(no subject)
Title: No Expectations - Chapter Fourteen
Author: firiel77
Word Count: 5382
Warnings: WIP, Mpreg, babies
Rating: M
Pairings: Adam/Tommy
Summary: Tommy’s just feeling a bit off. Set about five years in the future. Adam is a Rock God. Tommy plays guitar for him.
Beta: thrace_adams Whee, thanks so much for stepping in with the beta and the encouragement.
CreditThank you to chaosmanor for graciously agreeing to let me rework her wonderful story Thursday's Child in a different fandom; this fic is what inspired me to try mpreg which is saying something. I encourage everyone to read it. It can be found right here.
Disclaimer: This is fiction people.
Feedback: Sure. Let me know what’s working for you.
Authors Notes: I never thought I’d do it but this is a big old MPreg. Read if you dare. It’s also a WIP and I’m not sure where it will go yet although it will probably be fairly long and I’ve got quite a few chapters roughed out. I’ve just been seeing people pining for domestic fics and (gulp) babies so thought I’d give it a shot.
Thank you jashelle1 for the awesome banner and poster you did for my story. You’re the best.
Previous Chapters Here
Tommy had a hard time believing there were only four days before Christmas. It was strange when he thought about it, how much difference a year made. Last year he’d taken Carmen to Hawaii for Christmas and they’d spent a week lying around the pool and drinking Mai Tai’s with pineapple chunks and little umbrellas. This year he was housebound with Adam and a colicky baby who spent most of his waking hours crying and spitting up.
Tommy and Adam had agreed not to exchange presents and asked their families not to get them anything either. Caring for Austin took up all their time; going Christmas shopping, not one of Tommy’s favourite pastimes, was too much to contemplate. No, Christmas would be very low key this year in the gifting department although there was no getting around the fact that Austin would be the star of the show.
Dia had decided to hold Christmas dinner at the family home in Burbank and had invited the Lamberts. Tommy wasn’t looking forward to driving out to Burbank for the day but they’d been told that attendance wasn’t optional. There would be no escaping this particular soirée, uncooperative baby or not.
Tommy was looking forward to seeing his family. It would be fun; well maybe fun wasn’t quite the word for it, possibly interesting, to have everyone together. Tommy’d always loved Christmas with his family; he’d missed it more than he realized. Dia hadn’t been into the whole holiday dinner after Ron died; it just wasn’t the same. The last few years Tommy had gone on vacation instead.
Eber was up from San Diego for the week and staying with them again. He had the single bed in the nursery. Austin’s bassinet was relocated to the master bedroom and it was shocking how much noise a tiny baby could make while he slept. Adam had bought ear plugs; Tommy just slept with a pillow over his head. At least it was less distance to walk in the middle of the night for feedings.
After the first night of colic hell Tommy wondered if Eber regretted his decision to stay with them although his other option had been to stay with Leila. Given the choice, Chateau Austin had won out. Tommy wasn’t certain he would have done the same.
They really needed a bigger place. It was a beautiful apartment but it was easy to see that they needed more space. Eber had taken one look at Adam’s minimalist, designer condo which was now crowded with baby equipment and festooned with toys and brightly coloured blankets and had burst out laughing.
“Hey, I love what you’ve done with the place, Ad,” he’d chortled.
Adam had just smiled wearily and shaken his head. He’d pretty much given up on any semblance of neatness and didn’t even try to put anything away anymore. His housekeeper had taken one look at the place and told him she wanted a raise, which he’d agreed to instantly, but then told her maybe she should just take a month or so off until they had things more under control. Tommy thought Adam was being optimistic with his timeline.
Eber had barely been able to get his suitcase past the baby jogger and the stroller that were parked in the entryway; the car seat was a permanent fixture on the kitchen table where they found it was easiest to get Austin in and out. They rarely sat at the table anyway; most meals were bolted down while collapsed on the couch with a crying baby on one shoulder.
Adam was downtown with Neil at a record company meeting and Eber had stayed home with Tommy. The dryer was thumping away, fighting with an uneven load of towels and there were stacks of folded laundry on every available flat surface. It had finally gotten to a point where Tommy couldn’t stand it anymore, there was nothing clean to wear, and he was washing everything in sight.
Eber sat on the couch bouncing Austin up and down, trying to stop his fussing. He’d already eaten and Tommy was optimistic that he’d go down for a nap soon but it wasn’t happening fast enough. Tommy pulled out another load of dry clothes and wondered if he should take pity on Eber and relieve him of his duty.
“Tommy, don’t you have one of those pacifier things? You know, that they suck on?” Eber asked.
Tommy shook his head. “No. Adam doesn’t think they’re a good idea,” he said glumly.
“Why the hell not? They used to work on him like a charm.”
Tommy shrugged. His mom had said the same thing. “I’m not sure. I think he read something in one of those books.”
Eber shook his head. “Okay, that’s you’re first mistake Tommy. Take those bloody books away from him.”
Tommy laughed. That’s what Monte had told him a few days ago when Adam had been going on at great length about something baby related, something to do with colic.
“Jesus Christ, Tommy. I’m not kidding,” Eber insisted. “Whatever works. That’s the first rule of parenting.”
“Yeah,” Tommy agreed. He was quite happy to rely on the parent’s baby advice. It wasn’t like he and Adam were any kind of experts. Unfortunately, that had never slowed Adam down.
Tommy finished with sorting the laundry and took Austin. He held him in front of him and rocked him back and forth in a way he knew sometimes helped him to fall asleep. Sure enough, as Tommy kept up the repetitive motion, Austin’s eyes began to lower until he finally, blessedly dropped off. Tommy rocked some more until he was sure he was out and then gently sat down next to Eber.
He turned to the other man. “So, was Adam like this when he was a baby?”
Eber grinned. “It’s hard to imagine, but I think he was even worse. Louder, at least. He just about finished me.”
“Shit. I feel for you, man,” Tommy told him.
“Ah, well. I’m enjoying the karma now. It’s good to see Adam going through the same thing,” Eber laughed.
Tommy laughed too and the movement unfortunately woke Austin up and he took in a breath, prepared to start wailing all over again. Tommy sighed and got up again, ready to start rocking him although his arms were beginning to feel like rubber.
“Here, Tommy. Let me take him for a while,” Eber offered. “I could take him for a walk or something. Give you a break?”
“Are you sure?” Tommy asked, already moving to find the baby carrier.
He and Adam had used it to take Austin for a few quick walks around the building but they’d never let anyone else do it. He wasn’t all that sure about letting Austin out of his sight for even a minute, although shit, it would be so nice to have a couple quiet minutes. The quiet won out.
In a couple minutes he had Austin and the carrier secured to Eber’s chest. “Okay, don’t go outside, but sometimes it helps if you just walk around the hallways a bit. He might go to sleep.”
Eber accepted his mission with a salute and headed down the corridor with squalling baby in tow. Tommy leaned against the wall outside their door and listened as the crying became fainter and fainter. He shut his eyes and sighed with relief.
When he went back inside Tommy thought briefly about putting on another load of laundry and but then decided instead to collapse face down on the bed. He was asleep in an instant.
He woke up some time later to Adam snuggled in behind him and nuzzling his neck. He rolled over and rubbed his eyes. “What time is it?” he asked drowsily.
Adam kissed him on the cheek and smiled. “Almost dinner time. I just got home. I picked up something at the deli at Whole Foods. I hear you recruited my dad to entertain Austin,” he laughed.
“He did offer,” Tommy said a little defensively.
Adam laughed. “I know. He loved it. He said Austin fell asleep like a dream. It only took about twenty laps around the condo.”
“That was awesome of him," Tommy mumbled, still half asleep.
Adam leaned up on his elbow and ran his hand along Tommy’s shoulder. “Anyway, everything’s under control for the moment. Austin’s sound asleep and dinner’s ready whenever Dad gets back.”
Tommy looked across at him. “Where’d he go?” he asked.
Adam thought a moment. “He just said there was something he needed to buy for us. He’s gone to Longs Drugs.”
Adam thought a moment and frowned in confusion. “Actually, what he said was that people now don’t know shit about looking after babies.” He looked back across at Tommy. “Do you know what he was talking about?”
Tommy looked up at the ceiling and tried not to smile. “No idea.”
**********************************
It was Christmas day and Tommy was getting Austin dressed for his first Christmas dinner. Adam was in the shower; Tommy could hear him belting out Winter Wonderland, and he smiled as he dressed their son. Austin seemed to be in an agreeable mood for a change and hadn’t yet started to fuss.
Tommy swore softly while he struggled to do up the hundreds of tiny buttons on the designer outfit his sister had given them for the occasion. He cursed Lisa under his breath; the thing was a fucking pain in the ass to put on and would probably never be used again. Anyway, what kind of twisted person would give you baby clothes that were dry clean only? What the actual fuck?
The day had been spent quietly, sleeping late and eating a huge breakfast Eber had made for them. It was nice. Monte, Lisa and their brood had come over in the afternoon and stayed longer than anticipated; now Tommy and Adam were behind schedule, not a good place to be with Austin. That kid had an agenda of his own.
Eber and Neil had already left and were picking up Leila on the way. They were supposed to be following close behind with Austin except they were nowhere near to being ready to go. Tommy had showered earlier but was still in jeans and a hoodie. Laying his good clothes out on the bed was as far as he’d gotten.
When Austin was dressed Tommy put him down on his blanket on the living room floor with one of his stimulating and supposedly educational baby toys hanging over him. Tommy hoped it would entertain him for the length of time he needed to pack up a bag for the evening.
Tommy packed up a carry-all; he refused to call it a diaper bag. There was a hell of a lot of stuff. There was no traveling light with a baby. He loaded up with diapers, wipes, a sleeper, and then as an afterthought threw in a second one. He went to the kitchen and mixed up four bottles of formula and threw them in too. By the time he was done Tommy could hear Austin starting to fuss again so he mixed up one more bottle to feed him before they left. With any luck he’d sleep all the way out to Burbank.
He picked up Austin son and sat down on the couch to watch TV while he fed him. Tommy wondered idly if he was maybe doing things in the wrong order and that he shouldn’t have put on Austin’s new clothes until after he ate. He grabbed a blanket and covered the outfit to protect it from spillage, congratulating himself on his forethought.
The shower finally stopped and Tommy heard Adam drying his hair and he checked his watch impatiently, hoping it wouldn’t take all night. At least the outfit was decided. Adam had been obsessing about what to wear for days, asking Tommy what he thought, trying things on, until Tommy had finally told him he didn’t care and had earned a wounded look from Adam.
The clothes were laid out earlier though so Tommy knew the decision had been made. Once Adam finished his hair and put on his makeup they’d probably be pretty close to leaving.
“Hey, Adam!” Tommy yelled. “Are you almost ready?” He’d heard the hairdryer stop so he knew Adam could finally hear him.
“Almost. I’m just getting dressed.”
“We don’t have much time,” Tommy told him, torn between not wanting to nag and not being late getting to his mom’s.
“I’ll just be a second. All packed?”
“Yeah. All ready. Austin’s just finishing his bottle and then we can go. I just need you to hold him while I get changed.”
Tommy got up from the couch with Austin and took the empty bottle to the kitchen. Adam came out of the bedroom at that moment, straightening his tie. Adam hadn’t been out anywhere in ages and had decided that Christmas dinner was a good opportunity to dress up.
Tommy eyed him up and down and had to admit he looked damn good. He’d gelled his hair and taken a minute to put on some eyeliner but other than that he’d left it to his natural good looks and some very expensive clothes.
Adam smiled at him. “How do I look?”
“You look great, Babyboy,” he told Adam, kissing him softly before he handed him Austin. “Just hold him and I’ll get ready.”
Adam looked pleased at the compliment and took Austin, bouncing him up and down while he sang Jingle Bells to him. Tommy quickly pulled on the new pants and shirt that Adam had had Lane pick out for him. He’d flat out refused to go clothes shopping himself yet. He was far too tired to care what the hell he wore as long as it fit but he had bowed to pressure from Adam and agreed to wear something nice to dinner tonight. He had no doubt that the shirt and pants he had on now cost more than the rest of the things in his wardrobe combined.
Tommy quickly looked at himself in the mirror and fixed his hair before grabbing his coat. Adam was holding Austin with one hand and trying to put on his leather jacket with the other and Tommy reached down to grab the bag with all the baby gear.
“Are you going to put him in his car seat now?” Tommy asked, throwing the shoulder strap on and then scanning the room for overlooked items.
“No, I thought I’d carry him down. He always freaks out when he’s in the car seat.”
Adam paused and looked Tommy over. “You look nice.”
Tommy could feel himself blush a little at the compliment. He was still a ways from feeling good about the way he looked.
“Thanks,” he smiled.
Adam grabbed the car seat and headed for the door. “Do you have everything?” he asked over his shoulder.
“Yeah, I think so,” Tommy told him, running through his mental checklist of essential items, sure he’d probably forgotten something. “I just want to grab a couple toys and this blanket,” he said called over his shoulder.
Tommy had just straightened up when he heard Adam give a strangled cry. He turned to see what was going on and saw Adam standing with the car seat in one arm, Austin in the other and what looked like ten gallons of formula down the front of his designer clothes. He even had it on his face and in his hair and the stunned look he wore was enough to make Tommy break up laughing although he’d wasn’t sure how Adam would take it.
“Oh, Jesus,” he said. “I’m sorry. That’s not really funny.”
“I fucking don’t believe it,” Adam told him tightly, now holding Austin at arm’s length in case there was any more projectile vomit to come. Judging from how much Adam was wearing, Tommy doubted it.
Tommy grabbed a dish towel and tried to dab some of the rank formula off Adam’s chin and out of his hair. He struggled to keep a straight face but finally dissolved in helpless giggles. It took a minute but Adam finally started to laugh too.
“Here, I’ll take him,” Tommy offered. “Why don’t you get back in the shower and clean up. I’ll put some different clothes on the devil child while you do.”
They were ready to go again in ten minutes; Austin was now dressed in less formal attire, one of his sleepers, and Adam in jeans and a UCLA sweatshirt that had seen better days. Clearly he’d decided that dressing up with Austin was futile and just thought fuck it. His hair was still wet from the shower and sticking in all directions from being vigorously towelled off. There was even eyeliner running down one cheek.
Austin had been installed in his car seat whether he liked it or not and was now working himself up into his customary hysterical state. Ironically, Tommy was still resplendent in his new clothes without so much as a crease out of place. Adam eyed him sourly on the way down in the elevator.
“What?” Tommy asked.
“Nothing,” Adam told him, shaking his head.
When they got to the car it was Adam’s turn to be amused as he watched Tommy struggle to get the car seat into the back of the Mustang. It was a great car but fuck, a two door sports car was just not the thing for an infant car seat and each time they tried to get it in was an ordeal. Tommy cursed from where he was reaching into the back.
“Fucking two door,” he muttered.
What do you think? A mini-van?” Adam laughed.
Tommy snorted. He couldn’t really see that but maybe something where you didn’t have to lie over the console to reach would be good. “It’s fucking awkward, is all.”
“Do you want me to do it?” Adam asked impatiently from the driver’s side while he watched Tommy struggling to snap the carrier into the base. The screaming made it hard to concentrate on what he was doing.
“No, I’ve got it, finally,” Tommy told him as he rocked the car seat to make sure everything was tight enough. A moment later he swore loudly when he stood up and hit his head on the door frame.
“Fuck!” he exclaimed loudly as he rubbed the back of his head. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
“You okay?” Adam asked once Tommy had climbed into the passenger seat and slammed the door in frustration.
“Yeah,” Tommy muttered. “Hurts like a motherfucker, though.” He rubbed his hand over the rapidly forming lump while Adam started the car and finally got them underway.
“I shudder to think what our son’s first word will be,” Adam told him mildly as he swung out onto the street and headed east.
Tommy snorted again. “No problem now. He’s screaming so loud I doubt he can hear anything I say.”
Tommy shut his eyes and hoped that the motion of the car would settle Austin down. The few times they’d been out with him it had been hit or miss. Sometimes he fell right to sleep and others he’d scream the whole way leaving their nerves jangling. Today seemed to be their lucky day; the wailing gradually decreased in volume until Austin finally fell asleep and they were left in blessed silence.
Tommy let out a sigh and willed himself to relax. He wondered idly if maybe he could use the drive to have a bit of a nap as well. A few minutes later he opened his eyes and turned towards Adam when he heard him laughing softly to himself while he drove.
Tommy gave him a questioning look. “What’s so funny?”
Adam shook his head. “I can’t believe it,” he chuckled.
Tommy grinned. “What? When Austin puked on you?”
Adam gave him a slightly horrified look and admitted, “He threw up in my mouth.”
Tommy snorted. “Shit, that’s nasty.”
“Tell me about it. I just about threw up too.”
Tommy couldn’t help but laugh. “You should have seen the look on your face, man. It was priceless.”
“Oh, fuck off,” Adam told him good naturedly. “That was a silk shirt. The thing’s worth a fortune.”
“Not anymore,” Tommy chuckled. “You better get Lane to take it to the drycleaners tomorrow.”
“I think she’d probably quit if I gave it to her,” Adam mused.
They both dissolved into giggles at the idea of Lane dealing with Adam’s puke covered clothes. Finally, when they’d both gotten control of themselves Tommy reached across and took Adam’s hand from where it was resting on the console. He squeezed it and Adam looked across at him and smiled.
“Merry Christmas,” Tommy told him with a gentle smile.
***********************************
Traffic cooperated with them and they got to Tommy’s mom’s late but not terribly so. It was Adam’s turn to battle with the car seat and Tommy made sure to tap his foot impatiently while he waited. They grabbed everything and raced up to the front door, Tommy with the baby and Adam trying to put his hair into some kind of order.
Dia greeted them and Tommy could see Lisa crowding behind her waiting to take Austin the moment he was released from his carrier. Tommy put it down and unbuckled the sleeping baby, hating to disturb him when he was actually asleep. It seemed like a crime against nature.
Tommy picked Austin up and thrust him into his sisters waiting arms before giving his coat to his mom so she could hang it up. The house smelled deliciously of turkey and Tommy hugged his mom and said, “Sorry we’re so late.”
“That’s okay, baby. Everyone’s just arrived. Bring Adam into the living room. I’ll just be out in the kitchen for a bit.”
Lisa looked at what Austin was wearing and frowned. “Where is the new outfit I gave Austin? I thought you were going to have him wear it today.”
Tommy shook his head curtly while he walked past her. “Don’t even ask.”
He led Adam into the living room and paused self-consciously when everyone stopped talking and turned to look at the two of them. It was just like the times when he’d brought a new girlfriend home, only worse, and the awkwardness made Tommy hesitate a moment. Leila was on her feet in seconds and had Tommy pulled into a hug while everyone else rose to greet them as well.
“Tommy, you look nice!” she told him, kissing him on the cheek. “Come and sit down with me.”
She turned to greet Adam where he was standing behind Tommy. She looked at her son in silence, taking in his faded jeans and worn t-shirt and then up to his messy hair. Leila frowned.
“Adam, you could have dressed up a little, honey,” she scolded before kissing him on the cheek as well.
Tommy couldn’t help but notice the pained look on Adam’s face and gave him a sympathetic look before pulling him over to sit at his side. He’d have to explain what had happened; maybe after dinner. No one else seemed to think anything of Adam’s casual attire and they were quickly engulfed in conversation while Austin was passed from shoulder to shoulder.
When he’d had time to think about it, it had surprised Tommy how easily he’d gotten used to having a boyfriend. Their families had been so accepting that it hadn’t felt awkward at all. Tommy supposed that in the whole scheme of things, the cosmic joke his life had become, a change in sexual orientation was only a small blip.
Well, at least in his private life. The thought of going public with their and the resulting media frenzy was something Tommy wasn’t ready to consider. It was far too new, too fragile, to be held under the intense media scrutiny that anyone associated with Adam would face. Tommy knew that eventually that day would come, and he’d face it when he had to, with honesty, and with Adam at his side, but not yet. It wasn’t time.
**********************************
After dinner Tommy sprawled on the couch with his pants unzipped so that he could breathe after the enormous meal he’d eaten. Leila sat beside him with Austin on her lap; giving him his bottle with a towel at the ready should there be any more incidents. Adam, Neil and Lisa’s husband James were doing the dishes under the watchful eye of Lisa so that Dia could relax after cooking all day.
Dia had a glass of wine in her hand and her feet up on the ottoman while she watched Tommy fondly. The Little Mermaid was playing on the TV and Lisa’s two daughters, Emma and Erin were sitting cross-legged on the floor watching intently. It was the longest they had stayed in one place all night.
Eber and Roy had managed to find a football game on the TV in the den and had abandoned the rest of the group much to Leila and Dia’s disapproval. They’d invited Tommy along but he’d declined, he had no interest in football at all and was quite happy to relax and let the grandma’s look after Austin.
Austin finished off his bottle and Tommy eyed Leila nervously when she put it down and expertly put Austin over her shoulder and started to pat his back so that he would burp.
“Um, you might want to put that towel on your shoulder when you do that,” Tommy warned her.
“It’s okay, Tommy,” she assured him. “I’m an expert at this. After Adam and Neil, I’ve been thrown up on more times than I care to remember.”
“So the projectile vomiting comes from your side of the family?” Tommy laughed.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Leila confirmed. “Along with the colic, I’m afraid. I’m so sorry.”
He waved away her apology and then put his head back and shut his eyes. And he’d thought he was tired when he was pregnant.
“How are you holding up?” Leila asked.
He lolled his head in her direction and opened his eyes half way. “I don’t know. I’m tired all the time. Sometimes I think I’ll go crazy if he doesn’t stop crying.”
Tommy shook his head. Sometimes it was a bit overwhelming. “It’s so much work.” Both moms nodded in sympathy. They’d been there. They knew what he was facing.
“What about Adam? How is he? He hasn’t said much to me,” Leila told him. “Although Neil’s told me he’s a bit stressed.”
Tommy shrugged. “It gets to him a bit. He keeps looking up colic online. He’s really trying though. It’s just.....”
Leila smiled. “Adam never was the most patient person. A baby is a big adjustment for anyone, never mind a perfectionist like him.” She gently shifted Austin to her other shoulder so she could see Tommy better.
“How about you two?”
Tommy pressed his hands down onto his lap, fighting his first impulse to start chewing on a nail. “We’re good,” he answered quickly. He’d been expecting questions along these lines for a while. “We’ve talked a bit and I think we’re going to try to, you know, stay together and see how it works out, for Austin.”
Leila gave him a speculative look, as if she didn’t really buy his answer; Tommy figured knew damn well it wasn’t just for Austin, but didn’t say anything more on the subject. Dia held her silence as well which Tommy was just as thankful for. It was time to change the subject.
Tommy turned to his mother. “What was I like when I was a baby?” he asked.
Dia thought a minute before answering. “You were an easy baby. Lisa was like Austin is, but Ron and I couldn’t believe how quiet you were. You were such a happy baby. You hardly cried at all,” she told him with a smile.
Tommy smiled back. It was as he suspected. He’d been an angel. Another thing he could hold over Adam when he was being teased.
“But,” Dia continued, “That changed when you got older. You were a holy terror once you started to walk. We tied all the cupboards in the house shut and you still managed to get into everything. And you terrorized the poor dog.”
Tommy frowned. That wasn’t good news. With his luck Austin would be a combination of the two of them; difficult as an infant and then even worse as a toddler. It didn’t bear thinking about.
Leila managed to get Austin settled without him throwing up all over her and then got up and handed him on to Dia so that she could check on work in the kitchen. The two of them sat and watched the movie a few minutes and Tommy found himself dozing off.
The next thing he knew Adam was standing over him and shaking his shoulder gently. “Hey, wake up, baby. It’s time to go home.”
Tommy pushed himself upright and looked around. The place had definitely emptied out; Lisa’s kids were gone and the TV had been turned off. He looked at his mom and she smiled apologetically.
“You were sleeping so soundly no one wanted to wake you up. Lisa and James said to tell you goodbye.”
Adam had already buckled Austin into his car seat and gathered up all their things in one spot. He smiled down at Tommy and held a hand out to pull him up off the couch. He had his coat on and Eber was standing by with Tommy’s in his hands.
“My dad’s going to drive us home because I’m kind of tired too and Neil’s going to drive his car.”
Tommy rubbed his face with his hands and got to his feet with Adam’s help. Pulled on the coat Eber held out and then zipped up his pants as an afterthought. Adam wrapped an arm around his shoulder for support and led him from the room; he was almost asleep on his feet. He hugged his mom and then Leila, shook Roy’s hand and then watched as Eber took the car seat containing Austin to the front door.
Adam walked him out to the car, helped him into the passenger seat and did his seatbelt for him before climbing into the back with the baby. Tommy closed his eyes again and the last thing he heard was Eber asking Adam, “Do you have enough room back there, Ad?”
The engine rumbled into life and Tommy was asleep almost as soon as it began to move. When he woke up they were home and Adam was helping him out of the car and into their apartment while Eber carried up the baby. He offered to stay up to feed Austin one more time and let Adam and Tommy go to bed, an offer they both accepted gratefully.
Author: firiel77
Word Count: 5382
Warnings: WIP, Mpreg, babies
Rating: M
Pairings: Adam/Tommy
Summary: Tommy’s just feeling a bit off. Set about five years in the future. Adam is a Rock God. Tommy plays guitar for him.
Beta: thrace_adams Whee, thanks so much for stepping in with the beta and the encouragement.
CreditThank you to chaosmanor for graciously agreeing to let me rework her wonderful story Thursday's Child in a different fandom; this fic is what inspired me to try mpreg which is saying something. I encourage everyone to read it. It can be found right here.
Disclaimer: This is fiction people.
Feedback: Sure. Let me know what’s working for you.
Authors Notes: I never thought I’d do it but this is a big old MPreg. Read if you dare. It’s also a WIP and I’m not sure where it will go yet although it will probably be fairly long and I’ve got quite a few chapters roughed out. I’ve just been seeing people pining for domestic fics and (gulp) babies so thought I’d give it a shot.
Thank you jashelle1 for the awesome banner and poster you did for my story. You’re the best.
Previous Chapters Here
Tommy had a hard time believing there were only four days before Christmas. It was strange when he thought about it, how much difference a year made. Last year he’d taken Carmen to Hawaii for Christmas and they’d spent a week lying around the pool and drinking Mai Tai’s with pineapple chunks and little umbrellas. This year he was housebound with Adam and a colicky baby who spent most of his waking hours crying and spitting up.
Tommy and Adam had agreed not to exchange presents and asked their families not to get them anything either. Caring for Austin took up all their time; going Christmas shopping, not one of Tommy’s favourite pastimes, was too much to contemplate. No, Christmas would be very low key this year in the gifting department although there was no getting around the fact that Austin would be the star of the show.
Dia had decided to hold Christmas dinner at the family home in Burbank and had invited the Lamberts. Tommy wasn’t looking forward to driving out to Burbank for the day but they’d been told that attendance wasn’t optional. There would be no escaping this particular soirée, uncooperative baby or not.
Tommy was looking forward to seeing his family. It would be fun; well maybe fun wasn’t quite the word for it, possibly interesting, to have everyone together. Tommy’d always loved Christmas with his family; he’d missed it more than he realized. Dia hadn’t been into the whole holiday dinner after Ron died; it just wasn’t the same. The last few years Tommy had gone on vacation instead.
Eber was up from San Diego for the week and staying with them again. He had the single bed in the nursery. Austin’s bassinet was relocated to the master bedroom and it was shocking how much noise a tiny baby could make while he slept. Adam had bought ear plugs; Tommy just slept with a pillow over his head. At least it was less distance to walk in the middle of the night for feedings.
After the first night of colic hell Tommy wondered if Eber regretted his decision to stay with them although his other option had been to stay with Leila. Given the choice, Chateau Austin had won out. Tommy wasn’t certain he would have done the same.
They really needed a bigger place. It was a beautiful apartment but it was easy to see that they needed more space. Eber had taken one look at Adam’s minimalist, designer condo which was now crowded with baby equipment and festooned with toys and brightly coloured blankets and had burst out laughing.
“Hey, I love what you’ve done with the place, Ad,” he’d chortled.
Adam had just smiled wearily and shaken his head. He’d pretty much given up on any semblance of neatness and didn’t even try to put anything away anymore. His housekeeper had taken one look at the place and told him she wanted a raise, which he’d agreed to instantly, but then told her maybe she should just take a month or so off until they had things more under control. Tommy thought Adam was being optimistic with his timeline.
Eber had barely been able to get his suitcase past the baby jogger and the stroller that were parked in the entryway; the car seat was a permanent fixture on the kitchen table where they found it was easiest to get Austin in and out. They rarely sat at the table anyway; most meals were bolted down while collapsed on the couch with a crying baby on one shoulder.
Adam was downtown with Neil at a record company meeting and Eber had stayed home with Tommy. The dryer was thumping away, fighting with an uneven load of towels and there were stacks of folded laundry on every available flat surface. It had finally gotten to a point where Tommy couldn’t stand it anymore, there was nothing clean to wear, and he was washing everything in sight.
Eber sat on the couch bouncing Austin up and down, trying to stop his fussing. He’d already eaten and Tommy was optimistic that he’d go down for a nap soon but it wasn’t happening fast enough. Tommy pulled out another load of dry clothes and wondered if he should take pity on Eber and relieve him of his duty.
“Tommy, don’t you have one of those pacifier things? You know, that they suck on?” Eber asked.
Tommy shook his head. “No. Adam doesn’t think they’re a good idea,” he said glumly.
“Why the hell not? They used to work on him like a charm.”
Tommy shrugged. His mom had said the same thing. “I’m not sure. I think he read something in one of those books.”
Eber shook his head. “Okay, that’s you’re first mistake Tommy. Take those bloody books away from him.”
Tommy laughed. That’s what Monte had told him a few days ago when Adam had been going on at great length about something baby related, something to do with colic.
“Jesus Christ, Tommy. I’m not kidding,” Eber insisted. “Whatever works. That’s the first rule of parenting.”
“Yeah,” Tommy agreed. He was quite happy to rely on the parent’s baby advice. It wasn’t like he and Adam were any kind of experts. Unfortunately, that had never slowed Adam down.
Tommy finished with sorting the laundry and took Austin. He held him in front of him and rocked him back and forth in a way he knew sometimes helped him to fall asleep. Sure enough, as Tommy kept up the repetitive motion, Austin’s eyes began to lower until he finally, blessedly dropped off. Tommy rocked some more until he was sure he was out and then gently sat down next to Eber.
He turned to the other man. “So, was Adam like this when he was a baby?”
Eber grinned. “It’s hard to imagine, but I think he was even worse. Louder, at least. He just about finished me.”
“Shit. I feel for you, man,” Tommy told him.
“Ah, well. I’m enjoying the karma now. It’s good to see Adam going through the same thing,” Eber laughed.
Tommy laughed too and the movement unfortunately woke Austin up and he took in a breath, prepared to start wailing all over again. Tommy sighed and got up again, ready to start rocking him although his arms were beginning to feel like rubber.
“Here, Tommy. Let me take him for a while,” Eber offered. “I could take him for a walk or something. Give you a break?”
“Are you sure?” Tommy asked, already moving to find the baby carrier.
He and Adam had used it to take Austin for a few quick walks around the building but they’d never let anyone else do it. He wasn’t all that sure about letting Austin out of his sight for even a minute, although shit, it would be so nice to have a couple quiet minutes. The quiet won out.
In a couple minutes he had Austin and the carrier secured to Eber’s chest. “Okay, don’t go outside, but sometimes it helps if you just walk around the hallways a bit. He might go to sleep.”
Eber accepted his mission with a salute and headed down the corridor with squalling baby in tow. Tommy leaned against the wall outside their door and listened as the crying became fainter and fainter. He shut his eyes and sighed with relief.
When he went back inside Tommy thought briefly about putting on another load of laundry and but then decided instead to collapse face down on the bed. He was asleep in an instant.
He woke up some time later to Adam snuggled in behind him and nuzzling his neck. He rolled over and rubbed his eyes. “What time is it?” he asked drowsily.
Adam kissed him on the cheek and smiled. “Almost dinner time. I just got home. I picked up something at the deli at Whole Foods. I hear you recruited my dad to entertain Austin,” he laughed.
“He did offer,” Tommy said a little defensively.
Adam laughed. “I know. He loved it. He said Austin fell asleep like a dream. It only took about twenty laps around the condo.”
“That was awesome of him," Tommy mumbled, still half asleep.
Adam leaned up on his elbow and ran his hand along Tommy’s shoulder. “Anyway, everything’s under control for the moment. Austin’s sound asleep and dinner’s ready whenever Dad gets back.”
Tommy looked across at him. “Where’d he go?” he asked.
Adam thought a moment. “He just said there was something he needed to buy for us. He’s gone to Longs Drugs.”
Adam thought a moment and frowned in confusion. “Actually, what he said was that people now don’t know shit about looking after babies.” He looked back across at Tommy. “Do you know what he was talking about?”
Tommy looked up at the ceiling and tried not to smile. “No idea.”
**********************************
It was Christmas day and Tommy was getting Austin dressed for his first Christmas dinner. Adam was in the shower; Tommy could hear him belting out Winter Wonderland, and he smiled as he dressed their son. Austin seemed to be in an agreeable mood for a change and hadn’t yet started to fuss.
Tommy swore softly while he struggled to do up the hundreds of tiny buttons on the designer outfit his sister had given them for the occasion. He cursed Lisa under his breath; the thing was a fucking pain in the ass to put on and would probably never be used again. Anyway, what kind of twisted person would give you baby clothes that were dry clean only? What the actual fuck?
The day had been spent quietly, sleeping late and eating a huge breakfast Eber had made for them. It was nice. Monte, Lisa and their brood had come over in the afternoon and stayed longer than anticipated; now Tommy and Adam were behind schedule, not a good place to be with Austin. That kid had an agenda of his own.
Eber and Neil had already left and were picking up Leila on the way. They were supposed to be following close behind with Austin except they were nowhere near to being ready to go. Tommy had showered earlier but was still in jeans and a hoodie. Laying his good clothes out on the bed was as far as he’d gotten.
When Austin was dressed Tommy put him down on his blanket on the living room floor with one of his stimulating and supposedly educational baby toys hanging over him. Tommy hoped it would entertain him for the length of time he needed to pack up a bag for the evening.
Tommy packed up a carry-all; he refused to call it a diaper bag. There was a hell of a lot of stuff. There was no traveling light with a baby. He loaded up with diapers, wipes, a sleeper, and then as an afterthought threw in a second one. He went to the kitchen and mixed up four bottles of formula and threw them in too. By the time he was done Tommy could hear Austin starting to fuss again so he mixed up one more bottle to feed him before they left. With any luck he’d sleep all the way out to Burbank.
He picked up Austin son and sat down on the couch to watch TV while he fed him. Tommy wondered idly if he was maybe doing things in the wrong order and that he shouldn’t have put on Austin’s new clothes until after he ate. He grabbed a blanket and covered the outfit to protect it from spillage, congratulating himself on his forethought.
The shower finally stopped and Tommy heard Adam drying his hair and he checked his watch impatiently, hoping it wouldn’t take all night. At least the outfit was decided. Adam had been obsessing about what to wear for days, asking Tommy what he thought, trying things on, until Tommy had finally told him he didn’t care and had earned a wounded look from Adam.
The clothes were laid out earlier though so Tommy knew the decision had been made. Once Adam finished his hair and put on his makeup they’d probably be pretty close to leaving.
“Hey, Adam!” Tommy yelled. “Are you almost ready?” He’d heard the hairdryer stop so he knew Adam could finally hear him.
“Almost. I’m just getting dressed.”
“We don’t have much time,” Tommy told him, torn between not wanting to nag and not being late getting to his mom’s.
“I’ll just be a second. All packed?”
“Yeah. All ready. Austin’s just finishing his bottle and then we can go. I just need you to hold him while I get changed.”
Tommy got up from the couch with Austin and took the empty bottle to the kitchen. Adam came out of the bedroom at that moment, straightening his tie. Adam hadn’t been out anywhere in ages and had decided that Christmas dinner was a good opportunity to dress up.
Tommy eyed him up and down and had to admit he looked damn good. He’d gelled his hair and taken a minute to put on some eyeliner but other than that he’d left it to his natural good looks and some very expensive clothes.
Adam smiled at him. “How do I look?”
“You look great, Babyboy,” he told Adam, kissing him softly before he handed him Austin. “Just hold him and I’ll get ready.”
Adam looked pleased at the compliment and took Austin, bouncing him up and down while he sang Jingle Bells to him. Tommy quickly pulled on the new pants and shirt that Adam had had Lane pick out for him. He’d flat out refused to go clothes shopping himself yet. He was far too tired to care what the hell he wore as long as it fit but he had bowed to pressure from Adam and agreed to wear something nice to dinner tonight. He had no doubt that the shirt and pants he had on now cost more than the rest of the things in his wardrobe combined.
Tommy quickly looked at himself in the mirror and fixed his hair before grabbing his coat. Adam was holding Austin with one hand and trying to put on his leather jacket with the other and Tommy reached down to grab the bag with all the baby gear.
“Are you going to put him in his car seat now?” Tommy asked, throwing the shoulder strap on and then scanning the room for overlooked items.
“No, I thought I’d carry him down. He always freaks out when he’s in the car seat.”
Adam paused and looked Tommy over. “You look nice.”
Tommy could feel himself blush a little at the compliment. He was still a ways from feeling good about the way he looked.
“Thanks,” he smiled.
Adam grabbed the car seat and headed for the door. “Do you have everything?” he asked over his shoulder.
“Yeah, I think so,” Tommy told him, running through his mental checklist of essential items, sure he’d probably forgotten something. “I just want to grab a couple toys and this blanket,” he said called over his shoulder.
Tommy had just straightened up when he heard Adam give a strangled cry. He turned to see what was going on and saw Adam standing with the car seat in one arm, Austin in the other and what looked like ten gallons of formula down the front of his designer clothes. He even had it on his face and in his hair and the stunned look he wore was enough to make Tommy break up laughing although he’d wasn’t sure how Adam would take it.
“Oh, Jesus,” he said. “I’m sorry. That’s not really funny.”
“I fucking don’t believe it,” Adam told him tightly, now holding Austin at arm’s length in case there was any more projectile vomit to come. Judging from how much Adam was wearing, Tommy doubted it.
Tommy grabbed a dish towel and tried to dab some of the rank formula off Adam’s chin and out of his hair. He struggled to keep a straight face but finally dissolved in helpless giggles. It took a minute but Adam finally started to laugh too.
“Here, I’ll take him,” Tommy offered. “Why don’t you get back in the shower and clean up. I’ll put some different clothes on the devil child while you do.”
They were ready to go again in ten minutes; Austin was now dressed in less formal attire, one of his sleepers, and Adam in jeans and a UCLA sweatshirt that had seen better days. Clearly he’d decided that dressing up with Austin was futile and just thought fuck it. His hair was still wet from the shower and sticking in all directions from being vigorously towelled off. There was even eyeliner running down one cheek.
Austin had been installed in his car seat whether he liked it or not and was now working himself up into his customary hysterical state. Ironically, Tommy was still resplendent in his new clothes without so much as a crease out of place. Adam eyed him sourly on the way down in the elevator.
“What?” Tommy asked.
“Nothing,” Adam told him, shaking his head.
When they got to the car it was Adam’s turn to be amused as he watched Tommy struggle to get the car seat into the back of the Mustang. It was a great car but fuck, a two door sports car was just not the thing for an infant car seat and each time they tried to get it in was an ordeal. Tommy cursed from where he was reaching into the back.
“Fucking two door,” he muttered.
What do you think? A mini-van?” Adam laughed.
Tommy snorted. He couldn’t really see that but maybe something where you didn’t have to lie over the console to reach would be good. “It’s fucking awkward, is all.”
“Do you want me to do it?” Adam asked impatiently from the driver’s side while he watched Tommy struggling to snap the carrier into the base. The screaming made it hard to concentrate on what he was doing.
“No, I’ve got it, finally,” Tommy told him as he rocked the car seat to make sure everything was tight enough. A moment later he swore loudly when he stood up and hit his head on the door frame.
“Fuck!” he exclaimed loudly as he rubbed the back of his head. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”
“You okay?” Adam asked once Tommy had climbed into the passenger seat and slammed the door in frustration.
“Yeah,” Tommy muttered. “Hurts like a motherfucker, though.” He rubbed his hand over the rapidly forming lump while Adam started the car and finally got them underway.
“I shudder to think what our son’s first word will be,” Adam told him mildly as he swung out onto the street and headed east.
Tommy snorted again. “No problem now. He’s screaming so loud I doubt he can hear anything I say.”
Tommy shut his eyes and hoped that the motion of the car would settle Austin down. The few times they’d been out with him it had been hit or miss. Sometimes he fell right to sleep and others he’d scream the whole way leaving their nerves jangling. Today seemed to be their lucky day; the wailing gradually decreased in volume until Austin finally fell asleep and they were left in blessed silence.
Tommy let out a sigh and willed himself to relax. He wondered idly if maybe he could use the drive to have a bit of a nap as well. A few minutes later he opened his eyes and turned towards Adam when he heard him laughing softly to himself while he drove.
Tommy gave him a questioning look. “What’s so funny?”
Adam shook his head. “I can’t believe it,” he chuckled.
Tommy grinned. “What? When Austin puked on you?”
Adam gave him a slightly horrified look and admitted, “He threw up in my mouth.”
Tommy snorted. “Shit, that’s nasty.”
“Tell me about it. I just about threw up too.”
Tommy couldn’t help but laugh. “You should have seen the look on your face, man. It was priceless.”
“Oh, fuck off,” Adam told him good naturedly. “That was a silk shirt. The thing’s worth a fortune.”
“Not anymore,” Tommy chuckled. “You better get Lane to take it to the drycleaners tomorrow.”
“I think she’d probably quit if I gave it to her,” Adam mused.
They both dissolved into giggles at the idea of Lane dealing with Adam’s puke covered clothes. Finally, when they’d both gotten control of themselves Tommy reached across and took Adam’s hand from where it was resting on the console. He squeezed it and Adam looked across at him and smiled.
“Merry Christmas,” Tommy told him with a gentle smile.
***********************************
Traffic cooperated with them and they got to Tommy’s mom’s late but not terribly so. It was Adam’s turn to battle with the car seat and Tommy made sure to tap his foot impatiently while he waited. They grabbed everything and raced up to the front door, Tommy with the baby and Adam trying to put his hair into some kind of order.
Dia greeted them and Tommy could see Lisa crowding behind her waiting to take Austin the moment he was released from his carrier. Tommy put it down and unbuckled the sleeping baby, hating to disturb him when he was actually asleep. It seemed like a crime against nature.
Tommy picked Austin up and thrust him into his sisters waiting arms before giving his coat to his mom so she could hang it up. The house smelled deliciously of turkey and Tommy hugged his mom and said, “Sorry we’re so late.”
“That’s okay, baby. Everyone’s just arrived. Bring Adam into the living room. I’ll just be out in the kitchen for a bit.”
Lisa looked at what Austin was wearing and frowned. “Where is the new outfit I gave Austin? I thought you were going to have him wear it today.”
Tommy shook his head curtly while he walked past her. “Don’t even ask.”
He led Adam into the living room and paused self-consciously when everyone stopped talking and turned to look at the two of them. It was just like the times when he’d brought a new girlfriend home, only worse, and the awkwardness made Tommy hesitate a moment. Leila was on her feet in seconds and had Tommy pulled into a hug while everyone else rose to greet them as well.
“Tommy, you look nice!” she told him, kissing him on the cheek. “Come and sit down with me.”
She turned to greet Adam where he was standing behind Tommy. She looked at her son in silence, taking in his faded jeans and worn t-shirt and then up to his messy hair. Leila frowned.
“Adam, you could have dressed up a little, honey,” she scolded before kissing him on the cheek as well.
Tommy couldn’t help but notice the pained look on Adam’s face and gave him a sympathetic look before pulling him over to sit at his side. He’d have to explain what had happened; maybe after dinner. No one else seemed to think anything of Adam’s casual attire and they were quickly engulfed in conversation while Austin was passed from shoulder to shoulder.
When he’d had time to think about it, it had surprised Tommy how easily he’d gotten used to having a boyfriend. Their families had been so accepting that it hadn’t felt awkward at all. Tommy supposed that in the whole scheme of things, the cosmic joke his life had become, a change in sexual orientation was only a small blip.
Well, at least in his private life. The thought of going public with their and the resulting media frenzy was something Tommy wasn’t ready to consider. It was far too new, too fragile, to be held under the intense media scrutiny that anyone associated with Adam would face. Tommy knew that eventually that day would come, and he’d face it when he had to, with honesty, and with Adam at his side, but not yet. It wasn’t time.
**********************************
After dinner Tommy sprawled on the couch with his pants unzipped so that he could breathe after the enormous meal he’d eaten. Leila sat beside him with Austin on her lap; giving him his bottle with a towel at the ready should there be any more incidents. Adam, Neil and Lisa’s husband James were doing the dishes under the watchful eye of Lisa so that Dia could relax after cooking all day.
Dia had a glass of wine in her hand and her feet up on the ottoman while she watched Tommy fondly. The Little Mermaid was playing on the TV and Lisa’s two daughters, Emma and Erin were sitting cross-legged on the floor watching intently. It was the longest they had stayed in one place all night.
Eber and Roy had managed to find a football game on the TV in the den and had abandoned the rest of the group much to Leila and Dia’s disapproval. They’d invited Tommy along but he’d declined, he had no interest in football at all and was quite happy to relax and let the grandma’s look after Austin.
Austin finished off his bottle and Tommy eyed Leila nervously when she put it down and expertly put Austin over her shoulder and started to pat his back so that he would burp.
“Um, you might want to put that towel on your shoulder when you do that,” Tommy warned her.
“It’s okay, Tommy,” she assured him. “I’m an expert at this. After Adam and Neil, I’ve been thrown up on more times than I care to remember.”
“So the projectile vomiting comes from your side of the family?” Tommy laughed.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Leila confirmed. “Along with the colic, I’m afraid. I’m so sorry.”
He waved away her apology and then put his head back and shut his eyes. And he’d thought he was tired when he was pregnant.
“How are you holding up?” Leila asked.
He lolled his head in her direction and opened his eyes half way. “I don’t know. I’m tired all the time. Sometimes I think I’ll go crazy if he doesn’t stop crying.”
Tommy shook his head. Sometimes it was a bit overwhelming. “It’s so much work.” Both moms nodded in sympathy. They’d been there. They knew what he was facing.
“What about Adam? How is he? He hasn’t said much to me,” Leila told him. “Although Neil’s told me he’s a bit stressed.”
Tommy shrugged. “It gets to him a bit. He keeps looking up colic online. He’s really trying though. It’s just.....”
Leila smiled. “Adam never was the most patient person. A baby is a big adjustment for anyone, never mind a perfectionist like him.” She gently shifted Austin to her other shoulder so she could see Tommy better.
“How about you two?”
Tommy pressed his hands down onto his lap, fighting his first impulse to start chewing on a nail. “We’re good,” he answered quickly. He’d been expecting questions along these lines for a while. “We’ve talked a bit and I think we’re going to try to, you know, stay together and see how it works out, for Austin.”
Leila gave him a speculative look, as if she didn’t really buy his answer; Tommy figured knew damn well it wasn’t just for Austin, but didn’t say anything more on the subject. Dia held her silence as well which Tommy was just as thankful for. It was time to change the subject.
Tommy turned to his mother. “What was I like when I was a baby?” he asked.
Dia thought a minute before answering. “You were an easy baby. Lisa was like Austin is, but Ron and I couldn’t believe how quiet you were. You were such a happy baby. You hardly cried at all,” she told him with a smile.
Tommy smiled back. It was as he suspected. He’d been an angel. Another thing he could hold over Adam when he was being teased.
“But,” Dia continued, “That changed when you got older. You were a holy terror once you started to walk. We tied all the cupboards in the house shut and you still managed to get into everything. And you terrorized the poor dog.”
Tommy frowned. That wasn’t good news. With his luck Austin would be a combination of the two of them; difficult as an infant and then even worse as a toddler. It didn’t bear thinking about.
Leila managed to get Austin settled without him throwing up all over her and then got up and handed him on to Dia so that she could check on work in the kitchen. The two of them sat and watched the movie a few minutes and Tommy found himself dozing off.
The next thing he knew Adam was standing over him and shaking his shoulder gently. “Hey, wake up, baby. It’s time to go home.”
Tommy pushed himself upright and looked around. The place had definitely emptied out; Lisa’s kids were gone and the TV had been turned off. He looked at his mom and she smiled apologetically.
“You were sleeping so soundly no one wanted to wake you up. Lisa and James said to tell you goodbye.”
Adam had already buckled Austin into his car seat and gathered up all their things in one spot. He smiled down at Tommy and held a hand out to pull him up off the couch. He had his coat on and Eber was standing by with Tommy’s in his hands.
“My dad’s going to drive us home because I’m kind of tired too and Neil’s going to drive his car.”
Tommy rubbed his face with his hands and got to his feet with Adam’s help. Pulled on the coat Eber held out and then zipped up his pants as an afterthought. Adam wrapped an arm around his shoulder for support and led him from the room; he was almost asleep on his feet. He hugged his mom and then Leila, shook Roy’s hand and then watched as Eber took the car seat containing Austin to the front door.
Adam walked him out to the car, helped him into the passenger seat and did his seatbelt for him before climbing into the back with the baby. Tommy closed his eyes again and the last thing he heard was Eber asking Adam, “Do you have enough room back there, Ad?”
The engine rumbled into life and Tommy was asleep almost as soon as it began to move. When he woke up they were home and Adam was helping him out of the car and into their apartment while Eber carried up the baby. He offered to stay up to feed Austin one more time and let Adam and Tommy go to bed, an offer they both accepted gratefully.