Disclaimer- I do not own any of the Treasure Planet characters I refer to in this story. I do own the names for the Doppler kids, but that's really it. Trust me, I'm not getting paid.

Summary- Jim Hawkins has finally been granted some time off from his busy navy schedule and can finally kick back and relax. Wrong, Amelia and Delbert need him to look after their kids while they take a day trip together. What's a twenty-year-old to do?

Author's Note- Alright, so it's been a long time since I posted anything Treasure Planet related, mainly because I needed to flesh out some characters and come up with some better plot lines. This is the response to a challenge I posted in one of the Treasure Planet forums about writing a story about the Doppler kids or family.

The Story Begins,

James Hawkins sighed contentedly and leaned back in the wooden chair he was currently occupying. He put his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.

This was, by far, one of the best days he'd had in quite awhile.

He'd been working hard at the Interstellar Academy for the past five years and had finally graduated. Now at age twenty, he still was given much to do in regards to the navy and had only been home a handful of times since originally leaving to pursue his career.

As a reward for the numerous hours he'd spent in service to the Queen's Royal Navy, Jim had been granted a week off to spend as he pleased. And he intended to spend it well.

He could hear his mother bustling around in the kitchen, hurriedly working to serve the several guests that were currently staying at the Benbow Inn. Business had been good lately.

Strange, I haven't seen B.E.N. yet. Jim mused. That crazy robot's usually here to…

"Jimmy!" an overly loud voice called. The door to the kitchen slammed open as the words were spoken and the bronze colored robot that Jim was very familiar with came flying at him.

The twenty-year-old cadet jumped out of his chair as the metal being engulfed him in a bear hug. It had been so long since he'd seen his android friend and he had to admit that he'd missed the chaos caused by the robot. The disorder he caused was a part of Jim's life, a part that had been absent for so long.

Yes, this was his day.

The Inn's main door swung open with a small creak. The hinges really needed oiling.

Jim glanced up; about to tell whoever had walked in to close the door, the cold outside air was entering the warm room. However, the words didn't get out when he realized who was standing in the doorframe.

Dr. Delbert Doppler stood shivering, bundled up almost to the point of not being able to move. A thick, green scarf covered his nose and mouth and the huge matching mittens covering his hands made it seem amazing that he'd actually been able to grip the doorknob. Yet, despite his heavy winter attire, he was obviously freezing.

"Hey doc," Jim greeted, unable to drop the doctor's nickname.

The canid's face, or what was visible of it, seemed to brighten.

"Jim! When did you get back? How long are you staying? Could you…" his rambling was cut off by one of the Inn's patrons shouting at him to close the door. Delbert frowned, but obeyed the command.

"How impolite," he muttered.
Delbert turned to Jim to study the young man whom had been away for quite a while. Not much had changed in his basic appearance. His brown hair was styled as it always had been, minus the ponytail of course, and his blue eyes still shone with determination. However, there was something different about the cadet's attitude and the air surrounding him. Instead of the rebellious intent that had surrounded him years ago, there was a sense of accomplishment and pride.

"Ah, Jim, is your mother around," Doppler asked through his scarf, the words coming out muffled. At Jim's puzzled look, he removed the scarf and repeated the question.

"In the kitchen," the twenty-year-old pointed behind him to the direction of the room his mother was currently inhabiting.

"I need to have a word with her," Delbert informed, setting off towards the direction Jim had indicated.

Jim watched the family friend leave and frowned slightly. What could the doctor possibly want to talk to his mom about?

B.E.N. had stayed oddly silent throughout the exchange. He just stood there, staring, looking the same way he did when his memory chip had been removed. Such wasn't the case, though, so he was probably just thinking about something off the wall.

"B.E.N.?" Jim asked a little bit uncertainly.

"You know, his life with the admiral is really quite romantic," the robot informed randomly, a dreamy look coming over his face. Jim looked confused.

"I really don't need to know about the doc's personal life."

He checked to see if the android's wires were all connected. They were. It was to remain a mystery as to why B.E.N. said some of the things he did.

Jim shook his head and sighed. He had a nagging feeling that his time off wasn't going to be as peaceful as he thought.

His thoughts were pretty much confirmed when the kitchen door opened and both Delbert and Sarah emerged with big grins gracing their features. Something was about to be sprung on him, he could tell.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Jim," Doppler said, patting Jim on the back. He put his scarf back in place and fumbled with the doorknob until the door finally opened. With a soft click, the heavy door shut and he was on his way.

Jim turned to his mom.

"What was that about?"

Sarah's grin grew bigger.

"Delbert and Amelia are going on a day trip tomorrow. Delbert said it's been a long time since they've spent some alone time together and Amelia finally has some time off so they figured that it would the perfect time to catch up."

"What about their kids?" Jim didn't like where this was going.

"Don't interrupt Jim, I'm getting to that. Delbert asked me to watch them, but I'm so busy and I really don't have the time. But, then I remembered that you also are on leave and offered that you would look after them. Amelia and Delbert will be over with the kids tomorrow morning." Sarah closed her eyes and continued smiling.

"Mom," Jim groaned. "This is the first time I've been allowed a few days off in over a year. I want to enjoy it, not baby sit." He knew he was whining, but he couldn't let this injustice continue.

"Jim, this will teach you responsibility, a very important skill. Besides, you haven't formally met the Doppler kids and they've been dying to get to know you."

A sigh was her son's response.

"Fine, fine." Jim sighed again in defeat. "How long do I have to baby sit and how much am I getting paid for it?"

"They'll be here all of tomorrow and will be staying the night. Amelia and Delbert will be back over the day after tomorrow morning to pick them up. And as for being paid, I told Delbert you'd do it for free. He is a friend of the family after all."

The twenty-year-old cadet closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. Perfect.

"Why do they need to stay the night? What could the doc and the admiral possibly be doing they can't be around to see?"

Sarah suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"Well, they're going to do, uh, adult stuff. That's all you need to know."

Something clicked in Jim's brain and he made a disgusted face.

"Bad image. How am I supposed to keep three kids entertained?"

"Four."

"What?"

"There are four kids."

"Great. What am I supposed to do with four children?"

"You're creative. I bet you'll be able to figure out loads of fun things to do."

There was a moment of tense silence between the two and then Sarah glanced around the dining room.

"I'd better get back to the kitchen."

Jim watched her leave, still in a bit of shock. This was just his luck.

I finally get some time to myself and how do I have to spend it? Baby sitting the admiral's kids. She doesn't even like me. Perfect, just perfect. He thought angrily.

He tried to enjoy the rest of his day, but it was impossible. Solar surfing didn't even seem as enjoyable when he knew there were four kids coming over.

During dinner, Sarah tried to cheer her son up by cooking his favorite food and engaging in conversation, but he stubbornly refused to be happy.

That night, Jim crawled into bed with a feeling of dread in his stomach. He didn't want tomorrow to come. He wished he could fast forward through the day so he wouldn't have to actually experience it. However, such a thing was impossible.

It took him seemingly hours to drift off to sleep and when he did, his dreams were of little kids screaming at him and generally being a pain. Needless to say, he didn't get much rest and morning came way too soon for his liking.

xxxxx

"Hello Delbert, Amelia. Hi kids," Sarah greeted in an overly cheery voice as she opened the door.

Jim looked up from his customary place at the back table.

Let the torture begin. He mused miserably.

The Doppler family stepped inside and shut the door. Like the day before, Delbert was clothed in layers upon layers, making him clumsier than usual. By contrast, Amelia wore a slimming dark blue coat with double buttons and black gloves. Even out of uniform, she managed to maintain her strict, military air. The four kids all sported coats of different styles.

"Elina, Nikki, Melody, Todd, this is Jim. Jim, meet the Doppler kids," Sarah introduced, indicating to Jim and the children in turn.

"Hi Uncle Jim," the brunette Nikki said in a bold voice.

"Hi," Jim responded tersely.

Delbert grinned broadly.

"I think you five are going to get along great. Have fun."

As the couple began to depart, Amelia turned around, her green eyes flashing with a warning.

"Mr. Hawkins, I am not sure how serious you are about this task, so let me put it in perspective. Those children are a part of Delbert and myself. If anything happens to them, I will make sure your navy career and personal life are a living hell." Her face remained straight throughout the small speech.

Jim nodded, unsure of what to say. The admiral wasn't usually that severe about things. But then again, these were her children.

Satisfied with the young man's nod, Amelia turned with her husband and led the way out.

"I'll leave you five to get acquainted," Sarah informed, hastily making her way towards the kitchen. She seemed to be spending a lot of time there lately. It was even stranger that there weren't any customers in the Inn this morning.

It's just not a good day. Jim decided glumly.

He turned to the kids.

"So, how old are you?"

"Five," they all answered at once. He stepped back.

That was creepy.

The twenty-year-old took a minute to look at the children. He knew their names, descriptions, and the order in which they were born from letters his mother had sent him during his time away. Other than that, he was lost. He didn't even know their personalities.

The youngest was Todd Allen, the only boy. He resembled his father in both species and complexion. His ears even drooped the way Delbert's did and his eyes were the same dark brown. Yet, despite these similarities, he obviously wasn't his father. It was apparent that even though he had never met Jim, he admired him as his brown hair was styled the same way without the ponytail.

Next came Melody Amaya. She glanced up at him shyly as he stared at her, her blue eyes wide with innocence. Her blonde hair was brushed and neat and dropped just below her shoulders. The way she twirled a strand around her finger led Jim to believe that she was shy and uncertain. She was also a tad shorter than her siblings.

The second oldest was Nikki Ann. She appeared to be the most rebellious one of the four. Her brown eyes seemed to be filled with excitement as she stared at him. Her skin was darker than that of her sisters, giving the impression that she had received more of Delbert's genes. Layered brunette hair cascaded down her back to just above her waist.

Finally, he came to the oldest, Elina Amelia. She seemed to have a small smirk permanently plastered on her face and her green eyes were narrow, as though she were thinking about something. She seemed to resemble Amelia the most, but that was probably because her hair was the same red and went to her mid neck with slight layering bear the bottom. Her arms were crossed and she was glancing around the room in curiosity.

"Thank you for looking after us, Uncle Jim," Melody said in a soft voice, looking down at her long, green coat as she spoke.

"Don't mention it," he replied.

Four pairs of eyes gazed at him after a moment of silence. He had no idea what to do.

Author's Note- Love it, hate it? Let me know. I haven't written anything Treasure Planet in a long time, so if the characters are a little off, I apologize. I'm also open to suggestions and questions. What do you think of my Doppler kid names and descriptions? Next update will probably be in a week or two if my schoolwork doesn't inundate me. Thanks for reading.