Chapter Two

2nd September 2013

Gabriella opened her eyes slowly. She rubbed her eyes tiredly. A small cry was coming from the bassinet beside her. She pulled the covers back and placed her feet on the ground. A small moan came from her husband, as she pushed to stand and wandered over to look at the small baby.

"It's 4am," Troy whined from behind her "She was just up at," Troy sat up to look at the digital clock on the bedside table, "1am for a feeding."

Gabriella chuckled as she lifted the baby girl into her arms. Hayden twisted, immediately going for food, then screeching out when she couldn't get it. Gabi sat down on the bed crossed legged and placed the baby down in front of her. She adjusted her tank top, then unwrapped Hayden from her swaddle before she brought the girl to her breast.

Hayden latched on and suckled immediately, her blue eyes looking up at Gabriella. Gabi watched her daughter for a moment, before she turned her head to look at her Husband who was now sat upright and was playing flappy bird on his iphone. "Really Troy?" she questioned as the bird hit the pipe and fell to the ground.

Giving a heavy sigh, Troy quit the game and locked his phone, setting it on the bed beside him. He then glanced to his wife, pecking her cheek quickly before he looked down at his daughter who's blue eyes were fixed on him. She smirked against Gabriella's breast, before she kicked her leg out. "She needs to focus Troy," Gabi chuckled.

Troy raised his arms in defence. "Wasn't me," he said reaching over for his phone. Gabriella chuckled from beside him. "She's watching you," She commented.

"Probably making sure I don't tickle her." Troy said as he gently tickled her foot.

Hayden jerked and pulled her legs into her body. She pulled away from Gabi before she started to cry. "You weren't meant to do that!" Troy commented as Gabriella raised the girl to the shoulder. She kissed the girls temple and she started to rub her back. Hayden's cries subsided and a small burp passed through her lips. "There we go sweetheart," Gabriella cooed, "Do you want some more?" She brought the girl to her other breast and she latched on quickly.

Troy shifted from the bed and he stood up. "Do you want a glass of water Brie?" he asked as he slipped on his slippers. Gabi nodded and looked down at Hayden. who's eyes were drooping shut. "Troy, don't take what just happened to heart. She a baby and you just startled her."

"I know. Now I'll go get you a drink and when I get back, I can burp her for you whilst you get some sleep. We've got a long drive home tomorrow evening after your parents visit." He kissed her forehead before he slipped out the door.

Oscar came bounding into the room as Gabi adjusted Hayden again. The spaniel jumped up onto the bed by his mistresses feet. Gabi reached out to pet the dog who slowly made his way up the bed to inspect the baby cradled in Gabriella's arms. He sniffed the small child, who in response curled her body away from him and into her mother. The dog let out a small excited bark, before he curled up on Troy's side of the bed. Gabriella watching with a small chuckle.

Troy re-entered the room, and he frowned when he saw the small spaniel puppy occupying his side of the bed. He put down Gabriella's glass of water on her bedside table, before he walked round and stood beside his side of the bed. "Oscar," He warned as the puppy barked excitedly. Troy crawled onto the bed as the spaniel jumped all over him. He played for a few minutes, before he saw Gabriella readjust her tank top. "Give her here Brie," he said quietly. "You get some sleep."

Gabriella passed Hayden over to Troy and she watched as he raised the infant to his shoulder to burp her. Gabriella slid down under the covers and she watched him until her eyes grew heavy and she fell asleep.

Gabriella was sat at the breakfast bar, a sleepy, but awake Hayden cradled in her arms when her parents turned up. Gabi smiled as her mother entered the room giving a small squeal at the sight of her daughter and granddaughter together.

"Look at you," Maria exclaimed as Gabi handed Hayden over to her. Watching as her mother cradled her daughter gently in her arms. Hayden looked up at Maria before she frowned and her eyes fluttered closed. "You look just like your mummy." Maria lifted her head to look at her daughter. "Mi hija, she's beautiful." she said as she pulled Gabriella into a hug.

Troy appeared with Greg Montez following behind, and he chuckled as he saw Hayden in his mother-in-laws arms. He stood behind Gabriella, wrapping his arms around her waist before he dropped a kiss into her curls. "Troy, she's gorgeous." Greg said as he looked over at his sleeping granddaughter. "How was she last night?" he asked as Maria passed the baby over and the family made their way into the living room.

"She got up every three hours for a feeding," Gabriella said. "Apart from that it was a fairly easy night which kind of scares me a little bit." Troy chuckled and sat down next to his wife. "Are you guys staying at the palace or are you going to drive back to Dorset?" Maria asked as she poured a drink from the tea pot that had been placed on the coffee table. "We're thinking of going back down to Dorset tonight. We just think it will be better for Hayden and we just want time as a family." Troy said honestly as he took Gabriella's hand and laced their fingers together. "Also a lot of our baby stuff is down at the house in Dorset so it had always been planned." Gabi told her parents who were smiling at the couple.

They sat and talked for a while, making plans about visits and days out, before Hayden squirmed about in Greg's arms. "She's really not happy about that," Maria teased as Hayden let out a small cry. Greg stood up and tried to hush the baby as he passed her over to Gabriella.

Once in Gabi's arms Hayden turned her head to Gabi's breast and she cried again. "Alright sweetheart," Gabriella said soothingly as she carefully stood. "Hayden just needs to eat again, we won't be long." She said as she left the room.

As she left, the front door was heard and Oscar began to bark excitedly. Greg and Maria looked at Troy who smiled. "It's my parents." He told them as he rose to greet his Dad who strolled into the room. "Sorry Son," Jack apologised. "But your mother wanted to see her granddaughter again before you left for Dorset."

Troy shook his head chuckling. "Gabi's just taken her to feed her. Greg and Maria are here," he said motioning to Gabriella's parents that were beginning to stand to greet the royal couple.

Maria stood and greeted Jack and Lucille, engaging into a conversation with them for a while. After a while she watched as the boys engaged into a conversation about basketball, and Lucille got down to pet the dog. She turned her head and frowned as she heard her daughter call out for her husband, but he was too busy to notice. The calling then stopped for a while, before she started again this time calling her name.

"Momma!"

Maria smiled and excused herself from the room, following the sounds of Gabriella's calls down the hall.

"Mum!"

She knocked on the bedroom door, before she pushed it open. She smiled at the sight of Gabriella breastfeeding her daughter. "You okay Gabi?" she asked as she sat on the end of the bed.

"This is going to sound stupid, but I really need to loo and was wandering if you could burp her for me once she's done."

Maria smiled. "I'd love to sweetie." Gabriella took the while burp rag off her shoulder and tossed it to her mother. "Lucille and Jack are here." Maria told Gabi as Hayden finished suckling and she was passed to Maria, who raised the girl to her shoulder and began to pat at her back. Gabi fixed her top before she stood. "Thanks momma," she smiled. "You can take her to the living room once she's done." then she made a dash for the bathroom, the door slamming behind her.

The slam of the door startled the baby girl at Maria's shoulder, and she laughed as the baby tensed before her small body relaxed and she released a burp. "Come on Princess, lets go find your Daddy."

Maria entered the living room, Hayden still on her shoulder. The baby girl tensed again once she heard Troy's voice, then she let out a cry. Troy turned from the conversation and he went to get Hayden from his mother-in-law. "Hiya sweet girl," he cooed as he kissed her forehead and held her to his chest. "Where's Gabi?" he directed at Maria.

Maria sat on the sofa and looked back at Troy. "She went to the bathroom." Troy nodded and went back to join in his conversation. Lucille came over after a while and Troy looked down at his now sleeping daughter. "Grandma's going to steal you from me." he then passed her over as Gabriella came into the room. "Hello Lucy, Jack." she greeted as she moved to stand by Troy who wrapped his arms around her and dropped a kiss to her temple.

"I was just thinking," Gabriella muttered to Troy. "If we feed her later, then we can drive down to Dorset and she can sleep in her car seat." Troy buried his nose into her hair and he grinned. "Sounds good," He said. "I can't wait to see the gang again." Gabriella laughed. "Neither can I."