Chapter 36
In These Arms

Lucas would always remember the moment their boy was born, the memory buried so deep in his mind and in his hear that it could not be pried loose. He would remember watching Maya as she did it all more than anything, as focused as he was on her the entire time. He'd had one arm around her shoulders as the other felt the grip of her hand in his, squeezing like a vice. As strong as her hold was, as much as he'd feel it in his hand and his fingers for a while, he knew it was nothing compared to what she had to be feeling. He could see it in her face, just as he could see her determination to push through it. He wouldn't have expected any less of her, and still he was just in awe of her. He would speak at her ear, encourage her as best he could. It wasn't so much the words as it was the fact that he was there, with her.

Across the bed, beholder of Maya's other hand, he could vaguely see Riley. She had not been prepared for how tightly Maya would squeeze that hand of hers, and it was possible she might have been biting in both her lips not to say a thing, knowing it was what her best friend needed in that moment.

Finally, there was the doctor, leading this whole thing like a conductor leading an orchestra. Maya was the star of the show in this, advancing toward her grand finale. Breathe, and push, and breathe… Lucas would listen, every time the woman would give them an update, anticipation growing, for the baby to be born as much as for Maya to be able to relax at last. She could see his head, and then his head was out, and a shoulder, and a shoulder again, and then the rest followed… and he was here… He was set over Maya a while, and then Lucas had gotten to cut his cord, and then they were checking him out…

Elliott Lucas Friar, born May 31st 2023, at 10:23pm, in Austin, Texas… Eight pounds exactly, twenty-one inches long… When the nurse had finished cleaning him up and examining him, she'd put the baby boy in his father's arms, assuring him that everything looked perfect.

Wrapped up in his blanket, he still looked and felt so small, but that wasn't what struck Lucas the most, as he held his son for the first time. All he could really think about was just how long he had waited for this moment, and now that it had come it truly seemed to him he'd been miles and miles away from just how strongly he would feel for this tiny human, just minutes into his brand new life. He had loved him already before he'd been born, of course, but now it was so much more. This was them… Him and Maya, together, in this small boy settled in his arms.

"Hey…" he spoke quietly, feeling like his whole head was seizing with the happy tears rumbling toward his eyes. "Remember me? We had some good talks, you and me, yeah? We're going to have a lot more, I promise," he went on, approaching the bed again.

Riley was simultaneously getting feeling back in her hand and handling Maya's camera to chronicle these moments for the new parents, as Lucas held the baby, and then as he passed him back into Maya's arms. They could tell just by looking at her that she'd be down for the count before long, after the day she'd had, the near thirteen hours between the moment she'd gone into labor and the one where she'd delivered the baby, but she was going to hold him first and exhaustion wouldn't take that from her.

She had no words. This was her son, Lucas' son, theirs… They had a child, a real, breathing, moving, fussing little human. They'd made him, watched him grow within her, and now he was here… She knew she needed to sleep, could feel her eyes resisting her attempts to keep them open, but oh, she just wanted to keep on looking at this little guy curled in her arms forever. She didn't have the words to express all that she felt, but she didn't think she needed them. Him and her, they'd shared a space long enough. Deep down, in his little newborn brain, he'd know… he'd know…

When she'd finally had to relinquish herself to sleep, she'd done so only after having passed the baby into his godmother's arms and watching the look of complete awe and love in Riley's face as she held him. And before letting Lucas go on to inform the mass of awaiting family and friends, she'd made one request of him.

"Got you covered," he'd promised, leaning in to kiss her softly.

"Knew you would," she replied in a sleepy smile.

"I love you so much…"

"After that, you better," she declared, making him laugh. "Love you, too, Pops." One more kiss, and one more look in at the baby in Riley's arms, and he stepped out of the room.

For a beat he just had to stop and stand there, like he'd just broken from the momentum of being carried on a wave. Solid ground again, new air… He took a deep breath, let it out. Pressing a hand to his heart, he could feel it beating against his chest. It was all still sinking in, like he would need to remind himself time and time again because it was just so unbelievable. He was a father… he had a son…

He must have looked so much like he'd been lopped upside the head a couple of times as he found his way to the waiting room. Suddenly, there were his parents, and Maya's parents, looking at him with great expectations for The News. All he had to do was smile, and then there was a cacophony of noise around him, and arms hugging him… He recognized them as his mother's more than anything, still swirling in his dizzy joy, and then it had been his father, and then Katy and Shawn at once, and then Zay was practically lifting him off his feet before relenting that he didn't have it in him.

"How are they, is everything…" Katy asked.

"Yeah, he's… he's wonderful…" was all Lucas could think to say. "And Maya did amazing. She fell asleep, finally." There was a flurry of questions at this. How big was the baby? Who did he look like? Could they see him? What was his name? "Maya asked me not to say anything yet."

"Why?" Cara Hart asked out loud what the whole of the eager visitors was likely thinking.

"She wants to be awake when it happens, to be part of it, so… you might have to wait until morning," Lucas revealed. He realized just then that, with everything that had happened after the birth, it had to be nearly midnight already. Maybe for that, there wasn't much complaint at their all having to head home and return in the morning to find out anything. They started to depart, some for home, others for a hotel. Staying behind, as was to be expected, were the new grandparents, Thomas and Melinda, and Katy and Shawn, and Kermit. Abigail, just as much a part of this group in their eyes, had left to take her children and Katy and Shawn's little ones back to the Hunter Hart house, where they'd be spending the night.

"You should go and get some rest, too," Lucas insisted, looking to the five of them standing before him. He looked to Katy, who really should be spending the night in a bed and not a hospital chair, putting all the chances on the side of her own unborn child, and to Kermit, who looked well enough now but had been known to collapse on them before… "I know you want to stay, but there's really no reason to. You're not supposed to see or know anything until morning. Don't you want to be refreshed for when you meet your grandson?"

"Oh, he's good," Thomas laughed, clapping his son on the shoulder. "Come on, Mel, yeah, come on," he told his wife, knowing she'd need plenty more coaxing to accept to go home just now. When she'd finally hugged Lucas and wished him a good night, he had a feeling they'd be back at the crack of dawn or as early as they'd be admitted.

"You call us if anything…" Shawn made him swear, and Lucas swore it. He watched him and Katy walk off, hand in hand, tired but happy.

Finally, it was just him and Kermit. The man looked at him, and Lucas knew he had no intention of going anywhere. It was right there in his eyes. He'd promised her he'd be here for this, and he was, and he wouldn't leave her, even for a night. He'd missed too much already.

"I can get you a pillow," Lucas offered.

"I'll be alright," Kermit insisted. "I've had worse. Our old couch, in New York... mine and Katy's… I slept on that more than a few times, and compared to that, this is a deluxe bed," he indicated the chairs. "You must be starving. I can go and get you something, you and Riley." Back in that room, with the baby… The fleeting thought made Lucas smile. More than anything, the mention of food made his stomach grumble as though to say 'yeah, remember me?' He hadn't eaten a thing since breakfast that morning, too focused on Maya, so focused in fact that he was just now realizing he'd left his crutches in the room and he'd just been hobbling along on his bandaged foot and one shoe for a while.

"Yeah, that might be a good idea," he nodded. "Thanks."

"No problem," Kermit smiled that smile that said he was just glad to be able to contribute. "I remember that look," he pointed to Lucas' face. "The day Maya was born, I don't think I stopped smiling for hours… Best day of my life…" His smile grew wistful for a beat, but he blinked and went on his way in search of food. He'd have to leave the hospital and return, as the cafeteria was closed and the vending machines were not ideal for the occasion.

In the meantime, Lucas had returned to Maya's room. She was still sound asleep, which was probably just as well. Whatever rest she could get before she'd have to wake up and feed the baby, he would do all he could not to interrupt. As for their sprout… their Elliott… there was not much of a peep out of him as Riley slowly paced the room with him in her arms. After Lucas quietly shut the door again, she walked up and carefully held out the bundle for him to take again, which he happily did.

"Everyone's gone home for the night," he whispered. "Almost everyone. Kermit went to get us something to eat," he explained, and he watched Riley remember her stomach, too. She was as hungry as he was. "Can you go and wait for him when he gets back?"

"Sure," Riley nodded. "The nurse came while you were out. She said Maya's going to need to…"

"I know," he assured her.

"He's so cute," she smiled back down to the baby. "He fell asleep in my arms not too long ago… Anyway, I'll go wait for Mr. Hart."

With Riley gone, it was just the three of them, Maya, the baby, and him, for the first time. His fiancée and his son both asleep, Lucas was starting to feel that day, too. He could have set the baby down, gotten some sleep, too, but he wouldn't have managed it even if he tried. Elliott was still brand new, enough that, after referring to him as the sprout for seven months, calling him by his name, the one they'd chosen for him after so much search and debate, still felt odd to him. That wasn't to say that the name didn't fit him. On the contrary, he looked at him now and it didn't matter that he wasn't even two hours old and so tiny… Lucas looked at him and the boy was absolutely an Elliott.

So he was here, with his brand new baby boy, and after months of reading and preparing for his arrival, he had too much on his brain to feel at ease leaving him unattended just yet. Besides, he couldn't think of anything he'd rather do, sleep or otherwise, than to sit with his sleeping son in his arms.

It was a good thing that Riley returned when she did, carrying the food Kermit had gone to get for them, because he'd been nodding off for a good five minutes.

"Club sandwiches and fries," Riley reported, as Lucas sat up and rubbed at his eyes before looking down to ensure Elliott still slept, then over to the bed to see that Maya did, too.

"Sounds great," Lucas yawned, like he wouldn't have eaten any and all things he could have been presented right about now. "Where's Kermit?"

"Waiting room." Of course he was. He was going to stay here all night, and no one could convince him to do otherwise. Riley wasn't going anywhere either, and as the only other person 'in the know' right now, it was just as well. She'd be his only shot at getting some sleep.

In the end, he'd finished eating and almost went to sleep in the next minute. Next thing he knew, he opened his eyes and it was morning. Riley was asleep in another of the chairs, and Elliott… Elliott was being cradled by his mother. Maya was wide awake now and so enthralled by their son that she didn't realize he was awake until he got up and yelped at the pain in his foot.

"You, pain meds, now," she whispered, pointing to her bag, where he'd left the bottle the night before.

"Flexing those mom muscles already," he smiled, limping his way over.

"You have no idea," Maya smiled. "I fed him while you were asleep."

"Yeah?" Lucas sat with her on the bed.

"Yeah. The nurse, Yvette, she came to wake me up a couple hours ago. I told Riley to go to sleep after that, she was dead on her feet."

"Did it go okay?"

"Went fine," she nodded. "I'd say it's the weirdest thing I've ever done, but I literally just pushed a human out of my own body not twelve hours ago, so, you know… Anyway, I stayed awake after that. This guy's been keeping me company," she beamed down to baby Elliott, looking like he was this close to falling asleep again.

"Big talker?" Lucas reached over to hold his hand, free of the blanket.

"Big listener, like his dad… and his granddad… and his great granddad… That's a Friar man for you," she grinned back at him.

When the nurse had woken her up, it had taken her a beat to remember it had all actually happened, that she wasn't having some intense fever dream. But then there was Yvette, with the baby in her arms, asking if she was ready to try feeding. She'd wanted to do it before, but she'd been so tired and out of it that they'd figured it'd be better to give her a few hours to sleep first. It had been the first time she'd gotten to hold him with her head feeling less wobbly post childbirth. He was fussing, and she could imagine why. Yvette had let her go about everything on her own, only intervening if Maya asked her to.

After the nurse had left again, with Lucas and Riley both asleep in their chairs, Maya had as good as some time one on one with her son, looking back at her, and much as she couldn't read the mind of newborns, she imagined he was looking at her like he was starting to understand who she was. Whether or not that was the case, it didn't matter. It was her scenario and she was sticking to it. She'd kept him close, his little warm body against hers, and she'd hummed and sung under her breath until he'd gone back to sleep, staying that way until not too long before Lucas woke.

"Speaking of Friar men," he kissed her temple. "I'm guessing there might be some of those out there waiting to meet this one, men and women and children of many different names, too."

"So long as they don't wake her," Maya nodded to the sleeping Riley.

"I'll let them know," Lucas chuckled, more than understanding and thankful to her for having stayed up with Elliott while he and Maya both slept earlier.

"Why does it smell like fries in here?" Maya asked as he'd gotten up and hopped to grab his crutches after taking his pain meds.

"Kermit went and got us dinner after the others left," he explained. At Maya's puzzled look, he explained how her father had spent the night in the waiting room. The knowledge left her with a new lift in her smile.

As expected, the waiting room had already started to fill up with the people he'd had to send home the night before. They hadn't all made it back yet, which he soon learned was on purpose. The others would come later, after lunch, the better to leave the families some time with the newborn. For now, he found his parents, and her parents – all four of them – along with his grandfather and her siblings, Hunter and Hart both.

There was still more to come as far as the Harts were concerned. Maya's grandmother, who had been living with her son and his family in New York ever since the fiasco of the visit with her grandfather, was presently visiting her daughter and granddaughters in Tucson. The plan had been for her to spend some time there before making her way to Austin in time for the birth of her first great grandchild, but then Elliott Friar had other ideas and had arrived early. Elizabeth, Luna, and her daughters would be flying in later that day.

"Are we good to go?" Shawn asked when Lucas came up to the group.

"Yeah, well…" he looked around, suddenly aware of how many of them there were. They couldn't all come in at once, that'd be too much…

"You go on ahead," Melinda turned to Katy and Shawn at this, surprising Lucas for how she'd seen through him but more so for the fact that she was volunteering not to be in the first group to see the baby. That was his mother through and through, wasn't it? You'd keep her in a box like she was predictably going to stay in it, and then she would be somewhere else entirely. She motioned for Katy to pass her MJ, and then, after promising the twins that they would get to see their nephew in a little while, Lucas led Katy and Shawn toward Maya's room.

"Alright, kid, here's the deal," Maya whispered to Elliott as they waited for whoever would come along. "There are going to be people coming to see you, a lot of people. They're all pretty great. I love them, and I'm sure you will, too, as you get older. But you're really, really young now, and small, and everything around you is new, and people might be kind of overwhelming for you, yeah? So, if you've had enough after a while, you give a shout, and I'm going to make them go away. We cool? If we're cool, just lie here and stare at me like you have no idea what I'm saying… Perfect," she smiled, tapping his open palm with her finger. "Totally counts as a high-five." She let out a breath. "How do I look? Presentable enough? I know they're here to see you, so just look real cute… yeah, like that, exactly… It'll all balance out, and how's that for team work? Wanna give me another one? Yeah?" she laughed, giving him another mini five.

TO BE CONTINUED

See you next week! - mooners