The doctors were all gathered at the far end of the room, grouped around a small table. One of them was bending over, doing something that the two on the hospital bed couldn't make out. The two were watching, hearts in their mouths, her hand held tightly in his. Their baby daughter had just been born, but five weeks premature, and she had never uttered a sound as the doctors bore her away, not even a whimper. In fact, from where the man was sitting, the tiny infant hadn't even been moving. He watched, azure blue eyes fixed on the group of medical staff intently as one of them worked on the baby. Mwu could hear the voice faintly, a mutter of 'one, two, three...', and he closed his eyes. CPR. She's...not breathing. They're trying to save her...Opening his eyes, he looked at his wife. Murrue was half-sitting up on the bed, her thin hand clasped in his own, amber eyes fixed on the doctors. Her beautiful face was ashen pale, but her chin was set and determined. Her lips were moving, but he couldn't make out the words.

She's talking to the baby...to Rin, he realised. Even though her words weren't audible, he knew that Murrue was silently willing her newborn daughter to breathe, to live. She wasn't giving up.

She'll never change, he thought, his arm settling a little further around her waist. She never gives up. And that same spirit, that determination - I'm sure that Rin has it too. She must...Closing his eyes, Mwu prayed for the life of the child...his little girl. C'mon, sweetie, breathe, okay? For me and your mom. God..I know you don't owe me a damn thing after all the stuff I've done. But even if you don't do it for me...do it for Murrue. Let our kid live..please...Forcing his eyes open, he gazed at Murrue again. Her eyes and cheeks shone with tears, lip trembling as she kept willing Rin to live. After all she's been through, losing the one she loved before, me leaving her alone for two years, and that accident that almost caused her to lose Rin in the first place...doesn't she deserve some happiness? Kissing her cheek, he pulled her a little closer, breathing in the scent of her hair. Please...if we lose our baby now..it'd kill her...

And, as if hearing their silent pleas, there was a tiny cough, then a splutter, then, ear-splittingly loud, yet, the most welcome noise either of the two had ever heard...Rin began to cry.

Murrue's hand tightened on Mwu's, and she moved to sit up straight in shock. "Is she..." she asked, her voice so strained it came out as a whisper. Her other hand clenched the covers, her heart racing. Is she...is Rin...The doctor who had been performing CPR smiled, leaning back against the wall with relief, and a nurse carefully brought over the wrapped bundle. "She's very small, but not what's classed as premature." Very gently, she placed the baby into Murrue's arms. "She's going to be just fine. We're going to need to keep the two of you in for a few days, just for observation, however. The birth was very tough on both of you..." Murrue nodded, but her eyes were focused on the bundle in her arms. She could hear the faint breathing of the tiny girl, and moved back a fold of the white hospital blanket to look at the face of her daughter for the first time. What she saw..made her gasp.

She's...so beautiful. She's perfect...Rin was sleeping now, but as Murrue watched, one of the baby's tiny hands curled and uncurled in her slumber. She already had a wispy cap of dark brown hair, and her skin was creamy pale...she really was perfect.

"Hello, Rin.." she whispered, more tears breaking free to slide down her cheeks. Bringing the baby close, she pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. I can't believe it. My daughter...no, our daughter. Looking up at her husband, more tears escaped as she saw his expression.

Mwu's gaze was fixed on the baby, blue eyes wide and astonished. His expression was one of wonder, and Murrue couldn't help smiling. "You're a daddy, Mwu.." she murmured, voice as soft as possible so as not to wake the sleeping Rin. "Would you like to hold her?"

Gingerly, Mwu held out his arms, and Murrue carefully handed him their daughter. He cradled her close, staring down into the tiny face. "She looks just like you.." he breathed. The dark-haired woman blushed. "You...really think so?"

"Sure I do," he replied, forgetting to lower his voice. "She's gorgeous.." The sound of his deep voice caused Rin to stir, and she awoke, looking up at the one who held her. Mwu smiled in delight, fingers moving to gently caress his daughter's face. "She has blue eyes.." he said softly. Like mine. She looks like her mother...but she has eyes the same colour as me... In his arms, Rin closed her eyes again, and settled back down to sleep, seemingly happy in her father's embrace. He grinned again, taking her tiny hand in between a finger and thumb, as if to shake it. But instead, the baby girl's hand curled around his finger, holding on tightly. What the... The simple touch, the instinctive grasp...he hadn't been prepared for it, and his heart sped up. Without him noticing, a single tear slid down his cheek.

Murrue smiled as she watched her husband and daughter together. At first, she had still been a little worried. Worried that Mwu still hadn't accepted the idea of being a father. But as she gazed at his face, she knew now that there was nothing to worry about. The look in his eyes...she recognised it. He loves her. Completely, just like I do. I'm so glad...Lying back in the bed, the woman sighed, still watching her family. Mwu noticed, and reached out with one hand to stroke her cheek. "You're tired, huh, sweetheart?

Murrue smiled somewhat drowsily at his touch, leaning into his hand. "Well..she woke me up early.." she murmured, eyelids fluttering. Now that she knew that Rin was okay, and that the little girl had her father's love...she could sleep. "Thank you. For giving me her, and for being here. I love you..."

Mwu chuckled softly, carefully placing their sleeping daughter into the cot by the side of the bed, and covering her with a blanket. "I love you too, Murrue," he replied, brushing a lock of dark hair from her face. "You get some sleep, and I'll be right here when you wake up, okay?" She nodded, her head moving just a fraction, her eyes already closed. She barely felt him move the thin blankets up to cover her, or felt the loving kiss he gave her...but she smiled anyway, slipping into dreams of her family, and their future.

Flicking off the light in the small room, Mwu left his wife to sleep, walking down the brightly lit corridors of the hospital, lost in his thoughts. At first..even up until just a few weeks ago, although I never could have told Murrue...I was still having problems with the idea of being a father. I just got my life back...it's been barely eight months since I recovered my memories, and the first thing that happened after I did...is that Murrue ended up pregnant. It wasn't what I expected or wanted. I wanted...things to be the way they were before. Just me and her together, catching up on everything we'd missed. But instead...

At first, I resented the idea of a baby. I mean, neither of us had ever considered the idea of a kid - we had spent too long apart. And I didn't want to share her with anyone. But now...

He grinned, moving to gaze out of the window. The orbit of the moon was beginning to take Copernicus away from the sunlight, and what passed for 'dusk' here was fast approaching. Has it been that long? I never realised...

Yes, he admitted freely to himself that he hadn't wanted to be a father at first. But now...now it was different. As soon as he had first looked into the face of his newborn daughter...everything had changed. At that moment..I fell in love. All that worrying, all the nervousness...it seemed so idiotic when I looked at her. Murrue and I missed out on so much together...but she was right, what she said before - maybe this really is nature's way of telling us that we've wasted enough time..

We have the chance of a life together...something we always wanted. And...Turning, he walked back to the room where Murrue was sleeping, and sat back down beside her in the half-darkness. His beloved was still fast asleep, a gentle smile playing on her lips. Taking her hand, he kissed it softly, then leaned over the cot to pick up the sleeping baby Rin. The child never stirred, but burbled in her slumber, and Mwu couldn't help smiling, his heart melting. We're gonna have fun, you, your mom and me. When this is over, we're gonna go home, back to Earth, and be a family...Leaning down, he kissed the baby on the top of her head, breathing in her sweet scent.

In the bed, unseen by him, Murrue was watching, sleepy amber eyes softened with love and happiness.

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( :points: Done! Because Sky asked for it :glares: XD

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