PROCREATION SCIENCE – A MISCONCEPTION

EPILOGUE

AN: Here is the epilogue as promised. High fluff warning for this one, but the Waige shippers need a fix now and then, so you gotta give me a pass.

Many thanks to all my reviewers. You are genuinely appreciated. Your reviews are the main reason I publish these little bits of nonsense.

OXOXOXOXOXO

"He looks like an alien."

His nose wrinkled and his head tilted to one side, Ralph Dineen sat in the rocking chair holding his new baby brother and peering intently into the infant's face, giving him a thorough inspection. "His nose is crooked and his head is more conical or… cylindrical than spherical. And he's all red and blotchy. Are babies supposed to look like this?"

Walter chuckled quietly at the older boy's assessment before explaining, "The birth process is almost as traumatic for the baby as it is for the mother, you know. I bet you looked similar the day you were born. The doctor said his features will return to normal in a day or two."

"My babies have both been perfectly beautiful," Paige piped up sleepily from over on the bed, her voice still slightly thready from exhaustion.

He couldn't imagine what she must be feeling, because Walter had never been so unbelievably tired in his life. The labor had been rather long, but thankfully uneventful. He spent the whole time fussing over Paige. Fetching and carrying whatever she required during those hours her body worked so hard to bring their son into the world. His respect for her and all women grew with each passing minute during the whole process.

"It's okay. Extraterrestrials are cool. We can call him Yoda. Yoda O'Brien. Or Spock." The boy genius snickered at his own cleverness as he gently rolled the baby's soft left ear into a miniature elfin point. Still smiling, he admired the tiny, pliable ear for a moment before asking, "Are you sure he's ours? They didn't mix him up with anyone else's kid or anything, right?"

The older genius grinned widely as he stood next to the rocking chair. In addition to the profound weariness he felt a keen sense of pride and love, the depth of which could never be quantified. He only knew he was so full of both, it was impossible to contain any more.

"Well, he's spent his whole life in this room. All three hours and forty-six minutes of it. He hasn't left once, so you can rest assured. He's ours." In a way, it felt like Walter's whole life was in this room too. At least the most important aspects.

Walter leaned around Ralph and brushed the newborn's silken cheek with an index finger. The baby blinked awake and his face screwed up into a little pout. He squinted at his big brother's face, struggling to bring it into focus while his fingers curled around one of Ralph's, his grip surprisingly strong.

"Yep. He's all ours," Ralph whispered with something close to awe as he smiled softly at the newest member of his forever family.