Two weeks later
"Harry come here," Ashton calls from the check in desk.
Harry stands up from the small table (with only a little trouble) where he and his two coworkers, Ariana and Selena, are playing play-dough with six toddlers. He shuffles to the front desk to see Ashton checking in a small baby boy Harry's never seen before.
"Can you take the baby?" Ashton asks.
Harry nods and goes to the gate where the baby's parents are pulling him out of his little carrier. Ashton reaches over and places a sticker with the baby's name on it on the back of the onesie he's wearing.
"This is Cole," Ashton says. "It's his first time so he might be a bit fussy."
"Yeah, I'd expect as much," Harry chuckles. He reaches out across the gate and takes the baby, giving his parents a reassuring smile. "We'll take good care of him."
"Thank you," Cole's mom says, handing Ashton the baby's diaper bag. "We'll be just over here if you need us."
Harry nods and starts to walk away, cradling Cole in his arms. The baby couldn't be any more than 2 months old. He stares up at Harry with big brown eyes, but unlike most babies they get at work, he doesn't cry.
"Hi bub," Harry coos, adjusting Cole in his arms as he walks into the little baby area, separated from the toddlers with a gate. "How are you today?"
"Who's that?" Selena asks, looking up from the play-dough snake she's rolling for Rebecca.
"This is Cole," Harry says, gazing down at the small baby in his arms.
"He's so tiny," Ariana coos.
"He's adorable," Harry says. He grabs a blanket and kneels on the ground, laying it on the floor. He places Cole on it, wrapping him up in a little swaddle like he used to do for Darcy at night in the forest.
Selena smiles warmly at him and the baby. "In a few months, you're gonna have one of those too."
"I know," Harry breathes out. As if on command, Baby kicks, making Harry chuckle. He places a hand on his stomach, rubbing it softly to get her to calm down.
"You excited?" Ariana asks, handing a little rolling pin over to Flynn.
Harry nods and picks Cole up from the floor. "Yeah. But I'm also terrified."
"You've done it before, what's there to be scared of?" Selena asks.
Harry chuckles. "Lots. First of all, so much can go wrong in the next few months, pregnancy and health-wise, even after the baby's born. Also, I have to worry about Darcy adjusting to not being an only child anymore. And then there's just the whole stress of having a newborn baby to take care of."
Plus, Louis needs to get himself together soon, he thinks. He had been fine for a couple weeks, but slowly, he'd drifted into his head again, growing distant and shutting Harry out. He never focuses, he's not sleeping, and he's always stressed and jumpy. Every time Harry tries to talk to him about it, he changes the subject or he leaves.
"I'm sure you'll be fine," Ariana's saying. "You're incredible with the kids here. You're probably the best dad ever."
Harry smiles a little. "Thanks."
Cole starts to fuss in his arms, so he begins to walk around, bouncing the baby lightly. After a moment, he calms down and shuts his eyes. Harry continues walking back and forth, knowing that always soothed Darcy, and it usually gets the baby in his belly to stop kicking as well. Pretty soon, Cole falls asleep.
أنت تقرأ
Restore (Sequel to Purge: Larry au)
أدب الهواةNow that the war is over, Harry and Louis have to figure out how to raise their daughter in a peaceful world. But adjusting to a normal life may be proving more difficult that they imagined. Some scars don't heal with time.
