For @sterekshipper-writer as part of @officialtwlibrary ‘s June Gift Giving Event
No matter how many towns they visit or how many people they help, like Alec, whom the pack took in about a month ago. Melissa, who decided to take a more active role in fighting Monroe, feels absolutely heartbroken when she sees abandoned buildings and broken homes. The supernatural has been exposed worldwide, and people are running away in fear. It’s the middle of the night on a full moon as the pouring rain comes down on her, Theo, and Liam. Bursts of lightning brighten up the sky as they step out of her car in the wet parking lot of the town’s hospital, right across the street from their small police department. The three of them don’t say anything until they rush into the hospital waiting room a few feet from where they parked. "Why do we always get caught in the rain?" The nurse complains, brushing her fingers through her hair to shake the rain out.
Both the werewolf and Chimera roll their eyes at her in amusement but otherwise ignore her question. They split up and carefully walk around the empty reception area and waiting room to get a look at the extent of the damage. Broken windows, busted-in doors with massive holes in them, various bullet holes in the walls and ceiling, leaving some electrical wires exposed, and a lot of lights broken, with the glass scattered across the floor. "Do you guys think everyone got out in time?" Liam questions nervously when he doesn’t smell any blood while making his way around the reception desk.
Theo’s quick to respond from across the hall, checking out one of the several care rooms. "If they didn’t, we’d definitely know." His voice echoing through the empty space while watching Melissa walk past him to go farther into the hospital, and Liam’s quick to follow her, with Theo coming out behind him. The three of them continue to check the entire building, making it up to the second floor, and when they set off the elevator, they hear the sound of painful wailing. "What’s that sound?" The Chimera asks in confusion.
Melissa recognizes it immediately; her eyes widen, filling with tears, and her chest starts to hurt at the thought of what the sound means. "A baby." She mutters under her breath and takes off down the pitch-black, dark hallway, not caring about the glass on the floor from the shot-out lights. To Melissa, the hall is miles long while she’s forced to hear such horrible wailing, but once she gets to the doorway of the last room, she’s able to take a breath. Stepping into the practically empty care room, she finds the baby lying in one of the hospital’s cribs, poorly wrapped in a light pink blanket. Without hesitation, she moves over to the bedside while tossing off her jacket and cautiously rewraps the blanket. Using it as an opportunity to check for any signs of injury before ever so carefully lifting the small bundle from the crib. "Shhhh… you’re okay, Little One. You’re okay…" She whispers softly, holding her close and gently rocking her while slowly pacing the room. "I know how scary things are, but you’re safe now…"
In the middle of one of her laps around the room, she finally notices Liam and Theo standing in the doorway, watching her. "You’re fantastic at that." Liam comments quietly as the baby girl’s cries quiet down.
Still pacing and rocking the baby, not wanting to risk upsetting her again now that she’s calm and almost asleep, Melissa scoffs at the guys with a light chuckle. "I better be good at it; I am a mother, so…” Her voice drifting off with a shrug, allowing her focus to go back to the baby against her chest.
"Does that mean you guys could do it a second time?" Theo asks nervously, leaning against the door frame next to him with his arms crossed.
Melissa stares at him in disbelief with a raised eyebrow, blinking a few times before reminding them, “I’m way too busy at the hospital to be able to give this baby the attention she deserves.” And tells them, "I can’t take this little one in."
Looking between her and Theo, Liam nervously mumbles, "Could we take her in?" Which causes both of them to stare at him in shock; neither one of them saw that coming.
Theo’s eyes go wide and his jaw drops open in shock; he doesn’t outright hate the idea; he’s just so confused and a bit startled by it. His hands start shaking, and his heart starts racing at the thought, while different future scenarios flash through his mind alongside the flashbacks of his childhood with the Dread Doctors. “Us?” He questions, wanting to make sure he heard his boyfriend correctly. “I don’t know the first thing about taking care of a—a baby.”
With a small smile, Liam quietly walks up to Melissa and gently takes the baby from her as she guides his arms to hold her correctly before he’s able to turn and face his boyfriend. “You just need to be the type of parent that you needed as a child.” He explains as if it’s the easiest thing in the world, and his words were the answer to the universe.
That night was over four years ago, and now both the fathers find themselves standing in the doorway of their daughter’s bedroom while they watch her fall asleep after putting her to bed. “Bringing her home with us was the best decision we ever made.” Theo softly whispers with a wide smile on his face as he closes the door so both of them could go to bed.
