The first time Lewis, or Cornelius, realized he was part of a family was about two weeks after Bud and Lucille, or Dad and Mom, had purchased the observatory. It was the morning of the first day of school, and he was sitting on a chair in the soon to be kitchen, starting on a draft of a Plasma Ray Gun. He wasn't sure what he would do with it, just that it would be epic. Lucille chose that moment to breeze in, not with out a passing kiss to her son's cheek, and open up the only cupboard the almost empty space possessed, pulling out a bowl, spoon, and box of cereal for Lewis/Cornelius to eat.
"Morning!" She exclaimed, pulling a new caffeine patch out of her lab coat and slapping it onto her arm.
"Good Morning!" Lewis/Cornelius couldn't help but smile at her happiness so early in the morning. She was such a naturally bright person that any room she entered seemed to light up.
"So, first day of school. Did you sleep well? Are you hungry? Do you have all your supplies? Did you-"
"Yes. Yes. Yes, and maybe." He cut off her bubbly ramble by sticking his pencil in the margin of his notebook and snapping it shut quickly.
"That's great! Give me one second..." Lucille strolled briskly past Lewis/Cornelius and stood at the base of the stairs leading to the second floor. "Bud! Get up honey, you have to take Cornelius to school!" Her shout jolted Lewis/Cornelius out of his state of semi-sleep and he jumped slightly.
"I'm coming! I'm coming! You crazy!" Bud hopped down the stairs, pulling on his socks as he went. "You think I would miss our son's first day of school? No siree! I went out and got his supplies and everything!"
"I know you did, now have some cereal before you leave."
She walked back to Lewis/Cornelius and forcibly pulled him out of his chair.
"Go over and pour yourself some cereal Cornelius! You've got a big day ahead of you and you need to start it with the right food!" When Lewis/Cornelius reached the counter with the cereal box and bowl, Bud was already there, feeding, or attempting to feed, the back of his head. Lewis/Cornelius only could shake his head and pour some for himself.
"Bud! Stop trying to eat from the wrong side! Aim for the mouth!" Lucille chanted, taking the spoon from her husband's hand and shoving it into his real mouth. Lewis/Cornelius bit back a laugh and shoveled the food into his own mouth. Once the father and son had finished their food, though with no sink they just placed the bowls on the counter, Lucille bustled over and nearly shoved them out the door.
"Alright you two lazy bones! Get a move on! School starts in an hour and Cornelius has to be early!" She handed Lewis/Cornelius his backpack and bag lunch, then kissed him on the forehead and attempted to smooth his hair down with no results. Then she kissed Bud on the lips and threw them out.
"Alright son, we better get you to school then." Bud skipped down the stairs and to the car and Lewis, no Cornelius, couldn't help but beam after him. Son. He was finally someone's son. And he raced after his father when he honked the horn.
The second time Cornelius realized he was part of a family was when he met Bud's brothers and their families. The mansion had just been finished, the dining room perfectly neat and sparkling, and Lucille invited Bud's family over to meet the newest Robinson. Cornelius was up in his lab, working on some new sketches and updates on his PB&J shooter, when the doorbell rang and Lucille called for him to get it. He raced down to the front door and was greeted by a much less tired looking Fritz and a very long haired Petunia. Two red haired toddlers, a boy and girl, clung to his legs, but seemed to be fighting. The girl had a very large black and yellow bow in her hair, while the boy's clothes were smeared with paint.
"You must be Cornelius!" Fritz shook his hand and zoomed past. Tallulah pointed up at him and smiled.
"Nelly!" She exclaimed. Laszlo looked at him curiously, then pulled his sister's hair and resumed fighting.
Lucille and Bud came down then, and there was much squealing, hugging, and hand shaking. Before Cornelius could walk over, the doorbell rang again, this time with a much thinner Joe and a younger Billie.
"Hallo! You must be Cornelius! We've heard so much about you!" Billie exclaimed, hugging him tightly and rushing over to Lucille. Joe shook his hand and smiled, but didn't say anything. A man of few words. Cornelius wondered how many times he'd hear the man talk in his life.
"Cornelius son! Come over and meet the Robinson's!" Bud exclaimed and gestured for the pre-teen to join them. They all walked into the dining room, chatting animatedly as they did so.
"What have we got for dinner Lucille?" Petunia asked, waving away the kids who trying to lift up her dress.
"Pot roast!" Lucille replied, heading into the kitchen to get it.
"Pot roast! Yes!" Billie cheered and Joe pumped his fist. Fritz managed a small smile. Cornelius took a seat on the left of Bud who sat at the head.
"So family! What's been going on? What's new?" He asked as the food was handed out.
"Well I finally got a successful knee replacement and the doctors say I'm going to be fine!" Petunia cried out. Everyone clapped excitedly for her.
"I got a new position as lunch lady at Cornelius' school! I'll be able to make sure he doesn't get into too much trouble." Bille winked at Cornelius and he smiled back. So this is what it felt like to have Aunts and Uncles. A family to eat with a share good news with. He liked it.
The third time Cornelius realized he was part of a family was three months into his engagement to Franny. It had taken time, but he was finally where he wanted to be, with the girl of his dreams. He was sitting on the couch, aimlessly flipping through the Tv channels while he waited for Franny to get home from her music lessons. She had just started her own school for the musical training of frogs and had been working late to make sure everything was going smoothly. Cornelius had just picked up to the phone to call her, when the front door opened and in she came. Her hair was slightly windblown and there was chalk on her skirt. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes glossy. She was the most beautiful thing Cornelius had ever seen.
"Hey." He called from his seat. "How was your day?" Franny slid off her coat and hung it on the rack.
"It was wonderful. Tiring, but wonderful. I mean, I'm living my dream, what else would it be?" Cornelius smiled and waved her over.
"You okay?" Franny asked. "You seem lost. And you're just watching Tv. Did you blow up the lab again?" Cornelius shook his head, then shrugged.
"I'm sort of having inventor's block. I don't know what else to make, if you could believe it." Franny ran a hand through his hair.
"I believe it. Even great writers run out of ideas sometimes. You just have to relax and rest a bit. You'll get inspiration at the most random moment." She stood and walked towards the kitchen. "Are Mom and Pop home? Who do I need to cook for tonight?"
"Well most of the family's home, but you shouldn't have to cook for all- that's it!" Franny stuck her head back into the room, seemingly worried.
"What's it?"
"That's what I need to build! Carl! So you won't have to cook anymore!" Franny stepped the rest of the way into the living room, her hands on her hips.
"Alright Professor, what are you talking about?" Cornelius waved his hands excitedly.
"It doesn't matter! You were right! I got inspiration! I got an idea!" Franny strolled over and kissed him softly.
"Of course you did. My future husband is a genius remember? Now go and write it down before you forget it. Anything that will help me cook is good."
"Okay!" Cornelius almost reached his lab, when Franny's words dawned on him and he had to lean against a wall to remain upright.
"Future husband. I'm her future husband! I'm gonna marry her!" He did a little dance on the stairs and beamed. "Woo hoo! Good move Cornelius! Good move!"
The fourth time Cornelius realized he was part of a family was when his son was. He was running out of the delivery room, to his family in the waiting room.
"It's a boy! 7 pounds 2 ounces! We named him Wilbur Bud!"
A chorus of cheers and hollers followed his announcement and he was swarmed by his family, all trying to hug him at once. Then, they gave Cornelius a moments peace, by piling in to see Franny and the baby. All of them, except his dad. Bud strolled over to his son, a bright smiled etched on his face and hugged him tightly.
"I waited for this day to come for so long, and it's finally here. You're a dad too now." He hugged Cornelius again, and the younger Robinson hugged his dad back. This was his father, the father he had always wanted. Bud pulled back after a moment and dried his tearful eyes.
"Alright, I better go and check out my grandson. If he's half as good looking as Franny, then he's well off."
"Oh he is." Cornelius informed Bud proudly.
"He's just as beautiful, if not more." Thinking on it for a moment, he shook his head. "Nope, just as. Go look at him for yourself." Bud turned on his heel, racing down the hallway, leaving Cornelius to contemplate his thoughts.
Was this all real? Was he really a dad? He almost couldn't believe it, the weight of the situation hadn't fully hit him yet. But he was. He had seen the baby, the baby who, though with Franny's coloring, obviously had Cornelius' ears, his face shape. Wilbur Bud Robinson, the newest addition to the crazy family. He was so perfect. So undeniably perfect. Cornelius shook his head to clear his mind, braced his shoulders, and prepared to enter the fray that was his family.
Two hours later, everyone had cleared the room, and Cornelius and Franny were finally alone. As soon as everyone left, Cornelius climbed onto the hospital bed next to Franny and they now held Wilbur in between them. The baby slept peacefully, oblivious to the love the two people staring at him generated.
"He's beautiful." Franny breathed, resting her head on Cornelius' shoulder.
"I know." Cornelius agreed. "He looks like you." Franny shook her head.
"No. He looks like you." Rather than argue Cornelius just nodded.
"You're right." Franny tilted her face towards her husband, raised an eyebrow, and kissed him.
"Wrong time to say it honey." Cornelius blushed nervously, but smiled.
"Yeah. Sorry." They but turned their attentions to the baby once more. There were a few moments of silence, before Cornelius' eyes went wide and his mouth dropped. Franny cupped his cheek worriedly.
"Cornelius? Are you alright?"
"I'm a father." Cornelius whispered in reply. "Holy crud! I'm really a father! A daddy even! Or a pops! Or a pa!" He leaned over and kissed Wilbur on the forehead. He turned back to Franny at her laughter.
"What?" She just shook her head.
"Nothing. You are just too adorable is all." She kissed Cornelius' cheek and rested back against the pillows. Cornelius just shrugged and stared at his son. His son. His son. He would never get tired of saying that. Now he really knew what his dad meant.