She was smaller than John thought she would be, all rosy-cheeked and perfect. He stood in the doorway of the room, not wanting to disturb Sharon but not wanting to go away at the same time. It had been a long night but the tiny bundle in Sharon's arms had been worth the wait.
A lump rose in his throat and John swallowed against it, awed and proud and anxious all at once.
"She is," John said, all eyes on the infant. Seeing her there, it was hard for him to remember how awful he'd felt about the whole situation when Sharon had told him she was pregnant. He'd berated himself for his stupidity more often than not. But now, with the baby actually here, seeing Sharon hold their daughter, John couldn't imagine how he'd ever thought they'd made a massive mistake.
"Wanted to give you your space," he said almost sheepishly, though he did come in the room and go directly to her side. Stopping at her bedside, John looked down, completely mesmerized by the baby.
"Mmm, I might have to give her to you for a little bit so I can sleep," Sharon admitted. She was reluctant to let go of Terpsichore, but for John she would. She was his too, after all. "Sit. You can hold her. I think she'll sleep through anything."
There was a chair by Sharon's bedside. John reached a hand behind, fingers curling around the armrest. He tugged it closer, the seat bumping lightly against the backs of his knees. "Sure you aren't talking about yourself?" he said lightly, giving Sharon a small smile. She had to be absolutely exhausted.
Carefully, he leaned over to take Terpsichore from Sharon's arms. The moment the baby was in the crook of is own arm, his eyes suddenly felt hot. This was their child. He wasn't going to make the same mistakes he'd made with the boys. John had the chance to do this the right way -- and not just every now and again when he could drag his ass out to Minnesota. This time, John would be there every single day with nothing to hide.
Slowly, he sat, adjusting the baby so she was safely nestled in his arms. A beat, and he looked over at Sharon. "I was afraid I'd forget how to do this," he confessed. "So far, so good."
Sharon felt a little teary herself watching John with their daughter, the feeling of warmth in her chest more than making up for the long labor.
"You'll do just fine," she murmured, reaching to rest a hand on his leg. She gave a squeeze, reassuring, though she felt completely trusting. Dean and Sam were good boys, there was no reason he wouldn't do good with Terpsichore.
"If I don't," he said, one corner of his mouth lifting up self-deprecatingly, "I'll have plenty of people standing in line to kick my ass after you." He chuckled briefly, shook his head, and leaned over to get a better look at their baby.
A whole, brand new person. Funny how it felt like his whole world was in front of him there, swaddled up in those tiny blankets. "We did good, huh?"
"She's definitely perfect," he agreed. Lifting his head up, he caught sight of Sharon's face. Eyes closed, cheeks still faintly flushed, hair askew -- and yet, John though she looked radiant, as perfect as their daughter. She was a good woman and a good mother to Hera. Terpsichore would have at least half a chance with Sharon as one of her parents.
"They'll probably let you go in a few hours or so. These days, doctors don't tend to keep new mothers very long unless somethin's wrong."
"Oh God," Sharon groaned, opening her eyes to look at John. She smiled a little and huffed. "I think maybe I'll sleep first. As many interrupted naps as I can fit." Because now, even with John's help she wasn't likely to get much sleep for the next couple months.
"Good idea," John said with a soft chuckle, rubbing a knuckle lightly across Terpischore's face. It was soft and warm; her small lips pursed and then relaxed. He felt a smile form so quickly and so largely that it would be a surprise if his face didn't split right in half. "You go ahead and do that. I'll keep good watch over her."
A lump rose in his throat and John swallowed against it, awed and proud and anxious all at once.
"She's beautiful," he said.
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"Come in, what are you doing way over there?"
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"Wanted to give you your space," he said almost sheepishly, though he did come in the room and go directly to her side. Stopping at her bedside, John looked down, completely mesmerized by the baby.
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Carefully, he leaned over to take Terpsichore from Sharon's arms. The moment the baby was in the crook of is own arm, his eyes suddenly felt hot. This was their child. He wasn't going to make the same mistakes he'd made with the boys. John had the chance to do this the right way -- and not just every now and again when he could drag his ass out to Minnesota. This time, John would be there every single day with nothing to hide.
Slowly, he sat, adjusting the baby so she was safely nestled in his arms. A beat, and he looked over at Sharon. "I was afraid I'd forget how to do this," he confessed. "So far, so good."
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"You'll do just fine," she murmured, reaching to rest a hand on his leg. She gave a squeeze, reassuring, though she felt completely trusting. Dean and Sam were good boys, there was no reason he wouldn't do good with Terpsichore.
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A whole, brand new person. Funny how it felt like his whole world was in front of him there, swaddled up in those tiny blankets. "We did good, huh?"
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"I just hope we can leave soon. Don't like staying here if I can help it."
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"They'll probably let you go in a few hours or so. These days, doctors don't tend to keep new mothers very long unless somethin's wrong."
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