Typical house, much like Artair's except a little smaller. It's close to the Inn.

NINE MONTHS LATER

Kieran helped a very pregnant Aoife up the steps to their house. "Jus' take i' easy now, love." he told her, with a smile. "Don' wan' ye fallin' down now."

Huffing a little as she waddled up the steps to their house, Aoife pouted and poked out her tongue at him,

"Ah'm pregnan', no' disabled, Kieran." she mumbled, massaging her lower back with a sigh. She was glad the morning sickness had subsided but her swolen belly had continued growing, making her back ache, not to mention the rest of her. Luckily her feet weren't swollen, a side-affect she ahd been warned about... though she did have the strangest cravings.

She smiled a little to herself, looking at Kieran. He'd been there through it all and had even managed to find her the oddest combinations of food that tasted delicious.

Kieran smiled at her, kissing her cheek. "Ah know, bu' Ah wan' ta make sure ye donae do anythin' crazy." He helped her inside and to their bed, where he made her as comfortable as he possibly could. "Would ye like anythin' ta eat?"

Aoife yawned and shook her head, stretching her arms and trying to snuggle back into the bed.

"Ah'm fine." she assured him with a sleepy smile.

Kieran smiled. "Alrigh' then." He slid into bed beside her and pulled her into his arms as much as he could without making her uncomfortable. "Jus' rest, love," he whispered.

Ahha! I found you! *Runs away*

"M'kay." she mumbled with another yawn, resting her head on his shoulder. She was a little frustrated that her stomach prevented her from cuddling up to him but was glad he was here allt he same. She had really worried, at one stage, that he would leave her- a stupid thought, she knew now and figured it had just been her emotions over-working themselves.

"Wha' do ye think she'll look like?" she aske dhim softly, closing her eyes. She was hoping for a girl... though she wasn't certain in the least that she was carrying one.

"Ah'm sure she'll look jus' as beautiful as her mother." Kieran replied with a smile, kissing her cheek again. He personally was hoping for a boy, but he knew he would be happy with whatever it was. He rested his hand on her belly, caressing the big bump that was their child. "How much longer til she comes, do ye think?"

"No' long." she promised with a happy sigh, "She's boun' ta come soon, else Ah'll bust."

"We donae wan' ye ta bust now do we?" Kieran asked, still smiling and nuzzled her neck. "Remember, if ye need anythin' at all, jus' tell me."

Aoife chuckled softly at him and ran a hand through his hair with a smile, opening her eyes to watch him.

"Ah know. Don' worry." she kissed the top of his head.

He smiled at her and kissed her softly on the lips. "Jus' remindin' ye, love."

"Ah know an' Ah don' min' in the leas'." she smiled and kissed him back before smothering another yawn wih her hand and a laugh.

Kieran smiled and kissed her again. "Sleep, love." he whispered.

"Hmm." she smiled again, tucking her head under his chin and closing her eyes again, her breathing soon becoming even as she fell asleep.

He smiled and closed his own eyes, falling asleep soon after her.

((and she should wake up and have the baby!!!!! XD))

((... why you laugh... :D Soon Scotty... soon!))

LATER

Aoife yawned and stretched a little from her awkward position around her stomach. Her back was aching again, but that wasn't new. Somebody was restless, it seemed, as she touched a hand to her stomach, feeling the baby kick and she smiled widely. It never failed to make her do so. She looked to Kieran and sighed softly, unspeakably glad to have him and their baby on the way.

((lol. Scotty is impatient!))

Kieran was still sleeping.

Apparently baby decided to use her bladder as a punching bag, so Aoife slipped out of the bed and waddled towards the bathing room to relieve herself. She paused ont he way, having to clutch at the wall as her stomach cramped sharply and she doubled over in pain. Once it was over... for the moment, she quickly waddled back to the bed, shaking Kieran's shoulder then sitting heavily as a second cramp assualted her body. She squeezed her eyes shut and bit her lip.

Kieran was awake immediately at her touch and he sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What? What is it?"

"I think your child is impatient-" she mumbled, pressing her hands to the side of her stomach and doubling over again.

Kieran's eyes widened and he licked suddenly dry lips. "Wh-What should Ah do?" he asked, suddenly scared.

Aoife would have laughed, had her stomach not been contracting painfully. She never would have thought Kieran would panic over something like this. They had been expecting it, after all

"Go get Alec, Kieran." she ordered between contractions, gritting her teeth.

Kieran nodded, biting his lip. He kissed her forehead as he got up. "Ah'll be righ' back!" And he ran out the door.

She just nodded as he left, only now noticing her water had broken on the sheets... she couldn't help thinking of the washing that woudl have to be done. She ground her teeth as pain bit through her body again and groaned softly.

((sorry for such sporadic posts))

Kieran was back within minutes and he had Alec and Meghan right behind him. Alec came immediately to Aoife's side. "How are you feeling?" he asked her calmly as he rinsed his hands in the bucket of water Kieran was carrying.

((Haha! Tis okay, wondering if you'd run away or what though.))

Aoife groaned and shot him a look.

"'ow do ye think?" she asked then hissed as another set of contractions clutched at her. She was panting softly when they subsided, grateful for the short respite.

((nope, just distracted with reading a story that I just finished, so now I'll be able to post more. XD))

Alec just smiled slightly. "Try an' stay calm Aoife, please, Ah know it hurts, bu' please try ta be calm."

Kieran stepped up to her and took her hand between both of his. "It'll be okay, Ah promise," he whispered as Meghan set down a stack of cloths.

Alec took one a few of the cloths and spread them out under Aoife. "He looks like he's wantin' ta coming out quickly, lass, only a few good pushes an' ye'll have him."

"Aye. An' Ah'll much appreciate i'." she growled, shifting onto the cloths more comfortably between contractions. Hopefully, like Alec said, it would be a quick birth.

((Sorry boys and girls, I got kidnapped. Damn life!))

((LOL! and since I don't know anything about birthings.... well hardly anything... I'll just skip forward and have the baby come out all nice and healthy.))

And after only about an hour of pushing and heaving and all that goes along with a typical childbirth, the babe finally came out completely and Alec handed him/her((did we ever decide?)) to Meghan, who cleaned the babe up and wrapped it in a blanket.

((How does a him sound- make it all even and such with the new-borns!))

Aoife, ehusted, lay back on thre pillows, watching her babvy closely, a small, tired smile playing on her lips. She really pitied those women who went through hours of child-birth... but it was worth it.

((sounds good. What about a name? I think we might have agreed on one before, but I don't remember what it was. XP))

Kieran squeezed her hand and kissed her sweating cheek. "See, love, it's all over now."

Meghan chuckled as she brought the little one over to it's mother. "Nay, lad, it's jus' begun."

((I dunno... you can pick ifn you want...))

The usually timid Aoife, slapped Kieran's shoulder with a half-frown,

"Aye, an' don' expect me ta be doin' tha' again soon." she mumbled though a smile twitched at her lips.

((YAY!))

Kieran smirked at her and kissed her firmly on the lips. "Maybe in another few years?"

Alec washed his hands off, and cleaned up the cloths and everything. "Aoife, lass, ye need ta take it easy for several days, maybe even a week." he smiled, "Take care of yer babe, he's a strong an' healthy little one."

"If yer lucky." she warned Kieran playfully, if a little tired.

"Thank ye' both." she smiled at Alec and Meghan, "Ah will, donnae worry. He's beautiful." she smiled, looking at her baby.

Meghan smiled. "He looks like ye."

Alec had gathered up everything and he reached for Meghan's hand. "We should leave tha two of ye alone now, but remember ta come get us if'n yer needin' anything."

Kieran smiled and nodded. "Thank ye, Uncle and ye, Aunt, both of ye for everythin."

The two smiled at each other and nodded. "No need ta thank us, Kieran." Alec told him.

Aoife smiled and touched her sons nose lightly,

"Ya think so? Ah thought he looked more like his Pa." she smiled.

((I'm off now. See you.))

Kieran smiled. "Nay, he looks like you."

"We'll leave ye now." Alec said and led Meghan out of the house, leaving the young family alone.

Aoife chuckled at Kieran, making their sons hand wave as Alec and Meghan left.

"Ah don't know if'n he'll apprecia'e tha' in a few years." she smiled, touching his nose with the tip of her finger, "Wha' shall we name 'im, Kieran?"

Kieran smiled, kissing the babe's cheek. "Ah was thinkin' Douglas or Bruce."

Aoife wrinkled her nose,

"Douglas?" she asked... what an odd name.

Kieran looked at her. "Ye don't like it, do ye?"

She giggled a little,

"I donnae know ye'. Where did ye come up with i'?"

"Tis a common enough name around here." he told her. "An' ye've heard abou' Robert tha Bruce. His right hand man, was tha Black Douglas. They were both Scottish heroes of their time."

"Aye, true enough... but maybe Ah don' want mah son runnin' around fightin'." she said, cocking an eyebrow, "Though Ah do like Bruce."

"Well he doesnae 'ave ta be fightin' does he?" Kieran asked, smiling. "Bruce MacRae. Ah like tha'."

Just then there was a soft, if hurried, knock on the door.

Kieran sighed. "Ah'll be right back." he went to open the door, smiling when he saw it was his parents. He ushered them inside and over to where Aoife was.

Aoife mulled over the name, smiling when their visitors entered. Bruce was dozing, thankfully a quiet baby so far and simply content just to be held.

Artair and Ealasaid came into the room, both of them smiling ear to ear.

"Och, look at him!" Artair stared down at his new grandson.

"He's so adorable!" Ealasaid sat next to Aoife on the bed, slightly facing her and stroked the babe's head. "Have ye thought of a name yet?"

Kieran smiled and stood at the foot of the bed, watching his parents' reaction.

"Aye. We were thinkin' Bruce. Bruce MacRae." Aoife smiled at Kieran then looked to her sons grandparents for their approval.

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