Cullen flips the covers off and throws a tee shirt on. The sound of a crying baby woke him up and he could no longer handle laying there and listening to it. He stumbles into the hall following the rays of light coming from under Canley's bedroom. He peeks through the crack between the wall and the door. Spotting Canley curled up on the bed trying to soothe a hysterical Ashley. He knocks on the door before slowly pushing it open.

"Hey, did she wake you up?" Canley asks.

He smiles, "No, I was already up," he lies rubbing Ashley's tiny back.

"She won't go back to sleep," she mutters.

He smiles and lifts the baby into his arms. Putting her on his shoulder he stands and starts to bounce, her screams only get louder. He sighs and hands her back to Canley. She gives him a weak smile and rubs the baby's back, "Shh, Ash, you are okay."

"Do you think she needs a bottle?" Cullen offers.

Canley shrugs, "Couldn't hurt to try."

He nods and heads to the kitchen fumbling in the darkness if the hallway. His hands move across the chair in effort to keep from stumping his toe. He makes it to the wall that holds the light switch and takes a tiny step forward. A tiny step that rams his tie into the hard unforgiving cabinet. He curses under his breath, flips the light switch and limps to the fridge. Finding a bottle already made and waiting to be heated he feels relief wash over him. I have no idea how much powder goes in one of these things.

He sticks the bottle in a pan of water and puts it on a burner. Turning the burner on he pulls his phone from the pocket on his basketball shorts and opens Facebook. Distracted by the pictures of horses, saddles, and bits he only looks back at the bottle when the sound of boiling water meets his ears. He drops his phone back into his pocket and jerks the bottle from the pan.

"What now?" He mutters sticking it in the sink. He turns it up to let a drop into his palm, but quickly jerks it back when the scorching liquid hits his callused skin.

Just then Canley's voice calls from down the hall, "Everything okay in there?"

Frustration with himself, it being three in the morning and the nagging thoughts of failure cause him to snap at her, "Like heck everything is fine! I got this bottle too dad gun hot."

Canley takes a deep breath and places Ashley on her shoulder. I'm going to be deaf by the time she goes back to sleep. Stumbling down the hall towards the kitchen she can't help, but smile at the pictures of herself and her family that she has hanging on the wall. That was back before realities of adult life set in. "Let me see the bottle," she says walking up beside him.

He grabs it from the sink, "I'm telling, you it is way too hot, it burnt my hand."

She nods and let's a few drops fall into her wrist, "That isn't going to cool down anytime soon." She cocks to the side, "Take her."

He takes Ashley and watches as she scurries around the kitchen grabbing things from the pantry. She scoops the formula into a clean bottle and grabs a bottle of water from the cabinet. As she begins to shake it Ashley's screams subside to gentle sobs and her hands reach out anxious to get the bottle to her mouth. Canley smiles and places the bottle in her mouth as Cullen lays Ashley back in his arm. Silence is restored to the house and broad smiles spread across Canley and Cullen's faces.

The bottle is dry, Ashley has burped and seems to be happy, until Cullen sits on the bed beside Canley. Ashley's screams return full force and unforgiving to the already aching eardrums. Canley takes the little girl in her good arm and tries, in vain, to calm her. Everything from bouncing, rocking, even singing crosses her mind, but none seem to help.

"How much longer before we can put her in the bed and sleep in the barn?" Cullen complains.

She scolds, "Cullen! You know that can't happen."

He shakes his head and wipes the sleep from his eyes a idea suddenly popping into his head, "What about her diaper?"

Canley slaps her palm to her face, "I am so bad at this! Of course, that's the whole problem, but for the last three hour I haven't even thought of that. I'm sure that they don't come any worse than me."

"Can, relax. You are just getting the hang of it and besides you can't tell me that every person that has been graced with the responsibility has gotten this down within the first 24 hours," he assures her with a kiss on the cheek.

She gives him a weak smile and grabs a diaper from the package sitting on the floor. Trying to keep Ashley from wiggling around while she puts the new clean diaper on the little bum Canley mentally shakes her head. What kind of mother figure forgets to check the diaper?!

"Canley, I know what you are thinking. Stop beating yourself up about it and focus on the fact that Ashley's lungs will be very developed now."

She cranks a smile and steals a glance at the best friend that has turned into much more of the course of a weekend. I guess dreams really can come true, it just took about eight or so years for it to happen. "She's asleep." She points out her mind coming back from teenage Cullen and Canley Dallas land.

He smiles, "See you aren't horrible at it."

Placing Ashley in her crib Canley can't help but help feeling like an accomplishment had been met. She smiles at Cullen and allows him to pulls her too him. He kisses the top of her head sending fireworks to the tips of her toes and making a smile break out on her lips. He moves back the slightest bit and moves his hands to cup the sides of her face. More fireworks erupt and her heart beat speeds up until she if afraid it will pop right out of her chest. Her heart stops all together as his gaze shifts to her lips then back to her eyes. Feeling as though she could melt into his arms and never leave them she stands on her tiptoes and meets his descending lips.

Her heart skips a beat before beating rapidly as the kiss becomes more intense. The touch of his fingers in her hair cause a tingling sensation to take place on her scalp and as they pull away for a breath her lips tingle and feel as though they are going to take flight and fly away. She smiles at him and stands on tip toes to peck his lips.

Cullen smiles back at her and hugs her tight, "I have waited too long to be able to do that."

The passionate gaze they hold is broken by the sound of Ashley's wails once again. They both groan and head to retrieve her.