After a few hours, Alice's contractions were a bit stronger than before. Tom was quick to hold her hand and breathe along with her. Other times, he'd run his hands up and down her back doing his best to soothe her. Jamie was there taking photos for them as the others were in the room to help Alice with anything she needed. As she was several centimeters dilated, her doctor suggested she go for a walk to help her reach ten centimeters. Down the halls of the hospital, Alice had one arm wrapped around Tom's as she held her I.V. drip in the other. Tom chuckled lightly seeing Alice slowly waddle. Alice looked up at him and scoffed, shaking her head.
"You're still going to make fun of me, even in labor?"
"Oh, yes."
The two laughed as Tom pressed a kiss to her cheek.
"Tom?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry for being so down these past few months." Alice spoke.
"Alice, it's okay. You were healing. You don't need to apologize." Tom told her.
"But I feel so bad being so distant from you during the whole pregnancy. I feel like we never even had a chance to celebrate any little thing, like finding out I'm pregnant or that it's a boy and-"
"It's okay." Tom interjected.
He took Alice's face in his hands and smiled brightly.
"We'll have so many more opportunities to celebrate. Like, his first word, his first steps, first laugh, first birthday, first everything else we can imagine."
Alice beamed with joy as she giggled, feeling the blush rise to her cheeks. Tom mirrored her smile seeing her whole face radiate pure joy. As they kissed, Alice moaned through it, pulling back suddenly. The two heard water pour onto the floor and Tom furrowed his brow seeing Alice's eyes widen as she gripped onto his arms.
"What is it?"
"My water broke."
"Okay... I think we should find someone to clean this up and go back to our room."
"I think that's best." Alice nodded her head.
A few nurses came over and helped as Tom and Alice returned back to their room. They alerted their doctor as Esther and Pierre helped Alice back onto the bed. At that moment, Alice felt another contraction and gasped loudly, scrunching her face together.
"This one really hurts."
Tom rushed to her side and reached out for her hand. He grinned feeling her take it and squeezing it as tight as possible. Alice looked up at him and the two gazed into each other's eyes as they breathed together. After a few more hours, Alice was on her side, gripping the handle of the bed as she cried softly, breathing through her contraction. The doctor walked in and thought it best that only Tom and Jamie remain in the room. Once the contraction had passed, Tom wiped down Alice's face as the doctor checked her cervix.
"I think in the next hour or so, you'll both officially be parents." The doctor announced.
And after half an hour, the doctor said that Alice was ready to push. They raised the bed so Alice was sitting up as she bent her legs and spread them. The doctor and a nurse positioned themselves in front of Alice as Tom stood by her side, gripping her hand and holding up her right leg. Alice took a deep breath and pushed as the nurse coached her along, counting down. As she pushed, Alice felt overwhelmed by all the voices and the flashes of the camera. Looking around the room, Alice shook her head and let out a sob.
"I can't do this! I can't do it!" Alice wailed.
"Yes, you can, you got this. Now, push." The doctor commanded.
"I can't!"
Alice's chest heaved as she broke down into tears. Tom turned to face Alice and ran his hand over her cheek, trying to soothe her.
"Alice, listen to me," Tom whispered calmly. "You are strong and you can do this. You've gone through a lot and I know you can do this. You just have to believe it yourself. Know that you are strong and that you are fully capable of bringing life into this world."
Alice furrowed her brow as she glanced over at Tom, sniffling.
"I am?"
"Yes, you are, my love. You can bring life into this world. You can do it."
Alice smiled weakly and as soon as she felt her next contraction, she turned her head forward and pushed with all her might, gripping onto Tom's hand. He pressed kisses to her temple and cheek, whispering words of encouragement. Shortly after, the doctor smiled brightly as she glanced up at Alice.
"Alice, look down here."
Alice did as the doctor said and her eyes widened in disbelief. Tom glanced down and the two were at a loss for words seeing their baby's head and chest as the doctor maneuvered the baby out. Tom placed his hand against his mouth as he broke down into tears. Alice stared down at the baby in shock as the doctor lifted him up in the air for them both to see. The baby began squirming around and crying on the top of his lungs. Alice laid back against the bed as a nurse laid a towel over her chest. She was completely taken aback as the doctor laid the baby on Alice's chest. Her hands shook as she reached out to him, hearing him crying so loudly. As she gazed down at him, watching him get cleaned off by the nurse, Alice couldn't believe he was alive and well. She cradled his head to her chest and immediately broke down, being able to feel him against her skin. Upon touching him for the first time, Alice wrapped her arms around him and began hushing him.
"Hi, baby. Oh, it's okay. I got you. Mommy's got you." Alice spoke through her tears.
The outside world became oblivious to Alice as she ran her hand up and down the baby's back, doing her best to soothe him. She hadn't noticed Tom cutting the umbilical cord or his own tears of joy seeing his son for the first time. To her, there was no one else in the world but her and her son.
"I love you, little guy. Mommy loves you so much. Don't forget that."
The baby boy's cries weakened as he calmed down in Alice's arms. She had done it. She had given this baby life and she felt so powerful, holding him against her chest. As she looked down at him, she wondered what it could have been like if she had given birth to their first child. What it would have been like to have held them and hear them cry for the first time. But, holding her son, she realized that he probably wouldn't be here at this moment in time if they had their first child. He was alive and existing. He had been meant to be.
Alice wept silently as the nurse took the boy to get measured and checked up on. When he was gone, she finally glanced up at Tom.
Looking down at her, Tom sniffled, wiping down his cheeks as he smiled brightly.
"He's here." His voice shook.
In that moment, Tom felt every sense of guilt or pressure be lifted from his shoulders seeing the huge smile on Alice's face. Her glow and radiant aura had returned and he felt that they could finally move on. Alice moved to the side of the bed as Tom laid himself down next to her, being cautious of the wires wrapped around her. The two then held one another as they cried, kissing several times.
"You did it. You were so good. I'm so proud of you." Tom mumbled against her lips.
"I love you, Tom. I haven't said it enough." Alice replied.
"It's okay. I know you do. I love you so much."
Jamie stood off to the side, giving them their moment and their space as she wiped away her tears, having been so grateful to have been a part of the birth. Shortly after, the nurse brought the boy back to Alice and she greedily took him into her arms. She cradled his head to her chest as she wrapped her other arm around his body. Tom wrapped his arm around Alice's shoulders as he placed his hand over Alice's, admiring the small boy as he squirmed in her arms. The doctor and nurse left the room after saying they would return momentarily. Jamie took a few more photos before she decided to give them their space.
After a moment, Alice and Tom chuckled lightly seeing the boy open his eyes, revealing that he had taken their hazel color from Alice. His eyes quickly looked around him before letting out a big yawn. Alice laughed softly as she nodded her head.
"That was a good yawn." She whispered.
"He took everything from you." Tom remarked.
"No, not everything. Don't be silly. I'm sure he's got your curls. We just have to wait now, don't we, little guy?"
Tom glanced over at Alice and laid a kiss to her temple.
"Look at him," Alice giggled, biting down on her lip. "He's observing the world around him. It's a big world, you've got to be careful."
Tom took a deep breath as he ran his fingers through Alice's hair.
"What should we name him?"
Alice furrowed her brow as she gazed over the boy's face.
"I've always liked... Daniel." Alice replied.
At that moment, Alice felt the boy's arm break through the blanket. Just as she went to grab his hand to keep from accidentally hitting himself, she felt his hand wrap around her finger. Alice smiled brightly and sniffled as she pressed a kiss to his head. Tom felt the tears well in his eyes as he observed Alice. Just seeing her smile and laugh made him feel so much better. He hated having to watch her suffer for so long. He only wanted his Alice back and he knew he was one step closer to achieving his goal.
"Daniel? Daniel. I like that. We can call him Danny." Tom said softly.
"Danny boy." Alice laughed.
"Yes. I like that, too."
"My Daniel." She whispered.
"What about a middle name?"
"Phillip." Alice answered quickly.
"Daniel Phillip Hiddleston," Tom said slowly. "It suits him."
Alice finally turned her head to face Tom and giggled as her whole face lit up.
"There's my little firecracker." Tom grinned.
The two shared a few tender kisses before the doctor and nurse returned. They filled out the birth certificate as the nurse helped Alice with breastfeeding. As he fed, Alice rocked him gently as Tom ran his finger across the boy's cheek. Shortly after, Daniel had fallen asleep and the nurse ushered the others inside. They all gathered around the bed and did their best to try and peek at the sleeping baby in Alice's arms.
"What's his name?" Cory asked.
"Daniel Phillip Hiddleston." Alice announced.
She then handed the boy over to Diana to hold and then pass on to the others. Tom was the last to hold him and realized that as he reached for him, it was his first time holding him. Tom cradled Daniel's head with his hand as he wrapped his other arm around his small body. He held him close to his chest and smiled, seeing his vision blur from his tears as Alice laid her hand on his shoulder.
"He's so small! And so cute!" Jamie gushed quietly.
"He's adorable." Alice commented.
After some time chatting, they congratulated Tom and Alice and took their leave. Tom got off the bed and placed Daniel in the small bassinet next to the bed. Seeing the time, the doctor advised that they get some rest and she'd be back to check on them in the morning before discharging them. Alice went to check the time on her phone and felt her breath hitch in her throat seeing the date: February sixteenth. The day before the accident. As Tom took a seat across from her bed, Alice glanced over at Daniel. At that moment, she knew she was capable of bringing life into the world. She had given him life and she felt incredibly proud of herself. She was much stronger than she thought and could feel her sorrow and pain slowly fade away from her mind.
In the middle of the night, Alice furrowed her brow as she groaned, waking up. She could make out the soft whimpers from Daniel as she sat up on the bed. She reached over to the bassinet, pulled it towards her and carefully took Daniel into her arms. She rocked him gently as she hushed him. When nothing seemed to quiet him down, Alice began to sing softly. As she sang, she smiled brightly seeing him immediately relax.
"Oh, you just wanted to hear your mommy sing, didn't you? Well, I promise to sing to you every day if you want." Alice giggled.
Tom slowly blinked his eyes open and sighed as they adjusted to the darkness in the room. With the light of the moon shining through the blinds, Tom narrowed his eyes as he saw Alice sitting up on the bed with Daniel in her arms, rocking him. As he focused on them, he could hear her singing, pausing every now and then to speak to the boy.
"You go back to sleep now, okay? You need to sleep, little guy. Tomorrow, you'll be sleeping in your very own crib. Mommy and daddy have made it all nice for you. It's even got some toys in it that you can play with. I bet you'll love them. One's a little giraffe in blue overalls. Your daddy picked that one out. I wonder if you'll grow up and want to act like your mommy and daddy. If you do or don't, no matter what you want to do in your life, we'll always love you and support you. I love you, Danny. Never forget that."
Tom grinned, watching the two for a few moments as she resumed singing. He closed his eyes and softly swayed, humming along with her. Her voice wavered hearing Tom, glancing over at him in his chair. Tom opened his eyes and smiled brightly as he gave her a quick nod.
"You know, I haven't heard you sing in some time." Tom whispered.
"Really?"
"Yes. I almost forgot how beautiful you sound."
"Then I'll be sure to sing to you every day as well." Alice beamed.
Tom walked over to the bed and Alice made room for him as he sat down next to her. The two continued humming as they watched Daniel fall asleep in her arms. Tom rested his chin on Alice's shoulder and wrapped his arms around her waist. After a moment, the two stopped humming as they just watched Daniel sleep. Alice placed him back in the bassinet and they lied down against the bed. She turned her head to face Tom and she smiled brightly.
"I have never felt happier in my whole life." Alice admitted.
"I'm glad. You deserve to be happy." Tom replied, running his fingers through her hair.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"Are you happy?" She furrowed her brow.
Tom chuckled as he nodded his head.
"Yes. I'm happy. So very happy."
The two shared a kiss before falling asleep together. The following morning, the two woke up hearing Daniel crying. Tom got off the bed and walked over to the bassinet. He smiled brightly and hushed the boy as he took him into his arms.
"Shh, shh, you're alright. Daddy's got you. Are you hungry? Do you need me to change you?" Tom spoke softly.
Alice watched Tom as he brought Daniel to the changing table. She felt her heart soar seeing him interact with Daniel. When Tom finished changing him, Daniel was still fussy. Tom took him into his arms once more and sat down on the side of the bed, handing him over to Alice.
"Good morning, baby!" Alice giggled.
She pressed him against her chest and lowered her hospital gown, allowing him to breastfeed. She smiled brightly, biting down on her lower lip, watching as he fed.
"He's going to be a mama's boy." Tom commented.
"How can you tell?"
"I just know."
After a few more hours, the doctor and nurse returned and did a few check-ups before discharging them. Alice held Daniel in her arms as Tom wheeled her down the hall to the elevator. As Tom pulled the car around, Alice inhaled sharply, remembering her last car ride back from a hospital.
As Tom got out of the car, he noticed the look on Alice's face as she held Daniel closer to her chest. Alice took a few steps back from the curb as Tom walked over to her.
"He can't go in there."
"Alice, he'll be fine," Tom spoke. "He'll be in the car seat and you can sit in the back with him."
"I can't. I can't do it."
Tom placed his hands on her shoulders and caressed them softly.
"You're going to be okay and so will Daniel. You have to trust me. I'll drive very carefully. I promise."
Alice took a few deep breaths and nodded her head, allowing Tom to help her and Daniel into the backseat. Alice kept her hand wrapped tightly on the car seat as she sat in the middle. Her eyes kept moving between Daniel and the road, checking for any signs that he was uncomfortable or that any other car may be getting too close to theirs. As she watched Daniel, she was surprised that he remained calm and quiet, not once waking from his sleep during the entire car ride. She did her best to calm her breaths as she softly caressed the boy's cheek. Tom occasionally glanced in the rearview mirror to check on them.
"How are you two doing back there?" He asked.
"Good."
Tom smiled as he nodded his head. They then arrived back home and Tom helped the two out of the backseat. He held Daniel in the carrier as he let Alice wrap her arms around his, slowly making their way up the stairs. In the apartment, they made their way directly to their bedroom. Tom got Daniel out of the carrier and quietly hushed him as he began to fuss. Tom rocked him softly before laying him down in the crib. Alice smiled brightly as Tom placed a kiss to Daniel's head before directing his attention towards her.
"Let's get some rest." Tom whispered.
The two of them slept in their bed, waking up whenever Daniel did to see what was wrong. As the months went by, Alice and Tom were slowly adjusting to having a new member of their family with them in the house. Alice decided to take time away from the show to stay with Daniel and take care of him. Tom utilized his assistant director to lead rehearsals if he couldn't attend to try and spend as much time as possible with Alice and Daniel. The others were always willing to help but given that they worked at the theater, Alice relied much more on Diana to help if she felt a bit stressed out. As they adjusted, Tom and Alice were slowly finding their way back to each other. Tom could see that Alice was actively moving on and ready to take on this new chapter for them, and Alice could see that Tom was much kinder and respectful of her process. They did everything they could together when it came down to taking care of Daniel. Alice kept her journal, documenting every new thing that came up with Daniel. His first hiccups, his first smile, his first diaper explosion, his first almost first word, and his first actual word, having been mama.
As Daniel was several months older, his hair started growing in and matched the curls that Tom had. As the months went on, Tom's hair had grown to a little above his shoulders, curling out, and he had grown out his beard. Despite Daniel always gripping onto either, Tom decided to keep the look. With Daniel being older, Alice got back into the show and was performing as well as choreographing. Some days, she would take Daniel to rehearsals and Esther or Pierre would watch him. It had actually been during a rehearsal that Daniel had taken his first steps, seeming as though he had wanted to join in on the dancing. When she was performing, Diana stayed over at their apartment to tend after him if Tom had long rehearsals for his plays. On one occasion, when Daniel was a year old, Diana was unavailable. When the school day had ended, Tom rushed home, greeted Alice and Daniel and took him back with him to the campus as Alice was preparing for the show.