Chapter Text
Tim and Lucy have both made some questionable choices in their lives. Lucy dated Nolan, and Chris, that one is Tim’s fault. Tim’s worst by far happened only six years ago, breaking her heart, his too of course, but they are happy now, married.
Tim feels both content and complete since the arrival of their two kids. In Tim’s opinion the best decision they ever made, even if technically it wasn't really a decision, it was another questionable choice, the whole, not wearing a condom thing, or a total loss of control on his part. Whatever.
Lucy had found out eight weeks after they were kidnapped, and subsequently rescued, that she was thirteen weeks pregnant, with AJ, (Aaron Jax). Thorsen had played a part in saving them.
Tim has never been happier, at not knowing something in his life, that week away was already fraught with worry and fear.
He loves his boy, adores him, he is his mother's absolute clone, but JJ, (Jennifer Joy). She has made him absolute mush, if he wasn't soft for Lucy, he definitely is for his three year old, blonde, blue eyed exceptionally bossy princess.
Tonight Lucy has had to work, the night shift watch commander is out sick. Tim is lieutenant now and that left Lucy to take his job. Wade finally retiring after Luna gave him one last ultimatum.
Which pyjamas are you wearing sweetie”? Tim asks as, JJ gets every pair she owns out of the drawer.
“All nem”. She says tossing them on her bed.
“Mmm no! It's way too hot pumpkin, pick one pair, soon please, Aaron is waiting for the bedtime story".
“AJ are poo face”. She glares at Tim, eyes narrowed, lips pursed, hands on hips.
“Wow, your big brother is not a poo face, he shares his candy with you, let's you play with his toys, you are even allowed in his bed while you have your story”.
“No! Dada poo face a well”. She is in pink underwear and a white vest as she has this discussion, her finger pointing at his chin while he crouches in front of her. He is enjoying this, such a sassy girl just like Lucy.
“What did I do”? He gasps standing up and moving to sit on her bed, he starts refolding her PJs.
“Dada naudy boy”, she sighs, like she has the weight of the world on her tiny shoulders, she moves her hair off her face with her pudgy hand and she unfolds all the things Tim has folded. He rolls his eyes and grumbles, albeit patiently.
“I'm naughty? Wow, I must take after you, or you take after me”. He Ruffles her hair, “Please pick one pair or no story, AJ is waiting for us, he has his pajamas on already”. He whines holding up a purple set with a dinosaur on.
She shakes her head, “No wikes dino”. She takes them and tosses them over her head. Tim stares at her. After 10 more minutes of deliberation, and Tim’s waning grip on reality, she settles for her, Wizard of Oz set that Lucy brought her at Halloween. The legs are purple and green stripes, the picture on the top is of Glinda the Good Witch.
“They are a little too tight”. Tim says as he tries to pull them up for her, she has grown again, she is tall for three, chubby too.
“My faborits”, she informs him as she holds his face in her little hands. She is big on eye contact when she talks to anyone.
“Ok, who am I to argue”? Tim says with a chump grin on his face, he has the same struggle with the top half. She holds his thumb as he stoops to her height, she hates being carried, far too independent for that.
“You is jus Dada”. She says, squeezing his thumb.
“Sorry buddy”. Tim shrugs as he steps into AJ’s room. A sports fan like his Dad, he has chosen a yellow room with blue accessories, he has Tim’s baseball on his bedside cabinet with his signed photos, Tim takes him to as many games as possible.
“S’ok, Daddy, I was looking at pictures in my book, I left space in my bed for JJ, but don't fall to sleep in here tonight ok? You hog the covers”.
She narrows her eyes at him, Tim holds the covers open for her. She has a climb on her hands but Tim knows better than to help, her squeal could wake the dead.
“Did you pick a story Aaron”?
“Nope, can you tell us one, just a made up one pleaseeeeee”?
“About what”? He hates being put on the spot, but it's crazy what you say yes to when it's your babies.
JJ claps her hands together. Pitty, Pincess and da nassy Witchy lady”.
“Ok a pretty princess, and a nasty old witch lady, got just the story, you comfortable in there? Got enough room AJ”?
“Yes thank you Daddy”.
“Ok, where to start”. Tim ponders.
“Silly Dada, star is One pon time”.
“I knew that little miss bossy boots, just lie your head back and talk less, it's my turn”. She points at him in such a way, lesser men would wither, he clears his throat and both kids wiggle under the comforter a little more.“Ok, once upon a time, in a town called Wiltshire Valley, there lived the most beautiful princess in the whole world”.
“What am hers name”? JJ asks as she twirls her hair around her finger.
“Umm, her name is Princess Lucinda”.
“Hab her got ellow hair wikes my”?
“No sweetie, she has AJ’s color hair and his eyes too, but it's long flowing hair, kind of pretty with braids and ribbons and stuff”. She seems happy with that.
AJ sits up a bit. “Is the princess Mommy”?
“I mean, I did say the prettiest, or most beautiful, so yeah! maybe, can I go on”?
They both nod. The princess had an ok Daddy, he was the king, but he wasn't very strong, he needed someone to tell him what to do”.
“Him can jus aks Lukinga”.
“Lucinda? No she wasn't old enough at first to ask, so he let his wife be queen, she was so bossy, not one little bit nice, not to anyone in Wiltshire Valley”.
“Not even the princess”? AJ gasps.
Tim shakes his head. “She was treated the worst out of everyone”.
“Her go pridon”. J J states emphatically.
“It's Gaol when it's in a castle”. Tim points out. “and keeping witches in prison would be nearly impossible, they do spells, remember”.
“I members now Dada, tell stowy”
“I'm trying too”. He chuckles, she gets out of bed and pulls herself into his lap by his sweats and the hairs on his legs. She laughs when he shouts owwwww, dramatically. “What do you want”? He smiles
“Tired, go leep on yous hair”.
“Can I tell one whole story with my shirt on? Just one, please”?
“JJ leep on Dada hair”. She loves his hairy chest, trouble is he hasn't got much, and JJ twirls it like her hair, difference is though it doesn't stay attached to Tim.
“Ok, cuddle on koala”. He tosses his t-shirt and opens his arms, she wraps everything around him, her head on his chest, her thumb in her mouth.
“Tan you Dada”. She says around her thumb.
“Welcome sweetie”. He kisses her head.
“What did she do to the princess Daddy”? AJ asks.
“You know how you have friends at school and Aunt Angela’s kids, and other friends? Well, The witch, who is also Lucinda’s Mom, she wouldn't allow Lucinda to have any friends”.
“Not eben at schoel”? JJ yawns.
“Princesses don't go to school, not like our schools, no Lucinda spent most of her childhood with one tutor, or on her own”.
“What dat mean?
“What Tutor”? Tim asks.
“No, on da own”.
“By herself, like when you are in time out”.
“Yuck, no wikes, on da own”. She retakes her thumb and sucks it loudly, her hand over Tim’s nipple now, it won't be the first hair she’s pulled out there though. He tries to move it before she grabs him. It has the opposite effect. Her fingers starts swirling through the hair, she won't hear the end of the story”.
“Teep goin Dada”. She whispers.
“So no friends allowed, only studying, she had to get up so early it was still dark outside sometimes, she really hated getting up, but, witch lady said she had to be trained, learn to be a perfect queen, and marry some ugly prince, a lot older than her from another kingdom”.
“What kingdom Daddy? Did she run away”? AJ is sitting fully upright now, hugging his knees”.
“You are so clever little guy, she did, but she wasn't little anymore, she was old enough to leave school but not old enough to be a queen, she felt she had to run away before they sent her to the kingdom of Pennsylvania”.
“Is that where Dracula lives”? AJ asks his eyes bulging.
“No bud, it's near there though, you mean Transylvania”. Tim bites his skin inside his lip, wants to chuckle but JJ is close to sleep now.
“Ok”.
“It's not scary I promise”.
“Mommy tell us scary stories, I like monsters”. He shrugs.
“Well save that for Mommy then, anyhow, she had a horse from her auntie on her 11th birthday, it was already old, not super quick, but she loved that horse”.
“What favor am it”? She stubbornly sits up”
“What do you mean sweetheart”? He runs a hand over her back.
“Am it white”?
He shakes his head, “Chestnut, sort of orange I guess”.
“Pitty horsey”. She says as her fingers tighten in his hair. “Her Dada could help her him naudy Dada”
“ He is a scared guy, says yes to everything his wife tells him. So she runs away, she finds a group of royal guards in the woods, well they used to be, but the queen said they were bullies, she fired them, now they catch bad people. The head one, the one in charge was a very handsome boy, but he was super grumpy.
AJ bends forward as he listens, “Do Lucinda marry him Daddy”?
“Can I finish the story”? He laughs.
“Yep, but do she”?
“You will find out in a minute”. He wriggles the sleeping toddler to a more comfortable position and takes his hair back from her grip. “She started training with them, the head guy wanted her to be tough, he knew who she was, and he knew the old king of Pennsylvania, didn't like him much”.
“She is so good with a bow and arrow she wins a trophy, even better than the guy training her. He starts getting a little less grumpy after the princess was captured, he had to rescue her”.
“From a monster”? He gasps.
“He locked her in a dungeon, no light, no pizza, no lemonade, but Brad saved her, and he fell in love with her, they got married and lived happily ever after”. Tim has a numb butt now. This has dragged on a lot longer than necessary.
AJ looks horrified, “is that it Daddy”?
“Well no, but it's, sorry ok, can I maybe stand”?
“Yup”.
“Ok, the witch found her and told her she was a bully for helping put bad guys in the dungeon, but the bad guys were all witches too, so Lucinda told her to leave, she was the worst Mom ever”.
Lucinda and Brad pretended not to like each other, him because she was a princess, he didn't think he deserved someone like her. Lucinda got a boyfriend, his name was…, um, Sandy. But after a little while Brad could tell she wasn't happy.
Then two people who looked just like Brad and Lucinda, came to town they were semi bad, but their boss was way worse, so, Lucinda locked them in the dungeon, she decided to catch the worst baddy by pretending to be Jack and Sarah”.
“Was they married then”?
“Nope but they had their first kiss, and went to the Valley of Vegas, Brad knew he loved her, he married her two years later, after she told Sandy to hand in his playbook. He bought her a pretty ring, and then Lucinda came home to become the most important queen ever, and the most loved by everyone that knew her”.
“Specially Brad, right Daddy”?
“Yeah bud, especially Brad, give me a hug and go to sleep”.
“You didn't say the end”. AJ yawns.
“Because it doesn't have an end”. bud”. He smiles as he kisses his head. “Love you little guy sweet dreams”.
“Love you Daddy, love you sleepy JJ”. He snuggles down closes his eyes. Then he opens them and sits up. “Uncle John lived in Transylvania Daddy, and the end is always happily ever after”
”Oh, yeah, it is happily ever after, oooh I, yeah, Pennsylvania, and huh! I totally forgot about that”. He chuckles as he heads into JJ’s room. “Love you princess, no old kings for you baby, or boyfriends in general, really until you are like 45, daddy wlll protect you.