Disclaimer: None of the Benedicts/the Savant World belong to me – all rights to Joss Stirling, whose new book I really should buy but I'm kinda broke :(

Chapter Twenty-Three

Six months later

„No, no, no. Caleb, don't!"

At eight and half months with a humungous ball attached to my body, I still feel quite depressed that I can't even keep up with a two-year-old as he runs through the whole living room in an attempt to catch the mobile toy Will gave him.

"You okay?" Xav flounces into the kitchen with his infuriating ease and obvious demonstration of utter fitness and gently places his arms around me from behind so that they rest on my belly.

"Yeah. Your son has just decided to show off his amazing Benedict trademark athletism to his enormous mother who hasn't been able to see her own feet for the last two and a half months. Thanks again for cutting my toenails by the way."

I chuckle as he cringes at the memory and lean my head against his firm chest.

"So as soon as our son does something bad he becomes my son?" Xav asks jokingly.

"Yep. I mean, obviously, he gets all his good traits from his amazing mother and his appetite and attitude from his negligible father."

"Don't forget that hair."

"Oh god" I groan as Xav laughs into my neck. "He's going to be such a heart throb when he's older. Just like his father."

Hey! I'm not a heartthrob. My heart already belongs to one person. She's kinda beautiful and kind-hearted and an amazing mother and sexy at it too.

Oh, fuck it.

I turn around as quickly as my figure allows it and pull Xav in for a heated kiss that leaves him backed up against the kitchen door with his hands pulling desperately at my hips.

"Mama?" Caleb's tiny voice tears us apart immediately, making Xav and me jump about a mile apart as we see our son staring at us with big eyes.

"Hey, tesoro. What's up?"

Caleb lifts one of his small hands and holds it up against my stomach.

"Dolore."

"Que?" I breathe and ignore Xav's confused 'What's that mean?" as I stare into Caleb's earnest eyes.

"Non piu in attesa."

"Oh my god." I gasp at the same time as searing pain shoots through my abdomen, making me double over.

Crystal? Are you okay? What did he say?

We have to get to the hospital. Now.

"Okay, okay, okay. I'll just get your overnight bag and – "

"Xav!"

"On my way."

„Holy crap! " I let out a gasp and a string of profanity as another stab of pain shoots through my body. "I had no idea it hurts this much" I manage to say through gritted teeth.

"I thought you said this is your second child?" The young nurse to my left asks as she fiddles around with my IV.

"Well, I was kinda half dead and unconscious while giving birth to my first so yeah, I have no idea what it normally feels like."

I don't have to turn to see Xav's pained face at my sarcasm but he agreed to keep his mouth shut during labour so he can't say anything about me not making jokes about Caleb's birth. However he does let out a barely audible gasp as squeeze his hand even tighter I on reflex and tug him towards me.

As if he already knows what I want, he leans in and gently places his lips on my chapped ones in a comforting kiss. For a moment, I forget everything. I forget that I'm in excruciating pain and that I'm about to squeeze a human being out of my nether regions. I forget everything but that amazing feeling of my soulfinders lips on mine, whispering that I'm doing great, that everything is going to be fine. I forget until the stupid, oblivious nurse chirps in her cheery voice, "Okay, you're ready to push now, Mrs Benedict."

I scowl at her and give Xav a fleeting smile before concentrating fully and totally on making sure our little baby comes out alive.

"Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Benedict, it's a girl!"

My head falls back against the pillows and I let out a shaky laugh of relief and total happiness. The nurse places our beautiful baby girl into my arms and I can't stop staring. She's ours. All ours. Xav meets my eye and I smile because I can see that same look of complete disbelief and happiness on his face, too.

We made this. Look at her. She's beautiful.

Instead of answering, Xav leans over and gives me kiss so full of emotion that it gives me all the answers I need.

"Could you maybe go outside and tell the family they can come see her?" I ask the nurse and smile gratefully when she nods.

Xav spends another couple moments just staring at our baby girl until he asks, "What did Caleb say to you? Just before you went into labour."

"Pain. And then he said 'no more waiting'."

"He said that? He's two years old. Is that normal? I mean – "

"It's his gift, Xav. He's found his gift."

It's all that I can say before about a dozen of overjoyed family members burst into the room, Caleb sitting on Saul's shoulders, eyeing the IV and tubes with growing interest. And even though I'm sweaty, exhausted and certain parts of my body still feel like an open wound, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world.

"So what's her name?" Xav asks after the others have left and Caleb has fallen asleep in his lap.

"I dunno. You should pick. You were so prepared for a girl the first time round."
Xav laughs and rearranges Caleb in such a way that he can slip into bed next to me.

"How about Imogen?"

"Yeah… Yeah, I like Imogen. But you're not just saying that because you're in an Imogen Heap fan boy phase, are you?"

"No, believe it or not, I am mature enough not to let my leisure time activities affect life-changing decisions I make."

"What about a middle name?"

"That you can choose."

"Fine. Lily. And yes, that is because she was my favourite character in the books."

Xav laughs and gives me a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"Imogen Lily Benedict, you have a lot to live up to with that name."

One more step closer to the end, my friends – after this, it's either Caleb's story or Yves and Phoenix' story – you choose :)

Please review - reviews make my day :)