Choosing Life

Chapter Forty Five

"Yeah, this woman went to war to protect her father! There's no telling what she'd do to you if you don't let her see her daughter!"

"Your daughter's in this room," the nurse said, writing the room number down on a piece of paper for Mulan to hold on to and preventing Mushu from continuing his rant. "And I didn't mean to hold you up, it's just with your daughter and your son-in-law being major sports stars...it's hospital policy to treat them as if they were King Ben or Queen Mal. To ensure no reporters try sneaking in."

"I understand," Mulan said and gave the nurse a small smile as she walked off; making sure to get a visitor's badge as to prevent anyone from stopping her. Thankfully the way to Lonnie's room was fairly uneventful and soon Mulan was able to see the smiling faces of her daughter and son-in-law.

Wait...smiling?

"It seems I'm not the only one in the family who was almost born in the car," Lonnie said with a small chuckle. "Jaxson was nearly born in the parking lot."

"Jaxson?" Mulan asked.

Jay shook his head. "Lonnie and I had a deal. If our baby was a boy, he'd get my first letter. If the baby was a girl, she'd get Lonnie's," he explained. "And Lonnie wanted to insist on a name our son could shorten like mine so we went with Li Jaxson."

"He's being examined but they should be bringing him in soon," Lonnie added. "But he's healthy, has all ten fingers and toes and Jay's big head."

"Lonnie was a champ too," Jay said, ignoring Lonnie's comment about the size of his head. She'd just given birth without any pain medicine, she could make all the comments she wanted.

"Of course she was," Mushu said as he scurried up onto the bedside table. "That's my guardainee's daughter after all!"

Jay shook his head. "Is 'guardainee' a word?"

"You're asking if the pint-sized dragon who thought a horse was a cow is making up a word?" Lonnie asked.

"Hey! He's travel sized for our convenience," Jay chuckled as the nurse came in with a baby Mulan could only presume to be Jaxson, cooing happily in his blue blanket.

"Here he is, all cleaned off and excited to see mom," the nurse said as she handed Jaxson to Lonnie, who readily took him into her arms. The nurse turned to look at Jay before speaking. "Dad, I'm going to need some information from you for the birth certificate. Do you mind if I tear you away for a bit?"

"I...um...Lon, are you going to be okay?"

"Go on Jay," Lonnie said with a small chuckle. "I know you're not going to change Jaxson's name on me, and plus I've got mom here so it's not as if I'm lacking in protection. We'll be fine."

"Okay..." Jay said with a small smile. "I'll be back though."

"I never doubted you wouldn't be back," Lonnie told him. "Mom and I will likely just be talking about how we gave Ally's daughter a new playmate. Remember? Her due date's near the end of July."

"Oh yeah," Jay nodded. "Uma's been talking non stop about how Freddie's been on practically tenterhooks as they get closer to the due date. I wonder how I forgot that?"

"Your mind has been understandably distracted Jay," Lonnie said with a small smile.

Jay gave her another small smile before following the nurse out of the room.

Lonnie shook her head and looked back at Mulan. "You know the nurse brought up a good point. Speaking of 'dad'...where is dad? I didn't think you'd come by yourself mom."

"He was parking the car, he should be in soon," Mulan explained. Just as she finished her sentence, Shang walked into the room.

"You all talking about me?"

"Just a little dad," Lonnie said with a small chuckle as Jaxson cooed, seemingly in agreement. "Seems your grandson agrees with us."

"Well I'm sorry I'm late but I ran into some very important guests," Shang said as Li'l Shang and Jordan walked into the room.

"Don't tell me I interrupted your proposal!" Lonnie exclaimed, her eyes wide as she looked at the ring on Jordan's finger.

Li'l Shang shook his head. "I actually had called mom to tell her and dad the news when you called, Lon. And even if you did, I think news of my nephew joining the world would be worth the interruption."

"I agree," Jordan nodded.

"Thanks you guys," Lonnie smiled. "But now, Jordan, let me see that ring!"

"Only if you let me hold my nephew!" Li'l Shang said.

"Deal!"

Jordan chuckled as her now fiancé gently held the newest member of the Li family in his arms, before she held out her left hand so that Lonnie could see the ring. It was truly a beautiful ring, with a diamond in the shape of a heart surrounded by what looked to be a double halo of dark pink, dark blue, and light blue stones surrounding it. The silver band itself had additional stones adorning the split while not making their way completely down the band.

"It's beautiful," Lonnie said as Jordan took her hand back. "My brother has good taste."

"In both rings and fiancees," Jordan said, gently teasing Li'l Shang with a small smile.

Mushu popped up. "Wait, who's getting married?"

"I am, Mushu," Li'l Shang said, gently wrapping his arm around Jordan's shoulder and holding her close; having given Jaxson back to his mother before doing so.

"Oh this is wonderful!" Mushu grinned and scurried to go onto Li'l Shang's shoulders. "Now, remember you have to combine your family's guardians with her's otherwise I can't be guardian to whatever kiddo you have. Ooh I have to come up with a theme! I had so much fun planning your parents' wedding though someone decided to go and elope so I couldn't plan her's."

"I don't even know if Jordan has guardians, being part Genie," Li'l Shang said with a small chuckle as Lonnie playfully stuck her tongue out at Mushu. "Besides, I think there's something more important to focus on here. I don't want to take attention away from my nephew...and where's Jay?"

"Good question," Shang said as he glanced around the room.

"The nurse needed him to help fill out the birth certificate," Mulan said, shaking her head. "He even asked Lonnie if she was okay with him leaving so you two can just relax."

Jay chuckled as he walked back in. "Appreciate the defense and apologies for being late, there was a lot more information that what I was expecting."

"You're just in time," Lonnie told him as Jaxson began to fuss. "And I think he's getting hungry."

Jay smiled and held up a bottle of formula. "I can take first feeding Lon, if you want to sleep. I know it was a quick delivery but you were up all last night with back pain."

"Jay...I couldn't ask you to—."

"You're not, I'm offering. Besides, I'm not going to let my kid go hungry," Jay said and Lonnie smiled as she handed Jaxson to Jay. She knew how much those words meant coming from Jay.

"We'll let you get some sleep honey," Mulan said and gently kissed Lonnie on the top of her head. "Congratulations Lonnie."

"Thanks mom," Lonnie said with a small smile even as her eyes began to close. Mulan quickly and quietly began to usher everyone who wasn't Jay out of the room and Jay went over to sit in the chair Mulan had vacated.

Gently putting the bottle to his son's lips, Jay smiled as Jaxson began to take the formula. "There we go bud, and don't you worry. There'll be plenty more where that came from. I promise you, you won't have to worry about food or your safety or if you're loved. Because if there's one thing I know is that your family would move Olympus itself to make sure you were safe and fed and loved."

Jaxson cooed softly as he continued to eat and Jay smiled. "Welcome to the world bud. It may be insane but it's a lot better now that you're here," he whispered as he leaned back in his chair.

He had to admit, it was a little weird thinking of himself as a father. But now that it was real? There was no other title he wanted.