Baby Love
Title: Baby Love
Author: Diane
Pairing: Nathan/Haley
Rating: Teen Rated
Disclaimer: I don't own a thing!
Spoilers/Warnings: This is set sometime after episode 8.18 'Quiet Little Voices'.
Summary: Carrying her into the living room, he went over to the stereo and after first making sure the volume dial was turned down low, he switched it on; shaking his head when the sound of classical music filtered through the speakers.
Author's Notes: A massive thank you goes to Alison and Jen for all of their reassurances. I really appreciate the help, ladies. *hugs*
“Shh, it's okay, sweetheart,” Nathan soothed as he leaned over and scooped up his crying three-week-old daughter from her bassinet which was located in the corner of his and Haley's bedroom. Gently cradling the baby against his bare chest, he glanced across at his wife and saw that she was beginning to stir. Not wanting her to wake up so soon after having finally fallen asleep, he headed for the door and exited the room.
After checking Lydia's diaper and finding her to be clean and dry, he made his way downstairs and entered the kitchen where he set about heating up a bottle of milk Haley had expressed earlier. While he waited, he swayed from side to side, slowly rocking his baby girl in an attempt to both comfort her and cease her crying.
Picking up the bottle from the bowl of warm water he'd sat it in, Nathan squeezed some of the milk onto the inside of his wrist to test its temperature and satisfied that it wasn't too hot, he settled Lydia in the crook of his arm and brought the teat to her lips. He chuckled softly at how quickly she opened her mouth and greedily began suckling her milk. His heart swelled with love as he watched her; her beautiful brown eyes, which were the exact same shade as her mother's, were fixed on him as she drank her fill.
“Wow, you're a greedy little thing,” he joked when Lydia had finished drinking and he saw there was hardly anything left in the bottle. Setting it onto the counter, he carefully shifted the baby in his arms so that he could burp her, remembering just in time to grab a nearby dish towel and draping it over his shoulder just in case she spit up on him. He gently rubbed and patted her back as he walked around the kitchen. Carrying her into the living room, he went over to the stereo and after first making sure the volume dial was turned down low, he switched it on; shaking his head when the sound of classical music filtered through the speakers.
Nathan remembered Haley playing classical music to her bump when she'd been expecting Jamie and then after he was born. His smile widened as he recalled admitting to her that after she would fall asleep he'd switch the music to old school rap.
“How 'bout it, sweetheart? You up for listening to some of your dad's favorite music?” He was just about to reach out and press the button for one of the other preset radio stations when a whispered voice stopped him.
“Don't you dare!”
A smirk tugged at his lips as he turned around to face his wife. “What?”
“Don't 'what' me,” Haley teased as she closed the short distance between them. She could read him like a book and so had a pretty good idea of what he'd been about to do. Reaching out, she softly caressed her daughter's head before touching Nathan's upper arm; sliding her fingers upwards and curling them around the back of his neck. She directed his face to hers as she pushed up onto her tiptoes. The kiss was slow and tender and when she drew back from him she gazed lovingly up at him. “Have I told you how sexy you look when you're holding our children?”
Nathan nuzzled his nose against hers before popping another kiss onto her smiling lips. “Hm, you might've mentioned it once or twice.”
As they kissed again, Haley's hand covered his which was resting on Lydia's back. “Thanks for getting up with her.”
“You don't have to thank me for that, baby,” he told her. “Did her crying wake you?”
She shook her head. “No. I woke up when I felt that your side of the bed was empty.”
“Missed me, huh?”
“Yes,” she said, “I always miss you when you're not there.”
“Ditto.” Nathan punctuated his reply with a kiss. “God, I love you.”
Haley's heart rate picked up as it always did whenever he said those three words to her. “I love you, too.”
They stood there for a long moment, simply looking into each other's eyes. The silence was broken when a tiny snore emanated from the precious bundle in Nathan's arms.
“C'mon, let's go back to bed and get some rest before she wakes up again,” she said, smiling.
He nodded his agreement. “Lead the way.” After switching off the stereo and hitting the lights, he followed Haley back upstairs. “Hey, do you think our mushiness sent her back to sleep? Hales?”
The sound of her muffled laughter was the only response he received.
Fin