Chapter 67: Chapter 67

"Lion's are known for their strength and their fearless personalities. Do you know how far a daddy lion will go to protect his cub? He'll fight till the end, till he knows his baby is safe and sound. The Mummy lion isn't far behind, she's always there to look after Daddy and their baby. Do you want to know what sound a lion makes?" Jake says quietly, his head hung low as he cradles our little girl in his arms.

I'm leaning against the door frame of the hospital room, watching both of them with a smile on my face.

"Rawr." He whispers, sounding anything but fierce. He leans down and places a gentle kiss on her forehead and she stirs in his arms, almost like she's cuddling into him further.

"I could stand here and watch you with her for days."

The sound of my voice causes Jake to glance upwards, his eyes lit with a shimmer of happiness. The smile on his face is infectious and I find myself unable to keep the grin off my face.

"She's amazing," Jake says in awe, stealing another quick glance at her. He stands up and places her down gently inside the cot beside my bed. I walk over to him, wincing slightly from the uncomfortable pain inside my stomach. Jake is immediately by my side, guiding me towards my bed.

"Did the shower make you feel any better?" He asks, worry in his voice. I nod my head, tucking my damp hair behind my ear to get it away from my face. I'm freshly showered, dressed in a clean pyjama top and shorts.

"I feel like a new person," I smile, groaning in discomfort as I lower myself back down onto the bed. Jake wraps his arm around my waist, his eyebrows knitted together in concern.

"I hate that you're in pain and I can't do anything."

"I've just pushed a baby out of myself and lost half of my blood supply, it's going to take a while Jake." I explain to him, trying to lighten the situation. His eyes darken at the mention of my pain and he lies beside me, letting me rest my head on his shoulder.

"When are the others coming to see me?" I ask, looking up at him from under my lashes. His dark hair is tousled messily on top of his head but he still looks perfect to me.

"Visiting times. Won't be for another hour or two." Jake murmurs, pressing his lips against the side of my temple. I let out a content sigh, both of us glancing in the direction of where our baby sleeps. We're both mesmerised by the sight of her, unable to keep our eyes off her for longer than a few minutes.

"Isabella?" I say out loud. Beside me, Jake shakes his head. I pause for a moment before nodding, agreeing with him.

"Too girly?" I ask and he grins down at me before shrugging.

"She's half you and half me Muffin. That little girl is definitely not going to be a girly girl. She'll be the toughest little sweetheart out there." Jake smiles, his blue eyes lighting up. I let out a chuckle, totally agreeing with his words.

"Tamara?" I suggest but immediately regret it. Jake scrunches his face up, shaking his head continuously.

"I had a Aunt Tamara. She used to smell like leaves and herbal tea."

"That's a definite no-no." I giggle before letting out a frustrated sigh.

"I have no idea." I groan, turning to look at her. She's so beautiful and peaceful in her sleep, her little eyelids fluttering every now and then.

"We have to call her something soon. Right now, she's just baby."

Beside me, Jake drifts off into a deep thought.

"What are you thinking?" I ask him, eager to know what's running through his head. Jake turns to look at me, a small smile playing on his lips. His eyebrows are slightly knitted together, appearing deep in though. He shakes his head before clearing his throat, the colour returning back to his cheeks.

"Ruby."

He turns to look at me, waiting for my reaction. My eyebrows raise in surprise and I frown, thinking hard about the name.

"Ruby?" I question. He nods.

"Ruby." I repeat, the name rolling off my tongue easily. I love how it sounds, feminine but strong. My lips twitch upwards into a smile and I nod, agreeing with him.

"I like Ruby," I say excitedly, clapping my hands together. Jake chuckles quietly at me, his arm snaking around my shoulders.

"I think it's perfect."

His words are quiet but full of joy as his eyes drift back over to Ruby who's sleeping peacefully, oblivious to the fact we'd just chosen her name.

*****

"Oh my god, isn't she just the cutest thing ever?" Trish whispers, her hands covering her mouth in shock. Ivory is standing beside her, her eyes filling up with tears as she silently takes in the picture of me holding Ruby.

"I told you, didn't I?" Ivory says quietly, quickly glancing up at me before her eyes fall back on Ruby. I nod my head, knowing exactly what she's talking about.

"I told you you'd be an amazing mum," Ivory repeats my thoughts, walking over to me and embracing me carefully. I close my eyes, the warmth inside my stomach spreading throughout my body. Ivory takes a step back and walks over to Jake, wrapping her arms around him as best as she could.

"Congratulations Cousin, you're officially a Dad!"

Jake chuckles, returning her embrace. I look up at Trish who's still staring at me, barely blinking.

"I think she wants to meet her Aunty Trish," I say quietly, giving her a encouraging smile. Trish's eyes widen at my words and she opens her mouth to reply but quickly shuts it again.

I suppress my laughter, this is the first time I've seen Trish speechless. I motion for her to walk towards me and she does, taking slow steps. Her eyes never leave Ruby, widening further the closer she gets.

"Oh - my - gosh," she whispers, reaching forward to touch her. Before she does, her hand freezes and she looks up at me like a deer caught in headlights.

"Can I stroke her hair?" She asks me quietly, her words a hushed whisper so she doesn't wake the baby. I nod and watch as she gently runs her fingers down Ruby's thick dark locks.

"Her hair is so soft," Trish whispers, her smile widening into a full blown grin. Beside me, Jake slides his arm around my shoulders, looking down at perfection lying in my arms.

"Isn't she perfect?" Jake asks Trish and Ivory, already acting like the doting father I knew he'd become. Both of them nod, slightly taken aback by the latest addition to the family.

Moments pass and a comfortable silence falls upon the four of us, five if you count Ruby. My eyes begin to grow heavy and I lean further back into my pillows, feeling drowsy from the medication. Jake silently leans over me, taking Ruby from my arms. She doesn't wake and I murmur a thanks to him, my body numbing out the painful throbs in various places. I faintly see Jake place Ruby down into the cot beside me, making sure she's comfortable and safe. Trish and Ivory are already leaving the room, allowing me to close my eyes and rest.

"Sweet dreams Muffin," Jake whispers, placing a soft kiss on my lips. His scent ravels around me and I sigh contently, the feeling of his lips still tingling on mine. I hear the door faintly shut as Ruby and I are left alone to nap together, exhausted from the day's simple events.

*****

The door opens slowly, pulling me out of my sleep. I let out a small groan of discomfort and glance up to meet eyes with Tobias. He standing by the door, his chest rising and falling steadily. His dark hair is combed back, brown eyes light and intense as always. A faint line of stubble covers his jaw line and he's dressed in all black, clutching a bouquet of baby pink flowers.

My lips immediately turn up into a smile.

"Hey T," I whisper, glancing over to check Ruby is still sleeping. My smile widens as I notice her little chest is rising and falling as she sleeps soundly. I look back at Tobias and notice he's in the exact same place, his feet glued to the spot.

"Tobias?" I ask quietly, snapping him out of his daze. His eyes are locked on Ruby, his face expressionless. I don't know what he's thinking or feeling. He's always been a closed book.

"My god. She's beautiful."

He takes a few steps forward, his eyes never leaving her tiny form. I watch, my heart squeezing with love as he stands by her cot, looking down. He blinks a few times, his dark lashes fluttering. And then, his lips stretch out into a smile. A wide toothy heart stopping smile. Tobias and Jake both have the ability to claim hearts with that smile.

"She's the definition of purity and innocence. I can't believe she's real." Tobias whispers, loud enough for me to hear.

"Go ahead, hold her." I encourage him, storing all the memories away in the back of my head to tell Ruby once she's older. I want to let her know how loved she is, how taken aback and amazed her family are from her existence.

Tobias lets out a hesitated breath before he places the flowers down onto the bed, reaching over to lift her out. His hand supports the back of her head and the other is wrapped securely around her body. She lets out a few murmurs in disagreement due to being waken. His eyes widen and he looks up at me like a timid child, afraid he's done something wrong. I shake my head —

"It's fine, she's just waking up."

I smile at his concern. He lets out a relieved sigh before looking down at her, holding her close. His lips stretch out into a wide smile again. "She's so small, I'm scared I'll hurt her."

"I find it hard to believe you'd hurt her Tobias."

His head snaps up to meet my eyes and he gives me a thankful smile, his eyes lightening.

"Thanks for giving me a chance Emily. Many wouldn't."

"You're her uncle. I want you to be in her life forever, you deserve love just as much as anyone else does Tobias." I say quietly, stroking my fingers over the delicate petals. They feel so soft and smooth under my fingertips.

"Is it bad that I think of what would have been if Jake didn't meet you first?" Tobias says quietly, his gaze still locked on Ruby. I suck in a breath and pause for a moment, wanting to word my reply right.

"Me and Jake share a connection. I don't know how to explain it to you, it's like magnets. Even if I did meet you first Tobias, I still would have fallen in love with Jake. It was inevitable. He completes me." I explain. Hurt flashes across his features for a split second before he nods, accepting my words.

"I do love you Tobias. I always will but you're my family. I know you finally accept that now."

"I do." Tobias responds almost instantly, his eyes looking up to meet mine. "I really do, I know you can't be mine. I've accepted that. I think I'm happy just having you in my life Emily. Now, I have this little one too."

"Yes, you do. You're going to make the best uncle." I say truthfully. His expression softens and he walks forward, taking my hand in his free one. The other is wrapped around Ruby, holding her close. I watch as he lifts my hand up to his lips, brushing them against my skin. He allows his lips to linger before slowly dropping my hand back down, looking up at me from under his thick lashes.

"Thank you, over and over again."