Title: Merle, Earl, and a Tilting Rooster

Series: #10 in Holidays Series (Holy crap, 10... yeesh...)

Disclaimer: Don't own most of the characters.

Dedication: This story is in Honor of my poor Rooster Lamp (which is actually metal not plaster, but that's why it's fiction right?, and was my heirloom, not anyone else's.)

Dear Rooster I loved thee so... you lit both my fanfic and original writings and now I have to squint without ye... May you rest in pieces (3 to be exact). (A/N: It broke in '08, it's now '12, and I am happy to say that I now have two very cool lamps to take the place of the trusty rooster... ah, and I'm obsessively careful of 'em... :))

A/N: I'm going with Kerry's first explanation for when her parents died (sometime before the seventh season when she was talking
to Carter) not what she told her mother later in the show. I think what he told him made their death happen right as she started at County?

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry Mama... I'm sorry." Henry was sobbing as Kerry stood silent in front of tilting lamp. It had been her mother's and grandmother's. It wasn't a fine piece of art for sure, it was a rooster made of plaster on a slightly rickety base with a well used shade. It even had enough crevices in weird places that it was kind of dusty, but it had been Catherine Weaver's, and now it sat on its table, listing like a drunken sailor.

Henry's sobs had subsided somewhat, but his breathing still hitched as he spoke, "Mama?"

Kerry looked down, "What have I told you about playing in the house?"

Henry's lip quivered and he took quick breaths in, "Not... not to. Mama... I didn't me... I..." He hung his head as his tears started again, "I'm sorry..."

Kerry blinked, "Go to your room Henry." There was no anger in Kerry's voice, but there wasn't any understanding either, her voice had no affect at all, which was probably what was scaring the hell out of Henry.

"Mama..."

"Now."

Henry hung his head again as he shuffled out of the living room. Kerry was still standing in front of the ruined lamp when Kim got home. "Ker? Where's Henry?"

Kerry closed her eyes, "I... I can't..."

"Ker."

Kerry turned, but it was as if she didn't see Kim. "I have to go, I have to tell him it's okay, but, I... I can't..."

"Stop. Kerry. Where is your son? Is Henry okay?"

This seemed to snap Kerry out of her internal struggle for a second. "His room... I... I have to go, I'm sorry."

Kerry slipped by Kim, but Kim caught up with her at the door and took a firm hold on Kerry's arm. "It's just a lamp Kerry."

Kerry shook her head, almost frantically, "No, no, it's... I mean, I know. I have to go Kim."

"Tell me you're coming back."

"Yes, yes, please, your grip."

Kim dropped Kerry's arm as if scalded and Kerry slipped out the door. Kim looked back towards Henry's room and then at the front door. She
slapped the door jamb, "Damnit."

She hung up her jacket and went to Henry's room. She knocked on the door and pushed it open. "Henry, you okay?"

Henry sniffled as Kim sat down next to him on his bed. He was curled, halfway in the fetal position. He uncurled a little as he answered,
"Mama hates me."

"No Hen-, she could never hate you. She's just sat that her lamp got broken." She left the rest of her thought unspoken, that something else was going on with her. "It was special to her, but not more special than you, I know that." Kim lowered her head, trying to meet Henry's eyes, but didn't have any luck. "You know better than to play with a ball in the house. No WordWorld or Wishbone for two weeks okay?"

Henry sniffed again, "Mama hates me."

Kim pulled Henry until he was right next to her, "Hen- would I lie to you?"

"No."

"No. Your Mama doesn't hate you Henry. I promise. Now, lucky for you, I have a plan. I am the plan lady."

"Plant lady?"

Kim ruffled Henry's hair, "Ha, no..."

Kerry opened the door and blinked in surprise. K331, the third movement was blaring from the stereo speakers and the house smelled of food. She started towards the kitchen, but was waylaid by a Kim who was covered with flour almost from head to toe. "Living room."

Kerry frowned, "Henry?"

"In the bathroom getting flour out of places he didn't know existed. He's quite the baker, as well as not being able to watch WordWorld and Wishbone for a couple of weeks."

Kerry raised an eyebrow as she turned down Mozart, "A... baker? Care to explain?"

Kim shook her head and zipped her lips. "Not a word from me."

A shout came from the bathroom, "Kim."

Kim put a hand on Kerry's shoulder. "Trust me. And don't peek. Comin' Hen-."

Kerry walked over to her lamp and ran a hand over it. She unplugged it from the wall and carefully took it off the table.

She heard Henry come into the living room and stop. She turned, putting the lamp flat on the floor. "Henry."

"I'm sorry Mama."

Kerry got down on one knee, "I know Henry. You know that it's not just things getting broken if you play with a ball in the house, I don't want you to get hurt. What if the light bulb had hurt you, or you'd knocked over one of the vases?" He nodded, "Can I have a hug?" Henry came over and threw his arms around Kerry's neck. "I'm sorry too Henry, that I scared you. I love you more than any lamp." He buried his head in her shoulder as she made circles on his back, "So, is dinner ready yet?"

Henry pulled away and held a finger up, "No, almost."

He disappeared into the kitchen and Kim appeared. "I think we can fix it."

Kerry quirked an eyebrow as they both looked down at the rooster lamp. "We?"

"My dad to be precise. When I was a kid I had a little replica of the David. One of my favorite pieces of art..." Kerry only partially
suppressed a chortle, "I know, I know, yuk it up, but tell me it's not beautiful art... waggly thing aside."

Kerry smiled for a second and then schooled her features, "Continue."

"It fell off my dresser, I think Craig and I were tussling. I cried for two straight hours. A week later I found it back on my dresser, somehow my dad pieced it all back together."

Kerry took a breath, "It's just a lamp. But if you think he can do it." They both let the sounds of Henry doing whatever he was doing wash over them. "The stove's not on is it?"

"No."

Kerry closed her eyes, "I went to my parents' graves."

"I thought you grew up in Minneapolis."

"In their last years they moved here. They didn't have any family other than each other and me either you know."

Kim shook her head, "I didn't."

Kerry nodded, "My Dad was an orphan, and my Mom's brother died when she was eighteen." Kerry swiped a hand at her eyes, "Anyway, I hadn't been there in quite a while. I also... I went to Sandy's grave. This would have been her fifth mother's day. She never even got to see one you know."

Kim stayed silent.

"It's just a lamp."

Before Kim could respond in any way Henry called from the kitchen, "Mama... Kim, Dinner."

Kerry gestured with a half a bow and a smirk, "After you, co-conspirator."

"Ha-Ha..."

"That was the best Oatmeal Raisin cookie I've ever had."

Henry bit his lip, "Really Mama?"

Kerry swept him up in her arms, "Yes indeed."

Henry kissed Kerry's cheek and put his head on her shoulder, "Happy Mama's day Mama."

Kerry gave Henry a zerbit on his cheek and he laughed. She glanced over at Kim, who was looking a little too satisfied. "So... are you ready for our little surprise oh son of mine?"

Kim looked totally confused, "Surprise?"

Kerry let Henry down and he scampered towards his room. Kim stared at Kerry. "Kerry Weaver."

"What?"

"What is your son going to do, and will it involve a shower?"

Kerry zipped her lips closed just as Kim had earlier, a twinkle in her eyes. Henry came into the living room carrying a medium sized wrapped box in his hands. He handed it to Kim.

Kim started to open it, but Henry stopped her, "No, no..."

Kerry smirked, "Yes, first the card silly Kimberly..."

Kim stared down at the package, she couldn't see the card. "Give me a hint okay?"

Henry blew on the package and a piece of paper fluttered up, she hadn't seen it because the pattern on it matched the pattern on the paper underneath it exactly. "Ah, thank you sneaky Henry. Did you wrap this too?" He nodded as she opened the card, "To... Kim. From, Henry. For Merle and Earl."

Kim frowned in concentration, "Merle and Earl?"

"The clowns."

Kim blinked, "Ah, okay..." She carefully unwrapped the box and opened it. She took out a conglomeration of wood and turned it. "It's, a house... you made a house for my clowns?"

Henry looked expectantly at Kim, "Do you like it?"

Kim held it up to the light and squinted at the inside, "There are people inside it."

"Four."

Kim brought it so close that one of the gables was touching her nose. "You, your Mama, me and Carlos?"

Henry bit the inside of his cheek and looked down, "All that fit. I drew too. Wanna see?"

"Definitely..."

After Henry went back to his room Kim glanced over at Kerry who seemed to have a bemused look stuck on her face. "Kerry, this has gables,
and, and those rolly things, and... Merle and Earl?"

This coaxed a laugh from Kerry, "It's how he's not freaked out at them. They're Merle and Earl, best friends since they were little clowns. The house really was for you though."

Kim looked back down at it, "It really is amazing." It wasn't painted, just wooden color, but there were windows in places that made sense, a roof that Kim didn't think she could manage to make if she tried doing it, and little details here and there that just stunned her.

They both looked up as Henry re-entered with a pile of paper. He climbed onto the sofa next to Kim. Took the house he built from her and put the drawings in its place. "This is outside."

Kerry stood, "I think I'll leave you two to it and go clean up."

Henry watched Kerry go and when she was gone he spoke to Kim. "Happy Mama's day Kim."

Kim ruffled Henry's hair, "Thank you Hen-. So... outside, what's this?"

Fin ~ February 25th, 2008