UsernameEmailRegionInterestAOL IMICQ IDYahoo! IDMSN IDJabber

Elsie's love for him had never made sense. Elliot could not believe his luck when this beautiful woman walked into the restaurant that Valentine's day, that blind date he'd been set up on because he'd been a sorry sap of a man since his wife died. His wife, he had to call her, but even Millie knew that they'd only been together for the baby, that it was for appearances. How could one drunken night spent with a co-worker send his life down such a twisted path? If he hadn’t slept with Millie, he wouldn’t have Liam, and he would never have gotten married---he would never have had anyone get sick with the virus that cost so many their lives, he would have…he would have gotten a promotion at the ministry, he could probably be making the big galleons right now, his life would be…

…he’d be normal. Elliot ached for that sometimes. A lot. Any sense of normalcy his family created for him was short-lived, as the constant reminder of his true being was never far from his mind.

But he couldn’t think like that anymore. Even with the misery his condition brought him, brought Elsie, brought their entire family, Elliot had somehow managed to help bring a life into this world. The pregnancy had been mentally and physically miserable for Elsie, terrifying for himself, but now she was here. Elysia was here, she was perfect, there was nothing wrong with her so how couldn’t he be happy about that? He’d made something that didn’t ruin his life, they’d created this little baby that would actually love them unconditionally and didn’t have any sort of care in the world. Somehow, in this whole mess of a life he’d managed to thrust upon his son and wife, this little girl was born and she was beautiful in all meanings of the world.

His hands gripped around Elsie’s wrists as she held onto him, and Elliot let his head drop to the crib. He knew how strained his wife was, he knew that this was---more than an adjustment. Elsie had been the one putting on a good face all the times he felt like giving up, and now it was turn, from now on, to take that responsibility.

"I love you, you know that?" Elliot knew that he should have been able to say something more profound and meaningful, but he just pressed his lips together and took hold of her arm with his other hand. "I love you so much."