Shattered Glass

[Inactive User]

Great chapter. Liked reading every single word of it,

Nooo please let Alyissa be okay!!

Update soon please! Don't leave us hanging in our seats!

[bradyell]

Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!

Please let her be ok!!

The scene with Aden, Alyssia and Jamie was just beautiful.

Jamie really is the most gorgeous little thing

can't wait for more!

[Red Ranger 1]

Sam isn't Geoff's?That's a shame(and makes me even more worried you're going to split him and Mel up, given that none of the other characters seem to like her...).I liked the conversation between him and Belle anyway and Aden's talk with Jamie.

And that ending has left me very worried.Can't wait to see what happens next.

[KaiyaBlake]

Alyssia! :( No. I hope she pulls through

Jamie's sweet as always

Great chapter still () Can't wait for more!

[xknomex]

:o

please maker her be okay!!! *begs*

that scene at the beginning WOW! Aden... and then when Jamie came in.......... soooooooooooo amazingly written! serioulsy wow

that was just brilliant!

xxx

[bikinikill]

Oh no. Louise, how could you!?!?! I hope she's ok. It was so good though, but so sad. I hope she's ok.

[Louise_2983]

Chapter 47

He twisted a dark strand of her hair idly around her fingers as he held her close. Her tears had subsided now and only an occasional muffled sob escaped from her fragile frame as she grasped the soft, black material of his shirt in between her fingers as though her life depended on. He wanted to tell her everything would be ok, to soothe her with words but he was just as scared as she evidently was, as they waited for news of their baby girl, and he didn’t want to make promises he wasn’t sure if he could keep.

“Where were you?” she suddenly blurted out the question as she raised her head to look up at him.

“At home, with Jamie you know that babe” he replied wondering if lack of sleep was clouding her memory.

“No” she shook her head with a sigh.

“Not tonight. When I was in labour and no one could find you anywhere? Where were you?” she looked at him dubiously, the question had popped into her mind over half an hour ago and she had

brooded over it ever since not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

“You’re thinking about that now?” he asked deflecting her question, as he pushed a stray tendril of hair from her soft cheek.

“Well I need something to take my mind of all this” she shrugged.

“And stop avoiding the question, where were you?”

“Well,...” he hesitated as she gazed into his eyes.

“You weren’t with another woman were you?” she teased softly.

“Well, yeah I was” he admitted quietly as she jumped back out of his embrace.

“What?! Aden, I was joking! Oh my god! I was giving birth to our baby and you were with another woman? I was scared half to death and you...you...I can’t believe you would do that! I know I’ve hurt

you a lot in the past Aden but I have never cheated on you, I would never cheat on you!”

“That’s good to know” he smiled softly, infuriating her even more with his apparent nonchalance.

“Now calm down Belle” he ordered with a soft chuckle.

“Or you’re going to have a heart attack or an aneurism or something equally unappealing”

“Calm down?!” She yelped as he tried to cradle her hands in his. She fought and tried to pull them away but his grip was too strong as he held both their hands in his lap and leant forward to brush a kiss

against her furrowed temple.

“I was with Kirsty”

“Kirsty?!” she gulped. Of all the woman she might have suspected, Kirsty wouldn’t have even made the list.

“We were in the City”

“Making sure no one would see you? Right? Real classy” she snapped trying to pull her hand away again but he wouldn’t let her.

“But unnecessary surely? I mean after all you are married, I’m the one you should be hiding away. The scarlet woman giving birth to your illegitimate baby a-“

“Belle, will you shut up?” he interrupted, shocking her into silence with his abruptness.

“I was with Kirsty because Morag pulled every string imaginable to get our divorce through quicker but it meant that we had to get divorced on the grounds on my adultery and we had to go to a short

hearing in the City to swear on oath that it was all true”

“Divorce?” she whispered sheepishly.

“Yes, divorce” he smiled softly back at her, squeezing her hands between his own.

“I’m officially divorced...for the second time”

“You got divorced” she whispered again.

“You didn’t really believe I’d cheat on you did you?” he asked slightly hurt, hoping it was only the stressfulness of their current situation which had caused her to doubt him.

“Well no, it was a joke” she told him feeling stupid.

“But then you said you were with another woman! What was I supposed to think you idiot? Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Because I wanted it to a surprise, Belle. I wanted to go to the City, get a divorce and then come back and tell you that I was finally all yours again”

“I’ve got news for you Jefferies, you were always mine” she told him, her mouth kicking up into a tiny smile.

“That’s very true” he smiled pressing his lips to hers softly.

“But legally now too and I was going to tell you but then it turned out you had your own surprise and a much better one too”

“It’s been a week Aden, you could have told me”

“To be honest it just slipped my mind, it wasn’t important. A ring and a piece of paper that meant pretty much nothing compared to you and Alyssia and Jamie and everything that’s happened this past

week, it just wasn’t something I thought about”

“I love you” she murmured, burying her head in the crook of his neck.

“I’m sorry I freaked out”

“I love you too” he whispered into her soft hair.

“And you’re allowed to freak out”

“You’re not” she told him, lifting her gaze to meet him as her chin rested on his chest.

“Believe me, inside I’m freaking out” he confessed quietly.

“I love our little girl more than life itself”

“Me too” she nodded as he wiped away the tears beginning to fall down her cheek.

“And I just want to be there for her Aden, I want to do everything for Alyssia that I couldn’t do for Jamie. But what if this time I’m here and she’s not?” she sobbed against him.

“Ssssh” he whispered, his fingertips rubbing the back of her head soothingly. He wanted to tell her that wouldn’t be the case but he knew he couldn’t and it broke him.

“Guys?” Rachel interrupted them hesitantly and instantly she had their full attention as their eyes, wide and fearful, stared back at her.

“Alyssia’s stable, we’ve put her on 100% oxygen and the section of her lung that collapsed has expanded again. She’s very fragile but she’s hanging in there guys, you’ve got a little fighter on your

hands”

“Can we see her?” Aden asked eagerly, relief flowing through him that she was still with them. He knew she could win this battle. She could beat this, she had to.

“She’ll be back in the NICU shortly and then you can both stay with her just like before”

“I want to get her baptised” Belle suddenly blurted out.

“What? Babe, neither of us are religious”

“I know” she sighed.

“But Geoff suggested it and god Aden if the worse did happen the thought of her being along in some sort of afterlife just because we didn’t believe in it...I don’t ever want her to be alone”

“The worst isn’t going to happen” he objected but he wasn’t sure he believed it any more than she did.

“You don’t know that and it would just...make me feel better”

“Ok” he nodded, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

“If it’s what you want”

“I can get the hospital chaplain to come and speak to you?” Rachel suggested tenderly.

“No” Belle shook her head adamantly.

“I want Geoff to do it”

***

“Thank you for doing this” Belle smiled softly as she and Geoff reached the door of the NICU.

“I realise it makes me a big hypocrite but I ju-“

“Belle, at the end of the day it’s not about you” Geoff smiled back at her.

“It’s about Alyssia and who knows what she’ll believe in?”

“True” Belle replied as she pushed open the swing door and they entered the room.

“But I’m still a hypocrite”

“You’re not a hypocrite” Aden smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

“You’re just a mum who loves her little girl and is concerned about her”

“Thank you for coming guys” she smiled, looking up at the others in the room.

“No need to thank us” Roman smiled back.

“We’re touched to be asked, although Rach did say she could only turn a blind eye to us all being in here for so long so maybe we should start?”

“Yeah because the longer I’m in here the more likely I am to steal her” Matilda gushed as she gazed at Alyssia, wrapped up in a swaddle of pure white blankets, as a spider’s web of tubes and wires

weaved their way around her.

“Hey! I saw her first!” Nicole objected as the two godmothers fought it out to be as close to the incubator as possible.

“Actually I was at Belle’s first scan”

“Ok guys, stop arguing” Belle giggled.

“No one is stealing her and you’re both going to be important to her”

“Mummy?” Jamie asked as he placed his little hand in hers and tugged gently on her arm.

“Yes sweetie?”

“Is Geoff going to put water on my forehead?”

“Not if you don’t want him to Jamie”

“Is he going to put water on Lissia’s forehead?” he asked, clearly contemplating whether he wanted this or not.

“Yes he is”

“Then it’s ok if he puts it on my forehead too” he told her before turning to the minister stood next to him.

“Just watch my hair please Geoff!”

As a wave of laughter flowed through the room Geoff squirmed a little.

“Actually I forgot the holy water”

“Oh Geoff” Belle sighed pressing a kiss to his cheek as the others laughed at his ineptness.

“You haven’t changed one bit”

“Oiy! Watch where you’re putting those lips please” Aden pulled her back pretending to be hurt.

“Sorry, you know I can’t resist a man in a uniform” she winked cheekily.

“Belle!” Geoff scolded her.

“Talk about lowering the tone”

“Sorry!” she apologised through another fit of giggles.

“Ok I’m just going to ignore you and start” Geoff told her, slightly annoyed as Aden lifted Jamie into his arms and finally the room went quiet so Geoff could speak. He smiled to himself. Finally a little

respect.

“Lord” he began softly and saw Belle take a sharp intake of breath which he chose to ignore.

“We’re here today to ask you to welcome Alyssia and Jamie into your family, if when they are old enough to choose which path in life is right for them they choose yours. We ask you to keep them

healthy, happy and safe from harm until they have the maturity and understanding to make that decision for themselves” he paused for a second as Belle placed a hand on his arm, a tear escaping down her cheek, clearly touched that he hadn’t chosen the traditional wording knowing that neither Belle nor Aden were sure they believed.

“Please guide their parents, Belle and Aden, and their godparents, Nicole, Roman and Matilda as they set strong examples for Alyssia and Jamie and help them to become kind, considerate and upstanding people who will bring the people who love them pride and joy”

“I’m already kind Geoff!” Jamie interrupted and Belle instantly ran a hand down his tiny cheek.

“We know you are sweetie” she told him softly, kissing his cheek with a grin as Geoff continued.

“And finally today we ask you to show compassion and be free from judgement. To disregard any doubts of those here today as to your existence and to instead concentrate on Alyssia, on bringing her

back to full health and delivering her safely home to her family who love and care for her”

“Amen to that” Nicole declared loudly with a giggle as Geoff shot her a look brimming with annoyance. She shrugged nonchalantly as Jamie tugged on Geoff’s arm.

“Geoff what do I have to chose between? Whether to go to church or not?”

“Well that’s part of it” Geoff nodded as Jamie pulled a face.

“On a Sunday?”

“Well church is usually on Sunday yes” Geoff nodded again as Jamie turned to Aden in horror.

“Daddy! All the best cartoons are on the television on Sundays!”

“You don’t have to go to church mate” Aden reassured him as he visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

“PHEW!” he exclaimed loudly as Belle laughed and Aden wrapped an arm around her as he supported Jamie’s weight with the other.

“Feel better?” he asked with a smile.

“A little” she nodded gazing at their baby girl.

“And hopefully soon it will be a lot”

***

Aden’s heart caught in his throat as he entered the NICU and the first thing he caught sight of was the empty incubator he had last seen occupied by his beautiful daughter. He struggled to breath as the

void inside the plastic casing hit him like a bullet. Belle hadn’t called him, he didn’t have any missed calls. Nothing could have happened to their precious little girl could it?

It had been two weeks since her baptism and she’d been doing so well, her oxygen had been reduced greatly, she was a little bigger and he was sure he had seen more signs of interaction from her lately. The day before he could have sworn she’d smiled at him as she wrapped her tiny fingers around his but Belle had just laughed and said he was imagining it.

He felt his head begin to spin a little. He couldn’t cope himself if anything had happened so how would he support Belle through it?

“Hey sweetheart, look who’s here. It’s your Daddy isn’t it?” he heard Belle’s soft voice coo from the corner of the room and as he turned to face her the most beautiful sight he had ever seen greeted him.

Belle was sat in the usually empty rocking chair in the corner of the room with their gorgeous daughter cradled in her arms. The beautiful baby girl was cuddled close to her mother’s chest, gazing up at her with piercing blue eyes as her tiny hands rested by her cheeks.

“They took her off the ventilator about an hour ago” Belle smiled, almost bursting with happiness.

“I would have called but I knew you were coming and the minute they put her in my arms I was just completely mesmerised” she explained as he crossed the room and knelt by her knees so he could place a kiss on their daughter’s forehead.

“Hey beautiful” he smiled shaking her tiny hand with his finger.

“Did you get all better for Mummy and Daddy? You’re a good girl aren’t you?”

“A very good girl” Belle smiled. She didn’t think she had ever felt as happy as she had in that moment.

“Do you want to hold her?” she asked shifting her arms to pass her daughter over to her father.

“No, I can wait” he smiled as he traced his fingertips over the letters stitched into the tiny baby grow Belle had dressed their daughter in which read ”My big brother loves me”.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful than you holding our baby girl, so I can wait”

“I love you” she whispered softly.

“I love you too” he smiled without tearing his gaze from Alyssia wrapped in her arms "Both of you"

“How does it feel to hold her after all this time?”

“Amazing” she grinned.

“There were times I thought this day would never come and I imagined what it would be like so many times when all we could do was hold her little hand but this is like a thousand times better than

anything I could have imagined. I love her so much Aden”

“I know” he smiled, pressing a kiss to her soft lips.

“Because I feel exactly the same”

“Please hold her, she wants to say hello to her Daddy” she told him, offering their daughter to him. As much as it hurt her to let go she knew it would take her breath away to see Aden hold their baby

girl in his arms.

And she was right. The second he took her from Belle’s arms and whispered hello her heart swelled with love for them both.

“You’re so little and light” he whispered softly.

“Which is a miracle considering how much sugar your Mummy fed you before you were born!”

“Very funny!” Belle pretended to be offended but couldn’t help but laugh as she gently stroked her daughter’s full head of soft, dark hair.

Aden bowed his head and pressed a kiss against her fingertips.

“Everything’s going to be alright” he smiled confidently as she looked up to meet his gaze.

“No” she shook her head adamantly with a smile.

“Everything is alright”

[xknomex]

I know I say it every chapter but Louise that was amazing!!!!!!! it was sooo beautiful!

The baptism was beautifully written and just perfect. Jamie was adorable! I loved the words you wrote for Geoff to say. brilliant!!!!

that ending, WOW I'm in floods here!!! you have no idea how glad i am that she is okay and they can hold her!!!! I'm so glad Belle is okay as well. that she can hold and love her!

Its good that Aden and Kirsty are finally divorced. hopefully soon we can have a wedding? with Jamie as a page boy?

Brilliant update!

xxx

[bradyell]

yay!! She's ok!!! Just doing a little happy dance!!!

The whole thing was really brilliant but the ending was just amazing!!

They finally got to hold there baby!!

Crying happy tears this time!

[MrsL]

I am crying like a baby. That was amazingly well written and totally brilliant. Jamie again so cute and I loved the horror at going to Church on a Sunday cos he would miss all the best cartoons.

Wonderful again. Im off to read it again I love it that much