"If I was a cookie where would I be?"
Hunter glanced up, a bewildered albeit amused look gracing his features as he stared at the blonde mop of hair below him. He sat up fully so that his chin was resting on Shawn's dining room chair and peered over the wooden rest.
"Shawn?"
The Texan crawled backwards, emerged from the cluttered kitchen cupboard with an annoyed look on his face.
"Are you feeling ok?"
"No" snapped Shawn, "She's hidden them!"
"She's hidden what? Your common sense and sanity? Buddy they've been missing for years!"
"No! Cookies. All the cookies are hidden"
"So? What do you want me to do about it?" drawled Hunter grinning
"Oh fat load of good you are" huffed Shawn raking his way back through the cupboard. Plates and bowls clattered together as he continued searching. He faltered as he felt the strong tug on his shirt, crawled backwards and squirmed round to find his eight year old son and four year old daughter towering above him from his crumpled position on the Kitchen floor.
"Oh look, the Cookie Calvary is here" joked Hunter from his chair
"More like spies" muttered Shawn
"Mom said you can't have anymore cookies" announced Cameron a stern look on his small face
"No she didn't" denied Shawn hastily, "She said I had to stop eating so many cookies. That doesn't mean I can't have anymore. There's a difference see. "
"Uncle Hunter is that true?" asked Cameron suspiciously
Hunter beamed at Shawn.
"I think your mom said no cookies ever again"
"Hunter!"
"What? You want me to lie to your kids?! What kind of honorary Kliq Uncle would I be then?!"
"A good one!" snapped Shawn
"Come on Shawn, Becks is just looking out for you. You're getting pudgy"
"I am not!" shouted Shawn indignantly.
"Well ok if you say so" shrugged Hunter a wry grin plastering his face, "Though I remember a time when that flab used to be abs"
" Some flipping friend you turned out to be" seethed Shawn, " Oh don't worry Kev I'll look out for Shawn, You, Scotty and Kid go off to TNA, me and Shawn'll be just swell until I take away his cookies, call him fat and force-feed him rabbit food!"
"Nobody mentioned rabbit food" said Hunter rolling his eyes
"Yet" muttered Shawn narrowing his eyes to darkened slits of mistrust,
"You tell mom that I hate lettuce" he instructed pointing a finger at his two children
"MOM! Dad says he hates lettuce" hollered Cameron
"I could have done that" snapped Shawn wiping his face with his palm
"That's such a dad thing!" cried Hunter gleefully
"Oh yeah? Wait 'til Aurora starts hollering like that. I'm gonna laugh" teased Shawn
"Laugh away my friend, my child will learn to talk in soft whispers and will inflict her pain with a custom made sledge hammer"
"Did anyone ever tell you….you're a dork?"
"I wasn't 'til I started hanging out with you. Funny coincidence that you might say"
" You know sometimes I wonder about you. Did your Mom drop you on your head as a child?"
" Nope. Your dad told me Shari dropped you though. He said that's the only explanation he has for having such a nimrod of a kid" taunted Hunter.
" Daddy's nice"
" Thank you sweetie" smiled Shawn pulling the toddler into a hug
" No cookie" she said strictly.
Shawn sighed as Cheyenne caressed his dejected face with sticky fingers.
" Smart kid you got there Shawn, she take after her mother?"
" Why are you even here?!" snapped Shawn, " Don't you have I dunno some politicking to do or some jobbers to squash?"
" Only on Monday nights" laughed Hunter good naturedly.
Shawn pulled Cheyenne close to his chest as he rose, stood beside the kitchen cabinet as the toddler played with the crucifix around his neck.
" You like cookies right?"
" Yesh"
" And you like daddy right?"
The little girl nodded.
" So can you please show daddy where mommy hid the cookies?"
" Don't give him any Chey" instructed Hunter
" Stop telling my little princess what to do"
" I'm telling mom you're mailing Cheyenne" threatened Cameron heading into the hallway to find his mother
" I'm not mailing her!" cried Shawn as he heard Cameron's protests in the hall, " Becks I'm not doing anything!"
" He is too" supplied Hunter
" Would you just go home?!"
" No I'm staying to watch the fun at the Hickenbottom household. We don't have cookie wars in my house"
" Nobody's having cookie wars" sighed Rebecca entering the kitchen. She reached out her arms for Cheyenne and Shawn willingly handed her over.
" You should be ashamed of yourself Shawn" she chastised, " Mailing our child?!"
" I wasn't sending her to Peru or anything. I just wanted cookies"
" You were going to trade your little princess for cookies?! HAVE YOU NO DIGNITY?!" cried Hunter mockingly. Rebecca chuckled slightly as Shawn pouted.
He turned to his wife, his eyes wide beseeching shimmers of blue.
" Oh come here" she sighed unable to refuse his puppy dog led him into the hallway. She rummaged through the toy cupboard and pulled out the packet of chocolate chip cookies from behind Cameron's skateboard. She handed one to her husband and watched as he ripped open the packet excitedly. She giggled as he began devouring the snack with the enthusiasm of a small child.
" I love you" he mumbled through a mouthful of golden biscuit.
" Me or the cookie?"
Shawn pondered for a minute.
" You" he grinned his mouth smeared with crumbs and chocolate.
" You have cookie on your mouth"
" Oh yeah where?" asked Shawn
" Right…there" said Rebecca closing in for a kiss.