What Comes Next?

Chapter 34: D Day

Timeskip to March 5th

Ben's PoV:

Despite everything that had happened, despite the fact that we had faced yet another threat and had emerged victorious, for the moment, life had settled back into a sense of normality and familiarity. I had gone back to being a King, actually concerned with the day-to-day functions of the kingdom. Mal had settled back into being Queen, while at the same time, enduring the last few months of her pregnancy. Jane and Carlos, Audrey and Harry, Lonnie and Jayy, they all were in wedding planning mode, some farther along than others.
Overall, the world had gone back to what it should have been. A simple life of ruling, starting a family and enjoying the time with our friends. This is what my everyday life should be. Not worrying about villains harming my wife, not concerning myself with petty disputes on the Isle. Just me, my wife and our child. That was my number one priority. Unfortunately that wasn't my life.
Mal was due to give birth any day now, and the closer her delivery date approached, the more nervous I became. I was going to become a father.... What kind of father would I be? Would I live up to the lofty expectations that I had set upon myself? Would I be a great father like my own?
I had asked my father if he was nervous when Aiden had first been born and to my surprise, he had answered that he was terrified.
          "Son, it's normal to feel what you're feeling. Every father wonders if he will be up to the challenge of being a capable father. Every father wonders if he will make his child proud of him. In the end, those fears will not go away. You will always wonder if you are doing right by your child. But, as long as you love them, protect them, help them grow into the best version of themselves, you've been a good father."
As for Mal, I knew she was both nervous and excited. Like me, she was excited to become a parent. She was ready for child playdates with her and Evie, and I already got the feeling that those two children would get into all sorts of trouble and mischief someday. But, Mal had the same worries I did, only worse.
Afterall, her mother was Maleficent and her mother hadn't been the greatest of mothers, to say the least. Mal knew that it wasn't going to be a high bar to clear to be a better mother than Maleficent had been, but I think she also worried that despite her best efforts, she would turn out like her mother.
She had been spending a lot of time with Evie and my mom, getting reassurances from the both of them that she would be a fabulous mother. We all knew she would be and I think it was finally starting to sink in for Mal that she would not turn out like her mother. She was going to be better than her, she already was better than her in so many ways. And I knew my lovely dragon would be the greatest mom out there, no matter what happened.
And yet, throughout all of this, there was still the nagging feeling that we had just moved on from Harley and let her off the hook for what she had done. I felt slightly guilty that we hadn't really dealt with her but at the same time, she hadn't done anything against us so there wasn't much we could have done.
I was contemplating all of this when I heard my office door open. Mal was usually the only one who came in without knocking. I looked up to see my darling wife, go bag slung across her shoulder and I instantly knew what was happening. "Ben, I think I'm going into labor..."

Evie's PoV:

I nearly sprinted down to the hospital in excitement. I had gotten the 911 call from Ben that Mal had gone into labor and had sprinted into action. My own experience in the hospital had been so fuzzy and chaotic, what with Tiffany's memory spell and all, so I was determined to help Mal and Ben in any way that I possibly could.
I had Daniel with me, despite the fact that this may not be the best place for him, but I didn't care all that much. I knew my boy, he would be good and patient and besides, I had let someone look after him before and he had been kidnapped. I was most certainly not letting that happen again.
I was the first one to arrive at the waiting room, and I promptly took a seat and waited for others to arrive. I was swiftly joined by Carlos, Jane, Lonnie, Jay, Belle and Adam. Judging by the look on Jane's face, I knew she was thinking about the moment when she would be here, delivering her own little bundle of joy.
It was crazy to think that life was happening for all of us so swiftly. Weddings, children, all of these things were things you dreamt about but were amazed when they came to pass. Now Mal and Ben were about to become parents, with Jane and Carlos not too far behind. My mind wondered if these would be the only children, or if more would follow.
I knew we would be here awhile. My own experience taught me that we were going to be here for the long haul. And I knew we wouldn't be seeing much of Ben, if we saw him at all. I knew he would not be Mal's side throughout the entirety of her delivery. It brought up painful memories of my own delivery, where Doug hadn't been allowed to join me because I had forgotten him.....
No, I would not allow myself to be drawn back into that place. I would not allow myself to dwell on the bad moments here, not when this was a time of celebration. My sister was having her child, after everything that had happened to her.
"You okay over there Jane?" Jane was fidgeting much more than usual. Her eyes constantly darted around the waiting room. I rarely saw Jane this flustered, but something was truly up.
"I'm okay, just my mind is racing. It's starting to sink in that I'm going to be a mother here soon and my nerves are starting to get the best of me. Knowing that Mal is having her child right now is bringing that into crystal clear focus." So that's what it was. Jane was finally starting to feel the pre-pregnancy jitters and beginning to question things. I had the suspicion that's what was going on.
I wasn't about to let her self-doubt creep in. Jane had her shit together and I knew that she would make one hell of a mom. I sat down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Listen, I know it's scary, believe me. I was in your shoes last year, under much, much worse circumstances. What I do know is that you are going to make one hell of a mom. You are smart, organized and loving. You have a man who loves you and that child. I know it seems daunting, but if a former Vk like myself can have a child, while having her memories stolen from her, I know you can. We all have faith in you Jane."
Tears bubbled in her eyes before the dam finally broke loose. I knew it was mostly the pregnancy hormones, having gone through that before. She wrapped me in a hug and cried on my shoulder for a while before the tears subsided. A smile crossed my face as I went back to watching those doors, beyond which was Mal's room. We were all going to be fine, I just knew it.

*

Mal's PoV:

She was finally here. After hours upon hours of pushing, months and months of waiting, my beautiful daughter was finally here. I couldn't stop crying tears of pure joy and bliss as my sweet little girl was handed to me.
My darling Madalyn. Now I understood what Evie meant when she said Daniel was her whole world. I had held my daughter for all of a few minutes and she was already my entire world.
She looked up at me, with big, wide eyes and my heart just melted. One eye was green, the other was brown. It was rare for a child to have two different colored eyes, but nothing was normal when it came to my little family.
Ben sat down in the chair next to me, holding my hand and looking at our beautiful daughter. I still couldn't believe that we had created this little bundle of joy together. "She really is beautiful Mal, just like her mother." Ben kissed her on the forehead and I knew instantly that all his fears about not being a great father had vanished.
I knew Ben would make a terrific father and seeing the love that he was giving our little girl already just proved that my instincts were correct. Despite all the hell we had gone through, despite Tiffany and Harley and my past, we had created something truly wonderful. I wanted to just hold her, kiss her, rock her to sleep and sing to her. I wanted to be a mother to her already.
I knew our friends were desperate to see her, especially Evie. I knew we both had parents that wanted to see her. But for now, I was going to cherish this moment. I would forever cherish this time of Ben, Madalyn and I. Just the three of us, a little family that we had created together. And that moment would forever be my most cherished memory.