Note: After a little persuasion since I'm quite new to the show, this is my first go at Doctors fanfic and it will be a series of glimpses (for as long as this fluff is wanted, and possibly not in any order) into Howard and Emma raising their baby.

Manoeuvring to unlock the front door with a carry seat would take some getting used to but he mentally countered with himself that they had time to learn. It was Emma and their new baby's first night out of the hospital. Both had been kept in a couple of days for observation but were given the all clear.

Howard had spent the past 24 hours obsessively tidying his home to make it free from any potential dangers, to the point that he no longer seemed to have any possessions. Leaving them in the living room he went to make sandwiches and a cup of tea for Emma. This was brand new territory - they were used to the other's company and now had to adjust to a third family member.

After a few minutes he walked through to the other room and saw her sitting on the sofa, with the Moses basket containing a sleeping John Bellamy in front. The plates of food were put to the side as he joined her, wondering what good he had done in a past life to deserve this.

"Look at his tiny little fingers." Emma whispered, gazing down at their creation. She had barely taken her eyes off him except for sleep so the room could be a total mess and she wouldn't notice - not that she planned to inform Howard as he was trying his hardest.

"Definitely gets those from you."

"I'm shocked you could find a ring small enough for my child-like digits then." She muttered sarcastically as she toyed with the silver band on her left hand. Howard had proposed when they got back from a concerned trip to the hospital which turned out to be nothing to worry over. Without any pause for thought she had accepted and there hadn't been a second of regret since.

It took her a while to get her head around future Baby Bellamy-Reid losing out on the latter part of the name as she knew she would be charmed into changing her surname once they eventually married. Although she knew the unborn child would not know any different with having one name over another, she went through a phase of wondering if not seeing any written link to her from day one may affect the bond she established. All that paranoia evaporated when she - with Howard next to her being the awkward birthing partner she had expected - heard the first cry, she knew she loved him unconditionally.

"It was a lucky find. Seriously though how are you?" In the concluding weeks of pregnancy he had became anxious over every single groan she made resulting in her raising her voice on several occasions. She hoped that he would calm down soon yet deep down she did appreciate how much he cared.

"Never been better - or, at least I'm as good as I can be after having a kid but you get the picture." She replied, wrapping her arms around his body.

Howard put an arm around her shoulders as he used a finger on the other hand to smooth down the dark hair of their son. "I am so proud of you," He said, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

"I think you've told me before."

"Well, I am not going to stop telling you because you make me the happiest man on the planet, along with this one who has the right idea of getting some shut-eye."

"I love you Howard."

"Love you too. After this snack do you want to go have a sleep yourself?"

She had been sleeping well but now that he mentioned it a wave of exhaustion hit her, "That sounds heavenly but would you be all right if he wakes?"

"Emma, he's barely bigger than my hand, how much hassle can we get into for the half hour you will stay away for?"

"I suppose if he wakes you could always tell him about that new management idea you have, you know the one involving an amalgamation of computer database... things." She wished she had just went for 'spreadsheets'; at least she wouldn't have lost her train of thought and conveyed her habit of thinking about alternatives when he spoke professionally.

"I blooming knew you weren't listening, it could vastly maximise productivity. Mark my words, Emma, when you come running back after maternity leave it will be like a different and smoother health centre."

She widened her eyes and nodded, not believing entirely how amazing his plan would be in the real world - inside his head he was a master of everything yet it didn't always turn out that way. Moving closer to the baby she put on a stage-whisper to talk, "I'm so sorry John for not giving you the choice of fathers but you'll learn skills that help to love him. I can guarantee he will forget that you don't really care about the kind of facts he finds interesting but look cute and he'll eventually move on."

"You cheeky sod." He chastised but her laughter, however, was infectious and they were soon giggling as they looked at their partner. It felt like a release, allowing the buildup of emotions from these months gone by to be expelled in a positive way.

When they caught their breath finally, Emma wiped away tears that had ran down her cheeks and was shocked to see their son still sound asleep. "He must already have learnt to blank out our silliness."

"He's had a lot of practise." She heard Howard's deep voice so close to her ear and she wished she could see a vision of the three of them from a distance just to see if it was as precious as it felt. Regardless it was going to be treasured for the rest of her life.