Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Will do, darlin'. But I think Annie's already been runnin' about tellin' 'er friends tha' 'er Da's the biggest softie of a bear 'round " He scooped Annie in close to his side and kissed her cheek. "M'pretty li'l lass... y'need t'quit growin'."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Da!" Annie whined, looking at her father has he told her to slow down with her growing.

"Annie love, your Da just wants you to stay small a while longer." Julia said, running her fingers through her thick hair as the little girl looked between the both of them. "Then you can grow up and have a fairy tale ending with a prince charming."

Annie giggled at that, looking over at her Da with a look that seemed to say I Told You So. About that time, Ciaran opened his dark green eyes, looking at his mother for a moment before he turned towards his father, a tiny little smile coming to his lips at the sight of him before he stuck his thumb firmly between his lips and sucked on it while reaching out his tiny free hand to touch the scruff of his father's beard.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan pulled Ciaran in closer and let the boy lay on his chest, brushing back the boy's soft, dark hair. "Yer gonna need a haircut soon there, lad," he mused.

The tiny boy giggled at his father and answered back, "Da!" Imitating his sister. Brogan laughed aloud and sat up. It was Ciaran's first real syllable outside simple cooing.

"Tha's my boy," Brogan kissed his forehead and cradled him close.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia felt her heart melt listening to Ciaran say his first word. Her little boy was getting so big. She certainly knew Brogan's want for them both to just slow down. She smiled as Brogan kissed their son, cradling him close as the little boy cooed.

"How about if I go make breakfast for us?" She asked her family, intent on cooking on the fire using the iron tools that Brogan had made for her. "An egg for Annie, some milk for Ciaran, and a lot of eggs for Da."

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan turned to smile at his wife, leaning over to kiss her, "Thank ya, darlin'." He drew Annie into his warm embrace too. He seemed so much happier with his children around, and he seemed much happier anyway after his night with Julia. He felt he'd found himself and his confidence again.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia made them all a simply breakfast, setting up Annie and Brogan at their table before she settled down with Ciaran to let him nurse. She knew that her moments with Ciaran like this were going to get harder to come by, especially when the new baby came, so she cherished each one that she had with him.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan settled with his daughter close at his side, and she brought up the idea of a puppy again, making Brogan chuckle. "Well, love, I think we'll start with an older dog and we'll see if y'can take care o' it before we go 'bout a puppy. 'Cause y'know a puppy isn't too different from a baby, needs special care tha' an older dog doesn't."

"So we are getting a dog?" Annie asked hopefully.

"If yer a good lass on this trip t'morrow, then it's a yes, love," Brogan smiled, and his daughter instantly clung to him happily.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Perhaps Cole knows of an old sheepdog that's looking for a good home." Julia suggested as she watched Annie hug her father tightly, excited over the idea that she was going to get a pet. "You have to care for it, Annie. Your father and I have our hands full with Ciaran and the new baby. A dog will be your sole responsibility."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll take him out for walks all the time and brush him everyday like I do with Phearson!" Annie exclaimed. "Do you think he would run with me and Phearson?"

"I'm sure 'e would." Brogan chuckled. "Now finish yer breakfast, love."

 

[heartofcourage]

Once Ciaran was finished with his breakfast and burped, Julia passed the little boy into Brogan's arms. A kiss to her husband's cheek and a kiss to her children's cheek were what she had to give before she turned to get dressed.

"I'll go tell them that we will delay our journey a day. Then I would like to speak to Vincenzo for a moment. Keep that bed nice and warm for me, loves." She said with a smile as she snuck another kiss from her husband, nuzzling against his nose for a moment before she slipped from the room.

 

[KieranSoares]

Theo was the one who receives news of the delay, and he went to tell Valentina, whom Julia noticed he seemed to be spending a lot of time around. Vincenzo, on the other hand, was in his small study in the back of the library, mixing up a few salves for later use. He turned when Julia approached and he smiled adoringly.

"Well, good morning, my love. What can I do for you today?" He asked softly.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia gave him a smile, kissing his cheek sweetly as she looked at the work that he was doing. She'd always had an interest in plants and had learned a little from Vincenzo in the time that he had been in Inverness. That wasn't the reason that she was there that morning though.

"I'd liked to be checked out before we leave for Edinburgh." She confessed to him, her hand resting lightly on her belly. "Things have been going well this time around, but I feel...well, I think I'd feel better if I knew that things were actually alright. After having Ciaran early, my nerves are a little on edge."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If I'm completely honest, dear," he spoke as he pulled out a few simple tools, "I wouldn't be surprised if you had all your children a tad early. Ciaran was just especially so, probably thanks to the stress of it being your first pregnancy."

He checked over her vital signs first, then took a listen to her belly. He smiled softly, "You know... I have a feeling this one will be a little girl. She doesn't move as much as Ciaran and she's quieter when she does move." He faced Julia with a calm and serene expression. "I don't think you have anything to worry about for her health." But his expression dimmed slightly. "Have you and Brogan talked about the possibility that it might not be his...? I'm sure he wouldn't give a thought to it in the end, but... I was worried about you two through all this trouble. At one point after you two returned, I was almost expecting Brogan to send Annie back to Ireland and you and Ciaran with her."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We talked." Julia said as she took a seat at Vincenzo's work table, idly playing with one of the bottles that was sitting there. "And trust me, Brogan is back to his old self now."

"He doesn't mind the thought that this might be Wick's child. He knows what happened, he saw what happened, and he holds no ill will towards me." She let out a long sigh as she finally turned her eyes towards her father-in-law. "I tell myself that I can handle this. I think about it every time she moves. I honestly feel like I'm lying to myself though."

"I don't want to be reminded of that event. I don't want to look at my baby and see him." She confessed for the first time since the rape had occurred. "I almost wish that Brogan's seed could have some how overpowered his, but I know in my heart who the father of this little one is."

 

[KieranSoares]

"What's important now is that you and she are healthy, and that she'll be loved no matter how she was conceived. She's a perfectly innocent little baby, and her origins won't matter in the end. Her father- her true, loving father- will never see Wick. He'll only see you and himself and how you two raise her. It's the nurturing parents that will make her, not her beginnings." Vincenzo kissed her forehead and offered another smile. "She'll be so happy with the two of you. And I hope she has those beautiful green eyes."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia managed a small smile for him before she stood from her seat and wrapped him in a tight hug. "You sound like my husband when you say that." She said, kissing his cheek sweetly. "You're sure that you and Kitty don't want to come to Edinburgh with us?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"Oh, I'm sure. I'm going to treat Kitty to a sort of surprise honeymoon while we have the chance." Vincenzo smiled softly at the idea. "It's really the least I can do for her. Not to mention, you deserve a trip with just Brogan and the children."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're good for her, Vincenzo. I'm glad that she finally has someone that can make her happy." Julia said with a smile, wrapping him in another tight hug. "I guess Brogan and I will make the most out of our trip then."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Enjoy yourselves, I know it may seem like an obligatory journey, but Edinburgh is a dear old friend of Inverness. You'll be welcome and comfortable there. Queen Marianne is rather a lovely woman when you get to know her even if she is a little frightening when she's angry. And King Brian is an incredibly soft man when he's not putting on a hard mask in court."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Brogan is afraid that they will see him as weak." Julia confessed as she pulled from the hug that she'd been giving Vincenzo. "But I refuse to let him shrink any further into his shell. He is a great king and a good man and all of Edinburgh will see that."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Of course they will. Edinburgh has always had every confidence in the sworn brother of their own King. It is Brogan that lacks confidence in his own rule. But I see that may not be the case for much longer with your persistence and love." Vincenzo kissed her forehead. "Now go on, keep that husband of yours out of trouble."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia smiled warmly and hugged her father-in-law tightly once more before she left his rooms. She felt much lighter after her talk with him and the smile was still on her face when she entered her own chambers. She laughed softly as Annie tried to dress her little brother in her play clothing, pretending that they were princesses. The little boy whimpered and whined, looking up at his father with a look on his tiny face that begged for someone to save him.

"What's wrong, my heart? Is your sister mistreating you?" Julia asked, hiding her laughter behind her hand as Ciaran sat there in a dark pout.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan watched with a simple amused grin. Most fathers wouldn't have allowed such a thing, but Brogan knew Ciaran would have to deal with the fact that Annie was his older and would get to tease him occasionally. "'S'alright, lad," Brogan chuckled. "Ye'll get 'er back when yer bigger."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Annie love, go wash your face and we'll all snuggle up and ready one of your fairy tales." Julia suggested, distracting her step-daughter as she ran off with bright eyes to do just that.

"And you, my bonny prince, how about I treat you to a nice, warm meal?" She asked her son as she stripped the dress that had been placed on him off and scooped the little boy up into her arms. "Soon you'll be too big to snuggle with and I'll miss these days."

She pressed her nose against his thick dark hair, breathing in his sweet scent, looking at her husband with her bright green eyes with a sad little smile. Her babies were growing too fast for her liking and while she would love to be able to stop time but she knew that wasn't possible.

"Care to come to bed with us, love?" Julia asked her husband, giving him a sweet little smile as she turned to take Ciaran with her, knowing that Brogan would follow her to hell and back.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan rose, chuckling, "Normally I'd beat ya there." He flashed her a teasing wink and followed loyally. He settled into bed beside her in just a pair of trousers, not needing anything else when he was just with his family. He leaned over to catch Julia in a surprise kiss, knowing she needed a little reassuring now that she was thinking of the future when her children would go off into the world alone. And as extra reassurance, his huge, warm hand laid across her belly, reminding her that they would have another possibly several more children to come, to extend the time before the last one left. But then again, at least one would stay, and it was very possible that, like Brogan's siblings, most would return often, if not for good.