13
Lizzie sits on her hospital bed holding Nora. She looks down at her little girl and smiles as her own blue eyes stare back at her. She brings Nora up and places a light kiss on her cheek. "Are you ready to get out of here sweet girl? Your Mama is definitely ready. Good thing Papa has his own jet, because I'm sure you are going to be crying. Mama doesn't like takeoffs, so I assume you won't either. Isn't that right sweetie?" she brings Nora up to her face once again, breathing in her fresh baby scent.
She looks up as the doctor walks into the room holding a few papers. "How are we today? Ready to get out of here?"
"Beyond ready. Everyone has been really great, but we just want to get home to the quiet. We are ready to be a family."
The doctor nods. "That's understandable and I agree with you. That was my first thought after my first child was born. Get home to some familiar surroundings. I heard you were heading back to Washington DC. Is that correct?"
Lizzie nods her head. "Yes. We got the okay from the pediatrician who came to check on Nora. She might be fussy during the takeoff and landing. But that will be normal. She told me nursing might help."
"Yeah, or a pacifier. If you are going to use one," the doctor says.
"We've decided against using one. My boyfriend is a worrier. He worries that if she uses one she won't be able to live without it and she's going to…" she trails off trying to remember the tangent Ray had went on about Nora using a pacifier. Lizzie shakes her head. "Something about her teeth. I just gave up. It's easier than fighting with him."
The doctor nods. "Where is your gentleman? He hasn't left your side."
"He went to bring everything to the car," Lizzie tells her. She places Nora into the bassinet next to her bed and takes the pen the doctor holds out to her. She points out a few places for Lizzie to sign before standing.
"Alright, a nurse is going to come in with a wheelchair. It's hospital policy."
Lizzie sighs. "Yeah, I know." She watches the doctor leave and then turns back to Nora. "I'm ready to go home sweetie. I hate hospitals."
"Not all hospitals are bad sweetheart. I believe it was a hospital room that brought us together," Lizzie turns to see Ray standing behind her. She had been so focused on Nora and her thoughts that she didn't even hear Ray come in.
"I thought it was the safe house afterwards, that brought us together," she quips back.
"Oh, a great many firsts happened at that safe house," he gives her a lascivious grin, both of them knowing what happened at the end of their stay at the safe house. "But I consider that hospital room the jumping off point of our relationship. Did the doctor discharge you?"
"Yes, I'm just waiting on a nurse to bring a wheelchair. Hospital policy and all that," she mutters. Ray chuckles and she turns to look at him. "What are you laughing about?"
"Memories, sweetheart," he tells her before picking Nora up and holding her to his chest.
Lizzie stares at Ray. Who would have thought the feared 'Concierge of Crime' was a baby person. She loved watching him with Nora. He was a natural.
"You are incredibly hot when you are with our daughter," Lizzie tells him. "I find it incredibly sexy when you are like this."
"Really?" he asks. "Maybe we should get started on that boy," he tells her, leaning over to give her a kiss.
"Let's figure that out later. I would like to make sure we won't screw up this one too much."
Ray scoffs. "'Screw up this one'?" he quotes her back.
"Yeah, you're Raymond Reddington. Concierge of Crime. Fourth most wanted on the FBI's list. And me? Well, I don't know who I am. I have memories that I may or may not even remember. I love her so much. I don't want Nora to hate me. What if…" she gets out before Ray shushes her.
"Lizzie, sweetheart, you are going to be a great mom. Nora is lucky to have you. And if you are already thinking about like this, it means you will be amazing. We haven't even left the hospital yet. Don't drive yourself crazy with the 'what ifs'. Trust me, I've been over them so many times over the years."
Lizzie nods her head. "Your right. I'm sorry. I just… I don't know."
"It's alright to feel a little insecure. And yeah, I'm sure our daughter isn't going to have the easiest childhood with us being who we are. But I will make sure that she will be happy. She will want for nothing Lizzie. You will both want for nothing."
They turn as a nurse comes in pushing a wheelchair. "You ready to get out of here?"
"Yes," Lizzie tells her getting in the wheelchair with a huff. She hated this part but then she smiles as Ray hands Nora to her. She nuzzles her daughter's cheek as the nurse starts to push them out of the room. Lizzie turns to see Ray walking next to them. He had taken all of her stuff out to the car already. Lizzie holds Nora with one arm while taking Ray's hand with her free one. He smiles down at her.
They get out to the lobby of the hospital where Dembe meets them at the door with the car seat, handing it to Ray. He brings it over to Lizzie and together they get Nora into it. Ray picks the car seat up and helps Lizzie out of the wheel chair. They get into the car, placing Nora in between the two of them.
"We heading straight for the jet?" Lizzie asks as Dembe starts driving. Ray nods his head. She takes his hand over Nora's car seat and leans back against the comfortable leather. She blinks against sleep.
"Don't fall asleep Lizzie. We will be at the jet in five minutes. Then you can sleep." She closes her eyes while smiling. Sure enough, the car slows to a stop about five minutes later. She opens her eyes while yawning to see Ray's jet waiting on the tarmac. The door was open with the stairs descending down. "Lizzie, why don't you take Nora and get yourselves comfortable. Dembe and I will get all the other stuff."
Lizzie nods while unhooking the car seat from the base. She gets out of the car taking the seat with her. Ray hands her the base as he unbuckles it from the seatbelt. Lizzie looks down at Nora and heads up the stairs into the jet. Soon, Dembe and Ray walk onto the jet with the door closing behind him. Ray places Nora's diaper bag down by Lizzie's feet before taking a seat across from her. He glances over Lizzie who had positioned her seat back and was already starting to doze. He checks the car seat to make sure it was secure and then fixes the blanket over his daughter.
He rummages through the diaper bag looking for a hat for Nora. It was kind of cold on the jet. He pulls one out with a 'ah-ha' and puts it on Nora's little head. He looks up to see Lizzie staring at him.
"What are you doing?" she asks him as he takes a seat as Dembe tells him they were ready to take off.
"It's cold in here. I just fixed Nora's blanket and put a hat on her head. I don't want her to get cold."
As the plane starts to move and they taxi down the runway and start to lift off, they both hold their breath keeping an eye on the car seat. They weren't sure if the change in altitude would bother the baby. Ray turns to Lizzie as she wiggles and puts a hand onto her ear. She hated this part of flying. Once they level out, they both let out a sigh of relief that Nora didn't wake up.
"Dembe, where did that blanket go?" Lizzie asks. Dembe goes back to where the cupboards were and comes back with a blanket. She smiles at him before getting up and walking over to Ray. She pushes the center handrail up and makes a 'move' motion with her hand. He scoots over a little wondering what she was doing. She places a pillow against the left handrail before sitting down and throwing her legs over Ray's lap. He smiles as he realizes what she doing. He throws his arm around her and pulls her close. She lays her head onto his shoulder, snuggling into him as Ray drapes the blanket over the both of them.
"Sleep Lizzie. I will wake you if Nora needs you," he pulls her face up to meet his, giving her a kiss. She deepens the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.
They break away laughing as a cough sounds from behind them. "I'm so glad to be going home," she whispers.
"Me too, sweetheart. Me too."