Disclaimer: Y'all know the drill...
A/N: This fic sprouted from a convo I had with my friend rockhotch31. Slurpy is actually the name of the kitten I'm currently looking after and most of the kitten's mannerisms in this fic are based on her. That being said, thanks everyone who helped me with this fic. It's not beta-d so any mistakes are mine. Oh, and I apologize beforehand for any mistakes information-wise. I'm not a native to the US, so I had to guess (and google) a few of the facts.
Enjoy!
Welcome To The Hodgepodge Family, Kitten
Jack was excited. Today was the day. His dad had finally related into letting have a pet. He really wanted a dog just like Mudgie but his dad had said there was no room in the apartment for a big dog. Plus, they were over at Uncle Dave's enough that Mudgie was partly his anyway.
Jack had nodded, realizing his dad had a good point. He then decided if he couldn't have a dog, a cat would be the next best thing. Cats could still snuggle up at night and he knew they still liked to play with toys, if he remember correctly. He only wished that his cat wouldn't end up like his friend Tommy's cat, fat and lazy.
"Jack," he hears his dad call. "Are you ready?" Jack finishes tying the laces on his sneakers. He gives a quick mental check before bounding down the hallway.
"Yup!" he says with a big grin. His dad grins back.
"All right then, mister. To the pet store we go."
SLURPYJACK
Jack was glad the ride to the mall was relatively short. He didn't think he could contain his excitement much longer. He knew his dad had noticed but he was too excited to care.
"Jack, wait a minute buddy. Now, are you absolutely sure you want a pet?" Jack shoots him a look that his Uncle Dave had dubbed the Hotch glare.
"Absolutely! Can we go in please?" he begs.
"Okay," his dad laughs. "Just take your time, okay? I'm going to look at the items wee need for your cat."
"I will." He takes off towards the kitten section but his heart drops when he realizes some of the huts were above his eye level.
"Need some help, son?" a voice behind him asks. Jack spins, eying the man standing there. He was wearing the uniform of one of the store workers. Jack knew his dad didn't particularly like him talking to strangers.
"I can't see the kittens up top," he finally says.
"No problem. See this stool here?" Jack nods. "Stand on this. It's for all you kids who aren't quite big enough to see."
"Thanks."
"No worries. You let me know if you see one you like, okay?" Jack nods again, then climbs the stool to see up top. Inside the glass hut, five kittens lay amongst the shredded newspaper. Two were sleeping, curled up upon each other like little balls of fur. The other three were pouncing around, playing with a few of the toys that someone had placed inside.
There was a small sign on the side of the glass. Jack eyes it carefully, trying to decipher what it says.
"American short-hair," he mumbles to himself. "Two males. Three females. Twelve... weeks." He knew that "wks" stood for "weeks". He'd had seen his dad write it that way on a few of his work papers. He continues to read the sign. "De-sexed and vac-... vac-" He stops, unable to pronounce the word. Shrugging, he turns his attention back to the kittens. One kitten had separated itself from the group, deciding to bat at the glass instead. Jack giggles. That one, he decides. That would be his new kitten.
"Have you picked one, Jack?" his dad asks, coming up behind him. Jack turns to face him, grinning widely.
"Yup! That one."
"Good choice. Now, let's see if we can take him home." His dad glances around for a store worker, One guy, the same guy who'd helped Jack before, holds up one finger. Jack knows he has time to ask his dad what the rest of the sign says. He points.
"Dad, what does 'desexed' and 'vac-', 'vac-', that word mean?" His dad glances towards the sign.
"Desexed means that the kitten can't have any children. I'll explain how and why when you're older. As for the second word, it says 'vaccinated' and it means the kittens have had their shots so they won't get sick."
"Like mine?"
"Yeah, buddy, like your shots."
The store assistance wanders over to the pair. "Have you made your choice?" he asks. Jack nods and points the kitten, now fast asleep, out. The guy unlocks the sliding door and gently pulls the chosen kitten out. "This one's female. Does it matter?" His dad looks down at him. He thinks for a moment.
"Nope, 'cause Mudgie and Clooney and Sergio are all boys. I think JJ and Em'ly and Aunt Penny might like a girl animal around," Jack informs them.
"I think you might be right, bud. How about we let the man put the kitten in the cage we bought and you can think up a name for your new kitten," his dad suggests.
SLURPYJACK
During the car ride home, Jack keeps a good eye on his new friend. The kitten is silent in the carry cage, huddled amongst the shredded newspaper.
"Are you happy, Jack?"
"Very. Thank you for my kitten, daddy."
"You're very welcome. Any ideas for a name?"
"Not yet." Jack frowns, thinking.
"That's okay. Something will come to you later."
SLURPYJACK
It isn't until they were watching the kitten feed later that night that a name comes to Jack.
"I know!" he cries.
"You know what, buddy?"
"What to call my kitten. I'm gonna call her 'Slurpy'." He dad raises an eyebrow, something Jack wishes he could do.
"Explain."
"Well, hear her drink? She kinda makes a slurpy sound. It sounds funny and I like it."
"Well, then. Welcome to the family, Slurpy." Jack grins.
"Hear that, Slurpy. You're family now."
"And I think it might be bedtime for kittens and little boys."
"Aww..."
"Yep, come on, mister. Into your pj's then it's story time and bed." Jack heaves a sigh, knowing his dad wouldn't relent. His dad leaves the room, leaving Jack to change. He pulls his clothes off, tossing them into the hamper at the bottom of the closet, cheering himself as they go straight in. He slips into his pj's, then slips beneath the covers of his bed.
"Teeth?" his dad asks, entering again.
"Oops?" Jack grins, slipping off the bed. Slurpy follows his every move, even trying to climb into the basin. He pads back to his room and climbs back underneath the cover.
"Dad?" Jack asks as his dad settles next to him with a story book.
"Yeah, buddy?"
"Can I take my kitten to Uncle Dave's?"
"Uh, I'm not sure that's such a good idea yet. I mean, you've only just bought her home. She might get scared if you bring her to lots of new places." Jack's face falls. His dad had a point.
"I'll tell you what, in a couple of days, when we go to Uncle Dave's for dinner, you might be able to bring her then. How does that sound?" Jack nods. He wiggles a stick in the air, causing the feathers on the other end to dance. Slurpy wiggles her bottom then pounces, missing the feather by inches. Jack giggles.
"Is everyone else going to be there?" he asks, wiggling the stick and feather some more.
"I think so."
"Yay! Then I can show Henry too! JJ says he's too little still to have a pet of his own. And she doesn't like dogs. 'cept Mudgie and Clooney, 'cause they're nice dogs. Why doesn't JJ like dogs, daddy?"
"Because a bad dog hurt JJ before Henry was born."
"Oh, but Mudgie and Clooney will never hurt JJ."
"No, and JJ knows that." His dad's face softens. "It's a bit like mommy not liking spiders. She knew they wouldn't hurt her, she just didn't like them." Jack grins at the memory of his mom finding a spider in the bathroom. That was one of the last times he remembers both of his parents being in the same place.
Jack falls silent, gently patting Slurpy's head. He misses his mom. His dad flicks open the book in his hands, finding the place where they'd finished last night. Jack scoots further down beneath the covers, grinning sleepily as the kitten curls up with him.
SLURPYJACK
Days later, Jack chatters excitedly to Slurpy the whole way to Uncle Dave's place. He tells the kitten all about Mudgie and Clooney, explaining that the dogs were friendly and weren't going to hurt her. He tells her all about his hodgepodge family, from Uncle Dave, to Aunt Penny.
He likes that word 'hodgepodge'. JJ had said it one day when she was talking to Henry about families. Jack had laughed when he'd first heard the word. It'd reminded him of the spike little hedgehogs. JJ had laughed too, saying it meant 'mix-matched', but pointed out Spencer sometimes came into work with spiky hair, so maybe they were a hedgehog family.
"All right, we're here, buddy." His dad interrupts his chattering, but Jack doesn't mind. It was time for Slurpy to meet everyone. He clicks the seat belt free and turns towards the carry cage, only to have his dad grab the cage.
"Hang on, Jack. I know you're excited, but how about I carry the kitten inside and you carry her bowls? Sound good?" Jack nods begrudgingly, then bounds up the long driveway. He dings the doorbell twice, then stands back, tapping his foot, much like he's seen Emily do when she was impatient.
"Uncle Dave!" he crows when the door opens.
"Jack, my boy. How are you?" Uncle Dave asks, scooping Jack up.
"Good. Guess what?" Uncle Dave pretends to scratch his head, thinking.
"Hmm? What?"
"I have a kitten. Her name's Slurpy. And she's only little but she's so soft and cuddly. Daddy says she will have to stay in the spare room so Mudgie and Clooney don't get her while she's here," he rambles on.
"Well, your dad's right. How about we let him inside with," Uncle Dave pauses, "Slurpy, is it?" Jack nods. "How about we let him take Slurpy to the spare room, so she can explore before everyone else gets here."
"Okay, Uncle Dave." He dashes off, eager to show the kitten around his Uncle Dave's home.
SLURPYJACK
Jack grins widely as he shows off his new friend. "Her name's Slurpy," he announces as everyone, minus his dad and Uncle Dave, crowds in the spare room. They all 'ooh' and 'ahh' as Slurpy wiggles her bottom and pounces, attacking the feather like it was alive. Jack jerks it to one side, causing the kitten to let go and start over again.
"I pet her?" Henry asks, holding out one hand.
"Gently," Jack chides, causing JJ and Emily to hide their grins. Aunt Penny claps her hands, making the kitten jump.
"Oops... But isn't she adorable?" she gushes. Jack puffs out his chest. This was his kitten.
Uncle Dave chooses that moment to knock and announce dinner is ready. Jack, the last to leave, gives his kitten a big hug.
"Don't be afraid, okay. I'll come back after my dinner to visit." He kisses the kitten on her head, giggling as her whiskers tickled his cheek.
"Jack!" he hears his dad call from down the hall.
"Coming," he yells back. "Bye Slurpy." With one last look, he closes the door tight, heading towards his hodgepodge family.
SLURPYJACK
"Oh no! Slurpy, stop!" Jack calls, dashing after his runaway kitten. "Dad, help!" His dad and Uncle Dave both come running down the hall.
"What happened?" Uncle Dave asks.
"I went in to see how Slurpy was all by herself, but when I opened the door, she escaped," he explains with a sad face.
"It's okay, buddy. We'll find her. She can't of gone too far."
"What about Mudgie and Clooney?"
"They're outside. They can't hurt Slurpy."
"Actually, not anymore. Henry and I kinda let them inside," Derek says sheepishly.
"Oh no!" Jack cries.
A crash of breaking glass causes the group to go running. Jack, the fastest, skids into the family room first. He sees Slurpy on the cabinet, a vase having being knocked over. Mudgie and Clooney are on the floor beneath her, waggling their tails. Mudgie sits up on his hunches, thrusting his nose towards the kitten. Slurpy sniffs the dog before her, before sneezing and batting the dog's nose. Jack gasps.
Mudgie sits back with a lazy grin, long tongue hanging out. Uncle Dave pats Jack shoulder.
"It's okay," he says. "They're not gonna hurt each other. See?" Clooney chooses that moment to wander over the the pair. Slurpy, fed up, uses Clooney's back as a stepping stone, and pounces to the floor. Jack giggles and nods. He knows now that Mudgie nor Clooney would not do anything to hurt Slurpy. He slips in hand into his dad's.
"Does that mean Slurpy can come to more of our hodgepodge family dinners?" he asks. His dad grins down at him.
"Hodgepodge family dinners, hey?" He gives Uncle Dave a look, who nods. "I don't see why not. Mudgie and Clooney seem to like her."
"Yay!" Jack cheers excitedly as Henry echoes him. He races over to his kitten.
"Hear that, Slurpy? You're definitely part of the family now." Jack glances around the room. At his dad and Uncle Dave, Aunt Penny and Derek, at JJ and Henry, Emily and Spencer, even at Mudgie and Clooney. And now Slurpy. This was his family.
He glances down at the sleepy kitten in his arms. Nope. He wouldn't have it any other way.
SLURPYJACK
Hope y'all enjoyed the Jack-ness!
Lemme know what you think!
Monkeywand