Disclaimer: Max and friends belong to James Patterson.

A/N: I wrote this when I was pretty tired so please excuse any mistakes! Also, I've been having a lot of parent feels lately so the next one might be more of Max's pov with Toby (the kid is going to become my fanbaby i can feel it).

; Act Four - Father ;

The day that his wife told him she was pregnant with his child, he honestly didn't feel that he was ready for such a thing. He didn't feel that he was capable of properly caring for another human being. Hell, he could barely keep a fish alive for more than a month! What the hell was he going to do with a baby? Still, there was a much larger part of him that was absolutely thrilled at the idea of this little human that he helped create growing inside his wife.

Fang didn't know if he'd be a good father. His own had run out on him and his mom when he was young and hadn't been heard of since. His mother had been left struggling to juggle multiple jobs and caring for a child all on her own. Fang, of course, would never do such a thing to Max; he loved her too much, but he couldn't help but still fear that he'd be a shitty parent.

For nine months, he squashed down his fear as best as he could and shoved it into the back of his mind. He was totally focused on caring for his pregnant wife and preparing the house for a newborn child. But, when he got a call from a frantic Iggy stuttering about the baby was coming, he couldn't help but suddenly feel like burying his head underground. He panicked on the way to the hospital. He panicked some more when Max groaned with each contraction. He panicked just a bit more when the doctor announced that she was ready to give birth. He nearly hyperventilated when Max nearly crushed his hand in pain as their child's head was being pushed out of her body. It was an exhausting evening but the moment he heard his newborn son's gasping cries, suddenly all his worries melted away and he could see clearly again.

He was a tiny thing. Fang remembered watching, completely enraptured at the sight of their son crying against his mother's flesh and Max's relieved and loving smile. Fang remembered holding Max's hand and then reaching out to gently run his fingers over the little boy's nearly bald head ("He's going to be blonde, hell yes!" Max had tiredly laughed). Fang remembered feeling this wave of absolute warmth spread throughout his body when he was given the chance to hold the squirt in his arms. When little Toby, as they decided to name him, wrapped his tiny little fingers around Fang's thumb, he knew that he would do anything for his son.

Fang would look over at his worn wife, sweat matting her hair and sleep just touching her eyes, and he would smile brilliantly. It was one of the happiest days of his life, that he knew. He had leaned down, absolutely care and aware with Toby in his arms, and pressed multiple sweet kiss against Max's forehead. "Look," he had whispered, excitement lacing his voice, "He's opening his eyes." And sure enough, the boy was.

Max smiled widely as she watched the absolute fascination on her husband's face as he watched Toby slowly blink and then look up at him unseeingly. His tiny feet kicked and his little fists moved about. He was definitely an active one. Only a few hours of life and he was already moving about. Making sure to memorize the image before her, Max sighed and let herself sleep. Giving birth wasn't a walk in the park, that was for sure.

Any panic that Fang had felt before the birth of his son was gone. Sure, he knew that he'd make mistakes as a father and he might even screw up big time as his son grew older... but one thing that he knew for sure was that he was going to be in Toby's life. He'd rather be seen as the annoying dad who doesn't let up than just an empty space beside his mother. Fang would learn, no doubt. He would learn how to be a good father and he would be there beside Max and Toby every step of the way.

Fang loved Max and Toby and that was all he needed.