The moment Astraea Solene Watson entered the world was not a quiet affair—it was a literal explosion of life in the middle of a battlefield. Inside the Black Box surgical suite, the air was thick with the scent of ozone and iron, and the tension was so high that even the sophisticated medical monitors seemed to tremble.
10:24 AM: The Birth
Ci n worked with the speed of a man possessed. His hands were a blur as he carefully bypassed the invasive placental tissue. Behind the surgical drape, Jay was unconscious, her body fighting a silent war for every drop of blood.
"Here she comes," Ci n whispered, his voice cracking. "Ready... and... pull!"
At exactly 10:24 AM, he lifted a tiny, screaming, and very angry bundle into the air. Astraea didn't just cry; she roared. Her lungs were strong, her skin a healthy shade of pink, and even as a newborn, she had a grip that nearly pulled the surgical glove off Mica's hand.
"She's a Watson," Mica laughed through her tears, quickly cleaning the baby. "She's already trying to run the OR."
POV: Keifer (Outside the OR)
I was pacing the hallway, my "Monster" mask shattered into a million pieces. Section E was lined up against the wall, and the silence was deafening—until it happened.
The sound of a sharp, high-pitched wail pierced through the reinforced steel doors of the OR. It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard.
"Dad!" Alexander shouted, jumping up from his seat. "The ninja! She's here!"
I stopped dead in my tracks. My heart, which had been frozen in terror, suddenly surged with a heat so intense I almost doubled over. Astraea. My daughter. The "Star" we had been waiting for.
Keiran and Keigan started cheering, slapping each other on the back. Pa Pa (Jasper) and Ma (Jeena) fell into each other's arms, sobbing with relief. But my eyes were fixed on the doors. I was waiting for the other half of the miracle.
The First Meeting
The doors swung open, and a nurse hurried out, carrying a small, warmed bassinet. She stopped in front of me.
"Mr. Watson," she said, smiling despite the chaos behind her. "Meet your daughter, Astraea Solene."
I looked down. She was tiny—so much smaller than I expected—but she was fierce. She had a mop of dark hair and, as she blinked her eyes open for the first time, I saw it. She didn't have my cold, grey eyes. She had Jay's eyes. Bold, intelligent, and already judging everyone in the room.
"Hello, princess," I whispered, my voice disappearing. I reached out a finger, and her tiny hand immediately clamped around it.
She's got Kuya's grip!" Keiran laughed, leaning over my shoulder.
"She's beautiful, anak," Ma (Jeena) whispered, touching the baby's cheek. "She looks just like... just like a dream."
But the joy was cut short. The OR doors stayed open, and I saw Ci n and Mica frantically moving back toward the table. The "In Operation" light turned from red to a flashing amber.
"Take the baby to the nursery!" I commanded, my voice turning back into the "Monster" to hide my fear. "Keigan, Keiran—you and Section E guard that nursery. No one goes in except the medical staff. Move!"
I handed the baby back to the nurse, my eyes locked on the OR. I had seen my daughter. Now, I needed her mother.
The Family Vow: Part 2
As the baby was wheeled away under the heaviest security detail in Philippine history, the family gathered around me.
"She's safe, Keifer," Kuya Angelo said, placing a firm hand on my shoulder. "Now we pray for Jay."
Percy (Blue Eyes) stood by the door, his eyes scanning the hallway. "I've got the perimeter. Nothing gets through."
Aries (Horoscope) sat on the floor, surrounded by his crystals, his eyes closed in deep meditation. "The star has landed. Now the sun must rise. Jay is coming back. I feel it in the vibrations."
I didn't answer. I just stood there, staring at the closed doors, feeling the ghost of Astraea's tiny hand still gripping my finger.