Hey, I'm back already! Great surprise, don't you think? People have asked me to post the other parts of 'Musings of a Child.' Well…I'm not going to. However, I did take what I had for the rest of it, and have created an entirely new, three part story. Thus the title, 'Thrice is the Charm." It's not really a sequel for 'Musings of a Child', it's more like a companion story. You may notice a slight lack of Joan in this story, seeing as I refuse to forgiven her for how she acted towards Adam in 'Recreation.' Not ready, my eye. *Rants, raves, and grumbles.* And for those of you who liked Liz in "Musings', she's not in this chapter much, either. I'll try to get her in the next two some more. She's a rare occurrence, since usually I kill off my original characters, especially when they're little kids. Never fear, though, since I won't be killing anyone in a 'Joan of Arcadia' fanfiction, unless I write one about Rocky or the show's Elizabeth.
Oh, my mom bought the 'Pleasantville' soundtrack yesterday. It has 'Across the Universe' (Fiona Apple's cover, not the Beatle's version) on it, and I listened to it while I wrote this chapter. Tis now my favorite song. It's funny though. My favorite song makes me think of funerals and suicide notes…hmm….
I don't own 'Joan of Arcadia', though twould be nice to own Adam, since he's cool and all, and rather good-looking. You know, I'm running out of room in my closet to stuff guys in. He might have to go under the bed…
Anyway, I hope you like this, and please review. I'll get the rest up ASAP.
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Thrice is the Charm
Chapter One: Little Liz
Adam Rove could think of plenty of times when he had been nervous. In fact, most of them involved a girl. One girl, who was very important to his life. But this time, it was someone entirely new, and the levels of nervousness had reached an all-time high.
He peered down into the face of his newborn daughter, studying her closely. The visitors had all left, and Joan had fallen asleep, leaving Adam alone with their daughter. One tiny hand was curled around his thumb, and her eyes were closed, showing that she slept as soundly as her mother. She had hair as dark as his was, and Joan's nose.
The pair had decided upon names early, since both of them had someone that was gone from their life, who they missed terribly, and wished to honor. And, since the little girl didn't look much like a Rocky, she had been given the name Elizabeth instead.
Elizabeth Helen Rove. A name for each grandmother, one living, one long since passed. Of course, Elizabeth was much too long a name for such a small girl. His mother had gone by Eliza, so he couldn't call her that, either. No, she would have to go by Liz, or Lizzie, or something of that sort.
His little Liz. Yes, that was perfect.
Adam had been shocked when Joan had given him the news, two weeks after graduation. It had definitely come as a surprise, but they dealt with it, and things worked out. Adam got a job, they got married, and even moved into a cozy little apartment not too far away from where either of them had lived. They had bought all of the baby essentials, and the apartment was already prepared for their return home.
The doorknob slowly turned, and Adam glanced at the clock. It was exactly four in the morning. Joan's mother had left to get something form her car not too long ago, so she couldn't be back yet. Expecting it to be yet another nurse coming to check in, Adam was surprised to see Grace Polk standing in the doorway.
"Uhm…Grace," he said, shifting Liz slightly. "Hi."
"Hey," she responded, glancing around the room. "Luke called me earlier, and we talked for about two hours. Then, right before he hung up, he said, 'Oh, Grace, I almost forgot to tell you, Joan had the baby today. It's a girl. Why don't you stop by the hospital?'"
Adam laughed quietly, and Grace took a step closer, peering down at the bundle of blankets in Adam's arms.
"She's so…tiny,' she said, after a moment of silence.
"She's a baby," Adam pointed out, glancing up at his friend.
"I know that," Grace said, "It's just strange. My best friend's daughter. What'd you name her?"
"Elizabeth," Adam said softly. Grace nodded her approval.
"She would have liked that," Grace told him, still watching Liz.
"Yeah, I think she would have, too," he replied.
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^One Year Later^
Liz's first year went by in a flash. Before Adam knew it, he was standing in the kitchen, watching his wife *attempting* to make a cake. It went without saying that she wasn't doing too well.
"Uhm…Jane?" Adam asked suddenly as she filled a measuring cup and prepared to pour it in.
"Yes, Adam?" she asked impatiently, not turning around. She picked up a recipe card from the flour-covered counter and reread it.
"That's salt," he told her, gesturing towards the cup in her hand. "I thought you needed sugar."
Joan looked at the box where the salt had come from. "Oh, yeah." She paused. "But if that's salt, then what did I use for flour?"
They both glanced at the box of baking soda on the counter.
Twenty minutes later, Adam was standing in front of the bakery at Target, looking for a cake that Liz might like. The one that caught his eye immediately had green-blue icing, meant to look like a pond, and in the top corner there was a toy boat, painted yellow. He bought it, and had the woman behind the counter write "Happy 1st Birthday Liz" on it in dark blue icing.
When he got home the party guests had already started to arrive. Grace was sitting in the living room floor with Liz, and Luke was in the kitchen with Joan, spreading out a table cloth. Adam set the cake on the counter, and started digging around in an over-filled drawer, looking for a candle. He abandoned his search when Joan came over with a whole box of them in her hand.
She glanced at the cake, then caught Adam's gaze. Neither one spoke, but she gave him a small, encouraging smile, which he returned.
Before long the small apartment was filling up. Kevin and Rebecca showed up, the Joan's parents, and finally Adam's father. Everyone helped to finish decorating, and admired their handiwork. Everything was going pretty well, until Joan brought out the party hats.
"But Liz picked them out!" Joan insisted, in response to the protests and groans.
"There is *no* way I'm going to wear one of those," Grace stated, shaking her head violently.
"Oh, come on Grace," Luke said, grinning wickedly. "It's for Liz."
"Let's see you wear one then, Mr. 'Man of Science'," Grace retorted, glaring daggers at him.
"Oh…but…" Luke stammered, looking very much like he wanted to disappear. Adam coughed, disguising a laugh. Grace saw past it, however, and turned to glare at him instead.
"Alright Rove, you asked for it," she said, advancing towards him with a flowered hat. "She's your daughter, after all."
In the end, everyone was forced into a hat, including Grace, who glanced around at everyone with a murderous glare. Liz seemed to be the only one truly enjoying herself, in her high chair repeating "Hat! Hat!", and banging her spoon against the tray. But they ate vanilla ice cream, and the cake with the yellow boat, and for a while, everything was right in the world.
*TBC*