Ascension

Indiana

I love Alivia. I mean really love her. I realize this as I am lying next to her after last night. I am really grateful to America for taking Luna Rose last night. Last night was definitely not something for our young infant daughter.

Alivia wakes next to me. Even though she doesn't open her eyes I can tell she was awake. A hint of a small smile plays across her delicate lips.

"I've missed you." I tell her.

She opens her grey/blue eyes and looks deeply into mine. They are a bit dazed but full of wonder and curiosity. She looks at my bare chest and buries her face into the crook of my neck.

I wrap my arms around her thin body. I don't think she was eating very much while I was gone so now I'm going to monitor her eating. I get dressed realizing America must have had a rough time last night with two babies. I had almost forgotten she had taken in Eden.

"Hey Liv?" I whisper into her ear.

"Do you need something?" She slurs.

"I'm going to grab the baby." I tell her while brushing hair out of her eyes.

I take one look at my beautiful Fiance. Even though she is a little disheveled right now her deep red/brown hair still falls into beautiful ringlets. I place one last kiss on her forehead and go to pick up our baby.

I knock on America's door hoping not to disturb her. She answers.

"Hi Indiana. It's nice to see you're back. Come in." She tells me.

I walk in.

"Thank you so much for watching my baby. I hope she wasn't to loud."

"No, after having to deal with Eden, Luna Rose seemed to me the best behaved infant I have ever dealt with."

In America's tiny living room Luna Rose and Eden are sitting on a blanket in the middle of the room. Luna Rose has a giant smile on her face.

"You know, Luna Rose really does look like you." America smiles.

"You think so?" I ask, examining my daughter more closely.

"Yeah. She has the red/brown color you both have but it is darker like yours." She laughs messing up my already messy hair.

I smile at America. We haven't talked much in a while.

"You know Indiana, I still see you as the little kid I had met all those years ago. It's hard to believe you are a dad and getting married and stuff like that." America sighs.

"Do you think I changed?" I need to know this.

"Changed how?"

"Like when I came back, had I matured or am I still the same reckless young adult who knocks up the one night stand?" I question.

America sighs.

"Listen Indiana. Maybe you were walking on the wild side but if you are asking me if you will be a good father I say only time will tell. However as your best friend I do believe that you can be the greatest father here. And yes, you have definitely matured. I mean look at you now. You have a Fiance, you have a baby, you have an apartment, you have a job in the military. I do say you have matured quite a bit." She tells me.

I love America. She is the best friend I could have asked for. I pull her into a hug. About a year ago I would have been to scared to do this but now that we are friends and only friends I feel better about hugging her.

"I missed you." I tell her.

"You were doing everything you needed to be doing and I am proud of you Indiana." She whispers to me.

We break apart when Luna Rose starts to cry. I pick up Luna Rose and comfort her. I look at America's foster son Eden. He had grown since the last time I had seen him. However he still had his chocolate eyes and bright blond hair.

"It's nice to see you again." America tells me as I walk out of the door.

"It's nice to see you again." I repeat.

Luna Rose goes to sleep against me and right then was the first time I had felt like a father. Her little fingers intertwined with my rough ones.

I just can't believe that I actually have a daughter. I actually have a child. When I look at Luna Rose again I actually do see myself in her features. It just reassures me that this beautiful child is actually mine.

She yawns widely and from what I can see, she already has little teeth poking out of her gums. It's strange because I had never really thought about Luna Rose as a real person before I had come. Well I did but not in this way. It's like someone you hear about. You feel like you know them through stories but it's like you never really think that they are real until you see them in person.

Strange I know but that's what I feel like. It seems like she should only be a few days old because I have only known her for a few days. I guess Leopold was right when he said that kids grow up fast and apparently they grow up fast even to brights who can live for centuries on end.

When I get back to our little apartment Alivia has already gotten dressed. She rushes over to me and takes Luna Rose out of my arms and hugs her for a while. She places her forehead against Luna Rose's and keeps it there.

It is the sweetest gesture I have ever seen. Alivia is such a good mother. The light catches her hair and she looks kind of like a goddess.

I come up from behind her and hug her tight. She laughs and sets Luna Rose in her crib.

"It's so nice to have you back." She smiles into my chest.

"It's so nice to have you back in my arms." I say as I stroke her hair.

"I can't believe I managed to make it without you."

"You were amazing." I say resting my head on her hair.

We sway to the music of our thumping hearts in a rhyhem only we can hear.