A/N: New parents never sleep... here are some baby struggles with Katie and Ned with their first born :)
When Ned came home from his first double shift since before Asher was born, he was exhausted. He'd been back at work for about two months now, and Jamison had just told him he was going to be retiring at the end of the year. That was four months away and he still couldn't imagine having a different partner, but he could only hope he'd have someone he actually liked.
His legs were stiff as he made his way upstairs, having eaten his dinner in silence downstairs. Katie had left him a plate in the microwave (like she always did if he worked late) and usually, she would leave him a cute note on top but tonight she hadn't. He couldn't imagine how his wife was doing.
He went in to work with two hours of sleep, which were given to him by his wife driving around with Asher in the car. At one point, Asher had eventually fallen asleep to the soft tunes of the lullabies she played on the stereo. Katie had pulled over to get a little cat nap in because she never knew when the next opportunity for one would come around. It had only lasted thirty minutes before he eventually woke up, but she was happy to get even a few minutes rest.
Her baby boy wasn't feeling good and he was the center of her attention these days. His current ear infection had not been treating either of them very well and it didn't help that Asher's first tooth had poked through. Katie had texted him today saying she could see another three were coming in too.
He was on a mission to help Katie get some sleep. Even if he himself need it. He couldn't currently hear crying as he walked into Asher's nursery. His crib was set up, but he'd only slept in it a few times. With Katie going back to school in a few weeks, he hadn't expected to see her fast asleep with Asher in their bed. She'd been trying to ease him on the idea of being away from her because she was going to be starting work soon. Her mother was going to start taking him for a few hours every day once his ear infection cleared up.
It didn't take him too long to realize Katie was just barely asleep, her hand still rubbing up and down over Asher's back. He must've thrown up again because he was in just his diaper. He touched his back as he sat down, feeling that his fever had finally started to go down. That was a step in the right direction.
He slowly moved Asher from her arms, the infant's face was scrunched up as he was moved and his list fists tightened into a fist. He was readying himself to scream his little lungs out, but Ned ducked out of the room quickly and kissed his head, moving in soft rocking motions that he'd noticed Katie did when she tried to lull him to sleep
"Hey, we gotta try and let your momma sleep." He whispered to the infant, tucking him into his chest. He brought the boy to the crib in the nursery across the hall from their room, but hesitated, looking down at him. "How does that sound bud?"
The five-month-old peered up at his father from where he laid his head on his bicep, his eyes alert to everything. He was not showing any desire to go to sleep.
Ned sighed, smiling at him. Usually, he'd have the energy to stay up with him but not tonight. Tonight he wanted to sleep, to hold Katie close and try and get some sleep. "You're not tired, are you. Looks like we'll have to try and tire you out, huh?" He muttered, kissing the infant's head. He walked over to the rocking chair, sitting him up on his lap. He had just mastered sitting up on his own. He was still a little teetery and Ned's fingers were softly placed to hold him there. "I heard you were starting to feel better..." He whispered, touching his belly. He'd had an upset stomach all day, resulting in vomit and diarrhea. He'd snuck away from patrol once to go on a diaper run for Katie. "That's good because I don't know how much more we can take bud. I'm dead. Your mom is dead. But I guess your doing better so that's all good."
He carefully brought him back to hold him against his chest. Katie had kept him updated all day with the different rises and falls of today. Her father dropped by and did a house visit because she didn't want to drive in the rain. He'd confirmed the ear infection and prescribed him some antibiotics that he'd brought. They were supposed to start them tomorrow right after he eats.
He rubbed his back and rocked until he'd fallen asleep again. He laid him to bed on his back, his hand running over his stomach. As much he'd love to just admire his son he knew he needed to try and get some sleep.
He had the day off but worked after dinner tomorrow. He was not looking forward to it. It was a full moon tonight and a Saturday. It was not looking to be the shift. It would be long and never-ending. He could already feel it.
Katie had moved to the mattress by the time he got back. The light was off, her sleeping face mask on and blanket pulled snug around her.
One thing he was certain: his wife had never looked more relaxed than she did right this moment. Her first moment of peace since Asher was born. Not that he hadn't helped or given her naps before, but this was the first time he'd come home from and taken Asher, just leaving her to do herself and putting him to sleep.
Her hair may be unwashed and she's only wearing a simple cotton nightgown, but to watch her embrace her new role of motherhood was by far the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
She didn't hear him back come in this time or at least she hadn't shown movement to where he thought she was awake. He went into the bathroom, shedding himself of his uniform. Tonight had been a workout. He'd ran and ducked, sprinted and slammed into things. During an arrest, a guy had thrown a lower right hook into his side, the purple bruises scattered up his side, yellow was melted in there too.
"Ned," she breathed, breathlessly. It caught his attention, but he felt her hands first. The soft feeling of her smooth fingers over his side startled him and he turned, catching her tired eyes in his gaze. "You're hurt. What happened?" Her voice was scratchy as she wrapped her arms around him and laid her cheek on his shoulder. She was still so tired, but she'd got up for him when she'd saw the bathroom light on.
"Someone threw a right hook during an arrest," he spoke softly as he moved to properly hug her, his arms wrapping around her. She felt her body press into him, soft and warm. This was the love he'd waited for, prayed for. She was it. The mother of his children. "I'm okay. You should see him."
She giggled, but it was quiet, her mouth was closed as she looked up at him and smiled. Somehow radiant with practically no sleep the last few weeks.
"I don't doubt you, honey," she smiled, rubbing her hands against his back and down his chest. "Are you showering?"
"Yeah, I was gonna." He leaned down, pulling his socks off. "Wanna join me?"
"Is he asleep?" She asked, stretching and yawning. He looked up, standing straight and smiling. She was so cute when she yawned, the way her face scrunched up just like Asher's did. Until she spoke again, smiling with her eyes at him. "What?"
"You're just cute," he said, pulling her close. He loved her more than he'd loved anyone in his entire life, besides their sons and his mother. "But you know that."
"Yeah. I suppose I do," she hummed.
He felt such comfort in her warm weight pressed against him; the turmoil of the previous week and a half already beginning to feel like something that had happened in a half-forgotten nightmare. The feeling could be recalled but not the details. Closing his eyes and pulling her closer into him, he began to idly trail his fingers up and down her back, feeling his heart rate quicken as he did. A small, contented sigh escaped her lips, and he felt the heat of her breath warming his chest all the way to his heart
"I love you, Katie," his lips brushed over the top of her head and in response, she tightened her grip on him.
She lifted her head off his chest and their gaze met for a moment before she gently pressed her lips into his. It didn't take long for the softness of their kisses to grow into something more desperate. They hadn't been intimate in a few weeks. An infant was a lot of work, but Ned going back to work was stressful too and Katie had been preparing for school to start.
Things got stressful, but they made time when they had it. Like now. It was magic, the way their lips connected. It was right and somehow, among all of the dizziness and the way she clung to him like a lifeline.
The steam that filled the room made them separate and Ned turned the shower off.
"We can shower in the morning," he nodded, pulling the shower curtain closed. "We could always ask my mom to watch him tomorrow. That way you could catch up on some more sleep. I'm on the night shift tomorrow at seven."
"But he's still sick," she sighed, biting her thumb. "Shouldn't we just keep him home until he's back to himself?"
She was still so worried about Asher. He didn't blame her. After everything with Charlie… he had his worries about him too. Especially after Asher's fever had spiked to one hundred and three two nights ago, and they'd gone to the ER at three in the morning. Her father wasn't even working either. This morning had been a follow up with the antibiotics.
"He's doing better," he reminded her, smiling. "He seemed more like himself when I put him to bed. He was quiet, but that's just because he was tired." He rubbed her worries from her and she hugged him. "We could even ask your mom if you want someone you can trust a little easier... Emma's in 4k now and she would be able to just focus on him. My mom would totally watch the store."
She wound her hands into his hair, as they rocked in each other's arms. His hands were snug at her waist, his lips touching her neck. "Let's go to bed," she whispered.
"I'll be right there," he kissed her cheek, sneaking a squeeze of her rear.
She leaned into him, her hands moving over his chest and down to where she felt his erection. She giggled, biting her top lip and licking his neck. God, she missed being so sex crazy with him. "Miss me?" She whispered.
"Yes," he grinned as he allowed himself to be led away by her once again.
Once sequestered away in their room, Katie turned to him and placed a hand on his chest. Wordlessly she slid her hands up over his body and around his neck, claiming his lips with her own again. He melted into her and deepened the kiss, probing her mouth with his tongue while his hands drifted lower over her body, coming to rest over her backside.
She pulled away from him with a little gasp as she caught her breath, taking his hands in her own and walking backward until she reached their bed. She spun him around and pushed him down on to the bed before beginning to undress. He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat before pulling his belt buckle loose at the sight of her in her underwear, dropping to her knees in front of him on the bed. It sent a spasm of pleasure straight to his groin, leaving him entirely breathless.
His eyes fluttered closed as she began to undo the button fly on his slack and his hand touched the back of her head as she encouraged him to lift his hips before pulling his pleated pants down. Once they were off, she sat back on her legs.
He moved to his knees, smiling at her. "What?"
"Do you think I'm still sexy?" She'd never doubted his love for her postpartum. He never stopped reminding her how grateful he was.
"Yes, so sexy baby." he breathed, smiling at her. She sat before him in just her panties, looking delectable as ever. In the moonlight, her skin bathed in the pale light, showing the olive tone in her skin. She wasn't one to wear a bra much anymore if she was home with Asher. "Katie, I love you. Plain and simple. For everything you are. I will never want anyone else."
She rested her head against his chest as he buried his face in her hair. "I don't ever want to have to move," she said, her voice slightly muffled his body.
Outside the rain picked up again, beating its relentless sound against the bedroom window and he was beyond thankful to be indoors, in the warm and dry, with the woman of his dreams curled up in his arms. He looked at the bedside alarm clock.
It was just before one in the morning now. With a deep sigh, he said, "do you want to get under the covers?"
"Doesn't sound like you want to." She hummed, smiling at him.
"Katie," he breathed, kissing her neck. "I want to stay up all night making love to you, but we need to be able to have enough energy for work and our son tomorrow too."
"You don't think we can do both?" She smirked, turning her head to claim his lips.
He chuckled, a deep rumbling sound which resonated through his chest and into her, into her mouth against him, causing her to chuckle in response. "No, Katie, I don't think we can do both. I've seen you in the morning, don't forget."
She playfully pushed him away in mock offense and crawled on top of him. "Stop it. It's not too late for me to put my clothes back on."
"You wouldn't," he gasped, smiling at her.
"Do you really want to push your luck?" She wouldn't.
He held her even tighter, his arms wrapped around her and pinning her to his body. "I don't want to do anything to risk losing you ever again."
He felt her breath, warm against his chest, as she sighed. "Ned, you will never lose me like that again. But you're probably right. I need sleep if I'm going to be human in the morning."
"Don't worry. I've got everything covered," he smiled at her.
"Will you make me coffee?" She muttered, resting her head on his chest.
"Better than that," he said, his hands drifting lower, squeezing her backside gently. "I'll wake you up in a way that'll give you a grin all day."
"Sounds great," she yawned. "I look forward to it." She rolled over and set her alarm clock. "I'm setting it for nine. Ash had just eaten before you took him, so he won't be for a while. Probably six, could you get him then? I haven't slept…"
"Yes… I'll wake when I hear him," he said and she reached up to kiss him deeply before he could say anything further.
He held her close, his heart pounding harder and faster than ever. As they climbed under the covers, Ned threw his arm over her, spooning her back, he couldn't believe his own luck. He'd gone to bed the night before absolutely exhausted, alone and stuff, and now here he was, cuddling the most beautiful and sensual woman in his life.
His eyes fluttered closed, a slight smile on his lips as he allowed his body to drift off to the first peaceful sleep he'd had since their son was born.
Ned woke again to the sound of Asher stirring on the monitor, rubbing his eyes. The boy had woken him a little bit earlier too, but he'd settled after a few ounces of breastmilk in the fridge downstairs. Katie was sprawled across his chest, still in just her panties from last night and he smiled, feeling his morning erection press into her.
God, she turned him on. Even at nine o'clock.
"Katie?" he said softly, trying to gently rouse her.
Tendrils of hair were cascading over her face and neck, and he tenderly swept them to one side so his lips could connect with the soft skin hidden underneath. As he kissed a line down the side of her neck, she rolled on to her back, and he placed his hands either side of her, supporting his weight as he watched the sleeping goddess beneath him.
"Katherine?" he tried once more with a little more romance on the edge of his tongue, placing his lips on her pebbled nipple. She stirred slightly underneath him, her eyes opening momentarily before fluttering closed once again. "Mmm… baby, you taste good." He moaned, lathering his tongue around the mound, sucking the skin with his tongue and dipping his head to the side and up to her cheeks, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake.
He was rewarded for his efforts with a sleepy, contented mewling sound as Katie brought her hand up to rest against the back of his head. "Katie? I need you to wake up, beautiful."
He dropped his lips back to her collarbone and began to leave a path of kisses ever lower. When he reached her abdomen he heard her moan his name as her fingertips gently massaged into his scalp. Taking encouragement from her pleasured sighs he dared to venture even lower while Asher was still quiet over the monitor, hooking his fingers over the waistband of her underwear and pulling them down.
It was a bit awkward as she was still half asleep and she couldn't help him much, but with a bit of effort, he managed to wiggle them down past her hips and pulled them free of her legs. The languid smile that spread over her face as he pushed her legs apart and settled in between her knees made his stomach do backflips. He dipped his head to the apex between her thighs and deftly ran his tongue over her folds.
Her sharp inhalation of breath coupled with her increased grip on his hair told him that his method of rousing her was working. "Oh, Ned," she gasped as his tongue expertly circled over her. His erection throbbed and he desperately wanted to bury himself inside her, to lose himself as he sought comfort within her, but the sight of her beneath him, the sounds she made as she came, the taste of her, and the sheer eroticism of pleasuring her was just as exciting to him.
He became aware that her breathing had quickened, that her hips were beginning to roll in time with his ministrations. Bringing his hand into play, he pushed two fingers inside her and curled them forward as he sucked on her. Immediately, she grasped hold of her pillow and brought it over her face to muffle her cries. It had been too long since she'd come like this since their son was born.
The noises she made were almost enough to send spiraling over the edge himself. Her thighs clamped down around either side of his face and her smothered cries rang out to him as he continued to pump her with his fingers while lapping at her until he felt her hand on his forehead pushing him away. He slowly withdrew his fingers before sucking at the moisture that clung to them, then crawled up the bed to lie back down beside her, a wide grin on his face.
"Morning," he said, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "How are you feeling?"
"Mmmm. Far happier than I have when I've woken up lately." She said, shrugging as she smiled at her husband. "Thank you, Ned. I love you."
He smiled at the sight of her, basking in the afterglow of her orgasm as he cupped the side of her face and brought her lips to his. "You ready to get up?"
"What about you?" she replied, flicking on her bedside lamp before turning back to him. "I can't let you give me a wake up like that and not return the favor."
He brushed a few loose strands away from her face and looked over at her bedside clock. "Do we have time?" he asked.
She glanced over her shoulder at the time and said, "Depends. How quick can you be? I still don't hear Asher… did you feed him when he cried earlier?"
"You woke up… I'm sorry." He kissed her cheek. "I tried to get up quick. But yeah, he had about four or five ounces."
"I wake every time he cries Ned," she snorted. It wasn't like she could just shut her instincts off. Even if he got up, she woke up when he cried. Even if she could get to roll over and close her eyes to will herself back to sleep. "Don't feel bad… okay?"
She leaned in toward him, her lips parted. As their lips met, he grasped hold of her and rolled on to his back, bringing her with him. His breath caught in his throat as he felt her hand reach down between the two of them and slide under the waistband of his boxers. Her fingers curled around his erection, stroking up and over his length, her thumb smoothing the moisture it found over the head before she withdrew her hand, resting it on his chest as she kissed his forehead.
"Katie," he moaned softly in to her neck, running his fingers along her spine. "Don't tease me."
Her smile widened as she encouraged him to lift his hips and helped him out of his boxers. "You know," she said, her eyes darkened with lust as she took in the sight of him, "I love it when I make you come with my mouth… ever since the first night we slept together. Sit up for me."
Butterflies fluttered in his stomach as he did as she asked. He watched her lower her mouth toward him, then wound his hands into her hair as she wrapped her lips around him.
"Oh, fuck, Katie," he hissed as her tongue ran around the ridge of his head, the searing heat of her kisses draining all rational thought from him.
Without relinquishing his grip on her, he tried to sit up straighter so he could watch as she took him deeper and deeper, her hollowed cheeks sucking him harder than he ever thought possible. If she wanted him to come quickly she was going the right way about it; there was no way he was going to last long with such a sensual assault on him.
Part of him wanted to push her away, to make her stop so that he might prolong his pleasure, but he was torn between the want of it lasting longer and the need to need for her won out and he held her steady as her fingers curled around him and began to stroke what she couldn't take in her mouth.
"Oh, baby," he choked out, shuddering as the pressure inside him suddenly reached its peak, radiating outwards in hot waves. He hadn't had time to warn his wife before his orgasm was torn from his body and she pulled away suddenly, gagging slightly as his semen hit the back of her throat. "Oh, fuck, I'm so sorry," he gasped, breathless and embarrassed.
"It's ok," she spluttered, wiping her mouth on the back of her hand. "Seriously," she said, taking in the look of worry on his face. "I'll take it as a compliment."
"It was pretty fucking spectacular," he said, collapsing back against the pillow.
"Don't get too comfortable," she warned him. "All this early morning sex was for a reason, remember?"
"I know," he sighed, pulling her up against her chest. He kissed her cheek. "We still don't have to rush off anywhere. If you want… you can go get Asher and we can lie with him."
"Okay. I'm gonna go get him." she responded, a twinkle in her eye.
She propped herself up on her elbow and with a swift kiss to his lips she clambered out of bed and threw on her nightgown from before. She came back with their son, who was asleep on her chest, with his stuffed elephant in hand and all when she got into bed. He never would've saw this coming as a teenager, when he pictured his life. A family was never something he wanted. Not until he was with Katie.
She had made him want to be a better man. He wanted everything with her, and ever today was in disbelief that he could be so lucky to have a beautiful wife and healthy son.
"I think he missed you," she whispered as he settled on his bare chest on his stomach. Katie silently rubbed the infant's back as she laid tucked in Ned's arms. "I know I did."