I AM BACK! Uni is done and I don't have an internship yet so FIC TIME :D

xx


"What do you mean you found him?" Helen asked.

"Just that," came James' response from the handset. "They say he simply walked into the village without a shred of clothing on his back, bawling his eyes out. Marcus is an old friend and when he saw the boy, he called me."

"Why would he call you?" Helen put in as she began to open the nearest file. She had a feeling he was being purposefully cryptic but the fact that James Watson had picked up the phone to call her warranted a little more acceptance of said cryptic-ness. That and the morning sickness was easier to ignore if she could puzzle over him.

"You'll see why soon enough..."

"James..."

"I had no choice, Helen. Really, it was this or..."

"James?"

"I couldn't think of anyone else who would care for him."

"JAMES!" she almost yelled. "You better not be saying what I think you're saying or else I am going to have your head on a platter by morning."

"I'm sorry, Helen, I really am."

Before she could either let out a dismayed retort or another death threat, the door to her office swung open, her old friend cradling a sleeping child in his large arms.

"We shall talk later about your punishment, James," Helen told him curtly, hanging up before he could apologise again. Sneaky bastard. He knew her hormones too well and was using them to his own advantage. Lately, anything related to children made her teary and weepy, especially those horrid human interest programs that she knew for a fact were deadening to the brain. Just one look at wide, baby eyes and she was gone into a pile of weeping, woeful woman.

It really was disgusting. She'd never cried so much in her life.

And of course, what was her old friend carrying in his arms? A child. A beautiful, lightly snoring little boy. He had tufts of soft brown hair all over his head and his clothes didn't fit and all Helen wanted was to grab him up and hold him tight.

"Checked him over," her friend grunted as she moved around the desk. "Seems healthy, might wanna do a proper check up when he wakes."

Helen merely nodded, holding out her arms. On closer inspection, he wasn't a baby or even a toddler. He was bigger, perhaps six years old and, when Helen cradled him to her chest, he squirmed and sighed.

Breathing deeply, she moved to her sofa, dropping down carefully as she shifted the sleeping child. He was beautiful, she realised, all creamy skin and round cheeks. Running a finger over one cheek, she smiled, not hearing the click of the door as her friend left them alone.

Damn James, she thought absently. He knew she'd never be able to send him away now, not after holding his warm little body in her arms. She knew it was foolish and probably would be the end of her but she wanted him. She wanted to take this boy and raise him alongside the child growing within her.

She shifted him once again, trying not to jostle the boy too much but he awoke, eyelids fluttering open slowly to reveal soft grey blue eyes before the child looked up at her in pure fear. He stiffened momentarily before suddenly wailing, tears falling down his cheeks as he fought her grip.

"Shhh," Helen tried, holding him closer to his chest. "Shhhh, it's alright. You're safe, you're safe," she cooed. It took a minute or two but soon enough the boy quietened, shaking in her arms.

"You're safe," she said once more, pressing a kiss to his cheek. The boy merely blinked up at her, shying away from her touch ever so slightly.

"Do you have a name?" she asked, trying to soothe him still. He didn't respond, blinking again before shoving one fist into his mouth and sucking. Frowning, she smoothed over his flyaway hair.

"Well, we can't call you 'boy' now can we?" she said, sitting him up slightly on her lap. Cocking her head she thought for a moment. Naming a child had always seemed like a terribly frightening thing to do even with a newborn, let alone a child who had probably already been known by one name. More than that, the first names that came to mind were those of her old friends but, considering James' attitude, she could very safely cross his off the list. Briefly she considered naming him Nikola merely to annoy James but that seemed to childish even for her hormone flustered state.

And then she remembered the date.

"Henry," she whispered, looking down at the boy. Today ought to have been her brother's birthday but instead, for so many years it had marked an anniversary that had been almost too painful to remember.

She swallowed thickly.

"Henry," she said again, feeling more and more confident in her decision. "Henry."

And then he smiled.