Not that Bishop needed more confirmation than Noa simply being here, but the way she melted into the hug telegraphed what kind of state she was in. He didn’t say anything, there was no need to draw attention to what they both knew on an unspoken level -- Noa needed a safe place, somewhere she could melt down, if she needed to meltdown he would let her and he wouldn’t even for one moment think less of her for doing so. “Just ‘cause I got a different patch on my chest don’t mean I'm a different man,” he pointed out with that crooked smirk of his. “But I’ll accept the respect all the same, but only if I can still count on you to tell me when I'm being an ass.” Bishop knew that he would need her keen mind and her insight even more now that he was the man expected to make the hard calls.
“Ain’t been wearing it too long,” Was his retort, though it didn’t lessen the truth behind her words. On impulse he drew Noa back in and gave her one final squeeze before she wiggled her way out of his arms. Bishop knew the road ahead of him wouldn’t be easy, hell, he had probably just made it tougher the minute he accepted the title of President. But he knew he had support, people he could count on, people like Noa. Following her over to the bassinet, he found a faint smile appeared without warning, as it always seemed to when faced with his boys. “They do,” he replied with a laugh, reaching down to soothe the baby that had whimper - Lincoln. “I keep asking Hazel if there’s some way to freeze ‘em in time or slow ‘em down, she’s informed me there’s isn’t.” Bishop wasn’t sure if he was ready for his boys to be any bigger than they were in that moment. The sheer idea of them getting up and moving around spooked him to his core, though he didn’t admit that fear aloud.
Making a small sweeping motion with one hand as if to say ‘be my guest’, Bishop answered “Not even in the slightest,” he paused, a hint of a sparkle in his eyes as he looked over at Noa. “Ain't cuddling babies the reason you came?"