"To her-
Hand in hand we come
Christopher Robin and I
To lay this book in your lap.
Say you're surprised?
Say you like it?
Say it's just what you wanted?
Because it's yours-
because we love you."
― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Hand In Hand

"Please tell me that is not a turtle"

Eve stops dead in the doorway, eyeing the large tank on the counter of Howard's kitchen. Her arms feel heavy with the weight of the bags she's carrying, but for moment she doesn't notice.

"Isn't she great?" beams Jenny, her nose pressed to the glass, watching the small reptile sitting motionless on the rock. "I begged and begged Mom to let me have one, and she never let me, and then I came home and look!"

The girl runs over to Eve, grabs her arm and drags her over to look in the tank. As she gets to the bench Eve places the grocery bags on the floor, warily eyeing the tank, a look somewhere between fear and disgust on her face.

"Have a look at her. Isn't she cute?" asks Jenny, oblivious to Eve's lack of enthusiasm.

"Oh yes. Cute"

Turning her head, Eve eyeballs Howard as he comes through the doorway, glaring at him behind Jenny's back.

"She begged and begged" he says with big eyes, throwing up his free hand.

"What a great present, Dad"

"I'm glad you like her. But you know that you're going to be responsible for her" he adds pointedly.

"Does this mean if I can keep the turtle alive for a month we can get a dog?"

"No chance"

Jenny snaps her fingers in mock defeat before leaning back over the bench and watching the turtle. Eve walks back over to Howard, her expression trying to be reprimanding, but mostly coming off as amused. He loves spoiling his daughter, and though she has a serious dislike for reptiles, she can't deny that it was a great gift.

"I know you don't like them-" he starts, looking genuinely sorry that he's putting her out.

"It's fine. She did get amazing grades, and you did promise her a surprise for it. It's sweet that you spoil her, Howard. Besides, it's not my turtle, it's hers" she adds with a nonchalant shrug.

"You sure?"

"Gives me a good excuse to avoid the kitchen" she says with a toothy grin, her hands in her pockets. He smiles back. As though he's ever expected her to get back in the kitchen and make him sandwiches.

Her look turns into a smirk.

"What?" he asks warily, suspicious of the look she's giving him from the corner of her eye, the hands in her pockets making her look conspiratorial.

"You get to clean the tank" she says, biting her tongue between her teeth in an effort not to laugh at his horrified face.

"Jenny" he calls immediately, making the girl look up and Eve hide a laugh behind his shoulder, pressing her face into his shirt. "You have to clean the tank too"

"I know" she replies incredulously, waving off his concerns as Eve starts to turn away and go back to the forgotten groceries on the floor.

"What's her name?" asks Eve as she picks up the grocery bag and moves to the cupboard. Howard walks towards the kitchen behind her, the ghost of a grin on his face as he watches his two favourite women talking casually. Since they sat down and talked with Jenny about their new relationship a few weeks ago they've been getting along famously. Unperturbed by the idea of her father dating (because it's something she's always lived with, since she was small and her parent's divorced), she was thrilled to learn that she not only knew the woman, but actively liked her. Jenny had always felt a trust with Eve, and knew that the trust could be built on now that they'd be spending personal time together outside of the hospital. It made Howard infinitely happy to know these two aspects of his life would so seamlessly fit together.

"I don't know yet. I'm trying to think of a great name, but I've got no good ideas" says Jenny, taking the milk Eve passes her and giving it to her father.

"How about Bubbles?" asks Howard from his place at the fridge where he's putting away the cold food, milk included. Eve rolls her eyes from the pantry, placing another can on the middle shelf as Jenny hands her a jar that was in her father's shopping bag.

"That's a dreadful name" says Eve.

"I thought you didn't care about the turtle"

"Just because I don't like reptiles, that doesn't mean your daughter's pet should have a terrible name" she says with a shrug. Howard only grins as Jenny nods along in enthusiastic agreement.

"How about Clarence?" asks Howard animatedly.

"It's a girl, Dad" Jenny replies, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah Dad" teases Eve with a grin, putting the cereal on the next shelf up.

"It's so hard. I don't want to give her a stupid name" says Jenny, walking back over to the tank and resting her chin on her hand, slouching over the bench.

"What about Dina?" says Eve after a moment, putting rice in the cupboard, the bag in her hand now empty. Howard pokes his head out of the fridge, steps back and closes it, scrunching the empty bag in his hand.

"You know… that's actually not bad" he says.

"Yeah. I like it" adds Jenny, considering the turtle for a moment more. "Dina"

"Looks like you have successfully named your first turtle" says Howard to Eve, coming to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her on the opposite side of the counter to Jenny. "Next week, parrots"

She laughs, and then turns to him, feigning seriousness. "You are not seriously going to get a parrot, are you?"

He nods with a smirk, a glint in his eye. And then he shakes his head side to side. She grins and bumps her shoulder against his. He raises his arm and throws it around her shoulders, giving her a sideways hug, pressing a brief kiss to her hair before stepping away.

"So Jenny, are you sure you'll be okay being home tonight? You don't want to call and see if you can stay at a friend's place?"

"I'm almost sixteen, Dad. I'll be fine" she says, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, I'm just asking" he says, throwing his hands up. He walks towards the study to quickly grab something, muttering about seeing where he put the outstanding report card that came home just last week.

"Your father just worries about you. He loves you very much" says Eve lightly, picking up the pile of papers on the kitchen table to put near the door, so they remember to bin them.

"I know. But I'm not a kid- he doesn't really have to worry about one night"

"It's his job" says Eve, her tone light but her eyes serious. Jenny looks up and considers her words, her expression open and willing to listen. Eve has been an amazing mediator between the teen and her father, particularly in translating often confusing or overbearing attitude from either of them. The small amount of time she's spent with David has been insightful and fun, the boy visiting when he can between college classes and friends. But David is practically grown, and out in the world as his own person after his mother moved; his lessons have been learned. Eve senses that Howard worries that Jenny living with him will somehow prevent her from staying sensible; that his erratic hours will send her down a bad road due to lack of attention or influence. Eve knows that would never happen- the girl is level-headed, and Howard is a wonderful father- but she also knows that Jenny is his baby girl, and no amount of sense and reason will change that.

"We see a lot of awful things in the ER, Jenny" says Eve, without inflection, simply stating a fact. "A lot of kids who thought they were old enough or mature enough to handle a situation, and suddenly we're performing emergency surgery, or stomach pumps, or sending them up to x-ray to check for skull fractures. If your father seems concerned or overprotective, it's only because he's seen the other side of it, you know?"

"I guess" she concedes, shrugging one shoulder, meandering over to where Eve is standing. "David told me about that night ages ago with his friend who O/D'd. Said it shook Dad pretty bad. And I get it. He worries. Doesn't mean it's not annoying, though, you know? I mean, I don't take drugs, I don't drink or smoke or sneak out. I just wish he'd trust me more to make good choices. Didn't I just get a perfect report?"

The girl understands his concern, Eve can see, but she still isn't happy about Howard's never-ending questions about where she is and what she's doing. Her mother had been no different, but there's something about her easy-going dad suddenly being neurotic that drives Jenny crazy, and Eve sympathises, because it was no different for her and her sister at that age. All she can do is encourage Jenny to see the best in the situation and hope the fear that Howard constantly harbours goes unfounded.

"It has nothing to do with him not trusting you. You know that, don't you?" she asks gently, her soft tone suggesting that it's very important that she understand that.

"Yeah. I know. It just feels that way sometimes, you know?"

"I know"

"Your dad was the same?"

"Exactly the same"

"Does it ever ease up?"

Eve smiles, and considered the question. "Not really" she says honestly. "It changes over time, but even now, with how sick he is, my Dad is still completely overbearing when it comes to me and my sister. I think it's their way of showing us how much they love us"

Jenny smiles and Eve returns it, pleased that she's helped her understand at least a little of what her father is thinking. She's not Jenny's mother, but she'd like to think she's her friend. It doesn't really occur to Eve that this relationship with her is good practice for when she has her own children, but she does recognise the more mature and nurturing role she's taking on, and she hopes she's doing a good job. Sensing the girl needs one, Eve holds out her arms for a hug, and Jenny steps into them, happy to receive this affection from a woman she's quickly starting to accept into their family.

"What, and none for me?"

They both look up and see Howard standing at the door to the study. Jenny steps out of Eve's embrace and runs into her father's open arms. Eve smiles, putting a hand in her pocket as she watches on.

"Thanks so much for Dina, Dad. She's great. And I promise I won't have any wild parties while you're at work"

"Pinky promise?"

"Cross my heart"

"Okay. I trust you"

Jenny smiles.

Excitedly chattering something about going to calling her brother to brag about the turtle, Jenny takes off for the stairs towards her room. Howard watches her go, a lazy smile on his face, while Eve slowly makes her way to his side. He looks at her, the smile remaining, and she steps into his embrace, laying her ear against his chest. His arms come up around her.

"She's a great kid, Howard. You don't have to worry about her"

"I know. But it's my job"

She grins.

"You're amazing with her" he says softly. "I'm glad you're in her life. And David's, even if we never see him"

"So am I"

He smiles, and rests his cheek on the top of her head, and considers how lucky he is to find someone who is his equal; who accepts the many roles that come with being with him. Eve has never faulted, and he doesn't expect that she will, and that makes him smile.