Moira and Hank.

[x-mactaggart.livejournal.com]

Hank finds Moira staring forlornly at the coffee and, being the smart and sensible man that he is, has brought food and distraction.



Moira stared at the coffee pot sadly. Because of the baby, she had to cut down the coffee intact just as she'd been starting to get used to having it more than once or twice a day. The baby would win over coffee but still, there was a loss to mourn. And she'd had her one cup for the day when she woke up. And it wasn't even _her_ coffee, either, because that was completely outlawed. She pouted.

"I know it's hard, being cut off from the Caffiene Gods," Hank said, a little amused. She looked so CUTE, standing there staring sadly at the Forbidden Coffee. "Would a cookie help? I brought down cookies for the children and the doctors."

"Does th' cookie taste like coffee?" Moira asked, sounding only a triful pitiful. She was allowed, she was pregnant. "Tell me it tastes like coffee."

"No, but it tastes like raspberry chocolate." Hank smiled, reaching out to give her a gentle hug. "And since I was too busy to say so earlier... I missed you. It's good to have you back, even for a little while."

Leaning into the hug, she smiled. "I missed ye too, 'orribily. So 'ard ta get any work done when I dinnae 'ave me usual distractions in place." There was a paused as she relaxed into the hug--baby had not really enjoyed the teleportation trip when all was said and done--and thought. "I guess raspberry chocolate will do."

He smiled, rubbing her back gently for a moment before letting go, remembering the No Flirting dictum from Nathan. Even though he was unconscious right now. "Good. I set up a regular eating plan for Nathan, by the way, as I said I would... Danielle brings him lunch every day. And I hear she bribes him with sweet treats to eat it all up."

Moira's mouth twitched slightly. "I like th' lass already," she commented. "Does Nathan actually eat it all?"

"He seems to. She hides the treats in her pockets until all the food is gone, so he can't get at them. And he can't yell or whine at her the way he would at us." Hank grinned. "I'm terribly sneaky that way." He shooed her over to a chair, and offered her the plate of cookies. "Have you been looking after yourself?" he said sternly. "Eating good food? Sleeping?"

Once she was settled, Moira took one of the cookies. "Aye, I've been takin' care o' myself," she assured him. "Anna's been stayin' wit' me at the castle proper ta make sure'n tha' I do. On top o' th' fact, she's taken all th' new staff an' informed them to keep an eye on me." The expression on her face was more amused than anything else. "Sneaky wench--must run in th' family."

"I'm sure it does." Hank grinned, sitting down and taking a cookie himself. "By the way, if Scott sees me down here, I merely popped in to bring cookies and find my Buffy Season Two dvds, which I think are in my office somewhere. And to see you, of course. But I'm resting really."

The look she fixed him with was one of her classics. "Henry," she started, waving the cooking at him in reproach, "after everythin' tha's been goin' on, ye really should be restin'. Ye are restin' later, aye?"

"I am resting. I just came down to get my hug supply topped up." He smiled at her. "Really, I slept for most of the morning, and I do feel better. Still tired, but well able to transport a couple of platefuls of cookies downstairs and have a little chat with an old friend."

Moira beamed at him. "'ard ta argue wit' tha', especially since I'm tryin' ta get in all th' visits I can while I'm still 'ere. Tryin' ta drag out me stay for at least until th' weekend. Saturday mornin' at th' latest, since the local doctor normally pays a call Saturday afternoon's durin' 'is rounds. I'm nay cut out ta do tha' kind o' doctorin', Henry. I can, I 'ave, but I need someone else ta do it."

Hank nodded. "I'd come back and help if I could," he said softly. "But I can't leave the team without a doctor, and I think we'd all be happy if Madelyn never had to go on another mission. She handled it wonderfully, but... well. I really don't want to see her get hurt."

"I know. I would love ta 'ave ye at Muir--ye really will 'ave ta visit again, Anna's been whinin' at me 'bout it--but right now, 'tis nay doable. 'ow's Maddie 'andlin' it after th' fact? Been so busy I wasnae able ta ask 'er."

"I haven't seen much of her when we're both conscious," Hank admitted. "I want to talk to her today, but since we've both been falling asleep as soon as the other gets up, it hasn't happened just yet. It was good having her there, though." He smiled a little. "We work well together, I think. It was... good... knowing that there was a second doctor there, someone who'd see anything I missed, handle things I couldn't..."

"She's a doctor tha' I'm glad ta 'ave at me back," Moira agreed. "As are ye. Two o' th' best colleagues I've 'ad th' pleasure o' workin' wit'. Especially under such tryin' conditions tha' we get placed wit' from time ta time." Biting into the cookie, she thought for a second. "Wit' everythin' goin' on at Muir, I've been tryin' ta come up wit' some alternatives ta a few thin's. Make it easier ta do our jobs an' be safe at th' same time. Nay real ideas yet, but I'm sure they'll come."

Hank nodded. "I haven't had time as yet, but I'm going to put together some weapons for Maddie... a tazer, a trank gun with some heavier darts, that sort of thing. Non-lethal but debilitating. I'll feel better about it if I know she's armed going into a fight." He smiled ruefully. "And something she can use over distance would be good. I really don't like the idea of her getting into hand-to-hand with a professional, even though I know she's been training."

Moira's internal radar went off. He seemed a little more...concerned than normal. Biting her lip, she tucked that information away for future use and simply grinned at him. "Good idea. I'll give 'er th' combination ta me weapons cabinet if she wants ta store some of them in there once ye get it for 'er. 'ell, gettin' some o' those in bulk wouldnae be a bad idea."

Hank nodded. "I'll make some new toys for you too," he promised, returning the smile. "Not that we'll be letting you get anywhere near danger for a while. I warn you now, I'm going to insist on honorary uncle status. Especially if it gives me an edge in the 'getting to babysit while you're busy' queue."
Laughing, she leaned back. "Like ye 'ave ta insist on bein' called Uncle Hank," she teased. "As soon as th' baby's able ta talk, ye think I'm goin' ta let 'im or 'er call ye anythin' but?"

Hank beamed. "Well, good," he said happily. "I'd hate to have to train it behind your back, but I would." He looked at her stomach a little wistfully. "I don't know about you, but *I* can hardly wait."
Moira's hands drifted down towards her belly. "Ye, me an' Nathan," she said, softly. "I'm already recognizin' all th' changes I'm goin' through. Once I get further alon', more tests are goin' ta 'ave ta be run but I'm tryin' nay ta think 'bout tha' right now. Jus' th' fact tha' this is goin' ta be th' most loved child ever."

"It truly is." Hank smiled at her. "And quite probably spoilt entirely rotten." He winked at her, and assumed a guileless expression. "And you know, Henry is a fine name for a boy..."

She looked amused. "Aye, 'tis a verra fine name for a boy," she responded, snickering just a little. "I think Nathan's 'opin' for a wee lass...an', nay, Henritta is _nay_ a fine name for a girl."

"Oh, indeed not. Phillippa, on the other hand..." Hank grinned. "I'd settle for giving her my middle name, if the first doesn't fit."

"Yer somethin' else," Moira said, laughing again. Oh, it was good to be home. "Wha' 'bout ye? 'ow've ye been while I've been away?"

"All right." He didn't mention the disastrous date... it would only upset her, and she didn't need an added strain just now. "Working hard, and not getting quite as much sleep as I should, perhaps... but all right." He smiled at her. "That is our natural state, after all... too much work, not enough sleep..."

"Nay enough food an' then we dinnae sleep because we're either 'ungry or ta much work...vicious cycle, but one I kind o' miss. Once I get back, we need ta see if we can schedule somethin' for us all ta do..." She looked wistful. "Miss th' social aspect th' most."

Hank nodded. "That's one of the benefits of the Mansion... there's always someone to talk to," he said softly. "About pretty much anything. It's definitely one of the high-points."

"An' ye've been gettin' out more an' doin' tha'?" Moira asked, reaching over to poke him in the arm.
"I have." He smiled. "Alex and I are rather in the process of adopting each other," he said happily. "Since I adopted Scott when he first arrived, and Alex is very much in favour of having big brothers around... he's a good kid. And even more hyper than I am, which is an interesting change."

"An' it means ye bot' get ta plot against Scott." The look she gave him was purely angelic. "Poor thin' willnae know what'll 'it 'im. But good for ye, I know 'ow much ye like socalizin' but also 'ow much ye overwork yerself."

Hank grinned. "I'm just terribly forgetful... I forget how long it's been, most of the time." He grinned. "And we are, indeed, plotting against Scott. He needs to have more fun, we're fully agreed on this."

"Ye need ta set reminders on yer mail. '4 o'clock. Do ye know where yer fun is?'." She giggled at that. "An' good, tha' lad needs more fun in 'is life. A great deal o' fun, actually."

Hank nodded. "Alex loves hearing about him when he was younger," he said softly. "I gather Scott hasn't been able to cope with talking about the past much, yet. I've been avoiding the stories involving Jean, but some of the mischief Scott and I got up to..." He grinned impishly. "Do you remember our severed marzipan hand? I think you were here for that..."

Moira facepalmed at the memory. "Oh my Lord, I was tramatized for days," she groaned. "I used ta enjoy marzipan before ye lot were done wit' tha'."

Hank snickered. "Alex thought it was hilarious," he grinned. "And so did Scott, although he'll never admit it. Scott doesn't admit a lot of things, but they're there." His face softened. "I try not to bruise his dignity by mentioning how adorable he was a kid, but he was. Alex is much the same, even though he's older."

"Apparently Scott was terrified o' me when 'e was younger," Moira said, amused. "But yer right, 'e was really adorable. 'e's grown inta such a fine youn' man...'is parents would 'ave been verra proud. An' Alex--oh, 'e's a 'andful but a darlin' at th' same time. Scott's lucky ta 'ave found 'im again."

"Very." Hank smiled wistfully. "I always wanted brothers and sisters, but... well, it took my parents fifteen years of trying to produce me. So I'll settle for adopting them."

"Yer so verra good wit' people, especially th' younger ones," she said, quietly. "Yer verra good at takin' people under yer wing an' they get so much out o' it."

Hank blushed. "Well.... I like it," he admitted a little sheepishly. "Taking care of people, being able to help... that's why I became a doctor."

"I think ye were born ta do it, Henry. Comes so naturally ta ye." She grinned at him. "I, on th' other 'and, am apparently rather frightenin' when I set my mind ta it."

"You never frightened me." Hank grinned. He'd had an enormous crush on Moira when he was in his late teens. He suspected she'd known, but had kindly pretended not to until it wore off.

"Tha's because ye managed ta charm me out o' most o' me snits," she dryly pointed out. While Nathan and Moira's friendship had been best described as a "love/irritated screaming match", she and Henry had had a much more...calmer relationship. They'd hit it off the instant they'd met and she figured their friendship would last as long as they both would.

Hank laughed. "I figured out early on that if I could make you laugh, you wouldn't stay angry." He patted her hand gently. "It very rarely lets me down... and if that fails, the puppy-eyes often work."
Turning her hand over, she squeezed his. "Lord, 'tis amazin' I ever get me own way wit' those puppy-eyes," she grumped playfully.

He grinned. "I'm just too charming for my own good," he said mournfully. "It's a curse, really." He took another cookie. Mm. Sugar. "But I bear it terribly bravely."

"'Tis such a cross ta bear, isnae it?" Moira said, giggling slightly. "Between ye an' Nathan, I'm doomed. Completely an' utterly doomed." A thought crossed her mind and she groaned. "Good grief, we 'ave ta start plannin' th' bloody weddin'."

Hank grinned. "As close as we are, I don't think I'd make a good bridesmaid," he said solemnly. "Taffeta and fur don't mix well."

She pouted at him. "Awww, nay glittery dresses?" she bemoaned.

"Not on me, anyway. Unless you want me standing there sparking quietly from all the static electricity." Hank grinned. "Make Maddie do it. I'm sure she'd look charming in one of those pink bo-peep frocks..."

Nearly choking on her cookie, she glared at him. "I would like ta live ta see me 'oneymoon," was the response as she swallowed. "'ardest part is decidin' who ta walk me down th' aisle an' who ta 'ave in th' blasted weddin' party." Moira gave him a forlorn look. "I know far ta many people."

"I'd like to be involved, as long as it doesn't involve a dress," Hank said seriously. "However you like."

"Yer one o' me closest an' oldest friends, I couldnae see me doin' this without ye," Moira commented.

"Good." Hank reached out to touch her cheek lightly. "I'm glad you're happy," he said softly. "It's been delayed far too long."

The smile she gave him was a fond one. "I never let myself think like tha' until after I met Nathan," she admitted. "I made due for companionship wit' visits from friends but, ta be 'onest, I locked meself up in me tower for ta many years. I missed out on so much, Henry."

Who hadn't? But he didn't mention that, just smiled at her. "I rather get the impression that it's been worth the wait," he said softly.

Glancing down at the ring on her left hand, Moira smiled. "Oh it has been. Nay only this but bein' able ta be wit' me friends for more than a few days at a time, seein' ye all more than once or twice a year...I'm glad I'm doin' it now. Especially now, wit' Muir bein' so quiet." Moira's face fell. "...'ave ye 'ad any word from Rory?"

Hank shook his head. "Not a word," he said softly. "I'm sorry. I might have someone for you soon...."

"I know yer tryin' an' trust me, it 'elps me piece o' mind. I'm jus' worried 'bout 'im. I've known 'im since college an' if 'e 'ad jus' asked, I would 'ave agreed ta let 'im go if 'e was tha' spooked. I've 'alf a mind ta kick 'is ass for all th' trouble 'e's caused me."

"I know yer tryin' an' trust me, it 'elps me piece o' mind. I'm jus' worried 'bout 'im. I've known 'im since college an' if 'e 'ad jus' asked, I would 'ave agreed ta let 'im go if 'e was tha' spooked. I've 'alf a mind ta kick 'is ass for all th' trouble 'e's caused me."

Hank made a soft grumbling noise that wasn't quite a growl. "I have significantly more than half, I assure you." Then he spoiled the effect by yawning a little.

Covering her mouth, Moira giggled a little. "I think tha's a sign tha' ye need ta stop avoidin' yer bed. Ah," she said at his look. "Bed. Nay yer couch...or my couch or anyone's couch. Yer nice, comfortable bed."

"Oh, if I must." Hank smiled at her. "You take care of yourself, Moira. And of Nathan too.

"I will. I'll make sure ta stop by an' spend more quality non emergancy time wit' ye before I 'ead out."

"Good." He got up, patting her hand again and heading for the door. "I'll see you then." Sleep did sound good... of course, there were more cookies in the kitchen. And Madelyn really should get some.

Sleep could wait a bit longer.