TIME WARP: Baby Time!

[Cole Kessler]

"And I have no problem with changing diapers." Cole said and looked upon at his wife and baby girl once more. He placed one hand on Taeyeon's shoulder and held the clipboard in the other. "She has your eyes, Taeyeon." Cole told her, knowing she already knew.

He wanted to say more but he couldn't find the words. Were there any? What could be said anymore about this beautiful moment? What could he say to make his wife, his family, any happier?

He looked over the birth records, parts of them still needed filling out. He took the chance now to sit in a nearby chair and start on that. His eyes only looking up every so often to see his family standing throughout the room.

As he neared finishing filling them out, the door opened. Cole looked up to see his mother walk-in, "I'M SO SORRY, COLE!" She exclaimed, her eyes full of tears, "I'm sorry Taeyeon,"se said as she rushed to the bedside, breathing heavily, "I'm sorry I missed it, the birthing, I mean." Her eyes trailed t the baby girl in Taeyeon's arms, "She's beautiful." Cheyenne's eye's widened at her grand-daughter, "She looks just like you, Taeyeon."

Cole smiled, even though his mom was apologizing, "Mom, you're forgiven." He laughed and went back to writing. Again a tear came to his eyes as thoughts of his little brother flashed into his head. It had been about three weeks after Cole and Tae had gotten back together four years ago when the cancer in him finally won the fight. Cole missed the young boy. His death had left a hole in his family and their hearts. Not one for dwelling, Cole brushed the thought away from his mind and finished writing what he had left.

[Taeyeon Kai]

Tae was swimming, lost in the pools of the eyes of her daughter. Chocolate, sapphire, and emerald competed for dominance in those baby eyes, more blue than anything. They looked into hers, that small hand holding her finger tightly, each held to the other by that simple gaze into the other’s eyes. Tae couldn’t even look away to remark to her husband about how she knew.

Her daughter had completely taken Tae’s heart.

The door opened and Tae finally looked up, into the eyes of the woman who had raised Cole against all odds. “I was hoping she’d look more like her father,” she said with a smile. She remembered the death of Cole’s younger brother all those years ago, and thought that maybe with the birth of Zoe, who bore Cole’s biological mother’s name, that hole would possibly be repaired somehow.

She looked at Cole, filling out the paperwork in the chair, and smiled. “Hey, daddy,” she called out softly, “How about I finish those, and you can hold baby Zoe for a minute?” No, as much as Tae adored her daughter already, she wanted Cole to have a moment with the baby as well.

[Cole Kessler]

Cole stood from the chair and walked back over towards the bed, "Paper work's done, my love." He said as he set the clipboard down on the counter next to the bed. "But I wouldn't mind holding her anyway." He said with a laugh and smile as he took the baby into his arms

He took her over to the window and held her where, even though her eyes were shut, she could see the moon as it broke the horizon. "Whereas your mother is the moonlight, the light in the darkness that helps me through," Cole whispered to his newbornbaby girl, "Zoe, you'll be my sunshine, the light and energy that drives me everyday. Together you and your mother are my only reasons for living. I'll keep you safe, warm, and most importantly I will take good care of the two of you until the day I die."

Cole and Taeyeon neither one had slept in the last twenty-four hours and the others were probably just as tired. Suddenly a stomach churning scent floated into his nose, "Well, looks like it's time for that diaper change." He laughed as he laid Zoe in the nursery bed and went to work. It had only taken him a few minutes to have her cleaned up and changed without any problems.

After a few minutes the Nurses walked back in, "Alright, Mr. and Mrs. Kessler, we'll hve Zoe taken back to the nursery, and we advise you all to say your goodnights. Visiting time is over and you all loook like you could use some rest." The nurse laughed as she took up the clipboard and the other wheeled Zoe back to the nursery.

Meanwhile, Cole walked over and hugged his step-mother's neck, "Thank you for coming, mom. Even if you were a bit on the late side, you're forgiven." His dad walked over, and Cole shook his hand, "You, too, pop. Let me know tomorrow if the officials need me to come to the track."

His mother let his neck go, tears still in her eyes, "Cole, I'm so proud of you. We both are. We love you, son."

"I love y'all too. All of you." He said as he turned and looked back at his wife and her family.

[Taeyeon Kai]

Tae handed their daughter to Cole, watching with happy eyes as he cradled the baby and talked to her as Tae rested. She chuckled softly when Cole changed the first diaper and looked away when the nurses came in. She sighed as one took Zoe away for the night, letting the adults settle in for the night. One nurse wiped Tae’s face clean of the birthing sweat, making the new mother feel a little refreshed. She knew that in the morning she would need a shower, but now her body just wanted the rest.

She watched with tired eyes as Cole said goodbye to his family, waving to them as the need to sleep settled over her finally, threatening to drown her under the blanket of rest she needed. Her aunt and uncle came to her sides as Cole was with his family, both of them looking down at her with love and tenderness in their eyes.

“You did good, sarai,” her aunt murmured as she bent to kiss her forehead. “She is the most adorable baby I have ever seen…across from you, of course.”

Michael chuckled at his wife’s words and kissed Tae’s forehead next, a tender smile on his face. “You’ve been the best daughter to us, Taeyeon, and I wish you all the luck and love in the world for your new family.”

Silent tears trekked down Tae’s cheeks with her aunt and uncle’s words. These were words that should have been spoken by her parents, two individuals who had birthed and raised her, but no. Rei and Michael had become her parents after her biological ones had given her away. “Thank you,” she whispered to them. “Thank you for everything.” She saw her aunt starting to tear up as her uncle led them away so that Tae could rest.

She looked as they left the room, her eyes darting to Cole real quick and giving him a smile. “Going to sleep now,” she told him quietly before her eyes fell closed, her body relaxing for the first time as she fell into sleep.

Fin.