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Chapter Text

Nile unpacked the contents of her bag and stared at the items with uneasiness. She was so hungry and so tired she couldn't move. The exhaustion seeping into her bones felt like lead, and she wanted to sleep as much as she wanted to eat, but she also didn't want to be alone with her thoughts right now. Cooking seemed the obvious, safest option.

It was Christmas, or nearly there. Nile couldn’t be sure. Her phone had died sometime during the last couple of days, and her charger had been damaged as they had fled Medan. It didn't matter anyway. After all, how could it truly be Christmas without a decorated tree and carefully wrapped gifts? Without snow and carolling?

Without her family?

Every time Nile thought she was getting there, getting over it, learning to go on without them, something completely innocuous would happen and it would send her back crashing down. It could be the way a woman wore her scarf that reminded her of her mom, or the vivacious laugh of a teenage boy in a night market.

That last one had happened only a week ago and it had haunted her ever since. She didn't have a chance to see the boy's face, and maybe that was the problem, because she just went and pictured her brother's instead. The holiday season only made matters worse.

Christmas was the last time her whole family had been together before her dad had gone out for one more tour, his last one. Her mom had been pregnant with Nile's brother then and her dad had spent all his waking hours doting on his omega wife and his unborn child, making bets on whether they would be another beta to make Nile company, an omega like her mom, or maybe an alpha like himself.

Her dad had had a beautiful, deep voice, and he had sung to the huge bump, resting his hand protectively over it as he and her mom had lain together on the settee.

Nile remembered being so jealous her heart had ached, in that open and unapologetic way only children can feel, and yet, she had never said anything aloud. The guilt she had felt when the news about her dad came had been overwhelming, and even then she had kept her silence, swallowing her jealousy. She had done it so she could pretend that last Christmas was perfect. She had done it so she could treasure that memory now, when her whole life seemed to be slipping through her fingers.

Nile shook her head, exasperated at herself. If she was about to let her mind wander into those dark corners, maybe she should have gone to bed where it's comfy, instead of staring at all the items she had brought and wishing they would magically cook themselves so she didn't have to. With a heavy, long exhale she finally moved, found a pot to boil water in and started working. It was easier than assembling weapons and shooting moving targets, that's for sure, but it kept her busy.

The kitchen was cluttered and lived in. All the appliances were older than Nile by at least three decades, but she found her way around. She had to dust off a couple of pots since they were in the back of the cupboards, where Nicky hadn't been able to reach since he had passed the 36-week mark.

That was something else Nile had been trying not to fret too much about, but even she wasn't immune to it, and Nicky's condition was probably one of the reasons she had decided to come home for a hot meal and a bed, refusing Andy's invite for a girl's night out.

As the only beta on the team, Nile felt bad for worrying, because she thought it was her job to not hover over Nicky, since Joe and Andy, both of them alphas, didn't seem to realise they were driving the omega out of his mind slowly but surely. Nicky had been enduring their meddling for some time now, but he had started talking back in the past couple of weeks.

She didn't blame him. The heat and the humidity in this country were enough to make a saint cry, and Nicky might have been the best of them, but he was no saint. They had been stuck in this place for close to four months now, a diversion route since they had finished their last assignment and found out about Nicky's condition.

In fact, the mission had been wrapped up more or less because Nicky was getting sick all the time, and Joe couldn't concentrate on anything apart from worrying about his mate. There had been a couple of close calls, and Andy had lost her cool more often than not. The particular mix of symptoms eventually had tipped them off and a simple drugstore test had confirmed their suspicions. Nicky had promptly refused Copley's offers to find him a doctor, so they had settled down in a safehouse to wait.

As the youngest immortal, initially, Nile hadn't been too impressed by the news. After all, an omega getting pregnant was the most ordinary thing in the world, even for males, but for Nicky and Joe, the prospect of being parents seemed to shake them to their core. When Nile had finally found the words and inquired, confused, Andy had pulled her aside to explain.

Their 'gift' somehow made them all infertile, frozen in time, which frankly, Andy had said, was a relief. Nile couldn't agree more. As a beta, she had never had to deal with a heat in her life, but as a woman, she really didn't fancy spending an eternity getting her period.

Since Merrick, though, something had changed for Joe and Nicky. Maybe it had been some of the drugs they had used on them; maybe it had been some of the experiments that had twisted something inside. But it didn't matter how it had happened, only the result. After their escape, Nicky had gone into his first full-blown heat since his first death, and Joe had put a child in him.

Nile was glad she hadn't been around for that, and though neither had Andy, she had made enough jokes for Nile to be able to picture some of it very vividly if she wanted. She didn't.

She focused her attention on a number of other details. It was curious being around a pregnant omega on their first pregnancy, and she had many questions, but she asked none. Instead, she observed in silence, and when she had her phone at hand, she would google some symptom Nicky was having in order to assure him it was perfectly common. She suspected Nicky already knew the cause and the solution to most of his maladies, and yet he amused her, and thanked her for her help. As she cooked, Nile couldn't help but wish she could do something for him now.

It had been at least one week since the last time she had witnessed Nicky eating a full meal or managing to sleep a whole night. It was likely both problems were related. The bump, which had been barely noticeable in the first six months, now was so prominent that Nicky could rest a bowl of food over it and just walk around without spilling it if he so wished. The issue was that almost every smell made him turn up his nose, and every position was impossible for him to rest in.

Nile couldn't help feeling a bit guilty as she cooked herself the most indulgent of meals in the middle of the night. She did her best to not think about Nicky and his food issues as she put the pasta in the boiling water, as she shredded the cheddar and warmed the milk. The work distracted her, and she had a big pot of mac 'n cheese half-way done when she overheard uncertain steps behind her.

"Nile, hello," Nicky greeted her with a tired smile and a short nod. He had a hand on the small of his back, as if he could support the extra weight he was carrying that way. "I thought you had gone out with Andy."

"Yeah, I wasn't in the mood to party," she replied, stirring the pot over with a large wooden spoon. As she watched the contents of the pot start to bubble, she felt herself getting hungrier, but it felt bad manners to eat in front of the pregnant, starving omega. Besides, it wasn't done yet. "Can't sleep?"

Nile knew it was a stupid question, but Nicky didn't call her on her bullshit. He nodded and Nile could see his shoulders slacken. She thought about offering him a chair, but she remembered the omega talking about how hard it has been to stand these days. If he had been in bed with Joe a few minutes prior, sitting down probably wasn't part of his current plans. "Do you want some tea?" she offered, instead. "I can make you some."

Nicky hesitated and Nile noticed his nostrils flaring. She wondered if the smell of her mac 'n cheese was bothering him. It was very likely. After all, she had added some extra cheese and hadn't cheaped out on the paprika. She knew her recipe was a sort of acquired taste, yet she felt her mouth water anyway.

"Of course," Nicky said after a beat. "Do you want me to keep stirring that for you?"

Nile looked at the pot in front of her. Between the cheddar and the paprika, the cream was almost orange, and it was bubbling, but it could use a minute longer so it didn't form any lumps. "Thanks," she said, handing the spoon over to Nicky before she could start on his tea. She might as well make her some too.

"How's Joe?" she asked after a moment, putting the tea bags in two mugs. "Getting on your nerves?"

Nicky smiled, a hand on his back and the other on the spoon, always stirring. "He couldn't, really, I am so grateful for him, but Joe-" he bit his lower lip. "He gets himself worked up too easily. I wish I could soothe him. He worries."

"Well, shouldn't he?" She asked before she could stop herself, and Nicky's face made Nile pause. "Sorry, that's none of my business."

"It's a family issue, and you are family," Nicky said gently. "You can ask me anything, and I will always be honest with you, Nile. And yes, Joe has reason to be worried, but since there's nothing he can do about my predicament, his worry only makes me worry, and no good is being achieved that way. If Joe refuses to eat because I cannot, it will only make two people go hungry instead of one. If he doesn't sleep because I can't, it's two people spending the day walking around like zombies, and that helps no one."

"That's why you're here, then?" Nile mused, pouring boiling water into the mugs. "So Joe can sleep?" Nicky didn’t reply, but his half-smile was all the answer Nile needed. "How did you manage to sneak out anyway?"

"My beloved can be an attentive alpha, but refusing to sleep for my sake finally rendered him too exhausted," Nicky said, reaching for his tea. "I managed to sneak out as soon as he rolled over for a moment, and now he's spooning a very large pillow. It smells a bit like me. It should give him a couple of hours."

Nicky smiled over the rim of his mug, as he drank the first couple of sips. Nile blew into her own mug before drinking it slowly, wishing it was a cup of coffee instead, but the bitter taste also helped sober her up.

Nicky finished his tea quickly enough and went back to stirring the pot with one hand as he started to peruse the spice rack with the other. Nile thought about saying something, but it felt wrong to interrupt him, an artist in his atelier. Yet, she couldn't help wondering when he would hand the spoon back, not so secretly judging her choices of food.

It happened fast, and when Nile noticed, Nicky had already taken the wooden spoon to his lips and tasted the cheese cream as if he was cooking one of his own dishes. Nile held her breath, fully expecting to be scolded, but the expression on Nicky's face wasn't one of disgust but of pure unadulterated joy. Nile frowned, her words were stuck in her throat.

"Hm," she said eloquently after a minute of silence. "Not bad?"

Only as he heard Nile's voice, Nicky seemed to realise what he had done, and he looked back and forth between Nile and the pot. He took the spoon again and poured some of the cheese cream on the back of his hand, blowing on it before licking it all clean. Nile couldn't help feeling like she was watching a lean street cat lick the remains of its dinner after days of going hungry.

"This is good," he said, sounding astonished by that realisation. "Can I have some?"

It took Nile a moment before she gathered her wits to form a reply. "Of course," she squeaked and noticed that Nicky's eyes blinked towards the corridor that led to the bedroom he shared with Joe. " I made enough to feed a small army. Want to eat this in the living room?"

"I would love to." As Nicky smiled, Nile felt some of her guilty turn lighter. She took the last sip of her tea and grabbed two large bowls, helping Nicky to fill them rather generously.

Once that was done, Nile wondered whether she should offer her assistance in getting Nicky over to the sofa. His usual straight and fast gait had turned into an undignified waddle that, while cute to watch, always had her worried he would exhaust himself walking the smallest distance – or trip over his feet because he had admitted to not having seen them in a couple of weeks.

In the end, she decided it wasn't worth upsetting him over this. Nicky knew what he needed and certainly wasn't too shy to ask for help. What she could do was carry his bowl for him, so before he could even reach for it, she took it along with her own and carried them over into the living room.

No matter which safehouse they inhabited, they all looked so incredibly lived in, stacks of books here and there, relatively new novels sharing the space with yellowed tomes, representing the ghost of literary eras past. The sofa was old and had probably once upon a time cost a fortune, but none of them ever seemed to care. Nothing here was special just because it was old. Everything was for use. She wondered whether one day she would feel the same way about using the expensive chinaware for midnight mac 'n cheese.

Without being prompted, Nile fluffed a few of the pillows and propped them up against the sofa, so Nicky could sit more comfortably. While he didn't say anything, he shot her a fond look and she smiled as she watched him get seated gingerly and shift this way and that to try and get comfortable. He seemed to give up after a while, surrendering to his fate. "I fear I won't ever manage to get up from here. The pillows are appreciated nonetheless."

"Back bothering you again?" she asked, knowing Joe had massaged it only a few of hours prior.

"Carrying life is hard work. I like the weight. It remains a constant reminder of what we were capable of creating." Nile's eyebrows shot up. Who knew when she would get used to Nicky's sudden philosophical outbursts? He seemed to notice it and gave her a small smile. "And it hurts, yes, and it's annoying, too. But I will bear it if it means we get to have this."

"Poor you," Nile said and meant it. She reached for the remote because the silence of 2AM would soon be too much for her to bear. "Dunno if you care about TV, but we could watch something. Might take your mind off of it for a little."

If Nicky noticed that the suggestion was for her sake, too, he didn't comment on it. "That would be lovely. Just keep the volume down a bit. I wouldn't want to wake Joe."

"Of course." The TV came to life, but the only thing that was on were ads. She was glad the channel was an English one, at least. There was nothing that could motivate her more to polish her foreign languages than witnessing the team watch the news in God knew which languages, following along without major issues, but it was also frustrating at times that they had such an advantage over her. Sometimes, she felt like a child surrounded by adults, and her twenty-seven years suddenly felt like seven.

All the ads were Christmas-themed, and Nile could feel herself drowning again. There were only so many images of happy families and glistening children's eyes and Christmas trees she could bear before it became just a bit too much. It felt exactly as raw as it had when she had lost her dad, and to think that had only been the first blow. Maybe she should have just gone to bed. But no, she reminded herself, without her cooking in the dead of night, Nicky wouldn't have gotten to eat, and that alone had been worth it.

Speaking of Nicky: he was indulging. He put a spoonful of mac 'n cheese in his mouth and closed his eyes in what could only be called bliss. His face wasn't pallid the way it often became when he was around the smell of food for too long. He seemed perfectly content for the first time in weeks, and Nile – already emotionally exhausted – felt her eyes sting a little.

The upbeat music made her turn her head back to the screen abruptly. The familiar intro felt like a punch to the gut, salt on her sore and bruised soul. And yet she smiled despite herself because she couldn't help the little burst of happiness and nostalgia. Antiques Roadshow, the logo on the screen proclaimed. The Christmas special. She'd seen that one before, and suddenly she was all of thirteen again, sitting on the sofa with her mom, her little brother already asleep, gaudy Christmas tree gently lighting up the living room. She let out a huff, partly in disbelief.

Nicky, ever perceptive even when distracted by his newfound appetite, noticed immediately. "Is everything alright?" he asked because even if he wasn't feeling his best, he still put everyone else first. Classic Nicky. She was endlessly grateful for him right now, and if she wasn't still a little unsure about where he stood on uncommunicated physical contact, she might have scooted closer just to put her arm around him in gratitude for… well, not being able to sleep, which felt wrong to even think. "Nile. Are you alright?"

"It's fine, really," she replied and was glad her voice didn't waver. "Used to watch that with Mom, that's all. I told you, I wanted to study art history. But really, it was this show that dragged me into it. Mom and I loved guessing which pieces were valuable and which were fake. We were pretty good at it after some time."

Nicky watched a few seconds of the show in silence, swallowing another mouthful of macaroni. "You should talk to Joe about that one of these days. He will be very glad to have someone who properly appreciates art. He calls Andy a philistine."

"He an antiques fan, too?"

"Joe likes everything beautiful." It was one of those moments where she thought Nicky would elaborate in any way, but he didn't. Instead, he focused on the TV again, licking the spoon clean absentmindedly. He really was digging the mac 'n cheese, and it made Nile's chest feel a little warmer.

"Would he rob a museum to get his hands on something?" she asked because it felt good to talk like this was just any night while letting the familiar voices of the show wash over her, grounding her.

There was a rare gleam of mischief in Nicky's eyes. "What tells you he hasn't yet?"

Nile snorted. "I saw all the things you guys accumulated over the years. In the cave. Some of it you must have just taken because you felt like having it, right?"

Nicky nodded. "That's only Andy's in the cave," he explained and ate another spoonful.

"Where do you keep your secret art collection?"

"I'll tell you that in fifty years," Nicky gave her a wink.

She grinned. "Gonna take you up on that."

It was then she realised she hadn't touched her own mac 'n cheese at all. The bowl was thankfully still steaming, and she finally tasted it. Comfort food really deserved its name, she thought, as the creamy sauce filled her with warmth from within.

For a while, they both ate without talking until Nile suddenly heard the unnerving sound of metal on porcelain.

Nicky looked at his empty bowl in utter disappointment, scraping the spoon over the bottom to scoop up the last bit of cheese. Nile was already halfway on her way up before even asking, setting her own bowl down on the little table in front of the sofa. "You want more? I know there's some left, I can get you more."

Nicky extended the bowl to her with a look of almost pleading. "Would you be so kind-?"

"That's nothing, Nicky. I'd be happy!"

"This," he admitted and tipped his chin in the direction of the kitchen from where the most delicious scent of still-warm mac 'n cheese wafted over to them, "is all I can think about right now. I was considering whether it would be rude to ask you for at least three more of those bowls."

Nile felt her face and chest warm up to his words. "I'm glad you're eating," she replied and had to force herself not to sprint towards the kitchen. It was always a good feeling when someone enjoyed your cooking enough to ask for seconds, but this was another matter entirely. The sense of fulfilment she was experiencing was too great to fit inside her chest.

She considered bringing the whole pot back to the living room, but decided against it and poured the remaining mac 'n cheese in Nicky's bowl with a smile. It was just on the right side of overflowing, but she didn't think he would mind.

Nile also did a quick survey of the kitchen before returning, and she was about to proudly announce to Nicky they had enough ingredients for another pot if he wanted to, when they were both startled by a loud bang. Nile looked around in search of something she could use as a weapon, but Nicky immediately put a hand on her arm, stopping her from moving.

A second later, Joe stumbled into the living room, gun in his left hand, scimitar in his right, eyes huge and curls wild.

"Nicolò," he breathed, weapons in mid-air, eyes trained on the omega. "I thought you-"

"I am sorry, my love," Nicky said, grinning softly. "I needed to pee, and then I didn't want to wake you."

Nile didn't move as she watched Joe put the weapons down, though he kept both close by, before he bridged the few inches separating him from the sofa. His dark eyes were careful as he stared at Nicky, first focusing on his face, which he touched with the tip of his fingers, maybe looking for any signs of distress, then immediately zeroing in on the bowl of mac 'n cheese the omega was resting on his bump.

That was the first moment since erupting from the bedroom that Joe seemed to notice Nicky wasn't alone, but his nostrils merely flared, eyes still fixed on Nicky.

"Are you eating?" Joe asked, obvious shock in his voice and for a long, dreadful second, Nile wondered if maybe she had stepped too far. Tales of how possessive an alpha could get over their omega, especially if said omega was carrying, were common enough, and well, Joe and Nicky had waited for that for almost a millennium. Joe didn't look angry, though, Nile noticed. If anything, he looked besotted. "My heart?"

"Yes," Nicky replied, pleasure clear in his voice, and he broke eye contact with Joe to look over to Nile with an open smile. "Nile made this pasta with cheese, and it's delicious."

Joe was in front of Nile in the blink of an eye, and she held her breath as he looked at her with intent for a whole second before wrapping his arms around her waist and lifting her from the floor as if she weighed nothing. Nile barely contained an undignified yelp, but didn't bother to mask the laughter that erupted from her stomach all the way to her tongue, and she hugged Joe back with all her might.

"Thank you, Nile," Joe said as he let her go, eyes shining with emotion, and for a moment, she worried he was going to start crying right in front of her. "Thank you."

"It's nothing," Nile replied, knowing full well that wasn't true.

Nicky seemed to have enough of the commotion and went back to dig in his food as if Nile and Joe weren't there, making sounds that could be described as pornographic, if the expression on Joe's face was anything to go by.

Blushing, Nile picked up her own bowl of lukewarm food and hesitated before rejoining Nicky on the sofa. For her, it seemed obvious Joe would want to snuggle close to his mate, and though there was plenty of room, Nile felt that if she hadn't overstepped with food, she might do it now. At her back, she could hear the sounds of the show returning from a commercial break, and she realised how much she didn't want to eat alone in the kitchen or her room.

No, Nile wanted to climb back on the spot next to Nicky, tuck her legs under her body and finish her mac 'n cheese. She wanted to watch her show and remember fondly her mother and brother and maybe listen to Nicky's soothing voice now and then. Hell, she was curious about Joe's thoughts on the show as well. She didn't want to be alone.

As if her reluctance was becoming clear on her face, Nicky said something to Joe in that fast mix of Italian and Arabic of theirs, and Joe gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and disappeared into the corridor. Nile blinked, confused and almost embarrassed. She didn't want Nicky to send Joe away, especially not when the alpha looked so disturbed upon thinking something had happened to Nicky while he slept.

"Here," Nicky said, patting the empty spot on his right where Nile had been before her last trip to the kitchen. "Sit. Eat. Your food is getting cold."

Well, Nile thought, that shouldn't be so bad. She could finish her bowl and wait for the next break and then sneak to her bedroom. That way, she wouldn't impose too long on them and still get a bit of company. She nodded and sat beside Nicky, keeping a respectful distance. She ate two spoonfuls of mac 'n cheese and tried to pick up where they were in the show when Joe came back, carrying blankets and pillows and arranging them around Nicky and Nile quickly and efficiently.

She froze like a deer in the headlights, holding her bowl up as if she was carrying a pot of acid, afraid of spilling anything over what she assumed was at least some of Nicky's nest. As a beta, she couldn't really pick apart scents and smells like she knew Joe and Nicky could, and yet she could feel her whole body relaxing despite her nervousness to be allowed there.

"What do you think, my heart?" Nile heard Joe ask in a soft tone so as not to disturb what was happening on the TV. She also noticed Joe burying his nose in the curve of Nicky's neck, causing the omega to smile around a spoonful of macaroni. Nicky swallowed his food and nodded, sitting a little closer to Nile to free up space on the left side of the sofa so Joe could join them.

Nile tried her best to not rest her weight against Nicky. His swollen stomach seemed to fill more space when he was sitting, and though she had been allowed to touch it before, she didn't want to brush against it unprompted. So she concentrated on her food and tried to pay attention to whatever was going on on-screen, but she kept getting distracted by the two men next to her.

Something was nagging at Nile's mind as she watched Nicky offer a spoon of his precious food to Joe, who politely refused and rested his hand over the omega's bump instead, caressing it almost reverently.

The memory came with full force and with a pang in her chest, Nile saw a beautifully decorated tree and several carefully wrapped presents underneath it, and there was herself frozen in a corner. She was barefoot then, and she wore her favourite Lilo & Stitch pyjamas, having snuck downstairs well past her bedtime, hoping to catch Santa, but finding her mom and dad instead.

She could almost see them again, as if it was happening now, the way they were framed by the colourful lights from the tree, bodies snuggled close and comfortable under a blanket, the TV merely another source of light and white noise, eyes only for each other, their hands guarding that new little promise between them.

Nile felt the last spoon of mac 'n cheese form a lump in her throat, and she looked around desperately for a glass of water to help ease it down, but there was none. She was about to flee the warmth of Nicky's improvised nest when Joe's deep voice pierced through the fog of her half-memory.

"I'm going to make some tea, would you keep an eye on him for me, Nile?" he asked with a wink. "Make sure he finishes that bowl."

Nicky raised his eyebrows, and Nile could almost see him fighting the urge to roll his eyes back at his mate, but he merely kept chewing and glanced at Nile with a half-smile. She couldn't do anything besides smile back. They watched TV and ate in comfortable silence for a while.

By the time Joe had returned, Nile had finished her bowl, and the show had entered into another break, the last one if her memory served. She accepted a steaming mug from Joe, and only when it was under her nose, she realised it wasn't tea.

"You made hot cocoa!" she exclaimed before she could stop herself. It smelled divine, chocolate and cinnamon and something else underneath it all. "This is perfect."

"I am glad you like it," Joe said. "The secret is the cardamom, Nicky is crazy about it."

"That's because it reminds me of you, my love," Nicky said simply, and Nile almost choked on her cocoa. The way Nicky was looking over to Joe made her feel warm on her face, and she was sure it had nothing to do with the hot beverage in her hands. She took the first sip from her mug and closed her eyes in bliss.

Nicky had finished his bowl by the time the show was wrapping up, and Nile was halfway through her cocoa. She dreaded the moment she would run out of excuses to keep imposing on them with her presence. She took little sips, realising she was savouring the taste of chocolate and spices, yes, but also companionship.

"Nile," Nicky said as Joe took the empty bowl from his hands and replaced it with his own mug of hot cocoa. "Thank you for the food. It was wonderful."

Nile opened her mouth to reply that the pleasure had been hers when Joe said: "Remember the first time we ate pasta like this, Nicolò? It was France, maybe the 1400s?"

"Well, it was pasta, and it had cheese, but it wasn't anything like this," Nicky said in all seriousness, caressing his bump with his free hand. "But I recall having something quite similar in Jefferson's house… 1795, maybe? Andy had some business in Virginia."

"Wait-" Nile raised a hand so they would look at her. She always felt out of touch when they dropped some historical bomb at her feet like it was nothing. "Are you guys saying you all went and ate mac 'n cheese at president Thomas Jefferson's house?'

"I believe his chef called it 'macaroni pie'," said Nicky. "And Jefferson wasn't president then."

"Yet," said Joe with a smirk. "But he wasn't even at the house, if I recall correctly. His wife was, though. Andy couldn't stand her, but dinner was pleasant enough."

"Do you remember the chef's name?" Nicky asked, frowning slightly and taking a sip of his cocoa. "He was busy training his brother to take over for him, but he took the time to show me around his kitchen. It was impressive."

"Jack?" Joe mused. "Jacob?"

"James Hemings," Nile said, surprising herself. Joe and Nicky stared back at her with curious looks on their faces. Nicky raised his eyebrows and then nodded proudly at her.

"Yes," he said. "James, of course. His brother Peter called him Jimmy."

"How do you know that?" Joe asked and Nile grinned. Surely that wasn't the type of information one would expect to learn in school, so Joe's question wasn't out of place.

"You guys can be a thousand years old," she said with a pause, making sure she had their complete attention, "but I know how to use the internet."

There was a beat followed by complete silence, in which Nile thought she had offended them before Joe let out a roaring laugh, and Nicky's shoulders shook as he nodded. As if infected by Joe's laughter, Nile joined in, and by the time she had gotten her wits back, her left side had a phantom pain.

"Our child will be so lucky to be born at this time," said Nicky with a full smile, his eyes bright and kind, an arm around his belly, the other over the sofa, almost touching Nile's shoulder. "If they get to have you as part of the family."

Nile felt her throat close. It wasn't so different from the feeling of food getting stuck, but she didn't feel like running anymore. Her eyes stung with unshed tears, and she smiled back, albeit it was a crooked one.

"Oh!" Nicky suddenly cried out, his smile turning into a grimace as he rubbed his stomach.

"My heart?" asked Joe, looking ready to jump into action. "Is it time?"

"No, no-" Nicky shook his head. "It's just a kick, though a very hard one. I think it's getting a little packed in there."

Nile stared at Nicky's bump in wonder. She couldn't help thinking about her mother entering labour with her brother, their father on the other side of the world. Nile remembers putting both her hands over her mom's belly back then, but she had been too small to embrace it. When her brother was born, they didn't even allow her to hold him during the first days and she wondered if they knew she had felt jealous of him.

"Nile?" It took her a moment to realise Nicky was calling her name, and she wondered how long that had been happening for. She blinked, staring back at Nicky and Joe. The omega smiled at her while Joe smiled at Nicky. "Do you want to feel it?"

Nile was moving before she could think too hard about it, placing both of her hands over Nicky's belly and allowing him to move them around until he found the right spot. It took a second that stretched to five, but soon enough she felt something hard pressing against the taut skin under her palms.

"I think that's a foot," said Nicky when Nile stared back at him in wonder. "And I think I need to pee."

Both Joe and Nile helped Nicky back to his feet, and both were chastised when they offered to follow him to the bathroom, so they ended up sitting on the sofa with a huge empty space between them.

"Have you guys decided on a name yet?" Nile asked as the silence stretched a bit too long. Though Joe was clearly the most down-to-earth of them, she always found it easier to talk to Nicky.

"We have a few ideas," said Joe, and she suddenly realised his eyes looked sad. "But we are trying to take one step at a time, wait until we have a face to put a name to."

Joe didn't say the words, but he didn't have to. They didn't want to hope too much before they were sure the child would be okay. They had never done that before. It was astonishing, that notion. Of living a thousand years and still being amazed and also terrified. There couldn't be anything more human.

"It's going to be a beautiful face," she said and Joe smiled at her, but before he could reply, Nicky left the bathroom, and they both watched him waddle his way back to them.

Nile expected Joe to take Nicky to their bedroom, but instead Joe just stood to help him sit back onto the nest of pillows and blankets.

She was about to stand so she could let them be, when Nicky put a hand over her shoulder and held her close. She stifled a yelp as she felt the side of her face pressed against his chest, but he must have been exuding some of that soothing omega scent because soon, Nile felt her eyelids become heavier and heavier. She fell asleep less than a minute after Nicky started to purr.

There was a deafening boom, and Nile was wide awake, sitting up quickly from where she had been leaning against Nicky. She could feel the body next to her startle as well, and as one, Nicky and Nile turned their heads towards the door, Joe lagging a few moments behind after he had scrambled upright.

In the doorway stood Andy, positively reeking of cigarettes and booze, hair wet and dishevelled from the rain, dripping from head to boots. She was holding a half-soaked paper bag with the logo of some local in-store bakery at arm's length so as not to drip on it too badly, all while still managing to look like a warrior goddess had walked out of a book of myths and legends. There was something about her presence that no rain could wash away.

She made no move to explain where she had been the entire night, and Nile doubted she ever would. No, Andy only shook her head to get a few strands plastered to her brow out of the way and proclaimed: "Merry fucking Christmas."

Then, without missing a beat: "Did you all sleep on the couch?"

"At least we did sleep," Joe drawled, rubbing his eyes, and though he was ribbing Andy, the undertone of his words remained clear: at least Nicky had slept. The omega actually looked well-rested, Nile found, the bags under his eyes less sharp, skin a little less pale. Of course one night of good sleep wasn't enough to make up for days of going without, but it was a start.

Sleeping soundly had done wonders for her, too. Nile felt less wounded, more at peace again. There were happy memories of last night, and that had been what she'd badly needed. A warm place to sleep, huddled close to people she had grown to see as her own.

"No presents?" Joe asked in mock-disappointment, eyeing the bag of baked goods in Andy's hand with some interest. No wonder he was hungry, Nile mused. After all, he hadn't gotten any of the midnight mac 'n cheese.

Andy snorted. "Hey, I bought you a croissant, and besides, doesn't Nicky always go on how Christmas is not about the presents but the, quote unquote, child? Well, we already have the miracle child on the way." She finally put the bag down on the table and shrugged out of her soaked coat. "By the way, you feelin' anything, Nicky? Christmas would be great as a birthday for your firstborn."

"You would never let me live that down." Nicky stated it as a fact and made an honest effort at getting up from his half-seated position. Joe basically jumped up from the sofa, suddenly awake, and helped his mate to his feet, supporting him long after it was necessary. Nicky seemed to allow it without talking back.

Despite all her teasing, Andy walked over to where they were standing and without hesitation put both palms over Nicky's bump as if to say 'hello' to the baby. There was a rare softness in her eyes, an open vulnerability that was for her family only. Nile felt privileged to be allowed to witness it.

The moment was brief, but all the sweeter for it. "Anyone care for some breakfast?" Andy asked as she walked over to the table and started to unpack the contents of the bag. "I got the munchies on the way here and decided to get us something. It's not much, but it's food."

Soon enough, they were seated around the kitchen table, indulging in slightly soggy food and – finally – coffee. There was no opening presents or any other acknowledgement of the holiday, but it didn’t matter. It was a Christmas day spent with family, and that, Nile found, was worth more than a thousand gifts and bright lights. Between the reminiscing of her old memories and the making of new ones, she was in a comfortable place.

Joe was on his second croissant when they all heard a low rumble and looked over to Nicky in unison. "I'm sorry," the omega smiled apologetically. "I'm hungry again, I think."

"And none of this looks appetising?" Joe asked, forgotten worries creeping back into his gaze.

Nicky only shook his head, looking sad but accepting of his own continued discomfort.

Nile cleared her throat, drawing the others' attention. She felt almost giddy with the knowledge she was about to dump on them.

"Did you know," she said. "I bought enough ingredients to make a new pot of mac 'n cheese."

Nicky's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

Chapter Text

Nile went about preparing a new pot of mac ‘n cheese with a spring in her step.

She hummed some Christmas songs that reminded her of different times. Different times?, she shook her head. As if she hadn’t spent a rather normal Christmas just last year...

Nile wondered whether the rest of her new little family knew some of the Christmas songs that were considered classics. Merry Christmas Everyone, Wonderful Dream and the accompanying ad that every kid in her generation had grown up with, and, of course, the ubiquitous Last Christmas and the kitschy video with the bad jackets and the 80s permanent waves. Surely, they knew those? They listened to the radio. But did they have the same kind of memories of those songs?

Memories, listen to yourself think. Nile sighed. Nostalgia was a bad look on her, but she couldn’t help it.

After last night, Nile almost felt comfortable in her skin again. This Christmas wasn’t exactly properly Christmas-y, but what about them was normal?

Speaking of Christmas and songs, the weather outside was truly frightful. The rain had begun sometime in the night and showed no sign of letting up. Its heavy background noise would have been relaxing, had Nile not worried about it getting worse.

Just as she went to prepare the cheese, she stopped to listen as something other than the rain caught her attention. There was some commotion in the living room. She heard their voices, but there was no way to comprehend what they said. It probably wasn’t English. Joe and Andy had a tendency to be loud, even if they weren’t mad at anyone.

A deafening laugh erupted suddenly, and Nile very nearly flinched.

“No fucking way! I knew it. Did I not know it?”

Andy, of course. Now, Nile had to admit she had gotten a bit curious about what was going on. Joe’s voice soon joined in again, his tone very different now. Worried, almost. Anxious?

Nile was about to call out a question about what exactly was happening, but Andy was quicker. In a second, she was in the kitchen in all her glory, commanding with just a glance, though her words definitely did help:

“Outta the way, kid.”

Nile stepped back just in time; otherwise, she was certain Andy would have just pushed her. She was clearly a woman on a mission, beelining for a specific cabinet and opening a drawer.

“What are you doing?”

Instead of a reply, Nile got a vague hand gesture and another order. “Oh, and get some towels from that cabinet, will you?”

When was Nile someone who gave in that easily? “Why, what’s going on, Andy?”

Still no answer. Andy went on rummaging in the drawer, and Nile took a step forward just to see what had her so busy. It was an array of herbs, some dried, some seemingly fresh and wrapped in paper. Their heavy scent rose into the kitchen. Cinnamon and strong pepper tickled Nile’s nose. Andy picked some of the packages without thinking too long. It was clear she knew what she was looking for.

Nile was shooed away again, this time because Andy went for the cutlery drawer and pulled out a kitchen knife. “Board?” she demanded, and Nile assumed that must have meant the cutting board.

Andy thanked her by waving the knife in her direction as she handed off the board she meant to use for the cheese. “I’ve had everything ready for ages.” There was a twinkle in Andy’s eyes. “Was getting about time...”

Nile leaned back against the kitchen counter, meal prep momentarily stopped. “What are those herbs for?”

“To mix them with wine, obviously. Anything would work, but red is the most fitting, and we have no other wine here anyway.”

“But… why?” Nile tried once again.

“I’ll get to it, kid.”

There were hurried steps.

Then Joe was there. Suddenly. His presence was like a note in the soundboard of the kitchen, reverberating in poorly concealed anxiety. His eyes were distant, and his face looked hounded. Like he’d seen something terrible. Nile had spent time in combat for too long to not immediately assume a fighting position instinctively.

Joe only waved her off as he walked past. “Are you okay?” he asked Andy, but his voice was barely more than a breath.

Andy’s eyes grew softer as she watched him. “Are you, Yusuf?”

“No.”

Nile’s heart felt a little anxious. Was something the matter with Nicky? She reached out to lay a hand on Joe’s shoulder to ask or maybe to offer comfort because he looked like he needed that, but the man all but ignored her and left the room as quickly as he had come.

“Andy, you gotta tell me what all of this is about...”

Andy had turned to grinding the herbs down under the knife. “Where are the towels, Nile? We have a whole mess to mop up.”

“It’s not so bad,” Nicky came in, looking like Nile had never seen him before.

He was the most put-together of the entire family, always dressed not elegantly, but well. Where Joe loved foregoing as many clothes as appropriate, Nile had never seen the omega wear so much as shorts. So it was a bit of a shock to witness Nicky, the Nicolò di Genova, knight of the Crusades and aloof sniper, in nothing but a robe, tied at the front across his immense belly, legs naked, in house slippers.

“Hey,” Nile said, appreciatively. “You look… relaxed.”

Nicky gave her a half-smile. “I’d rather not wear any pants around the house for a while. My waters broke.”

“Your what did what?” Nile let out a disbelieving laugh. “Oh my God, so this is what’s happening? You’re having your little one?”

Nicky nodded. One of his hands roamed his belly, gently prodding here or there. He shifted his hips uncomfortably.

“How are you?”

He genuinely considered the question. Then: “Fine. The pain is... not yet so bad.” A pause. “Andy?”

“Yeah,” she hummed, swiping herbs off the knife’s edge with her finger. “You have a few hours until it gets really bad, but I’m warning you-- it’s going to be distracting much earlier.”

Nile took a deep breath to collect herself. This was all happening so fast. Of course, it was not a surprise. Nicky had been ready to pop for at least a week, as round as he was. But now, he was in labour. Or at least, officially in labour, she thought, reminded of his discomfort in the night before. Maybe that had been some early warning signs, flashing loudly but unnoticed by them in their little Christmas nest.

“Joe’s not... doing so well, is he?” she asked. Where had he gone at all?

Nicky furrowed his brows and turned half his body in the direction of the living room, putting his free hand on his back to support the weight of the movement. “There is a stark contrast between theory and practice. When Yusuf could still put it in the future, the joy was bigger than the fear. For now, the fear prevails. He’ll calm down.”

“I’m so happy for you.” The words just came out. Nicky smiled a full smile this time, his eyes so kind that Nile stepped forward and gave him a small hug, careful of his belly. “Merry Christmas, Nicky.”

“Indeed.” His arms were warm around her, only briefly, but he was putting out heat like a furnace.

“So the wine is for Nicky?” Nile frowned as she watched Andy opened a bottle of red. “Is he… He’s not going to drink it, right?”

Andy only nodded as she swirled around her devilish concoction in the glass with a spoon, properly mixing whatever she had cut up with the red. “Best remedy in the world. It eases pain and helps speed things up. I learned it in… Rome? No.” She paused, considering it. “But in the empire for sure. Some eighteen hundred years ago, give or take. I think we had something like that at home, though. In the tribe. It didn’t taste as good, but there was some mixture we gave the women when their time was close. What’s good for a woman is good for an omega, right?”

Nile’s mouth had been open to protest for half of Andy’s monologue, but finally, she no longer held back. “He can’t drink alcohol!”

“It’s just a bit of wine.”

“This is against all recommendations!”

“Kid, kid--” Andy carded her fingers through her strands, almost in exasperation. “We can’t exactly waltz into a hospital. We’re on our own. So I do what I know it works instead of experimenting and maybe causing trouble down the line.”

“But I’m sure we could go somewhere if anything... goes wrong.” It felt terrible to discuss this with Nicky still in the room, and Nile involuntary quieted down. She turned to her left, but Nicky simply looked at her calmly, the glass having somehow ended up in his hands.

“We can’t.” Andy’s voice had also lost some of its ire. “What if he starts bleeding, huh? What if they enforce a c-section? What if anything happens and we are, once more, freaks on an operating table, cut open for the whole fucking world to see us heal? Nicky’s been through this once already. I don’t think he’s too keen on a second time.”

Again, Nile’s stare darted to Nicky. He still seemed unperturbed, sipping the wine. “This is… very good,” he commented when their eyes met, licking his lips.

Andy smiled. “I’m glad. Drink it slowly, let it unfold. We have time. No stress...”

The hurried steps from outside returned. Nicky turned his head to the door, and his gaze softened. Joe was back and with him the anxious energy. “I... I got towels. I mopped up the mess. I’m sorry. I--”

“Shh. Would you like some?” Nicky offered the wine to Joe, who immediately took it.

The alpha’s hands were shaking so much Nile was worried he’d simply spill the entire drink, but Joe managed to get it to his mouth and take a gulp of it. And then another one. And another until the glass was empty.

Andy chuckled. “I guess that means Nicky gets a new one.”

“Sorry,” Joe smiled a bit sheepishly, but it did not reach his eyes. “It’s just-- This is... new.”

Nicky nodded in understanding, but he did not reply. His breathing had changed suddenly, had grown a bit heavier. Laboured, truly. He closed his eyes. Nile could see from the way he stood, leaning half against Joe, that he put a lot of his weight on the alpha.

Joe moved very slowly, extending one hand to put it on Nicky’s belly.

For a while, there was silence between them. And the sound of the rain. Then, Nicky relaxed again.

A week before, Nile might have felt that silence too heavy on her shoulders, but not anymore. She had literally lived and died side by side with these people, and that had been something, but this? This was something else. It was kind of miraculous. And she was part of it.

“Kid, you should get back to this,” Andy called, distracting Nile from her musings.

She located Andy at the counter again where she used the knife to point to the pieces of cheese Nile left there along with the cooked macaroni waiting to be finished.

“That one is gonna need all the strength he can get and very soon he won’t be able to eat without puking,” Andy said. “So if we are going get anything in his stomach, it gotta be now.”

They both glanced at Nicky, who was still leaning against Joe. A stranger might even say the omega looked comfortable, but Nile quickly took notice of the way Nicky closed his eyes every now and then, each time a little longer than the last, his lips parted in laboured breathing.

“I have felt it, it’s a damn big baby.” Andy chuckled darkly. “Not surprising, I say.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Nile nodded, eyeing the way Nicky towered over Joe, almost resting his chin over his wild curls. She always thought they made an odd, yet cute-looking couple. “If they take after Nicky, I mean.”

“Nah,” Andy rolled her eyes, going back to her herbs. “I said big, not tall. You have seen Joe without a shirt, right? Built like a fucking brick wall, that one.”

Of course Nile had noticed Joe’s body before, especially his arms. She was a healthy and eternal 27-year-old woman, after all. It only never felt right to pay much attention to it, but now she was feeling suddenly a bit sympathetic for Nicky. If that baby took after their alpha father, he would be in trouble.

“I only wish Nicky had any sort of prenatal exams, an ultrasound, anything,” Nile sighed, starting to shred the cheese and heating a pan for the milk. “I feel like we are flying blind here...”

Andy made a sound under her breath, that kind of sound that told Nile she was being naïve, but she didn’t care. “I have delivered babies in far worse conditions, kid.”

She thought about asking if any one of them had been part of her family, but considering how old Andy was, Nile didn’t like her odds. “Fine,” she said. “Tell me how I can help.”

“Finish the pasta thingy and make sure he eats,” Andy said. “Then I will draw him a bath before the power goes down.”

Nile frowned. Even though the monsoon season had officially ended, it was still raining nonstop, but the power had worked just fine so far. She sighed and hoped that this was just one of the things that Andy was wrong about. She didn’t like the idea of having to assist a home birth in the freaking dark.

As she cooked, Nile kept an ear on the comings and goings in the kitchen. Andy grinding her herbs, Joe and Nicky exchanging quiet words and quiet touches only a metre away. The ceaseless rain. She enjoyed all the noise. Nile had never gotten used to silence, there were always people around her, back home or with the Army, she was never alone. Sometimes she wished to be, but now she’s glad to be here and to be part of it.

When Nile finished the mac ‘n cheese, she noticed Andy had made a new jar of mulled wine and also brewed a pot of coffee. The mixed smell of coffee and spices felt comfortable, filling the kitchen like an all-encompassing, thick hug. By the table, Nicky had sat and got up a few times. She overheard Joe urging him to move to the sofa, where they had pillows and blankets, but Nicky refused with a firm gesture of the head. Joe didn’t insist after that, and Nile thought she had never seen the alpha look so on edge.

“Come on now, you,” Andy said, pointing her mug of coffee at Joe. “Help me prepare a bath for your mate while he eats something.”

For a half-second, Nile thought Joe would put up a fight, that he would refuse to leave his omega, but Joe exchanged just one look with Nicky, who gave him the smallest of nods in return, before leaning down to kiss his bump.

As Andy ushered Joe out of the kitchen, Nicky let out a charged breath. It sounded a lot like relief.

“You know, the wine isn’t only for the pain,” he said, noticing Nile’s confused face. “The spices also help to mask the pheromones. During this time alphas can get--” Nicky trailed off as he winced, starting to rub his stomach in circular motions. He lowered his voice as he spoke to it. “Lo so, piccolino, lo so...”

The tone was fond and caring, and even without her Italian lessons, Nile could easily translate the words in her heart: I know, little one, I know...

Nile smiled as she filled a bowl with steaming macaroni. She was about to take it to the table when Nicky made a gesture for her to stay put. Slowly, he waddled to the kitchen counter, which stood a little higher than the table, and placed both hands for support as if that short walk had drained him completely. Nile felt powerless. The omega was obviously in pain, and there was nothing she could do make it go away.

“Okay,” she started. “I kinda get Joe’s face now.”

Despite his white knuckles against the counter, Nicky chuckled, his huge belly swinging under him. “Yes, he worries. And when alphas are worried--”

“Stinking pheromones all over, yeah, I get it,” Nile snorted, sliding the bowl of steaming pasta in front of Nicky. “I’m guessing sitting at the table is off-bounds then?”

Nicky nodded, grabbing a spoonful of mac ‘n cheese and eyeing it for a second before taking it to his mouth. He chewed slowly with his eyes closed. Nile couldn’t place the expression on his face.

“Still good, man?”

“Yes, the nausea isn’t too bad yet, and I know I must eat, it’s just-- hard to concentrate on anything right now. You see...” he continued, always taking small bites and chewing slowly, and Nile couldn’t tell if that was about savouring the food or if it was the only way Nicky could keep it down. “Over the years, there have been occasions we all have been in a tremendous amount of pain. We have been killed in excruciating ways, we have been tortured until we begged for death, so this here--”

Nicky smiled softly, resting one hand on the curve of his back and another on his stomach. “This might be uncomfortable, but I will bear it for as long as it takes because there’s hope to have. The body will forget the pain. When it’s all over, my mind will only remember the joy.”

Nile smiled at his words and watched him finish his bowl. She was about to offer Nicky seconds when he made a painful sound and covered his mouth with his hand, closing his eyes.

“Nicky,” Nile called after he stayed like that for a moment too long. “Do you need to throw up? No hard feelings, man, I can get you a bucket.”

He blinked and took a deep breath before lowering his hand. “No, thank you,” he said. “It was a kick, it got me right in the stomach.”

“Ouch,” Nile said sympathetically and leaned forward until she was almost touching her nose to Nicky’s bump, speaking directly to it. “Someone is being a bit naughty on Christmas day, I see.”

“Someone wants out.” Andy’s voice reverberated in the kitchen as she stood by the door with her arms crossed over her chest.

In the silence that followed, Nile noticed the rain had gotten stronger and was quickly turning into a storm. Warily, she eyed the lights in the kitchen.

“Did you eat enough?” Andy asked, approaching the stove.

Nicky nodded, putting one hand on Nile’s shoulder, giving her a little squeeze. She felt her chest warm, glad to be able to do this one thing for him.

“Great,” said Andy. “Now, let’s get you in the bath. Your mate is reeking of concern, but I have used enough herbs, so hopefully you will be able to relax a bit even with him there...”

Nile took one of Nicky’s arms, and together, they carefully made their way out of the kitchen. Andy trailed behind them, bringing another cup of her mulled wine.

“Nicolò!” Joe was by Nicky’s side the second they crossed the bathroom’s door and Nile immediately took a step back, so the alpha could take her place. “Come here, my heart.”

In silence, Nile watched as Nicky leaned all his weight on Joe’s shoulder, who acted as if his mate was no heavier than a feather. As they approached the tub, Nicky turned to face Joe, leaning down so they could share a kiss. It was over in a heartbeat, but his shoulders seemed to relax instantly, and the alpha took Nicky’s hand in his so he could kiss Nicky’s knuckles and nuzzle at his wrist.

Then Nicky started to untie his robe, and Nile realised he was about to get completely naked in front of all of them. She tried to avert her eyes, but the bathroom was only big enough, and Andy was between her and the door. Of course, they had all seen each other naked at least once over the last year or so, but this time, Nicky was the only one undressing, and Nile couldn’t help but feel self-conscious on his behalf.

She noticed Andy placing the cup of wine over the sink almost at the same time she got a glimpse of Nicky’s large bump and puffy chest as he placed one of his hands on Joe’s shoulder so he could step into the tub.

Andy hummed under her breath. “Have you ever seen a birth before, kid?”

“Not really,” Nile admitted after a pause. “Once someone went into labour when my platoon was in the area and we went to help, but we had our medic to deal with the actual birthing business.”

“Well, trust me, it’s messy,” Andy nodded. “If I was Nicky, I would just stay naked until the kid pops.”

Nile watched as Joe helped Nicky settle down into the water, the tip of Nicky’s knees and round stomach peeking out. Joe looked down at his mate for a moment, his eyes large and fond, before he started to remove his own shirt, followed by his pants. Nile didn’t know how the hell Joe planned to even fit into that tub with Nicky and she didn’t want to find out.

“Do we need to be here…?”

“Nope,” Andy snorted, taking Nile by the elbow. “Let’s give the two love birds some alone time, hell, it might be their last chance to do it for the next couple of months...”

Nile let out a strangled noise and managed to close the door quickly, glad to have a physical barrier between them. “Do you think they… do you think they will, like right now?”

“Oh, I wish,” Andy sighed wistfully, speaking her next words considerably louder. “That would really help move things along!”

Nile felt her face and neck burning. “They’re going to hear you,” she almost hissed.

“That’s the idea,” Andy deadpanned, this time moving Nile out of the way so she could crack the bathroom door open just a slit. “Yusuf, remember you won’t have that much omega to grab again so soon--”

Andy managed to shut the door half a second before something hit the exact space where her head was.

Nile’s money was on Nicky.

“You’re a terrible person,” she said, but couldn’t help smiling. That was some big sister energy if Nile had ever seen it, and in the middle of everything going on, that was a comfort, almost.

“Come,” Andy said. “Let’s get some more candles.”

“Candles?” Nile frowned, and right on cue, the power went down. “You gotta to be kidding me.”

Even if Nile wanted to curse Andy’s otherworldly ability to predict the future, they had more pressing matters. She followed Andy back into the kitchen where it was a little brighter than the rest of the house due to the large windows overlooking the veranda. Through them, Nile noticed how the storm had grown darker since that morning and soon enough, it would be difficult to navigate.

“Fuck,” Nile breathed. “The bathroom only has one small window, Joe and Nicky–”

“Chill, kid,” Andy said, opening drawers and cupboards, and grabbing several items on her way. Packages of candles and boxes of matches, yes, but also a couple of flashlights and some batteries. “I already left some candles in there when Joe and I were preparing the bath, Joe will light them up.”

Nile chuckled. “It’s going to get real romantic there...”

“Well, that’s what got them in this situation in the first place,” Andy said, lighting up a few candles and using their own wax to glue each stick on small plates. “Here, spread them around. Gonna start boiling water.”

Nile nodded. The house wasn’t too big, and in a few minutes, she had managed to place candles in every room. She eyed the blankets and pillows on the sofa where they had spent the night and wondered if she should get those to the boys’ room when she overheard a loud noise coming from the bathroom.

She instantly froze, resisting the urge to start singing to herself so she could muffle the sounds of whatever was going on behind that door.

But the noises only became louder, more urgent, until Nile recognised Joe’s voice calling Nicky’s name. Except he didn’t sound pleased, but frightened and Andy emerged from the kitchen at the same time as Nile started to move. They both shared one quick look before sprinting towards the bathroom.

“Joe, what the hell--” Andy didn’t even bother knocking and opened the door with a loud bang.

As Andy said, Joe must have lit candles, and now the whole bathroom was enveloped in a dim, comforting yellow light. The mood would be intimate, even cosy if half of the water from the bathtub wasn’t currently on the floor and Joe wasn’t standing by the tub only in his boxers, dripping wet, one of his hands on Nicky’s shoulders, eyes wild.

Panic settled on Nile’s heart for a moment before she found Nicky’s face. Despite the bad lighting in the room, she saw he was awake and looked well enough, though clearly displeased with something. The omega was currently trying to reach for Joe’s face and saying words in a language that felt familiar, but that Nile couldn’t understand.

Andy quickly marched inside and in seconds was trying to get them both to answer her. She started asking Nicky about his contractions, but Joe replied something in his place. Then his shoulders became tense, and he flinched away when Andy tried to speak louder, touching his arm. Joe’s reply was curt and the way Andy narrowed her eyes told Nile she didn’t like his answer or his tone.

“What do you mean he fainted--” Andy spoke in English. It was clearly for Nile’s benefit, and she would have felt grateful if her heartbeat hadn’t been going so fast inside her chest. “Joe, calm the fuck--”

Nicky raised his voice, still speaking in something that wasn’t quite Italian, and Nile wondered if he was trying to get to Joe somehow, who was still going back and forth between Andy and his mate as if he wasn’t listening to either of them. Being a beta, Nile couldn’t pick scents or pheromones apart, but still, she was pretty sure that small room was reeking of alpha, and the look on Nicky’s face was enough for her to make a decision.

“Oi, you two!” Nile said aloud, and both Andy and Joe stopped talking, staring at her in surprise. Nile held her ground, holding the bathroom door open. “Out.”

Andy raised an eyebrow, a little smirk on her face. Joe’s nostrils flared and he flexed his arms. Nicky just looked relieved that they had stopped trying to talk on top of each other. He had a hand over his bump and the other on Joe’s side.

“Come on,” Andy said, taking Joe by the elbow and dragging him out of the room. “Let’s take five.”

Joe fought a bit this time, looking between Andy and Nicky as he was pulled towards the door, but Andy said something curt to him in what Nile thought was Arabic, and he didn’t talk back at her this time. Andy left the door open on their way out, and Nile went to Nicky as soon they were alone.

“Did you faint?” Nile asked before she could come up with something softer.

“No,” said Nicky, his voice quiet, but clear. “I just nodded off.”

Nile let out a breath of relief and looked over her shoulder, half expecting Andy and Joe to come bursting back in. When nothing happened, she allowed herself to relax a little bit. “You nodded off?”

“I drank some more of the wine, and then there were the herbs and the candles, and Joe kept kissing my neck--” Nicky half-shrugged, half-shivered at the memory. Nile felt her face warm. “Anyway, when I came to it, Joe was calling my name and it took me a moment to wake up fully and understand where I was, so he--”

“Freaked out,” she provided. “Yeah, we heard it.”

Nile wasn’t surprised things had come to this. She knew Nicky had been sleeping poorly over the last few weeks and last night probably did very little to help with his exhaustion. No wonder he fell asleep in Joe’s arms.

“But I’m fine… we are fine,” Nicky insisted, putting his hand over his bump.

He was very much naked in that tub and completely unbothered by it, and Nile was grateful for the dim light in the bathroom. She remembered Andy’s warnings about labour and things getting messy.

“How are your contractions?” she asked, figuring Andy would like to know. Nicky frowned as if he was trying to remember something when he suddenly shut his eyes, his face twisting in unchecked pain. “Fuck, that’s one of them, right? Nicky?”

Nicky didn’t reply right away. Instead, he grabbed the edge of the bathtub with such strength his knuckles turned the same colour as the tub’s porcelain. It took almost a whole minute before his face relaxed some, though his breathing turned more laboured than before. Nile could see his swollen chest expanding and retracting. “I don’t like the sound of it, Nicky, I’m getting Andy--”

Nile’s words were interrupted by Andy herself, strolling into the bathroom. For some reason, her hair was dripping wet, and for the first time, Nile thought she saw weariness on her face. She huffed as she grabbed a towel from over the bathroom sink and wrapped her hair in it.

“Kid, go check on Joe, he’s outside,” she said and Nicky’s eyes grew large. He opened his mouth to say something, his hand still protectively around his stomach, but Andy signalled him to stay put. “I have a feeling it’s going to be all hands on deck pretty soon.”

She started to wash her hands on the sink, before turning to look at Nicky. “I need to check how far along you are, then we can move to the bedroom.”

Nicky made a disgruntled noise, but didn’t say anything else. Instead, he seemed to brace himself for the next contraction, his face and shoulder tensing up as one. Very much aware that Andy was about to stick her hand inside Nicky, Nile took her leave and went to find Joe.

She found him past the kitchen, down the veranda steps, still dressed only in his boxers, steady rain pouring over his head. His curls were completely ruined, soaked strands glued against his face and neck. He looked like a wet dog. Nile wondered about the odds of lightning deciding to strike them right there and braced herself before going to him.

“He just nodded off,” she said. The rain felt cool on her skin. The afternoon was still warm, even here close to the mountains. “He’s fine, Joe.”

For a minute, Joe didn’t acknowledge her presence. Nile was about to repeat her words when he shook his head, his shoulder slumping. “I know,” he said, looking straight ahead. “I just--”

“Hey man,” Nile reached out, placing a hand over Joe’s shoulder. “Your mate is having your first child, it’s okay to panic.”

Joe snorted under his breath. “I have memorised the way he breathes and moves and yet, I just-- I didn’t listen to him. When he didn’t reply I just thought the worst. I guess I have been expecting something to go wrong since we first found out about this… this, one would think I would be ready after all this time.”

Nile nodded. “My father died in action when my mom was pregnant with my brother.” She sighed. “I remember overhearing my grandma trying to calm her down when my mom said she wasn’t ready to go through that alone, and grandma just said that nothing in the world can prepare you for a child...”

“She sounds like a wise woman,” said Joe, and his face looked a little less tense now.

“Yeah,” said Nile. “She was the one who picked my name. She had been fascinated by Egypt her whole life...”

“Hey kid,” Andy’s voice came from the kitchen entrance, interrupting Nile over the sound of the rain. “I need you back on boiling water duty, and you–” she pointed to Joe. At first, Andy looked rather serious, before her face broke into a warm smile. “Come be with your mate... you’re about to become a baba.”

Nile had witnessed Joe go into a fight many times by now on a myriad of little missions. He always got that look in his eyes, somehow hardened, determined but with a humorous glint that told everyone he was not taking what was happening entirely seriously. He had a similar look on his face now – except for the humour.

She allowed Joe some space before following him inside, but where she had expected he would immediately go look for Nicky, Joe made a quick stop in the kitchen, grabbed the half-empty wine bottle and emptied it in one single pull.

“Alright,” Joe wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Let’s do it.”

“You’re a good alpha,” Nile said as they headed for the bedroom. “You know that, right?”

“We’ll see what I’m worth when it counts.”

“Nine hundred years?” Nile said. “Nicky knows what you’re worth. You’re going to be a great father.”

Joe shot her a look, but gifted her with a withering smile, and then suddenly his attention was somewhere else.

Nile saw it, too. The bedroom had changed quite a bit since she’d last seen it. For one, it was now almost completely in the dark. It was barely past midday, but with the rainstorm still going, it might as well have been late after sundown. The candles were the only small spots of light; Andy must have closed the curtains. The space seemed smaller too, like a cave to spend the winter in -- or wait for the monsoon to end.

Half of their bedding that had not found its way onto the sofa the night before was now spread on the floor among a mixture of towels. In the middle of the makeshift nest was Nicky, still naked, but now dry after the bath and leaning on the blankets and pillows that were propped against each other as much as his no doubt aching back allowed.

“I bring a present,” Nile said as she ushered Joe in because she wanted to lighten the mood if she could at all. Feeling useless was a terrible experience, and one that had nearly broken Joe. If Nile couldn’t take any of Nicky’s pain, she could at least make him laugh for a moment.

It worked. Nicky’s smile was small, but it seemed enough to light the entire room. Joe was at Nicky’s side in a millisecond, going on his knees next to him and immediately beginning to talk to his omega in a hushed tone. Nicky replied something equally whispered with a short nod as they pressed their foreheads together.

Andy looked up from where she had laid out a washcloth and a bowl of water, took one look at Joe, and grinned. “About as wet as those croissants I bought. Grab a towel, Joe, will you?” Then, she turned to Nicky, her face soft. “You,” she commanded, “keep breathing.”

“What do you-- think I’m doing?” Nicky huffed in faux indignation.

“Can’t be that bad if you’re still talking back.”

Nicky made a motion as if to smack her, but Andy dodged gracefully, and they shared a laugh as she ruffled his hair.

“I really wish my phone wasn’t dead right now,” Nile muttered because it was true. Maybe she could look up something, any position that would help, anything that could make things easier in case anything went awry.

“You city kids,” Andy admonished. “How do you think humanity made it so long without phones or electricity?”

“A lot of people died, Andy,” Nile said, regretting her words the moment they left her mouth, but neither Nicky nor Joe seemed to be paying attention, eyes locked on each other.

“And even more made it. Everything’s good.” Andy said. “We are making good progress here, and I know from experience it takes quite a bit to do Nicky in.”

As if they’d rehearsed it, Nicky let out a quiet groan and put his head back against Joe’s chest. Joe’s hands wandered up Nicky’s arms as the omega extended them to him, and finally, their fingers intertwined. “Hold tight,” Joe whispered, kissing the top of Nicky’s head.

Words he’d come to regret.

The pain was strong enough to make Nicky’s whole body tense, and if Nile had seen the way he had white-knuckled whatever he had grabbed onto, Joe’s fingers were no exception to the rule. His hold grew tight like a vice, and then loosened on the spot as Joe winced to the telltale crunch of bones changing forms in ways they weren’t made for.

“Fuck,” Joe hissed, just as Nicky muttered out a horrified “Sorry!”

Andy snorted, and Nile surprised herself by saying: “He just followed your instructions, man.”

Nicky let out a breathless laugh, but at least he was laughing.

Joe accusingly pointed the finger of his intact hand at her, but he, too, was smiling. It didn’t take long for him to shake his hurt hand until the pain subsided and he could move all his fingers again.

The rest of the previous anxiety melted off Nile like candle wax. It was clear everything was good. The mood fit as a continuation of their little Christmas Eve spent eating, talking and watching TV. For a moment, Nile was so caught up in the scene that she forgot she had a job to do.

Andy certainly did not.

“Nile?” she tutted. “Water?”

“On it,” she said, no hesitation. Following Andy’s orders was the most natural thing, almost like breathing, and Nile was sure it wasn’t just because she was used to it from her time as a Marine.

She felt a little wistful about leaving them, but the water would not boil itself, and they’d need lots of it before the day was done.

Thankful for the gas stove, Nile grabbed the matches. How strange, she thought. She still remembered the giddy anxiety of knowing her mother was in labour with her baby bro as a child. She’d been so helpless then, but also very much excited. And now here she was, helping an omega she considered to be as close to her as her brother while he was in labour, and she was a child no longer. She could do good; in a way, this was her life now. Helping wherever she needed and simply being there.

It was good.

It felt good.

She tapped her feet in the rhythm of a song she hummed, not even bothering to remind herself of what the melody was. Very soon, there’d be one more roommate. She wondered what life with a baby would be like and what they’d make of it. Would Joe and Nicky take time for themselves? Would they all be there to help them?

“More water,” she announced as she re-entered the room and was met with a surprise.

Nicky was on all fours now, propped up on his elbows. His hands were still held by Joe who was in front of the omega, seemingly entirely uncaring about his own safety in still letting Nicky hold onto him. Nicky’s breathing had been laboured from the start, but now it could only be called panting, pained and exhausted and clearly straining. His head was bowed, and there was sweat glistening on his skin in the dim shine of the candles.

Something had changed over the short time it took for Nile to boil that water. “Shit,” she gasped, “is it time?”

Andy nodded, stroking her hand up and down Nicky’s trembling leg. She motioned Nile to place the bowl of hot water next to the almost empty one she had on the floor beside her.

Nile found a place to sit down on the outskirts of the nest, closer to Joe than Andy because she actually wasn’t too keen on finding out the gory details of birth, and it wouldn’t have felt entirely appropriate.

She met Joe’s eyes over Nicky’s body, and he smiled at her – nervous, but elated.

The next several minutes were spent in the strange limbo of waiting on Nicky’s contractions, which came like clockwork every one minute. They never lasted as long as before, but they were harsh, forcing Nicky to bury his face against Joe each and every time.

Andy quietly directed the omega, entirely unperturbed by everything else around them. She was focused. Nile admired it because she herself was constantly distracted, wincing in absolute sympathy at all noises of pain Nicky made.

Only when Andy suddenly raised her voice did Nile realise she was talking to her.

“Water’s cooled down enough. Use the washcloth on his back and just put a bit of weight into it, got it?” She motioned without taking her eyes off whatever was happening in-between Nicky’s legs. “And gimme the second washcloth. Need some counterpressure.”

Nile complied, drenching the washcloth in the now pleasantly warm water before wringing it and pressing it onto Nicky’s skin where his back hollowed from the weight of his belly. It must have been where the pain sat. She felt Nicky relax under her hand.

“That good?” she asked, not knowing if he was even capable of speaking.

His voice was muffled by how his face was still buried in-between a pillow and Joe’s lap. “Yeah. Don’t stop. Thank you.” Ever polite.

Nile didn’t stop, not even when she felt Nicky tense another time and listened to Andy resume her quiet instructions that were soon drowned out by Nicky’s keens of pain. Nile had never heard Nicky make any sound like that before, not even when he died some painful death, so she quickly wet the washcloth again, continuing to draw soothing circles on his back.

At some point, Joe had foregone English entirely in favour of Arabic, but Nile felt she could understand what he said without fluently speaking it. Gentle encouragement, praise, probably some poetry, punctuated by Joe lifting Nicky’s hands to his lips and reverently kissing his knuckles one by one.

Nicky made no gesture to show he was even aware of the pleasantries, but Nile knew he was glad.

“Nicky, listen to me,” Andy said, “one more big push and it’s done, okay? So give me all you got, deal?”

Nile felt Nicky’s body tense, tense, and then slump so thoroughly that she instinctively pulled her hand away from him.

Time felt like it had frozen, standing still and for a long moment, Nile thought she could no longer hear the rain outside.

“Well done, soldier,” she heard Andy say, her voice just an ounce hoarse. And then there was another sound, barely audible, small, but present. And undoubtedly alive.

“Andy?” Nile could tell Joe was crying without even having to stare at him. His voice was guarded and heavy. “Andy?”

“It’s a boy, you got a boy,” Andy said and Nicky hummed something against Joe’s chest. Nile wondered if he was praying. “Nile, come here, I need a hand.”

Nile was about to ask if Andy needed more hot water when she saw the bundle in her arms. The baby’s face was red and his mouth wide open, tiny, punched sounds escaping from him.

“Pass me the scissors.” Andy pointed to the instruments laid out at her side, and Nile let out a breath of relief when she managed to pick them up without shaking. She watched as Andy cut the cord with her right hand while she cradled the baby in the crook of her left arm. “There, there, hold him while I wait for the afterbirth...”

Andy didn’t wait for Nile to agree and passed the infant to her in a couple of precise movements. This time, Nile felt herself shake, but she held onto the baby for dear life. The little thing didn’t seem to mind being passed around, but he definitively didn’t like the towel Andy had wrapped him in, starting to wiggle his arms and legs, trying to break free. She was startled by another grunt of pain coming from Nicky.

“Just one more push and you will be free to hold your baby, come on,” Andy breathed.

It happened fast, and soon Nicky’s body relaxed at once, and he fell into Joe’s arms like he was ready to sleep for a millennium. Joe was kissing the top of his omega’s sweaty head and murmuring something into his ear, his eyes fixed on the bundle in Nile’s arms. She turned her body sideways, so she could show him the baby’s face, and Joe’s eyes quickly filled with more tears. By the way he kept murmuring, Nile wondered if he was describing him to Nicky.

“Alright, all done here,” Andy said. “Joe, help him turn around.”

Nile took a step back as Joe and Nicky moved as one. Joe handled his mate as if Nicky was made of the most precious crystal, holding his weight as Nicky rolled onto his back. His stomach still looked huge, and Nile figured it would take a couple of days to go back to its regular size, but Nicky didn’t seem to even notice it as he settled against Joe’s chest and immediately looked up, raising his arms to receive his child.

“Thank you,” he said earnestly as Nile kneeled down by his side, offering him the baby.

As she watched Nicky cradle his firstborn in his arms, Nile couldn’t help the feeling she was witnessing something holy. A sacred rite that had been happening for thousands of years and would continue to happen even after everyone in this room had become dust. The candles burning all around them did little to dissuade her of the notion.

“I don’t think he likes that towel very much,” Nile said as she watched the baby continue to wiggle, this time more strongly.

Nicky quickly managed to free his son from the hold of fabric and the baby let out a pleasant noise once his small body finally made full contact with the bare skin of Nicky’s chest.

“So he doesn’t like to wear clothes and craves Nicky’s touch, yeah, definitively Joe’s child,” said Andy with mirth in her eyes.

She seemed rather busy folding towels and getting everything clean below Nicky’s waistline. Nile felt she should offer help, but she found she couldn’t take her eyes off the scene unfolding in front of her. Joe’s eyes were completely focused on his son, but his hands were firm around Nicky, keeping him up so the omega could caress the baby’s soft hair and feel his arms and legs.

“Come on, kid,” Andy called, the empty bowl of water filled with soiled towels on her arms. “Let them ogle to their hearts’ content, we need to boil these.”

Nile nodded, sparing one quick look at the three people inside the nest. Joe had finally reached out an arm and was currently covering Nicky’s hand over the small of their baby’s back. His eyes were huge and bright in the darkness of the room, his tears forgotten. Nicky blinked and looked up at her. He nodded and smiled and Nile smiled back.

She followed Andy out of the bedroom and to the kitchen where the two of them quickly got busy soaking towels in hot water with soap. There was very little blood, which surprised Nile at first, until she realised Nicky couldn’t bleed a lot even if he tried.

She overheard soft noises coming from the bedroom as she and Andy got everything in order. At some point, Nile started doing the dishes because she didn’t know what else to do. She also put the pot with leftover mac ‘n cheese in the fridge, wondering if Nicky would still like it now he was no longer pregnant and particular about smells. She was about to start looking through their cabinets to decide what they should make for dinner when Andy called her.

“They are ready for us.”

Nile wasn’t sure how long had passed since they had left the bedroom. The place was still dark, lit only by candles, but those were new ones, their flames strong. They had moved back to their proper nest on the bed, and the lower part of Nicky’s body was covered with a blanket, his chest still bare, but not unoccupied. Their son was cradled in the crook of Nicky’s arm, his tiny mouth latched onto a nipple, blissfully unaware of his surroundings.

“Nile, this is Jordan,” said Joe, his voice thick with too many emotions for Nile to pick out, so she focused on the bundle in Nicky’s chest.

Baby Jordan was wrapped in something that took her a second to recognise was one of Joe’s shirts. She smiled at the sight, but couldn’t help feeling weird at the familiarity of the name. Truth was, there must have been dozens of Jordans running around her neighbourhood as Nile grew up, and she had at least two Jordan cousins. That was definitively not the kind of name she would have guessed a pair of 900-year-old warriors would pick for their child, and yet, yet--

“Oh god.” Once the realisation hit her, Nile’s eyes filled with tears. “Are you guys serious?”

“Of course,” Nicky smiled, looking up to stare at her. “Some wonderful people have been named after rivers.”

He then offered his free hand to Nile who took it between hers. Only then, she allowed her tears to flow freely.

“After we had fled Jerusalem,” Joe said, caressing the head of their child, careful to not distract him from his meal, “the first place we had a chance to clean off the blood and look at each properly was at that riverbank. It’s very meaningful to us.”

“I already knew Yusuf would be my mate, then,” said Nicky, looking back at his son. “But for years we didn’t know if we could have children, and for some time, yes, we had hope, but then after meeting Andromache, we learned that wasn’t in our path and we had accepted it, so to have this, him, now… it’s a miracle.”

As if on cue, Jordan made a noise against Nicky’s chest. For a moment no one said anything, they all stared at him in expectation. When it became clear he just would continue feeding, Andy laughed and said: “So, Jordan? Just Jordan?”

“Jordan ibn Yusuf ibn Ibrahim al-Kaysani,” said Nicky with ease, tilting his head to allow Joe to nuzzle at his neck. Joe went immediately, his nose brushing against Nicky’s bonding mark.

“Not ‘of Genoa’, then?” Nile averted her eyes, staring at baby Jordan instead.

“Well, we aren’t in Genoa,” Nicky replied reasonably.

“Where exactly are we?” asked Joe. “I stopped keeping track after we left Indonesia. It’s been what? A month? Two?”

Andy rolled her eyes, but didn’t reply. For a minute, Nile wondered if she knew the answer, but she must have. Andy knew everything.

“We are in the Philippines,” offered Nile when Andy remained silent. “Near somewhere called Benguet mountains...”

“Jordan of Benguet doesn’t have quite the same ring,” Andy admitted.

“He will be just Jordan for now,” Nicky said, moving the baby to his other breast. He let out a tiny cry that was quickly quieted as he managed to latch on.

“I guess it’s fitting,” Andy continued, mirth in her eyes. “You got your baby J on Christmas after all.”

Nile snorted under her breath and couldn’t help the next words coming out of her: “And you even have a Joseph!”

Nicky rolled his eyes, before focusing back on his child. “I can guarantee that there was nothing immaculate about this child’s conception.”

Nile felt her face become warm, but if Nicky wanted to scandalise Andy, he clearly had chosen the wrong path.

“Oh, I don’t know,” she said, her smirk wild with glee. “I seem to remember you calling your good Lord’s name quite a lot then...”

Joe, who had kept quiet so far, burst out laughing. Nicky sighed and shook his head, allowing them to have their fun. He caressed his son’s ear and dipped his nose so he could scent the top of his head.

Now that the baby had been out in the world for a few hours, his colouring had settled a bit, going from the pale blue most newborns had to a soft brown, just a touch lighter than Joe’s skin. His hair seemed curly, but the colour of rust. Nile couldn’t wait to go to the nearest city and buy all the baby clothes she could carry, and she said so.

“You’re going to be the best aunt,” Joe hummed, giving Nile a wink.

“Excuse me,” Andy protested. “I literally pulled your firstborn from your mate’s body.”

As Andy and Joe continued their bickering, Nicky looked up and offered Nile a knowing smile, signalling her to come closer. She approached the nest carefully, as if stepping into a sanctuary. Together, they watched baby Jordan for a few minutes.

“He’s a good eater,” she said.

“He is,” agreed Nicky. “In a few years, I bet he will love that wonderful mac ‘n cheese of yours.”

“Oh, are you hungry?” she asked. “I saved the leftovers in the fridge.”

Nicky paused and spared a quick look to Joe and Andy. Then he spoke his next words in hushed tones, just for Nile to hear.

“I believe you definitively are going to be the best aunt.”

Nile couldn’t help but beam, quite happy with her new place in the world.