(perhaps a wee bit of a flashback but bad kitty is always wreaking havouc on Once timelines)

Who knows where Hugh Mcknight is. Presumabley at work in order to pay bills or something. Still he usually turns up for events of signifigance, like his kids being born.

He missed the boat on this most recent addition to the Clan brood. Instead it's Hugh's boyfriend that's on hand. It's perhaps just as well. Charlie is very sweet. He even knows Lamaz or whatever.

He's quite the doting fellow once he's got things to focus on besides conspiracy theories and alien body snatchers. He's stayed by Mickey's bed in the chair the whole time. The nurses don't know he's not the baby's father.

If Mickey weren't both extremely sweet and inherently passive, McKnight's ass would so be dumped by now. Granted, Mickey really wanted a baby, and granted neither the pregnancy nor the birth were especially traumatic. Especially after Henri, it was cake. But this doesn't really change the fact that Mickey just fucking gave birth to the guy's baby and he wasn't even there. He wadn't even chainsmoking in the hospital parking lot. He didn't even call. On some level, Mickey's forced to admit, he's just as bad as the guys who came before him. Worse even. At least they never fronted like they'd be there for her.

Of course, Penè isn't there either, but well she's Penè and Mickey realises she has other bigger fish to fry. At least she called. McKnight on the other hand... Well, he may well be in trouble later. But right now Mickey has worthier people to deal with.

"Look Charlie," Mickey says, "isn't she sweet?"

Really there's no reason to imagine Charlie isn't Dad. He's behaving enough like one. But that does leave the question of where exactly this baby got red hair from.

The only other person who was around for the birth of Hugh's latest child was Mickey's sister. She's stepped out now, hopefully chasing root beer and not a cigarette.

Charlie could still be baby daddy in theory red hair or not. He's one of those guys with indistinct genetic markers maybe.

At any rate he seems just as delighted with the baby has Mickey is. Mcknight really should be around. He's such a suck assed boyfriend sometimes. Charlie may say something too if the errant polyamourous bastard turns up. Charlie hasn't exactly been in on the love in loop either last few weeks. It makes one wonder, where the hell is Hugh. Presumably at work sure, but perhaps bears checking into.

At least it's clear someone will love the kid, even if it's not her daddy. Mickey and Charlie look pretty adoring. Why they haven't fucked is unclear. Hugh's lovers do seem to amuse themselves with each other when he's not around but maybe Charlie doesn't like girls.

"What we gonna call her?"

Mickey has some ideas. All of them are pretty terrible.

"Madeline?" Charlie offers up for suggestion. His ideas may be terrible too.

"Madeleine?" Mickey considers this. It is a pretty name. Prettier than naming your child after a rock. "Y'know," she muses, looking down at her daughter, "I don't even know what..."

Sigh.

"...Hugh wanted to call her. We never got around to talkin' about it." Because, y'know, Hugh was too busy off fucking Charlie and shit.

"I should call her after something he really does care about. Although I guess I dunno if you can really call a kid Mount Gay..."

Oh, someone's bitter. Mickey smiles apologetically at Charlie.

"Sorry. Grey Goose maybe."

Hopefully she's joking.

"Naming a kid after booze is sort of, hmmm, dubious. It might not set a good life message. Grey is a pretty name for a girl though....." He offers. "She's a beautiful girl she should have a beautiful name."

Mickey has been known to give her kids some very dubious names, so whether this argument will work is debatable. She named her oldest after a rock. But then again she was pretty drunk at the time. And it's not like she resents the kid. Just the babydaddy. She sighs softly. "Grey is pretty," she agrees. She probably is wondering what Hugh would think. "She is beautiful. Maybe we should call her Belle." Mickey liles Disney movies way too much.

"Grey is somehow more elegant than Belle though....." Charlie muses. He's figured out she and the twit they both sleep with hadn't hashed baby names out. Hugh can be such an ass.

Since Charlie is here and McKnight is not, Mickey is inclined to go along with his idea. "Grey," she repeats, thoughtfully. It is pretty. "Grey Rose McKnight," she tries. Since Charlie's right about babies and booze, and since Rose drove her to the hospital and stayed the whole time and everything. Mickey smiles down at her daughter. "What do you think?" It's unclear who she's addressing but it isn't like the kid will answer.

"It sounds good." Charlie says with a nod.

Mickey smiles. "Little Grey. Hi you. You wanna hold her Charlie?"

"Yes." Charlie says. Holding out both hands and managing to look suitably serious about the business of holding a newborn.

Which is better than what happened to, say, Stone, whose strung out mommy dropped him on his head more than once. Which explains a lot really. Mickey is more careful now as she hands baby Grey over to Charlie. A passing nurse thinks he's just the most doting daddy.

Charlie is a doting sort of guy. He gently and reverently takes the baby girl.

"Aww," Mickey's sister has popped back in with a can of Sprite and a bag of potato chips, the latter of which she tosses at Mickey. "Catch."

"We're calling her Grey Rose," Mickey beams. She does think Charlie is pretty freaking adorable with the baby.

Charlie is rather adorable.

So is Grey. They make a nice matched set. It's slightly sickening. Rose is just glad she's got herself a responsible father for her child. Finally.

Charlie is mostly responsible well except for when he's totally crazy. Hugh's lovers probably don't fully fathom the piano repairman is a total nutjob though.

Sometimes with the Clan its hard to tell. They're all so freaking out there. Mickey and Rose are the nice sane ones. Rose is drinking her pop and screwing around with her phone. "Thanks for sticking around," Mickey smiles warmly at her boyfriend's boyfriend. "I'll be okay though, if you got somewhere to be. I got Rosie and all."

Charlie has no where to be beyond well possibly looking for Hugh. He's a bit annoyed by this prospect though, idiot should be more responsible really. "No rush." Charlie offers.

Mickey figures the bastard will show up when he shows up. She isn't really sure what she's going to do then. She hates to make a scene but damn can she feel the spiteful remarks welling up. And then being quelled by the thought that he's probably unconscious on the floor somewhere and didn't even hear his phone. And then worry. He is a sweet guy when he's there at all. And it's not like he gets drunk and hits her.

Mickey sighs softly and reaches out to squeeze Charlie's hand. "Thanks hun. Can you find me that nice nurse? Leanne I think?"

They're picky who they deal with. Mickey looks normal enough on the outside but she doesn't exactly bleed red. Or need to be lying around in this damn bed all day, if you ask her.

"Sure." Charlie says. It will also give him a minute to send a text of an inquiring sort to Hugh the neglectful. Charlie doesn't want to think the jerk would really miss out on a childbirth, he's tried to be around for all the other's after all.

He flew to fucking Antigua for Church, it would be rather mean to then just skip out on little Grey. But who honestly knows. Mickey's trying not to dwell on it overmuch.

It's probably best not to. Even Charlie knows that.

It's not long before Charlie is back with that nice nurse.