My Father, My Brother

*Ellie's POV*

"Here you are tiny, this is your home." I smiled at the baby in my arms. Susan bounded excitedly to greet us but luckily Gerard was in front of me and he grabbed her collar to stop her jumping up at me. I crouched down a little and let her sniff Bandit, before she gave her a lick and lost interest to jump up and Gerard and Lindsey instead. Poor Gerard was laden with baby bags and various other items, while Lindsey was pulling the small case Gerard had packed her for the hospital. I offered to carry the baby in. She babbled and whined in my arms and I figured she was probably too hot in all the blankets so I slackened them off her a little.

"Look Puzzle, look who's here." I said to my little old man, holding Bandit sideways to the cage and letting my rat take a smell. He lost interest even faster than the dog. I sat on the couch sideways with my legs crossed and laid Bandit down so she was facing me, my hands still supporting her top half that wasn't touching my legs I stared at her for a few minutes while Gee and Lindsey were emptying bags and reorganising themselves. She opened her dark eyes and looked up at me, her tiny arms flailing as she made little baby noises. I half smiled down at her.

"You're a little cutie, but if you cry during the night, I aint got no sympathy for you sister." I said quietly to her, stroking down her dark hair. I supported her with one hand as I pulled my cell out of my pocket and snapped a few pictures of her. I then sent my favourite one to Kieran and Kayleigh. Simply showing off my new baby sister.

"She's so cute! You called her Bandit right? Please say they agreed to call her Bandit!" Kayleigh was very enthusiastic about the whole situation

"Yep! Bandit Lee Way."

"She's perfect. Make sure you give your dad and Miss Ballato my congratulations!" Miss Ballato? Ew, creepy. She's my teacher. Kieran was... somewhat less enthusiastic.

"Yeah she's cute for a baby, but please don't send me photos of her eating or crying or something."

"I wouldn't dream of it. That's when I leave the room anyway. I can't deal with baby fluids either." He didn't text back so I presumed he was working at his volunteer job again. Susan came trotting into the room and had a very detailed sniff of Bandit again, sniffing as much of her as she could. Bandit suddenly babbled and made Susan jump, her head cocking to one side and her ears pricked, the left one floppin slightly at the top. I reached out and scratched the top of her furry head just as Gerard leaned into the room.

"There's my girls." He grinned, coming and leaning over my shoulder to look at his daughter.

"She's awesome isn't she?" He asked. I didn't have to look at him to hear the smile in his voice.

"Kayleigh sends her congratulations." I looked at him over my shoulder. I lifted Bandit and held her up to her dad. He took her and cradled her against his chest like she was a fragile egg shell that could break at any minute. He sat on the arm of the chair and looked down at her, smiling like the proud new father he was.

"I haven't seen something so small and vulnerable since the first time I held you like this. Only a day older than she is now." He said to me, though his eyes never strayed from Bandit.

"Is she smaller than I was?" I turned on the sofa to face them both.

"You were very slightly smaller. You were six pounds and three ounces, so not noticable but still smaller. Though you've always been a little small for your age." He looked up at me as he smiled.

"There! Everything unpacked. Now where's my baby girl?" Lindsey interrupted unknowingly as she came into the lounge, wiping her hands on her sweatpants and holding her arms out for Bandit. Gerard carefully handed her over and watched apprehensively as Lindsey held her lovingly to her chest and kissed the side of her head. She pecked Gerard's lips before she went and prepared a bottle for her.

"Well she took to motherhood like a duck to water." Gerard laughed, watching admiringly after her.

"Yeah but she totally just kidnapped Bandit from you." He laughed and patted my shoulder as I stood beside him, keeping his arm around me.

"C'mon kid, if Bandit is getting lunch, we totally should too. I don't think I've eaten since before she was born."

I ended up making us both a peanut butter and jelly sammich and a coffee. Gerard was clearly in need. The dark rings around his eyes were evident, although he seemed to be glowing. I almost spat my coffee out laughing when Lindsey burped Bandit and she puked down her back. Gerard was up instantly, taking Bandit out of Lindsey's arms so she could change her shirt.

"Welcome home little lady B!" She cursed, but with a smile as she left the room and Gerard wiped Bandit's mouth lovingly.

"Poor little thing." He cooed, sitting down and holding her against his chest so her tiny head was on his shoulder. I rolled my eyes and took another sip of coffee, ignoring Gerard babbling to Bandit.

"Yanno, she might never learn to talk if that's how you speak to her." I smiled over the rim of my cup.

"Don't listen to her. You're gonna be so smart and you'll learn to talk just fine, wont you? Yes you will you cute little muffin you!" I rolled my eyes at his cooing and cringed.

***

I pulled the pillow over my head, sighing loudly as baby cries echoed around the house. In a tantrum, I slammed my pillow to the bottom of my bed and leaned over to look at my alarm clock.

"Five past four? You gotta be kidding me." I sighed, rolling onto my back in the dark bedroom. Covering my ears didn't help either. I heard Lindsey walking up and down the hallway with her, singing softly and humming to try and settle her. I gave up trying to sleep after ten minutes and pulled my cell phone from under my pillow. I multi text Kayleigh, Kieran and Rhyland, asking all of them if any were awake. I didn't expect any replies, so I was shocked when my phone buzzed almost immediately.

"I am? Isn't it like, three AM where you are?" Rhyland asked. I grinned and ignored the fact that my phone bill would just have to be high this month.

"It's quarter past four in the morning, but my baby sister is crying and she woke me up."

"Awww. I didn't know you had a little sister." Crap... He's gonna know that Bandit was born yesterday, he'll add it up... Oh well, I'll just lie about her age.

"Yeah she's only two months old. I don't have much to do with her though."

"That's pretty cute though. What's her name?" Uhm... Amber? Ashleigh? Jessica?

"Her name's Jessie."

"Major cute. Anyway, how's my girl overseas?" I felt my face burn red and I couldn't help but smile.

"Major sleepy! Although she has just shut up. Step mom's obviously finally given up and handed her to dad. I can hear him humming to her. It's kinda creepy."

"Why creepy?"

"Cause he's too good at this dad stuff. Poor guy is outnumbered by women." A quiet tap on my door made me look up into the dark. Gerard's soft voice called my name through the door quietly.

"Are you awake?" He whispered.

"Yeah?" He opened the door quietly and tiptoed into my room, Bandit held one handed against his chest. She was still whimpering softly but her eyes were closed. The moonlight hit his tired looking face but he smiled in the dark and sat on the edge of my bed.

"I heard your cell phone buzzing so I came to make sure you were okay. Who are you texting at this time of night?" He whispered, leaning back against the headboard beside me, Bandit sleeping lightly on his chest. I smiled at her since she looked so cute.

"The crying woke me up so I text Rhyland."

"England Rhyland?" I nodded and stroked Bandit's hand lightly. She whimpered and held my finger in her sleep.

"Here." He whispered, carefully lifting Bandit from his chest and placing her on mine. I held her in place gently and kissed the mass of dark hair. She rubbed her face tiredly against the crook of my neck and whimpered again, before settling down and sighing a shaky sigh as a result of her crying.

"Glad she settles straight away on you. Took Lindsey and I a while each."

"So I heard." He laughed quietly and I felt him lean back and close his eyes. I cuddled up into his side and yawned, putting my hand on Bandit's back and rubbing slowly. I felt her breathing deepen as she fell asleep properly.

"She likes you so it seems." He whispered, turning to lean on his side and smile at us.

"So she should! I'm her awesome big sister." He grinned and looked at us both lovingly.

"I really love you guys yanno." He said, looking directly at me.

"I love you too dad. I'm sure Bandit does too." He smiled and yawned, putting his arm around my shoulders and the three of us cuddled up like that.

***

"God dammit!" Gerard muttered as a sudden scream woke up both up. I jumped awake and felt lucky that my arm was holding Bandit or she would have fallen off my chest. The sun was streaming into the room so we must have all fallen asleep together like that. I sat up, holding Bandit against my chest while I walked around the room with her, humming softly.

"Yeah... You do that, while I go prepare a bottle for her. Bring her down if you like." Gerard said as he walked out of my room. I picked my shawl up from the bottom of my bed and wrapped it around Bandit, cuddling her and singing quietly in her ear. She stopped crying and settled on whimpering while I carried her downstairs to her freshly cooling bottle of milk.

"How do you do that!?" Gerard laughed, taking her from me and cradling her in his arm while he tested the temperature of the milk before giving it to her. She went quiet as she fed, and I took the opportunity to make us both a coffee.

"You're a star!" He said as I put the milk back in the refridgerator.

"I know." He lifted her onto his shoulder and winded her while I cleaned her bottle out in the sink.

"El... Am I a good dad?" He asked, turning round to face me. I opened my mouth to answer when a tired sounding voice did it for me.

"You're a wonderful father Gerard." Lindsey smiled from the doorway, still in her pyjamas.

"Aw thank you sweetie." Gerard grinned as he pecked Lindsey's lips and handed her daughter to her.

"There's my lady B. Where were you both last night?" She smiled, looking up at Gerard curiously.

"We fell asleep in Ellie May's room by accident. Turns out Bandit will sleep peacefully on Ellie's chest, but not mine." He laughed, winking at me.

"I'm just such an amazing sister. She can sense that." Lindsey laughed and kissed the top of my head while I went to see to Puzzle.

"Good morning little mister." I smiled, opening the cage. When he didn't immediately come running. I knew. Puzzle was now with Luka.