A/N: I read a terrible news story and got an idea. Ned's around 27 and Katie is 23, so a little bit before they have Asher but after all the mess in Lookin' In a Mirror and Arrow. Maybe sometime just after chapter 41. Enjoy xx Mariah
Ned was scrolling through different plane tickets. He was trying to find a reasonable one to a tropical destination around his and Katie's upcoming wedding anniversary. He was hoping to find a good one to Hawaii, he knew how much she had always wanted to go there.
That was when the phone rang.
It must be a dispatch call because no one went to answer it by the second ring.
"C'mon, no one wants to go?" He groaned and pushed his chair back as he turned his screen off and stood up. "Really?"
He walked across the room and grabbed the red phone on the wall that was ringing.
"Ned Banks responding, badge 103," he said. He didn't really want to be taking a dispatch call either. It was near the end of his shift.
"We need an officer to respond to the church," the dispatcher's voice was monotonous, following a script of what was written down for him to speak.
"For what? Is there a dispute?" He double checked his watch. It was nearly eight, right near the end of his shift. He did not want to be out on a call and end up with a whole slew of paperwork.
"You could say that," the dispatcher said. "There was an abandoned baby; he is maybe four months old or so. CPS said they can't get a social worker here until morning and to have him stay at the precinct tonight."
"Alright. We'll have an officer there as soon as possible," he said, hanging up the phone.
He leaned against the wall for a second and sighed. He always hated these cases, and how on earth could they expect a baby to stay here? Who was going to watch, change, or feed him?
Ned walked over to the Captain's door, knocking as he already opened the door. "Hey, Cap, I need to ask you something."
"About what?" Josh LeTrai was always stressed, but today he looked like he wanted to punch a hole in his computer. He ran his hands over his face and sight.
"The latest dispatch," he cleared his throat and sat down in the first chair that was near. "There is an abandoned baby at the church and it's too late for CPS in the city to get out here. They want him to stay here tonight."
"That's a terrible idea, who's gonna watch him?" Josh groaned.
"My thoughts exactly," he said. "I was actually gonna offer to take him home with me for the night and just bring him back for the social worker in the morning. I'm due off any minute and Katie loves kids."
Josh tapped his finger on his chin and then grabbed his phone. "I'll make a few calls, but I think the baby will like that idea better than this place. Better call Katie and ask first."
"I like the idea of a surprise better," he said, walking toward the door.
"Good luck with that, Banks." LeTrai chuckled as he pulled the door closed.
He pulled his phone out quickly as he walked toward his desk, grabbing his keys and jacket on his way to the door.
He knew Josh probably had a point. He should probably tell his wife what he'd just signed them up for.
Katie was nodding off to a movie at her parent's house when her phone started buzzing in her pocket. She rubbed her eyes as she sat up, moving her head from her mother's shoulder to pull out her phone.
She pressed accept as she saw it was Ned and relaxed back into the couch. "Hey baby, are you off?"
"Yeah, but not really. I have to tell you something," his voice was quiet compared to the sound of him driving.
"Tell me what?" She yawned, rubbing her eyes.
"Are you still at your parent's?" He asked, his voice suddenly louder. He must've stopped driving.
"Yeah, the movie's about to end." She sat up a little more. "Stop avoiding the topic and just spit out already."
"There was a four-month-old left at the church tonight," he said on the other end.
"A little baby?" She asked, her heart hurt a little. She could never imagine being able to leave her child just sitting outside someplace like that, but she'd never been in any position like that. "Did you have to tell me that?"
"Well I'm only telling you because the CPS worker couldn't get out here and I signed up for baby duty," he explained and then chuckled. "Well, I signed us up for baby duty."
"What do you mean?" She asked, looking over at her mother.
"The baby needs a home for tonight and I signed us up," he said.
"Okay, that's fine… but we aren't really prepared for this right now," she laughed a little as she thought about him signing them up for babysitting duty because he thought it would be fun, and also because the baby topic was nonstop between them these days. "I don't even think my mom has that sized diapers anymore, so we'll have to run to the store for some things. Do you have a car seat?"
"I didn't think this through," he groaned. "But I think the church should have one. I'm going to get the little guy right now."
She sighed. "Hey, don't worry we've got this. I'm gonna go to the store, if you want to meet me there you can but if not drive safe and I'll see you at home." She hung up the phone and sighed. "Okay, mom. I need your help."
Katie came through the front door of their house with two bags. One with diapers, wipes, cans of formula and a bottle. The other had a few books, blankets and little toys that were just lying around her parent's house that she could use for the night.
Ned's truck was in the driveway but he was nowhere to be found in her immediate sight. She kicked her shoes off and walked up the stairs after she locked the door behind her.
"Ned?" She called out as she got on the landing.
She began to hear the baby as he began to cry and that's when her husband came into sight.
"Thank God you're here," Ned said, the one-month-old boy propped on his shoulder. "He doesn't really like me. I need your help."
"Hi, honey." She laughed just a little at the panic in his eyes as she walked closer to him. "You don't look like you're doing that bad of a job. Sometimes babies just need time get used to new people."
They traded off and she took the baby into her arms as he took the bags from her. The little boy's face was red and scrunched up as he cried, but as Katie rocked him and rubbed his back he calmed down a little and settled.
"See, it's just about keeping them moving and making them feel comfortable. He's probably a little hungry too." She cooed, pressing kisses to his little head. "What's his name?"
"The name Ben was written on his blanket," he said softly, stopping short of the bedroom. "Should I make a bottle?"
"Do you remember how to?" She asked, walking past him and into the bedroom.
"Yeah, it's pretty simple." He said, setting the bags down and grabbing the formula and bottle as he went downstairs.
"Looks like it's you and me, Benny, until Ned comes back with your bottle," she spoke softly, thinking of a nickname for the precious little baby in her arms.
She could not see how anyone would be able to give up their child. Let alone ever leave their child out in the cold, even if they knew he would be taken care of at the church. They had to of been pretty desperate.
She cradled the boy close, rocking him back and forth as she heard Ned come back up the stairs. "Your bottle is coming bud," she cooed, smiling down at the baby in her arms as she went to sit on their bed, leaning against the headboard.
It had been so long since she'd held a baby. None of her siblings were that little anymore. They were all three or older now. Even Hannah's son wasn't a baby anymore.
"You look good with a baby in your arms," he said as he came back, a bottle in his hand that was outstretched to her.
"It's easy when you're the oldest of five," she laughed and grabbed the bottle, bringing it to the baby boy's eager mouth before looking back at Ned. He was still staring at her, his gaze following to Ben and then back to her as he smiled. "What?"
"I can't help but think when I saw you with babies," he shrugged and sat beside her, his arm wrapping around her. "I can't wait to have a family with you."
She slowly leaned in to kiss his lips briefly, smiling back down at the one-month-old in her arms. "I can't wait either. Ned, it'll happen soon. We've only been trying a couple of weeks."
"I know. I'm just excited," he said, rubbing his hand up and down her back.
"Me too," she said and smiled up at him.