"Oh, it's okay, little man," Willow tried to gently sooth the whimpering baby in her arms, "Will you finish your bottle? There's just a little more and then your tummy will be nice and full."
She picked up the almost-empty bottle of formula that was lying beside her on the sofa and encouraged the teat into the baby's mouth, sighing in relief and slumping back against the cushions as he accepted it.
She let her eyes flutter closed to enjoy the silence for a few moments before she felt a displacement of pressure just off to her side and looked over to see Tara sitting beside her, cuddling into her side.
"I called for pizza," Tara said quietly, resting her head on her wife's shoulder, "And the bottles are sterilising."
"And the baby is eating and at this moment, quiet," Willow replied, moving her head down to rest a top the blonde's, "I have a newfound respect for anyone who has ever raised a baby. Then again, at least their wives have the good courtesy to get pregnant and give you nine months to prepare. Unlike some who just arrive home, baby in tow."
Tara could hear the teasing tone in her wife's voice and let out a low chuckle.
"Maybe we can start up a day-care centre. You can quit the FBI and I'll make sure OCFS refers any babies this way."
"Oh yea, I'm totally due a career change," Willow replied in mock-seriousness, "This whole technical analyst thing is getting old."
The baby sucked the last of the bottle dry as Willow spoke and the redhead leaned dropped it onto the cushion beside her. The baby smacked his lips together, seemingly content.
"It's not such a bad life, is it?" Willow commented as she cradled the infant, "Someone feeding you, attending to your every whim. Non-stop cuddles."
"You can have non-stop cuddles whenever you'd like," Tara replied, turning her face into her wife's neck and kissing the place where her shoulder met her neck.
Willow curved her head to the side as the blonde raised hers, their faces becoming just inches apart in the process. Tara took the opportunity and closed the gap between them, the lips caressing each other slowly and sweetly for several long moments before a loud whine made them pull apart.
"Someone doesn't like not being the centre of attention," Willow remarked with a laugh as she held the baby more snugly between them, "Would you like a kiss too?"
She leant down and pressed her lips against his forehead, lingering there until there until the dull ringing of the doorbell rang loudly.
"Could you get that?" Tara asked as she picked the baby up and transferred him to her own arms, "I don't have any cash on me."
"No problem," Willow replied, standing up and walking out of the living room.
She walked over to where her purse was lying on the floor in the foyer and retrieved her wallet, taking a note out before she opened the front door. At the same time her hand turned the knob, a shrill cry permeated through the entire house, making her jump back slightly in front of the pizza delivery boy.
"Baby?" the young, probably high-school student, boy asked in a bored tone, possessing the kind of apathy that only a teenager could.
Willow rolled her eyes to herself and nodded, resisting the urge to say 'no, duh'. She quickly thrust the $20 bill into his hand, taking the box that he was holding and not waiting to get her change. She started to rush back into the living room to help Tara with the baby when the crying abruptly stopped.
She peered through the doorway and felt a huge smile fall on her face as she watched her wife holding the baby close against her heart, his eyes droopy but focused solely on Tara as melodious words left her mouth, her hand tapping the baby's behind in time with the beat of her singing.
Oooh ooooooh oooooh...
Ooooh oooh oooh oooh
Oooooh ooooooh
Ooooooh, oooh oooh oooh
Oooh oooh
Oooh oooh ooh
Oooh oooh oooooh
Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high...
And the dreams that you dream of,
Once in a lullaby.
Oh,
Somewhere over the rainbow,
Blue birds fly,
And the dreams that you dream of,
Dreams really do come true, oooh ooh
Someday, I'll wish upon a star,
Wake up where the clouds are far behind me...
Where trouble melts like lemon drops,
High above the chimney top,
That's where you'll find me...
Oh,
Somewhere, over the rainbow,
Bluebirds fly,
And the dreams that you dare to,
Oh why, oh why,
Can't I, I, I...?
Tara trailed off quietly and Willow could tell the baby had fallen asleep by how still he was. She made her presence known by walking fully into the room and retaking her seat on the sofa beside the blonde.
"Bravo," she whispered, "You got him to sleep."
Tara blushed slightly and moved the slumbering infant further down into her lap so she had one arm free.
"He was already tired. He just needed to be soothed a little."
Willow brought one hand up to her wife's shoulder and gave it a quick squeeze.
"Well your voice is the most soothing thing I've ever heard, so I'm not surprised he nodded off."
The two girls shared a smile for a moment before Willow put the pizza box on the coffee table and flipped the lid over, picking up a slice and handing it over to her wife, who manoeuvred the baby into one arm.
"Want me to take him while you eat?" Willow asked when she saw the manoeuvre.
"No, it's okay, I got it," Tara smiled, taking the slice offered to her, "I'm getting good at juggling."
Willow laughed and picked up a slice of pizza for herself.
"I can't believe he's only been here a few hours. I feel like I've known him for days."
Tara chuckled and took a bite, swallowing before speaking again.
"He's gone through enough diapers and formula, it's like he has been here for days."
Willow continued eating and nodded her head in agreement.
"He's like an eating and pooping machine."
"I think that's the definition of 'baby'," Tara said with a laugh, finishing her food looking down at him, "He's also adorable and gorgeous."
"Are you falling in love with a man?" Willow asked with a grin.
Tara ran a finger down his small nose and smiled.
"I think I am."
Willow smiled back and scooted closer to her wife, stroking the baby's hair.
"I think I am, too."
They both stared down at the small child for a moment before Willow leaned over and placed a lingering kiss against Tara's cheek.
"Do you want any more of this?" the redhead asked, pointing to the pizza box.
"No thanks, I'm full," Tara shook her head, "Hey, what time is it?"
Willow stood up and picked up the pizza box, checking her watch.
"8.30pm. I'm just gonna put this in the fridge."
Tara nodded as the smaller girl left the room and she held the baby closer to her.
"Well you just had a bottle and your diaper was changed. Bed time, little man? I think it's bed time."
"Tare?" Willow's voice was heard as she walked back into the room, "You think we could head up too? I'm exhausted."
Tara chuckled but nodded her head, her eyes suddenly tired.
"Yea, I think an early night sounds good. We're gonna be up with him anyway. Here, you take him upstairs and I'll be there in a minute."
Willow took the baby from the blonde, thankful when he stayed asleep and started to walk upstairs. She went into their bedroom and knelt down on the floor, putting the baby in the Moses basket for a second before grabbing the pack of sleeping rompers Tara had bought from the nightstand and taking one out.
She smiled at the duck design on the fabric, before gently removing the onesie the baby was in and pulling the romper onto his little body.
"You're so very sweet, little man," she whispered as the baby let her change his clothes without any fuss, "And the ducks look great on you. Definitely your style."
The baby gurgled and Willow smiled, then leant down to give him a small kiss on the forehead before straightening up and grabbing a tank top and a pair of pyjama bottoms from the dresser.
She quickly got changed and turned on one of the bedside lamps as she pulled the curtains closed, just as Tara came into the room, carrying a large thermos, the packet of formula and three bottles.
"I knew I married a genius," Willow said, smiling, "That'll save us traipsing up and down the stairs."
"Exactly," Tara replied, placing in items on her nightstand and getting her own nightwear from the dresser before looking down at the baby with a playful smile, "Is it just coincidence that you put him sleeping on my side of the bed?"
Willow looked down at the Moses basket, her eyes widening in realisation. She went to bend down.
"Oh sorry, baby that wasn't intentional or anything. Here, I'll bring him over my side."
Tara put a hand up with a smirk.
"I was joking honey. He's settled there, leave him."
Willow straightened up again with a smile and nodded, pulling back the covers on the bed and sliding onto the cool sheet. Tara got into the boxers and tank top she'd retrieved from the dresser and got into the bed beside her wife, lying on her side and putting an arm around the redhead's waist, sighing contentedly.
"When was the last time we went to bed this early?" she asked with a half-smile.
"I think only when we hadn't gotten up yet," Willow replied with a giggle, "And it wasn't for sleep."
Tara brought her hand up to her mouth as a yawn escaped her.
"Mmhh, well it's certainly for sleep now."
Willow turned and switched her lamp off before settling back into the bed, her arms wrapped around the blonde.
"'Night, baby. Love you."
"You talking to me or him?" Tara asked sleepily and with mirth, her eyes already closed.
Willow ran her hand down her wife's back soothingly before answering honestly.
"Both."
"Hmm...? Wha...?" Tara blinked her eyes rapidly as a shrill sound pulled her from her slumber and she quickly sat up as she realised what it was, "Oh it's okay. Shush sweetie I'm here."
She picked the child up from the Moses basket and rocked him gently, his cries quietening but not subsiding completely.
"He okay, love?" Willow's sleepy voice piped up from behind.
"Yea, he's fine, beautiful," Tara replied, looking over her shoulder, "You can go back to sleep."
Willow started to sit up more fully in the bed and stretched her arms behind her head.
"S'okay. I'm up now."
Willow stifled a yawn and swung her legs over the bed, walking around to the other side.
"He's settling," Tara said as the redhead sat beside her, "Just needed a cuddle."
"And this?" Willow asked, picking up the pacifier that was lying in the Moses basket, popping it in his mouth, "I know we've only been at this a few hours, but I don't know how people survive without pacifiers."
Tara chuckled quietly and put the now-sleeping baby back in his basket, before glancing at the clock on the nightstand.
"Wow. We got a whole two hours."
Willow smiled sleepily and crawled back into a lying position, pulling Tara down with her.
"Sleep now. Maybe if we're lucky we'll get another two."
"Okay, I'm back, I got diapers," Tara said loudly as she kicked the front door closed and ran into the kitchen where she'd left Willow 15 minutes previously with a screaming baby.
"Shush, Tare, I just got him off," Willow whispered as she cradled the sleeping baby, "His diaper's clean but he's wearing the last one."
"I got three more packs," Tara whispered back, walking over and smiling as she stroked the baby's hair, "How can he be so serene one minute and wail so loudly the next?"
Willow shrugged with a smile.
"I dunno. But hey, you can set your watch by how often he cries at night. Every two hours. You're like clockwork, JJ, yes you are."
"Oh I remember," Tara replied with a stifled yawn, before confusion crossed her features, "JJ?"
"Oh," Willow looked up into Tara's eyes, "Well when you were gone, he was crying so loud so I thought singing might help, since he calmed when you did it. I tried Somewhere Over The Rainbow but apparently he only likes that in tune, so I went for John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt and he settled at that. I just thought, you know, all those 'J's'. I mean, we can't just call him 'baby' all weekend."
"JJ," Tara smiled after a moment, "I like it. Well, JJ, I hope you stay sleeping for a while. Coffee?"
Willow closed her eyes, a lazy smile on her face.
"I will love you forever if you make me a cup."
Tara chuckled and took two mugs down from the cupboard.
"And here I thought you promised me that already."
"I did. But I'm too sleepy to think of better promises," Willow replied tiredly, "How about I'll take the first two night feeds tonight?"
Tara quickly poured coffee into the mugs and brought them over, sitting on a stool next to Willow by the island.
"That's very sweet, but I think we can manage taking it in turns."
Willow smiled at her wife and very carefully placed JJ into his carrier to continue sleeping before she took a few long sips from her coffee.
"He's the sweetest little thing."
"He is," Tara agreed with a happy nod, "The sweetest. Even when he's screaming. Although it is nice to be able to hear my own thoughts. It's good to know singing soothes him so much."
"It's like his xanax," Willow replied with a wry grin, "Something I wouldn't say no to right now."
"I'm afraid I don't have any illicit anti-anxiety drugs on my person," Tara responded, moving off of her stool and wrapping her arms around her sitting wife's waist, resting her chin on her shoulder, "But I can sing to you too."
Willow relaxed back into her wife's embrace.
"Yea. Sing me something romantic."
Tara turned her head just slightly and brushed her lips against the redhead's cheek before opening her mouth and beginning to sing.
The way you shake it,
I can't believe it,
I ain't never seen an
Ass like that...
Willow's head whipped around in shock, Tara retreating hers in just enough time to prevent them from headbutting.
"Tara!" Willow hissed between her teeth, "Less of the swearing in front of the b-a-b-y!"
"Less of the unnecessary spelling out of things," Tara retorted with a smirk, "And the b-a-b-y is sleeping."
Willow blushed for a moment before grinning.
"I didn't know you even knew who Eminem was."
"I wouldn't say I'm an avid fan," Tara replied with a quiet laugh, "But that song was all over the airwaves a few years ago. The lyrics must've stuck in there somehow."
"Hmm..." Willow replied, narrowing her eyes slightly before turning back around and leaning back into her wife's embrace again, "Still wasn't romantic."
Tara ran her hand down the redhead's arm as she thought for a few moments, bringing Willow's hand up to her mouth and kissing the pad of each of her fingers individually before entwining their fingers together, eventually opening her mouth to sing again.
The first time ever,
I saw your face,
I thought the sun rose in your eyes,
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave,
To the night and the empty skies,
My love,
To the night and the empty skies.
The first time ever I kissed your mouth,
I felt the earth turn in my hand,
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird,
That was there at my command,
My love,
That was there at my command.
The first time ever I lay with you,
And felt your heart beat close to mine,
I thought our joy would fill the earth,
And would last 'till the end of time,
My love,
And would last 'till the end of time.
"That's better," Willow murmured as Tara trailed off in her ear, "As nice as it is to know you like my ass, I much prefer being part of the joy that fills your earth."
Tara squeezed her wife's hand before bringing the conjoined fingers up to hover over the baby's head, not daring to touch him in case he woke up.
"He's a joy, isn't he?"
"Definitely," Willow replied before giving a soft sigh, "He'll have lots of love in his life, won't he? He deserves lots of love."
Tara nodded against her wife's shoulder.
"He'll get lots of love. Whoever his parents end up being, they're the luckiest people in the world."