Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. They belong to Cecily von Zeigesar and The CW.
"Daddy," Luca whispered as he pulled himself up onto his father's bed the next morning.
The usually light sleeping father didn't hear or respond to the tiny tot.
"Daddy," Luca stated again, louder the second time as he shook his father.
Chuck still gave no response.
"Daddy," Luca repeated again as he shook Chuck even harder as he practically jumped on him.
"What is it, Luca?" Chuck moaned as he tried to pull himself from his sleep.
"I go pee-pee in potty," he proclaimed.
"You went or you need to go?" Chuck needed to clarify as the sleep began to disappear as he conversed with his son. As he looked around, Blair was not in bed but Monkey was at the foot of the bed looking at the pair eagerly.
"I go pee-pee," Luca repeated.
"I don't know what that means, Buddy," Chuck told him, "Did you go pee-pee?"
"Yes," Luca nodded eagerly.
"And you don't need to go now," Chuck elaborated.
"No," Luca shook his head from side to side.
"Where is Mommy?" Chuck asked as he hugged his son.
"With Evie," Luca stated, "Daddy, can I start playing with Evie?"
"She's a little too small for you to play with," Chuck stated as he tapped his son's bottom lightly that began to protrude.
"She play with Monkey?" he asked.
"She could maybe pet Monkey, but no she can't even play with Monkey yet," Chuck told him.
"I don't like Evie," Luca pouted, "She can't do anything."
"She will," the father laughed, "She just needs to get a little older, then I bet she'll be more fun to play with."
"I go play," Luca squirmed out of his father's arms and slid off his parents' bed. As he darted out of the room, Monkey barked happily and tagged along.
Chuck laughed as he donned his robe and went in search of his wife, knowing he'd find her in Evie's room, breastfeeding.
"Such a beautiful site," Chuck observed mother and daughter together.
"It's almost creepy how turned on you get by watching me breastfeed our daughter," Blair smirked as he bent down to kiss Evie's head before kissing his wife's lips.
"Almost," he chuckled as he glanced at the clock on the nightstand next to the chair Blair was currently occupying, "Starting our routine a little late this morning, I see."
"We were up late," Blair reminded him, "I figured you'd want to sleep in. What are you doing up?"
"Luca was proud to make pee-pee in his potty," Chuck told her.
"He's so cute about his potty training," Blair beamed with pride.
"He doesn't like Evie," Chuck smirked, "She's no fun because he can't play with her."
"Aw, good old sibling rivalry," Blair sighed as Evie wrapped her hand around Chuck's finger as he knelt next to the pair as she continued her feeding, "I wondered when that was going to start. He's been fairly indifferent about his sister up to this point."
"I think that's about to come to an end," Chuck sighed along with her, "Unless Evie miraculously ages a few months in a few days."
"Bite your tongue," Blair scowled at him, "These children are already growing too fast as it is."
"The faster this little one grows the sooner we can start on a third," he pointed out.
"As much as I want a third and maybe even a fourth, I don't want her to grow any faster because of it," Blair stated.
"Four, huh," he smirked, "Four on two, that's going to be interesting."
"You take two, and I'll take two," Blair chuckled lightly.
"And we'll call the nanny in the morning," Chuck added a moment of humor.
"I thought you wanted one maybe two more," Blair frowned at his attempt at humor.
"I do," Chuck told her, "I'm game for as many children as you want to give me, but can we wait until Luca is fully potty trained?"
"You know, I've been giving that part of our deal a bit of thought," Blair sighed.
"And what thought are you having?"
"Well, it takes nine months for a baby to join us in this world," Blair reminded him, "And both Luca and Evie were late coming into the world…"
"You want to start trying already for number three," Chuck verbalized the thought she was obviously having.
"Is it that obvious?" Blair smirked.
"What about the potty training bit?" Chuck inquired, "That was part of our deal."
"Luca has at least nine months to figure that out, and he's doing so well already. He'll probably be out of diapers completely by the time I hit my last trimester," she replied.
"So you're wanting to amend our agreement," he concluded.
"Yes," she nodded, "I want to start trying."
"What about Serena's wedding? Are you wanting to be pregnant in those pictures?" he asked.
"Serena wants to be pregnant in those pictures," Blair told him pointedly, "It will be something that she and I can share."
"Hemorrhoids and mood swings?" he theorized.
"No," she moaned in annoyance, "The pregnant glow of happiness."
"You do shine a bit more brightly when pregnant," he mused.
"And so do you," she added, "You get a glow about you too when I'm carrying your child."
"There is something about fathering your child that just makes me…"
"Giddy like a little school girl," Blair finished for him, "Does that mean that we can start trying?"
"I'll throw the condoms in the nightstand out," he replied, "But you're still breastfeeding, this might not happen right away."
"Evie happened while I was still breastfeeding Luca," Blair pointed out.
"Are you sure those beauties aren't going to be tired out," Chuck motioned towards her chest, "That's going to be three children and three years of breastfeeding."
"My breasts will be just fine though you're sweet to be so concerned. How about we just let nature take its course?" Blair suggested, "If I get pregnant, then it's meant to be."
"That works," he nodded as he bent down to kiss Evie's forehead as her lips dropped away from her mother's breast. Her eyes were closed tight. She was sound asleep. "She's so beautiful."
"Yes, she is," Blair agreed as Chuck took their daughter from her to burp while Blair closed her robe.
"Boy or girl for the next one?" Chuck inquired as he swayed back and forth with Evie.
"I'm okay with either," she smiled as she took in the scene. She still marveled at how natural he'd been as a father. He had gotten off to a slightly rocky start with Luca, but now it was rare if he didn't have one of the children in his arms at any given time. His entire world revolved around his children, and he relished it. "You?"
"I think another little girl would fit into our family quite nicely…" he paused for a moment, "But another boy would be nice too."
"How about we go for one of each?" Blair suggested.
"Are you suggesting twins? That's a lot of pressure on my overzealous sperm."
"I'm not suggesting twins," she rolled her eyes, "I'm suggesting two more…at separate times."
"What do you think, Evie?" Chuck whispered to his little princess, "Are you going to be okay with being a middle child?"
"She's still going to be spoiled rotten, so I think she'll be okay," Blair smiled, "And you will still be the doting dad. Have I ever told you how much it melts my heart to see our children in your arms?"
"I don't know if you've ever told me you melt," he snorted, "There is something else it does to you."
"Don't ruin this moment, Bass," she scolded him with a look. She could see by the mischievous look in his eyes he wanted to make a snarky comment.
"My deepest apologies, Beautiful," he gave her his most charming smile.
"You're too good at that," her eyes narrowed as Luca darted into the room and attached himself to Chuck's leg as Monkey tagged along behind him.
"Play, Daddy," Luca looked up with his large, brown eyes opened wide.
"After breakfast, perhaps," Chuck responded.
"No," Luca moaned as he jumped up and down. Monkey added his own noise in response to Luca's outburst.
"Don't wake your sister," Chuck instructed his son.
Luca sulked from the room.
"There's the way not to start the day," Chuck groaned as he passed Evie back to her mother, "I'd better go chase him down."
"Don't make your women wait too long at the breakfast table," Blair advised him.
"I won't," he vowed as he gave her a kiss before bending down slightly to address his daughter, "Be a good girl for Mommy."
"She's always a good girl," Blair cooed as she rocked Evie, "She takes after her mother."
"Good girl, huh," he snorted as he tapped her buttocks affectionately, "I don't think so. You, my beautiful wife, have always been the bad girl that pretended to be good."
"I'll show you how bad I can be later," she winked at him as he set off to find his son.
"Papa Bart," Luca greeted his grandfather eagerly as he arrived for an agreed upon outing in the park. The weather was finally warming up, and Luca could spend time outdoors.
"Hello, Little Luca," Bart picked him up, "Are you ready to go to the park?"
"Yes," he nodded enthusiastically, "We bring Monkey?"
"Absolutely," Bart agreed with a laugh.
"Hi, Bart," Blair greeted her father-in-law.
"Good morning, Blair," Bart greeted her with a kiss to her cheek.
"Monkey go to park with me and Papa and Daddy," Luca announced.
"Keep him out of the mud," Blair advised her son, "No muddy paws in our house."
Bart took the warning more seriously than Luca.
"No muddy footprints either from you, Peanut," Blair poked her son's belly, drawing out a laugh from the toddler.
"Where's Chuck?" Bart inquired.
"Daddy see doctor," Luca informed him with a frown.
"Everything alright?" Bart's voice waffled nervously.
"Everything is fine," Blair assured both grandfather and grandson, "It's his regular appointment. His doctor had a conflict and needed to reschedule for earlier today. He'll be back soon and ready to spend the rest of the day with his favorite little boy."
Luca didn't seem convinced. He'd been asking when Chuck was going to return since the moment he'd left. His question was becoming a bit more nervous each time he asked.
"Why don't you go play with your fire trucks in your bedroom until Daddy gets home?" Blair suggested as Bart returned the boy to his feet as he squirmed out of his grandfather's arms.
Luca darted off, leaving his puppy in his dust.
"Oh, no," Blair realized the moment Luca was out of the room.
"Something wrong?" Bart asked.
"I don't think he believed that Chuck was going to be back today. He's been Chuck's shadow since he came home last month. He keeps asking Chuck if he's going to leave again," Blair replied, "Bart, do you know where his hiding place is?"
"I couldn't track him down any better than you," Bart shook his head.
"Perfect," Blair groaned, "We have to wait him out or wait for Chuck to get home."
"Chuck, go find your son," Blair's eyes narrowed towards him when he returned from his therapy session, "And you're telling me where his hiding place is by the end of the day."
"What's going on?" Chuck looked between his wife and his father with confusion.
"He ran off and won't come when called," Blair explained, "I think he thinks you checked back into the hospital."
"What? Why?" Chuck asked as he started towards office, heading straight to one of the book shelves and pulled on one of his books. The grouping of shelves moved away from the wall, showing an opening that led to a short tunnel and a playroom at the end where Luca was curled up with one of his stuffed toys with tears streaming down his cheeks. Chuck went to his son immediately, "Come here, Buddy."
"Daddy, no go," Luca moaned, throwing his arms around Chuck's neck.
"I'm not going anywhere, Buddy," Chuck stroked Luca's back as he held him tight, "And even if I did, I would tell you first…Remember, I told you I was going to see the doctor, but I'd be back to go with you and Papa Bart to the park."
"No member," Luca shook his head slightly.
Blair let out a sigh of relief as Chuck emerged from the hidden playroom with Luca clinging tight.
"You scared Mommy," Blair brushed the boy's hair away from his forehead and kissed him softly.
"You can't run and hide, Luca," Chuck gently scolded his son, "From now on you can only play in the hidden playroom if me or Mommy is with you. Okay?"
"Okay," Luca muttered softly, his head still buried in Chuck's neck.
"Oh, goodness," Blair sighed again in relief, "That is a rush I don't want to experience again."
"I go potty," Luca mumbled.
"It's okay, Buddy. We'll get you in dry clothes," Chuck nodded as he felt the wetness began to seep into his own clothes.
"I'll tell Rosa, so she can clean the room," Blair spoke to her husband, "Just pull on 'War and Peace', right?"
"She knows," Chuck replied, "She cleans the room on a regular basis."
"So the only adult in the manor that didn't know the secret room's whereabouts was me?" Blair's eyes narrowed again.
"Technically, the only person in the manor that didn't know where the room was, was you," he chuckled, "Evie's even been in there."
"Go change," she growled playfully.
Chuck carried his son upstairs and stripped off his clothes.
"I'm sorry, Daddy," Luca stuck out his bottom lip to show his pathetic pout.
"It's okay, Luca," Chuck assured him as he stripped off his own shirt, throwing it all into the laundry hamper before bringing Luca to the bathroom to wash him down. "Everyone has accidents in the beginning, even me and Mommy."
"Mad at me?" Luca's lip protruded even further.
"Never," Chuck kissed the top of his head as he lifted Luca into the tub to hose him off with the spray nozzle, making sure to pay extra special attention to the ticklish spots on his son's body to draw out the laughter. Luca's mood began to improve.
"What should we wear to the park?" Chuck asked his son as he dried him off with the fluffiest of towels, making sure to keep the mood playful.
Luca pulled his father into his closet and picked out his nicest shirt and bow tie. Blair had purchased it for pictures that were coming up when Evie approached the nine-month mark and needed the milestone pictures to go along with it. She couldn't fathom taking one child for pictures without the other, so she'd shopped for him as well. "I dress like Daddy."
Chuck laughed as he helped his son into the ensemble, demonstrating to him how tie the perfect bow. With his son all dressed, he brought him into his own bedroom to dress, taking great care to make sure that his own ensemble matched his son.
"I don't know which is which," Blair giggled as the father and son made their way back downstairs, poking her son in the stomach playfully, "Are you Luca or Daddy?"
"I'm Luca," the boy beamed.
"You look very handsome," Blair kissed his forehead, "Why don't you find Monkey's leash?"
Luca nodded as he darted off.
"He okay?" Blair asked as father and mother watched him take off.
"I think so. I made sure to give him a little pick me up when I cleaned him up," Chuck nodded, "I'll be extra careful when I leave the manor to assure him that I'll be back shortly. I didn't even think about it this morning."
"I didn't either," Blair replied as she tugged on his tie a bit to straighten it. She caught the sadness in his eyes. "Do you need a little pick me up too?"
"Maybe later," Chuck nodded as Luca returned with not only the leash but the puppy in tow.
"Go get Papa," Blair patted his head as Chuck leashed the dog.
Luca darted off again, returning this time with Bart in tow.
"We'll be back later," Chuck vowed.
"No muddy paw or foot prints," Blair cautioned them as she quickly swiped a credit card from Chuck.
"What's that for?" he looked at her curiously.
"Luca gets a boys' day with Papa and Daddy. Evie gets a girls day with Mommy and Grammy," Blair explained.
"You and Eleanor or you and Lily?" he inquired.
"Eleanor," she replied, "Have fun at the park."
"Have fun spending money," he chuckled.
"Oh, I will," she assured him as she kissed the top of Luca's head before sending them on their way.
TBC…