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When Malia wakes up to an empty bed, her immediate response is to panic.
She goes from dozing to wide awake in seconds, sitting bolt upright in bed. Tracy's side of the bed is cold and even her smell has faded slightly. When Malia glances at the crib sitting beside their bed and finds it empty as well, she viciously kicks off the covers and jumps to her feet.
"Tracy?" she yells, willing the remaining fog of sleep to clear from her brain so she can better use her senses. When no answer comes, she closes her eyes, which immediately makes it easier to focus her hearing.
There are two heartbeats, one much louder than the other, in either the living room or the kitchen. She can hear quiet humming too, something tuneless that still manages to be soothing.
Malia's heart rate and adrenaline slowly start to drop back to normal, but there's no way she can go back to sleep right away. Even though dawn is still just a faint promise on the very edge of the horizon, she pads out of the bedroom, running a hand through her tangled bedhead.
She finds Tracy in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, a pot of coffee already brewing. She's still wearing the loose t-shirt and pajama shorts that she went to sleep in, and last night's mascara is smudged underneath her eyes. Their son Noah, who still looks impossibly tiny to Malia, even five months after his birth, is cradled in her arms, head resting on the swell of her breast. She continues humming as she smiles, looking radiant even under the sickly orange glow of the light over the stove.
"He just went back to sleep," she whispers, smoothing her hand over the back of his head.
"I didn't even hear him cry," Malia replies as quietly as she can, thankful that Tracy's hearing is just as good as hers.
"You were pretty exhausted." Tracy's right; last night had been the first night they'd gone out with the pack since Noah was born and by the time they'd gotten home and paid the babysitter, Malia had nearly been asleep on her feet. Even now, there's a bit of a headache at her temples, although it'll only be a few minutes before that's gone too.
"Do you want me to take him?" Malia asks, grabbing a mug from the cupboard. "You could get some more sleep."
"I'm fine," Tracy replies with another smile. "Wouldn't mind some coffee though." Malia grabs another mug and sets both of them beside the coffee maker before crossing over to stand in front of Tracy.
"Good morning," she murmurs, pressing a gentle kiss to Noah's smooth forehead. She stays still for a moment, simply breathing him in. She'd always thought it was ridiculous that people said babies just naturally smelled good, but (aside from the times where his diaper is full or he's just gotten sick all over one of them), it's true. When he stirs slightly, his wispy brown hair tickles her nose. She smiles and kisses him again before standing up straight and carefully leaning over him to kiss Tracy.
"Good morning to you too," she says, pulling away to bury a yawn in her shoulder.
"Are you sure that you don't need more sleep?" Tracy teases. Malia growls quietly at her.
"You're lucky I love you," she mumbles over her shoulder as she crosses to the fridge to grab the milk.
"I love you too," Tracy replies. Noah makes a tiny sound and Tracy immediately goes back to humming, gently rocking back and forth. As she passes by, Malia leans in and presses a lingering kiss to Tracy's forehead, only moving when Noah stirs again.
It may be an ungodly time of the morning but still, Malia can't help but be happy that she's awake. Any hour she gets to spend with her family is a good one.