MALCOLM Hilditch had always considered himself a man's-man, tough but fair. He supposed it was his Scottish middleclass background. He wasn't one to get overly emotional or tear up easily but the sight that greeted him in the London hospital that evening was enough to make him more than a little misty.

He'd knocked on the door gently, youngest daughter Caitlyn Jean and Athena in tow - freshly sprung from the school they both attended – the school all his daughters had attended.

A very quiet "come in" told him something special was happening but it left him unprepared for how special. There standing by the window rocking and singing to his son was Malcolm's son. Sarah lay quietly sleeping in the bed, though he suspected she wasn't asleep at all but instead watching her boys.

Malcolm loved his daughters with all of his heart, would protect them with his dying breath, had been so excited when each of them and then each of his four granddaughters were born but there was something about this seeing his son and his new grandson together. Sarah would call him a misogynist but this was something a father hopes for, wants to be part of, one of the most special moments in life, watching his boy in the first hours of fatherhood, it brought a feeling that he couldn't describe. It brought memories of holding Hilditch and his sisters back clearly, it made him feel both mortal and immortal, the Hiddleston line was assured at least one more generation (no matter what Sarah had to say). It was just so intangible perfect. Maybe it was partially that, with Dane's career and lifestyle, Malcolm had begun to suspect he'd never see this day or it might be he was just an old romantic and had always hoped Sarah and Dane would settle into something close to a normal relationship, but whatever it was, at that moment looking across the room this scene was pretty close to the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

Despite his best efforts to hold it in like a man is supposed to, he misted up and feeling eyes on him, he looked over to see Sarah smiling. A smile split his own face and behind him, he heard quiet gasps and the sound of mobile phones being taken out and used.

Aah, he loved this generation – always prepared, ready to capture any moment rather than live it! But for once this was worth capturing, yes definitely worth capturing. He'd have copies of those shots (it would beat anything he'd take with his phone – which was usually just his thumb in front of the lens).

Dane looked up with a small enigmatic smile, his eyes were like sapphires and he was all lit up, Malcolm felt, even more, pride surge through his body – they'd done good – even if they had called his grandson some pretentious, poncy, over-blown Greek name instead of something solid, Scottish and normal! He wondered what moniker the poor mite would get at school – Lie? Liar? Lice? Hilditch was going to give him enough grief – well Huntington he supposed, beggars can't be choosers and at least his grandson was still part of the family and his mum and dad were in the same room.

"Come and meet your grandson dad," Dane said quietly his blue eyes flashing again with excitement as he held the baby up a little. He had the Hilditch nose – no mistaking that even from this distance, he'd never doubted the baby was Dane's but anyone who did need only look at his face. He was currently more Hilditch than Huntington, more Malcolm and Dane than Sarah or Margaret.

Malcolm walked to his son with long confident strides wiping his itchy eye, they weren't tears, while behind him he heard the girls head to Sarah, greeting her and handing over the hastily bought presents they'd got at the gift shop on the way up, a small teddy from Athena and a t-shirt and some bibs from CJ. Sarah was sitting up now and no longer pretending to sleep and she hugged both girls, her sister, and her youngest sister-in-law enthusiastically. She looked tired, tired but happy, he remembered Margaret after she had Jane – awake all night just staring at the sleeping babe in total wonder. He remembered it clearly, she watched the baby and he watched them, totally mesmerized and more in love than he had ever been. But they were too different and he was too driven in the end – he sent a silent pray to whoever was listening that these two had enough career behind them to enjoy the family in front of them. But at the moment the future could take care of itself – at the moment it was just the future. What was important was the little scrap of humanity in his son's long arms.

Malcolm clapped Dane on the back and looked over his shoulder just as the littlest member of the generational gathering opened his eyes.

"Lysander William this is your grandfather," Dane said as Malcolm peered at the small baby.

"He's a gorgeous bairn son, a gorgeous wee bairn," Malcolm enthused, tears welling up. CJ had snuck round to grab a few pictures.

"I'll have some of those," Sarah, who had got off the bed and was standing behind CJs shoulder looking at the shots of the three of them together, enthused. She tried not to cry, they were three peas in a pod, all together like that, even at just a few hours old, you could tell where Lysander had come from. A few weeks ago- hell even maybe a few hours ago, that would have made Sarah sad but now, now it seemed right. She didn't know what her relationship would be with Dane but she knew that she had no right to keep these three apart. She could already see the three of them off at the rugby – or more likely Lysander and Malcolm at the rugby and Dane somewhere filming, but even if Dane was a way a lot, the little boy would have and needed his grand-dad.

"Yes I think I need some shots of the Hilditch boys all together for the first time!" she said firmly and Malcolm and Dane looked up with inquiring eyes.

"Hilditch?" Dane asked like he wasn't quite sure what he was hearing and Sarah nodded.

"His first name is for my parents and his middle name is for both of us, he could have Hilditch if you want?" she asked tentatively, not sure what she was doing, suddenly terrified he'd back out, if Lysander was a Hilditch, people would find out about his parentage, that Dane Hilditch had a "love child".

Instead of panic though Dane's eyes lit up and so did Malcolm's, he now had his arm around his son and with the other hand, he was gently caressing the baby's face.

"Welcome to the family Lysander William Hilditch," Malcolm said gently and Sarah was sure both father and son were going to cry, she wasn't far off it herself, particularly when her little sister came and stood next to her and hugged into her body.

"We're keeping him?" she asked quietly, tears in her eyes.

"You knew?" Sarah asked.

Athena nodded guiltily. "The day Uncle Mal came over – I'd heard you talking to Boyd - I didn't want you to give him away, I wanted you to love him and Dane, I wanted us all to be a family" she said through sobs.

"Oh sweetie," Sarah soothed. "I'm so sorry, so so sorry. I was just scared sweetie, but I couldn't do it, I think I always knew I couldn't do it, I love him and you and even the knucklehead over there too much. I thought I was alone but I forgot I had this crazy messy family."

"Is that why you went to see Dane dad?" CJ asked and Malcolm rolled his eyes as Sarah shot him a look of surprise.

"You knew too and you flew to LA?"

Malcolm laughed. "I can't resist a trembling lower lip – no matter which of my girls it belongs to and let's face it someone had to set this knucklehead straight."

Sarah shook her head in disbelief. She wanted to be angry, disappointed that Dane didn't come to this decision on his own, maybe she was, but then maybe he'd have come to her anyway. Doubt crept in. Then Dane handed Lysander to his father. And told him he'd earned a cuddle, more than earned it, he'd already wanted to be there for his son but his words had been the wake-up call, the extra push he'd needed to come and claim the woman he loved and their little boy.

There were tears then, lots of them – and hugs – Dane and his sisters, Malcolm and Sarah, the Huntington sisters.

Malcolm put an arm around Sarah and pulled her into a hug, kissing her cheek.

"Thank you," he whispered to her. "Thank you for my beautiful grandson and for making my son look that happy!" he said pointing towards where Dane was supervising as each of his youngest sisters cuddled their new nephew.

"Thank YOU for looking after my sister and being an interfering old bastard," Sarah growled but there was mirth in her voice and Malcolm laughed.

"Only when I have to be my dear, only when I have to be!"

"You, Athena and Lysander are family – our family – whatever happens in the future you have all the Hilditch's around you, you are never alone," he said kissing her cheek again.

"Oy," Dane said looking up.

"Get your own girl!"

Malcolm laughed.

"She is one of mine – and don't you forget it, young man – you break her heart and son or not you'll be in trouble!" Malcolm growled goodheartedly.

"Quite right!" Dane laughed, coming over and hugging his dad after putting the baby in his crib so both his of his young aunts could fuss over him. Not that he was very interesting yet – not yet.

"I'm so proud of you, you'll be a great father and you young lady are the best mother I could want for my grandson," he said putting an arm around both.

The visit was only short and soon Malcolm and the girls were hugging them all and Malcolm was telling Dane how proud he was and Sarah was promising the girls they could come and visit properly at home and then they were gone and the Doctor was there.

An hour later Dane had loaded his family into Neville's car and they were driving home, starting their family life for better or worse. It felt surreal but he didn't know how the HELL he was going to leave them even for an hour or two in the morning. All he knew was he probably wasn't going to sleep. As he looked in the rearview mirror and saw Sarah talking to their son, he knew he was too wired to do anything – though he kind of wished they weren't walking into an ambush of family and friends. At the moment he just wanted to be with the two most important people in his life – he had that now. He had a family.