Dead Shall Speak (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 10) (71 page)

Tony looked over at his fiancée.

“Yes, I told them. They’re our family.”

She purposely claimed them as hers too.

“We came to pay our respects,” Ethan said.

Tony realized that each one of the people there held a rose. What was he supposed to say? No? What could they possibly say about a woman they never knew?

“Okay.”

Ethan signaled to the grounds crew that they needed a few more minutes. Approaching the casket, he was the first to place his flower beside an arrangement that must have been from Tony. It was cheery and said ‘love your son’.

“Ms. Magnus, your boy is a smart man. You did a damn good job of raising him. It’s a privilege to serve with him in the FBI.”

With that, he took a step back, making room for the next person.

Callen went next. “He fought hard to find you all these years. He loves you so much. His strength of character is amazing.”

Tony listened to them, and his eyes finally filled. They weren’t celebrating her life, but his. The people he loved were making it crystal clear.

He was important to them.

Chris stepped up and took his turn, “Tony’s been one of my best friends for over a decade. Thank you for having him. He’s gotten me through so much. When I didn't think I could do it, he was always there.”

Even Jaxon began to sniffle at their words.

Tony was having a hard time composing himself.

Cyra Leonard went next. With her husband helping her to the side of the grave, she rested the rose on the casket. “Ms. Magnus, your son can’t cook for shit, but whenever someone is sad, he’s the first person to cheer them up. You gave life to an amazing man.”

Tony didn't think he could hold it back. Their words touched him.

This was unbelievable.

All the emptiness he’d been feeling was beginning to fill up with love.

Elizabeth headed toward the grave. She placed the rose on the casket and stared at the man who was mourning. “I know what it’s like to feel this,” she said, to no one in particular. “When my mother died, I felt so helpless and lost. I didn't think I would ever be able to go on. When I lost my father, I knew I couldn’t. Then, I realized something. Family could hold me up. When you found people who would love, accept, and hold you up, then there was always a way to go on.”

A tear slipped down his cheek.

“Ms. Magnus, your son is a good person. He loves with his whole heart, he always puts others first, and he’s been my friend and brother for many years. I don’t trust many, and I certainly don’t love easily, but he’s had my heart from the first time we met. You’d be proud, Ms. Magnus. Your son grew up to be one of the good guys. In the end, that’s what matters. He found a family and chose the right path in life.”

Tony couldn’t hold it back. The tears came.

He was so very wrong.

He wasn’t alone.

Here were the people he held dear. 

As the casket began descending into the ground, they did what needed to be done. They circled their loved one, wrapping their arms around him when he needed it most.

Locked in their protective embrace, Tony knew that while this was his final farewell to his mother, he wasn’t alone.

He had love.

He had friends.

And he had what he thought he’d lost.

Someone to call his own.

In fact, he had six people who he could hold in his heart.

And in the end, that was all that mattered.

                                          *     *     *

Two Weeks Later

It woke her out of a dead sleep.

The pain was incredible

Immediately, Elizabeth knew what was going on. They’d been waiting for this moment all along. Charlie was ready to make her appearance. Ironically, Oracle had picked the right date. Charlie was coming into the world exactly as the spook had said.

When she woke Ethan, he was far calmer than she thought he’d be. In fact, he took control, called the midwife from the reservation, and got ready.

Yes, she was crazy.

Elizabeth, obviously in a state of insanity, had promised that Ethan could deliver his own child. What the hell she’d been thinking? She’d never know what came over her. It had to be a moment of weakness.

Now, it was time.

As she lay in their bed, she couldn’t help but wish for drugs. All Elizabeth wanted was a freaking epidural, a handful of white pills, and a fifth of Jack.

If she could outrun the three of them, she could remedy the last one. She wasn’t above stealing booze from the liquor cabinet downstairs.

Yeah, the pain was that damn bad.

Still, she knew this would be her last child, so why not throw the man a bone. Elizabeth Blackhawk was sucking it up.

Callen was beside her, gently stroking her stomach as he whispered cathartic words in the Native language. Ethan was poised between her legs, waiting with the midwife for the next contraction.

It had been brutal.

While Charlie appeared to be the smallest baby she had to deliver, she was apparently clinging to Elizabeth’s uterus like a lifeboat from the Titanic.

Soon, she was going to beg for a doctor, meds, and sterile hospital room.

Then, she remembered the kids and family waiting.

Down in their living room, Wyler was managing the children and their guests. Chris Leonard was there, just in case they needed a doctor, which, if you thought about it, was just creepy and wrong.

While Cyra didn't mind an ME delivering her child, Elizabeth did. She liked a little mystery between herself and staff. Having Chris yanking her baby from her body, well, that was just…awkward, and for so many reasons.

“Here comes another one,” she muttered, holding onto Callen’s hand. While Ethan was catching his daughter, he was acting as her coach.

Callen counted in their Native language, only because they found that it was calming to Elizabeth. Something about using English put her on edge, or maybe it was just the midwife’s cheery voice.

They were desperately trying to keep her relaxed.

Elizabeth began to push.

She was wearing down, and really needed a break. This was going to be her last pregnancy if she had to sterilize the men in her life herself.

With a spoon.

Fire.

And a shoelace.

Already, she was making her plan. It was going to be painful too.

“You have this, Lyzee,” Ethan urged, his heart swelling as he watched his child getting ready to come into this world.

“I can’t,” she said. This might just be the child that broke her. It was as if someone shoved a straw into her body, sucking all the energy from her.

“You can do this, angel,” Callen promised.

“I don’t know if I can.”

Leaning over, he whispered in her ear. He had a secret weapon. “Do it for granddad. You promised him a tribe.”

Damn him!

Callen would know what to say.

“If he’s watching, he could help a girl out!” she demanded, trying to focus through the pain. “Maybe make this labor go a little damn faster!”

Callen wanted to laugh, only if he did, Elizabeth might kill him on the spot.

“Come on, baby,” Blackhawk urged. He was calmly waiting for their child. He had faith in his woman. She wouldn’t give up.

Not his Elizabeth.

She was a fighter.

He suspected Charlie would be too.

Getting ready, she focused on Ethan. He was watching her with so much emotion in his blue-black eyes. This was the only reason he fought so damn hard to win his life back. She had to give him this.

He’d earned it.

“I want to see my daughter.”

He needed to hold her.

“You can do this, Elizabeth. You need to give our little girl life. She needs you to push her into this world. Then I can take over and keep her safe. Callen and I have the next shift.”

She could feel the wave of pain building.

“You have a few more pushes, and she’s out,” reassured the midwife.

It was time.

“I’m done fucking around. This baby needs to come…out!” The last word was practically shouted as Elizabeth bore down and pushed with all she had.

Ethan watched as his daughter’s head crowned. When the midwife gave her a little push on her head, her face popped out.

He wanted to weep.

This was his daughter.

“One more, baby. I need you to push one more time. I’ll get you anything you want. You name it, and it’s yours.”

Elizabeth bore down. “I want two vasectomies!”

Callen tried not to look horrified. Hopefully, that was the pain talking.

Surely, she wasn’t serious.

Then again…

“Stop pushing,” ordered the midwife.

Everyone paused.

Elizabeth dropped back, trying to breathe through the rest of the contraction. It wasn’t easy. It was like trying to hold back a tidal wave with a thimble.

Callen leaned over and looked down. “What’s wrong?” he asked, getting nervous. He was still terrified that something would happen to Elizabeth. In the back of his head, he worried that their genetics would steal Elizabeth away.

“The cord is around Charlie’s neck. Ethan, just pull it over her head and then we can continue.”

He did what she asked.

This was amazing.

Not only was he catching his child, but he was helping bring her into this world.

His life would never be the same again.

“We?” asked Elizabeth. “I don’t see anyone else sweating but me!”

Callen stroked her cheek.

“Can I push?” hissed Elizabeth. While they were calmly having a conversation, she felt like she was going to explode in a ball of fire.

“Yes.”

Ethan watched his wife bear down. Callen was helping hold her up as she pushed for all she was worth. Suddenly, the midwife pushed on Charlie’s shoulder, and the baby slid out in a gush, right into his lap.

Elizabeth gasped in relief.

It was done.

Callen kissed her in celebration.

They had the next Blackhawk in the tribe.

Ethan… he couldn’t move.

In his hands was the most beautiful little girl he’d ever seen. Here was his daughter.

He fell in love.

It was instantaneous.

Now he knew how Callen felt when he saw Catherine for the first time. It was life altering.

This was his little angel.

“Oh, Charlie,” he whispered, tears filling his eyes. “I never thought this day would get here.” While he held her in his hands, the midwife did her thing.

“She’s beautiful,” she offered, suctioning her mouth. “Do you want to cut the cord, Daddy?”

At first, he couldn’t think straight. Looking up at his brother, he knew this was likely their last child. His wife had laid down the law. Plus, he never got to do that with Catherine. She was already a day old when he found out about her.

“Callen, you can do it. I don’t want to let her go.”

His eyes filled with tears at what his brother was sharing with him. This was his special moment, and it was a blessing to be part of it.

Picking up the scissors, he waited for the midwife to instruct him. When the deed was done, he was crying just like his brother.

They had another child.

With that one snip, Charlie was now theirs to protect and love. She was free from her mother’s body, and was their duty.

Elizabeth was spent, but she didn't miss the men in her life fawning over their child.

A lot had changed in the last three years.

They’d found love, lost ones who mattered, and come together as a tightknit family.

“Can I see her?” Elizabeth asked. “Quit hogging my child, Ethan.”

He laughed through the tears. “She looks just like you,” he said, knowing he got his wish. Once, he pleaded with the universe to have a daughter just like his wife.

It looked like he was blessed.

Someone heard his pleas.

Holding her up, he showed his wife the angel they made before passing her to Elizabeth.

“Hey, Charlie. Welcome to the world,” she said, taking her daughter to hold her against her chest. The wailing started, and it was the most amazing sound in the world.

Both men moved to flank her, protectively wrapping themselves around their woman.

She’d created another miracle.