Georgie Cunningham

Sous Chef || 27 years-old || Bisexual I work at Lantern's Lounge and I write a bit on the side. You may have heard of G.G. Spencer. My writing is generally inspired by some fun I happen to find around with various people. I just like to enjoy myself. (This is a roleplay blog and has no official affiliation with Scarlett Johansson. Pictures and gifs aren't mine unless otherwise noted)

[georgie-cunningham]

Be Mine? || Brandon & Georgie

[brandon-rivers]

"Babe, you ain’t got nothin’ to be sorry for. This ain’t your fault.. you’re a great mother and the best fiancee I could ask for. I love you - I’m just worried as hell about you. You ain’t been yourself lately, not since Ellie was born. It’s okay, you just gotta talk to me, babe. Tell me what’s goin’ on, why you think you’re so horrible. ‘Cause you ain’t, baby.. you ain’t,” Brandon said, resting his hand on her upper arm. 

Carefully, he moved from his chair to sit at the edge of her bed. Leaning down, he placed a kiss on her forehead, then her lips. “I love you Georgie. I’m always gonna love you. You freed me, helped me be a man to be proud of, gave me a beautiful, perfect daughter. I ain’t goin’ anywhere..”

He wasn’t given too much time to talk. The psychiatrist knocked on the door a few minutes later and requested Brandon to wait in the waiting room. After pressing one last kiss to Georgie’s lips, he left and sat in the chair outside, fighting to stay awake as exhaustion piled on him.

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie didn't know what to say. If she put words to it, she knew she'd feel even worse. She couldn't even do this right. She couldn't be the person that Brandon saw. She cursed the bandages on her hands because all she wanted to do was reach for him as he walked away at the psychiatrist's request.

The woman sat down and went through the basics of post-partum depression. Things Georgie had already known but didn't want to think about. Apparently that was common, as well. The woman went through some tentative treatment options, starting with outpatient therapy and some medication after Georgie had the chance to wean Ellie onto formula. Georgie nodded, only half-listening. Half of her mind was still occupied with the failure that had been her evening.

"Do you want me to bring your husband back in and talk to him about this?" Georgie quietly nodded again, not bothering to correct the woman. She moved over in the bed, making room for Brandon as he returned, and, as he sat on the bed next to her, she curled into his side like a child as the psychiatrist explained to him what was going on with Georgie.

[georgie-cunningham]

Be Mine? || Brandon & Georgie

[brandon-rivers]

Brandon deflated as Georgie ran from the bed. He hadn’t meant to blame her or make her feel like anything was her fault - all he’d wanted to do was help. Immediately, he got up as well and walked to the door, knocking over and over.

"Babe, let me in. C’mon, talk to me, Georgie. Talk to me. I love you… y’know that? I love you. I just want you to talk to me… please," Brandon said, repeating himself over and over. He kept knocking on the door, trying to get her attention. "Babe, I will knock down this door…"

He’d barely gotten the warning out before heard her screams and broken glass. “GEORGIE! OPEN THE DOOR!” he yelled, shouldering the door hard. It splintered from the force. He slammed his full weight into the door a couple of more times before it finally gave way, What he saw next was horrifying. She’d destroyed the mirror with her own hands. Blood was everywhere - on the sink, the floor, all over her arms.

What happened next blurred quickly. He ran back to their room, grabbing a handful of his clean shirts to tie around her arm and wrap her hands with. He put one on her and the last one him before he ran back into the room to throw on a pair of sweatpants and get her a pair as well. Once she was clothed, he picked her up and carried her out, ignoring her screams.

He was going to get her the help she desperately needed. Once he got her to the ER, it was a waiting game. He stayed in the waiting room while they cleaned up her hand and arms, anxious as hell and wanting to be back there with her. A little over an hour later, he was finally allowed back in her room. Exhausted, he slumped in the chair behind her bed, looking over at her.

"You gotta tell me what’s goin’ on, babe…"

[georgie-cunningham]

Even as Brandon ran to get clean shirts, she clawed at the face in the mirror, screaming for the woman staring back to leave. She fought as he tied the shirts around her hands, but as soon as he'd picked her up to take her out to the car, she broke in his arms, curling against his shirt.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed into his shirt, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry...." She repeated it over and over, wanting to hide forever in the safety of his arms and forget the rest of the world existed. She felt sick, everywhere inside and out, and as they took her into the ER to get cleaned up, and away from Brandon, her whole body started shaking, wanting to just get back to him, back to his arms, to tell her how sorry she was.

After what felt like ages, she was cleaned up, bandaged up, and numb everywhere. She sat quietly in the chair, barely even managing a nod as the doctor informed her they were sending down a psych consult to talk to her. She looked down at her shaking and bandaged hands, even as Brandon came back into the room. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "This is all my fault...." She paused for a few more minutes, not knowing what else to say before everything that was curling like a dark cloud around her heart spilled out of her mouth, "Please don't leave me.... I- I'm a horrible mother and a- a horrible partner, but I can't do this without you... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

[georgie-cunningham]

Be Mine? || Brandon & Georgie

[brandon-rivers]

"Georgie, c’mon, babe. Don’t be like this. I’m sorry - I’m really, really sorry. You gotta know I ain’t used to this Leave it to Beaver life we got goin’ on right now. I ain’t used to any of this shit and I’m sorry. There ain’t no need to feel sorry, alright?" Brandon said, sighing. 

He had no idea what was going with Georgie. Most days, she was fine. But there’d been a few evenings where he’d come home to a screaming Ellie as Georgie cried in the rocking chair by her crib. They’d had sex three times in the six months that Ellie had been born, each time feeling like he was using her as a live masturbator. And there were some days where she barely had energy at all.

"Babe, y’know, maybe we oughta see a doc, figure out what’s goin’ on. Make sure you’re still doin’ okay after the baby. You ain’t been totally like yourself in a long time. I’m worried about you." Brandon knew he probably should’ve waited to talk about that until a few days later. Mentioning it now was as if he was trying to get off the hook, blame it all on her even if that was the last thing he was trying to do.

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie paused, biting her lip as the hot tears flowed down her face, soaking into her pillow. He was right. This was all her fault. She was trying to turn him into something he wasn't. She couldn't care for her daughter properly, couldn't care for the man she loved properly, couldn't even handle a stupid rejection over a stupid holiday properly.

She scrambled out of the bed, tears blurring her vision as she stumbled to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. She was right about one thing. She was a failure. She was a failure as a mother, as a girlfriend, a fiancee, and if this went further, she'd surely be a failure as a wife. She was no better than her mother. She heard Brandon's muffled voice on the other side of the door, but she couldn't understand him over the pounding in her ears.

She looked into the mirror as a red, splotchy face looked back. Pale skin, dark circles under her eyes, and an empty expression. It sickened her. She let out a brokenhearted scream and slammed her hands into the mirror over and over until the mirror cracked and broke. She barely felt the jagged edges as they cut into her skin. Barely felt the warm droplets of blood make their way down her hands, dripping off of her elbows. She just kept hitting the broken mirror, open-palmed, screaming until the reflection went away.

[waltz-of-spring]

[georgie-cunningham]

Be Mine? || Brandon & Georgie

[brandon-rivers]

Bad as it was to think, Brandon had hoped Georgie was asleep. He was tired and sore - the last thing he wanted to do with a night without a crying baby was stay up fighting. But then, Georgie didn’t seem all too interested in fighting either - instead of anger, she broke down into tears beside him.

Brandon sighed, wondering how in the hell he’d make up for this one. He turned on his side, resting his hand on Georgie’s hip. “Baby, I’m sorry,” he said again, wishing he was more articulate. Everything he thought about saying in his mind seemed like a horrible idea to actuallysay. 

"Babe, I forgot. I know this day means a lot to you… I’m sorry. I ain’t ever done Valentine stuff before. I forget it just like I forget my own damn birthday. It’s just another day. But we love each other, right? We can make it good tomorrow, especially since we’ll both have a day off…" he said, his voice trailing.

Of course, February 15th wasn’t the official day - no way it could be the same for Georgie. But he hoped his attempt to try and make it work would be enough.

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie sniffed and tensed as he put his hand on her hip. She wanted to turn around and bury her head in his chest and believe him when he said it'd be alright and they'd make it up, but there was no way she could go two nights without Ellie and she was just so tired of feeling so tired with everything. She knew she was pulling away from Brandon. From Ellie. And she knew the signs. And she didn't want to put a name to it. To any of it. And seeking help over it would just put a label on it.

"Just forget it..." she mumbled, sniffing into her pillow, "I just feel stupid." That was the simplest way of putting it, but she deserved to feel like an idiot over all of this. She didn't know why, but she hated that she'd gotten so excited over a stupid holiday that Brandon didn't even care about, anyway.

"I made a stupid dinner with all your favorites and I got you a stupid present and a stupid fucking card. And I found a sitter for the girls even though I was a stupid mess when I dropped them off at Alex's. And I bought stupid underwear and a stupid fucking dress and I just feel stupid right now, okay? So let's just.... forget about this stupid fucking holiday." All of her excitement about the day drained away and she just felt empty and cold. No one should love something so empty and cold. She wouldn't. She didn't. 

[georgie-cunningham]

Be Mine? || Brandon & Georgie

[brandon-rivers]

Brandon had meant to ask for an early day from John. He and Georgie had discussed having dinner at home for their Valentine’s Day, but not long after the conversation he’d forgotten altogether. Valentine’s Day just wasn’t a big deal to him - he’d gone his whole life never celebrating it, never thinking about it, and simply had forgotten the whole thing altogether.

His day had been long and rough. Most of his day was actually spent in the shop, rebuilding a blown engine. He’d been hunched over in the same position for hours, lost in his work altogether as he worked. But then, around three o’clock, John came to get him, saying that a customer had put in a big order that had to be filled immediately.

Brandon sighed but got up all the same, stretching as he finally stood up. He knew he’d be late but that wasn’t all uncommon for him these days. He’d still be home by six, which was only an hour or so after Georgie got home anyway - he didn’t think to call her and tell her as a result.

Once in the warehouse, however, he was told exactly how big the order was. The client wanted all of their guns assembled and ready for immediate use. With himself and only two other guys available to work, the process took much longer than the couple of hours he’d anticipated. Though he kept telling himself he needed to call Georgie, let her know how late he would be, he forgot about it altogether.

Finally, a little before ten o’clock, they had everything assembled and loaded, ready for transport. Brandon was let off the hook for the transport since he’d been shifted to work at the shop that day as well. By eleven o’clock, once everything was over, he finally made it home.

The first thing he noticed was the food still on the table. And then it hit him - he’d forgotten about it completely. He sighed to himself, knowing Georgie wasn’t about to let him off the hook for this one. After slipping off his shoes, he went to their daughter’s room first, realizing she was gone. He felt a brief panic about her absence but forced himself to relax, knowing Georgie must’ve gotten a sitter for the occasion that didn’t happen. She would’ve called him if anything had happened.

Slowly, he walked to their room, half-expecting Georgie to be awake and ready to kill him. Instead, she was asleep, clothes and lingerie tossed around on the floor. The sight of the lacey undergarments made Brandon sigh again - their sex life still hadn’t recovered from the baby, and he probably missed his shot for February. 

Instead of climbing in bed, he headed to the bathroom, knowing he had to smell like shit. He was covered in grease, oil, residual gasoline and grime in general - the cost of working at an automotive shop. He scrubbed himself clean, not idling in the shower, then got out and dried himself off. Clean and dry, he fished for a pair of clean boxers and got in the bed with Georgie. 

"I’m sorry," he said out loud as he stared up at the ceiling, unsure if Georgie could even hear him or not. 

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie woke groggily as she heard the shower kick on. She blinked the sleep from her eyes enough to see it wasn't long after she'd gone to bed. She stared at the bathroom door for a few minutes, wishing she could be angry, livid at the man inside. She wanted to storm in there and smack him and scream, but she couldn't find the energy. She just felt sad. And hurt. Most of all, she was embarrassed that she'd gotten her hopes up so much over it all.

As soon as the shower shut off, Georgie curled back up, half-hiding her face under the blanket. She just wanted to pretend she was asleep until she actually went to sleep again, so she could wake up tomorrow and pretend this whole day just didn't happen.

When he spoke, Georgie told herself over and over to hold it together. She even bit down on her fist to stop herself from doing anything as fresh, hot tears slid down her cheeks silently. Just pretend you're asleep. You're still asleep. But she couldn't stop the choked sob that bubbled up from her chest, betraying her plan. She curled further in on herself, and away from Brandon, hoping he hadn't heard her, but knowing differently.

[georgie-cunningham]

Be Mine? || Brandon & Georgie

Georgie was excited for her first Valentine's day with Brandon. He was supposed to be home at 4, like usual, so Georgie had taken the day off and gotten everything ready to surprise him. Alex and his boyfriend had graciously offered to watch Ellie and Sugar for the night so that she and Brandon could have the night to themselves for the first time since their little girl was born. She'd dropped Ellie off around noon with explicit instructions on her care, and a list of emergency numbers, just in case. Alex had to practically shoo the nervous, protective mother out the door so he could spend an evening spoiling his goddaughter. 

As soon as Georgie got home, she started getting dinner ready. A huge, generous four course meal with all of Brandon's favorite foods was prepared, the main dish being a filet mignon dish cooked just like the one she'd served him the day they met. She dressed in a flattering, sexy dress and heels, with a special set of lingerie bought just for the occasion underneath.

Unfortunately, 4 o'clock came and went. So did 5, 6, and 7. Georgie had given up texting him after the fourth text, figuring he had been busy with work, hoping he hadn't been injured, but also praying he hadn't forgotten the holiday. By ten o'clock, she'd called all the hospitals in the area, just to make sure he hadn't been brought in and her head was finally wrapping around the fact that he'd forgotten Valentine's Day. She bit her lip and stood up, leaving the covered food sitting out on the table. She didn't have the energy to clean it up at the moment. Brandon's card and a handsome, engraved pocket knife, the gift she'd gotten him, were still sitting on his empty plate and Georgie sniffed, heading back to their room.

She shed her dress and the lingerie and left them on the floor next to the door and changed into a long tee shirt before washing the perfectly applied makeup off her face and curling up in bed. She tried not to cry. She tried so hard, but by the time she'd fallen asleep, her face was red and splotchy and there was a large wet spot on her pillow.

[georgie-cunningham]

Merry Christmas || Georgie & Brandon

[brandon-rivers]

Brandon toweled himself off quickly and hung the towel on the door beside Georgie’s. He lingered in the bathroom only for a moment longer to turn off the lights, then came back to their bedroom. He smiled at Georgie, heading to their dresser to pull out a pair of boxers for himself. Once on, he climbed in on his side of the bed and wrapped his arms around her.

"Get some sleep, babe," he murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. He wasn’t so sure he could handle pillow talk with Georgie’s bare ass pressed up against him. It’d been a while since they’d had sex of any kind and Brandon was trying so hard to be good.

"I love you," he told her, lacing his fingers with hers as they laid together. He was tired too. Long days at the warehouse kept him in constant motion. Assembling guns, loading them up. His arms, shoulders, and back certainly benefitted from all of the activity - it was a guaranteed daily workout. But it did leave him exhausted too, especially when his boss wanted him to work as a mechanic that day as well.

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie frowned and turned around in his arms, circling his arms around his neck and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. "You sure? I mean... I know we don't get a whole lot of alone time lately..." She hoped that having a family wouldn't impact their sex life like this, but in reality, they were both quite tired all the time. Brandon from work, and Georgie from both work and Ellie. 

"I love you, too," she said against his lips, squeezing his hand gently, her words partially cut off by a yawn. And it wasn't long before she was drifting off to sleep in her fiancee's arms. 

A few hours later, the sound of crying woke Georgie from her sweet slumber. She felt Brandon stirring next to her but she shushed him. She knew that cry. Ellie was just hungry. "Go back to sleep, love," she whispered, climbing out of the bed and feeding Ellie. After the little girl drank her full and drifted off back to sleep, Georgie was a little more awake and could use to burn off some energy before she went back to bed. She climbed back into the bed and straddled Brandon's lap, slowly waking him with a kiss.

[georgie-cunningham]

Merry Christmas || Georgie & Brandon

[brandon-rivers]

Brandon sighed softly when Georgie said she didn’t have the energy, but offered her a small smile and a soft kiss. “It’s okay, babe… I understand. I ain’t mad and you’re the last person I’d ever kill, no matter what.” He let his hands fall as she handed him his shampoo and quickly lathered his short hair up.

He hummed appreciatively as her hands began to work across his body, lathering up every part and washing him clean. He grabbed her shampoo and lathered up her hair himself as he worked on his chest, then her conditioner. His hands got soapy once more as he finished washing her as she’d washed him, and then they both met under the spray, letting their day leave their bodies and circle the drain.

Brandon kept his arms around Georgie as she stepped forward for a hug and rested his head on top of hers, breathing in the smell of her freshly-used shampoo. He didn’t make a motion to move until the water started to cool - then, he stepped forward and turned it off and braved the cold outside of the shower to hand Georgie her towel. 

[georgie-cunningham]

"I love you," she murmured at his understanding, gladly letting him shampoo, then condition her hair. As they stood under the water, rinsing off, she leaned against him tiredly. She loved Ellie so much, but it was definitely more energy looking after her than it was running a restaurant. Alex had offered to take her for a night, to give the new parents a break, but Georgie wasn't quite ready to part with Ellie for a whole night yet. She had trouble parting with their little girl for more than an hour to do things like cook or clean.

She toweled her hair dry and then wrapped it around her body, stepping out of the shower after Brandon. She ran a comb quickly through her wet curls before shedding the towel altogether, hanging it up on the doorknob to dry as she climbed into bed and adjusted the baby monitor in case Ellie woke up.

She stretched under the blanket before reaching her hand out to Brandon, "C'mere," she hummed, missing the warmth of his body against hers already.

[georgie-cunningham]

Merry Christmas || Georgie & Brandon

[brandon-rivers]

Brandon groaned, licking his lips and smiling as Georgie’s mouth busied itself with his neck. He grinned as he finally sat her down, pressing a finally kiss to her lips before reaching over to turn on the shower and begin to peel off his own clothes. “Love you too…”

Once they were finally undressed, he took Georgie’s hand and stepped into the shower, steadying her as she stepped in as well. It was habit - he’d been oh-so-careful with her while she was pregnant, making sure she was treated as delicately as porcelain. Even now that she wasn’t pregnant, he’d still continued to hold her and treat her as if she still was, still scared of her hurting herself even without their baby.

When the warm water hit his skin, he relaxed and sighed softly, smile crossing his lips as he looked down at her. “I’ve missed this,” he murmured, resting his forehead against hers. Since the baby was born, neither of them had much time to themselves, let alone with each other. Not that Ellie was a burden - far from it. But he did miss the moments alone with Georgie, when the two of them could be together without having to worry to keep it down.

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie grinned as he leaned down to put his forehead against hers. Her arms went around his shoulders as she enjoyed his closeness. She loved these moments. These little quiet moments between taking care of Ellie that they could just enjoy each other. Her fingers trailed behind his strong shoulders and she leaned up for another kiss.

Things started to go a little further as their hands roamed each other, but Georgie paused, putting her hands on his wrists for a moment. "God... don't kill me for this, but I don't know if I've got the energy for multiple rounds tonight. I love our little girl, but she's definitely taking a lot of energy..." she turned over one of his hands and kissed his palm lightly, "And I really want this to happen in a bed where I can appreciate you properly...." She gave him another firm kiss before handing him his shampoo, since she couldn't really reach his head without him bending down awkwardly. She did, however, start lathering up a washcloth so she could take care of washing his back, shoulders, chest, and every other part of her fiancee that she very much appreciated.

After he was all rinsed off, before Georgie washed off herself, she stepped forward and just hugged him, her arms around his middle and her head on his chest. She was just enjoying him and her and this silent, warm moment. 

[georgie-cunningham]

Merry Christmas || Georgie & Brandon

[brandon-rivers]

Brandon wished he’d had a little more time with his daughter - the longer hours he’d been working hadn’t given him a lot of time at home. However, he knew that she’d be up again in just a few hours and he’d gladly take care of her then.

By the time he’d finished eating, Georgie re-emerged from the nursery and made a bee-line for him, curling into him on the chair. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close, sighing contently at the kisses she’d pressed along his neck. They’d had to be careful after Ellie was born - no sex for a while as Georgie was healing. It might’ve killed both of them if neither were as good with their mouths as they were.

But they’d had to force themselves to make time for each other. Ellie kept them both incredibly busy and he’d picked a bad time to work some extra hours. Even with the limited time he’d had with Georgie lately, he’d never loved her more. She was still glowing and radiant, still had a smile that made him weak in the knees, and was still as sweet and gentle as ever, even when exhaustion threatened to make her cranky. He still had to pinch himself sometimes to remind him that she was his and he was hers and they’d made a beautiful baby together.

"I know I will, babe," he replied, carefully pulling back so he could tilt her head up. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, smiling down at her. "I know I did good this year…"

Slowly, his thumb brushed across her cheek as he held her steady. “Y’know, I could use a shower. You wanna join me?”

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie hummed against his lips. There was a time when they could hardly go a few hours without their hands all over each other, and, though they had less time for that now, between work and Ellie, her need for him never once waned. She loved him just as much as ever, needed him just as much as ever. "Yes please," she replied to his offer of a shower.

Just a few months ago, he'd still been healing from his gunshot wounds and she'd been a large, pregnant marine mammal of some sort, but now he was stronger than ever, and she'd gotten rid of (most of) the baby weight. She didn't even bother to get up as she felt him start to stand anyway. She locked her arms around his shoulders and her legs went around his waist as he stood, carrying her to their bathroom.

As he walked them into the room, she busied herself with licking and nipping the pulse point on his neck. She knew it drove him crazy and she liked feeling the rumble in his chest as he reacted to her. "Love you..." she murmured in between kisses, finally untangling herself from him so she could peel off her clothes for the shower.

[georgie-cunningham]

Merry Christmas || Georgie & Brandon

[brandon-rivers]

"Still, I don’t like to miss," Brandon said, sighing softly. He knew missing one appointment didn’t make him a bad father, but he was terrified of being like his own old man was. He always happily volunteered to burp Ellie or change her diaper, never viewing his daughter as a burden for one second. "But she’s still growin’ fine, all that?"

He knew the answer, he saw it with his eyes every day. She /was/ growing, and she was alert and mostly happy (except for those few moments she was stuck with a messy diaper or was hungry). Eleanor was certainly well loved and had a face full of kisses from him and Georgie. Somewhere, Ronnie Rivers would be rolling over in his grave if he saw his only son on diaper patrol. That fact only made Brandon happier.

Ellie had certainly inherited Brandon’s appetite - she was an easy eater and took her bottles very easily. He watched in wonder as she ate, smiling down at her as her big blue eyes looked back up at him. He was almost disappointed when she did finish eating, even though his own stomach was growling by the time she was done. Carefully, he handed her over to Georgie, pausing to give his fiancee a quick kiss before going to grab his sushi. He was still getting used to sushi and all of the other fancy food she tended to make or bring home, but he was far from picky and liked it just fine.

"And when does she get her shots and all that? It’s gotta be comin’ up. I wanna be there for that," he added between bites. Brandon wasn’t looking forward to hearing his baby girl cry, but he wanted to make sure to be there to wipe away those crocodile tears of hers.

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie patted Ellie lightly on the back as she sat in the seat next to Brandon, close enough to lean against his side while he ate. "Yeah. Her shots are next month. The 17th, I think? They want to get them done before her next operation," she said lightly. She knew that she was a worrier by nature, but it still scared her thinking about their little girl's surgeries. She knew that the procedure wasn't uncommon, and that the doctors here were the best in the area, but it still made her nervous. 

After she burped Ellie, the little girl started to drift off in her arms. Georgie looked at the clock, it was getting a bit late. She stood, stopping to kiss Brandon lightly before putting Ellie in her crib, turning on the baby monitor and taking the receiver back out to the dining room with her. 

Taking advantage of the newfound alone time with her fiancee, she moved to the chair Brandon was sitting on, straddling his lap and curling against him comfortably. She pressed a few open-mouthed kisses to his neck before murmuring against his skin. "I hope you like your presents I got you..."

[georgie-cunningham]

Merry Christmas || Georgie & Brandon

[brandon-rivers]

Brandon happily took Ellie from Georgie’s arms and cuddled her close, smiling down at the little bundle in his arms. Of course, she wasn’t quite so little anymore. As a newborn, she used to fit along the length of his forearm with her head resting in his palm. Now, she didn’t quite fully fit. She was growing fast, and the guilt Brandon felt about passing on his heart defect slowly waned each day.

But at the mention of her next surgery, his face fell. Of course, Ellie would make it through. She was strong. Brandon himself was impossible to kill, and Ellie had half of his genes (for better, for worse). But he still hated putting her through that pain, hated knowing that it was his fault, no matter how much Georgie soothed his guilt.

"At least she’s got some time ‘fore then," Brandon said softly, pressing another kiss to Eleanor’s chubby cheeks. She cooed happily and wiggled in his arms, causing him to smile all over again. "I hate I missed the appointment. I promise I’ll be at the next one."

Brandon had made sure to be at every one up until the last one. With the extra work he’d picked up, he’d had some longer days that slid into late nights. Leaving Georgie alone for so long with the baby made him feel guilty as well, especially since it wasn’t like they needed the money - Georgie was certainly wealthy enough to buy anything Ellie’s heart could desire. But Brandon was too prideful to let it go.

"Mm, ‘course she charmed everyone. She’s the most beautiful girl in the world!" Brandon replied, smiling a bit wider as Ellie’s coos began to turn into fusses. He kissed the top of Georgie’s head before carefully leaning down to press another to her temple. "I’ve got her. You oughta go ahead and eat while I get her bottle warmed up."

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie grinned and stood on her tiptoes to give Brandon a kiss. "It's alright, it was just a routine checkup," she said, nuzzling against his cheek for a moment before pulling away. They had just finished transitioning Ellie from breastmilk to formula and she grinned widely. This was the first time she could actually eat first and, weird as it sounded, it was so exciting to her. She poured herself a glass of wine and gave Brandon another quick kiss before sitting down at the table to eat.

She watched as Brandon moved around the kitchen, warming up a bottle for Ellie. He was so good with her. A natural father. She hoped he saw that, after all of the worrying he did about not being a father like his own. He was wonderful with their little girl and, truth be told, it helped Georgie, too. She was scared enough to have one child, and now... well, if there were to be any more surprises like Eleanor, she couldn't say she'd mind.

She worked through an entire smoked salmon and spicy tuna roll in before Ellie was done eating. "I'll burp her, babe, get some food," she said, standing up and grabbing a burp cloth and gently taking Ellie from her father to burp her. She stayed close to Brandon as he ate, sitting right next to him. As much as Brandon loved Eleanor, she loved her father just as much, and Georgie found she was always much calmer around him when he was home.

[georgie-cunningham]

Merry Christmas || Georgie & Brandon

[brandon-rivers]

Brandon had adjusted to life with his family very well. He’d fallen head-over-heels for his daughter and never thought he’d find happiness burping a baby or changing a diaper, but his baby girl had become his pride and joy. As the holidays drew closer, he’d picked up more dangerous work for better pay, but it was worth it. Everything had gone off perfectly, there were no bullets or cops, and Brandon had extra money in his pocket for his girls.

Of course, most of it went toward Ellie. She wasn’t even a year old, but he’d made sure that she had plenty of clothes and toys under the tree. He knew it was irrational - the baby had just developed the skills to open the paper and she certainly wouldn’t know what it was she was opening nor would she remember the day. But there would be pictures, oh so many pictures, and as morbid as it sounded, he wanted Eleanor to know he was there and had poured his life into her in case there was a day he didn’t come home.

On Christmas Eve, Brandon had to work a little late. He felt less guilty working late as he was doing legitimate work in the auto shop and not assembling or distributing illegal guns. He’d already bought and wrapped all of Georgie’s presents (though she had no clue where they were) and was ready to get home. After his last oil change, Brandon clocked out and headed straight home, stopping by to pick up her presents from his hiding spot on the way in. 

Once home, he set down the bag of presents and made a beeline for the couch, leaning over to kiss his fiancee deeply and then to press kisses along Ellie’s face. “Thought I’d never get home,” he murmured softly as he pressed a softer kiss to Georgie’s lips. His fingers gently ran through Eleanor’s soft, feathery hair that’d started to grow out as a lazy smile crossed his face. “How’s my baby girl been today..?”

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie didn't even bother getting up when she heard the front door, but her lips quirked up in a happy smile. She kissed him back eagerly before sitting up and passing Ellie over to her dad. She'd already started to reach for him anyway, a daddy's girl through and through. "Glad you're home, handsome..." she murmured against his lips with a grin before she stood and headed for the fridge to get dinner out and on the table.

"She's been good today. Took a nice nap around 1. Her doctor appointment went well, but she'll probably need another surgery in a month or two..." Georgie frowned softly, but was determined to stay positive. Ellie was doing really well, growing well, learning fast, and her condition wasn't going to slow her down. She would get through every surgery and not have a problem. She was stubborn like that.

"But afterward we went to the restaurant to visit Uncle Alex," she said as she came back into the living room to wrap her arms around Brandon's middle from the side as she watched him play with Ellie, "And she charmed the pants off of half of my customers, so nothing new there." Georgie chuckled and kissed Brandon's cheek just as the baby started fussing. "Dinnertime for everyone, I guess," she laughed.

[georgie-cunningham]

Merry Christmas || Georgie & Brandon

Georgie finished wrapping the last of the Christmas gifts just before Ellie woke up. Perfect timing. She padded to the room and picked up the  baby, moving her to the changing table to change her diaper. Ellie was certainly going to be spoiled this christmas. There were a number of toys under the tree that Brandon and Georgie bought together. Some "To: Ellie - From: Mommy and Daddy" and more than a few "To: Eleanor - From: Santa". Georgie had also picked up a few more things from Ikea for Ellie's room and Brandon had gotten a few things for her on his own, too. There was a large pile of toys and clothes, all wrapped and ready for Ellie from Georgie's coworkers. Alex, in his godfatherly duties, had gone shopping with his boyfriend and Georgie was sure Ellie would be the best dressed child in the country until she was at least three. The stockings above the fireplace were full of little gifts for everyone in the family, including Sugar.

Brandon was harder to buy for. There were a couple packages with necessities, clothes, some new tools, and some things for his truck, but Georgie wanted to get him something really special. Something that showed him how much he really meant to her. She eyed the small envelope under the tree and hoped Brandon liked it. It was a large gift. Very large. And she knew how Brandon was about accepting her money. But this present meant a lot to her, and it would hopefully mean a lot to them as a family, and she wanted to provide for her family as much as he did. She only hoped that it wouldn't offend him. She'd never forgive herself if she ruined their first Christmas as a family.

Brandon was still working and would be home soon. Though she had a large feast planned for the next day (Alex and his boyfriend were coming over for dinner), she decided that, since Brandon was working and she had lots of presents to wrap, Christmas Eve would be sushi night. One of her bartenders at the restaurant had offered to pick up the meal for them and it was already waiting in the fridge for Brandon to come home. Georgie laid back on the couch with Ellie snuggled against her chest. "Your daddy should be home soon, babygirl. And then we can have dinner and maybe watch some Christmas movies. Sound good?" 

[georgie-cunningham]

Finally || Brandon & Georgie

[brandon-rivers]

Brandon ate quickly, trying to scarf down his food as fast as he could so he could get back to his daughter. He knew he had the rest of his life to be with her, but that just didn’t feel like enough. He was already wrapped tightly around her finger and she wasn’t even a month old.

"Don’t tell her that," Brandon said through a mouthful of food. He swallowed and paused before continuing. "I ain’t the best man in this buildin’, let alone the world. Tell her that, she’s gonna get disappointed…"

At the end of the day, Brandon was still a gun running criminal with a violent background and a prison record to prove it. He wasn’t even a good man, though Georgie clearly could only see the best in him. He loved his daughter dearly though and had vowed to do everything to become that good man Georgie insisted he was. He wanted to make his girls proud.

"You oughta tell her how good you are at cookin’, give her somethin’ to look forward to when those teeth come in," Brandon said, smile curling his lips as he put another forkful into his mouth.

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie gave Brandon a tender smile as she shook her head. "I'm gonna tell her that, because she's going to believe it just like I do," she said softly, "Even if her daddy doesn't believe it yet." She shifted Ellie to one arm so she could take a small bite of food herself. She'd pass Ellie back over to Brandon when he was done eating, but for now, she could juggle both. 

She looked over at her fiancee and hid a smile behind their daughter's head as she bent down to nuzzle the girl. The way she loved Brandon was new to her. She loved him deep as the earth and as wholly as she ever knew. She could never imagine loving someone the way she loved him. He gave her support, he gave her love without expecting anything in return. He gave her their daughter, and Georgie could love him for that alone. He may not see himself as a very good man, but Georgie did. And she always would. 

She circled a finger lightly around Eleanor's cheeks, laughing to herself as the little girl cooed and gave her mother a wide, toothless smile. She was beautiful, a perfect mixture of her mother and father. And the nurses had even said, as they helped the couple get Ellie ready to take home, she was an exceptionally well-behaved child. She rarely cried, and preferred to silently observe the world around her. Quiet and smart and she inspired love and devotion in everyone who looked into those bright blue eyes of hers. 

"I love you, babygirl," she whispered to Ellie with a goofy smile before turning back to Brandon with a nervous laugh, "How in the world do we stop from turning her into a spoiled brat? Because I just want to give her everything in the world..."

[georgie-cunningham]

Finally || Brandon & Georgie

[brandon-rivers]

There was a time in his life where Brandon may have been grossed out by the sight of a breastfeeding child. There may have even been a time in his life where he never would’ve wanted to share his woman with anyone else, even a child. But he simply watched in awe with a dumb smile on his face as Ellie ate her dinner, gently playing with her foot.

When Georgie got up to get their own dinner, he happily took Ellie back in his arms, gently patting her back and cooing to her. She didn’t fuss to much, just contently gurgled and sighed and wiggled in his arms. Sugar hopped up onto the couch and continued sniffing the baby, clearly getting used to the newest member of the family. 

"Get full up, baby girl?" Brandon drawled, closing his eyes as he nuzzled the top of Ellie’s head. Her smell was intoxicating, even though she didn’t smell like anything at all in particular. It was just enough to know that she was his and Georgie’s and that was all that mattered. "You gotta go easy on Mom and me at first, we’re new at this, y’know…"

[georgie-cunningham]

Georgie quietly set the food out, along with some plates and silverware. She opened her mouth to let Brandon know that the food was up, but she stopped herself when she saw him with Ellie. His big hands cradled their little girl as he spoke to her with a tenderness that melted her heart. This was her family. Her life. A small, happy smile crossed her lips as she watched Brandon and Sugar and Ellie for a few more minutes before walking over to them, scratching behind Sugar's ears as she gave her fiancee a kiss, then their daughter. 

"Dinner's ready," she said gently, taking Ellie back, laying the burp cloth over her shoulder and finished burping her so Brandon could sit down and get a few bites to eat. When she was done burping Ellie, she readjusted the girl in her arms and sat down at the table across from Brandon. Though she was in her mother's arms, Ellie's curious eyes followed her father and Georgie chuckled.

"See your daddy there?" she cooed to the little bundle in her arms, "He's the best man in the world." Ellie's little fingers wrapped around a lock of Georgie's hair as she reached out with one hand to serve herself a helping of the casserole. She ate slowly, her attention diverted by Ellie, but she was alright with letting Brandon eat his fill before she could pass over the little girl to him and finish her own meal. It was an easy system they'd fallen into, without even needing to vocalize it. Though they were both nervous about being first time parents, so far, they were doing alright with it.