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Becoming a mother was something Daphne thought would never happen to her. For a long time, she didn’t know if she even wanted children. Finding out she was pregnant had been a happy accident because Vaughn and Daphne weren’t trying. Like, at all. In the beginning, she toyed with the idea of not telling Vaughn and terminating the pregnancy, but after talking to Maddie, Daphne chose to talk to Vaughn before making any decisions she couldn’t take back. Vaughn told her he’d support whatever she decided, but Daphne could tell Vaughn wanted to keep the baby. So, that’s what she did. Their little bundle of joy arrived after 22 hours of labour and 2 hours of pushing.

The only people Daphne allowed to visit were her best friend, Maddie, and Maddie’s boyfriend, Ethan. Daphne didn’t have any family. Maddie was the closest thing she had ever had to a sister. Vaughn had family, but he hadn’t been on good terms with his parents since before they announced the pregnancy, and it only got worse once his parents found out. Daphne would never be the kind of girl Vaughn’s family would approve of. She knew that from the moment she met them. Even though his mother wasn’t fond of Daphne, she was still in the waiting area, yapping about how she had the right to see her granddaughter. Vaughn tried speaking to her and convincing her to leave, but she was an entitled, stubborn old hag and chose not to. She enjoyed going against what Vaughn wanted. Luckily, security did their job and escorted her out of the building, while she claimed she would sue for the unfair treatment.

The only time Vaughn left Daphne’s side was when Maddie and Ethan visited. The boys left the girls to visit alone and spend time with the baby, who has yet to have a name. Daphne and Vaughn had a hard time agreeing in general, so being unable to pick a name was on point for them. After hours of on-and-off attempts at breastfeeding, the baby finally latched on, but because of exhaustion, Daphne fell asleep with the baby snuggled in her arms. When Daphne finally woke, Vaughn had already taken the baby out of her arms and placed her in the bassinet while he sat beside her in the chair, reading the book he bought at the hospital’s gift shop. “Hi,” Daphne spoke softly, reaching for Vaughn’s hand. He didn't hesitate to close his book and lean toward her, taking her hand. Daphne tugged on him gently before moving and making room for him. “Come cuddle,” she smiled.

Was Vaughn ready to be a father? Hell no. But he loved Daphne and always imagined miniature versions of themselves running around one day, so why not today? Daphne was his everything; deep in his soul, he knew it. He didn't want any other girl, none of them would ever compare. And yeah, they fought more than you'd expect for a couple so madly in love but that was the thing about love. It didn't make any goddamn sense half the time. It was just something where, when you know, you know and Vaughn knew she was his forever. And now, their love had brought a beautiful baby into the world.

Except for being unable to agree on a name, they weren't doing a half-bad job at this parenting thing. Yes, the baby struggled to latch but the lactation lady had assured them that wasn't uncommon. And just like she had said, Daphne and the baby eventually got it but it also put both of them into a slumber and left a wide awake Vaughn to keep himself entertained. City of O was a book he'd never heard of and probably wouldn't have, had its cover not caught his eye in the gift shop. Usually, the only books he read were ones that his friends loaned him copies of. There was once a time when Vaughn loved reading all the time but middle school bullying broke him of that habit and it wasn't until Daphne encouraged him to get back into it that he started making more time for reading again.

When Daphne started stirring in her hospital bed, Vaughn tucked his bookmark in the middle of the page he was working on and continued reading until she spoke. "Hello, beautiful," he replied as he took her hand before climbing into the bed with her. Wrapping his arm around her, he held her close and placed a kiss on her forehead. "How's mommy doing?" he asked, although it still felt a little weird calling her that. One day that baby in the bassinet would be calling her that and calling him dad, so he figured he might as well get more used to it. "You get enough sleep? Anything else I can get you?" He didn't want to overload her but he also wanted to make sure that she was taken care of. She'd done all the work over the last nine-plus months, and it was his job to make sure that both of them were taken care of.

Daphne settled comfortably into Vaughn’s side as he pulled her close and kissed her forehead. “I’m okay, baby; I don’t need anything right now,” Daphne answered hushedly.

“I have a name,” Daphne declared with a smile. “What if we name her after you and Maddie?” They needed a name before leaving the hospital. She only thought about it while discussing baby names with Maddie. However, Maddie also doesn’t know Daphne’s idea about naming the baby after her. That was going to be a surprise. “What do you think about Christina Madeline? Owens being her last name, of course,” she added, her smile growing as she watched for Vaughn’s reaction. She had hoped he would love the idea because they couldn’t keep calling her Baby Owens.

Having a baby put many things into perspective for Daphne, even though she only had the baby not even 24 hours ago. She had almost ten months to think about this. “I also decided that if and when I return to the club, I'm not going to dance; I'm only going to manage the bar.” The surprised look on Vaughn’s face made her giggle. He'd been trying to get her to stop dancing for years. “Who knew it would only take you knocking me up for me to come to my senses.”

“One more thing,” Daphne said, nervously playing with his shirt. “Now, this idea could be considered a little odd and outlandish,” she could tell by the look on Vaughn’s face that he just wanted Daphne to get to the point, so, she did. “The chaplain stopped by while Maddie was visiting, and I thought, what if we got married in the hospital chapel?” She quickly said all in one breath. It’s not like the chaplain got into her head or anything. Honestly, Daphne didn't even know hospitals had churches until today. They'd been engaged for almost three years, and she didn't want to be one of those couples who just stayed engaged and never got married, especially now that they had a kid together. “I know technically I wouldn’t have your last name until all the proper documents are completed, but I want nothing more to be your wife when we leave this building and have the same last name as the two of you. I want to give our daughter a family, a real one, one that we didn't have.”

Vaughn smiled down at her as she spoke about the name she had come up with for their baby. He loved her idea of naming the baby after two important people in her life but part of him felt bad, as if her name not being included somehow meant she wasn't a part of it. Then it clicked. She was the one who came up with the name. That was all her, and he was thankful for it. He hated looking through all those baby names, trying to find one that didn't remind him of an ex or her of a bitchy girl that left a bad taste in her mouth. "It's perfect. I love it. Christina Madeline," he repeated happily.

His eyes widened with even more excitement when she said she wouldn't go back to dancing. He loved letting her do her thing but she'd really flourished in the management role and he'd be a liar if he said he wasn't happy to hear creeps would get to state at her all the time. They undoubtedly still would but it would be different and she'd have more clothes on. Plus, She could always put on private shows for him if she ever missed dancing. Between the look on his face and flurry of kisses he gave her, he didn't even need to say anything, she knew how he felt.

Vaughn got curious and raised his eyebrow as he anxiously wondered what the 'one more thing's was. Vaughn had done enough drugs to view God a little differently and it had him wondering just what sort of fear this chaplain tried to push on her while in her more vulnerable state. But he pushed any anger about it aside the moment he looked into his soulmate's beautiful eyes. He loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, why shouldn't they just get married already?

His childhood put into his brain, the idea that marriage is more like a business arrangement and it requires an extravagant ceremony to be official but that wasn't the case at all. Their marriage could be different. It already was because they were marrying for love but he still felt like she deserved him going all out to show her how much he truly loved her. That's why they'd been engaged for as long as they had, at this moment, there was no way he could afford the amount of elegance and luxury that he felt she deserved. Never had it crossed his mind that he didn't need to do all of that.

"Are you sure? I mean, of course I'd love to marry you right here, right now, in this bed, but I don't want to deprive you of your childhood dream wedding? Also, that's a real thing and not some hollywood bullshit, right? The little girls dream wedding, I swear we watched a chick flick entirely about that." Despite how much he knew he wanted to spend forever with her, he was nervous. In a marriage like the ones from his childhood, there was guaranteed perks even if the arrangement came to an end. Marrying for love was new and foreign to him.

Daphne's face lit up immediately, and she started clapping excitedly upon hearing Vaughn agree to the name. However, she quickly got quiet when she heard the baby begin to stir. Daphne looked towards the bassinet, clutching onto Vaughn’s arm in anticipation of Christina starting to cry. She let out a relieved sigh when she didn't hear anything else. “When she cries, I cry, and I just can't deal with that right now,” she admitted softly, looking back at Vaughn. Mostly, it was because Daphne’s hormones were still out of wack, but also because Daphne felt like she was doing something wrong when she couldn't get her baby to stop crying. She was a woman, and everyone talked about this maternal instinct that would come, but Daphne was beginning to think that wasn't true. She thought maybe it had something to do with the fact that she never had a solid mother figure while growing up.

Daphne raised an eyebrow, “Have you ever known me not to be sure about something?” It was mostly a rhetorical question, so she didn't give him much time to respond. “Mmhm. We did. It’s called The Wedding Planner, and I wouldn't say it’s a Hollywood thing. I'm sure little girls do dream about their wedding day. I, however, was not one of those girls. I didn't think I’d get married, let alone have a child,” she told him truthfully. “But you mean it? We can even call Maddie and Everett to come here tomorrow to be the maid of honour and best man.” She couldn’t believe he had agreed to it as quickly as he did. Daphne knew his fears, and they were all valid. “I love you so much.”

When Christina started crying, Daphne looked over at Vaughn with a pout. “Will you please go get our baby for me,” she said with a slight sniffle. She could already feel the tears and the anxious feeling in her stomach from the fear of not knowing what to do. Daphne began to reposition herself in bed once Vaughn got out and went to get the baby. She wiped the tears off her cheeks and fixed her face before Vaughn could see. Daphne had never been this vulnerable in front of Vaughn, which was also a bit overwhelming. She'd always been a strong, independent woman. But she needed and wanted him more than she ever did before. When Vaughn placed the baby in her arms, Daphne immediately smelled her. “Ewwww. You stinky,” she said in a baby voice, placing Christina on the bed before her. Standing beside her, Vaughn already had a diaper and wipes. “Thanks,” Daphne said normally, smiling, taking them from him. Once she finished changing Christina, she handed the dirty diaper to Vaughn to dispose of. Daphne carefully picked up the baby before leaning back and placing Christina on her chest. Daphne was relieved when Christina settled down.