Astrid has been sleeping for 4 hours, leaving just me with two grizzling babies. To say that I feel drained would be an understatement, does the fear of failure ever leave a parent?

Liam has taken to jealousy whenever I hold Eira, and Eira howls if I'm not holding her. I wanted a daddy's girl, it seems I've got what I wanted. The only problem is the small conundrum it leaves behind.

One would think that if I held both of them, the problem would be solved but no, it makes both of them scream blue murder.

As both the children scream in either of my ears, I feel close to tears. I just want to be a good father to my babies, but I can't help but feel like I'm failing them.

There's a thundering at the door, I make my way towards it holding Liam as Eira screams in the baby sleeper on the kitchen table. Baby sleeper, that advertising was a fucking lie.

When I open the door, Viper is standing there before me, his fingers in his ears.

"Could you stop them crying- for the love of Thor!"

I realise that Viper's cabin is next door to mine, he's probably heard all the screaming and very possibly my tears and calls for mercy.

It just shows how exhausted Astrid must be to sleep through this noise.

"I'm sorry bror, I can't stop them. Eira cries if I hold Liam and Liam cries if I hold Eira and I can't... I can't think!"

Viper chuckles lowly at the state of me, I imagine it's amusing. "Have you fed Eira?"

"Yeah, Astrid pumped some milk before she fell asleep."

I half expect Viper to grimace at that extra bit of information, he's not exactly domesticated, but he just nods as he walks into the cabin.

"Ok well I'll take the little princess and give her something else to eat. You give Liam some attention- he's probably just jealous and not used to you not spending all your time with him.

"You sure?" I ask warily, not sure if I want Eira being held by anyone else. He nods and eagerly holds his arms out for the tiny girl.

She's on the small side as she was a few weeks early, and Astrid was kept so tiny. She only weighed 5 pounds 6 ounces when she was born, and is still a dainty thing. If anything it makes me even more protective of her.

Viper better watch himself.

He takes her in his arms, and pulls the blanket tighter around her.

"Swaddling can often calm them down." He explains and I open my mouth in shock.

"Since when did you know about babies then bror."

He swallows hard and nuzzles Eira with his cheek, inhaling her sweet baby smell.

"I remember my little sister... I was 11 when she was born..." He trails off and I hate myself for being so careless of my brother's feelings- no wonder he kept his distance with Liam when he arrived.

I walk from the room, patting his shoulder lightly as I go. We are all enjoying the peace, Liam is basking in my attention and seems to be hungry. I grab a pot of his baby mush, and set a bottle to warm for Eira. Setting a timer for it I walk back towards the sitting room.

Before I enter, I stop and pause for a moment. Viper is rocking my daughter like it's second nature to him, and singing in his deep, gruff voice a Norwegian lullaby to her. For the first time in hours, she's sleeping soundly and happily.

I go to make a joke and tease him, but I decide against it. Not wanting to halt his vulnerability or interest in living once again.

"She likes you, bror." I comment, feeling a little jealousy there, I could sing her a lullaby too.

"There's a bottle warming, you can give it to her if you want."

"I can?" His eyes grow wide with the responsibility.

"Of course, but don't get too attached or you'll have to fight Mouse for her."

We both chuckle at the fact we both know it to be true. A time dings from the other room and Viper carries Eira carefully over to fetch the bottle. I sit down in the seat closest to the fire and start to feed Liam his mushed up plums.

Viper re-emerges, chatting away to Eira like he's known her forever. He settles down on the sofa with Eira in the crook of his arm. He holds the bottle to her mouth confidently and feeds her with curious eyes.

"Well that's a sight I didn't expect to come down to." Astrid's voice startles us both and we both turn guiltily to the bottom of the stairs to look at her.

She moves slowly, in pain but strong and sits beside Viper on the sofa. Pulling back her blanket slightly, Astrid gazes at her beautiful daughter's face and tears fill her eyes.

Viper hands Eira to Astrid as soon as he breaks himself from whatever trance he found himself in. He stands without another word, just a brief nod to me, and leaves the house.

"Did I do something wrong?" Astrid's nervous voice asks me as she rocks her daughter back to sleep.

"No baby, Viper is just... sad." I phrase the words carefully, it's not my story to tell- not even to Astrid.

I move from the chair with Liam up against my chest, little head against my shoulder. Holding him out, we swap baby once again and Astrid shifts over to make room for me. I have other ideas.

Gently I shift her body around so I'm sitting behind her, my legs hugging along her's. She holds Liam, I hold Eira. I reach around and kiss her cheek.

"Now it's perfect."