After Ever After

7. Crunch

"Please go to sleep, please, please, please go to sleep" Tom begged, patting Zara's back vainly as he paced the hotel room, her incessant wailing slightly muffled in his shoulder. "Please, just close your eyes and go to sleep"

Oh yeah because asking her nicely will work, you thought sourly though you kept it to yourself, knowing it wasn't him you were frustrated with.

Zara had been crying off and on since you'd landed in LA that afternoon, but it had been non-stop since arriving at the hotel. You'd tried to keep her on a semblance of her usual schedule, hoping that the familiar comfort of her nighttime routine would settle her but she wouldn't have a bar of it. She'd refused both breast and bottle, spitting out her dummy and screaming bloody murder in your ears as you took turns trying to soothe her. The pair of you had scoured Google for tips and tricks to deal with your unusually fussy baby, finding nothing that worked. It was now nearing midnight and you could actually feel your sanity slipping away with each wail.

"She's jet-lagged" you said, head in your hands, wondering how much longer the three of you could do this for.

"I know that Y/N," Tom shot back, stress getting the better of him. "But I've gotta shoot that fucking sequence again tomorrow and I need to sleep!"

"Give her here" you said, ignoring the flare of annoyance you felt towards him.

After a moment, Tom handed her to you, rubbing his eyes and sighing defeatedly as he sank onto the bed. Grabbing the carrier, you hooked a squirmy Zara to your chest before slipping on your joggers, wincing as she pulled your hair roughly.

"Where are you going?" he asked, frowning.

"For a walk. You need sleep and she's not settling any time soon"

"Y/N it's late, you can't go walking through the streets!"

"I'm not!" you replied, more sharply than you meant to. "I'm just going down to the gym to walk the treadmill till she sleeps" you continued, trying to emulate a calm you didn't feel.

He shook his head, stifling a yawn. "Doll, I -"

"I don't want you doing anything remotely dangerous on no sleep". Tom frowned, warring with himself. The bags under his eyes seemed to deepen as he thought, the need to take care of the two of you whilst being unable to clearly bothering him. "Handsome, we'll be fine. I'll have my phone on me. If I need you, I'll call"

"Promise?"

You sighed. Zara was still crying, the continuous albeit quieter sobbing of someone who was not getting their way, though what the little crotch goblin wanted was to sleep even if she didn't know it. "I promise. Be back soon" you said, hurriedly kissing his cheek and making your way to the gym.

With a sulking Zara strapped to your chest, you walked on the treadmill, staring dully at the wall before you. As you walked you realised that you hadn't had a proper sleep since departing London as Zara's four month sleep-regression had continued to mess with the both of you.

"I don't need a private charter, Tom" you'd argued as you helped him pack, rocking back and forth, a whiny Zara balanced on your hip. "It's a gross waste of money and fuel, let alone the environmental impact of the flight"

"Exhibit A why you should travel on a private charter!" Tom said, his voice slightly raised over his daughters sulking. "Babies don't travel well, darling, and you're going to want the privacy"

"Oh please, people travel with babies in economy all the time" you replied, trying to tempt her with her dummy. She turned away, scowling as she rubbed her cheeks against your shoulder.