The night was interesting for both Casey and Chuck. Stephen wouldn't settle for Chuck for anything, Casey finally got him to settle in the makeshift crib they made in the dresser drawer until they went to get a real one. Stephen finally let Chuck give him a bottle while Casey laid in bed listening.
"How is he?"
"Good, he drank the entire bottle and he's asleep." Chuck whispered, laying down beside Casey, with his head on Casey's chest.
The next morning Ellie met them at the baby store she frequented when she was pregnant with Claire. As they walked in Casey was carrying Stephen. Casey was quietly trying to figure out if the spots of color he was seeing on and off all morning was an illusion. Chuck wanted a jungle themed room with monkey's, lions, and a stuffed giraffe. Casey looked around suddenly seeing a huge stuffed giraffe, he didn't say anything looking over at Ellie and Chuck who were looking at paint chips. Casey walked over to the giraffe, looking at Stephen taking in his features. He lifted him onto the back of the stuffed giraffe saying,
"Chuck, Ellie look." Casey had looked over toward them when he said it.
Casey met Chuck's eyes and for what felt like the first time he realized he loved the scrawny nerd. Chuck must have realized Casey could see because he had tears in his eyes as he came over to where Casey was standing.
"Please tell me you can read my shirt?"
Casey looked at the shirt that he got Chuck when they got married.
"He's not just a marine, he's my husband."
Chuck kissed him, Casey hugged him to his chest the best he could without hurting Stephen. Casey moved Chuck so he was hugging from the side and looked at Stephen.
"Hey buddy." Casey kissed his head.
Stephen cooed, cuddling closer to him. Chuck smiled at them, as he looked at Ellie who was crying also. The rest of the morning they bought everything they could possibly have needed for a baby. Casey called Alex asking her and Morgan to meet them after Stephen's doctor appointment. To surprise them with Stephen since they had just gotten home from a trip. They were seated in an exam room, while they waited. Casey lent over and kissed Chuck on the neck. Chuck smiled, looking at him.
"We're in an exam room."
"So?"
"With our foster son."
"Again so?"
Chuck chuckled, and kissed him.
"Tonight."
About that time Dr. Appleton came in,
"So you must be Chuck and John." He said, shaking each hand.
"Yes." Casey said.
"And this must be Stephen." He sat down in front of them.
"Yes." Chuck said, as Casey sat him on the table.
Dr. Appleton went through everything from measuring his weight, length, to head circumference. He checked his hearing, and reflexes. He printed out a list of when to get his vaccinations and other health checks. He gave them a list of good recommended ophthalmologists to be certain if the blindness was permanent. He showed them how much and what kind of iron-fortified formula, following the package's instructions when making and storing bottles. How to feed him, to know when Stephen was full or not. He also told them a lot so much more that Chuck got out his phone and was taking notes. He also checked his umbilical cord,
"How does it look? My sister looked at it and told us it was infected when we first found him."
"Good, it should fall off within a week or so."
He also checked his hips, back, and feet. Done a hearing and oxygen test, gave Stephen his first immunization shots. By the time they left both Casey's and Chuck's heads were spinning with information. They met Alex and Morgan at a restaurant, Alex cried when she realized Casey could see and seeing him with Stephen made her happy. Stephen was really smitten with her voice, cuddling up to her as soon as Casey handed him to her. Morgan and Chuck went over to the bar and got drinks.
"How are you doing?" Alex asked.
"Good." Casey smiled.
"You look happy, and you can see, when did that happen?"
"This morning while we were shopping for things for Stephen's bedroom."
"You took him to the doctor, right?"
"Yeah, he's okay beside the blindness, nothing serious wrong. He got his first vaccinations, and we got some schooling on taking care of a newborn." Casey said, looking over at Chuck who was walking over with Morgan.
Chuck sat down beside him, the next hour was fun. Stephen was all about Alex and Morgan, he was pouting when Chuck took him from Morgan when they left. They went home, Casey giving Stephen a bottle while Chuck took a shower Chuck took over and burped him and put him in his new play mat. Chuck sat down beside him, watching him try to figure out where the sound came from on the play mat that Ellie had found to help with coordination. Casey sat behind him, wrapping his arms around him drawing him back against his chest. Chuck cuddled into his chest, resting his head on his shoulder when Casey kissed his temple.
"How could anyone abandon him? He 's so cute and innocent."
"Maybe they couldn't care for him properly and didn't know any better, or they were a piece of crap druggie." Casey whispered.
"He's ours now, though nothing can change that."
"We still have to go through the process, Chuck."
"But we won't?"
"I came close to being adopted but either the judge wouldn't sign off or the couple changed their minds. But that's also how I met Alex's mom, she was in the same shelter." Casey looked distantly.
"What happened?"
"She was two years younger than me and some boys that I shared a room with took advantage of her. I got even, and I was labeled unadoptable."
"But you were protecting her."
"They didn't believe me, so when I joined the marines we got engaged. I moved her into a house and was shipped off to basic. You know what happened after."
"I'm sorry."
"It's okay, everything worked out for the best." Casey smiled, watching Stephen.
Soon after, they carried Stephen to his new crib and climbed into bed in each other's arms.
