Everything is Better, Part Two

by CeleryLapel

This is a continuation of the series, "Everything is Better the Second Time Around." If Annie Edison had a child before she entered Greendale and how this situation might have shaped her and Jeff's relationship. Technically AU but will incorporate many of the events from the show. Some liberties will be taken.

21. Dorie's Thanksgiving

Chapter 21: Dorie's Thanksgiving

Summary: Annie and Jeff visit Dorie. And Sophie gains a grandma

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A/N: Some angst. Some fluff.

xxxxx

Annie reached over to check on a sleeping Sophie. She placed a kiss on her head and then pulled the blanket up over her.

She heard Jeff enter the room and felt him stand beside her. It was hard to miss a giant.

He whispered, "Is she okay?"

"Um hum. She seems to like it."

He reached over and touched the blanket, pulling it up slightly so that it was under Sophie's arms. "Well it's the exact same kind as you have at home. We even matched the bedding pretty closely."

"I know. But still. She's in here." Annie gestured around Jeff's study. "I was worried she might be upset."

"She's used to napping in here."

"True. I guess we'll see how she does during the night."

"I'm not a sadist, Annie. If she freaks out we can consider moving this thing into my bedroom."

She turned to look at him warily. "You would?"

"I'd prefer not to, but if it means you guys stay over here more often and I can avoid Dildopolis, then yeah."

"Thanos is giving you a discount."

"It's not only about the money. Your bed is smaller than mine."

"But you got me those luxurious sheets." She glanced up at him, smiling coyly.

He smirked. "I'm still more comfortable in my own bed. And admit it, you like it too. For being a midget I marvel at the way you stretch out when given the room."

Annie rolled her eyes as she pressed the side of her head against his chest. "We should let her get some sleep."

They quietly left the room and made their way to the living room.

Annie turned to him as she sat cross-legged on the couch. "Thank you for this."

"I'm the one who suggested it, remember? You're the one who felt it was too much pressure or whatever you called it during that fiasco with the Dean." Jeff sat down next to her with a sigh.

Annie looked at him and shook her head. "I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page."

Jeff draped an arm over the back of the couch. "Yeah, I know, with the I love yous. Yada yada yada."

She smacked his arm. "Just because we said that doesn't mean things are going to drastically change, remember? I just realized I was being stupid about the crib. You were right. Sophie will be more comfortable now."

"Yeah, pages are important, just like the para somethings," he mumbled as he scooted closer to her and began to kiss her neck.

She pushed him back and smirked. "Just because you have a crib here doesn't mean we're staying here all the time. You can still come over to my place. Sometimes I prefer that if I have to go to work the next day since it's closer. And sometimes we should have nights apart."

"Um hum." He reached in to place another kiss on her neck, gently moving her hair to the side.

Annie began to reflect again on something that was gnawing at her. She wondered again at the nature of Jeff's relationship with Michelle, and how it compared to their situation. She had heard some mumblings from the Dean about what he knew when Jeff and Michelle had filled out their "Greendale Relationship" paperwork. And what he told her initially surprised Annie. But as Annie was getting to know Jeff, she was realizing his public detached and sarcastic demeanor was likely a cover for an intense desire for closeness.

Well, she had to admit even in private he remained sarcastic. But she'd hardly call him detached.

As he continued to kiss her neck, Annie remarked, "I know you and Michelle spent every night together."

He mumbled, "And so did you and the hippie."

She moved him back again and looked at him. "We didn't. You keep thinking that, but that's far from the truth. I need space."

He shrugged before kissing her shoulder. "Sure. I like my alone time too."

She sighed. "I'm never alone, Jeff. But yeah, sometimes I like to just be in my apartment while she's sleeping. I can get so much more done."

"Than when you're with me?"

"Duh. Obviously."

"You can do stuff here, you know. Seriously. If you're ever over here and want me to leave you alone, I can do that. I have a television in my room. You can hang out in here and do your stuff."

Annie smiled slightly. "Thank you. Maybe I'll take you up on that sometimes. But really, I like my place."

"It's Dildopolis." He rolled his eyes.

"It's mine. And I'm proud of it."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thanksgiving came soon enough, and Jeff, Annie, and Sophie arrived at Dorie's place the Wednesday evening after classes let out.

Jeff explained to Annie that his aunt usually celebrated with her husband's family back in the Midwest, and his cousin Holly spent the holiday with her husband's family. Which left Dorie and Jeff by themselves most Thanksgivings. Occasionally Maybelle would stop by for an hour or so before she declared Thanksgiving wasn't really her kind of holiday and shuffled back home.

Jeff was aware with some sense of unease that this was the first Thanksgiving he had ever brought anyone home with him. Not even Ian ever crossed Dorie's threshold on the holiday. Not that Dorie hadn't invited him of course, but he maintained Thanksgiving was strictly an American holiday and he didn't see much point in it. Jeff was pretty sure the real reason was the local bar had cranberry flavored two-for-one vodka shots and beer specials. And perhaps the glares Jeff would give him when Dorie would suggest he come over were particularly strong. There was no way Jeff was going to spend a day or two with his mother and Ian Duncan. That sounded like a version of hell.

As they entered the house, Dorie had, as was becoming her custom, embraced them quickly before running off with Sophie. Jeff rolled his eyes as he plopped their bags on the ground. He then turned around and went back to the car to get their remaining things. After all, they were staying until Saturday at Dorie and Annie's mutual insistence.

Jeff started to wonder if he could find a way to sneak away during some of this. He could only talk to his mom for so long before he wanted to climb the walls.

As he reentered the house with Hank at his heels, he remembered another reason he usually went a little stir crazy in his mom's house.

Something furry hopped over his foot. He cringed.

"Mom! You left the rabbits out!"

Dorie called out, "Oh I figured it was okay now. Sophie should get used to them. I told Annie in advance I was going to let them out, by the way."

Jeff's eyes grew wide as he rounded the corner and spied Annie and Dorie sitting on the couch while Sophie sat on Dorie's lap. He looked at Annie and shook his head.

Annie shrugged with a smile. "She says they're litter box trained. And since it's not a crowded house, it won't be too chaotic. Aren't they cute?" She watched with amusement as bunny number two scurried past Hank.

There was a low woof.

Jeff closed his eyes for a moment before slowly sitting down in a chair. He took two deep breaths.

Hank wandered over and sat by Jeff so that he could pet him.

"I almost forgot you had them. You've been keeping them in the garage." Jeff ran his hands through Hank's ears.

Dorie nodded as she turned her gaze back to Sophie. "Only when Sophie's here. And Christmas. I'd hate to have someone step on them. That's a big risk when there's a houseful of people."

Sophie let out a squeal of delight as she watched one of the rabbits bound across the room.

Jeff remarked irritably, "I'm sure they'd survive. Plus most people seem to avoid stepping on the cats." Jeff eyed bunny number one as he chewed on the baseboard. He paused in thought before he asked, "What if they hurt her?"

Dorie shook her head and eyed Jeff incredulously. "You know perfectly well Horace and Huntley are well-behaved. And they're actually very skittish, being prey animals. The real thing to worry about is that she might try to grab them and hurt them, which is why I think they should be introduced now. We can teach her to respect them."

"I don't think the munchkin respects many things. She tried to eat a pillow yesterday."

"Well then she and the bunnies have something in common."

"Mom!"

Houston, one of the cats, slinked behind Jeff's head.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After dinner they put Sophie down and chatted for a bit before Annie excused herself to do some schoolwork. Jeff sighed and did his best to convince her to remain with them, but she insisted saying she wanted to be able to enjoy herself the rest of the long weekend. She gave him a kiss and went into the den.

Jeff sat there with his mom drinking decaf coffee as she droned on about some gossip Maybelle had told her the other day. He wasn't really listening.

"So then I told him of course I wouldn't sleep with him," Dorie added.

Jeff's eyes shot up.

"Mom! What the hell?"

"Oh that got your attention. You've been off somewhere else."

Jeff cringed. "You got me. Ha ha." He then looked at her skeptically, "Ha ha, right?"

She's eyes twinkled. "You know perfectly well I slept with him."

Jeff sat staring at her for about twenty seconds. Without blinking.

Dorie scowled as she finally blinked. "Fine. You're no fun."

"Mom!"

She smirked and then eyed him curiously. "So what shall we talk about? Maybe you could tell me about school."

Jeff shrugged. "Nothing to say. It's fine."

"Annie's doing school work. You don't have any homework to do?"

"She's a perfectionist. I'll pull it out Sunday evening."

Dorie nodded and took a sip of her coffee before remarking, "I see. You never were that studious. And I wouldn't say it was because you weren't a perfectionist. I think it was because you were."

"Huh?" He raised his eyebrows slightly. He continued to cup his mug tightly.

"You never wanted to try that hard. That way when you failed you could just say you didn't put in the effort."

"You've been spending too much time with Ian." He began turning the mug around, back and forth as he started at it.

"I've always thought it, Jeffrey. Long before Ian. But yes, if you must know, he is of the same opinion."

Jeff let out a long sigh. "Whatever."

"How are things with you and Annie?"

He nodded slowly, keeping his eyes on his mug. "Good."

"Ian seems to think you two have been getting cozier lately. Is that true?"

Jeff scowled. "He's a busy body."

"Well you don't talk to me about it. How else am I supposed to gather information?" Dorie kept her gaze fixed on him, waiting for him to resume eye contact.

Jeff rolled his eyes.

"I'm just pleased you and Annie are getting along. She's very sweet."

"Um hum." He continued to stare into his mug as if something incredibly interesting were in it.

"And Sophie is just precious."

"Um hum."

"You're doing a good job with her. I've been watching you two."

His eyes shot up quickly to meet hers before he looked right back down. "The hell you say."

Dorie nodded her head slightly in a knowing way. "You're handling her very nicely. That child adores you."

He shrugged as he stilled his mug. "We get along okay."

"It's good you've been embracing her. She's an important part of Annie's life. And if you're going to be with Annie then having a good relationship with Sophie is necessary."

He frowned, continuing to hunch over his mug. "I know that. I'm actually trying, you know. I'm not even being a perfectionist about it."

"I'm glad you're not scared off by her. I've always thought you'd make a good father. And I can see I'm right." She watched him intently for signs of a reaction.

Jeff closed his eyes and leaned further over his coffee cup. "I'm not her father."

"But you're essentially functioning in that role?"

"I'm just trying to keep her alive." He opened his eyes and stared off at the far wall.

"And that's what fathers do. It suits you."

He sighed as he finally made eye contact with her. "Mom. I'd hardly call me father material. After all, I wouldn't know anything about any of that."

Dorie smiled sadly. "You're thinking about your own father?"

Jeff looked down and shook his head. "Why would I think about that loser?"

She watched him with increasing sadness, wiping a tear from her eye as she uttered, "I'm sorry, dear. I wish I could have given you a better one. You certainly deserved to be treated better than Bill ever was capable of."

He shrugged. "It doesn't matter."

"It does. I really hope you don't take what he did, him leaving, as a reflection on you. It was his problem." She wiped another tear away.

Jeff mumbled, "He had a lot of problems."

Dorie nodded slowly. "He did."

"I remember," Jeff whispered.

"Hm?"

He cleared his throat and spoke slightly louder, "I remember. We never talk about it. The things he used to do to you." He looked up and held her gaze.

Dorie's eyes widened. She clenched her jaw for a moment before stating evenly, "Jeffrey, that's in the past."

Jeff kept his eyes on her. "It's good he left. I didn't see it that way for a while. Part of me wanted him to stay. I was upset he left us. But then the rest of me was really angry and overall relieved when he took off."

"I can understand that." She placed her coffee cup on the side table and clasped her hands together on her lap.

"And I think it was a few years before I was fairly convinced he wasn't coming back."

"Years?"

Jeff nodded slowly. He began glancing around the room as he said, "I kept watching the door. I kept shining my flashlight down here. I'd get up at night. To make sure he wasn't going to come back and hurt you."

Dorie voice began to tremble, "I am so sorry. I should have taken you and left him long before any of that."

He returned his eyes to hers. "It's not your fault. It's his fault."

She gulped and then ventured hesitantly, "Do you remember what he used to do to you?"

Jeff suddenly paled and stared off at the wall. "Belittle me, insult me, leave me at the zoo…."

"And?" She leaned her arm on her chair, cradling her head on her hand as she observed him.

His eyes shot back to hers once again as he scowled. "This would be a good time for you to allow me my one drink."

"Please, Jeffrey, I think we should talk about this. Let's not…"

He leaned back in his chair and grit his teeth. "Mom. I am talking about it, okay? I just don't think I can talk about it with you. I don't want you to feel even more guilty."

She remarked softly, "I'm sorry I failed you."

He stated adamantly, "Again, that's not your fault. I have no use for Bill Winger. He's a raging asshole and I hope fate's caught up with him by now."

"I'm sorry I didn't replace him with someone better. You deserved a good father."

"Yeah, well, not everyone gets a father. I'm one of them. Again, not your fault."

"I should have picked my boyfriends more carefully."

Jeff shrugged. "Hey, you were young and Bill did a number on you, didn't he? I'm just glad you didn't marry any of them." His eyes abruptly softened as he added, "And I'm glad you're okay now."

Dorie nodded sadly. "Thank you. It means a lot to me. And seeing you doing so well, that means a lot to me too. Makes me feel that despite what I put you through you turned out to be someone I'm proud to call my son."

Jeff postured stiffened. "You know that's not true. The lies…."

She interjected, "Are in the past. We're okay now. Let's not have a repeat of last Thanksgiving. We don't need to fight, Jeffrey. I was upset last year, but I forgive you. I understand."

"Um hum."

"And again, the way you are with Sophie, I know you're nothing like your father. At all. She's a lucky little girl to have you in her life."

"Mom…."

"She is."

Jeff leaned his head back on the furniture and closed his eyes. "I don't know. What if I can't do it?"

"You're already doing it. Just keep doing it."

"Having no father is better for a kid than having a crappy one."

"Dear, now you're selling yourself short."

His eyes popped open and he sat up straight, starting at her. "Last Thanksgiving you told me you've, and I quote because I have an excellent memory, 'built up my ego to an unhealthy degree.' Why would I possibly trust your opinion of me in this area?"

Dorie gasped, "Jeffrey! You know I didn't mean that."

He frowned. "I'm going to get my one drink. Excuse me." He abruptly stood up and made his way toward the kitchen.

Annie quickly moved away from her snooping place in the hallway and scurried back to the den. She closed the door and sat in a chair. She felt the tears well up in her eyes as she reflected on what she had overheard, which had likely been most of their conversation regarding Jeff's father.

There was so much she didn't really know. And she usually glossed right over it when Jeff showed hesitancy in speaking about it. And how could he still not think he was good for Sophie?

She got up and made her way into the living room. She spotted Jeff sitting across from his mother, drinking a beer.

"Goddamn it mom, this is warm."

Dorie was watching him carefully. "That's because I keep it in the garage. Why would I keep it in the fridge if I don't drink?"

Annie cleared her throat and asked, "Jeff, may I talk to you?"

Jeff's eyes rose as she spied Annie standing there. Dorie cast a weary smile over to her.

His tone softened as he responded, "Sure, um, privately?"

"Yes, please come with me." She motioned for him to follow as she walked out of the room.

He followed her into the den. "What's up?"

Annie turned to face him and stared at his drink.

"Please put the beer down."

"Ooookay." He shrugged as he placed it on the desk.

She walked over to him and gave him a hug.

He paused to inhale the scent of her hair before asking, "What's this for?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

She looked up at him while they continued the embrace. She stated softly, "I may have overheard some of the stuff you were talking to your mom about. The stuff about your dad."

"Annie…"

She moved her head back into his chest. "I was about to enter the room and then I heard you two. I didn't want to interrupt, but then I couldn't get myself to leave. We never talk about it. About your dad."

Jeff placed a kiss on her head. "That's because there's not much to say. Nothing constructive at any rate. You already know he wasn't a good guy."

She looked up at him. "But I don't know the details. You can talk to me about him."

He smiled wearily. "Thanks, but I don't think you really want to know."

"That's so unfair. Why wouldn't I want to know? I care about you." She felt her voice catch on the last statement.

He nodded thoughtfully before explaining, "Because you have enough on your plate. And you have your own asshole to deal with. And you have your own issues with your own parents to live with. I'm not going to put that on you."

She hugged him tighter for a moment. "It wouldn't be burdening me, Jeff. It might be helpful for me to know some things. Especially when you freak out about how you're relating to Sophie. I might be able to more understand the context of what you're saying."

"Annie…"

"And I'm not your mom. You don't need to protect me. Especially from knowing the bad things that have happened to you."

Jeff kissed the top of her head again and let his mouth linger there.

Annie felt the pressure of his lips and wondered why he wasn't speaking. She could feel the familiar rapid beatings of his heart. And then she noticed his whole chest tightened in almost a spasm. She attempted to raise her head, but he gently but firmly wouldn't let her.

He continued to hold her in a hug for almost a full minute before easing his grasp.

He gulped as he uttered, "Maybe some other time, though? Not now, not Thanksgiving weekend."

"Okay."

That night, Jeff openly spent the night with Annie in his old bedroom. Dorie didn't bat an eye and refrained from any further Thanksgiving talk about Bill Winger.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Thanksgiving itself was a more pleasant affair compared to the previous evening. As Annie and Dorie cleared some plates from the table, Jeff scooped up Sophie and hauled her off to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

Annie smiled broadly as she watched them leave the room. "He's always trying to make her less sticky. I told him it's kinda pointless after a certain point."

Dorie chuckled. "He doesn't do sticky."

"You should have seen her go for the cake again on his birthday last weekend. I only allowed her to have one very small piece of course. Jeff wasn't too happy about that."

"He'll have to loosen up a bit."

"I think he did, that's what's so funny. He held back every urge he had to take that piece of cake away from her. He says it's the sugar but I'm fairly certain it's mainly about the messiness."

Dorie rolled her eyes.

They placed some dishes in the sink and Annie took out the dish soap in an effort to soak some of them during dessert time.

Dorie handed her another plate. She then cleared her throat before asking, "How is he doing today?"

Annie shrugged. "He's fine."

Dorie leaned one hand on the counter. "Annie dear, I'm sorry to say this, but I overheard you two last night."

Annie's eyes widened as she let out a little squeak. She then hastily exclaimed, "We didn't do anything in his old bedroom!"

Annie quickly scanned her mind for things Dorie might have overheard. She flashed back to some cuddling, with perhaps a fair degree of kissing. And maybe a slight make out, but it was strictly hands-over-clothes, and they had stopped before things became too heated. After all, they had been in his childhood bedroom with Sophie present and his mother down the hall.

Dorie let out a loud prolonged sigh. "Now you sound like my son. That's not what I was referring to. What I meant was I may have heard what you two talked about in the den."

Annie's posture relaxed before she tensed again. "You were spying on us?"

Dorie nodded smugly. "So were you."

They looked at each other for some moments before Dorie added, "Sometimes I think you remind him of me."

Annie cringed.

Dorie asked, "Is he okay?"

"He's better today. A lot better."

"Is he still going to therapy?"

"Yes."

"Good."

Suddenly they heard the clomps of Jeff's steps as he made his way back into the room with Sophie in his arms.

"The sticky hobbit is now significantly less sticky."

Sophie smiled as she clung to Jeff's shoulder. She then rested her head near his neck and looked at Annie and Dorie.

Dorie smiled. "She looks pretty happy to me being less sticky, Jeffrey. Good job."

"Thanks mom." He may have blushed just a little.

Dorie walked over and opened her arms. "Come here, sweetheart. Come to Grandma Dorie."

Jeff's eyes widened. "Mom!"

Annie smiled guiltily as she exchanged looks with a panicked Jeff. She shrugged and mouthed silently to him, "What?"

Sophie leaned away from Jeff and reached toward Dorie. "Gee Gee!"

Dorie grinned as she took Sophie from Jeff. She kissed Sophie on the cheek. "Aren't you a smart girl? Do I get my own name now? I feel so special."

Sophie giggled as she hugged Dorie tightly.

"Mom!"

Dorie continued staring at Sophie in amazement, clearly tickled. "Didn't you hear her? She called me grandma."

Jeff pursed his lips. "She called you 'Gee Gee,' and at any rate, what's this with you trying to teach her to call you grandma?"

Annie broke in, "Jeff, let it go. Your mom's been doing that for a long time, way before you and I were together. She's been trying to be a surrogate grandma to Sophie. Since Sophie doesn't have one."

Dorie nodded, continuing to smiled at Sophie as she remarked, "Every child should have a grandmother. If I had stayed in touch with my own mother, you would have had one Jeffrey. Now my own mother wasn't a peach, so she likely wouldn't have been the nicest grandmother…."

"Mom!"

She uttered in a sing-songy voice, "And Annie's mother as you know isn't in the picture."

Jeff shot a glance at Annie. He gulped, all of a sudden feeling like a jackass. Yet again.

He stated evenly, "Right. She doesn't have a grandmother."

Annie walked over to Jeff and lightly touched his arm. "Can you please not be a jerk about this and let your mom spoil her? Will you do that for Sophie?"

Jeff closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm sorry. Christ."

At that moment, Annie's phone buzzed on the counter. She turned to pick it up, frowning in puzzlement when looked at the display.

"Hmm….it's Britta."

Jeff sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Whoop dee do."

Annie's eyes shot up to him. "I'm going to take this."

"Fine."

She answered her phone and left the room.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After they finished Thanksgiving dessert, Jeff helped Annie clear the table, and his mom ran off with Sophie.

He eyed her tentatively. "I'm sorry about earlier. I don't care if Sophie calls my mom 'Gee Gee.'

Annie murmured, "It's fine. I can appreciate that might have caught you off guard."

He grabbed a plate from her and placed it on the counter. He remarked cockily, "Thing is, my mom would have been a pretty awesome grandmother. And since I never gave her any grandchildren, Sophie's doing me a big favor."

Annie turned to face him, placing one hand on her hip. She narrowed her eyes. "Stop doing that."

He stilled but didn't look at her. "Doing what?"

"It's Thanksgiving, Jeff. I'm thankful that your mom is a part of our lives. And I don't think we should over think the biology or lack of biology of it all."

He closed his eyes. "Christ."

"Could you please refrain from talking about Sophie in terms of doing favors for you with your mom? Can you please just try to accept that your mom and I are friends? We've been friends before I started dating you. And she's been like a mom to me. And she's been a grandmother to Sophie. And I don't want to cheapen that."

Jeff turned, took a step forward, and then put his arms around her. "For the trillionth time this weekend, I'm sorry. You're right. Sophie deserves a grandmother. And hey, if everyone's happy, it's cool."

"But you're not happy about it."

He took a deep breath before he answered, "Actually, it's fine. Really."

Annie looked up and watched his face. She felt a drop in her stomach. She smiled weakly. "It's important to me that Sophie has a grandparent. My Bubbe was the only reliable one who got me through my childhood."

"I know. I was being an ass."

"You're not an ass, Jeff. And thank you for allowing us to come to Thanksgiving with you. It's much better than my Thanksgiving at Shirley's last year, trust me."

He smirked as he pulled her in tighter hug. "I hope so, even with me being an ass."

"Even with that."

He laughed.

Annie reflected as she leaned into his chest about how Jeff was often confusing. She wished she could enter his head. First he kept bringing up the idea of a crib, then he gave her a key, and now he became irritable with the idea of his mom being Sophie's grandmother figure.

Annie sighed, figuring it would all settle itself out. And perhaps they didn't need to analyze it at present. She was trying to take her own advice and not over think things.

Jeff kissed her head and then mumbled into her hair, "Hey, why was Britta calling earlier anyway?"

Annie sighed into his chest. "She may have been a little drunk. She said something about two-for-one cranberry vodka shots. And some other nonsense. Basically, I think she just needed to run something past me."

Jeff frowned, feeling that two-for-one cranberry vodka shots sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place it.

"Dare I ask what that was?"

"You don't want to know. Hopefully I talked her out of doing something stupid."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dorie watched as Jeff pretended to chase Sophie through the living room. Sophie turned to look over her shoulder and laughed before she stumbled toward the ottoman. She fell forward as a rabbit jumped across her path.

Jeff lunged forward and picked up a crying Sophie. "You're okay, munchkin."

He turned to his mom and remarked irritably, "See? I told you."

Dorie responded, "Toddlers fall all the time, Jeffrey. If it hadn't been for Horace she would have likely tripped over that kangaroo over there." She gestured toward Ruthie.

"Yeah, but…"

"You've seen her fall countless times by now, I'm sure. She'll learn and get better at walking. You'll see."

He squinted before asking, "Why do I get the feeling you're trying to teach me something?"

"Because I am, dear. I don't expect you to know these things."

Jeff placed a now consoled Sophie back on the floor. He sat down and reached for Ruthie, placing her in front of Sophie.

Dorie walked over and plopped down on the floor next to him.

Jeff frowned in thought for a moment before stating, "But Annie seems to know what to do with her. And what to expect of her."

"So you think there's something wrong with you that you don't instinctively know?"

He avoided her gaze as he entertained Sophie with the Kangaroo, making various supposedly kangaroo-like movements. "I dunno. Maybe. I might be missing that chip or something."

Dorie smiled as she watched Sophie interact with the kangaroo, clearly enraptured. "If we want to talk about instinct, I think you've got some good hunches. You seem to know what to do to calm her down, for instance."

"I couldn't always do that. I watched Annie." He made more hopping motions with Ruthie.

"And then you did it. And I notice you have your own way of doing it. After all, Sophie responds differently to you than she does to her mother. Children are like that. They expect different things from different people."

"Hmmm."

"And you and Sophie have a nice little rapport going on. I think she likes to play with you. At the same time, she goes to you for comfort if her mother's not in the room."

"So I'm backup."

"You'll always kind of be backup. Again, that's just how kids are at her age. But I'm fairly confident you're her second favorite person in the entire world."

Jeff stared off as he absentmindedly wiggled Ruthie. Sophie let out a squeal and grabbed the kangaroo, hauling it to her mouth. She began to suck on one of the ears.

Jeff didn't appear to notice as he asked in a low voice, "But how does Annie know?"

"I don't follow."

"Never mind."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jeff placed Sophie gingerly in the crib. He kissed her forehead and pulled up her blanket, careful to mimic the movements he always saw Annie make. He had only really put Sophie down a couple times by himself, and once she was sick so he wasn't sure if that counted.

He stopped to watch her as she moved her arms up and stretched. She rested her hands next to her head.

He frowned, wondering what he should do about that situation. Am I supposed to move them back?

He heard Annie enter the room.

She came up to him and whispered, "Is she okay?"

"I don't know. She's sleeping. But she just stretched out for a second there and now she's positioned all funny."

Annie smiled as she looked into the crib. "Awwww…she's all relaxed."

"Her arms are up. Should I put them back down? Or maybe you should do it. I"ll probably just wake her up."

Annie turned to look at him. "Don't be a dummy. She's fine. She can sleep like that."

"Are you sure?"

"That means she's feeling safe. She's completely unguarded."

"Safe?"

"She trusts that you'll be here to ward off all the scary monsters that might try to eat her."

He let out a quick low laugh. "Cute, Annie."

"She's content. Thank you for getting her to fall asleep. It gave me a chance to catch up with your mom."

"No problem."

"And thank you for keeping her safe. I know I told you that once before, but I want you to know that I mean it."

They watched Sophie for a few moments in silence. Annie then took Jeff's hand and led him out of the room.

xxxxxx

A/N: Please note there is a supplemental chapter, "Cranberry Vodka Shots," which covers Britta and Duncan's Thanksgiving. It was posted yesterday. Not absolutely necessary reading for following this story, of course. Merely for those interested in that plotline.