This is just kinda a random thought I had while writing down recipes in foods class. Tell me what you think of it, constructive criticism is always welcome!

A baby's cries interrupts a young man's sleep. He rolls over and grabs his cell phone off his night stand and checks the time. The digital clock on the device reads three twenty four. He lets his arm fall over the edge of the bed as turns his face into the soft pillow, trying to will the baby to stop crying and give him some sleep. But, as always, the baby's crying continues to echo through his city apartment. Setting his phone back on the night stand he pushes himself up off the bed and in to a sitting position. He rubs his face and runs his hands through his light blonde hair. Grabbing his t-shirt off of the floor, he stands up and exits the room. Pulling the shirt on he enters the small room where the crying comes from. He gently picks up the small child and rocks it in his arms slowly as he leaves the room and enters the hallway. Walking into the living room, he sits down in the large armchair that rests beside the television. He grabs one of the bottles that sits in an automatic heater off of the coffee table and offers it to the infant. The baby denies the warm bottle of milk and continues to cry. The man lets out a long sigh. He couldn't think of anything he could do. The baby wasn't hungry and it didn't need to be changed, so what could have him upset?

He looked at the clock that sat on top of the television mantle. Three thirty eight. Getting up abruptly, he walks back down the hallway and into his bedroom where he grabs the phone off the nightstand. He dials the number of the only person he knows would be up right now.

"Hello?" A young woman's voice answered.

"Hey, Tia? Are you busy right now?" Replied the young man.

"Chris? What's wrong? Why are you up at this hour?" The woman named Tia asked.

"It's Neil, he won't stop crying and I can't think of anything and I'm tired, and I'm frustrated and I don't know what to do," Chris answered.

There was a long pause before Tia replied.

"Alright, I'll be there in a bit, just hang tough until I get there. Put him in his crib and just let him cry. Listen to some music or something until I get there, okay?"

"Okay."

A quiet knock came from the door of the apartment not fifteen minutes from when he hung up the phone. Chris quickly got up off the couch and opened the door. Standing at the door was a tall and slender young woman that had waist length black blonde hair that was pulled back into a braid. Square glasses sat on the bridge of her nose, behind the glasses shone two emerald eyes. She wore black jeans that were held up by a black belt with blue studs, and a light blue tank top that showed off some cleavage. A small dark red purse hung from her bare shoulder. She looked up at the tall muscular man in front of her.

"Are we going to stand here looking at each other all morning, or are you going to invite me in so I can help you with your crying baby?" Tia asked.

"Oh right, come in, come in," Chris opened the door wider and stood to the side to let his friend in.

Tia walked into the large dark apartment and dropped her purse on the kitchen table on her way past it to the black hallway that lead to Neil's room. She opened the door to find a small, moon lit room that held a crib, changing table, dresser, and a shelf that sported books and toys. A few stuffed animals rested in the crib with the still crying infant. Walking gracefully over to the crib she gently picked up the small child and cradled it in her long lean arms. She re-entered the living room and sat down on the sofa, cooing and shushing the baby.

"How fresh is that milk?" Tia asked the moonlit apartment.

"I don't know, I can't remember," A tired voice answered.

"Can you make a fresh bottle of milk please?" She quietly asked, turning to find Chris standing right behind the couch.

"Yeah," He said, turning.

Tia continued to try and quiet the infant until Chris returned with a fresh warm bottle of milk. Tia took it and offered it to the baby. The child refused at first, but eventually took the offered bottle. A long silence hung in the apartment, the only sounds coming from the street below. No matter day or night there were always vehicles driving somewhere in the city. Sirens could be heard in the distance and the flashing lights of a plane could be seen outside the balcony window. It was a strange comfort to listen to the sounds of the city, and know that you weren't the only one awake.

"He needs his mother," A soft and quiet voice broke the silence.

"Well in case you forgot, his mother is dead," Chris spat, walking around the sofa and sitting in the arm chair.

More silence. Tia looked over at her long-time friend. They had known each other since they were three, brought together by their parents who worked together. Never once had one gone through a big event in their life without the other. While they had been in school the girls would swoon over him and try to get him to like them. Unfortunately, if a girl wanted to go out with Chris Hatsworth, they would have to make friends with Tianna Loterson, something that was extremely hard to do. Chris was the one who came up with the rule and enjoyed it due to the fact that he had no interests in dating. Tia had a few boyfriends here and there, but they never got too serious.

She looked him up and down, taking in every detail. He had dark bags under his blue eyes, and he looked as if he hadn't shaved in a while. His normally light blond hair that would be wild and stick up in the back with the assistance of hair gel was greasy and had no life in it. The large muscles that normally pressed against his t-shirt no longer pressed so tightly and there were stains on his clothing. He looked like a shell of the person he once was before he found out he was a father. It had happened just over a month ago when Chris got a phone call from a hospital in another city saying that they had his child. He was sure they made a mistake, but they said they were sure. He immediately phoned Tia and told her. She was against going, saying that he couldn't take care of a child, but he made arrangements and caught a plane that night. A woman was brought to the hospital in fatal condition from an accident and she died in the hospital. Her last words were to give the baby to its father because she knew he was still alive. The DNA results confirmed that Neil was Chris's son, so instead of giving him up for adoption he returned home and decided to raise the kid on his own. Until he realized that he knew absolutely nothing about child care. Tia helped him learn the ropes of taking care of the kid, although she was still against him having the kid.

"Go to sleep, I'll look after Neil,"

"What?" Chris asked looking up from his hands.

"You look like crap, so go to sleep. Wake up after you've had a good night's sleep, take a shower and have a shave. Put on some clean clothes and you and I will go do something tomorrow. I'll get Jessica to look after Neil the few hours that we're gone," Tia bluntly stated.

Chris looked at her and sighed. He knew there was no arguing with her and her stubborn personality. He got up and walked to his room. He stripped down to his boxers and climbed under his covers. Not to his surprise, he fell asleep quickly into a deep sleep.

Chris woke up feeling a lot better than he had in a long time. He sat up and walked to his dresser and picked up his watch to check the time. Seven after one the hands read. Opening the drawers, he grabbed a full, fresh change of clothes and walked across the hall to the bathroom. Setting the clothes on the counter, he ran the water and waited for the water to heat up before entering the warm shower. When Chris came out of the bathroom he realized how silent his apartment really was. Becoming concerned he cautiously walked down the hallway that led to the rest of the apartment. When he got to Neil's room he glanced inside. Neil was sleeping quietly in his crib, and nothing else seemed amiss in his room. Chris glanced down the hallway into the living room. The sofa was directly down from the hallway, and hanging off of the side was a black braid. Chris walked up to the sofa and looked down on Tia, who was curled up on the furniture. He smiled at how cute and vulnerable she looked curled up and sleeping peacefully on the sofa. He turned around and walked back down the hallway to the end where a linen closet stood. He opened the door and grabbed a blanket out. Returning to the sofa, he laid the blanket down on his friend. She stirred only slightly before relaxing again. A knock came at his door and made him jump. As far as he knew, he wasn't expecting anyone.