Viola rolled her eyes amused as she rested a hand on the swell of her stomach; she was now forty weeks pregnant and had just informed Lionel that it was time for them to go to the hospital.

“Leo breathe,” Viola said as she watched him, the couple were both now twenty-six and where about to become parents, the brunette looked at Florencia as the older woman approached her while Lionel collected everything they needed with Matías’ help.

“Let’s get you to the car,” Florencia said as she helped Viola out of the house, the brunette took a deep breath as another contraction hit.

She hadn't told Lionel that her contractions had started earlier that day and she had patiently waited until about fifteen minutes ago to tell her husband.

“I can’t believe you waited until now to tell him,” Florencia mused making Viola flash her a smile, the brunette hadn't wanted her husband to know that she was in labour; he would have insisted that they go straight the hospital even if her water had broken yet.

Lionel watched his wife leave the house, he had known that something hadn't been right with her; he hadn't expected at any point that she was actually in labour and she’d not told him.

“You okay?” Matías asked as he looked at his younger brother, he knew that Lionel had been a bit shocked when Viola had dropped the bomb that she was having their baby now.

The footballer nodded his head before he sat down as the news finally started to sink in, he stared at the coffee table for a moment as he allowed the news that he was about to become a father really start to hit him.

“I’m about to become a padre,” Lionel said making his brother chuckle amused as he patted him on the back, he couldn't believe that Lionel was freaking out about this; he played for one of the biggest team’s in the world but this was what scared him.

***

The drive to Hospital USP Dexeus was quick from the couple’s home in Castelldefels and Lionel had little time to fully adjust to what was happening; Viola muttered bitterly in pain making her husband look at her concerned.

Matías chuckled having a feeling that the brunette wasn’t about to allow his brother any rest until their son had been born; Lionel had made sure to get a private hospital room since he didn't want anyone annoying his wife while she had his baby.

“Do you want any pain medication?” the midwife asked after she had checked over Viola, everything seemed to be going well and it was clear that it should be a relatively quick delivery.

Viola nodded her head making the midwife smile understandingly before heading off to find the anaesthesiologist, so that Viola could have her epidural; the brunette took this time to change out of her street clothes and into her black polka dot nightie and white robe in gift band.

“I’ll go and call Madre and Padre so that they know that Viola’s in labour,” Matías said as he patted his younger brother on his shoulder while Florencia spoke softly with Viola; Lionel watched his wife as his brother and sister-in-law left to call people.

The brunette took a deep breath as she looked at Lionel, she knew that he was a little worried that something would go far but the midwife had reassured them that everything was going fine and both Viola and the baby were doing well right now.

“Leo?” Viola asked softly making the footballer slowly moved to his wife’s side and took her hand; she smiled at him as he rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand in comfort.

***

Lionel winced as Viola squeezed his hand, he knew that he should have expected her to do so but everything still felt surreal to him about what was happening; he didn't know what it was but he felt that at any moment he would wake up and this would all be a dream.

“You’re doing well Viola, keep pushing,” the midwife encouraged as she sat between the brunette’s parted thighs as Viola attempted to push her son into the world; Lionel had been surprised that his wife had made it this far through the delivery.

His ex-girlfriend Antonella had always insisted that when she got pregnant that she would have a C-Section; she didn't want to push her daughter into the world since she didn't want to be a mess afterwards.

“We are never having sex again,” Viola snapped as she glared at Lionel, he stared at her for a moment before he remembered what Matías had told him about how Florencia had shouted at him when she’d had Augustine and Perito; it hadn't been pleasant.

“In fact you aren’t allowed to touch me after this,” Viola continued to rant as she continued to push their son into the world, Lionel nodded his head knowing that right now it was better to agree especially since it was the hormones talking and snapping at him.

“Why did you do this to me?” Viola continued Lionel bit back his comment that she hadn't seemed to have minded when they’d conceived their son nor the other times that they’d had sex.

“Just a couple more pushes Viola,” the midwife encouraged as she offered Lionel a reassuring look, she’d seen it all before and knew that half the things that Viola was saying the brunette didn't mean.

Viola groaned as she continued to push, Lionel encouraged her softly along with the midwife before the room was filled with the cries of their newborn son.

Lionel’s eyes snapped to the newborn that the midwife was holding as Viola let out a sigh of relief as she collapsed back onto the bed, she closed her eyes for a moment before Lionel kissed her.

“You did so well amor,” Lionel said as he cupped her face, the brunette kissed him again while the midwife and nurse cleaned off their son and checked him over before they brought him over to the couple.

“Congratulations… a healthy baby boy,” the midwife said as she handed the newborn over to his mother; Viola smiled down at their son while Lionel thanked the midwife for what she had done before she moved to do some paperwork.

“He’s so small,” Viola murmured making Lionel chuckle as he settled on the edge of the hospital bed next to his wife, he stared at his newborn son and couldn't believe that he was finally here.

After a few moments, the midwife returned the couple.

“Have you decided on a name for him?” she asked making the couple look at her; Viola looked at Lionel as he rested an arm behind her.

The argentine looked down at his son for a moment before he nodded his head and turned his attention back to the midwife.

“Thiago Xavier Messi Grayson,” Lionel said with a smile, it had taken a while for the couple to decided what they wanted to call him but they had finally agreed on his name after a couple of weeks of searching for the perfect one.

The midwife nodded her head as she filled out the birth certificate.

“Do you want any footprints or hand prints taken?” she asked making Lionel nod his head; he had already started to plan his tribute to his son while he thought about what he could do for Viola.

***

Lionel closed his eyes tiredly as he finished his call with Barcelona, he knew that the media were going crazy now that it had been confirmed that he had just become a father; it worried him what they would do when Viola and Thiago weren’t in the hospital.

“Everything okay?” the brunette asked as she looked at her husband, she had tried to talk him into going home so that he could get some sleep; it had been a long day for the both of them and he deserved to get some rest before they brought Thiago home.

“Barcelona just wanted to congratulate us and that they’ve announced the birth on the website,” Lionel said as he moved to sit next to his wife again, he smiled down at his son who had just been returned by the nurse after he had been cleaned off for a feeding.

The brunette nodded her head as she glanced down at Thiago, the little boy suckled for a moment before she turned her attention back to her husband.

“I’ve also mentioned it on my Facebook page… so we don’t have to worry about anymore false claims,” Lionel said annoyed however a soft noise from Thiago made him smile softly as he turned his attention to his son.

Lionel couldn't believe that he was a father, looking at his son made his heart swell and he didn't know how to thank Viola for giving him Thiago.

“So what did you put?” Viola asked as Lionel carefully ran his fingers through the dark brown hair that lay on top of his son’s head; he could see a perfect divide in his son’s features and he was pleased to not only see himself in his son but also Viola.

“Today I am the happiest man in the world, my son was born and thanks to God for this gift. Thanks to my family for the support. A hug to everyone,” Lionel said shrugging as Viola finished feeding Thiago; Lionel eagerly took his son from her while Viola moved to cover herself a bit before anyone walked into the room.

***

Antonella pursed her lips as she stared at Lionel’s Facebook page, she knew that she couldn't return to Barcelona yet but that didn't mean that she couldn't prepare for her return with her daughter.

Estella Roccuzzo had been born the 17th of June, something that Antonella had hidden from Lionel whenever he called to check on her; she knew for her plan to work that she couldn't reveal that the child had already been born.

Gavin had made one more attempt to make her see sense about what she was doing; he wanted for them to be a family since he was Estella biological father, but Antonella refused to give up on her plan.

“Looks like you have a baby brother,” Antonella said as she moved to pick up her daughter, she knew that it would take a lot of hard work to make sure that Lionel never discovered that Estella wasn’t his; she’d have to get rid of Viola and Thiago.

The two of them would serve a purpose when she returned to Barcelona in a couple of weeks with Estella and then Antonella knew that she’d have to make sure that Viola never came back.

The brunette was too much of a threat and that she’d have to destroy any feelings that Lionel had for Viola and their son.

“You’ll go home to see your padre soon, he’ll be pleased to see you and then mama will make sure that no one ever takes him from us,” Antonella said with a smirk.

She hadn't even told her parents that Estella wasn’t Lionel child; she wasn’t about to risk losing everything because someone told Lionel the truth about her plan.

Estella looked at her mother with big brown eyes; it was if she knew that her mother was going to destroy someone else’s life so that she could get someone who never truly belonged to her.