The Wonder Twins and the Wicker Basket.

Knock, Knock

Tap Tap Tap Tap. A gentle barely audible knocking could be heard echoing through the silent apartment and into the ears of the sleeping people curled up on the sofa.

It had started out as a normal night just playing video games for a few hours to relieve the stress of their jobs and then she would go home but by the time they had watched the entire Star Wars Trilogy ( original of course ) he slept silently his mouth open, pulling her into his side.

She didn't want to wake him and therefore didn't move but pulled the comforter off the sofa and draped it over them both.

The knocking however quiet presented like alarm bells. Waking her from her slumber. He had to answer the door. What if it was someone from work and seeing their messed up bed hair would assume the worst.

She poked him lightly in the ribs pulling herself away from him so as not to startle him at just so close they had been moments ago. "Eric get up. Eric!" She murmured the slight alarm in voice rising with each passing second.

He rose without thinking, tossing the comforter to the floor. He stretched and rubbed his eyes under his glasses. When everything came into focus his eyes widened looking down at Nell still seated on the sofa.
"Nell, I thought you'd have gone home by now." he said glancing at the clock on his wall.

02:34 am.

"You fell asleep and you looked so peaceful and I couldn't bare to wake you." Nell said blushing slightly.

"So why did you wake me up then." he asked irritably.

"Because their is someone at the door." Nell said her hands on her hips.

"Why don't you answer it." Eric said straightening his glasses.

"Why don't I answer YOUR apartment door." Nell said pointing at him.

"Right." Eric murmured finally getting it. "But their not knocking now."

"Because they have already knocked several times and if they assume that you were asleep....." Nell contemplated.

"Which I was." Eric reminded her, earning a stoney glare and a swift elbow to the ribs.

"Which means they expect you to take a few minutes to wake up and answer it." Nell said shoving him into the hall and towards the door.

Eric opened the door a crack, took a quick look around and shut the door again not even bothering to take it off the latch.

"Really?" Nell questioned rolling her eyes.

"What." Eric asked innocently.

"Never mind." Nell strolled up to the door, undoing the latch and pulling the door wide open and looking out into the corridor.

On the doorstep laying quietly in a small wicker basket, no more than a week old. Was a baby.

It lay quite still in a onesie covered in computers, gurgling and cooing.

"Eric what in the hell." Nell exclaimed.

"Your acting like I had something to do with this." Eric yelled.

"What do we do." Nell screeched trying her best to keep her voice down.

"We very well can't leave it out here." Eric exclaimed throwing his hands up into the air, now fully awake.

"Look there's a note." Nell reached down and grabbed a small rectangle of blue paper, folded once in half.

Dear Occupant of 3B,

I know that we do not know each other personally but I have watched you come and go for the past few months and I feel you and a woman I assume is your girlfriend considering how much she visits your apartment and at the oddest hours, will make better parents to my son than I will.

At the time of my knocking he is exactly 1 week and 14 hours old and his name is yours to choose, better not to get too attached.

From
An Angel in Disguise

Eric read the letter over Nell's shoulder his eyes popping out of his head. Nell finishing before him was the first to react, she picked up the wicker basket, looking down at his sleeping form. She pushed Eric back and walked into the apartment putting the basket on the coffee table.

Eric fumbling closed the door and stalked to stand next to Nell.

"Should we give him a name."

"Huh." Nell turned to look into his watery blue eyes and saw nothing but sincerity.

"Should we name him, it said we should in the letter." Eric said.

"What do you suggest?" Nell queried expecting him not to have an answer.

"What about Milo." Eric said bending down and stroking the baby's cheek.

"That is actually not bad." Nell said starting to pace across his living room carpet.

"His name is Milo, that's settled then." Eric picked up the baby for the first time gently supporting him in all the right places. "Hey there Milo." Eric said in a sweeter voice than the one he normally used. As if in response Milo grabbed Eric's finger with his tiny hands gripping it like his life depended on it, his small face looking up at him expectantly.

Nell was still pacing. "What are we going to do Eric. You can't raise Milo by yourself."

"You'll help me won't you." Eric asked looking at Nell with puppy dog eyes.

Nell's eyes popped out of her skull, her breathing rapidly increasing. Had Eric really just asked her to raise this kid with him.

"Your my partner, who else am I gonna ask" he said trying to reassure her but it wasn't working. Nell who was now redder than a plum and pacing rapidly kept muttering unrecognisable words under her breath.

"Pass him to me" Nell said stopping suddenly and holding out her arms.

"Why?" Eric asked pulling away slightly.

"Please" Nell said a hint of begging in her tone, Eric slightly reluctantly handed newly named Milo over.

She tickled his tiny tummy balancing him on one arm. " your so cute aren't you."

" What are we going to do Nell" Eric asked running his hand over milo's wispy hair.

"What we normally do, do better than anyone ever expected". She smiled softly, not looking up from Milo's face.