Prompt 27: "You're lucky you're cute."

Summary: A follow-up scene to the breastfeeding discussion in 4x01

A/N: Thank you so much to the INCREDIBLE response this series is still getting. I am so honored that people love this story and so happy to write for you guys! Updates will be coming less-frequently as I'll be very busy over the next couple of weeks, but I'm going to do my best! Sorry, this one's a little shorter than usual. Also, omg it's almost time, guys. ALMOST TIME. The 21st. I can't breathe.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

"I think Angela's finally asleep." whispered Patrick as he peeked over the lop of the latest Lancet and looked over towards the cot by the foot of their bed. Shelagh broke her gaze from her own book and sat up to check. Patrick smirked. It was an on-going amusement to him that he could casually see their daughter from where he sat, but his height-challenged wife had to push herself up a bit with her hands. He knew the minute Shelagh saw, Angela, though. Her eyes sparkled just a bit more and her face relaxed in a picture of domestic bliss.

"Do you think she might stay asleep tonight?" Shelagh asked hopefully. Patrick chuckled doubtfully.

"According to you, she napped most of the day. I give her until the end of this article." he turned his attention back to his Lancet, not noticing that Shelagh was also gazing at his reading material, thoughtfully. "It really is fascinating, this piece that Tim was referencing. Not that I think you should bring it up in class - the mothers don't need that kind of stress. I still can't believe he nicked it before I could read it. I thought it'd been lost in the post."

"Sure you're not worried you have a rival on your hands?" Shelagh teased, though, her heart wasn't fully in it.

"Oh, you're lucky you're cute." Patrick quipped back, taking his gaze from the words to Shelagh's face. His smile deflated at the sadness in her eyes. "Shelagh, darling, what is it?" He realized as soon as the words were out of his mouth. Christ, how could he not have noticed? "Oh, no, I'm sorry, I didn't even think. I should've stopped Tim."

"No, you shouldn't have, Patrick." she sighed. "I don't ever want to discourage his curiosity or his enthusiasm...and anyway, it wasn't just Tim. One of the women in the class mentioned that breastfeeding is one of the ways a mother bonds with her child and between that and the immunity effects…"

Patrick gathered her up into his arms as she buried her face into his chest. She wasn't crying, but she was pretty sure it was simply because she was too tired. Her sense of defeat hit him harder than her tears ever had, though.

"You are not a bad mother, Shelagh." he insisted, hitting her fears square in the face. "Angela is so lucky to have you."

"I feel as though no matter what I do, it will never be enough." Shelagh whispered sadly. "I can't even keep her safe."

"She doesn't need antibodies to be safe. You know just as well as I do that there are millions of dangers out in the world far scarier than a few bacterial compounds that eventually wear off."

Shelagh didn't respond except to further turn her face into him and fiddle with the buttons of his nightshirt.

"You and I love Angela more fiercely than anyone in this world," he continued, "and that is what is going to matter at the end of the day. When she's grown a bit and needs help with her homework, or is crying because someone hurt her feelings, or she's scared of going off to university, it's not going to matter whether or not she was breastfed. She's just going to want her mum."

Shelagh broke and softly sniffled against him.

From the foot of the bed, Patrick heard a small whimper of curious awareness and he smiled.

"I think someone heard us." he grinned. Patrick gently eased Shelagh off of him and let her snuggle into his warm spot on his side of the bed as he went to retrieve the youngest Turner. He gently brought Angela back to the head of the bed and sat next to a slightly-reassured Shelagh. "What do you think, Angela? Do you have best mummy in Poplar?"

Angela reached out for Shelagh and made the soft, gentle babbles they'd come to associate with her wanting to touch something or someone nearby. Shelagh beamed with happiness and sat up to cradle her little girl against her. Angela immediately settled and fell back asleep in her arms.

"I think the verdict's been decided, don't you?" Patrick whispered lovingly.

Shelagh smiled at his words, but her eyes were only for her daughter.

37 down, 13 to go! We're getting there! Hope you enjoy. :D