Absolution- Alias Fanfiction

32) Dead Man Is Alive!!!

AN: Music for this chapter (on Repeat): Don't Let Go by Sarah McLachlan, Via Con Me by Paulo Conte

THIRTY-TWO

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"Better. What time is it?" Irina looked around groggy.

"Almost 8 PM." He smiled smoothing her hair. "You've been asleep almost the entire day. That's good."

"How's Lena?" She looked over to where her baby was probably sleeping.

"Sleeping like the angel she is." He ran his thumb over her cheek wondering how she was going to react to finding out that Mikhail was alive...and just a few doors done. He didn't think telling her now, was a good idea.

"Will you please bring her to me?" She asked with her big brown doe eyes that melted Jack. "I miss her."

"Of course." He went the bassinet and carefully lifted his sleeping child into his arms and smiled when she made a squeak and grunting noise at being disturbed.

"She's missed you, too. The bottle 'ain't nothin' like her Mama." He smiled and Irina laughed slightly as he placed the baby into her embrace.

She immediately lit up and Jack was relieved to see her eyes open. Irina was whispering softly into Lena's ear and the baby turned her face into Irina's snuggling against her cheek and warm breath.

"I was having the strangest dream... It seemed so real." Irina's brows furrowed after a moment trying to clear the fog in her head.

"About what?" Jack asked, running his hand over Irina's hair and down her back.

"It was so strange...so real. Mikhail was alive...he was here." She closed her eyes, shaking her head softly thinking about it. "I could hear his voice and he...was standing over me. In this room holding Lena...It was so real." She sighed and Jack's heart felt like it stopped in his chest. He didn't know what to say, if he should say anything. Thankfully, Irina moved on. "Jack, you're going to have to give her a bath tonight? Are you 'ok' with that?" She opened her eyes, looking into his. "You'll do fine, I promise." She smiled, knowing how nervous he was to do it alone. It had been forever since he bathed Sydney as an infant and he'd only bathed Lena, with Irina and her supervision.

"Ok." Jack nodded, feeling a bit nervous but up to the challenge. "Where are her clothes?" He looked around the room, having not seen Irina actually get them out and change the baby while he was here.

"They're in her nursery, next door." Irina smiled sleepily, playing with the long soft hair on Lena's neck. "Her sleepers are in the second drawer of changing table, and diapers are in the first. Make sure she has a Onesie on under the sleeper or she'll get too cold. I usually get everything first and bring it into the bathroom with us. That way she doesn't get cold going from one room to the next."

Jack smiled at another example of how wonderful of a mother she was... when given the chance. "She has a nursery here?" He asked smiling in wonder.

"Yes...I can't wait until she's old enough to start sleeping in it. It's so beautiful Jack. Illiyah did an 'amazing' job." She smiled softly, as the baby wrapped her tiny fingers around her pinkie.

Jack was intrigued but still his mind was wondering to the man down the hall and how he was going to reveal him to Irina, and when.