"Live Forever" | The Re-Animator's Family Story

11

"Herbert, wait!" Charlotte ran off down the hallway to their bedroom. "I have to grab my camera real quick!"

Herbert rolled his eyes at his new wife; he was holding his two-month-old daughter, Stacy. He was still in his pajamas, having just rolled out of bed to calm her crying. Charlotte had gone to check on them in the nursery, only to find her new husband looking so adorable with their baby.

"Okay, okay, ready?" Charlotte rushed back into the nursery with her camera in hand.

"Charlotte, really?" Herbert chuckled.

"Yes, really!" She pointed her camera at him. "Now smile before she wakes up and starts crying again." Herbert did as he was told, blinking after the flash had gone off. The flash had startled Stacy, waking her up with a gentle cry. "Oh no, I'm sorry, baby." Charlotte rushed over. She gently took her daughter from Herbert's arms, handing him the camera as well. He looked at the camera's screen, smiling again at the picture Charlotte had taken of him and Stacy.

"I actually really like this one," he stated. He showed it to Charlotte as she shushed their daughter back to sleep.

"Aw, we're absolutely going to frame that one!" Charlotte gushed. Herbert giggled, kissing her head.

Not long after Stacy was born - and after Crawford's funeral - Herbert and Charlotte had gone to the Arkham courthouse to tie the knot and officially become husband and wife. Neither of them wanted a big white wedding, and neither of them had enough friends or family to invite. Dan was there, of course, and so was Stacy. The only traditional thing they did was go out and buy a suit and dress. Charlotte even found a little infant sized dress for Stacy to wear, and she looked adorable in it. Since then, the newlyweds have taken time off from the hospital, but eventually they would have to go back to work. Even with not being at the hospital, Herbert has still found ways to keep himself busy while at home in his new basement lab. Charlotte has been to busy with Stacy to question what he's been up to down there; a part of her doesn't really want to know, but also can't help but be curious.

"What's with all of the running around up here?" Dan stood in the doorway to the nursery, adjusting his tie as he was getting ready for work.

"Sorry, Dan," Charlotte apologized. "Herbert was holding Stacy, and it was just too cute to not take a picture!" Dan walked up to the couple, looking down at the picture on the camera in Herbert's hands.

"That is a really good picture of the two of them," Dan smiled. "I'm guessing you're going to frame this one?"

"Oh, you know she is," Herbert smirked back at Charlotte as she set Stacy back down into her crib, now fast asleep.

"Excuse me gentlemen, but if baby is sleeping, Mama is sleeping too," Charlotte yawned. She kissed Herbert on the cheek as she took her camera back from him and walked off back to their bedroom to get some more sleep. Herbert looked back down at his clothes, sighing softly, realizing that he'll just remain in his pajamas for now. He led Dan out of the nursery, softly closing the door behind them.

"Absolutely no rush," Dan started. "But do you guys have any idea of when your leave is up? Like when you'll be going back to work?"

"Charlotte and I have talked about it a little bit," Herbert crossed his arms. "She said she would take a step back from her residency to stay at home with Stacy, while I go back to work. When Stacy gets older and is able to go to a preschool, then she'd continue and go back to school to finish out her residency."

"Just don't have any more kids in between there then," Dan joked around.

"Believe me," Herbert rolled his eyes. "I love my daughter, but having another kid is the last thing I want right now. Frankly, I'm happy with having just her. I can't imagine loving anyone else as much as I do her and her Mother." He smiled.

"So you're not afraid of what they may find in the basement then?" Dan's face was serious. Herbert's smile dropped. Of course.

"Charlotte already knows about the work I've done," Herbert stated. "She knows I work down in the basement, she just doesn't know what. For right now, I'd like to keep it that way."

"You're afraid of what she'll think, aren't you?" Dan questioned. "Frankly, I'd understand. I don't like the thought of living in the same house as those... things down there. If she were my daughter, I'd be furious of the potential danger you could be putting her in."

"The last thing I want to happen is getting Stacy involved," Herbert gave him a cold glare. "And you're the one supplying me with what you find in the hospital, so you're no better than me, Daniel." Daniel glared at him, not having an argument back. "You want these experiments to work just as much I do."

"At least I didn't break my promise after the last incident," Dan retorted. "Weren't you the one to say you wouldn't put Charlotte or your daughter in anymore danger? Or what about what happened to your brother? Do you really want to lose -"

"Don't!" Herbert raised his voice slightly. He took a deep breath, not wanting to wake Stacy or Charlotte. "Don't you dare bring Crawford into this. It was an accident."

"That nearly got Charlotte killed," Dan stated. Herbert was quiet, only staring up at Dan. He sighed, "I know I can't make you listen, or stop you from continuing your work... but you should reconsider where your priorities should be." Dan stepped away and made his way to the stairs. "And I'm not bringing you anymore supplies home. If you want anything else, come back to work and get it yourself." That was the last thing Dan said before walking down the stairs, grabbing his keys and his coat, and walking out the front door.

Herbert huffed. He knew where his priorities were, he just had to make sure they all stayed aligned and didn't intertwined.

(A/N: sorry for the shorter chapter. i really needed a transition to flow into the events of "Bride of Re-Animator".)