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Rook wakes up with a start to the sound of John Seed's voice coming through his radio, sleepily goes to turn the radio off. As he reaches for the button, stopping when he realizes that John isn't doing his normal act of trying to convince Rook to join his creepy cult or whatever it is that they have planned. He instead sounds…afraid.
John Seed never sounded afraid never even worried. Not in all the time Rook's been in Hope County. The man was an expert at hiding and deceiving people. But now, in Rook's quiet room on Sunday night nearly Monday morning, Rook can hear John sounding almost desperate, he sound almost on the verge of tears, it's enough to put Rook on edge, he reaches for the radio and turns it up to hear more clearly.
That's when Rook realises what he heard in the background.
A baby crying.
The noise makes Rook instantly shoot out of bed fully awake now.
How the fuck did John get his hands on a baby?
Who the fuck let him?
He presses the button down on his radio as soon as John goes quite for a second.
"John, what the fuck is going on?" Rook hisses into his radio.
There is a short pause before John finally starts to speak again, but this time, when he does what he says makes Rook flinch more than any bullet has.
"I know you're a father Rook anybody who knows you can tell but I knew that before we met I read your file" John seems to have got his normal cocky attitude but he still sounds somewhat strained.
Rook doesn't know what's more concerning that fact that John read his file or the fact that he's talking to him about it.
"Get to the fucking point John" Rook's losing his patience doesn't want to be talking to anyone about this sensitive subject but especially not John.
Rook's incredibly on edge not just because or John but because the baby hasn't stop crying the whole times they've been talking, John seemingly trying to ignore it.
John lets out a displeased sigh.
"I need your help Deputy, I can't say with what over the radio but it is a matter of importance. Of course, you'll have to come to my ranch alone and unarmed but I will ensure you're not harmed as long as you do not cause any."
Rook doesn't need John to say it to get a hint, the baby wailing in the background is enough of a clue for even Hurk to figure it out.
Rook knows he has a soft spot for kids but he has to be careful can't trust John's words.
"And why exactly, should I help you John? What's in it for me," He pauses waiting for a response.
It takes a moment, but John answers.
"Because if you do as you're told I'll let you have your little Hudson back"
And just like that, Rook knows there's no way he can refuse John's offer. Even it puts himself at risk the quicker he gets Hudson back the better he may as well take the risk.
Worse comes to worst he has to escape from John again.
Shouldn't be too bad.
"Alright fine, I'm on my way just make sure your men don't shoot me when I get there" Rook tells him and he hears John chuckle.
"Thank you Deputy" Rook can hear the pleased smile in John's voice.
With that Rook shoves his radio in his bag and starts preparing to head over to the Seed ranch.
The drive to John's ranch is quite, not a single peggie in sight and it makes Rook feel even more uncomfortable. Normally John didn't go so far as to keep the ranch in complete solitude, every time Rook's been near the ranch before it was swarmed with peggies.
Now it's completely quite only the faint sound of the baby crying coming from the Ranch.
He walks over to the door of the ranch house, knocks three times. When the door opens it reveals one John Seed and Rook doesn't think he ever saw John look so wrecked.
His normally neat and slicked back hair is all over the place, his clothes are rumpled as if he had slept in them, his eyes are red rimmed and puffy and he looks like he hasn't slept in days.
John hesitates for a moment before stepping aside to let Rook in. A soon as the door is closed behind him Rook removes his jacket letting John take it when he offers to hang it up.
"I- I appreciate that you actually came here Deputy, C'mon follow me"
Rook just nods and follows John upstairs, he just wants to get this over and done with,
John ends up taking him to his bedroom where there's a crib placed next to the bed.
John turns to him once Rook's placed his bag on the floor "She won't stop crying I've fed her, she's been changed, cleaned and I've done everything I can think of" John rubs his hands over his face looking more human than Rook has ever seen him "but she won't calm down"
Before John can say anything else the baby lets out another cry
Rook watches as John takes a deep breath and then turns around and picks up the baby.
"How old is she?" Rook asks as he takes the hand sanitizer out of his bag quickly scrubbing his hands clean, he'd already cleaned up before going to the ranch but he doesn't want to risk anything.
"Eight months, that's what they said when she was handed over to me"
Rook lifts a brow in question, John pauses for a moment before explaining further.
"Her mother was an- acquaintance of mine, she never told me she was pregnant, I only found out when they told me she was dead. I have no idea how to be a father rook." John sighs again before looking back down at the still crying child in his arms gently rocking her.
Rook reaches out squeezes his should gently.
He knows what its like to be thrust into single parenthood, the toll it can take on someone.
Rook carefully lifts his hand keeps his movement slow and clear as to not alarm John, reaches out and checks the baby's temperature, she feels warm to the touch, but no fever or sweat so that rules out a few things.
Looking up briefly Rook can see John getting restless, he needs John to stay calm.
"What's her name?" Rook asks sure to keep his voice quite yet steady.
"June, a complete coincidence that she shares my mothers name" John laughs quietly and rook smiles back.
"You're all J.seed huh?" he continues to check over June, no bruising or swelling as far as he could see but when see wails again rook catches a glimpse of white. Rook lifts his hand pulls June's lip up as gently as he can laugh when she tries to bite down on his finger when he checks her gums
"She's just teething John nothing to worry about babies tend to get a bit fussy though" Rook rubs the baby drool off of his finger on his jeans with a wince
John lets out a sigh of relief.
June has stop crying still unsettled but she's only pouting and letting out little whines nothing compared to the full sobbing she was doing earlier.
" if she starts crying again trying rubbing her gums or a cold or frozen teething ring can help soothe her"
John nods
"I have a teething ring downstairs, I hadn't though that she would start yet. I'll go get the ring" he pauses for a second looking up at rook nervously. "Could you hold her while I get?" Rook just nods and offers out his hands.
John carefully places June in Rook's arms the deputy instantly adjusting his hands to hold the child properly .
John gives Rook a quick glance looks like he's going to say something before leaving the room and heading back down the stairs.
Rook moves over to the bed sits down to start gently rocking June.
If someone had told him he would be in John Seed's bedroom comforting his child he would have told them that they were crazy but here he was.
John eventually comes back with the teething ring in hand. John looks a little nervous until he sees June giggling softly as she tries to grab Rook's beard in her tiny fists.
"She likes you" John says a small smile starting to tugging at Johns lips as he sits down next to Rook on the bed giving June the teething ring, his shoulder pressed to Rook's from how close he is.
Once June is occupied by the teething ring and not trying to steal Rook's beard he passes the baby back to her father.
She immediately latches onto John once he holds her.
Rook watches as the two of them interact in some sort of blissful silence watching how for once John appears relaxed after holding his daughter .
One thing has been bothering Rook since he came here and he just has to ask at this point.
"John, no offence but why am I here instead of one of your brothers?"
He watches as John seems taken back by the question, his eyes darting up to meet Rooks own as soon as john opens his mouth to answer.
"I may have never told them about June" John admits with a frown.
"What? Why?" Rook is shocked he thought that although the seed family clearly has issues they were at least close to each other and hiding a baby is a pretty big deal.
John hugs June closer to his body his brows creasing.
"I've already done enough to disappoint my family, I wasn't going to hide it forever I just, I just wanted to prove to myself that I could be a good father first, but" John's laugh is bitter " I guess I already messed that up" He adds under his breath
John looks at his daughter for a long moment, the expression on his face is soft and sad. He slowly reaches out with both hands and cradles her face. It's strange to see something so gentle come from him. It seems wrong, but Rook can't find it in himself to judge him anymore.
"Asking for help doesn't make you a bad dad John." Rook says swiping his thumb over John's knee. "Look I know we don't exactly see eye to eye John but if you ever need my help again, I'm only a radio call away."
John looks conflicted for a moment before eventually sighing and nodding.
"Thank you Rook." The thank you is awkward and looks like it was a struggle for John to say but it was honest
Rook smiles up at John patting his shoulder gently before standing to stretch
"Now Johnny boy i think it's time for you to get some shut-eye " Rook says as he stands turning back towards John and June.
"I'm not tired" John says stubbornly.
Rook chuckles and shakes his head "Just get some sleep John before you collapse I'll stay in case anything happens alright"
John reluctantly agrees to go to bed after quickly changing the baby and putting her back in her crib.
Rook takes a seat in the chair close to the crib gratefully taking the blanket John hands to him.
It takes a while for John to eventually fall asleep June having fell asleep as soon as she was put in her crib.
Rook's the last to fall asleep surprisingly comfortable as he sits in John's bedroom but weirder things have happened the mere fact that John even asked him here still confuses him. None the less Rook is still grateful, totally just because he gets to sleep comfortable for once totally not because of anything else. Totally.