12- Don't Stop the Music
"She's making great progress." Dr Whale says, beaming at their child who they swear is grinning through the incubator that will soon not be necessary. She's put on several pounds in the last three weeks and is going from strength to strength.
They dare to hope as they hold onto her tiny finger.
"So? She can come home? They can come home?" David says scarcely believing what Whale is saying. It's been the longest three weeks of his life, with work, moving in/ setting up his mother's house and trips to see Emma and Mary-Margaret (who couldn't and wouldn't leave their daughters side) he was exhausted and desperate for his family back.
"Yes, all being well we can discharge her this afternoon."
"Oh My God." Mary-Margaret sobs looking the doctor and former beau in the eyes. "Thank you so much Victor."
"Pleasure, now what do you say to letting this little lady out?"
David clings to his wife instinctively as if it's all a dream that could be snatched away instantly. "Are you sure? I mean, she's still so tiny?" The young father asks concerned.
"She's ready and we'll do follow-ups on a monthly basis just to check on her development and adapt to whatever her abilities are."
"Do you think she could have a disability?" Mary-Margaret asks honestly. She knows they are ready for anything and love her no matter what but, they need to know.
"There is…" He sighs, "A higher chance considering she was premature of CP and other things but, there is just as much chance that she could not have anything at all. It's a waiting game."
"Okay," They say together as the doctor opens up the incubator, coos and then passes the excitable child over to her mother before leaving them.
"OH." "Oh I know, it's scary being out of the box, but, I promise we won't ever let you fall. We won't ever let you go." She pressed kisses to the side of her head marvelling at the fair hair growing by the minute. "Not ever." David interrupted catching her nose and putting it back.
Mary-Margaret turns them supporting Emma's head while failing to hold back joyful tears.
"We're coming home."
He presses his nose against hers and captures her lips, once, twice; so many times she loses count too ecstatic to care.
Emma's shrieks of joy pull them back.
"You're coming home." He sighs warmed by the mere thought.
He doesn't want to leave them but, he has to. To make it perfect for them.
Hours later.
"Closed, closed, keep them closed." He says as he leads them to the baby's room. "David, honey I can't really do that with our child in our arms."
"I've got you, you won't drop her." He assures her as he pushes the bedroom door open and guides them in.
"Okay open!"
Her eyes fly open instantly and what she sees, she loves.
A Snow White crib towards the end of the most perfect room she has ever seen. He's painted the walls a rose pink colour and hung up white wooden letters that spell out their daughter's name. E M MA. There's a changing table and the wardrobe they picked out and stuffed animals in the four corners of the room.
She takes it all in. The bookcase full of stories they will read to her, the photographs, even…. "OH"
"Look Emma." "Look at the pretty unicorns." She lowers her daughter into the crib so she can rest and marvel at the crystal blue glass unicorns that hang safely above her twinkling and shining in the sunlight. She tucks the woven blanket Granny made over her child and then turns her attention to her husband who is nervously awaiting the verdict of his toil.
"If you don't like it I can…"
She runs into him and crashes her lips to his. "Charming I love it! I love you." She murmurs pulling away to graze a finger lightly over his scar.
"I had help. Leroy, Archie and the boys and I managed to save some money before we got together…"
This makes her heart sore. "You saved for us before we even were an us?" She puts the pieces together.
"I knew I'd find you…" He whispers "It was just a matter of time."
"And the mobile?"
"My mother bought it for her. I found it in a chest when we were bequeathed the house."
They move as one over to the crib and watch as their precious baby kicks and shakes her fists at the air her first lamb bearing the brunt of her exploration.
"She's so perfect." Mary-Margaret sighs.
"Just like her mother."
They are interrupted by Phoebe coming in for a fuss. "Oh hi baby. Oh I missed you so much." She bends down and rubs her fur and kisses her head until she lies down tired out. "Have you come to watch over Em?" "Have you?" "You're the best dog ever."
She gets up slowly. "You know, it hurts a man to see his wife giving more love to their dog than him?" He teases catching her by the waist.
"Oh Charming, I'll make it up to you." She whispers.
"How?"
"In ways you could not even dream of. When we get a baby-sitter that is."
"I'll hold you to that."
Six weeks later Aunty Ruby lives up to her name.
He's dressed smartly, dapper in a black tux having waved their baby off for the night. He wants to take her out somewhere, dinner, dancing treat her like the Princess she is. If only she would come down the stairs.
"Mary-Margaret? Are you read…?" He starts but, is unable to finish his sentence as a vision appears before him. In a black, velvet dress that he's never seen before. It clings to every curve of her body, accentuating it all and if that's not enough to kill him she's wearing a gold necklace with a peridot heart that matches her glistening engagement ring.
For a moment he forgets to breathe as she glides slowly down the steps her white and red rimmed heels acting as glass slippers.
"Will I do?"
"Oh yes." He can smell her perfume as he takes her in his arms and they twirl around the floor. Suddenly not in a rush to go anywhere.
"Do you want to go out?" He murmurs between kisses.
"No?" She nods like a child, innocent and pure.
"Then why?"
"Because I wanted to dance with my husband with nobody around to stop the music."
"I don't hear anything." He gasps as he kisses her neck missing her touch.
"You are the music."
In their minds they hear their song. A soft melody that starts of slow and unsure but, rises with the magic of the tempo. It's their song. And it won't ever end.
Hello! Ah I hope you don't hate me but, I have reached the end of this particular story. Thank you so much for all your follows and favs and reviews. I adore you all. xxx