Born of Fire

Participants:

griffin_icon.gif nadira_icon.gif

Also featuring…

baby-jori_icon.gif child-owain_icon.gif

Scene Title Born of Fire
Synopsis Griffin and Nadira welcome someone new to the world…
Date November 8, 2011

Eltingville


It started with the broadcasts.

Well, at least, the real part started with the broadcasts. This morning, shortly after Griffin departed to handle a bit of official Ferrymen business, what felt like Braxton-Hicks started, but slowly increased frequency — though not enough to warrant concern, not enough to call the telekinetic home.

But the stress that swelled with the broadcast, that’s when it really started. That’s when the contractions started becoming more frequent and intense. That’s when Nadira, heavy with Griffin’s child, sent the message to her fiancee on the burner phone he gave her for this exact reason that it was time, that he needed to be home now.

The message came as Griffin, sad and world-weary, was in the vehicle with those they had rescued from the insanity. He didn’t even wait for the car to stop once they got close enough to New York — he simply told the others that he had to leave and why, opened the door, and slipped out of the vehicle as it sped away. And then, he fled to Eltingville as fast as his ability could carry him. Thankfully, the riots made getting in much easier to do today, so at least there’s that.

Labor has been fairly quick since then. A quick labor is good, but it also makes for an extremely intense experience for Nadira — especially without access to drugs. Despite the pain and intensity, however, it has gone out without a hitch. Owain has been a great helper, up until his father arrived, at which point the boy distanced himself. He doesn’t really want to watch his little sibling come out of his step-mom.

It’s been eleven years since Griffin helped bring a child into the world. Still, he has read all of the books he could get his hands on, and gotten as much coaching from Ferrymen doctors as he could get, all in preparation for today.
Finally, the moment they’ve all been waiting for comes. She’s been pushing for two hours now, and Griffin has been right there with her, holding her hand, letting her squeeze his, and doing everything in his power to ensure that she is as comfortable as one can be when giving birth to a baby. A final wave of pain comes over Nadira as the head crowns, then intense pressure…and then, Griffin lifts a squalling baby girl up into the air, gently toweling the child off (and kissing her sweet little head in the process) before quickly placing her upon her mother’s chest.

Then, Griffin is planting soft kisses on Nadira’s head. “Congratulations, Mommy, we have the most beautiful little girl…”

It was intense, that much is certain, but the payoff was worth the pain. As Griffin holds up their child, she stifles a small sob. When he places the little one on her chest, the sob comes out. One of Nadira’s arms reaches up to cradle her child while the other reaches out for Griffin’s hand. She’s trying not to cry, but all of this… she’s overcome by emotion.

“She is beautiful, yes,” she agrees. “A beautiful girl with a legacy to carry on. A big name for such a tiny one.”

“Mackenzie Marjorie Mihangle. Born of Fire.” Green eyes, wet with tears of joy, raise briefly to the window, the man not forgetting the chaos that has started up outside. What a time to be born. What a day to be born. Griffin pulls out his phone briefly, checking the time. 11pm on November 8th. That is one crazy birthday.

The telekinetic smiles warmly down at Nadira, squeezing her hand as she takes his, the tiny baby quieting down after a healthy amount of crying. She looks healthy. She looks amazing. Griffin reaches down, gently running his fingers over the tiny girl’s head and cheek. “Owain, come meet your baby sister.”

Owain approaches from the other room, lingering in the doorway at first, before a huge smile forms on his face. “That’s my little sister,” the boy states almost incredulously, drawing close. He smiles brightly to Nadira, then to little Makenzie. “She’s so tiny and cute!”

“Little one,” Nadira murmurs, her hand slowly rubbing back and forth over her child’s back. She smiles as her step-son gets to see his sister for the first time, and she lays back a bit to let him get a better view of the newborn. Her eyes go momentarily to Griffin before they’re drawn back to the new life before them.

“Little Jori, you grow up beautiful and strong, stronger than this world.”

The words are meant to be an earnest wish from a mother for her daughter, but they also come across as a plea—regardless of what happens, please grow up and don’t let this world bring you down. There’s still a darkness that hangs over this moment, as wonderful as it is.

If Griffin has anything to say about it, little Jori will grow up living a happy life…one away from this stupid war and all of the damage it can cause. He just has a few more things to do, and one more big thing that he has to do…and then they will be safe. Even if he can’t live it with them, he will make certain that his children will grow up as untouched by the war as anyone can possibly in this world. That little Jori won’t ever have to experience one of her parents being murdered. That Owain will get all that he needs to heal from all of the horrors that he has experienced.

“She will be,” Griffin replies, leaning down to plant a gentle kiss on the baby girl’s forehead. “I’ll make sure of it.” He can’t help but tear up a bit, gazing down on the little girl with a loving expression softening his sharp features. “She will be amazing.” He smiles, reaching out to ruffle his son’s head. “Especially with you as a big brother.”

Owain laughs, playfully batting his father’s hand away. Then, his green eyes turn back down to his little sister, a huge smile on his face. “I promise I’ll be a good big brother to you, Jori.”
“I trust that she will,” Nadira says, her eyes on the little one again. There’s so much that goes unspoken, so much there, waiting in the silence. But she wouldn’t ask for details, not when she knew it would put her and the little ones in danger. It still nagged at her, however, knowing nothing, not knowing if…

“Will you be okay?” It was a question she could ask safely in front of Owain. It was a question that needed to be asked.

Green eyes turn a loving gaze toward Nadira, drinking in the sight of his entire family together, happy and complete. The riots outside don’t matter. The war they have been fighting for years…doesn’t matter. Right now, the only things that matters are Nadira, Jori and Owain, all here right now. This moment right now cements in his mind that he needs to procure their safety — and emboldens his choice to do whatever it takes.

He swallows, leaning down and planting several soft kisses on Nadira’s face, and in turn on Jori’s still-wet head. Reaching out, he gently squeezes Owain’s shoulder. It takes him a long moment to properly formulate the words into a safe format for Owain to hear.

“I should be,” he replies in a soft tone, reaching out one hand to gently cup the cheek of the mother of his daughter. “I just have a few more things to do. And then, maybe…” He pauses, a faint but hopeful smile turning the corners of his lips up. “Maybe we can all rest.

We can all rest.

Rest is a thing Nadira has forgotten about. She hadn’t had a good rest since before the riots and she wasn’t sure how good her rest would be when the dust all settled. But now? Now she both wanted to rest and couldn’t. She was tired, so tired, but there was adrenaline pumping through her veins. Now she was a mother. Now she had a little creature who needed her to protect it. How could she even think of resting at a time like this?
“I am so tired,” she says with a tiny laugh. “How does anyone do this more than once? And sometimes more than one at a time!”

He can’t help but offer Nadira a warm, fond smile, reaching up to run his fingers gently and lovingly through her sweat-matted hair. “You are far stronger than me,” he murmurs softly, leaning forward to kiss her on the nose. “I certainly couldn’t do what you just did, and I certainly wouldn’t still be conscious and coherent after the fact.”

He glances to Owain. “Could you go put some of our water into a bowl and bring that and a cloth for me? And then, I think you should probably try and lay down for a bit, we may have to move.” The boy nods obediently, offering one last fond smile to his sister before going to do as bidden.

Green eyes turn their adoring gaze back to the two most important women in his life. With his son out of earshot, he can speak a little more freely. “There are things that I am going to have to do, Nadira, that…they aren’t the good thing to do, or the heroic thing to do…” He pauses, teeth knitting at his lower lip for a moment. “But they are what I need to do to make sure that you and Jori and Owain have a good life.”

Griffin turns his eyes down to their newborn daughter, one hand reaching up to tenderly stroke the tiny newborn’s hair. “I can’t tell you anything right now, but if it works…then we won’t ever have to worry about any of this,” He raises his hands, gesturing around to indicate the entire situation that they are in. “And our children can grow up the way they deserve to grow up.”

He looks back down to Nadira again, tears welling up in his eyes. “I hope you won’t hate me for what I have to do…”

“I do not know what it is you have to do, Griffin, nor do I expect you to tell me. Secret things remain secret, do they not? I do not have to know, there for I do not.” Nadira shifts just slightly in the bed to sit up a little more.
“Promise me two things. If you are to do this thing, this not-heroic action, promise me that the children and I will be safe and that it will be worth the price you will have to pay. The second… promise me you will come back—or at least try. I do not know what I would do without you.”

As Nadira speaks, Griffin gently caresses the newborn’s head — this is definitely love at first sight for the man. He thought he adored Owain when he came around, but Jori…this little girl is amazing. Green eyes turn up toward Nadira, the man leaning forward to kiss her once more.

“I promise that you and the kids will be safe.” That much he feels confident in. So long as he does what he needs to do, Nadira and the children should be guaranteed safety. “And I promise I will do everything that I can to be able to enjoy that safety with you.” He kisses her again, one arm slipping gently around her shoulders.

“I love you, and I love our daughter, and I love Owain…and I will do anything necessary to give you all the best life I can.” Another tender kiss is planted on Nadira's forehead, then another on baby Marjorie's.

“I promise.”


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