Now that Charlie had a baby cousin, he couldn't have been happier. It was like he had a sibling, but he couldn't help but to notice that everyone paid more attention to the new baby then they did him and being only four-years-old, he didn't know what to make of it, so he thought they all didn't like him anymore. He was starting to act up in small ways, nothing abnormal for kids. He still did the things he used to do when he wanted some adult attention, however, like crawl up on the couch and cuddle with his grandmother when he wanted some maternal love.
Madeline was cradling a two-month-old Alice Christine on the couch when Charlie pulled himself up and crawled next to her. Feeling her grandson cuddle as close to her as possible, Madeline looked down at Charlie, smiled to herself, and wrapped the arm closest to him around his shoulders, bringing him even closer to her.
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" she asked when he rested his head in the crook of her shoulder. Charlie nodded his head in agreement. He was oddly quiet. He was usually very talkative. "Charlie, honey," Madeline said, catching everyone's attention. They could sense the worry in her voice, which wasn't something that happened much now that she had custody of Charlie. Ever since the custody hearing, both Charlie and Madeline were more relaxed. Charlie had been flourishing over the last year. To Charlie's defense, however, it wasn't unusual for a child to feel the way he was feeling. Despite Alice Christine being his cousin, he was showing signs of a jealous sibling. That's when Madeline felt soft sobs rack the small body of her grandson. "Michael," she said, catching her son's attention. She looked down at Charlie, Michael following her gaze. He also noticed Charlie crying. "Will you take her?" she added when he looked back at her. She could tell that Michael wanted to help, but didn't know how. Even though Charlie looked up to him and he loved his nephew, he still felt awkward around the four-year-old because of the year he missed while in Panama. Michael stood up from the chair he was sitting in and took his daughter from his mother before sitting back down. Madeline then wrapped Charlie in her embrace and moved him so he was sitting on her lap. Soft sobs could still be felt raking his small body. "What's the matter, baby?"
"You don't like me anymore," he said quietly. Madeline's heart broke when she heard what he said. She immediately made eye contact with Michael, who was just as surprised at what he said as Madeline.
"Charlie," Madeline said. "Why do you think that?" she asked. She affectionately started rubbing Charlie's back.
"Because you pay more attention to Alice Christine," he said as he looked up at his grandmother with tear filled eyes.
"Oh, honey," Madeline breathed as she pulled Charlie even closer to her. "I love you so much," she said without hesitation. A small smile tugged at Charlie's lips when he heard what his grandmother said to him. That's when Fiona moved so she was sitting next to Madeline and Charlie.
"We all love you, Charlie," she said to the young boy. Charlie's smile widened. Fiona took up rubbing Charlie's back when Madeline stopped.
"We'll always love you, sweetie," Madeline said. Charlie happily rested his head against Madeline's chest, the smile still evident on his face.
"Now, do you want to hold your cousin?" Fiona asked. Charlie's head immediately lifted off of Madeline's chest at the question.
"Yeah," he said, happiness radiating from the boy. He moved around on Madeline's lap so his back was resting against her chest while Michael stood up and walked over to him. He bent down so he could carefully hand his daughter to Charlie.
"Be careful of her head, sweetheart," Madeline said. She moved her hand so she could help hold Alice Christine's head. Charlie just looked at his baby cousin and smiled while he held her in his arms. Michael sat back down in the seat he was sitting in while Fiona relaxed into the couch, knowing full well that Madeline would take care of her daughter if Charlie was holding her the wrong way. Eventually Charlie relaxed into Madeline's body, the heat radiating from his grandmother and baby cousin pulling him closer to sleep. Fiona notice this and took the baby into her loving embrace. When Charlie noticed that the baby wasn't in his arms, he moved around in Madeline's lap so he could softly nudge his grandmother's chest affectionately and cuddled close to her. His eyes started to droop, Madeline watching as he tried to stay awake. She draped her arms around her grandson and planted a soft kiss on his head.
"I love you, baby," she said to Charlie. Another smile tugged at Charlie's lips as he tried to keep his eyes open.
"I love you too, Grandma," he said quietly as his thumb drifted to his mouth. He didn't suck his thumb very often. Madeline had managed to wean him of the habit, but occasionally he still did it. Madeline kissed Charlie's head one more time before he finally closed his eyes, allowing sleep to take over.
"He's such a grandma's boy," Fiona said, affectionate laughter lacing her voice. "It's adorable." Madeline just smiled as she looked down at her four-year-old grandson. Michael watched on as his mother cuddled with his nephew and his long time girlfriend with their daughter. A smile creeped onto his face at the picture in front of him. That's when Madeline looked up at her son and noticed the smile on his face.
"What?" she asked. She couldn't help but to laugh.
"It's cute seeing you two cuddle with your kids," Michael replied. Despite the fact that Charlie was Madeline's grandson, they were close enough to be mother and son. Madeline loved him like another child and she was the closest thing he had to a mother. Before Nate had died, Charlie's mother had checked into rehab and then when Nate was killed, she was the next of kin and she treated him more like a son then his own mother did. Nate, on the other hand, was the perfect father figure, but he couldn't always be around because of his job. Madeline draped her arms lovingly around Charlie and pulled him as close to her as possible while Fiona just gazed at Alice Christine lovingly, a soft smile present on her lips. Michael continued to just watch the two of them when Madeline started moving around on the couch. She figured she would put Charlie to bed.
"I can do that, Ma," Michael said. He knew exactly what she was doing, so he stood up to help her.
"I got it, honey," she said when she stood up and smiled at her son, who towered over her. "Thank you, though," she said as she softly patted Michael's cheek. Another smile appeared on Michael's face as he looked down at his nephew in his mother's arms.
"Goodnight, Charlie," he said as he softly rubbed Charlie's back.
"Give me a kiss for him," Fiona said from where she was sitting on the couch. Michael did as his girlfriend said and kissed his nephew softly on the head. Madeline just smiled as he did so and affectionately rubbed his upper arm. He gave a sheepish smile and said, "Stop looking me like that." Madeline just laughed and moved Charlie higher against her chest.
"Now, I'm going to put him to sleep," she said as she made her way to Michael's old room, which was now Charlie's. She came back and the rest of the night was spent quietly, while Alice Christine slept in her mother's arm.