Summary: Callwater. Baby and family fluff.
..
He kisses her knuckles before his eyes shift back to the bundle in his arms.
"I can't believe you did this," he whispers, wonder and awe lacing his lips. His eyes watch carefully as the babe in his arms sleeps.
"I can't take all the credit," Leah snorts as she tries to fix her hospital grade pillow. "After all, you can thank her daddy for those eyebrows."
Embry blinks as the newborn fusses. He can't see anything wrong with her perfectly arched brows.
"Pat her bottom," Leah instructs, reaching to touch his forearm. Her nimble fingers move his hands into action.
He shifts the babe, sliding back into the chair carefully. He uses the butt of his palm to softly tap the pink muslin wrap. She's nestled into the crook of his elbow safely and he breathes her in. She smells brand new and a perfect mix of her mother and father.
"She suits pink," he mutters as he touches the tiny fist that slips from the bundle. "And she's strong," he goes on, feeling the little girl grasp her tiny fingers around his one.
Leah smiles graciously, knowing that compared to the wolves, this tiny, precious and very unexpected blessing, was nowhere near as strong as her family. Not yet anyway.
His hair falls in front of his eyes and he brushes it back. He peeks at her hair under her little cocoon. It's dark and long, at least for a baby.
He's never understood the fuss over these tiny little humans until now. Her brows draw together as she grumbles, lips tightly pressed.
She is picture perfect, a reflection of the woman beside him, the strongest person he's ever known.
.
They sit on a tattered blanket, waves crashing in front of them in the distance. He watches as Leah nurses, a light cover draped over her shoulder shielding both her and her young from wandering eyes and the mid-morning light.
He brings his knees up, legs spread, and rests his elbows on them, head down. The smell of salt lingers as he sits with his eyes closed. He listens to the beats of their hearts.
"Will it always beat that fast?" he asks, his hair falling to the side as he turns to Leah.
"I don't think so," she says softly, peeking under the cover and adjusting her breast. "Paul said it's always fast when they're little like this."
Embry feels a tinge of jealousy, "What would Paul know anyway? Just because his sister had a baby, doesn't mean he's the baby whisperer or anything."
Leah's eyes sparkle as she watches the wolf next to her sulk. Her face softens after a moment, remembering how young Embry is, even though he doesn't look it. She places a hand on his thigh and squeezes, reassuring him.
That night when Leah and Pia fall asleep, he dashes down the stairs and pulls the hidden rucksack lodged between the back door and laundry. He carefully retrieves everything from the bag and lays it on the small table in the kitchen.
He starts at the beginning.
He reads until the early hours. He makes notes. Hell, he even highlights passages and bookmarks pages. He is only half way through the third chapter on Perspective Taking when he rests his head on the open book, his eyes lulling shut. The words are blurry so he promises himself he would only rest for a second.
He wakes suddenly to the high-pitched squeal of a child.
"I'll get her," he blurts out, his eyes still adjusting to the light. He blinks a couple of times and looks up to see Leah, standing in the kitchen, baby tucked against her. Leah scrunches her brow as if to say, 'What are you talking about?'
"Here."
Shaking his head he sits up, unsticking the book from his face, and rolling his sore neck. He rubs his eyes a few times before he finds a baby being pushed into his arms. She's wide awake and staring at him with those big brown eyes.
Leah moves around the kitchen, collecting old bottles from around the living room. She opens them, rinses out any residue and throws them in the bottle washing contraption.
"I don't know where Emily finds this shit, but it's amazing. Not that I'll ever admit it." Leah says in awe of the baby shower gift. "What are you reading?"
"Nothing," he mumbles, trying to push the books back into the bag while balancing Pia against his chest and shoulder.
Leah picks up the book he'd fallen asleep on. "Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs" she reads aloud, making his cheeks pinken. "Really, Call?"
He sighs and pats Pia's back, switching to rub circles when she grumbles like a little animal. "Look. I don't know shit about kids, Leah. I didn't have any cousins or younger siblings to be able to practice on. I just want to make sure she's safe. That I do everything I can so she grows up well-adjusted and happy. I don't want her screwed up like the rest of us."
Leah takes a seat in front of him and squeezes his hand. "You're doing fine, Embry. Better than fine. You're a natural. Trust me." She waits until he nods before she moves.
She drops a kiss to his head before lifting a dozing Pia from his shoulder, dropping a kiss on her tiny cheek as well.
"Who's my little Pia pumpkin? Come to mommy."
.
He talks to Jacob later that day.
"You wanna tell me what I'm doing here?" Jacob asks, his weight making the couch groan. Embry knows his Alpha isn't comfortable with this situation, but knows he must accept it. He knows he must accept everything because Leah's happiness had always been above his own.
"Leah wanted to talk to you herself," Embry starts, his tongue worrying his lip. "But I told her I would talk to you. Since you're my brother and all."
Jacob stiffens considerably. "You brought me here to bring up my father's indiscretions or to actually fucking ask me something?" he growls. He's not angry, more disappointed in Billy than anything.
"Simmer down, Black," Leah hisses as she pushes the fly screen open, wrapped bundle over her shoulder, diaper bag hanging over her other shoulder.
Embry watches as Jacob swallows, his eyes soaking over Leah. He doesn't like that Jacob still looks at her like that.
"Hey, Lee," Jacob grins as she steps forward into the living space.
Instead of greeting him with a hug she dumps Pia in his lap. "Here, Uncle Jake, look after the kid." she muses, light dancing in her eyes before she saunters off down the hall.
Jacob looks at the tiny little face looking at him and he feels speechless. He tries to pick it up but it fusses which freaks him out. "A little help, Embry," he pleads.
"You're telling me you can fight a whole armada of vampires but you can't handle a little girl?"
Jacob snorts, "You know girls have never been my forte. They're always punching me in the face for some reason."
Embry rolls his eyes and grabs for his daughter. She gurgles when she sees him, gracing him with a gummy smile.
"Is she smiling?" Jacob asks, brows pressed.
Embry chuckles. "She is, but it's not because of me. Wind, man."
Jacob's nose crinkles. "Gross."
A few minutes later after a nappy check and finding her pacifier in the bag, Embry lays Pia down on the play mat. He sits on the edge of the coffee table so he can watch her and his Alpha at the same time.
"How's things with Bella?"
Jacob cringes and huffs. "It is what it is."
Embry nods. He knows Jacob was having problems with Bella. Mostly her need for extra martial liaisons before coming home to grovel for forgiveness. "I'm sorry," he offers.
His Alpha gives a small nod.
"Leah and I wanted to know - if you would be Pia's Godfather. Seth was the most obvious choice but he's in California at school and isn't around. I know it's strange but,"
"It is strange," Jacob answers as he glances at the tiny little bronzed babe whose fists are balled and reaching for the hanging toys of the play mat.
"But, Leah and I trust you. You've been our Alpha for a long time, and - you looked after both of us, even when one of us was being a major pain in the ass."
They both chuckle when they hear a growl form somewhere deep in the house. "I heard that!" she yells.
Pia, hearing her mother's voice, hits at the hanging toys in excitement, legs kicking rapidly.
"You two think you're so smart," Leah tuts as she enters the room, drape in hand. She sits on the couch, watching as Embry bends down to pick up their daughter. Her head cocks to the side appreciating the view.
"Ready for dinner, big girl?" Embry asks as he kisses her little face and then hands her to her mother.
"Dinner?" Jacob asks, glancing over to the stove. "Oh." He replies when he sees Leah reaching for the strap of her dress. He tears his eyes away and is grateful for the wrap she lays over her shoulder and Pia. He is sure his face is red and he clears his throat and the inappropriate thoughts racing through his mind.
"Boys," Leah mutters to herself as she unclips her bra and helps Pia feed under the cover. "All the wanna do all day is stare at breasts, then when breasts have an actual use, they get all shy."
"So?" Embry asks, tired of watching his half-brother and Alpha make inappropriate glances at Leah.
"I think you're both crazy, but I'd be honoured. Truly." Jacob says as he stands, shaking Embry's hand. "I'll be back for the barbeque on the weekend." As Jacob moves to the door he ruffles Leah's hair. "See ya, princess. Be good to Embry."
"Fuck you, Black." Leah growls. She almost pouts knowing she can't chase after Jacob and beat him down like she used to.
"Is she always this charming?" Jacob asks Embry, a huge grin over his face as he pushes open the front door.
"She's your Beta. You don't need to ask, you already know," Embry grins back.
Leah glares at them both.