Sorry it's been so long. I know this chapter is rather short but… well. There is something happening, at last. ;)
When he carefully placed his newborn son into Beth's waiting arms, Jamie forgot everything that had been before. What had he been worried about two minutes ago? What had he feared so badly?
Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing but the world exploding in gold light and warmth, and in a feeling so sweet and strong it closed up his throat with tears of grace.
His family.
Unable to say a word he sat down at the bed, his eyes magnetically pulled to the baby sleeping soundly, gently rocked by his mother. Thomas' mother, his wife who was alive and beaming with joy and love. As he looked at her Jamie realized that words were not necessary. Not now.
He wrapped his arms around Beth and Thomas, resting his forehead against hers as he kissed her. Her lips shivered and for a moment the meanwhile familiar panic whirled up in Jamie's stomach, but then he realized Beth was laughing. Silently to not wake the bundle of joy nestled against her skin but she laughed. "He's perfect."
Jamie smiled too, then kissed her again. "I know."
"Thank you."
"I did nothing."
Beth frowned but for once the overwhelming joy remained in her face. She looked at Thomas again, and Jamie's lips travelled down her neck to her shoulders. "But I will do everything to make sure he is safe and happy."
"Me too." Beth turned her head to meet her husband's forehead with her own. "You saved my life, Jamie. And protected his. And started it, if I may remind you." The teasing protest in her voice made him laugh louder, and Thomas sleepily opened one eye.
Beth turned around again. "Hey, Thomas. It's just your dad." She stroked the baby's cheeks. "He's the best man in the world, by the way, just a little crazy sometimes."
"Hey! I'm not half as crazy as your mother is. It takes a lot of… it takes a lot to survive in a pack of Reagans."
Beth giggled. "You know I'm going to tell Danny about that."
Jamie shook his head and looked at his son who had fallen asleep again. "I don't think he'll care. Or that I care. All I think is… how much I love you both."
"And we love you."
Ten days later, Thomas Joseph Reagan left the hospital in the arms of his proud father while Beth followed, beaming. It was a crisp cold beautiful New York morning.
"I missed Sunday dinner, you know."
"And we missed you." Jamie stopped to move his son in an upright position and kissed him. "Nicki's been having a hard time lately. I think Jack grows up."
He never got to know how exactly it happened. It was so fast, and he was held spellbound by his son's eyes, and he was so overall happy that it had made him careless.
But then tires screamed, brakes smoked and glass was broken.
And Beth lay on the ground, two meters away from where he had last seen her. Her face was turned down, her hair soaked in a puddle of blood. Blood that poured out of her smashed skull.