This Story's Going Somewhere

Chapter 28 - Nora

 Patrick didn't leave after we came home from the hospital. The tour could wait, he'd decided, and the rest of the boys agreed. Their label had rescheduled the shows so that they could be home for a few weeks, and the boys made quick work of moving all of my things back into the apartment. Patrick's bedroom now held a crib at the foot of his bed. There were baby bottles and binkies all over the apartment. Most mornings were punctuated by Declan's desperate crying for one of his parents to wake up and care for him. The apartment was no longer the bachelor pad that it once was.

It was early on a Saturday morning when Declan's usual cry broke the silence. Patrick sprung up like a jack-in-the-box, his eyes barely open as he climbed out of bed and gathered Declan into his arms. The baby quieted, and Patrick left the room with him. I stirred slowly, wanting to follow them, but not wanting to get up. I'd been up twice during the night; Once to feed Declan, and once to rock him back to sleep. I dragged myself out of bed anyway, running a hand through my messy hair, and slowly padded my way out to the living room. Patrick was in the kitchen, Declan in one arm, and a baby bottle in the other hand. He was running the bottle under hot water to warm the milk he had taken from the fridge. I had just pumped it yesterday. Declan was still whining quietly, but Patrick was bouncing him gently as he worked on the bottle. I stood and watched them, amazed that a teenage boy could look so natural as a father. He was absolutely perfect.

When the bottle was ready, Patrick dried it off and brought the nipple to Declan's mouth. "There you go," he whispered, in a sing-song kind of voice that he reserved only for Declan. "That's better, huh buddy?" He was still gently bouncing on his heels, and Declan was silent as he sucked down his breakfast. Patrick turned toward the living room, smirking when he saw me standing there. "Mommy's up," he whispered to Declan, walking towards me to press a kiss to my lips. Declan's bright blue eyes landed on me, and he immediately squirmed in Patrick's arms. "Alright," Patrick said, gently handing him and the bottle over to me. I smiled down at those blue eyes, kissed my son, and then looked up at the same blue eyes of his father. He was the spitting image of Patrick. "Good morning," Patrick breathed, kissing me again.

"Good morning," I replied. "Did you sleep okay?"

Patrick shrugged, grinning. "Sure. You?"

"I was up with Declan a couple times." I smirked knowingly back at him, and went to the couch to sit with our son. Patrick followed, running a hand through his messy hair, and we both sunk tiredly into the couch together. We both just watched Declan for a moment, as we had done so many times since leaving the hospital. It was impossible not to just marvel at him. It was crazy to both of us that we had made this little boy.

When he finished his bottle, I handed it to Patrick to set it down on the coffee table. I shifted Declan to my shoulder and started patting his back gently, taking the opportunity to turn my head and press a kiss to his head. Patrick smiled warmly at us, a glazed look to his eyes. I glanced sideways at him. "What?" I asked, smirking back at the way he was smiling at me.

"Nothing," he said quietly, "I just love you two so much."

I felt myself blushing, even as Declan finally let out a soft burp over my shoulder. I shifted him back into the crook of my elbow, and looked up at Patrick. "I love you too," I told him, and he leaned in to kiss me slowly. As he pulled away, another door in the apartment opened. I glanced past Patrick to see Pete walking out of his bedroom, looking barely awake. He put up a hand to wave as he walked past us into the kitchen, while Patrick and I just chuckled at him. Unfortunately, the boys had all gotten used to waking up much earlier than they used to, since the baby and I moved in. I always felt bad when Declan woke them up, especially if they didn't have a reason to be up so early. Patrick and I had yet to discuss looking for a new place, but I was starting to think that we had to.