Chapter Text
She’d not stopped crying since he’d taken that first breath.
She sat in their chambers, watching from the other room while the others helped wash the stench of death from his unconscious form, while she tended to Vesper and listened to an hour's worth of the midwife telling her that she shouldn’t have been up and around so early after her delivery, though she was grateful for the miracle.
Vex simply nodded along, beyond words, as she tended to her baby, staring at him through the doors to the bathroom. Part of her felt afraid that if she looked away from him for a second, he would disappear, and she would wake up in a lonely bed, remembering that he was gone, and this was all a dream.
But her brother’s hand was on her arm, holding her steady while the others tended to Percy, all of the chaos unfolding as news of the miracle spread like wildfire.
And she couldn’t stop crying.
He’d come back to her.
He was alive.
“You’re an idiot,” she murmured lamely, not tearing her eyes from Percy while Vax sat beside her, “You’re a fucking moron.”
“I know,” Vax hummed, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, “I know.”
It was the thousandth time she’d said it to her brother that afternoon, but it was the only thing she could think to say. Of course, this was after she’d squeezed her brother extremely tight and sobbed into his chest, murmuring ‘thank you’ over and over again, but now came the part where she expressed how displeased she was with the fact that he’d kept the whole plan from her.
Of course, she understood why he’d kept it from her.
She just thought it was stupid.
“This could have gone very poorly,” she hummed.
“But it didn’t,” he replied.
“I’m still mad you didn’t tell me.”
“I wouldn’t expect anything else.”
She couldn’t name the emotions that were a thunderstorm inside her chest as she stared, her heart hammering inside her chest. Percy hadn’t opened his eyes since he’d passed out in her arms in the tomb, which was to be expected, given the fact that he’d been dead and enduring mental trauma for the past eight months. Pike had already said multiple times that he would have a very long and very difficult recovery ahead of him, but against all odds, he would recover.
Her brother was safe.
Her baby was here.
And Percy was alive.
To Vex, that was the only thing that mattered.
Vesper had fallen asleep in her arms, cuddling into Vex’s chest and accepting the comfort after what she could only assume was far too much excitement for a newborn. She felt bad that the little girl had been exposed to so much stress and emotional turmoil within her first few hours of life, but she knew that now, things would be better. There would be difficulties still, but Percy was home. They all had a lot of healing they needed to do before things could get to a sense of normal, but the truth of the matter is that most things would be new, especially since her daughter was in the mix now. That only made things infinitely better in Vex’s mind, no matter how difficult they would be.
Everyone was back together.
Their family could grow and heal together.
No matter how hard it would be, they would be together.
A day ago, Vex had been facing Vesper’s entire life with only the memories of Percy.
Now, Vesper would really know her father.
And she could make up for that horrible mistake she’d made that day on the Isle of Glintshore.
“I don’t know how to ever repay you,” Vex whispered, still staring at where Percy was in the next room, her baby snuggling close to her chest.
“Stubby,” Vax laughed, “You don’t have to repay me.”
“Still,” she sighed, shaking her head, “A day ago…Vesper would have never met him…and now…”
Vax had given so much throughout his life to save her in so many ways.
The debt she owed her twin was insurmountable.
She would never be able to think of anything to repay it.
But for right now, she would sit beside him and vow to stand beside him on his darkest days as he always had for her.
Vax hummed softly, peering down at where her baby was snoozing against her chest.
“She seems very relaxed after all of that,” he observed.
“Yeah,” she chuckled, tearing her eyes from Percy to glance down at her daughter again, “Tenacious little sprite, isn’t she?”
Gods, she knew she was a little biased, but she was convinced she had the cutest child on the Material Plane. Her little girl, for someone who had little to no self-awareness and was entirely reliant on her for everything, seemed so serene and calm, a sharp contrast to the chaos of Vex’s emotions at the moment. And gods, she couldn’t wait to see where her daughter would grow from there.
“You have no idea,” he laughed, before his eyes softened, “I wouldn’t have been able to do anything in there without her.”
Vex paused, registering the change in his tone, “Wait…what?”
He was staring at Vesper, a soft look of disbelief in his eyes. He was smiling, but she could tell that he was bewildered, and instantly she felt put off by it.
“Vax,” she probed him, “Today is not the day for keeping more secrets.”
“Hmm?” he snapped from his deep thought before looking up at her, “What?”
“What do you mean by that?” she breathed, sincerely hoping that now wouldn’t be the time for more surprises.
He sighed, shaking his head, “Well… let's put it this way, your kid is fucking extraordinary.”
That didn’t settle her nerves at all.
“I mean…” she was confused, glancing down at Vesper as her baby yawned against her skin, “I know that…but how so?”
Vax was deep in thought, his dark eyes trained on their bedroom windows, at the amber light cast by the late afternoon sun. He looked at her with a gentle, almost apologetic smile, “Your daughter was there. Somehow.”
She blinked at him, “I’m sorry…what?”
“Not really,” he shrugged, stumbling over his words, “She appeared to me…in Orthax’s domain, as a little girl and helped me find him.”
He’d said it so calmly, Vex almost thought he was messing with her, but the look in his eyes was completely serious, as if he meant every word so completely, so wholly, that she couldn’t help but believe him.
“Wait…” she stammered, “You mean she…she appeared to you…”
“As a little girl,” he nodded, “Yes.”
“In Orthax’s do-”
“And helped me find him,” Vax nodded, “Yep. She said she was an extension of Vesper’s will and soul. That she somehow knew something was broken and she needed to help fix it.”
Vex’s mind was spinning as she looked down at her little girl in her arms. Her daughter wasn’t even a full day old yet. How the hell would she have had the capacity to enter a demon’s domain and help her brother?
She was without words, feeling like a gaping fish as her mouth opened and closed over and over again, struggling to find anything to reply to that.
“She wasn’t ever in any actual danger,” he whispered, “But…I’m not sure what it means.”
“You’re sure…” she whispered, “You’re sure it was her?”
“I saw the thread that tied her to me…” he nodded, “And to him…there was nobody else it could have been.”
Vex unleashed a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding, looking back down in bewilderment at her baby in her arms.
“She’s not in any danger,” he whispered again, “And…Pike said that all of you were safe…”
That was true. They’d asked Pike to divine if there was even the slightest trace of Orthax left behind when Percy had come back to him, and their cleric had affirmed that they were completely safe, that the demon would never again lay a finger on anyone in their family.
But the fact remained that somehow, her daughter had accomplished the impossible.
“I don't know what it means,” Vax repeated, “But what matters right now is that she’s safe. You’re safe. Percy’s safe.”
Vex nodded, that did nothing to calm her worries, but she now knew without a shadow of a doubt that already her child was proving that her life would be anything but normal. She didn’t know what to do about it, or how she would be able to preserve her child’s safety, but she would do whatever she could to make sure Vesper grew up loved, healthy, and safe. She would do whatever she could to do so, and she knew they had a family that would ensure the same, especially now since Percy was back with them.
Vax’s hand fell on her hand.
“I swear to you, Vex,” he nodded, “Whatever that means…for you and Vesper, I promise you, our family will do whatever it takes to make sure that she is safe.”
She nodded with a deep breath, “I know.”
“Alright…”
The sound of Pike’s voice caught her attention, and she looked up just in time to see Grog carrying Percy into the room, gently placing him down on their bed. He was still sleeping soundly, his body trying desperately to make up for the time it had lost in death. Whoever had said that sleep came with death was a fool. Grog was uncharacteristically gentle as he lowered Percy onto the bed, and for a moment, her heart ached when she realized just how weak Percy looked. He looked as if he were nothing more than a mannequin or a doll. He shivered and shuddered against the slight chill in the room left over by the late winter air, a small gasp leaving him in his sleep.
She instantly wanted to be beside him.
She swallowed hard as she rose to her feet, holding Vesper tightly as she migrated to his side, not needing any invitation as she sank down onto the bed beside him, using one of her hands to pull blankets over him carefully.
Keyleth was already lighting a fire in the fireplace against the wall while Yennen was grabbing blankets from the side of the room.
It hurt to see Percy like this.
Frail and sickly.
He was one of the strongest people she’d ever met in her life. And to see him, so fragile after returning from the gates of his own personal hell, hurt more than she cared to admit, but seeing the way his chest rose and fell with ragged breath after ragged breath only instilled further hope deeper within her.
The whole group seemed to be in disbelief.
Yennen’s eyes were puffy as she lay the additional throw blanket over him, her eyes full of hope as the truth of the miracle seemed to fill the room. Cassandra still stood at a distance, her icy eyes filled with disbelief as she watched the way her brother took in breath. Keyleth was at Cass’s side, offering a supportive smile while they watched the ordeal. Pike was murmuring prayers, clutching her amulet of the Everlight, though her eyes were trained on their friend. Scanlan remained at her side, offering his aid wherever she needed it, while Grog fidgeted beside him.
The silence was deafening when they got him settled, and she didn’t need any further prompting as she sat at his side on the bed.
“He’s going to need a lot of rest,” Pike whispered, “He may not wake up for a few days, to be honest.”
Vex nodded, unable to stop staring at him.
“But he’s going to get better,” Cassandra whispered, “He will get better.”
Pike smiled tiredly, “Yes. It will take time…but he's going to get better.”
The truth of it was almost painful as Vex felt overwhelmed.
Thankfully, it seemed as if nobody wanted to suggest that Vex and Vesper vacate his side. When they’d moved Percy to this room, it had been with the intention of them staying close by. If anyone dared to suggest that she be away from his side, she would have sent them a withering glare that would have ended the world.
She wouldn’t be separated from him again.
Was that codependent and overly paranoid? Perhaps.
But at this point, she’d been put through the emotional wringer in the past few days that she couldn’t imagine being anywhere else than with him and their daughter.
And nobody dared suggest otherwise.
She was so tired.
A hand landed on her shoulder, and she looked up to see Keyleth smiling warmly at her.
“Rest,” her sister whispered, “We’ll check in on you three every hour.”
Pike nodded, “Yeah, I don’t care how you react. You three all need rest. I will tie you to the bed if I have to.”
“Kinky,” she chuckled drily, before Scanlan could get the words out, but there wasn’t much humor in it as she glanced at where Percy rested.
He was shivering, a thin sheen of sweat already on his forehead as he shifted uncomfortably underneath the covers.
“Vex.”
Her brother’s voice snapped her from her thoughts, and she looked up to see that he was starting to usher the others out of the room.
“Rest, sister,” he nodded, “We’ll keep watch.”
She nodded lamely, feeling too drawn out to really consider anything they were really saying, “Okay…”
“Anything you need,” Yennen agreed, “We’ll be close by.”
The bassinet had been pulled back to her bedside, and though she felt the urge to hold her baby for the entirety of the evening, she knew her daughter needed rest just as much as she did, so she gently and slowly swaddled her baby while Vax drew the curtains shut for her. Yennen and Cassandra left, promising to check on them every hour, along with the others, while Pike laid out a few home remedies on the bedside table, should anyone need them.
Only a moment more passed before Vex was placing Vesper gently in her bassinet, before Vax was drawing the covers over her as he had the night before.
He brushed a kiss against her forehead as she pulled the covers over her body.
He was just about to retreat from the room, the final one of their friends to do so, before she called him back.
“Vax?”
He glanced over his shoulder, “Hmm?”
She felt like crying all over again as she registered the sound of Percy’s breathing beside her, her senses already attuned to the sound of her daughter sleeping peacefully. Her lover and daughter were safe beside her, and she had her brother to thank for the fact that they were all together again. She had her brother to thank for the fact that she wouldn’t be facing that future alone.
“Th-Thank you…” she whispered, one more, “Thank you, brother.”
He smiled warmly, and for a moment, Vex felt as if they’d been transported back to the children they’d been all those years ago, lost in the woods and dependent on one another for nearly everything. He’d never lost his smile for her during their darkest days, and she’d never known what she’d done to deserve it.
“Get some rest, Stubby,” he whispered, before closing the door softly behind him, leaving her with Percy and Vesper.
For a moment, she just lay there, listening to the soft breaths of the two people who held her world in their hands, before she turned to face Percy.
Gods, even after coming back from the dead, he still slept with that same frown he’d had all those months ago. His brow was furrowed, lips pursed, as if he’d been staring at a problem he didn’t know how to fix just yet.
The tears came before she could even try to stop them.
She scooted closer, considering for a moment to give him space. She certainly didn’t want to hurt him, but the idea of being away from him after the separation of life and death was more painful than she could ever imagine. So, instead of resting alongside him, though she desperately wanted to hold him, she’d settled for taking one of his hands, cold as ice, and shaking in her grasp, clutching it to her chest. She brushed her thumb over his wrist, examining the veins that showed too clearly through his too-pale skin. She could feel his fluttering heartbeat so clearly, each beat seemingly forcing his whole body to shake, the pulse of life returning to him, slowly but surely.
That was enough to make her start crying harder.
She cradled his hand gently, brushing multiple gentle kisses against his knuckles, trying hard to warm his too-cold hands.
“I love you,” she whispered, breathing it into his skin, “I’m here…and I won’t leave you. Never again.”
No matter how difficult this would get, she would never again make the mistake that she’d made all those months ago.
She wouldn’t leave him again.
Never again.
It only took a few more moments before her exhausted body finally dragged her into sleep, listening to the sound of his soft breathing, with the promise of the time before them.
—
His whole world was swimming.
His head felt as if it had been stuffed full of cotton while his lungs ached with every breath he forced himself to take. His heartbeat was practically screaming in his ears, and his limbs had a steady throb to them as he lay there, feeling as if he were floating.
This…was different.
Part of him expected the ache to deepen.
He expected the demon to be over his shoulder, screaming at him to get back to work. For the blistering forge to appear at his side, and the weight of the burning hammer to burn the flesh of his palms anew.
He expected the dream to fade away as quickly as it came.
But it didn’t.
The Foreman was silent.
The world was silent.
And he forced his eyes to open.
The world around him was blurry, but despite the ache in his bones, he was able to register the feeling of…softness. Something soft and warm surrounded him, as if he’d been fully embraced by peace and gentleness.
For a moment, he wondered if the foreman had grown bored with him.
If the demon had released him to death, finally.
But then he remembered.
Vex’ahlia.
Vax.
The little girl.
That aching first breath.
Wait…
He was alive…
He gasped slightly, his lungs protesting at the abrupt intake of air, but he didn’t care.
Though his vision was blurred, he recognized the colors and contours of one of the bedchambers in Whitestone. He wasn’t sure if it was his, but he recognized it all the same. He groaned, his body protesting as his heart picked up in pace, working overtime as he tried to reconcile what he was seeing with what had happened.
He…was free.
He was free.
He was free!
He couldn’t believe it.
Part of him was trying so hard to find the flaw in his surroundings, trying so hard to believe that this was some sort of trick that Orthax had planned for him.
But… he’d felt Vex’s heartbeat when she’d cradled him tightly.
He’d seen the tears in her eyes. He’d heard the laughter and crying of his friends as he was refamiliarized with breathing. He’d felt the strength of Vex’s embrace as she’d held him, crying and sobbing as she welcomed him back to life.
This had to be real.
It had to be.
But what if it wasn’t?
“P-Percy?”
The soft whisper caught his attention so quickly that he felt as if his heart had stopped again. Though any movement at all made him feel as if his body was ripping itself apart every second, he turned his head, groaning at the stiffness in his neck.
He had to see her.
He had to.
Though the rest of his vision was blurred, he quickly realized that she was close enough that he could see her.
Her face swam into his vision, and he suddenly became aware of the warmth and soft weight at his side.
He suddenly felt overwhelmed as his mind finally allowed him to register everything that was…her.
And oh…oh gods, she was so beautiful.
Her eyes were filled with tears as she stared at him, her eyes exhausted as she watched him.
Oh gods, please let this be real.
Please be real.
Please be real.
Please be real.
“Hi…” she whispered, her voice strangled with fear as she searched his eyes, a tear rolling down her cheeks as she stared at him.
His heart could have stopped again at the sound of her voice.
But his traitorous mind was still filled with whispers of Orthax.
“Are…” he winced. Speaking hurt far too much, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He pushed past the raw ache in his voice as he blinked at her, fearing for a moment that perhaps she would disappear. “Are…y-you…real?”
She gasped softly, tears rolling down her cheeks as she stared at him. A small choked laugh left her as she nodded.
“I’m…” she whispered, “I’m real darling…I’m here…”
His lungs ached as a sob rattled out of him as she took his hand, brushing a soft kiss against his knuckles. His whole soul seemed to ache with the familiarity of her beside him.
The scientist in him wanted nothing more than to ask for more evidence, but he knew he needed none.
She was here.
And he was here.
They were both alive.
Safe.
Tears filled his eyes as she scooted close to him, kissing his hands and shoulders and foreheads with so much gentleness and affection, he didn’t know what he’d ever done to deserve it.
“You’re…” he panted, gasping for air between words, “You’re…here…”
She chuckled tearfully, the tears falling harder as she shuffled closer to him, one of her hands gently and carefully cupping his face. In her eyes, he could see that there was, inexplicably, no place she’d rather be.
“You’re here,” she countered, “You’re safe.”
Safe…
The concept seemed so foreign to him.
Though he knew he’d been freed from Orthax’s grasp, he felt as if he’d been trapped in the smoke for so long that it was as if the demon’s talons had still been wrapped around his heart, waiting for a moment to strike.
But…he was safe with her.
He’d known that since she’d found him in that cell all that time ago. He’d known it when she’d first asked him what his name was, peering at him through rusty bars, even when there had been nothing in this world he could count on.
And somehow, he knew that he was safe…despite all odds.
“How are you feeling?” she whispered, “Do you need water?”
He swallowed hard, “No…I’m okay…”
He just wanted to focus on breathing, on the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest, trying to keep himself alert and awake. He’d been dead for far too long to waste any time now. He would use all of his strength to hold onto her, to this second chance that he had.
“How…” he breathed, “How long…?”
It hurt to speak, but the truth of the matter was that he could see ages worth of grief in her eyes. The mere sight of her pain and exhaustion made him want to rend the world apart. He needed to know.
“Eight months, one week and two days,” she whispered, a tear rolling down her face as she curled in closer to him, “An eternity.”
Eight months…
Only eight months.
That was when he remembered.
It hit him like a tidal wave, coursing over him as he searched Vex’s face for any sign of discomfort. He couldn’t see anything else in the room, but he was searching her for any signs of pain or sadness. If his math was right, then she had every reason in the world to be elsewhere. To prioritize herself and someone else over him. The guilt suddenly burst in his chest as he considered the time frame and what might have happened during his time away.
“Are…” he breathed, his chest aching as his heart picked up the pace, “Are you…okay?”
She looked confused for a moment, “What?”
“You…” he whispered, trying to find the right words, “Are…you okay…?”
By his math, if he’d been dead eight months, and their child was already born…then she would have just had to have given birth.
A child.
Gods…they had a child.
A little girl…
That wonder alone seemed to negate all of the pain that filled him.
They had a little girl.
A daughter.
Part of his mind suggested that perhaps he’d made it up, but that look in Vex’s eyes, and the cries he’d heard when he’d taken his second first breath…it couldn’t not be real.
They had a daughter.
But…he’d been away for all that time.
She suddenly seemed to understand, to grasp what he’d meant with his question, and her eyes softened, tears filling them as a ghost of a smile crossed her face.
“Oh…” she breathed, chuckling breathlessly as she wiped tears away from her eyes, “I’m…I’m okay, darling…”
“How long ago…” he whispered, “How long ago was she born…?”
She…
Their daughter.
Gods, his heart fluttered with the thought of their baby girl. The child he’d not yet met. The flickering image he’d seen when his mind and sanity had been ripped from him. Even the thought of her and Vex was enough for his heart to warm in the best way.
She chuckled, hesitating in her answer, but she met his eyes. “Yesterday…”
Holy shit.
She’d just given birth the day before.
She’d just had their child…and yet, she was here worrying about him.
“Oh, gods,” he breathed, looking her up and down, his heart kicking into gear as he attempted to sit up, his brain on autopilot to ensure she was more comfortable, though his body didn’t comply, much to his frustration. “Please…please, rest…”
A ghost of a memory appeared in his mind. An image he’d seen when he’d been trapped in the dark. He had heard her screaming and crying, her body possessed by the urge to give up. He’d seen how pained she’d been and how difficult it had been, even when he’d been unable to see the whole extent of everything, the connection he’d had to her had been enough for him to feel how difficult it had all been.
He suddenly wished more than anything that he’d been there. That he’d really been there to support her. That he now had use of his legs and arms to make sure she rested comfortably and had all the help that she needed.
“I’m alright, darling,” she whispered, brushing a kiss against his forehead, “I’m alright…Pike made me promise to rest for the next few days…We’ll be fine.”
He didn’t believe her. She wasn’t one to rest when there was something she wanted to accomplish. That was just a testament to the selflessness that she had. He then resolved that he would do whatever he would do to make sure she rested and had all the aid and help that she needed. He wouldn’t allow her to be waiting on him throughout the entirety of her recovery, and he wouldn’t allow himself to be useless.
“Are you sure?” he whispered, “Are you sure?”
“Yes, dear,” she chuckled, kissing his forehead again, “Trust me, Pike and Vax won’t let me overexert myself…only rest for the next few weeks for the both of us.”
He exhaled softly, trying to squeeze her hand, though his grip was weak.
“Alright…” he whispered, conceding to her argument.
They sat there in silence for a moment, and a million questions seemed to fill his mind. He didn’t know where to start or what to ask her. He knew he wanted to ask her about her well-being and the well-being of their child. He wanted more than anything to make sure they were being taken care of, his mind escaping his own pain and discomfort as his mind ran wild.
His thoughts were silenced when she brushed a soft kiss against his forehead.
He felt as if his heart could have stopped at that moment. Here she was, staring at him with so much love and care in her eyes. He could remember how hurt he’d been with her silence that last day…how he’d understood her reluctance all the same and being unable to hold it against her. Gods, his last thoughts before his mind had been blanched in smoke had been with her.
And here they were. Here she was, holding him, looking at him with so much love in her eyes, he didn’t know what he’d ever done to deserve it.
“I love you…” she breathed, and he felt as if he could have died all over again hearing that from her. She gripped his hand a little tighter, kissing his knuckles gently, “I love you so much, my darling, and I’m not going anywhere.”
He swallowed hard, gasping for air as tears filled his eyes. He’d never thought that hearing her say that would make him feel this level of complete and total incandescent happiness, but this went beyond anything he’d ever expected.
“I love you…” He whispered, trying once more to squeeze her hand, wishing more than anything that he could move closer to her, “I love you, Vex’ahlia…”
He meant it with every fiber of his being.
It was a reaffirmation of what they’d exchanged in that tomb hours before, but he never wanted to lose sight of it. He suspected he never would, but he would hold onto that truth with every beat of his heart from here on out.
He would spend every day of this second chance he’d been given to tell her every day. He wouldn’t waste a second he’d been given where it had come to his family.
She let out a sob as she nestled closer to him, brushing a kiss against the corner of his mouth, and his whole world could have stopped with that.
He knew they had so much to talk about. They would have to talk about what had happened that day and what had transpired during their time apart, but right now, all that mattered was this. He was filled with an abounding sense of determination to get well again. To get back to what he’d been before he’d been taken from her…from their family. He would get well again and dedicate every moment of his life to the future he’d chosen. A future with her and their daughter.
As if on cue, a soft cry sounded throughout the room, and he gasped, the sound of it purely miraculous.
Hearing her cries…hearing their child…somewhere in the room seemed to possess his whole soul. He met Vex’s eyes, finding her already looking over her shoulder with a gentle smile on her face.
She smiled tearfully at him, and he could see in her eyes that she had been dreaming of this moment: “Would you like to meet her?”
His heart leaped in his chest with the question.
“Yes…” he breathed, unable to answer fast enough, “Please…please.”
She chuckled tearfully, wiping away her tears as she kissed his forehead once more, pushing herself up into a sitting position, holding up a hand to silently show him that she’d be right back. He watched as her blurred form reached over, and he realized that a bassinet was beside their bed. He felt as if he couldn’t breathe…in the best way, not because he was in pain, as he watched the way Vex gently pulled a small bundle to her chest, swaddled in soft shades of blue.
Vex’s smile as she looked down at the bundle was perhaps one of the most beautiful smiles Percy had ever seen.
She met his eyes, and he realized that they both were crying. He felt as if he couldn’t breathe once more as she scooted close to him.
Gods, if this turned out to be a dream, he never wanted to wake up.
She helped him lean up against a few pillows for some support, but he couldn’t stop staring at his daughter and Vex’ahlia as it was finally time. Vex lay beside him, sitting backward as she smiled down at the child in her arms.
He had a pillow in his lap, and though his arms were limp, and he couldn’t manage the strength to move them on his own, he was more than ready to hold their child. He fought off against the exhaustion that threatened at the back of his mind, wanting nothing more than to savor these next few moments. This was his life. This was his second chance at life. With the woman he loved and their child. And he wanted to cherish every second of it.
Vex grinned at him, looking at him for a moment, just for confirmation that he was ready, and he couldn’t keep the smile from his face as she leaned over and started to lower the bundle into his arms, gently adjusting his arms so that he could hold her better.
The second their daughter was in his arms, he felt like crying, but had done all he could to stifle it, not wanting to disturb the little one.
She was beautiful.
“Oh…” he gasped, his breathing suddenly feeling all the more easier as Vex leaned into his side and held him, supporting him as he held their baby girl, “Oh…gods…”
Vex chuckled, and he could feel her tears soaking into his sleep shirt as she buried her face into his shoulder.
“She’s…” he breathed, “She’s…Vex…”
“I know,” Vex whispered, a beautiful smile on her face as she brushed a kiss against his shoulder, “I know, darling. ”
Their little girl was perfect.
He couldn’t think of anything else to describe her as he stared down at her, rendered breathless in wonder as he stared at the little miracle in his arms.
He didn’t care about the soreness in his arms or the ache in his chest as he lay against the pillows. He couldn’t feel the chill of death on his skin as he was overwhelmed with the best sense of warmth he’d ever known.
All that mattered was the woman at his side and the baby girl in his arms.
Her eyes were open, and he found himself completely possessed by the warm shade of brown that peered up at him. A small part of his mind wondered if perhaps he was a stranger to his daughter, but as she curled closer into his chest, he felt almost instantly that somehow, she’d known him. As if she knew all along that he was her father, and that she was safe with him. He was completely transfixed on the details of her tiny face, seeing all of the little bits and pieces of the woman he loved and himself in her. The shape of her eyes, though he didn’t understand how it was so apparent in a one-day-old, almost perfectly matched his elder sister Vesper’s…which meant they matched his. Her ears had a beautiful, tiny point at the end of them, with a human contour to the side, betraying the elven blood that coursed through her veins.
“Hello…” he breathed, tears rolling down his cheeks as he peered down at her, “Hello there…my girl…”
The baby merely yawned in response, curling deeper into his chest, her eyes fluttering shut, making herself comfortable as he cradled her.
She was an angel in his arms.
A reflection of the love he and Vex shared.
He managed to turn his head slightly to look down at Vex, where she was leaning against his shoulder, her hands helping him hold their girl.
“I love you…” He whispered against her hair, “Gods…Vex, I love you so much.”
She chuckled tearfully against his shoulder, kissing his cheek as she peered down at their baby. Her hands had settled over his as they both held their daughter, savoring in a silence that felt so perfectly right.
“I love you too, my darling,” she breathed, “We love you so much.”
We.
As in her and their daughter.
He couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt this much love and safety, even in the midst of so much discomfort and residual grief. He knew it was a sentiment their family shared wherever they were in the halls of the palace.
Here, he felt stronger. He felt as if he’d not been in death’s embrace mere hours before. As if he’d not felt as if he’d been in his own personal hell before his brother and the remarkable woman beside him had pulled him from the dark.
This…this was heaven.
And he’d never believed in such a place before.
They were silent for a moment before an important question crossed his mind as one of his fingers weakly and gently brushed against the edge of their daughter’s ear.
“What’s her name?” he whispered against the crown of Vex’s head, pressing another kiss to her hair.
He needed to know.
He had so much he wanted to say to their daughter. So many things to make up for all the time he’d lost.
But names, he’d learned very early on in life, were a very important thing.
His father had always done his best to make sure that Percy and his siblings knew the importance of their names and how, when they said their names, it was a reflection of pride for their family, and how their actions would forever be a testament to their name.
Right now, he wanted nothing more than to know the name of someone who’d suddenly meant the world and beyond to him. The name that had bound him to the woman he loved in more ways than one.
Vex chuckled tearfully, looking up at him with a beautiful smile.
“Her name…” she whispered, tears filling her eyes again, “...is Vesper."
He froze...all air suddenly vacating his lungs as the name registered in his mind.
"Vesper Elaina de Rolo.”
At the sound of the name, a million memories flooded his mind of the elder sister he’d once followed like a shadow, before he’d become a more solitary person. She had been kind and had understood him better than most had. Though he and his siblings had never been particularly affectionate, he definitely felt as if they had shared a close bond, even when they both had differed in their respective personal lives.
“S-Seriously?” he whispered, tears rolling down his cheeks, unable to keep the smile from his face as he looked at Vex’ahlia, who laughed tearfully and nodded.
“Yes…” she breathed, “What do you–?”
“It’s perfect…” he breathed, his voice strangled as he turned from Vex to look at their beautiful little girl.
Their perfect miracle.
Vesper Elaina de Rolo.
Named for his sister and Vex’s mother.
The two women who’d helped shape their lives in so many small ways.
He could have started sobbing all over again as he looked from the woman who held his heart in her hands to their incredible daughter.
Vesper Elaina.
Their little girl.
“She’s perfect,” he whispered, trying so hard not to let his tears disrupt the sleeping of their baby girl, “Gods…Vex, she’s…she’s everything.”
“I know,” she whispered, “Even when I was pregnant with her…I knew I’d love her…I just didn’t realize how much and how fast…”
He knew what she meant.
He’d only known he and Vex had a daughter for a few hours, and already he felt like the both of them were his whole world.
But in that realization…the guilt still remained.
“I’m sorry…” he whispered, “Gods, Vex, I’m so sorry…”
“No…” she whispered tearfully, “No, darling…none of what happened is your fault…”
“But I should have been here,” he whispered, “I should have been here for you…for her. I shouldn’t have been so foolish…I should have…”
His mind flashed back to that day…those final moments in that smoke-filled foundry.
He could still remember the confusion that had flashed across Ripley’s face when he’d offered her his hand. He could still remember the confusion that had taken root in his own heart as he’d done it. Not only that, but he could remember the disappointment he’d felt when that gunshot had echoed in his ears, the feeling of fear and regret in his mind as he choked on his own blood…how difficult it had been the hold on to the memory of Vex’s smile as he was dragged into the dark.
To think, if things had gone differently that day…if he’d paid attention…if he’d been more careful…he would have been here.
Instead, he’d been taken from the both of them, missing the entirety of Vex’s pregnancy, his daughter’s birth, and so many moments that he could never get back.
And he could only blame himself for it.
“Don’t blame yourself, my darling.”
As if she’d read his mind, Vex whispered the words softly, her own tears still falling as she stared down at their daughter in his arms.
“You’re here now,” she whispered, before he could even get a chance to reply, “You’re here now, that’s all that matters.”
“All of this time,” he breathed, shaking his head as much as he could, “I…I just wish I’d been here…for you and her…”
He wished more than anything that he’d been able to walk off the Isle of Glintshore and had come home with his family. He wished more than anything that he could have walked off that island and had moved on with his life. That he’d spent that time he’d lost with Vex, supporting her during her pregnancy, and fighting the Conclave alongside their family. He wished he could have been there for Vesper’s birth, holding Vex’s hand through it all, making sure she knew how loved and supported she was and how strong she was. He wished he could have been able to walk and be fully healthy so he wasn’t a burden to them, so that he could take care of them for a change, the way they so wholeheartedly deserved.
But a single gunshot had taken that away.
“But you’re here now,” she repeated, kissing his forehead and interrupting his thoughts, “You’re here now…that’s what matters. You’re safe. She’s safe…we’re all safe…and together now.”
He nodded. He would have to make peace with that. There was still so much they would have to talk about. So much they would have to unpack and things he would have to catch up on…but as he sat there, holding their daughter, leaning against the woman he loved more than life itself, he couldn’t bring himself to care.
In his arms, a soft cooing sound echoed in his ears, and he glanced down to find Vesper’s face scrunching up softly as she curled closely into his chest, a tiny fist escaping her swaddle as she curled closer to him. The mere sight of her was enough for him to feel at peace as he leaned further into Vex’s side, kissing her forehead while they both peered down at their daughter.
None of that mattered right now.
Right now, all that mattered was that he was home.
He was home with Vex.
Home with their daughter.
Home with their family.
And that was all that mattered.
He glanced down at their daughter, sleeping peacefully in his arms. As if she already knew him. As if she always had, and he knew Vex was right.
“All…all of the time I have been gifted with this second chance,” he breathed, brushing a kiss against the top of Vex’s head, “...belongs to the two of you.”
Vex let out a small gasping noise, and he could feel the silent sobs rattling her ribs as she curled closer to him. He kissed the top of her head, meeting her eyes for a moment before glancing down at their baby…at their miracle in his arms.
“I know…” he whispered, uncaring of how his raw and unsteady voice shook, “I know I’ve not been here…but t-today I swear to you that I will do whatever it takes to make up for the time I’ve lost.”
He met Vex’s eyes again, a tear rolling down his cheek, his heart held so completely by Vex’ahlia and their daughter.
“I’m yours,” he breathed, “If you’ll have me…as broken as I am…I am yours.”
Though Vex was crying, the smile on her face was the only answer he needed as she gently cupped his face and pulled him in for a gentle kiss.
Gods, it felt as if he’d encountered a crystal clear oasis after years of wandering in an arid desert.
It felt as if life had been breathed back into him over and over again.
Tears still fell as she pulled back and leaned her forehead against his own.
“Does…” she whispered, meeting her eyes as her tears made the amber of her own sparkle, “Does that answer your question?”
He smiled, though his face hurt and his lungs ached; he couldn’t help the laugh that left him. Perhaps it was more of a sob with the way the tears fell, emotions running high and raw as they held one another and their baby, but he didn’t care.
“I love you…” He whispered, hoping with all of his heart that their daughter could hear him and understand how devoted he was to her and her mother, “Until my last breath…and even after that…I’m yours.”
It had been true when he'd passed into darkness all those months ago...and it was still true now. Though he had no intention of leaving them any time soon.
“And I’m yours,” Vex whispered, nodding with a most beautiful smile he never wanted to lose sight of, “Until it beats its last…my heart is yours.”
He laughed, his heart fluttering with the profession before he looked down at their daughter.
“Vesper Elaina…” he whispered, “You…are so loved, my girl. So loved…”
“And no matter what happens,” Vex agreed, her fingers tracing gently over their daughter’s pointed ears, “You will always be safe and loved with us.”
“Always…” he breathed, smiling at their daughter, and then back up at the woman he adored with his whole being.
They fell asleep like that, not long after, Vesper held securely and safely in his arms while Vex curled into his side, making sure they were both supported and safe. Perhaps it wasn’t the most logical way for a family with a newborn baby to rest, but in the wake of all they’d seen and suffered, there was no place they’d rather be.
Percy’s final thought before the exhaustion took root in him once again was with his daughter and lover…how much he loved them…and how blessed he was to have a family.
How blessed he was to have been gifted a second chance.
And he vowed never to take it for granted.