A/N: Hey this is the third part of my "Kicking" series. Part one is dutifully titled "Kicking" and part two is titled "Hooked". It's not necessary to read those before hand, but clarity is always nice.
I'm having Covert Affairs withdrawls. It's not fair that USA has all its shows comming back in January EXCEPT Covert Affairs. I WANT!
Disclaimer: I don't own Covert Affairs, if I did, Annie and Auggie would already be shacking it up by now. lololol
The Rocking Chair
Auggie could have sworn he caught the sound of Abbey crying before the baby monitor did. Quickly, so as to not wake Annie, he rolled over toward the nightstand and turned down the volume on the monitor before getting out of bed and shuffling his feet down the hall to Abbey's room.
"Hey baby girl," Auggie said, his voice a little groggy still. He hadn't gotten to sleep until a few hours ago, and technically, since Annie had had more sleep than him, it was Annie's turn to get up for the baby. But truthfully, Auggie didn't mind sitting with his daughter in the early hours of the morning. He walked to her crib and placed his hands on the railing. He heard Abbey chatting softly in her own little baby language. Carefully, Auggie reached into the crib, found the baby's head and feet, and lifted her gently out of the crib. "God you're chatty, you get that from your mother," Auggie laughed quietly.
Two steps back, one to his left, there was a chair here somewhere…
He found it, like every night. It was an old maple rocking chair, handcrafted and very comfortable, a gift from Danielle and Michael. Auggie rocked back and forth with Abbey in his arms as she cooed softly.
"You know what Monkey?" Auggie suddenly realized. "You're 6 months old today." It was true. He and Annie had managed being parents for half a year now. And they hadn't managed to screw up too badly yet. A forgotten diaper here, a cold or two there, all (promised by Danielle) normal in the first months of parenting.
Abbey reached her arm up and grabbed at Auggie's face. She was terribly smart and very advanced for a baby her age; Auggie chalked it up to superior parenting in his opinion. Abbey was already sitting up and very social. She would sit in his office at the CIA and talk any passer-by's ear off, even if it wasn't comprehendible yet. Auggie took Abbey's hand in his and brought it to her stomach, tickling her and making her giggle loudly.
"Shhh," Auggie laughed, bringing his face close to his daughter's. "We'll wake up Mommy."
"Too late," Auggie heard Annie's voice from the direction of the doorway. "You too had a party without me?" Annie feigned hurt as she entered the room and sat on the floor next to Auggie in the rocking chair.
"Hey, you snooze you lose," Auggie shrugged. "But really, we were just chatting."
"Oh really about what?" Annie focused her attention on Abbey, running her finger up and down her tummy.
"You know, the weather, the baseball game, Russian invasions… usual stuff," Auggie smirked.
"Oh, of course," Annie agreed. They sat contently as they both held and played with the baby. After a while, Annie got up to go get a bottle for Abbey, since it was six am and if they got her to sleep now, the day would just go much more smoothly. But when she came back, not only was Abbey fast asleep again, but so was her father. Annie had to laugh at the sleep that quickly over came her husband and daughter.
"Alright sweetheart," Annie put the bottle on the changing table and lifted Abbey out of Auggie's arms, placing her in the crib. "Happy half birthday, I love you." She said softly. She then got the extra blanket off the back of the rocking chair and wrapped Auggie in it, kissing him on the top of the head afterwards.
"Love you Annie," Auggie mumbled in sleepy gratitude.
"Love you too Auggie," Annie said, and she flicked off the light in the room before heading to the kitchen to make coffee and get ready for the day.