How can someone so small already have stolen my heart? -- August 2000

I was sitting on the bed in one of the rooms at St. Mungo's.  They always gave me a private room when I came to visit little Leo.  He was going to be coming home at the end of the month... I was sure that he would be strong enough like they said.  They brought him in with the incubator and whatnot that were helping him.  I knew I cold not have him outside of it for an entirely long time, but I came to the hospital because we were still trying to let hiim breast feed while we could. 

I pulled him out and got everything situated.  He started to eat easily enough -- which I was grateful for -- and I sang him one of Mum's favorite Bon Jovi songs while he ate.  There was a tap at the door and I covered us up with a blanket.  "Yes?" I answered from the bed, slightly confused as to who would be there.  And then a smile lightened my face when I saw Lincoln walk in.  "Linc!  I'd get up... but Leo is eating."  I gestured with my free arm to the blanket covering me up.

I wanted to see my little nephew -- I still had a hard time believing that Lucy had a baby.  I mean, I had two kids that were well older, but they were adopted.  Will had Mere and Ally, so I was used to that even though Alysha was just as small as little Leopold.  But this was Lucy.  She was the baby in the family; she was not supposed to be grown up.  Even though she was my adoptive sister, I felt a protectiveness over her as if she were like Austin to me.  And, in all honesty, she was.  They were my family.

I smiled at her and pulled up the chair. "That's quite alright," I said to her.  "I came to see Leo and they told me he was in here with his mum... so I figured I'd visit with both of you.  If that's alright?"  I wanted to make sure I was not interrupting her time with her son.

I smiled at my oldest brother and nodded.  "Get in here," I said to him.  "You should know you don't have to ask to spend time with family."  I knew even though he had been a part of this family for a good five years or so, he was not used to the family dynamics.  "I think it's sweet that you came to visit little Leo, though."

I entered and sat down.  "Of course I would come visit my first nephew," I said.  I already had a niece, now I had a nephew.  I felt old.  This was great, though.  "when he's done, I can take him for you."

I smiled at Lincoln.  "Actually, I think he is," I said to him, getting things situated and letting Lincoln take my little boy to burp him.  I thought he looked adorable with little Leopold.  "You are so good with him."  I could just watch Linc with his nephew all day.

I gently took the newborn away from his mum and I held him.  I could not believe how small he was.  "He can't stay out of the incubator that long can he?" I inquired.  "Is there a way that they could do something like the bubble head charm or something?"

I could not help but laugh at Linc's suggestion.  I shook my head.  "No," I said to him.  "but that is actually a good idea."  I could not stop looking at the way that Linc was holding his little nephew.  Him and Juniper had two children, but they did not raise them from the time they were a baby -- no, they had such devastation when it came to a baby.

I was looking down at Leopold.  He was so tiny.  I almost felt like I was going to crush him; of course, I knew that would not happen.  I looked back up at his mum.  "I'm sure it could happen at one point," I said to her.  He was bigger than what Austin had been when June had the miscarriage because of Bellatrix.  "He's a fighter; I bet he'll grow to be twice the size as anyone his age."  I smiled, thinking of how cool a kid this baby would turn into.

I adjusted the pillow behind my back, still smiling.  I was definitely exhausted and I had been since I had Leo, but I did not mind.  Which was good, because that would be my mood for awhile, I was sure of it.  "That would be marvelous if he did," I said to Lincoln.  "I have a feeling that the other side of him that he got from his family might be helping in this case rather than harming anything."  Of course I was speaking of the lycanthropy.

I knew she was speaking of the werewolf gene that she carried and the fact that Ayden was one.  I nodded.  "You might have a point with that," I said, looking down at my little nephew.  "At least it brings something good rather than anything else at the moment."  If that part refused to give up, Leo would be fine.  He had to be.