Only Hope

[Madeline Speare]

I can't seem to stop the tears, for once I'm not crying because I've lost something or because I'm hurt. Far from it. The house feels alive again, I don't feel as empty as I did. Every thing's alright for once.
The habit of walking into Alex's room and hearing nothing but own my crying has stopped. The overwhelming guilt of failing as a mother has lifted slightly.
A soft baby laughs, pulls me away from my thoughts and I grin down at Alex, who's wrapped in his baby blanket, secured tightly in my arms.
I silently remind myself to thank Emma for this.
"Hey baby," I whisper softly, walking around his room, kissing him softly on the forehead, wiping my eyes with my other hand.
Alex gives another laugh, raising his hands up into the air.
I smile for what seems the first time in days. It seemed so long since I had last seen him, but he hadn't changed a bit.
He had a bit more hair then before, but he was still as tiny as ever. Those eyes, those eyes that I loved so much, they were still as bright as the first day I held him. "There's a song that inside of my soul. It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again," Setting him down softly in his crib, I brush his hair back off his forehead. "I'm awake in the infinite cold, but you sing to me over and over and over again." I sing softly, tracing my finger lightly over his face, making him laugh. "So I lay my head back down, and I lift my hands and pray to be only yours. I pray to be only yours. I know now you're my only hope."
I gently slip the prayer beads my father had given me onto his Quidditch mobile. "Sing to me the song of the stars. Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again. When it feels like my dreams are so far," I smile softly, as he takes hold of my finger with his little hand, "Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over again." I lean forward, kissing him softly on the forehead again, "So I lay my head back down and I lift my hands and pray to be only yours I pray to be only yours, I know now you're my only hope." Tucking a loose strand of hair back behind my ear I watch his eyelids drop slightly.
"I give you my destiny; I'm giving you all of me, I want your symphony, singing in all that I am. At the top of my lungs I'm giving it back," Pulling the covers over him, I gently let go of his hand, kissing the top of it lightly.
"So I lay my head back down and I lift my hands and pray,
to be only yours; I pray to be only yours, I pray to be only yours
I know now you're my only hope."

[Ian Hunt]

The first thing that strikes me as I let myself into the house is that I can hear Maddie singing upstairs. I haven't heard that in all the time that Alex has been gone and I feel a brief flare of hope before I immediately quench it again. There's no sense in it, because Alex is gone and it's stupid to even hope that I'll ever see him again.
Very stupid.
This thought pisses me off a little bit so I slam the door a little harder than necessary behind me so it rattles in the frame, muttering under my breath as I do so.

[Madeline Speare]

The sound of the door slamming wakes Alex up and he starts to cry loudly, squirming underneath his blankets.
I don't mind too much, rushing back to the side of his crib. I hadn't realized how quiet the house had been without him over the past couple of weeks.
"Shush, baby Alex." I whisper, hoisting him up into my arms.
"Mum's got you."

[Ian Hunt]

My heart leaps again as I hear crying upstairs. But it's probably just Erin. I have to tell myself this several times before I finally make the decision to ignore myself anyway and take the stairs two at a time in my haste to reach the top.
"Maddie?"

[Madeline Speare]

Alex whimper soflty, his little hands curled around the fabric of my shirt, his head on my shoulder
"Sing to me the song of the stars. Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again." I sing softly to him, bouncing him lightly up and down.
Glancing down at the crib, where I had laid Erin down, I smile as she was still sleeping.
That meant I could focus on Alex.
I look up, hearing my name, smiling for what seems like the first time in years.
"Look, Alex. It's your daddy." I whisper softly.

[Ian Hunt]

I freeze automatically in the doorway as I hear her address the baby as Alex, half toying with the idea that she's gone mental. But then I see that Erin's asleep in the cot so this baby must be Alex.
I don't really want to allow myself to think this, but it's too late as I've already thought it. I still stay very still.

[Madeline Speare]

I can't help but laugh softly, rainsing Alex closer to me. Ian had the same deer caught in the head lights look I had when Emma had brought him over earlier.
Kissing the top of Alex's head as he calms down, I turn slightly so he could see Ian.
"It's daddy."

[Ian Hunt]

I cross the room without thinking about it, half reaching to touch him and then thinking better of it and withdrawing my hand again.

[Madeline Speare]

"He's real," I smile softly, as Alex's eyes light up when he sees Ian.
Hugging Alex tightly, I use my free hand to pull the covres closer on Erin. She'd been sleeping peacefully for a while now.
Alex gives his baby laugh, causing me to grin, reaching out for Ian.

[Ian Hunt]

I grin, deciding to take her word for it, then taking hold of him as he reaches out for me, kissing him softly on the forehead, "Lex."

[Madeline Speare]

I let him take Alex, wrapping my arms around myself.
I could feel a smile tugging at the corner of my lips, taking a step closer to Ian putting my hand on his shoulder.
"My boys,"

[Ian Hunt]

"My family," I mumble, pulling her close to me while keeping Alex in the crook of my other arm.

[Madeline Speare]

I laugh softly wrapping my arms around him, burying my head into his neck."My boys."

[Ian Hunt]

I laugh softly, kissing her lightly on the cheek, holding both her and Alex to me.

[Madeline Speare]

I can feel my eyes start to sting, so I bury my head into his chest, watching Alex out of the corner of my eye.
Laughing he reaches up for Ian again, making me laugh softly.

[Ian Hunt]

"Hello Lex," I grin as he reaches up for me again, brushing his fingers against the side of my face.

[Madeline Speare]

I wipe my eyes, not wanting to cry anymore, resting my head on his shoulder. "My baby," I whisper softly, reaching for his hand, holding it lightly.

[Ian Hunt]

I smile, "He's home."

[Madeline Speare]

"My boys are home," I mumble softly, keeping hold of Alex's hand, watching his fingers curl around mine. I laugh weakly,"My Alex." I bite down on my bottom lip, before looking back up at Ian,"My Ian."

[Ian Hunt]

"Always yours," I mumble, kissing her lightly, briefly.

[Madeline Speare]

I grin weakly, wrapping my hand around his neck, pulling him back, kissing him softly.

[Ian Hunt]

I grin weakly against her lips, kissing her softly back.

[Madeline Speare]

I break the kiss, resting my forehead against his,"My Ian." I mumble softly.

[Ian Hunt]

"Always," I reply softly, resting my forehead against hers.

[Madeline Speare]

I lean up kissing him softly again. Breaking the kiss after a moment, I swallow the lump in my throat."I love you." I whisper softly. I hadn't said that to him since they had taken Alex away. That had been almost two weeks ago.

[Ian Hunt]

"I love you too," I say quietly, then laugh very softly with relief, "You have no idea how good it sounds to hear you say that again."

[Madeline Speare]

I laugh weakly, kissing him again,"You have no idea how good it is to say that again."

[Ian Hunt]

I grin weakly against her lips.

[Madeline Speare]

"I love you." I whisper softly,"So much it hurts."

[Ian Hunt]

"I love you too," I mumble against her lips.