The Life You Deserve Missing Moments
AN: Hey everyone! I'm back to you with the second to last Missing Moment :-(
If you want domestic fluffy Mileven and Mileven babies, then this is the Missing Moment for you!
Prompts for seeing Mike and El with their children were requested by RWHG8, enochpowell and a guest.
I hope you enjoy this one :-)
Missing Moment 10
July 2000
"Okay James let's make a deal," Mike said briskly before carefully placing his ten month old son onto his changing table. James immediately sat up, something he had been doing without support for three months now.
"Can you promise not to pee or poop on daddy when he changes your diaper? I'd really appreciate it." Mike pleaded with his son who just giggled and stuck his little chunky hand into his mouth.
Mike sighed, hoping that his son's giggle was an admission of behaving. With difficulty he got James to lie down which wasn't an easy task when he thought it would be fun to roll over during his dirty diaper being extracted from under him.
"James stop, you're going to get it – yep. You've got it on your penis. Great job son." Mike exhaled shaking his head in exasperation as he cleaned up his very amused son. James's little cheeky smile was contagious, and Mike found himself grinning, pulling up the swimming diaper and the blowing raspberries on his son's tummy whilst he giggled loudly.
"Dada!" James squealed, his gummy mouth opening to show off his multiple baby teeth. Mike couldn't help but laugh with his son, the warmth of his baby boy's laughter flooding his heart with love and joy.
"What's going on in here?" El called in amusement before rounding the corner into the nursery holding hands with four year old Ivy. As soon as their daughter saw Mike she pulled away from El and went running over to him in her swimsuit.
"Daddy! Daddy!" She shouted, tugging at his shorts and jumping up and down. "Do you like my swimming suit?"
Mike turned his head to his daughter and smiled brightly, taking in her cute little pink costume which flared out around her hips like a tutu, she looked like a ballerina. "You look beautiful pumpkin." He answered softly, affectionately tousling Ivy's dark hair before focusing back on getting James dressed into his swimsuit which was bright blue with colourful dinosaurs on it.
El appeared by Mike's side and they shared a loving grin, their eyes twinkling with contentment over their family life. They both had stressful jobs, but they took solace in days like this. It was the height of summer and they were going to the Hawkins community pool where Ivy was going to have her first swimming lesson.
They had been swimming with her before, taking her in the water since she was a baby, but this was official with an instructor and their little girl had been excited about it for weeks.
"Come on baby, let's let daddy finish getting James ready okay? We've still got to put your dress on." El said coming over to Ivy's side where she was watching her dad lifting a yellow t-shirt onto James, it read in bold letters, "I'm cute, mom's hot, dad's lucky."
El snorted with laughter when she saw what her poor baby boy was wearing. "Mike," she said reasonably, watching her husband's playful grin. "He can't wear that."
"Why not?" Mike teased, "it's true."
El rolled her eyes in amusement and picked up Ivy who was too distracted by watching her daddy and James to move. "Who bought that anyway?" El asked in confusion when Mike struggled to put shorts on James who was trying to escape the changing table. With Ivy on her hip, El leaned forward to steady her son, tickling him under his chin and grinning when he giggled.
"Dustin, I think." Mike said absentmindedly.
El laughed and shook her head, "that doesn't surprise." She sighed and turned to Ivy. "Right come on little lady, we need to get you ready otherwise we'll be late."
"Bye daddy," Ivy said waving at Mike who beamed like he always did when he heard their children calling him 'daddy' or 'dada'.
"See you in five minutes pumpkin," he said sweetly, leaning in to kiss her soft cheek and then turning to give El a lingering kiss on her lips. They both smiled like fools in love, the same giddy feeling of electricity was still present between them. They were in no doubt that it would ever go away, in fact it only seemed to grow stronger as they built their lives together.
The Wheeler family arrived at the Hawkins community pool to find it streaming with families. "Wow it's busier than I thought," Mike said in surprise as he held Ivy's hand and El's hand whilst James bounced up and down on her hip.
"Well she's booked on the class so it's not like they won't take her." El reasoned whilst her husband nodded.
"Okay well we'll go and speak to the instructor and get started I guess," Mike said as he turned to El and James. His eyes flickered to their energetic little boy and back to his wife. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"
El laughed and hoisted up the changing bag on her arm. "Of course, babe. We both know Ivy wants you in there with her." She said gesturing towards the pool. As El had always suspected, it came as no surprise when Ivy turned into a daddy's girl.
Mike nodded and smiled gently, leaning over to kiss El. "I love you," he whispered gently against her mouth.
El's heart raced and she sighed happily, "I love you too." Mike pulled away enough to kiss James on the forehead before picking up Ivy.
"Say bye bye to mommy Ivy." Mike instructed to their daughter who was already launching herself at El and giving her a wet kiss on the cheek.
"Bye bye mommy! Are you and James going to watch me?" she asked eagerly.
El grinned at her little girl, so in love with her children. "Of course, sweetheart. Mommy and James will be just in the baby pool there," she indicated to the much smaller and shallower pool next to main one.
Ivy nodded her head in understanding and Mike let her back down, taking her hand again and giving El another kiss before letting their daughter guide him over to the instructor, her excitement was palpable.
El beamed watching her perfect husband and their beautiful little girl. Everyone said that Ivy was identical to El except for her dark hair and her amber eyes. James on the other hand was Mike's twin. The only difference was that he had El's hazel's eyes. It still blew her mind to see how they could have created two such perfect souls.
"Come on monkey," El cooed to her son, kissing his mop of black locks that were starting to curl on the end. She dreaded to think of the day when he would need his first haircut.
El found a few sun loungers right next to the baby pool and dropped their stuff onto it, sighing in relief when the weight of the bags left her shoulder. She sat James down and helped him out of his clothes so he was in his swim suit. El passed him Rory the dinosaur to distract him whilst she took her hands off him and quickly pulled her summer dress off so she was in her swimsuit.
After having James only 10 months ago, she wasn't confident yet wearing a bikini again, no matter how many times Mike told her she was perfect. Pregnancy definitely changed your body.
Content that James was still distracted with Rory who had had more battery changes than El could count to keep him roaring, she turned her head to see what Mike and Ivy were up to.
He had stripped off his shirt and was just entering the pool with their daughter who was looking just as eager as she had earlier. Her love of water was definitely a trait she had picked up from Mike. El felt so thankful that her own fears hadn't been pushed onto her babies.
El turned back to James who had a cry when she took Rory off him, he didn't understand that the old dinosaur wasn't water proof, however he seemed to calm down when she replaced the toy with a few bath toys. "Come on baby," she said picking James up and resting him on her hip as she got into the baby pool with him, making sure to position herself so she had a view of Ivy and Mike.
She sat down in the water which barely reached her hips and James rested on her knee, content to splash in the water and play with the toys whilst El wrapped her arms around his chunky tummy to keep him safe.
The sun beat down on them and El was thankful that she had put sun cream on the kids and Mike when they got out of the car. She felt James's head and frowned to herself, looking towards the changing bag and thinking about his hat that she could just see poking out.
She looked around wearily, but the other parents were all preoccupied with their own child's swimming lesson. Not taking her eyes off the main pool, El stretched her hand out and in less than a second James's hat was securely in her hand. Feeling slightly smug she placed the matching dinosaur sun hat onto her son's head. He protested for a few minutes but then seemed to accept that the hat wasn't going anywhere.
El relaxed leaning back against the tiles of the pool and watched her husband and daughter. A warm smile quirked on her lips as she watched the instructor singing nursery rhymes with the kids who were all being held by their parents as they swam around in a circle or were dipped under the water.
Occasionally Ivy would ask Mike something and he would immediately answer pointing at El. Their daughter would find her and El would wave enthusiastically and smile brightly so her little girl knew she was watching. Ivy would beam back and wave before going back to her lesson.
El hummed in contentment and placed a kiss onto the top of James's sun hat. She watched her daughter for a while and sighed, thinking of the memories she had seen of herself at a similar age in mama's memories. That moment mama had found her in the nursery with Kali.
Being a mother now, El understood that she would do anything for her children, she loved them unconditionally. It only made it more heart breaking when she thought about mama and the sacrifice she had made trying to get El back.
She found herself holding James tighter wanting him safe and secure in her hold whilst she watched Ivy and Mike without barely blinking. They were her whole world and the reason she woke up every day with a smile on her face. She knew that just like mama, she would do everything in her power to always keep them safe, to always make them feel loved and wanted.
August 2000
It was another blisteringly hot day in Indiana; the sky was bright blue without a cloud in sight, and the grass had dried out into a shade of yellow caused by the heat wave that the town was experiencing.
It was reminiscent of any other summer day except for one very monumental detail. It was Ivy's first day of kindergarten.
"Now be nice to your teachers sweetie and friendly to the other children, they're going to be just as nervous as you." El said anxiously, looking up at Ivy who was sitting happily on Mike's shoulders as they approached the Hawkins school.
The nervous parents had dropped James off at Karen and Ted's, not before Karen had of course taken fifty photos of Ivy and cried through the whole shoot because of how adorable her granddaughter was.
She was right of course, Ivy looked incredibly cute. Her dark hair separated into two braids which were tied off with ribbons that matched her yellow summer dress. She had on white frilly socks and a pair of yellow ballerina style flat shoes.
"And if anyone is mean to you, you just tell your teacher okay?" El added as she watched Ivy apprehensively, missing the amused smirk that Mike was giving her as they approached the front entrance to the kindergarten.
"Okay mommy," Ivy answered, not losing her smile as her amber eyes widened and took in all of the new sights of her school.
Just as they entered the building Ivy nudged at Mike's cheek with her hand, "daddy I can walk now." She said almost dramatically making El's anxiety levels drop for a moment as she smiled at her daughter's obvious need to look cool in front of the other kids.
Mike sighed, clearly torn between wanting to let her go, his emotional turmoil present for a moment before he reached up for their little girl and brought her down to the ground. "Will you still let me hold your hand at least?" he implored her, smiling gently whilst Ivy considered his question.
She looked around, her eyes on the other children entering the building. Most of them were holding hands with their parents, running wild down the hallway or crying at the separation. Ivy turned back to her own parents and grinned, eagerly taking Mike and El's spare hand as she was also carrying their daughter's new back pack.
"Are you excited?" Mike asked Ivy enthusiastically as he and El repeatedly swung her back and forth with their arms whilst she giggled loudly.
"Yes!" Ivy immediately answered looking between her mom and dad. "I hope I find a friend right away because I want to tell them about James and then I'll show them my baby." She said happily whilst Mike snorted in amusement.
"She brought her Baby Born?" he muttered to El who grinned and looked at her husband.
"And her Furby."
"Don't lost that Furby Ivy," Mike frowned looking down at their daughter. "It wasn't cheap."
Ivy blinked in confusion and looked up at Mike, "but daddy, Santa got me my Furby."
El gave her husband a reprimanding look and he coughed awkwardly averting his eyes, "um, well I'm sure Santa wouldn't want you to lose it..."
Ivy nodded, distracted from the conversation as they pulled up to her class. The children already in the large playroom were running around or sulking in corners. The teacher was standing by the door greeting children and their parents, Mike and El waited patiently whilst Ivy jumped up and down eager to go and play.
"And who is this little lady?" the teacher finally asked when the Wheeler's moved to the front.
"Ivy Wheeler," El immediately answered, her and Mike shaking hands with the teacher.
"Ivy Jane Wheeler," Their daughter corrected with an excited grin. "And I'm four and three quarters. Honest!"
The teacher smiled kneeling down so that she was at the dark haired cutie's level. "Welcome to Kindergarten Ivy, I'm Miss Mason and I'm going to be your teacher this year." She said brightly.
"Hi Miss Mason," Ivy greeted, smiling brightly before her eyes drifted into the classroom. "Can I go and play now?"
Miss Mason chuckled and stood back up, "of course you can Ivy, but say goodbye to your mommy and daddy first."
This was the moment El had been dreading, she had been imagining it for weeks and had barely slept all night thinking of the separation from her daughter. Yes, she worked in the hospital as a Nurse and was separated from Ivy and James for at least three days of the week, but this was different.
This was Ivy starting her first big adventure. It symbolised her growing up and El didn't know if she was ready for that. It only felt like yesterday that it was the horrendous snow storm on January 5th, 1996 when El gave birth to their only daughter and now she was starting school.
Seeing El's hesitation Mike stepped forward first, kneeling down to engulf Ivy into a tight embrace. "I want you to behave pumpkin and make friends if you can, okay? I love you baby." His voice was choked without a doubt, but he seemed to be keeping it together as he kissed Ivy's cheek and nuzzled his nose into her hair for a moment.
"I love you too daddy," Ivy's muffled voice came from Mike's shoulder before he hesitantly pulled away from her whilst their daughter turned to El with such a soft smile that it melted her heart on the spot.
El sniffled, blinking rapidly to try and stop her tears from falling. Instead of leaning down and hugging Ivy, she scooped her up into her chest. Ivy wrapped her arms and legs around El who lay her cheek against her daughter's. She closed her eyes and just tried to memorise this moment of holding her baby girl in her arms before she would be too grown up to do this anymore.
"I love you Ivy, have the best first day." El's voice quaked but she planted kisses against her daughter's smooth temple and along her dark strands of hair.
She felt Ivy nod her head before pulling back enough from El's chest to look at her mother. "I love you mommy. I'm going to have the best day and show everyone my toys." She said proudly making Mike and El both laugh, albeit slightly choked.
El sighed feeling more assured that Ivy really was going to have a good day and that they would get to hear about every single detail when they picked her up with James. She gave her daughter a final squeeze and a kiss and then finally let her go out of her arms. Giving Ivy the new backpack they had bought for her and watching as she ran into the classroom.
Mike and El immediately grasped each other's hands and moved up to the glass, watching as Ivy went to a table of children who were playing with Lego. Where she got her confidence from El wasn't sure, although she suspected it could be down to grandpa Hopper.
The tears didn't come until Mike put his arm around El and she immediately leaned into his chest whilst they walked away from the classroom and towards the exit. He kissed the top of her head gently whilst she sniffled and wiped at her tears with the hand that wasn't around her husband's waist.
It wasn't until they got into the car that El realised Mike had tears in his eyes too. He leaned back against the headrest and closed his eyes. "That was harder than I thought it would be," he admitted in a thick voice.
El lay her hand on his jean clad thigh drawing gentle circles with her thumb. "I knew this day would come, but I didn't think it would happen this quickly."
Mike sighed and opened his wet eyes, turning his gaze onto El and smiling softly. "One minute she was coming into the world scaring the crap out of us and now she's running into classrooms and probably scaring the crap out of the other kids."
El chuckled lightly, taking a deep breath before Mike leaned in and wiped away her tear tracks with his thumb. His hand cupped her cheek and El immediately leaned into his touch, keeping his gaze.
"There's no one else I would want to share these memories with than you." Mike murmured tenderly, his tone loving and gentle.
El's heart swooned and she found a sappy grin quirking on her lips. "You're so perfect Mike," she said quietly, her words for him only. "You are the most amazing husband and I didn't think life could get any better, but now I get to see you as a daddy to our children. It's everything I always wanted with you."
Mike grinned, his eyes bright and happy before he leaned in and pressed their lips together. El sighed contently before moving closer. They shared a soft kiss, their lips tugging at one another in a perfect melody before Mike tilted his head slightly to deepen the kiss.
El's heart was pounding, her body filling with adrenaline and desire heating her veins. It was crazy how attractive Mike was, every day he just seemed to get more handsome.
When they finally pulled away, slightly breathless and their skin tingling, El slowly smirked. "So…do you want to go home for a couple of hours before we pick up James?"
"Get your seatbelt on babe!" Mike immediately responded, a mischievous grin on his face as he hurried to start the car whilst El laughed at his enthusiasm and clicked in her belt just before he sped off, as eager as a teenager to get back to their empty house.
December 2001
It was a week before Christmas and whilst El worked incredibly hard dealing with an increasing number of patients, Mike Wheeler felt like he had a much harder task at home with a certain terrible two year old.
The day had started off well, James and Ivy behaving at breakfast, Mike making sure his son ate his scrambled eggs instead of mushing the protein against the wooden surface. He got them both dressed, explaining to Ivy that mommy was already at work and she'd be home soon.
Feeling accomplished Mike dropped off Ivy at her friend Ashley's house for a play date before returning to the car, checking on James and then consulting the folded list El had given him the night before.
It was Ivy's Christmas list and El had already ticked off everything but one thing. That one thing was driving them both crazy and it was Tekno the Robotic Puppy. After Ivy had seen the commercial for the dog whilst watching Rugrats, she hadn't stopped talking about it. How she had been a really good girl that year and hopefully Santa would get her the puppy.
What Mike and El hadn't realised was how popular this damn dog would be. El had tried the town's toy store and the mall to no avail, and then tried to order it over the phone for the company to say it was out of stock and only a few retailers had them left.
Mike sighed and tucked the list into his pocket, putting on his seat belt and turning to look at James who was sitting in the back on his booster seat and scribbling on his Etch a Sketch.
"Right buddy, we're going on a bit of a trip, okay? Are you going to behave?"
James didn't look up at Mike, his lower lip stuck out slightly and his smooth brow creased in concentration on his toy. "Yes daddy," he mumbled not giving Mike much faith that his behaviour would be angelic.
The journey to Toys R Us took 40 minutes, a lot longer than either Mike or James wanted to be in the car for. His son soon got bored with his Etch a Sketch and moved onto playing with his toy cars, driving them over his knees and shouting, "beep, beep!"
Mike smiled and kept glancing back at James whilst focusing on the road.
"Daddy beep, beep!" James whined pointing towards the steering wheel.
Mike chuckled and pretended to push the horn whilst saying "beep, beep!" James giggled and swung his legs back and forth.
The rest of the journey went without too much complaint from the toddler who would say "daddy" every 30 seconds, even if it was just to say the word. His hazel eyes turned onto the window and he watched the views for a while muttering to himself whilst Mike grinned wondering how he had ended up so lucky with the perfect wife and children.
They arrived at Toys R Us and Mike pulled up in the parking lot, getting an eager James out of his booster seat. "Do you want to walk or for daddy to carry you?" Mike asked his son patiently.
"Walk," James replied with a cute smile whilst he was placed down on the floor. They only made it a few feet of Mike holding his son's hand before James whined and tugged at his jeans. "No daddy. Up daddy." He gestured his hands up and Mike rolled his eyes in amusement, heaving his son up and sitting him on his hip as they walked into Toys R Us.
It didn't take long for Mike to realise that the store was out of Tekno the Robotic Puppy and listened to the sales attendant who gave him directions to the nearest Walmart whilst James started to get unsettled on his hip, his eyes on the toys in the store.
When Mike put James back into the booster seat he cried, trying to escape and screaming when he was finally strapped in. He was kicking out with his legs and caught Mike's arm.
"No James," he told him sternly. "We do not hit, okay?"
James huffed and sniffled, a weak and feeble "okay…" coming out of his mouth.
Mike drove on, his own mood dipping because of the whining of his son and the insistence of his daughter needing this stupid dog from Santa. It's not even like we're going to get credit for all this effort and emotional stress!
Walmart looked incredibly busy if the parking lot was anything to go by and Mike groaned trying to find a space which took longer than either he or James could deal with. His son was shouting, "daddy out! Daddy out!" on repeat whilst Mike considered changing his name.
"We won't be long," Mike sighed tiredly as he lifted James out again. He wasn't even in the supermarket yet and he was already dreading it, deciding that if the dog wasn't here then they would just give it up as a bad job and try again another day.
As soon as they were in the toy section James wanted to get down, and it was a moment in life that Mike knew he would always regret. He let his son down, holding his hand tightly whilst his dark amber eyes lingered over the toys to find the stupid dog.
With a massive rush of relief Mike saw a handful of Tekno the Robotic Puppy and hurried over with James to grab one. "Thank god," he exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment whilst trying to ignore the migraine that was on its way.
He didn't realise until they were in the queue for the cashier that James was holding a colourful dinosaur, which ironically El had bought the same toy last week as one of their son's Christmas presents.
Mike leaned down to face James and reached for the soft toy, "bud you don't need that okay? Daddy's going to put it to the side now." His hand clamped on the dinosaur, but James had a firm grip too.
"No daddy!" He shouted, clinging onto the plush toy like it was a matter of life or death.
Mike knew that there were people in the queue behind him watching the whole scene and he tried to not let it bother him as he reprimanded his son. "James, daddy said no." He tugged slightly and released the toy.
For a second he thought he had succeeded on getting through to his terrible two year old. He even managed to smile in relief that he was basically Mary Poppins until his son's face completely crumbled, tears springing out of his eyes.
Oh shit.
James flung himself onto the floor and screamed, his eyes red, his cheeks wet and his fists hitting the linoleum floor. The whole of the queue was watching, and Mike's own cheeks burned in embarrassment.
"Stop it James," Mike pleaded leaning down and trying to pick up his son whilst hold onto the box of the freaky robot dog. James continued to scream and cry even when Mike picked him up. Other people in the queue cleared their throats or tutted, making Mike feel like the worst parent in the whole world.
James didn't stop screaming and writhing in Mike's arms while they were stuck in the queue, when they reached the checkout and when they got to the car.
Mike threw the bag onto the passenger seat and then strapped his little gremlin into the seat. "You've been a naughty boy James, time out when we get home." He said sternly, his head pounding from the screams that came from his son.
He hoped James would tire himself out on the way home, but that boy just went on and on and on. Mike felt like crying too, gripping the steering wheel and considering dropping James off with Hopper at the station and locking himself in one of the holding cells just to have some peace.
Mercifully Mike finally parked up outside of his garage and got out of the car, grabbing the Walmart bag and opening the back door to stare at James for a moment who had stopped crying, but his lower lip was wobbling.
"James," Mike said calmly, his voice tired. "If you say sorry to daddy now, you don't have to do time out. Okay?"
"No." James said stubbornly.
Mike rolled his eyes and sighed, "right, well it's the naughty step then." He got James out kicking and screaming and took him into the house, chucking the Walmart bag by the front door and taking his terrible toddler to the bottom step of the stairs.
He struggled to get James to sit but eventually he was slumped on the step. He had stopped crying again and was sniffing, an occasional cute hiccup coming out of him. Mike took a deep breath and tried to remember his parenting skills despite his pounding head.
"James, you're in time out because – "
James interrupted Mike by giggling. He frowned at his son and shook his head. "No this isn't funny James. You were a naughty boy today. We can't have every toy James and we don't act like that."
James giggled again, and Mike groaned, his head falling forward in defeat. How was this going to work if his son wouldn't stop laughing at him?! He bit his lip wondering if he needed to be firmer.
"James you are going to sit here and be quiet until you can say sorry to daddy." Mike said as sternly as he could manage. He must have sounded angry because James's eyes widened and Mike's heart broke.
It was those eyes. Those hazel eyes that Mike would do anything for.
Feeling regret Mike turned around facing the front door. It took about ten seconds for him to realise James had moved from the step. "Get back now!" he called to his son, hoisting him up and putting him back down on the step. He faltered again looking at James's pleading hazel eyes and bit his lip. This wasn't fair.
Mercy came with the sound of the front door being unlocked.
"Hey babe," El called tiredly not seeing her son behind Mike. "Any luck with the – "
She didn't get to finish her sentence before Mike reached for her, bringing El into a bone crushing hug and laying his head on her shoulder, groaning with relief at her return.
"Are you okay?" She laughed in confusion and surprise as she hugged him back and stroked his dark locks.
"Our son…" Mike started weakly. "Is a menace."
El frowned and reached onto her tip toes to look over Mike's shoulder and found that their toddler was escaping from the stairs and rushing over to the toy box. She sighed and looked at her exhausted husband. "Were you trying to give him a time out?"
"It's the eyes!" Mike exploded with frustration. "I love him so much, but he's been a little sh - "
"Language."
"He kicked off in Walmart because I wouldn't let him have a dinosaur. He was on the floor El, screaming and crying in front of everyone." Mike practically sobbed. "And then he screamed all the way through the queue, through buying that damn dog, which I've got by the way. He cried all the way home and laughed at me when I tried to give him time out. And then he gave me the eyes!"
El listened to her husband patiently, her eyes sympathetic as he explained how bad James had been. She understood completely, easily imagining the scene. Their little boy was wonderful, he truly was, but he was also a toddler. Pushing the boundaries and figuring out what it meant to be two; Ivy had been the same.
"It's okay baby," El assured Mike leaning up to give him a tender kiss which immediately seemed to lift his spirit. "I'll deal with him today."
El took a deep breath, Mike physically seeing her go into mom mode as she squared her shoulders and went over to their son who was pulling all of his toys out of the box. "James come here now." She told him sternly.
James looked at her, pouting slightly but he didn't argue. Dropping his toys and taking her hand. El led him to the stairs and sat him down.
"James, you were a naughty boy for daddy today and acted very silly. You're in time out for a minute and if you misbehave it will be longer. Understand?"
James looked sullen but dipped his head, pouting his lower lip out comically. Mike and El turned around and immediately heard him whinge and move to get off the stairs.
El huffed and turned around, pointing her finger at her son. "James Michael Wheeler! You sit back down!"
James struggled against an invisible force and shouted, "no mommy!" Despite his young age he knew she was using her powers on him. El rarely used her powers, especially on her own children, but she was extremely in control of her abilities and knew it was more like two hands keeping her son down rather than a powerful force. She was always gentle with her children.
James finally gave up, allowing El to remove her powers from the equation whilst turning back around with Mike, both of them counting out a minute.
When James's time was up, both his parents knelt down in front of his moping face. "Baby you were in time out because you acted very naughty today. We don't kick or scream okay?"
James hiccupped and nodded his little head of dark locks making El's heart melt. Whilst Mike had trouble with the hazel eyes making him soft, El found it increasingly difficult to reprimand her mini Mike. He was just adorable despite being a terrible two year old.
"Now say sorry to daddy." El said calmly.
James looked to Mike whose expression was just as gentle as El's. "Sorry daddy." He said in his sweet voice.
Mike sighed and immediately pulled James to his chest. "Thank you, baby," he breathed out, nuzzling up to his son and kissing his head.
El smiled warmly watching her boys. She knew using her powers wasn't an orthodox way to keep James in time out and she realised Mike needed to see past the fact that James had her eyes when trying to discipline him. She was also aware that their beautiful boy could be a terror at times. But El wouldn't change a thing of it.
They weren't perfect, none of them were.
But they were perfectly imperfect and that was all that El could ever want.
December 2003
It was Christmas eve and the whole party had gathered at Mike and El's house. Max and Lucas had flown in from California with seven year old Ryan and three year old Zach, so the group was finally complete again.
Whilst the party didn't need an excuse to be together, this time was special as it was the first time Max and Lucas were meeting the newest addition to the party, Benjamin Edward Wheeler who was born on December 17th.
"Please tell me you're done now," Max teased before cooing over Ben who clutched onto her hand whilst lying on his playmat looking around curiously.
El grinned from where she knelt down next to Max, doing the buttons up on Ben's baby grow and watching her youngest baby with complete love. "He was my easiest birth, but yes we're done now."
Feeling complete was an odd concept until you felt it. El couldn't really describe it, but when Ben was born her heart felt totally full. All the people she would truly love were tucked safely within it and she had never felt happier.
"I'm going to guess Mike picked the baby grow?" Max laughed, her blue eyes lingering on the image of Yoda and the bold letters, "too cute I am".
"Of course," El chuckled before leaning forward and bringing Ben up, supporting his head and peppering kisses onto his soft face. Unlike his siblings Ben was the only one to have inherited El's honey locks, despite the fact that he had so little at this stage. But his eyes were similar to Ivy's at the same age so El was confident he would have the amber orbs she loved so dearly.
The whole party seemed to be spread around the house. James and his five year old twin cousins Lily and Grace were bouncing on the trampoline despite the bitter temperatures whilst Jen kept an eye on them.
Zach and Sam who were the same age, were giggling loudly as they chased each other around the slide and shouted, "ready, steady, go!" to one another. Laura laughed as she watched them both.
Mike, Will, Dustin and Lucas were stood by the back door, the men all sipping from mugs of coffee and watching the children with warm smiles whilst they caught up with each other.
"So how are the sleepless nights treating you Mike?" Lucas teased nudging the Paladin's shoulder.
Mike was definitely showing signs of having three children under eight years old, especially one of them being a new born. But he smiled despite the bags under his eyes. "It's worth every second." He answered.
"Ben is so cute though." Dustin grinned. "He almost makes me want another."
"You should. Kids are the best," Mike answered, his eyes on James who was laughing and playing nicely with his cousins.
"Nah," Dustin sighed shaking his head as he watched his own son and wife. "We're too busy with work, it wouldn't be fair. We do so much with Sam you know, but I can't imagine splitting our time with any more."
"I'm happy with my girls," Will said, his eyes light and happier than Mike had ever seen them as he watched his cute twins and Jen.
"And I'm happy with my boys." Lucas added with a happy sigh before shuddering. "Besides, I couldn't cope with pregnant Max again."
The boys all laughed, a warm feeling spreading within them at finally being reunited. It was hard Lucas and Max being the only ones to now live out of state. Their absence was always felt.
"Daddy!" called Ivy making Mike blink and turn to where his daughter was running out of the house with Ryan. Those two were inseparable when they were together, and they had been up in Ivy's room for the three hours that Max, Lucas and Zach had been in the house.
"Yes sweetheart?" Mike answered, all of the men turning their attention onto Ivy and Ryan who were out of breath from running.
"Can me and Ryan play in the woods? Mommy told me to ask you because she was feeding Ben."
Mike frowned, his eyes turning towards the woods. It was sadly a different time now to when he and the boys played in the woods. There were threats and safety issues that weren't as much of a big deal back in the 80's.
They didn't have any neighbours for miles, it was how El liked it, but it didn't mean that the woods didn't attract people now and again.
"What do you think?" Mike muttered quietly to Lucas.
His best friend looked at his son for a moment and shrugged, "it's fine with me, as long as they stay in sight."
Mike nodded in agreement and turned to the seven year olds. "Play in the woods if you want, but we want to be able to see you both okay? If you can't see us, then you've gone too far."
Ivy grinned, "thanks daddy!" She then grabbed Ryan's hand and they raced into the woods, their laughter echoing around the trees as they played.
Mike watched them both closely, tuning out of the boys conversations for a while whilst he focused on keeping Ivy and Ryan in sight. He was extremely protective of all of his children, it was in his nature of course. But with Ivy Mike would admit he was even more protective. He didn't know if it was because she was almost identical to El, or that she was his only daughter or that she was a daddy's girl.
No matter what the reason was, he didn't just want her to be safe as he did with James and Ben. He always had to worry about another factor, something he hoped wasn't going to be a problem for a very long time. But it was terrifying all the same.
"Stop glaring daggers at my son," Lucas joked making Mike flinch, coming out of his daze and turning to his best friends who were all laughing at him.
"Huh?" Mike asked in confusion, suddenly feeling a blush creeping up his cheeks under his friends amused gazes.
"Dude, Ryan is seven, he's not exactly pulling the moves on your daughter." Dustin teased whilst the boys all chuckled.
Mike sighed and rubbed at the back of his neck, his eyes averting again to Ivy and Ryan to make sure they were still in sight. "I was just…I don't know. Will you've got girls, you understand right?" He practically pleaded with his brother in law.
Will shrugged, "sorry man, but my girls are five. I haven't got to worry about this kind of stuff just yet."
"Worry about what?" El's voice carried over to the boys as she walked over with Ben wrapped up asleep in a blanket, Max by her side.
Dustin sniggered and answered before Mike could explain. "Your husband is concerned that Ryan is going to serenade your daughter."
"Dustin!" Mike frowned, "that's not what – "
"And what's wrong with my son?" Max scoffed, crossing her arms and glaring at Mike who rolled his eyes in exasperation.
"Nothing's wrong with Ryan. You know I love that kid." Mike reasoned. "It's just…"
"He's protective of her." El answered for her husband making him smile in relief and love that she just got him. She always understood and always had, no matter what the situation was.
"Thanks babe," Mike said softly, walking over to El and putting his arm around her, kissing her gently before leaning down and kissing the top of Ben's honey strands of hair.
Mike looked at his friends and sighed, "I think we all see how close Ivy and Ryan are and it just makes me worry they will grow up too quick. They deserve to be kids for as long as they can, we all had to grow up so fast."
The others nodded in agreement before becoming distracted by Ryan's shout of glee as Ivy used her powers to make a pile of frozen leaves hover through the air in front of her best friend.
Mike smiled softly watching them, knowing that Ivy was safe in front of this wonderful group of people to use her powers freely. He remembered how two years ago her powers had shown themselves for the first time.
They had been sitting around the dinner table, just a normal evening when Ivy asked if she could feed James his pasta. El and Mike had eagerly accepted, happy to see her helping out with her little brother. But instead of picking up the spoon, it levitated, greatly entertaining her brother before it flew towards him and he opened his mouth obediently.
Mike and El had gaped at each other in shock, El's face ashen. "A-Are you doing that Ivy?" Mike had choked out, staring at his daughter in astonishment.
Ivy had beamed proudly, nodding her head before continuing the process. However, whilst she was happy, El had looked devastated, especially when a small trickle of blood came from Ivy's nose and they asked her to stop.
Their daughter became upset too, thinking she had done something wrong and ran off to her room. Mike had gone to talk to her, but El said she would.
El had snuggled with Ivy telling her why she had reacted in shock, explaining how she had never wanted to pass on her powers to her babies, how it was a gift that couldn't be shared with people because there were risks. Only those they trusted with every fibre of their being could know.
But now when Mike looked down at his wife, he was happy to see she accepted that her powers had passed on to their children. It wasn't something to be ashamed of or feared, at least by those they cared for dearly.
And Mike felt his own relief wash over him as he watched Ryan's amazed face. No matter what, Ivy would always have a best friend who would never think she was anything else but special.
The toddler tantrum is inspired by my nephew. I went into Toys R Us with him and had a great time. Ha!
Shout out to my mum who got me a Tekno the Robotic Puppy for Christmas 2000. I think I played with it for two weeks and got bored. I'M SORRY MUM!
I joined Tumblr! I literally have NO idea what I'm doing so far, but my username is fangirlingstrangerthings so I'm sure you can find me if you want to :-)
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