Mommy Did It, Daddy Did It

Henry doesn't really know much about being a dad. Sure he's read a ridiculous number of parenting books. But standing here, rocking a wailing Alice in his arms and wishing to all hell that she would just go back to sleep he realises that he has no idea what the fuck he is doing. He still can't quite believe that he's a single parent. Erika's gone and he hasn't even had the chance to mourn her properly because he's been all too busy trying to care for his little baby girl. Thanks to Erika's drawn-out pregnancy Alice's premature birth put her developmentally almost on par with the average newborn and Henry's incredibly thankful for that, because even taking care of a predominantly healthy newborn has been the biggest challenge he's ever faced.

Henry's not stupid, he has always known that babies aren't capable of taking care of themselves. But the thing is, he never quite realised the extent of it. Alice can't even roll over on her own. It's a wonderful, terrifying thing. Because suddenly his life has become all about her. About her food, her crying, her poop. Not a moment passes in the day when at least part of his brain is not wholly centered on her well-being. Magnus has decreased his duties around the Sanctuary. She has been wonderful, accommodating—they all have been—but he feels removed from his friends in the strangest of ways. Things that would usually have made him stressed no longer even pierce his mind, probably because he hasn't really slept properly in 2 weeks. But he, Henry Foss, is a dad. And it's the single most terrifying, beautiful, awesome thing that has ever happened to little tiny human in his arms has suddenly become his entire world. And the funny thing is he doesn't seem to mind.

The room beside Henry's has been marked out as a nursery since Helen first discovered that Erika was pregnant. However she had expected at least another month in which to prepare it and so she rallies Nikola, Kate, and Will to help her. The room is a soft green colour, with a lovely motif of Abnormals cartoonishly adorning the walls. But it is void of furniture save for a rocking chair. The chair in which she had rocked Ashley to sleep when she was a baby was one of the things she made sure to rescue before she brought the Old City Sanctuary down around her ears and she knows it will serve Henry well.

"What exactly is it we're supposed to be doing here?" Nikola looks around the bare room and quirks an eyebrow at Helen. She sighs and explains, again,

"This spare room is to be the nursery."

"A bit sparse for that wouldn't you say?"

"Yes well that's what we're doing here. Will, can you and Kate please put the crib together?"

"Good idea," Nikola comments. He moves over and leans into her, "while they're busy with that, what say you and I take a break?"

"Better idea. What say you and I make ourselves useful and assemble this play pen?" He shrugs and follows her move as she goes towards the boxes laying on the floor.

It takes them most of the day, but their hard work is repaid by a lovely nursery filled with toys, brightly coloured carpets, and necessities such as a changing table.

When Kate brings Henry in to see the room the look in his eyes makes it all worth it and Helen hopes that Henry has understood what their work there truly means. It's her way of saying 'we're here for you' and as he shows his daughter around the room she is secure in the knowledge that he has understood.

Henry's dozing at his desk and doesn't hear the Doc come in.

"Henry" she greets gently and he startles.

"Oh. Doc. Hi. I'll have that report for you in a sec." He begins to scramble but Magnus just rests a steadying arm on his hand.

"Henry. You're exhausted."

"No! No. I'm okay."

"Yes you are. Look why don't I babysit Alice this evening? Give you a chance to rest?"

"Are you sure? I mean—"

"Henry, I raised two children on my own." She smiles fondly at him. "Though you were a tad older than Alice when we first met. I know what being a single parent is like. I wouldn't have made it through if I didn't let people help me, learn to take help when it's offered. That's the best advice I can give you as a parent." Henry blinks a few times in shock, his sluggish brain trying desperately to play catch-up because Magnus never talks about motherhood. Especially not to him.

"Uhhh. Then yeah. Sure. Thank you."

"Of course." Then she grins widely, "and if she's too much trouble I can always get Nikola to help."

"Are you sure that's the best idea?" Henry asks worriedly but Magnus is already on her way to the bassinet in the corner to collect Alice.

"Good evening my dear." Nikola says as she enters her room. He's stretched out on her sofa, apparently making quick work of a bottle of wine. She walks over to him and gives him a suitably disparaging look.

"I don't exactly remember whereabouts I said it was acceptable for you to lie around my room getting drunk all the time. You do have your own room, you know."

"Yes but then you would have to go all the way down the hall each time you yearned for my loving caresses. This is much more convenient."

"For you I'm sure."

"Not to mention," and with this he sits up straight "I don't get drunk. Vampire, remember?"

"How could I forget?" She replies. Nikola's grin widens and she realises he's staring at the place on her collarbone where he had left a particularly pronounced mark the night before. It's covered now by her shirt—and she's running out of high collared shirts to wear—but they both know it's there. "That is not what I meant." She admonishes.

"Of course not." But the glint hasn't left his eyes.

"Either way, you need to keep your hands to yourself tonight."

"Oh?"

"We're babysitting."

"Helen I don't think that's the best idea. Me and babies?"

"It will be fine, I'm sure. Now come along. I left Will in the nursery with Alice and we're going to go and relieve him of child-minding duty." She moves to leave the room and can hear him getting to his feet behind him. "And leave the wine!" She calls.

"Fine, fine." He catches up with her in the hall. "But I'll have you know, I am not changing any diapers."

They're in the brightly coloured nursery. Helen has baby Alice in her arms and is cooing to her softly. Nikola, doubtless well aware that if he wants any sex in the coming week he'd better behave, is being dutiful. Not much more than dutiful, but he is sitting in the rocker watching her move about with the baby and he's not even complaining.

"I just don't get what people love about babies, Helen. They can't talk, they can't take care of themselves, hell she can't move on her own. What's the big deal?"

"They're cute, Nikola. And it's kind of amazing. Everything is new to infants. Look at her. Even her own toes are a discovery. Babies are a clean slate. No prejudices, no biases, just waiting to soak in the information of the world around them. Of all people I would have thought you could appreciate that."

"Hmmmmm," he considers the idea, she can see him rolling it around in his mind as he would a fine bordeaux against his tastebuds. Just then her phone vibrates in her pocket.

"Hello?"

"Uhhh Magnus. It's Will. Look I know you're busy with Alice, but there's a problem with the Craetals."

"What is it?"

"Uhhh I don't know? Two of them just began fighting and I can't tell why."

"Very well. I'll be down in a moment." She hangs up and turns to Nikola.

"There's a problem with some of the abnormals. Will needs my help. Can I trust you with Alice?"

"You're leaving me alone with the baby? What do I do?"

"Nikola she's a baby not a scientific conundrum. Interact with her. Hold if she cries. Talk to her!" She lays the sleepy bundle of baby down in the crib and then she's dashing out the door.

Helen walks back into the room to find Nikola standing by the crib talking to Alice.

"I am just saying that Edison was a lying, cheating scumbag and I am the true genius here."

"Nikola really" Helen admonishes with a smile.

"Oh no, she knows what I'm saying. don't you?" The baby gurgles happily. "Yes. Exactly!" She walks over to stand beside him and peer down at the adorable little creature inside.

"Alls well in abnormal ville?" He asks.

"Oh yes. One of the Craetals went into heat and the other two were fighting over him."

"Sounds exciting."

"Oh, always." They drift into silence, watching Alice together. "You know Nikola, you can actually pick her up if you want to." After a few moments of hesitation, he gingerly reaches into the crib and picks Alice up, awkwardly placing her in his arms.

"No not like that" Helen fixes his hold on her, "you want to support the head like so." Nikola follows her direction and before long he's gently cradling the baby in his arms, swaying gently to and fro. Helen can't help but stare at the picture in front of her. Nikola, resplendent as ever in a gorgeous 3-piece navy suit, blue shirt, and silver tie, staring at the tiny blanket-wrapped baby in his arms with a look of intense confusion and concentration. Nikola's eclectic proposal of a few months earlier weighs heavily in the back of her mind, though it feels like an age since he told her they could "make a go" of this and now she stares at him as she contemplates it. Does she really want to commit, truly and 100% to this infuriating, nosy, irresponsible, adorable, charming man? Forever is a very long time. She turns the question over in her mind as she soaks in the beautiful domesticity of the sight in front of her.

"Enjoying the view?" Nikola asks, breaking her out of her reverie.

"What's not to enjoy?" she replies and takes a few steps forward to join him, kissing him lightly on the lips before she turns her focus to the babe in his arms.

"You know, they're actually quite fascinating."

"What? Babies?"

"Yes. What say we give Wolf Baby back to Wolf Boy and go try to make one of our own?" Those are words she can safely say she never expected to hear from the mouth of Nikola Tesla.

"Nikola, I realise anatomy was never your focus, but I'm not exactly capable of—"

"Oh. I know that, Helen. Genius, remember?" He grins at her salaciously. "All I'm saying is we could try."

"Ahhhh."

"Yes. And if at first you don't succeed..."

"Try, try again?"

"Oi vey."