Author: Angie
Email: AngieSuth@aol.com
Title: Piglet and Roo
Characters: CJ/Toby/Molly/Huck
Rating: PG
Summary: I don't think I have another bounce or haycorn in me.
Disclaimer: Not mine at all. Those that don't belong to Sorkin/Wells etc, are Alexander Alan Milne's, whose mother's name was Daphne. Or so my seven year old tells me.
Spoilers: Good grief no. That would imply some sort of relevance to the show.
Feedback: Always appreciated.
A/N: Maeve. IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY. Hope it's happy.
And anyone out there who reads this looking for meaning and angst. Sorry.
Thank you Rhonda.
*
Piglet and Roo
*
CJ looked at the brown curls that were tickling her chin and smiled. A small hand from the other side reached up and tangled itself in her own hair, butterfly eyelash kisses on her collarbone.
"Do we really have to read this again? I don't think I have another bounce or haycorn in me."
"CJ, you promised . . ." Huck lifted his head from its favorite place on CJ's shoulder, his eyes wide and reproachful.
"I know guys, but I already did the dressing up thing and I ate honey, even though it makes me sticky, and sticky and me don't get along, and I have read this to you five times already. I know more about jagulars and heffalumps than I do about the Census." She paused and grinned. "Actually, that's not that hard a target . . . but seriously, your Mom and Dad are gonna be back soon and . . ."
Molly tugged at CJ's hair and cut in, "We'll let you off the story if you tell us again why I've got Roo PJs . ."
"And why mine are Piglet . ." Huck piped up.
CJ sighed and pulled both children even closer to her. Toby's couch was large and squishy and just big enough for the three of them to lie down. "Okay then," she turned to look at the sweet face gazing up at her, " Molly – you have Roo PJs because you are a tireless bouncer and climber and you are braver than Tigger. No!" CJ seized the child who had started to wriggle, "No need to show me now – you've been firing on all cylinders all day." She smoothed the silky auburn hair out of the little girl's eyes. "Am I right?"
"Yeah. You know you are, CJ 'cause that's what you wrote on my birthday card when you gave them to me."
"My turn! My turn!" Huck used his small hands to turn CJ's head to look at him and took the opportunity to plant a wet kiss on her mouth while he was there.
CJ laughed. "Patience, my boy, patience, it's your turn now. Let me see . . ." she screwed her eyes up in mock forgetfulness and earned herself a jab in the ribs, "Ouch! You are way too much like your father at times, Huck! Ouch!" Another dig, "Well, okay – you have Piglet PJs because even though you are small, you get big things done. And your friends love you an awful lot. Nothing at all to do with how you eat your breakfast . . ."
CJ disappeared under a flurry of hands and feet as she was attacked from both sides by her small charges.
"I surrender! I surrender! No more tickling please – I promise I'll be good." She now lay on her back on the couch, Molly and Huck sitting on her legs and stomach. She took a great gulp of air. "Aw, now you've given me hiccups. Whenever I look after you two, I get things that I haven't had since I was five. I still haven't forgiven you for the mumps."
Molly dimpled, "You did look really funny, CJ – and you and Huck had to spend a week in bed."
"Don't I know it," CJ muttered into the hands that were now covering her mouth in a pathetic attempt to suppress the regular spasms that wracked her body. "I'm gonna get a glass of water, get off me you horrors."
She dumped both children unceremoniously onto the floor and watched while they untangled themselves from each other. Then she stood and stretched, displaying her Pooh shortie PJs off to their best advantage, before setting off to the kitchen. "Do you two want a drink too?"
"No thank you, CJ" The voices rang out in perfect unison.
CJ sauntered back into the living room and stared at the two bodies lying on the couch so that she couldn't sit down. "Move over!"
"Nope." Molly looked deadly serious. Huck shook his head and stuck out his bottom lip in a classic Toby pose.
CJ stared at both children, knowing they were going to make her pay in some way. She sighed. "So what have I got to do? You are gonna be the death of me. You know that don't you?" She crouched down to their level, "You see these lines? And these lines?" Finger pointing around her eyes and mouth, "Well, they weren't there before you were born you know. I'm just saying."
A small silence and two pairs of brown eyes peering at her face; two pairs of browns eyes looking worried; two pairs of brown eyes filled with tears.
"Did we do that to you, CJ?" Huck whispered through his tears, as he watched Molly try to smooth away the fine lines with her little fingers.
CJ put her head back and laughed, gathering the children to her and turning them so they could all sit back on the couch. "No, sweetheart, you didn't do that, I'm teasing you, that's all. Although your father has a certain amount of responsibility . . ." She stopped short again at the look of horror on their faces. "Hey – teasing again. Those lines would be there regardless – it's called 'getting older', that's all. And they wouldn't be such happy lines, if I hadn't met you. Now what was it you were going to make me do?"
Huck took CJ's little finger in his hand and squeezed. "Tell us why you have Pooh Bear PJs, CJ."
CJ took a deep breath. She really regretted telling them what Toby had written in the card attached to her present from the children, but she was stuck with it now, and could only hope that they would never ask her in front of others.
"I have Pooh Bear PJs because my SAT scores are not up to your Dad's and that makes me a bear of very little brain."
"And the other stuff, too, CJ – don't forget the other stuff." Molly's hand was curled into CJ's stomach.
"And because I am loyal and loveable and I never let you down."
"I like that bit best."
"Me too."
CJ blinked away the tears that had snuck into her eyes. "Me too."
*
The bed shifted and CJ turned in the darkness.
"Have they gone?"
"Yes. Told them we'd see them next weekend." Toby wriggled closer and slipped his hand under the waistband of her shorts. "Thank you for today. Sometimes we, Andi and I, we just need space to talk, you know work out logisitics – plan things."
"S'okay," CJ yawned and let her hand slip beneath the sheet. "You wearing them?"
"I am."
"Tell me why I bought them for you?" She yawned again, her fingers lightly stroking the silk.
"Because I'm grumpy and pessimistic and I eat thistles?"
"Mmmhmm. And don't forget the other thing."
"Oh yeah." He rolled on top of her and kissed her just below the ear.
CJ shifted to accommodate him.
"I wear Eeyore boxers because I'm hung like a . . ."
CJ covered his mouth and swallowed the rest.
The end.
