Pokémon Fool's Gold | Orre & Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 89: New Life

Amber's friends awaited her with Michael outside the court. They hugged her and Trip and even Lyndon. Michael squeezed him especially tight.

'I'm so sorry I couldn't do more, Lyndon.'

'You testified. That's enough.'

He held his battered placard. 'I don't need this anymore.'

'Why not donate it to the Crime Museum? So anyone remembering this case knows how hard you fought?'

'Well, you can take it, if you want...'

'I will. Thanks, Lyndon. Ready to go, Amber? Hey... are you OK?'

She was wincing. 'I didn't want to interrupt, but not gonna lie, when I was in the toilet... I think my waters went.'

'Amber!'

Trip was already calling an ambulance. The rest of the audience arrived on Lugia. Amber wasn't like Abbey, who only wanted Leon and her own mother present. She let everyone in. She wanted videos and as many accounts of her experience as possible, though once she began to struggle, the midwife insisted on escorting out everyone but Abbey, Leon, Trip and Lyndon. Her parents offered their hands. They assured her she could squeeze them as much as she needed to, but it was Trip's hand she clasped. He beamed. As different as it was, it did remind Abbey of Amber's birth. Like Leon, Trip never left her side, no matter how many excruciating hours passed or how hard she crushed his hands. Judging by Lyndon's smile, he reminded him of himself, too.

Gifts piled up on the waiting room table. Jovi and Hop arrived with a plush Wooloo so big it couldn't be boxed or wrapped. By 3AM, 11 hours after they arrived, Zane, Cassia and Seth were asleep in their chairs. It was 7:56AM when Jovi shook them awake. They heard screeching cries. Zane charged in. Amber cradled a pink bundle. Trip clung to them both. Everyone was crying. Zane knelt by the bed.

'Are they OK? Are they OK? Are you OK?'

Trip smiled. 'He's doing great. And mommy is too.'

'Ahhhh! I'm so excited! Hi, Camden! I'm not exactly your uncle, but just call me uncle Zane!'

'I am your uncle.'

Fayiz squeezed his sister's weak hand. 'Great to meet you, Camden. I'm Fayiz.'

'And we're not related, but I'm still auntie Cassia.'

'You have an uncle Seth, too!'

The midwife asked Amber if she minded. She shook her head. The hum of voices sent Camden to sleep after his first feed. Trip still spoke softly to him.

'All these people, look... they all love you. You'll never, ever, ever be alone or unloved.'

Trip's new P★DA beeped. Amber was so exhausted she didn't care what he was replying 'of course' to. She too fell asleep. When she awoke, the last of Camden's unofficial uncles waited patiently to meet him. Wyatt congratulated his best friend. One of the gifts had been opened already. Trip wrapped his son in a blanket clumsily knitted by Willa.

Both Amber and Camden were healthy. They were discharged the next morning. Karsyn prepared her own room in her apartment for them. She placed Lyndon and Willa's bassinet by the bed. Amber wanted to insist she was well enough to travel back to The Under, but she was secretly glad Trip accepted his grandmother's hospitality before she could protest. Whenever she dozed, now, Camden woke up. Trip could comfort him, but only Amber could feed him. Abbey, Leon and Fayiz slept on the floor, though when Leon's back began to ache, Karsyn insisted he took the sofa.

Trip opened the gifts. There was a tube of inflatable planets from Jamal and his family. Lyndon bought a Houndour onesie. Fayiz groaned when he found the Oaks sent a Charmander plush. They had the same idea. Amber kept Fayiz's. The one from the Oaks was going home with Leon. Acerola sent a Mimikyu mat. From Lumir and Leden were fossil cookie cutters. Seth couldn't help giggling when Trip began to unwrap the gifts from him and Wes. At first, it looked like two plush tumbleweeds and another pair of tacos stuffed into a box. They were baby boots.