Foreword: This Story is hard to rate. If you find conception or birth upsetting then don't read this. It also involves a Cub nursing. This is most likely a PG-16 story. I was asked if I could write a story with Grumpy as a Father. I was reluctant to, but here it is. I hope you like it!
Grumpy frowned as he listened to a game his Mate and Sister in Law liked to play. They were thinking up possible names for any Cub either may someday have. "If one of us ever has a bouncing baby boy bear a good name could be Bouncy Bear" said Share. Share smiled as she imagined such a boy Cub jumping onto her lap.
Surprise laughed. "Well, since you are so into sharing another good name would be Divvy. Short for Divvy Up Bear. Now that's a name for a Cub. Grumpy likes to tinker. Since Girls take after their Fathers you could name a Girl Tinker Bear." Share laughed. "No, that sounds too much like Tinkle Bear."
"Cubs" Grumpy muttered aloud. Surprise Bear giggled and tapped her Brother in Law's nose. "Oh Grumpy, you can't fool me. I know you would love to have one some day. One of these days you and Share just may end up with a surprise bundle of joy. Heck, even a Runt Bear like Grizzle was able to give Lovalot a daughter. What a big surprise that was!"
Share now giggled." Gee, so you say Daughters take after their Fathers. Sons take after their Mothers. So I need to consider that when thinking of possible names. Lovalot's Daughter, Miracle Joy, is nothing like her Mother. She acts as devilish as her Father did when he was younger. Miracle Joy is one seemingly misnamed Cub." Grumpy actually grinned. "No, her name fits. To her Parents it must be a miracle and a joy for every day that she keeps out of trouble. No wait, has there been any such days?"
Surprise grinned. "Surprisingly, yes. I once Cub sat her. Her Parents were the pains in the Butt that evening, not she. Oh I almost forgot, I have something in my purse for you two. I got these on my last Caring Mission to Earth." Surprise pulled out what looked like two fruits and handed them to Share. Share sniffed them briefly as if she were suspicious of her always surprising sister. "Well, they don't smell bad, what are they?"
"Well, Sis, Humans call them Passion Fruits. Even though they don't make Humans passionate for each other. They are said to be seedy but rather delicious." Now Surprise grinned in a devilish manner. "There are Caring Reports that they do make Care Bears and Care Cousins feel passionate. So just try a few bites at a time, or I may finally end up being an Aunt. Oh my, look at the time. I have to get home. See you two later." Surprise darted out the door. Both Share and Grumpy sighed with relief that Surprise had left. The over active Girl often left others feeling surprisingly worn out. Share set the fruit Surprise had left on the coffee table.
As Share cleaned up the kitchen Grumpy headed for the bathroom. Then as Share used the bathroom Grumpy straightened up the den. Grumpy picked up the passion fruits and sniffed them. Just then Share came out of the bathroom. Grumpy turned to Share with a fruit in his right hand paw. "You know what, this does not smell delicious to me. But there is something about the smell that makes me want to try it." Share took it out of his paw. Share also sniffed the fruit. Then she felt compelled to take a bigger whiff. Share then took a small bite.
"Oh, the taste is kind of bland to me" said Share. Then she took a bigger bite. "I thought you said it tasted bland" said Grumpy. "Yet it looks as if you are about to gulp it down." Share looked at Grumpy with a strange look in her eyes. "It is bland, but it makes me feel good, sort of liked receiving a Care Stare. Try a bite."
Like Eve handing The Apple to Adam, Share handed the fruit to Grumpy. As he sniffed it Share grabbed the other Passion Fruit. "Well, try it" she said as she went for another bite. "You look like a 'fraidy Bear." Share had a far away look in her eyes as Grumpy took a bite. Then Share giggled as she watched Grumpy take more bites. "Not too bad muttered" Grumpy. Just like Share he too felt a strange rush. He just had to eat the rest of it.
Soon both Bears were emptied pawed. Each had felt something like an adrenaline rush. Then something else. Share tee heed as she put her arms over Grumpy's shoulders. Grumpy grinned as Share pushed him over to the couch. "Last one on the couch is a rotten Passion Fruit" said Share. "
"Oh yeah" said Grumpy as he pulled Share down onto the couch with him. Soon they were both on the couch, nose to nose in a Care Bear kiss. "Oh dear, we forgot to turn out the lights" giggled Share. Grumpy had his arms around Share. "To Heck with the lights" said the now amorous Male. "I love you no matter the lighting!"
A few houses down the block his Sister in Law was reading a book. "Wow" said Surprise to herself. "I was only messing with my sister. Yet according to this Caring Manual, Passion Fruits really do make Care Bears hot for each other. However I seriously doubt it would work on an impassionate boy like Grumpy. Or a seriously shy girl like Share." Surprise giggled as she remembered one of the few times she saw Grumpy and Share kiss in public.
At that moment down the block the two Bears in question were lying side by side. "Well, that was fun" said Share as she squeezed Grumpy's hand paw. "Are you happy, Grumpy?" Grumpy seemed unaware of the oxymoron Share had spoken. He sighed contently. "Your Sister can be a pain in the butt at times. However this time she did inspire a surprisingly good time!" As the Mates lay side by side one of Nature's greatest gifts and miracles occurred. A Care Bear cub was conceived.
Grumpy had just dozed off when he was awakened. Share had suddenly bolted up to a sitting position. "Oh my" Grumpy heard Share say. Grumpy felt confused for a moment. As he turned toward Share he suddenly woke fully up. Share had a strange look on her face. Then she grinned. She was absolutely glowing to Grumpy's eyes. "What's the matter" said Grumpy as he reached out to Share's cheek. Grumpy had never seen Share look the way she did for that brief moment. Share put her right hand paw down to her lower belly. "I felt something happen" said Share as she looked Grumpy in the eyes. Then for another brief moment Share was glowing again. "I think we just made a Cub" said Share. For a brief moment Grumpy looked different to Share. For some odd reason the only thing he could think to say was "I wonder how much a box of cigars cost?" "Oh Grumpy" said Share as she lay back down. Then she giggled herself to sleep.
The next morning found Grumpy washing his hand paws after having used the toilet. The door flung open as Share rushed in. "Sorry" she yelled as she knelt in front of the toilet. "Are you okay" asked a concerned Grumpy after Share vomited. "I woke up feeling fine" said Share. "Then without warning I felt like I was going to throw up. And I did!" For Share it was not the last time she would have Morning Sickness. Soon Grumpy would also have pains. Sympathetic birth pains after Share took a pregnancy test. Soon gossiping Bears and Cousins spread the amazing news. A Care Bear rarity would occur in the due course of time. Share was expecting a Cub.
The News was confirmed as Grumpy ran into Best Friend's store. "Can you buy boxes of assorted Cigars with pink or blue wrappers here" he gasped out. Best Friend smiled knowingly. "Yes, but don't be in such a hurry to get them. From the rumor mill I would say you have quite a few months before needing them. Congratulations in contributing to our much needed Population Growth. Care a Lot could use more Cubs." A dreamy look came over the Female's face. "A Cub" she said in a near whisper. "Gees, I need to find a Boy Friend! Maybe a little romp with a Boy can get me a Cub." Grumpy looked shocked. "Too much info" he muttered.
Grumpy arrived home to find Surprise giggling as she felt her Sister's belly. "Well, you got your wish with your surprising fruits" said Grumpy to his Sister in Law. Surprise thought Grumpy may be miffed with her. But he suddenly broke out into a rare grin. "Had Share and I known about them earlier we may have avoided some embarrassing Medical Exams." Surprise grinned as Share blushed. "Well, I was only joking when I told you the fruits may make you feel passionate" said Surprise. "It turned out the joke was on all of us. I hope it is a joke you both like."
"Of course we do" said Share. "Who knows, it just may have been the heat of the moment which led to this. Or it could have been the fruit. Lovalot looked online for me and Passion Fruit is said to be a Care Bear aphrodisiac." Then Share grinned mischievously. "We thought we may never have a Cub of our own. However you had better be ready to do some Cub Sitting, 'Aunt Surprise'. For free! Oh, if it's a Boy maybe he can surprise you by peeing on you."
"Yeah" said Grumpy. "And if it's a Girl maybe she can surprise you by spitting up on you. The first time True Heart handed Hugs to me she spit up all over me. Another time she couldn't get Hugs to wear her diaper. True Heart told me to grab Hugs for her. Just as I picked her up she peed on me. Sometimes it's the Girls who pee on you. This Boy Cub was not happy about that little mess and surprise!" Share laughed and looked at Surprise. "Well" said Share. "Little Sisters can make big messes. Also little messes. This big sister knows that for sure. However sometimes Sis's little messes make life more entertaining."
Surprise grinned as she remembered splashing Share while in the tub together for the first time after their re-union. "Land sakes, you made this room a lake" True Heart had said. Surprise thought she may get punished. The Bear who had first taken the rescued Cub into her home would occasionally punish with a paw slap to the butt. Surprise would quickly discover True Heart hated spankings. True Heart had just shaken her head. "Well, Cubs will be Cubs" she had said as she grabbed a mop. "As a step mother True Heart was a true gift" Surprise thought to herself.
"Oh gees, you reminded me of something" said Surprise as she bolted out the door. "See you later!" Surprise visited Secret Bear and then Laugh a Lot. It was time to plan for one of Care a Lot's very rare Social Events. A Cub Shower. Surprise was thinking of some surprising gifts and activities for such a festive occasion. Laugh a Lot should be a natural to plan for a good time. Secret could spread the word without letting Share in on the secret. In the meantime Share and Grumpy prepared for the momentous day that would forever alter their lives. The birth of a Care Bear cub. Their cub.
Surprise was a little worried about surprising her Sister on the evening of the Cub Shower. However it went off without a hitch. The snacks were light and healthy. Take Care Bear had brought some non-alcoholic Sparkling Bumble Berry Juice. Like always Share blushed as the Girls played some mature games. Then it was time to give Share and her cub to be some gifts. Most Care Bears wear little clothing. Except when it is very cold outside, if one is pregnant, or has a Cub to nurse. Laugh a Lot embarrassed Share by holding up a special piece of clothing. "This is made so you can hide something if you nurse your Cub in a public place. Or both some things. After all Care a Lot Law gives you the right to nurse your Cub wherever you want to!"
Share blushed and then laughed. "Well, I am into sharing things. However I am not sure if I want to share moments like that!" Then Share smiled as she looked at the gift Work of Heart had brought. "Wow, I have never seen such decorative diapers for newborns." Laugh a Lot laughed loudly. "They won't be decorative shortly after putting a them on a Cub. Just messy." Now Sweet Treat Pig squealed as she laughed.
"Most likely Share will only have one little one to clean up. Try having three at one time. Helping to clean up a little ones can be quite a chore. It is one of the few advantages to having a Mate. It also keeps your Mate busy enough to stay out of trouble. Being a Father has helped keep Beastly in line." Sweet Treat let out a sigh. "I just wish I could figure out a way to keep Taffy out of trouble. That Girl certainly took after her Father."
Sweet Treat now grinned knowingly. "No matter if it is one or more, Boy or Girl, you will need this. Beastly is quite familiar to using one of these." Sweet Treat handed Share a baby bath.
"Oh my, look how small it is" marveled Share. "It is hard to believe we were all once small enough to fit into one of these. None of us grown Bears can fit now!" Lovalot grinned. "Even my Runt of a Mate won't fit in there. I can't wait to see you bathe a Cub in there. Or watching Grumpy try to give a Cub a bath." The adult females smiled as they imagined Grumpy bathing a Cub. However one adult looked serious.
Proud Heart Cat ran her paw over the baby bath. "According to my Kits, Grumpy is good at bathing youngsters. He even got Fur Elise to take a bath with few of her usual wild antics. Right Share?"
Share laughed. "Grumpy did help me bathe the Kits the last time we baby sat for you and Loyal Heart. Grumpy and the Boys were so wild in the tub it made the Girls giggle themselves tired. I think Fur Elise was stunned to see a grown Boy like Grumpy have so much fun. After her bath she jumped in Grumpy's lap. 'Are you really a grown up Bear' she asked Grumpy. 'Or a really big Cub?'"
"Well, some Boys never really grow up" said Lovalot. "I know, I am Mated to one of those Boys. I am sure Grumpy will be an excellent Father Bear. Share, you will be a wonderful Mother Bear. If Grizzle and I can raise a Cub then you certainly can."
Grumpy arrived just as the Girls were leaving. The Girls had recruited Funshine to lure Grumpy away for the evening. The Boys made sure Grumpy had a good time himself. The Father Bear to be would soon be too busy for male oriented nights on the town. He would also need to avoid some vices. Funshine had given Grumpy something. "It could be the last one you can have for a while" Funshine had told Grumpy. Grumpy now had a cigar in his left hand paw. "Second hand smoke is bad for your Mate and Cub to be" said Take Care as she met Grumpy on the lighted stoop. "So is the stuff on your breath."
Grumpy grinned. "Well, I can sacrifice for my Mate and Cub. After all, Share is making some hard to do sacrifices." Take Care laughed. "Poor Share, she is known for liking Bumble Berry Wine. She has even been caught with some forbidden harder drinks. This Cub may help you both to lead healthier lives. Oh, that reminds me. Remind Share that I want both of you present for a pre-natal exam next Tuesday. Besides Share's exam I want to give you both tips and literature on Birth and Cub Rearing." Grumpy sighed as he headed inside.
"What goes on during a Cub Shower anyway" he said to Share as he looked at the gifts Share had received. He picked up a Mature Game left by one of the Girls. "Who brought this. I bet it was Harmony" he said. Share giggled. "No, it was your sister, Cheer. That girl knows some really entertaining Adult Bear oriented games. She even surprised Surprise with some of the Games she showed us."
Grumpy stared at the cover of the Game in his paw. "Gees, if Cheer keeps playing games like this I may end up being Uncle Grumpy to a Cub." Grumpy then grimaced. "Speaking of Cubs, Take Care wanted me to remind you of your pre-natal exam next Tuesday." "Our pre-natal exam" said Share. "Take Care insists you be there too."
Grumpy did go to the exam with Share. Both were relieved that no major problems for Share or her unborn Cub were detected. "I can't keep my hand paw claws trimmed" said Share. "I can barely sheath them." The Doctor smiled as she examined Share's hand paws. "Well Share, Care Bears are only a few Generations from wild Bears. Mother Bears may need to use their claws to protect their Cubs. Just try to sheath them if you do need to defend yourself or Cub. Care a Lot law gives Mother Bears the right to paw slap in defending their Cub."
The doctor then tapped Grumpy's shoulder. "You had better be a good Boy!" "I will" said Grumpy. "No Bear or no thing is going to harm my Mate or Cub!" Grumpy and Share were given quick lessons on feeding, bathing, and diapering newborn Cubs. Grumpy was also shown how to help in delivering a Cub. Care Bear births were rare. When they did occur the Mother usually had very little warning. Labor is much quicker for Care Bears than Humans.
"Cubs are notorious for deciding to be born in inconvenient places" said Take Care. She gave Share a packaged thin birthing mat to carry in her purse. "You just may need this. You wouldn't want to deliver a Cub onto the bare ground." Her assistant, Get Better Bear, nodded. "My son decided to be born at The Woo Woo World Carnival. Right behind the concessions stand. That is how he got the name Carnie!" Share laughed and patted her growing lower belly. "Oh my, I had better not visit any far out places!"
For Share and Grumpy the long wait for their Cub would come to an end on a cool, crisp, late Summer's day. Grumpy was busy in his Repair Shop. Share had been training All My Heart to take care of the Cafe. Share knew she would soon want some Maternity Leave from the daily bustle of running the Cafe . Right after closing shop Share stopped for a moment to catch her breath. She giggled as she watched Care a Lot's oddest Odd Couple grab each others hand paws. Grizzle and Lovalot had been the last customers of the day.
Share suddenly felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. She dropped her purse. Grizzle whirled around and looked at her. Grizzle's keen ears knew the sound of a dropped purse. In his former days as a bad little Bear dropped purses could mean loose Care Credits to be grabbed. As his eyes met Share's Grizzle instinctively knew Share needed help. Grizzle tapped Lovalot's hip and then pointed to Share. Share had lifted up her Maternity dress as she looked down at herself. "Look, I think that girl Bear needs help" said Grizzle. "Oh my stars" said Lovalot. As a Female she should know how to help another in sudden Labor. Instead it was a once maligned Male who knew what to do. "Go get Grumpy and a Doctor" Grizzle said to Lovalot. As Lovalot ran to Grumpy's Repair Shop a runt Bear suddenly looked larger than life to Share.
"Do you have a mat or towel ready as an expectant Bear should" asked Grizzle. "In my purse gasped" Share. Grizzle made sure to place the mat down as close to Share as possible but out of the wind. Then he helped Share out of her Maternity Dress. "Kneel on the mat with your knees spread apart" said Grizzle. "Try to take deep steady breathes and push with your abdominal muscles when you feel a contraction." "Okay" gasped Share.
Grizzle had noticed a small pen knife and lighter in Share's purse. Using the knife Grizzle cut a small strip of material from the hem of Share's dress. Then Grizzle used the lighter's flame to sterilize the pen knife. Meanwhile Share tried to control her breathing and push when needed. Both Grizzle and Share were so busy concentrating on what was happening neither heard running paw steps.
With a final mighty push Share sent her newborn Cub into the World. Grizzle flicked his middle finger on the Cub's nose. A thin wail was heard. A newborn Cub had announced its birth to Care a Lot. Grumpy had arrived just in time to witness it. So had Lovalot, Take Care, and All My Heart. Take Care took the small Bear from Grizzle after he had tied and cut the umbilical cord. The Doctor was impressed at how well the once maligned Bear had helped in delivering a Cub. "Good job, Grizzle" she said. "You too, Share. Or should I say Mamma Bear." Share was still kneeling and panting as Grumpy knelt beside her. Grumpy took her hand paw in his. He was speechless, so he gave her paw a slight squeeze. "You are a Mamma Bear" he finally gasped out. "And you are a Poppa Bear" Share said softly.
Grumpy now noticed other Bears and Cousins who had arrived on scene. "Well, you lived up to your name Share. You just had to share the birth of our Cub with the public!" The small crowd watched as Take Care cleaned and examined the Cub. It had stopped crying. "My, this is a furry little one" said the Doctor. "I can hardly see what Sex it is. But it is a she!"
"We have a Girl" said Share as the Doctor handed the Cub to Share. "Is she alright, she is awful quiet for a newborn, isn't she" asked Share with a new Mother's concern. The Doctor pointed at the Cub's face. "She is fine. She looks like she is sulking. I guess this Cub would rather sulk than cry." Share smiled as Grumpy leaned in for a closer look. Grumpy looked ecstatic as he got his first real good look of his newborn daughter. Her still damp fur looked as if it would have a lavender tint. In her belly fur there was a pattern. It looked like three teardrops. Two for eyes and one for a nose. Below that a rainbow pattern for a sad or pouting mouth. Then Grumpy looked at her face again. She did look like she was sulking. "Look at her, Grumpy" said Share as she held the Cub up for all to see. Share rubbed her nose on that of her Cub. Still the Cub looked as if she were sulking. Share sighed. "Girls are supposed to take after their Daddies. But we don't have a grumpy girl, we have a sulky girl."
Take Care Bear was writing down the Cub's vital signs. As Share held the Cub to her chest the Cub latched on for her first meal. Share heard some "oohs" and "ahs" from the now small gathering of Bears and Cousins. "I can't believe I am nursing a Cub in public" said Share. "I guess I really am meant to share precious moments." Share stroked her Cub's back. The Cub's face now looked more serene. "Just look at her Grumpy. I guess this is one way to keep her from being so grumpy."
"Not grumpy, sulky" said Grumpy softly as he admired his Mate and nursing Cub. Take Care had one item left to fill in on the Cub's vital signs form. "So, is her name Sulky" asked the Doctor with pen in paw. Share and Grumpy looked at each other. Both were grinning from ear to ear. "It sure is" they said as one.