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Apr. 28th, 2007 12:49 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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nickngregRating: Chapter 25: PG13
Author: kieksterbanjo
Warnings: None
Summary: Fathers before anything else...Nick and Greg take on the challenge of raising children
Disclaimer: Would I like to own them? YES. But do I? Alas No.
A/N: Chapter 25 did not fit into one post....THIS IS PART 2...READ Part 1 (below) FIRST
-- -- --
“Does it ever worry you that Greg is more of a child then he is a father?” Nick chuckled at Warrick’s comment and craned his head just in time to watch Greg throw their five-year-old son across the pool and then go after Aidan. Their backyard wasn’t really anything special, but it was comfortable and it was the perfect day to host a barbecue for their friends and coworkers so they could all meet the new additions to the family.
Nick turned back the barbecue and poked at a piece of chicken as he cringed and shrugged, “I love that he interacts with them on their level. I would not love however if that ends up breaking our son’s neck.” Warrick chuckled with a nod as he took a sip from his beer.
Nick sighed and laid the spatula he was using down, grabbed his own beer and turned to lean against the fence next to Warrick to survey the party. He mentally did a count to make sure he knew where all 5 of his children were. Aidan and Charlie were in the pool with Greg, Angelica was talking animatedly with really anyone that would listen (which at the time was Catherine), and Austin was quietly sitting in Bobby’s arms while Catherine held a sleeping Isabelle. Nick took a moment to wonder why they hadn’t had the party sooner; he hadn’t had to hold a baby almost all afternoon.
“Who’s the girl?” Warrick asked and Nick turned with a questioning look until he saw Warrick pointing to the pool.
“Oh that’s Aidan’s ‘friend’ from school; Kara I believe her name is.” Nick replied.
“Is Kara Aidan’s girlfriend?” Warrick asked with a smirk.
Nick chuckled with a shrug, “I don’t think so considering last week it was…Michelle. And the week before that was Bethany.”
Warrick scoffed, “Man you’ve got a lady’s man on your hands in that boy.”
“Tell me about it.” Nick said with a shake of his head.
“Tell you about what?” Greg asked walking up to the duo; ruffling his wet hair with a towel before letting it rest on his shoulders.
Nick gestured towards the pool, “Our son’s new found interest in the fairer sex.”
Greg chuckled as he snagged Nick’s beer from his hands to take a sip, “I remember you telling me stories of your revolving door of women when you were young.”
Nick took the beer back with an indignant scoff, “It was NOT revolving and don’t go insinuating anything else.” Greg just raised his eyebrows in a sarcastic ‘sure’, “Could you also not continue to wear my t-shirts into the pool? No matter how much I wash them they continue to smell like chlorine.”
Greg looked down at the wet, slightly oversized worn Texas A&M t-shirt clinging to his body and shrugged, “My t-shirt are all to tight and stylish to be worn in the pool.” He commented as he heard both Warrick and Nick chuckle, “What time is it?” He asked grabbing Nick’s wrist to look at his watch, “I’m gonna run inside and get changed before the twins need to be fed again.” He said nodding to both men in front of him before walking towards the house.
“You guys are the epitome of the old married couple if I’ve ever saw one.” Warrick comment and Nick just grinned at Greg’s retreating back as Catherine wandered in their direction.
“Arms getting tired Cath?” Warrick asked sarcastically.
Catherine smacked him before answering, “Of course not! Some of my fondest memories of Lindsay were when she was this size. There really isn’t anything like having a baby in your arms.” She said softly smiling as Isabelle yawned in her arms before falling back to sleep.
“I don’t know, they feel like they would get heavy after a while.” Sara commented coming upon the group balancing Austin in her arms, looking not nearly as comfortable with an infant as Catherine did.
“You get used to it.” Nick commented tickling Austin’s cheeks, causing him to push his head into Sara’s shoulder in an attempt to evade the assault. Nick chuckled and kissed the babies head, smoothing down the soft blonde hair that was blowing in the slight wind with one hand in the process.
The small group of four talked casually for several minutes before Austin started to cry in Sara’s arms, “Woah!” Sara said alarmed trying awkwardly attempting to do…something with the infant in her arms, “I don’t do crying.”
“Come here.” Nick said, sliding his arms around Austin’s chest and taking him from Sara’s arms into his own.
“Yeah go to Daddy.” Sara said grateful for the save.
The group chuckled at the comment as Nick settled Austin into his arms and rocked him back and forth, whispering softly in his ear, trying to calm him down. It wasn’t working overly well and Nick knew why, “Greg!” He called.
“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Greg called closing the back door behind him and coming down the stairs. He’d changed into a dry pair of shorts and a t-shirt but his hair was still wet and ruffled, he obviously knew he didn’t have time to do anything with it, “Time for lunch it sounds like.” He chuckled taking Austin from Nick’s arm. He turned to Catherine and said apologetically, “You can have her back in a little bit. But unfortunately when one eats, they both have to eat.”
“That’s okay. She smells like she needs a diaper change anyway. We’ll let Daddy take care of the icky stuff and leave the fun stuff for Aunt Catherine.” She chuckled relinquishing Isabelle to Greg’s other arm.
“Food and diaper changes are kinda synonymous, anyway. They’ll both need one most likely.” Nick chuckled glad it wasn’t his ‘turn’.
“You’re gonna change and feed them both at the same time?” Sara asked amazed.
Greg nodded, “Wanna come watch?” He asked.
“I’ve never seen one diaper changed let alone two at the same time.” Sara chuckled.
Greg tilted his head towards the house with a smile, “Then you’re about to see something pretty special. Come on.”
-- -- --
“So how are Charlie and Aidan adjusting to sharing a room?” Sara asked following Greg into the nursery holding the two bottles Greg had prepared.
“That’s a sore spot we don’t talk about very often.” Greg answered with a chuckle settling the twins onto the changing table against the wall, laying a hand Isabelle’s stomach as he reached down to grab supplies, “We’re gonna have to get a bigger house eventually, but until we can afford it we just don’t speak of the sharing room debacle and life is a lot smoother.”
Sara chuckled sitting in the rocking chair next to the table, “You may want to move that a little more that way.” Greg said pointing towards the corner, “It tends to get a little messy and a little smelly.” He explained pointing to the twins and Sara took head and pushed back a few feet.
Greg nodded and went to work changing his son and daughter as Sara looked around the room, “Did you imagine your life would turn out like it has Greg?” She asked after a few moments of silence.
“I imagined I would be married to Joey McIntyre and have ALF as a pet.” Greg chuckled without looking up from his task, “So no I didn’t always imagine this. But would I change it?” He asked looking side long at Sara who nodded. Greg scrunched up his face and shook his head, “Not in a million years.”
Sara smiled softly as she watched Greg go back to changing Austin and Isabelle, amazed at just how much her coworker and best friend had changed over nine years. Some would say that having children, moving into the field and surviving a lab explosion, a brutal beating and several gun barrels in his face had made Greg lose who he’d been before. But Sara saw something different in the younger man in front of her. He was still the Greg she met so many years ago on her first day at the lab just… slightly more grown up. He could still rock a band t-shirt or insanely coloured dress shirt like no other, but he now knew the value of dressing for the occasion and his wit and fun loving personality was still very much there but he now had the air of someone who was grounded, focused and incredibly determined. Sara doubted very much she would ever tell Greg but she admired him for the person he was and the life he’d carved out for himself.
“Sara?” She hadn’t realized she’d been daydreaming until she snapped out of it to find Greg smiling at her and holding his hand out. She looked confused before he pointed to the bottles in her hand.
“Oh sorry.” She apologized handing him the baby blue bottles, “Just thinking.”
“About?” Greg asked walking over to where he’d set the twins down in their swing chairs. He sat down in front of them on the floor with his legs crossed and placed a bottle at each of their lips before turning his head to look at Sara.
“Nothing in particular.” She shrugged, getting up and walking over to stand behind Greg, “You and Nick should write a book.” She said.
Greg chuckled, “About what? Fatherhood? We’re not really the model parents, trust me.”
Sara rolled her eyes, “You guys are fantastic fathers.”
Greg shrugged, “We do the best we can. Like any parent would.”
Sara nodded, “But no, I mean a book about life. You two have done enough in life to warrant a book about it.”
“We’ll get right on that.” Greg said with a nod, “Right between diaper changes, Barney and fourth grade long division.”
“You are such a dork.” Sara sighed with a chuckle.
-- -- --
With the party over, Nick sat on his and Greg’s bed, almost regretting his choice to feed the twins while Greg cleaned up the backyard and kitchen. Not that he didn’t want to spend time with his children; he would just have rather known the backyard would be cleaned to his standards. He was anal when it came to cleaning so as he sat burping Isabelle on his lap he mentally thought of every place Greg could possible miss while cleaning.
The door to their bedroom pushed open and Nick smiled at the disheveled form of his husband shuffling through; the day had obviously taken its toll and it was only late afternoon. Greg walked to the end of the bed and Nick patted the spot next to him, which Greg took; crawling on the bed and falling onto his stomach next to Nick.
Nick chuckled, “Tired babe?” He asked shifting Isabelle to lie on her stomach on Greg’s back.
“I’m already asleep.” Greg commented with a snort of laughter at his own joke, “Is there a baby on my back?” He mumbled into the mattress.
“It’s tummy time on Daddy’s back. I’m starting a trend.” Nick commented.
Greg was about to respond when there was an eruption of noise from the room down the hall. Greg turned his head on the mattress and looked at Nick with an exasperated look. Nick just nodded and took Isabelle off Greg’s back. Greg got up and lifted Austin from his resting spot against a pillow and together they walked from the room to Aidan and Charlie’s room three doors down.
They pushed open the door, excepting to quell a fight between their sons but what met their eyes was definitely not a fight. Charlie was standing on his bed with a bed sheet form the hall closet wrapped around his shoulders like a cap and a plastic sword in his belt. Aidan had one of Nick’s black jacket on and was on his bed with Angelica at his feet, giggling like a mad woman, “You cannot save the princess I have captured her!” Aidan screamed hunching over and looking menacingly.
“You can’t keep her! Good is better then bad!” Charlie screamed back jumping off his bed. Aidan did the same and they came together in the centre of the room to ‘dual’ over possession of their sister princess.
Nick and Greg looked at each other in awe. It was the first time in the three months since Aidan and Charlie had moved in together that they were actually having fun with each other in their room instead of fighting over space or ownership. The boys didn’t seem to realize their fathers were there, to in tune to each other; so Greg and Nick just watched quietly from the doorway.
“Nick, is this how you imagined your life?” Greg asked softly.
Nick was quiet for a moment but then answered, “Not really. I always imagined I would end up living with Jordan Knight and have ALF as a pet.”
Greg’s face broke into a smile that stretched from ear to ear, “What?” Nick asked.
“Oh nothing.” Greg shrugged, before turning serious, “Would you ever change it?” He asked softly.
Again Nick was quiet for a moment. Greg watched as he looked from Angelica, to Aidan and Charlie, to Isabelle in his arms and then Austin in Greg’s before meeting Greg’s eyes, “Not even if someone offered my all the money in the world.” He said sincerely and Greg’s face again broke into a smile that matched the one on Nick’s face.
“Dad! Daddy!” Charlie screamed realizing his fathers were in the room and breaking Nick and Greg of their moment.
“Come play with us!” Aidan screamed eagerly.
Greg and Nick looked at each other before turning back to their children, “Only if I get to save the princess!” Greg said loudly running over to Aidan’s bed and picking up Angelica in his unoccupied hand, who cackled as he twirled her.
Aidan and Charlie cheered before moving behind Greg to try and get Angelica from his clutches; suddenly united in their fight to keep the ‘captive’ away from her savior.
Nick smiled at the picture in front of him and even though he had work in a little over two hours and was exhausted beyond belief…his children came first and always would. So without hesitation he joined the game because years down the road he would never remember being almost to tired to function for work but he would remember helping his husband save their princess from her captors.
The. End.
A/N: So there we have it. I can’t believe its over. I’ve lived this family for eight months and I just want to thank every single person that’s read and/or reviewed over these months. I appreciate all the support I’ve gotten throughout this story and I just want to say that Aidan, Charlie, Angelica, Austin and Isabelle are not gone. Maybe some day down the road they’ll show up again because my head is actually full of plot bunnies for those five. So thank you again for reading and coming on this journey with me (through the good and the bad and the quick updates and the many month long droughts (which I’m still sorry about)). So for the last time in this story…Feedback would be much appreciated. =)
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Date: 2007-04-28 05:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-30 03:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-28 07:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-30 03:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-28 11:20 am (UTC)Anyways, I've been really enjoying reading about the small (or maybe not so much) family you created=) It always made me smile and chuckle lol
So thanx for writing it and making my life a tiny bit better (I should really stop kidding)
I love it (and always will!)=)
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Date: 2007-04-30 03:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-28 06:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-30 03:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-28 10:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-04-30 03:45 am (UTC)