Aftermath

Author's Note: Buttercups3 talked me into continuing Consequences.

Prompt fill for buttercups3: The follow up to that delightful pregnancy story where Mayhem have their little baby and are super adorable and happy about it.

Rachel rested her eyes for just a moment. After seven months of constant apprehension, she had given birth to a slightly jaundiced, but otherwise healthy baby boy. A baby boy who was currently being bathed by his grandfather after his first nursing session.

Rachel's eyes fluttered open as Dad placed a blotchy-red and squashed-headed well-swaddled bundle into the cavity on the bed beside her. He was so beautiful. And that wasn't the black-market morphine talking. She sighed contentedly.

Rachel woke with a start. Something was wrong. She blinked rapidly to clear the crust, and saw Gene was missing. Pure panic cascaded through her. She lurched up to a seated position, much abused core muscles screaming at her through the residual morphine.

"Hey," Miles murmured softly.

Rachel's eyes fixated on him. He was holding Gene. Rachel released her anxiety in an expulsion of air, and set about to cancel her Red Alert.

Miles was sitting on a chair near the bed, holding a sleeping baby Gene football-style.

Rachel slumped back down into the bed, heart still pounding.

Miles had mother-henned like a… mother hen these past seven months, and it had gotten so bad – him telling her what she could and could not do (like he'd ever been pregnant!?) – that she had encouraged him to go with Monroe on his futile search for his son.

Monroe's son was full-grown with a wife and family of his own, and apparently hadn't taken too kindly to his long-lost – and most-wanted – father showing up out of the blue asking for his help with a new war. Miles had left Monroe in Connor's village in California. Monroe was attempting to 'be there' for his son and grandkids. Monroe, with grandkids?! Boggled the mind. Rachel was just glad he was 800 miles away from her family – further from Charlie, who had taken off with Aaron on a quest to talk to the nanites, whatever that meant.

Gene's fussing instantly drew her back to the here-and-now.

Miles began swaying Gene, a beatific grin on his face.

Tears burst forth from her ducts like a ruptured dam. Fucking hormones.

"What's wrong? He's okay, Gene is fine, see he's stopped crying, Rache? Babe? What's wrong? Everything is okay."

Rachel could sense Miles hovering, trying to soothe her, but with his hands trapped around the most precious cargo, unable to use his most potent soothing tool. Rachel wanted to tell him that these were happy tears, but was unable to spare the breath to do so.

Until she could. The tears stopped as suddenly as they started, and Rachel dried her eyes on her robe sleeve.

Rachel turned to Miles. His concern and love were painted plain on his face.

"They were happy tears Miles," Rachel attempted to explain.

Miles just looked even more confuzzled.

Rachel shrugged, unable to explain the hormonal mysteries of motherhood to Miles.

Rachel struggled to sit up, body still sore, but in far better shape than after Danny's C-section, and Dad said there was less tearing than with Charlie. It had been more than a little odd to have Dad as her obstetrician, but also comforting too in a way.

Miles hovered, uncertain.

Once situated, Rachel asked, "Can I have him?"

Miles reverently passed Gene over, and Rachel opened her robe and positioned Gene.

Miles made a sound somewhat in between a grunt and a gasp. Rachel looked over at him. He was faintly purple, and she could tell he couldn't decide if he should feel embarrassed or turned on.

Rachel ducked her head down to hide a smile and gazed at Gene. He was just so perfect.

Gene had a nice strong latch, and soon Rachel was drowsing off again.

"It's me," Miles murmured, as she felt him pick up a snoozing Gene. She heard him place Gene in the bassinet one of their new neighbors had gifted them.

Rachel was halfway under again when she felt the bed sink with extra weight. Miles scooted up to her, and cherishingly wrapped one arm over her, burying his face in her unwashed hair.

Rachel felt a somnolent grin creep upon her face. This must be what the Christian heaven feels like.

Miles coughed out a mouthful of hair and said, "Rache? You awake?"

Rachel hmmed in response.

"This is the most amazing thing ever," Miles sighed in a heartbreakingly earnest manner.

Rachel stretched one arm back to haphazardly pat at him, "Just wait until the 2 am feedings and the all of the laundry."

Caring for a newborn was hard. Caring for a newborn after the Blackout – the end of disposable diapers (not that she and Ben had used those for Charlie, and had only used them for Danny because the DOD daycare didn't do cloth diapers), the end of washing machines and driers, the end of 24-hour mini-marts – was harder. Caring for a newborn while fermenting a subtle rebellion against the Patriots' creeping influence and constantly on the move would be the hardest.

Miles absentmindedly stroked Rachel's shrinking belly, sending shivers shooting through her, "I can't wait."

Rachel could hear the grin in his voice.

"I love you," she professed.

"I love you too," he echoed.

No, this must be what the Christian heaven feels like.

Gene began to fuss. Grounding her. Rachel did not yet know if this was a hungry fuss, a wet fuss, or a lonely fuss.

"Miles? Could you check his diaper?" Rachel asked.

The Miles-weight rolled out of bed and returned with a dry and hungry baby.

Rachel fumbled with her robe and maneuvered Gene to her breast. He began sucking fiercely. He was such a good baby.

Miles didn't return to bed. Rachel bleary-eyed, looked around. He was sitting in the bedside chair watching.

"You can come back to bed. It may have been a while, but I'm an old hand at this, I won't squash Gene," Rachel said.

Miles shook his head, "I wanna watch." There was more than a note of wonderment in his voice.

Rachel mentally shrugged. He'd get tired of it soon enough – and downright tired – but for now, it was super sweet.

Rachel nodded off, the sweet pressure of a baby at her breast, and the knowledge that Miles loved her.

- Author's Note: Reviews and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated :)