#ARE WE GOING TO SEE MORE DAD LUCI PLEASE SAY YES

[hells-greatestdad]

//

Local mun does from not having enough patience for season 2 of Hazbin Hotel

[fluentmoviequoter]

Mom and Dad Are Still Fighting

Part 2 of The Bradfords

Pairing: Tim Bradford x fem!cop!wife!reader

Summary: After a long night, you're grateful for Lucy and all she does for you. You continue protecting her from Tim's attitude, even though you're lying to them.

Warnings: mostly fluff, brief angst, threats and robbery. typical rookie stuff.

Word Count: 1.4k+ words

A/N: I love this dynamic!! Two Bradfords caring about Lucy in their own ways is so fun to write (and being married to Tim is a dream by itself). I will continue abusing Chenford gifs for this storyline lol.

“Good morning, Mom,” Lucy calls as she enters the bullpen. 

She passes you a cup of your favorite drink, and you look at Tim quickly. He tilts his chin to the side, and you nod once. You’ve been talking without speaking for years, and you’re more grateful than ever for your silent language.

“Thank you so much, Lucy,” you say.

You pull her into a hug that lasts longer than usual. She couldn’t know that you had a long night and needed this today: the drink and the hug. Hence, your shared ‘did you tell her?’ ‘no, she just cares’ look shared with Tim.

“Where’s mine?” Tim inquires with his brows raised.

“I, uh, I didn’t know your order,” Lucy says carefully. “Sorry.”

Angela calls for you, and you thank Lucy again as you walk away. Tim watches you go; he knows you aren’t feeling great and appreciates Lucy’s care on your behalf.

“Thanks, Chen,” he says.

“For what? I didn’t get you anything.”

“You should know that caring about her is the same as caring about me. At least as far as I’m concerned,” he answers. “Now get ready.”

Your long night catches up to you quickly. By your mid-morning break, you’re feeling tired and stressed. The worst part of what you’re feeling is that you haven’t told anyone why you’re feeling it. Tim stayed up with you most of the night and held you to comfort you, and while you appreciate it, it only upsets you more because he did it without asking why you needed it.

“7-Adam-19 requesting backup,” Chen calls over the radio. “11351; suspect in possession of heroin and oxycodone.”

“Dispatch, attach me to 7-Adam-19’s backup call,” you request.

You drive to the address dispatch provided and hope your day improves after seeing Tim again. When you arrive, the suspect is cuffed and in the back of Tim’s shop as they search his car for other drugs.

“Hey,” you call as you exit your car. “What do you need?”

Tim looks at you as Lucy says, “Suspect escort and search assistance.”

“I can do either. Let me know what you want me to do,” you offer.

“Suspect escort, please,” Tim answers. He tips his head to the side, and you walk to the sidewalk with him.

“Are you okay?” he whispers.

“Yeah. So, you just want me to get him to booking?” you reply, brushing off Tim's concern.

“Please. Will you tell me if you stop being okay?”

“Yes, Tim. I’ll, uh, I’ll see you at lunch.”

You turn away from Tim and move the driver in custody into your shop to take him back to the station. Tim and Lucy abandon their search to watch you leave.

“Is she alright?” Lucy asks.

You turn a corner, disappearing from Tim’s view, and his jaw tightens. He couldn’t get an answer from you, and now Lucy thinks he knows everything in your head. Tim refuses to show worry, so he lets his concern come out as anger and annoyance.

“That is not your business or an appropriate topic to discuss while we are on duty, Chen. Focus,” he replies.

Lucy nods and returns to the search of the car, but she’s beginning to feel just as stressed as you and Tim. You all care about each other and moving around in circles like this won’t help.

“Goodnight, Luce,” you call as you walk beside Tim to go home.

“Hey, do you want to go to dinner with me on Friday?” she asks. “Just to catch up, hang out?”

“Yeah, that sounds fun,” you answer with a smile. “I’m looking forward to it.”

Tim grumbles beside you, and you’re convinced it’s because he didn’t get an invite.

“We’ll have breakfast Saturday,” you promise him.

Lucy laughs behind you, and you wave over your shoulder as Tim spreads his hand across your back and leads you toward his truck. You know he’ll hold you close again all night, even if you don’t ask, because he comforts you without pushing you. When or if you want to talk about it, he’s ready to listen, but he knows what it is like to need room, and he’d never take that from you or force you to tell him anything before you’re ready. He’s amazing, and you wish you could share what is bothering you, but you can’t put any more people in danger.

When dispatch alerts you to a call in your area, you accept it, hoping to get your mind off everything. The officer reads Lucy’s apartment building address, and your stomach drops. You tell dispatch to attach Bradford and Chen to the call before hitting your lights and sirens to get there as fast as possible.

The apartment building, for the most part, has been ransacked. Doors are broken, windows broken and locks picked, and residents’ belongings are strewn through the halls, but nothing appears to be missing. Tim and Lucy arrive a few minutes after you do and meet you on Lucy’s floor. Her apartment is trashed, but she can’t see where anything has been stolen.

You lead Tim through the other side of her apartment before stopping suddenly.

“Tim,” you whisper. “Someone called me a few nights ago… They threatened to do something to Lucy, and I think this was it.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asks.

He looks over your shoulder to ensure no one is listening before giving you his complete attention.

“Wade knew, but he said that you and Lucy shouldn’t know because the threat was vague, and it would just put you on edge.”

“That should have been my decision!”

“Tim, I’m sorry.”

Tim’s eyes soften before he nods. “Is that what you’ve been so upset about? You were worried about Chen?”

“Yes,” you admit softly. “But this looks planned, intentional. They only went into certain apartments, and the stuff thrown everywhere was an afterthought.”

“Someone was looking for something,” Tim agrees.

“But what?”

Tim looks around before yelling, “Chen! Get in here!”

“Yes, sir?” she asks as she enters.

“What do you have in here that someone would be so desperate to get?” he asks.

“I don’t-“

“Don’t tell me that you don’t know. Think about it, Lucy. What would someone risk their freedom, their life for, and do this kind of damage to hide?”

Lucy taps her fingers against her thigh as she thinks. Your surprise phone call didn't provide information about what they wanted, so you stay quiet.

“Well?” Tim pushes.

“Give her a second to think,” you scold. “She didn’t ask for this, she’s not the criminal. Be nice.”

Tim clenches his jaw. In his mind, she may as well be the criminal. She led someone to her apartment, to you, and you’ve been worried because of her. His annoyance and need for answers is justified.

“Wait, I got a necklace at a police auction!” she says suddenly.

“You bought jewelry at a police auction?” Tim asks. “Last boyfriend really that cheap?”

You elbow Tim and shake your head. “Leave her alone.”

“Who buys a single necklace at a police auction?” he argues. “A car, a trailer, sure. But one necklace?”

“It was expensive,” Lucy defends.

“Which means whoever wants it is probably the one responsible for the police having it,” you deduce. “I’m going to go help them search the upper floors. Tim, be nice. Lucy, look for the necklace, please.”

You walk into the stairwell and find yourself face-to-face with a Humphrey Bogart wannabe in a ski mask. It takes less than thirty seconds to get the cuffs on him, and based on his surprise, he thought he had already outsmarted the cops with the widespread burglary distraction.

After you pass him off to another officer, you return to Lucy’s apartment and let them know he’s in custody.

“Bradford, why does my suspect have a black eye?” Wade asks over the radio.

“He threatened Lucy,” you answer quickly. “But, who knows, maybe he already had that. He was wearing a ski mask, after all.”

“You hit him for threatening your puppy, station kid, whatever you call her?” Tim asks with his brows raised.

“Thanks, Mom,” Lucy calls from her bedroom.

“We’re leaving,” Tim announces. “Good luck finding your criminal necklace.”

“It’s pretty!” Lucy yells as you walk out.

“I need a nap now,” you tell Tim.

He nods and says, “I always need one after working with Chen.”

[spaceship-full-of-bugs]

Random Deer Little Doe AU Stuff

Lilith: This is my husband, Lucifer Lucifer: And this is my wife Lilith Both: And this is our husband Alastor! *Camera pans out to an annoyed but flustered looking Alastor* Alastor: For the last time your majesties, I am not your husband. *Alastor super messily ripping some angels limb then drinking their blood like a wild animal* Lilith + Lucifer: Oh wow, I hope this doesn't awaken anything in me Lilith: Me and Luci have been trying to ask this demon out Lucifer: We've been dropping them the most obvious hints for dozens of years now. No response. Alastor: They just sound stupid. Lilith: But they’re not. They’re really smart actually. Just... dense. Alastor: Maybe you two need to be more obvious? Perhaps, oh I don’t know… maybe say something like “Hey! I love you!” Lucifer: I guess you’re right. Hey Alastor, Me and Lilith both love you. Alastor: See! Just say that! Lucifer: (Un)Holy fucking shit. Alastor: If that flies over their head then, sorry your highnesses, but they are too dumb for you both. Lilith: Alastor. Luci and Lilith, trying to flirt: So, you come around here often? Alastor, confused: I mean, you told me to stay and work here, in your home, so yes. Lucifer: If I say I love you, will you say it back to me dear? Lilith: Of course, Luci. Lucifer: I love you. Lilith: It back. *Later* Alastor: Why is Lucifer crying face-down on the floor while cuddling his rubberducks? Alastor: Why is everyone so obsessed with top or bottom? Honestly, I’d just be excited to have a bunk bed. Lilith: Lilith: I'm going to tell him. Lucifer: Please don't. Lilith: I really like Eminem. Lucifer: I prefer skittles. Alastor: She's talking about the rapper. Lucifer: Why would they eat the wrapper? Kid Charlie: I wish you were my official parent Al. Alastor: I'm truly honored to hear that, princess. But unfortunately that request seems impossible. Kid Charlie: Oh! You should marry my mom and dad so that you can officially be my other parent! Alastor: That's a splendid ide- wait what.

Lucifer: Here we are at the toy store my little star! Now go and pick a present!! *Two hours later* Lucifer: Well? Has anything caught your eye yet char-char? Kid Charlie: Dad!! I want that one. *points* Lucifer: Kid Charlie: Lucifer: For the last time, you can't pick Alastor.

[canirove]

My neighbour Rúben | Chapter 21

Author's note: And we've made it to the end 😔 Hope you guys have enjoyed this story even if it isn't the very best out there and the plot isn't groundbreaking 😅 But sometimes you just need to read something cute and simple, and that was my aim with this. As always, thank you very much for reading and all your support. It means a lot 💜

Previous chapter

Masterlist

It had been a month since my fall at the Etihad. Since I had made it to the news because someone had reported that the woman rolling down the stairs was Rúben Dias girlfriend and that that was the reason why he had run to her aid half way through the team’s warm-up. Turns out that I wasn’t dreaming when I thought I had heard his voice.

And, of course, after being on tv now everyone knew about us, my parents included. After a few calls from my mum asking me how I was, she had finally convinced my dad to come visit me in Manchester, see with her own eyes that I was actually ok and that I wasn't lying every time she had called me, and also meet Rúben.

“Can you please stop? You are making me nervous” he said.

“I can’t. This is huge, Rúben. Like… huge” I said, dramatically lifting my arms in the air. “It’s not just that my parents are coming back to Manchester after ages and the possibility of us fixing things, but also ruining them forever. They are coming to meet you too. My boyfriend. The first I’m introducing them to.”

“Hopefully the last one too” he replied with his usual smirk.

“God, I hate you” I said, back to pacing around the living room. 

We were meeting at Lucy’s apartment since she and Julia were out with Rodri getting to know each other a bit more. Though Julia was already as in love with him as she was with Rúben.

“I love you too” he chuckled, those three words being something I still hadn’t been able to say despite being what I felt. 

“Urgh, that’s them” I said when I heard the door’s bell. 

“Relax, it’s gonna be ok” Rúben said, putting his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll charm them the same way I’ve done with your whole family.”

“Yeah, sure” I said, with a nervous laugh.

“I will. This is gonna work, ok?”

“Ok” I said, taking a deep breath.

“I love you” Rúben said.

“I love you too” I replied, not realising what I had said until I saw the smile on his face. I loved his smirk, but this one… This one had just become my new favourite smile.

“C´mon, let’s go meet my in-laws. We don’t want to keep them waiting” he said, taking my hand and walking towards the door.

━━━━━━❃━━━━━━

And all that, takes us to the present day. 

"Do you know what day it is today?" Rúben asks me as we walk towards our apartment. Because his apartment, is ours now.

Lucy and Julia have moved to Rodri's house, where she is loving having a huge garden to play football with him. Though what she is loving the most, is the idea of becoming a big sister in just a few months.

"It wasn't planned, it just happened" Lucy shrugged after sharing the news. "But I know he is the one, and not because every single person that knows me has said it. It is because I can feel it. It is different to what I've felt with all the other guys I've been with before, my ex included. He is the one."

After they left, Rúben asked me to move in with him, and I obviously said yes. Now I still take care of Julia from time to time when both Lucy and Rodri are busy, but I am not her nanny anymore.

"I'm 6 now! I don't need a nanny, that's for babies" she said one day. 

What I keep doing tho, is being her piano teacher. Hers, and a bunch of kids from her school. We’ve kept the piano at Lucy’s apartment, only going there for my lessons so we don’t bother Rúben. But besides teaching, I’m also playing at events and weddings all over the country. It doesn’t matter if they are posh or tacky, if they have a low budget or lots of money. If I like the people I’m playing for, I say yes. 

My dad didn't like the idea at first and said that, of course, I should focus on teaching. But when he saw how much I was earning by playing on those events, he changed his mind. And I want to think that the fact that he was seeing me enjoying playing the piano for the first time in my life, also had something to do with it. 

And things have also kept getting better and better between us. He has joined grandad and I at some Arsenal games, and Rúben got to charm him just as he said he would. Though I must confess I still am getting used to how well they get along. Seeing them laughing together feels so weird… 

"Do you remember or not?" Rúben asks me again when we make it to the front door, the new doorman opening it for us. Roger retired and he is now living in the countryside with his wife.

"Wednesday?"

"That's now what I asked. The number."

"Eh… 10th?"

"Urgh" he says, rolling his eyes. "Today, three years ago, we met for the first time. And it happened here, in front of this lift."

It had been three years already. Three years since I met Julia at the shopping centre. Since Lucy asked me to work for her. Since Rúben and I crossed paths on this same spot and I just froze in place. He was the most handsome man I had ever seen, and he still is. 

"I remember the way you looked at me" he chuckles. "You couldn't stop staring."

"I probably looked like an idiot. Or a creep."

"You looked very cute" he says, calling for the lift. "I couldn't stop thinking about you, about who you could be."

"Really?" I ask. He had never told me about it, about what he had felt when we first met. In my case, I didn't have to tell him. As usual, my face had said it all.

"Really. I don't know what it was, but there was something special about you. It felt... Different."

"Lucy would call that the one feeling" I chuckle.

"The what?" 

"The feeling you get when you meet the right person. The one" I say, walking into the lift.

"Interesting… But you know," Rúben says, walking behind me and pressing our floor's number. "This lift isn't just important because we met here for the first time. It also is important because it brought us together again."

"Oh, please. Don't remind me of that day."

"It wasn’t that bad" Rúben says with that smirk of his.

"The beginning was really bad. The end, not so much" I say, mimicking his smile.

"That's what I thought. And here is the thing" he says, stopping the lift.

"Rúben, what are you doing?"

"Listen to me" he says, taking my hands on his. "You just said it yourself, that what I felt when I first met you was because you were the one. And it's the truth. You are my one. The one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I had a list of things I wanted to tell you, but I’m too nervous and I've forgotten most of them, so I'll keep it simple" he says, letting go of my hands and getting on one knee. "Will you marry me?" 

"Rúben, I..." I mumble, watching him get a small box from his pocket and opening it, the most gorgeous ring I had ever seen inside it. "Are you sure?"

"I've never been more sure or serious about anything in my life. So I'll ask again, here, on this lift that brought us together. Twice. Will you marry me?"

"Yes" I say, my voice shaking. "Yes, Rúben, I will marry you."

I barely give him any time to get up, throwing myself at him and kissing him. A kiss, that three years later, keeps feeling and being movie worth it.

"I love you" he whispers, his lips still on mine.

"I love you too" I reply.

"But before we keep making out, can I put this on your finger?" he says, showing me box.

"Yes, of course."

"I hope it fits" he chuckles. "Lucy said it was the right size."

"She knows?"

"She knows" he smiles. "And she was right. Perfect."

"Wow" I say, inspecting it closer. "It's beautiful, Rúben."

"Do you like it?"

"I love it. Though not as much as I love you" I say, kissing him again.

"We should probably go home, don't you think?" he says. "Continue with the celebrations there."

"I like how that sounds. Very very much."

But the moment the lift's doors open on our floor...

"Congratulations!" our friends and families scream.

"What the..." I mutter, my heart on my throat. "What is this?"

"A surprise party to celebrate our engagement" Rúben says, hugging me from behind.

"So… they all knew?"

"Yep" he replies, kissing my neck.

"What if I had said no?"

"Oh, c'mon, that was impossible" Lucy says, coming to give a hug. "He is your one, remember?"

"He is, yes" I say, looking at him while Rodri and Ivan congratulate Rúben, a big smile on my face. "He is the one."

━━━━❃━━━━ FIN ━━━━❃━━━━

[carolmunson]

thinking about the orange colored sky verse but maybe sorta sad. (james taylor’s cover of ‘walking my baby back home referenced, a good cozy listen.)

something in my chest tells me that peach starts to deal with some post-partum depression after baby lu is born. lucinda is a colicky baby, where gwen was weirdly easy despite some longer sleep training.

eddie doesn’t catch it at first, thinking the lack of sleep from having a newborn and a four and a half year old to deal with is just weighing on both of you. snippy, argumentative. never going to bed together anymore. never spending time alone. he thought you just got quiet cause you were always tired. you’d spend extra long in the bathroom. robotic when you made dinner - and you’d barely even eat. you’d opt to sleep on the couch while gwen played barbie’s with her aunt and uncle.

it’s not until one night he wakes up from lucy crying on the baby monitor that he gets it. with his glasses on he looks at the screen, you’re already in there bouncing lu on your hip. but it’s not just lu that’s crying.

“please, please go to sleep baby,” you beg, sniffling, “please. i’m so sorry you don’t feel good. i’m sorry if i did this. i’m so sorry.”

ed frowns, slowly getting up from the bed and putting his slides on before padding down the hall to the nursery. your face wet with tears, matching the baby in your arms.

“here, i’ll take her sweetheart,” he soothes, offering his arms. you give him the baby, where some rhythmic bounces and some soft singing puts her right to sleep. so easy with her dad for some reason.

once the baby is back down in her crib, he guides you back to the bedroom and keeps the light off. when the door closes he steps in front of you, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

“we’re gonna go to the doctor tomorrow, okay?” he says softly, “we’ll see if the lovebirds can watch the kids and we’ll talk to the doctor.”

“i’m…i’m trying my best,” you choke out, “i feel like a bad mom.”

“you’re not a bad mom,” he assures, arms wrapping around you to pull you to his chest, “don’t say that peach. you’re such a great mom.”

“she hates me,” you blurt out, a deep seated sob cracking front your chest.

“oh, no, no, babe,” he whispers into your temple, “shh-shh-shh, no she doesn’t. no one hates you. you’re doing such a good job.”

eddie chastises himself for not catching on sooner, for letting you hurt like this for the past couple of months without even realizing. he feels his own heart sink when he holds you close to him. because of course you’re a good mom, and an amazing wife and partner — maybe he wasn’t telling you that enough. maybe he hasn’t been supportive enough.

“do-do you still love me?” you ask snottily, looking up at him with wet eyes.

“peach,” he whispers down at you, wiping a tear from your cheek with the back of his fingers, “i’ll stop loving you when i’m dead. and even then, i don’t even know if that’s enough.”

you laugh a little, a weak smile stretching your cheeks, “you’re so corny sometimes, it’s embarrassing.”

“it’s good to know you’re already feeling more like yourself,” he teases back, leaning down to kiss you, “but we’re going to the doctor tomorrow, yeah?”

you nod, breaking away from each other so you can both crawl back into bed at the same time. and it had been a long time. his arms snake around you, humming the same song he hummed to lu, the same song he’d hum to gwen, the same song he’d hum around the apartment in New York after a good date night. after you ‘said yes’. all the good parts. and they were all good parts.

“after i kind of straighten my tie, she has to borrow my comb,” he sings soft, a barely audible melody, “one kiss then, we continue again. walkin’ my baby back home. i’m just walkin’ my baby, back home.”

[sisterofficerlucychen]

chenford thoughts, thoughts, thoughts 👀 bc i'm losing it between the promo and the interview lmao. contains s6 spoilers

this may just have been me who didn't put it together but we're getting another chenford dance ♡♡♡♡ when they showed a chenford snippet in the teaser promo idk why i thought it was them just standing there sharing a moment???? but bbs are gonna be danciiiiiiiing~~~

what if tim's "yes,i love you" is a red herring?? because i swear that right after he says it, it looks like she's about to turn and look to her right (like get confirmation of it from someone monitoring the lie detector perhaps???) i keep thinking of how alexi said they're always looking to "walk a fine line with chenford" plus what eric said in the interview about a "nice little confessional of information" at the wedding ― it makes me think that the interrogation scene does not end super well (maybe awkward, maybe angsty, maybe both?) and the resolution happens at the wedding where they're dancing and that's their first (official - bc we know their track record with firsts) "i love you"

RICHARD T. JONES TELLING ERIC AND MELISSA THAT CHENFORD WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING WHEN THEY FILMED THAT SCENE IN 2X01!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this one made me laugh bc it felt very full circle in a way? like how grey was the one who paired tim and lucy up (i wish they talk about this one day like elaborate why he paired up everyone with who he did bc it was so interesting to learn percy had requested tim be jackson's t.o. and that clearly didn't happen) and how the actor himself was also like "yeah, that's gonna happen"

i loved that they were asked if they could pinpoint when they noticed a shift between them (and their answers, i love hearing all these different perspectives). i i think part of the beauty of the slow burn is that there's no specific point? also the way this goes back to "she fell first, he fell harder" because tim at the hallway scene in 4x22 was hit with a world of emotions and realizations after that kiss

chenford having to face the reality of what lucy being uc means will no doubt be tough but i'm so happy they're finally going to address it!!!!! they've been in such a honeymoon phase and every time the topic is brought up they pretend it's fine but it's v much not

"we had a big scene this season with each other" akljdfalsdkfjasdlfa. i'm so excited ... and a little scared lol

we know we're learning more about tim's past this season which is SOOO exciting!!!!! but i love how eric in the interview also mentions how lucy will help bring out the best in him to help him navigate that. it reminds me so much of s1 with isabel and s4 with his dad and it'll be so nice to see this again but now as a couple

"lucy's going through a set of circumstances that we've never had the opportunity to see her go through" *cries* mel's entire answer to this question makes me so excited for lucy's development. idk why but i don't think whatever she's referring to here has to do with lucy being a detective? it seems so raw and personal and it makes me wonder if we're also learning more about lucy's past too (also wondering if they're bringing back her parents for a sec 👀)

TIM STILL NOT KNOWING ABOUT LUCY & NOLAN SDFGHLADF okay but can they please give us this comedic moment because it would be gold

the mention of the moonstone ring ♡

bonus: eric being so proud of that jail tiktok is so funny and wholesome

[lucius-morningstar]

Nicknames?

Yes we know Lucius has a hatred for the nickname Luci, but that isn't to say he doesn't have nicknames for others in the hotel. Not all of them are creative, but he has pride in some.. Not all. ------- Vaggie: So you have nicknames for everyone in this hotel. Lucius: Yep.. Some need work but hey it takes time. Vaggie: ...What's your nickname for Alastor. Lucius: Coatrack. Vaggie: *Snorts* Why? Lucius: Seriously look at him. Alastor: *Static* Watch it.. Lucius: Dude looks like a fancy coatrack you'd see in a brothel house. Angel: HA! Alastor: So all that tells me is you've been to a brothel house long enough to know. Lucius: Sure gotta put my coat somewhere. Angel: What about me? Lucius: Legs, you've got the nicest legs in the hotel and the longest. Angel: Guilty. What about Husk? Lucius: Alky Alley Cat. Alastor: Hmm strangely fitting. Husk: Fuck you, but honestly not the worst one I've heard. Lucius: I was going to joke about you being a Hissy fit but- Husk: I'll take the Alky any day over that. Alright, Nifty. Lucius: Hmm Pocket Sized. Vaggie: Why Pocket Sized. Lucius: I cannot tell you how many times I've seen her in my coat pockets. Angel: Cherri? Luicus: Was stuck on Inferno or Wildfire. Angel: I think she'd enjoy Wildfire. Husk: Alright, how about Sir Pentious. Lucius: Wasn't pleasant and working on a better one, so pass for now. Angel: You left out three people. Your sister, your dad and Vaggie. Lucius: Well I was going to go with Deadbeat for my dad but Charlie says that's too mean. Dwarf king was another but again too mean. So I went with Cockatiel. Angel: Why? Lucius: Look at him, man looks like a cockatiel. Angel: ..Fair. Okay Charlie and Vaggie. Vaggie: I'm starting to hate this game.. Lucius: Vaggie hmm.. Let's see Shadow. Vaggie: Why Shadow. Lucius: Cause you're always up my sister's ass. Angel: Then wouldn't Anal probe be better? Vaggie: *glares* Lucius: Charlie's word, it can't be gross either. Angel: Alright what do you call Charlie. Lucius: Lottie. Angel: Lottie? Lucius: Yeup. Although I don't use it often as I use too. I used it more when we we're kids and early teens. I used it a lot when she was in her goth phase. Angel: Hold on she was in a goth phase! Lucius: Oh yea, we both went through phases for a couple of decades. She went goth, I went Punk. Spent a lot of time in Zilla's. Angel: Please tell me you have pictures. Lucius: Oh I have pictures. Vaggie: I'm not sure this is a good idea. Lucius: New nickname, Fun Fucker, because you're always trying to ruin the fun with your fucking mouth! Vaggie: Watch it.. Lucius: Oh what'chu gonna do about it Vagasil! Angel: *Laughs* Oh fuck, I gotta remember that one. Vaggie: Lucius I am not fucking around! Lucius: I'm surprised you even know how guess my sister is good at teaching you something Angel: Kink- Lucius: Not what I meant Angel, and you know it. Vaggie: ..I'm telling Charlie. Lucius: Tattletale!

[wiypt-writes]

Consciousness Of Guilt

Chapter 25

Summary: You and Andy find out the sex of your new baby, and that leads Andy to an important decision.

Warnings: Language, adult themes, and an Andy who needs a hug…

Disclaimer: This is a pure work of fiction and classified as 18+. Please respect this and do not read if you are underage. I do not own any characters in this series bar the reader and any other OCs. By reading beyond this point you understand and accept the terms of this disclaimer. I do not consent to my work being translated or posted elsewhere. If you see this fiction on any site other than Tumblr it has been taken without permission.

W/C: 6.6k

A/N: So, here we are. The penultimate chapter. Hard to believe we’re almost there. As always, massive Thanks to my beta @spectre-writes

Consciousness Of Guilt Masterlist // Main Masterlist

Chapter 24

6.6k

Andy was nervous. Why he didn't know. Not entirely. It wasn't his first, maybe not his last. But sitting with you in the ultrasound room this time around had his knee bouncing and his stomach in knots. He hadn't even felt this way with Lucy's gender scan. This was...just different. You looked over at him and sighed. "Andy, relax." Your eyes were incredibly soft as you looked him over. He looked tired, you knew he was. He hadn't been sleeping much lately. He had to prepare for this seminar and a trial all at once. And when the work took over, keeping sleep at bay or to a minimum, the dreams started. It kept you up too and then he'd force himself to bed just so you'd sleep. Before your mind could think more and Andy could reply, the technician came in with a bright smile. “Me and Mrs Barber?” She pulled up the ultrasound machine as she walked round to the side of the trolley you were sat on. "Yep," Andy rubbed his hands on his thighs and stood to join you as you situated yourself on the table. She smiled as you lifted up your top, and then looked at you both. “So, you wanna know what you’re having, huh?” "Yes!" You grinned. "We did with our first." “Are they going to be a big brother or sister?” “Sister.” You smiled, “she’s so excited.” “I have three myself, a girl and twin boys," the technician grinned. "Lay back for me, this will be just a little cold." She squirted the gel on your lower abdomen after you'd undone your pants. "Are we taking bets, guesses, desires?" You glanced at Andy, swallowed a little, and you reached for his hand. “You have a feeling don’t you?” He nodded, "boy." He smiled at you as you squeezed his fingers. “Well, let’s see if dads right.” It took a couple of minutes, finding the baby and taking images for the more necessary parts of the scan. "Things look good," the technician smiled. "I can't say for sure since I'm not an MD but pieces and parts look good. Are we ready for the sex?" You looked at your husband. “Andy?” Andy nodded and squeezed your hand. "Are you a betting man, Mr Barber?" The tech looked at you both with a straight face. “I’ve had the occasional flutter, but it’s been a while.” He gave a little chuckle. “Well, take your odds to Vegas," the tech smiled and turned her screen. "It's a boy." Your eyes pricked with tears as you felt Andy’s hand tight around yours. "I'll get these printed for you and leave them with your chart when you go," she smiled warmly. "Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Barber." “Thank you,” you smiled, your eyes watching her go. When the door clicked shut, you looked over at Andy with tears in your eyes, "Andy...." “A boy…” he whispered. "Yeah," you said softly. "A boy." Your stomach was in knots as you tried to read your husband. For the first time since your very beginning, you couldn't. His eyes were shifting around the room, quickly. Looking at everything, yet focussing on nothing. "Okay," you took a shuddering breath and sat up, letting go of his hand. You swallowed the lump in your throat and slid off the table. You did up your pants, the with a turn on your foot, you stood between Andy's legs. "I can't imagine what's in your head right now," you knew exactly how his mind was whirring. "I won't pretend I do. But I am so happy, and I know you are too, BB. Just process it, okay, we'll talk about it all later." You kissed his lips tenderly as you cupped his face. "When you're ready." “Angel…” he reached up for your hand. "Yeah?" You whispered. His other hand curled round the back of your thigh as he sat up, his nose softly brushing the t-shirt which was stretched a little over your bump. “Hi, son…” he whispered, his voice cracking. Your bottom lip quivered and you sniffed. Your hand moved to the top of your little bump and you sputtered. His forehead pressed gently to your belly before those azure eyes looked up at you, misty with tears. “I love you so much.” "I love you, too, Andy," you cupped his cheek, your thumb running over his cheekbone. "We both do, we all do." Andy licked his lips, before he moved a little and you stepped back to allow him to stand up. He wiped his eyes, took a deep breath and then turned to you. “Wow…” You tearfully grinned, "I know." He moved and wrapped his arms around you, holding you close. “Suppose we best go tell Looby.” Andy snorted as the pair of you moved towards the door. Once you’d collected what you needed to, you made your way out towards Andy’s Audi, hand in hand. “So…how do you think we should do it?” You asked. “Tell Lucy, I mean.” "Suppose we just tell her?" Andy shrugged, still sniffing a little. "I'm not sure. How'd you find out about your sister?" “Mom and dad didn’t find out.” You shook your head. "Oh," he nodded and opened the door for you. "Well, then I guess we just tell her," he chuckled a little. "But we have the drive back to Ron's to figure it out." “Oh…erm can you stop by the bakery?” "Sure," he closed your door and walked around the back of the car to his side. Once in and settled, he started the car and backed out of the space. Turning left rather than right, toward Ron's, he took you to the little bakery you liked so much just down the road from the diner. As you pulled up outside, Andy stopped the car and then turned to you. “What is it?” You asked softly. “I wanna tell Lucy about both her brothers.” Your head slowly turned to look at him. "Okay..." “I mean…I know she’s probably too young to understand about Jacob, but if I tell her and keep telling her as she grows up…then she’s gotta understand as she gets older, right?” You kicked your lips. You weren't entirely surprised by his decision. You knew the day would come when Andy would want to tell Lucy about her big brother. He was after all, in the grand scheme of it, the reason she was born. But could a three year old possibly understand? That said, Lucy was very much like her father, brilliant in thought and smooth in word. Maybe you were doing her a disservice in doubting her. But more so, you knew this was less about her understanding than it was about Andy needing to tell her. You exhaled, “Andy," you paused, waiting for his eyes to flick to you. "I think you’re right. I think you should.” “Maybe…I…” he swallowed, “I just don’t think I know how.” You took a second to think, "that's okay too, BB. You'll know when you figure it out. If you want me there, I can be. I will be. But it's also okay for you to go at it alone with her." His hand reached for yours and he lifted it, softly kissing the soft skin of your wrist. “Thank you.” "I love you," you said softly, "and I know our son is..." your voice waivered, "our son is just as important as Jacob was. He won't replace his big brother. Just like Lucy never could. I can't possibly imagine how you're feeling, and part of me doesn't want to." You sniffed as the emotions started to take hold. "This is a big deal," you squeezed his hand, "and I'm always here, just like I've always been, always will be." Andy sniffed a little, before he glanced at you again. “I can’t tell you how happy I am. Another baby, a boy…” You lifted his hand to your lips, "I know...."

*********

Lucy sat in the living room in front of the film collection that sat below the television. You had gone to take a well-deserved nap so Andy popped popcorn for he and his little bunny to pass the time. He wanted to spend as much time with her as he could before the new baby arrived. For once she became a big sister, the Barber family would be forever changed. A familiar shape caught Lucy's eye and she pulled the case out. Her eyes grew wide as she stood and practically ran it over to Andy as he sat on the couch waiting for her choice.

"Daddy Wex we wash dis one!" She flopped on the couch next to him.

Andy looked over at her to take the case from her hand just as a feather escaped the couch cushion and floated between them.

The simple action made Lucy giggle as she tried to catch it.

Andy was caught off guard by the floating object, his focus quickly shifting away from Lucy. He felt his chest tighten and then he heard her giggle, her voice.

A blurred image of a T-Rex skeleton filled his vision. "Whoa, back up a second," he croaked then cleared his throat. "I can't see with it so close, bunny."

“Iss a Dino!” She moved a little allowing Andy to take the case from her.

“This…” he glanced at the Jurassic Park Blu-ray and sighed, “Looby this is gonna be way too grown up and scary for you.“

"But issa t-wex. I nots get scared, Daddy. I pwomise!"

Andy looked at her, and then he noticed the feather had landed in her hair.

It didn’t escape him just how much she was like Jacob, how he would often cajole Andy into allowing him to stay up later than he should or eat things that perhaps weren’t the wisest of choices just before bed.

And now, that feather…it was almost like Jake was telling him, “don’t be such a square, Dad…”

He chuckled with a little splutter and sniffed. It was the first feather he'd seen in a while and of all days for it to appear, it was now. With Lucy, and on the day the two of you found out your new baby was a boy. Andy reached out and plucked the feather from her hair and swallowed back the lump in his throat. And he knew, the time was right.

“Okay, we can…but first, there’s something I wanna talk to you about.”

“I not does it, Gwant ates your belt."

Andy blinked, “no, I…wait, he ate my belt?”

"Ooops," Lucy grinned with a giggle as she covered her mouth.

“Why would you think I would think you…you know what, it doesn’t matter. That’s not what I wanted to talk to you about.”

Lucy climbed up into his lap and sat there with her legs slung over his thighs, her little legs bouncing. Eyes that looked like his own gazed up at him as if he were the best thing in the world.

“So…you know before, when you got your cupcake…and it had blue frosting…”

"Because I gets a brudder! I so essited!" Lucy beamed at him,

“Me too, baby.” Andy swallowed, “But I wanna tell you something. About a long time ago, before I met your mommy.”

“Like when there was dinos?”

“No, not quite!” Andy laughed, “I’m not that old!”

Looby giggled again and Andy took a deep breath. “But, back then, I had a different family.”

"You did?" Lucy frowned.

Andy nodded. “I had a different wife…and a boy…a son.”

"Oh...not Mommy, nots my baby?"

“No.” Andy shook his head. “He was older, a lot older than you.”

"Oh..." she was quiet for a minute. "Where deys goes?"

“They…they died. In an accident.”

"Oh...." Lucy frowned, "Yous sad?"

“I was, Bunny. For a long time. Sometimes I still am. But you and mommy…and now our new baby, you make it better.”

In a mature move, that surprised even Andy, Lucy threw herself into his chest. Her little body twisted to hug him close. "Nos be sad, Daddy." She whispered, "it's otay."

Andy choked a little, his arms cuddling his daughter close. “Oh, Lucy. I love you. So much.”

"Who's he? Your uvver boy?”

“His name...his name was Jake. Jacob.”

"Jay-cob," Lucy repeated. "Jacob wiked dime-osaurs."

Andy blinked, “he…he did. What….what makes you say that?”

"I wike dem, so Jay-cob wiked dem."

Andy looked down at his daughter. “He did, he liked them a lot.”

She grinned, "wike you and me."

“Just like me and you.” Andy smiled. “You know what else he liked?”

"Wut?"

“Ice cream.”

Lucy squealed, "I wuv ice cream!"

“I know,” Andy grinned.

"We has some? Wiff the movie?”

Andy chuckled, “okay, but we should probably ask Mommy. Or I'll be in big trouble!”

Lucy climbed down from where she sat and waited for Andy to get up. She took his big hand with her tiny one and pulled him toward the stairs.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"To ask Mommy about ice cweam!"

"Oh, hang on, Looby!" Andy chuckled and pulled her back to him. "Mommy is taking a nap, why don't we start with our popcorn and when she wakes up, we ask about the ice cream?"

Lucy looked like she was in deep thought. Her little eyebrows rose into her forehead. "Just a wittle bit? I won'ts tell if you won'ts!"

There it was again, that glimmer of Jacob inside his sister. Andy supposed it was what he gave his children, sneaky little traits. He snorted, “alright, let’s go see what we got.”

Andy had just about finished scooping Lucy's strawberry ice cream into her bowl when he heard your voice. "What are you doing?"

Andy and Lucy stopped dead as you walked into the kitchen.

“Uh oh, Looby…”

“Busted!” Lucy giggled.

"Ice cream before dinner?" Your hands went to your hips, slightly masked by your little bump.

“Iss for the moovie mommy!”

You couldn't help but playfully sneer at them but then turned that smirk into a grin, "Where's my bowl?!"

Andy's grin matched yours as he slid the bowl intended for his own ice cream in front of him and began adding scoops. "How much, Angel?"

“Plenty.” You grinned.

Andy chuckled and scooped up your bowl. Lucy sat on the counter bouncing her feet as she held her bowl in her lap.

“So, what movie are we watching?”

"Juwassic Pahk!" Lucy replied.

You blinked. “Really?”

"Yup!" Lucy took a bite of her ice cream.

"Andy, are you sure?" You were a little concerned.

"We'll give it a try," he smiled softly. "Trust me, Angel."

"Mommy! Guess what?" Lucy asked.

"What?" You replied.

"Daddy says I has a Jay-cob wike my baby. He wikes dinos and ice cream likes me!”

“Daddy told you about your big brother huh?” You smiled.

At that Lucy frowned. “He’s not my brudder.”

"Why do you say that?" You asked as Andy frowned.

"Because you not his mommy," she sighed.

Andy sighed, he'd hoped she had understood what he told her but maybe he’d been a little optimistic to expect her to fully understand how the dynamics would work. He looked at you, as you registered his reaction. “I didn’t even think to try and explain that…”

"Hey, it’s okay…” You smiled gently. “Lucy, you’re right. I'm not Jacob’s mommy…”

“Dems hows he my brudder?”

"Because just like your baby brother in here,” you rubbed your bump, “ you share Daddy with him. Jacob was your brother because you have the same Daddy.”

“Oh…buts not the same mommy?”

“No baby, Jacob’s mommy was a different lady, her name was Laurie. Daddy was married to her before he met me.”

“Otay.” Looby nodded. “I sees.”

“You do?” Andy felt his heart lighten at little at her words.

“Yups. Jay-cob was my brudder, because we has the same daddy.” She repeated with a final firm nod.

“That’s it.” Andy smiled softly, “you’re so clever, Bunny.”

“Buts he in heaven nows, mommy.”

You looked at Andy as she'd said it, and saw his eyes misting as you answered for him. “Yeah, Looby, he is."

Lucy then sighed, “so I cants see him.”

“You know…” Andy quickly wiped his eyes, “I can show him to you. If you like?”

"Otay," she smiled. She handed you her bowl of ice cream, "Don't eats it, Mommy!"

“Okay, I won’t.” You chuckled.

With a soft smile, Andy looked at you.

“You go, I'll meet you at the couch.”

He nodded and swooped Lucy up in his arms off the counter.

He carried her across to the study, and gently sat her on the oak desk. He reached for a photo which sat next to one of you both and Lucy, taken a few months back, and he gently held it out.

“This is Jacob. And me.” He smiled softly. “We were in our garden of my old home.”

"Hi Jay-cob," Lucy smiled, "I your sissy, Looby."

Andy smiled as he watched, the lump in his throat thick.

"We has Daddy."

At that Andy had to look away, his chest feeling tight.

"Yous ups in Heaven wiff Bongo. Das Nanny and Gwampa’s doggy. He dieded..."

At that Andy couldn’t help but splutter a chuckle at the memory of the raggedy dog he had first met all those years back. Sadly, old age and ill health had forced your parents to make the decision all pet owners dread, and they’d done the kindest thing for him last week.

“You know, I think I’m gonna miss Bongo…” Andy smiled softly.

"Wike you misses Jay-cob?"

“Kinda.” Andy nodded.

"I wike him," Lucy looked away from the photo and to Andy. "Das my brudder, Jay-cob."

Andy immediately felt the sting in his nose, and he sniffed. “I’m sure…” his voice cracked, “I’m sure he would have liked you too, Looby.”

Ever astute, Lucy looked up at Andy, "Daddy....why you crying?"

Andy hesitated and thought about brushing it off but instead he gently picked Lucy up.

“I sometimes do when I think of Jake, but you…you make it all better.”

"I does?"

“Absolutely. Now…you know what I need?”

"A big Looby-Sore-us hug?”

“A huge Looby-Saurus hug.” Andy nodded.

Her arms wrapped around his neck and squeezed.

Andy hugged her back, his face burying into her hair. “I love you so much, don’t ever forget that.”

"I lobes you too," her little forehead touched his. "Daddy?”

“Yes, baby?”

"Can we has our popcorn and ice cream now?"

Andy laughed, “sure. Come on.”

Her little arms wrapped around his neck and held on tight as he carried her across the hall.

“Well, there you are!” You smiled as they both walked into the living space.

"Any longer and you'd miss out on ice cream! It's melting!"

"We're sorry, Angel," Andy kissed Lucy's temple and set her down. He bent his neck and gave you a soft kiss, his hand settling over your small bump.

“It’s okay,” you smiled, “did you guys…”

"Yeah, I think so," he replied softly. His eyes still a little pink.

"Are you okay?" You gently rubbed his arm.

With a nod and sniffle, Andy sighed with a small shake in his chest. "It's just fine."

"I love you, Andy."

“I love you too, Angel, all of you.”

With your hand over his, you smiled ever so gently as you all settled down to watch the film.

Surprisingly to you, maybe not so much to Andy, Lucy was fine with most of the film but didn’t like the bit where the Raptors were chasing Tim and Lexi through the kitchen. She asked Andy to fast forward through that bit, so he did.

There were no nightmares, just an excited little girl babbling all about the best bits of the film to Andy the next morning as he got her ready for nursery, asking when she could watch it again.

The rest of your week passed quickly, as did the weekend, and soon Monday morning rolled around bringing with it four nights away for Andy at a conference in New York. He was reticent to leave you, but you waved his worry away. Your pregnancy hadn’t been any more difficult than with Lucy and you felt more than capable of coping without him. You kissed him goodbye as he left in the morning, watching his baby girl hug him tight before you both then set off for the office and nursery, Grant perched in the seat next to Lucy so he could take up residency in his corner of your office as usual.

That evening, on the way home you stopped by the pet store as you’d run out of dog treats for your office stash. You let Lucy hold Grants leash as you pushed the trolley around, popping in a few bags of natural treats and titbits.

Lucy then asked to go look at the tanks of fish at the back, and she watched with fascination at how the assistant was catching a few for a sale when she gave a gasp and tugged at your top.

“Mommy, please! We hasta get Daddy-Wex a fish!"

You paused, then frowned. “Looby, why do you say that?”

"I fink he's sad," she shrugs.

“You do?”

"Yeah," she kicked dust on the ground. "I fink he misses Jay-cob."

You took a deep breath. Andy had, indeed, been a lot more reflective than you’d seen him in a long time since the day of your sexing scan. And, whilst you knew he was happy about the news you were having a boy, you also knew he was still wrapping his head around it all. And that was okay, he’d get there in time.

What you hadn’t realised was that your beautiful and smart three year old had noticed the change in her daddy too. And moreover, you had absolutely no idea how the hell she’d joined the dots as to what the problem was. But she had.

“You know, you’re right, he does miss Jacob.” You looked down at her. “And I think that because the new baby is going to be a boy, it’s making daddy think about Jacob a lot. But he’s gonna be okay.”

"I don't wike it when Daddy is sad."

“I don’t either,” you sighed, cupping her face. “But I promise, you help him. He loves you, baby. And you make him smile.” You then looked at the tank of fancy goldfish and bit your lip. “Why do you think fish will make daddy feel better?”

"Because he wikes the fish at the aquaridum!"

You felt your heart swell, and the tears of emotion prick your eyes at just how observant and thoughtful your little girl was.

���You’re right…” you nodded, and then you decided; screw it. “You know, if we wanna get him some fish, we gotta get a tank and set it all up first…”

"Oh, can we!"

“Sure, why not.” You smiled. “We can set it up and then come back for the fish at the end of the week, before daddy comes home.”

"He's gonna be so happy, Mommy! So happy!"

You smiled, you had no idea whether Andy wanted fish or not, but you knew he’d love them simply because his little girl had picked them for him, for a very caring reason.

So, off you went, loading the trolley up with an adequately sized set up, including lights, filter, substrate, and a large ornament which was in the shape of a t-rex skeleton skull.

You knew that lifting the things inside the house wasn't going to be the best of ideas if Andy sussed it out, but you didn't need to enlist help either. So when you got home, with Lucy's help carrying the lighter things, you managed to get the tank and things inside and sat in Andy's office where Lucy wanted to set up the tank.

Lucy helped you arrange the ornaments and pop in the plants, then it was a case of filling it up. You had the bright idea of using the hosepipe and attaching it to the tap in the cloakroom across the hall, and it worked pretty well all things considered.

“Iss dirty!” Lucy peered at the water.

“No, it just needs to settle.” You assured her as you flicked the filter on and added the chemicals they had told you to at the shop. “Tomorrow morning it’ll be much better.”

"Can I watch it?" Lucy grinned, complete excitement dancing in her eyes.

“There’s not much to see,” you chuckled, “but I got a better idea.”

"What?"

“Why don’t you come and look on the iPad for the types of fish we should get daddy whilst I make dinner?”

"Oh, yay!" Lucy clapped, "I esscited!"

“I know, honey, I can tell. And Daddy’s gonna love his surprise.”

"I hope sos!" Lucy smiled up at you.

You smiled down and her and took her hand, leading her to the kitchen and grabbing your tablet along the way.

True to her word, Lucy picked out a few good fish to start Andy's collection. As you didn’t work Thursdays or Fridays, Lucy didn’t attend nursery, so Thursday afternoon you took her to a specialist aquatics shop this time and let her explain to the assistant what she wanted with the pictures she had printed off and watched, smiling as the young man led her round to the cold water tanks.

When you got home, the two of you started the process of integrating the fish in the tank. Lucy couldn’t wait to tell Andy all about them.

And she would get her chance in one more sleep. Andy was scheduled to touch back down in Denver just after eleven the next morning and would be home just after lunch.

“Deys look happy, mommy!” She giggled as the four fancy goldfish swam around the various plants. “Buts deys so smalls!”

“They’re babies, Bunny.” You smiled, “that’s why. But the man told you they’ll grow bigger and that’s the perfect amount for the tank size.”

"But no more than four," Lucy held up four fingers. "Or that's toooo mush!"

You chuckled at the way she said it, that was her and Andy’s thing. Andy had always asked her how much daddy loved Looby and that was the standard response. Tooo much.

“You’re right, it is too much.” You smiled, hand on your bump as your baby boy was wriggling. “Now, which ones your favourite?”

"Ummmmm," Lucy watched them swim for a moment. "That one! Right dere!" She pointed to a particularly deep gold rather than orange colored fish. "Das Goldie!"

“Goldie…” you chuckled, “you not going to let daddy name them?”

“He can name the uvvers.” Lucy beamed up at you, a smile much like her father's with eyes that were entirely his.

"Good Idea. Now, what do you think about laying down with me for a bit and then we can order pizza and snuggle all night. Tomorrow, just after lunch Daddy will be home."

"Is Auntie Jo coming wiff hims?" Lucy wondered.

"No, baby, she's not. Not this time." You smiled, "So whatdya say; snuggles, pizza and more snuggles?"

“Yay!” She nodded, “and Gwant too.”

“Of course! Can't forget about Grant!"

Lucy did indeed snuggle and take a little cat nap with you until Andy called, waking you both up.

“Hey…” you blinked at the screen.

“I’m sorry, Angel.” He sighed, apologetically, “I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s okay,” you shook your head, “I should probably be getting little miss ready for bed anyway.”

"You feeling alright?" Andy wondered.

"Just making a baby, nothing unusual," you chuckled.

“Nah, the making is the fun part,” Andy winked, “You’re doing the hard work baking him now.”

You grinned, "how did it go today?”

“It was okay, my presentation in the morning went without a hitch.” He smiled, “some of the debate this afternoon got a little heated but, wouldn’t expect anything else from a room full of judges and lawyers. The big dinner tonight should make up for it.”

"Ah yes, the dinner," you sighed, remembering the very first one you'd attended with Andy. "Bland chicken and cold vegetables. Enjoy the open bar, it'll be worth it."

Andy laughed, “lamb tonight, Angel, they asked for our orders in advance. And I intend to, although not too much. Don’t fancy flying home with a hangover.”

“Is that daddy?” A yawning voice from the little person tucked into your side spoke.

"It sure is, Bunny."

She shifted a little and sat up, and you smoothed her hair back as she took the phone from you.

“Hi daddy rex!”

"Well, hi Looby-saurus!" Andy chuckled, "how's my little bunny? Are you taking care of Mommy?"

“Yups,” She grinned. “We had Pizza and watched Toy Story!”

"Well, I can't believe I missed it!"

“Yous can watch at weekends” she grinned.

“Sounds great?” Andy smiled, “what else did you do?”

“Wells today we goes and…” Lucy stopped, and then blinked. “Oops, I cants say.”

"Oh, you can't, huh?" A smirk crossed his lips. He flicked his brow in curiosity.

"Nopes, it's a supwise! I cants!"

“You got me a surprise?”

"Don't give in to him, Lucy!" You laughed. "Andy..." you slowly scolded.

“What?” He laughed.

“Dass naughty, Daddy!”

"Alright! I'll be excited to see it! One more sleep, Looby, just one!"

“Does you gots to work tomorrow when yous home?”

“Nope.” Andy shook his head, “it’s an early start to the weekend, baby.”

"Pancakes?"

“Well, I won’t be home until after lunch but…Saturday morning absolutely.”

“Wiff berries and whippeds cream?"

“Of course, is there any other way?”

"Otay! I miss you Daddy."

“I miss you too, Bunny, but one more sleep. That’s all.”

"Otay, Daddy! I gots to go potty!"

“Alright…I love you.”

"Bye daddy!" Lucy tossed the phone to you and then scrambled over your legs and off the sofa.

Can you manage?” You called after her.

"I gots it!"

You chuckled as you picked up the phone. “Little Miss Independent.”

"Huh, yeah, like someone else I know," Andy's eyes sent a playful glare your way. "I miss you, Angel. I know It's only been a couple of days, but I miss you both a lot."

“I miss you too, but not long now.” You smiled softly.

"No, I suppose not," he smiled back. But whilst you knew his smile was genuine, there was that look in his eyes. The look you recognised all too well, and the one that was clearly now why Lucy was feeling the way she was about her daddy; that he was sad.

“Andy…”

"Yeah, baby?"

“It’s okay, you know. To feel how you’re feeling about this…about him. I get it.”

Andy sighed, "I know. But...Angel, this... This is on me. It's not about our son, it's not about us. I'm just...it’s a lot to wrap around right now. It's been a heavy week." His shoulders slumped and he inhaled a shaky breath. "Maybe that's why this seminar hasn't been the greatest. My heads not here, my heart isn't either."

“Oh, Andy.” You swallowed, “I can’t imagine how you feel but I just want you to know I’m not mad or upset…I just, well I get it, okay. And however long you need…that’s okay too.”

"Thank you, I'm sorry."

“Are you happy about the baby?”

“What? Of course I am!”

“And are you gonna love him any less because he is a boy?”

“No, Angel, that’s…”

“Then there’s nothing to be sorry for.” You shook your head.

Andy took in a deep, rattling breath. His eyes were misting, and you could see it over the video call.

“I mean it,” you looked at him.

Andy nodded, the words stuck in his throat. He sniffed and cleared the lump away. "I love you."

“I love you too. So much, Andrew Steven Barber.”

He nodded as his lip wobbled, "I'm gonna see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams, Angel."

“Yeah, you will. Enjoy the dinner, okay? “

“Okay, honey.”

You bid him goodbye and then took a deep breath before you hauled yourself up off the sofa and headed off to find Lucy.

****

It was just before one the next afternoon when Lucy excitedly yelled as she heard Andy’s car pull up the gravel driveway in front of your home.

“Mommy! It's Daddy-Rex!! He's home!"

“I heard,” you chuckled over Grant’s barking.

He came through the front door and dropped his bags at once, scooping up a charging Lucy.

“Hi, Bunny!” He grinned as he hugged her tightly.

Her little arms strangled around his neck as she buried her little face into his bearded cheek. "I missed yous!"

“I missed you too. Have you looked after mommy and your brother for me?”

Lucy pulled back and smooshed his cheeks together, "Yups! And I fed Gwant! He no eats your tings dis time."

“Well, good job!” Andy grinned as he puckered his lips for a kiss off his daughter. She laid one on him and with a final squeeze, let her down. He used his lower thigh to move Grant out of the way and looped an arm around you as you waited close by. He cupped the side of your face with his free and hand kissed you. Kissed you good; tenderly and slowly.

“Hi…” you whispered, your nose brushing his.

"Hi, baby," he whispered back. His lips pecked yours as he pulled back a little to rest his hand on your bump. "Hi, pal."

“How was your flight?” You asked, your hand laying over the top of his.

"Not quick enough," he sighed. "Let me take these bags up and put my briefcase in the office and I'm all yours. Jo gave me some stuff to bring home for Lucy."

“Why am I not surprised?” You chuckled, “she’s spoilt.”

"Hey, she's her godmother and Lucy is the closest thing they have to children.” Andy smirked. "Let me just go put this in the office first," he winked and picked up his shoulder bag.

"No Daddy! You cants go in there!" Lucy exclaimed.

“Why not?”

"Ums..." she looked at you for help.

“Because we made a mess in there, and we need to tidy up.” You said slowly, holding his gaze.

“Ohhh,” Andy nodded, winking at you. “I see.”

"So you goes to your room, Daddy!" Lucy grinned, "gets cozy and comes back!" She shrugged with her hands out to the sides like it was the perfect idea.

Andy bit his lip, stopping himself from laughing and he nodded. “That’s the best idea, ever.”

"Otay, bye!"

Andy kissed you again and grabbed his suitcase and headed upstairs. Grant, as ever the obnoxious dog he was to his owner, trotted up after him.

“Hello, you furry ass hole.” Andy chuckled as he hopped up onto the bed, tail wagging. He gave Grant an affectionate scratch behind the ear before he emptied his case out quickly. Once his dirty laundry was in the basket, he changed from his jeans and polo to some sweats and a tee.

“C’mon, pal. Let’s go see what your best buddy has planned, huh?”

Grant huffed as if in reply and followed Andy out of the room. Behind his back he held a little gift bag from Jo and her wife. Quickly thudding down the stairs, Andy found you and a very excited Lucy waiting for him ever so wiggly patient by the television and fireplace.

"Cwose yous eyes, Daddy!"

“Okay, but don’t you want your present from auntie JoJo first?”

Lucy's eyes grew wise, "yes, pwease!" She jumped up and down.

With a smile, Andy handed it over.

She sat right down in the spot where she'd stood and pulled the tissue from the top.

“Ooooh looks!” She pulled a new set of colouring pencils out, followed by a sketch book. “I lobes them!”

"Auntie knows you love your art sets, doesn't she, Looby?" You smiled at her, your hand resting on your belly.

Andy smiled warmly and pulled his phone from the coffee table. "Look here, Looby Loo!" He snapped a picture to send off later.

"Okay, do you think Daddy's ready, Lucy?" You peered down at her as she put her things on the coffee table.

“Yups!” She nodded, a huge grin on her face.

"Alright," you smiled. "Close your eyes, BB. Looby, take his hand and go show him. I'm right behind you."

“Dis way, Daddy. For your surprise!”

"Don't run me into anything!"

"No peeking, Daddy!"

“I’m not…”

Lucy took him to his office and made sure he stood right in front of the tank. You held your phone out for pictures and video that you knew Andy would want to see later.

“Okay daddy, when I counts free!”

Andy chuckled, "Okay!"

"One...two..free!"

Andy opened his eyes and blinked. He frowned a little, before his mouth curled up at one side.

“Goldfish?”

"Yup!" She grinned. "Wike the aquardium!"

“They are, yeah.” He chuckled, “and is that a t-rex?”

"Yes! Mommy wet me gets it!" Lucy giggled and hugged his leg. "Are yous happy now, Daddy?"

At that Andy looked away from the fish and down at Lucy. “What do you mean, Bunny?”

"You sads cause of Jay-cob, so I makes you happy!"

“I…” Andy blinked, before he hung his head a little, swallowing.

Your hand fell to the middle of his back, "It's okay." You whispered to him. Then with a little louder voice you peered around Andy's broad back, "He loves it Lucy."

Andy gently dropped to his knees and pulled his daughter into his arms and just held her. "I'm so happy about my fish, baby."

“Daddy, you cries?”

"I'm okay, Lucy, I promise." He sniffed.

“Daddy’s just really happy. Sometimes those feelings get a lot.” You explained.

"Oh," she sighed. "No cries, okay Daddy? I loves you, and dems fishies loves you. Mommy, my baby, my Jay-cob. We alls loves you, Daddy-Rex."

Andy spluttered and pulled Lucy to him, burying his face in her hair. “I love you too, my baby girl. So, so much.”

"Tooooo much!"

Andy pulled back. “Lucy, I wanna tell you something now. And I hope you understand. But, sometimes when I miss Jacob, I do feel sad, but that doesn’t ever mean I don’t love you or I’m sad because of you. You and mommy and now your new baby brother make me so, so happy.”

Lucy took a minute to try and, but she looked confused. Your heart ached for your husband, hearing him say it just chipped away a little at it. The confusion on Lucy's face made you smile softly. "That means that Daddy loves you no matter what and always, okay, Lucy?"

“I knows dat!” She looked at you and then Andy as if you were both stupid.

"Okay, Bunny, just so you know," Andy sniffed. "Now, do they have names?"

“Erms…one does.” She grinned as Andy stood up with her in his arms. “Dat one is Goldie.”

"Oh, Goldie, huh? Original.” His sarcasm was lost on Lucy as she grinned. Andy chuckled. “Okay, and the rest?"

"Das it."

“So, we have to pick names for the other three?” Andy studied the remaining fish, one being white with an orange stripe down its back, the other black with googly eyes and the other a mix of black, orange and gold flecks.

"Yup!"

“Okay…well this one is kinda speckled, so what about Speckles?”

“Now who’s original?” You whispered and he snorted.

"I wike dat," Lucy smiled. "And dat one is...." she thought for a moment, pointing at the black one. "Dat one is Wex!"

“Rex, okay…that’s cool so that just leaves that one with the stripe.”

“Erms oh, oh…Iddle Foot!”

"Oh, good eye, baby! He has a stripe like Little Foot, huh?" Andy kissed her temple. "Thank you so much for my surprise, both of you." He reached for you and looped his arm around your waist, then he kissed your temple. "I love you all so much."

“He wikes them mommy!”

"He sure does, baby," you nodded and leaned into Andy. "He sure does.”

[centralperkchenford]

heyyyy I love your works smmm!!

Can you do a fic where Ava and/or Lucy both need pads or tampons as they run out. So Lucy sends Tim to the store..

This turned kind of into chaos lol. But as you can see Levi is like Ava 🤣🤣. I hope you enjoy!

Can you do a fic where Ava and/or Lucy both need pads or tampons as they run out. So Lucy sends Tim to the store..

Rocky road of emotions

“Mommm.” Ava calls out and Lucy groans as she rolls out of bed. “Mommm.” Lucy groans again and she wonders what her daughter needs so early in the morning.

He looks up as she starts to move again, his lips turned down in a frown. “Are you okay?” He asks. She opens her mouth to reply but Ava yells again and she hurries out of the room without a second glance.

She gets to Ava’s room and pushes into her bathroom where her daughter sits on the bathtub. Her face is streaked with tears and it looks like she’s shaking.

“What’s wrong sweetie?” Lucy asks squatting down in front of her. She brushes some hair out of Ava’s face and waits.

“I’m on my period.” She says her voice shaking. “And we don’t have any tampons.” Lucy laughs and ruffles her hair.

“I think I have some sweetie.” She says and gets up to go back to her bathroom. Tim is still in bed but she can feel his eyes on her back.

“Everything okay?” He asks. Lucy doesn’t answer him right away, she’s squatting down digging through the cabinets looking for the box of tampons she knows she put in here. She groans as she keeps digging throwing things aside.

“Luce?” She hears Tim say from above her and she looks up at him. “What’s wrong?” Lucy groans running a hand through her hair.

“I am out of tampons.” She says getting up from the floor and she turns to face him. “And so is Ava. She is on her period and she’s kind of freaking out.”

Tim’s eyes widen slightly as they hear another pair of feet enter the bathroom, Lucy watches as Tim’s eyes go from her to whoever just entered the bathroom.

“Mom.” Ava says and Lucy spins around. She gathers Ava in a hug laying a kiss on the top of her head and then turns to Tim.

“You.” She says pointing at him. He raises his arms up but doesn’t say anything. She supposes years of living with her and Ava has taught him to keep his mouth shut. “Can you please go to the store and get two boxes of tampons?”

Tim looks between the two of them and runs his hand down his face. “Yes.” He says smiling at her and then Ava. “What kind do you need?”

They both start talking at once and he looks up at the ceiling with his eyes closed. “Tim!” Lucy snaps. He looks over at her and tilts his head at her in confusion and she can’t help but laugh.

“I will text you what we need.” She says and she comes over and pats him on the shoulder. “You might want to get some chocolate while you are out.” Tim nods and hurries to get dressed and Lucy tugs on Ava and brings her over to their bed.

“Come on Aves. Just relax. Dad will get you what you need.”

***

Tim sighs as he glances at his phone for about the tenth time in a minute. It’s not like he has never been sent out to get tampons before. Because he has, there was the time where Levi thought it would be funny and dumped all of Lucy’s tampons in the toilet. There was the time when Ava was younger and thought they were some kind of nerf bullet. He’s used to going on these runs but for some reason it makes him to nervous like he’s some kind of creep.

He looks up and down the shelves for the right brand and sighs in relief when he sees it. He grabs two boxes and then two more just in case. He tosses them in the small basket he’s holding and then makes his way to the ice cream aisle because Ava loves ice cream and he wanted to get her something special.

He grabs her favorite flavor, rocky road and then throws in some chocolate bars for good measure. His phone buzzes in his pocket and he takes it out to see a message from Lucy.

Lucy: You good?

Tim: almost done. I will be home soon.

He pockets his phone and goes to the checkout counter, the checkout girl gives him an eyebrow raise but he ignores it. He pays and leaves and just as he’s getting in his truck his phone buzzes again. It’s Ava this time.

Ava: Dad! It doesn’t take five years to go to the store. My period will be done by the time you get back.

Tim: easy Aves. I’m on my way, and I have a surprise for you but only if you are nice to me.

Ava: love you daddy!!!!

Tim rolls his eyes at her message, she knows exactly how to work him. He gets home five minutes later and Ava is waiting at the door for him.

“Aves.” He greets her and walks passed her and goes into the kitchen. Ava follows him and watches as pulls the tampons out of the bag. He tosses her a box, and she catches it easily. But she doesn’t move, her eyes on him as he pulls out the ice cream and chocolate.

“Dad.” Says Ava coming up to him and blinking her blue eyes at him. “Can I have some ice cream?”

Tim laughs a little. “Are you going to be nice to me?” He asks.

“Depends.” Ava says. “Are you always going to take five years at the store?”

Tim rolls his eyes at her and gets a bowl down. “Go put those away and maybe I will have ice cream ready for you when you get back.” He says and Ava gathers the four tampon boxes and skips away.

Lucy comes in next and laughs when she sees him dipping ice cream. “Really Tim?” She asks. He shrugs his shoulders as Ava comes back and takes the bowl of ice cream from him.

“Thank you dad.” She says and hugs him before she’s going to sit down on the couch.

“Oh come on.” Says Tim when he sees Lucy still giving him an amused look. “You give her ice cream all the time.” Lucy doesn’t say anything just kisses him softly.

“You are a really great dad Tim. My dad never did that when I got my period.” Lucy says. “I know I say this all the time but our kids are really lucky to have you.”

Tim tugs Lucy closer to him and places a kiss on the top of her head. “And you are a great mom Lucy. We aren’t our parents and it took awhile but I know we are writing a new story for us and them.”

Lucy kisses him again and he cups her face absolutely loving that even after all these years she still does things to him.

They look over to see Ava watching tv with the bowl in her lap. Tim hears the twins upstairs and Daisy who is probably in her room.

“We have a pretty good life huh?” Lucy asks him. He nods and kisses her again.

“Yeah we do.”

There is a long comfortable silence and then. “Mom! Dad! Levi just gave June a swirly!”

Tim groans and Lucy pinches her nose as she looks up at the ceiling. Just another day of chaos.

[ladylooch]

Oh please can we see that convo of when the last name is decided. Like now as a blurb or in the series xxx

Like does David wish his wife shared his name? Does he feel more strongly about his kids having his name? Maybe he talks to Luc and Connor first. I can see him building up the conversation in his head heaps for Mack to be like 'psssh, they get your name, of course' or is it more of an in-depth question?

Omg Connor and David, besties and dads together 😍

Mack strokes the tip of her pointer finger down the big line in the center of her belly. It’s June in Iowa and she is hot. Out here, the sun beats down on the land and structures that dare to dot the flat, green space. Right now, she is perched on the couch in a pair of small shorts that may as well be underwear, and a sports bra. Her expanding boobs spill off her belly and slightly to the side. Everything about her is big and she still has a month to go. They keep telling her the baby’s measurements and hers are normal, but it doesn’t feel like it with how uncomfortable it is to exist in the summer heat.

The front door opens and Farmer David steps through. He is drenched in sweat, looking wet even from here. His green shirt sticks to the center of his chest and is soaked under his pits. He tosses off his baseball hat, letting it hit the bench followed by his tan work gloves.

“It’s hot out there, mama.” He complains. “Not much shade where I’m working.” Is there shade anywhere in Iowa? Mack doesn’t think so.

“Yeah, you look red. Put some more sunscreen on.”

“Okay.” He assures her, coming to drop a kiss on her lips. They both know he isn’t going to. His hand cups her bare belly, calloused palm scraping at her stretched skin while wetness from his hand makes him sticks to her skin. “Hi baby.” He says, kissing their child. “You being good today?”

“He’s pretty chill today.” Mack acknowledges. “But I haven’t been doing much either.”

“Good. Sit there and look pretty. That’s all you need to do, baby.” David goes to the counter, flipping through the mail he brought in with him during and earlier break this morning. “How does ‘Baby Hischier-Carlson’ already have mail from your parents?” He chuckles showing her the blue mail envelope stamped with several international stamps. “He isn’t here yet.”

“Oh yeah, my mom and dad wanted to send letters to him. Like they did when Lucie was pregnant with the girls. You know, get started on being the best grandparents.” Mack jokes, giving David a slightly sad smile.

“They don’t know there is no competition?” He says lightly.

“Uh, I think the competition is higher. His other grandparents are literal angels.” Mack insists. David chuckles, scratching at his beard. 

“That’s true.” He looks down at the envelope. “Damn that is a hell of a last name.” There is a slight tone that he covers up with a weak cough. Mack pauses her finger where it was still stroking her belly. She glances over her shoulder at him, watching him move across the kitchen to get a glass of water.

“What was that?” She asks him.

“What?”

“There was a tone there when you said last name.” 

“I just mean, like… Never mind.” He trails off. This makes Mack even more curious. David never runs from conflict with her. 

“No, please don’t ‘never mind’ me about our child. What?”

“He is going to have a cool last name. That’s all.” Mack doesn’t believe that is what her husband meant at all.

“What’s his last name going to be?” He stares at her as he gulps down several long sips of water. His tongue slides against his bottom teeth as he lowers the glass.

“You tell me, mama.” His gaze intensifies as Mack slides her eyes away in confusion. 

“Carlson?” 

“Thats it?”

“… Yes…?” She trails off. “Why wouldn’t he have your last name?”

“Because you don’t.”

“Oh.” She pauses, then pushes herself up off the couch. She wiggles her shorts back down her thighs then walks over to him in the kitchen. “Does that bother you now that I’m pregnant?”

“No. And I know better than to tell you even if it did.” He laughs, running a hand behind her back to cup her hip. She settles into his body, looking up at him. 

“You can tell me if it does now. We can talk about it.”

“I don’t care about you having my last name. You’re mine in every sense of the way.” Mack can feel the but hanging at the end of his sentence, even if he doesn’t say it.

“But you want the kids to have it?” 

“Yeah.” He shrugs his big shoulders. 

“Okay. Well they will.” Mack says simply. “I don’t need them to be Hischiers.” David stares down at her, blinking as silence falls over them. 

“Seriously?”

“Yes.” She laughs.

“Do you know how long I’ve been trying to talk to you about this? Like months. I was practicing on Connor before we left New York.”

“Babe!” Mack laughs, slapping his butt as she steps away. “Why?”

“I don’t know! I was worried you were going to get upset and think I was anti-feminism or some shit because I wanted something traditional.” Mack chuckles, grabbing a banana off the counter and starting to peel it.

“So girl dad Connor helped?”

“Yeah… I guess. I don’t know, there was a time where Lucie wavered on changing her name so we kinda talked through the importance of why I wanted this versus don’t need you to be a Carlson.”

“Care to enlighten me?” She asks, taking a bite of her fruit. David tilts his head to the side as he looks at her. His palms press into the counter on either side of his hips, work boots crossed at the ankles. 

“I love you.” He says.

“I know.” She laughs around her bite. “You’re not getting out of this.”

“I… love you. And I respect you. And your need to be independent and free, even with the roots we have put down together.” He speaks slow, measured, like he is having trouble keeping the emotion out of his voice. “ But our baby is ours and when I thought of him being a Hischier, it felt like he would be more a part of you than me. I’ve kinda been left behind in my life a lot. I don’t want to be left behind in this family.” He motions between the two of them. Mack swallows her bite.

“This family doesn’t exist without you, babe.” She whispers back to him. He pops one corner of his lips up in a smile at her. “I love you so much. I’m never going to leave you behind, okay? This is our life.” Tears are blurring her vision and soaking her voice as she speaks. 

“Thank you, honey.” He walks across the kitchen to her, letting her curl into his chest as she begins to sob. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He kisses the top of her head. 

“I can’t help it.” She chokes out. “You’re just so damn sweet. And our baby is so lucky. I’m so lucky.” She hiccups at the end. 

David hides his smile in her hair, beginning to sway them back and forth on the tiled floor he replaced earlier this summer. 

Mack can say whatever she wants but he knows he is the luckiest one here.

[crazyk-imagine]

Hi I’m back again, I have a request for our dear Wolfman, again. Would you please write a 50 first dates ?

Thank you again for everything!

💛💛

Thinking of You

Pairing: (Henry Roth) Leonard "Wolfman" Wolfe (Henry "Wolfman" Ruth) x (Lucy Whitmore) Fem!Reader

Characters: Fem!Reader, Leonard “Wolfman” Wolfe (Henry "Wolfman" Ruth), Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Nick “Goose” Bradshaw, Carol Bradshaw, Bradley Bradshaw, Tom “Iceman” Kazansky, Ron “Slider” Kerner, Rick “Hollywood” Neven, Marcus “Sundown” Williams, Sam “Merlin” Wells, Charles “Chipper” Piper, Mike “Viper” Metcalf, Bill “Cougar” Cortell, Charlotte “Charlie” Blackwood, Penny Benjamin

Warnings: Fluff, angst, this is cute, Leonard is adorable, reader watches out for herself, everyone is protective of the reader and it's adorable, no fisherman here, only ranchers and cowboys, small town vibes, Iceman and Viper are the best, Pete can't cook for the life of his business, few funny moments, few serious moments here and there

Word Count: 5,307

A/N: I am so so sorry for taking forever with this one. I did not forget it, I promise. It was a whole thing with trying to find inspiration and rewatching the movie for research. But it... is... done!!!

Viper still refers to Bradley as a baby because he is (in his eyes)

Charlie is the horny German lady which I find hilarious

Yes, I used the TGM Squad as the kids for everyone who had children in the movie

The guys all have a work past with Viper

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He takes a seat at the counter, minding his own business as he reads a menu.

You smile as you walk inside, you always love coming here and not just because you get to see Penny and Pete, your favorite couple at the restaurant but because you get to make your waffle buildings.

‘Maybe today I’ll build a hut. Oh, and for the steam we can use coffee.’

Penny notices there’s a little pep in your step while she hands you a menu. “How are you doing, Butterfly?”

You giggle, “I’m doing just fine.”

She smiles and tells you your table is free.

He sees you enter the restaurant, sitting down in one of the empty booths in the middle of the row.

Penny turns around filling another customer’s coffee, she notices the looks he’s sending your way and needs to stop it before things can progress, you don’t need any more heartache (even if you don’t remember it today).

It would also save him from meeting your dad, who’s in charge of the port, Viper aka Mike or your cousin, Iceman aka Tom.

“I wouldn’t,” she tells him.

He furrows his brows and turns towards the waitress. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”

“You’ll only find yourself heartbroken if you try to pursue her.”

“What makes you say that?”

She purses her lips; she doesn’t find it necessary to tell him of your accident. But then she realizes he’s new and must be one of the few new cowboys that came into town.

“You’re gone for more than half of the year doing what you do. You’ve never met her but if you did and it was time to leave both of you would be crushed. Imagine how much that for a second.”

“Maybe she’d come with me.”

“She-” She sighs at the wound of glass breaking. “Excuse me while I go kick my husband out of the kitchen.”

“I didn’t do it on purpose, Pen.”

“Out of the kitchen, Maverick," a new voice says.

He doesn't know it, but it was the actual cook, Marcus.

He sighs, pushing the doors open, taking a seat beside the man. “Sounds like you did good there.”

The dejected man chuckles, “yeah.”

“Hey. You happen to know that girl sitting in the booth, would you?”

Pete glances over his slumped shoulder. “What’s it to you?”

“Woah. Woah. Why is everyone so aggressive? I was just asking a question.”

“A question that shouldn’t be asked.”

“Okay. Message received.”

“You seem like the type who won’t take no for an answer?”

Leonard chuckles, “am I really that transparent?” He chuckles to himself as he takes a sip of his coffee until he turns back to look at Pete and realizes how serious this whole thing is. “Oh, shit. Sorry, I just thought-”

“She wouldn’t go for a guy like you,” a voice says sitting on the other side of the rancher.

The two men angle their bodies to hear the man better.

Pete gives him a sarcastic smile. “Yeah, thanks for that, Cougar. We don’t need to give it any more ideas.”

“First off, it has a name and oh, she’s trying to make a door.”

The two look back and focus on you trying to get the finishing touches to your waffle house done.

He debates on walking over to you after hearing everyone’s warnings.

Clearly no one here wants to see anything bad happen to you if they’re this willing to stop him before he could try anything.

He pushes himself out of the chair, grabs a toothpick before heading over to you.

“Hey,” he starts off not to startle you entirely before sticking the toothpick in place, opening and closing the door to show you how well it works. “I thought this might help you a little more.”

You glance up at him, giving him a smile. “Well, then I guess the only thing I can say is thank you. To be honest, it probably would have taken me five minutes to figure it out, so again, I thank you for saving me from any potential embarrassment.”

Leonard lifts his hat, “I always do what I can to help a beautiful lady such as yourself.”

“Ah, I bet you say that to everyone you see then.”

He chuckles. This certainly isn’t what he was expecting when he walked over, it's different, nice even. “May I,” he gestures to the empty side of the booth.

“Please, I’d like to look a little less pathetic in front of, well everyone here.”

“I don’t think that’s possible.”

“You flatter girls to get them in your bed and expect that very thing to happen, don’t you?”

“Uh- well,” he stutters.

You shrug, “doesn’t matter now. I’m just happy to have some company even if it’s just for a minute or two.”

“Well, then I’m happy to be of service.”

You dazzle him with another smile.

This is different from the other times he's gone out with girls.

You lift your watch to check the time. “Oh, looks like it's time for me to go. Sorry,” you sheepishly shrug as you reach for your bag.

“Uh- oh, okay. Yeah, I guess it’s time I went back to work.”

You get up and barely walk past him when you stop. “Is that you?”

“Is what me?”

“The farm smell?”

His mouth opens into an “o” making it obvious he now knows what you’re talking about. “Oh, yeah. Perks of being a rancher. Sorry about the smell. I didn’t realize it was so bad.”

You shake your head. “No, it’s- it’s not that. It’s just- it's more of a comfort thing. It reminds me of my family because my dad and my cousin are in the ranching business, and this is- the smell of, well the farm, is basically what I grew up with.”

He nods, “okay, good to know I don’t smell too much like shit.”

You chuckle, shaking your head. “Happy to help but I seriously have to go now.”

“Okay.”

You head over to Penny and pay her before saying bye to everyone.

Leonard shakes his head once he sees your car leave. “She sure is something else.” He then heads over to his car, sneakily watching you leave.

-

He spends the night talking to Rick, watching his kids. “So, you gonna ask her out?”

“Me?” Leonard shakes his head, pulling Rick’s youngest, Javy, away from the fence before his beloved (crazy) goat comes over and towards the edge to scare the kids.

The rancher isn't going to have his headbutting, crossed eyed goat injure another one of his friends' kids (even if it's on them because they didn't listen). “I- no.”

“You like her?”

The kids’ “ooh” at their dad’s comment.

“What? No. She’s just- she’s... busy?”

“Excuses.” He pushes himself off the fence, “come on kids. Your uncle needs alone time to process the fact that he’s a wimp.”

The kids mumble wimp under their breaths as they walk by.

He’s left alone with his thoughts.

-

“Did she get offered any drugs today?” Mike asks his nephew.

Tom shakes his head, “no and you know she wouldn’t take anything anyway.”

“She wouldn’t know.”

The blond glances over at the older man.

“Don’t give me that look boy.”

Neither of them says anything else as they go their separate ways before going out to the garage so they can repaint the wall.

Nick and Carole walk to the open space, "hey guys."

"Do you know what got her in such a happy mood today?" Mike asks.

The couple glance at one another.

"When we went to get food, Penny said that one of the new ranchers came in and talked to her, but I don't know what happened," Carole tells him.

"A new rancher?"

She nods. "Yeah, he's the only one here who wears his hat twenty-four seven."

"And you don't know anything about this?" Tom asks Nick.

The mustached man narrows his eyes at him, "if we knew anything else we would have told you."

"I'm just checking, mother Goose. No need to get your p-"

Mike smacks his nephew on the back of his head. "Stop it. Nick take another roll and again, thank you for the food, Carole. If you could just-"

"Set it on the counter for later, I'd be happy to."

"How's life been with the baby?"

"It's been great. I know it makes her sad that we can't bring him around here. All they've wanted since they were kids was for their kids to be friends and hangout all the time."

Mike sighs, "yeah."

Carole sneaks up the stairs to check on you. She barely opens the door and sees you standing there, a smile breaks across her face. She's happy to know that you're safe and sound for another day.

-

The next day is a weird one... for Leonard.

He had no idea what was going to happen when he made his way to the restaurant, and he most certainly wasn’t expecting you to not remember him (and mean it).

Sure, he’s had a few girls say they don’t remember him but after some persuading and mentions of certain clues, they break, this time with you though, not so much.

A few minutes passed after you ran out until someone explained to him why he shouldn’t continue doing what he’s doing.

“Everyone knows but,” Penny sighs. “She was in an accident that killed her mom and left her with what the doctors believe to be permanent brain damage.”

That is the last thing Leonard was expecting to learn about you. “All those light threats make sense now.”

“Now that you know, are you going to keep trying to date her?” Penny asks him. "Because if you’re not and you break her heart, you can just leave now. We won’t tolerate that kind of behavior.”

He nods and finishes his coffee, coming up with a few ideas.

-

Rick lounges on his couch, as usual, and watches as his friend jots down a few things. “You must really like this girl if you’re so willing to do just about anything for her.”

Leonard shrugs, “I don’t think that’s it.”

“Well, you’re doing something really nice for her, someone you’ve met a few times. As for me, your best friend barely gets a birthday card.”

“You’ve been giving yourself your own gift every year.”

“Oh, yeah and what’s that?”

“Your kids.”

“Damn, you’re good.”

-

He sits at the counter in front of the kitchen, waiting for you to come in so he can ask to eat with you.

You enter, at the same time as always, greeting Penny and Pete before sitting down to look at the menu.

He stands up and walks over to you, “hey, is this seat taken?”

You look up from the menu, “yeah, that’s my boyfriend's seat.”

“Oh, it is?”

You nod, “and he won’t be happy to know that some random guy sat there while talking to his girlfriend.”

“What if we say we’re just friends?”

“Are we though? I mean, I don’t even know your name.”

“Leonard.”

“I wasn’t asking. Look, I gotta go.”

Everyone hears the commotion outside and runs out to see what’s happening, Penny and Leonard being the fastest to get outside when they hear your voice.

“It’s not- it’s October thirteenth.”

Nick slams his car door closed before rushing over, wrapping his arms around you, wanting to give you some kind of protection.

Leonard takes a step forward, ready to tell the cop everything when Penny gets to him first.

Pete grabs the cowboy, “you and Goose are gonna take her home. She needs to be with her family right now. She needs comfort.”

He nods, taking his words into consideration.

The boys get you into the car, but the ride home is a blur, you don’t even know if you’ve responded to Leonard.

-

Your father and cousin are outside before you know it.

"What happened?" Mike asks, taking in your state of distress.

Nick looks up at the older man with sad eyes. "She found out again."

He closes his eyes, rubbing his chin.

Tom comes to your other side, the two men helping you inside.

The mustached man stops the rancher before he could step any further onto his front porch. "I'm gonna have to stop you right there."

Leonard furrows his brows. "What do you mean?"

"You being here isn't good for her."

"What does that mean?"

"This is something we've done before. You have never been involved."

"How would you know?"

"You don't know her, and you don't need to concern yourself with her. I'm asking you once and only once. It's time for you to go."

The man turns around, not even waiting to see if he's going to walk away.

Nick peaks through the window, whispering, "what are you doing?"

Leonard rushes closer. "He kicked me out."

"He doesn't want her to be more heartbroken than she is. Are you here for her or for you?"

"What- why are you asking?"

"If you're here because you want to date her, I'll let you in. If not, you can turn your sorry ass around."

He didn't even have to hesitate. "Open the door."

The blond smiles and lifts the windowpane higher. "You said you'd open the door."

"I'd like to not have my ass kicked too bad, thank you."

He rolls his eyes and crawls through, listening to your cries as you listen to what you went through again.

"Can we- I want to talk to the doctor." You quietly hiccup, "I'm sure I've already talked to him but let me go again. Please?" You ask your father.

He nods and you all are off to the facility you were in for some time after your accident.

-

"It's the same thing I've told you before," Dr. Simpson finishes.

You nod, "I'm sure you have, and I appreciate you taking the time to explain it to me again."

Leonard and Nick were stuck talking to one of the patients, (ten second) Sam.

"Hi, I'm Sam."

They nod and introduce themselves to him and continue to do so until Tom grabs them by their collars, hauling them out of the building.

"You two idiots wanted to stay. Stop getting distracted."

-

Once you got home, you decided to go to your room and write in your journal, needing to process everything.

"Would it- could I go talk to her?"

Mike silently nods.

"Go get 'em, tiger."

Nick averts his gaze your dad's stern look.

-

He knocks on the door, waiting for you to answer as he removes his hat.

The door swings open.

You stare at him through your lashes. "What do you want?"

"To talk. Check on you."

"I'm fine. Go home. I'd say I'll talk to you tomorrow, but I'll forget you by midnight." You walk back into your room, leaving the door open.

He takes that as an invitation and enters. "I- uh-"

"I don't want you to feel like you have to stay after everything you’ve learned. I would understand if you didn't want to talk anymore."

"No!" He nearly screams before realizing his mistake and sits down. "I mean, I don't mind it. This- your twenty-four-hour memory is no problem. I- I actually think you're worth getting to know, every day."

You don't give him a verbal response as you nod, unsure of how to respond.

As you two bask in the silence, the other's downstairs are preparing for the next day.

-

“You coming to the garage or are you going to call Carole?” Tom asks him after his uncle walks out of the room.

“What do you think?”

Your cousin rolls his eyes, “still as lazy as the day I met you.”

“Hey, I am offended.”

“Good.”

Nick shakes his head, mumbling a variety of comebacks that he would never say out loud because he values his life.

-

Leonard reaches around, rubbing your shoulder, not realizing the time or what’s about to happen.

You wake, opening your eyes and start screaming, alerting everyone in the house.

Tom and Mike make it to your room in no time.

The older man hauls the rancher out of your room and out of the house. “I thought I told you to stay away.”

“You might have.”

“Then why aren’t you?”

“Sir, I really care about your daughter and honestly, the thought of showing her how much I care about her everyday sounds-”

“Like you’ve got some kind of ulterior motive.”

“That hurts. No, I mean, telling her every day that I care for her and making her fall for me again and again. I can’t explain it but, I know I’m the right guy for her. Everyone here cares for her and I’d like to count myself lucky enough to be a part of that community. I know you think I’m messing with her but that’s not true and even if you push me away, I will still be here and continue to stand by her.”

Mike has a lot to think about now.

He nods, “don’t come around today. She needs time to heal and take it all in, you hear me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m sure I'll hear from you later. Now go.”

Leonard smiles as he leaves. He spends the day making a gift, as a precaution he doesn’t come by for a couple of days.

Leonard has a lot of things to think about.

If he stays and builds a relationship with you, he’s going to be putting his dreams on the back burner; something he’s had his mind set on for a long, long time now.

Can he, do it?

Is it worth it?

As much as it hurts him to think about, he needs to. But then he thinks of you again and it is.

He makes a mental note to email his response.

-

He knocks on the door and Tom answers it. “You’re back? I thought you decided to leave.”

The rancher shakes his head, “nope. Can’t get rid of me that easily. I- uh- I actually made something and I want to play it for her. I don’t know if it’ll help but, you never know.”

He steps aside, giving Leonard enough room to walk by.

“Thanks.”

You and your father enter the living room, seeing him placing the tape in the VHS player.

The tape plays before either of you could ask what's going on.

Your name flashes across the screen, drawing your attention along with mentions of the accident and Bradley, Carole and Nick's son who's four now.

You touch the scar hidden by your hair.

Tom stands back, waiting for what you decide to do.

Mike rubs his hand across his face. "Did you do this?"

He nods. "I did."

You take a deep breath and grab his arm, bringing him with you.

-

"Where are we going?"

You don't answer him.

"Should I be worried?"

You stop in front of your car. "Do you ever shut up?"

"I could."

"Do it now."

"Stop being mean to me or I swear I'm gonna fall in love with you."

You roll your eyes. "I need to talk to you, and I don't want to do it with my guard dogs nearby."

"Oh, sure."

He opens the door for you, earning a furrowed brow look from you.

You don't say anything as you drive to the one place no one knows about.

"Are we-"

"The accident site, yeah. I didn’t know that at the time but now that I do, it doesn't change the special value it holds."

"That's good." He turns to you, seeing the way you're staring at him. "What?"

"We need to end this."

"End what?"

"You know what."

"Honestly, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Leonard-"

He cuts you off before you can continue. "You remember my name?"

"If you'd let me get a word in, you'd know that the only reason I know of you is because I have a journal. I've been keeping notes of everything, I just- I never realized it."

"And that means we need to not see each other anymore?"

"Exactly."

"Why?"

"You."

"I'm not following."

"You," you close your eyes, huffing through your nose. "You're so sweet and have been since we first met but you're going to get hurt."

"What makes you think that?"

"You've stayed longer than any guy ever has but to do this every day is just- I know it's a lot."

"It's nothing."

"See, that!" You point at him. "That right there is exactly why I'm ending this. You've got such a pure heart and I can't be the reason it breaks when you realize it's not worth it to stay."

"Who's to say that I'll stop feeling what I do?"

You avoid eye contact as your tears blur your vision. "You will, just like I know how my father and Tom are tired of it. They'll never admit it, but everyone has their breaking point and I think us meeting and seeing each other has pushed theirs. I'm really sorry, I like you. I do but I'm doing this to protect us."

You offer him a weak smile as the tears spill from your eyes and down your cheeks.

Before you leave to go back inside, you hand him your journal.

He pulls you back and kisses you.

Your first kiss with one another and it's amazing but can't last forever.

You pull away, walking inside with heavy steps; barely able to keep yourself together.

Tom nor Mike stops you, but they do make sure to call Nick and Carole, knowing you'll need a good day tomorrow even if you don't remember it.

-

Leonard doesn't come into the diner for a few days.

Carole sits with you at your job while Rick, Nick, and Pete drive Mike and Tom to see him off.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"We couldn't let you leave without saying goodbye," Rick tells him.

"That's nice but how do you know these guys?" Leonard points between the guys in the group.

"We used to work together before I decided to settle down," his friend explains.

"Is that what you've been telling people?" Pete asks, staring at the man with a confused expression.

Rick glances at the man, "what are you talking about? Of course, that's what I've been telling people. It's the truth."

Pete shrugs, "I just thought-"

"Thought what?"

Nick smacks the two across the back of their heads. "Alright you idiots, there's a time and a place to talk about this. Now is not it."

The two grumbled, rubbing the now sore spot.

"We came here to talk to Wolfman before he left."

"You told them?"

"We all worked for him," Rick points to Mike. "Of course, I'm going to tell them."

"Anyway," the oldest chimes in. "We're here to send you off but not before giving you this." He hands him a CD.

"Really?" The rancher asks, not understanding the sentimental thought behind it just yet.

Mike nods, "I think you'll like it. Check side B, song four. Everything will make sense after that." The older man walks away, letting the others take their time in following.

Nick pats Leonard on the back, saluting him before wishing him luck. "I wish you luck, my friend."

"I'm pretty sure you just jinxed me."

"That's for the theater and you're going to need it one way or another."

The rancher frowns.

Pete chuckles, "you really leaving?"

The blond shrugs. "What else can I do? She told me she doesn't want me, and I can't force myself into her life, you know. Whether she remembers me or not. I'm going to respect her decision."

"That's really nice of you, not everyone would do that."

"I keep telling you I'm not like everyone."

"And I understand why. You're going to do great, kid."

The man in the cowboy hat purses his lips as his brows knit together in confusion. "If I'm not mistaken, we're the same age."

"Potato, potahtoe."

"Not the same."

Pete smirks and slaps his arm before jogging to Mike's car.

"You really want to leave?" Rick asks, standing beside him, resting his arms on the fence. "Because I'm not buying this whole "I can do this" thing. I mean, from what I've heard it sounds like you love her but who am I to assume."

Leonard shakes his head, "you heard wrong."

"That's a load of bull and you know it."

"You'll never know."

"The kids are going to miss you."

"They'll find something else to occupy them."

“You know they won’t.”

“Whatever you say, man.”

Rick’s hand hovers over his friend’s shoulder, he doesn’t pat him like everyone else had (knowing he’ll be back in no time). “You’re an idiot.”

Leonard lets out a dry, “thanks.”

Tom gives him a knowing look, “you know I’m right.”

“If you’re just going to be a jerk, leave with the others. I don’t want to talk to you.”

“You said you were going to stay by her side no matter what. What happened to that guy?”

“She made the decision. She doesn’t want me around; thinks she’s going to save me from heartache or something.”

“You’re an idiot.” Tom walks away, leaving him with his thoughts.

Leonard shakes his head, not understanding half of what just happened; all he knows is that he’s offended. He hops in his truck, his heart heavy and mind full of useless thoughts; he places the CD in the car player.

Half forgetting he’s had the damn thing this whole time and never once thought to use it. He skips to the song Mike told him to play.

He’s barely on the road for ten minutes and gets out of his thoughts, his fingers stop tapping along to the beat on the steering wheel when he slams on the brakes. “Holy shit! Holy- no way. No way!”

His smile is as wide as can be. “I knew the old man liked me.”

He turns the car around and heads towards the office you visited when you were told about the accident again.

-

He runs through the door, trying to sneak in by the security guards before anyone can kick him out.

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” He turns to face them, removing his hat.

He shrugs, not saying a word.

Maybe playing dumb would be easier?

The taller of the two stares at him with raised brows as his partner takes in Leonard’s appearance. “Go on in.”

Ron turns to Charles, “what’s wrong with you? What if he was a murderer or some psycho?”

“Did he look like a psycho to you?”

“No but-”

“But nothing. I got good vibes from him.”

“What did you smoke for breakfast?”

“I’m not answering that,” Charles says, checking the computer for today’s schedule.

“If someone gets murdered, I’m not protecting you.”

“Dick move.”

“Cya, man.”

“What?”

Ron pats his shoulder, “cover your ass. I’d remember that if I were you.”

-

Leonard runs into the room, eyes scanning all around and over anyone in the room, only to not find you, for the moment.

He wanders further into the room, tempted to ask around when he sees ten second Sam and decides not to, there’s too much time that could be wasted and he can’t waste a second right now.

You turn the corner, not noticing him as you help someone outline the outline of their sketch.

A voice calls out to you, and you turn, finding him.

“Hi? Do you- nevermind, stupid question. Could I- uh- could I talk to you for a minute?” He asks.

You know everyone here will be fine for a few minutes. You hesitate to answer him. “I- we can- just- just follow me.”

-

You two stand in your special art room. “Have we met before?”

His chin juts out. “What?” His eyes wander around the room, finally understanding.

“As you can see, I’ve seen you before. I mean, I know I’ve talked to you, but I don’t remember it. You- you haunt my dreams. I’ve seen us in my favorite restaurant, as if we were on a date and- and I don’t know if it was real or not.” He can see how it’s wracking your brain to try and remember something that won’t be there.

He nods, “we have. We’ve met a few times.”

“That’s all you’re going to say?”

He holds a journal in front of you, “if you really want to find out, read this. It’ll tell you everything.”

You stare at the cover, wondering if you should read it or not.

You hold it close to your chest and stretch your hand out for him. “Hi.”

He raises his brow but shakes your hand. “Hi?”

“We’re starting over.”

“Oh, that makes more sense.”

The door opens, “Hi, “I’m Sam.”

You purse your lips, trying to hold in your laughter.

“And our special moment has a little twist.”

“Leave Sam out?”

He nods, “we’re leaving him out.”

You nod and slowly remove your hand from his. “Hi, I’m Sam.”

“I swear to-”

-

You push open the door and cover your eyes when the sun hits you. Leonard turns around and smiles at the sight of you looking as beautiful as always. “Hey, you’re up.”

You nod, your eyes landing on your precious baby boy, Jake, pretending to be like his dad with ranching.

“How are you feeling this morning?”

Your daughter, Natasha, runs over to you with her arms open for a hug.

Everyone always says that a mother and her child share a special bond, in this case it’s true because you open your arms and scoop her up, holding her close to you, even if it is a little strange just finding out she’s your daughter after watching the video Leonard made for you.

“I’m okay, a little weird this morning.”

“I don’t blame you.”

You tilt your head up at him, staring at him like you’re trying to memorize his face. “I think Tom’s doing things he shouldn’t.”

He turns around, finding your cousin doing the exact opposite of what he told him to and hands Jake to your father so he can help your cousin from messing up his ranch (any more than he already has). “Son of a-”

“Language!” You and Mike shout.

“I wasn’t going to actually say it,” Leonard tells you two.

You and your dad share a look. “He’s your husband, you take care of it.” And he walks away.

“So rude,” you mumble to yourself.

“Hey guys!” Nick and Carole wave as Bradley runs towards Natasha (who hasn’t left your side until this moment).

You smile and wave back, hugging Carole tightly.

“Let's go inside and see what you have in your kitchen for breakfast.”

You lean in closer to her, whispering, “does he ever eat? I swear he is always raiding my pantry.”

“Fast metabolism.”

“I don’t buy it.”

“Can I tell you something?” She asks.

You nod.

“Neither do I.”

-

You, Carole, and Nick grimace at the sight of Leonard's friend and his coworker-

"Can they eat each other's faces somewhere else?" Nick mumbles. "I'm trying to eat here."

You and her share a look.

"You're still eating," his wife points out.

He shrugs. "I can't pass up when Sundown cooks. That'd be like disrespecting Penny."

Leonard walks through the door and grimaces. "You two need to stop trying to eat each other and enjoy breakfast. This is not what I imagined when I suggested you two go out."

Charlotte and Rick part from one another, offering weak apologies.

You and Carole can't help but laugh.

The rancher turns around at the sound of your laughter and knows that he wouldn’t trade this for the world.

[brighter-by-the-daly]

Rachel Daly x Reader

Part Thirteen - Jealous

You woke up first, pulled some joggers on and went downstairs to start breakfast for you all. Finding bacon and sausages at the back of the fridge you decided to do a fry up and started making your own hash browns. While everything was cooking you went outside to call your friends, you didn’t tell them about Millie but told them everything else. Rach had practically asked you to move in and declared your love for each other, albeit inadvertently. You suggested them coming up tonight and all go out to G-A-Y which they were so up for “can you invite Lucy?” Georgia asked, you laughed saying you’ll try before hanging up. You crept back inside and stared at the eggs, longing them to cook themselves just when Rachel appeared hugging you from behind kissing your neck. “Good morning beautiful” you said quietly, spinning round and placing your hands around the back of her neck, she pushed you against the counter and gave you a long slow kiss. Tucking a piece of hair behind her ear so you could admire her face “every day I think you can’t get anymore gorgeous and everyday I wake up wrong” you said before kissing her again “everyday I wake up thinking I couldn’t fall for you anymore than I already am and everyday I wake up wrong” kissing you more. “What ya making?” as she picked you up and placed you on the counter “Fry up, but it’s more of a grill up because I know you two can’t eat fried stuff, do you know how to poach eggs?” tilting your head ad longing for her answer to be yes. You can’t cook eggs for the life of you. “Oh step aside babe, I am the queen of poached eggs!” As she took over that task, you made the teas. You both plated everything up and took it upstairs. Gently waking Millie up “oh mate, I could get used to this!” She said sitting up to eat. You and Rach climbed back into bed with yours and turned on the news. The first thing that came on was about the Lionesses, letting out a cheer. Rach took a photo of you all in bed which made you ask why she takes photos of everything; when her dad passed she realised she didn’t have many photos of anyone and vowed to take more to remember the good times. “So the ones of me yesterday?” you quizzed her quietly with an eyebrow raised “Shhh, they’re for my secret folder” she said hushing you “I’ve gotta see this folder Rach!” as you grabbed her phone to find it, there was so many of you that you never realised she had taken “pretty sure this is illegal babe!” you joked.

“Millie, I have a question. Did you talk to Rachel about the chat we had after karaoke?” Millie shook her head “what chat?” Rachel asked, you ignored her and held out your little finger for her to pinky swear which she did with no hesitation. “What chat?!” Rachel asked again but louder “Millie asked where I thought we were going” “and (y/n) said it was up to you to make that decision” “and I wondered as you asked me to be your girlfriend the next day if Millie had said anything” “nope, that was all Rachel” Millie smiled. “Why was it up to me?” she seemed genuinely confused “Because I didn’t know if you just wanted a shag while you were in town or if you actually had time for and wanted a relationship” you said “wherever I go, I see you there with me” Rach smiled holding your hand. “And you Mrs!” she prodded Millie “my two best girls, I don’t ever wanna be without you” she put an arm around each of you and pulled you closer to her.

Millie spoke about Levi and said she’s decided not to be sad, she’s in the highlight of her life and she’s not gonna let some silly boy ruin it. “AMEN!” You and Rach shouted together. “I’ve invited my girls over tonight, thought we could all go out if you two are up for it? They’re already shopping for outfits so you can’t say no really” you cornered them but they were both up for it, Millie is in desperate need of fun. “Georgia asked me to invite Lucy so can you two do that please” you giggled “we should invite all the girls!” Millie excitedly started texting everyone. Mary, Beth, Ella and Alessia replied immediately, Lucy took some convincing but eventually agreed and the RSVPs came trickling in thick and fast… except Leah who left Millie on read.

“Has Leah got a problem with me?” Rachel and Millie let out a big sigh and both rolled their eyes “noo.. it’s with me, she told me she liked me and I turned her down and now a few weeks later I got with you” she responded with no hesitation “oh!” Is all you could manage after hearing that “I don’t like her in that way and I feel a bit bad cause I said I wasn’t ready for a relationship and then I found you” her head bowed. “Hey, you can’t control when people walk into your life Rach, I wouldn’t worry about it” Millie said flippantly “but I do worry about it affecting our team dynamic, we’re so good I’d hate for this to be the reason we don’t win”. “Girl are you hearing yourself?! Leah doesn’t want that either she’s just a bit jealous that’s all! Imagine someone you liked turning you down and then getting with someone else. (Y/n) you’re gonna have to work a bit harder to get her to come round but she will, everyone else loves you!” Millie exclaimed. “Except this one” pointing at Rach “she just likes me” looking at your girl with a smirk on your face. “Shut up!” Rachel jabbed you in the ribs jokingly.

Part Fourteen - Third Wheelin’ 🔞

[my-shields-are-down]

Divorce (for the one word fic prompt)

While outside tending to Lucy’s tomato plants. Tim hears the baby monitor squawk to life.

His youngest kid is now a teenager, but because he’s in the back back corner of the yard, the monitor keeps him tapped into whether his love is home, if Lucy is home, he wants to be with her. Always.

“It’s PROM Mom,”. Tim hears his daughter exasperatingly whine to Lucy in frustration. Tim immediately places his garden shears, hat and knee-pads in the wheelbarrel beside him and picks up the basket holding the harvested fruits and veggies to bring inside. “Why do all the dresses make me look fat and matronly or boobilicious and slutty? I just want something simple, that I feel great in that breaks his brain… like how Daddy is when he sees you all dressed up.”

Tim scoffs out loud as he enters the downstairs sliding screen door. “Pffff. My brain doesn’t break when I …..” His breath stutters and his mind drops into a tank of dopamine when he sees Lucy in her wedding dress in the candid photo of their wedding party hanging in the back stairway landing by the kitchen.

Lucy had heard Tim moving through the house and suddenly pausing, so she grins at her daughter and places her finger across her lips for silence as they both look around the corner and see the man of the house smiling dopily at the photo, his free hand tracing Lucy’s laughing face.

They lean back into the kitchen as 17 year old Diana whispers, “Exactly like that, Mom.” Diana then grabs a pear from the fruit bowl and the cheese and crackers her mom hands to her. She then sits down before laying down on the blue + white striped seat cushion on the long side of their kitchen table.

“I know we are only going as friends Mom, but it’s Mateo! He’s so handsome, I think I’ve loved him since I was little and I want him to finally FINALLY kiss me on the dance floor. So I need to be beautiful, Mom.”

“But what if he doesn’t think I am beautiful? What if he doesn’t like me back?” Diana cries, tears streaming down her face.

“Sweetie, please eat your snacks.” Lucy says as she places a large tumbler of ice water on the table.

Diana’s sniffles instantly snap Tim out of his reverie, and he strides into the kitchen and winks at Lucy before leaning down over his daughter and kissing her on the forehead and saying. “Then he’s an idiot, and I’ll apologize to Angela and Wesley after I murder their second son for making you cry.”

Diana stands up and hugs her dad. Like her mom before her, she always feels safe and loved when she’s hugging him. Just clings to him and cries. “Did it hurt this much?”

“Did what hurt this much, sweetie?” Tim hugs his baby girl so her head rests on his heart. Diana is 4-5” taller than her mom so he doesn’t have to pull her onto his lap for her to get there.

“Did it hurt this much when you loved mom and you didn’t know if she loved you back?”

Their kids had never been into fairy tales - they so much more preferred the real life stories of how their parents and aunts and uncles got together, including Tim and Lucy pining for each other while dating other people.

Tim looked over at his bride of 20+ years, whose eyes sparkled with love and mischief, and said, “oh I don’t like to remember that, but yes baby girl. Loving your mom in secret, tore a hole right through me. Until I asked her to dinner and she said yes.”

“That’s right… you GOT the girl.”

“I did. I got the girl.” Tim smiles softly at Lucy. “Then 5 years later, I got YOU. My most beautiful creature. ARRRRRGH!” Tim’s long hands shaped like claws reached his daughter’s sides to tickle her - her laughter being one of his most favorite sounds.

Tim had called Diana a creature one morning when she was about 5 months old and his fake growl sent her into a fit of giggles. Then once he added the tickling, her laughter really started taking shape and he did it all the time before she became mobile. Later he’d chase her making grunting growling noises and she’d ask him who his favorite creature is.

For Diana, she adored that she had such a special thing with her Dad. She remembers him asking about her creature hands and feet, discussing why she had no tail, Kai dragging her around the kitchen by the foot of her full-body pjs every Christmas calling her his “Christmas creature.” But most importantly, she was his favorite creature. Not a favorite kid- she let her brothers duke that out themselves. This was all hers.

—————

Later that evening, Diana was going through her closet trying on dresses, hoping for inspiration but struggling, she was more of a tomboy - despite wearing her cheerleader outfit often at school. What? She and Patrizia-still best friends - thought every sport deserved to have cheerleaders at their home games. So they spent almost every afternoon cheering at some team event that didn’t have its own cheer squad. Well, but not the chess team she remembered. She and Patrizia were escorted out because they were too loud. Who does quiet cheering?

She studied herself in the bathroom mirror she shared with her older brother Kai. He is off at UCLA being cool and loving life, so she had all the space to herself. She stripped down to her bra and panties and looked at herself. Strong body and killer legs from cheering and running, 5’ 7” tall, sun-kissed, honey-tinted skin. She mostly took after her dad with a slender frame, thick golden blonde hair which streaked red when she got too much sun.

She had her mom’s boobs and eyes - big, expressive amber colored, long long natural lashes, the same Asian shape that ran back centuries according to her Zengzumu.. (Great grandmother). She thought she was pretty, in an All-American kind of way. She didn’t feel bad or insecure, she just never considered she might be lovely to look at as well as lovely to be with.

On the verge of adulthood, what everyone else saw (except maybe her dad who always saw her at 2 when she thought he hung the moon), was a fantastically gorgeous girl about to step into her knockout phase. Stunningly beautiful, kind, moody, stubborn, thoughtful and hilarious. She was the total package. Dad was about to have a wake up call.

Diana threw her hair on top of her head and put on her brother’s UCLA sweatshirt, and leggings. She moved to her desk and started sketching out the kind of dress she thought would compliment her figure.

*Knock. Knock.” Diana turned towards her bedroom door and saw her mom smiling at her. “Come with me, I have an idea.”

Diana walked slightly behind her mom, silently comparing herself to Lucy. To Diana, her mom was the most beautiful person in the world. Diana had multiple phenomenal female role models, but none compared to her Mom. Her mom was short, curvaceous, same eyes, thick wavy chestnut hair - just gorgeous . Next to her, Diana often felt faded, stretched, and bland. Despite her petite size, Diana felt Lucy cast a large shadow.

Lucy led Diana into her and Tim’s bedroom suite. Since they remodeled, the kids had not spent hours here like they did when they were small. The master bedroom had a King sized poster bed, a sitting area by the fireplace- the walls covered with masterpieces from each of their kids and a larger family portrait hanging on the far wall. A private/soundproofed tv/make out room off to the side with comfy sofas, a drink fridge with a thumbprint scanner to open and access the beer and ice cold tequila inside. Kai had learned the hard way that multiple incorrect scans would result in a flour bomb exploding in his face.

There were skylights in the master bathroom over the teak soaking tub, a wall of stacked slate and dragon water faucets. (The kids’ contribution to the room).

Lastly, the heart of the space was a large walk-in closet, with rows of hangars, shelves for their shoes, two large mirrors situated above two sets of drawers and one floor to ceiling mirror. At one end of the closet hung a family photo of them when TJ was still inside Lucy and Diana and her brother were 4 and 6. Every other blank space on the walls was covered with pictures of the kids.

Diana hadn’t been in here in forever and marveled at how neat it was, how there were pictures she hadn’t seen, how a top drawer in her mom’s built-in bureau created for socks or panties, actually only contained dog treats and chew toys. Lucy moved to one end of Tim’s section of the closet, shoving her Dad’s shirts to the side and to reveal a door.

Diana didn’t remember a door ever being there. Lucy smiled at her daughter and opened the door, revealing a secret room. A closet within a closet. A Narnia room!

They both stepped through and Lucy hit the lights revealing racks of fancy clothes. She saw her dad’s tuxedo and dress uniform he wore for weddings and funerals. Then she saw that everything else was her mom’s dresses.

Flashes of memories of her fairy tale parents leaving for some event flit through her mind. “Wow! Mom, you could make a fortune renting these out to my friends!”

Lucy shuddered at the idea and grabbed Diana’s hand, saying, “all of these dresses have special meaning to your dad and I, but they don’t really fit me any longer. So, we’ll both go through them and pick 5 giving you 10 options for you to try on for me, your dad and TJ. The ones we like stay and the ones we don’t go. When we get to a final 3 - you can choose which one you’ll wear. You can do whatever you want to it, Aunt Amy’s cousin is a tailor who can make whatever adjustments and enhancements you need, ok?”

“Yes, ok. Thank you mom. Let’s do this!”

Twenty minutes later, ten dresses hang in Lucy and Tim’s closet.

The first one got an immediate veto from her dad.

Diana had asked TJ to come help her with the zipper and jewelry as she tried the floral dress on. She marveled at how covered up she was while being incredibly sexy. TJ shook his head and said “I thought you were avoiding being boobilicious? Cuz you are in that dress.”

She looked at herself in their floor length mirror and put on a long sparkly necklace which rested just above her “enhanced” cleavage. She asked TJ to go out to the sitting room and have the parental units close their eyes. He did and they did.

Diana took a deep breath as she waited for her parents to respond, after telling them to open their eyes.

Upon opening his eyes, Tim is momentarily stunned. Instead of seeing the crying girl from earlier, he sees - really sees the woman that Diana will become. “Jesus” he thinks. “When did she grow up?” and “Lucy and I need to mix our DNA more often - we make gorgeous people.”

And then Tim notices the dress… he thinks to himself, “wait….that’s the dress that lives in MY fantasies… about her mom… oh hell-to-the-no. No.”

Diana sees her dad go somewhere in his mind when he opens his eyes. Lucy for her part realizes that dress really isn’t appropriate for prom - that’s a sex dress. No wonder Tim had blurted out “naked time” when she had worn it on her first date with him. She’s beautiful in that dress, but we do not want Mateo thinking what Tim thought that night.

Lucy, sensing that Tim is going to react loudly, reaches over and grabs his hand, running her thumb over his knuckles. Saldy, it’s too little too late….

Diana watches her dad shoot upright and start yelling, shaking his head back and forth, saying, “NO! NO. NO. no! I mean it Lucy - no. I will divorce you right now if our daughter wears THAT dress to Prom.”

He spun to look his amused wife in the eyes before stating what he thought was an obvious problem, “The last thing I want my daughter’s date to be thinking of is “naked time” and ripping that dress off of her with his teeth.”

“Those are the kinds of thoughts he’s going to have. I know, I had them when you wore it on our first official date.”

Diana and TJ mouthed “naked time?” to each other and turned beet red at the thought of their parents getting it on.

Lucy finally calms Tim down, getting him settled back on the sofa. He continues to mutter to himself about being the only one allowed to have the thoughts caused by that dress- not some loser trying to get with his only daughter. No sir. No way. Even if said guy had been known to Tim since he was born.

Lucy turns back to Diana and says “so that’s a no. But to be clear honey, it’s not because you look bad, it’s because we don’t want your dad to lose his mind. That’s a “I want to make a baby with you right now” kind of dress. A dress of seduction - not really a fun prom dress, ok?” Diana nods, “ok Mom. Thank you. Come on TJ, help me with another one?”

——-

The next 5 dresses receive bland, non responses from anyone which was a little discouraging. Lucy comforted her, saying “Sorry honey, none of them fit you right. Definitely in the matronly boring group.” TJ actually yawned.

That left four (4) dresses in the closet with Diana.

A dark green one, a pink floral two piece, a silvery backless number and her favorite from when she was three to four years old.

Navy jersey, floor length, covered in sparkles, sleeveless with a cowl neck that she draped over one shoulder. Because of her height, the dress hit her mid shin and gave her a dangerous slit up her right leg.

Diana took a few minutes to experiment with her mom’s make up, winging out her eyeliner, and covering her lips in a deep plum gloss. She grabbed some sparkly earrings, and a gold pendant she found in a drawer. A simple gold disk on a dainty gold chain. Lastly, she swirled her longish hair into a chignon, held in place with a few flower and butterfly clips she remembered from her childhood which she found in Lucy’s jewelry box.

As Diana stepped out of the closet, she again told everyone to close their eyes. When she stood in front of them, she again told them to open their eyes and she received much different comments.

TJ spoke first - “Didi! You look like a movie star! You have to wear this one!”

Lucy spoke next, “Wow! You look spectacular! Honey, he’s not going to know what hit him. So beautiful. I always felt overwhelmed with all that material. But your dad loved me in that. I was wearing that dress the first time he proposed to me. Oh and you found my necklace! I wondered where that wandered off to.”

Lucy looked at Tim who clearly was a bit shell shocked at the sight of his baby girl who used to make him wear butterfly wings and a sword like all fairy princes do. She’s no longer a baby. She’s a young, gorgeous, woman.

“That’s the one honey. Diana - that’s the one. God, you are so lovely - Mateo is not going to know what hit him.” Turning to his wife, he said, with tears streaming down his face, “can you believe this gorgeous creature is ours?” Lucy and Diana laughed at that.

Finally Tim walks up to his daughter, gathered her face in his big warm hands and said, “Oh, I’m not ready for you to grow up. But I’m so lucky and grateful that I got to watch you go from being a scrappy hellion to becoming this lovely woman who I am so, so proud of. I am so lucky to be your Dad.”

—----

Mateo’s brain turned to jelly upon seeing Diana in her sparkly blue dress - her own brand-new gold necklace with an anchor charm around her neck.

Most importantly, he softly kissed her on the dance floor at Prom.

=========

[katana-no-neko]

Call Me By My Name

Chapter 3 | ao3

It didn't take very long before Natsu started flying lower, knowing the city was nearby. Lucy gripped onto his neck again as he carefully dropped down. "We're here! Natsu cried, landing in a plain just outside the town and crouching so Lucy could climb off of him. "This is Magnolia. There's a restaurant here I like to visit, I've got a few friends working there that I've known since I was a kid." Lucy hummed in response as Natsu shifted forms. "One of them is kinda scary though, so watch out." She laughed at his comment, wondering what kind of person could scare a dragon.

They walked through the gates of Magnolia, Natsu greeting the guards jovially. They welcomed him in response, but paused at the sight of Lucy's ears. She hesitated, her ears drooping. "Hey, Lucy's great, knock it off," Natsu scolded the guards, taking Lucy's hand and pulling her in.

"So where is this restaurant?" she asked, distracting herself from the wonderful feeling of his warm palm tightly grasping her own.

Natsu grumbled as he picked up whispers and stares toward his new friend. "Right down this road!" he replied, dragging her quick enough that she couldn't take notice of the lingering looks. "Here we are!" he was pleased to announce, pulling her in the door of a little hole-in-the-wall, the sign "Fairy Tail" above the door.

"Hi guys!" Natsu shouted as he entered. Several of the staff and customers greeted him back, but Natsu mostly ignored them, pulling Lucy to the bar where a white-haired woman behind it was chatting with a red-haired woman. Natsu snickered as he heard more whispers about Lucy - this time in disbelief that Natsu brought a girl, no one minding that she was a fae. Letting go of Lucy's hand to sit down, he quickly took it again once he had, finding that he liked the skin contact.

"Mira! This is Lucy!" he said to the woman working at the bar. "Two breakfast platters, please!" Mira smiled, greeted Lucy, and shouted the order to whoever was in the kitchen. Lucy was pleased to realize that the woman couldn't care less she was a faerie.

"Natsu, I don't know if I can eat a whole platter of food..." Lucy started.

Natsu laughed. "Those are both for me!" He pulled a menu from a stack on the bar and handed it to the blonde. "Here, pick whatever you want! Everything is great here."

Lucy perused the list, seeing lots of food names she didn't recognize. "Um, uh... What would you recommend?" Lucy asked Mira.

The woman smiled. "Can't go wrong with pancakes! Ours come with whipped cream and strawberries, if you'd like. That's what Erza over here has," she suggested, gesturing to the plate in front of the redhead, where a stack of thick pancakes sat, half-eaten.

Lucy's eyes lit up - they looked delicious! "Yes, I'll try that! One order of 'pancakes', please and thank you."

"Great choice," the woman named Erza told her with a smile. "New friend, Natsu?" she questioned the dragon.

"Mhm! Lucy, Erza. Erza, Lucy," he quickly introduced. "Erza lived in my dragon clan for a bit, that's how I know her. She used to beat up my cousin and I for fighting."

Erza's brow twitched. "If you weren't setting such a bad example for Wendy, I wouldn't have had to knock sense into you." The redhead caught Lucy's questioning look, the girl clearly curious to know more about their history. "It's as he says, I used to live with Natsu's family. I owe them a lot. They took me in when I didn't have anywhere else, and then helped me find a home here in Magnolia, with Mira's family."

"And that's how I know Mira!" Natsu further explained. "I used to play with her little sister a lot when Dad would visit to check on Erza." Lucy nodded her understanding, and then her eyes drifted to Erza's ears.

"You're..." Though much shorter than her own, Lucy was confused when she saw pointed ears on the redhead.

Erza nodded. "Half-fae," she explained. "And half-dragon," she continued, pulling her cheek back to show enlarged canines similar to Natsu's.

Lucy gaped. "That can happen!?"

Mira chuckled at Lucy's naivete as she brought Natsu's breakfast out, the dragon finally deciding to drop her hand in order to eat. "It's not the first and it certainly won't be the last. You'd be hard-pressed to find a human town without any part-beings," she informed Lucy. "In fact, hardly any of the staff or regulars here at Fairy Tail is fully human."

"But how? I thought relations between different beings was illegal! That's what I was told, anyway..."

"Oh honey," Mira laughed. "It hasn't been illegal for generations. Someone told you wrong."

Lucy's eyes drifted to Natsu as he devoured his breakfast. "Yeah," she started. "That sounds like my father." Feeling her gaze, Natsu looked back to her and gave a smile. With a start, Lucy blushed and brought her eyes back to Erza. Lucy had a million questions for the fae-dragon, but was hesitant to pry.

"Erjha-" Natsu gulped down his mouthful of food. "Sorry, Erza doesn't get any cool dragon magic or anything. Stronger than a human, but she can't transform and doesn't have an element. Doesn't stop her from being terrifying, though."

"Nor do I have fae magic," Erza continued, punching Natsu in the shoulder for his comment. "I can't control with names. Only pureblood fae are able to."

"That makes me wish I wasn't pureblood..." Lucy commented offhandedly, waving off Natsu's sad look at her remark. "Do any part-dragons inherit dragon magic or...?"

The group thought back to their personal encounters. "Laxus -that's the grandson of the restaurant owner- can create and control lightning. His mother was a lightning dragon," Erza replied.

"There's this other guy I know, used to live in the eastern dragon clan, who has super sensitive hearing, more than most part-dragons," Natsu started. "But I think he said his dad was a naga so that might've come from him."

Mira smiled. "So I guess the short answer is, 'yes', sometimes part-dragons inherit more magic than Erza did," she finished before heading to the kitchen with the call of her name.

"Interesting..." Lucy replied. Natsu smiled at the thoughtful look on her face as she considered the new information and then grinned wider at the way her eyes lit up when her pancakes were sat down in front of her. She thanked Mira and eagerly cut a bite, making sure to scoop a strawberry and whipped cream onto her fork. "Mmm!" she cried, savoring the taste. "This is so good, Natsu!"

"I'm glad you like it," Natsu told her, eyes squinted with how wide his smile was.

[isca-tide]

6x09 aka you've got this just two more episodes left and each one has a great Chenford moment so it's on the up and up now. We've hit rock bottom, we can do this; says the very stable woman to herself. Grey is such a good protective dad. Tim, please. Honey. Okay so it's Lucy's birthday and aside from that card from Tim and Aaron's mention of a present, she gets literally nothing else. Maybe there's something off-screen. But nothing from John? He just waltzes in, there for Celina, and just not a little hap birf? He asks how she is and obviously didn't expect her to be honest. Doesn't offer her a hug or pat on the shoulder. A sympathetic 'I'm sorry, you've been through a lot lately, hey let's go get drinks and catch up after shift'. You're meant to be her friend, John. Agh. Okay, Angela earns points back for telling Lucy. She knows Lucy has been left out of so much and knows Lucy still cares about Tim. Hell, she knows Lucy still loves him. So Angela knows how important it is that Lucy know what happened this time. So yes, Angela, you get points back. Kudos. Also the fact that she seems to tell Lucy but Wesley wasn't aware? Or maybe he's surprised she's telling Lucy? Idk. And can I just with the sweet way Lucy says hi when she answers the phone? Actual sushine. No-one deserves her. No-one. Maybe Kojo but no-one else. But yes, Angela is slightly back in my good books for that. And a good mirror for telling Tim back in S2 about Lucy at the speed dating having a moment. Because she thought he'd want to know. Detective Lopez will always be the captain of this ship. I was ready to mutiny but I'll trust her at the helm a little longer. I need some Chenford teasing from her in S7 when she seems them back in a better place though. God, Lucy's face when Tim calls Nolan and not her. And it's because he's his union rep, Lucy knows that, but you can still see that hurt. Also, Nolan, where the fuck was her union rep during the shooting? HUH?! HUH?! Ahem. Charlie you're better than this client. Also Monica that dress might look vaguely fashionable but that is not a comfortable dress. At all. Not even like 1% comfortable. C'mon. Also your offices look like shit. Blair, I have zero pity for you. You absolutely deserve whatever comes your way. Do they have zero cameras in the parking lot? Or anywhere? Don't you go after Grey you asshole! Gaaah. Must protect my fictional babies. Baby Jackson is adorable as heck. I imagine invisible baby girl Wopez is too. God, Lucy is just too good for this world. She has so much resentment and anger and guilt and anxiety and pain inside of her and she pushes past it all to check on Tim. She knows he's going through hell and it's killing her to not to be able to support him. She knows, at the very least, he needs a hug. And Lucy hugs are magical.

Can we talk about Tim's face? He looks terrified. I also want to hazard that there is the barest hint of hope. For a second I really think he thought she might try to kiss him. Or maybe just hoped. It wouldn't have been good for either of them, but there's probably a part of him dying for her to kiss him. Just for a second. But the hug. Oh god the hug. He melts into it instantly. No hesitation. He's in her arms and surrounding her body with his own and he is gone. He's safe. It's a fleeting moment but he is safe. His eyes are closed and he just sinks into her so completely. "I am now" Oh my god. The way their voices both shake. The way she holds him even tighter and closes her eyes. For a second they can both forget the past few weeks/months ever happened. They're together and they're in each other's arms - the safest they've ever felt. And they both leave the hug at the same time. No-one initiates it ending. They're in sync and holding contact that extra secons. She fixes his collar. She's so gentle with him. Like she needs to be touching him too. The hug isn't just for him. She needs to know he's okay. Angela's eyes instantly going to Lucy when the door opens and staying on Lucy until Nyla takes her away. Also, girls, you're both still minus points for how you've treated Lucy. You can't go ignoring her after the detective's exam and everything else and then go dragging her into your UC op. Admit you need her. Admit you respect her. Admit she's good. Make it up to her. Got it? Good. Continue. Celina, absolute cutie. Also I will say fair play to Nolan for doing this for Tim. Wish we could see the same commitment to Lucy but I guess if situations were reversed then I'm sure everyone would go to bat for Lucy. They just let her down when it comes to her personal life and supporting her as a person. God I'd love to see them all go to bat for her. Nell! Oh, I read the best fic about Lucy and Tim sort of getting back together at Nell's wedding. We need a Nell wedding so we can have another Chenford dance please and thank you. How are you with kids? Nyla, stop breaking my headcanon of Lucy babysitting Lila and being an absolute angel around the station babies. Stop it. Also, minus points for both of you for not even giving Lucy the barest of sympathetic smiles or shoulder pats after she tells you about her still feeding her UC covers because she thought she'd make detective. The sad little smile when she tries to push aside her own feelings and disappointment. Because she doesn't want to burdern anyone with her feelings. MINUS POINTS. Bad friends! Bad colleagues! Charlie, can you just do a bad job at protecting Monica? Please? Can we have a Celina seance fic, please? God Lucy is so good at UC. Also my god how can she look so good in literally every outfit and with every hairstyle? Also those kids are fucking adorable. Lucy underselling her language skills for a UC cover because then they'd be sus at how perfect she is. Any fics where Tim finds out Lucy's gone UC at Bautista's and goes a little feral on Angela and Nyla because there's a leak in the station and her cover could already be blown? Though at this point I don't think Lopez and Harper are aware of that, but still, he's doing a frantic spiral. That he didn't get to speak to her beforehand. That he has no involvement in her UC op and he's terrified of being in the dark about it? Grey raising his voice YES. Oscar I'm enjoying you a lot less because you're always attached to Monica now. Sorry. Lucy literally an amazing babysitter. She is actually the best. Ugh. Monica. Just leave. I would happily trade a million Bailan scenes to have no more Monica. Wanna say thank you to Lucy for risking everything going undercover again with Monica fully aware of who she is? No? Minus points, ladies. Smitty, just hold onto your phone. Please. The bare minimum. Blair, shut up. Never wanted anyone to get hurt. Bullshit.

[sewersewersewercouch]

I've been seeing a whole lot of enthusiasm for my aquatos playlist so! I will share!

couple of disclaimers before we begin:

some of these songs only a small part of it actually applies, in which case I'll try to specify what part I mean. especially the ones that are from musicals, since they're kinda specific to the context of the musical they're from. also a few of them have been in there for a bit and I don't actually fully remember why I put them there.

if you have any suggestions please lmk! I always love suggestions!

I don't do a background check on every musician I ever listen to, most of these were just things Spotify spit out at me and I went "oh the blorbos!" so if any of these artists are incredibly awful people you can tell me, I probably didnt know

I can't really think of many songs for tala and queepie I'm sorry :(

lastly, if you follow me I know you know this and you know I know you know this. but I figured I'd better say so just in case. yes, some of these song choices touch on the less positive aspects of the relationships between family members. these aspects are definitely there in canon, and not acknowledging them would honestly be a discredit to the complexities of the characters. however, NOTHING I put on this playlist is meant to signify abuse between any of the family members. and, while I can't control what you post on your own time, I ask that you do not imply such in any of the replies, reblogs or tags of this post.

Now let's get into it!

Aquato Family Caravan and The Aquatodome by Peter McConnell, obviously. also I will stand by the fact that the aquatodome is the best version of the meat circus

Becoming the Lastnames by Will Wood--not all of this song works for me tbh because it does kinda feel very "white suburban nuclear family" at times which obviously the aquatos are. none of those. but I feel like the overarching theme of like "I have a complicated relationship with my parents and on the one hand I love them a lot and I want to carry on their legacy but also they have flaws and issues that I'm scared of reproducing" feels like it could be a very realistic trajectory for adult raz

Curses by the Crane Wives--honestly this is one I'm less sure about too. it lives more in my head as a sashamilla song (esp the first verse) but also. I think it could be Dona and Augustus

Father to Son from Falsettos--augustus and raz, obviously. aaaaAAAAAAAAA I'm fine I'm normal

Happy/Sad from the Addams Family musical--another Augustus song. try listening to this while thinking about Augustus and see how long it takes you to start going feral

If I Fail You from Black Friday--look. look you can give me basically any musical theatre dad song and go "Augustus" and I will probably be like "yeah! Augustus!"

Little People from Les Miserables--this gives off Mirtala or queepie energy and I'm not sure which. also I need to alert the world of this song because it's only on the London cast recording that I grew up with and I was horrified to find that it got cut from almost all subsequent productions. which is awful because it's the best song

My Bike by Kimya Dawson--most of it not really, but this specific part:

"I wish my brother could always be happy But because he isn't he is strong just like me He is what I lean on to keep me from collapsing Everyone's relapsing he's the only crutch I need The only god I need twins get in for free"

kinda makes me think of frazie and dion and I can't quite articulate why.

My Mom by Kimya Dawson--yes, I'm putting 2 kimya Dawson songs because this is listen to kimya Dawson right now propaganda. but also I feel like Augustus having to contend with his "mom's" ghosts and the skeletons in her closet, and also I'm sure he's definitely had nightmares about his kids drowning. and also this is such a good song that makes me cry every time I hear it it's so good please listen to kimya Dawson

Pompeii by Bastille--Lucy during the deluge of grulovia, obviously, and like looking back on everything that led her to where she is as she's calling the rain down and the dam breaks. but also I'm kinda thinking of Augustus being. somewhere? and knowing that his parents were at the protests and seeing what was happening from a distance and god I'm sorry for this playlist being so much Augustus I just care about him a lot

Quiet from Matilda--This is another thing that makes me think of Lucy's transformation into maligula but ALSO it makes me think of raz dealing with shit and struggling with his emotions and having kind of a psychic meltdown. like I'm not big on too much angst but also I think he needs to break down a little for his own health. kinda reminds me of this fic which is so good and you should read it

Quit the Circus by They Might Be Giants--Raz. I don't feel like I need to explain this one too much hah

Runs in the Family by Amanda Palmer--I feel like to me this sorta spans across the different generations we see, from Marona and Lucy, to Augustus, to Raz and his siblings and like. The Curse n all

Second Child, Restless Child by the Oh Hellos--YES I am a frazie and dion twins truther, YES this is also a frazie song. I'm saying she's the second child by like 2 minutes so that this song can fit

Siblings by Brian David Gilbert--this is tala and queepie bothering raz when he's doing important psychonauts stuff

Surface Pressure from Encanto--one of the older siblings but to me it's mostly dion

Two Birds by Regina Spektor--makes me think of Raz and Frazie's relationship, i.e. him being more enthusiastic and open about his psychic powers and her being kinda in the closet about it and feeling ashamed. but also for reasons I can't quite explain its also Lucy and marona to me

Unspoken Words by mxmtoon--similar to what I said about Becoming the Lastnames, I think of this as being raz as an adult reflecting on his relationship with his family

Welcome to my Mind by the Hi-Fives--this song will forever be tied for me with the memories of "ok where the FUCK is queepie"

When the World's at Stake from The Trail to Oregon: DONATELLA SONG. obvi the first few verses don't really work but the fucking BRIDGE

"You think that I resent her very being? That maybe I regret her ever needing a mother Is it wrong that I enjoy to right her? I may be rash and overprotecting, not bitter I suppose I could be softer...

I can do better Hold you closer I'm learning that As I grow older I'm the one to forgive"

to the 11% of voters who love Donatella, the 25.3% that like her, and the 13.2% on whom she grew, this song is my gift to you. if you ever see Bad Dona Characterization and want to scream just listen to this song and think about her and aaaaaaaa