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"The world's greatest uncle is finally here!"
Winters looked up from staring at his hands, sitting outside of the delivery room. He had been awake almost thirty-six hours and suddenly felt every minute of it. His clothes were dirty and rumpled but he did not care.
Nixon stopped in front of him, eyebrows scrunched together. "You look terrible."
That got a huff of a laugh out of the redhead. "Yeah, it's been a long day."
"Uh huh. You're a proud father now! Are you going to tell me if I have a niece or nephew?"
"Nephew."
"I fucking-" Nixon started to exclaim in his excitement before a loud shushing came from a nearby nurse, "-ah, I bloody knew it!"
Winters just shook his head at his friend. His own excitement bubbled under his skin like a geyser waiting to explode. He could not wait to introduce his best friend to his son.
"So, is he a Lewis or Nixon?"
"She gets to make the final decision. We've talked but she gets to choose."
Nixon stared at him, mouth gaping slightly before he recovered from his surprise. "You're letting your wife choose the name of your first born son? She knows about the deal right? She knows-"
"Yes, you have told her multiple times about how you knew we were going to marry and this was your demand for your infallible insight. I am sure she is taking it into great consideration. Also she did just spend eighteen hours in labor."
Nixon did not seem convinced but nodded. "What are you doing out here anyway?"
"I was sent out for food." He gestured to the brown paper bag next to him with a bakery's logo on it. "A nurse is checking on her right now."
"Ah." Nixon sat down next to Winters. "How does it feel?"
"What?"
"Being a father."
"I've only been a father for," he checked his watch, "going on four hours now."
"Alright, smart-ass."
Winters sighed, a goofy smile growing on his lips and his eyes twinkling. "I just met him and I already love him. I thought it would be hard to love anyone else as much as I love my wife but from the moment the doctor handed him to me...Nix, I would do anything for him."
"I know. That means a lot too. The love you have for her...I know I am not the only one to compare it to a fairy-tale."
The door beside them opened and a nurse stepped out, her white uniform crisp and practically blinding. "I am finished if you would like to join her, Mr. Winters, she is awake. I'll bring the paperwork in a moment."
"Thank you." Both men stood and walked into the delivery room.
A single bed was in the middle of the room, stark white walls making the room seem unnaturally bright.
Winters could not help but stare at the beautiful woman in the bed, even with her hair a mess and exhaustion clearly etched on her face, she glowed. How had he ever deserved such a strong, intelligent, gorgeous woman? She meant the world to him and he made sure to remind her everyday how much he loved her.
Immediately, he went to the side of her bed, depositing the bakery bag on the side table and pressed a kiss to her temple. His eyes drifted to the bundle in her arms and his heart swelled. There lay his son...his child...healthy and perfect. What more could he ask for?
His baby lips were pursed in his sleep, bright blue eyes hidden for the moment. A faint dusting of hair could be seen under the cap the nurse had put to help keep him warm. He was perfect.
"How are you feeling, darling?"
"Tired but that's not unexpected." She smiled at Winters before looking over at Nixon standing at the end of the bed. "Lewis, it's good to see you."
He winked at her. "You're still lovely as ever. Are you sure you want to stay married to this redheaded Eskimo?"
She chuckled, "I'm sure. Here, Dick." She lifted up the bundle and moved their son into his father's arms.
"So...what did you decide?" Nixon hedged, eyes bouncing back and forth between the two new parents.
She looked from Nixon to Winters and back. "Herbert. Herbert Winters."
Utter silence filled the room. You could hear a pin drop.
Then Nixon exploded.
"WHAT?! YOU'RE LETTING HER NAME YOUR SON AFTER THAT BASTARD?"
"Herbert is my grandfather's name." She quietly said, raising a single eyebrow in challenge.
"Shit," Nixon stopped and rubbed the back of his neck, "sorry, that's...that's a good family name."
Winters caught his wife's eye and gave the briefest of winks when Nix was looking down at the baby.
Nixon gazed at the baby boy, a soft smile on his face. "He is cute I guess. Hopefully he won't be a redhead like his father. Nothing but trouble those boys are."
The nurse stepped back in. "Here is your copy of the birth certificate. Anything else I can get any of you right now? "
"No, thank you, Nurse." Winters said, "Nix, can you grab that?"
The nurse handed the paper to Nixon then looked back at the happy parents. "I'll be back to check on you in two hours unless you need me sooner."
Winters nodded but his focus was on his friend's face. Nixon gaped at the form in his hand, unable to resist the temptation of looking at it.
"You alright there, Nix?"
The ex-intelligence officer's eyes shifted from the paper to meet his best friend's, tears threatening to slip out. "You did it, you...you actually did it."
Winters just smiled, slowly rocking his sleeping son in his arms. He knew what the form said. His wife had been the one to suggest it and how could he say no?
"Lewis Davis Winters." Nixon read aloud softly, almost reverently.
"He's got my middle name. Besides, he should have the same name as his godfather, right?"
Winters did not think Nixon's eyes could get any bigger but somehow they managed to. Any other time he would have laughed at how flabbergasted his best friend looked.
Nixon stepped closer, gently touching his godson's curled fist with heart eyes. "You and me little Lew, we're going to get into so much trouble together. I promise to teach you all the fun things your parents say no too." He cooed out, unable to escape the draw of the new baby.
Winters met his wife's eyes, love and adoration flowing between them. They had survived war together, a source of comfort actively sought for during the turmoil. As soon as they returned back to the states, Winters had dropped onto one knee before her. They had a small wedding and honeymooned in New York City. Sure they had their ups and downs but underneath it all was a devotion and affection to rival any love story.
Standing here now with his beautiful wife smiling softly at him, their new baby in his arms and his best friend to support them, it was all worth it. Nothing could be more perfect than this moment for him.