The waves crashed against the shore with steady ease. It was a warm spring day. The sky was clear and the sky was a wash of colors as the sun set. Raphael dug his toes into the sand as he peered up at the seagulls overhead. Everything was so different now. That torturous night was only a distant memory that seemed to be fading into a dream.

"You look so comfortable standing there like that," said Marcos as he approached Raphael with a grin on his face. "Before you know it you'll be at home sitting on the bow of a boat as it cuts through the waves on a lazy summer afternoon."

"I don't think we're quite that far along," protested Raphael with a little laugh. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm still nowhere near the water." He had been forced to confront his fear of water multiple times over the days that Marcos had been missing, but that didn't mean it wasn't still part of him. He wasn't sure it would ever truly leave, but at least now he could stand along the shoreline and not experience a full blown panic attack.

Perhaps it was only because he had seen how truly terrifying the ocean could be that he could now appreciate the beauty of a calm sea and lazy waves lapping at the beach.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" asked Marcos as he wrapped his arms around Raphael and pulled him back against his chest.

Raphael sighed and sank back into Marcos' embrace as he laid his hands on the massive belly that now obscured his toes from view. It was hard to believe that this was really happening. After tomorrow's operation their son would enter the world. He and Marcos would officially be parents. All of his preparation over the last nine months suddenly felt wholly inadequate. He was convinced that even if he'd had all the time in the world to prepare he still wouldn't have been willing for the changes that were about to come to them.

"I know I should say 'yes' but the truth is, I'm still terrified Marcos." Raphael turned around in his alpha's arms and looked him in the eye. "I want so badly to do right by our child, but I still don't see how I'm even qualified to be a parent."

"You're going to do fine," Marcos reassured him. He kissed Raphael's forehead before continuing. "Besides, you're not alone in this. We're going to be handling it all together. You've got nothing to worry about."

"But——"

"No more 'buts' we've been over this a hundred times and a hundred times I've said the same thing, 'you're going to be a great dad.'" Marcos kissed him gently before continuing. "We're going to head home. I'm going to give you a foot massage. Then we're going to watch a movie and you're going to fall asleep on my lap like you've done every night for the last week. Tomorrow...tomorrow we'll take the next step on our journey together. That's all."

Marcos made it sound so simple. He always did that. On some level it annoyed Raphael that the alpha was able to so easily break down his problems and make them seem more manageable. On the other hand, it was a useful skill that had served him well over the last several months.

Together they strode back towards the road. The covered eating area where they had first eaten lunch together was just across the street from where they'd been standing. The metal roof had been torn away by the wind and hadn't yet been replaced. Like so much of La Bonita, it was still under construction. Yet, people were still gathered at the heavy tables that were bolted to the cement slab they sat on.

Tourists had already begun flocking back to the island. In many ways, life was the same as it had always been. Except now, Raphael no longer found himself walking alone.

The beat up old car sitting by the curb had been bought for a song after the hurricane. Marcos had insisted it was a good purchase. Raphael still felt bad that he had made Marcos walk all the way up the hill after he was released from the hospital. In hindsight, he should have at least called someone to give them a ride. He still found it strange that he actually had people, friends, that he could call now in situations like that. Back then it had all been so new to him that he hadn't even given it a second thought.

Now that he was heavily pregnant and could barely walk up the front porch steps without getting out of breath, Raphael was extremely grateful for the car. Even if he couldn't really stretch the seat belt all the way around himself anymore. Despite his uncertainty about his readiness to be a parent, he was decidedly done with being pregnant. It was like being a human blimp that craved sweets and often lost its temper when it wasn't horny as hell.

The car grumbled and whined its way along the road out of town and Raphael watched the scenery slowly slip away. After the hurricane, the island had been transformed into a world of brown. All of the color had been stripped away and either hidden beneath a layer of mud or else destroyed completely. Much of the greenery had suffered in the wind's onslaught. Now, however, the plants and trees were branching out once more. There were still some bare patches among the shrubs, but these had already begun to fill in. Nature was resilient.

As they crested the top of the hill, the family of peccaries that had moved in scampered across the road out of the way. They had apparently fled to high ground during the flooding and liked the area so much they had decided to stay. They mostly rooted through the underbrush in the nearby forest, but from time to time they wandered through the yards in search of something nice to eat.

Many of their neighbors weren't pleased by the new residents, but Raphael liked them. Especially now that the sow had given birth to a litter of piglets. The babies were strangely adorable as they scurried to keep up with rest of their family.

Marcos had adapted to his role as alpha almost immediately. Raphael found there were few things he had to actually ask for. His alpha was usually attentive enough to anticipate his needs and be on hand to help him as much as possible. He knew he had gotten spoiled over the last several months and he found himself dreading the day when his alpha would take up his role as a fisherman once more.

They had been living off of Raphael's savings for the last several months. Pearl had a not insubstantial store of his carvings at her home and had been selling them online at a rapid clip. The money from those sales also went a long way towards keeping them living fairly comfortable lives. Once the baby was born, however, they were going to have to adjust. It wasn't something that Raphael was looking forward to, but he had confidence now that they would be able to adapt.

As Marcos helped him climb the steps to the front door, Raphael caught himself momentarily reliving the memory of watching the soup kitchen break free from its foundation. The terror and pain that wracked through his gut in that moment had been almost more than he could bear. If Marcos had died then...the thought made his heart flutter anxiously. He couldn't let himself think like that.

Clutching Marcos' hand, he gratefully entered the safety of their home. Other than a few stray branches and some loose shingles, their house had escaped relatively unscathed. The trees had acted as a windbreak and kept the houses from the full force of the storm. Not only that, but the water had never even come close to them. After the hurricane, the few empty houses remaining on the street had been snapped up quickly. It was nice to know that his paranoia had paid off a little.

Raphael collapsed onto the sofa with a groan. He hated feeling so fat and bloated all the time. His feet and his back always hurt and he almost always felt like he had to pee. He found himself seriously debating whether or not he would ever consider having another child. Then again, there was part of him that liked the idea of raising a big family. A house full of Marcos' children wouldn't be such a bad thing.

True to his word, Marcos sat down to massage Raphael's aching feet without much prompting. He seemed to take pleasure in being able to relieve some of the pain that his omega was enduring for the sake of their offspring. Unfortunately for Marcos, Raphael found himself falling asleep long before the foot massage was done. He didn't remember being put to bed, but he was sure it was like all the the other nights. Marcos carefully directing his groggy omega into the bedroom and helping him change into some pajamas before tucking him in for the night.

It had become part of the ritual now. So much so that Raphael didn't even bat an eye when he woke up in bed after falling asleep in the living room. The first few times it had startled him pretty significantly. This time, however, he slept the entire night without waking up. It was rare for him not to wake up to the feeling of his unborn offspring kicking him in the bladder or performing acrobatics. It was almost as if the baby could sense what was coming and knew to save his strength.

When Marcos finally woke Raphael, he already had everything ready to go. The hospital bag was prepped and the baby supplies were ready to go. He had even made breakfast, but Raphael couldn't bring himself to eat anything. His nerves were raw. In all his life, he had managed to avoid any major surgeries or procedures. Before the pregnancy he could probably have counted the number of times he'd been to the clinic on one hand.

"I'll be with you the whole time," Marcos reassured him as he gingerly loaded his omega into the car.

Raphael glanced into the backseat. Marcos had already strapped the car seat into place, despite the fact that they probably wouldn't need it until tomorrow.

"I know," said Raphael, trying to force a smile. He couldn't hide the nervous butterflies in his stomach. Today was the day they would meet their son. The thought was more overwhelming than he had anticipated. He sank back into his seat and tried to calm himself as Marcos carefully drove them across town towards the clinic.

Main Street was still a mess. A few shops and bars had managed to reopen already. Quite a few of them were undergoing significant repairs still. More than one had signs hanging in the shop windows indicating they were closed permanently. Still, despite that, the outdoor market had begun to thrive once more.

The crowd of tourists was thinner than it had been before, but it had been growing in size. Steel pan drums were already playing jaunty island tunes that put a smile on the faces of everyone that heard them. Catalejo island was well on the road to recovery.

When they pulled onto the street where the clinic sat, Raphael's blood ran cold. It always did at the sight of the empty lot next door. All that remained of the soup kitchen was the foundation. The rest of the debris had been cleared and swept away, leaving nothing but an empty pad. It was difficult to imagine the grand old building that had once stood there. Raphael had gotten used to shoving away the memories of that night when they flashed through his mind, but it was difficult when they were so near to the site where it had happened.

They had found Marcos in a completely different part of town. The current had carried him farther than anyone had anticipated. Most of them believed that he'd gotten caught up in the wreckage of the soup kitchen, and they had concentrated their search efforts around the spot where it had wound up. No one was sure how he had survived getting swept that far without any major injuries. All Raphael knew for certain is that he was lucky to have his alpha by his side as he walked into the clinic today.

Despite the fear that had wracked his brain, the entire procedure was relatively painless. The doctor seemed grateful to be able to perform a routine cesarean with no complications. Apparently some of the other omegas on the island hadn't been so lucky. He'd heard Miguel's story about unexpectedly going into labor a few days early and he had feared that that would be his fate as well.

The healthy cries of their newborn baby boy caused tears of joy to run down Raphael's face.

"I would like to introduce you to your son," said the doctor as he delivered the baby directly into Raphael's waiting arms.

The tiny, brand-new, little human fussed and fidgeted as Raphael cradled him and stared disbelievingly into that perfect face. "My beautiful baby boy," cooed Raphael as he was overcome by a wave of emotion. "My little, Gabriel."

All of his worry and fear had been for nothing. He knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he would give anything to preserve the life of his son. He also decided that all of the pain and discomfort had been worth it and he would do it all over again in a heart beat as long as it meant he could hold this perfect child in his arms again.

"Here, try this," offered Marcos as he passed a warm bottle to Raphael.

It took baby Gabriel a few tries but he eventually managed to latch on to the bottle and took to it with enthusiasm.

"He eats like you," chuckled Raphael as he looked down at his son with a smile that felt like it would never end.

"That's the only thing he's got in common with me," said Marcos as he gently stroked his newborn son's head. "He looks like you. Look at that dark hair. I didn't think babies could have so much hair."

"Those are curls," gasped Raphael with glee as Marcos ruffled the baby's hair a little. "He's got a head of ringlets, just like his papa. Don't you, my sweet little angel?"

Raphael was exhausted, but he couldn't bring himself to sleep. He wanted to spend every moment possible watching his son go through his very first experiences in life. A steady stream of visitors passed through their little hospital room later in the afternoon.

Miguel and Dominic stopped in, though they left Valentina with her grandparent because she had started teething and was in a particularly fussy mood. They were still there when Ramos and Logan showed up with their newborn son, Carlito. Logan's due date hadn't been very far ahead of Raphael's and he was still recovering from his own c-section. However, he had insisted that they go and visit Raphael while he was still in the hospital.

After they left, both Pearl and Lupita showed up. The two of them had taken on the role of surrogate grandmothers and seemed to have sparked up a mini rivalry between the two of them. Of course Lupita already had one surrogate grandchild in Logan's son Carlito, but she seemed more than willing to take on another one.

Before they left, Guillermo stopped by. He was the unofficial grandfather in every sense of the word. He too already technically had an unofficial grandchild, Valentina, but he seemed pleased with the prospect of taking on another one.The three "grandparents" spent quite a lot of time congratulating one another before Marcos finally managed to usher them all out of the room.

The alpha released a comical sigh when they were finally alone once more. Gabriel was asleep in a bassinet beside the bed and Raphael was struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Rest now, mi alma," said Marcos as he stroked his omega's forehead. "You've earned it."

Raphael tried to stifle a yawn, but failed. A wide, sleepy grin crossed his face. "I love you," he said as he sank back onto his pillows.

Marcos gently kissed him. "I love you too."

Raphael drifted slowly to sleep listening to the soft snores of his newborn son and dreaming of the future now awaiting the three of them. Somehow, the destruction and turmoil that had visited their island had managed to create a future brighter than anything he could have predicted.

* * *

The damage to the island was extensive. The dollar amount alone would have set Catalejo Island's treasury into negative numbers. However, thanks to the efforts President Felix Fernandez, the extensive aid offered to them by other nations was put to good use. Many of the hotels were able to open up within a few weeks of the disaster. Slowly but surely, people were able to go back to work and the economy began to churn once more.

Dominic and Miguel's house on the far side of the island had suffered significant damage from the flooding. Thanks to the solid construction, however, the repairs were mostly cosmetic. It took time for them to replace many of their things, but thanks to the growing popularity of their catering business and food cart, they were able to bounce back quickly.

Ramos and Logan came home to find a neighbor's house sitting in their front yard. They struggled to make repairs on a policeman's salary, but with a little bit of aid from the government rebuilding project they too were able to recover. By the time Logan gave birth to their son, their home had been completely restored. All save the scorch marks on the kitchen wall from an ill fated attempt at a romantic dinner.

Lupita's soup kitchen was rebuilt after a significant fundraising campaign that went viral on social media. Despite the fact that it was constructed on the exact same location as the original, the new building was made from solid brick and employed all modern construction techniques. Nothing on earth would remove it from its location. In future hurricanes, it would stand tall and strong against mother nature's assault without budging.

Guillermo's bar, like most of the buildings along main street, had suffered minimal structural damage. The roof was in need of repair, the interior wood and tables took a long time to clean and restore to their original luster, but with the help of Guillermo's many friends he was able to open his doors again before too much time had passed. As one of the first bars to officially reopen, he enjoyed a period of increased popularity and many visitors discovered a new favorite watering hole.

Pearl's shop had lost a great deal of merchandise as a result of the storm. She bounced back quickly however by dipping into her cash reserves and effecting quick repairs. While many of her neighbors were forced out of business by the situation, she took advantage of rock bottom real estate prices and snatched up property left and right. Her ability to bankroll large projects almost single handedly restored Main Street to its former glory. It also set her up as one of the richest women on the island.

The effects of the hurricane would continue to be felt for many years to come, but the residents of Catalejo island were nothing if not resilient. They would overcome this just as they had overcome all obstacles that had come before. Such was the price of living in Paradise.