Babies.
Are.
Exhausting.

Teague is learning this the hard way. He must have only had a little bit of sleep at a time since he brought his baby girl home,... and he's the only one there, so there's no option of giving the spouse a nudge and telling them "Your turn." It's always his turn.

He's pacing slowly around the apartment, Laelia held close with her head on his shoulder. There's spit-up on his shirt, and drool on his shoulder, and he's singing to try and soothe the wailing baby but either she's not listening, or she's simply immune to the charms of his voice.

Teague has realized something very important just now.
He needs help.

So he picks up the phone, and dials the first number that comes to mind.

" 'lo. Is this Sam?"

"Hello? Oh. Yes, this is Sam."

She refrains from asking 'who is this'. That would be paranoid.

She tries to avoid seeming paranoid, even if she is. Often.

Teague's lucky he didn't get the roommate, Beth. Beth and Sam share very, very different views on babies.

Beth's views include the word 'tasty'.

"Yeah. Teague here. You... might remember me."

Laelia's hiccupping can be heard in the background. As well as a "Shh, sweetheart, daddy's on the phone."

"...and if you do,... you might remember something about babysitting?"

She nods.

Then she remembers she's on the phone. Right.

"Well, yes, of course... if I can help out I'd love to."

Baby! Baby baby baby!

...

Baby!

"I'd love it if you could help out," Teague sighs, sounding earnestly relieved.

He tells her his address, and then adds, "Hope you can find the place alright. It's not... urgent, exactly, but if you could come by sometime soon...?"

"After I make sure the roommate isn't going to eat my homework...."

Sigh.

"I'll be right over. Can you tell me the address again? I want to write it down."

She is impatient and wants to meet baby, you see.

Baby!

"Yes, it's-"

Insert here generic street name and address and apartment number.

"Right. Great. Thank you."

"It's no problem. See you in a couple minutes... if I don't get lost, anyway."

She wouldn't put it past herself.

Even with the ridiculously over-detailed map she carries with her everywhere.

And I think that's the end of the phone call?

Yep.

"B'bye."

And Teague puts down the phone, and gets back to giving his undivided attention to the baby.

Sam turns up in, oh, half an hour, looking a tad flustered becaues lord, this town was confusing.

Even with the map.

(This is really due to her tendency to zone out while walking and take turns the map advises strongly against.)

She knocks, looking like herself - cream ribbed sweater, jeans, earrings, ponytail. Typically put-together and spends-an-hour-on-her-appearance looking, as always.

There was silence, up until the knock. Teague had managed to calm Laelia down, to the pont where he was sitting still with her on the couch. At the noise, the baby began that sniffling-hiccupping that babies do when they can't decide whether to cry or not.

"Coming!"

The sound of footsteps,.. then the door opens. It is a very bedraggled-looking Teague who answers the door.

He smiles drowsily.

"Hello. C'mon in."

"Hey...." She's already in around-child mode, which is calm, soothing and soft. Gentle.

"Where is she?"

As she, yes, comes in.

"Ah- this way."

He smirks faintly, and beckons her over to the baby's room - he'd set the baby in her crib before going to answer the door. He leans over the edge and so, so carefully gathers Laelia into his arms. The baby, wide-eyed, stares at Sam over his shoulder.

"Laelia, meet Sam. Sam, Laelia," he says softly.

"Hello, Laelia."

Hi, Baby! You're a nice baby! Hi!

In translation between soothing-talk and what Sam actually means.

"It's very nice to meet you."

"D'you want to hold her?"
It's barely a question. Of course Sam would want to hold the baby, right?

Laelia, meanwhile, gurgles and blows spit bubbles all over the place.

Sam takes baby, ever so gently and deftly.

And she holds baby and looks at baby and is gleeful on the inside.

"You're beautiful."

She is not talking to Teague there. For the record.

Baby burbles at her, reaching her tiny hands up towards Sam's face.

Teague smirks anyway.
To him, his daughter must be the most beautiful baby that ever was.
She is pretty adorable, as far as babies go. Big baby blue eyes (whether they'll stay that way, who knows), fine black hair, a pudgy, round baby face...

"Er.. right. Well..." he sighs. "There're a couple of bottles in the fridge, diapers and related things are there-" he points "-and, uh.. if you have any questions... I'll be over there with a pillow over my head trying to catch up on some sleep."
Pause.
"I really appreciate your help."

She smiles at him, but she's obviously preoccupied with getting to know the baby.

"It's no trouble. Shoo already."

Before baby decides that he is intrinsic to her continued happiness.

And there is getting to know baby.

Yay baby!