A Call to Arms
by kimbari
Rating: PG
Character: William Adama
Warnings: None
Spoilers: I doubt it.
Summary: The young Viper pilot has a close encounter with something more frightening than a Cylon centurion. Written for the LJ bsgflashfic Backstory challenge.
"He's fed, he's dry and he's asleep so there shouldn't be a problem."
That's what she said. So of course, the minute the door closed behind her, the baby started to fuss. That's what Caroline called it. Fussing. Not quite crying, but not sleeping the sleep of the innocent, either. Fussing. The prelude to a full out barrage set to begin in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1.
The imperious wail of a newborn pierced the air, a sound much more terrifying than any call to action stations. Husker scrambled out of his chair, knocking his hot coffee into his lap in the process. "Shit!" the hollered as he stumbled over the book he dropped and nearly fell headlong into the bassinet. He finally got his feet under him and stood, staring down at the screaming, red-faced infant. He nervously jiggled the bassinet and thought that he'd much rather face down a Cylon centurion. At least he knew what to do with one of those. He jiggled the bassinet harder, which only made the baby madder. "Okay, okay..." He stopped jiggling and stared helplessly as his tiny son worked himself into a frenzy. "Okay..." he repeated. "Uh..."
The crying was really getting to him, now. Husker thought hard. Picking him up usually worked. Thing was, the thought of picking the baby up scared him out of his mind. He was so little, and squirmy. What if he dropped him? Caroline would have his ass!
"Oh, hell, Caroline will have my ass if he screams himself into a rupture, too," he muttered. There was nothing else to do. He bent over and cautiously slid one hand beneath the tiny body. Careful of his head! parental voices admonished him, and he hurriedly slipped a hand between the mattress and the baby's neck, sliding his fingers up the back of the child's head. He gingerly lifted his son from the bassinet and transferred him to the crook of his arm, holding him the way he'd seen Caroline do it.
Blessed silence.
Daddy blew out a huge sigh of relief, right into baby's face. The gust of air caused the baby to catch his breath and blink in such a comical way that Husker laughed out loud. The baby stared at him solemnly for a moment, then returned the smile.
Husker's heart flipped clean over. He stared into the tiny face, grinning. The baby stared back. His smile deepened. Then his little shoulders began to shake. A hiccup-y sound emerged from him and Husker's grin vanished, to be replaced by an expression of complete astonishment. "Are you laughing?" he said. That sound came again and the young father felt a sudden rush of love for the tiny human being in his arms (I made this) that was so huge he felt faint. "You're laughing at your old man, aren't you?" he said softly, his voice catching in his throat. The baby made a small sound that sounded like agreement. He pulled the small body closer to his own, tight against his chest so the baby could hear his heartbeat.
William Adama kissed the top of his son's head. "I love you, Lee," he murmured as he cuddled his baby close.
End
