Hide and Spy- Gallagher Girls FanFic

Holding the Baby- Part 1

Joe

I sighed and wrapped a towel around my waist as my daughters cry broke the quiet in the small town house. She couldn’t have slept for ten more minutes, I thought to myself as I crossed the hallway to her very pink room. Everything from the carpet to the sheets in the crib were veering shades of pink, but it was what Rachel had wanted (Though how much Abby and Cam had influenced her I don’t know) so it was what she had got. 

I lifted the baby in to my arms and rocked her gently as I cooed, “What’s to do, sweetheart?”

Rachel came in with her overnight bag on her shoulder, “She’s probably hungry, there’s a bottle warming up in the kitchen,”

I looked around to her and smiled, “I thought you’d gone?”

She shook her head, “I’m waiting for Abby to pick me up,” She looked to Amy in my arms, a flash of worry crossing her features, “Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

I look to my daughter and smiled, “How hard can it be?”

Rachel gave a short sharp laugh and shook her head, “There were times when I first had Cam that I would have preferred to be on a mission,”

I chuckled and looked to Amy, my daughter, this weekend would be the first time that I had been completely on my own with her. I wasn’t sure if I was nervous or excited. 

“We’ll be fine,” I assured Rachel, “Won’t we kid?”

She sighed and kissed my cheek as a car horn sounded outside, “Call me if there’s anything at all,”

I rolled my eyes, “I can manage,” I kissed her cheek in return, “Have a good weekend, try not to worry, and just relax,”

She looked to Amy and ticked her cheek, “You know I’m not a spa weekend sort of person,”

I smiled and nodded, “It’s for your sisters birthday, who knows, if you relax enough you might actually enjoy it!”

Rachel rolled her eyes and leant down to Amy, “Be a good girl for your daddy,” She kissed my cheek again, “Love you,”

“And you,” I smiled, “See you on Sunday night,”

I moved to the window as she ran down the stairs and out of the door. I pulled the curtain back and smiled as Rachel paused before she got in the car and blew a couple of kisses up to us. Taking Amy’s small hand to wave softly to her I laughed as Rachel waved back before getting in the car. 

I looked down to Amy and smiled, “Now, shall we get you some breakfast?”

Taking a seat on the leather sofa I lounged back and held the bottle for Amy as she sucked at it. While she fed I looked around the room, smiling at the family photos we had had done with Cammie when Amy had been just a few weeks old. My personal favourite was one of Rachel holding Amy by one of the ornate windows at the school, the sun was shining through the coloured glass leaving patters on their skin as they smiled at each other.

“What did I do to deserve you two?” I sighed and looked down to Amy. So sweet and innocent, how could something so pure some from someone like me?

I leant down and kissed her cheek as she pushed the bottle away, “Let's go and get dressed,” 

I had just set Amy down in her lounger when the doorbell rang. I’d been expecting Zach, he was looking after Kim as Edward was away on an emergency mission. I checked through the front window to find him stood with a baby seat at the door, “It’s open!” I called to him and went to make coffee, he looked like he needed it.

“I swear,” Zach sighed as he set Kim’s car seat down, “This child is the devil incarnate,”

I laughed and looked to the sleeping 7 month old, “She doesn’t look it.”

He threw a glare at the baby, “Abby dropped her off last night, I swear she didn’t sleep!”

I smiled again and turned to the kitchen, “Do you want a coffee?”

“If I don’t I’m going to fall asleep on your floor,” Zach sighed and moved to lounge on the sofa. 

In the kitchen I smirked to myself, how was he going to cope when Cam had their baby? I made Zach an extra strong coffee and took it out to him. Pausing in the doorway I chuckled softly to myself, the poor kid had fallen asleep on the sofa and was snoring softly. Kim and Amy were also asleep in their respective seats, leaving me no excuse to not mark the papers that the Sophomores had handed in on Friday.

While I was marking the papers, my phone buzzed next to me. I picked it up and smiled softly, Rachel was fussing.

How are you getting on? R xx

With a shake of my head I got up and headed in to the lounge, pleased to find the three of them still asleep. After checking my phone was on silent I snapped a quick photo and sent it to her with the caption-

Sleeping like babies. X

Just as I was about to go back to my marking I noticed Kim starting to wake up. I quietly lifted her out of her car seat and took her, and the bag Zach had brought, in to the kitchen. Holding her on my hip I looked through the bag for a bottle, as I did so I set a toy monkey down on the table. Kim whined and reached out from my side, trying to grab the toy that was too far for her to reach.I passed it to her and smiled as she held it tightly whilst babbling to herself. 

Eventually, I found a bottle for her and put it on to warm as my phone buzzed again. 

All three of us say, Ahh. R xx

I laughed and pocketed the phone. I looked to Kim as she entertained herself with the Monkey toy, “You’re missing you Mom and Dad, aren’t you kid?” I sighed as I watched her, “Is that why you didn’t sleep last night?” I looked to the scar on my arm, a reminder of how many missions we had all been through, “What are you going to do when she’s away for weeks at a time kid? You can’t go that long without sleeping, trust me.”

Of course, the little girl was oblivious to my words and continued to wave about her toy. She turned her head and our eyes met for a brief moment, I smiled and brushed her short hair off of her face, “I promise you one thing though, Kid. There will always be someone there for you, even if your parents aren’t.”

“Do you make that promise to every infant you meet?”

I looked away from Kim and to where Zach was leant in the doorway, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched me. With a smile I shook my head, “Just those of a Morgan, Cameron, or Goode bloodline,”

Zach chuckled quietly, “Really?”

I looked back to Kim, “You guys are the only family I’ve got,” I paused and looked past him and through the door to where Amy still lay asleep, “If I can’t look after you lot, then I’ve not got anything.”

Zach smiled and stepped forward, patting my shoulder as he passed me, “And we wouldn't not have you here,” He took a breath and frowned, “Apart from when you send photos of me asleep to my wife,”

I laughed and passed Kim to him so I could get the bottle out for her, “You wait until you’re having to do night feeds.”

He groaned and took the bottle from me, while I laughed and went to check on Amy.