Who: Neena Thurman and Thomas Raith plus baby Luke Where: Their place What: talking When: recently Warnings/Rating: adult language Status complete
Neena was asleep on the couch with Luke in her arms. He was eating, waving his pudgy arm while she snored gently. This worked out pretty well, actually. It was the only time either of them could get a little sleep without the baby waking them.
The controller for the video game system was on the floor next to her. Over the course of the day she’d had about ten minutes to play, and she’d found it to be very therapeutic.
Thomas was draped over the back of the couch, like a cat--or a teenager--half watching and half dozing while Neena fed the baby. He liked to be as close to the action as possible, and he still woke up in the middle of the night when Neena and Luke did, but he didn’t mind. He was just glad they were home, safe and sound.
Neena woke when he stopped eating, grumbling a little. She remembered what she was doing after a minute and handed him off to Thomas. “You mind burping him?” She needed to stretch her neck a little.
Thomas stood up, and draped a dish rag over his shoulder, cradling his son in his arms. He still felt intensely proud, even though he hadn’t really done much yet as far as the hard work of parenting went. But he loved just being a part of something so incredible. “How are you feeling, mom?”
Neena grinned up at him. If there was a sexier sight in the world than her lover holding their son she had yet to encounter it. “Not too bad. He’s a good little hellion.” She hauled herself out of the couch. “When’s the last time you ate?” With their sleep schedule messed up she’d made it a point to make sure they ate as often as they could. She didn’t feel much like cooking, but frozen food didn’t take too long to heat up.
“Probably the same time you did,” Thomas said, rubbing Luke’s back. “What are you hungry for?”
“I dunno.” She went to the kitchen to see what they had. “We have plenty of fish sticks.” She noted, peering at the food. “I think we might even have some vegetables left over.”
“Works for me,” Thomas said, trailing along behind her, enjoying the view. She was still as sexy as ever. Maybe more so. “Whatever’s easy. I can throw one of Elaine’s crockpot recipes together, a little later, for variety.”
“Oh, that would be really good.” She smiled. “I still need to figure out what to do for Elaine’s bachelorette party. It’ll have to be something I can take Luke to.” Which more or less ruled out strippers.
“What about a spa day? Or musical theatre? Or...I don’t know. Haven’t really thought much about what to do for Harry’s stag. Been a little bit preoccupied.” He shrugged. “There’s always camping, or a ski trip in the mountains, or something equally manly.”
“I might have to bail out. I’m not even sure we can keep him quiet long enough for the wedding, forget about a party.” Neena sighed a little. “Didn’t even think about being there long enough to have the baby. I figured we’d just grab the kids and run.”
“We could just do a co-ed cookout, or something like that,” Thomas suggested. “Not very original, because we do that all the time, but still. It tends to work well...most of the time.”
“Yeah,” She nodded, leaning against the counter. “I’ll talk to Elaine, see what she wants. It’s all about her in the end, after all.” Neena did her best to let go of her frustration. Being annoyed at having her schedule messed up by voluntary time travel didn’t do anyone any good.
Thomas sidled up to her, turning so he wouldn’t squish Luke as he nuzzled Neena’s neck. “It’s okay,” he said, “I’m sure Elaine will understand.”
She put an arm around his waist, and rested her hand on Luke’s back. He was already asleep again. The attention and quiet made her smile. “I’m sure she will. I’m glad it all came out okay, even if things didn’t end up the way we planned.” She turned his head so she could kiss him properly. They still couldn’t have sex, even if she had the energy for it, but she wanted to be intimate with him as much as she could.
He kissed her back, wrapping an arm around her for a moment. “I love you, Neena.” He smiled. “Why don’t I lay him down so we can snuggle, and eat?”
“Love you too.” She said softly, meeting his eyes. “That’s a good plan. Maybe he’ll sleep long enough for us to finish a meal.”
“Maybe.” It was nice to be able to stare into Neena’s violet eyes now, without feeling the pull of a soulgaze. It was nice not to have to dance around it. “I’ll be right back.”
He brought Luke to the nursery and tucked him into his little bed, rubbing his back to make sure he stayed settled. Once he was satisfied that the boy was sound asleep, he returned to join Neena. “Need a hand with anything? I’ve got two free now.”
Neena set up Elaine' crock pot dinner while Thomas out the baby down. He was so good with Luke. She's thought he'd be a good dad, and he was repaying her faith in spades. She smiled when he came back, wrapping her arms around his waist. "There's somethings that could use your touch, but dinner's not one of them." She was happy just to hold him. "You're incredible, Thomas."
"Only because I have you to inspire me to rise to the occasion," he murmured, gently rubbing her back. She was being incredibly patient with her recovery, but he supposed the fact that she'd actually undergone a major surgery was a better impetus to mind her Ps and Qs than Thomas' former handicap. "You're an amazing woman."
The incision was a good reminder of why she couldn’t jump him, as much as she wanted to. She was still not wearing underwear because they’d irritate it. She snuggled her head into his chest, inhaling deeply. She loved the way he smelled. “We’re amazing together. Luke is so beautiful. Half the time I just want to cry when I see him because he’s so perfect.” She squeezed Thomas tight. “If we can only have one kid, I think we made the best one possible.”
"I think you're right about that," Thomas agreed, running his fingers through her hair. "I hope...that we'll be the best parents we can be, for him."
"Me too." She said softly. "I'm going to try my best." She kissed Thomas softly. She was afraid she'd mess him up, and that he'd have the same issues she had with her parents. It was for the best that they could only have him. Their chances of screwing up were lower.
“Then we’re on the same page,” he said, lips ghosting over hers. “And our chances of getting it right are multiplied.” Besides, Harry and Elaine wouldn’t sit by and watch them screw up. They weren’t in it alone.
She smiled and nodded. "Yeah. We'll fuck up, but I think we'll do everything right enough." She squeezed him one last time before pulling away. "How long are you taking off work? It's been nice having you around." She was going to have to radically change her hours at the bar. Thank God she had James and Gemma to rely on.
“Figured I could take a month or two,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “It’s always weird, trying to film around the stuff that happens in the OC, anyway.”
“Yeah, and we’ve got Christmas and shit to worry about.” She pulled the food out of the oven and started to put it on plates. “Thank God he’s too little to remember the fact that we didn’t get him shit. I’m not fighting crowds full of germy assholes for baby stuff.”
“I know, right?” Thomas rolled his eyes. “But don’t worry. As much as my family and I don’t get along, I’m sure my mom will send us more than a few things for the new grandchild.” He chuckled. “You’ve already given me the best gift I could ever ask for.”
Neena’s eyes went wide when he mentioned his family, and then she looked down, laughing a little. “Just being able to share it with you is enough for me. I, uh, haven’t told my family. I think they still think I’m married to Milo.”
“Well, mom might have seen my picture in some tabloid, and called to ask about it,” Thomas confessed, “I had to tell her something. But yeah. I’ve got all the family I really need right here.”
Neena set the plates on the table and kissed him. “It’s okay, I should probably talk to my family again at some point.” She sat down slowly, sighing a little. She still hurt basically everywhere below the ribcage. “They wouldn’t even recognize me if we passed on the street, I bet.”
Thomas stood behind her for a moment, rubbing her shoulders. Then he sat down. “You want me to be there when you do? Talk to your family, that is. Because...it’s the least I could do.”
His hands felt really nice. She sighed, letting her shoulders relax. She would have to make sure she got something really nice for Elaine when she was up for shopping again. She rested for a moment before answering Thomas’s question. “Yeah. If they get too weird or emotional I can always hang up on them. I have no problem going back to ignoring them if they try any kind of bullshit with me.” She shrugged. “But honestly I’ll be amazed if they even give a crap about Luke. They’re bound to have a ton of grandkids already.”
“I was under the impression that grandparents always gushed over whichever grandchild is newest, at least until the next one comes along,” Thomas mused, “But I guess we’ll find out.”
“I guess we will. Fuck, the way our families both work he could already be outdated.” Neena didn’t really care. He’d have plenty of people to look out for him and love him, and she never wanted to go back to Chicago, anyway.
“Eh.” Thomas shrugged his shoulders. “He’ll never be outdated, to us; that’s what matters.”
“Exactly.” She smiled, starting in on her food. She usually ate really fast, but since having Luke she’d gotten even faster. She had to if she ever wanted to be able to clear her plate again.
Thomas smiled, and turned his attention to his lunch. It still amazed him that they’d managed to make a life together, though all the strange circumstances and events that surrounded them, but he wouldn’t have changed it for the world. It might not be perfect, but it was perfect for them.