Singin' the Baby Blues

Feeling incredibly tired, and confused as to why the child wasn't, Alex was feeling the day catch up with her. Yawning hard, she grabbed a dustpan and brushed up the flakes of cereal that were now covering her kitchen floor. It seemed that when Nathan was hungry he really only wanted to feed the floor. Nathan was standing in the kitchen with her because she'd closed the door to stop him from escaping whilst she cleaned up his mess.

He tried to look guilty at her for making the mess but Alex knew better because she'd spent the better part of the evening picking up his mess as he'd decided to explore every room even though he'd been there many time since she'd bought the house. He'd even helped her move in, dragging things in for her. The doorbell rang again and Nathan seemed to get excited. Alex held up a hand and said, "No. Stay here." Nathan rushed to the kitchen door and started banging on it, hoping that that would open the door.

"Mikey! Mikey!" He started shouting. Alex rolled her eyes as she stood up, putting the pan away. Nathan had been shouting out 'Mikey' ever since Mike had left for Carolyn's party. The doorbell rang again as the person at the door became impatient. "Mikey! Mikey! Mikey!"

"I hope so." Alex muttered to herself, taking a hold of Nathan's hand she opened the kitchen door and he dragged her out to her front door. She didn't really believe it would be him because he'd only left a couple of hours ago but as she opened the door she was completely relieved that it was him. "Got bored of the party?"

Mike stepped inside and shrugged, "It was alright but not many people showed. I promised her I'd get some of us together for tomorrow and we'd take her out for dinner instead."

"Nobody turned up?" Alex asked as she closed the door, still keeping a hold of Nathan's hand.

"Oh a few did. There was about 5 of us there as well as her. Me, Goren and some of her friends. Deakins showed for about 10 minutes." Mike reeled it off. "This is from her." Mike gave Alex a friendly hug that was supposedly from Carolyn. "She said she expects a phone call tomorrow." He told her as he let go. Alex nodded, smiling, although upset that her party had gone a little bust.

"So you all left early?" she asked, as the three of them walked into the living room, sitting down.

He nodded, "Yeah, well she and her friends were gonna go clubbing." He sighed, "That's not really my thing and apparently it's not Goren's either." Alex laughed, a sudden image of her partner in the middle of the dance floor trying to do some kind of break dancing and only ending up in a pathetic heap caused some amusement for her. "So, how's the babysitting?" Mike asked, pointing to the child still attached to Alex's hand as he watched Mike with fascination.

"A pain. He seems to like breaking things." She replied, looking at Nathan. "I've spent most of the time trying to put things high up out of his reach." Mike grinned at the thought.

"Boys will be boys." Mike said, as the boy in question suddenly squealed loudly in excitement. "Oof, he's loud."

"Yeah." Alex agreed sarcastically.

"Mikey!" Nathan shouted, laughing.

"Ha, he remembers my name!" Mike said, laughing as Nathan repeated his name again.

"Yeah, he definitely likes your name." Alex told him, also laughing although a little annoyed that he was shouting when it was getting late. "He's been saying it the whole time you've been gone." Alex then put a finger to her lips and looked at Nathan, "Ssssh!"

Nathan covered his mouth with his fingers; all of them. "Sorry." he whispered. Mike chuckled at the reaction, obviously he'd already been told to be quiet. Alex pulled him up and sat him onto her knee, facing Mike. Nathan grinned at Mike, who just smiled back.

Alex was about to ask Mike to fetch some milk for him but she then remembered something her sister said to her earlier. "Mike, could you hold him whilst I go and fetch him some milk?" She handed Mike the boy without waiting for a response. She stood up, "Don't let go of him, he'll just run off." Alex rushed out of the room.

Mike sat Nathan on his knee straight and looked at the boy, who was still fascinated by him, not knowing who he was. "Hello." was all Mike could think of saying.

"Hello." Nathan repeated, holding out the 'o'. Nathan yawned a little.

"Is it bedtime?" Mike asked, hopeful. Nathan shook his head, "Aren't you tired?" He shook his head again. Mike didn't believe him.

"Not tired." Nathan told him, pouting.

"Yes you are." said Alex as she sat down beside them both, with a bottle in one hand and a pacifier in the other. Mike handed Nathan back to his aunt and Alex handed Nathan his bottle.

As they leaned back into the sofa, Nathan drinking loudly, Mike put his arm around Alex's shoulders as she had her arms around Nathan. "So what led to you being a surrogate mom? If you don't mind my asking." Mike asked, curious but not wanting to upset her. She looked at him and smiled, showing she didn't mind him asking.

"Jo had been trying for a baby for years." Alex sighed, "She found out she was infertile and I can't remember the exact conversation or who brought it up or how it even started but I agreed to give her a baby." She looked at Mike, "The beginning is a total blur. Although I do remember being pregnant, I don't remember giving birth."

"That's probably a blessing." Mike mused, "I hear that's painful." Alex laughed, nodding.

"I remember thinking how much it hurt but I don't physically remember how much it hurt." She explained as Nathan's eyes began to droop as he swapped his bottle for his pacifier, the bottle falling to the floor, and leaned his head on Alex's chest. Alex pulled the blanket from behind the sofa, a small childs blanket, and covered him with it.

"Well, you amaze me because I would never have been able to do that for anyone." Mike told her sincerely.

Alex laughed, "Yeah, I know, you're missing a vital organ." she told him, joking.

"You know what I mean." Mike said, also laughing. Both laughing quietly so that they didn't disturb Nathan as he was falling to sleep. "You gave your sister something that most people wouldn't have the stomach for doing." Mike wanted to say more but he chose to leave it there, he knew that Alex knew what he was saying, it didn't need to be over explained.

Alex smiled at him, grateful, as she rested her head on his shoulder. Mike kissed the top of her head and looked at Nathan who was practically fast asleep. "Isn't he heavy?" Mike asked.

Alex nodded, "He's getting there."

"Well, unless you want to sleep on the couch you oughta think about going to bed." Mike told her, smiling to himself as he felt Alex shake her head; falling to sleep herself. Mike was feeling tired himself, although he knew he should get up and force Alex into action so that she'd get up and go to sleep in a comfortable bed, he couldn't bring himself to move either. He was comfortable where he was.

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The only sound in the room was the sucking sound from Nathan's pacifier and breathing of all three as they slept soundly on the sofa. Alex was slowly becoming aware of her surroundings as she was awoken from her sleep but she didn't know why. Trying to sit up but she couldn't because Nathan was lying on her, his full body wait on her chest, ribs and stomach. Looking at Mike she smiled because he'd stayed but she frowned when she realised he was cold... then again so was she and looking at Nathan she noticed he was the only warm one in the room, wrapped up tightly.

She realised that she should really be in bed and having a 2 and a half year old lying on you is bad as she realised she was in pain from his weight on her ribs. Looking at Mike, she decided on a course of action. She freed a hand and stroked Mike's face, her hand caused him to wake up almost immediately. He looked at her and frowned, he was confused as to where he was. Smiling softly, she looked down at Nathan and Mike remembered.

"Mike." she whispered, "Could you please take him off me? He's very heavy." Mike rubbed his eyes and pulled his arm from around her shoulders. Standing up and getting into a position so he was above Alex and Nathan. He carefully lifted the boy away from Alex, stopping his movement everytime Nathan moved a little. Once he had a strong hold on him, he gently held him close to his own body as Alex stood up herself, a little slowly.

Mike noticed how she winced, "You alright?" he asked, also whispering

Alex nodded, "Yes, my ribs are hurting a little though, I'll be fine." She shrugged it off, indicating for Mike to follow her as she headed towards her bedroom. Walking into the room and heading for the bed, she peeled back the covers, "Put him in here, he'll be fine." She got into the bed as well, not bothering to remove clothes, she couldn't be bothered. Mike nodded and leaned forward about to put him in when Nathan held onto Mike's shirt with a tight fist. Mike looked at Alex and she frowned, sitting up again she tried to unwrap Nathan's fingers from around Mike's shirt but she didn't want to wake him so she gave up.

"Great." Mike muttered, suddenly realising he had no way of putting the baby down.

Alex patted the bed, "You might as well get in." she told him. Mike seemed to be pondering that idea. "Come on." she said, sensing his hesitation. "It's not like you're gonna do anything while he's here." she whispered, with a grin.

Mike looked at Nathan and than back at Alex, shrugging, he stepped into the bed. Alex helped him take off his shoes and then they laid down together with Nathan in between them, with his hand still firmly gripped around Mike's shirt. "You're not gonna sleep now are you?" Mike said, not really asking because he already knew the answer, Alex didn't sleep twice in one night and he knew that.

"No." she whispered. "But I'll try." she smiled at him, getting comfortable.

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TBC

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