Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"I think Julian Octavian is a good solid name. It honors your Roman heritage." Beth said softly as their son squirmed and cooed at them, stretching and exploring his world.

 

[KieranSoares]

"That certainly lives up to Chester's history... but I want something for your side too. No matter how often England and Scotland fight... he ought to be proud of his mother's line, not to mention his aunt's family."

 

[heartofcourage]

Beth quietly regarded her son, watching as he slumbered peacefully. Max wanted to give him a Scottish name as well, one that would tell the child of his history as he grew older. When she glanced up at Max again, she had a small smile on her face.

"I always liked the name Alban. Julian Alban is just as good, right?" She asked him with the hope that he really would love it as much as she did.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I think it's even better," Maxwell murmured, leaning in to kiss her. While he'd previously only rarely regarded Scotland, he had given it more attention and even some level of passion once he'd grown closer with Beth and made up with Julia.

 

[heartofcourage]

Beth smiled as Max agreed with the name and leaned in to kiss her. When she had first married him, she had been resigned to living a life without love. She didn't know enough about Max to have much hope. However, she had watched him grow over time, willing to put work into their marriage after his mother had insisted that he deserved happiness as much as anyone else. Now, she couldn't imagine her life without Max at her side.

"Thank you, love." Beth said softly as Julian snuggled a little closer to her for warmth. "Thank you for not giving up on a little one of our own. I never thought that I could be this happy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You know me... I never give up," Maxwell chuckled and touched her cheek. "And you never gave up on me either... I think you're completely mad, but thank God you are."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm a fool in love." Beth murmured as Max told her that he thought she was crazy. "And now we have our family and a chance for a bright future. When he's bigger, we can think about adopting a little girl. I think we can be truly complete then."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I look forward to it, but we'll wait until we're sure we can keep up," Maxwell nodded. He eventually left her side briefly while Vincenzo looked after her to go out and speak to Julia and her family.

As Maxwell emerged, his eyes fixed on Julia and she saw the most contented smile come to his face. "It's a little lad. Julian Alban Chester."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Max." Julia said, stunned that he had named his son after her. "You didn't have to do that."

She stood and wrapped her brother in a hug, knowing that he was content and excited for the future for perhaps the first time in his life.

 

[KieranSoares]

"That was Beth's idea, love. But I couldn't think of a better name," Maxwell told her, hugging her tightly in return. "And God help me, she's already looking forward to adopting a little girl in the future."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I have 7, Max. You can't talk about being tired to me." Julia teased, looking at her brother with a smile. "Mother would be very happy for you. And proud that you are happy with your wife."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I think she'd be happy with both of us now. I wish she could still be here to see it all, but I think that she'll still be glad to watch over it all." Max kissed her cheek and hugged her a little tighter. "Come in and meet your new nephew. I want you to see him first."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia chuckled as her brother ushered her back into the room to see his son. She had never seen him so excited for something in her life. It seemed the tiny little bundle in Beth's arms was a beautiful reminder that his life was on the right track.

 

[KieranSoares]

When the pair entered, little Julian was fast asleep in Beth's arms, and sleep wasn't far from her either. As they neared the bed, Maxwell reached out to gently touch Julian's cheek so not to wake him. While not terribly experienced with children, he had a natural paternal side that was far removed from his own father.

 

[heartofcourage]

Beth didn't stir as Maxwell touched their son's cheek, the child sighing in sleep as his mother held him tightly. She was exhausted, both emotionally and physically. As she sank into sleep, she knew that she had achieved the greatest accomplishment in her life. She had given her husband an heir and she had become a mother.

Julia smiled as her brother stared in awe at his little boy. It was clear that he would love Julian no matter what happened. It was far more than their own father had ever given to either of them.

"He's beautiful, Max." Julia whispered, taking her brother's free hand and squeezing it tightly. "I see a lot of you in him."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He's everything we've wanted and needed for some time now..." His gaze drifted to Beth. "And she deserves him most of all. She married me not knowing if she would be throwing her chance at happiness away... I took the gamble too... And I fell for her somewhere along the line. Julian is all the thanks I can give her."

 

[heartofcourage]

"There are lots of changes that will happen, Max. She will have to change her focus from you to him. Simply love her through all of the trials." Julia said, speaking from experience as she remembered her first days alone with Ciaran after the boy was born. "Without Brogan, I don't know if I could have done half of the things that I did. I was tired and sore and weepy and I couldn't understand why he screamed and cried sometimes without reason."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We'll manage," Maxwell stated in no uncertain terms. "It's going to be an adjustment... But a welcome one." He brushed back a lock of Beth's hair with a smile, glad to see her doing well and sleeping peacefully.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I never thought I'd see the day you turned into a hopeless romantic." Julia said with a smile, leaning against her brother's side as he silently doted on his sleeping wife. "And I'm happy to have the both of you here in Inverness until he's strong enough to travel. It will be fun to see my nephew grow."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He deserves to know his Scottish heritage first," Max nodded resolutely. "No matter how I acted when we were younger... Scotland has brought you and I nothing but the very best in our lives... I hope Julian grows up appreciating it as much as I've come to."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Perhaps he can help to bring the two countries together. I know his cousins will help him." Julia said with a chuckle. "Get some rest, Max. He'll be waking the two of you soon enough."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And you enjoy your family while you can still keep them all in one place," Maxwell smiled, returning to her side to kiss her cheek. He knew the dynamic of her family would probably change as Kate went off to Edinburgh and Ciaran went about his own life, and it would change again when Rho and Sam settled into their own niches.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Don't remind me." Julia said with a smile, kissing his cheek and hugging him tightly. "I'm not prepared for them to leave. I keep hoping they will stay as long as they possibly can."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Go on and enjoy them," Max encouraged, motioning her toward the door. "I'll enjoy mine." He would introduce Julian properly to everyone later when Beth was awake and feeling up to it.

Brogan was standing in the hall, hands clasped comfortably behind his back awaiting Julia while talking quietly to Sam. The young man was as grave and serious as ever, and Brogan seemed to be offering him some sort of sage advice in Lunar, a language Sam had mastered early on.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia waited for Brogan to finished before she approached the both of them, bending to kiss Sam's forehead before she wrapped her arm around his broadening shoulders. He was getting much too big for her liking, but she knew he was a good boy.

"Did you finish your lessons?" She asked as he nodded. "How about we go for a twilight ride then? Just the three of us."