Two Pink Lines

48

Alice had drifted off a few hours ago, after some prompting from FP. She had been exhausted after the baby was born but had refused to go to sleep, wanting to soak up as much time with their baby girl as she could. But once FP saw her eyes fluttering shut, he had presses a kiss to her head and told her to get some rest. The baby was sleeping, and she needed to get some sleep before the kids came by to meet their new sibling. Plus, he was tired too, so it'd be a chance for all of them to get some rest.

The soft stirring and sounds from the bassinet woke him, and he peered over to see their daughter slowly waking. He stretches out his arms as he sits up, his neck a little stiff from sleeping in the arm chair, and walks over to the bassinet, tickling the baby's belly as she starts to whimper.

"Hey pretty girl," He coos, scooping her up into his arms and cradling her close to him. "Did you have a good sleep?" The baby yawns in response and he chuckles. "Still a little tired Buttercup?"

He sits back down in the armchair, gently rocking her back and forth in his arms, his eyes trained on hers as she stares up at him.

"You two are cute." Alice's tells him softly.

He smiles at her. "Did we wake you?"

She shrugs. "I heard you moving, I don't mind though, I wouldn't want to miss this."

"She started stirring, thought that meant she was done napping but she's still a little restless." He tells her, lifting himself up from his seat and heading over to Alice. "Maybe she just wants her mama."

"She might be hungry too," Alice adds, sitting up better in her hospital bed to make room for FP beside her. "She didn't eat much when I tried nursing earlier."

"You hungry Freddie girl?" FP coos, his voice noticeably higher and squeakier. He slowly joins Alice in the bed, careful not to jostle the content little baby in his arms.

Alice wraps her arm around his, and rests her head on his shoulder, breathing him in as she smiles at the life they created. "Hi baby girl, you hanging out with your daddy?" Alice giggles as the baby lets loose another yawn. "Oh big yawn, you're a sleepy little girl, huh?"

FP smiles and strokes the baby's cheek. "You take after me, I suppose. I like to sleep too."

"We'll have to see if she has your eating habits too."

"Wouldn't surprise me." FP chuckles. "Once she's old enough we'll have to take her to Pop's for some cheese fries, see if she likes them as much as you did when you were pregnant with her."

"Sounds like a plan." She nuzzles in closer to his side and sighs pleasantly. "She's so perfect."

"She really is." He gently passes the baby to her and curls his arm around her shoulders, smiling at how Alice face lights up when she cradles their daughter. "We did a damn good job."

She smiles, but it slowly fades as her eyes tear up. "Yeah, we really did."

He can hear it in her voice, the way it trembles as she bites back tears. "Are you crying, baby?" He asks her, cocking her head to look at her. "What's wrong?"

She shakes her head, letting a soft laugh. "I'm okay." She assures him. "It's just... she looks like Charles did when he was born." He gets it immediately and tightens his arm around her, stroking her shoulder with his fingers. "I mean it makes sense that she would, I guess it just caught me off guard a little bit."