Work Text:
She Rewrote the Plan—
by irena_adler
The first time Colby met Nena he was terrified.
He was usually comfortable with babies – he had younger siblings and had always wanted a big family. His plan had been to meet the right woman, then travel the world together, wherever the Army sent them. They'd have their first kid in Germany, second in Florida and third in South Korea or Colombia. Their kids would see more of the world by the time they were ten than most people would their whole life. When Colby visited Idaho, his family would be impressed with his strong, confident Army brats.
Yes, he'd always wanted children, but not this way, this time and certainly not with this partner. When Jenny had told him she was pregnant, it was with the same `Ha, you're screwed' voice she'd used when she had quit her job to `focus on being a girlfriend'. Somehow he'd been financially supporting her since they'd met, and now she'd found a way to make him continue forever. Shortly after her announcement, he'd been called back to active duty. It'd taken months for news of the birth to reach him and another month for him to arrange leave.
Now, with the dust of Afghanistan still on his boots, he was alone in an apartment in Michigan with a three-month-old baby girl. Jenny had hardly spoken to him when he'd arrived. She'd taken the cash from his wallet, said something about a beer, and pointed out diapers and formula.
Then she'd plopped a baby into his arms, his baby. It was a terrifying responsibility that he had no way to honor. It was so wrong how she'd gotten here, but … with her wispy hair and button nose, she was so right.
She stared up at him.
"It's okay, little one. Daddy's here."
end