Bright Lights
What happened in those two years before the last scene of 2X13. Lux thinks back on her own childhood before going to college
Chapter 2: House Call memories
Charlie rested soundly on his crib. Baze had been cleaning the room for the past half hour. Cate and Lux had gone to meet up with Tasha and Ellen for the last preparations for the graduation. The doorbell rang, he hurried to answer it, tripping with a stuffed teddy bear on the way, he was thankful it hadn't been the toy plastic rocket he had stepped on once.
"Ryan" he said. He had a big grin on his face. Now he and Ryan were friends, they both cared deeply for Cate and Lux and were now parents to two frequent playmates
"Is Lux home?" Ryan asked entering the house. Baze scratched his head tiredly "doing some house cleaning huh?" he chuckled and Baze tossed the toy he was holding aside, to a near full basket "nice arm"
He followed Ryan to the kitchen; Baze took the baby monitor from his pocket and placed on the counter "do you want something to drink?"
"Sure" Ryan sat on a chair "water is okay" Baze filled the glass and gave it to him
"Cate and Lux went to the school, she wants all to be perfect" Baze grinned
"How did she take the news?"Ryan asked. Baze smiled widely
"Guess she took it well" Ryan raised an eyebrow. "What?"
"She felt guilty "he said. Ryan winced "she didn't want to take the money. But Cate and I convinced her, we told her Charlie wouldn't mind if she took it"
"What do you mean?" Ryan asked confused "she wasn't happy?"
"She was, but I guess she thinks her brother needs that money more than she does" Baze said
"Well, the good thing is that she's going "Ryan whispered awkwardly
"Baze?"Cate called from the entrance "we are home!"
Ryan stood up, followed by Baze. Lux stared at her father
"Ryan, what are you doing here?"Cate asked surprised
"have you been cleaning?"Lux smiled
"As a matter of fact I have" Baze said proudly "everything ready?"
"Almost, I just have to practice my speech a little more"
"I thought it was ready" Ryan said "hey, before you go, I have to talk to you"
He lured Lux away, Baze turned to Cate "where is Charlie?"She asked
"Upstairs" he kissed her suddenly, almost knocking her off her feet
"What was that for?"She asked, gasping for air
"No reason, I just…" he shrugged "I love you"
"I love you too" she took his hand and climbed upstairs. Cate glanced towards, Charlie's bedroom. She took the baby from the crib. He opened his eyes as soon as he felt the disturbance. She held him close; it always amazed her how much he looked like Baze. He had a crazy amount of messy black hair; he had his smile, her nose, his personality. He had never been a cry baby, but knew how to get his parents and sister's attention when he needed to. Now almost two years old. He was starting to show certain conducts that made Cate imagine Lux when she had had been little, she at least hoped she had been like him, such a good baby and was sure that if she had indeed raised her, those big blue eyes that Lux and Charlie shared were their greatest weapon
Baze was so proud of Cate, she was handling Lux leaving pretty well, and maybe it was because they still had one kid to rise together. Charlie. Lux had chosen his name, because of her favorite cartoon, Charlie Brown, and unknown to her father it had been his favorite too.
Charlie had returned the favor when he first spoke, "Lux" had been his first word, although not pronounced as right, and she had been so happy that she had cried. Next came Baze's proudest moment: his second word had been dad
Flashback
The Bazile family was all sitting around the table having dinner, Jones had come too. And as a result Baze seemed a little tense, but he tried to keep his mind off the awkwardness by watching Cate feed Charlie
"Can you say mommy?"Cate tried for the hundredth time that day "daddy?"
Charlie just babbled. He was 11months old. And Baze had been worried for a while since he had heard kids started talking earlier, Cate wasn't worried, she told him it was a matter of time
Baze and Jones sat on the TV room as Lux and Cate had a girl talk
"I just thought, you know, he would have gotten over it by now" she told her mother
"He's your dad" Cate said quietly "he always going to find it awkward no matter whom you date"
Charlie sat a few feet from them, playing with some wooden blocks
They heard a small whispered. At first they didn't react, but looked at each other, hurrying to kneel next to the little boy, they waited a few seconds
"Lus" he couldn't quite pronounce the "x"just yet, but they understood what he meant. Lux picked Charlie up and started screaming. Baze and Jones entered the kitchen stumbling
"What?"Baze said gasping for air
"He talked" Cate whispered. Baze raised an eyebrow
"He what?"Jones asked
"He talked" Baze repeated
"He said my name" Lux said excitedly "he couldn't say it right but he did!"
Baze and Cate hugged and he took the baby from Lux
A couple weeks later, Baze had been left alone with Charlie while the girls were at work, he had turned the his old loft into an office where he had an special area so he could keep an eye on his son
"Daddy!"Charlie screamed suddenly, which made him almost fall backwards. It had been the proudest moment of his life
He was sure; he would feel like that again in a couple hours. Lux and Ryan appeared by the door
She held something small in her hands. Car keys.
"Some big secret you've been keeping!"She exclaimed
"Well Ryan came to us a couple weeks ago and told us about his big surprise, he was actually asking for permission to give you the car" Cate told her
"I just thought it would be useful once you leave for college, it is the fastest way to come and visit us, spend time with Charlie"
"Thank you so much!"She hugged Ryan and then turned to her parents "and the trip!"She hugged them too, squeezing Charlie. He giggled
Later that day, they parked at school
"Ready for this kiddo?"Baze turned to Lux. She smiled and they made their way inside
They first saw Tasha, who was wearing a strong red gown like Lux; she kissed them all goodbye and joined her fellow classmates. Her whole family was later watching her.
Baze squeezed Cate's hand when they called her name. And later as she was giving her speech he felt like he feared and both hoped he would. Like the first time he had heard Charlie speak, like the day she had knocked on his door and made him a better man. He turned to Cate and saw tears rolling down his face. He too was crying, and as he stood up to cheer her up, holding Charlie with one arm. His eyes locked with hers
