Hear Your Heart

Shifting in his seat a little, Iker smiled at the little girl who was quietly stirring in his arms, his dark eyes marveling at just how beautiful she was. It had been a little while, Olivia had fallen asleep pretty quickly after she had pushed Catalina into the world, but Iker couldn’t quite will himself to put the little girl down. He was fascinated with her, even if all she did was sleep, and he couldn’t bring himself to put her down. He just couldn’t quite believe that they finally had their little girl.

“Iker?”

The keeper turned in his seat slightly and smiled, watching as his mother padded into the room, a sleepy Thiago balanced on her hip. “Hola, mama” he cooed “I didn’t think you lot would arrive before we got home” he added, ensuring that Catalina was comfortable in his arms.

“Unai and your father are at home, but I figured that you might want someone to come and get this one” Carmen replied, gesturing towards Thiago who sat sleepily on her hip.

Iker nodded. “Gracias” he murmured.

Camren nodded her head softly before she took a couple paces forwards, her eyes peeking down at the tiny bundle which was cuddled into her son’s chest. “She’s beautiful” Carmen whispered, smiling a little at the baby who gave out a little yawn.

Iker nodded his head gently and smiled, pressing a light kiss to Catalina’s head, making her squirm slightly. “She already takes after her madre, which I don’t mind for a second” he enthused gently.

Carmen smiled. “I can’t quite believe that you have another one of these” she whispered “It feels like it was only yesterday that I was meeting this little one for the very first time” she added, hugging Thiago softly.

Iker smiled. “I know the feeling” he murmured “I can’t believe it either” he added.

“Well, I am proud of you” Carmen whispered, pressing a light kiss to Iker’s head “And I will see you when you get home. Congratulations, Iker” she smiled softly before she padded out of the room, leaving Iker alone with Catalina once more.

“I should probably put you down for a nap before your mama wakes up” Iker whispered gently, moving quietly to settle Catalina in the bed that had been provided for her “If you’re grumpy when she wakes up, she’ll kill me and I don’t think either of us want that, do we princesa?” he mumbled. He felt a little silly, he doubted Catalina had a clue what he was saying, but he couldn’t stop himself. He was fascinated with the baby.

~#~
Stretching her arms, Olivia placed her feet on the cool floor, glad to be out of bed. She was aching, even if the labour had been pretty short, and she was looking forwards to going home. Yawning slightly, she peeked around the small room before she spotted Iker, her lips curving into a small smile as she watched him fuss over their little girl. It had been a while, Olivia had been out for hours after she had given birth to Catalina, but she doubted that Iker had been able to leave the little girl alone for very long. He was excited, not that Olivia blamed him, and she didn’t want to upset him. It was a day more about him than her.

“Iker, mi amor?” she whispered gently “Have you put her down since I went to sleep?” she posed softly.

Iker looked up and nodded. “She had a 20 minute nap a little while ago, but I couldn’t leave her for very long. She’s fascinating, Oli” he enthused gently.

Olivia giggled. “She’s just a baby, Iker” she teased softly.

Iker shook his head. “She’s our baby, Oli” he corrected “And she’s beautiful and I can’t put her down. I just want to sit here all day and hug her” he enthused.

Olivia smiled at him fondly and padded over to him, sparing an adoring look at Catalina who stared up at her with bright blue eyes. “You know she will need to have a feed soon right?” she mused, sitting down beside the keeper.

Iker nodded his head. “I know” he murmured “I just can’t quite wrap my head around the idea that she is here. It seems like just yesterday that I was finding out about you being pregnant with Thiago, I can’t quite fathom that there are now two of them” he whispered.

Olivia smiled. “It’s a strange turn of events, isn’t it?” she posed gently.

Iker nodded. “I can’t quite get my head around the notion that you and I ever started date, let alone that we are married with children. It’s not exactly what I pictured when I ruined your blouse in South Africa all those years ago” he quipped, a small smile appearing on his lips.

Olivia tilted her head. “What did you picture when you ruined my shirt?” she posed, her hands moving to take Catalina from Iker’s arms.

The keeper shook his head. “You don’t want to know what I thought” he mused.

Olivia cocked her brow. “Iker” she noted.

The keeper smiled. “It wasn’t pleasant” he mused “I envisaged us perhaps starting up some sort of friends with benefits thing for the duration of the tournament, but after 20 minutes in your presence, I knew I couldn’t ask that of you and, in light of the way things had worked out, I am glad that I didn’t. I love the friendship we had, I love the way we got together, and despite the bumps that we have gone through, I love where we are, Oli” he whispered.

Olivia shook her head. “You were really going to ask that of me?” she posed.

“It was before I knew you” Iker defended gently.

Olivia rolled her eyes. “For what it is worth, I am glad you didn’t ask me that. If you had, I would have slapped you and we would have probably never spoken again” she quipped.

Iker smiled. “But I didn’t ask and now look at us” he enthused, his fingertips lightly adjusting the little pink hat which had been placed on Catalina’s head.

Olivia smiled gently, her blue eyes peeking down at their newborn daughter for a second before she turned to her husband, placing a light kiss against his lips, pleased with exactly where they were in their relationship.