"You have some visitors," the nurse announced as she entered the room. Four young women followed suit, each with hands full of gifts for Hanna and Blake. "Hey," Hanna said softy, cradling the infant in her arms. "You're gonna have to be quiet. He just fell asleep." All four girls took their seats around Hanna's hospital beds, practically craning their necks for a good look at the newborn. "Where's Caleb?" Emily asked, taking a quick look around the room. "He should be home. I don't get discharged until noon, and he didn't get any sleep last night, so I told him to go get some rest... Knowing him, though, he's probably fast asleep behind the nurses' station or something." She chuckled at the thought of the tall male curled up beneath the system of desks that made up the nurses' station, soliciting concerned looks from the people who worked there. She immediately regretted it when Blake began to stir and opened his eyes.
Spencer was the first to acknowledge them. "His eyes are so blue," she commented, repositioning herself so that Aria could see without having to lean in too far. "Yeah, I never really realized how nice mine looked until I looked into his... Well, he's up now. Does anyone wanna hold him?" she asked, looking at Spencer first, and then at the others. "Can I?" Spencer asked. Hanna nodded and carefully handed her son ever to the lanky brunette. "Make sure you support his head. He can't do that on his own yet," she advised, a hint of concern in her voice. Spencer was the first person who wasn't either a parent, grandparent, or hospital personnel to hold Blake, so Hanna wanted to make sure that there wouldn't be any trouble. "Relax, Han. Auntie Spencer's got this. Right, Blake?" A look of fear took to her face when the infant began to squirm and fuss in her grasp, only disappearing once he stopped. "Is he okay?" Aria asked, looking from Spencer, to Blake, to Hanna. "Yeah," she replied, though she really wasn't sure. "He's probably just cranky... Just give him back to me." Reluctantly, Spencer handed the child back over to Hanna, who went back to cradling and gently rocking him. "But even though Blake's not feeling up to it right now, I'm glad you're here."
"I can't believe you gave birth on a highway," Spencer said (just as everyone else wanted to), making cutesy faces at the infant, who just huffed and stared at her blankly. "On my wedding day," Aria chimed in, attention also focused on Blake. "And named your child Blake." Everyone turned to look at Alison, who played it off as if she was innocent. "What?" Emily looked at Hanna as if she was ready to apologize on her girlfriend's behalf, but Alison elaborated before she actually could. "Remember that guy from American Idol? Nobody really thought he was gonna win because he was up against Jordin Sparks... And he didn't? Hanna, you just named your child after a failed American Idol contestant." All eyes were on Hanna now, scared for her reaction. "I never really liked the name Jordan," she replied nonchalantly. She wasn't too happy that Alison was making fun of her naming choices, but this was the first time she and the other four had been together in months and she didn't want to be the one to lash out and ruin it.
Aria, Spencer, and Emily shared awkward glances, hoping that that would be the end of the discussion between the two blondes. Hanna tugged awkwardly on the sleeves of her sweatshirt, trying to come up with a way to divert the conversation. "Did it hurt?" Emily asked, taking the cue and soliciting incredulous looks from the other three. "Of course it hurt, Em," Ali interjected. "Hey now," Hanna said, trying to put an end to the snarkiness. "Yeah, it did... They don't have epidurals on the highway, you know, and Caleb's back seat is pretty cramped." She made a show out of stretching her back, even though it didn't really hurt that much anymore. "Guess we know where baby number two won't be made," Spencer joked. "If I wasn't holding my infant son in my arms, I would smack you right now," Hanna joked, shooting her a look. "Ooooh! Watch out, Spence, Mama Bear's got claws," Alison warned, mockingly.
Hanna rolled her eyes. "You guys better not give me anything to joke about when you have kids." The other four laughed, exchanging glances. "Let me just bow out right now," Alison said, crossing her arms over her chest and earning a concerned look from Emily in the process. "If Ezra and I collaborate on anything in the near future, it's gonna be a book." More laughter from the five of them. "Alright, well don't go all Fifty Shades on us now," Spencer joked, before looking back at Hanna, who was looking at her, interested to hear what she had to say. "Oh— Toby and I haven't even talked about it yet," the brunette said, raising her hands in surrender. "But with my luck, I'll probably be crowning in the back of his pickup truck this time next year." Hanna couldn't help but laugh as that, even as the infant began to stir in her arms. "We're really gonna have to keep it down," she said, softening her tone. "But Spence... You're classier than that. Aim for the front seat instead."
The blonde sighed when Blake began to whimper. "Okay, he's not having it today... I'm sorry, but maybe you guys should go. We can catch up another time," she suggested, resting the child against her shoulder and grimacing when his whimpers turned into a full-blown cry. "When he's better rested." The other four nodded in agreement and got up to leave, first saying their goodbyes to each other, and then to Hanna. As soon as they were out of sight, she started to pout. "That's alright, Blake. Mom's probably gonna cry when you try to hang out with your friends too."
"How's she holding up?" Toby asked, stepping ahead of Caleb into the nursery. "Good! She's a trooper," the shorter male replied, following behind with a box of tools and setting it down on the floor. "That's good... So, you want me to check everything?" Caleb nodded. He'd put all of the furniture together weeks ago, and even though everything seemed alright, he needed to be sure that he wasn't putting Blake to sleep in a death trap every night. Toby made his way around the room, checking the crib first, then the changing table, then the rocking chair (though he was sure he didn't need to test that). "Everything seems fine," he said, turning to Caleb, who was leaning against the front wall of the room. "Are you sure?" he asked, looking around. Of course he was sure. If Toby could build a house on his own, he could tell whether or not a crib was stable.
"You know, you're gonna be doing this for your own kid someday," Caleb said, grabbing the toolkit and heading back towards the stars. "Hopefully someday soon," Toby replied, causing Caleb to stop and turn around. "Are you and Spencer—" He put his hands up and shook his head. "No... I mean, I don't know. We talked about it, but we haven't decided anything yet." Caleb chuckled. "Well, it's better to talk about it before than after." He and Hanna had decided afterwards, and the amount of time it took them to do so was stressful, especially since they had a time limit. While the thought was still fresh in his mind, he made a mental note never to put himself or her in that position again. "But what does she think about it so far?" he questioned, starting down the stairs again. Toby shrugged. "She's still kind of lukewarm. She's interested, but I don't think she wants it to happen now, which is perfectly fine with me. The more time I get alone with her, the better."
The shorter male glanced at the time on his watch. 11:30am. He was supposed to leave to pick up Hanna and Blake soon, and he hadn't even slept yet. The feeling of sleep deprivation was beginning to set in, but he couldn't zone out now. The next couple of hours were crucial; he wanted Blake to come home to a perfect home, with a father who was both present and awake to spend time with him, and that couldn't happen if he was unconscious. "Well, as great as it would be for Blake to have some friends, you guys should take your time." A yawn left his lips. He was definitely regretting not taking that nap. "I think I'm gonna make some coffee. Do you want some?" he questioned, turning in the direction of the kitchen. Something told him that he would be running on liquid caffeine for the next couple of months. Toby shook his head, following in Caleb's path. "No, I'm fine," Toby replied, reaching for his phone to check the time but pausing to read the notifications. "Actually, I think I might head out now. Spencer needs a ride back from the hospital." Caleb raised an eyebrow. "She's in the hospital?" Toby nodded. "To visit Hanna, remember?" The new father nodded slowly. Forget coffee and a nap; he needed a full night's sleep. Maybe two at this point. "So... I'm gonna go. Call me if you need anything else." The taller male turned on his heels and headed towards the door, leaving Caleb alone in the house.
The dark-haired male sighed and continued towards the kitchen, starting the coffeemaker once he got there. He tried his best not to think about how tired he was, but the more he tried not to think about it, the more he felt it. Within moments, his eyes were closing, and he found himself drifting off against the refrigerator. It was a rather uncomfortable place to rest, but it was the best he could do without leaving the coffeemaker unattended or trying his luck with the breakfast table furniture. Before he could fully fall asleep, though, he was interrupted by the sound of his text tone. He yawned, reached into his pocket, and read the notification on the screen. It was a text from Hanna, saying that she was ready to be picked up as well. Caleb hadn't expected her to be released so soon. Before he left, the nurse told him 12:15, but it wasn't even 11:45 yet and the young mother was ready to go. He couldn't say he minded though. The sooner he could have Blake and Hanna home, the better. He stared longingly at the coffee pot, which had only just finished brewing his beverage. Hastily, he poured himself a takeaway cup, dumped random amounts of creamer and sugar into the hot liquid, grabbed his keys, and headed out to retrieve his fiancee and son.
"Look, Daddy's here," Hanna said, hoping the baby would calm down once he saw Caleb. The male set the car seat down on the tiled floor, and moved closer to the bed, carefully taking the baby away from his fiancee. "How long has he been crying?" he asked, bouncing a little bit as he walked around the room with the baby. "At least forty-five minutes. On and off, but still." Just looking at Hanna, Caleb could tell she was stressed. He felt bad for having left her there, even if that was what she asked him to do. "Well, maybe the car ride will calm him down," he suggested, gesturing in the direction of the carrier. "I'm not carrying a crying baby through the hospital, Caleb." Caleb frowned, but continued to move around with the child, hoping the movement would lull him to sleep, or at least calm him down enough for them to take him home peacefully. After another minute or so, it worked, and Blake's loud wails became soft whimpers, which became silence. "Maybe we won't have to," the male said softly, moving towards the infant carrier and putting the newborn to sit inside. "There you go. All buckled up."
Hanna seemed to relax once Blake did, and got up to put her shoes on and put her bag together. Normally, she would have been ashamed to be seen wearing a t-shirt and sweats in public, but after pushing an eight-pound baby out of her body without any drugs, she felt as if she was entitled to at least one day of slacker apparel. A nurse came in with a wheelchair for the blonde, and once she was sitting comfortably and ready to be taken to the car, Caleb lifted the carrier and took the lead. He'd tried his hardest to find a spot that wasn't too far from the door, but it seemed as if everyone in Rosewood had some sort of ailment today. The best he could do was a spot at the far end of the garage. Needless to say, he was thankful that hospital protocol prevented his fiancee from leaving on her own two feet. He put Blake into the car first, frowning ever so slightly at the bloodstain that was still on the seat, and made sure his seat was safely fastened to the actual seat. Hanna sat in the back seat as well, just in case the child needed her en route. Then, Caleb got into the car, put the keys in ignition, and began to drive home.
The movement of the car seemed to lull the infant to sleep, and Hanna couldn't help but close her eyes for a minute as well. When Caleb came to the first stoplight, he glanced at the duo in the rear view mirror. He couldn't see Blake, since his seat was facing the rear of the car, as opposed to the front like other seats, but he could clearly see Hanna nodding off. He was hoping to have a chance to talk to her on the way home, but her health was much more important to him than whatever meaningless conversation he could conjure up with her within the next fifteen minutes. He yawned, trying hard not to think about the sleep they were getting, and regretting not taking the nap when Hanna told him to.
The blonde snapped out of her sleep-like state once the car almost immediately after the car pulled into the driveway and rubbed her eyes. "We're already here?" she asked, looking over at the baby, who was fast-asleep. "Fifteen minutes on the dot," he replied, unfastening his seatbelt and walking around to help her out. She stretched and headed into the house while Caleb lifted the infant out of the carrier and brought him into the house. "He grunts in his sleep," he commented, closing the door as gently and quietly as he possibly could behind him, and then moving closer to Hanna so that she could hear. "Is he supposed to do that?" she questioned, eyes wide with concern. They only just left the hospital; she didn't want to take him back so soon (or ever, for that matter). Caleb nodded. The night before, when he was having trouble falling asleep, he decided to do a little bit of research. While a lot of it didn't stick (thanks to the lack of sleep), that was one of the few things that that. "He's fine. He's just getting used to breathing." That didn't do much to get rid of the concerned look on the young mother's face, or the worry in her heart. "Can I take him?" she asked, putting her arms out.
Gently, Caleb handed her the baby, and she walked up to the nursery with him. "My mom's flight is supposed to be coming in soon," he mentioned. Hanna gave him a blank look. "Remember last night, when we called her and she said she would be taking the first flight out of LAX? Well, she did. She and the boys. They're gonna be here soon." Hanna had completely forgotten. She wasn't in the mood for more visitors at the moment, let alone people she hardly knew, but there was no way that she was going to tell Caleb that. "What time is their flight coming in?" He pulled out his phone to check his texts. "1:45. It's 12:30 now." Hanna sighed. "Are they coming to us, or are we picking them up?" Her mind went back to the bloodstain in the car. His did too, and he scrolled further up in his messages to find the answer. "They're getting a rental." Hanna breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank God." Caleb beat Hanna to the door and opened it for her. "His first time in his room and he's not awake to see it," she commented, setting the infant down in his crib. "We can reintroduce it to him later," Caleb suggested, leaning against the wall as he watched his fiance kiss the infant's cheek. "Right. But for now," she began, moving closer to him until she was only a hair's breath away. "Sleep." With that, she disappeared down the hallway and through the door of their own bedroom. Caleb followed behind, ready to catch up on the sleep he'd missed out on before.
Author's note: Thanks for reading, guys! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. It's been a busy couple of weeks, which is why updates have been slow, but things should speed up within the next few weeks. As always, reviews are always appreciated, and so are suggestions. Love you guys!