HOSPITAL
It was already midnight. Stephen sat in a chair beside Damsel with his head on the bed fast asleep. Damsel weakly opened her eyes, glancing around when she suddenly saw Stephen at the right side of the bed, fast asleep.
" Oh, God, Stephen.....", she muttered, adjusting herself on the bed.
Just then, Stephen drowsily opened his eyes and saw Damsel awake.
" Hey, easy....you are finally awake...", he uttered and helped her sit up.
" How long have you been here ", she queried worriedly.
" Don't worry about that, honey. What matters most is that you are finally awake"
Damsel smiled faintly and turned to the baby's cot beside the bed.
" Aww, Stephen, look at our cute angel....", she exclaimed, elated.
" Isn't she lovely, just like you?", he replied with a kiss at her cheek.
"Kindly bring her to me, I want to hold her", she responded with a smile.
" Sure...."
He hurriedly carried the baby from her cot and placed her in Damsel's arms.
" Oh, my cute baby, mummy, miss you so much", she cried.
Stephen sat beside her and hugged them, cheerfully.
" Thanks, honey for giving me such a lovely, girl"
Damsel turned and looked at him with a smile.
" Thank you too, dear. I'm now the happiest woman in this world. So tell me, what name will you like to give her?"
" Um...., I've not even thought of that yet. Let's see..., we'll call her Tiana, what do you think about that... "
" Tiana?"
" Yeah, why, don't you like it?", he queried nervously.
" I love it.....", she exclaimed, happily.
" Mummy loves you so much, Tiana. Do you know why? Because you are the symbol that completes our love....", she added, starring at Stephen with so much love and happiness
" Aw, Damsel....I love you too"
They hugged each other with tears of joy.
" Alright, now let me have her while you take some milk, okay?"
" Okay...."
Stephen took Tiana and gently laid her in her cot while she slept. He gazed at her for a while and returned to Damsel who was busily having her milk.
***********
THE WALTER'S MANSION
Leyla and Daniel laid on their bed, fast asleep. Suddenly, Leyla started screaming and struggling on the bed.
" No, please, don't take her away from me..
Please.....No..... Tatiana, no..."
" Leyla, what is wrong with you? hey, wake up, its just a dream," Daniel exclaimed, holding her in his grips.
Leyla hugged Daniel with tears in her eyes, trembling with fear.
" Daniel, Tatiana, they took her. Please, don't let them take her, away, please....", she cried.
" Calm down, Leyla...I'm here and no one is taking Tatiana away from us. Just calm down, okay"
" No, where is she? where is my baby? I want to see her, please...."
" Okay, come, I'll take you to her room", Daniel replied, helping her off the bed.
They both marched to Tatiana's room hurriedly.
Daniel slowly pushed the door opened,
" Come, there she is. Our little girl is still fast asleep... ", he uttered.
Leyla quickly rushed to the cot and carried her in her arms.
" Oh, my baby, I thought I lost you...", she cried.
" Don't worry, Leyla, it was just a nightmare, okay", he replied, patting her back.
" Um.., okay"
" Now ,let's go back to bed, huh"
" No, I want to stay here for the night...."
" Are you sure? "
She nodded nervously in response.
" Okay, since that is the only way to calm you down, then, we'll all spend the night here...."
" Thanks"
She moved back to the baby's cot and laid Tatiana back in it, settling beside her.
" Mummy will never let anyone hurt or take you away. I promise to protect you with my life....", she muttered with her eyes fixed on her like an eagle.
Daniel gazed at her worriedly from the door and sighed,nervously.
" I understand your reason for feeling this way, Leyla but I promise to protect you and our baby from anyone who tries to harm you. Not even Theodora will come in between us ever again...", he muttered and strolled to her side.
" Don't worry, Leyla. I'm here for you and our baby, okay"
She nodded with a smile.
" Now, take some rest, I'll watch over both of you"
" Okay"
She laid down on a bed beside the cot and fell back to sleep. Daniel sat beside her, caressing her hair gently, deep in thought. Soon, he also fell asleep without knowing.
A shadow suddenly appeared at the window, chuckling.
" Don't think you can get away from me forever, Daniel. I will surely have you no matter what it takes. Even if it means taking your most precious things away from you. I will readily do that to have you by my side forever.... That is a promise... ", it muttered and dashed off from there.