I'm looking out the window of the car that Hero lend from one of his friends as he parks it in front of a spacious family home in London Battersea. There is a front yard, and the house seems to have three floors. It was about a fifteen-minute drive from Hero's place to here, and during the ride, he told me that his mom still lives in the house where he and his siblings grew up in.

He spoke very lovingly about this place and the neighborhood, and one look at my surroundings now leaves no doubts about his statement. It looks like a neighborhood with a lot of kids, schools, shopping centers, and beautiful houses with big gardens for kids to play in safely.

It's no doubt a family-friendly neighborhood, and it reminds me of Australia, although the memories seem far away and too long ago to recall anything specific. They're also blurred by everything that happened after that lovely time.

"Right behind our house, there's a square in the middle. A lot of my friends come from here as well, and we always used to play football on that square. None of us live here anymore, but sometimes we come back to kick the ball," he tells me excitedly as he rolls the car into the parking space in a skilled way; one hand on the steering wheel and one on the passengers seat to make looking through the back window easier.

"That means you're still close?" I ask him while throwing a glance at Daisy. She is sleeping in the car seat next to me and it makes me smile. This little girl sleeps the moment Hero puts on the engine. It's Ideal.

"We are," he smiles and nods his head before turning off the engine. "I don't think that will ever change. We grew up together. I know they will always be there. They're like my brothers."

I smile. He speaks so fondly of his friends and I have no doubt they speak the same way of him as well. He just had to make one call, and one of his friends came to his apartment to deliver his car so we didn't have to go to his Mother by public transport. I haven't seen his friend, since I was busy with Daisy, but I know his name is Felix because Hero mentioned that.

It must be amazing to have friends like that. People who are truly just one call away. Friends that you can depend on, no matter what. Sometimes, I let myself wonder if I would've had them too, if my life hadn't taken that turn all those years ago.

I had friends in Australia and although we were young and it's long ago, I still remember a few of them. What if I didn't have to leave? Would I be friends with them still? Would they've helped me like Felix helped Hero today?

The door opens next to me, and Hero's face comes into view. "Ready?" He asks with a small, encouraging smile on his face.

I nod and step out of the car, in my hand a black backpack of Hero. It contains diapers, two extra sets of clothes for Daisy, and some other stuff I might need for feeding her.

Once I've stepped out, Hero walks to the other side of the car to get Daisy. He insists on carrying her, stating that I'm not allowed to carry her while she is in the car seat because it's too heavy and I'm still recovering.

The doctor in the hospital told me that I'm not allowed to carry heavy things for six weeks. It's been almost two weeks since I gave birth to Daisy, and I have to say I'm finally starting to feel better. I'm still a bit sore down there, but it isn't as bad as it was. I am still bleeding although not as heavy as before, but that's also normal according to the doctor.

Overall, I think I'm starting to feel a little more like myself again. I begin to have more energy and breastfeeding is becoming a routine as well, which makes it easier. Since I was able to sleep for a few hours, I'm not as tired as I feared I would be after Daisy's terror night.

I throw the door of the car shut, and then wait for Hero to join me which he does just a few moments later.

I scan him for a very quick moment, unable not to. His hair is styled with gel, so it's not one messy mob of strands. He's moved it all back, but one strand is hanging in front of his forehead, maybe because he just had to bend to take Daisy off to the car.

He's wearing black joggers and a thick jacket, but underneath is a grey sweater. My outfit is almost the same; only I'm wearing a dark-green long-sleeved shirt. I think he wore it because I told him I don't have anything more 'Christmas' to wear.

He's carrying the car seat with ease; his arm looped through the handle while his free hand makes sure the soft-beige blanket is covering Daisy properly.

"Do you have everything?" Hero asks when he is happy with how Daisy is tucked in. I nod in response, offering him a small smile. I suddenly feel nervous even though he reassured me multiple times that there is no need to be.

He nudges his head, silently asking me to follow him. He walks in front of me, walking up the three-step stairs that lead to the front door of his mother's house. When we're standing in front of it, he takes the car key out of his pocket to click the button so the car closes, before he knocks on the door.

While we wait, Hero looks at me. "They won't bite," he smirks, no doubt because my face oozes the nerves I feel in the pit of my stomach.

"I know," I say, forcing a small smile on my lips. "I'm just nervous."

He nods and then takes my hand with his free one before squeezing reassuringly. "Don't worry. I'm here too."

The front door opens, and my reply to Hero dies in my throat, and my hand jerks from his at the sound.

"Hello," his mom excitedly replies, her face kind and eyes welcoming. There is no other way to describe her; she looks so sweet.

Her eyes have the same shade as Hero's, in the corners some very light aging lines. Her hair is long and half-up, the rest of her hair falls over her left shoulder.

"Hi, mum," Hero greets her before walking in first and giving her a big hug. Although he can only use one arm, it oozes love and care. He clearly loves his mom very much. "This is Josephine," he says after he's pulled back from the hug.

His mom smiles, her eyes bright. "Welcome to our home, Josephine. I'm Martha." She offers me her hand which I take, and just like her son did moments ago, she gives me a soft squeeze.

"Thank you for having us today," I tell her, throwing a glance at Daisy so she knows who I mean by us.

"Of course," she smiles and then looks at Daisy, who is now awake, no doubt because she isn't hearing an engine anymore. "Please, come in."

Hero closes the door behind him before placing the car seat onto the ground so he can take off his jacket. I follow his lead, taking off Mercy's fluffy coat and hanging it onto one of the hooks that are decorating the hall.

I then follow Hero and his mother into the living room, and the moment I set foot over the threshold, a cozy and warm feeling washes over me.

A big, beautifully decorated tree is standing in front of the window, which looks out over what I assume is the backyard. The ornaments in the tree are silver, pink, and beige, and there are a lot of lights in it as well.

To the left, a complete Christmas village is made underneath the tv. There are small houses and even an ice rink with figures that skate. To my right, there is a fireplace, the warmth that comes from the fire soothing.

This house engulfs you the moment you enter.

"Hi, Jo," Mercy pulls me out of my thoughts. She is standing in front of me, a smile on her face. "Happy Christmas," she says before leaning forward and giving me a careful hug.

"Merry Christmas, Mercy," I softly say, a bit overwhelmed by both the house and her welcome. It's a good overwhelmed though, and I tentatively move my arms around her as well. "I'm happy to see you again," she whispers in my ear before pulling back.

"This is my brother Titan," Hero pipes up from next to me, introducing the guy that's standing across from him.

He is tall too. Not as tall as Hero, but still above average height. There are some resembles between him and Hero; his hair is brown too, and just like Mercy and Martha, friendly green eyes are looking at me. You can see he is older though; he has a trimmed beard, and his features are less pronounced.

I take the hand he is holding out to me, his grip strong. "Josephine, nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you!" He counters, clearly excited. "Happy Christmas. This is my girlfriend Maisie." He wraps his arm around the woman that's standing next to him. She is small, about the same height as me, and she has beautiful hair; brown, tiny curls. Her skin is bronze, her eyes a shade of very dark green.

"Hi, Josephine." She waves with a smile on her face. I return her smile and greet her as well.

"And how is little Daisy doing?" Mercy asks while she looks at the car seat that Hero is still holding. Her hands are clasped in front of her, and she looks excited.

"She's great," I tell her. Somehow talking about Daisy always makes me smile.

Mercy leans down a little so she can look at Daisy properly. Hero offers her an even better look by turning the car seat in his arms. "Oh, look at her," Mercy says with her hand on her chest. "She's changed already and it's been just two days." She then looks up at me, her cheeks slightly red and suddenly looking a little shy. "Can I take her out?"

I can tell she wants to hold her for a moment, and a feeling of pride rushes through me because Daisy -as small as she is- has touched so many in such a short period of time. "Of course," I tell her while nodding my head.

After Hero, it's Mercy who I trust with Daisy. She's held Daisy quite a few times in the hospital and helped both of us with care and patience when others were rushed.

I feel Hero's eyes on me, and avert my gaze from Mercy -who is carefully taking Daisy out of the car seat- so I can look at him.

His eyes are shining with what I can only describe as pride. He is smiling his one-dimpled smile, and his hand finds mine for just a second to squeeze -a silent sign that tells me he is indeed proud and also happy that I let Mercy come that close.

"Well, have a seat everybody. I've made tea. Hero, Jo, would you like some?" Martha asks when Mercy has taken Daisy in her arms. To my surprise, Martha, Titan, and Maisie keep their distance, and I wouldn't be surprised if Hero or Mercy briefed them.

I appreciate it. Although I know that none of them would ever hurt Daisy, I still find it difficult when people that I don't know hold her.

"Yes, mum. Thanks," Hero answers before putting the car seat behind the door and walking one of the large sofas, just like everybody else.

"Tea is nice," I nod my head before following Hero and taking the seat next to him.

Martha disappears to get our teas, and for a moment silence fills the living area. It's not an awkward silence perse; Titan and Maisie are looking at Mercy who is holding Daisy in front of her while she looks at her endearingly.

Hero is looking at Mercy and Daisy too, a smile covering his face. I can tell that he likes being here; he looks completely relaxed and happy.

"She's really changed," Mercy says once again, now looking at me.

"I know," I smile. "She's doing good." I then turn to Maisie, who is sitting on the sofa across from us. "Thank you so much for all the clothes you left for Daisy. I'm very happy with them."

A bright smile appears on Maisie's face. "No problem! My sister had a little girl a year ago, so I know how many clothes a newborn needs. She looks super cute in this one." She nods to Daisy, who is wearing one of the cutest outfits today.

It's a two-piece; a pink legging and a sweaterdress in beige with two cuddling cats on the front. It's very girly, and I figured it could serve as a Christmas outfit.

Funnily enough, Martha, Mercy, Titan, and Maisie all are wearing casual outfits, just like Hero and I. Mercy and Maisie are both wearing leggings, Mercy with a pink shirt and Maisie with a red hoodie, and Titan is wearing a tracksuit with two crossed hammers labeled on his chest. Martha is wearing joggers as well combined with a blue long-sleeved shirt.

"She is super cute," Mercy pipes up, this time her voice high and her gaze on Daisy, who is looking at her with wide eyes. "You are the cutest little lady."

Hero and Titan chuckle, and I smile as well. When I was in the hospital, I noticed how good Mercy was with Daisy, but she was always professional. Right now, she is completely herself, and I like how she is with Daisy even more.

"Here we go," Martha says as she walks into the living room again, in her hands a tray with our teas, and a plate with small, one-bite cakes. She sets the tray on the coffee table and then offers me my glass followed by Hero's. "So Josephine, how do you like staying at Hero's place?"

Martha takes her half-full glass of tea from the coffee table and then takes a seat on a chair before looking at me over the rim of her glass. I steal a quick glance at the others and notice how both Maisie and Titan are looking at me as well. Mercy can't seem to take her eyes off Daisy, and Hero is looking at Daisy too, although I know that he did hear his mother's question.

"It's lovely," I tell her honestly. "Hero has been very welcoming and helpful. And I love our room. Hero told me you all helped with preparing it for Daisy and me, so thank you for that."

Martha waves it away immediately. "Oh, that was no problem. I'm happy that you like it."

"I do," I nod, confirming once again how happy I am that Hero has offered me a place to stay so I didn't have to move to Bristol. "And the cot that Daisy sleeps in is beautiful."

Martha's face lights up. "It is, isn't it. My siblings and I all slept in it, and these three rascals as well." She nods her head to Titan, Hero, and Mercy. "It's been in our family for quite some time."

Hero told me that he'd slept in it, but I had no idea that his whole family has slept in it as well. It must be a very emotional piece, and it warms my heart that they allow Daisy to sleep in it.

"Thank you for letting Daisy sleep in it as well. That feels very special."

Martha sweetly smiles and looks at Daisy for a moment. "From what I've heard, Daisy is pretty special," she says while her eyes flicker to Hero. In response, he clears his throat while his finger and thumb move over his eyebrows.

I smile, not sure how to react to her comment. I'm not even sure if it was entirely meant for my ears. Next to me, Hero shifts, and when I look at him, I see that his cheeks are slightly red while he looks at something non-existent on the carpet underneath his feet.

"So, presents?" Maisie excitedly says, breaking the silence and slightly awkward air that hang around the room.

My eyes widen and I look at Hero, who has moved his head up once again. "Presents?" I whisper, slightly panicked while everybody around us already starts to collect presents that lay underneaths the tree.

"Don't worry about it," Hero whispers back, his expression matching his statement completely.

"Me first!" Mercy excitedly says while she hands Daisy to Hero. He immediately scoots down on the couch and lays Daisy on his chest. And as always, she places her cheek against him while her two fingers find her mouth. She's drunk before we left Hero's apartment, so she's still full, and since Mercy just took a lot of her attention, I wouldn't be surprised if she falls asleep within minutes.

Hero kisses the top of her head, and I can't help but smile. Daisy's eyes already flutter closed, and she lets out a soft sigh as well, confirming she is just as content as she looks. He is her silent lullaby.

"Mum, this is for you," Mercy says while handing her mother a small gift before she turns towards her brother. "Titan," she says while handing him a square package. "Mais." Another small gift is handed to her brother's girlfriend.

She then turns to us. "Hero." She gives Hero another square package, pretty much the same size as Titan's. "And Josephine and Daisy," Mercy concludes before offering me one small gift and one bigger one, both wrapped in sparkling paper with a red bow in the middle.

With wide eyes, I take the two gifts she is holding out for me. It goes on auto-pilot; I'm shocked that she got me something and I feel even worse now that I am not able to give her something in return.

"Open up!" Mercy excitedly claps her hands, and everyone starts opening their presents on cue.

"Mercy, you shouldn't have-"

"Oh, that's nonsense, Josephine. It's Christmas. I would've gotten it for you if you were still in the hospital," Mercy reassures me before nudging her head. "Open it. I'm excited."

I giggle, fighting the emotion her words and generosity wake in me. Mercy is clearly someone who enjoys giving presents more than receiving them.

I start opening the small gift first, which has my name written across the label. Inside I find a pink box, and when I open it, I find a black card inside. Before I have time to figure out what it is, Mercy pipes up again.

"It's a gift card for my favorite clothing store, Zara. I thought maybe we could go shopping one of these days?" Her big green eyes look at me hopefully, and I can't fight the tears anymore.

How did I get this lucky?

"Oh, don't cry," Mercy says and then moves forward to wrap her arms around me. It's a bit unexpected, but I welcome it after a short moment of hesitation. I feel Hero's hand on my back, moving up and down reassuringly, and it's what relaxes me completely.

"Thank you," I mumble before pulling back so I can look at her. "I'd like to go shopping with you."

Mercy's face lights up even more. "Great. Now open Daisy's!"

I smile and wipe my tears away with my sleeve before opening the bigger gift. It's soft, and when I tear off the paper I see a fluffy fabric. I hold it up and notice how it's a coat. It's a little bigger than the clothes she's wearing now, and it's almost identical to the one Mercy lend me.

"Twinning is winning," Mercy states which makes everyone laugh.

"Of course," Hero mumbles beside me, and when I look at him, he grins and shakes his head.

"I love it," I smile at Mercy, who was looking at me curiously, waiting for a reaction. "And it's perfect for the cold weather."

"My thoughts exactly," Mercy agrees before standing from the ground and sitting on the couch next to Hero once more.

The others thank her for their presents as well. Hero and Titan both got a gift card from their favorite shoestore, Maisie got a card for Zara as well, and Martha got one for a hair and face treatment.

Next, Titan and Maisie start handing out their presents, and again they have one for Daisy and me as well. I'm touched that they took the time to arrange all this, and I've never felt more welcome.

They got Daisy a pair of white shoes which she can wear now because they are made of soft leather without a hard sole, and I'm once again gifted a card, this time one that's worth a haircut. I can't remember the last time I had a proper haircut.