Dr Lachlan Campbell

18.3.3. You should've seen it!

Co-written with doctortara | Follows THIS

It was after two in the morning when the phone rang. Lachlan had just gotten Riley back down to sleep after taking the very early morning feed duties. He nearly jumped out of skin at the noise and bounded out into the hall to grab up the phone before it woke his wife or son again. Nothing good ever came from phone calls at this time of night, and this time was no exception. He had listened in shock to Aiden on the other end of the line and then ended the call to bound down the stairs, skidding into the living room and slapping on the overhead light.

( He was fumbling with the television remote control, trying to turn the TiVo on when Tara appeared in the doorway, sleep-ruffled and squinting groggily in the bright light... )

All muses referenced with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 973

28.4. Decision

Co-written with doctortara

[Follows THIS]

Tara decided that if there was going to be a Heaven and she got to choose what it was, it would be this. Lying naked in bed wrapped around her as equally naked husband and feeling his arms locked protectively around her. It wasn't even because they were post-coital, even if they technically were. It was just because it felt right. Her legs were entwined with his and she ran her hand lethargically back and forth across his stomach. "You awake, sweetie?" she asked softly, watching his eyes to see if they would open. She hadn't been sure if he had dozed off in the content haze. She wouldn't begrudge him a nap after what they had just done.

( Lachlan opened his eyes just a little and smiled sleepily at her.  )

Riley Browne [pullmysteth] & Patrick Preston [sexyinscrubs] referenced with permission


Word Count | 1,035

57.5. (from Week 42) Tension

Co-written with doctortara

[Follows THIS, THIS and THIS]

Tara carefully taped the tiny fresh diaper up and leaned over to drop some soft kisses to her son’s forehead. She earned a coo in return and smiled, brushing his fine blond hair back with her fingertips. “It’ll be good to get you home, A Stóirín. Out of these disposable nappies and into nice soft cloth ones, hmm,” she said in a hushed voice. She was getting him ready to put him down for the night and didn’t want to excite him too much. He reacted to voice and bright lights, so the room was dimmed.

( She tucked his cute little feet into the blue teddy bear onesie and was started to clip the buttons up when she heard someone enter the room behind her. She was pushing her hair out of her face when her husband came up beside her looking a lot more crap than he had when he left a little earlier... )


All muses referenced with permission and are part of the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 1,047

22.7. Early

Co-written with pullmysteth & sexyinscrubs

[Follows THIS]

When Lachlan arrived in his son's room early that morning, the last thing he really expected to see was both Riley and Pat there. Of course he didn't have a problem with it, and it was actually a relief, but he just really wasn't in the mood for talking to anyone. He was sort of teetering between anger, worry, and downright confused. It wasn't a pretty mix on little to no sleep. He also knew he looked like shit, so he wasn't particularly surprised when words to that effect were the first out of Pat's mouth.

( “You look like shit on legs, darling.” Pat's eyes were now locked on Lachlan in scrutiny... )


Word Count | 685

11.8. "Yep... Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing... Somethin' we was born with... Somethin' that's ours and ours alone... Somethin' that can't be taught to ya or learned... Somethin' that got to be remembered... Over time the world can, rob us of that swing... It get buried inside us under all our wouldas and couldas and shouldas... Some folk even forget what their swing was like..."
| The Legend of Bagger Vance

Co-written with sexyinscrubs

Lachlan had his baby son hugged securely in his arms, finding himself lost in a daydream staring out the window into the hospital grounds below. The baby boy was a warm bundle against his chest, the little blond head tucked under Lachlan’s chin. The baby was sleeping, oblivious to the cuddling, but his Dad wasn’t and he was indulging in every minute of it. He patted his hand fondly against the little boy’s extensively diapered bottom. He was so small that it was just all diaper and was much the source of amusement for his parents when they were undressing him for bath time.

( “Someone could set a bomb off in here and you wouldn’t notice, darling,” Pat said with a smile as he made his way slowly into the baby’s hospital room... )


Word Count | 1,555

11.10. "What do normal people do when they can't sleep?"
| CSI: New York

Co-written with pullmysteth

[Follows THIS and THIS]

Riley shrugged out of his lab coat as he quietly made his way into his godson’s private room in the Special Care Nursery of the Paeds ward. There was an infant crib with all the standard medical machines and equipment surrounding it and a short distance away an adult bed for parents to stay with their baby. Only one, though, which seemed fucked up in a situation like Lachlan and Tara’s where both parents needed to be with their new baby. Tara was asleep in the bed, her arm wrapped protectively around her stomach, and Lachlan sat in the recliner chair by the window, the subpar alternative to a second bed. Baby Riley was in the crib hooked up to the machines; the heart monitor beeping softly overhead. He had tiny tubes in his nose and an IV line feeding into his foot where most infant lines were placed so they didn’t get tangled. He was swaddled up in some soft blankets including a white one with ‘Riley Patrick’ embroidered across the corner in blue script and a matching hat with little bear ears on his head.

“I can come back later,” Riley offered quietly, keeping his voice hushed so he didn’t wake Tara. “You should be resting yourself, mate.”

( Lachlan shook his head. “I cannae. I tried.” )

All muses referenced here with permission and are from the princeton2nyc universe


Word Count | 1,343

15.1.2. “If you're going through hell, keep going.” - Winston Churchill

Co-written with doctortara

Tara didn’t bother trying to brush the distressed tears from her cheeks as she bounded down the stairs stuffing a handful of Riley’s diapers into his baby bag. He had been crying non-stop for close to three hours now. Her maternal instinct was screaming inside her. She came into the living room where her husband was pacing back and forth with their sobbing son bundled protectively against his chest. “We’re going to the hospital,” she told him tearfully and started to gather up some more random baby items into the bag. It was nearing one am, but she didn’t care. He wasn’t stopping and she was petrified to verbalise her fears.

( “It has to just be the nappy rash,” Lachlan said helplessly, his own voice shaky with worry... )


Word Count | 368

It isnae possible to be biased when perfection is in the essence. Nay, biased. I just want to wet my pants from happiness.

All the shit, crap and bollocks - all of it - is worth it for this.

( Proof is in the bundle of joy... )

Seeing as my other half has already cut down my male ego by posting this to her LJ, may as well offer it up all over again, and with our new wee addition...

( Pictures... )

Track 13. I will dedicate
And sacrifice my everything for just a second's worth
Of how my story's ending
And I wish I could know if the directions that I take
And all the choices that I make won't end up all for nothing
[‘Crawling in the Dark’ – Hoobastank]

Co-written with doctortara

[Follows THIS]

Seeing the distraught state Tara was in sent a shot of panicked nausea through Lachlan’s stomach. He held his hand out as he breached the distance between. “Tara… baby, what’s the matter?” he tried again. Rationality told him it wasn’t anything wrong with their son because he had literally just gotten off the phone with his mother-in-law who had confirmed Riley was just fine.

“No!” Tara cried and tried to turn away from him. The single word came out in a choked sob and she shook her head. “Just stay there! I have to get rid of this! You can’t see it, Lachie, you can’t!”

( Lachlan stopped where he was when she told him to and his eyes dropped down to what she was holding... )


Word Count | 590