"Are you sure he's okay to go home?" Lindsay asked, hovering over Colton's crib as the nurse checked his temperature for the last time.

"He's doing great, Lindsay. He's gaining weight, he's eating well and his jaundice is gone. He's ready to go home, I promise."

"I just…"

"It's okay. A lot of moms are scared. I know he's little and I know you're used to him being monitored all the time, but everything is going to be okay."

"But it's cold and flu season. What if-"

"Lindsay. All you have to do is follow the precautions and instructions we gave you. And if you feel uncomfortable, don't hesitate to call your doctor or even call us. Okay?"

"Alright."

"Did Adam go to get the carseat?"

"Yeah, he should be back in a minute."

"Just enough time to change that diaper then."

Lindsay chuckled and moved to stand over the crib. Colton's eyes lit up when he saw her, and he waved his arm in greeting.

"Hi, little boy," she said, leaning down to kiss him. He gurgled happily at her affection, and she made quick work of changing his diaper and getting him dressed. He watched her as she worked, his expression one of curiosity. It was a look he gave them a lot and he looked just like Adam when he did it.

It had only been five days in the NICU, and Lindsay couldn't believe he was coming home already. He'd gained some weight, but still wasn't a chubby newborn like she had been imagining he would be. The nurses had gotten him on a pretty good sleeping and eating schedule, which was going to make life a lot easier. She herself had only been discharged this morning, and couldn't wait to get home where it was cozy and quiet.

"Are you ready to go home buddy?" she asked, lifting him out of the crib and cradling him against her chest. He immediately started to fall asleep and she hummed softly, sitting down in the rocking chair and wrapping him in a blanket.

"Hey," Adam greeted, setting the carseat down on the ground and dropping a kiss to her hair. "We ready to go?"

"Yeah, in a minute. I want to make sure he's all the way asleep before we move him."

"Okay. I just got off the phone with your mom. She said that they can come any time you're up for house guests."

"I'll call her later. I want to get settled in before I start thinking about all that other stuff."

"It's a plan. He's out?"

"I think so. I'm not sure how to buckle him into this thing though."

"That's okay, I can do it."

She handed the baby to him and watched as he settled him carefully into the seat, strapping him in as if he had done it hundreds of times.

"Are we all set? Paperwork done and all that?"

"Yep, we're all yours," she said with a smile.

He offered her his hand and she took it, standing up from the chair slowly as her incision was still sore.

"I think we just have to check out at the desk and we're good."

It didn't take long before they were headed outside and to the car. It was windy out, and Lindsay stopped before they went through the doors to wrap a few more blankets around the baby. She may have been worrying a little too much, but she figured it was no one else's business anyway.

"Now don't get mad," Adam started, once they were all settled in the car. "But I'm going to take you guys home and then hit the grocery store because we have nothing."

"I just went shopping."

"Yeah. But… see when I don't have you to cook for me, even for five days, I tend to just eat everything in sight. Meaning that there is nothing left for later."

"I see."

"I'll be fast though, I promise."

"You know what?"

"Hmm?"

"Let's just order Chinese tonight. I don't want you to have to go out again, especially if it's going to start snowing."

"You don't mind sending the delivery boy out in the snow?"

"I don't love him."

"Good. What is your feeling about a nice long nap then?"

"I have very positive feelings about that."

She was woken several hours later, out of a deep sleep that she had not even come close to having in the hospital. Colton was crying, not loudly, just little squawks, and she wasn't used to the noise, so it took a while for her to wake up. By the time she did, Adam had already gotten up and walked over to the cradle, and she watched him through sleepy eyes, her heart nearly bursting at what she saw.

"Hi son," he whispered, reaching down and picking Colton up carefully, keeping him swaddled as he held him close. "You can't be hungry yet, mama just fed you."

Colton grunted but stopped crying, seemingly content with the attention.

"I see, you were just lonely over here. You can come and lay down with me and mama for a while."

Lindsay wanted to roll over and cuddle up with them, but fought the urge when Adam continued his one sided conversation as he laid down on the bed.

"There, that's better, isn't it? Yeah, I think so too. I've been waiting a long time for you two to come home, you know. It's lonely here at night by myself. I don't do so great alone. I wouldn't tell just anyone that though. Your mama doesn't even know how bad off I was before she came along. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't a complete wreck, but I spent a lot of time by myself. Sometimes that's good, but people need people. Then your mama showed up. And she's been right there next to me ever since. She's my best friend, you know. She's amazing. Someday you'll see that for yourself, but for right now, let me just tell you that you are the luckiest kid in the whole world. As for me, I don't really know what I'm doing here, but I am going to do the best I can. I'm always going to love you and take care of you, no matter what."

Lindsay stretched a little and rolled over, still feigning sleep, but watching her boys through half closed eyes. Colton was curled up on Adam's chest, blinking slowly as sleep took him. He was dwarfed by Adam's hand on his back, and she smiled internally at the contrast.

"She's beautiful, isn't she? I thought that from the very first time I saw her at work. I think it every time I look at her. I love her so much I can't even explain it. And she knows this, but I want to tell you too, son. The three of us are always going to be a family. You don't ever have to worry about that. Mama and I are always going to be here for you and we're always going to be here for each other. I'm not going to be like my dad was. I promise you that."

Lindsay watched as Adam tenderly kissed Colton's head, then stood up and settled him back in the cradle. She waited until Adam crawled back into bed before she yawned and pretended to wake up.

"Hey hon," he said, wrapping his arm around her while she yawned. "Did I wake you up?"

"No," she replied softly. "I just wanted to tell you somethin'."

"What's that?"

"I love you."

"You woke up just to tell me that?"

"Pretty much."

"Well I love you too," he chuckled, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I'm going to go back to sleep now."

"Okay. I'll order dinner in a little bit, and then we can discuss the pros and cons of us becoming hermits for the next few days before I have to go back to work."

"It's a date."

"Go back to sleep, love."

She closed her eyes and smiled, very much enjoying this new life.