The Baby Arrangement

Chapter 70: Teddy

Chapter 70: Teddy

Going to Beth after putting Teddy in a pop up pen to sleep, Daryl goes to touch Beth, but she pulls away from him. He can see her shake and hear her sobs.

"Honey..."

"Did you ever just think that maybe I...huh..."

"What?" He comes closer and she inches away more.

"I wanted to have another baby...I was ready to try again. I know it's good to adopt babies and children so they can have a good life, and maybe I'm selfish, but I just want a baby that's you and me...I wanted to feel like I had when we had Kensi."

"Beth, we can also have babies, I just thought helping Teddy out would be...well heart warming for us. He's only a few days old Beth...He's never known love or his parents. Now we're them and he needs us."

"I just can't...." She drops the conversation by walking away from him and going out to her truck before leaving. Slumping his shoulders, Daryl walks back to the baby in the living room and Kensi is looking at him through the play pen.

"Teddy seeping."

"Yeah."

"Where's Mommy?" She asks as she goes to Daryl, who picks her up and kisses her before sitting on the couch.

"Left. She had things to do. Just us tonight Marie."

"Teddy too?"

"Yep, Teddy too. Let's go get his room set up." Heading upstairs, Daryl and Kensi go to his old bedroom and pulls out Kensi's old crib that she got from Maggie. He puts it up and puts on old sheets and makes his bed. He figures if him and Beth are fighting right now, he might as well sleep in his own bed. "What do you think of Teddy?"

"Cute brudder!"

"Yeah, I thought so too." Taking Kensi back downstairs, Daryl makes her dinner and feeds Teddy formula in his bottle. The small baby looks up at Daryl and Kensi smiles.

"Baby..."

"Yep. You still hungry Sweet Pea?"

"Nope, ty-ty."

"Okay...let me put Teddy to bed and ten I'll come back and put you to be sweetie."

"Kay." After burping the four day old and putting him up in Daryl's room in his crib, Daryl goes back downstairs and puts Kensi's plate in the sink before carrying her upstairs to her crib, kissing her, and then saying good night. Going downstairs to clean up, he feels his heart ache. At this rate, he doesn't know if Beth will even marry him.

He waits up until two in the morning before going upstairs and going to bed.

Waking up the next morning, Daryl feels ten times worse than when he first blew my to bed. His back is aching and so is his head. He got up three times last night for feedings and diaper changes. Walking downstairs, its only 7:45 and Beth still isn't home.

"She wants space...she can have it." He grumbles to himself and starts making coffee. After drinking his beverage, he hears Teddy crying again and he raises upstairs so it doesn't wake up Kensi. "Shhhh, hey buddy. It's okay. I got you. Dad's here."

"Daddy!" Kensi calls for him and he carries Teddy over to Kensi's room. "Where's Mommy?"

"Out. What's wrong baby girl?"

"I wanna see Teddy."

"Here he is. You see? He's fine." Teddy waves his hands and Kensi giggles and smiles. "He's hungry. Imma go feed him. You wanna go back to bed? It's really early."

"Yeah." She rubs her eyes and kisses Daryl's cheek before laying down. Going downstairs, he gets another bottle of formula and heats it up until it's ready for the sleepy baby. When Teddy is done, Daryl burps him and then lays down on the couch with the baby on his chest, who is now also fast asleep.

When he wakes up Teddy isn't on his chest or anywhere to be seen. Sitting up in panic, Daryl feels his his heart explode.