A Beast Sees No Beauty

Epilogue

Rain poured outside the McCoy home. The April shower left the occupants stuck inside with little to do. Even in the early hours of the morning, Juliet was bored and sick of being in bed. She wanted to walk around outside, but that would be delayed for days at this rate.

"Vincent? Darling?" Juliet leaned to the side, gently shaking her husband's shoulder. He groaned and refused to wake. Juliet glared but did not stop her annoying venture. "Vincent! I'm bored!"

His eyes cracked open for a moment before closing again. "Darling, it's much too early for you to try and wake me."

Juliet pouted, pulling her husband's arm to force him closer to her. "It isn't my fault. Someone was kicking me until I woke up."

At the mention of their baby, Vincent woke up instantly. He raised his hands to rest on his wife's swollen abdomen, waiting for the telltale sign that life was growing inside of her. It was odd for a man to take such interest in his wife's pregnancy, but Vincent loved it. He loved watching his wife glow in happiness to have a child and seeing her belly grow with the life they created together.

"Is my son or daughter as strong as the others?" He moved his hands around, trying to find the right spot. There was always one or two spots the unborn child loved to kick the most. Juliet winced when her husband found it, but it was replaced with a smile almost instantly.

"Yes, our child is as strong as the other two," thunder rumbled above them, shaking the house with its ferocious noise. Almost immediately two pairs of footsteps came racing down the hall, only stopping in the doorway of the room with hurried knocks. "And here they are."

Darcy peeked his head into the room, checking to see if his parents were awake and decent before rushing in and jumping on the bed. Behind him came his sister. Kitty clutched a cloth doll to her chest as she climbed onto the mattress and snuggled up to her father.

"Now what's all this about? Is this little storm scaring you?" Vincent wrapped his daughter in his arms, pulling her to sit on his lap. She nodded her head instantly, fat little tears beginning to build up behind her lashes. Her green eyes blurred before she buried her face in her father's shirt.

"I'm not scared, Kitty just wanted me to make sure she got here safe," Darcy rested his head on his mother's shoulder, wincing when lightning lit up the dark sky outside the window. Juliet grinned down at him.

"Well, since you can see she's here and safe you can head back to bed now." The boy shot his head up, clearly not expecting his brave facade to backfire so horribly. This was not the plan he had intended at all.

"Well, I mean, I have to protect her and the baby in case anything happens!" Juliet laughed softly, gently wrapping an arm around her son while the other rubbed soothing circles on her bump.

"The baby is fine, besides, it's your father's job to protect all of us." Juliet winked at Vincent, waiting to hear his response. After making sure his daughter was comfortably tucked in between him and his wife he tuned in to the conversation.

"Yes, it is my job to protect everyone here. That doesn't mean you shouldn't keep an eye on your sister and make sure nothing bad happens. And your baby brother or sister after they decide to finally make their appearance." The boy turned his head to his mother's stomach. It was huge compared to a few months ago. He didn't understand how she could get that big.

Slowly, Darcy laid his head on the protruding area to listen. He couldn't hear much, but it was enough to know there was a life growing there. "I think it's gonna be a boy. What's his name going to be?"

"Nuh-uh! It's going to be a girl!" Kitty finally called out from her spot on the bed.

"Boy!"

"Girl!"