Of the Fells

[heartofcourage]

Valentina kissed Theo warmly and hugged him tightly, thinking about the wonderful gift that they had just been given. The future was suddenly wide open for the both of them, all of her patients and for little Alex.

 

[KieranSoares]

The next morning when they came out to breakfast with Alex, Theo and Valentina saw a lovely sight. Warwick was meeting the families of all of the Ghis siblings who he'd been like an uncle to when they were young, as well as their partners.

At the moment, Warwick was reuniting with Durban and meeting his children and wife, and Elise seemed to take an instant shine to Warwick.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina carried Alex on her hip, the little boy clingy since he hadn't felt well. She smiled as she saw Warwick interacting with Durban's family, little Elise sitting in his lap without a care in the world.

"That's your Grandpa, bambino." Valentina whispered against Alex's ear. "Remember me telling you about him this morning? He's come for the wedding and he's been eager to meet you."

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex's head rested against Valentina's shoulder as she spoke, and though she saw some interest in his eyes, he was too tired and still too foggy to do much. Theo could only chuckle. "Still tired, lad?" Alex's simple answer was a nod.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Do you want to stay with Gran today? We're going to visit Uncle Cole." Valentina murmured, kissing Alex's forehead as her boy clung to her so tightly. "You and Gran and Anna can read all day together. Grandpa will still be here for a while and you can meet him when you're ready."

 

[KieranSoares]

Alex simply nodded, only finally letting go of Valentina once she came to Kitty. Kitty gladly wrapped him up in her arms, kissing his cheek and letting him rest against her. "Hello, darling," she murmured, and smiled to Valentina. "I'll look after him, love."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you, Ma." Valentina murmured as she kissed her mother's cheek and left Alex to be spoiled by the woman that loved him dearly.

After diner, Valentina and Warwick traveled to visit Cole at their old home in the woods. A small wagon had been hitched and they were carrying a few things that Chessie had sent along from the kitchens. Chessie enjoyed spoiling her nieces and nephews and each loved her dearly. They were just as much her children as they were Cole's.

Lane was waiting by the old post fence that Cole and Ciaran had put in when they had first moved to the little cabin. Ivy grew thick over it these days and it made the little setting even more magical. Lane was the spitting image of his father and he looked incredibly excited to see his aunt and a new stranger.

"Good morning, love." Valentina murmured, leaning down in the seat to scoop Lane up.

"Does your Papa know we're coming?" She asked as Lane nodded furiously. "And I've brought us a special guest today. Da, this is Lane. Lane, this is your grandpa."

 

[KieranSoares]

Warwick welcomed the young lad into his arms and the two embraced as if they'd known each other all along. Warwick seemed to light up. Perhaps his greatest joy in life was family, something he and Ashelin had shared despite how they'd never had children of their own.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina grinned as Lane and Warwick embraced one another. She drove the wagon onward until the little house in the woods came into view. Cole's wife, Willa, was hanging laundry on a line as she caught sight of the wagon. She grinned, calling to Cole and the rest of the family to come. Marius, two years younger than Lane, hurried out the door, his eyes bright with excitement as he caught sight of Valentina and Theo, his favorite aunt and uncle. Cole was carrying their youngest child, Ashelin, the tiny baby asleep on his broad shoulder as her older sister, Caroline, toddled beside her father, his pant leg securely in her hand.

"You must be Warwick." Willa said, making her way towards the wagon with a warm smile on her lips. "Cole has told me all about you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And you must be Willa," Warwick murmured as he embraced the younger woman. "I'm sorry it's taken me so long, dear." As Theo caught Marius and scooped him up with a warm chuckle, Warwick's attention was caught by Cole and the baby in his arms. Knowing Warwick was going to come back soon, Cole had told his wife he was going to keep little Ashelin a secret.

"I know Lane, Marius, and Caroline, but this must be a new addition," Warwick chuckled, coming to embrace his son tightly.

"This is Ashelin," Cole murmured with a smile, watching Warwick's expression change to shock before becoming a warm smile. Cole let him take Ashelin, the tiny girl squirming slightly at being moved.

 

[KieranSoares]

"And you must be Willa," Warwick murmured as he embraced the younger woman. "I'm sorry it's taken me so long, dear." As Theo caught Marius and scooped him up with a warm chuckle, Warwick's attention was caught by Cole and the baby in his arms. Knowing Warwick was going to come back soon, Cole had told his wife he was going to keep little Ashelin a secret.

"I know Lane, Marius, and Caroline, but this must be a new addition," Warwick chuckled, coming to embrace his son tightly.

"This is Ashelin," Cole murmured with a smile, watching Warwick's expression change to shock before becoming a warm smile. Cole let him take Ashelin, the tiny girl squirming slightly at being moved.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Valentina helped bring her into the world about two months ago." Willa said with a smile as Warwick took Ashelin in his arms, the infant squirming slightly and wrinkling her face before she opened her hazel eyes and looked up into Warwick's gaze.

"She is as quiet as a baby could possibly be." Valentina said with a laugh as Ashelin settled into Warwick's sure hands, letting out a tiny sigh as she yawned. "Didn't make a peep until three days later when Cole tried to bathe her. Then she screamed her lungs out."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Not too unlike her father, then. Cole was always so quiet as a boy, until someone told him it was time to take a bath. Then he'd run around and make a fuss until I had to practically drag him inside." Warwick cuddled the girl close and smiled down at her. "One day this little lass is going to know who she's named for... And I hope she's proud."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Mummy always threatened to just dump a bucket of cold water on him. I think she did a time or two." Valentina said as Warwick brought up the fact that he used to have to drag Cole in for his baths.

Ashelin snuggled against her grandfather, her tiny hands wrapping in his tunic as he held her so tightly. Willa reached out for Cole's hand, squeezing it tightly as she noticed tears in her husband's eyes. She knew how much he missed his mother and having his father there had meant a lot to him. It was all he had talked about for a week since it had been known that he was finally coming home.

Willa was soon ushering everyone inside, bringing out refreshments like fresh baked scones and cider. The children all gathered around Warwick, getting to know their grandfather. Caroline simply stood at his side, not saying much as he held her baby sister. She was a quiet soul as well, hardly uttering a word unless it was absolutely important. She adored her father, that much as clear, watching him with a sharp gaze as he moved about their living room.

Marius was completely enchanted. "You have a wooden leg?" He asked with the innocence of a child, tapping at Warwick's wooden leg with wonder.

"Marius is our little inventor. He loves tearing things apart to learn how they work." Willa explained as she gently took Ashelin from his arms to lie her back in her crib by the fire. "He's also a little rouge like his Da."

 

[KieranSoares]

Warwick smiled down at Marius as he inquired about the false leg. It was a terrible memory not only for how it happened, but why. Tamblin had had a matching wound, but Warwick had walked around on his own ruined leg for several years before medical issues caused it to be amputated like Tamblin's. Still, none of that memory seemed to cross Warwick's expression as he ruffled Marius' hair.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Marius." Willa murmured to her son as Warwick ruffled his hair. "It's rude to ask questions that someone might not want to answer."

Marius glanced at his mother and then at his grandfather, murmuring an apology to the older man.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's alright, my dear," Warwick assured Willa. "I might not say it now, but one day I might explain it." He gave another smile to Marius. "It's not a happy tale, lad, but it ended up alright thanks to your grandmother."

 

[heartofcourage]

"My name is Warwick too." Marius said with a bright grin, fearless as his father was when he was younger. "Marius Warwick MacDowd. Da says it's a good, honorable name and I want to be an honorable person."

Valentina laughed softly, her nephew making her smile. Marius was a free soul, old beyond his years and as smart as they came. Cole was constantly finding ways to keep the boy occupied, whether it be bringing home things for him to tinker with or teaching him how to craft things.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're well on your way, lad," Warwick assured him before his attention turned to Caroline. "And what about you, darling? You're terribly quiet."

 

[heartofcourage]

"She doesn't say much unless it's to her Da." Willa commented as Caroline looked up at her grandfather. "Say something, love. He'll think you don't like him."

Caroline stared for the longest moment before she raised her arms to be lifted into his lap. She wouldn't say anything but instead she would curl up against him and hold him tightly to prove that she did like him.

 

[KieranSoares]

Warwick let Willa take little Ashelin, hugging Caroline close. "I understand, little love. Actions speak much louder than words."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Caroline's shy, Da." Valentina said with a smile as the little girl hugged her grandfather close, resting her head on his shoulder. "She hardly says a word to anyone unless it's Cole."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Let her be shy, then," Warwick said with a nod. "There's nothing wrong with that at all."

Warwick fit quite nicely into the family, calm and patient as he ever was, willing to answer all questions and able to field all of the children at once without a misstep.

 

[heartofcourage]

Valentina let the children get to know their grandfather, Willa standing by in case they got too difficult for him. She moved into the kitchen, chuckling at Cole as he stood there finishing up lunch for them all.

"I bet you never thought this day would come." She said, standing next to her brother to help him with last minute preparations.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I never thought it'd happen here, at least. Maybe one day soon when we all went down to Edinburgh... but never here," Cole murmured. "After Ma died... I had hope he'd come back one day. But after Ciaran, I thought there was no possible way."