^“I’m afraid you can’t take your baby out of the ward to see anyone,” the nurse tells me, and I glare at her as I stand up off the bed. I’m taking my baby to see Kaiden today, it’s been too long, and it’s not right. I get that they don’t want her to leave the ward yet, because she was early, but there is no reason I can’t take her to another ward for a short amount of time. The last week has been filled with police and statements. We learnt that they have charged Drew with attempted murder, kidnapping, arson, and the list goes on. They believe he will get life for this, and he deserves it. My baby is doing well, I think as I glance down at her in Dominic’s arms as he sits on the guest chair. She is feeding well and finally has on one of the cute babygro’s I bought her. It’s pink and matches the pink hat she has on. She also has a dummy, which Todd bought her when she kept drinking too much milk and throwing it up. The midwives said it was a bad idea, but Jude came in, telling me that they aren’t always right. My baby loves her dummy and is sleeping better these last two days since she had it.

“Why?” I ask, and she narrows her eyes at me. Holy ducks, I’m not in the mood for this.

“Look, please? Kaiden hasn’t seen his baby yet, and . . .,” I let my words drift off as I think of him.

“Maybe just this once, and I’ll go with her. We all heard about what happened to this lady, and that poor man was shot saving her. This baby is safe because of him, and I don’t want to be the one to get in the way of that,” another, older-looking, nurse says, coming over, and I shoot her a relieved look as she places her hand on my shoulder. I pull my long cardigan closer around me, smoothing my hands over my bump. It’s strange to still have a little bump, a week after giving birth, but apparently, it’s normal and will go down.

“Okay, but I’m taking you and if anyone asks, he is your husband. Okay?” the younger nurse says, and I nod. Dominic grins at me as he walks over with our little girl in his arms.

“Let’s go,” the nurse says, she doesn’t look impressed as she glances between me and Dominic but smartly doesn’t say a word. It’s been a week since she was born and Kaiden was shot. I’ve been to see him twice, but he was high on pain relief and sleepy the whole time. I doubt he even knew I was there. Andre said he is more awake today and in less pain, so I called him, and he told me he was okay. He looks pale and in a little pain, but the guys are taking turns being with him and me. My parents came to see me and the baby yesterday, both of them were very worried when they saw the news. Drew is all over it, and so is our past.

“So, are we finally going to hear the name you chose?” Dominic asks me, and I laugh as we walk slowly down the corridor and wait for the nurse to unlock the doors. I glance back at Dominic as he tucks our little baby tighter in her blanket, as the colder air from outside the ward hits us as the door opens. The ward is so warm.

“Yes,” I say as we walk across the empty corridor and get into the lift. The lift takes us down a floor, and we wait to get let into Kaiden’s ward straight below the maternity ward. It takes a while for the nurses there to let us in, but I walk straight over to Kaiden when I see him in his own room, across the ward. He’s sitting up and watching tv, which he turns off when he sees me. Todd and Andre are sitting in seats in the room, and they both stand as I come in, but I can’t take my eyes off Kaiden. He looks like his normal self, and I’m relieved to see that. His blond hair is messy, but pushed from his eyes. He doesn’t have a shirt on, and from this angle I can just see the top of the bandage where he was shot. I’m so happy he is alive, and all I want to do is hurt Drew for putting him in here. I’m so glad he is in prison, and I hope someone puts him in his place in there.

“Hello, stranger,” I say, my voice cracking a little, and he waves me over. I walk over and take his hand in mine, and I lean over to kiss him. He meets my lips, with far more passion that I expected from a man that’s just been shot.

“You saved me, and I don’t know how to say thank you for that,” I tell him as we pull away, and he shakes his head gently.

“You don’t need to. I would do that again in a heartbeat, and I’m sorry I passed out and couldn’t do more. I was so worried when I woke up, but Dom told me you were all safe. That’s all that matters,” he says, and then looks behind me when our little girl makes a tiny noise.

“Bring her close, then. I can’t come over to you, dickhead,” Kaiden says to Dom with excitement in his tired eyes, and it makes me chuckle as I move out of the way a little. Dominic chuckles as he leans down to introduce our little girl to another one of her dads. It’s a strange thing to call them all her dads, but I know it’s always going to be that way. I love them all, and they all love her. I can see it in the way they stare at her and the small smiles they give. All week, it’s been lovely to see them all with her, and she likes all of them. The only problem is that she is never put down, and is sleeping on someone all the time. Our little girl is going to be spoilt for attention, I know that.

“I’m going to look after you and be there when you need me. You should know that you have a lot of people in your life that love you,” Kaiden says, and I place my hand on my lips.

“I thought we could call her Caitlyn. It means pure,” I say, and they all look down at her.

“Caitlyn, it’s lovely to meet you,” Kaiden says, and we all chuckle as I wipe the tears away.

This was worth it, all of it, and I finally have my family.