Finally, a new chapter. Enjoy!

A Heart's Desire

The Aftermath

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

"And how's the baby? Is it a boy or a girl?"

"A girl. Her name's Leah."

"Aw," Kirsten and Marissa said in unison. They then rushed towards the room along with Neil and Ryan, who gave Seth two happy faces.

"Aren't you gonna go see them?" Seth asked as he was left with his father, who looked rather worried.

"I thought I'd stay here with you."

"Oh, okay," Seth shrugged.

Then Sandy asked him the question that he knew he wouldn't be strong enough to answer. "How are you?"

Seth looked at his father, into those eyes he'd always thought were the most truthful in the entire world. From when he'd been a little boy Seth had come to his father with his problems and he'd always got the best and most honest advice.

Sandy kept their eye contact and with a reassuring pat on Seth's shoulder he gestured for him to sit down.

"How are you coping, son?" Sandy asked as they sat in a small sofa, Seth with his head in his hands.

Shaking his head, Seth took a deep breath. "I'm just overwhelmed," he said, his voice breaking.

"That's to be expected. You just had a daughter, and under difficult circomstances."

"I've never been that scared in my whole life. Summer was in so much pain and I didn't know what to do," Sandy nodded, not interrupting as he understood that his son needed to get this out. "Everything's going so fast. I don't even have the time to really absorb what's happening."

Seth didn't realise that he was crying but as he felt a tear run down over his lips he stopped talking, feeling the lump in his throat grow. Breathing out heavily, almost sobbing he felt his father's hand on his arm.

At this moment Seth didn't care that he was twenty five years old. He didn't care that he was in a hospital and he certainly didn't care if anyone saw him. He just let himself cry, not feeling strong enough to hold it in any more.

Sandy pulled his son close to him, holding his shaking body. He hadn't held his son

for many, many years and this brought back memories. Memories of the days when Seth so many times had come home crying from school.

Kirsten and he always tried their best to make him feel better. They'd watch a movie together or go visit Caleb, something Seth always had appreciated.

When Seth was about twelve or thirteen though, he had stopped crying, at least in their arms. He got up to his room or went out on his bout; the Summer Breeze.

Summer. She had so many times been the reason of why Seth was upset. She was the reason of his feelings most of the times, sometimes making him so angry and sometimes annoying him. But what she did the most was making Seth so incredibly happy. And she made him feel important. She loved him.

Sandy could never thank her enough. He had for a long time had to see his son be alone, miserable and angry. And Summer was the best thing that could have ever happened to him. Sure, she was a little scary sometimes and she had him wrapped around her finger. But she was there; always there.

Now something was wrong though. Seth always held himself together, at least in public. He didn't cry like this. He didn't hold his problems inside until the point where it got too much.

After a few minutes when Seth had calmed down, he sat up and wiped away the tears from his face. "Sorry, dad. I got a little emotional," he apologized, obviously embarrassed.

"Don't apologize. Just tell me what's bothering you," Sandy said calmly.

He took a deep breath, not entirely sure what to say. "I'm scared. What if I won't be a good dad? I don't think that I can do this," he confessed looking sad.

"Seth, when I had you I was terrified. I didn't think that I could take care and protect something so small and precious. But I did. Together with your mom I made it."

"But I'm not you. You're like an awesome dad. I'm not."

"I wasn't so awesome in the start, believe me. But we helped each other and learned how to be your parents."

"Was mom scared as well?" Seth carefully asked.

"Yeah, she was so scared and so worried about you all the time. The first days she wouldn't let you be alone for a single minute."

"Do you think that Summer's scared, too?"

"I know she is. No new parent isn't." Sandy reassured his son, knowing that he'd had similar thoughts twenty five years ago.

Seth sniffled and looked up. "Thanks, dad."

"It's what I'm here for, son."

"Yeah." Seth gave his father a hug. "And if I will be half as great dad as you are, I know Leah will be fine."

Sandy smiled. "Now, about Leah. I gotta go meet my granddaughter."

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Seth and Sandy walked into Summer's room finding her chatting with all the visitors.

"Hi! It's good that you're here. Summer wanted to wait for you before we go see Leah," Kirsten said, her excitement impossible to not see.

"I wanted you to be here," Summer told Seth from her spot on the bed. He stepped closer to her and smiled. "Are you alright?" she asked having noticed his puffy eyes, looking concerned.

"Yeah," he reassured her, caressing her arm gently. "But let's talk about that later."

Summer looked a little unsure and as the visitors left the room Seth wrapped his arms around her, rocking her slightly, exhaling deeply. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too." Summer hugged him tighter, burying her face in his neck, while her concern grew.

"How are you feeling?" Seth asked as he realised that their family had left, probably seeing that the couple needed some time alone.

Summer smiled into his neck. "Good. But how are you? Are you okay?" She sat up, keeping a hold of his hands though.

Seth swallowed unsurely. Should he tell her? Now?

As he looked at her she was so full of concern and love that he had to tell. He didn't want her to worry. "This is just so much, you know?" he started.

"Yeah," Summer softly said and gestured for him to lay down next to her. Seth crawled up to her, carefully lying down close to her. While stroking his hair Summer waited for him to talk.

"For a couple of weeks I've been-" he stopped himself, terrified of saying it out loud.

"You've been what, Seth?" Summer asked, placing her hand that wasn't in his hair on his arm for support. "Sweetie, you can tell me."

"I know." Seth said and fumbled with her hand. "I've been freaking out,"

"About what?"

"I don't know. The baby I guess." Seth took a deep breath. "It's all gone so fast and I'm afraid that I'm not ready."

Summer leaned up on her arm and reached over to see his face, which he'd turned further away from her. "Hey," she said and kissed his cheek. "It's okay."

Seth shook his head. "No, it's not okay. Summer, I do want this. You have to know that. I want this so much." Seth explained, desperate to let her know that he wasn't having any doubts about. That he wouldn't leave her or Leah, ever.

"I know you do. And it is okay, Seth," she said, hugging him close. She let him find the security in her embrace and hide for a few moments before she started talking. "I'm afraid, too."

"Really?" Seth asked, pulling away slightly so that he could see her face.

Summer nodded. "Yes. I'm terrified. I mean, we have no experience with babies and after what happened I'm just not gonna be able to not worry about her for a single second." Summer confessed, bringing him close to her again. "But if everyone else can have babies, we can too. And I know that we're gonna be great. You're gonna be a great dad, Seth."

He pulled some of her hair that had fallen down onto his face away and looked up at her from the where he had his head resting on her chest. "Wow. You're gonna be the best mom, Summer. But I already knew that." Seth reached up and kissed her nose. "Thanks," he said and lay back down.

"I'm the one who should be thanking you," she started, referring to the previous night. "I could never have done it without you, Seth. I was so scared but you helped me get through it. I'm always gonna be grateful for that." Summer snuggled closer to her husband.

Changing their position so that Summer now was in his arms instead of the opposite, Seth spoke. "So you're not upset or anything?"

"No, of course not. I know that everything's gonna be okay and if not we'll deal with it together."

"I love you." Seth smiled and looked down on her, her head resting on his shoulder. "And I love Leah."

"Me too. We should go see her," Summer softly said. "I already miss her."

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Leah had her tiny hand around one of Summer's fingers, wiggling a little inside the incubator. She mostly slept but at times during the day, like right now, she would wake up and move as much as she could.

"She looks just like you," Seth said. "Just as tiny and beautiful."

Summer kept her eyes on their daughter, gently stroking Leah's arm. "You're so cheesy, Cohen."

"I know." Summer nodded and smiled as Leah squeezed her finger tighter. "Maybe that's one of the qualities she'll get from me."

"Hopefully not,"

"Well, you do know that she actually aren't gonna be just like you, don't you?"

Summer turned to look at him. "Let's just hope that she'll get your good qualities then."

"And your good, too. You don't want her to have rage blackouts, right?"

"Right. But that's just one thing."

"Major, Summer. A major thing." Seth smirked.

"Hey, it's not my fault." Summer said and slapped his arm playfully, with her hand that wasn't holding Leah's.

"Ow," Seth touched his arm. "Let's hope she's not violate either."

Summer slapped him a second time.

"Hey! Do not argue in front of my granddaughter." Kirsten Cohen entered the room, for once not fallowed by her husband. She smiled as soon as she set eyes on the little baby. "Aw,"

Seth made a face. "Mom, you've already seen her three times. You can stop with the overwhelming thing." To that, Summer slapped him in the chest.

"Cohen! Let your mother admire our daughter."

"Yes, Seth. Let me," his mother said and returned to watch Leah. "She's so beautiful, Summer."

The small brunette smiled and nodded. "I can't believe she's ours. She's just what I ever wanted," Summer softly said, a little teary eyed.

"I know the feeling," Kirsten smiled, glancing over to her son. "There's no greater thing than being a parent, believe me."

"Mom," Seth started slightly embarrassed. "Come on."

"Seth Ezekiel, I am only telling your wife the truth. And even if you Seth, with your so-called comedy are incredibly annoying at times, you are my son and I love you more than anything. I bet you feel the same way about Leah."

"Mom," Seth said.

"You're welcome, Seth. Now, I should go back outside. They might be wondering where I am."

"I think they can figure out that you're here, Kirsten. You can stay if you want." Summer said and kicked Seth's leg.

"Yeah, you can stay."

"Thanks you two. But I'm gonna leave you three alone. I'll be back later."

"Cohen, you have the greatest mom," Summer said as she'd left and wrapped an arm around Seth's neck, hugging him. "I hope she'll help me with this," she whispered.

"Of course she will, Sum. They're gonna be there if we need them." Seth held her waist and looked at Summer hand, still attached to Leah's.

Please review!

The story is reaching its end. Just a few more chapters left...