And baby makes two...

[have_no_mercy]

It was a long night - very long - but it's over now. At least, this part of it is. The truly hard part has only just begun. That isn't going to stop Tess from attempting to enjoy the relative quiet time she has these couple of days in the hospital, even if she feels like she's just been hit by a mack truck. Repeatedly.

The baby is finally here. A little girl; her daughter and isn't that incredibly weird to get used to. Everything had gone well and as expected. Of course Ryan had been there, Tess knows she has George to thank for that, but they'll chat about it later. He'd been... helpful, she supposes, and appeared happy with the result.

For now, Tess is alone, resting in her wonderfully private room, the baby asleep barely a few feet away. She can't help but glance over every few minutes, half out of an innate paranoia that the girl may no longer be there and half out of surprise that she is. It's a good thing she's already used to not getting enough sleep.


[[OOC: Open visiting post! Anyone and everyone who might conceivably want to see Tess and the new baby are welcome to tag, Twitter and BNW verses alike.]]

Comments

[have_no_mercy]

Tess will study him right back. "Well, it's not like I can send her back."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

He meets her gaze, his own unfaltering. "Would you?"

[have_no_mercy]

"If I didn't want her, she wouldn't be here," she replies evenly enough.

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

He nods, apparently satisfied enough with her answer not to press the issue further. "I'm sure she'll be grateful that you did."

[have_no_mercy]

Tess sighs and picks up a cup of water. "We can hope."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

Zod studies her a moment and then lets his gaze drift back over to rest on the baby. "As always."

[have_no_mercy]

She watches him carefully. "You can hold her, if you want. I doubt she'll wake up."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

His eyes snap back to Tess at that, eyebrows raised. "Hold her? You'd want me to?"

[have_no_mercy]

A genuine smile tugs at her lips. "I'd let you, if you wanted to, yes."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

He tilts his head at her a little. "Why?"

[have_no_mercy]

"Why not?" Tess shrugs. "Most people seem to want to."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

Zod gives her a slight shrug in return. "But you specifically pegged me as someone who would."

[have_no_mercy]

"I trust you not to drop her," she replies smoothly.

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

"Ah." Zod slowly gets to his feet. "You do realize how long it's been since I've held a baby, don't you."

[have_no_mercy]

"I've been told it's something that comes back to you," she offers. "Like riding a bike."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

He comes to a stop over the baby and looks down at her thoughtfully. "Some things aren't meant to come back to you."

[have_no_mercy]

Alice yawns, but doesn't appear to be overly disturbed by his presence.

"Perhaps not," Tess agrees. "But you never know unless you try."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

Zod glances up at her briefly. "Maybe I don't want to know."

[have_no_mercy]

Tess appears unmoved. "Well, you'd better get used to it. You're on my babysitters list."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

Well, now he mostly just looks amused. "I am?"

[have_no_mercy]

"Yes, you are." And no, he's not getting anymore of an explanation.

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

He'll try for one regardless. "Why?"

[have_no_mercy]

Sigh. Fine. "Because you have experience."

[kneel-majorzod.livejournal.com]

"That was a long time ago," he tells her softly. "And as I'm sure you can imagine, my attention was often demanded elsewhere."

[have_no_mercy]

"It's more than what everyone else I know has. Which is nothing." She glances at the baby again. "Her father aside, but then he won't exactly be available on short notice."