September 2004

The lovers lay intertwined peacefully in the midnight black of the early morning hours. Only the faint wisps of the crescent moonlight provided a respite from the inky blackness. One dusky stroke rested appropriately on their joined hands. A large strong hand tenderly grasping the smaller, yet equally strong one. A thick, hunter green comforter surrounded them, as they held each other beneath its thick, warm folds.

It is into this peaceful setting that a small cry disturbs the comforting silence. Both stir slightly, only to settle back down almost immediately. A moment later, another cry rings out, this one longer and more insistent. He squeezes her hand gently and with his other hand gently pushes her long brown hair away from her ear.

"I'll get him," Todd whispers groggily, leaning down to plant a tender kiss on her bare shoulder. Téa mumbles something incoherent and snuggles deeper under the covers. He grins slightly, gently touching the soft brown hair that had fallen onto the pillow before he gets out of bed. He leans to the floor and grabs his discarded pajama bottoms and quickly pulls them on. He sees the faint outline of the doorway and, not wanting to wake her by turning on the light, carefully navigates his way through their dark bedroom, following the sound of tiny cries.

He enters the nursery, reaching carefully to turn on the small lamp by the door, making sure it keep it on the dimmest level. He walks over to the crib and gently reaches in to pick up his whimpering son.

"Alright," he whispers gently, "what is it tonight, buddy?"

The tiny baby squirms against his father, calming slightly as he finds the warm nook of Todd's neck.

"Oh you are so easy," Todd says, laughing lightly as he holds his precious baby son close. He closes his eyes, savoring the feeling of his son's soft skin against him.

"Here's the deal kid. You gotta let me and your mom get some sleep," he pauses for a second, smiling at his own words. "See what your mom has done to me, kid? Makes me actually look forward to sleeping!"

He walks slowly around the room, feeling the reassuring breath of his son on his skin.

"You know, I used to hate sleeping just as much as you do. Thing is, buddy, you gotta rest up. You're gonna need all that energy when you're ready to take on the world."

He gently kisses his son's soft forehead and carefully lifts him away from his shoulder. He lays him back down in the crib, lightly carressing his cheek and smiling at his son's closed eyes.

"How 'bout givin' us a break for the rest of the night, huh?" He waits a few more minutes, his chin leaning against the solid dark cherry rail of the crib, making sure the guy was really out before carefully making his way back to their bedroom.

"He okay?" he hears her sleepy voice mumble.

"Yeah," he whispers, shedding his pajama bottoms and climbing back into bed beside her. "He just likes the attention, like his mommy," he whispers, and she feels his lips form into a smile as the press softly against her shoulder.

"Oh, I think it's like his Papi, querido," she responds drowsily, snuggling closer to him.

"Me? I'm incredibly low maintenance," he quips back, causing Téa to laugh sleepily and turn on her other side, so she's facing him. He pulls her closer, nuzzling his face into her long, brown hair. They lay quietly, and soon, he recognizes the gentle rhythm of her breathing that tells him she's asleep.

He watches her. Still, after all the time they've been together, apart, and back together, it is one of his favorite things to do. This life he has...it was something that he never dared to let himself dream would actually come to him one day. He didn't deserve it. And it was that attitude that had pushed her away so many times. It had been a constant storm inside him - still was sometimes. The difference was now, he gave himself a break. He'd look at her, and realize that having her and their family, it was more important than the self hatred he would rain upon himself. More important than the punishment a part of him felt he deserved.

There were times though when he felt it. That waiting for the other shoe to drop feeling that only someone who had lived through the consistent disappointments combined with still finely tuned animal instincts could feel. It would never leave him...and that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Kept him sharp, ready for anything. Besides, he knew Téa. She loved his edge, his danger...just as much as she loved the man who tenderly cared for his children and held her in his arms all night.

His eyes catch the bright red numbers of the digital clock on the bedside table. There was a time when he had dreaded the night. But it seemed ever since she had come into his life - the night had gotten easier. The simple act of watching her sleep, even early on in their first marriage, had started to ease the fear and loneliness of the dark night hours.

Now, even his sleepless nights, which he still had, didn't seem quite so bad. In fact, he'd venture to say that with her safely in his arms, he could get through anything the demons of the night could throw at him.

He intertwines his hands with hers, he drifts back to sleep...

unaware of the cold eyes looking up from the ground below.