Hank and Moira

[x-mactaggart.livejournal.com]

Moira wakes up to find that she fell asleep on the porch and finds that Hank's been cheerfully taking pictures. They talk about his soup, Nathan and then finally the baby.



Moira woke up with a start, blinking in confusion. Why was it so _bright_ in her room? Cracking open an eye, she ahhed to herself. That was because she was not in her room. Sitting up in the rocking chair, she stared at the lawn. That was right, she had come outside to enjoy the first really pretty day. She hadn't, however, planned on falling asleep on the porch.

Hank had taken another picture of napping-Moira, just because she looked so cute, and grinned when the click of the camera apparently woke her up. "Hello, sleepyhead," he said cheerfully. "Did you have a nice nap?"

Staring up at him, she gaped for a second. "Henry McCoy!" she spluttered before laughing at the innocent expression in his face. "How many pictures did ye take?"

"Just one. You looked so adorable, I couldn't help myself." Hank grinned, tucking the camera into the pocket of his shorts and limping over to lean against the rail nearer to her. "You tuck your hand up against your cheek when you sleep, it's terribly sweet."

Moira stuck her tongue out at him briefly before straightening completely. "I'll have ta remember ta steal tha' camera o' yers when yer nay lookin'," she muttered, leaning back to smile up at him. "But aye, twas a verra nice nap. Unexpected but those tend ta be th' best, dinnae ye think?"

"Oh, indeed. And you need plenty of rest, at the moment." He smiled affectionately at her. "And no stealing my camera. I have plans for all these pictures - and no, nothing you'll have to hit me for, I promise. It's a surprise."

"A surprise." The look she shot him was slightly amused looking. Henry knew how much surprises got to her--which was probably the reason he was doing it. "I'll be good, I willnae bug ye ta tell me wha' 'tis. For a wee bit. How're ye? Havenae been able ta catch ye th' last few days, everyone's either so busy or sleepin'."

"Or going wild for my soup, either with rage or with lust." He shook his head, grinning. "I really had no idea... I was just trying to tempt Anika to eat. You know how fast a healing factor will start burning up muscle and sapping bone if it doesn't get food to work with. I had no idea there was going to be a whole Soup Issue... or that it would all go so fast. Did the mother-to-be eat any, by the way?"

Moira laughed and patted her growing stomach at that. "Aye, I did. Ate until I was ready ta burst, actually. Seems tha' th' soup is good for healin' factors and mothers ta be. Yer a genius, Henry...nay tha' tha's a surprise ta any o' us."

Hank laughed. "I think I'm going to have to make another batch. Beef and chicken this time, maybe... and made now, while Lorna can't drive me out of the kitchen with flying cutlery." He reached over to touch her stomach very gently. "It'll do both of you good... and keep your skin soft and your hair shiny." He grinned. "Also, it has Vitamin E oil in it... which, as I'm sure you're aware, is one of the best protections against stretch marks."

"Oooohhh, trust me, I'll eat it." Moira playfully bapped at his hand at the stretch marks line. "I managed to avoid them wit' Kevin, so hopefully I will with this baby as well." Leaving her hand on his, she tilted her head. "I take it Lorna took great offense ta th' soup in question?"

"Oh, she did indeed... especially since she accidentally ate some." Hank grinned. "I have some serious reparations to make in that quarter, I believe. Still, she and Jamie both disliked it, but you, Anika, Kyle, Rahne, and Catseye all seemed delighted with it. And I liked the one bowlful I got before the horde descended, too. So overall, I think it can be counted a success."

She pointed to her stomach. "I think ye can probably have th' wee one ta thank for me enjoyin' it. Then again, I do enjoy a good chunk o' haggis now an' then, so tha' may nay be sayin' much." A slightly hungry look passed over her face and she made a note to ask someone to take her to the gourmet grocery store so she could get some. "But bribe Lorna well so ye can continue ta make it."

"I may have to make it in smaller batches in my own little kitchen. I have a hot plate." Hank grinned. "But you may have all you like, my dear. Especially if you promise to sew me up after Lorna has her vengeance upon me."

"I'm sure she'll show mercy upon ye, if ye give her th' puppy dog eyes. It works on frustrated Scotswomen, it should work on green haired goddess o' th' kitchen."

"That could work. I also plan to demonstrate to her that I can cook human-food, too." He grinned... and then, impulsively, leaned down to kiss her forehead gently. "And I haven't mentioned, of late, how much I love you, which I feel is a grievous lapse on my part," he said softly. "I know how very hard all this must have been for you, and I'm sorry I haven't offered as much comfort as I might."

The look on Moira's face softened and she heaved herself out of the chair to close the distance and hug him as hard as she could. "Nay yer fault, everyone's been so bloody busy," she said, voice slightly muffled by his fur. "An' I love ye, ta--jus' glad tha' almost everyone came back safely." Her voice hitched slightly. She'd spent most of the other day crying in bits and pieces over the deaths of people she had started to grow fond of.

He hugged her gently, rocking the tiniest bit. "So am I," he said softly. "But I wish we could have gotten everyone home safe, if not whole." He rubbed her back with one big hand. "Does this mean I'm forgiven for showing Nathan the pictures of the baby before I showed you?" he added, smiling a little. "I thought it might help, if he could show them to you. Give him something to look forward to, at least briefly."

Chuckling a little at that, she nodded, relaxing into the hug. "Aye, I suppose ye are forgiven. He really needed it more than I did at th' time. Was fallin' inta such a slump."

"I know. I'm not sure how much it helped, but he was happier for at least a little while, I think." Hank sighed. "I wish I could make him well for you," he said softly. "And for himself. But I can't, and although I know Amanda doesn't like it, it really is safer all around if she heals him slowly."

"Wit' th' type o' injury he has, he has ta heal on his own," Moira said, wistfully. "Th' magic might accidently do somethin' we cannae forsee. An' we dinnae want ta mess around wit' this type o' injury." The idea of Nathan being permantely injured sent chills down her.

"I know." He held her close, smoothing her hair gently. "He'll be fine. And on his feet in time for the wedding." He grinned. "And I still think he'd look good in tights."

Moira snorted, breaking into uneven giggles. "Oh my God...should I be mean an' push tha' image down th' link?"

"A giggle won't do him any harm," Hank said, grinning. "Perhaps an image of Amanda in a Fairy Daisy costume, too?"

"Amanda would find out an' beat me wit' a shoe," she said, laughing.

"No she wouldn't... you're pregnant and fragile." Hank grinned. "She'd beat me. And she's only small, I can take her."

"But sneaky. Look at who she has as male rolemodels. Pete "I'm a sneaky bastard" Wisdom an' Nathan "I jus' blow stuff up" Dayspring."

Hank laughed. "True. But she won't hurt me TOO bad." He kissed her temple lightly. "And if she tries, I shall cravenly hide behind the pregnant woman."

"Now look who's bein' sneaky," Moira accused, laughing.

"I am the Sneaky King. Comes of all the pranking." Hank grinned and tickled her in a sneaky fashion.

She shrieked and giggled, unable to go very far because he still had her in the hug. "Evil!" she managed, snickering uncontrollably.

"I'm very bad." He laughed and released her, after one last squeeze. "And it's good to hear you laugh."

"Even when it's a laugh from bein' tickled?" she teased.

"Even then. The endorphin release is the same even if the laugh has to be artificially induced with wiggly fingers." He grinned at her. "Laughing is good for you. And for the baby."

"I will keep them in mind," Moira promised, patting her stomach gently. "So far, so good." She meant, of course, the pregnancy. But then again, she hadn't had problems with Kevin until the actual birth. And then all hell had broken loose.

He covered her hand gently with his for a moment. "I'll be right there," he promised seriously. "If not in the delivery room, then lurking outside with a cigar and all the equipment we have."

Seriously, she looked at him. "Honestly, Henry, I cannae imagine anyone else deliverin' this baby," she said, softly.

He blinked and beamed. "Really? You want me to assist?" He smiled ruefully, looking down at his huge hands. "I'll need help, given the size of my hands, but... I would love to be there, I really would."

Reaching for those hands, she smiled up at him. "There's nay anyone else I would trust as much as ye ta be one o' th' doctors at me side," she said warmly, meaning every word of it.

He curled his hands around her, his throat suddenly very tight. "It will be an honour," he said softly, his voice a tiny bit choked. "And one I am grateful for."

Tugging him into another hug, Moira hid her own tearied eyes. "How could I not ask this o' ye?" she said softly.

Hank sniffed a little, holding her tightly. "With my catcher's mitt sized hands, I thought I was a little out of the running," he whispered. "Thank you for wanting to include me anyway."

Moira would have hit him for that if he hadn't been holding her so tightly. So she settled for shaking her head violently. "Doesnae matter, never mattered, ta me, ye know tha'. I wouldnae have it any other way an' I want ye there."

"Good." He smiled a watery smile, resting his cheek against her hair. "It's going to be crowded in there.... me, Maddie or Jean - or both - Nathan, Amanda..."

"We'll make room," she replied, relaxing into him. "Make all th' room we need."