Adam could barely move, his head pounded like a thousand bass drums. "D...ean… shot… need… shot..." Adam barely managed to speak.
Dean woke instantly. "Baby? What?"
"Mi… gr… aine… shot." Adam barely spoke again.
"Be right back." Dean managed to get out of the bed without moving Adam. He didn't think about the fact that he was totally naked. The grandfather chimed five am as Dean flew down the backstair to the kitchen.
Miss Ida was in the kitchen, to get things organized for breakfast. "Oh!" She tried not to stare at the stark naked physician.
Dean looked down, and saw the state of his undress. "Sorry. Adam, migraine. Butter keeper, right?" He opened the fridge.
"Yes, dear. Don't fret, I'll look after the children." Ida now understood, as she watched Dean grab the injection pen from the butter keeper in the fridge.
Dean grabbed the medication and looked at Ida. "Thanks and so sorry about..." He quickly ran back up the stairs.
Dean nearly wept, Adam desperately tried to turn off the blaring alarm clock. "I've got it." Dean shut off the annoying sound.
Dean opened the packet of medication. There was a pre-loaded syringe, an alcohol swipe and a small, round, blue bandage. He cleaned a spot on Adam's hip and injected the medication. He deftly applied the band-aid.
"There, baby. Relax, I am here." Dean gently pulled the covers up over the suffering blond.
"K… ids?" Adam managed to ask. His eyes were closed, but the pain was deeply carved into his face.
"Ida will take care of them. I'll take them to school. Thank goodness you are off today. I am staying here with you. Relax, darling. Let the medication work." Dean spoke in a very soft whisper.
Adam gave a whimper. Dean quickly went to his room and dressed in jeans and a tee shirt. He went back to Adam's room. He made sure the drapes were totally shut, daylight was the worst thing for a migraine. Dean picked up one of the reading chairs in the sitting area and sat next to the bed. It nearly broke him to see Adam suffer.
Ida went upstairs at six. She went to James' room first. "Honey, daddy has one of his headaches. Help me keep your brother and sisters quiet."
James rubbed his eyes as he got out of bed. "Yes, Miss Ida. Daddy's shot." Worry crossed his little face.
"Uncle Dean gave it to him. Now, be a good boy, get dressed. I'll get your sisters." Ida patted James' shoulder, she could see his worry.
At seven, four very quiet and worried children ate a breakfast of hot oatmeal, toast and milk. They looked as Dean came down the stairs.
Dean sat at the table. "Daddy is asleep. He will be alright, my little lions. I promise. His first thought was you four." Dean smiled when Ida brought him a bowl of oatmeal and a cup of coffee.
"Thanks, Ida. I am staying home with him. I'll take the children to school and pick them up." Dean smiled at Ida and the children.
"It is wonderful to have you here, dear. He doesn't get a migraine often, but when he does, it is bad. But, daddy will be alright, my dears." Ida didn't want to worry the children further, so she went back to her work.
"Uncle Dean. Why does it happen?" Jade asked in an unusually subdued voice.
"Daddy hurt his neck when he was close to your age. It damaged a nerve in his neck. A nerve is a little bundle in your body. Your brain sends a message to a nerve, to tell the body to do something… like this." Dean bent his left index finger a few times.
"Now sometimes, when you hurt yourself, a nerve gets blocked and can't do what the brain tells it to do. It fixes itself, usually, and then you are okay. In your daddy, the nerve he hurt a long time ago, sometimes shuts off. Maybe daddy moved wrong or sometimes, being really worried or even being over tired can cause it. In your daddy, when the nerve stops working, it causes a migraine headache. The medicine helps to make the nerve behave again, and daddy gets better. Understand?" Dean tried to keep it simple, but he also felt they could learn something.
"Can't you get rid of the bad nerve and give him a new one?" Janice asked curiously.
"No, darling. Sometimes you can operate and fix a nerve, but you can't remove one. It is hard to explain, but it's just something your daddy has. Like having a crooked finger. Now, the last thing daddy would want is long, worried faces. By the time you get home from school, daddy will be fine. Finish up now." Dean took a bite of his oatmeal with a smile.
"Thank you, Uncle Dean. You talk to us like… adults." Jordan smiled at Dean and sipped his milk.
Dean grinned. "You're not adults, but you aren't babies. You are smart enough to understand. I will always answer your questions and talk to you like adults, but in a way you can understand it. At least I will try." He took another bite of food.
The breakfast continued quietly. The children were more relaxed. Ida was pleased, Dean was fantastic with them.
"Alright, you get your things. I'll go check on daddy, then take you to school. Ida, I will drive the Kia, it's safer with all four." Dean spoke to the kids, then the housekeeper.
Dean went upstairs and went to Adam's room. The blond was sound asleep, and hadn't even twitched. "Sleep on, my love. I will be right back. I am taking the little lions to school." He very gently kissed Adam's cheek.
Thirty minutes later, Dean was back up in Adam's bedroom. He'd called the hospital and told the Chief of Staff he wouldn't be in. It wasn't a problem, John Cena could handle things for one shift. Dean had also called his private practice. There were only two patients to reschedule. Dean sat next to the bed and held a book, but he couldn't read.
Dean thought about the wonderful night. He hoped he hadn't done anything to hurt Adam's neck. He couldn't think of anything. The hadn't moved into any weird positions.
Dean looked up when Ida entered the room. She carried a mug and thermos. "I thought you might like some coffee. How is he doing? Normally the shot knocks him out for about four hours. Then he will be hungry and tired, but better. I will be out for a while. I have to do the grocery shopping. He will feel guilty, he usually does it. I don't mind. He works so hard and worries so much. I am glad you came into his life. I can see you really do care about him, and the children as well. This is your home now too, so help yourself. I'll be back later." Ida spoke in a soft whisper.
"I love them, Miss Ida. I will do anything to make sure they are safe and happy. You're a part of that too, Miss Ida. Thanks for the coffee. Have fun shopping. I won't let him fret." Dean smiled at the older woman.
Ida grinned. "You're welcome, dear." She quietly left the room.
Adam didn't stir until eleven. "Oh… fuck..." Adam whimpered as he stretched his body.
"I'm here, baby. Do you need a second shot?" Dean asked as he moved from the chair to the bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and looked at his now lover.
Adam turned to lay on his back. "No, migraine is gone, just a dull thud now. You… didn't go to work?" He couldn't remember anything after the migraine had started.
Dean smiled. "Yeah, I called in. Kids are in school, Ida is grocery shopping an I've been sitting here reading. I just hope I didn't hurt you last night, to cause your migraine." His smile turned to a frown of worry.
"Shit, I was supposed to do the shopping. No, Dean you didn't hurt me at all. I think I pulled my neck when the kids tickled me. Sometimes it just happens. It was due, I guess. Thanks for being here, babe. Gosh, I feel like shit." Adam's voice was very weak and arid, but at least he could think.
Dean poured Adam a cup of water from the bathroom sink. He sat back down on the bed. "Here, baby. Drink some water. Hydration is important." He helped Adam sit up and held the cup for Adam. He smiled when Adam drank.
Adam pulled away from the empty cup. "Thanks, babe. I didn't mean to ruin our wonderful night like this." He laid back against his pillows.
"You didn't ruin anything. It was still a wonderful night. Now, you rest. I will go make you some soup. I love you, baby." Dean gave Adam a soft kiss, and tucked him in.
Adam let out a sigh of contentment. "It's nice to be taken care of. Chicken noodle soup?"
"If my baby wants chicken soup, then he shall have it. Don't lay here and worry, everything is under control." Dean kissed Adam again and went downstairs.
Ida returned from grocery shopping. "How's our boy?" She asked as she put some meat in the fridge.
Dean helped Ida by unloading the cloth grocery bags. He still had to learn where things went. "Awake, tired and hungry. He wants..." He was halted when Ida held up a box of instant chicken noodle soup.
"It's the only thing he will eat when he doesn't feel well. Help me with this, then we'll feed our boy." Ida spoke with a smile. Adam was in good hands.
Dean and Ida talked together as they worked. It was cheerful and Dean grew to love the motherly housekeeper. Dean loved it when she boiled an egg to put into the tuna salad, along with radishes, celery, onions and sweet pickles. It was the same way Dean always made it for himself.
A bit later, Dean and Ida carried two wicker trays up to Adam's room. They set them down on the blanket chest. Adam was asleep.
"I'll leave you to it, dear." Ida gave Dean a pat on the shoulder and went back downstairs.
Dean sat on the edge of the bed. "Baby, come on. Good hot soup and tuna on toast." He gently nudged Adam to wake him. Adam's body needed the nutrition and hydration.
Adam stirred. "Huh? Kids? What? Daddy not well..." He mumbled in a sleep laced voice.
Dean chuckled. "Baby, it's me. Kids are in school. Wake up, soup will get cold." Dean again shook Adam very gently.
This time, Adam blinked a few times, then opened his eyes. Dean smiled at him. "Oh hey. I fell asleep. Soup?" Adam asked with a stronger voice.
Dean stood. "Sit up a bit." He helped Adam sit up and fluffed the nest of pillows. Dean got the tray and and settled it down over Adam's lap. The wicker tray had been made to serve meals in bed.
Dean took his tray and sat on the bed with Adam. "Ida and I made it. She knew what you would want. She said to tell you not to worry about anything." He smiled when Adam began to eat.
"Good ole Ida. She always has to do everything when I have a migraine. Thank you for taking the day off to be with me." Adam ate another bite of soup. He ate slowly, but it was good.
Dean swallowed his bite of tuna sandwich. "Baby, I promised to take care of you. There was nothing John couldn't handle at the hospital. Only had two patients at my office. That's why I keep a limited amount of private patients. Gosh this is freaking good tuna salad." Dean took another bite.
Adam managed a cross between a laugh and a groan. "It's the way the kids and I like it. Dean, I really mean it, thank you. I… love you… I truly do." Adam looked at Dean. The glimmer of first love shone in his eyes.
Dean beamed at Adam. "I see it in your eyes. I love you, baby. Now, be a good boy and eat your lunch." He winked at Adam.
As the couple ate, they talked. It was cozy and helped Adam feel better. When their meal ended, Dean took the trays downstairs. When he got back up to the bedroom, he heard Adam in the bathroom.
Adam stuck his head out. "I'm going to take a hot soak, do you mind?"
Dean grinned. "Go ahead. Try that sample of extra lavender bubble stuff. Lavender will help you relax. Take your time. I'll be here. Call if you need me. Enjoy it, baby."
"I will. It's a comfort to have you here." Adam blew Dean a kiss and closed the bathroom door.
Dean took the reading chair back over to the sitting area. He looked at the books on the small shelf in the corner. Dean grinned, he spotted one his classic favorites and pulled it off the shelf. He sat down in the reading chair. With one ear tuned for Adam, Dean lost himself in the world of Hobbits.
Adam filled his claw footed tub with hot water and used the bubble bath Dean had suggested. They used a lavender based lotion at the hospital on sick babies, it did help to calm them.
When Adam stepped into the hot water, he chuckled. He'd forgotten he was stark naked and had been. It was a good thing he'd been under the covers when Ida had been in the bedroom. He gave a deep sigh and sank up to his bearded chin in lavender scented bubbles.
Adam closed his eyes and thought back to the wonderful night with Dean, and their first full on sexual encounter. Adam had to admit, Dean was the best lover he'd ever had. Randy was good, but he never liked to cuddle after. Hunter never had time to cuddle and other guys didn't either. Adam liked being held after sex almost as much as the actual act. Dean had been the one to pull him in to cuddle before Adam could even ask him to.
Downstairs, Ida puttered around the kitchen as she waited for the wash machine to finish. She was so pleased that Dean had come into their lives. Ida also felt that there was something, almost evil, lurking nearby. Although she didn't mention it, she knew Randy had come to the house, late at night. Ida also knew he hadn't come to get something he'd left. In Ida's deepest senses, she always felt Randal Orton had a very dark side. She prayed the darkness didn't pay a visit to Adam, the children or now, Dean Ambrose. Ida came back to herself when the bell on the washing machine announced it was done.
Upstairs, Adam washed and wanted to condition his hair. His head still throbbed, but scrubbing his scalp felt so good. Adam couldn't help the moan that escaped over his lips.
A few seconds later, Dean called out. "Are you alright, baby?" He'd heard the moan.
"You heard that? Sorry. I'm washing my hair and it feels so good on my scalp." Adam replied with a smile. He couldn't believe Dean was so alert and concern.
"Want some help?" Dean asked his lover.
Adam chuckled. "If you want to."
Dean wasn't going to pass up the chance. He went in with a smile on his face. He sat on the edge of the tub. He began to massage Adam's soapy scalp.
Adam leaned back and totally relaxed. "I forgot I was naked. Good thing I was under the covers when Ida came into the bedroom."
Dean laughed so hard, he nearly fell of the edge of the tub. "Poor Ida..." He went on to tell Adam about his encounter with Ida that morning. "… the poor old dear just took it in stride. But, the initial expression on her face was priceless."
Adam laughed. "She is a dear. It's not the first time it's happened. She saw Randy once, for the same reason actually. She also had to bring me a shot once, I was spread eagle naked on the bed. She is a good sport."
They talked more about embarrassing moments as Dean continued to wash Adam's hair. Dean rinsed the long, blond locks, the let Adam apply the amount of conditioner he wanted.
"Lean back while it soaks in." Dean stated as he stood. He then began to massage Adam's neck and shoulders.
Adam moaned like a Friday night street walker. "Oh god, that feels so fucking good."
"I'm glad. The more relaxed your neck muscles are, the better. Will you need a fusion surgery eventually?" Dean asked as he continued to massage Adam.
Adam let out a cross between a sigh and chuckle. "Oh yeah, you are a doctor, you would know that. Yes, probably around age forty. That's what my doctor said."
"That's what, in twelve years? The quads will be nineteen. Well, don't worry. I will be here to look after you." Dean spoke in a thoughtful tone of voice.
"Thanks, now I feel ancient..." Adam laughed, then spoke again. "They will be in college by then, if they go." He too sounded thoughtful.
"Well, as I said, I will be here to look after you… at least I hope so. It's also nice to hear you say it is their choice to go to college or not. Forcing is never a good thing." Dean loved Adam's parenting style. Too many parents pushed. Adam had a good mix of encouragement and support.
"Randy and I have always agreed, we will support and encourage the kids to be who they are. I feel you can encourage without force. I will break my back to see them become what they want to be in life. It's hard though. I see their talent like Jade's art and Jordan too. James' love for music with Jan. I want to see them do their best… without force. Sometimes I wonder if by not pushing, I am failing them. Am I doing it right?" Adam spoke of his fears. Sometimes he wondered if he really was a good parent or not.
Dean felt the muscles in Adam's neck tense up again. "Relax, baby. You just tensed up again. I think you are a very good parent. You have just the right blend. Let me ask you, if James came to you and said he wanted to learn more about music, what would you do?" He was curious.
"Ask him if he wanted private lessons. If so, then I would find the best teacher I could. I would encourage him to do his best and take advantage of it. The same with any of them. I will always do the best for them that I can. Randy feels the same. See, his dad pushed and kind of berated him to study business. I guess Bob really laid into Randy when he got less than an A in classes. Randy vowed never to do that as a parent, and I totally agreed. So right or wrong, that is what we do." Adam had relaxed as he spoke.
"I agree with you and will stand behind you. Oh… I've got to go pick up the kids soon. I will drive the Kia again." Dean began to rinse the conditioner from Adam's hair with the shower head that connected with a hose. It was handy.
Adam chuckled. "Guess you drove it this morning. That's fine. I may ride with you. Fresh air would be good and the kids would be relieved to see me feeling better."
"That would be nice. It would make the little lions happy. They were worried. I had to give them a lesson about nerves. I had to explain that you can't take out a nerve and fix it." Dean smiled as he recalled the breakfast conversation.
Adam wrapped his wet hair in a towel. "They are curious, and can ask some really interesting questions. Scares me to think about having the sex talk with them. I also worry about the girls and when they get their first periods. Well, Megan will be a good one for them to talk to about it." He got out of the tub and pulled the plug.
Dean wrapped a bath sheet around Adam. "Yes, Megan will be a good older sister figure for them. The best way to talk about sex is to be open and honest. It is just a natural part of life." He gently rubbed the towel to help Adam dry off.
Dean left Adam to finish in the bathroom. He went to his own room and put on his socks and shoes. By the time Adam finished, he felt fresh and his headache was just a dull ache. Adam wore loose jeans and a larger tee shirt. He looked like a new man compared to the morning.
Ida smiled when Adam and Dean came downstairs. "I'm going to grill chicken. Do you want to eat outside?" She asked as she folded a towel.
"That would be lovely, Ida. Thank you so much for doing the shopping. Sorry this happened on shopping day. You're the best." Adam gave the housekeeper a kiss on the cheek.
Dean took the keys to the Kia from the board. "Tell you what, Miss Ida. I will grill the chicken, you just rest." He too kissed her cheek.
"Good idea, Dean. Ida, you take the rest of the day off. No arguments." Adam spoke firmly.
Ida grinned. "You know what, I will do just that. Thank you, dear." She folded the last towel with a flourish.
When the quads saw their daddy in the passenger seat, they ran to the car. They climbed into their seats and buckled up.
"Daddy, did your nerve start working again?" Jade asked as Dean pulled forward in the pick up lane. His eyes were glued to the area to watch for errant children running out from between parked cars.
Adam chuckled. "Yes, baby. Uncle Dean helped daddy. So you need to thank him."
"Thank you, Uncle Dean." The quads chanted in near unison. Jade was the loudest.
Dean pulled onto the road. "You're welcome, little lions. But, don't shout, daddy still has a little bit of a headache." He carefully drove his passengers home.
When they got home, the children ran up to change. Adam agreed, that if they did their homework now, they could play outside while Dean cooked their dinner on the grill.
Adam let his children have a snack of milk, fruit and one cookie each. He never denied them "junk" treats, but he severely limited them. Adam was glad that his children weren't really fussy eaters.
As he and Dean sat at the kitchen table with the children, Adam chuckled. "One morning, I gave them grapefruit. I wanted to see their reactions. I guess it was a bit mean. But, instead of funny faces, all four of them loved it. This one even eats lemons." He patted Jan on the head with a grin.
"They taste like the sun looks." Jan replied as she bit into an apple. As she did, she let out a whimper of pain.
Both Adam and Dean looked at her. A bit of blood dripped from her mouth. "Oh honey, did you bite your lip?" Adam asked as Dean wet a cloth to wipe her chin.
"My tooth. Look." Jan held up the slice of apple. There was a tooth embedded in the fruit.
Adam pulled the tooth from the apple. "My baby's first tooth! The tooth fairy will come visit you tonight." Adam spoke as Dean wiped Jan's chin gently.
"The Rock is coming to our house? That's so cool!" Jordan exclaimed. He remembered a movie they had watched about the tooth fairy.
James rolled his eyes. "No, Jor. That was just a movie. Daddy means the real tooth fairy, not a movie guy." Sometimes he wondered if he was the only one with any brains.
Jordan laughed. "Oh… yeah… right. Still it's cool. Good job, sis."
Dean had Jan open her mouth. Her bottom cuspid on the left had come out. "Looks fine. It's stopped bleeding. Be careful when you brush. It might hurt just a little, little bit when you eat or drink. You're a big lioness now." He patted her head like a proud parent.
"I'm so… you are growing up so fast." Adam's eyes filled with tears as he clutched Jan's tooth.
"Daddy, don't cry. It's just a tooth. I am not leaving home to get married or anything." Jan gave her daddy a hug.
Adam gave a light laugh. "You're right, my precious angel. Daddies cry at silly things sometimes. If your starting to lose your teeth, you all will soon. Better hope the tooth fairy has a big bank account. Also, they won't all come out so easily. If any of you feel a loose tooth, tell me, Uncle Dean or dad, if you are with him. My darling babies, daddy loves you so much."
"Yeah, I will tie a string around the tooth and then tie it to the door and slam it." Jade stated firmly. She'd seen that on an old TV show.
Dean tapped Jade on the shoulder. "No, you don't. That is not good. You can hurt the nerves in your jaw and gums. It's better to wait and let an adult help you. Now promise me and daddy you won't be silly with a loose tooth.'" He was firm.
"Okay, Uncle Dean. I don't want ingraines like poor daddy." Jade responded and sipped her milk.
"It's migraine, Jade." James corrected his sister with another roll of his eyes.
After they finished their snack, the quads did their homework. Adam helped when asked, and Dean began to get the chicken ready to grill. He decided to do a lemon pepper grill, but Dean went light on the pepper for the sake of the kids.
After Dean go the chicken in the marinade, he prepared seven ears of corn to grill. Ida had already made a large garden salad. She had also made her special banana pudding.
"I'm going to fire up the grill." Dean stated as he told the alarm system the French doors would open.
Adam nodded. "There is a fresh bag of charcoal, so you should be good to go."
Dean gave a nod and went outside. Jade had taken Adam's attention for a question about her grammar work sheet.
By the time homework was done, and put away, the grill was ready. Adam and Dean carried out the platters of chicken and corn. The kids ran out to play on their swing set.
"Sit, baby. I have it under control." Dean stated as he put the chicken on to cook.
Adam relaxed in a lounge chair. He closed his eyes and listened to the laughter of his beloved children. It was the best lullaby in the world. There was just one thing that pulled on his mind. He had a feeling they were being watched.
Adam opened his eyes and looked around. He even looked up to the tops of the two huge oak trees in the yard. Adam saw nothing or anyone. He gave a shrug and closed his eyes.
Adam had missed the fact that Brett DiBiase sat high in the oak tree that gave shade to the playhouse. He had done an excellent job of dressing in camo, complete with camo hunting makeup. He also had one of Morrison's high powered rifles. Brett casually chewed on a power bar and tried not to smell the chicken as it cooked on the grill.
Dean watched Adam, he could tell the blond's eyes were closed, but his rest was uneasy. He turned the chicken and sat at the end of Adam's lounger.
"Baby, what's bothering you? It was just one tooth." Dean thought Adam might still feel sad that his babies were growing up too fast.
Adam opened his eyes, and smiled at Dean. "No, I am over that. I just… have a feeling that someone is watching us. I'm being so stupid again. I think Randy and Drake and everything just piled up on me. Being with you has kept me from totally losing my mind. My love for you grows deeper." He leaned up and gave Dean a kiss. They smiled the girls giggled.
"Daddy, just marry Uncle Dean. The we can be a fambly!" Jan's missing tooth made her words tumble out with a tiny lisp.
"You just play before dinner. Hair washing night." Adam called back to his daughter.
Dean got up and tended the grill. Adam went into the kitchen to get plates and the other things to set the picnic table. James, Jordan, Janice and Jade came running to help their daddy.
"Sit, daddy. We don't want you to break your nerve again." Jade pulled Adam to sit in a seat at the picnic table.
"Thank you, darling. You are such good little lion monkeys. Don't worry, I won't break my nerve." Adam smiled at his children.
Adam helped the children by telling them what went where. Adam wasn't a Martha Stewart, but he knew how to set a table and so should his children. Adam wasn't too proud to tell his children how he worked cleaning tables in a restaurant to earn money in Jr. High.
"Okay, wash hands and faces. Then we can eat. Boys, bring the salad, girls the dressings, please." Dean spoke as turned every thing one last time.
"Yes, Uncle Dean." Four voices called out as they ran into the house to wash up.
"You're off to a good start as a parent." Adam stated with a smile as Dean paused to kiss him.
Dean twirled the tongs in his fingers. "I am a man of many talents, baby." He wiggled his brows at Adam.
Adam smirked. "Can't wait to find out what those talents are." He hushed himself, his children were on their way back.
Dean laid the platter of chicken and corn on the table. He sat down and joined the family.
Dean loaded a plate, then stood. "Miss Ida needs to eat." He took the plate inside. When he returned, Jade laughed.
"Miss Ida kissed you. Lipstick on your cheek, in her color." Jade laughed again.
Dean wiped his cheek. "She was hungry."
They had a happy dinner. After everything was put away and clean. Adam secured the house for the night. Baths were taken and hair washed.
Jade would only let Dean dry her hair and Adam had no objection. By nine o'clock, the next chapter of Oz had been read and four children were snug in their beds.
Dean went to bed with Adam. Adam felt wonderful and fully recovered from his migraine. He knew Dean's care had a lot to do with it.
That night Dean showed Adam more of his sexual talents. Adam responded with moans of pleasure like Dean had never heard. Before they finally slept, both men had erupted three times.
When they fell asleep, smiles were on both their faces. Their hearts were home.