Chapter Seventy-three

He sat on the bed, Bryn resting against his chest as she nursed Max. The nurse who had been overseeing her nursing lesson had left to give them a few minutes of privacy. Anton felt like he had been walking around in a dream. He gazed down at the little boy, tears welling up in his eyes.

[My son.]

A child that should not be, but somehow was. The child they had worried about, fretted over, who had arrived in a textbook delivery. Anton gently reached down and gently stroked Max's cheek, still not able to believe that he was born, and the preliminary tests indicated he was healthy. He gently pressed a kiss to the top of Bryn's head.

[Our son.]

She snuggled back against him, letting out a soft sigh of bliss. Max had his hand wrapped around her finger, and she couldn't stop marveling at how tiny his little fingers were. He was so precious, so sweet the way he kept watching them with wide and curious eyes. If he hadn't been so hungry, she thought sure he would've been content to watch them all day. She leaned forward a bit and kiss his fingers, then settled back against Anton's chest.

He looked so much like them. Her dark hair and eyes. Anton's nose and ears. Anton's determined chin. She could almost see the stubbornness in him already. Smiling, she turned her head and met Anton's lips. "I love you, Max's Daddy."

"I love you, Max's Mommy." He looked down at Max, who was lazily suckling at Bryn's breast. "I can't believe he's here, that he's real. He's so small." He couldn't help but smile when Max let out a big yawn. "This all seems like a dream to me. I never thought..." his voice choked up.

She stroked his arm and kissed him again, lingering against his mouth. "I know, sugar. I can't even begin to tell you how happy it makes me that I'm the one to be able to share this with you." Rubbing her forehead against his jaw, she said, "He has your lips. I guess we can stop wondering now."

"Yeah. But he's got your fingers." He kissed her temple. He gazed on his son, just drinking in the sight of Bryn holding him. "Are you up to visitors once he's done eating? I know Nate and Lindy can't wait to meet him. And I can't wait to show him off."

She grinned at him. "Yes, that's fine. And I'll let you hold him just as soon as he's done, too." She looked back down at Max. "You better hurry up, sweetheart. You've got a bunch of people waiting to meet you." She let out a small laugh. "I can't wait to see what Petunia does when you come home. She either lick you until you're all slobbery, or avoid you like the plague. She's a very big chicken, yes she is."

Letting go of Bryn's fingers, Max waved his fist around until Anton caught it between his thumb and forefinger. "Such a tiny package for such a big miracle." He kissed Bryn's temple. "Thank you so much, my dear."

She smiled. "You better remember this when he's sixteen and has borrowed your car to drag race with his friends--without telling you." She kissed him back. "Thank you, too, sugar."

She waited until Max seemed to lose interest with feeding, having more fun looking at Anton's large hand. While she took one of the pads the nurse had given her and pressed it to her breast, she said, "It's your turn to hold him."

"Okay, my dear." Eagerly he held out his arms. Watching Max's face intently, he took the baby, settling him close to his body, supporting Max's head as he had been shown. Max was warm and heavy and real in his arms. "Hello there, Max." He lightly kissed Max's forehead, the tears that had been threatening since the start of Bryn's labor finally falling.

After buttoning her gown and readjusting her robe, Bryn turned and watched her two favorite men together. She felt a couple tears of her own building. Deciding to give them a few moments alone, she gingerly crept towards the edge of the bed. "I'm going to attempt to use the bathroom, sugar. I'll be back in a while. No, stay there. I can do it."

Anton sat up a little more, giving her more room to maneuver. "If you need help, Bryn, call." He watched her carefully walk across the floor and close the bathroom door behind her. He looked down at his son's face, studying him closely. "How much of you is human, Max? How much of you is vampire? And how much of you is something else?"

Max didn't seem up to pondering that mystery. He yawned and fell asleep in Anton's arms. "I have a feeling it won't always be as easy as that, my son." The phrase still felt alien to him. "But you just go ahead and sleep and let your mother and I worry about it."

He heard a knock on the open door, followed by Nate's tentative voice. "Is it safe for us to come in, or is there still blood and goo flying?"

"Come on in, Nathaniel. He just fell asleep." Anton turned so he was facing the door. "Bryn's in the bathroom. But come over here and meet Maxim Luka Rudenko."

Instead of just Nate, the whole entourage followed him into the room. Even Amanda was there, since she was on Winter Break. Crowding around, they filled the room with an almost comical chorus of 'awwws. Lifting Liam up for a better look, Nate grinned at him as he looked at the baby in total confusion.

"Who's that, buddy? Is that the kid you get to rough house with when he's older? That's your cousin, Max, isn't it?"

Other than the initial curiosity, Liam didn't look that impressed.

"I'm sure you'll appreciate that a lot more when you're five. Or at least your Mom and I will."

Anton grinned. "I'm sure that Bryn and I will appreciate that as well."

Alex nudged Jess. "Notice that he's not handing the kid over quickly."

Jess lightly smacked Alex on the arm. "He's been waiting a thousand years for this moment, Alex. Let him have five more minutes."

Sitting down in the nearby chair, Nate balanced both Lindy and Liam on his lap. "So...this may be a stupid question, but how are you feeling right now? And how is Bryn feeling, more importantly?"

"We're both a bit numb, I think."

Lindy gave him a knowing grin. "Trust me, that numbness wears off the first time you get woken up out of a sound sleep to change a poopy diaper."

Jess laughed. "I know that feeling. Have you and Bryn counted fingers and toes yet?"

"Yes. Ten and ten, thank you."

"And one tail," Bryn quipped, waddling out of the bathroom. Carefully lifting up onto her tiptoes, she gingerly sat down on the bed and said, "Okay, this is as far as I can get by myself."

Grinning, Walter walked over and helped move her towards the head of the bed, finally just picking her up as Anton pulled aside the covers. Bryn hoped he didn't get a good look at the paper-covered pad she'd been laying on. Spotted with blood and who knew what else, it wasn't even something she wanted to look at.

"Thank you, Walter." Tucking herself back in, sinking back against the pillow, she grimaced as she pulled her nightgown and robe out of the way. "I feel like someone's been at me with a pumpkin carver."

"Don't worry," Lindy said. "I made sure that she used the scalpel. I've got that on tape"

"So how are you doing, Bryn? You feeling okay?" Jess asked. She looked a lot better now that Bryn's labor had stopped.

"Not exactly. I hurt everywhere." She glanced over at Anton holding Max and smiled. "I guess I can deal with it, though." Readjusting her blankets yet again, slightly uncomfortable being the only one in her pajamas, she said, "They already harvested the stem cells from the umbilical cord, weighed and measured him--7 pounds, ten ounces, and 20 inches long--I guess all we need now is the birth certificate."

"Born December 22nd, at 9:02 am...at this rate, he'll be home in time for Christmas!" Lindy said.

Walter looked down at his watch. "We've got to get going to pick up your parents, Bryn. We'll probably be back in about two hours." The werewolves hugged everyone goodbye and then left.

Anton looked over at Nate, who was still holding Liam. "Would you like to hold him, Nathaniel?"

"Sure." He plopped Liam on to Lindy's lap and waited until she stood up, not even noticing the disgruntled look she gave him at being 'tossed' out of his lap.

Shaking her head in sympathy, Bryn patted a space on the bed for Lindy to sit down. Standing up, Nate practically plucked Max out of Anton's arms, looking him over intently. When he pushed Max's lip out of the way, he looked up in bewilderment. "He's got teeth! This kid has to be a vampire!"

Lindy shrugged. "Babies can be born with teeth. In fact that's one of the signs of being a werewolf. But somehow, I don't think so." She patted Bryn's leg. "You look tired. Maybe we should let Bryn rest, Nate." She wanted to hold Max also, but she could wait.

"No, stay. I'm a little too hyper to sleep right now, anyway." Even her smile was a bit weak, but she meant it. Leaning lazily against Anton, she looped her arms around his waist. She lifted her head slightly and kissed his neck, before saying to Nate and Lindy, "The only thing I'm worried about is what the two of you are going to do about sleeping. It has to be way past dawn."

"it is, but we're too excited to sleep for the moment," Lindy said. "Anne said we could use the private waiting room across the hall. And she's making sure that when you're discharged, Bryn, it will be well after dark."

"Good. I hope she's getting some rest now, herself." Settling against Anton a bit tighter, she watched Nate holding the baby. He looked as if he wanted to wake him up, to have some interaction. She had to admit she was a little grateful Max was asleep. She wasn't sure she could handle him crying. Especially if he cried for no reason. "I hope he stays such a good baby...but I have a feeling he'll tell us all about it later."

"Oh trust me. If he's anything like Liam, he will." Lindy looked pointedly at Nate. "Am I going to get a chance to hold him any time soon, Nathaniel?"

He stuck his tongue out at her, and then thought better of it. "Oh, all right. Put Liam down and I'll hand him over."

Giving him a knowing grin, she let Liam slide down her legs until he was standing on the floor. Sidestepping him, Nate held out the baby for her.

"Just watch it--he's a wild one. Liable to leap right out of your grip and take off."

Lindy rolled her eyes, taking Max in her arms. The first thing she noticed was the weight difference between him and Liam. [Duh. Liam's got a year on him.] Max was so small, and she could see so much of both Anton and Bryn in him. A wave of sadness passed through her. She was starting to understand what Nate had meant earlier about wishing he could give her a child that was biologically theirs.

Anton, although tired, picked up on the shift in her mood. "Is there something wrong, Lindy?" [Could she be having one of those visions of hers?]

Lindy looked up, a bit sad, but trying to mask it. "No. Just got lost in a thought," she said, passing Max back to Bryn. Pulling Liam back up into her lap, she hugged the little boy tight.

They were suddenly all a little quiet. Settling Max down on Anton's lap, so they could both be close to him, Bryn glanced back at Lindy, tears coming to her eyes. Now that she realized just how much she had, she also realized how much Lindy and Nate had to do without. Yes, they did have a child--but always had to worry about him being taken away. Couldn't see themselves in him when they looked at him. Bryn silently swore to herself that she'd never complain about pregnancy or birthing pains again.

"I'm sorry, Lindy. We didn't mean to upset you. I wish...I wish there was something I could do to make your hurting stop."

"Thanks," Lindy sad. "I'm sorry. It just hit me that..." She couldn't finish her sentence. Forcing herself not to squirm, she gave them a smile that was supposed to mean she was okay. But she wasn't She felt like a selfish brat for wanting to leave, but she wasn't sure how much she could be around Max at the moment. Not until she had talked through some of this with Nathaniel.

"Actually, I think I am feeling a little tired," Bryn said, with a small yawn for emphasis. "Would you mind terribly if I take a nap? I don't mean to throw you out, but I bet we all could use a little sleep."

She looked at them uncertainly, hoping she didn't sound like she was being rude.

Lindy looked relieved, although she was trying to hide it. "That's no problem, Bryn." She got up off the bed and carefully hugged Bryn. "Thanks for letting me tape the delivery. It means a lot to me. And," she said, trying to change the subject, "I've got a great clip to play for the next office party of Anton fainting."

"I did not faint," Anton responded, knowing what Lindy was doing, but playing along.

"Oh? Why did you end up on the floor then?"

"I was just resting for a moment."

When normally Nate would've snorted and made a comment of his own, he merely stood up and put his arm around Lindy. "We'll probably be back later this evening. Sleep well."

"Thank you," Bryn said, softly. She watched as they left the room, the settled closer to Anton and pressed her cheek against his chest. "I doubt I'll sleep at all now. I feel terrible for her."

Anton nodded, kissing the top of her head. "Hopefully she'll be able to work through it. I don't think she wanted children, or she didn't realize she wanted children, until Liam was literally dropped into her lap." He rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "But you should try to get some sleep, my dear. You deserve it after everything you went through today."

She slid down a little more, until her head was on his stomach, and placed her hand over Max's stomach. Her voice was tentative and a little scared when she said, "Anton...do you think you'll ever find me attractive again? I mean, after seeing *that*? And please don't lie just to make me feel better."

Anton gently stroked her hair. "Bryn, I know I will. The question will be if we'll have a chance to do anything about it." He gave a little play sigh. "I don't know if I'm going to be able to keep my hands off you for six weeks though."

She looked up him, her eyes wide and luminous, obviously relieved. "I was so afraid that you wouldn't. I know you love me, but you can't always control what might turn you off." She leaned closer, closing her eyes as she kissed his lips. "I love you."

He kissed her back gently. "I love you too, my dear. Why don't you follow our son's lead and get some rest? We've got a big night ahead of us, bringing him home."

She nodded, then leaned over to kiss Max's forehead. "I love you, Maxim."

Smiling, she carefully scooted herself into a comfortable position next to Anton, tucked the covers around her, and closed her eyes. Despite her worries about Lindy, her stomach cramps as her uterus tried so hard to relax, and the overwhelming need to watch over Max at all times, it was less than fifteen minutes before she fell asleep.

Anton watched both of them sleep, his arms around both of them, a small grin on his face. He couldn't believe how much his life had changed in the space of nine months. And he had a feeling it was about to change more.

Nate quietly shut the door to the private waiting room, turning the lock and shutting off the overhead lights. He turned to see Lindy sitting on the cot they'd had brought in, Liam in her lap, her silhouette illuminated by the soft orangey glow of a lamp. She looked small and fragile, a fading rose whose petals fell off with just a touch.

Walking over to where she sat, he settled down next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, Lindy."

Those simple words breached the dam holding back her feelings. She began crying and talking at the same time. "I thought I was okay with it. I told myself that I wasn't jealous of Bryn having Anton's baby. And then I watched Max being born and he looks so much like the both of them and they won't have to worry about anyone taking him away because they aren't his real parents..." Her babbling trailed off into heart wrenching sobs.

Seeing his Mommy crying, Liam's face grew long and pouty just before he dissolved into sobs as well. Lindy pulled him closer and hugged him tightly to her, then Nate lifted them both on to his lap and put his arms around them. Pressing his lips to Lindy's forehead, he rubbed her back as she rubbed Liam's. He closed his eyes, fighting off his own tears. He wasn't so much upset for not having a biological child as he was for Lindy. He'd had over nine hundred years to accept that fact...she'd had a little over twenty.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry I can't give you that."

"Sometimes, when I look at Liam, I can almost fool myself into thinking that I can see something of you in him." She sniffed and rubbed her nose. "I knew that I'd probably never have my own children, even before I met you, just because of what I was and what had been done to me. And I thought I was okay with Bryn and Anton. I'm glad that Max was born safe and sound, but I can't help but be jealous." She wiped her tears away from her eyes and leaned heavily against Nate.

"I know. I'm jealous too...of the security they have, the connection they have, the time they have with an infant. But there's nothing saying that makes them better than us, or than Max is more important than Liam. It's nothing but perception." He tilted her face up to look her in the eyes. "Would I give your our biological child, if I could? In a heartbeat. But does that mean I'm not happy with what we already have? Never. We already have a son, *our* son...and I'm not going to let anyone change that. No matter how hard they try."

Lindy shook her head, sounding slightly insulted. "It's not that I think that Max is better than Liam. That's the furthest from the truth." She rocked Liam, who was still whimpering, trying to soothe him. "I guess it just hit me that childbirth isn't an option for me at all now. It's not that I don't love Liam any less." She sighed, and leaned against Nathaniel. "I just wish..." she shook her head.

"You wish he was biologically ours, I know. But there's nothing we can do to change that. We couldn't have changed that before I Transformed you, either." His voice trailed off. He didn't know what to say--wasn't sure there was anything he could say to make her feel better. To make him feel better. "I don't know what you want me to do, Lindy."

She didn't quite know what she wanted him to do either. "Just hold me and tell me it's going to be okay."

He eased Liam out of her grip and set him down to stand on the floor, handing him a toy out of his diaper bag to play with. He knew it wouldn't be long before the boy was begging to be on his mother's lap again, but for the moment he was happy. Then, adjusting her position on his lap, Nate wrapped his arms around Lindy, hugging her tightly, letting out a soft sigh as she did the same.

"Everything will always be okay when we're together, Lind. I promise. I love you so much, and I don't want you to lack for anything. If this is what you want, I keep looking for a way to give it to you until I die. I'll do whatever I can. Just don't give up yet."

Lindy sniffed, pressing her head against Nate's neck. She clung to him tightly seeking solace. Eventually she looked up at him, managing a half smile. "Thank you, Nathaniel. I won't give up." She nuzzled his jaw, resting her forehead against him. "Maybe I'm just overtired. It has been an exciting night, after all."

He nodded. [I wish that was the real problem.]

They had gotten about an hourŐs worth of sleep before Max woke them up, demanding to be fed again. Starting to get an inkling of what they were in for, Anton watched Bryn prepare to nurse Max. "Anything I can do to help, my dear?"

"No, not now."

He sat on the chair beside the bed, holding Max while Bryn unbuttoned the top of her gown. "Your parents should be here soon."

"Yeah, I know. God, I'm starting to leak already." She hurriedly yanked open the rest of her nightgown, luckily not ripping it in the process. Reaching for the baby, she said, "Could you look in the bag we brought and find one of his receiving blankets? I'll use it to drape over me in case anyone shows up right away."

While he turned to do that, she settled Max against her arm, trying to get him to latch on to her nipple. She gasped when her sudden milk flow accidentally squirted him in the face. "Oh! I'm sorry, sweetie. Don't cry. Mommy's sorry."

Anton, watching out of the corner of his eye, bit his tongue to keep from laughing. He continued to rummage through the bag before he pulled out a pale blue blanket. "Is this the one you were talking about, my dear?"

She nodded, using the corner of it to gently wipe Max's face. "Thank you." A little more carefully this time, she guided the baby back to her breast, smiling when he latched on, his little fist resting against her as well. Using her other hand, she draped the blanket over her chest. Looking at Anton, she smiled. "Can you hear the little sounds he's making? He sounds like a little hamster or something."

Anton smiled at the image. "Should we get one of those plastic balls so he can run around the house?" There was a knock on the closed door. Ignoring the dirty look Bryn gave him, he got up to answer it as she adjusted the blanket. "Sounds like your parents are here early." But when he opened it, it wasn't someone who he had been expecting. "Mack?" he said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Hands in his pockets, Mack backed up a few steps. He kept his gaze downcast, almost ashamed, Anton thought, then his friend explained why. "I'm sorry, Anton, I got here as soon as I could. I...I don't know what to say." He rubbed his face, fingers sliding over coarse stubble. "After everything--it's just so unfair."

He stepped forward and awkwardly embraced Anton, shuddering. And Anton could've sworn he saw tears in his friend's eyes. "I'm so sorry."

Anton stood there, not quite certain what Mack was talking about. At first he thought it had to do with their fight, but that didn't fit what he was saying. Seeing no way out but the blunt way, he asked the obvious question. "Mack, what exactly are you talking about?"

Mack looked at him, his eyebrows knit together. "Anton, don't make me say it. Please. You're the one who called me. I'm just--well, there's always trying again, right? I know it probably doesn't sound like a good idea now...but maybe next year." He scratched his head, at a loss for words. "How's Bryn taking it? Is she going to be okay?"

"Bryn's...doing very well." Anton wracked his mind, trying to think of what he had said in his phone call that could possibly have brought out this reaction in him. "She's right here. Do you want to see her?"

Mack stuck his hands back in his pockets again. "Uhh...I don't know, Anton. I don't think I'd want people gawking at me if I was her. Maybe I'll just go down at get some flowers or a sympathy card, and you can tell her I stopped by."

"A sympathy card?" Anton shook his head, having the feeling that they were talking about two different things. "Mack, you're acting like someone has died."

Mack looked like he wanted to hit him. Walking away from the door before he started yelling, he waited until Anton caught up to him to speak. "Are you some kind of insensitive jerk, or am I out of my mind? I get a call from you saying that your baby is stillborn, and you're wondering why I'm upset? Jesus, why the hell aren't you upset?"

"What?" Anton looked flabbergasted. "Where did you get that idea?"

"From your phone call."

"My phone call...oh." He remembered what he said. "The battery on my phone was going out, Mack. I said the baby still hadn't been born. He's fine, Mack. Max was born at nine this morning, and he's whole and healthy. In fact, Bryn's nursing him right now." He paused to gauge his friend's reaction. "Would you like to see him?"

"What?" He sounded on the verge of losing his mind. "He's ali--he's fine?"

Smiling, Anton said, "Yeah, he is."

Mack sagged against the nearby wall. "Jesus Christ." He shook his head. "You had me so damned worried the whole way down here. I sped up the freeway, damned near broke my leg on the parking garage stairs..." He let out a short laugh, shaking his head again. "God, I feel like such an ass. I can only imagine you'll be laughing about this for years."

"Don't worry." Anton's grin grew broader. "Whenever I start making too much fun of you, Lindy will pull out the tape of Bryn's labor and show everyone how I fainted." He looked down for a moment, his expression becoming more serious. "Thanks for coming out here, Mack, especially with the way things are between us. I want to apologize about the situation, because you're right. I was paying more attention to Chandra than to you. I'm sorry."

Mack sighed. "I was hoping you wouldn't bring this up just yet. I was behaving like an ass that day. Maybe what I said was true, but you had every right to react the way you did. I haven't been kind to Chandra. I accept your apology, as long as you accept mine as well."

"Apology accepted, Mack." Anton slapped in on the back in a friendly manner. "Do you want to see them? Bryn is nursing Max right now, but when they're done, I'm sure she'll be glad to see you."

"Yeah, I do." He shook his head, still baffled by the mix up. ŇSo give me the details--when did it happen? What does he look like? What did you finally decide on for his middle name? Etcetera."

Anton's grin grew even wider. "9:02 this morning. I think he looks like Bryn and vice versa. Luka for middle name, and he's a big boy at 20 inches, 7 pounds, 10 ounces. Wait here for a moment." Anton cracked the door open, leaning in to talk to Bryn. "Mack is here my dear. Are you up to seeing him now, or would you rather I asked him to come back in a little bit?"

"It's okay," she said, finishing readjusting her nightgown. She lifted the baby up to her shoulder and gently patted his back. "Max tried to push me away about a minute ago, so I took the hint. I don't think it's milk he's hungry for."

Adding his own emphasis, Max let out a shaky cry, low and vibrating like a little lamb.

"Ah." Turning back to Mack, he asked. "Could you wait out here a moment?" At his friends nod, he went into the room and over to the bed. "Why don't you give him to me, my dear?" Looking at Max's eyes closely, he could see a flickering, and his tiny teeth did look a bit sharper. "It's okay," he soothed, lifting Max little higher in his arms. Letting his fangs sharpen, Anton bit down hard on his index finger, puncturing it and swiftly offering it to Max before the wound healed.

Readjusting her robe, Bryn sat back against the pillows and watched them. The baby was sucking greedily on Anton's fingers, grunting with pleasure. "I guess we have our answer about whether he's part vampire or not."

Anton nodded. "I guess we do."

Bryn wasn't sure what she was going to do about Max's feeding once Anton went back to work. If his need for blood was the same as his need for milk, he'd probably need to feed several times a day. They'd have to discuss what to do about it when the time came.

"You could've let Mack in, you know."

"I wasn't certain if you'd be comfortable if you were nursing him, my dear." He watched Max nurse on his fingers. "And I wasn't certain how messy this would be." After another minute, Max stopped sucking, and Anton withdrew his fingers. "I bet you feel better now." He handed Max back to Bryn. "I'll go let Mack in now."

She patted Max a few more times until he let out a soft burp, then settled him down on to her lap. "You just wanted your Daddy back, didn't you?" She tickled his feet through the blanket, making him squirm. "Yeah, you did. You're already buttering him up so he'll spoil you rotten, huh? Well, I'll tell you a little secret--he's gonna do that anyway. You're gonna be the most spoiled little boy ever."

She looked up as Anton returned with Mack in tow. She smiled at him. "Hello, Michael."

"Hey Bryn. How are you feeling?" he asked, his gaze not really on her.

"Okay. As well as can be expected, I guess. It was worth it." She gazed at Anton. "Maxim might need his diaper changed before Mack holds him...did you want me to do that?"

"I can do that, my dear." Picking up Max, he carried him over to the changing table. Grabbing one of the disposable diapers, Anton began undoing the one that Max was wearing.

"You look like you've done that before," Mac commented.

"Nathaniel insisted I practice on Liam." Anton made a face at the smell. "Although I have to say, Liam was a bit more fragrant."

Bryn grinned. "How does his umbilical cord look? Is it starting to dry up?"

"I think so."

"I remember my brother once telling me that doctors put that little clip on the umbilical cord so the baby doesn't deflate and fly around the room." She smiled at the odd look both men gave her. "I believed him for about a year. I wouldn't even touch my cousin when she was born, because I thought I'd pop her."

Anton grinned, pulling the soiled diaper out from under Max.

Wrinkling his nose at the sight of the poopy diaper, Mack looked away. "So, have you set a time for his circumcision?"

Anton glanced at Bryn before saying, "Actually, we've decided not to do that."

Mack turned his gaze to Bryn, who said, "I've heard all sorts of horror stories about botched procedures. Besides, I don't want to put him through any unnecessary pain. If he decides later on in life that he wants to be circumcised, he can have that done in an operating room under anesthesia."

"I thought it wasn't supposed to hurt?"

"Tell that to the screaming babies I saw on the information video."

He quickly wiped his bottom and slipped a fresh diaper beneath him. "Almost done..." After taping it back in place, Anton lifted Max up. "Done. And contrary to Nathaniel's prediction, he hasn't peed on me yet." Holding Max against his shoulder, he walked over to Mack. "Do you want to hold him?"

"Yeah." He held his arms out as Anton passed the baby over, then settled Max against his arm and looked him in the face. "He does look like you, Bryn." Smiling at the baby, he said, "Hey, Max. You need to tell your Dad to charge his cell phone. Then people won't try breaking the speed of light just to find him."

Anton sat down on the bed and put his arm around Bryn. He felt supremely happy at the moment. Bryn had given birth to a beautiful and healthy boy, she was recovering well, and he and Mack were talking again. He couldn't think of anything that could make him happier at the moment.

Bryn leaned heavily on Anton, her eyelids drooping. She wasn't sure she was up to dealing with her parents and whomever else might stop by. Deciding to rest for just a little while, she pressed her ear against his shoulder and closed her eyes. Even sitting up, it took only a few minutes for her to fall asleep.

Mack looked up to say something to Anton, then nodded towards Bryn. "I think your wife is asleep. Maybe I should make this a short visit, and then come by later once you've had a chance to settle in at home."

Anton nodded. "Good idea." He gently eased Bryn down against the pillows and stood up. He took Max from Mack, cradling him gently against his chest. "Thank you for coming, Mack."

Mack nodded. "I'm just glad this didn't turn out the way I thought it would." He patted Max on the back. "See ya later, kiddo." Back to Anton, "I'll probably stop by around Wednesday next week. I still need to talk to you about training the colts. Call me and let me know what's a good time for you."

"I will, Mack." Anton said as he saw Mack out the door. "Drive safely." He watched his friend wave goodbye and make a face at his last comment, and then walk off towards the elevators. Carrying Max back to the bed, he sat down in the chair beside it so he didn't disturb Bryn's rest. Looking down, he realized that Max had fallen asleep in his arms. Briefly debating on putting Max down, he decided to hold him, watching over both of them as they slept.

It was nearly midnight when they pulled up to the security gate in front of their home. Lindy and Nate had headed home as soon as the sun went down, and Jess's family only stayed for a few minutes after dropping off Bryn's parents. Now, with Bernadette and Steven in the back of the car, still oohing and ahhing over Max, Bryn grabbed Anton's hand and squeezed. She was exhausted, mentally and physically, but she hadn't felt so good in a long time.

Anton squeezed her hand back. He was tried as well, not having gotten much more than an hours sleep earlier. But he was also happy to be out of the hospital, to be headed back to their place where they could start settling in. He drove up the long driveway to their home. He pulled into the garage and shut off the car. "We're home," he said, looking back at them over the seat.

"Wonderful," Bernadette said. "I've been resisting the urge to pull this adorable little boy out of his car seat ever since we left the hospital. I'm definitely ready to hold him again."

Steven shook his head, opening the door. "You two may have to fight your mother to keep her from taking him home with her."

"Oh, Steven, hush!"

Heading back to the trunk, Steven pulled it open as soon as Anton pulled the release inside the car. "Are you sure it's not an inconvenience for us to stay with you? It's not too late for us to get a hotel room."

"No, it's not an inconvenience for you to stay with us," Anton said. "It's at least an half hours drive to the closest hotel, we've got more than enough room here, and, besides, you're family." Anton opened the door that led inside the house. "It's no problem, and I think both Bryn and I would feel better if you were nearby. Please, stay."

"All right." He pulled out their luggage, heading towards the door.

Shaking her head as her Mom pulled Max out of his carseat, Bryn picked up the diaper bag and slowly shuffled towards the door herself. She couldn't wait to lay down. Now that her parents were able to watch over Max, she knew both she and Anton would be able to get a bit of sleep.

"Here, let me get that, my dear." Anton took the diaper bag from Bryn and held the door open while everyone went inside. Checking Petunia's food dish and grateful that Chandra had stopped by to feed her as promised, he then led everyone upstairs. "This is Max's room," he said, opening the door to the nursery. "The guest bedroom that one right there across from it." He tried to hide a yawn behind his fist.

Bryn rubbed his back, nodding towards their bedroom doors. "Anton, go ahead and get some sleep. I'll get Mom and Dad settled. Besides, I'm going to need to feed Max one more time before I get some rest myself."

"Are you sure, Bryn?" When she nodded, he gently rubbed her shoulders. "Let me know if he needs any blood. If you'll excuse me," he said, nodding to Bryn's parents. He stepped over to their bedroom and went in, closing the door behind him.

Both of her parents looked slightly uncomfortable after the blood comment. Deciding to ignore their reactions, she reached for Max. Resting him against her shoulder, she said, "Make yourselves comfortable. You can have anything in the kitchen you want. There are plenty of movies in the cabinet downstairs, too. I'll let you know when I'm done with Max."

"All right," her mother said, kissing the baby on the head. "We'll be fine. Go ahead."

Bryn gave her a tired smile, then headed towards her bedroom. She quietly opened the door, slipping inside. "I decided to bring him in just in case," she said, walking towards the bed. "I don't think we'll keep you awake, will we?"

"No, my dear." Anton hadn't done anything beyond removing his shoes and laying down on top of the bed. He was tired, and he wanted to rest, but he couldn't quite feel a little guilty. "I should have asked before I spoke earlier. You are okay with your parents staying here, and not at a hotel?"

She nodded, patting his stomach as she sat down on the bed. "It's only for a few days. Besides, even if they had stayed at a hotel, they would've been over here all the time, anyway." She settled Max onto her lap, smiling at him as she slipped her shirt over her head. "Then your Grandma can watch over you while Mommy and Daddy get some sleep, huh, sweetpea?"

Anton smiled back at her, rolling onto his side as she sat down on the bed, trying one handedly to undo her bra. "Need some help with that?" When she nodded, he sat up and undid the hook and eye in back. Laying back down, he watched her pull her bra away and offer Max her breast. He smiled softly. "You look like you've been doing that a long time, Bryn."

"I do?" She gave him a dubious smile. "I guess that means you can't see how nervous I am every time. I'm always afraid he's going to start screaming." She looked down at Max, enjoying the little grunting sounds he made as he nursed. "I still can't believe this. I feel like I'm dreaming every time I look at him. He hasn't even been here fifteen hours yet."

"I feel like I've been dreaming ever since you told me you were pregnant." He snuggled a little closer to them, smiling and placing a hand on her thigh. "I keep thinking that I'm going to wake up and find that this was all a dream." Yawning, his eyes drifted shut.

She bent slightly to kiss the top of his head. "I promise that won't happen, sugar." She settled deeper into the pillows, her own eyelids drooping. When they finally closed entirely, she forced them open. "Maybe I should just tell Mom that we're keeping Max up here...that way we don't have any interruptions when he's done nursing."

"'Kay, Bryn." He gently rubbed his hand on her thigh. He was fading fast, but trying to stay awake. As long as he kept talking, he'd stay somewhat alert. "Tomorrow's Christmas Eve," he murmured, eyes shut. "Should I ask that we all celebrate here instead of Nathaniel's, just to make things easier for us?"

"Probably." She combed her fingers through his hair in a gentle, continuous motion. "Don't worry about it now, sugar. You're falling asleep. Just get some rest. I'll wake you up if Max needs anything. I'm just going to let him finish, tell my parents to leave us alone for a while, and then climb into bed with both of you." She traced her fingertip around the outer shell of his ear. "I love you."

"Love you too, Bryn," he murmured. There were so many other things he thought he should be doing - helping Bryn with Max, checking in at work, making arrangements for the Christmas party the next night, but he couldn't at the moment. He snuggled deeper into the pillows and stopped moving. His breathing slowed, and within five minutes he was quietly snoring.

Bryn smiled to herself, watching as Max started to fall asleep as well. They'd all had a full day. She wanted nothing more than to curl up with both of them and go to sleep. Instead, she carefully climbed off the bed, holding Max with one arm as she pulled her robe around her with the other. Then, switching arms, she quickly tied the robe around her waist and padded towards the door.

Despite her mother's obvious disappointment that she wouldn't be able to rock the baby to sleep, Bernadette and Steven both assured her they'd be fine by themselves while she got some sleep. Once she was back into bedroom, Bryn laid Max down for a moment while she undressed. Noticing that Anton still had his jeans on, she carefully eased him out of them and pulled the covers over him, somehow managing not to wake him up in the process--or at least not so much that he let her see. Crawling back into bed, with her back against Anton's belly and Max cradled in front of her, she settled down on the pillow, kissing her little boy before easing into sleep.

She couldn't remember being quite so content in her entire life.

End Chapter Seventy-three