"You promised you'd call! Everyone's been worried sick!"

The blonde man looked surprised at this tirade, then slapped his forehead in frustration, brushing past the speaker to walk onto the Archangel. "Sorry kid," he said apologetically. "There were...some problems," he said as he walked towards his room. "But it's okay now. Murrue's fine, Rin's fine, I'm just here to pick up some of her stuff, and then I'm heading back to the hospital."

"'Rin'?"

Mwu turned to his younger friend, and for the first time, smiled, scarred face lighting into a broad grin. "Yup. Rin La Fllaga. She was born 5PM yesterday." His smile was one of unmistakeable pride, and Kira laughed. "Someone sounds like the proud father," he remarked, leaning back against the wall. "Is Murrue-san okay?" Mwu nodded, letting himself into the room he shared with his wife. "She's tired," he replied. "But it's to be expected. Rin's birth took a lot out of her. But, being Murrue, she's already up and wandering about..going stir-crazy at being cooped up in hospital. They moved her into a ward with some other women, and now she and they are comparing notes on childcare." He rolled his eyes, but Kira could quite clearly tell his friend was happy, very much so. "This suits you, doesn't it?" he asked, as he watched Mwu poke through the tiny dresser in his room, stuffing odds and ends into a bag. "More than I thought it would. Marriage, fatherhood...it's all about stability, something you never had before.."

The blonde man turned back to Kira. "And you're still a nosy kid." he pointed out, zipping up the bag and walking out, locking the door behind him. "I'll take these back for Murrue, and I'll be back here later this afternoon." Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he strode down the corridor, Kira following behind. "You're going back to the hospital?" he asked, and Mwu nodded. "For a few hours." He turned to the boy, a faint smile on his face. "You wanna come too, huh?"

Kira smiled. "I'd like that very much. Would it be all right if.."

"If you brought the pink princess?" Mwu asked, and smiled again, this time the smile was true. "Sure. I bet Murrue would love to see the two of you. She told me that she thinks of you and the princess as a younger brother and sister." The boy beamed in delight at those words, and ran off to find Lacus. Mwu watched him go with a soft laugh, then carried on walking back to where his car was waiting. The kid's so fond of Murrue...and so is the pink princess. Murrue told me that the two of them took care of her in those two years, as did Bartfeld..

She was sitting up in the hospital bed, reading an old magazine. Rin slept soundly in a cot by the bedside, occasionally waving a little arm in her slumber. Murrue smiled, reaching down to adjust the blanket tucked around her daughter. "Your daddy will be here soon," she told the sleeping baby. At those words, exactly as if she could understand what her mother was saying, Rin opened her cobalt-blue eyes, looking up at her. Murrue giggled. "You're going to be such a daddy's girl..." The infant burbled softly, curling and uncurling one tiny hand. Leaning back against the pillows, the dark-haired woman sighed, gazing out of the window at the bright morning light. It had been just under twenty-four hours since she'd been brought to the hospital in labour...and despite the fact that she and her daughter had all but recovered from the birth, the doctors still wouldn't let her go back home - back to her ship.

Pushing back the thin covers, she climbed out of bed and pottered over to the window, smiling as the sunlight warmed her. I wish I could go outside. I hate being cooped up here...Reaching up, she tried to tug open the window to let in some fresh air, but before she could, she heard a soft snuffle, then a whimper...then baby Rin began to cry.

"Oh, sweetie..." Reaching down into the cot, Murrue picked up her little girl, beginning to rock her back and forth. "Ssssshh...don't cry..." Bringing the child close to kiss her lovingly, she began to hum a lullaby, sitting down on the narrow hospital bed. "Are you hungry?" Rin's little face was screwed up in discomfort, and she waved her arms, wailing loudly. Her mother simply smiled, continuing to hum the lullaby as she fed her daughter, stroking her wispy hair. "There now, is that better?"

It feels strange still...to think that I helped create this little life...that I'm a mother now. Will I still be a good captain now that I have her? But, gazing into the innocent blue eyes of the tiny girl in her arms, Murrue had to admit...that none of that seemed to matter now. And wasn't the whole point of fighting...to create a world where it would be safe for children to grow up? We just never anticipated a child of our own so soon, that's all...

"Murrue-san!"

Turning in surprise, the young woman's pale face lit up in delight. "Kira-kun! Lacus-san!" She sat a little further up in the bed as her friends came closer, brushing back dark hair from her face. "Sorry, I'm not very presentable right now.." she said with a laugh. In her arms, still awake, Rin stared wide-eyed at the newcomers. Lacus beamed as she gazed at the baby, pale blue eyes full of awe. "She's beautiful, Murrue-san..."

"She is, isn't she?," replied the young captain softly, adjusting the blanket around her daughter. "More beautiful than I thought she'd be.."

"What are you talking about?" asked a familiar voice, as a warm arm was wrapped firmly around her shoulders, and a loving kiss was pressed to her cheek. "You're her mom...how could she be anything but beautiful?" Murrue blushed fiercely at those words, and both Kira and Lacus laughed. Mwu himself just grinned, leaning over to lift Rin out of her mother's arms and cradle her in his own. "Hey there, princess, have you been good for your mom?" he asked the baby seriously, reaching down to tap her little nose with a finger. Rin burbled, waving an arm to try and catch the finger, and Kira chuckled, leaning back against a chair. "You're gonna be a good dad, Mwu-san," he remarked, and Lacus nodded in agreement. Murrue smiled, reaching to retrieve her daughter. Mwu pouted at that, and the woman shook her head. "Let other people hold her, Mwu.." Ignoring her husband's whine, she instead carefully placed Rin into Lacus' arms. The pink-haired girl's face was a picture, and she seemed unable to take her eyes off the baby's face. Rin herself stared up at the girl, perhaps realising that this was someone she hadn't seen before.

Mwu grinned, his arm still around his wife's shoulders. "Better watch it kid. You'll be next..." Kira flushed brilliant scarlet, and he murmured something incoherent. Murrue giggled, leaning against her husband's chest as she watched the young couple together. Lacus was smiling, the expression on her flawless face decidedly maternal as she cradled baby Rin in her arms. Kira was watching his girlfriend and the baby, looking more than a little nervous, especially when Lacus turned to him. "Aren't you going to hold her, Kira?" she asked softly. "I'm sure Murrue-san won't mind..." Murrue nodded, smiling. "Of course not.."

But Kira backed away. "Uhhh...no, that's okay, really.." Lacus sighed, but didn't say anything more, instead carefully (and more than a little reluctantly) handing Rin back to her mother.

"Boy, did the kid look scared," observed Mwu later, his head tilted to the side to rest on top of his wife's. Murrue smiled at that, leaning back against him. "He loves Lacus-san in his own way, but I think her reaction to Rin kind of frightened him. They're both just children themselves still.." She closed her eyes, snuggling up to him. "But then again, in a way...so are you..." Mwu pretended to scowl at that, but hugged her anyway. "You think I'll grow up any now?" he asked, taking her hand. Murrue didn't open her eyes, but she did squeeze his hand. "I think you already have, just a little.." she replied. "Last night..you didn't leave, did you? You stayed here with me.."

"Yeah," he admitted, looking over the top of her head to where Rin slept peacefully in her cot. "The nurse sure was mad, but she ended up letting me stay. I forgot I'd promised to tell the kid when the princess was born, but I'm glad I did. That way, it was just the three of us for the first few hours..." The young woman smiled. "Thank you.." She sighed, stretching out. "Can I go home? Back to the Archangel?" Mwu grinned, shaking his head. "The doc says you have to stay here for another couple of days, remember?"

Murrue grumbled, nuzzling close to him. "But Mwu..."

"No, no 'buts'," he replied. "The more you rest up, the sooner you and Rin can come home.." He stroked her hair gently. "I know, sweetheart...I want you both to come home too. But the docs here want to keep you in for observation, since she was early, and with the whole thing being so tough on you.." His captain opened one eye at that, huffing slightly. "You're wrapping me up in cotton wool again," she pointed out. "Even if I did go back to Archangel, you'd probably lock me in our room anyway to make sure I didn't leave, so what difference would it make?"

She's right. And even if there was a problem, sickbay would be able to handle it. Besides, didn't I promise myself that she and I would never be apart again? Pulling away from her, Mwu dug in the bag he'd brought with him, and fished out her robe. "Here, put this on," he told her. Murrue frowned a little, clearly confused. "Why?" But shaking her head, she donned the pale pink garment. The blonde man grinned, carefully wrapping the sleeping Rin in one of the blankets they had bought for her, then placing her in her mother's arms. "Perfect." he said with a nod, then without another word, he bent and lifted his wife into his arms. Murrue blinked, holding tightly to her daughter. "What are you doing?" she asked, and he smiled, kissing her cheek. "Taking you home."

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( Mindless fluff and nonsense. But fun XD

Please read and review! )