A/N: PLEASE READ: Hey all! Just another oneshot I wrote about how Jocelyn said that she used to take her baby Jonathan over to play with Maryse's baby Alec when they were young. I thought that this begged to be written. I really enjoyed writing this, it was a lot of fun Though, poor little Alec. Anyway, please take time to review- I'm kind of thinking about expanding this beyond a oneshot, but it depends on what you all think. I'd love to know.
"Jonathan! It's time to go!" Jocelyn smiled a giant smile at her baby, sincerely hoping that he would reciprocate or laugh or at least acknowledge that she was speaking. It had been two years, two whole years since she had Jonathan, and he still never smiled, never giggled like a normal baby boy his age, never showed any interest in anything. Those big black eyes of his always just looked back at her with what looked like, but maybe it was her imagination, contempt. She knew deep in her heart that Jonathan was not normal, not a healthy boy, but she vehemenently told herself that this was not the case, and today she would prove that. Today, Jocelyn was visiting her friend Maryse, and today she was taking Jonathan to have a playdate with Maryse's son, who was his age. Jonathan, though, did not appear to be excited or really even care all that much as Jocelyn fastened him into the car seat and drove off toward the New York Institute.
"Maryse!" Jocelyn exclaimed as she first approached the other woman.
"Jocelyn!" her friend greeted, equally happy to see her after a couple months as well. Her baby bump had just begun to show, Jocelyn noted- Maryse was going to have another child soon, and Jocelyn was all too happy for her. She had heard wonderful things about her son, and she really hoped that her little boy would rub off on Jonathan. "Robert had to go out for the day," Maryse said.
"Of course he did," Jocelyn rolled her eyes knowingly. "It seems like Valentine's never around anymore either. But whatever. Speaking of little boys, should we introduce the babies to each other now and let them play?" Maryse smiled.
"Alec," she called, and a small boy with a full head of black hair and bright blue eyes half-walked, half-crawled out towards his mother. He was sucking his thumb, Maryse noted, normal behavior for a boy his age. Jonathan never did that. Jonathan was so blank. "Alec," Maryse said again, cutting off Jocelyn's train of thought, "This is Jonathan. He is going to play with you today." Alec smiled brightly.
"I'm Alec!" He tried to say, but his name came out sounding more like Ahh-wec.
Jonathan stared at him blankly from his spot on the floor next to him. Jocelyn sighed. Maybe this hadn't been the best idea. "What do we say now, Jonathan?"
Jonathan stared, and Jocelyn thought that though it may be her imagination, her son looked angry at poor little Alec.
"Sorry," Jocelyn apologized to Maryse. "He doesn't talk much yet. He's…" she paused. "Learning." Maryse nodded knowingly.
"Alec is also just starting to talk. He's doing a great job. Aren't you, Alec?"
Alec clapped his hands. "Great job!" he laughed.
Jocelyn wished that this normal, cute, healthy little boy was hers. Desperately.
"Well, Alec, play nice with Jonathan," Maryse said. "Mommy and her friend are going to go have grown-up time."
"Bye bye, mommy!" Alec waved.
Jocelyn didn't have to worry about Alec playing nice. As she walked away with Maryse to the kitchen- just a room over, she tried to assure herself- she only could find herself worried for the other woman's son.
"Wan' see my Wego's?" Alec asked Jonathan, happily. Jonathan said nothing, but shrugged. Apparently, Alec took that as a yes, because he crawled over to a box in the other corner of the play room that Jocelyn and Maryse had put them in and pulled over a bag of Lego's. Alec plopped on his butt, held the baggie up triumphantly, and smiled. He tried to stand with them, but he was still learning, so he plopped over on his butt again. He laughed. "Wan' make stuffs?"
"No," Jonathan spoke for the first time.
"Wan' see stuffs I make?"
Jonathan said nothing but looked bored.
Alec pulled a configuration of already assembled Lego's- poorly assembled, but not terrible for a two and a half year old- out of the baggy and showed Jonathan.
"Wocket ship," he said, by way of explanation. Jonathan looked at it with contempt as Alec pulled another assembled mass of Lego's from the baggy.
"S'a sword," he tried to say, but instead he said "Soad."Jonathan stared again with contempt.
"No."
"Soaaad?" Alec tried again, clearly thinking that Jonathan was criticizing his pronunciation.
"…No sword. No."
"Sood." Alec was sure he had it this time.
Jonathan looked more and more judging by the second.
"Anwayyy…" Alec said, pulling the final assembled Lego mass from the baggy, "S'my fav.. fav…" he tried, but gave up on the word. It was too hard to say. "S'a bow'n'awwow. Save wife."
"What?"
"Save wife." He said, clearly meaning life.
"So?"
"Pwotect." This was the longest word Alec knew, and he knew that it meant something important. He knew that it was what the poorly mass of Lego's would do for others, someday.
Jonathan stared with contempt.
"You wike't?"
"No."
"What?" Alec's face fell. No one ever told him that they didn't like things he made before. It made him feel terrible, but he was a strong boy, especially for his age. In way of response to Alec's question, Jonathan reached out and grabbed the poorly made bow and arrows in his hand. He started to pull it apart.
"NO NO NO!" Alec shouted, tears filling his eyes as he watched Jonathan do the same to the rocket and the sword. Alec started to cry harder. "MOMMY!"
Jonathan laughed and clapped his hands together. Maryse and Jocelyn ran into the room, clearly thinking that Alec was injured, to see a sobbing Alec in a pile of broken Lego's as well as a small laughing Jonathan. It was the first time Jocelyn had seen him laugh, she thought, but was appauled and ashamed at his behavior. Maryse rushed to Alec and scooped him up off the floor.
"Alec, baby, shh, it's okay," she soothed. Alec continued to cry, but got a little bit quieter.
Jocelyn went over to Jonathan. "Jonathan." She looked at him square in the eye. "Not funny. That was very naughty!" She turned to Maryse, who was stroking Alec's hair. "I am so sorry," she told her. "Is Alec okay?"
"It isn't your fault," Maryse's tone was hushed. "Boys will roughhouse, yes?"
"I… I suppose," Jocelyn said, a sinking feeling in her gut. She watched as Maryse sat Alec back down on the floor. He looked a lot better now that he had stopped crying.
"Jonathan," Maryse said, turning back to her son. "That was very bad. Apologize to Alec!"
Jonathan said nothing.
"Say sorry," Jocelyn tried again.
"No! No sorry."
"Yes sorry! That was very mean."
"Mean," Jonathan repeated. Then he laughed again.
"It isn't funny! Say sorry to your friend right now or we're leaving. Right now!"
Jonathan appeared to think it over. Finally he said, "sorry." It was flat, but good enough for Jocelyn.
"Will you be nice to him now?"
"No."
"Be nice to him now or I'm going to tell daddy."
"No nice!"
"Yes nice!"
"NO, NO, NO!"
"Okay then," Jocelyn scooped up Jonathan. "If you can't be nice, we're going to leave."
She looked at Alec, who watched in wonder and awe. Clearly, his mother never had to discipline him this much in one day. He looked fascinated, Jocelyn thought, staring up at her with interest in his big blue eyes. Jonathan never was interested in anything, Jocelyn thought, except hurting Alec today. The thought made her stomach churn.
"Thanks for having us, Maryse. Alec is precious." She meant it.
"Come back later, Jocelyn? When you can leave your baby with Valentine?"
Jocelyn nodded, and walked out the institute door, Jonathan's face still blank.
So that's it, guys! I'm also looking to update "Waking up in Vegas" at some point today, so keep a look out for that! And if you haven't read it yet, well… check it out, it's my current major work in progress -H