The Trouble with Babies Who: Derek and Allison Where: Hale Estate, Derek's room. When: Week 13, Friday morning. Why: Derek + babies = persuasive. Warnings: Discussion of an accidental pregnancy, baby cuteness.
It wasn't deliberate.
Well, that wasn't being entirely honest. Asking Allison to look after Miranda's 1-month old twins was deliberate, but he hadn't deliberately made Gloria trip in the kitchen and injure her back so that Miranda would need someone to look after them while she helped with the day's meals. If Allison had demonstrated an ounce of culinary talent, he would have sent her to the kitchen instead, but the Cupcake Incident loomed large in both his and Gloria's memories, so he'd quickly agreed that Miranda would assist in the kitchen while Allison looked after the babies in the main house. He'd neglected to ask Allison beforehand, but he was certain she would agree. What better way to make a decision if she wanted a child of her own than by being around babies?
His room was upstairs, and on the opposite side of the house from the construction noise, as well as being soundproofed, so it was the natural selection for the babies, who would likely spend most of the day asleep except for when Miranda snuck upstairs to feed them. Miranda had deposited the twins boys with their necessary accessories--and who knew babies needed so many things when all they did was sleep?--and had left Derek to fuss while he waited for Allison. He'd sent Isaac to fetch her, but he didn't know when she would arrive.
Which left Derek alone. With two newborn babies.
To some people, that might seem a horrifying prospect, but Derek actually liked being around infants, even when all they did was sleep and eat and cry. He found being around them to be calming, somehow. He couldn't explain it.
One of the boys, Mark (who could be differentiated from his brother by a dark birth mark on his left elbow), started to fuss, and so Derek carefully picked him up, making sure to cradle the back of his neck since he wasn't yet strong enough to hold it up himself, and started to move around the room, bouncing lightly on his feet as he hummed, tuneless but soothing all the same.