Author's Note: Thanks for the great feedback!
In this chapter we get a bit of Hanna-family!fluff, I hope you'll still like it. I just love Marty interacting with little kids, and that's why I wanted to dedicate a chapter to that also. Michelle might be a bit OOC, but when I started writing this story, I never saw her on the show, so it's still a bit of my personal imagination. I depicted her as a self-conscious mother therefore. I hope that doesn't bother too much
Hope you'll like it. Read, review, and enjoy ;)
After he told G goodbye, Sam makes his way to the parking deck, where Kensi and Marty are already waiting for him in the car. As he enters the car, Kensi snorts playfully, "What were you guys up to, tea party?"
"No, just an overly anxious G Callen on meds. Is really hilarious," Sam shakes his head, "I definitely should've taken a video for blackmailing material... either way... What were you guys up to?"
"We decided that Green Lantern is way behind Batman coz Batman doesn't even need the superpowers to be a superhero, which makes him a double-hero," Kensi declares. She figured it might be best to keep up the light mood and return to "their" kind of normal. And for Kensi and Marty... that's TV shows and comic books. She showed him some pieces from her collection, and Marty admitted that he used to have some when he was still smaller, but only the classics.
"Ah, you kids and your comic books," Sam shakes his head, though he is glad that Kensi managed to keep spirits high for the teenager. Kensi makes a face, "Don't mock the comic books. They are very valuable and will be my pension later in life. And then I'll be rich and living on Tahiti with young gorgeous island men handing me drinks in coconuts."
"Dream on," Sam huffs. Kensi leans back in her seat dramatically, "Already there, oh, coconuts."
Sam rolls his eyes, before he turns to Marty, "So? You ready to go, too?"
"Yeah," Marty nods. He is not exactly sure about staying elsewhere, but he also knows that he can't stay in the hospital... and seemingly not in the apartment. So, he'll have to go with it.
They drop off Kensi at Nell's before Sam drives home. Marty remained very silent throughout the drive, probably because he is nervous, or so the ex-SEAL figured. Marty is simply still having a hard time asking for favors, and sleeping over at someone else's place is just that to him, as it seems.
"C'mon, let's go," Sam says as he parks the car. Marty looks around curiously. He can't remember the last time he's seen such a decent neighborhood. There are actually white fences and dog houses, ha! At some point Marty actually believed this was just something the movie industry came up with to sell the American Dream, but this neighborhood... wow, just like out of the catalog. They exit the car and make their way to the house. Marty stares at the lawn... even grass seems greener here! Sam opens the door and calls out, "Michelle? Girls! I'm back."
Marty takes a step back, not sure what to make of it. Michelle emerges from the kitchen, walks up to Sam and kisses him on the cheek: "Hey, honey."
"And I brought a guest," Sam nods at the teenager still behind him, and Michelle nods with a smile, "I can see that."
"Michelle? This is Marty, G's little brother. Marty? This is my wife Michelle," Sam introduces the two. Marty walks up to her to shake her hand, "Pleasure to meet you, ma'am."
Michelle chuckles, "Ma'am is what you call a teacher, just call me Michelle, alright, sweetheart?"
"Okay... Michelle, pleasure," Marty flashes a genuine shy smile that is already melting the woman's heart. He heard about it from Sam couple of times already – this little guy can make you do anything with those puppy eyes.
"G's still in hospital, so I thought it'd be best that he slept over at our place," Sam explains.
"Oh, yes, of course! Any of G's family is our family," Michelle nods, "So now, c'mon in. I'm just fixing some dinner. Girls! Girls! Come downstairs before I kick your butts!"
After a few moments, two girls with wands, tiaras, and pink and purple fairy wings hop down the stairs.
"Daddy!" they cry out joyfully as they make it over to Sam. He embraces the two, maybe a little tighter than he usually does. The events of today made him realize once again how easily you can lose what's precious to you. After squeezing them one last time, he lets go and explains, "Girls? We got a guest. This is Marty, Uncle G's brother. Say hi to Marty."
"Hi, Marty!" both smile simultaneously.
"Marty? Those are my girls. This is Jasmine, she's six, and this is Marie, she's four," Sam says.
Marty bows in front of them ceremoniously, "Hello, Princess Jasmine, good evening, Fairy Queen Marie."
"Ha! He knows it!" Jasmine snickers.
Marie: "Right, daddy," Marie turns to her father almost reproachfully. Marty makes a face, "What now?" Did he say something wrong? But Sam explains, "They are upset that I never know the difference. They mix those outfits together and get mad at me when I don't know what they represent. You got it right on first try, that's a huge plus."
Marty can't help but shrug at that, "Easy, anything without wings is a princess, if there's anything blue or fish or anything with a water-theme, just attach a mermaid to it. If it's a wand and has wings, it's a fairy for sure, if it's got a wand but no wings it's a Magician, and if it has a broom or tipped hat, it's a witch... though hybrids may also come up on occasion."
"You come to know that how again?" Sam makes a face.
"I already told you, that's when you camp out with little girls for years. You catch up on a few things to keep them occupied," Marty explains. Sam nods courtly. Marty is glad that he doesn't poke for questions now. It just reminds him of the ring and how he sat with the crying girls on the ground, holding them close, shushing sweet little lies of hope in their ears. How he used to tell them the greatest of stories about sunlight and stars shining so bright to make the bars disappear, the mud, the shame, so that nothing but happiness remained. Where fairies flew by and strawberries popped out of concrete. Where milk and honey filled the valleys and the lakes that actually were the drainpipes. Where Mermaids sprang out of the water of the endless oceans, playing with the fish, even if it was just puddles from the rain. Where witches were the police and kept everyone safe. Where magic surrounded them as a protective shield. A place no one but them could touch. Where little girls could be little girls, only for a moment, before cold and hard hands came to claim them again.
Marty shakes his head. He doesn't want to think about it. This is... this is good. He is no longer there and he won't panic. Five, four, three, two, one... okay, fine again.
"So you're Uncle G's brother for real?" Jasmine suddenly asks, studying Marty curiously. Marty offers a gentle smirk, "Yeah, for real."
"But why didn't we ever see you before?!" Jasmine argues, shaking her head. Sam jumps in, "Girls, we talked about this. Marty and Uncle G lived apart and only got back together now."
"Right. We grew up in different places, but we are real brothers," Marty agrees. Jasmine turns her attention to her father, then, "Daddy?"
"What is it, sweety?" Sam smirks.
"If Uncle G's our uncle and Marty is his brother... is he our uncle then, too?" the older sister asks. Sam scratches the back of his head with a frown, "Uhm... I don't really know, sweety."
"But daddy, that's important!" Jasmine exclaims, and Marie joins, making a serious face, "Right, daddy!"
"For what?" Sam argues. Jasmine rolls her eyes at her dad, "For everything, daddy!"
"Right, now don't be a dummy, daddy!" Marie shakes her head.
"Do you want Marty to be your uncle?" Sam asks.
"Duh!" the two roll their eyes simultaneously. Marty can't help but laugh. Those two are totally adorable.
"Well, it's up to Marty to say," Sam explains, before he turns to the kid, "Marty, you wanna be their uncle?"
"I don't mind," Marty shrugs with a smirk. And he knows better than to object the wishes of two little princesses.
"Then Marty's your uncle also," Sam nods. The kids start to twirl around, "Yay! Awesome!"
"Well, good that we clarified that," Sam shakes his head, "Alright, what do you wanna do with your new Uncle Marty now?"
"Marty! C'mon, you play with us," Marie cries out. Marty holds up his hands in surrender, "But I don't know how the game goes. You'll have to explain it to me, pumpkin."
"Sure!" Marie nods frantically. Jasmine already pulls on his sleeve, "C'mon, this way!"
"... okay," Marty shrugs. The two pull on him and drag him into the living room. Sam shakes his head with a smile before he joins Michelle in the kitchen. She is cutting some vegetables as he embraces her from behind, giving her another kiss on the cheek, "Hey."
"Hey," she smirks, "I take it the girls already claimed stake on our guest?"
"He was already elected Uncle and I think we will have a hard time separating them from him," Sam chuckles. He already anticipated that, but he's still amazed just how much children seem to love Marty... and how much Marty seems to love children.
"Thank God there's still the good old threatening," Michelle snickers mischievously.
"Or we throw a cookie at them," Sam suggests, but Michelle sighs, "That only worked until they figured that this was our way to get them upstairs."
The two girls always had a mind on their own, which means that as a parent, you get really creative.
"True again," Sam grimaces, leaning a little closer, "I hope is really okay that I brought him along?"
Michelle turns around to face him, making a face, "What? No, of course it's straight-up awful that you give a boy of the family shelter. How dare you?"
"I'm just saying," Sam exhales. He should've talked to her first, but this was a decision out of the moment. However, Michelle repeats another time, "I meant what I said. G is your partner, he is one of the family, so that goes for his kin, too. And you don't leave family in the open. Plus, the girls already love him. And they are picky."
"Is just... you know, he has some issues," Sam admits, but Michelle argues, "You told me – and we'll deal with it."
"Okay," Sam smirks. Yeah, he really has the most amazing wife ever.
"Is there something I'm supposed to know about the food?" Michelle asks casually.
"Just let me handle the drinks," Sam says.
"I hope he likes casserole and veggies," Michelle frowns, looking over the pots on the stove with a grimace.
"I don't think he'd tell you even if he hated it," Sam chuckles. No, he knows Marty wouldn't. Michelle exhales, "G is really lucky with that kid, as it seems. The girls will only spit back the veggies again to show us that they'd rather have just candy and cake. He must have taught him good manners."
"All there already. He's a really kind kid," Sam shrugs.
"I bet... mind putting on the plates and everything?" Michelle asks.
"No, on it," Sam smiles, happy to have his family normalcy. Really, after such events, you cherish even things like setting up the dinner table, or family dinner in general. Because it is on those occasions that you realize how much of a loss it would be to be without it.
Sam sets the table in the dining room as Michelle brings the pots. Once they are done, Sam calls out, "Kids? Dinner's ready."
The girls come in, both holding Marty by the hands, dragging him along. "You have to fight them back or they'll think they can always do that," Sam advises the teenager.
"Oh, I don't mind," Marty smiles as he sits down.
"You say that now," Sam chuckles. He loves his girls, but they can be little beasts if they have to. "Okay, here you go, Marty. I hope you like it," Michelle says as she hands him a full plate. Marty takes it, and mumbles sheepishly, "Sure. Yes. Thank you. I mean... thanks."
"You're cute," Michelle beams at him.
"Marty, is it okay to have a glass of juice or you just want a can of pop?" Sam asks, keeping up a casual tone so that Marty doesn't feel as though he is treated specially special. Marty glances at him for a second, licks his lip, elaborating on the situation, but then smiles, "Juice would be great. Thank you."
Sam grins at him. That means Marty trusts them at least enough to accept drinks. He had already feared that Marty would feel too uncomfortable for that. Marty on the other hand is thankful that Sam doesn't make it a major issue, but simply addresses the issue without putting more emphasis on it.
Sam pours him a glass he hands to him. Marty glances at it for a few seconds, a little hesitantly, but eventually goes on to drink some of it. They start to eat. Sam observes from the corner of his eye whether or not Marty eats or just hamsters the food, but in fact he eats the meal, if ever so hesitant, but that is something they are all quite accustomed to.
"So... how has your day been?" Sam turns to Michelle, who replies, "Not too spectacular. Did some cleaning. Did some gardening. Talked to Clarice for two hours coz she wouldn't stop blabbering about her new cat. God, I hate that animal already, and I haven't even seen it yet! Either way... Then I got some groceries, yelled at someone in the parking lot who wanted to take the one for the disabled people, almost killed him, but then didn't, coz it was day and then you always have trouble hiding the body... you know, the usual things."
Marty almost drops his fork... the teenager knows that G and he already have weird conversations when they start to joke about shotguns and terrorists or so, but that Michelle drops such news in front of her kids, with such a casual attitude, is even new to him. He knows that Michelle works for the CIA, but still... that means the brothers aren't the only ones who are a bit... nuts? Marty starts to like it here.
"Do I have to worry about charges?" Sam chuckles softly.
"Not really, though I still think 'bout charging him," Michelle grimaces.
"I bet he'll change supermarket from this day on," Sam laughs.
"That might be," Michelle smirks mischievously.
"And what did you two do?" Sam asks the two sisters.
"We were in the Fairy Country and saved the Magical Gum Balls," Marie explains, her expression utmost serious.
"Good job, you guys," Sam praises them with a smile.
"It was hard coz they are fat," Marie adds.
"The Magical Gum Balls, you mean?" Sam frowns. His children always had a wanton imagination, but sometimes he doesn't know what they breed out inside their cute little heads.
"Uh-huh!" Marie says around a mouthful of casserole.
"They played around with the Swiss balls all day long, rolling them up and down the stairs," Michelle translates with a roll of her eyes.
"It was a very risky mission," Jasmine insists.
"In fact, because you almost knocked over Aunt Annabel's vase," Michelle grumbles.
"A ghost lives in there," Jasmine cries out dramatically, but her mother retorts sternly, "It does not – and you will get no pocket-money if you try to break it to set the ghost free, girls, we talked about this."
"Boo," Jasmine pouts. Marty smiles... he really starts to like those two.
"So G is really okay?" Michelle asks, ignoring the girls and their fantasy world for now... if you encourage them, it only gets worse.
"Yeah, lucky bast...," Sam wants to curse, but then bites his tongue, having forgotten that his children are at the table – and then it's not good to use bad words, since then they'll use it for the next three weeks, yelling it at anyone... on any occasion... in public... it was really no pleasure to explain to their eighty-year old neighbor that the girls didn't mean it when they yelled "moron" at her for five minutes... for no reason. Though that was Michelle's fault. She said it.
"Bast basket maker," Marty scaffolds quickly. Sam offers him an appreciating smile for the help, "Right, that. Well, it didn't do any damage other than the cut, so he'll be good to go in a couple of days. The doctors just want to keep an eye on him to be sure."
"That's good," Michelle smiles. She knows how close her husband is to the other agent. They are best friends. And she likes G, too. Even though he made the girls cry a couple of times.
"What is it with Uncle G?" Jasmine asks curiously.
"Oh, nothing bad, honey. Nasty appendicitis," Sam lies, but that only causes the older sister to frown, "Didn't he already have that?"
"Yeah, but this time it needed to be taken out," Sam adds. Whehn G got shot and they asked about him, the parents told them that he had an appendicitis, too.
"Oh," the girl nods.
"But he'll be fine soon again."
"Yay!" Marie throws her hands in the air.
"You can draw him a get-well-soon card if you want," Michelle offers.
"What would he like?" Jasmine asks. "One with tons of glitter and pink, I'm sure," Sam smirks. Marty snickers. Yeah, right.
"So... Marty, how do you like it with G?" Michelle asks, wanting to keep up conversation with the teenager. After all, this is G Callen's little brother. She wants to get to know him!
"Is great," Marty smiles broadly.
"Really?" Michelle makes a face, "Last time I remember he was not as socialized."
"He's great," Marty insists looking at her sternly. Even if he doesn't raise his voice, you can hear that he's deadly serious about the matter – and won't allow that someone talks about his brother in a bad way, just as it is the other way around. It just proves how strong their bond is, against all odds.
"Hear that, girls? Can't you follow Marty's example and be as grateful as he is?" Michelle jokes. The girls are minding their own business, flopping around the peas. The mother rolls her eyes, "That's what I'm talking about. Girls, you're supposed to eat it, not kill it."
"It's mean little balls who want to...," Jasmine wants to say, but Michelle interrupts her, "We are not going to make those peas any more than peas. You will eat those vegetables, they won't bite you back, c'mon."
"Boo!" Marie pouts.
"Stop the boos here!" Michelle grumbles. That is what they always do when they don't get their will. They pout and boo at them.
"Boo!" Jasmine agrees.
"Oh my," Sam chuckles, but that only makes Michelle angry, "And you're not of much help either, husband."
"Sorry, wife," Sam grins.
"Better be," she threatens him, before turn to Marty with a sweet smile again, "So... back to you, Marty, before I start to yell again... What do you do for a hobby?"
"I like surfing," he grimaces sheepishly. He is getting more attention than he'd like...
"Oh, really?" Michelle smiles.
"Yeah, Eric takes me every Sunday... and sometimes during the week," Marty nods, "I love the ocean."
"I like the ocean, too, though I just go swimming," Michelle agrees.
"Swimming's cool, too," Marty assures quickly. The mother can't help but crack another smile. Marty's really... cute.
"Anything else you do?" Michelle asks curiously.
"... uhm, guessing cars?" Marty frowns.
"How does that work?" Michelle makes a face. Marty suddenly glances to the window, waits a moment, then you can hear a car passing by, before he says, "2003 Dodge Caravan."
"Correct, our neighbor's car," Sam nods. With that Marty shrugs at Michelle, "That's guessing cars."
"Impressive," Michelle nods, puckering her lips a bit.
"Thanks," Marty smiles sheepishly.
"What else?" Michelle questions, but Marty just shrugs again, "... dunno."
"He also does Origami," Sam adds with a wink.
"Right," Marty nods, "Sam teaches me some more. I could only do a rose, but it's getting better."
"That's great," Michelle smiles.
"And I love movies and TV," Marty says... now thinking about it, he has more hobbies than he had estimated.
"Kensi," Sam chuckles, and Michelle understands. Her husband told her that the Junior Agent is a TV-movie-crack. And it's really great to see that G's little brother actually has hobbies that connect him with all the team.
Once they are finished, Michelle declares, "Okay, daddy and I will wash off those plates now. If you girls didn't finish your carrots and peas by the time we're back, there's no dessert for you."
"Not fair!" Marie pouts.
"So not fair!" Jasmine agrees, but Michelle doesn't waver, "Just eat the peas and the carrots and you get it, I find that a very fair deal."
"Shall I help with the plates?" Marty offers politely.
"No, thank you, hon. We got it, and you're the guest here," she argues, "This is the first time a child has asked me that. I think I'm going to cry from joy."
Sam smirks at her as the two leave for the kitchen.
"He's adorable," Michelle breaks out as she puts the dishes down.
"He's a good kid, straight-up to the core. And he does G damn good, too," Sam agrees.
"I picture. Just shows how good he is, if he can move the unmovable stone G Callen," Michelle snickers.
"That's what we all think," Sam agrees, "They simply belong together."
"You mind telling me now what it has to do with the drinks?" Michelle asks.
"He was roofied once, as far as I know, since then he has trouble accepting drinks from people he doesn't really know or if he is in a new situation. He is fine with bottled and canned drinks, but when you want to give him something in a glass or so, you should ask him before. Then he says if he's fine with it. It's one of his triggers. Sometimes he doesn't mind, other times he does," Sam explains.
"Is that why you had that huge dumb smile on your face when he asked for the juice?" Michelle snickers.
"I didn't know if he'd trust me that much. It means a big deal to him," Sam smiles.
"... though it's making me sick what's the reason for it," Michelle grits her teeth. Sam told her about Mart's rough background, but to hear that a child can't enjoy a normal drink because of such a thing... it makes her want to shoot those people in the face, or worse.
"Me, too," Sam agrees, "But G's got a pretty good handle on the situation, given that he was thrown into the parenting thing all of a sudden. I'm bound to say."
"Well, I guess that maybe this is what he needed anyways, you know? Someone to watch out for, care for, be around for? Don't you think?" Michelle shrugs. She knows G a bit, from the few times he was over at their house, and one of the first things she has noticed about him was that ever-present loneliness in his eyes, this aura of belonging nowhere.
"Yeah," Sam nods.
"They'll have to come over once he's better. I wanna see those two interact, because they are probably glued together, as far as you told me. I didn't get to see G at all since this started," Michelle says.
"I know, he's been pretty busy with Marty," Sam nods.
"Of course," Michelle shrugs.
"But I'll let him know," Sam winks at her, before he carries on, "G gave me one helluva list for things to watch out for Marty and his, well, kinks. I mean... it was so funny to see him fussing about it like I did when we went out for dinner for the first time after we had Jasmine and had the babysitter over."
"Oh, don't remind me. She was scared outta her mind," Michelle grunts, but then turns serious again, "but speaking of which, is there something I should know? Like... that he might hurt someone else in panic? I just ask so that I can tell the girls in case."
"Well, if he's spacing out or asleep, you and the girls shouldn't just touch him. Call his name and, for good measure, take a step back after that. Sometimes he kicks or jumps out of reflex," Sam explains.
"Well, I'll tell the girls later on. We just won't make it much of a big deal, then," Michelle offers. Sam kisses her on the cheek as he dries the plates, "You are the best."
"I know I'm amazing," she smirks, "Let's see how far our girls got."
"I say one carrot each – and the rest flew through the room," Sam smirks.
"They'll be picking them up with stencils if they dare," Michelle growls. The two walk back in from the dining room. The girls are finishing up their plates.
"So, girls, how much is left so that we can debate on the dessert," Michelle wants to say, but then glances at the plates, "Now wait! Where are the carrots – and the peas?"
"The what?" Marie looks up exasperated, but Marty quickly jumps in, "The witch fingers and the magical green stars, honey. You already ate them all?"
"All in my tummy now," Marie smiles, rubbing her stomach for show.
"Wait, what? You made them eat their vegetables?!" Michelle stammers. The teenager turns to her sheepishly, "... is that a problem?"
"No, is just that the girls normally don't touch any of their vegetables," Sam adds quickly.
"How did you do that?" Michelle asks. They already tried anything to bribe the girls, but they just won't. Marty wants to explain, but Marie is already goofing around with her carrots again, which is why he turns to her, "You keep it up with the witch fingers, if you don't eat up, they'll come tickle your tummy from the inside, sweety."
"Oh!" Marie gapes, and quickly carries on eating.
"And the stars will beam green all night if you don't chew properly, Jazzie," Marty lectures the older sister, but she doesn't buy it, "No way!"
"Totally. I saw that on someone," Marty returns, making an utmost serious face.
"You're lying," Jasmine shakes her head.
"Wish I were," Marty shrugs, "But if you don't believe it, well... then you glow green, not my problem."
"You really mean that?!" Jasmine asks, now nervousness getting the better of her, and Marty immediately adds, "Heck yeah. People couldn't sleep next to him coz he shone so brightly."
"What happened to him?" Marie asks curiously.
"He's a frog now, a glowing frog named Dudley," Marty explains. The parents grin. He can really deliver a story.
"No way!" Marie cries out.
"If I tell you so," Marty replies. The smaller girl turns around to her sister, "Jazzie, finish up the stars already!"
Jasmine nods hastily as she chews the last portions of peas. Sam and Michelle just stare at the scene.
"And that's all?" Michelle asks. Marty turns to her, "Well, and you have to sell it the right way. I mean... who wants to eat vegetables? That just doesn't sound right. No, you eat... witchfingers or... or little stars... or fairy flowers... something with fairies and princesses. Girls dig those for a good amount of time. It'll get difficult later, but until then..."
"Sam, Marty will come over for dinner every day from this day on," Michelle informs her husband.
"Yeah?" Sam smirks.
"If he makes the girls eat their vegetables, this is surely worth another serving," his wife snorts.
"What about G?" Sam asks playfully. Michelle replies, "He can have something too for as long as he brings this little guy along."
"I hope you heard that," Sam winks at Marty, who shrugs, "Well, you gotta ask G."
"Maybe we should get G outta the way so we can have him," Michelle whispers playfully.
"Hey!" Marty cries out. Michelle glances at him, "Ah, forgot, you can read lips, can't you?"
Marty nods.
"He's like the spy son we never had," Michelle snickers.
"G won't share, believe me," Sam huffs. No way. Callen hates to share, and he hates to share Marty even more.
"Pity. Well, okay, so since the princesses decided to have some of the... witch fingers, dessert for everyone," Michelle declares. The girls yelp, "Yay!"
Michelle and Sam grab their plates and walk back into the kitchen. Sam washes the last dishes while she prepares the ice cream.
"He's doing incredibly well with kids," Michelle says. Sam already mentioned it, but now she got to see it – and it really amazes her.
"He simply has this kinda influence on kids, he just knows how to talk to them," Sam shrugs, the picture of the small child hugging him after they freed them out of the sex ring still vivid in his mind.
"It's just... I don't know. If you think about what he's been through... I'd understand if he simply, you know, hated the world?" Michelle grimaces, and Sam can't help but shrug, "We all ask ourselves at some point, even G... but Marty just doesn't. I don't know. He simply shines. He's incredibly strong, that's all I know. In the beginning he wasn't cheerful, but since he learned that G is his brother... he's really opened up, as has G."
"Well, then it's for good... for as long as people are happy," Michelle smiles, "Okay, let's get them their well-deserved dessert."
The two adults walk back into the dining room to find Marie on Marty's lap as he rocks her back and forth while Jasmine twirls around herself to make her dress spin as Marty hums a rhythm. Michelle watches in awe for a moment before she nudges against Sam, leaning her head against his shoulder for a moment, both enjoying this moment of bliss before the ice cream is handed out and greedily eaten.
The evening carries on uneventfully. The girls play with Marty while the parents watch some TV.
"Okay, girls, it's time for you to go to bed!" Michelle declares, but the girls don't want to, "No!"
"Yes," Michelle hisses sternly.
"But we wanna play with Marty!" Jasmine argues.
"Girls, I think Marty could use a break from playing horse for you, c'mon," Sam lectures them. The girls turn to their mother hopefully, "Mommy!"
"Na-ah, you'll walk upstairs right now, or else Marty won't play with you in the morning!" Michelle says. Both pout, but the mother ignores it, "Now tell daddy and Marty goodnight."
The two run up to their father to jump on him for hugs and kisses, "Night, daddy."
"Night, girls," Sam smirks. After that they instantly run up to Marty and fall down on him, doing just the same they did with Sam. Marty is surprised for a second, but then kisses both on the forehead, "Night, you two."
"Nighty, Marty," the two sisters laugh. With that they walk back up to their mother. Michelle grabs them by the hands to go upstairs. "I'll prep up the guest room once they are in bed," she says as she goes. "Thanks," Marty nods. Once the children are out of sight, Marty rolls on his back with a grunt.
"I told you, don't let them push you around," Sam smirks, amused.
"I don't know how you say no to them, coz I can't," Marty chuckles.
"I let Michelle do it," Sam shrugs.
"I'll try to remember that...," Marty huffs.
"So you're okay?" Sam asks cautiously.
"What? Yeah, of course," Marty assures him.
"Well, I'm just asking. This is the first night you don't sleep over at G's," Sam explains. He just wants to make sure the kid is alright.
"I know," Marty nods with a grimace, though he is not too sure about it yet.
"You know, if you miss him or so, you can always use our phone," Sam adds quickly.
"I'm good," Marty nods. He is good, for now anyways. He misses G, but it's not... panicky missing yet.
"Okay, just saying. Don't bother to ask or just pick up the phone, or if you wanna see him again... I can sneak you in," Sam smirks, causing Marty to chuckle, "Is good to have agents as friends."
"You got it," Sam laughs.
Michelle comes back downstairs, glancing at Marty still on the ground, "Did they break your back?"
"Not yet. But we'll play witches next time. Witches have brooms to fly around with. No horses. Definitely no horses," Marty grunts, though he has the hugest of smiles on his face.
"Well, the room's ready, if you want to sleep. I bet you're very exhausted," Michelle winks.
"Yeah, actually," Marty admits. He is totally worn out to be honest. All the worrying, crying, fearing, not panicking... now that he is calmed down... it starts to nag at him.
"The bathroom is at the end of the hallway, I put towels and extra tooth-brush and paste and some shower gel and shampoo on there, so you have your own set," Michelle tells him. Marty beams at her, "Wow, thanks."
"Happy for a toothbrush, that I witness that day," Michelle shakes her head, "Either way, Sam? Something's stuck in the sink, if you could take care of that?"
"Did the girls try to stuff something in it again?" Sam grunts, getting up. Michelle shrugs, "Think so. So... if you'd work your magic so that we don't have a flood by morning?"
"Sure, c'mon, Marty. I'll show you," Sam nods before heading upstairs. Marty follows. Once upstairs, Sam points at the rooms as he explains, "That's your room. Our room's over there. The girls sleep over there and there. Look around a bit if you like, I'll just fix the sink."
"... okay," Marty nods, glancing around. Not only the neighborhood is decent, but also the house, that much is for sure. Sam quickly fixes the sink and emerges out of the bathroom with a smile, "All done."
"What did the girls do to it?" Marty frowns.
"They dug up some of the Twizzlers from last Halloween to put through the holes," Sam shakes his head. Marty nods, "Then they probably tried to drown some nasty red snakes."
"That might be... either way, we'll have them lectured by morning on how we don't drown whatsoever in the sink," Sam scratches the back of his head... they had that talk so many times he forgot to count. The girls just always find something new to do to mess around.
"Might be good idea," Marty smirks.
"Okay, kid, so the bathroom is free for you to use... if you want to, you can go inside and use your brand-new toothbrush...," Sam winks at him, but suddenly, Marty's face turns more severe and anxious actually. He bites his lower lip, "Uhm..."
"Something you need?" Sam asks.
"Actually," Marty makes a face... that won't come out right.
"What is it?" Sam blinks at him.
"Do you have a basement?" Marty blurts out.
"Why are you asking me this?" Sam knits his eyebrows together.
"Nothing against the room, I just think it'd be better if I slept in the basement," Marty grimaces.
"Why would you want to sleep in the basement, where it's cold and where there is no bed?" Sam makes a face. That is a kink G forgot to mention.
"I have those nightmares, still. And after what happened today, I don't know if I'm going to have one. And then I start to scream and all... And then... then I might upset the girls. They are just over there," Marty stammers, feeling absolutely embarrassed and ridiculous. But he just can't help it. With G, he has a routine, but he can't demand that routine from other people, can he? And then the girls... they'd be terrified! Sam is visibly shocked at the statement.
"I mean, with G... he, uhm... he... I'm guest here, so," Marty brings out, but then Sam takes his turn, "Right, you are guest here, and you're a welcome guest."
"I'm just saying," Marty mutters faintly, but Sam says, "Here is what we'll do. You will leave the door open so that we can hear you if you have a nightmare or panic attack. G told me what to do. So, no one is sleeping in the basement, and if you dare go downstairs to crash on the ground or so, I will tell G about it and he's gonna give you the earth-mother of lectures."
Marty is taken aback by that gesture.
"So, are we clear?" Sam asks. Marty nods frantically, "Yeah... thanks."
Sam squeezes his shoulder, "You are one of the family, don't regard yourself any less, okay?"
"Okay, thank you," Marty nods, so Sam adds, "Now get yourself ready for bed. And if there's anything you need, you just call out to us."
Marty beams at him shyly before going off for the bathroom. Sam walks back downstairs and sits with his wife, who frowns at him, "Everything alright?"
"Yeah... he just... he just asked me if he should sleep in the basement," Sam makes a face, still mulling this over. He knows from G that Marty hardly accepts favors, and he saw that before, but that Marty would suggest... that? No, he didn't see it coming.
"Why would he ask you that?" Michelle frowns. Sam shrugs, "He has those nightmares. And he was afraid he'd upset the girls if he cries out in his sleep."
"Oh my," Michelle gasps sympathetically. The poor boy.
"I told him to leave the door open and to ask when it's needed," Sam explains, "I just hope he simply sleeps through the night, then he will regain some of his courage."
"Well, he's exhausted, so maybe that helps," Michelle argues. Sam also figures that Marty suggested that because he is very tired and still very afraid, so they shouldn't make a fuss themselves. Keep it normal, Nate's said it before.
"And even if... we deal with it," Sam nods, and Michelle agrees, "Of course."
He kisses her as they continue to watch TV.
Marty flops down on the bed, staring at the ceiling for a minute. He doesn't like the thought of scaring the girls, but Sam mad at him is something he likes even less... and G and Nate told him several times that he has to accept normalcy to happen. This is normal... in their messed-up sense of the term. People sleep over at a friend's house all the time. And then you don't sleep in the basement either, because friends help out, that's normal, too. Marty just hopes it will do. That everything will do. That everything will be okay again. It just has to.
But then he drifts off into sleep and it's not until next morning that he wakes.
Gladly.