Got this in my head, not as good as the first installment, but I had a shit day, so here it is :P

Tallahassee had been in the woods for a good while making sure that Wichita's shouts didn't bring unwelcome guests, but despite the fact he still ended up sitting on the floor of the hallway listening to what was happening in the room. He leaned up against the wall, letting his eyes droop closed now and again as he thought about his own lifetime. Columbus was terrified, he had been too, but it would be put to rest the second he held his child for the first time.

His thoughts were broken by the cry of a baby. Tallahassee had to physically hold himself down to keep from going inside. He knew better than to do that, but it nearly killed him to keep still. "What? No, no, no. I can't do that," he heard Columbus say.

"Cut that goddamn cord!" Tallahassee growled. Things inside got quiet again. He could tell that the younger man was rolling his eyes, as he had gotten smart enough to moan and complain anymore. Things were quiet save for Little Rocks whispers now and again.

"Go wash her off while we finish," Little Rock said. Tallahassee's ears pricked up hearing the word 'her' in the sentence. He jumped up as Columbus came out into the hall.

"A girl?" the cowboy asked. Columbus held the baby away from himself, supporting its head with one hand and its body with he other. He was still pale, but the look in his eye had changed and Tallahassee felt mildly better about the situation.

"She's all… hot and gooey," he said looking up at Tal for the briefest instant, before looking back at the baby. Tallahassee smacked himself in the forehead.

"You're an idiot," he said.

"Little Rock said to wash her," Columbus said unfazed by the older mans comment.

"So go do it," Tallahassee motioned to the bathroom. Columbus went that way with the older man on his heels.

Little Rock had filled the tub with warm water as well as set towels and blankets neatly folded on the toilet lid. Columbus paused looking at it. "Okay…. How do I do this?" he murmured.

"Oh for the love of- just give her here," Tallahassee said. Columbus still had a dumbfounded look on his face as he handed over the baby. He was truly afraid. He had been a father for less than ten minutes and now his child was in the hands of the roughest person he had ever known. Tallahassee surprised him though. The cowboy was so gentle as he washed the infant. He only needed one hand to support her while he used the other to clean her up swiftly.

"She's so little…" Columbus said fretting over her already.

"Surprising isn't it," Tallahassee replied. "To think we ever were this small."

"Yeah but… is she supposed to be so tiny?" Columbus couldn't really remember babies from before.

"She's fine," Tallahassee replied grabbing a blanket and wrapping the baby up. "And you," he handed her to Columbus, "are simply hopeless." He'd said it with that look that meant it was the forgivable kind of hopeless Columbus so often found himself being. "Now get her back to her mom," Tallahassee added.

Columbus carried the baby close to his chest as it fussed. Little Rock was cleaning things up and Tallahassee deemed it safe to enter. He leaned against the door frame as he watched Wichita hold her baby for the first time. Columbus sat on the bed beside her, one arm around her. "Oh my god," Wichita breathed as she smiled. Tallahassee's lips twitched into a smile even though Little Rock kept pushing him out of the way. "She's beautiful," Wichita said.

"Mmm just like you," Columbus said with an overwhelmed smile.

"What's her name going to be?" Tallahassee asked. Wichita and Columbus exchanged glances, then she spoke.

"Aurora is just up the road," Wichita said. "It's a pretty city… a pretty name," she traced her finger down her daughters cheek.

"That's a good name," Columbus said kissing the top of Wichita's head. Tallahassee smiled. Very seldom did he feel true hope for the future, it was so hard not to be jaded, but with the soft coos of the child he did feel hopeful. There was a new life in the world. A reason to do better.

"Baby, can you go get me a drink?" Wichita asked. Columbus hopped up like he was on fire.

"Yeah, just a sec," he tore out of the room. Tallahassee crossed the floor.

"Lemme see the little squirt," he said. Wichita smiled and handed the baby to him. The child was small, but even tinier when she was in the cowboy's arms. "Thank god she got your looks," he winked at the tired mother.

"OW! SON OF A-" the crash in the other room made them both look towards the door. "TAL! I asked you to move the moose!" Columbus snapped from the other room.

"I did," Tallahassee said as there was some rustling in the other room.

"Yeah, right into the middle of the floor!" Columbus snapped. Tallahassee could envision the younger man sprawled across the mounted head.

"Lets just hope she gets your grace too," he added looking back at Wichita who gave him a 'you're so immature' look. Columbus came in with the water, shooting Tallahassee a killer glance.

"All right, let aunt Little Rock have a look," Little Rock said entering the room. Tallahassee handed Aurora off.

That night there was so much time spent in silence, watching the baby sleep. No one spoke, because nothing needed to be said. The family was alive and well and had a renewed purpose.

Tallahassee closed his eyes that night and slept with a smile on his face.

Tallahassee didn't want to open his eyes. He shut them a little tighter against the offending sound. 'Not yet,' he thought.

"Grandpa!" the voice came again. 'No, no, no' his mind pleaded. "Grandpa come on!" his sheets were being pulled away and his eyes flicked open. Aurora's eyes, carbon copies of her mothers, were blazing through him. He looked at her for a moment, they were almost obscured by the dark locks of hair that were falling out of her poorly made pony tail. She must have done it herself.

"What?" he groaned and rolled over so he could be face down. Nearing sleep again he grunted and woke up when 90 pounds magically pressed down on his back.

"Mom said I could come get you now! She said I let you sleep in enough and that we can go! Come on! You promised!" her voice was smoother than her mothers, resembling Columbus a little more so. Tallahassee put a pillow over his head when he saw that it was only seven. He regretted the decision when the 90 pounds started to jump up and down. He grunted. "Get up! Come on Tallahassee! Get up!" she said.

"Aurora it's not even light outside," he moaned.

"Come on grandpa you promised!" she snapped.

"You need light to go sledding," he objected.

"I know, but we're gonna have kitty pancakes first!" she said.

"WhaAA?" he grunted as she jumped again.

"You said you would make them today!" she was excited. He lay very still and didn't make a sound. "Graaaandpaaa?" she drew out the word and he surprised her. Flipping over and wrestling her off of himself and into the pillows. She squealed fighting back a bit.

"Kitty pancakes?" he asked as she beamed up at him.

"Uh-huh, its what you said," she nodded. He looked thoughtful for a minute.

"Okay, but only if you make the hot chocolate," he said. She laughed and fled the room when he let her go. Tallahassee sighed and rested back into the pillows for a moment looking out his window at the winter wonderland

"OH MY GOD!" Columbus and Wichita shrieked in tandem when Tallahassee dumped the snow on their sleeping forms.

"That's for sicking her on me at seven in the morning," he laughed.

"She's been up since five asking when she could wake you up!" Wichita snapped glaring at him as the snowflakes melted in her hair. He stuck his tongue out at her and left the room. Wichita and Columbus exchanged typical glances, he smiled even though he knew she was mad.

"Good morning," he said kissing her on the cheek.

"Okay, where do we start?" Tallahassee asked entering the kitchen. Aurora tossed him the whisk.

"Goodnight sweetheart," Columbus said as he pecked his daughter on the forehead.

"Goodnight Daddy," she said. He smiled and pulled the covers up over her.

"Sleep tight," he said backing away. The smile momentarily faltered when he looked at the moose head hanging above his child's bed. She had insisted that Tallahassee hang it there. He looked back down at her and the smile returned. He knew she would turn out okay, despite his fears.

"Sweetheart focus please," Wichita said in another poor attempt to force her daughter to read the textbook.

"I don't want to mom," she replied. Wichita could practically see herself at that age. The same defiance was ringing from Aurora's lips as it had from her own. She sighed.

"Please… please just be good and read," she said softer. Her daughter set her jaw.

"I don't need this," she said. "I want to go with Grandpa and Dad," she added.

"No, you need this. Trust me," Wichita said bending down beside Aurora. "You need to be smart okay? Grandpa will only teach you half of what you need to know," she pecked her daughter on the top of the head. "But I can teach you the rest," she smiled.

"When am I ever going to need anything out of a textbook?" Aurora rolled her eyes.

"You know all those stories your aunt tells about when me and her were younger?" Wichita asked. Her daughter nodded. "Well we were able to pull of all that off because we were smart…. You don't wanna end up like those bone head boys sweetie," she grinned. Aurora bit her lip a little, as if deciding what was the truth. "Another chapter and then you can be done," Wichita added.

"Okay," Aurora sighed.

"That's my girl," Wichita beamed.

Tallahassee threw her door open and ran into the room. He dove onto the bed, flopping down hard enough that Aurora bounced up into the air and came down in a floundering mess. He laughed at her shock.

"Hey kiddo," he smiled.

"What are you doing?" she exclaimed sounding just like her mother.

"You can't sleep the day you lose single digits away," he grinned. Tallahassee could see the wheels in her head spinning, then apparently she remembered it was her birthday. "What do you want for your birthday?" he asked.

"I WANT A PUPPY!" she grinned. Tallahassee put on a stern face.

"You know your mom said no," he said harshly. She looked hurt and he broke into a smirk before whistling. The clicking of nails on the wood floor was followed by the sight of a fur ball skidding across the floor and springing onto the bed.

"OHMYGA!" she laughed as the puppy attacked her.

"I decided my vote counts for double what hers does," he smiled.

"Please for the love of god slow down!" Columbus snapped. Aurora slammed the breaks and he opened the door and stumbled into the ditch. "I think I'm having a heart attack!" he panted.

"Yes a heart attack, ye who preaches cardio," she laughed.

"Tell your mother I love her," he added dramatically.

"Dad, get back in the car," she said in a cold voice.

"Huh?" he looked up.

"Get in the car," she repeated watching the zombies charge out of the woods. Her father was still fast on his feet when he had to be and was back in the car in a matter of seconds.

"Do not slow down!" he said closing his door.

"Are you kidding? NO! You may not get your nose pierced!" Wichita said keeping her hands on her hips. Muddy scampered under the table, his tail tucked at the very sight of her imposing figure.

"But I saw this magazine and-"

"No!" Wichita said again. "Columbus help me out," she added looking at him. He looked up from the plate of noodles he was eating.

"Listen to your mom, it's not a good idea to get a piercing," he said through a mouthful.

"See?" Wichita looked back at her daughter.

"Yeah bu-"

"No! I said no and it's final. Do not make me talk to your grandfather about it, because if he finds out he'll-" Wichita was cut off.

"I'll what?" Tallahassee asked walking in. Wichita looked at Aurora with a threatening glare. The girl mouthed the word 'no' but her mother had gone cold.

"She wants to get her nose pierced," she said in her disapproving tone.

"What?" Tallahassee snapped looking immediately at Aurora. "You're what?" he repeated.

"I," she drew out the word, "was just reconsidering how stupid a piercing would make me look," she smiled at him.

"That's what I thought," he came up close to her and whispered into her ear. "So I won't tell your mom about the belly button piercing," he said. She looked shocked but he only winked as he walked away.

"Marry Christmas Little Rock," Aurora said handing over the brand new (relatively) camera she had stolen three days prior.

"Awww, thank you," Little Rock said giving her niece a hug. The presents were piled high around the living room. A bizarre surplus of goods they gathered for each other. Every gift more strange than the last at some points.

"My turn," Tallahassee said. Both Columbus and Wichita groaned.

"You've given her a chainsaw, fireworks, a new car, and an… erotic baking kit… what else could you possibly have?" Columbus moaned.

"Hey, I can't help it if she makes good goddamn Twinkies using questionably appropriate molds," Tallahassee held out his hand in defense. "This last one is special though," he said and handed over a larger box. It was deep and wide across. Aurora opened it slipping the ribbon off.

"Whoa," she let the word slip out as she lifted the lid off.

"Looks better on you anyway," he said as she put his hat on her head. She grinned from ear to ear and threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

"I love you Grandpa," she said pecking him on the cheek.

Columbus closed the door to her room and leaned against the wall. He didn't feel like nearly two decades had gone by. She was sleeping soundly and would be eighteen before the night was out.

He looked around the house. So much had changed. He had changed. The others had changed. The world had changed. The only thing the same as the night she had been born eighteen years ago was the feeling of family and love that the walls held. They were still in it together, and they always would be.