Thanks to guest, MysteryGal5, and darth picard for reviewing!
Alex hurried through the halls of the hospital, dodging nurses, patients, unfortunately placed chairs… well, the chairs were against the wall, but right now they were in the way.
He was late!
Christ, this was bad. He'd been trying to put himself back together—he'd held down his current job for almost six months and for him that was something. When he came home to find his parents gone, he knew immediately what had happened.
He paused in front of another nurses' station. This hospital was a damn maze!
"Summers?" he asked.
A nurse with green scrubs and an unfortunate bouffant reached for a chart, then glanced back at him.
Alex knew what was coming.
"She's my mother."
The nurse nodded and reached again for the chart. "Room 203."
"Thanks." He started to leave, then turned back.
"That way and up the stairs."
"Thanks." Alex once more started to leave and once more turned back. "Groovy hairstyle," he offered with a cheeky grin. The nurse smiled back.
Alex hurried upstairs and along the hallway. When he reached room 203, he didn't knock. He just pushed open the door and stepped in.
"Ma?"
His mother sat up in bed, disheveled but smiling. Alex let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. He didn't need to worry, really. But he did.
She motioned him over.
Alex leaned down to kiss his mother's cheek, then glanced at the end of the bed. The thing in the plastic bed-bin-thing was mostly wrapped in a white blanket with a tiny blue hat on its head. Only a face showed, red and wrinkly.
He grinned. Half breathless, he said, "I have a brother?" They hadn't been sure, but he noted the color of the hat.
She nodded. "You can pick him up. Remember to support his head, his neck isn't very strong yet."
Alex took a step toward the plastic container. It truly looked like a giant leftovers container. Sure, he hadn't been thrilled to learn his ma was pregnant, and the baby still might prove to be disabled, that was a risk at his parents' age, but Alex was still excited to be a big brother.
He hesitated. He couldn't stop smiling, but was he had to pause.
She smiled at him as she stood. She walked awkwardly, but he imagined a woman would after—that was all he cared to imagine!
"Like this," she said, making a cradle with her arms.
Alex felt silly, but he imitated her.
His ma lifted the red-faced runt and placed him in Alex's arms. The baby was surprisingly heavy and warm through the blanket.
Alex was no stranger to feelings of dominance. He had been in enough fights to know the feeling of power over another person. He knew the feeling of knowing you could destroy them. Now he felt something similar, but utterly different. A feather could destroy this little guy… but Alex would never let that happen.
Not in a million years.