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[fears_nothing]

Niko never slept in, even in the relative safety of the island, and today was no exception. Sunrise brought tea and yoga, both for the purposes of limbering up and relaxing the mind. It was easy to get into a meditative state of mind in the early dawn quiet of the island. Most of the residents were still asleep at this hour and the few that were

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[1000_cranes]

It's time to get back to her life. Cadi's a quiet baby, stoic like her father, and she's happy in the sling close to her Momma's chest. Charlie supports her weight with one hand as she pads into the kitchen. She's signed up for Niko's yoga class in the hope of getting back in shape and, when she sees him, she smiles.

"Hey there, handsome," she says. "Cute trees."

[fears_nothing]

"Suddenly appeared," Niko offered, still watching them carefully. He didn't suppose they would suddenly spout blades or anything but only time would tell if they were as benign a gift as it seemed on the surface.

He looked up and gave the woman a polite smile; she wasn't someone he'd met but he'd seen her around before, he thought.

"I don't trust gifts when I don't know who gave them to me."

[1000_cranes]

"It does that sometimes," she says, shifting the baby's weight as she pads towards the counter to pour herself some tea. "Things appear. Madam got a stroller, this mornin'. I got art supplies a couple of years ago. I reckon you can stop lookin' at it like it's goin' to bite you."

[fears_nothing]

Niko laughed a little, but it was a startled sound. He hadn't realized he was staring so intensely and he took the opportunity to look up.

"Do you want me to get the tea for you? I don't mind."

He'd gotten used to helping Susan with Rickon and Helen and always liked to offer, even if she usually turned him down. He had the same instincts regarding this woman.

[1000_cranes]

"I can do it myself, thanks, sugar. I'm gettin' used to doin' everything with one arm before I go back to work."

She winks at him.

"Oh, Jeez. How rude of me. I'm Charlie Jones." She offers him her free hand. "And this is Cadi."

[fears_nothing]

Niko shook her hand quickly, liking the easy manner and the chatter even though he was more the quiet type. It took a little pressure off him to speak, anyway, and that was always a comfort.

"How old is she? A few weeks, I'd guess, but I'm sure proud mother knows right to second, yes?"

[1000_cranes]

"Born 11th December," says Charlie, setting her tea down on the table and starting to extricate Cadi from her sling. The little girl burbles happily and Charlie cradles her against her chest.

"Her dad's more precise than I am. I'm pretty sure he's goin' to be the one with all the firsts memorised."

[fears_nothing]

Niko had never really been at an advantage to see happy mothers until coming to the island. With Cal, he'd known the major landmarks of childhood, but as Niko had been a child himself, it wasn't as indelible upon his memory.

"She's very beautiful. Of course, I'm sure that's something you hear all the time, yes?"

[1000_cranes]

"I can always stand to hear it more," says Charlie, rubbing her hand down Cadi's back. "But she looks very like her Daddy. Just with my colouring. Beautiful girl."

[fears_nothing]

"Very lovely," Niko agreed. "I think this island doesn't make anything but. Susan Pevensie's daughter is incredibly beautiful too, but she's several months older than yours."

When did he get so interested in talking about babies? Niko couldn't say. He'd never really had a paternal gene in spite of raising Cal, never really had that tug at his heart to want a child.

[1000_cranes]

"You're taking the yoga class," she says, finally making the connection, beaming all over her face as she finally places him.

"I signed up."

[fears_nothing]

"I'll be glad to see you there," Niko said genuinely. He was always glad to see people fall into his own form of relaxation and the class he'd taught last term had been rewarding to say the least.

"I like to spend my mornings framing myself into a peaceful state of mind. I can imagine, with a child, you'd like some peace too?"

[1000_cranes]

"Peace, quiet, flexibility," says Charlie, with a little smile. "I've done a lot of yoga before, but I'm sort of out of practise, being pregnant, and everything."

[fears_nothing]

"I've never taught a pregnant woman," Niko conceded. "I imagine I could have figured it out though. It will be good to have you."

He nodded toward the baby. "Cadi is welcome too, provided you have a bassinet or something for her to lay in."

[1000_cranes]

"It'll probably be easier now I'm not the size of a house," conceeds Charlie, reaching for her tea one-handed. "And I'm pretty sure Ianto'll jump at the chance to spend some time with Cadi. He's settling into bein' a daddy pretty nicely."

[fears_nothing]

"I can imagine not having the hurdle of pregnancy would make yoga easier," Niko agreed, laughing a little. It was a short little sound and rarely heard since he didn't often get amused, but this woman amused him.

"If you ever need to bring her, though, I don't mind."