Author's note: Thanks for the support, you guys! I will respond to your reviews after I post this chapter, and then I will work on chapter four of HBT (Happy birthday, Tommy!) Speaking of which, if you have not read chapter three of that story yet, which I released nearly a day ago, I suggest that you do so!
Disclaimer: While I am indeed using the characters from Rugrats in my story, I do not own Rugrats. The wonderful show belongs to Nickelodeon. OC-wise, Zack belongs to celrock, and Jesse belongs to Jesse Barrow Stories. I hope that I portrayed Jesse well! TCKing12's OC Peter will appear in the next chapter.
Another fourth of July!
Chapter two
The next morning, things went as usual. Tommy and Dil ate breakfast, Stu worked on his toys in the basement, and Didi fixed herself a cup of coffee because of her boys' crying last night.
That afternoon, Didi prepared herself to watch over the Rugrats, as she had promised their legal guardians that she would watch them today. After all, she had them at her house nearly every day, and it wasn't as if she would be going anywhere.
Not only that, although Didi had recently met two adults, Laura and Dana Barrow. They were mother and father to their two-year old son, Jesse Barrow. They had recently moved into Yucaipa, and the Pickles family was more than happy to welcome them, especially since Jesse was the same age as their own son, Tommy.
Jesse's mother, Laura, had asked Didi if she could watch Jesse, and Didi had happily agreed, as she wanted the children to get to know Jesse, since they would surely be seeing a lot of him now that he and his family had moved into their home.
One by one, the babies and toddlers entered her home. Their parents, however, left, since they were all busy. Once she was sure that everyone was there, she picked up the toddlers and put them in the playpen.
"Now, you all be good until Angelica arrives," Didi told them.
As usual, they cringed at the sound of Angelica's name. Jesse, however, didn't know Angelica that well though, and as far as he knew, she was just Tommy's four-year old cousin. The others, however, seemed to dislike her.
And just as the Rugrats cringed like they usually did, Didi didn't notice that they had cringed, as she usually didn't. Feeling that she had gotten her point across, Didi was about to leave the room until her husband, Stu, came walking in, huge bags under his eyes and looking stressed.
"What's wrong, Stu?" Didi asked.
"What's wrong?" Stu yelled. "What's wrong?"
"Stu," Didi whispered, glancing at the kids who were indeed staring at the two adults, looking confused and a bit worried. "The kids are right there. They might get the wrong idea if you start yelling, and Dil might even start crying! You don't want a repeat of last night, do you?"
"No, no"! Stu said, noticeably quieter this time. "Deed, not only do I have to make a new toy by the Fourth of July – which is in four days, might I add – they're also banning fireworks, if you forgot!"
"I understand why you're so worried about making a toy in four days, but didn't they warn you before this morning?" Didi asked.
"No, Deed, I got the email this morning!" Stu shouted. "My life is over!"
"Stu, be quiet," Didi ordered. "Come on; let's discuss this in the kitchen until the King of Confederacy comes over for tea. While I am worried about you, it's not professional for a king to come to your house and see you running around."
"Peter's coming over!" Stu shouted even louder.
"Stu," Didi warned as she led her husband into the kitchen.
Once they were gone, the group began talking.
"What was that?" Jesse asked.
"I don't know, but I do know is that my mommy and daddy don't do that too much," Tommy insisted.
"Yeah, I've never seen your mommy and daddy do that before," Zack pointed out.
"I never knew that your daddy could raise his voice so high, Tommy," Chuckie said. "It was kind of scary."
"Chuckie, you think everything is scary," Lil pointed out. "Plus, everyone can raise their voice really high, right?"
"Yeah, I agree with Lil," Zack said.
They quieted down after this talk, wondering what they could do next.
"You guys go on adventures a lot, right?" Jesse asked.
"Yeah," Zack responded.
"What's our next 'venture?" He asked.
This was something that they hadn't thought of. It wasn't as if they planned their adventures every day, ideas usually came to them based on what was happening. Jesse, however, was right. They needed to do something, as it would be boring to sit around, kicking the ball. Chuckie, however, suggested this next.
"Well, maybe we shouldn't go on no adventure today, guys, maybe we should just do somethin' safe, you know, like kicking your big bouncy ball, Tommy," Chuckie suggested. "No one ever gets hurt if we do that."
"No, Chuckie, that's too boring," Tommy decided.
"Yeah, Chuckie, have some fun," Zack said.
"Well, gee, I don't see you guys coming up with any 'gestions," Chuckie snapped.
"We're thinking, Chuckie," Zack told him. "That's why it's taking so long."
After about another two minutes of thinking, Phil came up with something.
"Hey!" Phil said. "How bout we go outside and pick worms?"
"Nah, we do that all the time," Tommy pointed out. "We need a betterer idea."
"Wait, Tommy, I think something's coming to me," Zack said.
"Really?" Tommy asked with a smile.
"Well, Zack, we're all lookin' forward to whatever you have to say, cuz you're real smart!" Kimi complimented.
Zack flashed the cute , bubbly, little girl next to him a smile.
"Thanks, Kimi," Zack told her. "Well, Tommy, 'member what your daddy was talking about earlier?"
"Yeah, 'bout how he has to make a new toy in time for the Fourth of July and how fire works are bein' ban or something," Tommy said.
"Well, maybe we could spend our next few days up 'til the Fourth of July trying to make sure that fire works aren't ban," Zack said, pleased with his idea.
The others seemed pleased with it, too.
"See, Zack!" Kimi exclaimed happily. "I told you that you're smart!"
Therefore, for the time being, the Rugrats had a new goal; make sure that the law to ban fireworks would not be passed that very year in that very town.