Disclaimer: I own no one except the baby. Everyone else is property of WWE and the US government!

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Productive hearts

AKA Motherhood Part two

Errands, errands, errands, it was all Dawn had done in the six short weeks following the birth of their baby.

"I'm home!" she softly announced as Missy, their small, black Scottish terrier began to bark. A quiet sniffle quickly turned into full-blown wailing. Placing a bag of groceries on the counter, she dashed to the living room.

Milan lay in her bassinet, screaming. Anger, discomfort, Dawn wasn't sure why. She had yet to learn how to decode crying. Jackie snored peacefully on the couch.

How can she sleep through it? Dawn wondered as she scooped Milan up. The baby sniffled and then, quieted down. She cooed, as if trying to communicate.

"Hello to you, Millie," Dawn cooed, grabbing a diaper pad and spreading it out on the floor. Jackie stirred but still slept. Gently, Dawn placed Milan on the pad and preceded to undue the diaper tape. After six weeks, Dawn had gotten fast at changing diapers.

"What time is it?" Jackie mumbled, waking up. She watched Dawn pace with Milan. "She's probably hungry. Let me feed her," She moved to get up. Dawn motioned for her to stay down.

"I'll just bring her to you," she said softly. She gently passed Milan to Jackie. The baby was wrapped in a bright pink blanket. Jackie quickly undid her shirt and bra, exposing a breast. She held the baby to her chest for a few moments until Milan began to suckle.

"She's latched on and feeding perfectly," Jackie bragged. Breast-feeding had been difficult for her to pick up, but now that she was doing it well, Jackie loved to brag about it.

"You hungry, Sweetie?" Dawn asked, folding up the stroller. Jackie yawned before nodding slowly. Since the birth of Milan, Dawn had made it her business to pamper Jackie through the crucial first weeks.

"Starving. When the baby's done eating, could you watch her so I can have a long, hot shower?" she asked, glancing around the room. Baby equipment was strewn everywhere. Huge packs of diapers sat by the linen closet, waiting to be put away. Milan, at just six weeks of age, had invaded their seemingly perfect lives, and they LOVED it. "I haven't been able to shower for a few days,"

"No problem! Just set up her carrier in the kitchen. Right now, I need to feed Missy," Dawn said, remembering the dog. Hearing her name, the dog followed. "Here, Girl," She placed a small bowl of Kibble on the floor. The dog wolfed the food and began to lap clean water.

"Has she been changed?" Jackie asked, walking into the kitchen. She held the baby in one hand and the pink gingham lined carrier in the other.

"I did it before you woke up. Don't worry. We'll be fine. Just go take your shower and by the time you're out, dinner will be started," Dawn told her, strapping Milan into the carrier. Jackie took a deep breath and left the room.

After putting a pot of sauce on to simmer, Dawn sat at the table and watched Milan sleep. As she watched, she couldn't help but wonder what life had in store for the little girl with the 'different' family.

In the six weeks following the child's birth, the world had mixed reaction to her lesbian parents. Friends who knew and loved Dawn and Jackie were supportive and happy. Dawn's family and Jackie's father and siblings were thrilled with their new niece and granddaughter. Jackie's conservative mother who couldn't stand Dawn for corrupting her baby was even flying out to visit in three weeks, but Dawn didn't know that yet. Jackie was waiting because Dawn couldn't stand her mother anymore than her mother could stand her. Some of the more religious neighbors were disgusted. (A/N- I know not all religious people are like this!)

Despite the reactions, Dawn and Jackie just cared about their daughter.

"Good girl," Dawn murmured as she watched Milan's eyes begin to droop. Life was better with the baby in it.

"Smells awesome," Jackie commented, towel-drying her hair. Dawn grinned.

"Thanks, Hon," she said, kissing Jackie's cheek. "Can I get you anything?" Jackie glanced down at her shirt and groaned.

" A clean shirt, a clean bra and my breast pads," she muttered, staring at Milan.

"Here," Dawn said, thrusting the needed items at Jackie. She didn't blink when Jackie proceeded to change in the middle of the kitchen. For some reason, unbeknownst to Dawn, since giving birth, Jackie was more open about her body.

Milan began to wail. Dawn was the first one to reach her. "Hush. Let's get that icky diaper off,"

"Is Milan alright?" Jackie questioned. Dawn handed her a soiled diaper.

"Would you please throw that out?" she asked, standing up. She towered over Jackie by four inches.

"Sure," Jackie replied. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Dawn softly singing a lullaby.

Milan had done a world for a normally cynical Dawn. Since the birth, she was calmer and slightly less cynical. Jackie liked it that way. Dawn was somehow easier to handle.

"You do amazingly well with her," Jackie murmured, glancing over Dawn's shoulder at the baby. Milan shared her crystal blue eyes with Jackie. Her nose was rounded and her chubby cheeks compensated for her thin, delicate lips. Dawn motioned for her to lower her voice.

Milan had drifted off.

"She's our daughter. What do you expect?" she said, almost sarcastically. Jackie rolled her eyes. That was her Dawn, back to normal. Dawn gently strapped Milan in her carrier. Then, she put her arm lovingly around Jackie's waist. " I love you," It was only a faint whisper but it meant the world to Jackie.

They ate in relative silence. Leisurely meals were now a well-enjoyed luxury. Then, Milan began to cry.

"I'll get her," Jackie sounded annoyed, but Dawn knew she wasn't. "Snack time,"

"Everything alright?" Dawn asked, wandering into the living room. Gesturing to the suckling newborn, Jackie nodded. After the baby drooped off, Dawn took her as Jackie went to eat. Then, Milan fussed.

"She won't stop?" Jackie asked. Dawn shook her head. "Let me try," She took the baby from Dawn. When the baby began to nuzzle her shirt, Jackie understood. "Poor baby, are you hungry?"

"Was that all?" Dawn asked, watching Jackie nurse. Smiling, she realized she could hear the soft guzzles and gulps.

"Yeah, Millie didn't eat enough the first time around," Jackie explained, staring at the framed pictures on the wall. Dawn was a budding amateur photographer.

"Say cheese!" Dawn exclaimed, holing a camera. Before Jackie could say anything, she snapped a picture.

"Dawn!" Jackie whined. "Why did you have to take a picture now?"

"You looked angelic, like a Madonna," Dawn replied with a devilish smirk. " 'Sides, don't you want memories like this?"

"Yeah, but not when I look my worst! Could you change her and get her to sleep?" Jackie handed her the sleepy baby. "Try a kangaroo care session,"

Jackie firmly believed in the benefits of Kangaroo care. Milan was always calmer after hanging out on Dawn's bare chest.

After changing her diaper, Dawn rocked with Milan clutched to her bare chest. The infant slept peacefully and Dawn couldn't bear to move.

A bright flash caught her off guard. Jerking her head, she saw Jackie standing before her. Clad in her usual pajamas of an oversized t-shirt and shorts, she seemed guilty.

"Did you take a picture?" Dawn asked, watching Jackie reveal a camera. "Why?"

"Payback," Jackie murmured. Dawn rolled her eyes.

"You still annoy the hell out of me." She said. What seemed like insults to normal people were terms of endearment from Dawn to Jackie.

"Come on! Ya know ya love me!" Jackie laughed, sticking her lower lip out.

She was right. Dawn had to admit that much. Besides, look at what their productive hearts had accomplished.

For without love and productive hearts, there was no Milan.

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Well? Do you like? Only one more segment to go! Read and review. Three reviews gets the final chapter up!

JenLea