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Mia Kingston Buchanan skipped up the path to the front door of her house, Desiree Kingston following at a more sedate pace. The six year old arrived at the front door and flipped around, waiting for her grandmother to catch up so that she could unlock the door. Mia was surprised when she rested her weight on the door and it swung open behind her.

Shrugging her shoulders, she moved into the house. Somewhere at the back of her mind she belatedly realised that the door should very much be locked. Her mind never got a chance to dwell on that thought though when she heard a cry that sounded very much like a baby.

Her face lit up joyfully, Mia turned to her grandmother. Ignoring the concerned expression she found on the older woman's face, the excited child dashed for her parents' room, daring to believe what that cry might mean.

Mia skidded to a stop in the doorway. She resisted the urge – barely – to whoop when she saw that her mother was sitting up on the bed and holding a baby. "It's here!" she couldn't help exclaiming. To say the words made it more real.

Racing for the bed, she scrambled up herself. The firm hands of Nick pulled her back before she got too close, but that didn't stop her from craning her head for a better view of the baby.

"Hey sweetheart," said Allie softly. "Meet your sister."

"Cor," said Mia looking down at the baby. "She's so red and wrinkly."

They all laughed.

Tallulah Imogen Kingston Buchanan had arrived into the world in her father's arms.

Nick hadn't even had time to ring for an ambulance. Within six minutes of walking in the door, his wife's waters had broke, he'd removed her pants, helped her up onto the bed, seen the baby crowning and then with four screams and pushes later, their baby arrived.

He hadn't quite known what to do when the little body had slipped into his hands. He'd found himself drawn to the red face, and didn't realise he was holding his breath until the baby opened her mouth and screamed indignantly.

He'd heard the accompanying relieved gasp of breath as Allie sobbed. The umbilical cord was cut and he reached for the small blanket from his wife's hospital bag behind him. Shifting, he raised his still crying baby – a baby girl some part of his mind told him – up into Allie's waiting arms. He found his vision blurred as he took a seat beside her and looked down.

Whatever feelings and worries he'd been harbouring had been pushed abruptly to the side the instant he'd walked in the door and saw Allie in labour. And even now as he looked at the baby girl crying in the love of his life's arms, he felt like he was on another planet, utterly removed from the situation. Reaching out a finger, he softly ran it down his daughter's damp cheek. The baby's cry became a whimper.

Turning his face up to Allie's, he saw the exhaustion and pain lining her features. Leaning forward, careful not to squish the bundle between them, he pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. Drawing back, he found himself at a loss for words. Words failing to come forth when he opened his mouth for the third time, he found himself laughing incredulously.

They were both laughing when the newest Buchanan squirmed and cried loudly, her little mouth seeking to feed.

It was hard to believe that it had happened less than twenty minutes ago. Watching his three girls now, Allie drawing Mia closer to her body as they looked down at baby Tali, the one thing that popped up into Nick's wired brain was that he was seriously outnumbered now. He wondered at the randomness of that thought as his mother-in-law ushered two ambulance officers in.

"Well, I hadn't exactly planned on a home birth," said Allie as she tried to prop herself up better against the clean pillowcase, wincing slightly as she felt the residual pain of birth. "But if everything is okay, then I don't think I'm quite ready to move again just yet."

Allegra Jayne Kingston Buchanan smiled softly as she ran her fingers through the soft hair of her eldest daughter. Ever since arriving home, Mia had refused to leave the room, enamoured with her baby sister. She'd fallen asleep a few minutes earlier, curled up in a ball on the bedspread, her fingers just a few centimetres short of Tali.

Turning her head to the doorway, Allie saw Nick flip his mobile close and step into the dull lit room. "That's the last of the notifications," he said softly. Dropping the mobile to the bedside table, he took a seat next to his wife.

Looking at where his two kids slept on the other side of her, he smiled gently. Feeling Allie's fingers threading through his hair he turned his face to his wife. Neither spoke any words as he leaned in and pressed his lips briefly to hers.

"I love you," said Nick seriously, his eyes on hers. Allie ran her thumb over his lips. He pressed a kiss into her palm as she replied, tears shimmering in her eyes. "I know." She drew him in for another kiss, pouring in all she felt for him.

They enjoyed a few minutes of quiet before Nick shifted. Gently patting Allie's leg, he rose from the bed. "Back in a moment," he promised softly.

Allie nodded in reply, watching as her husband moved around to the other side of the bed. He gingerly leaned down and eased his arms under Mia's sleeping form. She was mortified to find tears welling up in her eyes once again as she watched Nick carefully manoeuvring her daughter to rest against his shoulder, his arms holding her firmly in place. As he pressed a soothing kiss to Mia's crown when she shifted, and then left the room, Allie knew – and not for the first time – that she had gotten lucky.

Turning her head to the little body wrapped tightly in a blanket on the bedspread beside her, she shook her head wryly. It hadn't quite settled in yet, but she knew from experience the countless feedings and sleepless nights that stretched out before her. Before them, she mentally added with a yawn, raising her hand to her mouth belatedly.

Thinking of the visitors they would no doubt have to expect tomorrow, Allie noticed Tali's nose twitch. Mia had been the same, and when this action was followed by her eyes beginning to open blindly and her mouth opened with a loud cry, Allie reached for the top button of her shirt.

Next chapter: Epilogue.