Chapter Six
Aliel Manson Fenton.
It's needless to say it was Sam who chose the name and almost broke Danny into tears when she told him Aliel would get his name as well. She had chosen the name two days before giving birth.
Danny was holding the tiny baby in his arms when Sam woke several hours later. Her smile when she saw Danny and Aliel there, sitting by her side, was one of those things he would never forget.
"Hey, mommy's awake." Danny said, leaning over Sam and pressing a kiss on her head. She sat up carefully, afraid to hurt herself and Danny let her hold the baby. "Isn't he the most precious thing you've ever seen?" Danny told her.
"He's perfect." She whispered; her eyes glued on the baby. Her baby. Their son. Ten fingers and ten toes. "I thought he was going to be born sick or something." She told him, her voice heavy with emotion. "When I realized he was coming too early, I thought the worst would happen."
She was nervours even she had arrived at the hospital. Danny had taken her to the nearest hospital, which wasn't the one her doctor worked. She had been scared of delivering with a doctor that had never seen her before and had no idea of how her pregnancy had been. But in the end everything had gone well. She couldn't believe how hysterical she had been.
"He's fine. He's strong." Danny encouraged her. He had already spent two hours with the baby and he was still emotional, but the crying part was over. "Hey, Sam..." He called her quietly, making her lift her eyes and look at his close face, even though she didn't meet his eyes. He bent down and kissed her sweetly on the lips. Maybe she was still in awe because of Aliel, maybe she was groggy from sleep but Danny didn't care. He wanted that kiss since he heard from the doctor she wasn't in danger anymore. It felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. "I love you."
"When do I get out?" She asked, pulling away from him, pretending the kiss didn't happen. Danny felt like he had been stabbed when she did that. She was avoiding his eyes, he noticed. She looked down at the baby and her heart was almost ripped out of her chest when she actually LOOKED at the baby.
He looked exactly like Danny.
His baby blue eyes watched her for a second or two before his tiny eyelids closed again, not being used to the light. He opened his mouth in a yawn and his hands lifted to brush against hers. Sam saw her tears dropping on Aliel's blanket. He had jet black hair and his mouth and nose were just like his father.
How could Danny not have noticed it? Or maybe he hadn't even thought about the possibility so he didn't see the evidence right under his nose.
Suddenly Sam froze. He was Danny's son! Would he have ghost powers as well? That would be dangerous for a baby and Danny would notice it. It didn't matter how clueless Danny was, he would find out if the baby suddenly phased through her arms.
She'd have to tell him the truth before he figured it out.
"Are you hungry?" Danny asked her.
"Yes." She smiled at him, without lifting her head. "And I bet Aliel is hungry, too."
"Oh." He blushed; "Well, I'll... er... go to the cafeteria to get you something and... wait about half an hour before coming back." He said uncertainly.
"Thank you." She answered and he phased through the door, completely forgetting he had to actually open it. Luckily enough, nobody screamed on the other side. "Okay..." She talked to herself. "How am I supposed to this?" She lifted her hospital gown and placed Aliel near her breast, hoping he would by instinct find his way to his food, but, nope, he remained there, not moving. He opened one eye to look at her and then closed it again, as if he was mocking her. "Yeah, you laugh all you want. I'm still your mother and I'll make you eat."
Then, she decided that she really had to help him. So she put him on her breast and squeezed it so he would drink. She couldn't help but think how weird it was so see such a thing. How come she had milk on her breasts? It felt so weird and somehow gross. And then she felt Aliel start sucking and she smiled, pleased at her job. Yep, she had just taught him how to eat. How cute.
When Danny returned, he found Sam gently rocking Aliel asleep on her arms with a huge grin on her face.
"It tickles." She told him with a huge grin.
"What tickles?" He asked, a little lost there.
"Breast feeding."
"Oh."
He didn't want to comment on the matter, it was too awkward. He had brought her a soy hamburger, but he didn't have the time to give it to her because at that moment his family and Tucker busted through the door, all too excited and talking at the same time.
"Sam! Danny!" Maddie cried out excited to see them okay and also to see the baby there in between them. She first hugged Sam, which made Danny laugh at how worried his mom had been. "Oh dear, I'm so happy you're okay." Then she hugged Danny. "My baby boy just became a daddy! I'm so proud of you." She game him a kiss on the cheek, making him blush and push her away. And finally, Maddie turned to the baby and picked him up carefully. "My first grandson! He's handsome! Grandma's here to spoil you, sweetie."
"Sam!" Tucker jumped forward, embracing Sam in a huge hug. Danny told him to be careful, she had just awakened from a surgery after all and Tucker stuck his tongue out to Danny. "Jealous of your best friend? Shame on you." He told Danny as he continued hugging Sam, who was laughing at the whole situation.
"Congratulations, Danny." Jazz hugged him quickly, too excited to see the baby. Then she hugged Sam and went straight to the baby.
"Hey there, man." Tucker said, patting his back. "Congratulations, you've got a mini version of yourself now." Danny hadn't told him that the baby wasn't really his, but he wouldn't say it when he's family was near. Sam needed his support now and he was the father, the child was getting his name as well. Tucker put a small pack on Danny's hand. "It's a small gift."
"Thank you, Tuck. It means a lot." Danny said, opening it and finding a small teddy bear. "I never thought you'd buy girly stuff."
"I felt like buying a PDA instead, but Valerie thought the baby would take some years to learn how to play with one." He shrugged.
"Danny boy." Jack was the last to compliment him. "I'm so proud of you, son. And you too Sam. Now you guys will know how it's like to spend weeks awake feeding the baby in the nights and listening him to cry out of nowhere just to get your attention. And find time between ghost hunting, working on NASA and loving your wife to play with your kid. He's going to grow and be just like you." Yep, that was Jack.
When Jack said, 'loving your wife', both Danny and Sam blushed, he looked at her because the situation required a nervous exchange of glances, but she didn't look back at him.
"His name is Aliel Manson Fenton." Sam announced and everyone approved.
Maddie had finally let Tucker hold the baby and sat down next to Sam on her bed, grasping her hand.
"I called your parents." She said silently, so the others, who were all drooling over poor Aliel, didn't hear them. "They were really worried when they heard you had a seven months birth, but they're in London. I don't think they're shortening up their vacations to come and see you so soon."
"It's not like I wasn't expecting that." Sam sighed. "Don't worry about it, Mrs. Fenton, if they don't realize they're been ridiculous, they won't meet their grandson." And then she smiled lovingly at the older woman. "I'm really glad you came here to visit us. You're more like a family than my own parents."
Maddie didn't say anything. She just hugged Sam back giving all the comfort she needed from motherly arms. Sam was a child herself, in a way it was unfair for her to be a mother when she needed hers still, but it was beautiful to see how happy Aliel had made her. Maddie didn't have to ask her that, but it was obvious by the glow in her eyes.
"I'm scared." Sam told her. "I feel like I'm going to screw this up. I feel like I'm too selfish to be a mother."
"You'll get past your insecurities in no time." Maddie told her. "I felt so nervous when Jazz was born, but with time I saw that small details didn't matter as long as you love them with all your heart. Jazz was only seven months old when she fell down her crib and I felt horrible about that. She cried and cried and I felt like I was the worst mother in the world. But then, she stopped crying and looked at me and I knew everything would be all right."
"Thank you." Sam said, not breaking the hug. "I needed to hear that."
"Can I ask you something private?" Maddie asked, breaking the hug so she could see Sam in the eyes. "I'm not expecting anything, but are you and Danny intending to get married?"
"We haven't discussed it." She shrugged. "I don't see why, we're both great the way we are now. There's no need to change anything."
"I guess you're right." Maddie said, "A ring never really changed what people feel, it's only a vow. But what I meant to ask is if you will move in together or remain neighbors."
"I think we're better off as neighbors." San said quickly. The thought of living together with Danny almost made her panic. They practically lived together, but still, they had their separate lives, they could hide secrets and refuge themselves in their homes when they needed it.
The conversation stopped when Aliel started crying. He was on Danny's arms at that time and he immediately was handed to Sam who rocked him softly until he fell asleep.
"You mastered the Sleepy Rocking Technique." Tucker jokes.
"The feeding technique as well." Sam laughed.
"Talking about food, where's the cafeteria? I hate airplane food." Tucker complained and as if to confirm his hungry his stomach growled.
"It's downstairs." Danny explained. "Underground level. It's quite a nice cafeteria. Great burgers."
"I'm going with you." Jack said, "I haven't eaten fudge in three hours, I'm dying here."
Eventually everyone, except Danny and Sam, left the room. Jazz needed a bathroom and Maddie followed the nurse when she took Aliel to the nursery, saying something about taking as many pictures as possible.
"I'm very proud of you, Sammy." Danny said, sitting down next to her and placing a sweet kiss on her lips. She didn't respond to him and he noticed how disappointed she was. "Hey, your parents will come." He tried to kiss her again, but she moved away from his reach. "Have I done something to you?" Sam shook her head, but didn't lift her face. "You've never been the lovey-dovey type... I respect that, but I just wish you'd enjoy kissing me." He sighed in frustration.
"Don't talk like that, it reminds me of school." Sam said suddenly, lying back down against the pillows.
"Well, they called you an Ice Queen for a reason." Danny shrugged, not knowing it was going to hurt her. "You turned everybody down; nobody could get past your stone wall."
"Ice Queen was what they called me in high school." She sighed. "In college they were even meaner."
"Virgin Queen."
"Yeah."
"They would be surprised to see you've got a child now. They didn't know you well enough." Danny joked, designing small patters on her arms, making her shiver slightly.
"They knew me very well." Sam was annoyed by his touch, but didn't say anything. She was having a horrible mood swing now that Aliel went back to the nursery and her joy was taken away from her eye sight. "That's what bothered me."
"It was just a mean joke Sam. You can't be bitter about that forever. It's not like you left college a virgin. And why are we having this conversation again?"
"You said I'm not a romantic person, that's why." She said softly, finally deciding to talk and not try to pick up a fight. "And yes, I left the college a virgin." Sam still didn't look in his eyes, even though her revelation made him swift uncomfortably beside her. "You'd be surprised but my first real kiss (Gregor never counted and you know it!) happened in the night I got pregnant."
Her first kiss. Her first time. Her first pregnancy all in the same night. Now Danny wanted to kill whoever led her to that and then abandoned her to raise a child by herself. She had waited for so long, expecting a fairy tale kiss and it went downhill. Now he understood why she was so uncomfortable under his touch, why she never responded his kisses properly.
"I wish you'd tell me who he was." Danny said quietly.
"I will tell you eventually when... I'm ready to face it." She reached out and held his hand in hers.
"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, but this secret is killing me. Seriously." He watched their joined hands. Her hands were so tiny.
"It's killing me, too." She confessed.
The sad atmosphere was soon lifted when Tucker returned to the room, looking frantically at Sam and closing the door quickly behind him.
"What happened, Tuck?" Danny asked half laughing, expecting some joke.
"Sam, you're parents are here. They're coming this way."
"Are you sure?" Danny stood up and looked down at Sam who sat up quickly and winced slightly, remembering she was still sore. "Be careful." He told her, helping her up gently. "I told you they'd come around."
"They're not going to be very heart warming, you know it." Sam told them.
"Hey, we're here. Everything will be all right." Danny said. He wanted to tell her HE was there to face her parents for her, but it just felt weird to say it with Tucker there.
The Manson's busted through the door holding their pride up as high as their noses. Mrs. Manson stopped for a few seconds, going slightly pale when she saw her daughter lying down on a hospital bed, as white as a ghost, with an IV feeding her blood. But she recovered her snobbish air a second later and walked directly past Danny and Tucker, standing up next to Sam.
"I believe congratulations are in order." She said and Sam bit her lower lip, not moving a muscle. Then, Mrs. Manson opened her purse and took out two small boxes. "This one is for you." She said. "And this is for my grandson."
Danny and Tucker finally relaxed, seeing the Manson's weren't going to offend their daughter in any way; that somehow their rich hearts had melted into pure parental instinct and worried about her.
The tension suddenly was broken. Mrs. Manson practically jumped over Sam, hugging her close and kissing her cheek many times repeating 'my baby girl' over and over again. Danny smiled in relief and looked at Mr. Manson, who was smiling at the two women in front of him. Then, he looked at Danny and stretched out a hand.
"Congratulations, Daniel." He said, still smiling.
"Thank you, sir." Danny answered, shaking hands with Sam's father, who had finally accepted him, after so many years trying to break them apart.
"Where's my grandson? What's his name?" Mrs. Manson asked Sam, making all the other men in the room turn their attention to them.
"Aliel Manson Fenton." Sam's mother's eye twitched a little when she heard the last name, but she smiled nonetheless. "And he's at the nursery. I believe they needed some check up exams to make sure everything's all right with him." Sam said, opening the box her mother had given her. She pulled the ribbon off and gasped. It was a golden locket with small diamonds around it. "Mom..."
"It was from your grandmother," Mrs. Manson opened the locket to show Sam two pictures one of Sam's father and another of Sam. "I never wore it before but it was in my jewelry box. You put Aliel's picture there if you like."
"Of course I will!" Sam squealed happily like a little girl. And then she opened Aliel's gift and found several bottles of baby perfume, shampoos and all other kind of cosmetics a baby needs... and they were by Christian Dior. "Oh my gosh..." Sam was taken by surprise. "I didn't even know they had baby perfume!"
"You'd be surprised what you can find in Paris." Her mother laughed.
At that moment, Jack, Maddie and Jazz entered in the room. There was a real crowd there now. Sam felt all special to see so many people there happy that she and the baby were okay. The Fenton's and the Manson's amazingly behaved.
"Hey, mommy." A nursed walked inside the room carrying Aliel. "He missed you."
"Oh let me hold him!" Mrs. Manson said, almost snatching Aliel from the nurse's arms. "He's so cute." Jack leaned closer to play with the baby's fingers and laughed happily when Aliel opened his eyes to see what was happening around him.
"Hey, son." Jack smiled at Danny and said the words Sam feared someone would say since she had woken up. "He looks exactly like you."
I'm sorry I didn't have the time to answer all the reviews. But I decided to post this chapter anyway, it was supposed to come out sooner, but this site didn't let me update for three days, I hope you're not mad for waiting. There are only two chapters left! I'll see you sometime next week!