Someone to Watch Over Me

AN: River's thoughts to baby: "italics", Baby's thoughts to River: italics

PART 7

One and a half months later River placed a rocking chair in the nursery and proclaimed it finished. She lowered herself into the chair and sighed contentedly.

"Thank you, Bluejay, this is perfect."

"You're welcome, Rivulet." Jayne had spent a month making the chair, he had carefully smoothed the pieces of precious wood and fitted it all together just for her. "How 'bout Charlotte?" He asked continuing the conversation they had been having for days.

River crinkled her nose, "It's pretty, but you would call her Charlie and I would call her Lottie and she would have to develop a dual personality to deal with her crazy parents."

"How 'bout the flower names, Rose, Violet, Posy, Daisy, Jasmine, Lily?"

"Hmmm, what do you think?" River asked the baby. She had become very good at directing thoughts to her. In return, the baby became clearer with each passing day of development. River suspected that while the baby's actual words came from River's own brain, the ideas and feelings behind them came from the baby.

There would be an awful amount of pressure to be flower-like with one of those names, dainty and pretty.

River smiled, "Sorry, those were vetoed."

"Ya know, most children just have to put up with whatever their parents come up with, they don't get no say in it."

"Wouldn't you have wanted some say?"

Jayne grumbled, "Well, ya, but still, she's bein' picky."

"I think this is a wonderful opportunity. Children find many reasons to hate or be embarrassed by their parents. We have a chance to begin with a good relationship by giving her a name that she likes."

"Fine, it's just weird, and a little unfair."

"Yes, yes, we all know you have name issues. Get over it and come up with some new options."

"I'm out for now."

"Fine, how about these?" River pulled out a tablet from her pocket.

"What have you got there?"

"It's a list of Shakespearian women. Now, Beatrice, Bianca, Cassandra, Celia, Elizabeth, Emilia, Helena, Hermia, Hermione, Isabella, Katherina, Mariana, Rosaline, Viola – "

"Woah, woah, slow down, give a man time to digest. See if any of those is the one he wants to call out a thousand times a day."

"Sorry, but did any pop out at you?"

"I don't like Celia, but I got lost after that, say 'em again."

River repeated the list much more slowly.

"Isabella or Emilia could work."

"Nicknames?"

"Hmm, Izzy, Bella or Em, Emi, Lia."

"Bella means beautiful."

"Bella." River could actually see Jayne's tongue rolling around his mouth as though he could physically taste the name. "What's she got to say on the matter?"

"Well?"

Once again, I am worried about the pressures of living up to my name. What if I am not beautiful?

"She worries that she will not be beautiful enough to hold that name."

"With us as parents? Oh, she'll be shiny."

River giggled at his confident self-image and then smiled at the compliment for her.

"Isabella sounds awfully high strung, though. Dontcha think?"

"It is a queenly name."

"Ya, that's my point. Emilia, Emi, just kinda sounds more comfortable, like I'd be allowed to associate with my own daughter."

"Did you hear that?"

I heard your thoughts as you heard it, yes. I agree. I would be proud to be his Emi.

River laughed and clapped, "I think we finally got it!"

"Ya, finally. Simon said she could arrive any day now." Jayne crouched down next to River and gently placed a hand on her belly. A moment later, River covered his hand with her own. He looked up at her, a loopy smile on his face.

"I know, I can't believe this is happening either."

"You readin' my thoughts?" He asked even though it didn't bother him if she did.

"No, reading your face, it's my favorite story, you see." She traced her fingertips across his forehead and down his cheek. He reached up and pulled her down for a kiss.

AN: Awww, see I'm not gonna kill off Jayne, BobtheFrog/Hermione, I'm gonna kill you with saccharine fluff. Next chapter, the blessed event!