fierce ↠ sweet pea [1] [✔]

|| SIXTY ||

"You're all good, Angel Face," Sweet Pea began, the baby mounted upon his arm protectively as Lauryn yawned for the millionth time. "You can get some sleep."

"It doesn't feel right," she sighed, glancing around her at the hospital room she was settled in. "It's all over but... Fangs..."

"He'd be proud of you, you know that," he replied, leaning against the bed as he lowered the baby onto her lap. He kissed the crown of her head, slithering his arm around her as he lifted the remainder of his body onto the bed.

"What are we naming her?" Lauryn asked, studying the baby's face with a half-smile. "We can't just stare at her until she tells us what she wants to be called."

"Remember when we... talked about naming the baby after our parents?"

"Courtney?" Lauryn raised a brow, peering up at him. He chuckled awkwardly, beginning to get the impression that she disapproved.

"Yeah," he nodded. "You, uh, remembered."

"I love it," she smiled, analysing their daughter. "I think it suits her."

Sweet Pea's heart melted throughout his entire body, and he kissed her temple hard. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

"Don't you think it's kind of sad, though?"

"What is?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "Our kids growing up without any grandparents? I mean, I know, technically, so did we, but—"

"That ain't all true, kid's got me," a voice said from the doorway, and there stood FP with his arms folded. His face lit up when Sweet Pea lifted his arm to reveal the baby. "That's a sight. You two with a baby. Someone might have to pinch me."

Lauryn gestured for him to come closer and he did so, sitting down on one of the chairs next to the bed.

"Well, what's her name?" he asked excitedly, grinning at the sight of her. "Let me hold her."

Sweet Pea picked her up, gently handing her over to FP. "We're callin' her Courtney, you know, after..."

"Your mom," FP recalled as his eyes met with Sweet Pea's, and he reached up to pat him on the arm. "She'd be proud of you, kid. Real proud."

Sweet Pea nodded with his lips pursed together, hoping that it was true.

"Look at those eyes," FP remarked as Courtney gazed up at him. He grinned. "She's great, you guys."

"Thanks for sending the ambulance, FP," Lauryn said, and he nodded.

"I had a feeling you were short on time. A Serpent born in the Whyte Wyrm, that's goin' down in history. Bumblebee had to head back over there to prepare for the bloodbath there'll be in the mornin'."

Lauryn chuckled, shaking her head. "That was the most unexpected part of all this, having the baby in the Whyte Wyrm."

"Bumblebee said you did real good," he smiled, glancing at her. "I never doubted that you'd be able to do it. I wish I could've been there."

"How is he?" Sweet Pea asked.

"Jughead's..." FP trailed off. "Hangin' on. He hasn't woken up yet. Ghoulies fucked him up pretty bad."