Baby after One Night with the Prince

Tanya's POV.

I'm tremendously relieved to see Marco, although I'm ever aware of the sweat that douses his body, and the tired look in his eyes. But he remains strong, handing me the ingredient with confidence. He has fulfilled his end of the task, now it is time for me to complete mine.

I take another glance at the notebook situated on the table, ensuring I have followed every step, including dripping in my blood, before reaching the stage that describes how to use the ghost orchid. I cut off the leaves, petals and stem and grind the rest into a powdery substance, before sprinkling it into my solution.

I watch in anticipation. At first the solution remains murky to my disappointment, swirling in a dark grey to purplish hue, leaving my heart to hammer against my chest in growing worried. But eventually, the solution swirls into a clear state, reflecting my eyes that sparkle with excitement as I release a breath of relief. We did it!

My shaky hands carefully pour the mixture into a number of small little bottles, before Caspian and Dylan help the doctors and nurses distribute the perfume among the various patients. However, Marco and I go over to Claire's room, and the doctor goes ahead and sprays my creation onto my little girl.

Moments tick past and I feel Marco grip my shoulders to help calm me as we wait. Until finally, Claire's bright blue eyes flicker open curiously, and I can't help but laugh as she bares a knowing smile to the two of us as we stand together. I rush over to her bedside in excitement, lifting her hand into mine and kissing the top of it in show of affection. Although still tired, she cracks me a genuine smile, although her eyes then trickle to her surroundings. "Why am I at the hospital mommy?" she asks curiously.

"Don't worry too much about it darling, I'll explain everything soon," I say to reassure her, well aware of how weak she still is. At least she has awoken, and that is a very good sign.

Eventually, my little girl's eyes slowly slip shut again, as she falls back asleep. The doctor steps beside me, before saying that all her vitals are restored, and that she just needs to rest her body since she is still a little weak. I'm overjoyed by the news. My gaze flickers to Marco as I mouth a 'thank you', he smiles back before I return my focus to my sleeping child.

That's until I feel myself sway. I shake my head in slight confusion, but the world doesn't stop spinning. I feel hot and uncomfortable before my vision blurs out of focus. Soon darkness encompasses me, and I lose consciousness.

***

Bright lights invade my vision as I open my eyes. Wary of where I am with the sound of hospital monitors beeping and communicating in their foreign language. I feel the softness of a bed beneath me and eventually I pull myself awake. I turn to see the incredible mass that is Marco, quietly sits gazing at the door as if guarding me beside. And I grow soft to witness this. "Hey..." I mutter through sore and tired vocal cords.

He snaps his head to look in surprise, before easing the tension in his body upon seeing I'm awake. "What happened?" I ask.

He pulls himself closer, checking me over once before speaking. "Your body gave out, which is understandable. You worked on that perfume two straight nights in a row. Plus, you lost a lot of blood when using it to create the perfume. The doctors said you'll be fine; you just needed the rest and some fluids."

It did make sense. Even after the rest, I still feel extremely tired. "Are the patients? Claire?"

He smiles. "They're okay, and Claire is doing much better. Except...'

Just then, I see my little girl standing at the door. Her eyes grow wide in excitement upon seeing me awake, and she rushes over. Despite Marco's grumpy protests worrying about my soreness, she clamors over my body and onto my bed with adorable giggles and I embrace her in a deep hug, just grateful to have my little girl awake and happy again.

The rest of the day I'm distracted as person after person from the pack comes in to thank me. Because of working at the hospital, I remember each and every one of them, and I'm so glad to see that they're all better. They come to express their gratitude and how the perfume saves them.

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When I'm finally alone with Marco again, I turn to him. "Where's Mr. Barlow?" This is when I notice the slight slip in his expression as he doesn't reply to me straight away. I snap upright in my bed. "Marco, where is Mr. Barlow?" He sighs. "His health hasn't improved, even with your perfume. He's just getting weaker and weaker."

My eyes widen in disbelief. I pull back the blanket and push his hand away as he tries to protest that I am still weak. "I need to see him," I say firmly, getting up from my bed and hurrying to Mr. Barlow's room, in the process I snatch my perfume creation and take it with me.

Upon approaching the room, I hear Mr. Barlow's uncomfortable coughs, and as I step into the room, he tries to give me a weak knowing smile. "Glad you're feeling better kiddo."

My fear for his health leads me to not return his smile, and instead, I begin dousing him in my perfume.

"Tanya. Tanya stop." I don't listen, and I continue to spray him.

"Tanya! It's not going to work," as I draw closer to his bed, the elderly man grabs my wrist firmly, and twists the bottle out of my grip. "Enough girl!"

I freeze, tears spilling out of my eyes as I'm left distraught. "Why isn't it working Barlow? Why?"

He sighs, gently holding my hand in an attempt to soothe me as he explains. "I drank a sample where the concentration of poison was at its highest. There was no coming back from that... and I knew that."

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My eyes grow wide, and feel so naïve, how could I have let him do this to himself? How could I have believed his lie so easily?

"But at least your perfume let me live for a few more days. That's got to be a good thing ya know?" he jokes, trying to get a laugh out of me. He sighs again when he sees I don't respond to his joke. "I'm sorry I lied to you Tanya. But I said I owed you once, remember? And this is how I'm paying you back for getting my badge returned to me."

I sniffle with a light smile. "I don't think you really needed my help. I saw the strands of black magic coming from your hands."

He smiles back at me. "Ah, so my secret has been discovered!" I playfully roll my eyes as I sit myself down on the edge of the bed as Mr. Barlow explains. "You see, I was meant to die three years ago, but you saved me and the Blue Moon Pack gave me a place to stay," he falls into a coughing fit, and I pass him a glass of water. After he quenches his thirst, he then continues. "And in all honesty, this whole water poisoning incident was probably caused by me, so of course I should be responsible for this."

I shake my head firmly, unable to believe or understand why anyone would target Mr. Barlow. But before I can question his assumption, the man speaks once more. "But if you'll humor me dear Tanya, I do have one last dying wish."

I don't want to consider the fact Mr. Barlow is dying, but anything that makes him feel more comfortable, I would do. "Of course, what is it?"

"Claire deserves a father, and you deserve a good husband, Tanya. And I want to be there for your wedding ceremony, before I pass. Please Tanya."

I don't know how to respond. But when I leave the hospital room, I realize that Mr. Barlow deserves his wish to be fulfilled because of the sacrifice he made.

So, with that in mind, I know what I have to do. I walk over to Marco, looking at him in the eyes. "Could you be my groom for a day?"