A/N: So, this fic was originally planned to be 3 chapters but turned out to be 5 lol. But this chapter is, essentially, where the conflict resolves and chapter 5 is more of an epilogue than anything. Anyway, hope you enjoy and thank you for all your support! x

Chapter 4

Gomez Addams couldn't help but smile at the sight of his mother-in-law dabbing the pacifier in a glass of brandy before offering it to his baby son, who was wriggling unhappily on her laps and would have none of it, spitting the offending device every time Hester managed to put it in between his little lips.

"Come on, you stubborn devil," she urged affectionately. "It will help to soothe your gums."

He was a little devil, indeed. His son was almost one and it still seemed to him nothing but a miracle to have him.

He remembered, in the early years of their marriage, how adamant Morticia was not to have children at all. Which he didn't mind, children were never a priority to him, they were something at the back of his mind that maybe he wanted later in life but having a family wasn't a priority, he was utterly delighted to spend the rest of his life making her his priority, making this enchanting creature he was lucky to call his wife the sole purpose of his existence. She told him she has never seen herself as a mother and didn't want to have children if she couldn't give them what they needed.

He remembered, as if it was yesterday, exactly seven years after they've married - the day she told him she wanted to have a baby and he laughed because he was sure she was jesting. He even made some stupid comment, something about her swearing she never wanted children and the almighty power of female hormones.

He remembered that the glare she graced him with was probably powerful enough to sink the Titanic - twice.

Maybe I want to have your children, Gomez.

She said it so dispassionately she might have as well asked what's for dinner but somehow, those words hit him so profoundly, they left him absolutely speechless. Those words meant to him more than anything. Nothing ever hit him so deeply and so immensely that the fact that she wanted to have a family with him.

And despite all her fears and hesitations, what an amazing mother she has turned out to be. Her love, her utter dedication to their family never failed to take his breath away, and there wasn't a day when he wasn't awed by it - by her. And so infinitely proud and grateful for what they have created.

"Have you seen Morticia?" He asked, finally announcing his presence.

"Mama!" His son exclaimed happily, turning towards the sound of his voice and Gomez felt his lips stretch into a wide grin when Pubert outstretched his little arms towards him.

"She took the children to the tailor," Hester informed him."But I reckon they should be back by now."

"They are, I've seen the children downstairs," he confirmed and came closer to take Pubert into his arms and placed a soft kiss on the side of his head."What were you up to, old man?"

"Ma ma ma," his son replied, placing his little palm over his lips and blew a kiss at his father."Ma!"

"Are you trying to melt my heart into a puddle and write your siblings out of my will, pup?" Gomez asked, propping the boy on his hip and placing another kiss to the crown of his head."Because it's working."

"Mama."

"I was about to put him down for a nap," His mother-in-law informed him."He missed his midday nap, he's been awfully cranky, I think he's teething again."

"I will put him," Gomez said, already cradling the boy in his arms but he could see Hester's gaze on him.

"Morticia said you had a fight," she said brazenly.

"Did she?" he asked in surprise.

It wasn't like her, he thought, Morticia wasn't in the habit of telling her mother of their fights… or at least he didn't think she was.

"What did she say?" He asked anxiously.

"She said you didn't take it very well when she told you…," she paused and let out a small shrug."Well, I don't need to tell you what she's told you… you were there."

He nodded solemnly.

"It's not that… I messed up, I know...," he started and faltered briefly."I want to be for her the support she needs. I just… I didn't realize she needed it, she always seems to be able to take care of everything."

Hester nodded at her son-in-law and waved her hand in a dismissive manner, making the bracelets on her wrist jiggle joyfully.

"Oh, is that what it's about?" She laughed." Morticia always took care of everything," she said lightly, trying to insert the brandy-soaked pacifier into Pubert's little mouth but the boy had none of it, turning his head towards his father's chest." She doesn't need help, she simply worries too much, and she cares too much - that's her problem. I always told her she should be more like Ophelia - that girl doesn't have a care in the world."

Gomez couldn't help but wince at the mere prospect. It was true Ophelia didn't have a care in the world, except most of the time he suspected she didn't even know what planet she was on. Not to mention that she visited them three times in the last six months and each time she was surprised they had a new baby.

Morticia never spoke ill about her family but he realized now what her life with them must have been like, with a sister who lived in her own world and a mother who never took anything seriously. He actually always liked that about her, she never worried about anything, there was no problem that ever seemed to weigh upon her, she was always such a happy and joyful old hag, it was impossible not to like her. Except, he realized now, it was because she too dumped all responsibility on Morticia - just like he did.

He turned to look at his baby son in his arms where he started moaning unhappily as he pushed his little fist into his mouth.

"Come, you little rascal," he muttered affectionately, cradling the baby closer in his arms as he tried to rock him gently to sleep.

"You know that if you make him fall asleep in your arms, he will cry the moment you put him down in the cradle?"

"I don't mind," he smiled at her before placing another soft kiss to the side of Pubert's head."He likes to sleep like that."

Hester shook her head fondly.

"Try to give him the pacifier, the brandy works wonders for teething pain," she advised but Gomez shook his head.

"He doesn't like brandy," he informed her, smiling at the baby in his arms."He prefers the good old Glenturret and it just so happens that I have some in the library."

His mother-in-law certainly did not exaggerate when she said Pubert was cranky, in fact, he would say she vastly underplayed it because the short walk from the nursery to the library was enough for his tired baby son to turn his pitiful little moans into a full-blown meltdown. The boy was wiggling in is his arms so ardently, he almost dropped him twice.

"Hold your horses, pup," he told his crying son, holding his securely to his side as he reached for a crystal decanter pouring its content into a glass."We're going to improvise."

He dipped his finger in the amber liquid and tried to rub it into Pubert's sore gums and winced when his son immediately bit into his finger. Hard.

Really, really hard. It always amazed him - the strength little babies could bit with hardly any teeth at all but at least he stopped crying so cheers to small victories.

Gomez slowly lay down on the sofa and gently placed Pubert on his chest.

"You're having a rough time, aren't you, pup?" He asked, smoothing the baby's black hair in a soothing manner and his son whimpered in reply, nibling earnestly at Gomez's finger."Yeah, me too."

"Ma-ma," he moaned pitifully but finally put the pacifier in his mouth, sucking at it loudly.

"You could at least try once to call me dada."

"Ma-ma, mamamama."

"I'm starting to think you're doing it deliberately, pup," he told the boy suspiciously.

"Mama."

Gomez shook his head in a faux exasperation, placing another kiss to the top of Pubert's nose, listening as the baby cooed to himself unhappily.

"Do you think I'm immature?" He asked suddenly and nearly laughed out loud when his baby son, almost on a cue, took the pacifier out of his mouth and tried to stuff it into Gomez's." I take it as a yes," he chuckled but then sobered up almost immediately."Your mother is not happy with me, pup."

"Mama."

"What do you think I should do?" He asked in a deadpan manner and smiled when Pubert babbled a long line of incoherent mumbling. "Easy for you to say with those big puppy eyes and cute little moustache. I'm not cute enough to pull this off.."

"Ma -ma."

"Apologies are not enough, old man," he sighed."I want to be what she needs and I don't know how."

Pubert blinked at him sleepily, rubbing his eye with his little fist and let out a huge yawn before resting his head on his father's chest, mumbling tiredly to himself.

Gomez placed his palm softly on his son's back and started to pat him gently on the back to lull him to sleep. He leaned further back on the sofa and closed his eyes, silently contemplating his next move.

The last 24 hours was one of the most sobering in his life, there was no doubt about it. How could he have been so blind? How could he have been so selfish not to even consider that his behaviour didn't just affect him, that it affected all of them - his family, people he cared for the most. How heartbreaking to think that they all thought he needed to be shielded like a child, that they didn't think they could share their problems with him because they thought he couldn't handle any of it.

And the most agonising thing was that they were absolutely right and even the realization that he had to change didn't help the fact that he simply didn't know how to.

He didn't know how to help his children grow up into functional adults, he didn't know how to guide them through the whirlwind of emotions that was young adulthood. He didn't know any of that and he should have, he was their father and yet, somehow, it never occurred to him that parenting was never constant. That Pugsley and Wednesday were getting older, they were teenagers, they had different needs and he couldn't parent them in the same way he did when they were little children.

Oh, and how much easier it was back then when it seemed their days were spent on endless fun and not a care in the world. Or, at least, so he thought.

He wanted to be the man Morticia wanted, the man she needed and deserved. And Morticia was right, harsh as it was - she didn't need another child, she needed a husband, a man, not a … well, a manchild, because that's what he was most of the time, wasn't he? A man behaving like a child, another person for her to take care of.

He didn't know what to do, what steps to take to become the person Morticia needed and it terrified him. It terrified him to think what would happen to their marriage if he didn't change, that it would become too much for her and she'd deem him a hopeless case and ultimately leave him.

And he could not bear the prospect of a life where she was not by his side.

He could not bear the thought of living without her, but even more so, he could not bear the thought of being a burden to her, to any of them - to his family, because his family meant everything to him.

And that's why things had to change.

He had to change.

There was no problem in the world that a hot, bubble bath couldn't solve. Or at the very least it was a lovely distraction. It would be even lovelier if her husband was here to join her.

But alas.

Morticia sank deeper into the spacious, copper bathtub, resting her feet softly against the bottom, wondering if Gomez was actually planning to join them for dinner tonight or was he still inclined to sulk in… well, wherever he was sulking. At least he wasn't playing with his trains, she supposed it was a progress. And yet, he skillfully managed to avoid her all day and she hardly knew what to make of it. It wasn't in his habit to avoid her for so long, ever.

Or perhaps it was a good sign? Perhaps he was just taking him time to think about what she said?

Or, which was more probable, he was spending this time in solitude, talking himself into the most absurd things.

Surely, that mad Castilian did not genuinely think she was going to leave him. It would be...well, truth be told it would be perfectly in character for him. Gomez never handled their disagreements well and it took her quite a while to convince him that just because they were sometimes at odds, didn't mean that they were going to divorce. Her husband truly lived under a very misguided perception, that unless he'd be a perfect husband and anticipated her every wish, their marriage was all but over.

Gomez always treated her like she was a gift that was bestowed upon him accidentally, that he was too much of a cad to deserve her and he was so convinced that this spell, this bliss that was their union, would break if he so much as made a mistake - and it seemed that even almost twenty years and three children later wasn't enough to convince him otherwise.

He set himself such unrealistic expectations, it was almost heartbreaking.

This is why she had always hesitated to mention the issue of his inability to deal with problems. She always dreaded having this conversation with him because she knew how much he tried for her, how important her happiness was to him and how devastated he would be if she told him the truth. And so it was much easier to wait for those moments to pass, sweep them under the carpet. It wasn't such a huge problem after all...until it was, that is.

Still, she shouldn't have indulged it for so long. She could have found a way to help him, give him the tools to deal with his problems, and instead, she stayed silent and pretended there was no issue.

Of course, she understood now, that it wasn't just Gomez who didn't know how to handle difficulties, Fester was pretty much the same. She never mentioned it to her husband, but she always thought the whole issue with the Amore Twins and Fester running away to the Bermuda Triangle was a bit overdramatic but then, she was pretty sure the dramatic was where the extra "d" in the Addams name came from.

Although, she could have waited for a better moment to have this conversation with him. She meant what she said but she was so tired lately, she didn't have enough patience for it and it really came out harsher than she intended. Still, Gomez couldn't sulk and avoid her forever.

In fact, she thought as she reached for her towel and slowly got out of the bathtub, she was inclined to have this issue resolved before dinner.

It turned out, finding her husband was much easier than she'd anticipated and Morticia couldn't help but smile at the sight before her.

It always amused her that whenever Gomez Addams put their babies to sleep he always ended up dozing off as well. She thought that their children probably spent more time napping in their father's arms than they did in their cradles.

And she couldn't even begin to explain what it did to her to see him like this. Morticia frequently doubted her ability as a mother but she has never had a single doubt that Gomez would be an amazing father. Indeed, since the moment Gomez Addams became a father for the first time he all but lost his sanity - which he never had in abundance to begin with, but he was absolutely in love with their children. He was utterly besotted with them.

It never bothered him being woken up in the middle of the night by the baby's crying, not once. Even when they had Wednesday and for all her calm demeanour, her daughter had the worst colics during the first four months of her life and would cry for hours, especially during the night and Morticia still remembered how exhausted they were. Especially since they also had little Pugsley to care for as well.

But Gomez would just carry his daughter in his arms in the middle of the night for hours, so Morticia could have her rest - talking to her, singing to her, or if all failed, taking her for a tour of the graveyard, telling her stories about all the various relatives until the baby girl finally fell asleep, usually in the wee hours of the morning.

She shook her head and quietly came inside the library, where her husband and their baby son were currently fast asleep on the sofa. Late afternoon wasn't really an ideal time for Pubert to have a nap, he would surely keep them up until late now.

She frowned gently when she noticed a small flush on Pubert's usually lovely pallor and bent over, pressing her palm gently to her son's forehead.

He felt a bit too warm.

She heard a gentle change in Gomez's breathing. He inhaled deeply and when she turned towards him he was already blinking at her sleepily as if surprised she was here.

"Is he alright?" She whispered."He's rather warm."

Gomez rubbed his eyes and nodded at her.

"I think he's teething again," he replied."His gums are sore, he's been very restless. I managed to rub some whiskey into his gums, he went to sleep after."

Morticia smiled gently and nodded, running her hand softly over the back of Pubert's head.

"Why don't you take him upstairs?" She proposed."I will bring him something for the fever."

He agreed mutely and slowly lifted himself up, not to disturb the sleeping baby on his chest. He placed his palm gently over the back of Pubert's head, when he began to stir, rubbing his finger softly against his hair in a soothing manner as he watched his wife making her way towards the kitchen.

"Morticia, wait."

He watched her turn towards him, her expression mildly expectant and he suddenly was lost for words. He simply didn't know where to start, all he wanted was to take her into his arms and beg forgiveness and tell her he'd do anything she asked, he will be anything she asked -

"Are you done with the sulking, darling?" Morticia broke the brief silence.

He would usually smile at such a question, except now he found nothing even remotely funny about it. He behaved like a child.

"I am," he replied, clearing his throat gently."You're right, Tish," he admitted finally."In everything you said."

He almost breathed out in relief when she slowly made her way back to him and perched gently on the edge of the sofa, folding her hands on top of her knees.

"I'm glad you think so," she said.

He swallowed uncomfortably, suddenly unsure where to go from here.

"I never wanted to be a burden to you," he breathed out hoarsely.

"You're not a burden," she denied immediately, looking at him softly."You never were."

"I can't stand the thought that I made you suffer," he confessed, propping Pubert gently in his arms."All I ever wanted was your happiness… and I've failed you."

"Gomez, you haven't...you haven't failed me," Morticia replied, shaking her head as she drew her bottom lip gently in between her lips."I didn't want to imply that you've failed me."

"But I have - "

"No," she replied softly." Nothing you've ever done in our marriage would I consider a failure," she told him and paused briefly, allowing her words to sink in." You're almost manically committed to my happiness," she teased and was pleased when her words managed to elicit a small smile out of him." And I am happy," she assured.

"I wasn't there for you when you needed me," he pointed out. "I wasn't there when it really mattered."

She looked straight at him but didn't deny his words, there was no point to deny them, there was no point to lie to him. And she didn't want to lie to him.

"I feel like, what made us so good together," she said instead, her tone slowly measured," is that we've always communicated very well, that was always our strength."

He nodded at her but bit his lips into a thin line apprehensively, almost too aware where this was going.

"I don't think we've been communicating very well lately, Gomez," she said, swallowing heavily, forcing herself to continue."Ever since Fester returned, I feel like you've been shutting me down, you've never done that before."

"I haven't realized you felt that way," he said dejectedly. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She took a deep breath and looked away briefly.

"When he first came back," she said in a deliberate tone."Do you remember what I told you?"

"Yes," he whispered, the need to look away from her was almost overwhelming.

"You shut me down then, you didn't even want to - "

"I know," he interjected her, "I know, Tish, it was a mistake - "

"It wasn't a mistake Gomez," she denied." You see, I always thought that I could share everything with you, and that day," she paused, pressing her lips briefly together." That day you showed me that I couldn't. I felt that you put your brother - your relationship with Fester, over us. Fester was back and took priority over everything we've built together."

"Never," he denied, his voice hoarse with emotions and he swallowed heavily." Morticia, no one… - no one can ever be more important than you, you - ", he swallowed again, shaking his head a mute denial, before whispering desperately," you're my everything."

"I know," she whispered."But you can't say that and then push me away when I'm trying to help you. You can't push us all away - me, the children, and just dive into despair."

He nodded, his eyes already blurred with hot tears, and he was grateful when his son started fussing in his arms so he could turn his focus on him instead of the gaping hole in his heart. Instead of the pain that seemed to penetrate every fibre of his being, because the thought that he made her feel second to anyone else was to him unbearable.

He placed his son on his forearm and cradled him close to himself, running the tips of his fingers gently against the baby's forehead until he settled back to sleep.

"To have him back," he finally said, turning his gaze at her."Feels like a miracle, I never imagined I'd be given another chance and I want to make it right, - "

"I understand that," she agreed softly."I know what it means to you."

"He means the world," he said firmly."But you mean everything. Everything. I could never choose - "

"I'm not asking you to choose," she denied promptly."I would never want that. Fester is not the problem."

He looked away from her, chastised. She was right, in everything she said but what could he do? He didn't feel he had neither the strength nor the ability for the task ahead of him. It was all hopeless.

"I can't do it on my own, Tish, I...I don't know how to," he admitted. "All day… I was trying to think of a way to be what you need, to give you the support you deserve - you and the children, you all deserve better - and I simply don't know how to give you that."

"Gomez -,"

"I don't know how to change," he breathed out heavily."I don't even know where to start."

He never felt more pathetic than saying this but his wife only smiled at him, that gorgeous, benevolent smile he absolutely adored.

She pushed herself gracefully off the sofa and sat down next to him, so close their knees were touching and he almost cried in relief when she placed her hand on his.

God, how he missed her touch. It seemed like ages since she last touched him.

"I never wanted you to do it on your own," she assured, wrapping her fingers around his."Some things have to change, you can't shut me out like that anymore, do you understand?"

"I do," he nodded."I really do, Tish."

She smiled at him again.

"Nothing is the end of the world, Gomez, even if sometimes it feels like it,"

"Losing you would be the end of the world," he contradicted immediately, his voice almost unbearably soft.

"Yes," she agreed."But you're not losing me, I'm not going anywhere."

"You promise?" He asked in such a pathetically hopeful manner he almost winced.

"I promise," she nodded."Things must change... but we will change them together."

He never thought he could fall in love with her any more than he already had, but at this moment it felt to him as if he fell in love all over again and that he would do absolutely everything to be there for her exactly the way she needed.

"I love you, Tish," he whispered, squeezing her hand tightly.

"I love you," she assured and leaned forward, pressing her lips firmly against his."And I couldn't be more blessed and more grateful for what we've created together."

He swallowed heavily, so deeply touched by her words, he could barely stand it.

"God, I don't know how I lasted so long without kissing those glorious lips," he joked feebly, his voice heavy with emotions, and leaned forward to kiss her again when he felt a tiny hand slapped over his mouth.

"Da da," his son announced, gazing at him in an adorable sleepy frown."No."

"I guess you will have to survive without those glorious lips a little longer, mon cher," his wife teased affectionately and smiled when Pubert turned to the sound of her voice and all but threw himself at her.

"Now you've decided to learn new words?" Gomez asked and let out an exaggerated sigh, ruffling Pubert's soft hair."You have the worst timing, pup."

"Well, at least he didn't call you mama," his wife said, placing a soft kiss on Pubert's forehead." Appreciate small things," she added facetiously before her forehead creased in a small frown."He still feels too warm."

"Hm, a cool sponge bath should help," he offered and leaned forward with every intention of kissing his wife again but before he could do so he was unceremoniously pushed away by his infant son who mere seconds ago was snuggled against his chest was now glaring daggers at him.

Little, adorable daggers.

"No," he told him firmy, wrapping his arms around Morticia's neck.

"This better not be the beginning of the jealousy stage, pup," he warned his son facetiously.

"Look who's talking," Morticia laughed gently. "The pot calling the kettle black."

"Guilty as charged," he grinned at her but then his eyes lost their amused sparkle as he regarded her thoughtfully before whispering softly," I'm really sorry, Tish."

She nodded and reached out to caress his cheek in a familiar, loving manner.

"I'm sorry too," she said.

"You?" He asked bemusedly."For what?"

Her lips stretched into a small smile at his tone.

"I shouldn't have… jumped at you like that," she admitted." I was tired and…," she let out a small shrug."I could have chosen my words better."

"No, Cara," he denied, wrapping his hand around her fingers and placed a soft kiss on her wrist."I think I needed to hear it exactly as I did."

She smiled at him softly and then had to bite the inside of her cheeks when her son reached out and tried to slap Gomez's hand from her.

"Noooo," Pubert glared at him.

Gomez took a long exaggerated sigh before pointing his finger at the little boy.

"You and me, pup," he told him in a deadpan manner, trying very hard to reciprocate his son's glare with one of his own." We'll need to discuss some things too."

Pubert held his glare bravely before, while still frowning at him, pressed his little hand to his lips and blew him a loud kiss, eliciting a beguiling laugh out of his mother.

"Come, you little charmer," she murmured into her son's cheek, pressing a small kiss into it."Let's take care of that teething pain."

Gomez Addams smiled delightedly, gazing tenderly at his beloved wife, holding their baby son and was again filled with an inevitable certainty that there was no such thing as impossible, not when he had this woman by his side. A woman who showed him he could have the life he never imagined he deserved. That he could be more than a mindless dandy and a traitor to his brother, that he could be more and be better, if only because she believed that he could.

"Tish," he whispered tenderly and waited until she rested her gaze on him curiously, before adding, in a tone of a complete certitude." You can always share anything you want with me...I won't fall apart."

She smiled at him lovingly and leaned forward, pressing a firm kiss on his lips despite Puberts ardent protests.

He could change for her, he decided, he could be what she needed.

After all, he knew, that the most difficult part of change was the decision to change and the rest… the rest was pure logistics.

A/N: Thank you for reading!