"Hey, you've had her long enough. Hand her over," said Al. Techie hugged the baby closer, keeping her in the protective circle of her arms.
"You don't even like babies."
"Well, don't tell her that!" She held out her hands. Reluctantly, Techie gave her the baby.
"You have to support her head," she said worriedly. Al settled the infant into an awkward-looking position that did, at least, manage to support her head. Then, smiling, she nuzzled the baby's cheek with her nose.
"Don't listen to her, squirt. You stick with Aunt Al. I'll be your source for chocolate." The baby made a questioning noise. "Yes, really," Al answered, as if they understood each other perfectly. "And, she's right, I don't like kids. But in your case, I'll make an exception." The baby let out a contented sigh. Al smiled up at the Scarecrow. "Want to hold her?"
"No."
"At least touch her."
"No," he insisted.
"Don't pay any attention to Uncle Squishy," said Al. "He loves you with all his evil little heart." He glared at her.
"You are not teaching that child to call me Squishy!"
"Uncle Squishy," she taunted. With a growl, he took the baby from her.
For a moment, everyone looked alarmed, especially the Captain. But he cradled her against his chest more easily than Al had, showing no sign that he was about to drop her.
"You can call me Jonathan," he said, his voice only slightly softer than normal. "Stay out of my room and my lab, and I won't kill you. Got that?" She looked up at him—and he could have sworn she smiled. "Oh, you're going to grow up to be just like them, aren't you, Kitten?"
The three women giggled.
"You love her," the Captain murmured.
"I do not." He thrust the baby at the nearest person, who happened to be Edward. Looking absolutely panicked, he took her.
"Oh. It's soft."
"Well, of course it's soft," said Techie. "It's a baby." She helped him hold her correctly, since he obviously had no idea what to do with the wrinkly little thing.
"Now what do I do?" he asked.
"Tell her who you are," the Captain prompted.
"Oh. What do you want her to call me?"
"That's up to you." He looked down at the baby in his arms.
"Hi," he said awkwardly.
"You know, babies can hear you better if you talk in a high-pitched voice," Al suggested. He looked startled. "But that's entirely up to you, I suppose."
"Hi," he repeated, in a very slightly higher tone. "I guess I'm Uncle Eddie. Or Eddums, if you prefer. I'll be your favorite uncle. Trust me on that."
It was about then that Techie got That Look on her face. That Look being the one he had seen so many times from the Captain. Jonathan counted himself eternally grateful that she was facing Edward, and not him.
"I want a baby," she said wistfully.
Eddie's eyes went wide as he realized that he had no avenue of escape, other than distracting her by throwing the baby. And he wasn't quite ready to do that.
Jonathan turned away to hide his smile.
Only to find Al standing uncomfortably close to him, looking up at him with her big blue eyes wide and pleading.
"Squishykins?" she whispered. "Are you going to let him have all the babies?"
He backed away from her.
Things were only going to go downhill.