My noteā¦I know I have another fic to update, but I seem to have lost my inspiration for that story. It's hard to write a episode follow-up fic when you don't agree with what the writers have done...but, I do promise to finish it(although, it will take off on it's own).
This idea popped into my head recently, and I thought it would make a cute JimAsh/Toberty fic. Plot is a little a AU, but the content is for the most part, pretty accurate(if I had my way, that is...and after the s!# the writers have given us, we NEED a little JimAsh fluff). Set in summer of '07.
ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
"We'll do it", Ashley chirped eagerly, whisking the pudgy toddler from his desperate mother's grasp.
"We will?", Jimmy muttered skeptically, shifting slightly in his chair.
"Are you sure?", Liberty asked pleadingly.
Ashley ignored Jimmy's questioning quip and brushed off Liberty's concern with a wave of her hand, "Of course, I wouldn't have offered if I didn't mean it, Lib.
"But it's Saturday and I don't want to ruin any plans you might have", she pressed, worriedly.
"That's okay, we didn't have anything planned for today anyway", Ashley assured her.
"We didn't?", Jimmy asked, vaguely remembering the mention of a trip to the local art museum, followed by a romantic dinner downtown...
Liberty began to nervously chew on her lower lip. "It's just...J.T.'s grandma was supposed to babysit, but when we got there she's was sneezing and coughing...and with Kate and Jeff out of town...", she trailed off, in momentary sadness, at the mention of her slain ex-boyfriend's name, but quickly steeled herself. "When I agreed to go to this wedding, I didn't know I'd be able to get the adoption reversed, so I didn't think I'd need a babysitter at the time, and there's really no one else because all of my family will be at the wedding, and...".
"Liberty...it's okay", Ashley chuckled playfully, lightly bouncing the little boy on her hip.
Toby came over to put a comforting arm around his girlfriend. Liberty nodded guiltily and let out a heavy sigh. "I feel like such a bad mother...", she quickly glanced over at Toby for support. "...I just get my baby back three weeks ago...after six months of court proceedings...and now I'm abandoning him for an entire day...".
"You're not a bad mother Liberty", Toby insisted, assuring her with a tight squeeze.
"And you not abandoning your baby", Ashley maintained. "You're leaving him in the very capable hands of frien...".
"Family", Toby spoke over his sister, and the two shared a meaningful smile.
The sentiment choked Ashley up for a second, before she added, "...and besides, you're a bridesmaid. You can't bail on your cousin, the morning of her wedding".
Liberty nodded in agreement. "I suppose not", she conceded heavily. "As long as you're sure...".
"We're positive", Ashley answered for herself and Jimmy. "Now go...", she chuckled playfully. "...you're already running late".
With a quick glance at Toby, Liberty whispered a heart-felt "thank you", as she awkwardly leaned down to give Jimmy a hug, before dumping the bulging diaper bag into his lap. She moved over to Ashley and hugged her too. "I really appreciate this...".
"I know", Ashley answered, glancing pointedly over at her step-brother in the process. She knew how much this evening meant to Toby too.
"Okay young man", Liberty acknowledged her son. "You be good for Auntie Ashley and Uncle Jimmy", she instructed him, with a schoolmarmish tone. The title she gave, took Jimmy by surprise and he smiled in spite of himself...'Uncle Jimmy', that sounded kind of cool. Liberty gave the baby a chaste kiss on the forehead, but Ashley could see the emotion welling up in her eyes.
"He'll be fine, Lib", Ashley whispered sincerely.
Liberty gave a slight sniffle and a curt nod, as she reluctantly followed Toby to the front door. "He's already been changed and fed breakfast. There's some snacks and and a carton of whole milk in the grocery bag...he can only have whole milk in his bottle and only three bottles a day...I'm trying to wean him...he has a sippy cup...".
"All the instructions are in that notebook next to the grocery bag", Toby instructed as he gently forced his girlfriend up the steps and onto the landing. "You have our cell phone numbers, so if you need us for anything...".
"Oh, and there's the number to the church, reception hall, my parents cell, Danny's cell, the baby's pediatrician, poison control...".
"Have fun you two", Ashley giggled just as Toby managed to get Liberty out the front door. She turned to Jimmy and smiled.
He glanced up from his inspection of the diaper bag and flashed Ashley a skeptical look. "Are you sure about this Ash?", he asked questionably.
"What, I've babysat before", she stated incredulously.
"Who, Angie?", Jimmy queried. "She was like five or six then...this little guy's only one". Ashley shot Jimmy a quick glare, then shrugged indifferently, as she began slowly pacing the room with the baby.
Jimmy cringed inwardly, he never meant to offend her. "I'm sorry Ash", his apology momentarily halted her steps. "It's just, neither of us knows how to take care of a baby", he paused thoughtfully, taking a moment to remove the diaper bag from his lap and place it onto the coffee table. A small, self-conscious laugh escaped his lips. "...it's not like they come with an instruction manual or anything".
Jimmy was surprised at the soft giggle that came from Ashley. "Well actually, this one does", she quipped playfully, and held up the large ring binder that Liberty had left.
With a curious expression, Jimmy snapped off his brakes and reversed slightly, then pivoted around the side of the couch and pushed off toward the side table that Ashley was standing next to. "You're kidding, right?", he queried.
Ashley smiled and shook her head no. "This is Liberty we're talking about", she retorted playfully, handing the book to Jimmy before side-stepping around him, on her way to the armchair, on his left. "...would you expect anything less?".
"I guess not", Jimmy replied, his eyes widening in shock as he waded through the many pages in the manual. "Ah, Ash...I'm not sure about...".
"Seriously Jimmy...", she sighed exasperatedly and smiled and she snapped the notebook shut and tossed it onto the coffee table. She turned the baby around, so he was sitting on the edge of her knee and flashed her wary boyfriend an emphatic look. "...how hard could it be?".
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"...how hard could it be?". Famous last words. Anyone who has ever babysat a toddler, knows exactly what I'm talking about ;).
I thought I'd get this one up while I was on spring break and it's still too cold(and muddy...I almost ruined a cute pair of shoes, just cutting across the grass, to the mailbox) to do anything fun. And writing/posting this fic has seriously made me feel better than I have in weeks!
So, I hope you enjoy this one. It will probably be quite short, but cute and maybe a little funny. Please let me know what you think, reviews...of course...are always welcome.
Degrassi is not mine.
