He's only sort of asleep when he hears the tiny sound coming from only a few feet away. It's soft at first, and the only way he can describe it is a mewing, but it soon grows into a small cry. He rouses himself, stretching his aching limbs quickly before standing and crossing the small distance between the chair he's been sleeping in and the small bassinet. A quick glance over his shoulder confirms that his wife is still asleep. Good. She needs to rest.
He turns his attention to the fussing infant, whose face is beginning to turn red. His son. His beautiful boy. He's only a couple of hours old, but he's already got both of his parents wrapped around his tiny finger. Mal carefully picks the squealing baby up, making sure that he's supporting his neck, and begins to walk around the room. He runs his hand over the dark, downy hair that's already covering his son's head. The infant squawks and flails his arms, trying out his long limbs. Mal grins as his son then settles in his arms and his cries turn to coos.
"Hi there, buddy," he whispers to his son. "I'm your daddy." The baby sighs. Behind him, he hears Natara sigh as well and he makes sure he hasn't woken her before continuing to walk around the room.
"That's your mommy over there," he says, bouncing the baby a bit as he begins to fuss again. "We both love you very much, and we've waited a long time to meet you. I'm really glad you're here. I'm going to teach you so many things, and we'll have so much fun."
He gently lifts the baby high, and places a kiss on his son's forehead. "I promise I will never, ever let anything happen to you." His son opens his eyes and stares up at his father. Mal smiles back at him, completely entranced by his eyes. They're a deep shade of blue, his own eyes perfectly copied into his son's face. But they're also the same shade as his own father's, and it breaks his heart that neither of his parents are here to meet their first grandson.
He understands everything now. How his father could have done all those things, why his mother cried when he got into fights. He could understand all of it because now he was a parent, too. He wanted nothing less than the absolute best for his son. He wanted him to be happy and worry-free. And he would go to the ends of the earth and back again if it meant keeping his son safe. He felt like he had been struck by lightning when his son had looked at him, and he never wanted that feeling to go away.
His son mews again, his brow furrowing and Mal almost laughs at the serious look his son is giving him. He looks like an old man, grumpy that some kids hove destroyed his hydrangeas, and that thought does make him laugh. As if knowing that his father is laughing at him the baby begins to cry, which soon turns into wails. Mal simply smiles as he bounces the baby and pats his back.
"Mal, don't tell me you've been tormenting our son already." He turns and smiles. Natara has propped herself up on her elbows, a small sleepy smile on her face. He crosses the room and perches on the side of the hospital bed.
"Not tormenting. Just maybe some minor teasing." Natara grins and shakes her head. She gently takes their son from his arms and rocks him gently in an effort to calm his cries. Mal is left breathless at the sight of Natara holding their son. During her pregnancy he had thought that he'd never seen anything more beautiful than watching her stomach grow bigger and bigger as their child grew inside her. But now, watching the love of his life hold their tiny son in her arms and whisper nonsense to him, he knew nothing would ever compare to this moment. He leans over and kisses her cheek before reaching folding himself around the two of them.
