confidenceman | everyone here has loved and lost, so level up and love again

On the way over to Andrea's apartment, Cleo can't seem to stop kicking her legs in delight. Although there's no way for Sawyer to interpret the occasional babbling that she manages to squeeze around the fingers stuffed in her mouth, he likes to think that it's because she's getting to venture outside when the sun is high, that she's with Sawyer for a rare day off as they venture through town. There are times when he lets himself worry about the fact that Cleo spends more waking hours with her babysitters than directly with her father — but he's doing the best that he can, and she doesn't seem to have any trouble handling the hand-off.

So he'll forgive himself for the time being, for his inexperience and his lack of availability. And work until he can say that he's no longer behind in either.

"You ain't got the slightest clue what we're up to, do ya?" he asks the baby quietly, reaching for her washcloth to wipe away the drool on her fingers, trying to encourage her to take her pacifier instead. When she does so only after a sigh, he chuckles. "Yeah, I know. Papa's no fun."

Tugging her knit cap further down on her head, he presses a kiss on top of her forehead before taking Cleo up the elevator. She wiggles as the elevator picks up speed, wide blue eyes staring both up and down, towards the edges of the cart, one of her hands finding its way to Sawyer's collar and holding tight.

"It's okay," Sawyer says, hushing as he bounces her lightly, patting her back. "I'd take you up the stairs, but six floors makes for a bumpy ride. C'mon, let's go meet the other Clementine."

Once in front of Andrea's apartment, Sawyer makes sure to keep his shoulders back, trying his best to look presentable in spite of his windswept appearance, reaching out to knock sharply on the door.

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"I think it's gonna depend on the baby. Cleo tends to be pretty quiet, so I like to think she doesn't give as much of a headache as some kids might," Sawyer says, though his expression quickly turns hesitant, his eyes narrowing. "But maybe I shouldn't jinx myself. Who knows what might change in the comin' months. Especially when she starts rocking and crawling."

He takes a small sip of his coffee, though it's still slightly too hot to drink.

"Then again, I'd love for her to have someone 'round who can set a good example," he adds, grinning in Clementine's direction.

"Oh, then definitely not Clementine," Andrea says as she leans back in her chair, trying to give a thoughtful expression, though it's hard for her not to smile. "This one is out at all hours of the night. She comes home with all sorts of rowdy characters, starts fights, steals cars. All sorts of trouble. I just don't know what I'm going to do with her."

Since Billy and Ben, she's been scared, admittedly. She's worried about how she might have affected what had been happening between them. She wonders how much of it was her fault, how much she could have changed the course of things if she'd only just known. Taking on Clementine had been scary simply for that reason, but she's come to realize what had happened there wasn't her fault and Clementine was a good kind, one of the best she'd ever known.

Clementine hid a giggle, knowing she didn't mean it. She did her very best not to be any of that, actually. Both because she knew her mom and dad would expect it of her and because she was happy Andrea let her live with her even when she didn't have to.

"Bailey's even worse," she added, smiling, as Cleo's hand grasped around the hand she offered her. She seemed real interested in that, too. "I bet you could tell."

Bailey was, of course, currently sitting by them still, her tail still wagging like it always did. The dog was probably one of the least scary dogs she had ever come across.

Sawyer draws a hesitant breath between his teeth, and gives Bailey a heavily nervous look. "Yeah, I definitely don't know 'bout that one," he drawled, eyes narrowing in exaggeration. "I've never been much of a dog fellow. Christ, you ever see the teeth some of them have got? And those tails, whenever they wag I know there's trouble on the way."

The fact that he isn't a dog person... isn't entirely untrue. But he likes dogs better than he generally likes most animals. Vincent might have warmed him up to the idea.

Hell, the island on the whole definitely expanded Sawyer's view. He certainly hasn't forgotten that.

"Well, gosh darn. I don't know what I'll do. Brought Cleo here and it turns out that all I'm doin' is having coffee with some hooligans."

"We haven't even gotten to how terrible I am," Andrea points out with a smile that she strives to make look as innocent as possible. "Clementine can tell you all sorts of trouble that I get into, too. Late nights, wild parties, all sorts of wild and unacceptable behaviour."

She knows exactly the type of woman she is. Sawyer and Clementine do, too.

"I think Cleo likes hooligans," she decided. She was grabbing on to the rim of her hat, and she gently pulled it off her head - her hair was messy underneath it, but that was okay - and she let her see it better. Made sure she didn't chew on it though, she was pretty sure that'd be bad. "Do you like hats, Cleo? This one is my favorite."

Clementine's hat has a well-worn look, probably an article of clothing that has been used and loved. It's only Sawyer's knowledge of the fact that Clementine's been through a lot which keeps him from asking too many questions. It might not be something she cares to go into.

A hat's a damn sight nicer than a handwritten letter, though.

"'Course she does. If Cleo takes after her mama or me at all, she'll love hooligans for sure. And hey, if y'all are into late nights, what I don't know won't hurt me. If you ever want to try babysittin' overnight."

Andrea glances at Sawyer at that, smiling faintly. One day soon she'll have to bring up the possibility of having a new baby in their family to Clementine, but since she's still not sure if she can, she wants to wait. Still, it would be nice, she thinks, to have a bit of a trial run.

"Only as long as we can give her back as soon as she cries," she teases.

everyone here has loved and lost, so level up and love again

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