Backdated just a little bit

[x-mactaggart.livejournal.com]

It's a relaxing day for the MacTaggart/Dayspring/Kinross family (good grief) with everyone recovering from the last few days events. And then Rachel surprises them all in a very good way



Stretching out on the couch, Moira watched Rachel enthusiastically chew on one of her many chewing rings. She was tired and it showed from all of the stress of the last couple of days. The problem with Xavier's, and Muir, was that crises popped up when you least expected them to.

First Kevin's genetics and that horrible man and then Marius. What on earth could be next?

The door opened and Nathan stepped in off the deck, blinking a little as his eyes adjusted to the light inside. He'd been up at the house, typing up his mission report down in the Situation Room - he'd needed 'privacy' - and wasn't at all surprised to come back to see Moira and Ray alone in the living room and the office, beyond the partitions that divided the first level, apparently deserted. It was supposed to be their afternoon off, after all.

Rachel looked up and cooed at him, drooling a little around the ring, and Nathan smiled down at her. "Gum it good, munchkin."

"Mwah."

Looking up, Moira smiled, though it was pinched and tired. "She's goin' ta wear right through it," she replied, scrunching up her nose as Rachel flailed, sending the ring flying. Leaning over, she picked it up and sighed. "Could ye get 'er a new one out o' the bag please? I'll wash this one tonight."

"We can't have bad bacteria, now, can we?" Nathan asked - Rachel, not Moira, as he went over and fished another ring out of the bag. Rachel reached out for it eagerly as he came over, crouching down beside her. "There."

"Buwah!"

"Right."

Laughing under her breath, she watched the two with some amusement. "Ach, she could care less as long as she 'as one ta play wit'." Stretching, she took a few seconds but then slid to the ground to join the both of them, one of her hands playing with Rachel's hair.

Nathan gave the smaller of his two redheads a sly little smile. #Operation 'Cheer Up Mom' is in full swing, I see,# he sent, and got a mental giggle in response. "She seems much calmer than she was last week," he said. "Happier, on the whole." He eyed Moira significantly.

At that, Moira reached over and pushed Nathan in the should very slightly, making a face at him. This, of course, sent their baby into a fit of verbal giggles. "Maybe because we're bot' on th' same chunk o' land?" she guessed, tickling Rachel.

"Or maybe because we're both too tired to be particularly angsty at the moment and hence she's decided it's her mission to be adorable?" Rachel squirmed and giggled and made several different varieties of happy faces. She was doing a very, very good job at the mission, Nathan reflected, smiling down at her. "You're going to sleep well tonight."

"Which one o' us?" Moira teased. "Though, actually, probably bot' o' us. 'Tis good ta be back when 'tis quiet. I think I'll put my feet up through this 4th o' July o' yers, watch some fireworks an' then fire up th' plane durin' th' last part o' th' week. Catch up on me sleep."

"Presuming, of course, plans don't get derailed," Nathan said wryly."As plans so often do, around here..." He watched as Rachel flipped onto her stomach and got up on all fours, crawling at a fearsome rate across the living room. "Stay out of the kitchen, munchkin. My babyproofing is not foolproof there yet."

"Mwahahah!"

"Oh my God, I think she might set fire ta th' carpet if she keeps those speeds up." Yawning a little, Moira leaned over and plopped her head on his shoulder. "She's goin' up so verra fast. Soon enough we'll be chasin' th' boys off wit' a stick."

"Not for a while. I hope." Nathan tilted his head as Rachel reached the cupboards. "Ray... you stay out of there." She grasped at one of the doors, and he started to rise, making a face - only to sink back down to the carpet beside Moira as he realized that Rachel was just pulling herself up to her feet. "So long as you don't open them," he told her sternly.

"Wha's she gettin' inta now?" Leaning her head slightly, Moira shifted it to Nathan's chest so she could look into the kitchen better. "Ach, probably wants ta play wit' th' pots an' pans. Th' fairly unused pots an' pans because mummy doesnae cook an' daddy's been verra busy."

"I'll have to cook more now that you're going to be bouncing back and forth on a regular basis," Nathan said, kissing the top of her head. "So that I can spoil you when you're here. French toast in bed and all - Rachel," he said warningly.

His daughter half-turned back towards them, blew a raspberry, and then let go of the cupboard door. She stood there wavering a little for a moment.

And then started to walk back into the living room.

Moira slid off of Nathan's chest and thumped her head onto his arm with an audible noise as she stared at Rachel. One, two, three...three and a half...before the baby's padded little behind had landed on the carpet, her stunned mother was pushing herself up and towards her.

"Rachel!" It was not a tone that was scolding but one of amazement.

Rachel wrinkled her nose at the impact with the floor. "Mah," she complained, then gave her mother one of those unmistakably mischievous smiles. "Mahbah?"

Nathan was only about a step behind Moira. "Well, will you look at you," he said, blinking a bit rapidly, even as he grinned down at his daughter. "That was quite the display."

Flailing a bit, Moira felt the tears well up in her eyes. Not only was it her daughters first steps but considering the floating thing, it was important as well. "Me wee trouble maker is goin' ta give us all white 'air," she sniffled, letting little hands grasp her fingers.

"Yeah," Nathan said softly, sliding an arm around her shoulders as Rachel pulled herself up and then lurched forward to give her mother the baby-equivalent of a hug. "She is. But we're not going to mind, are we?"

"Nay," Moira replied, cuddling Rachel closer to her as she leaned against Nathan again, closing her eyes as another surge of emotions hit. "I dinnae think we're ever goin' ta mind tha' one bit."

Rachel cooed happily, somehow managing to snuggle against them both. "If I ever needed a reminder of what a lucky man I am," Nathan said quietly, "all I need to do is look at the two of you."

"We're all lucky." And she meant that. After the previous weekend, she really, really meant that.