Piper ~ H.S

~Chapter 101~

A/N: SOOO SORRY for leaving you all on a cliffhanger for this long!! Things have been crazy. Let's not waste anymore time leshgoooo

It never changes.

It doesn't matter how many times it happens, the feeling never, ever changes.

The feeling you get when you hear the cry of your newborn child is quite possibly the most beautiful thing ever. And you never, ever forget that feeling.

As soon as the nurse showed my newborn daughter to me for the very first time, I burst into tears. All this time I'd been waiting to meet her, and she was finally here. I could hardly believe it.

I was tearfully smiling from ear to ear as my eyes refused to tear away from the beautiful little miracle crying in my arms. Just like with Piper, the sound of it was music to my ears.

"Oh my God..." my voice wobbled as I let out a sob, "my beautiful little girl..."

As I looked down at her, everything else completely clouded around me. Every sight, every sound was a total blur...except for my daughter's face, and the sound of her cries. For one perfect, beautiful moment...it felt like me and her were the only two people in the world.

"Leah..." my brother's trembling voice softly broke into my dazed mind, "Leah, she's bloody gorgeous."

"Isn't she?" I chuckled and gently stroked her head, "There there, my darling. It's alright. You're alright," I closed my eyes and relished the feeling as I pressed my lips against her soft forehead, "welcome to the world..."

"Should I get Anne and Ashley?" Aidan asked.

"Yes. Please," I immediately nodded, "they have to meet her. She's perfect."

Aidan nodded back and quickly ran to the hospital door to poke his head through and rush Anne and Ashley inside. As soon as the two of them entered the room, they both gasped.

"Oh...Leah..." Ashley was the first to speak, "oh my God...she's just the sweetest!"

Too tired to reply properly, I responded with a soft smile before slowly looking up at Anne.

She was at a complete loss for words. Both of her hands were clasped together over her mouth, and I could see that tears were already starting to slide down her cheeks. She was trying to hold it all together, but I could tell she was struggling just as much as I was. And I didn't blame her at all. I wasn't the only one who'd been here before.

"Anne," I smiled again, "meet your granddaughter."

"Leah..." her voice immediately broke, "darling, she's so beautiful...oh, I wish Harry was here..."

"He'll be here soon," my smile grew, "I know he will."

Anne smiled back and nodded in agreement. "Can I...have a cuddle?"

"Of course. She's settled down now," I replied without hesitation, "better do it while you can - it won't be long before she starts crying again looking for a feed," I chuckled.

Anne chuckled as well before carefully and gently lifting my daughter out of my arms and into hers. She softly cradled the baby girl as she began to fuss a little. And as soon as she settled down into Anne's arms, her whole face immediately lit up.

"Hello," she whispered to the little girl happily, "hello, lovely girl. You're such a doll, aren't you? So perfect..."

Seeing my baby girl in Anne's arms took me to a whole new level of stupor and haze. Just a few hours ago, she was still happily curled up inside me, and now she's ready to face the world. Seeing her physical form, lying in Anne's arms like that...it all felt so surreal to me.