the stars in your eyes | t.s. one shots

for her

well here we are. i wasn't planning on writing anything today, wasn't feeling up for it, even when it does usually help me on harder days. today felt too hard to even write- but this evening, i decided to give it a go anyway and see if it helped at all... and this probably isn't very good, but here it is. there's some hope in here for a day where i'm not feeling the least bit hopeful. so... enjoy, i guess x

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As Taylor holds the little girl against her bare chest, feeling her sweet, steady breathing, there's a brief moment in time where it feels like everything is going to be okay. Where nothing matters except for her, Travis, and the baby. The little family that they've built together. The road was long, with lots of bumps. They've got lots more challenges ahead of them, no doubt. But each step of the way was worth it, all for this very moment. It's picturesque, it's serene. It's just perfect.

Travis runs his fingers up and down her little back. "We going with the name we talked about?" he says, quietly enough that only Taylor can hear him. He's just so in awe. He's a father. He has a daughter now. She's so beautiful and perfect, just like her mama. And just like her mama, she's a strong little trooper. Twenty hours of labor wasn't for the faint of heart, but Taylor was a superstar. Travis had braced himself to be called every mean and vulgar name in the book, but Taylor hadn't called him even one of them. She'd never told him it was all his fault, even in the most painful of moments. Whether she cracked any of the bones in his hand because she was squeezing it so tightly... well, that's still up in the air. But it was all worth it for the little bundle of joy that's snuggled up against Taylor right now.

"I think it's the most perfect name ever," Taylor says, looking up at Travis as he stands at her bedside. "Elaina Isabel Kelce." The way that she says the name, testing out the feeling of it in her mouth, and then the instant smile that lights up her face, it tugs at the man's heartstrings.

"Hey little Elaina," Travis murmurs. "Welcome to the world. Mommy and Daddy love you so much." Under the buzzing florescent lights of the hospital, Travis learns something about love that day. He never thought that he'd be able to love someone so much, so quickly. But Elaina crawls her way to the top of his list, right next to Taylor, with the first breaths she takes. Elaina has permanent real estate in his heart, for the rest of time.

Yes, for a fleeting moment, everything is perfect. But after they take her home, as the days go by, Taylor starts to look at the world around her. That's when she starts to worry. What has she done, bringing a baby into this world? A nation that won't do anything to keep the little girl safe.

Travis comes home one day to find one of his girls crying- and it's instantly far more concerning given that it isn't the baby. It's Taylor, sitting on the sofa, hugging her knees to her chest as tears stain her cheeks. This whole roller coaster of an experience of motherhood, Taylor has been so strong, but something has broken her down today. She's finally letting herself feel the feelings that have been building up inside of her.

"Tay, baby," Travis says right away, dropping his bag on the welcome mat and walking over to her without bothering to kick off his shoes. "I'm all sweaty right now from football but I'm gonna give you a cuddle, is that alright?"

Her head bobs up and down to give him consent, so Travis sits down beside her and pulls his wife into his arms. "Sweetheart, what's wrong? I need you to talk to me. Is Elaina okay?"

"She's fine; she's napping," Taylor confirms. "Trav, there... I... It..." She can't seem to get her words out, but finally: "Have you looked at the news headlines today?"

"I've been coaching all day," Travis shakes his head. "Too busy to look at my phone." Though Travis retired last season with hopes of having more time to focus on his newfound family life, he accepted a low-level coaching position, working with the offensive linemen on the Chiefs, which he has been absolutely loving.