Too late, Alison realized what she was doing. Her hand stilled, the tip of nude lipstick making a smudge across her lower lip. She released a heavy sigh, lowering her arm. The lipstick was twisted before the cap was placed back on. Alison shook her head, staring at her reflection. Unfortunately, lipstick had always been the last step in the application of her makeup. She sucked at her teeth, expression shifting to that of a scowl. She shouldn't be putting on makeup, and yet here she was, nearly done. Another sigh escaped as she set down the lipstick. She supposed that she had gone a little overboard.
Alison twisted her body, eyes looking towards her bed. There, in the middle, was her baby, contently playing with her stuffed penguin. Alison had dressed Naomi up. A dark blue dress with white polka dots all over, including an identical headband with a bow, and white sandals decorated by tiny flowers on the straps. To match her, Alison had chosen a blue summer dress with white polka dots as well—sleeveless and hanging just above her knees. On her feet, there were simple white gladiator sandals. Alison didn't have many outfits to match her daughter's, but she couldn't deny her satisfaction when they did match.
Still, this day was about her daughter. No need for Alison to dress in anything other than casual. However, it was too late to change now. It was time to go. So quickly, Alison turned back away, reaching for tissue. She hurriedly and roughly rubbed at her lips to get the little bit of lipstick off. Satisfied, she stood up, and then turned her full attention to her child. "Ready to go see Daddy Bunker, baby girl?" she questioned. Naomi looked up from making her penguin dance. She smiled brightly, and it caused a smile to appear on Alison's face as well.
"Bunka!" she replied, excitedly. Unlike the previous times her daughter had referred to her father, Alison's chest didn't feel the pressure. It had only been yesterday that it had affected her so much, and now today there was only the affection and a bit of pride. She hadn't made a grand mistake after all. For the first time she had come back home, she didn't regret her decision—not after seeing the emotional reaction Kurt had had towards his daughter. The initial meeting between father and daughter had been a good thing, and had gone far better than she had expected. She hoped today would be good as well.
"Great, let's go," Alison said, lowering just a bit to pick her daughter up from the bed. Naomi nodded, tiny hand holding her favorite stuffed toy tightly as the other hand fisted around her mother's clothes. Alison glanced at her alarm clock, noting the time. It was nearing ten already, so picking up the pace, she walked out of her bedroom and quickly made her way down to the first floor.
Last night, after she had tucked Naomi in, Alison had gone about preparing for today. She had already made a bag, full of toys, a change of clothes—two pairs, just in case—plenty of diapers, extra bottles, snacks, and baby wipes. Not to mention papers that needed to be signed by the father as well. She had placed the large bag into the trunk of her car, so the only thing she grabbed on the way out of the house was her purse. Alison carefully wrapped the strap around her, and then turned and shut the door. Naomi babbled something in her ear as the lock clicked in place by use of the silver house key.
After a few minutes, both Meddings were strapped into the car. Naomi more securely strapped in the backseat. She waved her penguin up and down, waiting for her mother to start the car. The engine turned on and music blared through the speakers. The CD that played was of a Disney variety, and happened to be one of Naomi's favorites playing. A song from The Lion King. Alison smiled and chuckled, listening to baby girl attempt to sing the lyrics. Really, it was just a whole bunch of screeching. She pulled out of the driveway, slowly and carefully until the vehicle hit the street. Shifting gears, she reached out to plug the address into her car's navigational system. Apparently, it would take fifteen minutes to arrive. They would be minutes behind schedule, but only by a few.
Alison focused on the road ahead, keeping her ears opened to the female voice of the navigational system. The new address was located miles from where Kurt had lived before. She supposed that made sense, considering what had happened. Pressing her lips together, her fingers curled tightly around the steering wheel. Thinking of that night still made her throat constrict, so she opted not to think of it at all. Usually, it had worked. Sometimes, little things reminded her of it. She could only imagine how Kurt felt about it. Maybe it had been one of the reasons he had never…
She let out a heavy sigh, silently scolding herself. The past was the past. The present was now and only about the wellbeing of the life they had created. Today was for Naomi, getting to know her father. Nothing else. So Alison cleared her mind, choosing to divert all thoughts towards the path to Kurt's address, and possible other paths she could take. It wasn't that far from the downtown area, where she and Kurt would both be working. There was a park nearby as well. Naomi liked parks, so that was good. Though… it would probably take some time before father and daughter could go out in public. Maybe they wouldn't be able to at all.
Alison pressed her lips together. She was thinking too far ahead again. For now, things would be… casual. Maybe in a few months, she would begin to think more on it. Anyway, she had arrived at her destination. This morning would be the start of casual. She parked behind Kurt's truck, and tried not to think about the memories that involved that truck. Sighing to herself, Alison unbuckled her seatbelt, and then turned off her vehicle. She removed her key from the ignition, and then twisted in her seat to look back at her daughter. Naomi waved her penguin around, but stopped after realizing the Disney tunes had come to an end.
"Time to see Daddy Bunker," Alison told her.
"Dah! Dah!"
Smiling, Alison turned back around to press the button to open the trunk of her car. She then quickly went about exiting her vehicle and removing the large bag from the trunk. No, Naomi had never been the type to become weepy without her parent in front of her, but this was a new neighborhood, and Alison would rather have eyes on her daughter. Purse and bag over her shoulder, she opened the back door on the passenger side. It took some maneuvering, but she managed to unfasten the binds that held her daughter in the car, and then pick her up and hold her against her side.
Naomi clung to her mother as she began moving towards the house. With each step she took, it almost felt as though her stomach tightened. No matter how hard she had tried to quell the nervousness that had sprouted, the feeling wouldn't cease. By the time she had walked up the two small flights of concrete stairs, her insides were a jittery mess. Reprimanding herself for such behavior didn't seem to help matters. Still, Alison leaned forward, pressing a finger to the doorbell. On the outside, she was calm and collected. Inside, her heart hammered at her ribcage, and she wondered how she could still breathe evenly. Eventually, the door swung open and Kurt came into view.
It was only a few seconds, but it had felt like minutes. Just the two of them staring back at each other, as if they were meeting each other again for the first time. "Hi!" Naomi greeted without prompt, breaking the trance. Her daughter had always been friendly, but only after prompting, so to have her greet someone like this was surprising. Her little girl jerked her arm at Kurt, probably trying to point, but with the penguin in her hand, it only appeared as if she was presenting him with the stuffed animal. "Dah! Dah!"
"Hi," Kurt replied, shifting his gaze to Naomi. She giggled cutely, causing a smile from both parents. It had also eased her nerves considerably. However, there was an awkward pause where they both just stood there. Alison cleared her throat, shifting her daughter's weight. The action seemed to snap the man out of it. He licked his lips before stepping aside. "Come in." He gestured with an extended arm into his home. Already, Alison's eyes were scanning the new surroundings. There was a hallway that led to stairs. There was a door built into the side of the staircase, so she assumed that it led to the basement. There was a closed door on the left side of the hallway and an arch that led to the living room on the right.
Alison waited for Kurt to shut the door and for him to guide her to the living room. He quietly gestured for the couch. It was the same gray couch from before. And like before, there were little to no decorations around. Just a few bookcases against the walls and a wooden coffee table. He had also purchased a comfy chair in the last two years. The shade of gray was lighter than the couch. Alison lowered the large bag onto the carpeted floor next to the couch. She then took a seat, shifting Naomi around until her daughter sat comfortably in her lap.
"So… This is a nice set up," Alison complimented as Kurt sat on the chair adjacent to the couch. She bobbed her knees, bouncing her daughter a bit. Paying no mind to her mother's nerves, Naomi giggled softly at the sudden ride. "From what I've seen, anyway." Kurt cleared his throat, gaze finally looking away from their daughter. Tentatively, his eyes shifted upward to stare back at her. He clasped his hands together, elbows resting on his knees.
"Yeah… yeah," he said. "Bought it cheap because it needed renovations. I'm actually almost done with the upstairs. The bathroom's good and so is the spare room. I-I want to paint it… her favorite color. If she has a favorite color. I mean, with your permission. I'm not expecting her to stay over this soon, but-"
"Bunker," Alison interrupted his ramblings. "You don't need my permission. She's your daughter, too." Kurt visibly clasped his hands harder. "She doesn't have a preference to a single color yet. Maybe she won't ever. She… likes a lot of things right now. Like matching with mommy!" She tickled Naomi, causing laughter to bubble up. Alison tilted her head to the side, watching the man as he watched their daughter in fascination. "Do you want to hold her?"
"… What if… What if I drop her?" Kurt questioned, body clearly tensing in worry.
"Then I'd have to beat your ass," Alison said. Despite the nerve-wracking situation they were both in, she had teased him. Strange how easy the words had come. Even more strange that Kurt had laughed. It had been more of a huff, but his trademark dorky-ass grin lingered seconds after. Alison stood up, cradling her daughter to her chest. "Seriously, Bunker, she's almost two. She's not glass." She moved towards Kurt and held Naomi out to her father. The child extended her arms, awaiting transfer. "It'll be okay." Kurt clenched his jaw before moving to stand. He rubbed his palms against the front of his long-sleeved shirt, and then hesitantly reached for Naomi.
Alison carefully handed her daughter off to the father. Just as careful, Kurt took her, large hands nearly encircling her torso. Naomi, unconcerned about her father's hesitance, pawed at his chest before curling her fingers around his shirt. Finally, Kurt held his daughter close, perched at his side in a similar fashion to what Alison had done. "Hi," he greeted again. "Naomi." Whether he knew it or not, he began bouncing a little. Alison held back a smile. "Who's this little guy?" he asked, referring to the stuffed animal.
"Penny!" Naomi replied, waving the animal about with her free hand.
"Penny…? Well, that's a nice name," Kurt complimented. It became harder to suppress a smile. Completely focused on his daughter, he didn't seem to notice Alison's reaction. "You know, I had a teddy bear when I was your age—carried it around until I was seven. I called it Mr. Kitty."
"Kitty…!" Naomi seemed regaled by his tale.
"Yeah, dad didn't like that so much—neither did anyone else," Kurt admitted. "But I loved the thing. Bet you love Penny, too, right?"
"Me loves!"
"Good girl," Kurt said, the smile stretching across his face now. He became comfortable enough that he raised one hand to tap his index finger against Naomi's nose. She giggled in response, obviously liking the sweet gesture. No longer able to contain her smile, Alison cleared her throat, drawing their attention.
"Not to interrupt," she began. "But I have some juice in the bag for Naomi's snack. Where's your kitchen?"
"Uh…" Kurt pressed his lips together. "That door near the front. Go through it and make a right."
Alison nodded her head, and then turned to grab the bag from the floor. Lifting it, she shouldered the strap and walked back into the hallway. Behind her, she could hear Kurt resume conversation with Naomi. She had thought about it quite a lot in the days leading up to the move back to Banshee. The interaction between her daughter and Kurt—she had thought about it and hoped for the best. Things had turned out better than expected, though. Kurt seemed to be a natural with kids. Maybe he had always had paternal instincts, and she had worried and fretted over nothing. The man already seemed keen on raising and loving their daughter.
She felt… proud. Releasing a sigh, Alison opened the door and stepped through. Immediately going towards the right, she did note the weight lifting equipment as well as the small table and two chairs. Her focus was on the kitchen. It was smaller than even her kitchen. But it had a kitchen counter that went from the refrigerator and sectioned off what was supposed to be the kitchen. Alison lifted the bag onto the counter, and then unzipped it. She rummaged through the contents in search of the premade bottles. There were three, just in case. There were also snacks. She took them out as well.
Alison balanced the bottles as she opened the refrigerator door. The large appliance seemed half-full. Maybe Kurt hadn't gone to the grocery store yet. Setting the three bottles on the top shelf, Alison hummed to herself. Once done, she shut the door, and then curiously glanced to her right. She was standing near the back door. Lifting her hand, she moved back the white lacy curtain to peer into the backyard. It seemed much bigger than her own. Plus, it had a garage. She briefly wondered why Kurt hadn't kept his truck in it.
Clearing her throat, Alison turned around. Her eyes immediately fell on the room beyond the kitchen, and was startled to find a bed. She walked forward, coming to the archway that led to the room. Not just the bed, the entire room seemed to be an actual bedroom. She furrowed her brow, confused. Why would Kurt set up his room down here? Then again… he had mentioned renovations. Maybe he just hadn't gotten around to the master bedroom upstairs. Still, odd place. Having no walls between where a person cooked and where they slept seemed bizarre. Also, the wall and door that led to this section of the house seemed to be out of place.
Alison shook her head and sighed. It wasn't important. What Kurt did in his own house was his business. With that thought in mind, she went back into the kitchen to grab the papers that needed signing. They had been folded and tucked in a smaller part of the bag, so they the papers were slightly crinkled. She hoped she could still fax them in this state. Otherwise, she would have to deliver them all personally.
She walked back towards the hallway, not bothering to shut the door behind her. At the archway, she halted, eyes transfixed on the sight before her. Kurt was on all fours, carrying Naomi on his back. Alison licked her lips and leaned against the arch, watching in amusement. Unaware of his audience, Kurt continued to trot around the room with his daughter clinging to his shirt so that she wouldn't fall off. Naomi, utterly tickled by the antics, and the free ride, cackled to show her delight.
Alison loudly cleared her throat. Kurt came to an immediate halt. He craned his neck to look back at her. "Not even two minutes, and she's already gotten you wrapped firmly around her fingers," she remarked. A noticeable blush settled on his cheeks. Alison's insides squirmed. Stomping down that sort of reaction, she watched the father of her child carefully stand up and remove Naomi from his back. "The dinosaur noises were a nice touch."
"I… I was a horse," Kurt admitted. A chuckle slipped from Alison's mouth. "We were talking about animals. She likes horses."
"Indeed she does," Alison stated. "But she also likes piggy-back rides." Naomi babbled innocently, causing more chuckles. "Come on, Bunker—let's get your signature, so you can get back to playing." Kurt nodded his head in agreement and followed Alison to the coffee table. The two sat down, and Alison slid the stack of paperwork towards him. Naomi was perfectly content to sit in her father's lap as the man looked through the documents. He clearly didn't want to let her go yet either. His tune might change once diapers came into the equation, though. It was going to be quite the experience.
Alison let a grin spread in anticipation.
0-0
Underestimating how much energy it took in taking care of a child, Kurt Bunker had succumbed to naptime just as Naomi had. Both of them were sleeping soundly on Kurt's bed. He slept on his side with Naomi tucked right at his chest. His arm stretched out. The girl's head rested on his bicep. From playing with her, feeding her, changing her—it had tuckered them both out, which resulted in this domesticated image. Alison couldn't help the smile on her face as she snapped another picture of the two.
There had been a few hiccups, especially with changing diapers, but for the most part, Kurt had liked learning. He really was a natural parent. Pretty soon, he wouldn't need Alison's guidance. In fact, he just might be able to handle being alone with her daughter… tomorrow. She would have to personally hand in all that paperwork, after all, courtesy of Naomi getting her hands on the documents. Alison didn't feel anxious about leaving her with him, though. The thought surprised her. After all, it had taken some time to vet out a satisfactory babysitter. Not to mention the hours she had put in, looking for a great daycare. She supposed… the trust hadn't faded over time.
Her thoughts came to a stop when Alison heard the doorbell ring. She stood up straight, phone still poised to take a picture. Frowning, she lowered her hand and looked in the direction the noise had come from. The front doorbell rang again, prompting Alison to begin moving. She knew from experience that a doorbell was not going to wake Kurt up, or his daughter. So, bare foot, she opened the door, heading into the hallway. Maybe she should have looked before twisting the knob, but it was much too late to turn back now.
Opening the door, Alison was greeted by the sight of a petite woman. Her hair was long and blonde and she had light eyes, maybe green. The woman held a small child in her arms, along with a large bag on her shoulder. With no movement from the kid, Alison assumed he was sleeping. The two woman sized one another up, confusion reflecting. Out of all people, Alison had not been expecting a mother and her child to show up at Kurt's residence. Especially since the slot had already been taken, so to speak. Likewise, this woman probably hadn't been expecting a woman of her complexion to answer the door. She understood the wariness, even the subtle glance at the numbers nailed to the wall, indicating the address.
Still, Alison crossed her arms, just a bit irked by the woman. "Can I help you?" she asked. The woman opened and shut her mouth like a fish out of water. Apparently, she had the right address, but couldn't wrap her mind around a black woman answering the door. So this woman obviously knew Kurt to some degree. But how? He wasn't the most approachable guy in Banshee, even with the uniform. Alison narrowed her eyes. The woman shifted in place, clearly uncomfortable. "Are you here to see Deputy Bunker?" She didn't know why she had used his title, but it seemed to put the woman a little bit at ease.
"He's here…?" she asked. Alison nodded her head. "Um… I-I'm sorry, but who are you?"
"A colleague," she replied. "I'm a new Assistant District Attorney." The woman looked her up and down again, and Alison cursed herself for dressing the way she had. Her attire was less business and more… flattering to her appearance, showcasing more skin than if she had actually been at work. But it had only been to match her daughter. Honestly. "He's preoccupied right now, but you're more than welcome to wait inside. Is he expecting you?"
"No…!" the woman exclaimed. Then she immediately lowered her voice, rubbing a hand up and down her child's back. "I mean… yes, he's expecting me… but I'll wait out here."
"And your name is…?" Alison prompted. That earlier irked response had increased somehow. "Who should I tell him is here?"
"Maggie," she replied.
Alison nodded her head, and then backed away and shut the door. She stared at the door for a moment, not sure why… Maggie caused irritation. Why exactly hadn't she wanted to come in if Kurt had been expecting her? Frowning now, Alison walked through the open door that led to Kurt's kitchen/bedroom. The man, and child, continued to sleep. "Kurt…!" she found herself sharply calling his name. He, of course, did not respond. Rolling her eyes, Alison practically stomped towards the bed. "Kurt!" she said again, roughly shaking at his shoulder. That had done the trick. He groaned lightly, slowly waking up. "There's some woman here to see you. She brought a kid." Kurt merely squinted at her. "She said her name is Maggie."
The name drop startled him enough to sit straight up. "Fuck!" he exclaimed. "What time is it?!" Then he remember that he had a sleeping toddler on his arm. "Crap," he amended quietly. Alison raised a brow, watching Kurt carefully lift their daughter's head and replace his arm with a pillow. He got off the bed, stumbling his way around her—because she hadn't moved—and wiping at his face. "Stay here," he told her, quickly moving out into the hallway. He shut the door behind him.
Huffing, Alison sat down on the bed and crossed her arms. Maybe that woman was his confidential informant. It was the only thing that made sense, really. Who else would she be? She pressed her lips together, a sudden thought taking form in her mind. A girlfriend…? The kid looked too old to be his, but the woman could be someone he had met during their separation. It wasn't impossible for someone else to take an interest in a former Neo-Nazi. A woman that looked like Maggie befriending him was a lot easier to believe than Alison doing the same.
And yet, it did not sit well with her.
Her nails dug into the skin of her arms as she listened to muffled conversation. Being right near the front door, she could hear their voices, but their words were muffled. She had no idea how the conversation had gone, but it came to a close. There were footsteps departing the porch, followed closely by the slamming of the front door. Alison wasn't bothered by the loud noise, mostly because it wouldn't wake Naomi. After a few moments, Kurt opened the door and walked inside. He said nothing as he walked to the kitchen and pulled out a water bottle. He downed the water, about half, and then squeezed the bottle tightly.
Alison quietly stood from the bed and headed in his direction. He tensed when she drew near. "Not… that it's any of my business, but who was that?" she asked. If possible, Kurt tensed further. He set the bottle down on the counter next to the sink. After a moment, he turned to face her, lips set into a grim line.
"She's… Maggie. I forgot she was coming today," Kurt admitted. "She usually shows up on my weekends. With everything that's happened since the last time…"
"Well, sorry for disturbing your weekend," Alison said, somewhat bitterly.
"No, you-" Kurt cut himself off. "I didn't mean that. I want to spend time with Naomi. It's just… she leaves her son with me until about 10 every Friday and 11:30 every Saturday." That, she hadn't been expecting at all. It must have shown on her face because Kurt hurried to explain. "I babysit sometimes."
"So… she's a neighbor who trusts you?" Alison guessed, surprised. "With her child?"
"… She's… my sister-in-law."
Alison reared her head back, absolutely stunned by the news. "… I'm sorry—did you just say that you babysit for a man that tried to kill you?" she asked, incredulous. Kurt said her name, but she didn't let him continue. "I must have misheard because you can't be stupid enough to invite that into your life! Or do you have another brother—a much less racist brother I don't know about?"
"It's not like that! I do it for Maggie," Kurt explained.
"Oh? So you do it for the wife of a man who hurt you?" Alison retorted, sarcasm dripping. "That makes it all better! Why would you want anything to do with that racist family?!"
"Would you…" Kurt breathed out. "Maggie's not like that. And neither is Hank! He's just a kid!"
"He's a young, impressionable boy whose father probably doesn't hold back the derogatory terms towards people who look like me!" She was probably raising her voice, but this development was too… It was too much. She hadn't pictured walking into something like this. It was a lot to take in. It felt like being blindsided. Kurt wasn't a natural parent. He had practiced with this four year old. Or however old this Hank was. But that was beside the point. By forming this bond, he had willingly thrown himself back into danger. The wrong type of danger. Danger that could come back horribly on her daughter. Because he hadn't gotten rid of it like he had been supposed to. "And I will not allow Naomi anywhere near that! She'll have to deal with the ugliness of this world younger than any child should just because of how she looks, but not this young. Not this close to where she could consider home!"
Alison sharply turned, intending to pack up, but before she could make it more than a few steps, Kurt wrapped his fingers around her arm. He turned her back around to face him. "Would you calm down?!" he raised his voice, too. "For Christ's sake, Alison! His favorite movie's Mulan!" That gave her pause, and she stopped herself from yanking away from Kurt. "He's a good kid, I promise!" He said these words through clenched teeth. "Hank—he saved me. Him and Maggie. If it hadn't been for them…" He pressed his lips together before continuing. "I owe them, alright? It's not their fault Calvin turned out to be an asshole, but those two aren't apart of it. I need my nephew… but I need my kid, too. Don't make me choose between them. Please. Don't go."
Alison blinked a few times, hating the fact that a familiar stinging in her eyes had formed. She swallowed, realizing that she could hear her heart beat. Kurt had always had a way with words, made worse by the intense look in his eyes. And they were inches away from each other now. His words had always, always affected her, but now she knew how deep it went, and it hurt. It made her feel that she had left him vulnerable, and he had latched onto whatever lifeline as a result. Even one as dangerous as this. It made her feel like this situation had been her fault. But it wasn't. He was the one who hadn't… Alison squeezed her eyes shut, forcing the blame away. She breathed shakily through her nose.
"Fine," she whispered. Kurt's grip on her arm loosened. "But if that boy says or does anything I don't approve of towards Naomi, these visits are done." He frowned, probably misunderstanding. "You would have to make time to visit her at my house. She would not be coming back here. Ever. As long as you babysit for him."
"I… I understand," Kurt replied, nodding in agreement. "But you don't have to worry about that. Hank's a good boy. I think they'll get along." Alison chose not to say anything. It was then that he realized that he had been standing too close. Kurt abruptly released her and even took a few steps back. Alison looked down at the floor, leaning against the edge of the counter for support. For several moments, they only stood there. Eventually, Alison lifted her gaze again. Kurt hadn't been looking at her.
"Can I… ask how you ended up babysitting?" she asked, quietly. Her index finger tapped against the countertop as Kurt turned to face her again. "It just… seems strange to me."
It took him a moment, but he finally spoke up. "After… After I got out of the hospital, I wasn't doing well," Kurt began. "I wasn't sleeping or-or eating right." His eyes lowered. "I wasn't taking care of myself." He sighed slowly before continuing. Alison slid her nail against the countertop, resisting the urge to blurt out a question. Why hadn't he called her? She would have dropped everything, and… But he hadn't. In his time of need, he hadn't thought to call her. She shouldn't feel so guilty. So hardening her expression, and her feelings, she continued to listen, attempting to remain impartial. "About a month later, Maggie showed up with groceries, asking how I was."
"As herself or as her husband?"
"I asked her the same thing," Kurt admitted. "She told me not to be an asshole." A slight smile formed, and Alison felt herself glowering. "We hung out together before—basically. It was usually her and Calvin, but sometimes it was all three of us. So we knew each other. We cared about each other. Behind Calvin's back, she called the hospital to check in while I was unconscious. Behind his back, she visited me at home a lot. She wanted to make sure I was recovering. Thanks to her, I did, so when she came here one day with Hank, saying that her normal babysitter canceled, I agreed to let him stay. Then it turned into routine. Hank liked me, and I liked him, so… basically, it just happened this way."
Inside her mouth, Alison's teeth clenched. She didn't like it. The suddenness of it was suspicious. Why wait around if she had cared about her brother-in-law so much? Then abruptly dropping off her child to a man she hadn't spoken to for years prior. It was odd. Not to mention, there had been no phone calls for Kurt at the hospital. Well, at least, no calls while Alison had remained in Banshee. Everyone visited. Phone records had been obtained—just in case—during the investigation. Billy had shared updates with her, and call history had never come up. No one had called. Not even a guilty brother who had felt ashamed about what he had done. Certainly not an in-law.
Still, it was probably not her business. What Kurt had done in the two years that they had been separated was ultimately untouchable. Here and now was the important bit. But in the back of her mind, Alison did not like or trust Maggie Bunker. There was something off about her, especially since Kurt had never mentioned her prior to this conversation.
"I don't want her to know about Naomi," Alison said. Kurt opened his mouth, face fixing into that of protest. "I don't care if she's not like that! She married a monster who is! If she knows, eventually she'll tell him—whether it's a slipup or intentional. And I don't think he would react well to being an uncle to a hybrid! Do you?!" Kurt said nothing. It had been a rhetorical question. "I will not risk my baby's life over a woman you knew back when you were a monster."
"Understood," Kurt said. She could see the tension in his jaw. He wasn't happy about it, but he could understand her viewpoint. Alison couldn't understand why Kurt saw absolutely nothing wrong with associating with a person from that part of his past—even if the woman wasn't like that. "She won't find out. I told her you were a colleague from work."
"I told her the same thing," Alison stated. That relieved her somewhat. She breathed deeply, and then made steps towards Kurt. He furrowed his brow, the tension spreading through his body. Still, he did not move. "Despite all that," Alison murmured, halting in front of him. "I want this to work. You're so good with Naomi, and she adores you. She trusts you. I can tell. Like mother like daughter." She had not meant to say the last part out loud, and Kurt had definitely heard it because his eyes widened just a bit, but before she had a chance to hurriedly take it back, a distraction saved her from making a fool of herself.
"Uncle K…" A groggy voice caused both adults to turn their attention to the entrance. The kid had woken up and was now sluggishly walking into the room, fingers rubbing at his eye. Upon noticing them in the kitchen, the kid—Hank—lowered his arm. Wide awake now, he stared at them. More specifically at Alison. She immediately moved away from Kurt just as the man walked towards his nephew. Alison clasped her hands behind back and leaned against the back door.
"Hey, buddy," Kurt greeted the boy. He lowered himself to eye level with the kid. "How are today? Had a good nap?" Hank nodded his head, but kept his eyes trained on her. Kurt glanced back at her before completely focusing on his nephew. "That's… That's… She's… She's a friend of mine. Can you say hi?"
"Hi," the boy's voice was quiet, but polite. "M-My name is Hank." He looked like his father. She had studied the face of Calvin Bunker quite excessively before, and now she was seeing those features in this boy. Alison attempted to squash those feelings of anger. This boy was not his father, after all. He was young. Impressionable, but innocent at the moment. She stepped forward until she was a bit behind Kurt's crouching form.
"Hello, Hank," Alison greeted. Despite logic, she was half-surprised that the kid didn't frown at her, or show some sign of hostility. In fact, he smiled. It was a small, shy smile, but a smile nonetheless. Perhaps the bigotry hadn't trickled down yet. "My name is Alison. How are you?"
"I'm okay," he replied.
"That's good—hey, I heard that you like Mulan," Alison stated. Instantly, the boy's face lit up. "Who's your favorite?"
"Mushu!" Hank answered, ecstatic. "It was rainy so we watched it in class! Uncle K bought a T.V. so I can watch it here anytime I want! It's upstairs!" The boy then went on to ramble animatedly about his favorite parts of the movie and boast that he knew all the songs. "I wanna watch it today!" He then turned to his uncle. "Can we watch it today? Please?!"
"Yeah, we can," Kurt replied, which caused the child to whoop in glee. Admittedly, it was a cute display, and Alison found herself smiling. "But lower your voice. Ms. Alison isn't the only one here." He touched Hank's shoulder, turning him around to face the bed. "Naomi is still sleeping."
"Naomi…?" Hank questioned in wonder. He attempted to move towards the bed, but Kurt held him back. "Naomi's a baby."
"I thought it would be a good idea for you to have someone to play with when you're here, maybe," Kurt said.
"But she's a baby," Hank protested, voice taking on a bit of whine.
"A toddler, Hank," Kurt corrected. "And she likes playing just like you."
"Really?"
"She also likes Mulan songs," Alison put in. That seemed to satisfy the kid, and he turned around to look back at her. "When she wakes up, I'll introduce you to my daughter." Hank nodded slowly, and then shrugged his shoulders.
"For now, why don't you use the bathroom and wash up? I'll have a snack ready for you," Kurt said.
"Okay!" Hank bounded off to, running around the corner to get to the downstairs half bath.
"No running!" Kurt called after him. His only response was the bathroom door slamming shut. He sighed lightly, and then rose to his full height. "No matter how many times I tell him…" he muttered.
"I've learned to give up the no running thing," Alison remarked. Kurt turned slightly. "Kids are going to run no matter what an adult tells them." He completely faced her, and she released a sigh. "But you're right, Hank seems like a good kid. I just hope he gets along with Naomi."
"Me, too," Kurt said.
0-0
The two kids had not gotten along.
Almost from the start of introductions, the two had taken a dislike for each other. There had been numerous blown raspberries between them. A few squabbles had ensued as well, resulting in time-outs for the both of them. They had fought over snack time. They had fought while they colored. They had fought during playtime in the backyard. A game of soccer had turned into keep away, and then changed into an aggressive version of tag, including tackles. Despite the way Kurt's heart had nearly given out at the sight of it, they were both unharmed. Better yet, Alison had not viewed the battles as some innate racist tendency on Hank's side. Rather, she had believed it had only come from jealousy. Both children liked Kurt, and hadn't been keen on… sharing. Alison had even gone to remark that they seemed to be having fun with each other as she had bathed Naomi in the tub.
Kurt was glad that Alison had decided to take such a laidback approach to the two children's interactions. Maybe they would get better in the future. For now, at least, Hank and Naomi had settled down considerably. The earlier bath had helped, and now his daughter was in a new outfit. A grey onesie with a large Warhammer on the front. Kurt hadn't had to guess it was Marvel related. Alison had merely smirked at him, and that had caused his stomach to flop. Christ.
Anyway, the four of them were now upstairs in the spare room, sitting on the couch and watching a movie. The animated film had kept the children preoccupied. Naomi sat in Kurt's lap, occasionally pointing and attempting to copy the movements of some of the characters. Hank sat to the right of him, curled up and equally enraptured by the finale of the movie. Alison sat on his left, obviously not as focused. She had snagged a book from one of the shelves downstairs. Elbow against the arm of the couch, she held her head up with knuckles. Sometimes, her eyes would lift to the television, but more often than not, the book had her attention.
This had felt… comfortable. There had been awkward moments, but for the most part, all this had felt ordinary. Like he had been doing it for a while. Well, truthfully, he had done this before. It had felt like this, only he had been in the role of son and brother. Now, he was in the role of father… and husband… No—not husband. Kurt glanced at the woman by his side. Maybe before… No. Not even then. This, by itself, was good enough. Maybe it had been a good thing she had left without warning, after all. Still, he wondered if this had been how Officer Miller felt with his family. Perfectly content.
Hank suddenly leapt from the couch, hollering in glee. The abrupt movement snapped Kurt right out of his trance. He hadn't realized he had been staring longer than anticipated. He hurriedly turned his attention to his dancing nephew, and then almost immediately becoming distracted by Naomi bouncing up and down, obviously sharing Hank's enthusiasm for the ending credits' song. Breathing in deeply, Kurt lifted her up, and then set her down on the floor. Naomi joined her cousin in his bizarre dance. Amused, Alison chuckled as she shut the book in her lap. She leaned forward, reaching for her cell phone on the floor. She had been snapping pictures all day. More than likely, she would be recording these certain shenanigans, though.
However, before Alison set her phone up for record, she quietly gasped in surprise. She then shot up from the couch, staring down at her phone's screen. "It's late," she stated. "We have to go." Her statement was met by whines of protest from both Hank and Naomi. Kurt felt the same urge, to be honest. "It is one hour pass your bed time, baby girl. No fussing." Naomi blew a raspberry at her mother. Mildly exasperated, Alison turned a knowing look on Kurt. He returned the look with a sheepish expression. Apparently, Naomi hadn't started doing that until Hank.
"She's right," Kurt agreed, standing up. "It's time for you to go to sleep, too, Hank."
"But I wanted to watch the movie again!"
"Why would you want to watch the same movie you just finished?" Kurt questioned.
"Because I want to," came the snarky reply, along with arms crossing.
Failing to stifle her laugh, Alison slipped her phone into the right pocket of her dress before bending over to pick up Naomi. "I'm going to make a bottle for her," she stated before leaving through the open door. Naomi's 'No!' echoed through the hallway and down the stairs. The loud creak of the floor signaled that she had made it half way. Alison had made a comment about it earlier, but Kurt had given her a vague answer. She knew that he was good with his hands, so his answer had been meant by suspicion. He hadn't wanted to go into the real reason he had left the stairs alone. Or why his bedroom was on the first floor. She must have thought it was strange, but had kept any comments to herself.
Sighing to himself, Kurt went over to the television, and pressed the eject button. The DVD popped out, and he could sense the pout from his nephew. After putting the DVD back in its cover, he turned to face Hank. "Hey, I… I wanted to ask you something," he began. The pout vanished and Hank stared up at him in curiosity. "Do you… like Naomi?" His nephew shrugged. "How about Ms. Alison?"
"She's nice," Hank admitted. "I like Uni!"
"It's Uno, Hank," Kurt corrected, letting a smile cross his face. Hank shrugged again. Alison and he had played a few games while Kurt had prepared dinner. Naomi had been in the kitchen with him at the time, watching in fascination as he cooked. She had gotten first taste because of it, which she had been quite happy about. Nothing solid, just the sauce. Anyway, Alison and Hank had seemed to have fun while playing. His nephew had never played Uno before, and apparently had liked it a lot, even though Alison had only let him win once.
"I'm glad you like her. She's… going to be over here tomorrow, too," Kurt stated. "With Naomi."
"Nay-Nay," Hank said with as much derision as a five-year-old could muster. The boy had taken to calling his cousin that when she had taken to calling him 'Han.' Neither child appreciated the nicknames. "She's a baby!"
"She's a toddler, and I think she had fun with you," Kurt said. "And I think you have fun with her, too."
"She doesn't know the rules for soccer!" Hank protested.
"Then you'll have to teach her, won't you? And maybe she'll end up teaching you something, too." His nephew only huffed. "I know it's a big change, but I think Naomi will be over here when you visit from now on. And… you have to keep it a secret from your mom." That caught his attention, and the curious look returned. "Just like your dad doesn't know that you come over here sometimes. It's another secret, and big boys keep secrets, don't they?" Hank nodded his head. "So if your mom asks about Ms. Alison…"
"Who?"
"Good job," Kurt congratulated, tapping his nephew on the nose. Hank grinned. "Now, let's get you ready for bed, and then say bye."
"Okay!"
By the time the two came downstairs, Hank in his pajamas, Alison and Naomi were by the door. Naomi leaned against her mother, sucking on a bottle of milk. Already, she looked sleepy. Kurt found himself smiling. Alison shifted her a bit while balancing the bag on her other shoulder. "I guess, we'll see you tomorrow?" she asked. Kurt immediately nodded his head. "Okay, so tomorrow then." Her eyes shifted down to Hank. "And you, I hope you're ready for our karaoke sing off. I don't pull punches." Hank rapidly nodded his head, clearly excited by the challenge. Alison smiled. "Have a good night—both of you," she said.
"You, too," Kurt said, moving forward. He opened the door for her. "Text me before you go to bed?" Alison dipped her head in acknowledgement. "Bye, Naomi. See you tomorrow." His daughter lifted her head and removed the bottle from her mouth.
"Bah, Dah!" she said, voice and movements sluggish with sleep. Her eyes looked downward. "Bah, Han!"
"Bye, Nay-Nay," Hank returned, waving.
After the exchange of goodbyes, the two left, and Kurt waited until they were safely in the vehicle and down the road before he shut the door. "Okay," Kurt began, looking down at his nephew. "Let's find a book to read." Uncle and nephew walked down the hall and headed into the living room. In recent months, Kurt had purchased quite a few children's books to add to his collection. It had all been for Hank, but now maybe later on, they could be for Naomi, too. Hank rushed towards the smaller bookcase and seemingly picked a book at random. Kurt picked up his nephew and sat down on the couch. Five minutes later, Hank was out. About three minutes after that, Kurt followed suit. Taking care of two kids was damn exhausting.
But he wouldn't trade it for anything.
Hours later, a loud banging on the front door roused Kurt from sleep. He groggily looked around, eyes straining to look at the clock on the wall. It was almost ten o'clock. He sighed out. Right on time. Carefully, Kurt sat up because Hank was drooling on his shirt. He picked up his nephew, and the boy immediately wrapped his arms and legs around him. All without waking up even when the knocking came again. Must run in the family.
Stifling a yawn, Kurt headed towards the front door. Already, the bag was by the door, and all of Hank's things were packed up. Before the knocking could come a third time, Kurt opened the door. Sure enough, Maggie stood on the porch. "Hey, Kurt," she greeted with a tired smile. He returned the greeting with a tilt of his head. Honestly, he could still remember their previous conversation. It wasn't exactly friendly on either side. Maggie stepped into the house, only to grab the bag near the door. She then turned around and walked towards her minivan. Kurt followed after, not bothering to shut the front door.
After Hank was safely strapped into the car seat, Kurt shut the door and faced the boy's mother. She had a pensive look on her face. Something told him that he would not like this conversation either. "So that… woman who was here earlier…" Maggie began. Kurt kept himself from sighing somehow. "Does… Do you normally have guests at your house?"
"No, she's just a-"
"Colleague from work," Maggie interrupted. "Yeah, you said that already." She crossed her arms, a slight frown becoming noticeable on her face. "Did Hank see her?"
"… Yeah. He woke up, I introduced them, she left soon after," Kurt said. It was a lie, but only to placate her. It didn't seem to work because Maggie's crossed arms became just a bit tighter. "What?"
"Nothing," she huffed, clearly showing something was bothering her. "It's just… Hank knows he's not supposed to talk to strangers."
"She's not a stranger," Kurt insisted. His insides jerked for an unknown reason. "She's a native that moved away. I knew her back when I first became a Deputy here. We helped each other back then. She wanted to see about renewing that help."
"Help with what?" Maggie questioned.
"Work," Kurt stressed. She pursed her lips. "It doesn't matter."
"It matters, Kurt!" she retorted. "I don't want Hank to get the wrong idea!"
"And what exactly is the wrong idea, Maggie?!" Kurt nearly raised his voice.
For the first time, he was seeing her in a different light. He hadn't thought about it before, but… Alison's previous words echoed in his mind. I will not risk my baby's life over a woman you knew back when you were a monster. Maggie had never shown… tendencies before. But she had hung around him and Calvin enough. Not to mention who her father was. Maybe Maggie wasn't like that, but maybe she had the mindset. Maybe the wrong idea, to her, was thinking Kurt could have a woman like Alison over. They should be with their own kind, and Hank seeing otherwise would not be good.
"Look—I just don't want Hank thinking this woman is a friend who shows up regularly when she's not," Maggie explained. Kurt found himself scowling. "He's a friendly kid that doesn't know, yet, about-"
"I think you should go, Maggie," Kurt interrupted. Abruptly, she shut her mouth, furrowing her brow in confusion. "And, to be honest, Hank's a smart kid. He knows how to think for himself." Maggie blinked, and said nothing else. "Good night." Without waiting for a response, Kurt walked back towards his house. Once inside, he locked the door, and then leaned against it, forehead pressing hard. A heavy sigh left his mouth. Beyond the door, he heard the vehicle pulling away. Only then could he feel the tension leave his body.
What a day this had been.
Kurt forced himself away from the door, thoughts swirling in his head. He trudged through the open door, and then shut it behind him. Another sigh. He hadn't expected the day to go how it had. Most of it had been good. But… Having the two women in his life at odds—and the two kids, maybe—might take its toll on him. Kurt rubbed at his forehead, sighing deeply. He had completely blanked on Maggie's visit, so their sudden meeting had been his fault. He had to figure out a way to juggle the time so that the two women would never meet again. After all, he had promised that Maggie wouldn't find out about Naomi, and after that revealing conversation, he understood Alison's reaction.
Maybe he had been stupid. Babysitting for Hank was a gift, but it also was an unnecessary risk. How long could a five-year-old keep a secret like that? Kurt should have realized sooner that it would all blow up in his face one day. It posed a bigger risk now that Alison had come back with their daughter. They shouldn't be a secret. Hank shouldn't be forced to lie about… his cousin's existence. But this seemed like the road they were all on now.
Kurt sat down on his bed. He realized that he had a lot to think about. Changes had come abruptly and unexpectedly into the life he had carved after being burned. These changes wouldn't allow his life to remain the same. In the future, he would not be content with this secretive life. He couldn't be. For the sake of his daughter. Christ. There was only one solution. One he had set as a goal a few times before. He didn't have a choice this time around, though. He couldn't give up again.
"I have to destroy The Brotherhood," Kurt said out loud. It couldn't be like before, though. Before, the goal had involved him going into a stronghold and taking as many of them out before death reached him. Then, it involved provoking them into retaliation so that he, and the Sheriff's Department, could take them all out. Neither plan had worked. Kurt needed to figure out a way to destroy the organization with minimum risk of retaliation. And he couldn't do it alone. At the moment, he had no idea how to go about doing that, though.
Kurt lied back, releasing another heavy sigh. The back of his head hit something hard. He lifted a bit, hand reaching for whatever. It was his cell phone. He had left it on the bed earlier. Oh. And he had gotten a message, probably while he had been asleep with Hank. Relaxing again, Kurt held the cell phone up. He opened the message from Alison. It was an image of him and the two kids. She had managed to snap a really good picture of him tickling Hank and Naomi, each kid on either of his legs. Kurt smiled wide. To stop one of their squabbles he had captured them like this. The picture reminded him how good it felt to be a part of something like that.
It took him over five minutes, but he managed to get the image as his background… or was it called home screen? It had never played around with his phone before, but had he wanted to see the photo every time he looked at his phone. Kurt opened his messages again, sending a reply to the mother of his child. She had sent the message hours ago, maybe when she had gotten home, but she would see it in the morning. Kurt turned on his side, lowering the cell phone down on the floor. The last thought on his mind as he drifted to sleep was a wonder of how tomorrow was going to go.
0-0
On a different side of town, Alison Medding was pacing in her room. Naomi had been put down a while ago for bed. But she hadn't been able to sleep. No matter Kurt's reassurances, she hadn't been able to stop thinking about him babysitting for monsters. Hank—he was okay. He was a good kid, like Kurt had said. He and Naomi had liked each other despite the arguing. She had practically sang 'Han, Han, Han!' all the way home. Clearly, they were going to be friends. But the boy's parents were a different story entirely. Set in their ways. She already knew that Calvin Bunker was a monster, who hadn't cared for his older brother at all. And Maggie had given off a vibe. It was a danger to be so close to them, and Hank was that deep-rooted connection that would eventually affect both Alison and Naomi.
Alison halted her pacing, tilting her chin down and sighing. The thoughts wouldn't leave her head, and so she couldn't sleep. She had to do something. Something like this couldn't continue. If she did nothing, this would end badly. If she did something, this could end in badly. Jesus Christ! Why had Kurt put himself in this position? And why had Hank been such a sweet child? It was aggravating.
A chime from her cell phone caught Alison's attention. Pressing her lips together, she moved towards her nightstand. There was a new message from Kurt. She picked up her phone and read the message. Thank you, it said. Alison smiled lightly. He had gotten the picture. She had thought he wouldn't get it until the next time he had woke up. But maybe he hadn't been able to sleep either. She bit her lower lip before texting back. You're welcome and see you tomorrow. Today hadn't been nearly as awkward as she had thought. Co-parenting would be okay. Alison breathed deeply. They could do it without thinking of their past. It was going to be okay.
Co-parenting had been okay, but not the rest of it. Something had to be done. Alison went over to her dresser. Her wallet laid on top. She went through it until she pulled out a card she had been ignoring for days now. Before, there could have been a choice. Not anymore. For the sake of her daughter—and Kurt and Hank, maybe—she had to. Alison looked at the number, and then dialed it. Time was probably an issue at the moment, but she could always leave a message. The line rang a few times, and to her surprised, it was picked up.
"This is Hood," he greeted.
"Sheriff," Alison returned. "It's Alison Medding. How sure are you that the DA is involved with The Brotherhood?"
"… We're positive," Lucas replied. "Does this mean you're in?" For a time, she did not response. Her eyes stared down at the floor, lips pressed together. "Still there…?"
"The organization needs to be crippled, and the DA is one of the pillars," Alison said. Again, she turned quiet, but only for a few seconds more. She would become resolute. "Then I'll find the connection. The Brotherhood must be destroyed. Every single one of them... I'm in."
0-0
Okay. Maybe I'm misinterpreting the layout of what we saw of Kurt's new house in season four, but I think the bed is downstairs on the first floor. From the front of the house to the back it's bedroom, little space to eat and work out, and then kitchen. That's what I saw with the few snippets of his home. Please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not changing it in the story, but I would like to know. I was so confused why he would do that. That's weird. And then I actually thought about it. He's effin' traumatized. He was attacked in his bedroom, so if it happens again, the intruders would go upstairs not to where he's actually sleeping, giving him a chance to escape or do whatever. I nearly cried. Calvin effed his brother up in more ways than I thought.
