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They had planted a tree for each child.
There were currently 8 trees in their garden. All different sizes. All with different numbers of blossoms.
The only thing that connected them all was the reason why they existed.
They had only planted the eighth tree less than a week ago. A small delicate young tree. It bent in the wind more than the others and seemed to glow the most under the sun.
Daniel had planted Lucia next to her youngest brother Emilio.
Three years ago they had built a grave for their eldest son Leo in their garden. Leo had been 4 months old before he had to go to heaven.
The Alpha remembered sitting next to Max in the bathroom at night while his Omega cried out in pain. He would never be able to forget that Mark's shattering cry. There was so much sadness, anger, fear and bewilderment in him. He had only held the blond man close and tried to calm him down while they waited for an ambulance and more and more towels became soaked with blood.
They both knew they had lost their Leo. They didn't need anyone else at the hospital for that. They both had this realisation by 3am in their bathroom.
Their pack around them tried to ease their grief. That night they had all come together. Daniel didn't know much about that night and the hours that had turned his life with Max upside down forever. Seb and Kimi had told the Alpha a lot about those hours when Daniel tried to remember. And every time, it tore his heart out one more time that he couldn't perceive anything or anyone but Max at that moment.
The two leaders of their pack had told him how Daniel wouldn't let anyone get close to Max and had even almost bitten one of the paramedics to protect his mate, who had cramped up in pain and sounded so pathetic to Daniel, from everything and everyone.
Max had suffered the most from having to bury her babies over and over again. They all never lived past 5 months. The oldest one was 5 months and 5 days old.
They called him Flynn.
Where did the lemon trees come from?
Max had a craving for lemons during all his pregnancies. The Omega had loved lemons. Lemon cake, pure lemon, lemon with water, as ice cream, etc. There could never be enough lemons for him. They never wanted to forget their Leo, which is why they officially buried him once, for all to see, in a cemetery and on their pack property. There they had planted the first lemon tree.
They had always planted these trees in pairs. No one else was allowed to be there. They would plant it, offer a candle and a bunch of flowers, and then for a whole Weil just sit with their youngest child and mourn him. During this time, there was only Max, Daniel and their children.
On each anniversary of his death, they would offer the deceased child a new, special bouquet of flowers and a special candle and celebrate his birthday as they should.
The pack supported them in this every day. They gave them the space or sat with them together in a nest and mourned the deceased child.
For themselves, Max and Daniel were parents. Parents of now 8 wonderful children who had been called back to heaven by God far too early.
Losing a child for the eighth time a week ago brought few tears. It had also been completely painless. Her child not even older than 3 weeks was not very big. The sad certainty that they had lost it had come at an ultrasound appointment. There were few tears. They mourned, but much more they wondered if there was something wrong with them.
Heaps of doctor's appointments had so often conveyed to them that they were both more than healthy and there were no identifiable reasons why they lost their children. They had both quit sport and called it quits. Max blamed it on Formula 1 and the extremes he exposed his body to. But it didn't get better after that. The children only got younger and younger until they died.
4 months had passed since the last tree. Right now, the two of them were standing in their bathroom, excitedly waiting for the 3 pregnancy tests that were lying on the sink in front of them. They were covered and the timer was running on Daniel's mobile phone. The Alpha held Max close to his chest and stroked his back.
His nose was buried in the soft blond hair and he absorbed the smell of Max, so significant of tulip, caramel and salt never to be forgotten.
"What are we going to do when I'm pregnant?"
"Everything as usual. I'll be by your side, you'll rest, we'll see the doctor regularly and hope... that's all we have left Love."
"And if we lose it again?"
"Then we'll plant a new tree, pay our last respects to it, and we'll think of our new angel in heaven."
"You really still love me? I know how much you want children. I mean, I want some too, but maybe I'm just the problem you know? It's probably me..."
Gently, Daniel took Max's cheeks in his hands and tenderly stroked those with his fingers, "Maxy, my beloved Omega. I love you no matter what. I will always stay by your side and will never let you down. And you are not the problem. We are both fertile and 150% healthy. The best of the best doctors have all assured us of that. We just have to keep trying. I know that this road is long and rocky. And that it hurts a lot. But eventually, we'll reach the top."
The timer beeped open and snapped them both out of their bubble before Max could say anything else. He just snuggled closer to Daniel and buried his face against his chest.
"You want me to look Max?"
A nod against his chest gave him the confirmation he needed and he took the first test. Positive. As were the second and third.
"Congratulations Maxy... We're having a baby..."
The omega began to sob and took the three tests to look at the results. They couldn't get any more positive than that. The two lines literally jumped out at them and Max lowered the tests in his hands back onto the sink before wrapping his arms around Daniel and letting his tears run free.
"Danny... I had a champagne glass... And I was on all these roller coasters!"
The panic that spread through Max's scent almost deafened Daniel. He just hugged the Omega even closer and nodded slightly, "And it's going to be ok you hear me Maxy.... It's going to be ok. We'll find out how far along you are and maybe you won't have to worry and it was all before you got pregnant."
"Ok... I love you Daniel."
"I love you too Maxy."
The two exchanged a gentle kiss before leaving the bathroom again. One of the tests had been labelled with the date of the day and it had gone into a plastic bag with the other tests that had announced the other pregnancies. Daniel put the box back up on their shared wardrobe before joining Max in their nest.
It really was a miracle. They had crossed the threshold of five months. Soon the sixth followed. Then the seventh and eighth. And when they were in the ninth month, Max could hardly move and Daniel didn't let his beloved mate out of his sight for a moment, the Omega's water broke. 4 days after the expected due date.
Several hours passed. And then the cries of a baby filled the room of the two mates. The pack that was close to them breathed an audible sigh of relief while the midwife took care of Max. The omega held the little bundle on his chest. Daniel kissed his Omega's forehead lovingly before he too burst into tears when he saw their little son lying on Max's chest.
The 01.03 became one of the most beautiful days in Daniel's life.
And this time they planted a cherry tree in addition to the lemon trees.
He would protect his brothers and sisters when he was big and strong.
Both parents were sure of that.