A Picture's Worth Ch. 16

Date: 04.03.2010

Keywords: Picture's, Ch., 16, A, Worth,

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"She's just fine. You can go see her right now, in fact."

Alastair blanched. "What if she's mad at me for not being there?"

Gabriel threw up his hands and rolled his eyes. Bea, who had also been there through the whole birth, chuckled. She handed her camera to Ethan and rose from the chair. He caught her hand, drawing it to his mouth and giving her knuckles a light kiss, then released her. Smiling to herself, Bea approached Alastair and put an arm around him casually. He looked down—all the way down, for he was a good deal taller—at her and smiled nervously.

"She's pretty pissed at me for wielding the video camera," Bea told him. "I'll go with you...then at least she won't be able to decide who to be mad at."

Alastair laughed at that. He looked a little reassured, but not much. Bea remembered pretty easily which room Sada was in, so she began leading him down the hall. To her surprise he stopped halfway down and turned to stare impatiently over his shoulder. What the heck? Bea wondered, peering around him curiously. Her eyebrows rose when she saw Quinn coming down the hall. He managed to keep his face expressionless, but she knew how much it must have meant to him, that Alastair thought to invite him along. He'd be the only one who hadn't seen the baby, otherwise.

"Well...here we are," Alastair said, as they paused outside the door of the hospital room. "So um...I uh...is it a boy or a girl...? No one would tell me."

"Stop stalling and go see for yourself," Bea teased, giving him a push towards the door. "We'll follow in a minute, dad."

"But...but you said..." Alastair protested weakly, even as he headed into the room.

Quinn looked at her, eyebrows raised, but he didn't say anything. He was smart enough to realize that Sada and Alastair should have at least a few minutes alone. Damnit, Bea thought, biting her lip. The photographer in me is so pissed at not being able to capture this moment. No doubt it would be touching, Alastair seeing the baby for the first time. And she truly doubted that Sada was going to be angry. When they'd left her she'd been tired but very happy.

"Pretty exciting," Quinn said quietly. He stared off down the hall, affecting a stance that was all too familiar to her.

Bea sighed. "Quinn, today is not the day for the jealous brother act," she told him.

"I'm not jealous!" Quinn retorted, looking at her sharply. His shoulder slumped. "Well, maybe I am...but it's not like...it's not quite like that...I mean..."

"I understand," Bea said softly.

And she did, too. She and Quinn had always connected on some level, no doubt because of the similarities in their pasts. It had been that very thing that had started up their relationship. Odd, to think that I could have been the one with him, Bea thought, leaning against the wall just outside the door. Maybe if circumstances were a little different... But they weren't, and now both of them had someone in their lives who was too important to let go of.

"I don't think she wants to have a family with me," Quinn said quietly.

"She does," Bea assured him. "Trust me...talk to her first, okay? And now, Uncle Quinn, let's go meet your niece."

"A girl?" Quinn asked, as she pushed him through the door. "Really?"

Bea hung back and watched him approach the hospital bed. Alastair was sitting on the edge of the bed, one arm around Sada, his head resting against hers. I feel a bit like I'm intruding, she thought, but I can't help it. It was hard not to watch. Alastair looked up as Quinn approached, and she caught a glimpse of his eyes, brightly lit and glossy. If he looked like he'd been crying, no one said anything about it. He always was a big baby, Bea thought, smiling. She could feel tears stinging her eyes, too.

Alastair beckoned her over, as well. She went over and perched on the edge of the bed, watching as Quinn carefully took the baby from Sada. I think the world is ending, Bea thought. Seeing these two like this...god, they've changed. It was amazing that only a few years ago Alastair had been reckless and irresponsible and Quinn had been reclusive and bitter.

"So, what are you going to name her?" Bea asked. She could see the baby's bright green eyes clearly from where she sat.

"Odelia," Alastair and Sada answered together.

Bea raised her eyebrows and looked at Quinn. "Dare I ask?"

"They're only going to get more annoyingly lovey-dovey as the minutes tick on," Quinn answered distractedly. He was busy trying to very carefully extract his finger from Odelia's. "Might as well, but be prepared for stomach churning cotton candy sweetness."

Alastair gave his brother an amused look, then turned back to Bea. "From Swan Lake," he explained. "It was my first ballet."

"And mine," Sada added, grinning. "For awhile I hated it, because of what happened when I was younger. But I might not have met Alastair if it wasn't for that very disastrous Swan Lake performance."

"Okay, my turn, Uncle Quinn," Bea teased.

She went around to his side of the bed and he shifted Odelia carefully—and reluctantly, it seemed—into her arms. You are one lucky baby, Bea thought, staring down into her wide green eyes. What I wouldn't give to be as lucky as you. Then again, maybe she was, in the end. Her real parents had been lousy, but Gabriel and Aislinn were the best surrogate parents a girl could hope for. And if her life had been different, Bea wouldn't be here now, sharing this moment.

She and Quinn left shortly after that, to give them a bit more time alone. It was easy to see that Sada was exhausted and needed to get some rest. They found the waiting room still full of Wolfe family members. Surprisingly, Quinn went straight to Xandri. He whispered something in her ear and she rose, following him out of the waiting room. Doesn't waste time, does he? Bea thought, as she headed back towards Ethan. When she reached him he set her camera aside and pulled her down into his lap.

"You look like you need sleep," Ethan said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Why don't you stay at my place tonight, hmm?"

"You are a saint," Bea told him. She sank against him wearily.

"So, how was it?" Ethan asked. "Did they name her?"

Suddenly all attention was on the two of them. "Odelia," Bea said, laughing. "They named her Odelia."

"She's going to hate them for that when she's a teenager," Alanna said, grinning.

Bea chuckled. For as long as she could remember she had hated her parents for naming her Beatrice. Overall, Odelia wasn't really that bad, even if it was rather unusual. No doubt the most trouble she'd have would be teachers who couldn't spell it or pronounce it. Much better than having that popular, overly developed girl call you 'Beatle-trice', Bea thought wryly. Nothing sucks more than being a chubby prepubescent kid with a lousy name.

"It's probably time we got going," Gabriel said, rising from his chair. "At least for a little while. Prepare for the homecoming and all."

"Not to mention everyone is probably tired and hungry," Aislinn added. "And I'm sure the rest of the family is curious about what's going on."

"Let's go, then," Ethan said. He helped Bea from his lap and stood, gathering her video camera for her. It was ever so nice to have someone to lean against. The day was catching up with her, along with the fact that she hadn't slept in more than twenty-four hours.

"Ethan!"

Startled, they both looked up to see a tall, brunette woman running towards them. Bea blinked, at first uncertain; then she realized it really was Jill. Shouts followed her, nurses, doctors and staff all annoyed by the disturbance, but that didn't stop her. Looking at her, Bea couldn't help a feeling of dread. As soon as Jill was close enough, she saw that the other woman's eyes were red and puffy from crying.

"What's wrong?" Ethan asked, taking her by the shoulders. "Jill...hey, look at me."

"It's...it's Aria," she stammered, her voice choked. "She...oh, Ethan, you have to come!"

"What...Jill, tell me what's wrong!" Ethan exclaimed.

"Just come on," Jill insisted, tugging on him.

Ethan glanced back at Bea for a moment, then followed Jill down the hall. Oh god, Bea thought, sinking down into a chair. Now what? She didn't know if she could deal with more pain. Looking up, she saw Gabriel watching her, his dark eyes full of concern. He and Aislinn sat down at either side of her. She found herself glad that they, at least, hadn't left yet. I just need a minute, Bea thought, sucking in a deep breath. Just a minute...then I have to go find out what's wrong.

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Keywords: Picture's, Ch., 16, A, Worth,


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