Uncaged

by Harper Sloan

  Everything is going to be okay.

  I've got my husband with his arms around me, pouring every ounce of strength he possesses into my body while he kisses my forehead and whispers softly in my ear. My son isn't hurt and being cared for by people we trust. And my daughters are here, safe and alive!

  "I need to see them, Greg. I need to see our babies!" I have no idea if he can understand me, but he nods and promises me that as soon as the doctors allow it he will take me to our girls.

  "You wouldn't believe it, Beauty, but they look just like you. So tiny, but absolutely the most precious and beautiful babies in the world." He pulls out his phone and holds it so that I can see picture after picture of our daughters. When he gets to one of him holding one of their tiny bodies against his naked chest, his whole hand almost swallowing her small body, I lose it again.

  "Hey, they're okay. This is Lyndsie. She's had the harder time between the two of them, but every time I'm able to hold her skin to skin, she eats better. She hasn't been able to suck well, and she has some reflux problems, but she's doing great, Beauty. I held her earlier for a while just like this. Lillian, oh baby--she is a warrior. The doctors think she'll go home before Lyndsie because she's breathing on her own now and eating well. She's gaining weight quickly. I bet she's a chunk before we know it."

  I suck up each word he speaks while he flips through hundreds of pictures of our little girls. I can hear the pride in his voice when he speaks about them. I push back the jealousy I feel when he talks about holding them. I need to see my babies, to feel my babies, so I know that they're okay.

  "... so good, Beauty. You did so good." He drops the hand holding his phone, and I look over to him, smiling when I see the happiness in his eyes. "I was so scared, Melissa. So scared that I would never get this. Every day you slept, I worried more and more. The doctors kept telling us that you would wake up when you were ready, but God...I was so scared."

  "How long was I out?" It feels like I just went to sleep hours ago, but the way he speaks, it's been a lot longer.

  "Two weeks. Two long weeks."

  "Oh my God."

  "You're here now, and we just need to focus on getting all my girls out of this damn place and home. I need my family home."

  We spend the rest of the night and into the morning whispering softly to each other in between small bouts of my sleeping. Every time I wake up, he's still sitting in the same chair, his crystal blue eyes just watching me sleep.

  Finally, sometime when the sun is creeping into the sky, I open my eyes from another nap to see his head against my thigh and hear soft snores echoing through the room.

  Chapter 16 - Melissa

  "I'm so nervous." I look over at Greg, who is standing against the wall of the elevator as it climbs the two floors that will take me to my girls. "So damn nervous," I whisper again.

  "Stop, Melissa. Once you see those two little princesses, all of those nerves will just wash away. When you feel their soft skin against your own, look at their small faces that are little mini versions of your own...all of that will just vanish, and the love you'll feel take its place is like nothing you have ever felt."

  I have to blink away the tears that his words cause. My nose burns with the force of my emotions.

  The doors open and Greg takes his place behind my chair, pushing me onto the floor where my girls are. With every step he takes, my wheelchair moving closer and closer, I feel like I can sense my girls. Like my body knows that I'm nearing my daughters.

  We stop so that he can help me wash what feels like my whole body and push my arms through the gown I have to wear. It's hard with my cast to get everything situated, and by the time we finish, my frustration is strong. I just want to see my babies. I'm so close to my girls.

  "I can see your mind working. We'll be in there in just a minute, but we have to follow the steps to make sure they are safe, Beauty."

  I know he's right, but that doesn't stop the irrational mama bear that just wants her little cubs in her arms.

  We finally get situated and he helps wheel me into the room. I know which incubator holds my girls before we're even all the way into the room. I see Cohen's bright red cape with its royal blue trim like a flag waving me home draped across one of the incubators.

  "He wanted his magic in here. You should have seen him, Melissa. He had so much determination to get that in here so that he could save his sisters with his powers. That boy is something else. He's been amazing the last two weeks. So strong."

  "That sounds just like him." I smile but never move my eyes from the flash of red in the otherwise very dull room.

  He pushes me closer until I'm eye level with the two little babies nestled close to each other inside the small incubator. I don't even realize I am crying until I feel Greg wiping the tears from my face.

  "They're beautiful," I whisper in awe.

  "They sure are."

  I just keep looking at them, taking in every single feature on their bodies as I feel the instantaneous love take over my nerves--just like Greg said it would.

  "I need to feel them, Greg. I need to hold my babies."

  He nods his head before he walks over to the nurse who is standing not that far from us and speaks softly. I can't hear what he's saying to her and I honestly don't care as long as it gets my babies in my arms.

  We spend a while trying to figure out how to maneuver things so that I am able to hold my daughters. With my cast, it isn't possible to hold them both at the same time, so Greg helps the nurse place Lillian in my arms. The first time I feel her against my skin, I weep. I try to keep it together, but when that featherweight is pressed against my chest... I lose it. Greg stays close, keeping one hand against Lillian's back and the other arm draped across my shoulders.

  I hold her for about ten minutes before Greg takes over and the nurse helps move Lyndsie into my arms. Just like with Lillian, I bawl. Completely lose it. Greg pulls one of the rockers next to my wheelchair and sits next to me while he cradles Lillian against his strong chest.

  "They're so small, Greg. You swear they're going to be okay?"

  "I promise, Beauty."

  I smile.

  He smiles back, leans in, and kisses me lightly.

  I place a kiss on Lyndsie's downy head, locking eyes with Greg as he does the same to Lillian.

  We sit there a little while longer until the nurse comes up and asks if we would like her to take a picture for us.

  And with my girls safe in our arms, my husband by my side, and a love big enough to smother you, we take the first picture with our daughters.

  "I can't wait to get one of those with Cohen."

  "You and me both."

  "Soon?"

  Greg looks over at my question, that big smile from last night back on his face. "Soon," he vows.

  Epilogue - Greg - Three Months Later (Christmas)

  "Daddy! Daddy! DADDY!" Cohen's warm breath hits my ear and his whisper is loud enough to wake the dead.

  I groan, knowing that there is no way Cohen's going to sleep anytime soon. I feel like I just fell asleep seconds ago, which isn't far from the truth.

  "C-Man, what are you doing awake?"

  "Got things to do, Daddy!" Jesus, he's starting to sound more and more like Maddox daily. Ever since they bonded when the girls were in the hospital, I feel like my son is turning into a Locke clone.

  "Son."

  "Daddy."

  Melissa snickers next to me, and I know she gets a kick out of our four-year-old turning into some little mini alpha boy.

  "Cohen, why don't we go to sleep for just a few more minutes?" Or hours, I silently add.

  "Can't."

  "Annnnd why can't we do that?" I finally peek my eyes open and jump when I realize how close he is to my face. "Jesus, son, do you have to sneak up like that?"

  He giggles softly. "I didn't sneak up on you. I was just talking to you, Daddy. We have to go... Go now!"

  "Okay, okay." I throw back the covers, remembering a
second too late that I'm still naked from taking Melissa just a few hours before.

  "HA! Daddy has his wiener rings in! Daddy, your wiener is funny looking with Mommy's earrings in there!" He starts dancing around the room, chanting about my goddamn wiener rings.

  Melissa sits up and starts laughing uncontrollably. I look over at her and notice that the sheet has pooled around her waist about the same time Cohen does. I hold my breath...waiting for it.

  "Mommy! Boobies! Mommy has boobies. Boobies. Boobies! Ha ha ha! I want Lucky Charms for breakfast! Let's go! I'll go get my girls!"

  It's my turn to laugh now. Melissa is blushing about ten shades of red, and I'm standing in the middle of the bedroom, naked as the day I was born, laughing at my wife.

  As hectic as my life is between Cohen and all his crazy fun, two little girls who seem to do nothing but wake and eat with a little sleep sprinkled in there, and a full-time job, it's moments like this that make me realize just how lucky we are and just how blessed we are to be here.

  It hasn't been easy. Melissa had to stay in the hospital for two weeks after she woke up. The doctors wanted to make sure that she was completely cleared before they would release her, and I was okay with that.

  Lillian was able to come home with Melissa, exactly a month after she was born. She's such a strong little girl. Taking Melissa and Lillian home was bittersweet. In one hand, it felt so good to have them home, but I think we all felt the hole from that not having Lyndsie home with us left.

  It was for almost three weeks full of daily hospital visits later that we were able to take Lyndsie home. She had issues with her reflux that just kept setting us back, but finally, almost two months after she was born, we were able to bring her home and complete the Cage family.

  Cohen took to his sisters instantly. He helps with everything he can. He holds the bottles while we feed them; he talks to them and sings to them. And every night he tells them everything he's going to teach them when they get older.

  I love watching them interact. Knowing that he feels the need to protect his sisters makes me smile. Those poor girls are going to love when they get older and have two shadows over them. There's no way in hell that Cohen or I will let anything happen to our two princesses.

  Melissa finally got her casts off both her arm and leg removed about a month ago. She's had some issues with gaining her full strength back, but she keeps at her physical therapy, determined to heal.

  It hasn't been the easiest of times, but we're together, and I'll take a bumpy road over the alternative any day.

  Melissa and I get ready in a comfortable silence, listening to Cohen chatter in the girls' room through their baby monitors.

  "Come on, my Beast. Let's go get that crazy boy out of the nursery before he wakes up the girls. Good thing they can sleep through anything."

  She starts walking out of the room, only limping slightly, and my mouth waters when I see the yoga pants she's put on hugging her perfect ass.

  Ever since we got the go-ahead from the doctors, we've been almost insatiable. Doesn't take a doctor to tell me that I'm channeling my fear from almost losing her into sex. Melissa isn't complaining. If my diving into her sweet body daily gives my mind peace, she's more than happy to help out there.

  I have to give myself a few minutes to calm down before I can follow her out of the room. Just one glance at her tight body and I'm ready to lock the door and throw her back on the bed.

  "Come on, Cohen. Let the girls sleep some more." I smile when her voice comes over the monitor, before I finally walk out of our bedroom and down into the kitchen to start breakfast.

  They follow not long after I started cooking, and even though Cohen starts to fuss over Lucky Charms, he eats the eggs, bacon, and pancakes quickly before asking for seconds.

  "Daddy! Did you see? I looked out my window this morning and there's a gigantic trampoween out there! Santa brought it. I knew he would! Can I have a motorcycle when I get older? Maddox Locke has one!"

  Jesus, it's hard to follow his train of thought sometimes.

  "Why don't we talk about that when you're old enough?"

  "Okay. Can I get wiener rings yet?"

  Melissa sputters out a snort-like laugh. Of course she would leave the answering to me.

  "Cohen, we talked about this the last time you asked for...wiener rings. Let's wait until you're older--way older--before we talk about that one, okay?"

  "Okay. Can I have a monkey?"

  "How about we stick to the trampoline before we start bringing in zoo animals?"

  "Okay. Can we wake up my girls now so we can open up our presents?" He's literally bouncing in his seat.

  "How about this? The girls are so small that they aren't going to miss anything if you start, and they can join us when they wake up. How about we go open some of your presents or at least go see what Santa brought before we go wake them up?"

  His brow crinkles and he tilts his head to the side before speaking. "Why would I do that? My girls need to be with me. I can wait."

  How did I get so lucky?

  "You're one awesome big brother, you know that?"

  "Yup!"

  We finish up our breakfast. Cohen helps Melissa clean up the dishes, and I go check on the girls. I am just about to step through the threshold of their room when I hear my phone ringing from the office down the hall.

  Knowing it's either work related or one of the guys, I groan and head off to my office.

  "Cage," I bark in the phone.

  "My, aren't we happy this morning," Axel laughs in my ear.

  "You try having two newborns and a kid who thinks waking up before the roosters is a brilliant idea."

  "Yeah, I've got one of those kids. Nate was up at five this morning. He isn't even old enough to know what the hell is going on, but I swear that kid ran right into the living room and started tearing shit open."

  We laugh and continue talking for a few minutes before he gets silent.

  "So...Izzy gave me my gift."

  "Yeah?"

  "Yeah..." He trails off, and I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to say here. Obviously he's calling because he wants to tell me what she got him, but I'm not sure what it could be that warrants a call at seven in the morning.

  "I reckon next year I'll get a taste of the early rising kid while trying to keep a baby asleep."

  It's early, but it's not early enough that I don't catch his meaning.

  "No shit? Congratulations, brother! Another little Reid, huh?"

  "Best feeling in the world, Greg. Once Izzy held those little angels of yours in her arms, she dragged my ass home and told me she wanted another baby immediately. So I guess in some weird way I should say thanks for turning my wife into a baby-craving sex maniac."

  "HA! Well, I'm happy I could help you out."

  "Yeah, yeah. Feels good, you know? Having our kids so close together. Going to make for one hell of an interesting future, seeing these kids grow up together."

  "As long as you keep reminding Nate to stay away from my girls, we should all just be fine."

  We joke back and forth before hanging up. I take off back down the hall and into the girls' bedroom. Looking over the crib they're still sharing. I see identically beautiful faces staring up at me. It causes my heart to skip a beat and a smile to pull at my lips.

  "Good morning, my lovely little ladies! I just talked to your Uncle Axel, but don't you worry. I reminded him that you aren't ever going to be dating so I'm sure he's talking to Nate right now about that."

  They keep looking up at me, and I smile, rubbing their heads before going about our routine. It takes me longer than Melissa, mostly because I don't have that magic touch it seems only mothers possess. I keep reminding them that they aren't ever going to date and they're going to stay daddy's little girls for the rest of their lives.

  It isn't until later that night that I think about Axel and Izzy's new little baby coming, and I smile when I wonder about the chances that they would have a girl.
Knowing Axel and his extreme protectiveness over Izzy, it's going to be funny as hell to watch him with a daughter.

  "You ready for bed?" Melissa drops down next to me and reaches over to turn off the news.

  "Beauty, if you're coming with me, then hell yeah. Way I see it, I've got about two hours before someone is waking up for more food. That's a lot of time to spend between these legs."

  She smacks my arm but doesn't waste a second, jumping up and rushing to our bedroom.

  I don't get two hours that night. Nope, my girls decide to sleep a little longer. I spend the next four hours worshiping my wife and remembering each and every time just how lucky I am to have this life.

  15 Years Later - Cohen

  "I can't believe you're leaving tomorrow. At least Lyn and Lila are driving now, so it won't be so bad not having you around to take us places." Danielle looks over at me from the other side of the couch, giggling softly and knowing damn well she's going to miss more than my driving them around.

  I throw the game controller down next to me and look over at her. God, she really is beautiful. I should feel guilty feeling these thoughts about her. She's my little sisters' best friend, practically family. Hell, her brother IS my best friend. It's a line I shouldn't cross. God, that makes me feel like such a sicko. I feel like all I do lately is remind myself I shouldn't be lusting after her. She's just about to turn fifteen and I'm leaving to start my freshman year at the University of Georgia.

  But I can deny it all I want. There's a connection I've always felt between us--wanted or not.

  There's nothing normal about what I feel for Danielle Reid.

  "So that's all I am to you? Huh, Dani? Just a ride from point A to point B?"

  She blushes, and I swear I feel it all the way to my dick. I should be ashamed for feeling this way about it. For craving this girl as much as I do. I should be out running around town and sinking inside of all the chicks who want to send me off to school in style.

  Hell, I'm no damn saint, which really makes me feel like I'm never going to be good enough for Dani.

  Plus, her father would kill me.

  Not just kill me. He would kill me and my family would never find the body.

  Yeah, Axel Reid is a man who I've always known would tear apart anyone who tried to touch his daughter.

  "No, Co... You're more than that. A lot more than that." She blushes again and looks away quickly.