Severus walked home in a state of shock. He was surprised to see Zeke waiting in his apartment. He had forgotten the boy was there.

"Where is she?"

Severus was quiet. He had no words that conveyed the enormity of what he had been told. He didn't entirely believe it himself. He almost believed Abbie would walk through the door with a big grin on her face at the trick she had played.

"Where is Abbie?" Zeke asked again, a mixture of impatience and worry leaking into his voice.

Severus was starting to see why the doctors danced around the word. "She's dead." The word sounded wrong on his lips as if he had mispronounced it.

"Their wrong," Zeke shouted. Severus had not counted on the weak boy possessing such strong emotions. "There must have been a mistake."

"There is no mistake."

"You're lying!" Zeke shoved him backward into the wall. Severus's head hurt where it had hit the wall. The boy looked terrified as if he expected to be struck back. Severus just stared at him, his head was buzzing with the events of the night. Zeke ran from the room with terror.

Severus was left alone. He climbed into bed and tried to sleep, but his mind kept wandering. Why had this happened? Why did it have to be Abbie? Abbie was so... capable. How many babies were born and the mothers all lived. Oh Merlin, there was a baby. He had forgotten about the little, purple creature that had been so light in his arms.

Then Severus started worrying about going to work the next day. What would he do when the baby was here? His paycheck did not allow anything left over for child care.

He finally drifted off into a fretful sleep where he was plagued by visions of his father. He became his father looking down on himself. Then he was looking down on Zeke, who was transformed into Pandora. Severus awoke in a cold sweat. Was he really cut out for this? Would he be like his dad?

It seemed impossible that he could actually make it to work. Severus found it hard to believe that the busses were still running and the people looked oblivious to what had happened.

Severus was able to work half of the shift before the normality got to him. What was the point? He threw his apron at a coworker who had been nagging him about putting the bun tops on sloppily. He would have to find another job.

There was nothing to do at home, so Severus rode around on the bus. Eventually the bus driver kicked him off and he walked home.

Severus bought a bottle of whisky, the kind Tobias used to drink. He didn't know why. Maybe it would quiet his mind, or allow him to think of something other than Abbie. Maybe some part of him felt that that it would help him be a father.

He was staring at it on the table when a soft knock sounded at the door. "Come in," Severus called.

Zeke came in and closed the door behind him. "I'm sorry."

"I don't care," Severus said, but he hadn't meant it to sound so harsh.

"Are you going to drink that?" His wide eyes fell on the bottle. His voice was hushed.

"I was thinking about it," Severus was scared by the way the boy was looking at the bottle, as if it would bite him. Severus sighed and threw the unopened bottle into the trash.

"I really am sorry. I wasn't thinking." The boy started to leave.

"Wait," Severus called, "It's too quiet in here. If you wanted to stay over you could sleep on the couch."

The boy agreed readily and that night Zeke was sleeping fitfully on the couch. In the morning Severus woke him.

"I have to go to the hospital."

"Wha- Why?" the boy was rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"To get the baby."

Zeke jumped up from the couch. "The baby made it? I want to come."

Severus had forgotten he hadn't told the boy about the baby. "Hurry up and get ready."

They pushed a second hand carriage Abbie had insisted on buying. It squeaked and wobbled when they went over curbs, but it seemed stable enough.

The nursing staff was glad to see them. It was as if they hadn't been expecting him to come back. He had to sign a few papers, and then was handed a bundle of literature. He was glad that he had brought the boy to help carry home the samples the staff presented him with.

After what seemed like forever, the baby was laying in the stroller and they were on their way back to the apartment. Severus sent Zeke ahead to get the crib ready. Severus was glad to get the baby out of the sun and into the apartment. When they laid it in the crib, he couldn't help but watch.

The baby was silent, unlike all the babies Severus had seen in movies and books. The eyes had a "what the hell?" look as Zeke had put it. They stared at everything and comprehended nothing. The arms and legs moved around without purpose. The baby didn't even seem to notice them moving.

Nervously, the men settled down to read the magazines and pamphlets that they had been given.

"The baby doesn't look at all like I was expecting." Zeke broke the silence while thumbing through Parenting Weekly.

"Hmph," Severus replied. He was looking at formula samples and trying to figure out which one was supposed to be best. He began sorting the papers into piles, when he noticed a folded piece of paper. "What is this?"

"It was on the door," The boy answered, unconcernedly.

"And you didn't feel it was important enough to tell me?"

"I forgot."

Severus grumbled while he unfolded the paper. In bold print at the top of the page was The Family Medical Leave Act. Severus read through the paper and sighed. It offered the chance to get off work in family emergencies. At the bottom was irratic handwriting. It said, 'I hope this helps'.

"This was just on the door?"

"Yeah."

"You didn't see anyone?"

"No, what does it say?"

Severus handed him the note and turned back to his formula samples.

"This is a great idea. You should do it." Severus had almost forgotten the boy what the boy was reading.

"I don't qualify."

"Why not?"

"I haven't been working at my job long enough."

"Oh," Zeke looked disappointed. "How are you going to pay for formula? My mom says it is expensive."

"I don't know. Stop asking questions." Severus didn't need Zeke to tell him he was in over his head.

There was a loud cry from the room where the baby was in. Severus was glad to have an excuse to leave.