"Nick" Zoe mumbled, half asleep as she tried to block out the high pitched screeching that was ringing in her ears. She glanced over at Nick who was still fast asleep, kicking him in the leg as a second attempt of waking him up "Nick, please go and see to Oscar" She pleaded as his eyes began to slowly flicker open.
Nick groaned, instantly rolling back the covers as the sound of his son's needing cry continued to fill the room, "You could have gone if you were awake" He moaned, sitting up and getting out of bed.
"I'm too tired" Zoe mumbled, closing her eyes again and smugly pulling the duvet closer to her face.
Nick shook his head, "It's a good job I love you" He sighed, padding across the room as he headed to Oscar's nursery.
"Hello little one" He whispered, leaning over the cot and lifting him out, placing him over his shoulder as he rocked side to side to try and soothe him back to sleep "Shall we go and wake mummy back up?" He said, running a soothing hand comfortingly up and down Oscar's back as he continued to cry "Give her a taste of her own medicine shall we" He continued to speak to him, knowing full well that Zoe would be able to hear every single word on the two way baby monitor.
"Nick" Zoe groaned, throwing her pillow over her head as he walked into their bedroom carrying Oscar; the noise getting increasingly louder "Why do you do this?" She whined, removing the pillow and sitting up right in bed.
"Somebody wants their mummy don't you" He softly spoke, continuing to rhythmically rock in a soothing motion as he carefully lifted him over into Zoe's arms. Ignoring the unimpressed comments and moans coming from her; she never had been a morning person, and at 3am this was clearly not her idea of fun.
"It's alright for you, you get to go to work tomorrow" She continued to complain, soothing Oscar as he now began to calm down "Can you go and make a bottle please?" She asked, before Nick had the chance to speak. She loved how hands on Nick was with the kids and although he worked in the day he would still contribute when he could.
He soon returned with a warm bottle of milk in his hand, handing it over to Zoe as he got back into bed beside her, watching as she began to feed their son, "Well why don't we take it in turns then?" He suggested, thinking about the comment that Zoe had previously said.
"What?" Zoe asked, looking at him confused, before turning her attention back to Oscar.
"Why don't we share our shifts?" He suggested "you can go to work while I stay at home and then you can stay at home while I work" He added, knowing just how much Zoe was desperate to return back to work. Although she loved staying at home with Oscar, he knew being a doctor made her happy and the ED needed her back just as much as she needed it.
"Really?" She asked in surprise, a little taken back by Nick's offer "I don't see you wanting to be a stay at home dad for long" She teased.
"Well you are hardly stay at home mum material are you" He joked "It's a win win situation" He added, continuing to try and persuade her. Although he was doing this so that Zoe had the opportunity to return back to work so soon, he would also love to spend some time with his son.
"You would really do that for me?" She asked, leaning forward as she placed Oscar over her shoulder, patting his back as she began to burp him.
"Only if that's what you want?" He asked, unsure of her reaction.
"Of course that's what I want" She smiled, turning back to look at him "Thank you" She mouthed.
"I'll go and put him back to bed" He suggested as he noticed Oscar had now fallen asleep over Zoe's shoulder, he carefully lifted him from her grasp, moving slowly to not wake him again, before padding back through to the nursery and climbing back into bed with Zoe.
"What made you decide this?" She asked, moving closer to him as he wrapped an arm tightly around her body.
"My ED needs you back" Nick whispered in her hair, placing kisses across the back of her neck.
"Does this mean it's my ED when you're away?" Zoe grinned, turning around to face him.
"What's yours is mine" Nick mumbled, before falling back to sleep, keeping Zoe tightly wrapped in his arms.
"For god's sake" Zoe groaned, throwing her head back in frustration as Nick's alarm began to ring, sighing as she was once again woken for the second time that morning.
Nick reached over to turn it off, rolling over to face Zoe who was continuing to complain "Do you ever stop moaning?" He chuckled, reaching over and placing a hand on her hip as he pulled her body closer.
"Is that some kind of play on words?" She laughed, teasing his lips as she slowly kissed him.
"What's happened to the Zoe Hanna that used to live off 3 hours sleep?" He joked.
Zoe rolled her eyes, "She's not full of vodka and 20 anymore" She chuckled.
Nick turned back over to glance at his alarm clock, "I best go and take a shower I'll be running late if I stay here any longer" He said, kissing her once more before finally letting go and climbing out of bed.
"I'll join you" Zoe announced, throwing back the covers.
"No, then I really will be late" Nick protested "I'll make it up to you tonight" He promised, leaning back over the bed to kiss her.
"Oh come on Nick" Zoe teased, moving forward to pull him closer to her and pressing kisses across his bare chest "You need something to get you through the day" She raised her eyebrows in an attempt to persuade him.
"Well don't just sit there then or I will be late" Nick winked as he pulled away from her and walked off into their en suite bathroom.