Title: A Filmmaker and a Baby Chapter 2
Author: Jen
Feedback: Happiness is...
Pairing: None, Mark and cute baby
Word Count: 1602
Rating: PG
Genre: fluffish
Summary:Mark tries to get little Tommy to stop crying and then heads to the park
Notes: POST-Rent.
Special Thanks: electrakitty74 for looking it over and giving advice for baby Tommy.
Spoilers: Read Living and the first chapter for any spoilers
Warnings: cute baby
Disclaimer: Mark isn't mine he belongs to Jonathan Larson. Baby Tommy, Amanda, and Didi are mine.

Mark was growing more and more frustrated as Tommy continued to sit on the floor and cry. He wanted simply to pick the boy up but whenever he got close, he would only scream louder. Eventually, Mark turned and began to look around the kitchen for something else to attempt to feed the sobbing infant. Tommy looked over and noticed Mark was no longer looking in his direction. He cried louder and crawled closer to Mark, eventually grabbing at the leg of Mark's pants with one drool covered hand. Mark leaned down and lifted the boy into his arms. This time the exhausted Tommy buried his face in Mark's shoulder and cried.

"What's the matter, buddy?" Mark whispered as he lightly rubbed Tommy's back. "Shh, pal. It's ok." He lightly kissed Tommy's cheek before carrying him upstairs to see if he needed to be changed.

Tommy kept crying and tried to roll over onto his hands and knees several times before Mark was finally able to figure out he was clean and dry. He picked the boy back up and tried pacing back and forth in an attempt to soothe the crying child.

Tommy still sobbing into his shoulder, Mark headed back down to the kitchen. He offered the baby several other food choices but most only served to make him scream louder.

"What would your Mommy do, buddy? Huh? Would Mommy know?" Mark lightly ran his fingers over Tommy's soft curls. "Do you miss Mommy? Is that it?"

The boy only cried louder, burying his small face into Mark's shoulder.

"Shh, buddy. Come on. She'll be back. Just a few days with your Uncle Mark then you'll have Mommy and Daddy back."

After a few minutes, Tommy's tears started to subside. He stuck two fingers in his mouth and rested his head on Mark's shoulder.

"There ya go, pal. Hey, let's get you changed and we'll go to the park, yeah?" Mark took Tommy back up to his room, quickly changed his clothing, and cleaned his face. "Ok, Tom. You stay here and play while I go change my shirt." He placed Tommy in his crib and gave him some toys to play with before heading off to the guest room.

He pulled of his old shirt, both shoulders wet from Tommy's tears, and put on a new one. He grabbed the cell phone Alison and Benny had given him so they could keep in touch and headed back to Tommy's room. "Ready, buddy?"

Tommy looked up and grinned, holding out his arms as he squealed.

"Well, this is a turn around." Mark smiled as he picked up the baby. "I like seeing that smile." He lightly tickled Tommy, causing him to giggle. "And hearing that laugh." He kissed Tommy's cheek and headed back downstairs. He pulled the stroller out of the closet, placed Tommy inside, and grabbed the diaper bag. "Let's go, kid."

Mark managed to maneuver the stroller the down the steps with little trouble. "How does Mommy do it, Tom?"

Tommy looked up and grinned before banging his hands on the edge of the stroller. He squealed and clapped his hands together as he babbled to himself.

Mark steered the stroller down the street to a small nearby park. There were mothers there and other children playing in the sand boxes and on the swing sets. He pulled the stroller up to a small patch of grass and set out a blanket. "Ready, pal?"

Tommy held out his arms. "Ah! Ah!" he squealed.

"Up? You want up?" He smiled and lifted the baby from the stroller, settling him on the blanket. He pulled the diaper bag off the hand of the stroller and pulled out some toys. "Truck, Tom?"

"Ta!"

"You going to learn real words soon, bud? Or just babble your way through life?"

"Bala!" Tommy giggled and crawled over to the small pile of plastic blocks.

"I'll take that as a no." Mark stretched out on his stomach across the blanket and watched as Tommy stuck most of his toys in his mouth, trying to chew through the plastic. "Hungry, Tom?" He reached into the diaper bag again and pulled out a small baggie of Cheerios. "Here you go, bud." He placed a few on the blanket in front of the baby.

Tommy stared at them for a bit before looking up at Mark. He stuck his fingers in his mouth again before reaching out and grabbing a few in his hands.

Mark stole a few from the baggie too as he watched Tommy work his way through most of the cereal. "Good, huh pal?" He reached back into the bag and pulled out a bottle of apple juice. He pulled off the cover and held it out to Tommy. "Juice, bud?"

Tommy crawled closer to Mark and took the bottle before plopping himself down beside Mark, quietly sipping his juice as he looked around the small park, one hand wrapped around the bottle the other waving around a bit before letting it fall onto Mark's shirt.

Mark smiled as he absentmindedly rubbed Tommy's back. After Roger had died and then Collins, Mark never thought he'd truly be able to love anyone again, fearing how quickly they might leave his life but Tommy had wormed his way deep into Mark's heart. From the moment he'd been born, the child had crept deeper and deeper inside, quickly breaking down the barrier Mark had built up after losing his friends. Tommy had given him something, someone to live for, a family. He'd known Benny for years but he'd never felt as close to him as he did now that Tommy was in their lives.

"Oh, Didi, look at the baby!" a mother said as she walked by with her daughter. "Isn't he cute?" She smiled as she stepped closer. "How old?"

"Eight months. Nine in about a week." Mark smiled as he lightly ran his finger up Tommy's arm. "And how old are you, young lady?" he asked, turning his attention to the little girl.

She held up four fingers fingers. "Four and three quarters. I'll be five soon! What''s his name?"

"Tommy. He's named after a close friend of mine and his mom and dad."

"You aren't his dad?" the girl asked, cocking her head to the side as she twirled a strand of her chestnut hair around her finger. She looked exactly like her mother with her long brown hair and bright green eyes.

Mark chuckled. "No. I'm taking care of him while his mom and dad take a vacation."

The girl knelt down on the blanket in front of Tommy. "Hi, Tommy. I'm Didi."

Tommy dropped his bottle and grinned. "Da!" He waved his arms around and giggled.

"He's cute!" Didi held her hand out and let Tommy bang his hands against her palm. "Mommy, can I have a little brother?"

Her mother chuckled. "Not right now, sweetie. But we should go. Leave Tommy and..."

"Mark. I'm Mark."

"Mark." She smiled. "Nice to meet you. We should leave Mark and Tommy to have their fun in the park." She lightly ran her fingers along her daughter's hair. "Say good bye, sweetie."

"Bye, Mark. Bye, Tommy." Didi smiled as she stood up and slipped her hand into her mother's.

"Goodbye, Mark and little Tommy. Maybe we'll see you tomorrow." She smiled and started to turn away. "Oh, my name's Amanda, by the way."

Mark smiled. "Nice to meet you, Amanda, Didi." He waved as they walked away before turning back to Tommy who tilted his head back and looked up at Mark. "That, Tommy, is a good looking woman."

Tommy stuck his tongue out and began to crawl away, heading straight off the blanket.

"Where are you going, speedy?" Mark said, chuckling. "Wanna swing, pal? That it?" He picked Tommy up and carried him over to the swings. He settled Tommy in one of the infant ones the park provided, securing him in with a small, plastic bar. "Ready, buddy?" He gave Tommy a light push.

Tommy kicked his legs out and clapped his hands together. "Ah! Ah!"

"Up? You want up?" Mark pushed the chair a bit hard, causing Tommy to giggle even more. Each time Tommy swung back towards him, Mark would reach his fingers in and tickle the boy, making his giggles grow louder.

Mark was happy to have Tommy to distract him for the next few days. It had been a year ago that Collins had taken a turn for the worse. The first anniversary of his death was tomorrow and Mark wasn't looking forward to it at all. He hoped spending the day looking after Tommy would keep him from thinking of his friend.

After several minutes, Tommy began whimpering slightly and turning to look at Mark.

"Done, bud?" Mark pulled him to a stopped and lifted him from the swing. "Tired? Ready to head home?"

Tommy sighed, stuck his thumb in his mouth, and leaned his head against Mark's shoulder.

"Guess so." Mark carried Tommy back to his stroller, carefully placed him in it, then gathered up their things before heading back to the brownstone.

Tommy was nearly asleep by the time they got back home. Mark carried him up to his room, quickly changed his diaper, and placed him down in his crib, lightly rubbing his back.

"Have a good nap, Tommy." Mark leaned down and gave Tommy a quick kiss before heading out of the room and down to the living room. He stretched across the couch and closed his eyes before drifting off to sleep himself.