24. The Baby

3.05.20

Kody's POV (3 months later)

Over the past months, I've become one with the forest. The animals mostly left me alone because they could tell that I was a guardian, and I even made friends with some of them. I had learnt what berries were good to eat, and most importantly I was living basically all on my own.

"Hey, Wolfie," I called out to a wolf. It looked at me like I was insane, and it could understand me I swear. It was probably some wierd witchcraft about me being kind of part of nature, but it made me a great deal less lonely even by myself. I had hardly slept since I got out here, yet that was only because I couldn't get the bad thoughts out of my mind.

Then my mind shifted to the inevitable. James should be giving birth any day now. I debated finding him, but he wouldn't want me there anyways. Instead, I did my usual fishing in the river... With my hands. Hey, don't judge me... and ate what I caught.

The forest was a lush green since I had run away in fall, and I took a small run through the unmarked woods. I was so deep in that humans had never touched it except for the occasional hiker. I allowed my hair to flow freely throughout the breeze, and my feet barely touched the ground.

Suddenly, I heard a lot of crunching, and I quickly took shelter in a tall tree. I watched as a rather small search party for me clumbered through the woods.

"Why in the world would Prince Kody be all the way in here!?" one of the men complained loudly.

"We have to look thoroughly, we can't disrespect Mason's orders," another answered boredly.

"Ugghhhhh," they all chorused before looking all over the forest floor below me. How stupid could they be? Even my father knows that I can climb trees like a squirrel!

"Mason said to make sure that we looked up. Who wants to do it?" The first man announced. Is it better to be caught or tree jump? While I was pondering that, I was discovered from below.

"Prince Kody?" they called up to me.

"What? I'm not welcome," I shouted.

"Please come down from the tree! We just want to take you home!"

"Come get me, then we'll talk!" I giggled. I thought that none of them could climb, but clearly my dad was prepared. One of the men swiftly climbed up to my level.

"Please come home. Your father misses you so much."

"Oh please, I'll believe that over my dead body."

"He blames himself, Prince Kody. I've never seen him so distraught over anything before."

I pondered it for a second. I was starting to go insane in the wild. Maybe going back to my dad would be what I needed.

"Fine," I sighed before climbing down like the monkey I am. I was lead through a winding trail that was clearly the way that the searchers had come from. Eventually the castle came into view. Maybe I'll just be okay now.

James's POV

I was sitting in my room minding my own business when the pain started. It was the most widespread ache that I had ever felt, and I just barely managed to pull myself to where my phone was sat next to my bed.

"N-Nat?" I stuttered into the phone when she picked up. Neither her or Angie knew about the child because they just assumed that I had been eating too much out of grief. I grunted as a period of pain overcame me, and there was something wet pooling between my legs.

"James! Are you okay?" she asked into the phone.

"Um... Kind of?" I whispered into the phone just as I broke off to let the pain pass. Suddenly, I decided that I could do this by myself, and I quickly ended the call with, "just making sure that you're okay."

I was totally not okay. I almost screamed violently 5 times before putting that energy into pushing. Just as I was starting to see stars whenever I pushed, I felt the child slide out. I sat forwards and called all of my medical knowledge that my parents forced me to have. I got the little baby breathing, then I worked on cleaning it with moist baby wipes.

My little baby boy! I put a diaper on him before swaddling him into a little blanket. I held the newborn tenderly while thinking of a good name. I think I'll name him Koda to remind me of his father. Speaking of Kody, when Koda opened his huge eyes, they were the same rich green as his fathers. It was adorable, and if anything it was a reminder to me of Kody. I miss him so much.

"It's okay, sweetie. I'll protect you no matter what," I soothed when he started crying.

***

I finally understand what new parents say about no sleep. I was up all night making sure that Koda wasn't crying too much. As of right now, he was peacefully eating straight from my nipple– yeah, still can't get my head around that one– with the same small smile that Kodes got when he was asleep.

I suddenly got a phone call from Nat, and I picked it up before it could bother Koda. "Yeah?" I muttered.

"Get yourself down to breakfast right now before I come up there and beat you," she demanded, and I straight up shivered from the ice in her voice.

"I'll be down," my gaze shifted to little Koda, "in a few minutes, but I have something; no judgement."

"Okay, Jamie," I hate that nickname, "I'll see you in ten minutes."

I let Koda finish before standing up and slowly wandering down the hallways. I probably look absolutely horrible, yet that was normal for me at this point. I slowly pushed the door to the dining room and casually sat down with Koda sleeping in my arms.

"When the hell did you end up with a kid!?" Natalie shouted with no caution. Koda started to cry, and I rubbed his forehead gently while whispering soothingly at him. Eventually he calmed down, and I shot Natalie a dirty look. "Sorry, I just really love kids," she apologized quietly.

"It's okay. He's mine," I answered quietly.

"How did you have a kid?"

"Kody... It's a long story."

"So he's Kody's too?"

"Yeah."

"What did you name him?"

"He's Koda," I commented just as he opened his bold emerald eyes.

"I can see the resemblance," Nat whispered in wonder.

"My little Koda," I cooed while kissing his forehead. I wish that Kody was here to see this moment, but it was my fault that he wasn't.

I hope that I see Kody again one day soon, but I would never make the first move. I simply couldn't when he suffered for so long because if me. I didn't even know if he would accept me back with him.

"I'm so proud of you, James. I hope that you raise Koda well because you deserve some happiness," Natalie murmured gently.

"I wish Kody was here," I commented aloud.

"But he isn't, so don't beat yourself up. Be happy, Jamie."

"Don't call me that!'