Title: Children Will Listen
Author: The Maria
Category: Andy, slight A/J
Rating: PG
Summary: Andy listens to the finale from "Into the Woods" and learns a very important lesson about parenting. Set early season 1. Part of a series of song fics based on "Into the Woods"
Disclaimer: Andy and Julia Brown are property of the WB, Greg Berlanti, Mickey Liddell, and "Into the Woods" was written by Stephen Soundheim and Lepine.
Children Will ListenAndy Brown pressed play on the CD player. The opening words of wisdom for the finale of "Into the Woods" came on. It was Delia's favorite musical as well as Julia's, so Andy decided to listen to it.
Maybe I just wasn't meant to have children.
Andy could understand that one he had often felt like that since Julia died. He just wasn't a good father.
Don't say that of course you were meant to have children.
That sounded like something Julia would say. Julia believed that Andy was a good father, even if he was a little misguided in the area of priorities.
But how do I go about being a father with no one to mother my child?Ahh that was the question of the year for Andy. Even though Ephram was 16 this parenting thing was still fairly new to him, and without Julia it made everything harder.
Just calm the child.
Yes calm the child. The Baker on the CD and Andy thought at the same time. That was the key to it all just is there for them.
Look, tell him the story of how it all happened, be father and mother you'll know what to do.
Alone. He would have to do it alone.
Sometimes people leave you, half way through the wood. Do not let it grieve you-
no one leaves for good. You are not alone. No one is alone.
Was it really that simple? Did those words hold truth? Andy pondered that. It was true, he wasn't alone, he had Ephram and Delia, and as far as having someone to help him raise his kids, he had Nina. Plus Ephram had already grown up, too young perhaps, but he had grown up all ready, and he could help Andy with Delia.
Hold him to the light now, let him see the glow. Things will be all right now, Tell
him what you know.
"Maybe I could keep Julia's memory alive by encouraging Ephram to keep up with his piano playing , and encourage Delia to be her own person. She would have liked that," he said quietly to himself.
"Once upon a time…in a far off kingdom, there lived a young maiden, a sad young lad"
Careful the things you say, children will listen
"A childless baker"
Careful the things you do children will see and learn.
"How true is that?" He thought again amazed at the wisdom of the song.
Children may not obey, but children will listen.
He smiled at himself, maybe there was hope for him to be a good father to Ephram yet.
Children will look to you for which way to turn To learn what to be Careful before you say listen to meChildren will listen.
Careful the wish you make
Wishes are children
Careful the path they takeWishes come true not free.
Andy closed his eyes after realizing that this one song could hold the key to his redemption as a father. Everything it said completely lined up with everything he had ever learned, only difference was that now he found the parallel to parenting. It wasn't about whether or not he was a good enforcer of rules, it wasn't about how great a cook he was, it was about the ideas he gave to his children. It was about teaching them the lessons he had been taught.
Careful the spell you castNot just on children
Sometimes the spell may last
Past what you can see
And turn against youCareful the tale you tell that is the spell
Children will listen
That was why he hated him. Andy had tried to make a perfect life for son, a sheltered life, and one where everything seemed magical to the outside world. But like the song suggested it backfired on him. Ephram hated Andy for not being home, for trying to cast the spell to make life perfect. Andy had lost Julia because she was rushing. If he had been there instead of trying to create a Brown family Utopia she wouldn't have been rushing and she wouldn't be dead.
Though it's fearful,Though it's deep though it's dark and thought you may lose the path
Though you may encounter wolves,
You can't just act
You have to listen
You can't just act you have to think
There are always wolvesThere are always spells
There are always beans
Or a giant dwells there.
He couldn't just try an authoritarian approach to childrearing, he had to listen to his kids to be a good parent, and he had to think before he acted. Maybe if he listened he could gain Ephram back, and if he listened, maybe he wouldn't lose Delia as well. It didn't matter if he messed up, he could do it.
So into the woods you go again
You have to every now and then
Into the woods no telling when be ready for the journey
Into the woods but not to fast
Or what you wish you lose at last
Into the woods but mind the past
Into the woods but mind the future
Into the woods but not to stray or tempt the wolf or steal from the giant
The way is dark the light is dim
But now there's you me her and him
The chances look small
The choices look grim
But everything you learn there will help when you return there
The light is getting dimmer
I think I see a glimmer
Into the woods you have to grope
But that's the way you learn to cope
Into the woods to find there's hope
Of getting through the journeyInto the woods
Each time you go
There's more to learn of what you know
Into the woods but not to slow
Into the woods it's nearing midnight
Into the wood to mind the wolf, to heed the witch, to honor the giant
To mind
To heed
To find
To think
To teach
To join
To go to the festival
Into the woods
Into the woods
Into the woods
Then out of the wood…He could do it and now he was confident of it. It didn't matter if other people thought he was the best father, as long as he made sure to be a good example for his kids and be there for them, he knew he'd be a good dad.
And happy ever after!