Ship: S/V Fluffy-fluff AU/Futurefic
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story idea. Instead, the characters all belong to JJ and the other Alias folks over at ABC.
AN: Thanks so much for the reviews! They honestly do help me keep writing. Okay, now we're on this adventure together because I have no idea where the muse is going with this. Oh well, should be a fun ride :)
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
Michael lay with his arms around Sydney, her head on his shoulder as he traced lazy patterns along the stomach that would swell and grow in the months to come with the life of their child.
"Do you think Jack will mind that we're late for dinner?"
"Given the circumstances, I'm thinking dad will understand. But we should probably try to get there soon. It is Father's Day, after all"
And with a huge smile, Michael bent in to kiss Sydney as he replied "yes, it most certainly is." ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
Fifteen minutes later Michael had put on a clean shirt and slacks and was making the bed as he waited for Sydney to finish getting ready. He straightened the pillows and glanced over at her, smiling at her reflection in the dressing table mirror.
"What?" She asked, returning his smile.
"You have the glow." He said as he crossed the room to stand behind her.
"The glow?" Sydney let her head lean against his stomach as she sat and finished her makeup.
"I can't believe I missed it. You have that pregnant-woman-happy-from-the- inside glow."
"Well the perma-grin you've got doesn't look half bad either." Sydney stood and picked up her purse from the table. "Do you think dad will notice?"
"Me? Probably not. I've had this grin since the moment we met. You, on the other hand, he will definitely notice." Michael glanced at the clock, "That is if he's not to distracted by the fact that we're almost an hour late." He grabbed the keys as they headed down the hall. Sydney reached to pick up the bags with Jack's presents and Michael stepped in front of her to get the packages first.
"Oh no you don't" he warned with a wag of his finger.
Sydney looked at him incredulously. "Michael, you have got to be kidding me. I carried those bags into the house two hours ago. I am perfectly capable of carrying them back out. If you are going to be like this for the next eight months, I might just move in with dad." And she turned and headed out the door.
Michael regarded her skeptically as he locked the door and followed her to the car. "Do you honestly think Jack will coddle your less than I will?"
"Well," Sydney pretended to consider it as she got in to the passenger seat. "No. Dad does have a certain protective nature to him." Michael chuckled at the gross understatement. There was a challenge in Sydney's eyes as she smiled over at him. "And how can I deny you the pleasure of 3am trips for ice cream or the lovely bouts of morning sickness. But, seriously Michael. Just because I am pregnant does not mean that I am suddenly an incapable, fragile waif. I won't do anything to endanger our baby, but I also won't spend all my time sitting around and being taken care of."
Michael glanced away from the road as he grabbed her hand. "Sydney, you are the strongest and most capable person I have ever met. I love you and I can't wait to share this adventure with you. I want to be there for the crazy food cravings and to hold your hand through morning sickness. But that means I will be taking care of you, maybe more than you're used to, and I want us to find a way to be okay with that. You're doing the hard part and I need to feel like I'm supporting you-both of you." He clasped her hand tighter as he stole another glance over at his wife.
"We'll figure it out, Mike. If we could figure out how to save the world from the forces of evil a time or two, we can find a new balance in our little family."
He laughed lightly as they pulled into Jack's driveway. "Yes, Syd, that we can."
They were just walking up the driveway as the front door flew open and Jack stepped out, wearing an apron and a scowl.
"Sydney! Where have you been?" His face showed love and worry and relief, emotions that just years before seemed impossible and foreign between them.
"Happy Father's Day!" Sydney called out, walking up to give him a hug before she answered. "Sorry Daddy, something important came up and we were delayed." Michael blushed and looked aside as thoughts of their 'delay' filled his mind.
Jack looked from Sydney to Michael, trying to understand what could have happened. "And you couldn't call to say you'd be late?"
"Not really Dad, it was that kind of important. But let's go inside so I can explain." Jack nodded reluctantly as he held the door for Sydney and Michael to enter.
The smell of lasagna filled the house as they headed to the kitchen and Michael and Sydney moved to sit around the small table in the corner
Michael spoke up as he settled next to Sydney at the table. "Is this the zucchini lasagna recipe you were telling me about, Jack? It smells great." In the months after Jack had learned of Michael and Sydney's engagement and now since their marriage, the two men had formed a growing bond over shared interests in Italian food, classic movies and their love for Sydney.
Jack replied from the cupboard where he was pulling out plates and wine glasses. "Yes, I decided to give it a try tonight. Looks like it came together okay. We're lucky it wasn't ruined in all the time I've been waiting for you two." Jack turned and gave them a pointed look as he and handed Sydney the plates and began to pour the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sydney stopped him before he poured the third glass. "I won't be having any wine, Dad"
Jack regarded her curiously as he replaced the third glass in the cupboard. "Okay. Are you going to tell me what's going on yet, or do I need to use my interrogation skills?"
Sydney suppressed a giggle as she tried to picture the man in front of her, apron on and a spatula in hand, interrogating anyone. "Let's just get dinner served first, then you can interrogate away." Sydney smiled at Jack as she got herself a glass of water. "Do you need me to do anything else?"
"If you can grab the salad, I'll get the lasagna and we'll be set." Jack replied as he turned toward the oven.
"I'll do it" Michael offered, slipping past Sydney to reach into the refrigerator and grabbing the salad bowl.
Sydney glared at Michael when he came back to the table. "It was a salad," she hissed under her breath.
He gave her an innocent smile as Jack came over with the casserole dish steaming with vegetables, noodles and cheese.
They settled at the table and Jack reached for their plates to serve them.
"So dad, what did you do all day besides slaving away in the kitchen?"
"Well, I spent an hour worrying about my only daughter and her husband and the reasons why they could be so late for dinner." It was obvious Jack wanted answers and wasn't going to let Sydney change the subject so easily.
Sydney gave in and began to explain. "Well, Michael and I had something to discuss and I wanted to make sure we had time to talk about it before we came over." Sydney glanced at her husband and they joined hands, Michael giving her a squeeze of encouragement.
"You couldn't have talked earlier?" Jack questioned, trying to determine what was going on.
"No dad. I got some news and I needed the right moment to share it with Michael. Just like now we have the perfect moment to share it with you."
Jack took in Michael's intense gaze on Sydney and the joined hands. His eyes flashed with concern "Are you okay?"
"Yes dad. In fact I'm more than fine" she smiled even brighter at him.
Michael looked over at his father-in-law. "It's good news, Jack." Sydney and Michael looked at each other again before she reached over and took Jack's hand in both of hers.
"Daddy, we're pregnant."
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story idea. Instead, the characters all belong to JJ and the other Alias folks over at ABC.
AN: Thanks so much for the reviews! They honestly do help me keep writing. Okay, now we're on this adventure together because I have no idea where the muse is going with this. Oh well, should be a fun ride :)
~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
Michael lay with his arms around Sydney, her head on his shoulder as he traced lazy patterns along the stomach that would swell and grow in the months to come with the life of their child.
"Do you think Jack will mind that we're late for dinner?"
"Given the circumstances, I'm thinking dad will understand. But we should probably try to get there soon. It is Father's Day, after all"
And with a huge smile, Michael bent in to kiss Sydney as he replied "yes, it most certainly is." ~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~
Fifteen minutes later Michael had put on a clean shirt and slacks and was making the bed as he waited for Sydney to finish getting ready. He straightened the pillows and glanced over at her, smiling at her reflection in the dressing table mirror.
"What?" She asked, returning his smile.
"You have the glow." He said as he crossed the room to stand behind her.
"The glow?" Sydney let her head lean against his stomach as she sat and finished her makeup.
"I can't believe I missed it. You have that pregnant-woman-happy-from-the- inside glow."
"Well the perma-grin you've got doesn't look half bad either." Sydney stood and picked up her purse from the table. "Do you think dad will notice?"
"Me? Probably not. I've had this grin since the moment we met. You, on the other hand, he will definitely notice." Michael glanced at the clock, "That is if he's not to distracted by the fact that we're almost an hour late." He grabbed the keys as they headed down the hall. Sydney reached to pick up the bags with Jack's presents and Michael stepped in front of her to get the packages first.
"Oh no you don't" he warned with a wag of his finger.
Sydney looked at him incredulously. "Michael, you have got to be kidding me. I carried those bags into the house two hours ago. I am perfectly capable of carrying them back out. If you are going to be like this for the next eight months, I might just move in with dad." And she turned and headed out the door.
Michael regarded her skeptically as he locked the door and followed her to the car. "Do you honestly think Jack will coddle your less than I will?"
"Well," Sydney pretended to consider it as she got in to the passenger seat. "No. Dad does have a certain protective nature to him." Michael chuckled at the gross understatement. There was a challenge in Sydney's eyes as she smiled over at him. "And how can I deny you the pleasure of 3am trips for ice cream or the lovely bouts of morning sickness. But, seriously Michael. Just because I am pregnant does not mean that I am suddenly an incapable, fragile waif. I won't do anything to endanger our baby, but I also won't spend all my time sitting around and being taken care of."
Michael glanced away from the road as he grabbed her hand. "Sydney, you are the strongest and most capable person I have ever met. I love you and I can't wait to share this adventure with you. I want to be there for the crazy food cravings and to hold your hand through morning sickness. But that means I will be taking care of you, maybe more than you're used to, and I want us to find a way to be okay with that. You're doing the hard part and I need to feel like I'm supporting you-both of you." He clasped her hand tighter as he stole another glance over at his wife.
"We'll figure it out, Mike. If we could figure out how to save the world from the forces of evil a time or two, we can find a new balance in our little family."
He laughed lightly as they pulled into Jack's driveway. "Yes, Syd, that we can."
They were just walking up the driveway as the front door flew open and Jack stepped out, wearing an apron and a scowl.
"Sydney! Where have you been?" His face showed love and worry and relief, emotions that just years before seemed impossible and foreign between them.
"Happy Father's Day!" Sydney called out, walking up to give him a hug before she answered. "Sorry Daddy, something important came up and we were delayed." Michael blushed and looked aside as thoughts of their 'delay' filled his mind.
Jack looked from Sydney to Michael, trying to understand what could have happened. "And you couldn't call to say you'd be late?"
"Not really Dad, it was that kind of important. But let's go inside so I can explain." Jack nodded reluctantly as he held the door for Sydney and Michael to enter.
The smell of lasagna filled the house as they headed to the kitchen and Michael and Sydney moved to sit around the small table in the corner
Michael spoke up as he settled next to Sydney at the table. "Is this the zucchini lasagna recipe you were telling me about, Jack? It smells great." In the months after Jack had learned of Michael and Sydney's engagement and now since their marriage, the two men had formed a growing bond over shared interests in Italian food, classic movies and their love for Sydney.
Jack replied from the cupboard where he was pulling out plates and wine glasses. "Yes, I decided to give it a try tonight. Looks like it came together okay. We're lucky it wasn't ruined in all the time I've been waiting for you two." Jack turned and gave them a pointed look as he and handed Sydney the plates and began to pour the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Sydney stopped him before he poured the third glass. "I won't be having any wine, Dad"
Jack regarded her curiously as he replaced the third glass in the cupboard. "Okay. Are you going to tell me what's going on yet, or do I need to use my interrogation skills?"
Sydney suppressed a giggle as she tried to picture the man in front of her, apron on and a spatula in hand, interrogating anyone. "Let's just get dinner served first, then you can interrogate away." Sydney smiled at Jack as she got herself a glass of water. "Do you need me to do anything else?"
"If you can grab the salad, I'll get the lasagna and we'll be set." Jack replied as he turned toward the oven.
"I'll do it" Michael offered, slipping past Sydney to reach into the refrigerator and grabbing the salad bowl.
Sydney glared at Michael when he came back to the table. "It was a salad," she hissed under her breath.
He gave her an innocent smile as Jack came over with the casserole dish steaming with vegetables, noodles and cheese.
They settled at the table and Jack reached for their plates to serve them.
"So dad, what did you do all day besides slaving away in the kitchen?"
"Well, I spent an hour worrying about my only daughter and her husband and the reasons why they could be so late for dinner." It was obvious Jack wanted answers and wasn't going to let Sydney change the subject so easily.
Sydney gave in and began to explain. "Well, Michael and I had something to discuss and I wanted to make sure we had time to talk about it before we came over." Sydney glanced at her husband and they joined hands, Michael giving her a squeeze of encouragement.
"You couldn't have talked earlier?" Jack questioned, trying to determine what was going on.
"No dad. I got some news and I needed the right moment to share it with Michael. Just like now we have the perfect moment to share it with you."
Jack took in Michael's intense gaze on Sydney and the joined hands. His eyes flashed with concern "Are you okay?"
"Yes dad. In fact I'm more than fine" she smiled even brighter at him.
Michael looked over at his father-in-law. "It's good news, Jack." Sydney and Michael looked at each other again before she reached over and took Jack's hand in both of hers.
"Daddy, we're pregnant."