Just more mushy and memorable family milestones. :)
One shot #3
TJ's first week home was as amazing as it was exhausting. 10K had only been home for part of it since a day after TJ had come home from the infirmary Tommy had to get back to his shifts at work. The hours he worked would be what his family would use to get food and supplies until Bailey was back from maternity leave. He'd tried to plan ahead and worked as many extra shifts as he could before TJ was born so they'd have a safety net stockpiled but he didn't want to risk using it all up when he was still able to work.
Bailey, on the other hand, was loving being a stay at home mom. She knew back Pre-Z there were a lot of women eager to get back to work, or who would have their husband take paternity leave instead and stay with the baby, but she strongly disagreed. She was glad she didn't have to leave and go to a job like 10K did. She loved being there for every second of her baby boy's life. Every little coo, every wiggle, even the crying and changing she didn't want to miss. It hadn't been that long and yes she was sore and exhausted but she was still in love with motherhood. She'd lay in bed sitting up against the pillows with TJ in her arms sleeping peacefully and she'd spend hours just looking at him. His little body dressed in his tiny baby clothes, his little toes and fingers, his button nose and wisps of blonde hair that had gotten slightly darker to match her own hair.
When he woke up she fed him before bringing him to the sink where she'd left a basin and filled it with some lukewarm water and liquid baby soap while she held TJ to her with one arm cradling his head with her elbow. She took a soft washcloth and threw it in the sudsy water while she rested TJ on his changing mat and took off his onesie and his little socks before getting him in the bath. She couldn't give him a real bath until his umbilical cord fell off and TJ started getting squirmy now that he was naked and cold.
"Hey." She heard 10K call as the door opened and he walked in.
"Hey. You done for the day?" she called back as he put his gun and coat away in the closet. He had been wearing his Pa's old park ranger jacket more often, the dark green jacket giving Tommy's wardrobe a bit more variation in color.
"Yeah. My next shift isn't until two in the morning." He said walking over to her, "How have you been doing?"
"Good up until now, he's just getting a little fussy." She said as TJ squirmed more, splashing the water around.
"Here." Tommy said turning back to his stuff and rifling through his bag, "Will this help?"
He came back over and stood to her left taking a small yellow toy and holding it in front of TJ who stopped moving as he looked at it.
Bailey gave a playful surprised gasp as she looked at TJ, "Did Papa bring you a ducky?" she asked as TJ kept staring and she took advantage of his distraction and washed him as quickly and gently as she could. 10K kept using the ducky to hold TJ's attention but when Bailey looked back at him she noticed TJ's eyes weren't on his new toy.
"Tommy." She said softly not wanting to draw away TJ's attention.
"Mmmm?"
"He hasn't taken his eyes off you." She noted and in her peripheral vision saw 10K smile as he noticed the same thing. Then TJ brought his clean hand to his mouth and started sucking on his fingers as he stared at his Papa. Then the corners of his mouth turned up and she could feel the happiness radiating off 10K for being the first thing their baby smiled at.
«»
Life in Altura continued smoothly for the next seven months and their little family fell into a calm rhythm as Bailey and 10K adjusted to parenthood. Bailey brought TJ to work with her since Altura was still working on creating a school system. George had decided to use some of the spare rooms in the community building a floor below the infirmary and was just looking for citizens to work as teachers. Kaya had started communicating with Pacifica getting books and lesson plans for the different grades in the classroom but until they had a preschool or a daycare the baby stayed with Bailey – which she was clearly happy about. All in all TJ was a good baby and he'd sit quietly in his carrier by Bailey's feet as she worked sometimes sucking on a toy or his pacifier as he watched all the activity going on around him. When they were home Tommy would watch the baby while Bailey would make dinner or if they were eating at the dining hall that night she'd take a nap while he played with their son. Tonight they were eating in, after a long day at work Bailey wanted just a quiet night at home and cooking helped her unwind. She was making a tofu chicken recipe, since they couldn't eat meat because of the zombie virus, so they replaced it with tofu they got from the soy from the Old Frontera Outpost and she'd actually gotten pretty good at making tofu, once she learned how to properly prepare it. Meanwhile, 10K was on the floor with TJ who had started sitting up on his own, as he played with his toys. Tommy was leaning on his right elbow while taking TJ's toys with his left hand and hiding them behind his back. This made TJ give high pitched little shrieks while he smiled and he reached out his chubby little fingers for the toy until Tommy gave it to him. Every now and then Tommy would lean forward and give TJ a kiss on the head while he was playing with whatever toy he was holding at the time. When TJ got tired of the game Tommy got off the floor and picked him up letting TJ's bottom rest on his right forearm while their son leaned into his Papa's shoulder and Tommy used his one hand to hold TJ under his chubby arm against his ribs. He walked over to the kitchenette and looked over her shoulder at what she was making as she pulled the seasoned tofu out of the frying pan of oil and dunked it in a bowl of barbeque sauce before plating it.
"Dinner looks great." He said kissing the side of her head just above her messy bun, "I mean, so do you but you're not covered in barbeque sauce." He said letting go of TJ's back while he leaned safely against his Papa's shoulder happily teething on his toy and Tommy brought his finger to steal some sauce bringing his finger to his mouth and sucking it off, then he looked to Bailey, "Unless. . . "
"No." she said keeping her eyes on dinner as she finished the last of the tofu. Tommy chuckled and kissed her head again before moving to the couch and sitting down with TJ on his lap. As soon as he sat TJ got bored of his toy and threw it on the ground moving his hands to the pockets of his Papa's cargo pants and pulling them. The snap closures opened and 10K snapped them shut again and TJ opened them again making little cooing and giggling sounds as he enjoyed the new game.
«»
That night they woke up to TJ crying, again. Bailey groaned as she rolled over and rubbed her eyes as Tommy sat up and threw his feet over the side of the bed.
"I'll get him." He volunteered as Bailey yawned and thanked him before rolling back over, burying her face in her pillow and going back to sleep. 10K stopped in the kitchenette before he went into TJ's little room – his mind briefly wondered if he should ask George for a housing reassignment since their family of two had become three and now things were starting to get a little cramped. But it was the apocalypse, he couldn't complain for having a roof over his head and four walls protecting his family.
In the kitchenette he went to their ice box and pulled out one of TJ's rubber toy rings they kept in there to keep it cold. Then he went to TJ whose little lungs were giving it all he had as he cried louder. He seemed to settle a little when he saw his Papa who gave him a sleepy smile before he put the rubber ring aside and picked up TJ and rested him against his right shoulder as he'd done earlier. Then he took the cold rubber ring in his hand and sat on a rocking chair. He brought the cold toy to TJ's mouth and his son immediately started sucking happily on it as a final tear ran down his face but no more followed.
"Yeah that's better huh?" he said and TJ snuggled into his chest more. "Yeah, it's not easy cutting teeth is it?"
TJ had just started sleeping through the night when the teething began, before when they'd get up in the middle of the night to change or feed him it was out of necessity, their son relied on them to care for him, to feed him and change his diaper. But this was different, this was his little boy in pain and 10K hated that he couldn't do more to help other then give him a cold toy to suck on.
He sat there rocking TJ until the cold numbed the pain away and he was able to fall back asleep. 10K stayed there holding him until the cold toy had completely thawed and started to get warm then he got up slowly and put TJ back in his crib and left, throwing the toy back in the ice box to chill again before he fell back into bed beside Bailey, wrapped his left arm around her and went back to sleep himself.
«»
A few weeks later when 10K got home from work Bailey jumped on him the second he got home.
"Stop! Stop!" she called before he even got his foot through the door. He instantly froze as his senses went on high alert.
"What? What is it? What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just shut the door and stay there." She said bending down and putting TJ on the floor on his tummy. 10K smiled now having an idea what this was about as he shut the door and got down on one knee.
"Go on." Bailey urged TJ, "Show Papa."
TJ got on his hands and knees and did these little shimmies forward and back, he'd been doing that for a little over a month now but he hadn't actually figured out how to get himself mobile yet. Bailey knelt down behind him and patted his diaper covered bottom grinning wide, 10K got on both knees as TJ watched him.
"Come on." He encouraged waving his hand toward himself and TJ's little hand moved forward, then he moved it back and Bailey tapped his bottom again. This time he moved forward with both his hands and his little knees followed.
"Come on, come on." 10K said again as TJ picked up speed and reached his Papa in no time. Tommy scooped him up and TJ laughed as Bailey walked over and kissed him on his blonde head. Then the smile fell from 10K's face as he realized something, "Oh, God."
"What?" Bailey asked.
He looked to her a little scared, "Now we have to baby proof everything."
.
.
.
One shot #4
It was another couple of weeks before Bailey and 10K decided to take some time off from work. It was the middle of summer and they wanted to spend some time out in the good weather with TJ before it got too cold and fall got closer.
A little north of Altura was a calm river that led back to the Waterkeepers Dam and they thought it might make a good place to go for a swim and have a picnic. Bailey was at home packing some things up for the trip and Tommy took TJ out to give her some quiet time while he went to the supply building to get what they'd need to make lunch that day. With Bailey taking the day off Katie was the one in charge of the building and it was her who was at the table when he walked in.
"Hi 10K." she greeted as he walked up, "Hi TJ." She said smiling at him and TJ gave a little hand flap of a wave back, still learning.
"Hey Katie." He replied looking at the table where clipboards of forms were, he began filling one out with the number of hours of work he was 'spending' along with a list of what he'd be taking so they'd have a record when they went to check what was left at the end of the day – it was how they made sure no one stole anything, by matching the forms with the number of each ration at the end of each day.
"Bailey enjoying her day off?" Katie asked as he filled out the paperwork, going slowly since he was still getting used to writing with his left hand, even with his right his handwriting hadn't been that good and he was hoping to improve that.
"So far." He replied finishing up and passing her the clipboard. "I took TJ to give her some quiet before we go to the river."
Katie smiled and went to retrieve the supplies and food 10K had requested on the form. He looked to TJ in his arms who was looking around but starting to get fussy. Tommy was hoping he'd take a little nap on the trip and be refreshed by the time they got to the river.
"10K do you want a bag?" Katie asked coming back with the stuff. It wasn't too much but with one hand and a baby it would be harder for him.
"That'd be great, thanks." He accepted and Katie pulled out a rubbermaid bin of plastic shopping bags and loaded the stuff into it.
"No problem, I figured one hand, small child, lots of stuff, somethings gonna give." She said as she packed everything, "And hopefully it wouldn't be the kid."
"Yeah everything else is salvageable." He replied smiling as TJ started to squirm and 10K shifted him to his left arm so he could use his hand to keep a firmer grip on him before he held out his antler and Katie put the handles of the bag over it so they rested on his wrist. TJ curiously reached for the bag making it difficult for 10K to keep his grip on him.
"And he's starting to get handsy too." 10K said as he readjusted TJ in his arm.
"Awww, you trying to help your Papa?" Katie asked looking at TJ and when he saw her staring at him he got shy all of a sudden and hid his face in 10K's shoulder. They both chuckled and 10K kissed his little head before thanking Katie and leaving.
«»
When they got to the river the sun was shining off the calm water and TJ was wide awake in the back of the vehicle after having that nap they'd been hoping for. Bailey got him out of his car seat while 10K grabbed the rest of their stuff and got to work spreading out a blanket near the riverbank. He used their backpack on one corner and the duffel they'd brought on the other so it wouldn't blow in the slight breeze. He looked over at Bailey when he heard a high-pitched shriek but calmed when he saw it was only TJ. Bailey was smiling at him as she held him and he was pointing his tiny finger out at the water. 10K smiled as he finished with the blanket and walked over taking TJ from her.
"Yeah, you haven't seen this place before." 10K said watching TJ as he took in his new surroundings with a look of awe on his cute little face. Tommy couldn't keep the smile off his face as he watched his little boy as he pointed at the water and made small cooing sounds. Bailey took her shirt off leaving her in a full piece swimsuit and shorts and she took TJ for a moment while 10K took his shirt off and got ready to go in the water; then he took TJ back and walked into the river keeping a firm hold on him as he wiggled more in his arms eager to splash around in the water like he usually did at bath time.
The river was calm and not too deep so 10K was able to touch the bottom all the way across. Sometimes he'd bend his knees a bit bringing the water level to his shoulders and letting TJ get a good dunk in the water – though he always kept his head in the air - which made him giggle and slap his hands making little splashes even more. Bailey stayed on the shore enjoying some peace while she soaked up the sunshine and she relaxed like that while watching her boys have fun for about an hour before they came back to the blanket to all eat their picnic lunch.
10K took another towel they'd brought and dried off a little before lying on his side on the blanket while TJ sat next to the blanket with a small plastic shovel in his hand and a sand pale beside him that Bailey had brought. He wasn't shoveling the sand as much as he was slapping the shovel into it but when he did get some of it in there he would try and dump it into the bucket which made him laugh and giggle as he smiled away having the time of his life. Bailey was getting lunch out and as it got warmer with the sun rising higher she put on her white tee shirt covering her full piece swimsuit and giving her skin a break from the sun so she wouldn't burn. But the movement caught Tommy's eye and brought a question to mind.
"I thought you were packing the other suit this morning?" he asked as she passed him one of the sandwiches from the bag and he started pulling the tin foil off it. He saw something flash in her eyes as she hesitated for a split second to answer then she smiled but he could tell it was fake.
"I just decided I liked this one better." She said turning away from him and going into the bag again. He knew something was off as he rewrapped the sandwich before he put it down on the blanket.
"Bailey." He called but she didn't look up from the bag as she started getting out TJ's food. "Bailey, what's wrong?"
She shook her head, "Nothing." She replied turning with a small Tupperware container of applesauce and a small baby spoon in her hand. She smiled again but he could tell she didn't mean it, "Really, in the grand scheme of everything it really is nothing Tommy."
She grabbed TJ and pulled him into her lap as she sat with her legs crossed making a little space where TJ could sit and not topple over. TJ was busy with another one of his toys as Bailey opened the lid on the applesauce and dipped the spoon in. TJ opened his mouth when she put the spoon in front of him but he didn't take his eyes from the toy as his Momma continued to feed him and 10K watched her carefully now seeing a hint of sadness on her face as she looked down at their son in her lap.
"Bailey if there's something bothering you then it isn't nothing." He said but she didn't look up, she didn't look like she'd even heard him though he knew she did. She kept silently feeding TJ, hiding under her bangs, and after a few moments 10K gave up and started eating his sandwich trying to think of ways to help Bailey but he wasn't sure how he'd be able to if he didn't even know what was wrong. Then about halfway through TJ's applesauce Bailey sighed and spoke up.
"I didn't want the stretch marks to show." She muttered not taking her eyes off TJ as her free hand fumbled with her braid and 10K turned to her. His eyebrows scrunched together confused, Bailey had never been the self-conscious type. He knew she had scars, nearly everyone did at this point, but she'd never been worried about them before.
"Bailey, we've all got scars." He pointed out hoping it would make her feel better, though it didn't seem to.
"It's not just that." She said a bit louder no longer talking in a hushed voice, "My body's. . . different now. It's not just the stretch marks, my body changed in . . . other places too." She said glancing at him every few seconds but not looking at him for long, almost like she was ashamed. He gave a small scoff and moved so he was sitting next to her on the blanket.
"You know you don't need to worry about that." He told her, "It's stupid."
She turned and looked at him now only her expression was very different, taking his statement offensively, "Oh thanks. Wives love hearing that from their husbands."
"No, I mean." He said shaking his head and smiling, "I love you for who you are. And no matter how your body changes, in any way, you're always going to be beautiful to me."
She looked surprised like she was shocked he could be that deep, "And. . . " he lowered his voice and nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck which made her smile as he whispered in her ear, "You never have to worry about not turning me on."
He kissed under her ear and pulled back and she blushed from his last sentence.
"And hey, this never seemed to bother you." he said holding up his stump that was wrapped in his navy bandana. "Because you love me for me not just my body. . . right?" he tacked on the end nervously.
She chuckled and looked at him, "Yes because I love you, you sexy goof."
Then she looked back down at TJ and 10K put his arm over her shoulders.
"I just don't want you thinking negatively about yourself like that." He murmured before kissing her temple. She leaned into him as she finished feeding TJ before setting the Tupperware aside and readjusting him in her lap as he kept himself entertained with his toy. Then she leaned into Tommy's embrace more and looked up at him.
"I love you. So, so much." She said softly and he smiled back at her but before he could say it too TJ started getting fussy and started reaching for the water again. They both laughed and Bailey got up scooping their son into her arms.
"Alright come on, you little water bug." She said happily before taking TJ back to the river and letting him sit in the sand and splash around in the shallows while she watched him like a mother hawk. 10K finished his lunch while he watched them wishing the day didn't have to end. When his food was done he got up and joined Bailey as all three of them got back in the water and enjoyed the rest of their day off.
