STORY: Adjustments, part 11 of ? (It's a long one LOL) FANDOM: Remember WENN AUTHOR: Michele Savage (1998) RATING: NC-17, M/F, hurt/comfort SUMMARY: After Hilary is brutally attacked and left for dead, she and Jeff have some healing to do. SETTING: 1942, Pittsburgh FEEDBACK: Would be muchly appreciated. :-) ARCHIVE: Hetsketeers. (anywhere else, let me know before archiving please.), Sockii, this can be archived at Rest Is Silence too. :-) DISCLAIMER: Remember WENN and its characters are copyright Rupert Holmes, Howard Meltzer and AMC. No infringement is intended. The story is mine as are any original characters. Not long after Scott left a nurse came to take the baby back to the nursery. Jeff hesitantly handed her over. "You'll get plenty of time with this little one, daddy." The nurse reminded him. Jeff walked to the middle of the room almost following the woman out, "I know, it's just--" "Jeffrey." Hilary chided with a giggle. She reached her left hand to him when he turned to her. "Come here, pumpkin." As Jeff walked to her, Hilary lay back and groaned a little as her body sharply reminded her she'd just had a baby. "Are you all right darling?" He asked as he again sat on the edge of the bed on her left. She lay her arm across his lap, "I'm rather sore." She smiled, "but it's a good pain, not like--well, not like the last time I was here." She laughed lightly, "I can bear this pain knowing that it's because our daughter survived and is here with us now." Jeff leaned forward and kissed her gently on the cheek. He drifted a hand through her hair. "She's a remarkably cute kid," he said with a smug grin. "Of course she is." Hilary laughed tiredly, "With the two of us as parent's how could she not be?" "You have a very good point my dearest." He replied with a widening grin. "Why don't you sleep, sweetheart," Jeff suggested after he noticed she was fighting the urge to rest. "I'll sit here with you." She agreed and closed her eyes to the feel of Jeff lightly stroking her arm. The day after she had Anjeanette, Hilary waited until Jeff had gone to work and then set out to calling every newspaper gossip columnist she could think of. She wanted to finally and completely erase all doubts as to the father of the baby now that she had the indisputable proof. Hedda Hopper was the first person she called. She explained in no uncertain terms that she wanted a birth announcement printed in her column and an apology for the retraction she promised, but never printed. Hilary warned that if she didn't see an apology in her column within the week she would contact an attorney and sue for slander. She then called the Pittsburgh Sun and asked if they would also run an announcement. They promptly agreed to run it in that evening's edition. She called WENN and asked Scott if he would read an announcement that she had written specifically for them. She also told him not to tell Jeff that she'd called and not to read the announcement until Jeff had come back to the hospital. She wanted to be with him when he heard it. Scott agreed Hilary read him the notice. Early that evening as Jeff sat with her listening to the radio, Mackie read her statement, I want to lead off my news tonight with a very special announcement. Two of my dearest friends became three yesterday. Hilary Booth and Jeff Singer became the proud parents of Anjeanette Rose Singer yesterday afternoon. This morning, Hilary requested that we read this note. "I want to thank those of you who did not believe the idle gossip and rumors surrounding the timing of my attack in March and the baby. For those of you who did believe, I want to remind you that yesterday was October 17th. Anjeanette was not early. I hope this clears up any confusion." With that said, I want to pass along my personal congratulations. As Mackie continued with the rest of his news, Jeff turned the volume of the radio down. "Scoot over," he said as he lay down next to her. He enveloped her into his arms, settling her against his side. "Thank you, Mittens." "I also called every newspaper I could think of. She's your baby Jeffrey and I want the world to realize that." Hilary told him softly. "You didn't have to do that darling." "I wanted to." "Knock, knock." They looked to the door and saw a nurse walking toward the bed carrying a whimpering Anjeanette. Jeff quickly stood as the older woman gave him an un-amused 'get out of that bed' glare. He smiled sheepishly at her as she turned her attention to Hilary. "Someone here would like to be fed." She said as she started to hand the baby to her mother. "I thought you would like to feed her." "The other arm, please. I can't--" Hilary reminded as the nurse started to hand her the baby to the right side. "Oh yes, I'm sorry I'd forgotten." She walked to the other side of the bed. When she stopped next to him Jeff offered, "I can take her." The woman looked sharply down her nose at him, "Yes I'm sure you could," she replied quite snootily, then leaned and gave the baby to Hilary. She then handed her the bottle and told them she'd return in a half an hour for the baby. When she left the room, Jeff sat back on the bed with a chuckle, "It's good to know that Nurse Brumpton has relatives." Hilary chuckled, "Yes, lovely woman isn't she." She started to give the baby her bottle, then looked at Jeff. "Here, would you like to feed her?" "I'd love to." Jeff lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "Just don't let Brunhilda see me touching the baby." With a laugh, Hilary carefully handed Anjeanette to Jeff. When she started to hand him the bottle, her arm tightened. She flinched, "Ow." "You okay?" Jeff asked as he took the bottle. "Yes. I guess I've overdone the use of my arm." She lay back in frustration, "Jeffrey how am I going to be able to take care of her if I can barely use my right arm?" "Your arm is getting much more limber, darling." he assured her, "give it time." "Time? It's been seven months." she complained, "I'm afraid that I've gotten it as far as it will go." She lifted it up near her shoulder as proof. The baby let out a squeal of complaint as Jeff took the bottle from her mouth to let her catch her breath. "Sorry Angel," Jeff cooed softly, "but sometimes you have to breathe between courses. Your mother is always telling me that." "Jeffrey, you inhale your food." Hilary reminded. "I cook it, darling. I can eat it however I want." he retorted. Jeff gave the baby back the bottle and she drank eagerly. Hilary watched with a smile as Jeff fed their daughter. She truly hoped that the birth announcements that would appear in the next couple days would dispel any rumors. As she watched the scene, Hilary concentrated on Jeff. With a start she realized that they had not made love since the night before she'd been assau--no. If she wanted to get past it, she had to admit it. She was raped by a man she never saw. Hilary took a deep breath and wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. Having internally admitted what had happened to her had lifted a weight from her shoulders she didn't know she was carrying. For the first time, since the whole nightmare began, Hilary realized that she would be okay. They would be okay. She reached her arm over and lay a hand on her husband's leg. He looked at her and smiled. After taking the now empty bottle away from the baby, he leaned and handed the now contented infant back to Hilary. Once she'd burped the baby and began to settle her into the crook of her left arm, Jeff suggested, "Darling, I have an idea. While you're right in that you probably have stretched the muscle as far as it will go, maybe it's time to start adding more weight than just the ones Dr. Jamison provided." When she gave him a confused look, he continued, "Try holding Anjeanette with your right arm. I'll use my arm as support." "All right." Hilary agreed. She handed the baby back to Jeff who turned her so he could lay her head against Hilary's right arm. "Find a comfortable level." he told her. "Okay." He carefully lay the baby in her arm, "How does that feel?" "Wonderful." she replied, "but she's getting heavy." Jeff leaned forward and lay his arm beneath hers, then curled his hand around her shoulder as a brace. "There, now rest your arm on mine. Let mine take the weight. Take it slow." Anjeanette stretched broadly, then yawned. She opened her eyes briefly, sighed and then drifted off to sleep. Hilary laughed lightly and looked at Jeff, whose face was inches from hers and watching her intently. "Thank you, pumpkin." she whispered softly. He reached his free hand around her head and pulled her lips to his, kissing her passionately. "Hey, hey, hey!" They both jumped slightly at the sharp disapproving voice behind them. Hilary rolled her eyes and grinned as the nurse walked to the bed and glared. They separated, Jeff still supporting her arm, and gave the gray haired woman expectant stares. "Yes mother?" Jeff deadpanned. She clucked disapprovingly at him and waved him away. She carefully took the sleeping baby, "Such behavior in front of a child." she reprimanded sharply. "Shouldn't you be getting on home?" She told Jeff. "My home is where my family is." he retorted. He noticed a slight softening in the woman's features and added nicely, "But I should be leaving. I do have an early show to do in the morning." The woman smiled, bid them goodnight and left the room with the baby. "Boy, you could charm a snake Jeffrey Singer." Hilary teased having noticed the way the woman responded. "Of course I can." he leaned and met Hilary's lips, "I charmed you didn't I?" She smacked him lightly on the shoulder, but returned his kiss happily. After a moment she leaned back, "So go home. I do want to try to get a good night's sleep." to be continued . . . Biz Bizarra@infinet.com