Lean on Me

Part Two - Chapter Twenty-Three: Babies First Word

Fernando glanced at Juan warily as the younger man walked into the locker room, he had seen his former friend talking with Rafael when he had arrived for training and it made him nervous.

Fernando turned his attention to getting changed as a couple of his other team-mates looked at him nervously, the last time that Fernando had seen Juan there had been a fight between the two friends and they were worried about how things would progress now.

"Fernando?" Juan said carefully as he eyed his former friend, he'd spent the last few weeks thinking about what he'd done the past few months and he was shocked at how far he had fallen.

After the New Year, Juan had decided that he couldn't spend his life moping about after a woman who saw him as nothing but a friend.

Fernando took a deep breath before he turned to look at Juan, his eyes wary as he wondered what the younger Spaniard wanted; he could see that a couple of the other footballers were preparing for another fight between the two men.

"I just wanted to apologise... I've been an idiot the last few months," Juan said carefully looking Fernando, it was a long shot but he wanted his friend back; it had come to him the other day that it wasn't just Cassidy that he missed but missed Fernando as well.

Fernando looked at Juan a little surprised that he was actually apologising to him after all that had happened; he was worried that this was some sort of trick so that Juan could get close to Cassidy again.

"I know you don't have any reason to believe me but... I'm serious Nando, I should have never messed with your relationship," Juan said hoping that Fernando would one day be able to forgive him for what he had done; he was coming back to training and was going to improve himself again.

***

"So Juan's back?" Cassidy asked holding Leia in her arms, she looked at her fiancé concerned after he had told her what had happened that day in training; she couldn't help but be worried what their friend had planned.

Fernando nodded his head as he ran his fingers through his long hair, he was having it cut in a couple of days and he was a little relieved since it was starting to annoy him.

"He apologised... and I think he's means it," Fernando said unsure of what to make of Juan's apology, he didn't completely trust the other footballer.

Fernando was determined to keep his family away from him until he was completely sure about what was going on in Juan's mind; this all seemed to change so quickly that he was concerned.

Leia pouted holding up her hands for Fernando to take her making her father smile as he moved to take his daughter; he cuddled her close knowing that he wasn't going to allow anything to pull his family apart.

The twins had recently started crawling more around the house and the couple had been forced to baby proof the place and were showing signs that any day now they could say their first words.

"So how was your day?" Fernando asked looking at his fiancée, she was dressed in a grey long line crew neck sweatshirt and black skinny jeans paired with textile low grey trainers; she looked completely relaxed and he was glad that she wasn't stressing herself out with wedding details.

"It was fine... the doctor says everything is fine with the twins," Cassidy said making Fernando smile looking down at Leia and bounced her carefully in his arms as Cassidy moved to make them some dinner.

"Dada," Leia babbled making both her parents stop and look at her as the little girl smiled up at her father; she clapped her hands as she repeated the word while Fernando couldn't stop the smile that formed on his face.

"Did she just?" Cassidy asked moving towards her fiancé and daughter, she blinked taken back as Leia pouted at the fact that Fernando looked away from her and turned his attention to her mother; he nodded his head speechless at what had just happened.

Cassidy laughed softly as she lifted Leia out of Fernando's arms and cuddled her close, she cooed at how clever her little girl was while the footballer couldn't stop himself from smiling; he couldn't believe that he was his daughter's first word.

"One down, one to go," Fernando said looking at Noah, he moved to pick his son up from his high chair where the little boy had been sat; he lifted him up into his arms knowing that Noah would speak would speak in his own time and when he was ready.

***

Cassidy sighed lifting Noah out of his bed, she sighed as she rocked him in her arms as she glanced over at Leia who was sleeping soundly in her bed; she bounced Noah lightly wondering what had upset her little boy.

"It's okay," Cassidy whispered looking at her son, his brown eyes looking at her as he clung to her body; she knew that while Leia was a daddy's girl, Noah was clearly a mummy's boy and she was sort of glad for that fact.

The last thing the couple wanted was for the twins to get attached to one person especially since they were both a little clingy and wanted attention all of the time from both of their parents; Llanta looked at Cassidy as the brunette attempted to settle Noah back down to sleep.

"Mama," Noah whimpered making his mother stop pacing and look at him, she stared for a moment a little taken back that he had spoken; she swallowed as Noah whimpered as she held him.

"It's okay... mummy is here," Cassidy said carefully cuddling him closer, she smiled to herself as she carefully moved to sit down in the chair that sat in the twins bedroom; she couldn't believe that Noah had spoken his first word.

"Mama," Noah said tiredly as Fernando walked into the room, he leant against the doorway as he watched his fiancée with their son; he had heard his son's first word over the baby monitor and couldn't resist.

"Is he okay?" Fernando asked continuing to watch them, his eyes locked on their son as Noah fussed making Cassidy sigh and nod her head; she got back to her feet as Fernando moved into the room.

Noah whimpered as his father carefully took him from his mother, he cuddled into his father's warm body while Cassidy fought back a yawn; this was the fifth time that night that Noah had woken his parents and they were starting to worry a little.

"The doctor said there was a chance that they'd come down with something after the injection," Cassidy said glancing over at Leia, her daughter was sound asleep and didn't seem to be showing signs of having what her brother had.

Fernando carefully bounced his son in his arms before he felt the top of his head, the little boy was a little warm and he knew that it would only be a couple of hours before Leia also came down with whatever Noah had.