Kid!AUs

## Funny-looking

 Setting
 Initiating author
 Inspired by

Griet tenses, turns her attention to the family room.

Pietr sighs—::Again?::—pauses his game, pushes back his chair, follows Griet from the kitchen.

What was probably a pillow fort is strewn across the space; Izzy, Anni, and Book watch the kerfluffle at the center with concern.

Pietr wades in, scoops up Charlie—

She squirms and kicks.

—and tucks her under an arm, while Griet tends to Jackson and his bloody nose. Plunks her down in the quiet chair, gives her a Look.

Charlie crosses her arms, pouts hugely.

Pietr nods, moves to Griet's side, hoists Jackson, carries him to the washroom.

Jackson snuffles against Pietr's chest.

Pietr sets him on the counter, wets some tissue, dabs at the blood on his face.

Jackson wibbles.

Pietr kisses his forehead, smiles.

"She hates me," mopes Jackson.

Pietr—

The lights flicker.

Jackson and Pietr look to Griet, standing in the doorway.

.::Charlie says Jackson pulled her hair and called her 'funny-looking',:: she says, fighting a smile.

Pietr rolls his eyes, 'of course he did'. ::How long until they fall in love again?::

.::About fifteen years, if they repeat their pattern.::

.::If they don't kill each other before that.::

## Mice

From "Button family scraps"

 Setting
 Initiating author
 Inspired by

Bubbles tromps into the kitchen, Button on her hip and towing Buttercup by his ear. "Found those mice we heard," she announces.

Blossom sighs long-sufferingly, sets a freshly washed plate in the drying rack. "What did they get into this time?"

"The Closet."

"Did they find ...?"

"Yep."

Blossom cringes.

"Thankfully, the Christmas presents distracted them before they started turning things on."

"Well, that's good, at least." Hands on hips. "What should we do with them?"

"I say we give 'em to [GP/Liu ]."

Button eeps and Buttercup makes a break for it—

Bubbles tightens her grip on his ear.

—winces, sulks to a stop.

"Can't slip outta /that like you can your shirt, ay?" smugs Bubbles. "I thinks some quiet time's in order."

Buttercup's sulk deepens.

"Quiet time," agrees Blossom.

Bubbles grunts, heads to the quiet place.

Blossom washes a glass.

Bubbles returns, picks up a towel, sets to drying.

"How're we gonna handle Buttercup when he gets bigger than us?"

"Tickle him 'til he collapses?"

"Rather not make touch a threat; He had enough trouble with that before." Hands over a plate.

"Good point. How about getting the Uncles Three to sit on him?"

"Hmm ... that's better, but." Blossom sighs. "Guess we'll worry about that when we get there."

"Maybe he'll turn out to be a model citizen this time around."

Blossom and Bubbles exchange a look, burst out laughing.

## Car Seat

From "Darling-Jones family scraps: continued"

Inspired by "Mice" and "Funny Looking"

Jackson comes out to meet Charlie as the car pulls into the driveway.

She gets out without a smile, goes directly for the backseat.

Jackson cautiously approaches.

Charlie unbuckles a tiny, wispy blond, bespectacled infant from the car seat, eases them into Jackson's arms.

"Uh ...?"

"We had to go to the eye doctor," explains Charlie, retrieving a months-older brunet from the other side.

"Eye doctors are good," says Jackson. "Who are they?"

Charlie hefts the brunet. "Geo." Nods to the blond. "Cait."

"Geo?"

"Sergio."

"The copilot and the Head of DriftSci, psychopaths extraordinaire?"

"The ones and only." Kisses Geo's forehead. "But you're cute, now."

Jackson looks at the blonde's big, blue, smiling eyes.

She coos.

Jackson swallows, croaks, "I think you'd better take her."

They swap babies.

## Charlie

From "Fitzroy scraps"

 Setting
 Initiating author
 Inspired by

"Lemonade, boys~!" sings Beth, stepping from the house onto the patio.

Charlie launches himself off the swing, somersaults flawlessly to his feet, flies across the yard. He skids to a halt, grabs a glass, chirps, "Thank you!", and takes a big gulp.

Jimmy strolls up, claims his own glass.

"Looks like you're wearing your dad out, Bear," Beth says.

Charlie grins over his lemonade, bright [blue] eyes sparkling.

"He sure is." Jimmy ruffles Charlie's hair.

Charlie squirms half-heartedly, winds up leaning against Jimmy's leg.

Max waddles from his napping spot under the table, plunks down at Charlie's feet, woffles.

"Looks like someone wants a walk."

Charlie sets down his glass—"I'll get his leash!"—darts off.

"No running in the house!" hollers Jimmy.

""Awwww, Daa-aad!""

Beth ribs Jimmy. "You're enjoying the hell outta this."

Jimmy shrugs. "Always kinda wanted a boy and a girl to raise." Scratches his nose. "And if there ever was kid who deserved a second chance at being a kid, it's him."

"And you're just the man to give 'im that." Kisses Jimmy's cheek.

Jimmy ducks his head.

Charlie reappears, kneels in front of Max—

The bulldog offers sloppy kisses.

—laughs and laughs and laughs.

## Vaccine

Inspired by PP's comment on "Car Seats"

"But Lachlan doesn't want to go to the doctor," protests Jason. "We want to play robots."

"After the doctor, we'll get ice cream, how's that?"

Jason's on his feet. "Okay!"

.

"What flavour would you two like?" asks Derek.

Jason glances to his right. After a moment, "I want chocolate and Lachlan wants bubblegum.

"Sounds good, I'll be right back."

"One bubblegum for Lachlan." Derek hands over an invisible ice cream cup.

Jason accepts, hands it to his right. "Lachlan says thank you'."

"You're welcome," says Derek. "And one chocolate for you."

"Thank you!"

"You're welcome!"

.

"Lachlan says I should tell you my tummy hurts," reports Jason.

Derek and Andrea exchange glances.

"What kind of hurt?" asks Derek.

Jason throws up.