Sunday Mornings
It's never over, my riches for her smiles when I slept so soft against her
"You sure you're ready for this?" James looked down at Quinn with a raised eyebrow as they sat next to each other on a little couch outside their adoption agent's office.
His brow lifted and he asked her, "Ready for what?"
"Taking a baby home, doofus." She told him with a smile and he rolled his eyes at her. She then jokingly informed him, "It's a big decision and she's not the wrong shoes; we can't just return her if we don't like her."
James faked being bummed about that, "Well damn."
She laughed and slipped her hand through his arm, slipping her fingers between his and then she leaned against his shoulder. She smiled and said, "I can't believe this is really happening."
James smiled gently and nodded his head as he leaned it against the top of hers and he asked, "Feels like we've been waiting forever, huh?"
"I just..." She started, and then she paused and shook her head to keep herself from finishing.
James, knowing exactly where her head was at, told her firmly, "Don't do that Quinn. I've told you hundreds of times; I would rather be doing it this way, with you than the other way without you."
"I know but-" She started.
He interrupted her, "No buts. Really. I'm gonna love that kid the same as if she were ours in that way, and I'm still gonna love you more than anything in the world. This is the way we have to do it, and I don't care that we have to do it this way. Family is family Quinn."
She sniffled, and when he laughed at her for getting so weepy she laughed too. She reached down and pinched his thigh and she told him, "Thank you."
He nodded his head and they went back to leaning against each other while they waited. Quinn was the first out of her chair when the door across the hall opened and their worker stepped out with Peyton. They had never seen her in person, only photos, and a few videos from her at the time foster parents. Quinn was surprised with just how much blonde hair she had on her head, and pictures didn't quite do her bright green eyes justice.
"Alright, who wants her first?"
James immediately said, "Quinn."
Quinn turned to look at him over her shoulder and she smiled gently before she turned back just in time to have the little four month old placed in her arms. She shifted her enough so that they were both comfortable, and Peyton immediately leaned into her chest, but then, to everyone's surprise, she reached her hands over Quinn's shoulders toward James.
So he stepped up behind Quinn and offered her one of his fingers, and she grabbed onto it and James leaned over and kissed the top of Quinn's head. They both looked down at Peyton, Quinn with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face and James in absolute bewilderment.
James made sure to take the diaper bag he knew they didn't need from the worker, slinging it over his shoulder as she and Quinn talked. James was too absorbed in staring at Peyton to even pay half attention to their conversation, he would ask Quinn for the rundown later.
She turned to him with a smile and asked, "Ready to go home?"
He nodded, running his hands over the top of Peyton's head gently, making her smile up at him which in turn made James smile. He reached down and grabbed Quinn's hand, holding it the whole way out of the agency and to their car in the parking lot. He stood directly behind Quinn as she buckled Peyton into the car seat, and then he waited until she got in next to Peyton to close the backseat door and head to the driver's seat.
He got in, started the engine, turned the radio off completely and then he turned in his seat to face them in the back. Quinn raised her eyebrow and told him, "Take us home so that we can both stare at her."
He laughed and nodded, "Yes ma'am."
"Don't you dare ever ma'am me again." Quinn told him with narrowed eyes and he chuckled as he turned around and put the Jeep in reverse.
Once he was on the road on the way home James asked Quinn, "Have you told Riley yet?"
She shook her head but didn't look away from Peyton as she informed him, "I haven't told anyone yet. Not even family."
He was surprised, so he told her, "Maybe you should send everyone a picture."
"Later. When I'm not so addicted to staring at her and I'm willing to share her." Quinn stated, and James let out another laugh.
He pulled into the driveway, parked the car and hopped out before Quinn could even get her own seatbelt undone. He pulled the door open, holding it open while she unbuckled the car seat and handed it to James, he held onto it only until she was out of the car and then he handed it back, telling her, "You should be the one to bring her inside for the first time."
She smiled gently and linked their arms together as they headed to the front door. James unlocked the door and held both of the dogs back as Quinn entered the house, he waited until she slipped out of her shoes and headed into the living room before he let them go. Once he took his own shoes off, hung the keys up and closed the door he dropped onto the couch next to Quinn to stare at Peyton.
Snoop had seemed to have lost interest in the new human in the house fairly quick because he had taken a spot in his bed by the front window already. Nixon however stood next to Quinn, staring at Peyton. He leaned forward and nudged her tiny foot with his nose, and when she moved he looked up at Quinn.
She smiled and gave his ears a scratch before she reached over and tickled Peyton's stomach. Nixon settled for laying at Quinn's feet, and she and James continued to stare at her with smiles on their faces. Quinn told James, "I can't believe this is real."
He nodded his head and was surprised when she leaned forward and picked Peyton up out of her car seat and then handed her to him. He didn't really know what to do, so Quinn placed her correctly in his arms and JAmes looked down at her and something clicked. He smiled as he tickled her stomach and held her close to him.
He turned to look at Quinn and he told her, "I'm sorry, I lied earlier."
"About?" Her brow raised in curiosity.
He told her with such ease it made her smile, "I don't love you the most anymore."
She leaned into his side and James wrapped his free arm around her shoulders as they both leaned back against the couch, and Quinn leaned over to press a kiss to his jaw before she settled back into his side. She looked down at Peyton and said, "I know, me too."
After a few seconds of silence James admitted, "This is kind of terrifying, you know."
"I know."
"But we'll be fine. Right?" He asked her, and she nodded her head as she ran her palm down Peyton's stomach.
Hours later, after Quinn had talked to Riley, and they had both called their families to tell them the news James had come back in from the garage after needing to finish a surprise for Quinn, to find her asleep on the couch with Peyton on her chest. Peyton was awake so James approached her and picked her up off of Quinn, holding her securely on his hip as they headed into the kitchen.
He put her in the high chair and then he sat down across from her in his own chair, leaned his elbows on his knees and asked her with a straight face, "Alright kid, what kind of food do you like?"
She looked at him with a funny look and James laughed to himself as he got up and rooted through their fridge. Quinn had gone shopping the night before, so when he found a little container of baby food he smiled to himself and pulled it out, along with a plastic spoon.
He sat down again and cracked open the container, and he spooned some out and held it out for her. She took a little taste, before she shook her head and made a fussing noise. He sighed and told her, "Come on, it's not that bad."
When Peyton refused to take any more of it, moving her head from side to side to get away from the spoon every time he tried James sighed and spooned what was left into his mouth. He nearly spit it out of his mouth, but he forced himself to swallow it and then he looked at her, and he tried to smile as he said, "See? It's good stuff."
Quinn shuffled into the kitchen and their eyes met when James looked over at her and with a smile she asked, "What are you two doing?"
"Have you tried this stuff?" He asked her, holding up the container for good measure.
Quinn grinned, "Being that I am an adult, no I have not tried our baby's food."
He rolled his eyes and he told her, "It tastes like ass."
Her brow quirked and she couldn't help but joke, "I wouldn't know what ass tastes like, but alright."
He rolled his eyes at her again and he explained, "It's disgusting. How are we supposed to expect her to eat this crap if we won't?"
Quinn went into the fridge and grabbed three different containers of baby food, before she gave him a gentle shove to get him out of his chair. She sat down, and opened the first jar, taking the spoon and offering some to Peyton. Again she didn't like it, so Quinn tried the second jar and she smiled triumphantly when Peyton ate the whole spoonful.
She looked over at James and said, "So now we know what she likes."
"Whoever decided babies can't talk? Life would be so much easier if they could, you know." He stated in feigned annoyance. Peyton let out a noise that James thought might have supposed to have been a giggle and he brushed his hand over her hair before he leaned down and kissed her cheeks loudly.
Quinn tickled her stomach when James pulled away from her and she asked her, "Do you think dad's funny? I think he's funny too."
James rolled his eyes, "And mom's mean."
"What else is new?" Quinn joked, crooking her finger to make him lean down toward her. She leaned over and pecked his lips quickly before she turned back to Peyton and asked, "What do you want to do for the rest of the day?"
"We should take her and the dogs for a little walk." James told Quinn, tapping his index finger against Peyton's nose, making her giggle.
So Quinn got the dogs ready to go while James bundled Peyton up, it wasn't that cold out but not even five whole hours of parenthood seemed to have made him paranoid. Quinn pushed the stroller while James held onto the dog leashes, and as they started down the street he transferred Snoop's leash into the hand that was holding Nixon's so that he could reach out and take Quinn's hand. She looked over at him with a smile, and they were mostly silent for their whole walk, just enjoying each other's company.
- - -
"Do you remember when you asked if I was sure about this?" James asked, raising his voice just a little bit louder than usual so that Quinn could hear him over the sounds of Peyton screaming and crying.
Her brow raised as she bounced Peyton gently in her arms, trying to soothe her and she said, "Yeah."
"Well I'm not sure. I mean, maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe I'm just like really not cut for this whole parenting thing. I mean, you can't even get her to settle down after I fucked it up." James rambled. He had woken Peyton up after he had closed a door a little too loud and now she had been awake and crying for almost two hours.
Quinn smiled gently and she reached out, holding her hand out to him. When he put his hand in hers she gave it a squeeze and she told him, "You're fine James. Babies cry, it's what they do. Just relax babe, you're gonna give yourself even more wrinkles."
He narrowed his eyes at her and said, "That was mean."
She nodded and finally she shifted Peyton so that she was holding her out in front of her, and she told her, "Alright kid, chill out."
James' eyebrow raised in surprise when Peyton stopped crying and stared at Quinn. He mumbled, "Two hours later and that's all it took?"
Peyton turned to look at him and she scrunched up her nose and let out another wail, so Quinn turned to him with narrowed eyes and asked, "You just had to open your big, dumb mouth huh?"
"Sorry." He stated.
She smiled and walked toward him, handing Peyton off to him and when he looked at her in a panic she told him, "You break it you buy it Mr."
"That so doesn't apply to babies." James stated, looking down at Peyton in his arms.
Quinn smiled sweetly at him and said, "Come on daddy, it's your turn."
He narrowed his eyes at her and then he turned to Peyton again and he bounced her gently, kissing the side of her head while she cried. He rubbed her back softly, and eventually her cries got quieter before they all together stopped. He looked over at Quinn in surprise, "I can't believe that worked."
She smiled softly and approached them, leaning into his side as they both looked down at Peyton in his arms and she said, "I can."
"Oh yeah?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, never taking his eyes off of Peyton even when Quinn looked up at him.
She nodded and said, "You don't give yourself enough credit you know. I've always known you would make a pretty great dad."
"Thanks for having faith in me." He told her with a cheesy smile.
"Always."
His brow lifted and he asked her, "Ready for what?"
"Taking a baby home, doofus." She told him with a smile and he rolled his eyes at her. She then jokingly informed him, "It's a big decision and she's not the wrong shoes; we can't just return her if we don't like her."
James faked being bummed about that, "Well damn."
She laughed and slipped her hand through his arm, slipping her fingers between his and then she leaned against his shoulder. She smiled and said, "I can't believe this is really happening."
James smiled gently and nodded his head as he leaned it against the top of hers and he asked, "Feels like we've been waiting forever, huh?"
"I just..." She started, and then she paused and shook her head to keep herself from finishing.
James, knowing exactly where her head was at, told her firmly, "Don't do that Quinn. I've told you hundreds of times; I would rather be doing it this way, with you than the other way without you."
"I know but-" She started.
He interrupted her, "No buts. Really. I'm gonna love that kid the same as if she were ours in that way, and I'm still gonna love you more than anything in the world. This is the way we have to do it, and I don't care that we have to do it this way. Family is family Quinn."
She sniffled, and when he laughed at her for getting so weepy she laughed too. She reached down and pinched his thigh and she told him, "Thank you."
He nodded his head and they went back to leaning against each other while they waited. Quinn was the first out of her chair when the door across the hall opened and their worker stepped out with Peyton. They had never seen her in person, only photos, and a few videos from her at the time foster parents. Quinn was surprised with just how much blonde hair she had on her head, and pictures didn't quite do her bright green eyes justice.
"Alright, who wants her first?"
James immediately said, "Quinn."
Quinn turned to look at him over her shoulder and she smiled gently before she turned back just in time to have the little four month old placed in her arms. She shifted her enough so that they were both comfortable, and Peyton immediately leaned into her chest, but then, to everyone's surprise, she reached her hands over Quinn's shoulders toward James.
So he stepped up behind Quinn and offered her one of his fingers, and she grabbed onto it and James leaned over and kissed the top of Quinn's head. They both looked down at Peyton, Quinn with tears in her eyes and a smile on her face and James in absolute bewilderment.
James made sure to take the diaper bag he knew they didn't need from the worker, slinging it over his shoulder as she and Quinn talked. James was too absorbed in staring at Peyton to even pay half attention to their conversation, he would ask Quinn for the rundown later.
She turned to him with a smile and asked, "Ready to go home?"
He nodded, running his hands over the top of Peyton's head gently, making her smile up at him which in turn made James smile. He reached down and grabbed Quinn's hand, holding it the whole way out of the agency and to their car in the parking lot. He stood directly behind Quinn as she buckled Peyton into the car seat, and then he waited until she got in next to Peyton to close the backseat door and head to the driver's seat.
He got in, started the engine, turned the radio off completely and then he turned in his seat to face them in the back. Quinn raised her eyebrow and told him, "Take us home so that we can both stare at her."
He laughed and nodded, "Yes ma'am."
"Don't you dare ever ma'am me again." Quinn told him with narrowed eyes and he chuckled as he turned around and put the Jeep in reverse.
Once he was on the road on the way home James asked Quinn, "Have you told Riley yet?"
She shook her head but didn't look away from Peyton as she informed him, "I haven't told anyone yet. Not even family."
He was surprised, so he told her, "Maybe you should send everyone a picture."
"Later. When I'm not so addicted to staring at her and I'm willing to share her." Quinn stated, and James let out another laugh.
He pulled into the driveway, parked the car and hopped out before Quinn could even get her own seatbelt undone. He pulled the door open, holding it open while she unbuckled the car seat and handed it to James, he held onto it only until she was out of the car and then he handed it back, telling her, "You should be the one to bring her inside for the first time."
She smiled gently and linked their arms together as they headed to the front door. James unlocked the door and held both of the dogs back as Quinn entered the house, he waited until she slipped out of her shoes and headed into the living room before he let them go. Once he took his own shoes off, hung the keys up and closed the door he dropped onto the couch next to Quinn to stare at Peyton.
Snoop had seemed to have lost interest in the new human in the house fairly quick because he had taken a spot in his bed by the front window already. Nixon however stood next to Quinn, staring at Peyton. He leaned forward and nudged her tiny foot with his nose, and when she moved he looked up at Quinn.
She smiled and gave his ears a scratch before she reached over and tickled Peyton's stomach. Nixon settled for laying at Quinn's feet, and she and James continued to stare at her with smiles on their faces. Quinn told James, "I can't believe this is real."
He nodded his head and was surprised when she leaned forward and picked Peyton up out of her car seat and then handed her to him. He didn't really know what to do, so Quinn placed her correctly in his arms and JAmes looked down at her and something clicked. He smiled as he tickled her stomach and held her close to him.
He turned to look at Quinn and he told her, "I'm sorry, I lied earlier."
"About?" Her brow raised in curiosity.
He told her with such ease it made her smile, "I don't love you the most anymore."
She leaned into his side and James wrapped his free arm around her shoulders as they both leaned back against the couch, and Quinn leaned over to press a kiss to his jaw before she settled back into his side. She looked down at Peyton and said, "I know, me too."
After a few seconds of silence James admitted, "This is kind of terrifying, you know."
"I know."
"But we'll be fine. Right?" He asked her, and she nodded her head as she ran her palm down Peyton's stomach.
Hours later, after Quinn had talked to Riley, and they had both called their families to tell them the news James had come back in from the garage after needing to finish a surprise for Quinn, to find her asleep on the couch with Peyton on her chest. Peyton was awake so James approached her and picked her up off of Quinn, holding her securely on his hip as they headed into the kitchen.
He put her in the high chair and then he sat down across from her in his own chair, leaned his elbows on his knees and asked her with a straight face, "Alright kid, what kind of food do you like?"
She looked at him with a funny look and James laughed to himself as he got up and rooted through their fridge. Quinn had gone shopping the night before, so when he found a little container of baby food he smiled to himself and pulled it out, along with a plastic spoon.
He sat down again and cracked open the container, and he spooned some out and held it out for her. She took a little taste, before she shook her head and made a fussing noise. He sighed and told her, "Come on, it's not that bad."
When Peyton refused to take any more of it, moving her head from side to side to get away from the spoon every time he tried James sighed and spooned what was left into his mouth. He nearly spit it out of his mouth, but he forced himself to swallow it and then he looked at her, and he tried to smile as he said, "See? It's good stuff."
Quinn shuffled into the kitchen and their eyes met when James looked over at her and with a smile she asked, "What are you two doing?"
"Have you tried this stuff?" He asked her, holding up the container for good measure.
Quinn grinned, "Being that I am an adult, no I have not tried our baby's food."
He rolled his eyes and he told her, "It tastes like ass."
Her brow quirked and she couldn't help but joke, "I wouldn't know what ass tastes like, but alright."
He rolled his eyes at her again and he explained, "It's disgusting. How are we supposed to expect her to eat this crap if we won't?"
Quinn went into the fridge and grabbed three different containers of baby food, before she gave him a gentle shove to get him out of his chair. She sat down, and opened the first jar, taking the spoon and offering some to Peyton. Again she didn't like it, so Quinn tried the second jar and she smiled triumphantly when Peyton ate the whole spoonful.
She looked over at James and said, "So now we know what she likes."
"Whoever decided babies can't talk? Life would be so much easier if they could, you know." He stated in feigned annoyance. Peyton let out a noise that James thought might have supposed to have been a giggle and he brushed his hand over her hair before he leaned down and kissed her cheeks loudly.
Quinn tickled her stomach when James pulled away from her and she asked her, "Do you think dad's funny? I think he's funny too."
James rolled his eyes, "And mom's mean."
"What else is new?" Quinn joked, crooking her finger to make him lean down toward her. She leaned over and pecked his lips quickly before she turned back to Peyton and asked, "What do you want to do for the rest of the day?"
"We should take her and the dogs for a little walk." James told Quinn, tapping his index finger against Peyton's nose, making her giggle.
So Quinn got the dogs ready to go while James bundled Peyton up, it wasn't that cold out but not even five whole hours of parenthood seemed to have made him paranoid. Quinn pushed the stroller while James held onto the dog leashes, and as they started down the street he transferred Snoop's leash into the hand that was holding Nixon's so that he could reach out and take Quinn's hand. She looked over at him with a smile, and they were mostly silent for their whole walk, just enjoying each other's company.
- - -
"Do you remember when you asked if I was sure about this?" James asked, raising his voice just a little bit louder than usual so that Quinn could hear him over the sounds of Peyton screaming and crying.
Her brow raised as she bounced Peyton gently in her arms, trying to soothe her and she said, "Yeah."
"Well I'm not sure. I mean, maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe I'm just like really not cut for this whole parenting thing. I mean, you can't even get her to settle down after I fucked it up." James rambled. He had woken Peyton up after he had closed a door a little too loud and now she had been awake and crying for almost two hours.
Quinn smiled gently and she reached out, holding her hand out to him. When he put his hand in hers she gave it a squeeze and she told him, "You're fine James. Babies cry, it's what they do. Just relax babe, you're gonna give yourself even more wrinkles."
He narrowed his eyes at her and said, "That was mean."
She nodded and finally she shifted Peyton so that she was holding her out in front of her, and she told her, "Alright kid, chill out."
James' eyebrow raised in surprise when Peyton stopped crying and stared at Quinn. He mumbled, "Two hours later and that's all it took?"
Peyton turned to look at him and she scrunched up her nose and let out another wail, so Quinn turned to him with narrowed eyes and asked, "You just had to open your big, dumb mouth huh?"
"Sorry." He stated.
She smiled and walked toward him, handing Peyton off to him and when he looked at her in a panic she told him, "You break it you buy it Mr."
"That so doesn't apply to babies." James stated, looking down at Peyton in his arms.
Quinn smiled sweetly at him and said, "Come on daddy, it's your turn."
He narrowed his eyes at her and then he turned to Peyton again and he bounced her gently, kissing the side of her head while she cried. He rubbed her back softly, and eventually her cries got quieter before they all together stopped. He looked over at Quinn in surprise, "I can't believe that worked."
She smiled softly and approached them, leaning into his side as they both looked down at Peyton in his arms and she said, "I can."
"Oh yeah?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, never taking his eyes off of Peyton even when Quinn looked up at him.
She nodded and said, "You don't give yourself enough credit you know. I've always known you would make a pretty great dad."
"Thanks for having faith in me." He told her with a cheesy smile.
"Always."
♠ ♠ ♠
Title; Lover, You Should've Come over by Jeff BuckleyI sorry, I forgot to warn you about this being a flashback chapter. My bad.
But as always, comments equal updates my loves!
Will try to update more next week, but for now have a great weekend my friends!