He hears the familiar sound of squalling baby and sighs – the teething period is always the worst. He glances over to his sleeping partner and sighs, forcing himself away from the warm embrace of the comforter.
Sure, he's just got off call, but he's awake and he might as well do it – not to mention all the bonus points he'd better earn for this.
He pulls a teething ring out of the refrigerator and enters the nursery, and sure enough there's one pissed off looking baby howling in the crib. For something so small, they always seemed to make way too much noise. When they cry – faces splotched bright red, crusty snot around their nose and mouth, tears dripping off their cheeks – they look like gremlins.
He carefully hoists the kid out of crib and holds him up against his shoulder awkwardly while he tries to force the chilled teething ring into the baby's mouth. It takes a few tries because, well it's a baby and since you want something to go into their mouth – they of course will do their damnedest to spit it out.
Eventually though, he gets that the teething ring is supposed to help, not just some random annoyance being forced upon him by an adult like the sailor suit or the bunny ears.
Now if only the little brat would go back to sleep, he thinks as large blue eyes meet his, a long string of drool dripping onto his shoulder.
Which means he's going to have to pull out the big guns –
He paces the room slowly, stroking the amazingly tiny little body with all it's fine spongy bones and humming.
It probably has more to do with the vibrations in his chest than the tune itself, but it's something that has never failed to eventually lull a child to sleep.
"I never thought you for a 'Smile' kind of guy," JD yawns, glancing at the two of them sleepily.
It takes him a moment to figure out that JD is talking about the song as he carefully transfers the finally sleeping Sammy back into his crib.
"Didn't know it had a name," He mutters, backing away from the sleeping infant slowly. "My mother, when she felt like being one, used to hum it to me when I was little."
JD's got that tragic look on his face that he always gets when Perry brings up his own childhood. Whatever JD imagines is probably a lot more horrifying than anything that actually happened.
There's nothing he can do about what happened, just as there was he was defenseless to do anything back then. He doesn't see much of a point of focusing on it anymore – there's nothing that can change it. He can only ensure that his children don't experience the same things he did.
It's nice that JD cares though, even if he is going to stick to humming 'Margaritaville' to the little monsters from now on.
***///***///***
Lyrics to "Smile" by Charlie Chaplin:
Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking.
When there are clouds in the sky,
You'll get by – if you smile
Through your pain and sorrow.
Smile, and maybe tomorrow
The sun will come shining through,
For you.
Light up your face with gladness,
Hide every trace of sadness,
Although a tear may be ever so near.
That's the time you must keep on trying.
Smile, what's the use in crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile –
When you smile.