Way To Go Tiger

Chapter 6

Taylor's POV

The dorm room was quiet, with only the soft hum of the campus beyond our windows. Travis had already fed Ivy once, carefully following the instructions I'd given him earlier. Now, as he laid her back in the crib, I pulled the blanket up over my shoulders, hoping to finally get some sleep. But Ivy had other plans.

Not even two minutes after being placed in the crib, her tiny cries filled the room again. I sighed, turning onto my side to see Travis standing over the crib, his large hands cradling her tiny body. He picked her up without hesitation, holding her close to his chest.

"It's okay, baby girl. Daddy's got you," he murmured softly, bouncing her slightly as he paced the small space.

I could feel the exhaustion weighing on me, but no matter how tired I was, sleep felt impossible with Ivy fussing so much. Every time she left our arms, she cried, and while I wanted to help, I knew Travis needed sleep too. He had training camp in the morning, and the last thing I wanted was for him to be dead on his feet.

"Trav, you should sleep. You've got a big day tomorrow," I said softly, watching as he continued to soothe our daughter.

He looked over at me, his face illuminated by the dim light coming from the hallway. "I'm fine, Tay. You should try to get some rest. I'll hold her for a bit."

I propped myself up on one elbow, staring at him with concern. "You've already been up twice. I don't want you to burn out."

He shook his head, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I don't mind. She's just figuring things out, right? Besides, she seems happier when we're holding her."

I knew he was right, but the idea of him staying up all night, knowing he had training in just a few hours, made me feel guilty. I wanted to offer to take over, but my body was already betraying me with exhaustion. Just the thought of standing made my muscles ache.

"I'll stay up with her after the next feeding," I mumbled, already feeling my eyes droop.

"You just had a baby," Travis said, his voice gentle but firm. "Let me handle this tonight. You need to rest."

I wanted to argue, but my body refused. I watched as Travis settled into the chair by the crib, holding Ivy against his chest as he gently rocked back and forth. Her cries quieted almost immediately, her tiny hand clutching the fabric of his shirt as she nestled into him.

"She just wants to be close to us," he whispered, his voice soothing even in the dim light. "I'll stay up with her, I promise."

I knew Travis well enough to understand that once he made up his mind, there was no convincing him otherwise. So, I let out a soft sigh and laid back down, though sleep continued to evade me. Every time Ivy let out a little whimper, or I heard Travis shifting in the chair, I found myself wide awake again.

Hours passed, with Travis feeding Ivy every two hours from the bottles I'd pumped. Each time, he would wake me to make sure I was okay with it, asking if I wanted to take over. And each time, I watched him handle her with such care, cradling her in his arms like he'd been doing this his whole life. His movements were slow and deliberate, as if the outside world—the chaos of football, the pressure of camp—didn't exist in that small room.

By the time the sky outside began to shift from deep navy to pale gray, I realized Travis hadn't slept at all. He'd stayed up the entire night, holding Ivy, rocking her, whispering softly to her each time she stirred.

"Trav," I whispered, pushing myself up in bed. "You didn't sleep."

He glanced over at me, the dark circles under his eyes undeniable, but there was a soft, loving look in them. "I'm okay, Tay. I'll nap when I can later."

"You need rest. You have camp in a couple of hours."

"I'll be fine," he insisted, leaning down to kiss Ivy's head as she finally drifted off again. "She's worth it."

I couldn't argue with that. Watching him, holding our daughter like she was the most precious thing in the world, my heart swelled with a love so intense, it was almost overwhelming. He was putting her first, even when he had every reason to take care of himself.

"I love you," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

"I love you too, Tay. And I love our little girl," he replied softly, rocking her gently in his arms.