A/N: I own nothing but the kiddos. For psychlassiefan because while the moments in "What If?" are pretty much all of my inspiration on whatever situation I placed them in (and I am unlikely to come up with enough to make each into full stories), I never mind going into depth on a little Lassiet love
July 19, 2015
"Alaya," Carlton called up the stairs of the small townhome he rented with his wife of one year.
The almost two-year-old toddled around the corner and peered at him from the top of the stairs.
"Mommy is coming, sweetheart, do you have your stuff together?"
She held up a small purple Sophia the First blanket. "Blanket."
Lassiter nodded, do you have your backpack?"
She looked at him, then turned around and walked away. He laughed as he walked up the stairs.
Upon reaching the top, he found his daughter creeping toward the door to a bedroom.
"Allie, the baby is sleeping."
"Bwuda."
"I know he's your brother, but he's sleeping."
She looked at him, then reached up and turned the handle. "Kaden wake up. Time to play," she sang.
The two-month-old opened his eyes, then let out a wail.
Carlton sighed and picked up Kaden as Juliet walked in the door.
Alaya smiled proudly at her, "Pway time!"
Juliet shook her head. "You're not supposed to wake him up when he is sleeping."
She frowned and put on an innocent look, "Sowwy Momma."
Juliet just shook her head and smiled. "Let's get your things packed into your backpack."
She reached down and Alaya took her hand, bounding along toward her bedroom. The doorbell rang, and Carlton headed downstairs while trying to soothe Kaden.
He opened the door with a smile. "Hello, Marlowe. She will be down shortly."
Marlowe nodded. "How is Kaden doing? Is he sleeping through the night yet?"
Carlton shook his head, "Not quite, but he sleeps a lot longer than he used to."
Marlowe nodded and smiled.
"Mommy!" Alaya laughed wildly as she toddled down the stairs.
"Hi, baby," Marlowe greeted, bending down to scoop the little girl up. "Guess what we're going to do today?"
She smiled and waved as she turned to leave, and Juliet and Carlton did the same.
August 3rd, 2019
Alaya laughed, dragging her brother along through the tubes at the Kid's Planet Funground* after her friends.
"Kerri? Layton? Iris?" she called.
"Where are you?" her four-year-old brother screamed.
They climbed into a small room with windows, and looked out to see if they could spot their friends.
"Hi," a little boy of about six said behind them.
"Hi," Kaden replied with a smile.
"Who're you?" Alaya asked.
"My name's Bobby," the boy told her.
Alaya beamed. "My names Alaya and this is my brother named Kaden. Today is my birthday and I'm six."
"I'm six too!" he told her excitedly.
Two little girls of around five came in and tore into the room. "Hi Kaden!"
"Hi Kaitlyn! Hi Kenzie!"
"Your brother knows my sisters," Bobby told her, laughing.
"They're from preschool!" Kaden told them.
"Now we're in Kindergarten," they told him.
"I have two sisters," Bobby told Alaya, "And you only have one brother."
Alaya thought for a moment, then smiled, "But I have two mommies."
"Nu-uh."
"Yeah-huh, wanna see?"
He nodded. She pointed out the window. "That's my mommy called Marlowe, and that's my mommy called Juliet, and that's my daddy called Carlton."
"You can't have two mommies," he told her.
"Yeah I can," she replied.
"Kaden," a voice called.
"Alaya?" called another.
Thirteen-year-old Iris Vick and eleven-year-old Layton McNab popped up, followed by Alaya's best friend Kerri McNab, who was also six.
"It's present time," Kerri told her excitedly.
"I really don't fit in here anymore," Iris added.
"Bye, Bobby," Alaya spoke as she and Kaden followed them out.
December 24, 2024
"Can we open presents early, Daddy?" three-year-old Dallas inquired as he climbed into his dad's lap.
"Can we, dad?" Kaden asked.
"Ask your mom," he told them.
The boys ran off to find her, and finally located her in Alaya's room.
"Mommy, can we open presents early?" Dallas asked using puppy dog eyes.
"What did Dad say?" she asked, looking to Kaden.
He puffed out his chest to try to look older than his nine years, "He said to ask you."
She chuckled. "One."
"Yay!" they cheered, including Alaya who's hair Juliet had been brushing.
"I'm glad it's Dad's year for Christmas eve," the eleven-year-old told them. "Mom never would let me open presents early."
Kaden smiled, "That's why having brothers is better. There's three of us here, and one of you there."
She laughed.
April 23, 2026
"I'm sorry, Chief Oliver, but I can't," Carlton spoke into the phone. "Yeah, I can hold on for a moment."
"What's going on?" Juliet asked.
"Chief Oliver of the LAPD wants me to fly over there for the summer and help them with cold- Hi," he spoke, now back on the phone.
"It's not that, sir, I appreciate the opportunity to work with you. My summers are just very busy."
He waited a beat. "No, the crime rate is actually fairly low here in the summer. We just have a lot going on. My older son is turning 11 in May, my youngest son is turning five in June and he is signed up for the summer Kindergarten program at his school, my daughter is graduating sixth grade in a big ceremony at the school, my birthday is in July and the kids like to celebrate it, and my wife is taking my daughter to Miami for a week as a birthday present for them both in August."
He listened for another beat, "13," and another, "No, I will not tell you how old my wife is turning!"
Juliet couldn't help but laugh at that.
"Yes, sir. Thank you." he hung up.
"I'm all yours this summer," he told Juliet.
"As it should be," she replied.
A/N: I will try to have the next chapter of What If? up soon.
*Kid's Planet is meant to be like a Discovery Zone (hopefully I'm not the only one old/young enough to remember those)