Story one: "With this Ring"
Story two: "And Baby Makes 6"
Dedication: I'd like to dedicate this one and the whole series in fact to two people. One is named Steph whom I met on line as a fan and she's then became pretty much my best friend and confidant. The second is a girl I only know by E-mail address who's been sooo kind as to record the shows on tape and send them. Without these people...well...I'd still be here today but I wouldn't be nearly as happy!
Diclaimer: None of these charicters are mine, nor do I own them, nor am I making any money. Dont sue, I'm a poor college student who's reduced to eating katchup packets I steal from macdonald's for lunch.
Chapter 1: The Calm Before the Storm
A few weeks after "And Baby Makes 6"
The jungle was so peaceful and serene at night. All the creepy crawlies went back into their hole's, den's and under their rocks leaving everything traquil...when a loud, squalling cry broke the calm.
Almost faster than possible a beautiful woman with dark tresses was out of bed and racing into the baby's room to comfort her child. Her defacto-husband, for they considered themselves truely married except for the pesky fact she had an ex waiting for her back in England, just groaned and rolled over. "Where in heaven and hell did the woman find the energy?" he thought.
Not that he wasn't proud of her. She had truely thrown herself into being a good mother, getting up with little Will every time he made a peep, often getting only 3 or 4 hours of broken sleep during the night and still managing to do what he considered was more than her fair share around the house. It wasn't much, but she did have the responsibility of taking care of an infant. She had been a real trooper, not complaining..at least not much, and it was starting to take its toll. The beautiful young heiress had semi-permament dark circles under her eyes from not sleeping and Roxton was getting worried. It wouldnt do for her to get sick from exaustion.
Marguerite headed back into their bedroom carrying the baby who almost instantly quieted down as soon as he was in his mother's arms. John pulled back the covers for her and she sat down, sitting up against the head boards.
"How long did Challenger say it'd be before he started sleeping through the night?" he asked. He was trying so hard not to complain, and he didn't mind, not really but still...a full night's sleep would do them all good. The walls in the tree house wern't the thickest and when the baby woke, he made sure he woke everyone else up with him...a trait Roxton was sure Will inherited from his mother in the womb.
Marguerite smirked, "Sorry to ruin your beauty sleep Lord Roxton."
"Very funny," he said, not even trying to sound insulted..it was far to late...or early...to work up the effort for a verbal sparing contest with her. She always won anyway.
"He's still so tiny...." she said softly, emotion heavy in her throat.
Roxton sat up and gently took the baby's tiny curled fist and stroked as Will yawned sleepily and wrapped his tiny hand around his father's huge finger. It was times like this that the hunter himself got choked up. He himself had never really thought of having a family for any real period of time but when he did, he never expected this kind of overwhelming emotion to over come him. He sat up further and kissed Marguerite on the temple and pulled her into their arms while they watched their son drift off to sleep.
Chapter 2: Wishing an' Hoping
The next morning the weary group of friends gathered around the breakfast table as was their usual habit. They all looked tired but none were complaining. They all vowed to help out with the baby and they would...if Marguerite ever let anyone hold him for more than a minute at a time.
Their reactions to the baby were varried, some comical. Veronica adored him. There wasn't a moment in the day where, if she was in the same room, she wasn't talking jibberish at the child and making funny faces. Challenger had appointed himself Will's educator...a heafty load for a month old child. The man would hold the baby and talk to him for hours on end about this and that. Will would stair up at him with bright blue eyes almost as if he understood...giving the professor's beard a little yank every so often as if to make some unknown point.
Ned on the other hand...he always watched the baby with some aprehension. He didn't know what to do around the baby. What if he dropped him? What if he scarred him for life?! And there was the fact that there was a dirty diaper smell hovering around the kid. In all honesty, Ned was almost afraid to get attached. Sighing he looked at Veronica who was babbling at the baby once more. Some things were simply beyond his reach.....
I'm all wet and I dont like it..maybe if I cry...Ah yes, thats better. The nice woman who I first saw came...I guess she's my mum since she's usually the one to do this. Sometimes the other one with the animal skins changes me, and once or twice there was the guy who smelled like gun oil did it...but his hands were to rough. The funny man with the beard hasn't yet. He talks a lot but that's okay, he's got a nice voice
Not as nice as my mum's though. When no one else is around she'll sing to me. I'm really lucky she's always around. She knows just how to hold me and when to change and feed me. The other guy that smells like gun oil is around a lot so he's probably my dad. He's okay I guess....has a thing for playing peek-a-boo and I humor him...grown ups are so weird!
The other lady i was talking about before...she calls herself aunt Ronnie, she's pretty neat but the other guy, the one younger than my dad is just wierd. He looks okay I guess but he doesn't like to hold me much. But he likes watching me and aunt Ronnie..what can I say, I'm just to cute! I know 'cause Aunt Ronnie keeps saying it.
Oooh! Here comes mum.....she smells so good so I give her a big smile. Wait...nap time?! Okay who do I go to to complain...
Chapter 4: Maybe There's Hope After All
"Hey," Ned said as he wandered over to Veroinca who was holding Will. Marguerite had just tried to take him to give him a nap and he threw a fit and Veronica naturally volenteered to watch him until he got sleepy.
"Isn't he the most adorable thing you've ever seen?" she said softly. Will seemed to agree whole heartedly because he cooed and pulled one of his feet into his mouth.
"Uh..yeah..makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside." Ned half heartedly agreed. Veronica just smirked and quickly deposited the baby in his arms. The reporter's eyes got wide, "Take it back! I dont want it!"
"'Its' name is 'Will' by the way. Besides you two need to bond" Veronica said trying to keep a straight face
"But Veronica..."
"No 'buts' out of you Uncle Neddy," she said heading for the kitchen "and remember...he can smell fear."
"I'm not afriad...I mean...no he cant!" Ned said, his face red. Frowning he looked down at Will who was stairing up at him. "....stop looking at me.." Will just gave him a huge gummy smile and continued to stair. "I mean it ya little stink weed...knock it off!"
Will giggled and Ned sighed. It was going to be a looooong day.
Chapter 5: A Dash of Bonding With Self Relization on the Side
A week or so later, disaster struck of the kind none of the travelers were prepared for. Marguerite got sick. A first rate case of the flu. Their daily rutine came to a grinding halt. Challenger didn't have the herbs nessicisary to make sure the fever didn't become life threatening so he and Roxton, who didn't want to go but couldn't let Challenger go out alone, headed out for the two day trek. Of course Veronica had volenteered but it was agreed that she was of more use taking care of Will and Marguerit's "absense" and Ned of course volenteered to stay behind and help her
Problems started immedately when Marguerite's fever sky rocketed forcing Veronica to devot all her time and energy to the young mother, leaving Will and Ned to fend for themselves.
"Okay...you don't need changed...you just ate...you dont have a fever....common buddy give me a clue?" Ned begged Will who was laying in his bassinet on the table crying. "Common..be a pal...."
Will just bawled louder, his face scrunching up with miserable rage. Hesitently Ned picked him up, patting his back every so often...and to his everlasting suprise and pleasure was rewarded with a loud burp and then a happy giggle.
"Hey...whadda ya know..." he said softly, sitting with the baby who had instantlys topped crying. "...I guess you arnt so bad...when you're quiet...." he said with a little smirk and was rewarded with a toothless smile and a happy squeel. "Smart kid too..."
Ned continued talking and was amazed by how much the baby looked like his parents, with Marguerite's unique grey-blue eyes and Roxton's strong chin and nose. He felt a sudden pang...He wanted to look down into a tiny face and see himself...maybe a baby with his eyes and blonde...and he instantly shut down that train of thought. Part of him wanted to go talk to Veronica, make the first move, throw all caution to the wind and declaire his love. Another part of him had himself convinced a woman so strong and beautiful and wild could never want a man like him.
Veronica had been standing in the entry way of the living room for the last few minutes watching them. Marguerite was finially asleep and her fever was down a little bit so she had come up to get some dinner when she saw Ned talking to the baby. "He'll make such an amazing dad someday" she thought. Maybe...someday if she ever got up the courage she'd talk to him about it. She wasn't used to feeling afraid of anything...but Ned...he was so smart, and so sweet...what would he want with a girl like her when you could have any girl in America...?