Help Me Make It Through the Night

Pairing: Mark/April friendship mentions of Maureen

Disclaimer: I own no one.

A/N- A companion to April 7th. Thanks to my beta, Evie.
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Mark wandered out of the bedroom to find April fussing with the fleece blankets nestled in the bassinet.

"April?" His voice was soft, just below a whisper. "What are you doing?" She jerked around.

"Just trying to keep it perfect," she muttered. "I'm sorry," She wiped her eyes. "I won't touch it again," Mark, moving forward, gently rested his hand on her shoulder.

"It's fine," he said. "It's fine." He sighed. "It's not you. I'm just worried about Maureen. She's not eating. She's barely sleeping." He blinked back tears. "You know she's eaten in three days? A cup of chicken broth…what am I supposed to do? Sometimes I think people forget she was my baby too," He collapsed, allowing April to catch him.

"Shh," April murmured, sinking to the ground with him still cradled tightly in her arms. "Go ahead," She gazed lovingly at him. "Cry it out, Baby. Cry it out,"

"I miss my Maureen so much." He sobbed. "She hasn't been the same since our Norah died. She just blames herself and stays in bed." April ran her fingers through his hair. "I can't do this." He sighed. "I just want my life back,"

"Shh," she murmured, rocking him. "Your baby isn't going to rest peacefully until she knows Mommy and Daddy are happy."

Mark felt grief pouring from the innermost part of his soul; grief he had been bottling up for the three weeks Norah had been gone. April always had that effect on him. One touch and his every emotion just poured out.

"Grieve with her…together." April said. Her lips grazed his forehead. "Let her know what's going on in that head of yours."

"Why were you out here?" Mark murmured. April sighed.

"Just trying to calm my insane maternal instinct," she muttered. "I want a baby so bad. If I thought for just one moment Roger and I were stable enough, I'd be pregnant" Her fingertips lightly grazed her stomach. "The empty bassinet kills me, and so does seeing it imperfect." She sighed. "It's that maternal instinct. Knowing that Maureen lost what I wanted so badly, and wanting her empty bassinet to be perfect…God…this doesn't make sense,"

Mark closed his eyes. He hadn't been sleeping well since the night Maureen had gone into labor. He was exhausted, only sleeping when Maureen was asleep…or not crying.

In April's arms, he managed to sleep on the hard loft floor; his first good sleep in over a month.

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