie was thrilled about having a younger sibling. She started to sort out her toys, deciding which ones she would give to her new baby brother or sister. Warwick would come over with Nate whenever the doctor paid her a visit, and the child would feel Valentine's belly. When the baby moved, he would giggle.
"There's a baby in there?" he would ask his dad.
"There sure is," Nate would say happily.
The compound had been lucky enough to have a sonogram machine, and they had been able to successfully transport it to Michigan without complications. Both Nate and Jimmy would take a look at the baby and point out little details to each other.
Valentine had insisted on not knowing the gender yet; she wanted it to be a surprise. She still had Marie's crib so if it turned out to be a boy he would just have to deal with the pink blankets.
One day, while she and Doug were sitting on the couch, she suddenly felt something leak into her pants. She grew tense as she felt her belly.
"Doug," she said nervously. "I think it's time. Go get Jimmy and Nate."
Doug immediately jumped to his feet and ran over to Jimmy's apartment. Jimmy went to Valentine while Doug hurried upstairs to get Nate. He knocked on the door and panted from running so fast. He wasn't exactly in the same shape anymore as when he had left Aperture.
Nate came out carrying Warwick, seeming to know that it was time. He dropped his son off with Amelia and Mikey before heading down to aid Valentine.
It only took a couple of hours of Valentine crying and pushing and yelling. Jimmy helped ease the baby out while Nate told her how well she was doing and when to push. Neither of them had ever delivered a human baby before, but the birth was a complete success.
Doug stood next to Valentine who lied exhausted in her bed as Jimmy lifted the screaming baby in his arms. All of Doug's worries slipped away when he saw the baby's full head of dark hair. Even covered in goop, the hair was undeniably black.
Jimmy and Nate wrapped the baby up in a soft blanket, and Jimmy smiled at Doug. "Would you like to hold her?"
"H…Her?" Doug asked absently.
Jimmy carried the baby girl to her father who gently took her in his arms. Doug stared down at the crying baby in wonder. The baby's cries died down to whines and grunts as she squinted up at him with dark blue eyes.
Doug had to sniffle as emotion quickly took ahold of him. "H-Hi," he whispered to his daughter. "I-I'm your daddy." His voice was cracking and he smiled down at his little girl. "And this is your mommy." He brought the baby girl down to see her mother.
"Hey there, sweetie," Valentine said, smiling weakly. She was exhausted but she still managed to hold her daughter in her arms. "It's nice to finally see you." She looked up at the father. "Do you have any names picked out?"
Doug thought for a moment before saying, "Well, I've always been sort of drawn to the name Joanna."
Valentine's smile widened. "That's a good name," she agreed, looking back down at the squirming baby. "My baby Jo-Jo. What do you think of her, 'Daddy'?"
Doug had to sniffle again. "I think she's perfect."
The End
