OBLIVION [SEQUEL TO SATELLITE HEART: BARLEY LIGHTFOOT x READER]

chapter nineteen

She was in the world for three months when they finally let her go home. Barley took extra care to make sure she was strapped in her car seat as safely as possible. You sat in the back of the van next to her because she never seemed to want to let go of your finger. Barley drove slower than you'd ever seen him drive, and he wouldn't let you make fun of him for it. 

"We're carrying precious cargo now," he would say. 

The trip was hours long to get to Barley's old home. You were afraid of a road trip this soon into motherhood, but your little girl proved to be a good traveling companion. She cried until she got her bottle, she wined to reach for your hand, but other than that she was still, blinking her big eyes up at the windows as Guinevere the II zoomed by on the highway. 

"I think she likes this," you said. 

"Yeah?" Barley glanced at you through the rear view mirror. "She takes after her papa, that's why. She'll be an adventurer for sure. Maybe we can take her on her first quest soon!" 

"Maybe," you agreed with a laugh. 

You were laughing when you pulled up to the front of the Lightfoot home and saw Ian, Laurel, and Colt all gathered around the front porch. Laurel beamed when she saw the van. She practically launched herself down the steps and across the yard. Barley was barely out of the front seat and pulling your door open before she was reaching for the baby. 

"Mom, give me a second," he laughed, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back. "Let me help them out first." 

"Oh, I'm just so excited!" she said. "I have been waiting to see my grandbaby for so long." 

"I know," he said. He opened your door and you shifted the car seat onto your lap. Barley kissed you on the top of your head as he took the seat from you. You carefully slid out of the seat, your hand wrapping around his. Laurel practically stole the car seat from Barley. "Mom, relax. Everyone knows you get first dibs on holding her!"

"Laurel has been waiting for this for a long time," you said with a laugh. "I expected no less when she stole the phone from Ian the day after she was born."

Barley laughed. His eyes flickered to movement in the window next door, where he saw your parents glancing out of the living room window. His grip on your hand tightened; their eyes were hard and unforgiving. They yanked the curtains closed. Barley hoped you hadn't noticed, because while you were perfectly happy with the family that you had, you had been completely pushed out of the family you had grown up with, and he knew that wasn't easy.

But you didn't notice. Your eyes were on your daughter as you laughed cheerfully. 

"Oh, you two --- she's so beautiful!" The family moved to the living room, where Elsie was in her seat for approximately three more seconds before she was in Laurel's arms. "Look at her. She's so small." 

"You should've seen her when she was born," Barley said. "She's twice the size she was then."

"How was that, son?" Colt asked. "I bet you two were worried." 

"We were," Barley said, looking down at you. You couldn't look at any of them, only at your daughter. It tore you up to remember the fear inside of you as your baby was whisked away, with nurses saying things you couldn't understand. "But she pulled through."

"She's a tough one," Colt said. "Congratulations." 

"Thank you." Barley smiled and you wrapped an arm around his waist, giving him a gentle squeeze as you laid your head down on his shoulder. 

"She is really small," Ian said. 

"Yeah," Laurel replied. She handed the baby carefully over to Ian. "Just make sure you cradle her head. Yup, just like that. Just hold her that way."

"Wow," Ian whispered. He smiled down at the little baby, who was yawning and squirming out of her blanket. "Oh --- she's looking at me." 

"We've told her a lot about you," you said.

Barley left your side to go sit by his brother. He leaned over and his daughter looked at him right away, locking her big eyes onto his and stretching up a hand, silently asking for it to be held. Barley placed his finger on her palm for her to grip onto. 

"That's your Uncle Ian, Elsie," Barley said. "Remember on the phone?" 

"Can she see me?" Ian asked, his eyebrows pulled together. 

"Well, she can only really see shapes and stuff," he said admittedly, "because her eyes aren't fully developed yet. But I think she knows who we are. She can feel it in the way we hold her and how we talk to her." 

Ian nodded. "H-Hey, Elsie. It's Uncle Ian. I'm... I'm really happy for finally meet you."

Barley's eyes lifted and met yours. You grinned, your arms crossed over your chest. Ian leaned back into the back of the sofa, getting comfortable with the baby in his arms. He started to talk to her about everything he thought of, and Barley stood up to give them some space. In that moment it was decided that Ian and Elsie would be best friends. 

Barley's hands found yours and you both left the room and went up the stairs. In Barley's old bedroom, seated on the bed, he pulled a photo of his father off the side table and handed it to you. You smiled and leaned against him. 

"She'll know him," you promised him. "We'll tell her all of the stories and show her the pictures."

"I know," he said, "it's just... I don't know. It's different." 

"It is, but it's okay," you said.

"She should have her grandpa here." 

"She should." You nodded. "You should have your dad here. I'm sorry, Barley. I wish it could've worked out so that you could have him---" 

"Hey, no. It's okay. It really is." His arm went around you tightly and he kissed you on the top of your head. "I wouldn't trade this for anything." 

"You mean that?" 

"'Course I do," he said, and he sighed and leaned back against the pillows. You scooted back and laid on your side, your hand on his chest. "My life's pretty much perfect. I've got a hot wife, a beautiful daughter and I'm perfectly healthy. I think they call that a success." 

You rolled your eyes and shook your head. "I love you so much." 

"You're the greatest, kid," he said, smiling at you. "Are you happy?"

It was a stupid question. He knew the answer.

"I'm so happy," you said. You kissed him for a long, long moment before you snuggled up right against his chest, where his arms locked around you. 

Barley didn't take moments like this for granted. It was a miracle that he was still here to hold you like this. A few years ago, he didn't have the strength to hold you the way he wanted, and now he did. And now you were here with him. He was so close to losing you, and now you were with him forever. Perfectly safe. "I love you." 

I believe, when I see something
It can grow, 'cause I see it in your eyes
It belongs, stay, just tell me
'Cause I know it's written in the stars