"What about going on a vacation?" Jim suggested. "Take the kids somewhere nice with no distractions and try to adapt to being together for more than a few weeks or months?"
Andrea set a plate of food down on the table, "Joanna and Lillian have school," she said. "And Leo most likely can't get out of work for more than a few days."
"Joanna just needs to get a grip on reality," Leo sighed. "She's fourteen years old and lives under our roof; This behavior will not be tolerated anymore."
"Shit," Jim winced. "This place sounds like it's run like a boarding school."
Andrea snickered, "It's really not," she said, moving to wipe Holly's face off with a napkin. "This is the first time we've had to ground any of our children and hopefully the last."
JIm snorted, "Not with Lillian's attitude," he shook his head. "She made me change the sheets on your old bed because they were blue."
"What? Why?" Leo asked, frowning.
"Because blue is considered a boys color and Princess Lillian stated that she "ain't no boy," " Jim rolled his eyes. "Took a half an hour to find suitable sheets and to re-make the damn bed."
Holly began to whimper in her seat, "No, no," Andrea whispered, quickly unstrapping her. "Please don't cry! You've cried all night long."
Jim and Leo watched as Andrea carried the baby out of the kitchen in a hurry, "What in the hell?" Jim asked.
Leo shook his head, "Holly's been crying non-stop since the day she was born," he sighed, rubbing his face. "We ran so many tests- myself and Phil."
"Is she okay?" Jim asked, frowning. "She's not sick is she?"
"Naw," Leo shook his head. "Everything's fine, Jim. She just likes to cry I guess."
Right on cue, Holly began to wail from upstairs. "Oh come on!" Andrea groaned.
Jim shook his head, "You should really get that check out, Bones," he said. "You both look like shit, the house is a disaster and you have two kids with nasty attitudes."
"Well excuse me!" Leo snapped. "You think it's easy working sixty hours a week and raising three young children and a teenager? You must be living the high life, going out every damn night and drinkin' til your liver shrivels up and your insides are all twisted!"
"I wasn't saying that you're not doing a good job," Jim shook his head. "Look, obviously it's been a tough transition coming home from the mission. But you should really think about taking that vacation, Bones."
Leo sighed, "Jim…" he started.
Jim held up his hand, "Just.. think about it?" he asked. "I think it'll do you all really good. Hell, take Pike with you if you need the extra hand with the kids. When they don't listen to you and Andy, the kids listen to the Admiral."
"But it shouldn't be like that!" Leo exclaimed. "We're the parents here!"
"But you don't have that.." he waved his hands in the air as he thought. "That authoritative persona like Pike has. I mean, you did when Lillian was little. But you've kinda lost it over the years."
Leo nodded, "I'll think about it," he said. "Maybe I should send the kids away for a week."
Jim snorted, "Send them to your parents," he shrugged. "Except Christopher! He's the only one who actually listens and tells his older siblings to behave."
"Smart boy," Leo nodded. "Almost four years old and he knows when to behave in public and to his elders."
"Which is a surprise," Jim sighed. "You can be a real son of a bitch when you want and Andy can be a real nasty piece of work."
Leo chuckled, "I'm gonna go see if Andy needs my help," he said, standing up. "Could you put that tray in the oven? Try not to burn the food this time."
Jim saluted him, "Jim Kirk does NOT burn food!" he said, standing up quickly.
"Sure," Leo rolled his eyes. "Tell that to the frying pan I had to throw out last week!"
….
Andrea paced back and forth, jiggling Holly in her arms. "Come on, Holly girl," she begged. "Mommy doesn't know how to help you because you can't talk and you're slowly driving her up the wall."
Holly screeched, tears rolling down her chubby face, as Andrea patted her back. On the verge of tears, Andrea squeezed her eyes shut and counted to ten in her head. By the time she reached seven, Leo was standing in the doorway of the nursery.
"Do you want me to take her?" he asked, stepping into the room.
Turning around quickly, she nodded. "Please?" she whispered. "I-I can't.-"
Leo quickly moved forward and took the screaming infant from her, "Okay Hol," he kissed her forehead. "We know your upset, but what are you upset about?"
The baby continued to wail in his arms, making Andrea's ears ring with pain. She slowly sat down in the rocking chair by the window and closed her eyes, trying to block out the noise.
"How about.." Leo looked around the room. "Ah-ha! We'll put you in sling!" he said, moving towards the changing table.
Carefully setting her down, Leo moved across the room to grab the black and green baby sling. Throwing it over his head, Leo tightened the strap and moved back to the changing table.
"Here we go," he said, picking Holly up. "Let's try this."
Andrea watched as Leo placed Holly into the sling, setting one hand underneath her bottom and the other cradling her head. Within seconds, Holly's cries turned into soft whimpers, as Leo's body heat radiated onto her tiny body.
"Is that what you wanted?" he asked softly. "A little body contact with your old man?"
He jumped when the bedroom door slammed into the wall, turning just in time to see his wife storming out into the hall. When the door to their bedroom slammed shut behind her, Leo winced and looked down at the baby.
"You've done it now," he shook his head. "I think Uncle Jim is right, Holly girl. We need to figure out why a healthy baby like you, enjoys crying so much."
Holly blinked, shoving her fingers into her mouth. Leo shook his head and started out of the room, cradling the bottom of the sling with his arms, talking quietly as he moved down the stairs.
…..
Chris watched as Lillian and Christopher ran around in the yard, chasing one another around the oak tree near the shed.
"So Jim suggested a vacation?" he asked, glancing at Leo.
Leo looked up from Holly, still situated in the sling, and nodded. "Said a vacation would do us some good," he sighed. "How, I don't know."
Chris chuckled, "Change of scenery would do the kids some good," he shrugged. "Take them down to Santa Monica for the weekend; they can play on the beach for the first time in their lives."
"Maybe," Leo sighed, as he set the bottle down on the table. "Lillian! Don't push your brother!" he shouted.
A few seconds later, Christopher made his way onto the patio. "Grandpa," he moved towards the older man. "Up! Pwease?"
Christopher chuckled and bent forward, scooping his namesake up and onto his lap. "Tired of playing with Lillian?" he asked, as Christopher snuggled against him.
The little boy nodded, "Miss you," he said, pressing the side of his face into his shirt.
"I missed you, too," Chris said, patting his back lightly. "I hear you have a birthday coming up soon. How old are you going to be?"
Christopher looked up at him and smiled, "This many!" he said, holding up four fingers.
"Four?" Chris gasped, feigning shock. "Already? I could've sworn you were going to be this many!"
The little boy laughed and shook his head, "I'll be four, Grandpa! No five!"
Chris laughed, "Okay, okay," he nodded. "Four years old, goodness you're growing up fast."
Leo chuckled at the sight before him, before glancing back to Lillian, wandering aimlessly around the flowerbeds. "What are you doing, Lillian?" he called out.
"Mommy's plants are growing!" she yelled, running towards the patio. "Can we pick them?"
"You mean her vegetable garden?" Leo asked, as Lillian nodded furiously. "You know where the basket is. Go on a pick a few out and we'll bring them inside for Mommy."
With a nod, Lillian raced towards the end of the patio, grabbing the wicker basket off the gardening shelf.
"Daddy! Help!" she pouted, standing with the basket in her hand.
With a sigh, Leo carefully stood up, keeping his hands on the sling and made his way over to Lillian. "Come on," he held out his hand. "Let's see what we've got."
Chris watched and Leo and Lillian made their way towards the overflowing vegetable garden near the fence, while Christopher chattered about, talking of space ships and boats.
"Can we take a boat into space?" Christopher asked.
Chris blinked and looked down at his Grandson, "A boat? Into space?" he asked, as the little boy nodded. "I don't see why not," he shrugged.