Hello World

The shrill ring of Ùisdean's phone echoed through the small and baren flat in Edinburgh, instantly shattering the quiet evening the Boisbéni had settled into. He fumbled to answer, heart pounding with adrenaline as he saw his Captain's name on the screen.

Had they been called to action? It must be an important mission to interrupt the scheduled leave of the whole unit.

"Magnar? What's going on?" he asked as he answered the phone, not giving the man on the other end the chance to speak. He tried to keep his voice neutral, but there was no doubt some anxiety clearly lacing his tone.

However, there was an excited bubble of laughter from the Dane through the speaker. "Wrench! It's happening! Baby's making his entrance today!"

A surge of joy mixed with an excited panic washed over the Boisbeni. "Really?! Is Mammy Marge doin' alright? I thought the lad wasn't due for another week!"

"Ja, she's just fine for now. We're on the way to the hospital now," Magnar chuckled. "But we both want you to be here Ùisdean, I know it's so last minute, but.. Can you make it?"

Without a moment of hesitation, Ùisdean rose to his hooves and quickly grabbed his laptop to find a flight. "I'll be on the next flight, just let me know where I need to go." He pulled a sheet of paper over as he put the phone on speaker. Magnar rattled off the information, not unlike one of their usual briefings, and Ùisdean was quick to scribble everything down.

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Give Goose my love, I'll be there," He smiled down at the phone.

"We're looking forward to it Wrench. See you soon," Magnar spoke before the line went dead.

With a burst of energy, Ùisdean quickly packed a bag, his mind racing with thoughts of meeting the newest member of the rag-tag family he had found himself part of. His body moved with practiced efficiency as he went around his apartment and gathered his essentials and a few gifts he had already bought.

Within the hour, Ùisdean was loaded in a taxi and hurtling towards the airport. With dismay he had found that not one airline offered direct flights between Edinburgh and Aalborg. He would have a stop over in Amsterdam, making what could have been only a two hour flight into nearly six hours.

At the airport, he navigated through security with a practiced ease and bolted to his gate, arriving just in time for boarding to begin. As he stood in line, he couldn't help but think back on all the conversations he had with the new parents. Now, the moment had arrived and he couldn't wait to be there with them for this momentous occasion.

He had lucked out with a window seat on his first flight, his gaze fixated out of the window as the ever familiar hum from the plane's engines drowned out everything around him. The soggy and rainy Edinburgh weather soon blurred as he felt the familiar throttle of the plane taking off. It was a short flight all things considered, only an hour and a half to Amsterdam.

As he settled into his seat, his heart finally calmed enough for him to think. He knew just how much this meant to the couple, having gone through so much to get to where they are now. Infertility had plagued them early in their relationship. Their roles in separate militaries kept them separated for months and months at a time with the constant looming threat of death hanging over them. Yet, somehow they had managed to be happily married, and now, have a child.

The flights felt both too long and too short as Ùisdean eagerly anticipated reuniting with his friends and welcoming the newest member of their family. As the plane touched down in Aalborg, Denmark, his excitement was barely contained.

He practically sprinted through the airport, his strong legs covering the ground with a determination as he finally exited the building and began to make his way through the city. His anticipation reached a fever pitch as the hospital came into view.

The Aalborg hospital hummed with the usual bustling of a medical facility, nothing unfamiliar to Ùisdean. It hadn't taken long for the Boisbéni to find and make his way up to the maternity ward.

He anxiously tapped his fingers against his knee as he waited in the busy waiting room. For obvious reasons he hadn't been allowed to go straight to the couple, instead being directed to the empty seats while a nurse passed along that he had arrived. He watched the clock as minutes went by, his leg beginning to bounce as he waited.

Finally the door to the ward opened and a nurse emerged, smiling with a comforting and friendly warmth. "Byer, for the Møller family?" She called out.

Wrench's ears immediately stood at attention as he rose from his seat. "Aye, that's me," he nodded eagerly.

The nurse nodded and motioned him to enter the hallway. "They're in room 205, Follow me."

As they walked through the hall, the nurse finally lead him to a door, pushing it open quietly. Inside Ùisdean found Magnar sitting beside Marguerite, cradling a bundle of blankets close to her chest. She looked absolutely exhausted, yet the pure joy in the room was palpable.

Magnar turned to see who it was, and his eyes lit up when he saw his best friend.

"Ùisdean! You made it!" The man exclaimed, practically leaping from his seat and quickly pulling the taller man into a bone-crunching bear hug. The Boisbéni was quick to return the hug, lifting Magnar off his feet just a little as he did. A warm chuckle resounded from both men as they embraced.

"Would'n miss it for the world Murts," he sighed as he put the man back on the ground and turned his attention to the woman smiling in the bed.

"I'd come'n give ye a hug too Marge but I dinnae think that's a good idea," he chuckled as he walked over to her while Magnar pulled another chair over to them. He put a gentle hand on her shoulder in greeting.

Marguerite smiled warmly at Ùisdean from the hospital bed. "Wrench, it's so good to see you again. Thank you for coming all this way," She put her free hand over Ùisdean's with a smile, patting it reassuringly.

The Boisbéni practically melted into the seat at her touch, but his attention was quickly grabbed by a grumbly baby noise, and he couldn't help but peek over at the bundle in Marguerite's arm.

The baby was swaddled in a soft yellow blanket, nearly invisible tufts of blond hair peaked out and bright blue eyes met Ùisdean's, even if grumpy. The baby was a perfect blend of his parents. He felt his heart swell with affection as he made eye contact with him.

He smiled, reaching out a finger to gently run along the baby's cheek.

Magnar grinned as he leaned over and gave Marguerite a kiss on the head as he watched Ùisdean's gentle touch, smiling down at his child. "I think he takes after his old man."

They all laughed at that, the room was full of joy and and the still fragile warmth of new life. Ùisdean was swept up in a surge of emotions, both happiness and pure joy for his friends. And yet, there was an ache he tried to bury, a longing deep in him that he knew he had to push aside.

"He's a bonnie wee lad.." Ùisdean finally spoke in awe.

Marguerite nodded with a smile, pulling the bundled baby in closer. "He's perfect.. We couldn't be happier."

Magnar hummed and looked over to the Boisbéni, "You know.. We were thinking of who to ask to be Hannes' godfather. With what we both do for work.. We need someone who can be there for him if the worst happens."

Wrench met Magnar's eyes as he spoke, found the fear and the worry in them that any person who had to have this conversation would. "Come now Murts, the wee lad just got here, don't go thinkin' about that yet-"

"We want it to be you," Marguerite chimed up, ripping Ùisdean's attention away from Magnar. "We can't imagine anyone else but you."

Ùisdean's eyes widened, and his face flushed a red as he looked between the parents in shock. "What? Me? You want me to be the lad's godfather?"

"You've been with us since the beginning," Magnar said warmly, grabbing the Boisbeni's shoulder to look him in the eye. "Besides, Hannes needs some of your Scottish charm because we both know he's gettin' nothing from me."

Ùisdean's eyes watered as he laughed, wiping a tear as he looked between the two again, "I'd be honoured, truely."

Marguerite nodded to Magnar, and passed the bundle to him before Magnar passed the bundle to Ùisdean. Watching as the man's arms perfectly cradled the baby.

Ùisdean's heart melted as he cradled the baby to his chest, the tears welling in his eyes rolling down his face as he smiled down.

"Hello little one," he spoke gently, watching as the baby yawned. "I'm Ùisdean, but ye can call me Uncle Wrench when y'er grown. I work with your Pa, he likes to order me around, and I sometimes work with y'er Ma too so ye'll be seein' me around a lot."

Marguerite and Magnar sat quietly as they watched Wrench hold and talk to their son, leaning up against one another as they smiled. They knew they had picked right. Knew that if it ever came down to it, the Boisbéni was the perfect person to take care of their family.

The three spent the next half-hour chatting, sharing what had been happening since they last spoke and just sitting in silence to marvel at the baby. Ùisdean couldn't take his eyes off Hannes, feeling the overwhelming surge of protectiveness and love for the tiny being in his arms.

Soon enough though the baby began to fuss and was returned to his mother. Their chatting continued, though quiet as Hannes resumed his sleep.

Ùisdean couldn't help but steal glances at Magnar. The way the man cradled his baby and the pure joy and love in his eyes as he looked down at him. It made the Boisbeni's heart ache in the most bittersweet way.

He was more than overjoyed for his friends. Yet no matter how hard he tried to beat the feeling back over the years, the longing in his chest felt suffocating in the room as he sat beside what he could never have.