A/N: Welcome to the last chapter - finally! lol
Any dialogues you recognize come directly from the Addams Family Values.
Thank you for all your support and hope you'll enjoy chapter 5! xxx
Chapter 5
"I think the parents are no longer divorcing."
Pugsley Addams didn't even try to resist an almost overwhelming urge to roll his eyes behind his protective goggles as he concentrated on pouring solution into a tiny vial. He was working on this later explosive for a month now. He would put it securely into a handmade puppet skeleton - a gift for his brother's first birthday. Little bugger deserved only the best gifts for being such a pain.
"Wednesday," he sighed, without taking his eyes off the explosive."They were never divorcing in the first place."
"But they've argued," his sister pointed out as she sat on his bed, lazily turning the pages of the Advanced Electromagnetic Theory book that he borrowed from Uncle Fester.
"I really don't know why you are so freaked out about it - oh crap!" He winced when the solution in his hands fizzled and foamed straight out of the vial, burning a sizable hole in the wooden floor. "Do you think mother will notice?"
"Yes," Wednesday replied, her tone utterly unconcerned."Just as she noticed all the other acid burnt holes in your room. I didn't like to see them at odds."
"They are just parents," Pugsley pointed out."All parents argue. Hey, can you open the head of the skeleton? I need to pour this solution inside."
"Sure," she nodded and put the protective gloves on, before reaching for the puppet perched on Pugsley's desk, snapping the head off it."I can't believe that little parasite is almost one year old."
"Good time to start teaching him the art of blowing stuff up," Pugsley remarked, gently pouring the explosive solution into the empty bones of the toy."What are you getting him?"
"A new leash and a jambiya dagger," she replied dispassionately.
"Neat!" He nodded in approval, before smiling at her teasingly."Quite an effort for a little parasite."
Wednesday made a face and immediately glared at him.
"Pugsley… shut up."
"Care to explain why the two of you are still up?" Their mother's soft voice reverberated from the direction of the door."It's way past midnight."
They both turned to see their mother, already in her nightgown and wrapped in their father's burgundy robe, leaning against the door frame, arm crossed against her middle, looking at them with a slightly arched eyebrow, more amused than cross at discovering they were up and about way past their bedtime.
"And I distinctly remember you saying good night."
"I'm finishing Pubert's birthday gift," Pugsley explained, removing the protective goggles."Wednesday was helping."
"That's very sweet of you," Morticia smiled, making her way towards them."But it's really very late."
Both children nodded, recognizing the familiar tone of finality which meant that any hopes of extending the bedtime any further were futile.
"Don't shake it," Pugsley warned, when his mother took the puppet skeleton from Wednesday and snapped its head back up."I filled it with an explosive acid solution I have been working on."
Morticia looked at him softly and ruffled his hair.
"That's a wonderful gift," she praised."He will love playing with it."
"I want to teach him how to blow up things," Pugsley said, removing his gloves."We can start with Judge Womack's garden shed."
"Excellent idea," Morticia agreed, putting the puppet neatly on the shelf and turned to pull the bedcover down Pugsley's bed."Now, off to bed."
"I need to wash first, I have been playing with acid and stuff," Pugsley informed her, already making his way to his ensuite bathroom.
Morticia sighed and then wrinkled her nose.
"What's that smell?" She asked, looking around for the source of the offensive scent.
"Pugsley spilt the acid on the floor again," Wednesday informed her smoothly.
"Ah," Morticia nodded.
"I did not," Pugsley protested vehemently from behind the closed doors of the bathroom."The acid spilt itself as acid does."
Morticia only smiled indulgently at his reply. They would have to replace the floorboards in his room at some point, because the wooden floor had already so many holes burnt in from her son's various experiments, it looked like it was only a step away from crumbling down.
"So… you and father made up?" Wednesday asked hesitantly and watched her mother turn towards her, her lips stretching into a soft smile.
"We did," Morticia assured, smoothing Wednesday's hair in a gentle manner."I've told you it's nothing to worry yourself about."
Wednesday nodded but then bit her lips into a thin line and looked at Morticia pointedly.
"Mother…," she whispered and then hesitated uncharacteristically, as if unsure she should voice her thoughts.
Morticia frowned gently at her daughter's odd behaviour.
"Wednesday, darling, you're not still worrying about that absurd divorce idea, are you?" Morticia asked, sitting on the edge of Pugsley's bed and patted the space next to her, indicating Wednesday to sit next to her.
"No," Wednesday replied, sitting close to her."I was just thinking about something."
"Mhm… what's on your mind?" Morticia asked, smiling at her encouragingly.
Wednesday shrugged, directing her gaze to her bare feet resting on the floor, as she shifted slightly on the bed.
"That time when we were living at the motel," she started tentatively and immediately faltered when she felt her mother tense next to her."Sorry, we don't need to talk about it - "
"No, no, tell me," Morticia shook her head before linking her hand with Wednesdays."You can always share anything with me, you know that, don't you?"
She watched her daughter nod firmly, but the girl still didn't look at her, resting her gaze on their linked hands.
"That time at the motel," Wednesday continued hesitantly." Did you feel alone?"
Morticia blinked, taken aback by the question, and resisted an urge to swallow heavily.
"I wasn't alone," she replied and almost smiled when Wednesday finally turned towards her, with a mildly annoyed glare at that.
"You know what I mean," the girl insisted firmly."You cried."
"It was a lot to deal with," Morticia replied honestly."I felt a bit overwhelmed."
Wednesday nodded in understanding, almost unwittingly squeezing her mother's hand a bit tighter and Morticia couldn't help but smile at the tender gesture. Despite the fact that her daughter tended to keep to herself lately, she was ferociously protective of her loved ones - even when she was trying to kill them.
"Are you angry with father about it?" She asked.
Morticia inhaled deeply, pondering how to reply.
"No," she replied truthfully." I was never angry with him. I simply want him to… learn to cope better."
"Yes," her daughter nodded."I think he needs that."
"We'll work on that," Morticia smiled at her reassuringly, placing a soft kiss on her temple."Come on, it's way past your bedtime."
Wednesday turned towards her and, in a very uncharacteristically swift manner, kneeled on the bed and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck, hugging her with all her might causing Morticia to almost lose her balance.
"You're never alone, okay?" Wednesday whispered fervently."You always have me and Pugsley. Me especially - you'd all be lost without me."
Morticia let out a slightly strangled chuckle, deeply touched by her words.
"Thank you, darling," she whispered, wrapping her arms around her daughter's small frame."You're being really precious."
"I'm serious," Wednesday insisted."I'm not a child anymore, I can handle stuff."
"I know you can," Morticia assured softly."But don't grow up too fast."
"Too late for that," Wednesday muttered but tightened her hug before whispering faintly,"I love you. And I'm so glad you're not divorcing."
"Oh, group hug!" Pugsley exclaimed, jumping on the bed behind Morticia and wrapped his arms around her, almost strangling her with the sheer ferocity of his affections."Love group hugs!"
Becoming parents inevitably changed certain dynamics in married life.
One thing that tended to suffer was that romantic spontaneous decisions were much harder to orchestrate and, even once orchestrated, they were quite easily interrupted. For Gomez Addams, whose life seemed like a string of spontaneous decisions, it was quite a thing to adjust to - the fact that he had to essentially plan his spontaneous, romantic ideas and yet here he was. Here they were, squeezing a romantic bath between children's bedtime and Pubert's next night feed.
It was far cry from their usual and preferable way to reconcile after marital spats but alas, with a baby that still woke up at night for his feeds, spending the night in the dungeon indulging in the carnal pleasures was not exactly an option at the moment. Nevertheless, it was a time for celebration.
Not that he ever needed an excuse to celebrate this wonderful creature in his life he was fortunate enough to call his wife but he really felt that in the space of less than forty-eight hours they have reached a new milestone in their marriage.
It was indeed a milestone to realize that no matter how long they've been married and no matter how well they thought they knew each other they could still learn and grow together in their marriage.
He felt as if he travelled a lifetime in the space of those few agonising hours that they were at odds. A sobering journey, no doubt but also a new chapter not only for him but for his family. A much-needed change even if it was a daunting one. Old habits, after all, died hard and he had no illusions that there will be plenty of times when he'd want to jump off the cliff of despair but he was determined to try - for her, for all of them - to be the husband and the father his family needed.
Besides, if there was one thing he has learned during his marriage, it was that there's no such thing as impossible. Impossible didn't exist when he had his wife by his side. He knew that Morticia would never ask of him anything more than what she sincerely believed he could achieve, so if his beloved wife believed he could learn to handle difficulties better then who was he to doubt her?
He smiled at the thought and dipped his hand into the fragrant, soapy water to make sure it was appropriately hot, just the way Morticia liked it. His smile stretched even further when he heard the door to their bedroom creak open and his wife materialized behind him mere seconds later, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"They were still up and about," she told him, resting her chin gently on his shoulder."Little rascals."
"Outrageous, little devils," he deadpanned, turning to face her. "Are you okay?" He asked, his voice immediately alarmed.
She smiled at him and then let out a small chuckle, waving off his concern.
"Yes," she assured, as she shed his robe off her shoulders, letting it fall on the tiled bathroom floor.
Her husband, however, didn't look at all convinced by her answer.
"Because you look as if you were crying," he pointed out, placing his hands on her shoulders." Is it - "
"No, no, I'm fine, I promise," she assured, smiling at him lovingly."It's Wednesday."
"Wednesday made you cry?"
"No," she shook her head, chuckling softly." Both of them did, actually."
She almost laughed when she watched his eyebrow rise in disbelief.
"You want me to … speak to them?" He offered, obviously unable to comprehend the idea that any of their children would make her cry, let alone both of them at once."What on earth happened?"
"They were really sweet and precious," she explained finally and watched him exhale heavily in relief.
"And that made you tearful?" He teased gently, wrapping his arms around her before placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Gomez," she said in an uncharacteristically lamenting manner, fisting her hands into the black material of his shirt." They're growing up too fast, stop them."
"I wish I could," he grunted, placing a brief kiss on her lips."But they are growing up and we have to accept it. We can't wallow in misery and throw ourselves off the cliff of despair."
He grinned at her when she looked at him like just had just told her he wanted to become a monk and then titled her head and laughed joyfully.
And he absolutely loved when she laughed like that because she's so rarely done it in public, unless she was with him - a far cry from her usual modest chuckle whenever she found something amusing. This laugh was full and loud, unrestrained and delightful and reserved only for him. No one else could make her laugh like that but him - except maybe their children but it was still different. This laugh was intimate and special and only for him to witness and he was immensely proud of that.
"Who are you and what have you done with my husband?" She asked teasingly, her dark eyes illuminated with unbridled amusement.
"I'm the new Gomez," he insisted vauntingly.
"I don't want a new one," she kissed him."I love the old one very much."
"Same but improved upon?" He offered."Sensible and mature."
"Gomez Addams - sensible and mature," she mused out loud in mock wonder."Is that even possible?"
"Anything and everything is possible when you're by my side," he replied, pressing her closer to himself."You're the heart and soul of this family, cara mia and we are all so incredibly lucky to have you."
She looked at him lovingly and bit her lips into a thin line.
"Why are you all trying to turn me into a pile of mush tonight?" She asked, letting out a hoarse chuckle.
"Because you're amazing and need to be celebrated," he replied, placing a small kiss on her cheek.
"You know," she mused."I always thought you'd be the one to have a really hard time with the children growing up, but now I think it's going to be me instead. Motherhood made me so pathetic."
"Welcome to my world," he offered in a deadpan manner, pleased when it elicited another chuckle out of her" Hey, we still have that little devil in the nursery," he pointed out and grinned at her."Speaking of the devil, I have something for you."
"It's not my birthday," she smiled at him.
"I don't need occasions to spoil my beautiful wife," he replied, reaching for the velvet box resting on the black, marble countertop near the washbasin.
He smiled and opened the box in front of her, revealing a three-strand, black pearl necklace.
"Oh, darling, it's exquisite," she said appreciatively, touching the pearls gently."Thank you, I absolutely love it."
"Thank you," he whispered, picking the necklace from the box and fastening it around her neck."For all that we've created together."
"You all really have to stop being so sweet at the same time," she remarked hoarsely, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips against his before whispering breathlessly."You're the most wonderful husband a woman can have."
"I try," he smiled at her and watched her touch the pearls on her neck
"I'm going to wear it to bed," she decided, casting him a sultry look.
"Mmmmm, I have no objections," he replied.
"Gomez - "
"Hmmm?"
"I'm going to wear it to bed," she repeated against his lips, slowly lowering the straps of her nightgown until the silky material pooled around her feet."And nothing else."
"I support this idea wholeheartedly," Gomez replied, his voice already passionately tainted with the Spanish notes as he let out a low appreciative growl at the back of his throat, immediately wrapping his arms around her waist and claimed her lips into a ferocious kiss.
The first birthday was always a celebration but when you were an Addams it was also a certain achievement. When you were an Addams you had to earn your right to celebrate your first birthday - that is, you had to survive first.
There was no doubt that Pubert Addams earned himself a grand celebration.
Not only did he survive all the murder attempts, he also earned himself his first kill - all in the space of less than a year and his parents couldn't be more proud.
"May I invite someone for Pubert's birthday?"Wednesday remarked, during their breakfast in a smooth, unconcerned manner as if she didn't really care for the answer.
"But of course!" Gomez exclaimed, propping Pubert in his arms as he handed him his baby bottle."The more the merrier."
"Thank you, father," she replied, rewarding him with a tiny smile before casually returning to playing with her food.
"Is it that charming girl you tried to roast at the camp?" Gomez inquired further, popping a forkful of his toad omelette into his mouth.
"It's Joel," Pugsley piped up before Wednesday could even think of a reply."You remember the boy she's invited to Uncle Fester's wedding? Wednesday has a crush on him."
"I have no such thing," Wednesday replied darkly, stabbing her food viciously with a fork."I merely wish to make his life miserable and scare him to death."
"Sounds like a crush to me!" Fester exclaimed jovially.
Gomez's face darkened at the insinuation, what on earth was going on, his daughter was but a little girl. It was way too early to think let alone talk about boys and some youthful infatuations.
"I think it's a wonderful idea," Morticia agreed softly, making Gomez almost choke with silent outrage.
Betrayed by the love of his life. Unthinkable.
Stabbed in the heart
Undone -
"Would you like me to call Joel's parents and ask if he could stay with us for the weekend?" Morticia continued, seemingly unaware of her husband's pained expression.
Wednesday only shrugged carelessly in response which, Gomez knew perfectly well, was the sign that she was excited about the prospect.
Oh the unholy misery, his little girl really had a crush on some scrawny male human specimen!
He wanted nothing more than to throw himself off the cliff of despair - now, immediately!
No, he corrected himself, the old Gomez would throw himself off the cliff of despair.
He was the new Gomez, the mature father and responsible husband and he was inclined to deal with this disaster...ahem...this situation (DISASTER) in a calm and sensible manner.
Like the responsible and mature adult that he now was.
After all, how hard could that be?
"Darling," he heard his wife's amused voice as she joined his side at the kitchen table where he was busy preparing fireworks for tonight's festivities." Is there a reason young Mr Glicker looks so disturbingly familiar?"
He couldn't help the smirk that formed on his lips as he turned to his wife and grinned at her.
"There is a reason indeed," he replied happily.
Morticia leaned her side slightly against the table, her gaze resting at him softly.
"Mhmmm, care to share?"She asked, crossing her arms against her middle."Because your daughter looks positively traumatized."
"Aha!"He laughed then, flashing her triumphant smile.
She thought he looked so immensely proud of himself as if he just slew a dragon and saved the princess himself and was two seconds away from doing a jovial backflip.
"My dear," he started officially." True to my word, instead of throwing myself off the cliff of despair I," he pointed proudly to himself."Am dealing with the conundrum as a mature adult would."
"And what way would that be, you mad Castilian?" She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck and tilted her head gently o the side, waiting for his reply.
"It's simple," he replied, placing a brief kiss on her lips as his hands rested at the curve of her hips."No girl in the world will be interested in a boy that looks alarmingly like her own father."
He grinned brazenly when she tilted her head and laughed joyfully.
"Gomez, you're not really sabotaging these puppy affections, are you?" She admonished, delivering a half-hearted slap to his arm, for a good measure.
"She's my little girl," he insisted."Way too young for any kind of affections."
"She's thirteen, " Morticia pointed out.
"Let's try thirty," he replied without missing a beat." I say it worked a charm, the last time I saw them she looked at him like he's the most unsettling thing she's ever seen since a butterfly landed on her hand."
"You are impossible, mon cher," she shook her head but smiled knowingly when he growled possessively against her lips.
"Impossible? Maybe," he retorted lightly."But also mature and sensible."
"Does mature and sensible in the world of Gomez Addams mean coming up with the most nonsensical ideas?"
He nodded at her, grinning proudly.
She shook her head in a light-hearted exasperation at his antics.
"God, I love you so much, you insane Castilian," she said, sealing her words with a firm kiss on his lips.
"Does that mean you're you proud of me and my efforts to be mature and sensible," he asked, blatantly fishing for a compliment.
"Immensely," she laughed again, capturing his lips into another tender kiss.
"I already showed him the collection of weapons in the manor," he told her."He will keep his grimy paws to himself, trust me."
"How fortunate you didn't have any father-in-law to worry about when you all but ravished me at the funeral of your dear cousin," she mused teasingly.
"Hey, it was fifteen minutes after the funeral," he corrected in a deadpan manner."Besides, we were already engaged at this point."
"Aha, for fifteen seconds."
"Irrelevant detail."
She smiled at him indulgently.
"Gomez Addams, if this is how bad it gets when she's thirteen," she teased, tapping the tip of her finger against his nose."Imagine what meltdown you will have later."
She expected him to laugh but instead, his expression turned immediately serious.
"No Tish, no more meltdowns," he assured, his voice almost heavy with commitment."I promise. Whatever life will throw at us, we will deal with it. Together."
"Together," she whispered in agreement."Always."
Wednesday Addams was almost radiating with happiness.
And she hated every second of it.
"A toast," her father announced, in his usual jovial manner." To the glorious mysteries of life."
She watched her mother's gaze follow her father lovingly and she just couldn't help a relief that swept through her.
"To mirth, to merriment, to manslaughter."
She supposed it was always disconcerting to see one's parents arguing but she was always certain that whatever happened, her parent's love and dedication remained constant and she always found that reassuring. And so it unsettled her, seeing them at odds.
"To dear friends," her father continued."To new friends - "
She saw her father turn towards her.
"To youth!" He exclaimed and gave her a wink, smiling at her in that sappy way of his.
It took all of her willpower not to smile back.
"How do I look?" The pathetic thing she picked from the Camp Chippewa asked.
"Disturbing," she replied honestly.
"To passion," her father continued, his tone already acquiring a fervent note.
"To paradise," her mother concurred, looking at her husband as if the whole world just disappeared, save for the two of them.
"To pain - "
"Tonight."
Oh boy.
She was almost too grateful that the entrance of her grandmother carrying Pubert interrupted her parent's kiss because she knew very well it wouldn't be a peck on a cheek - it never was.
Her parents went from politely cool to two horny demons within a matter of seconds.
"Come," she turned towards Joel."Let's go to the graveyard because they won't last very long."
"Who?"
"Doesn't matter, let's go."
"Do you really hate my look?"
Wednesday turned towards him, giving him a brief glance.
"Yes, you look disturbing," she said again."Why did you dress up like my father? It's creepy."
"I like your father," he answered simply, lowering his gaze to his entwined hands.
"So you want to look like him?" She prodded, making him shift slightly.
God, she loved making him nervous.
"I thought you'd like it," he tried to explain.
"Why would I like it?"
"I don't know," he replied, embarrassed." Your family is really interesting. Your parents are so… involved with each other."
"Almost too much sometimes," she replied but smiled a little, nevertheless
"My parents just argue all the time," he admitted.
"My parents argue too, sometimes," she assured, forcing an unconcerned note to her tone.
"I find it hard to imagine," he remarked, shaking his head.
"They have their disagreements as all people do," she insisted."But they always work things out."
Joel nodded and cleared his throat again.
"Wednesday, do you think, like… maybe someday you might want to get married and have kids?"
"No," she replied in a deadpan manner.
"What if…you met the right man, who'd worshipped and adored you, who'd do anything for you, who'd be your devoted slave," he looked at her with a hopeful gleam in his eyes."Then what would you do?"
"I'd pity him," she retorted and resisted an urge to smile when Joel looked like wanted to roll into a ball and hide in the nearest grave.
Well, she can certainly facilitate that.
"Poor Debbie, she was sick," he remarked, kneeling at the grave of her recently deceased aunt.
"She wasn't sick," she countered."She was sloppy."
"What do you mean?" Joel turned towards her, his face creased with confusion.
"If I wanted to kill my husband…I would do it and I wouldn't get caught," she insisted
"How?"
"I'd scare him to death."
Joel let out a shaky laugh.
"No, you wouldn't," he shook his head, turning back towards the grave. "We are all very sorry, Debbie, and we wish you only the best."
The graveyard filled with a shrieking scream as Thing darted from under the ground and wrapped his fingers around Joel's arm.
Surrounded by the delight of Joel's terrified screams, Wednesday Addams smiled contentedly and turned her gaze to look at the two figures outlined by the light in the conservatory, she could already imagine them - gazing at each other lovingly and she was once more reassured.
She was once again filled with irrevocable certainty that whatever happened, her parents were as strong together as ever. Or perhaps, now even more than they ever were and whatever happened, there was not an obstacle that they couldn't face.
Together.
A/N: Thank you for reading!