What can I say? I can't stay away from domestic Vauseman.
For Better or For Worse
Set 6 months, post epilogue.
Kissing boo-boo's.
Helping with homework.
Reading bedtime stories.
Packing a lunchbox.
Giving extra cuddles.
Scheduling appointments and playdates.
Going to birthday parties for classmates.
Being in bed by nine.
This was all part of their life.
A two year old and five, almost six year old kept them on their toes.
Sure, things got hectic sometimes, and the occasional rift would cause either Alex or Piper to camp out on the couch, but what family doesn't live through that? The further they got in their marriage, the more they figured out what worked and what didn't. It was trial and error, especially with children.
Alex had learned sex was no longer spontaneous and different, but routine and scheduled. Yet it was still mind-blowing each and every time, just as it had been the first time almost five years ago. And there was almost always an interruption, whether it be a child screaming from the other room to be retrieved or a child nonchalantly walking in right as they reached that point of no return. Real life conversations were non-existent or re-worded for young, and innocent ears, there was no such thing as a quiet or mess-free meal, and the television was constantly showing a child-friendly show. But this was what they had signed up for, and they wouldn't dare wish for anything else.
Piper had been her saving grace, along with the little boy she had given birth to on that warm July afternoon when they had first met in the back of that grungy, yellow cab. Their relationship had allowed Alex to let go of those demons that constantly swarmed her mind, and start over completely new. Getting engaged, and then married had been something the brunette had never pictured herself doing, but she knew it was the right choice. Ellie being born six weeks early, had completed it all; the perfect domestic life she never once thought she would live.
This was their life, and they battled through everything together, only to come out stronger on the other side. The couple fell more in love each and every day whether it be how they stole loving glances, how they were with the kids, or some little gesture one had done for the other. Despite the havoc two kids brought and the daily realities of life, that connection was still there, and it was still holding inevitably strong.
"Mommy, what was I like as a baby? Did I scream a lot like Ellie does?"
Conner was sitting at the island eating the rest of his Fruit Loops while observing Ellie cling to Piper's leg as she rinsed a few dishes in the sink. Today was Conner's last day of Kindergarten, and his graduation ceremony had been two days ago. The emotions that had washed over both Piper and Barbara as they watched the little boy cross the stage with a wide grin to accept his diploma in his miniature cap and gown made Jim and Alex almost fall out of their chairs from how hard they were laughing. Of course they couldn't believe Conner was a little over a month away from being six years old when just yesterday it seemed like they were celebrating his first birthday. He was super smart, polite, and could even read at a second grade level at the end of kindergarten, not to mention how great of a big brother he was to his little sister. Alex could only imagine how Piper and her mother-in-law would act when Conner graduated high school, or even college, or let alone when Ellie graduated kindergarten, but she had just turned two, two months ago and was thriving in every single way. Her run was still a bit wobbly, but she had been walking with no assistance for four months now, and was finding ways to get into even more trouble.
Alex chuckled from where she stood in the laundry room changing the clothes over from the washer to the dryer. She and Piper had become immune to the screaming over the past six years. They had quickly learned how to tell apart a needy scream from a meaningless scream from the time Conner had started to use his voice.
"What were you like as a baby?" Piper asked, shutting off the faucet and opening the refrigerator to retrieve juice for the toddler, completely oblivious to Ellie's wailing. "Well, you always slept no matter if there was a hurricane going on outside or it was thousand degrees, you gave the best hugs, and you loved to snuggle with momma. Sometimes she was the only one who could get you to calm down."
The blonde smirked at Alex who was now leaning against the island holding a content, juice-drinking, Ellie. Her hair was in two small pig tails on top of her head, and she was in just her diaper after refusing to put on her clothes and squirming away. Her vocabulary was still semi-limited considering she was still considered two months behind an average two year old, but that never kept her down, she was insistent on finding ways to get what she wanted or needed.
"You didn't scream near as much as Ellie did though, only when you couldn't find your pacifier." Alex chortled. "She's just learned how to get her way since she's the baby, but you had your ways too…You would always puff out your little lip and pout with those puppy dog eyes."
Conner giggled.
"I want a little brother."
Both Alex and Piper's eyes went wide at his confession. They had decided soon after their family vacation to Disney World when they had received a letter saying that their donor had ceased making donations that they were done, and were satisfied with two children. Alex was a year away from forty, and Piper had no desire to put her body through another pregnancy, considering her amniotic sac rupture and how early Ellie had made her appearance.
"I hate to burst your bubble, kid, but you're stuck with Ellie." Alex laughed as she ruffled Conner's hair with her free hand. His facial expression quickly grew disappointed but like everything else, he was over it in five minutes.
When Alex looked up, Piper was still blushing over her son's blunt confession.
Later that morning, after the blonde had walked her son to school, she came home to a quiet apartment. Too quiet actually. Usually, Ellie didn't nap until later in the morning, but Alex seemed to have special powers when it came to getting their kids to sleep. Piper couldn't figure out if was the raspy tone, or the way she cuddled, but it always took Alex no time to put their children to sleep.
"Babe?"
Piper closed the front door, and laid her keys on the table in the hallway. The television was on in the living room but there was no one to be found. Toys were strung out across the floor, and an abandoned sippy cup was lying under the coffee table.
"Alex?"
The further she walked into the apartment, the quieter it got. The low rumble of the television seemed to dissipate. When the blonde walked past Ellie's nursery, she quietly peeked in and found a peacefully sleeping toddler on her stomach with a pacifier being sucked in at a rapid pace. It reminded of her Conner at that age. Piper leaned over the rails of the white crib and placed a gentle kiss to the toddler's temple.
Backing out of the room, she sauntered into her bedroom, noticing the bathroom door was closed and light was shining brightly from underneath.
"Al?" The blonde gently tapped on the door. "Are you alright?"
A quick closing of a drawer could be heard, along with the shuffling of feet and a flush of the toilet before the door was thrown open, slightly alarming the blonde.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I was just…gonna get in the shower." Alex's face was slightly paler than normal and her makeup was absent. "Wanna join me?"
Piper studied her wife's smirk, trying to figure out what the minuscule difference was that she felt going on, but quickly regained her composure.
"How long has she been asleep?"
"Ten minutes."
Whatever thoughts were swirling around Piper's brain were lost as Alex lead Piper into their master bathroom, shedding every layer of clothing, indulging in the fact that they were finally getting some much needed alone time, but also keeping an ear open in case Ellie woke up. For the better part of the hour, the two got lost in breathless professions of love as they tumbled around their walk-in shower, moan vibrating off of the glass surrounding them, and their slick bodies constantly being pressed together.
Ellie still hadn't woken up by the time the two had stepped out of the walk-in. Using that time, the couple actually curled up in bed and watched re-runs of Cheers, discussing random matters and what they would do this summer to pass the time until Conner started first grade. Since Piper had started to be a stay at home mom, she and Alex had found more time for each other on the days she didn't go to work, giving them that extra alone time with Ellie.
"Frasier looks so much older in the spin-off compared to this."
Piper's voice tickled Alex's collarbone from where she laid with her head upon her shoulder, sending a light tingle through the brunette's body. Alex would never get tired of listening to Piper's observations over the damnedest things. Mornings like this were what was keeping her going. The hustle and bustle of the bookstore had finally died down after almost a year and a half and was now at steady place. Nicky had started to have signs of a relapse causing the process of opening their bar to be ceased until things were straightened out. The ex-con hadn't used, but she had voiced on multiple occasions that the itch to use was getting harder to contain. Nicky longed for Lorna who still had another six months to go, and she missed Red, the woman she considered a mother more than her biological one. Both Piper and Alex included Nicky in everything to keep her mind off of that want for the hard substance. They could tell she struggled, but seeing Conner and Ellie always cheered her up enough to keep fighting the urge.
The couple sat in silence for another twenty minutes before the distinct calls from their two year old could be heard over the baby monitor, signaling they were about to begin their usual day chasing Ellie around, attempting to keep her out of trouble until Conner came home and took over entertaining her.
The middle-aged brunette stood in a sea of parents also waiting to pick up their children. The sun was shining bright and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. The walk to the elementary school seemed to get longer, and hotter each day she picked up her son. When she saw the classroom door open and kids start to flock outside to find their parents, a small wave of relief washed over her. She wasn't a fan of heat, and silently berated herself for not just bring her car.
When she spotted Conner running towards her, she couldn't help the smile that erupted across her face.
"Hi, bud."
"Hi, momma."
Alex knelt with open arms to greet her son as he stepped out of his kindergarten classroom for the last time. She noted that Conner's backpack was bulging out on his back, most likely due to bringing home all of his supplies and papers. Kissing the boy's cheek, she took the bag and slung it over her shoulder.
"I made this for you."
Conner proudly handed Alex a macaroni necklace that matched the two he had around his own neck. The brunette suspected one of them was for Piper and the other was his. He already knew the routine of keeping small objects away from his sister.
"This is so cool, thanks bud."
Other children around them were also handing out their necklaces and other crafts that they had made for various family members. To Alex, this was the ultimate mom gift. She had made one for her mom when she was in her younger years, and now she was being granted one. No matter how messy, or how much it poked at your neck, moms wore them to appease their children, and she would do the same.
"Did you have a good last day of school?"
Conner happily nodded and grabbed a hold of his momma's outstretched hand as they started the stroll home. Alex knew the day was coming that he wouldn't want to hold anyone's hand anymore, perhaps not even his sisters, but each and every time she made sure to hold on just a little bit tighter and hold him a little bit closer each night he crept into her side of the bed to snuggle.
The walk home was filled with Conner's ideas of what he wanted to do over the summer and how cool he thought his new classroom for the next school year was. He had even gotten to meet his teacher, and was ecstatic that she too loved . Another major thing he was excited about was that he would actually get to eat in the cafeteria like all the other big kids. Alex could only giggle at how the smallest things meant so much to him.
As the pair walked into their apartment building, a tall, lanky, dark-haired man ran into them, causing a trail of expletives to come out of both adults mouth.
"Watch where the fuck you're going, lady."
"Momma, he said a bad word." Conner scooted behind Alex, but never let go of her hand.
"I know…Just…ignore it." Alex soothed her shoulder.
When she turned around to see who was speaking, she could barely form a word due to how dry her mouth had gone. She hadn't seen this man in five years. He had been placed in the back of her mind, never to be thought of again, but today that file had been opened.
"Hello, Alex."
A/N: I recently had the stomach virus and spent a lot of time laying on the bathroom floor, so I had time to think and I couldn't keep my mind off of a sequel to It Can Happen in an Instant. Plus, after a few conversations with a couple of people, I felt a sequel was the right move. This will perhaps be slightly darker in the beginning, but everything will be fine.
I'll still be writing for the other fics I have going right now too, but I just had to write this.
Let me know what you think. I'm so excited to be writing about this family again.
