10:31. The screaming and crying started at 10:31.
Pony groaned as he rolled over and out of bed, walking tiredly into the living room.
Two-Bit stood over the carrier, trying to shush her back to sleep.
"Ally, shush, please." He cooed. "Daddy likes sleep, Uncles like sleep-"
"Two-Bit, that ain't gonna work."
Ponyboy yawned as he unhooked Ally from the carrier, grabbing a bottle from the supply bag.
"That's what she was hollerin' for? Hell, I could use a drink, you don't see me alertin' the media!" Two-Bit snapped.
"She's just a baby, she don't know no better." Pony said, heating it up.
"Well, couldn't she have just told us that she was hungry 'stead o' screamin' bloody murder at 10:30 at night?" Two-Bit argued.
"How's she gonna tell us, huh? She can barely sit up and you want her to speak in full sentences?" Pony snapped.
Two-Bit was about to respond when the timer on the stove went off.
Ponyboy pushed the boiled water off the steaming burner so the water could cool to room temperature. When it did, as Two-Bit held Ally, he poured a few droplets on his wrist. After waiting a few minutes, he poured it into the bottle, added the formula, and gave it to Two-Bit.
"What the hell am I s'posed to do with this?"
"Feed it to her, nitwit!"
"How?" Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow in confusion.
Pony wasn't sure whether to slap Two-Bit upside the head or rip his own hair out.
Pony walked over and calmly pushed the nipple inbetween her lips. She gripped the sides of the bottle with her tiny hands as her shed tears, long forgotten, flowed down her face. Her eyes closed as she settled in her father's arms.
"'ey, if I'm feedin' her, you get to change her." Two-Bit said after a while.
"Like hell I do!" Pony seethed.
Darry and Soda woke up as the fighting pursued, Ally starting to get tired of the bickering as well.
"What's goin' on in here?" Darry snapped, turning on the kitchen light. Soda was right behind him.
"Two-Bit said that if he feeds her, then I gotta change her, and I don't agree with 'im." Pony answered.
"You're changin' her and that's final. Now shut up and let us sleep!" Soda said, surprisingly. Ponyboy slouched back in his seat in defeat while Two-Bit smiled triumphantly.
~*~
Two hours later, at exactly midnight, they both awoke to their daughter's screeches again.
"Diaper Duty." Two-Bit said as Ponyboy picked her up and went to the bathroom.
"At least Momma finally has some time to spend with 'er." Pony gloated to himself as he removed the wet diaper and threw it in the trash bin by the toilet seat.
When she was all changed, Pony tried to quiet her small whimpers with a few soft, kind words. By the time he moved back to the kitchen, she was all giggles.
Pony placed her in her carrier and strapped her up. As he turned to go, she made a noise and grabbed for him. Two-Bit watched with jealousy in his eyes as Ally practically begged Pony to stay.
Pony caught him staring and smiled, pulling the carrier with him to the couch.
"It is a Saturday." He sighed as she gripped his fingertips.
Two-Bit turned over and smiled, "At least I get to sleep in."
Pony rolled his eyes and took Ally back out of the carrier, holding her close as she snuggled into him.
By three, Pony had her down. His head rested against the side of the carrier as he and Ally slept.
