The Rest of Our Life

Family

It was not supposed to happen like this.

He was supposed to have some time off from work in order to get everything prepared. They still had some time. Instead, he was on his way from a reconnaissance mission when he got the call and he felt his chest tighten just thinking about this.

When it turned out that his little princess was to arrive in this world earlier than expected, everything turned into chaos. Derya was home with her mom. Mert was at the preschool. And he was in a car, on his way back with the whole team.

Su turned out to be a life-saver and managed to take care of Mert while Eylem and Nazli dropped everything and went to the hospital. Some heads turned when Yavuz showed up there still in his uniform, but there was no time to even think about changing. Yet even though his wife was in labor, somehow she seemed to be more calm than he was. For Yavuz, the second time was not easier than the first, although – as Derya made sure to remind him numerous times – he was not the one doing all the work here.

In the end, on a warm September day, Aylin Karasu was born.

"C'mon, Mert. Don't be scared. Meet your little sister, Aylin."

The boy looked at the newborn in Derya's arms, his blue eyes filled with wonder. However, there was a serious expression on his normally smiling face. Mert stayed silent, with his parents trying to gauge his mood.

"Hey, everything okay, little man?" Asked finally Yavuz and he shared a concerned look with Derya.

They had tried to prepare him the best they could for the arrival of the baby but there was no telling of how he would truly react once she was with them.

"Yeah, it's just-... Auntie Eylem and Auntie Su were both saying that she is really beautiful and everything...," answered Mert hesitantly.

"And...?" Said Derya gently, waiting for him to open up.

"And she's just all red, a-and has more wrinkles than Grandma. Are we sure she's not sick? Maybe she has facial dymsorophia?"

Where did he even hear these words, wondered Derya, and then it struck her. If Kopuk once again fell asleep during his babysitting time and left Mert to just watch whatever he wanted on TV until late at night, she was going to break every bone in his idiotic body.

"It's facial dysmorphia and no, honey, you don't have to worry, she doesn't have it," she explained patiently. "Aylin is perfectly healthy. It's just that babies always look like that after they're born."

Yet judging by the look on his face, Mert didn't seem fully convinced, so Yavuz decided to add:

"You looked like that too. When we get home, we'll show you the photos. We have a ton of them since your uncles went a little crazy when you were born," he ruffled his son's hair.

"They did?" Asked Mert with audible amazement.

"That is an understatement. They were huddling over your crib every time they visited us. No boundaries and no privacy," complained Derya with a theatrical sigh. "But now that you're here with us, I'm sure we can protect Aylin from their overeagerness."

And just like that, Mert's little face lit up as he thought of such a responsible task that laid ahead of him. Yavuz smiled, being reminded yet again how intelligent and perceptive his wife was, how she managed to quickly turn around their son's mood just with her words. So he looked at them, his family, and couldn't help but think how perfect this felt, how his heart held so much love for them that it could literally burst.

Aylin, their little princess, who they couldn't wait to welcome in their lives and who already was her parents' joy.

Mert, their first baby, who never failed to make them smile with his daily antics, who had so much love and kindness for everyone and everything around him.

And Derya, his rock. From the very moment he met her, he had admired her fierceness and strength. She was everything he could have hoped for and more. With her by his side, he knew he could go through anything life threw at him. From the way she furrows her eyebrows when he annoys her on purpose, to the way she embraces him after a mission when they're all alone. All he ever wanted was to make her happy, and seeing her here, in this hospital room, he knows that she is.

Because they were finally all here together.

His family.

"So how's your  sister doing, little man?"

"Yeah, we want to see her!"

"Is she upstairs?!"

Just as Derya was ready to leave the kitchen and give the team a piece of her mind, Mert intervened.

"Aylin is sleeping and mommy said that nobody should go into her room right now-"

He made a dramatic pause, and Yavuz who had just closed the front door couldn't help but snicker at how all guys patiently wait ed for the orders of the youngest Karasu.

"- but I guess I can make an exception this time," finished dramatically Mert.

The team members cheered loudly and started going up the stairs when they were suddenly stopped by the 3 -year-old.

"As long as you're quiet," he reminded them sternly.

And Yavuz, who was at this point already laughing into his wife's shoulder, swore that the threatening look Mert sent them was all Derya.