The last thing I saw was Lucas' lips moving, screaming my name, but I did not hear it.

"Her condition is stable, Mr. Barnes, the rest is up to her."

"...she's won't wake up."

"She needs time, Lucas."

"I need her to be okay- I- I can't-"

"You have to. It's not just about you anymore."

My ribs ached, as though some giant had used me for a spring board, every inhale shifted my seemingly fragile body and sparked the pain. The air was too heavy, too sterile for my half-dormant senses and a rhythmic, bothersome beep sounded to my right. My body felt empty and cold- everything seemed to be slowly burning.

"Your mother loves you so much, little one, as much as I love her. That's why you need to help me bring her back because I can't seem to do this on my own. You need her, too. She never fails to amaze me, do you know that? You have the best mother in the world, and I am trying to teach you that in case...in case... I promise you that I love the two of you more than anything in the world, and that I won't fail her. I have done that too many times."

Finally, my heavy lids managed to split open, and I could blearily make out Lucas' form.

He was cramped into the small sofa nestled in beneath the standard windows, and as my vision cleared I saw the tiny bundle cradled securely against his chest. Tears pool in my eyes, and I wanted to ingrain the image before me forever so that I saw it every time I closed my eyes.

"Lucas," I croaked, my voice hoarse and cracked.

Lucas tensed, and he seemed to be taking extra precaution he wasn't jostling our baby as he turned to me. "You're awake," he murmured, almost in a croon. He set our child in the bassinet, and came to my side.

"You're looking better than last I saw you," I remarked, feigning idleness, "You were covered in blood-"

"-Don't!" Lucas pleaded, and wrapped his arms around me to pull me to him. The IV in my hand twinged at the awkward position, but I did not care. He burrowed his face into the crook of my neck, and I felt his shoulder tremble. Hot tears fell down the column of my neck and got lost in my limp, plaited hair. "Please, don't," he rasped, and faintly began to sob.

My free hand came up to tangle in his hair, and I peppered the side of his face with dragging kisses. "Lucas," I repeated tenderly.

"You almost left me here," he stammered, "You died- You died for five minutes, Kiley! And I couldn't save you- just like I couldn't save Maya."

"I'm here, I am right here," I shushed him tenderly, "Lucas, I was so scared."

"You were scared?!" he remarked wryly, and kissed me soundly, "You will never get away from me that easily, Kiley Jensen, because I am never letting you go."

A wailing cry tore my attention away from Lucas, and my eyes widened at the flailing, fists I saw over the lip of the bassinet. That's my baby- my perfect, little baby, "Lucas?" I mumbled tremulously.

"Would you like to meet our daughter?"

"A girl?" I repeated lamely, "We have a little girl?"

"Perfect in every way- thank goodness she got your nose- and has been impatiently waiting to meet her mum."

"I'm a mum," I hiccupped, and wiped away the tears that clung to the underside of my jaw- causing the skin to tickle. "Can I hold her?"

"As if you even need to ask such a thing," Lucas dismissed, and slid off the edge of my hospital bed to retrieve our baby.

Words failed me the first time I held her in my arms.

I gazed down at her in silent wonder, unable to do anything else. She was perfect- wrinkly skin, swollen eyes, and all. "Lucas," I whispered, at a loss to say anything further.

"It's strange- I mean, we knew we were going to be parents...but being able to hold her, for me at least, makes it all real...Kiley, I..." Lucas ducked his head as he eyes began to mist over.

"My darling girl, look at you- already have your father getting soft," I chuckled to the babe, "Foreshadow of times to come, for sure." My breath hitched when my child began to root against my bosom, and a surge of unsurpassable love burst in my chest. I lowered the thin hospital gown, and urged her to suckle. My nose scrunch pinched at the strange sensation, but I too easily grew used to the feeling.

"I haven't given her a name- I wanted you to be awake," Lucas explained.

"She already has a name..."

"Harry," I called out to my godfather softly when I caught him lingering outside my hospital room.

"And here I thought you giving me hair loss was over," he remarked as he stiffly walked up to my bedside.

"Your mistake and I have a successor to that role," I quipped, nodding my head to the sleeping girl in my arms.

"Motherhood becomes you."

"Liar," I teased, "I look half-dead, and don't you deny it." I smiled up at him, and he bent down to press a kiss to my brow.

"You have never looked more beautiful." Harry settled in the chair next to me, and gazed at me. "Where is that fiancé of yours, anyway? Not like him to not be around," my godfather inquired.

"I made him go home to check on things and to be honest- he was starting to stink," I chuckled softly, and ran my fingertip along the line of my daughter's cheek. My brow furrowed in thought as I mulled over what Lucas had said the other day. "Harry...who was Maya?" I asked softly.

Harry did that owlish blink when delicate natured intel was brought to light- I had seen it almost a hundred times. He was silent- deciding whether or not to divulge the information he clearly knew. "What do you know of Lucas' life before MI-5?" he murmured.

"Not an awful lot, I know it troubles Lucas, so I never really pressed for it," I admitted.

"Well, in short- Maya Lahan went to university with Lucas before he went abroad and then joined Section D. They were lovers- and when Lucas found out she was in London as a doctor in one of the hospitals, they resumed their relationship. However, due to events out his and my control, she was fatally wounded..."

"That's her," I concluded, "That's the one who died for nothing...the day Lucas had you on top of Enver Tower."

"Yes, and Lucas was reminded of that."

Harry did not need to paint a more detailed picture- for I knew all too well.

Lucas' hands covered in blood, this time mine, and helpless to do anything to save me. Just like Maya Lahan. He was terrified of history repeating itself.

"Kiley, should I have told you that?" Harry asked, drawing me away from my mind's image.

"Yes. I know what she meant to him, and I know it is useless to try and fight the memory of a dead woman-" I flinched at the poor choice of words when I saw the shadow fall over Harry, "-He will remember her. But he loves me, and I love him- we have started a family together. Maya was never meant to give him that."

"May I hold her?"

"As if you need ask," I replied, and slowly drifted my daughter into my godfather's arms. It was strange to see my godfather, Chief of Section D- Sir Harry Pierce, who was so at ease in the most tumultuous scenarios as equally calm with a babe in his arms.

"She looks like you," Harry announced tenderly, "How long ago that seems."

"She has Lucas colouring," I added.

"A little Princess Snow White to complete the fairy tale," Harry hummed.

"Perhaps, but that little princess will be slaying dragons just like her mum," Lucas mused knowingly as he strode into the room.

"Quite right," Harry chortled. He rocked our daughter gently from side to side as he watched her yawn. "Have you decided on a name?" he asked softly.

"Yes, your goddaughter has been keeping it under her cap throughout the entire pregnancy...hoping our baby was a girl," Lucas explained as he settled on the hospital bed, molding his large frame to my smaller one, and kissed the corner of my lips.

"All right, let's hear it."

A tender, whole hearted smile curled my lips as I met my godfather's gaze. "Ruth," I answered.

For the woman who loved.

Fin.