May 5, 1899

Paris, 2 A.M.

"Claire…"

Claire made a noise of disapproval as she heard her husband's voice trying to wake her up.

"Love…your father is here." He said softly, brushing her hair back. Again, she moaned.

"Tell him to go away!" She protested, pulling a pillow over her head. Gustave chuckled, lifting the pillow away from her.

"Your mother sent him…Bella is having the baby." He told her and her eyes shot open.

"Dad is here?" She asked, rubbing her eyes roughly.

"He's downstairs…he said Bella has been asking for you."

Quickly, Claire pulled on some clothes and followed Gustave down to where her father was waiting in the foyer with an apologetic look on his face.

"Sorry to wake you, sweetheart." He said, kissing her cheek. His eyes were droopy with exhaustion.

"It's for Bella." Claire said immediately. "You know I would only do this for her."

"I know." Dad said with a smile. "Your mother is just so relieved that Bella wanted to have the baby here in Paris."

"So am I. I am so worried that we won't be able to see him or her very often because they live in England." Claire admitted.

"You know Bella would never let that happen." Gustave assured them. "She loves you all so much."

"Well, let's stop wasting time and get there before the baby is born!" Claire said, urging them out the door into the cool spring night.

Bella was in agony…there really was no other way to describe it. With each gripping pain coming within minutes of the last now, it was very hard to stay calm. Tris was beside himself, pacing and hovering over her like a madman. Turning to Julienne, she gripped her hand.

"Please calm him down. He's making me a wreck." She said between contractions. Jules gave a small giggle, eyeing Tris who looked like he might be ill. Their mother, seeing his distress, rang the servants' bell. Moments later, one of the maids peeked in the door.

"Could you please get Lord Keating a glass of whiskey, please?" Evie asked gently.

"Mother!" Julienne and Bella exclaimed at the same time. Evangeline smiled at them.

"Trust me…it helped with your father." She said. "All six times he insisted on being present."

"Six?" Tris cried. "I don't even think I can make it through one."

"Tris, you know you don't have to stay." Bella reminded him. "Most fathers don't."

"No." He said, sitting beside her on the bed and taking her hand. "I have to stay. I told you I would never leave your side again, and I won't." Bella managed a laugh.

"You are a lunatic." She teased as the door opened and Claire stepped into the room. Bella let out a sigh of relief. "Oh Claire…" Her sister looked worried.

"I must really love you, Bella, to be dragged out of my bed at two o'clock in the morning." Claire leaned down to kiss Bella's forehead.

"I needed you here because I have to tell you something." Bella cringed as another pain came. "I want you to be the Godmother."

As Bella met Claire's eyes, she saw the silvery green was sparkling with tears that threatened to spill over.

"You do? I thought you would choose Maddie, or someone else--" Bella laughed.

"I have known from the beginning that it was going to be you and Gustave." Bella began to cry…a regular occurrence these past few weeks. She was quickly cut off, however, by an odd pressure that caused her to jolt forward and pant. "It's coming…now!" She cried, gripping handfuls of the sheet as the doctor and his assistant rushed over. His eyes grew very wide as he looked beneath the sheet.

"Indeed." He said, adjusting his spectacles. "Sit forward, dear. That's a girl…now count to ten and push!" Tris wrapped his hand around her leg to help her as she began to push with all of her might. The pain was excruciating, but she now had to focus. The thought of the baby being breech as she had been when she was born had crossed her mind more than once. Falling back, she caught her breath and waited a moment before sitting up and doing it all again. After a few minutes of the same, she saw Claire's face become very pale and knew that she saw something. The doctor met her eyes and smiled, to her relief.

"The head is out." He explained. She fell back in a moment of relief as she realized the baby was coming out the right way. "A few more dear." Tris looked like he might faint at any moment, but to his credit, he stayed and watched with her as the shoulders came out next. This was the most painful, but Bella ignored it, pressing herself harder. A moment later, she felt instant relief and sank into the bed, trying to breathe normally. Both parents watched, waiting expectantly to meet their new child. The doctor looked first at Tris and then at Bella before holding the baby up.

"A boy." He said, placing the child on Bella's middle. Instinctively, her hands moved to hold him. The baby was squirming healthily and let out a hearty wail. Bella laughed and looked up at Tris, who had two tears making their way down his cheek. He brought a cautious hand to caress the thick reddish hair on the baby's head. The doctor quickly cut the cord and Bella's mother took him to clean him off while Bella dealt with the afterbirth. Tris followed Evie, unable to tear his eyes off of the infant.

Bella's sisters set about cleaning her up and changing her clothes. Claire brushed her tangled hair while Julienne helped her into a fresh nightgown. Tris walked back with her mother and sat beside her while Bella held out expectant arms for her son. The baby was a good, healthy size and he had a very pretty face, she thought. Then again, she was biased. He was beautiful…and he was hers. In her awe over the baby, she hadn't heard her mother and sisters leave her alone with her son and husband. Looking up into Tris's teary eyes, she managed a wobbly smile.

"Edward?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. He nodded, letting out a half sob. "The future Marquis of Keating…would you like to hold him?" Again, he managed to nod and held out his hands. Gently, she guided him, placing the baby at the right angle for him to support the head. The baby fit naturally into Tris's sturdy arms and to Bella's surprise, his eyes opened momentarily to look up at his father as if analyzing him.

"Do I make the cut, Edward?" He asked with a slight sniff. Bella bit her lip, filled with amusement. Bringing his other hand up, Tris touched the tiny palm of the newborn and his green eyes widened in surprise as the babies miniscule fingers closed around his own.

"He knows you'll be a better father than yours was to you." Bella said, knowing what Tris needed to hear. "I told him all along."

"Bella?" Tris asked, gathering his wits and smiling down at her.

"What is it, love?" She asked, reaching up to touch his cheek.

"Don't tell Charles I cried." He replied and she had to laugh out loud, moving closer to his side as he lifted his arm for her to fit in it.

"I will tell him that you were completely stoic." She promise, as she rose up on her knees to kiss him.

"And Tris even cried!" Claire said, standing in the crowded room with her family. Julienne nodded, confirming this.

"It was quite adorable." She added, "The baby is so lovely too. He looks like Tris."

"Irish." Charles said with a roll of his eyes as if that were ample explanation for the dominant genes. Julienne watched as Charles looked down at his own pregnant wife, who still had a small, but well rounded middle. Emmy was glowing, though she looked positively exhausted. Charles turned to study her for a moment and nodded. "We'll be back in the morning to visit the baby." He said, reaching for Emmy and lifting her up off of her feet.

"Charles," She protested. "I am perfectly capable of walking." He looked at her in disbelief.

"Sweetheart, you were practically swaying." He pointed out. "Don't be so proud."

"Don't be such an ox." She retorted, closing her eyes against his shoulder. Julienne had to laugh…one year prior, she would never have dreamed that Bella would have a baby…that Charles would have married Emmy and be expecting…or even that Claire and Gustave would come to their senses, yet here they all were.

And here she was…alone.

It gnawed at her that she was now eighteen years old and had only been slightly involved with one person…and it had only been to make someone else jealous. Though she would never admit it, James had asked her to pretend to be courted by him to make someone else jealous.

Lillian.

It had always been Lily for him since they were all very young…and though Julienne hadn't felt anything romantic toward James, she felt terrible that he was the only person who had shown an interest in her. Simon Reynolds was not the first person Julienne had fancied, but it was perplexing to her that she hadn't fancied anyone else since. When she'd finally worked up the courage to tell him how she felt, she'd found out it was too late. He had already been courting Darya, James's sister.

So Julienne had decided to give up. If it was meant to be for someone to fall in love with her, then it would happen without her help. She was through giving her heart away…her first rejection had stung enough. And really, the prospect of spinsterhood wasn't so terrible…really…

After all…she was only eighteen.

There was plenty of time…

And so it ends...only to set up the next story which I will be posting immediately!!!! I hope you have all enjoyed this one as much as I have. Thank you for reading...