It took a little over two hours, but finally, the last doctor left, the door clicking shut behind them.

"Finally," Roger sighed, falling back into the freshly changed linens of the bed.

"Now we just have to get our stupid family to leave, and we'll get some sleep—"

"Excuse me," I said, glaring at him. "If you think you're tired—"

"Fine, fine," he sighed, grinning at me. "You're right. What can I get you, my love? Do you want anything?" The doctor had officially given Jesse and me a clean bill of health after I delivered the placenta, and Jesse had his first feeding and full checkup. It was, of course, a relief to have everything turn out right and relatively easy—especially compared to Ella's experiences—but now that they're all gone?

Honestly, it all feels very real.

Like now I have to be a mom, and Roger has to be a dad, all by ourselves.

"I don't know," I said, laughing and looking between Roger and our baby. "Honestly, it's all kind of weird, isn't it? All of this fuss, and then they just…leave you alone with a baby. To do what you will."

"I know," he said, his eyes wide. "I'm glad you know what to do. I'm totally lost."

"I don't know what to do!" I protested, laughing and shaking my head.

"What!?" he breathed, sitting up sharply.

"I'm just a doctor, Roger!" I said, laughing harder, feeling hysterical and exhausted. "People come to me pregnant, but then I send the babies home with them! I don't know what to do with a kid—that's Ella's department."

"Well then," he said, looking anxiously toward the door. "I take back my previous words. Ella has to stay—for like, ever."

"Or at least until this kid is six—"

"Can we push to seven?" Roger asked, looking at me with real anxiety that made me laugh harder.

There was a little knock on the door, but suddenly Roger and I were laughing too hard to answer it. It cracked open anyway, and Ella peeked in.

"I thought I heard the hysteria of new parents," she said, shaking her head and smiling as she entered. "Are you totally freaking out?"

"Full meltdown," Roger said, wiping a tear from his eye. "What are we supposed to…do with him?" he asked, gesturing to the baby as Sinclair entered behind Ella, shutting the door and grinning at us. Rafe fussed, starting to blink awake in Sinclair's arms.

"You're supposed to love him," Ella said, reaching for the baby, which I gladly handed to her. "And, you know, keep him alive."

"Loving I can do," Roger sighed as Ella settled on the bed and Sinclair pulled up a chair, completing our little group of six. "The rest…we're going to need some help."

"It's not so hard," Sinclair said kindly, smiling down at Rafe, who yawned and looked around sleepily, a little confused. "They sleep a lot their first couple of weeks. And then, after that, they find ways to tell you what they want."

"Maybe we should trade," Roger said, looking dubiously between Rafe and Jesse. "Yours looks…sturdier."

Ella grinned and looked at me as if considering the idea, but I laughed and shook my head. "You can't take my baby, Ella," I said, crossing my arms. "Even if Roger is inept, I still like him."

"I didn't say I didn't like him," Roger murmured, sighing and leaning against me, happy.

Rafe let out a surprised screech, and all our eyes turned to him as his gaze fastened on his cousin, his eyes widening as if noticing him for the first time.

Which, I mean, he honestly probably was.

"Do you want to see the baby, Rafe?" Ella cooed, leaning forward so Rafe could meet Jesse face-to-face for the first time.

I smiled in surprise and delight when my nephew leaned forward to see Jesse, his face curious. Rafe let out another squeak, more demanding this time, and reached out his hands toward the baby.

"Oh my god," Sinclair murmured, looking down at his son with a fascinated and pleased expression. "He really does want to go to him!"

"This is Jesse," Ella said, laughing as she beamed at her baby. "He's your new cousin! And I think you're going to be best friends."

"They'd better be," Roger murmured. "Because they're going to be together a lot. It's going to be very inconvenient if they don't like each other."

"Oh," I scolded, lightly smacking his chest. "They will. Besides, shut up, I want to watch this…" And we both leaned forward as Sinclair sat Rafe on the bed, letting him reach for the baby.

"Lay them down," Ella said softly, her voice awed.

"What?" Sinclair asked.

"Please," Ella said, almost instinctively. "Let's just…try it…" Sinclair looked at me and Roger, and we shrugged, fine with it if Ella was. I didn't see Roger's response, but I didn't hear a protest, so I assumed it was okay.

So Sinclair gently laid Rafe on his back, and Ella very gently placed Jesse next to him, close enough for Rafe to touch.

To my shock, the usually rambunctious Rafe stayed very still for a moment as he stared at his cousin. Then he turned and almost gently reached for Jesse—and the moment they touched, when Rafe's fingers brushed against Jesse's cheek, and Jesse's little eyes fluttered open—all four parents gasped.

Because we all felt it—each and every one of us.

We looked at each other for a split second, then all our eyes darted back to our children, who were still touching, skin to skin.

Rafe babbled, saying hello to his new cousin, who sighed and closed his eyes again.

"Oh…oh my god…" Ella said, her hands going to her mouth before she gathered Jesse back into her arms. "Did you guys…"

"Um, yeah," Roger said, and I saw him staring wide-eyed at Ella. "Yeah, I think it's fair to say we all felt that."

"What was it?" I breathed, fascinated and confused, but not at all scared.

"It's a bond," Sinclair murmured, pulling Rafe into his lap and stroking his son's hair as he looked around at the rest of us. "Can't you all feel it?"

Each of us, I think, shifted our minds inward to where our wolves live, where we access our bonds. And Dominic is right—it's not a bond with me, not really. But the bond between me and Jesse, which shines rich and bright between us? There's…something new there, another bond I can sense beyond it. I can't reach it or touch it…but I know it's there.

"Oh…weird," Roger murmured, his eyes bright as he smiled at his brother. "Our kids have a bond? Do…do we have a bond?"

"Uhm, only the bonds of brotherhood we forged sharing a bedroom for ten years," Sinclair said, glaring at Roger. "I mean, siblings are bonded through their parents, of course, but a bond like this? And between cousins?" He shook his head.

"I mean," Ella said, shrugging smugly. "We knew they were special."

"Just because you like them doesn't mean they're special," I said, rolling my eyes at my sister and reaching for my baby. Ella laughed and passed Jesse back to me. I smiled when he was back in my arms, kissing his cheek.

"I like them, and they're special. What do you think it means?" We all looked to Sinclair, who shrugged. "I have no idea," he said, "why should I know?"

"Because you're the one who figured it out," Roger said, laughing.

"Well," Sinclair sighed. "That's all I've got. Maybe it has something to do with being grandchildren of the goddess. Or…their gifts, or something. I have no idea."

"I wonder if any future kids will be likewise bonded," I murmured, smiling at that possibility. Because, honestly, even though I'm bone tired…I'm already starting to forget some of the miseries of pregnancy.

I know I've only been a mom for a couple of hours, but…I already really love it. I'm starting to understand Ella's mania for more, honestly. I smiled down at my baby, thinking that if he's this great already…well, then I probably want like…five more. Maybe not anytime soon…I want to enjoy this one first. But yeah. Quite suddenly, I definitely want more.

"Only one way to find out," Sinclair said, and I didn't miss the way he smiled at Ella. I grinned privately, but my smile quickly turned into a yawn.