Chapter 674 - Rosy Day

Afton stands next to Josie as she finally goes into labour, her grip on his hand feeling as if she'd broken through the human strength limit... He looks up and spots Zachary Parker and his other friends through the temporarily-made one-way window. They were all waiting for Josie to finally give birth, anxiously hoping everything would go well.

Dala and Doctor Usanagi were helping out as Afton was only here for emotional-support... He honestly didn't think his hands would be steady enough to assist Josie in giving birth.

The subsequent months after returning his father back to his senses had been generally the same as before. No big conflicts, no infighting, rebellions, or anything of the sort. The only problem had really come from his father's antagonism towards Bulwark, and the way they operated.

He'd eventually managed to drag his father back to Josie to explain he wasn't angry with her, and that he was happy she was his daughter-in-law.

While the man didn't clearly state it, Afton could see the man constantly struggle between family and duty. He'd occasionally asked to be teleported to the nearest Brotherhood base, but Afton would just argue that they'd execute him on the ground of 'looking like a pale super mutant'.

Sometimes that argument would quell his father's intentions, but sometimes he'd need to give the full list of reasons on why that was an incredibly bad idea, even mentioning the fact they'd execute him and Afton if they could due to their status as mutants.

Zachary had eventually found out about their various experiments on Deathclaws, people, and other mutants. This almost caused him to disown Afton for 'Literally doing what the Brotherhood was created to stop'... Fortunately, Zach had eventually calmed down, yet, their relationship had not been the same since.

Speaking of experiments... They'd managed to give Anja a human body, using Ulysses DNA of course(not that he knew), the body had been modified to resist radiation, an addition added to all subsequent clones. Not that many were actually made, due to lack of demand.

Recreating Psyker abilities in people hadn't progressed at all however, the experiments usually resulting in eldritch abominations which were only good for-

"AAAAARGH!" Josie screams and crushes Afton's hand further, breaking him from his thoughts.

"Keep pushing honey, you got thi-"

"YOU DID THIS TO ME!" She screams, she breathes short and quick as she attempts to birth their child.

"Come on! Once we're doing I'll fix you a drink! You haven't drunk in ages, remember!?"

"WHICH IS YOUR FAULT! REMEMBARRRRGH!" she angrily retorts before screaming again, "WE ARE NEVER FUCKING AGAIN! EVER!"

Afton maintains a composed and calm expression, inwardly grimacing at the determination in her tone...

Thirty minutes later of abuse and exhausting herself, Josie finally gives birth. The sudden wails of the baby-making Afton breath a sigh of relief.

Dala and Usanagi clean and perform extensively check-ups on the baby, allowing Josie to rest for a couple minutes as stimpacks are slowly introduced into her bloodstream.

Eventually, the duo hands the baby to Josie, allowing both her and Afton to get their first look at their child.

The baby looks up at them with innocent, hazel eyes, and small tufts of brown hair on her head. It's a girl, Afton knew of her gender beforehand, but Josie didn't want to know, instead wanting it to be a surprise.

Thus, she thought up names for both boys and girls... Josie was currently sobbing with happiness as she looks down at the child in her arms, "My baby..." she sends a heartwarming smile at Afton, "Rose."

Afton slowly nods and sits on the bed next to her, examine the child's appearance... From the scans, he'd been able to tell that 'Rose' would inherit some of his mutations, thus his wish to name his child after a plant of some sort.

It was suitable, not because of the baby's squishy red cheeks, but because of fungus that'd already implanted itself in his daughter's body... He was sure what abilities she'd possess, but he was sure she'd be an exceptional person.

He was relieved the fungus hadn't taken root in Josie as well via her blood, she probably wouldn't be able to adapt fast enough to the fungus if she did, resulting in a litany of problems, most dire of which included death...

The baby seemed to be examining them with curiosity as well, but eventually falls to sleep under Josie's slowly rocking movements.

After a few more checkups on both Josie and Rose, Afton pushes the duo out via a wheelchair, exiting the room and grinning towards the people waiting for them.

Happy and relieved laughter sounds out as Afton and Josie are swarmed. Veronica, Christine, Anja, Shani, Tamia, Melissa... The men wait behind them, want to allow the women to get the 'cooing' out of their system before they jump into the fray.

Zachary, however, just marches through the women like a steamroller, eventually stopping and kneeling down before Josie, taking a closer look at his granddaughter. "Good work." he bluntly states to Josie, causing her to laugh nervously.

With that, he gives a firm no to Afton and leaves, allowing the women to finally start interrogating Josie about her experience and cooing over Rose.

Dala tries to exit the operation room to join them, but quickly retreats as soon as she spots Christine, her 'punishment' still fresh in her mind.

Another thing Afton noticed though was Tamia's somewhat restrained enthusiasm. She looked both happy, resentful, resignation, and a litany of other things he couldn't nail down... unfortunately he wasn't able to pursue this right now for obvious reasons, so he'd have to ask her at a later date.

For now, he just greets his male friends who all congratulate him on a 'job well done'. Their reactions were expected, all except Boone who was silently smiling, the situation dredging up old, happy memories of his wife and unborn child... His expression slowly breaks down into one of loss, and reluctant acceptance though.

Again, there was nothing Afton could do for the man.. So instead he just recruits Shani to bring him from his depression, a common tactic as of late.