I'm dedicating this one to Loulouberry who wanted more to my other fic Jean's Surprise. Hope you like it honey xx
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My Little Girl
Hathaway/Innocent
Chapter 1
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James knocked lightly on the large oak door when he heard the cries of the young infant on the other side, the cries becoming louder and louder. The door opened and Jean appeared in front of James, her shoulder length hair tucked behind her ears, her face without make-up, clearly tired from lack of sleep.
"Hi, I thought I'd pop around…check on you." James smiled towards her.
"Come on in."
Jean stepped aside to allow James inside and quietly closed the door behind her; she followed him through to her front room to see him leaning over the basinet by the window, Hope staring up at him as she cried. Jean came up beside him, running a hand through her hair as he looked at her.
"You're exhausted." He stated, his arm coming around her, pulling her towards him.
"She won't stop crying, colic."
James leaned in and lifted Hope and held her close to his chest and rocked her back and forth gently, Jean gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving to make them some tea. He took a seat on the couch as he began to sing softly to her, the cries became softer and eventually eased as Hope began to close her eyes as James continued to sing softly. He looked up when Jean came back and set two cups down on the coffee table before sitting down next to James.
"You're a natural with her."
"Hey, it will get easier." James said, taking hold of her hand.
"Will it, I haven't slept in three days James…I'm so tired. I miss my work, I miss being in control."
"It's not been easy on you I know."
"I just still can't quite believe all this has happened, eight weeks ago everything was normal, and everything was heading in the right direction. I'd signed my divorce papers, my job as Chief Super was going from strength to strength and then hours later I'm in the hospital with you by my side giving birth to a child I didn't even know I was carrying."
…
James got up and placed Hope back in the basinet before sitting back down beside Jean and wrapped his arm around her as she leaned in and lay her head on his chest.
"You heard what the doctor said when she was born, lots of women can go a whole pregnancy without realising they're even pregnant." He placed a soft kiss to her head as she moved closer.
"I'm not just any woman James; I'm Chief Superintendent for god sake."
"Even you can make a mistake you know, you're human."
"I honestly can't thank you enough for being there for me and not just in the hospital when Hope was born, but after too."
"What about Andrew, he is Hope's father."
"James, Andrew wants nothing to do with her. He's happy with Jessica now and he said he doesn't want to mess that up."
"He said that, some men don't deserve to be fathers."
Jean looked up when she heard the hurt in James voice; she leaned up and kissed him, running her hand down his cheek.
"You don't speak much about your family."
"We weren't close; my father wasn't the most maternal man in the world. He worked hard; we never really spoke much if I'm honest."
"And your mother?"
"Left when I was six, I don't think children were ever really in her plan."
"James I'm so sorry."
"Don't be, I'm happy now and that's what matters."
"Why haven't you ever told Lewis about your parents?"
"How do you know I haven't?"
"We do talk you know, we both worry."
"I don't know, never been the right time I suppose."
"He does care about you."
"I know he does."
"He's been more of a father to me that my own father ever was that's for sure."
"You should tell him that, I think he'd like to hear it."
"You think so."
"I do."
"You make it easy to talk about this, I feel like I can tell you anything."
"You can tell me anything James…I'm always here, just like you've been for me."
"I still am, I meant what I said at the hospital Jean. We're all here for you, anytime…especially me."
She looked up at him as he leaned down and kissed her, her arm lying across his stomach as she closed her eyes.
…
Jean woke up the next morning, feeling more alive than she had in days. She looked at the clock on the bedside cabinet and saw that it was nearly 9am. She sat up in confusion; she'd slept for 8 hours straight. She got out of bed and quickly showered before slipping on a pair of jeans and blue blouse before walking through to the smell of bacon and toast. She smiled when she entered the kitchen to see James holding Hope in his arms, a bottle in his hand as he fed her. He looked up to see Jean standing in the doorway watching him, looking more like the old Jean Innocent.
"Oh hi, morning." He smiled.
"Good morning."
"I hope you don't mind, this daughter of yours was getting a little hungry so I thought it best to feed her."
Jean came over to them and leaned up and kissed James before taking Hope in her arms and taking over breakfast duty. She took a seat at the table as James began buttering some toast and placing bacon on the plate before sitting it down in front of Jean.
"Breakfast ma'am." He smiled, taking a seat beside her.
"Enough of the ma'am thank you."
"Sorry."
When Hope was finished eating, James took her and began to burp her while Jean ate her breakfast.
"So, how did you sleep?" he asked.
"The best sleep I've had in weeks, speaking of which…how exactly did I get to bed."
"I carried you."
"You didn't."
"I did try to wake you but well, you were so tired and I didn't have the heart too."
"And how did I get in my night things?" She said with a glint in her eye.
"Don't worry, I kept my eyes closed the whole time, I swear."
"Well, thank you. I feel a lot better today and thank you for looking after Hope."
"It's what I'm here for."
Jean looked up at the clock then back to James before taking Hope.
"You're going to be late Sergeant."
"Nope, I'm not in until 11am."
"You know, just because I'm not in the office doesn't mean you can make your own hours."
"It's unpaid leave, your replacement authorised it."
"What's she like then?"
"She's okay, she's not you. She's definitely more…well…"
"What…laid back."
"I wasn't going to say that."
"Of course not, so she's popular then."
"She's liked, but then so are you? Stop being jealous, you've nothing to worry about, she's not replacing you."
"Isn't she?"
"DSI Dodson is just, she has her own ways of working, that's all. It doesn't mean we like you any less, you should meet her, you'd like her."
"Looking like this."
"You're beautiful."
"I don't feel beautiful, I need a haircut…I need to lose some weight."
"Will you stop, you only had a baby eight weeks ago, give yourself time. I have to go, can I come by later?"
"I'd love that."
"Okay, I'll see you later then."
James got up and kissed Hope's forehead before capturing Jean's lips, letting her know how much he felt for her.
…
To Be Continued…
As you can see I've introduced a new character, well not so much new if you watch Scott & Bailey and worship DSI Julie Dodson as I do xx
