(Untitled)

[pambeesley]

It wasn't long after she found Jim and Dwight that she was ushered off to the clinic despite protests that it was way too early for her to really be giving birth. Nevermind the fact that it was obvious her water had broken and the contractions were happening closer together now

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[crazyspacegirl]

River didn't fly off in terror hen confronted by the clinic anymore, but it still took some doing for her to go in voluntarily. For anyone less than the Halperts, she might not have wanted to, but the chance to meet Samantha when she was still so new was irresistible.

"Hi," she said quietly, peeking around the corner. "Can I come say hello?"

[pambeesley]

Pam looked up and smiled at the face she saw peeking around the corner. "Hi. Of course you can," she replied gently, shifting so she was sitting up a bit more.

The baby had fallen asleep in her arms, but Pam didn't want to put her down. She just.. couldn't stop looking at her.

[crazyspacegirl]

River came in, only a bit nervous. She smiled at Pam and then peered down at the baby. "I knew she would be small, but... she's very small."

She wasn't sure it really counted as a proper meeting when the baby was asleep, but River didn't want to be rude.

"Hello, Samantha," she said quietly. "I'm River, and I'm going to make sure you always have fun and never have to be afraid of anything."

[pambeesley]

Pam nodded, still smiling. "She didn't seem so small when she was kicking around in my stomach," she laughed. "But, she's definitely small."

She reached up with her free hand to brush back the little bit of dark hair on her head, then looked back at River.

"Did you want to hold her?"

[crazyspacegirl]

"I think maybe she had a lot of room in there to... float around or whatever babies do before they come out."

River started to shake her head at Pam's offer, sure Pam was only being nice and didn't really trust her to hold her baby. She really wanted to, though, so she didn't outright refuse.

"Really?" she asked, eyes wide. "Are you sure?"

[pambeesley]

"Yes, of course I'm sure," she replied with a tired laugh. "Come closer and I'll show you how to hold her."

[crazyspacegirl]

"Okay," said River quickly. She approached reverently, and very carefully touched the baby's knee through the blanket "I'll be very careful," she promised.

[pambeesley]

Pam grinned and, with one hand, gestured for River to hold her arms out. "Just make sure you always support her head, because she can't hold it up herself."

[crazyspacegirl]

"Okay," said River, carefully taking the baby and holding her as she had seen lots of people hold babies, but hadn't had much occasion to do herself.

"It's very nice to finally meet you, Samantha," she said, bending over the baby in her arms to press a careful kiss to her forehead, overcome a little bit by the fresh new scent of her. "New little person. You're already crew, you know, even if you haven't been on Serenity yet. I'll teach you to fly, someday. We might have to talk your mother into it, but don't worry. Don't worry about anything."

[pambeesley]

Pam grinned as she watched River with the baby. She couldn't help laughing, though. "Flying, huh?I think we'll see about that one," she teased.

[crazyspacegirl]

"Don't you worry, either, Pam," said River solemnly. "Mal won't let her do anything dangerous in his ship."

River sat down gently in the chair beside the bed, only a tiny bit still nervous that she might do something wrong.

"I think she looks like you and Jim all mashed up," she decided after a moment's careful study. "And something of herself, too, but she hasn't decided what that is quite yet."

[pambeesley]

Pam smiled proudly, reaching out to gently run her fingertip over Samantha's tiny fist. "She has Jim's eyes. You can't really tell now, since they're closed, but when she opens them.. You can see."

[crazyspacegirl]

"I believe you. At least she didn't get his ears," she said in conspiratorial whisper. "Fiona can keep that distinction."

The baby squirmed slightly, and River instinctively rocked back and forth gently in the chair to calm her. She couldn't quite believe she could love someone she had just met so much, but she supposed that babies were special that way.

[pambeesley]

Pam laughed quietly and shook her head. "Thank god for that," she agreed. "See? Not so hard." She smiled as River rocked Samantha, fists waving around a little until she calmed back down.

[crazyspacegirl]

"No, not so hard," River agreed. This baby, in particular, wasn't so scary. "I'm looking forward to when she's bigger and can play and have fun and everything, but this is nice too."

[pambeesley]

Pam grinned. "Yeah. There isn't a lot she can do yet and.. Well, holding her and feeding her gets boring," she laughed.