Disclaimer: I don't own anything, everything belongs to Naghty Dog, Sony and other respective owners.
I am not an English-speaker, so if there are mistakes, forgive me, I'm doing my best to avoid them.
It was already late after midnight when Nathan got out of the taxi cab in front of his house in New Orleans. The air was noticeably chilly and fresh, it prickled his cheeks and he could notice his breath. Winter finally came to the city and tiny silver petals started falling from the sky. It was a rare and short-lived view here, as the snowflakes melted almost instantly after touching the ground. Still, it emphasized the atmosphere of the upcoming Christmas.
There were no lights turned on the first floor except for the decorated Christmas tree, but Nathan could notice a faint glow from the bedroom window upstairs. Probably Elena wasn't sleeping yet.
"Elena? I'm back," he announced as he crossed the doorstep.
"C'mere, we're upstairs," his wife's low voice reached him from the first floor, just like he expected. He quickly took off his jacket and shoes then rushed up the stairs to their cozy bedroom.
Elena Fisher was laying on bed in one of his old shirts, covered with blankets, her back pressed against the headrest. She was holding a little bundle close to her heart. "Hi," she greeted Nate, as he entered the room and sent him a joyful, yet a bit strained smile. Nate jumped on the bed, scooting close to her.
"How are you?" he asked, gently wrapping his arms around her shoulders and hugging her, then he connected their lips with a gentle kiss. Her skin was soft and warm and her shoulder-length blonde hair loosened. "You look tired," he said lovingly after they broke the kiss, gently stroking her cheek.
"Oh, y'know," she whispered, "looking adequately to situation. Just managed to feed her and put to sleep," Elena made a gentle shrug, indicating a baby sleeping in her arms. "You're lucky that you weren't here half an hour ago. She got upset about something so badly that probably whole neighborhood heard her. Wish I could understand what was it."
"I guess it's because she missed me," Nate leaned over and nuzzled gently baby's tiny hands. "Right, little girl? You missed your daddy?"
"Shh, Nate!" Elena hushed him quietly, pressing a child closer to her chest. "You don't wanna wake her up, do you? What took you so long? You said you'll be back this morning… I started getting worried. You could have give me a call or something..."
Staying in touch was never his strong side. Nate sighed, then laid back on a headrest next to her. "I know. I missed my flight," he whispered back, stretching himself and yawning, "Sully gave me a ride home."
"Oh, he saved you again," Elena smiled, stroking her husband's hair, "guess that without him you would still be somewhere very far away from here, in the middle of some overcrowded airport…"
Yeah, but I surely wouldn't be so worn out by all his sentimental bullshit, Nate thought, rubbing his eyes, happy that Elena couldn't read his thoughts. "Sure, god bless Sully," he chuckled, then took Elena's free hand and pressed a series of gentle kisses to her fingers.
"I missed you so much," he whispered, then looked deep into Elena's eyes, "shouldn't leave you for so long, 'specially now, when she is so little."
"One of us had to go. It'll have to be like that for some time. Unless…" Elena sent Nate a playful glance, "you learn to breastfeed. Then we could take turns."
Nate snickered.
"I'm flattered that you think me as a talented guy, but I guess in that field you're irreplaceable. By the way," Nate leaned to brush his lips over her collarbone and below it, "how much longer will it take? You know… before I get back what's mine…"
"Watch your mouth, cowboy," Elena giggled quietly, sliding a hand between them and gently shoving her husband aside, "you keep forgetting that we have an underage in the household now!"
"I didn't," Nate answered, sending her a boyish smile. "Just joking around. She's the boss right now," he added, adjusting a blanket covering little girl's hands to warm them up. Elena watched his gentle moves and smiled, cuddling over.
"We missed you too," she whispered softly, burying her face in her husband's neck.
They laid together in silence, relaxing and listening to each other's steady breathings, filling their senses with each other's presence, keeping their peacefully napping daughter between them. From the moment she was born, these few-day-long separations turned out to be harder to endure for both of them. Nate truly blamed himself for leaving Elena alone with all this mess, but their D&F business had to be on the run all the time if they wanted to make decent money out of it. They had deadlines, had to get new permits, prepare future schedules. Nate already had booked his tickets to Mongolia for next week - he had to square away further stuff for their new archeological discovery. But it didn't matter now - he decided to leave these thoughts and enjoy his time at his home.
"Nate," Elena suddenly slid out of his arms, ready to get up together with a little bundle, "could we go to sleep already? I'm exhausted-"
"Wait-" Nate whispered, reaching for his daughter, "let me hold her for a moment. I haven't seen her for three days."
Elena smiled at him, then carefully leaned across the bed and handed off a baby girl to Nate. "Be careful, watch her head-" she murmured, "there she goes."
Nathan took his daughter in his arms and gently held her close to his chest. The girl made a short squeal in a dream and slightly rose up her little hands. He readjusted the blankets in which she was covered and tenderly stroked her head.
"Hi there, Cassie," he greeted her quietly and softly. Elena gazed on them for an instant, then walked towards the bathroom, leaving a father and his daughter alone.
Cassie had to inherit Elena's ability to fall into deep sleep anywhere because she curled against her dad's chest just like she did when she was in her mother's arms some seconds ago. Probably both places were ideal to sleep on for a three months old infant. Nathan regretted that he got home too late to admire her blue eyes, but in the same time he just couldn't be more surprised by the amount of cuteness his daughter represented, even during her sleep. She was so vulnerable and soft, something so precious in his strong, rough hands.
"How have you been?" Nate whispered, "what crazy things you've been doing with your mom all day that you're so sleepy now, huh? Tell me, Cassie?"
Obviously he didn't expect Cassie to answer these questions; she made a funny, silent mumble instead. It will do, for now, he thought.
"Yeah, it's been a hell of a day for me too," Nate chuckled, lifting himself with the baby from the bed and heading towards the bassinet. "But I'll tell you tomorrow."
Before he put Cassie in the bassinet, he stopped to watch her closely. He studied her little nose and tiny hands with tiny fingers, that she strongly clenched on the blanket. Her short, light hair, of nearly the same color as her mother's, so fluffy and soft. She had surprisingly long eyelashes; she breathed steadily through her mouth. His biggest treasure, fragile like a powder.
Nathan smiled to himself, as he felt Elena's hand gliding gently between his shoulder blades - he didn't notice her earlier.
"C'mon," she whispered, burrowing her cheek against his arm, "tomorrow is a day too. It's a miracle that she didn't wake up yet…"
"Did I ever tell you," Nate murmured, as he looked into Elena's brown eyes, "how happy I am that instead of letting me go to hell and forgetting about me, you tracked me down in that jungle?"
Elena watched Nate for a second then snickered.
"So you're also glad that back then I packed you a punch in the face?"
"That… less," Nate answered, chuckling quietly, "but if you gave up on me that day… Cassie wouldn't be here now."
It sounded so cliché and simple, but Elena realized the hidden, emotional meaning of Nathan's unexpected confession.
"I know," she whispered, patting his back. "I don't regret anything."
Nathan turned his head to watch Elena as she climbed on their bed, making sure she was far enough from him and was making too much rustle with the sheets to hear him. Then he pressed a reverent and gentle kiss on his daughter's little forehead and whispered quietly, almost inaudibly, a few words that he had been carrying with him all day long.
"You're the girls of my life."
Here it goes - hope you liked it :)