I cannot describe the feeling. A chest so full of pride, the love I feel, despite my niece having only been in my arms for a moment.

I thought she'd look like an alien, they usually do, but she's a doll. A perfect porcelain doll with thick, dark hair and a small pouty mouth and long lashes that flutter over her cheeks.

Ferne gave birth not even five minutes following my vomiting. She's over the moon, less so when I referred to her birth canal as a log flume ride. How else am I to describe it? I've never known a birth go so fast!

As of current, Ferne's getting checked over by the paramedics, having her levels monitored and getting stitched up. While me, well, I get to cuddle my beautiful baby niece. Never have I felt so elated. "Hi baby girl." I coo, fixing the blanket she's swaddled in so her chubby cheeks are on full display. Although she's three weeks premature, the paramedics say she's perfectly healthy, 6 pounds exactly, with ten perfect fingers and ten perfect toes.

Someone comes behind me, warm and familiar, placing a strong hand on my shoulder before he lowers his head to rest his chin on my other. "She's so cute." Elijah mumbles, looking wide eyed at the infant in my arms. I ignore the tingles that flood me, originating from where his skin rests on mine.

"I can't believe how much I love her already." I tell him, twisting my head slightly to meet his eyes. He smiles at me, a proper smile, one I haven't seen for so long and I can't help letting my gaze fall to his lips for a moment. I could so easily kiss him right now.

It's not the time though, Charlotte. Not with your hour old niece in your arms. PDA isn't acceptable in front of such young eyes. Well, her eyes are closed, so technically...

But the moment is gone. He simply squeezes my shoulder and sits beside me, grinning as though he can feel the pride radiating from me. I run the back of my finger across her cheek, a result of which is her eyes fluttering open, looking at me with deep intent. She has dark, chocolate eyes, but they're so huge, perfectly round and bright, squeezing my heart even further.

"Your uncles are going to be so jealous when they find out I met you first." I tell her, grinning as her eyes stay trained on mine. I sigh, contented, lifting my eyes to look at Hendrix who is smiling at me. "Is it completely barbaric that I want my own?" I say, tucking my hair behind my ears.

He raises a brow at me. "Yes. Completely. I thought women were meant to be good at the birthing side of things." He smirks.

"Elijah, if you saw what I saw, you'd have vomited too." I inform him, still smiling all the same. "Thank you for coming, by the way." I say softly. He smiles at me. "I know things between us haven't exactly been, normal, but I really appreciate it."

"Osborne, what is our normal?" He asks me with a roll of his eyes. I shrug, letting my eyes drop back to the baby.

"I'm not sure. A lot's changed, hasn't it? But I don't like what we're like now. I've enjoyed having you around." I tell him honestly, though my voice is so quiet, it's a miracle he hears me.

"Need I remind you that we're like this because of you? Because you bugged out after the Halloween party and told me you'd rather spend your days hating me." He reminds me. I inwardly cringe. I did say that, didn't I?

"I was confused Elijah. I still am." He inches closer, only slightly, but it completely changes the atmosphere. His leg is pressed against mine and he's braced on his arm, leaning himself closer while being equally careful that he doesn't touch the baby. We hold one another's gaze, though I notice his eyes drop subtly to my mouth, triggering me to tug my bottom lip behind my teeth.

"What are you confused about Lottie?" He asks me, his voice suddenly deep, husky even.

"Elijah, I think I have –"

"Charlie!" I hear my brother cry out, forcing me to groan and roll my eyes, pulling myself away from Hendrix. I turn to look at the front door where my brothers are wide eyed, surveying the scene. "Charlie why is there an ambulance outside?" Ezra asks frantically.

I hold a finger to my lips, a twinkle in my eye. "Shush. It's little pea's nap time." They look at me, completely perplexed, but realisation dawns not long after. Oli shoves Ezra, hard enough to send him stumbling to the ground before he barrels into the living room.

"Oh my god, let it look at me!" He orders, craning himself over me, lowering his face to the baby. "Hey pea. I'm your favourite uncle. Uncle Wolly." He says, as though he's trying to hypnotise her. I scoff and shove him away, giving room for Ezra to see her.

"You won the bet." I tell him with a grin. He gleams, extending his arms to take her. I pass the baby and watch his eyes light up.

"Where's Ferne?" Oli asks, not taking his eyes off of the bundle.

"With the paramedics." I answer, taking to my feet. "I'll go check on her." I pause, turning to face my brothers. "You can never be mean to her again." I say sternly. "She has just done the impossible. Honestly, she's like a superhero." The pair of them stare wide eyed, letting their eyes fall to Hendrix as if seeking confirmation.

"It made Charlotte chunder." He states, forcing me to scowl at him.

Leaving the boys in the living room with the baby, I hurry upstairs, taking to Ben's room, the only one currently vacant. No way I was getting blood and goo and shit all over my duvet. I knock and let myself in, smiling at Ferne. "How are you doing?" I ask her softly.

"Good. I'm coming down now." She tells me, edging from the bed slightly. She winces and I wince in empathy, completely sure she is aching in places that I would never wish pain upon. "Where is she?" She asks me.

"With the boys. They just got home." I tell her, offering an arm of support. She takes it gladly, reaching for the paramedic that offers her help too.

"That's a nice surprise for them." She muses through another wince.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay in bed?" I say, uncomfortable with how difficult this seems to be for her.

"No. I'm fine. Honestly." I'm not entirely convinced, but I don't argue, purely because Ferne is scary at the best of times, so I can only imagine her postpartum hormones will have her emotions sailing sky high right now. We help her downstairs and into the living room. She sits slowly, clenching her jaw as she settles on the sofa, then exhales in relief.

The paramedics leave, following a short reminder conversation on what is due to come in terms of post birth formalities, like legally registering the baby and having her checked by a midwife in the next few days.

Ferne asks Ezra to go home and pick up a car seat which he does with little haste, passing the baby to her mother before he leaves. It's only when he's gone that I remember I have a car seat now which is no longer needed, so I run upstairs and grab it for her, which she accepts gratefully. I sit myself beside Hendrix, maybe closer than I should, but he doesn't edge away.

"What are you going to call her?" Oli asks, perching himself next to Ferne while staring at the baby with adoring eyes.

Ferne shrugs. "I'm not sure. Roman and I haven't agreed, but he doesn't get a say now. I really didn't think it was going to hurt that much." I laugh, letting my head fall unconsciously on to Elijah's shoulder. He seems to tense beneath me but settles soon after. "How are you Charlie? The paramedics said you threw up." She says.

I raise my brows at her. "Ferne, I have never seen anything like that. I hope I never see it again. It's like pushing a watermelon through the hole in a ring donut. Just –" I gip again, burying myself into Elijah's side as I try to forget the scarring image, willing away the sickness that finds me again.

"Really," she muses. "I had no idea."

~

"I'm an auntie!" I squeal, pulling Collins and Seb into an unexpecting embrace. I'm still practically jumping for glee, the smile unmovable from my face. Hendrix got the brunt of it after offering to bring me to school this morning. That made me maybe even happier.

"Ferne had the baby?" Seb asks me, clutching at my shoulders to hold me still.

I nod emphatically. "Yep. I had a front row seat and everything. Baby Aria, but she's still little pea to me." I say elatedly. He grins and pulls me into another hug, chorusing congratulations, as if I'm the one that's just brought life into this world.

Well, technically, I sort of did. Being an impromptu midwife and all. That's what I plan to tell everyone, anyway.

We continue chatting, right up until the first bell. I bid them goodbye in my departure and practically skip through the corridor, that is, until a particular red head decides to pick a fight with me.

"You!" I spin around and look at her expectantly. It's miss congeniality. She looks different when she's not covered in pasta and sauce. "Can you just fucking pick one and stick to it?" She sneers, throwing her hands around in gesture.

"What?" I say bluntly.

"You! You're chasing after Elijah, still talk with your cheating ex and we all saw you kiss Seb the other day. How about you tone it down and let some of us other girls have a look in?" She sneers at me. I fold my arms at her and cock a brow, completely bewildered.

"You have no idea how desperate you sound right now." I say.

"Excuse me?" She all but squeals.

"Did I stutter?" I snap back. I can't help but smirk when I see the red branding of fury rise on her neck. "Look, I'm not chasing after anyone. They don't run from me. Maybe that's why you're having trouble." I offer with falsified kindness. Then I smile at her, spinning on my heel. "Now if you don't mind, I'm in a perfectly good mood and don't need you ruin-"

I'm cut short when a manicured hand tangles in my hair and drags me backwards, snapping my head back as I follow through to prevent my hair being torn from my scalp. I grab her wrist and spin, no doubt making my hair look something messier than a birds nest. She continues to tug, but I don't let go.

"I really don't want to fight you!" I tell her. Though, its rather hypocritical, especially when not even a second later, I bring my hand down to slap her across the face. This is what happens when I don't have the opportunity to could to ten!

When she faulters on her hold of me, I gather myself, launching at her so both of us tumble to the floor. While she claws and scratches, I punch, try to anyway, rolling the pair of us around so that I can straddle her.

It's such a cat fight. I'm used to people punching me back, hitting me with intent to hurt me, but she just uses her fucking nails as weapons, clawing at my face and tangling them in my hair. In some ways, it hurts more. "Get of me you fucking slut!" She screeches. I flex my fist, the same one that only days ago finally had the wrap taken off. Is she worth breaking it again?

Before I even have time to decide, in a moment of déjà vu, hands snake around my waist and hoist me off of her, this girl whose name I don't even know. "Easy Lottie."

I stop struggling instantly, instead focusing on how my chest is heaving and my head is sore from her pulling my hair. "Fucking bitch." I spit out, tapping Hendrix on the arm to let him know he can put me down without me reverting back to psycho mode. I turn to him, scowling, as I try to straighten out my clothes and flatten my hair.

"That was so hot." He whispers to me, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Fine, go get some with your catty girlfriend then." I sneer, looking at him through my lashes as I frown.

He shakes his head and his hand finds my forearm. "Nah. She's not my type." He muses, pulling me away from the crowd that's formed, as red head fumes, going on about how she's going to report me.

Well, shit.