Late Night Feedings (Have Futureverse)

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Juliet has been snoozing on an off for the past six hours. The baby isn't helping her there, being fretful with her colic, and since she can't have Shawn around twenty four seven she's doing the best she can with what she has.

She's contemplating lunch when she hears Carlton on the baby monitor.

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[detbinky.livejournal.com]

Carlton had picked Caroline up, he knew both Juliet and the baby hadn't been sleeping well for a couple of weeks. As soon as he picked her up she grinned and started babbling at him. There was no way he could hide the huge grin on his face anytime he was around her.

"Why're you being so cranky, little girl?"

He sat down in the chair in her room, cradling her against his chest and rocking her slowly. "Shhhhh, you should be napping right now."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Juliet lies still, listening quietly. It's rare that Carlton is this quiet. It's very enjoyable, and so she sits quite still.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

Carlton stretches his legs out in front of the rocking chair, cradling the baby in his arms, almost to a textbook degree. He leaned in closer, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead, then very softly, started singing to her, thinking no one would ever be the wiser. It would have been true were there not a baby monitor right beside him.

Oh, sweet Caroline
Good times never seem so good
I've been inclined to believe it never would
And now I, I look at the night, whooo
And it don't seem so lonely
We fill it up with only two, oh
And when I hurt
Hurting runs off my shoulder
How can I hurt when holding you

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

....Is Carlton singing? She's gawking at the monitor.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

Carlton rocked her slowly and finally the baby fell asleep in his arms. He didn't dare move for fear of waking her up again.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

The silence is what drives Jules out of bed. It takes her only a minute to get to the baby's bedroom.

"Coming to relieve you of your duty, Detective Lassiter," she declares.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"If I move she'll wake up," he whispered, still rocking the baby slowly. She had her hand wrapped around his little finger and it didn't look like she had any plans of letting go.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She nodded, and sat down at his feet by the rocker. "When did you get in?" Her arm rests on his knee and her head on the arm.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"Half hour ago. I was able to leave early and when I came in I heard her screaming in here, thought you could use a little break."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"She was screaming?" Guilty Jules is veeery guilty. "I didn't hear her at all."

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"You were probably passed out. She's been up for what, three days now? I'm just happy she fell asleep now."

He nuzzled her, kissing her forehead. Oddly enough, he loved how the baby smelled. When she was clean. It was a mix of baby powder, the lavender soap Juliet insisted on using on her, and something else he couldn't pinpoint.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She nods. "Around three. The colic's been awful, but she's been sleeping a little." Jules rests her head against Lassiter's hand. This is strange, but it's nice.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

Carlton stroked Juliet's hair softly. "Why don't you go to bed. I'll stay up with her for awhile."

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She kisses his hand. It's surprisingly easy and calming, just to sit there. Someday she's going to have to explain it to Shawn and Gus, but...not now.

"She's my responsibility, too." Her inner girl scout's still alive and well.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"She's our responsibility, Juliet. And you need to rest, too." He continued petting her hair, it was equally relaxing to him. "Have you looked into nannies? Because I have an interview mapped out, a background check - personal and criminal, and-" Juliet held her hand up for him to stop talking and he did.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Hand's still up, all right. "Are you trying to pull rank on me?" She has to tease him. Really, she's too tired to even think, much less be witty.

She nosewrinkles at him. "...Do you think we could even afford a nanny on our salaries?"

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"You may outrank me here, but not all the time. Remember that." He smirked, mostly joking.

"Probably not full time, but, we have to find something. Unless one of us is going to stop working." He knew that wasn't going to happen. They both loved their careers.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

She remembers the last time they fought about this. They ended up settling it at the gun range. "Mmm. And you're not too much of a tyrant." Teasing right back.

Never gonna happen. "Maybe we could ask Henry to watch her?" Or they could try to pay Gus.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"Henry? Well... maybe. Do you think he would?" After all, who would make a better babysitter/nanny than a former cop? Someone they could trust.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"We could bribe him with hero sandwiches." Always a possibility, right?

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"Do you think we can afford to feed him on our salaries?"

Caroline stirred in his arms, kicking her feet out and booting him in the chest pretty hard for such a little baby. "Shhhh, back to sleep, baby" he whispered softly.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

"Maybe. We might have to do some begging, but he likes...." she tries to put this as softly as possible. "...Us."

The kick makes Jules smile. Strong little girl is very strong.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

"I know he does. And despite everything that is Henry," You had to admit the guy had a way about him that was every bit as awkward and quirky as Shawn, "Caroline seems to like him quite a bit."

Caroline was waking up, already, grabbing at his hand. "Uncle Henry has lots of guns to protect you with, too, doesn't he?" She giggled at him and reached up for his face. "Yes he does. And guns are good." Carlton was just this side of baby talking her. It was either cute or disturbing.

[craftylildoodlepumpkin]

Juliet likes Henry quite a bit too. And she likes them both too much to mention that there's often friction between them.

"She does."

She's seen him read from a gun owner's manual to the kid. This isn't the most disturbing thing he's ever done.

[detbinky.livejournal.com]

Once Caroline was giggling and patting his face, Carlton grinned, actually grinned. "Maybe you could approach him about it? Since you're better at that sort of thing than I am?"

The baby tugged at his index finger, pulling it to her mouth when he was distracted talking to Juliet, then she bit down. "Ow! What... are you hungry? No eating Daddy's hand." He might should've not said that last bit outloud. "She uh, needs a bottle."