Thanks so much for reading and reviewing guys! Hope you're all enjoying it so far. Thanks for being so supportive of me too, I am over the moon at the moment haha! Here's the next chapter!
Blossom
"Do we really need to even bother doing this?" Brick asked, as we flew at a lazy pace towards the house I grew up in, Ruby ahead of us, zooming in different shapes and patterns towards her Grandpa's house. "I mean look at her, she's like a mini me."
I sighed. "I know she is, Brick, but yes, we do have to do this. If it puts an end to this custody nonsense then, so be it." I looked after Ruby as she resigned from swirling around to turning to face her parents, an unknowing smile on her face. "The sooner it's all over, the sooner we can make things more normal for Ruby."
"Thing's will never be normal for Ruby. I mean we're all freaking airborne!" Brick cried.
"You know what I mean! Normal, for us."
I couldn't say I was looking forward to this. I mean I knew the paternity test would come out our way. I knew Brick was Ruby's father. You couldn't look at her and deny it. I just, was feeling uncomfortable, knowing I was going to my fathers' laboratory to have a paternity test performed. I knew who my daughters' father was!
"We're nearly there now!" Ruby cried. She was beginning to get the hang of coordinating herself in the sky. She'd cottoned on pretty quickly.
"Race you there Dad!" She yelled, jetting ahead.
Brick stopped flying, his mouth hanging open. I stopped too, not figuring out what had happened straight away.
"Brick what's wrong?" I asked, a tone of worry in my voice.
"Are you okay?" Ruby asked, now at her father's side.
"Y, yeah, I am." He said, a silly smile on his face.
"Good. Why are we flying so slow? Lets goooo, come on, go go go! I hope Grandma's made something good to eat!" Ruby cried, jetting off towards the Professor's house.
"She called you Dad." I said with a smile.
"She's never called me Dad. I've never been called Dad by anyone."
I took hold of his hand, and pulled him closer to me. "To be honest, I thought it'd take her a lot longer to adjust to her new, life. She seems to have settled right in with you 'ruffs." Worryingly enough…
He smiled, exhaling jaggedly. "Well, she obviously takes after her Daddy. Got his brains too." He winked. "Now, lets go see your Daddy. I wonder whether he'll actually flip out at me today. Knocking his precious Blossom up, and disappearing for years on end, god, he's going to turn around and gut me one of these days."
"Grandpa!" Ruby called loudly, in a sing-song voice, letting herself into her grandparents home.
I glanced over at Brick, he looked the same as he did the last time I brought him to Sandra and the Professors house. I smiled at him meekly, and in my mind, I envisioned the stocky 15 year old Brick, my hand clasped in his, anxious expressions plastered to our faces, about to take the plunge and admit to my family that we were in love. And now, almost ten years later, here we were, proving our love. Much to my stepmother, Sandra Utonium, (formerly Keane), dismay.
He didn't look amazingly different now. More stubble, no red cap, he normally wore that on his days off, his hair was the same length, dangling by his chin, mussed up and hanging over his eyes; his eyes, they were the same shocking shade of red. His body had only gotten better. He was my Brick. He was beautiful.
We followed Ruby in, though she was already gone, the door to the Professor's lab wide open. We could hear them chatting away as the Professor made his way up the stairs towards the first floor, with Ruby in his arms. They were already deep in conversation, Ruby's eyes lighting up, as he explained an experiment he'd been doing earlier that day.
"Wow! And it caused a chemical reaction?" She cried in amazement.
The Professor nodded. "Yes, but it was a good chemical reaction, because I knew that the two chemicals would create the plumes of blue smoke if combined together. Which meant that- hello Blossom, Brick." He stopped his conversation, letting out a little chuckle. "It's like having a little you with me again, asking me all these elaborate questions about things she shouldn't learn about till at least 7th grade."
Ruby closed her eyes proudly. "I do go on google a lot. And I look through mum's encyclopedias."
He laughed, planting a little kiss on the top of her head.
I smiled. "Hi Professor." I gave him a quick hug. He turned to Brick and nodded, he nodded back.
"Hello Professor."
"Brick. So you're here for the test." He said, glancing over at Ruby lightly. She may have been almost 4, she was in no way stupid though. I wouldn't be surprised if she knew the definition of paternity. His voice was slightly uncomfortable at the mention of Brick's name, but there was no venom in his tone.
"Urr, yeah. Even though, I hardly see the need for it, but. If it stops Olsen from trying to take my kid from me." Brick muttered, his eyes melting as they met Ruby.
I glanced back at the Professor, who was staring intently at Brick. "My, Ruby really does have your eyes."
Ruby let out a loud joyful giggle. She would go from being a tiny intellect to a normal 3 year old in seconds.
Brick smile turned soppy, as he looked at his daughter. "She's my pride and joy." He said, half sarcastically, luckily I was the only one who noticed that.
"Come in, come in, we have a lot to go through. Ruby, would you be a dear and go set up the chess table in the lounge. I am pretty sure it's going to be needed this afternoon." He winked.
She grinned, jumping from his arms and into the lounge. "Dad, I'm gunna play you!"
Brick laughed in reply. "But I'll slaughter you!"
"Mum taught me to play YEARS ago, so you can try!"
"Tea? Coffee?" The Professor offered. Sandra seemed to be nowhere in sight.
"Yeah, I'll come help you. Where's Sandra?"
"Popped to the shop, she'll be back in a few minutes I should imagine." He answered, as Brick and I followed him into in the kitchen. This would probably be easier without Sandra here. As much as I did love her, she felt quite strongly about our situation. Stronger than my own father did, it seemed…
"I know I've said it like a million times, but I am really sorry I didn't tell you all the truth. I really am. You understand why I didn't though, don't you?" I said, sipping at my coffee delicately.
Brick was in the lounge playing chess with Ruby. The Professor and I were speaking alone.
"I understand to some extent. I can't pretend it doesn't bother me that you didn't feel like you could tell me. I've always thought you girls felt you could tell me anything. It is distressing to think about how long you've lived with all this on your back. I'm surprised you didn't crack, I don't think I could have lived with a secret like you did."
I looked down into my drink, not knowing what to say.
"I just wanted to protect Ruby. I thought she'd be better off this way. You do anything for your kids, right?"
"You do, Blossom. Which is what hurts me the most. I'd have been there for you. I'm here now, aren't I? I'm more upset that you didn't tell me. Everything you did, goes over my head when I think of the fact that you didn't feel you could tell me."
"I was petrified, Professor. I was young, alone, and had this huge, unplanned responsibility heading my way, and a massive secret following me around, too. I honestly didn't plan on going along with the 'Tim's the father' thing. You all presumed, I just, didn't tell the truth. I was too scared to. If I'd have known that if I told Brick, and all of you the truth, that things would have changed, I would of told you all straight away, I'd have told Tim the truth. But, hindsight is a wonderful thing."
He nodded. "It is, Blossom. You are wise beyond your years. Which is why it hurts to know you didn't see sense and confess the sticky situation you were in." His tone of voice was borderline scolding, but I knew he was right.
"All I can say is, I'm sorry, Professor, I really am."
He patted his hand over mine, his voice softening. "I know you are. But we are making things right now, aren't we. I'm sorry too. For not accepting the way you felt about Brick Jojo. I just couldn't see it ending well. I couldn't see anything about it going well. They were, such louts. Deadbeats. Trouble, and when your 15 year old daughter brings one home, holding his hand, well. I don't think any of us knew how to react…"
I nodded now. "I do understand why you all reacted how you did. We're not exactly your average couple. Completely irrational and, almost wrong for each other but. I can't explain how happy he makes me."
"Hmm. It does worry me still though, Blossom. Your relationship with Brick, now." His voice was stern again now.
"What about it?" I gulped slightly.
"How serious is it? What with your past, I worry you'll get hurt again, now you're back with him. I know you were together 3 years as teenagers, but it's a little more serious now. Ruby is in the mix now. If he were to leave again, well he'd be breaking two hearts, not one. I can see Ruby is attached already."
"She is the apple of his eye. But, Brick left me, because I wouldn't come clean. He knew lying to you all made me miserable, and he didn't want to be a part of making me miserable anymore. If he'd have known I was pregnant with Ruby, we'd have never split up. I'd have never been with Tim, and we'd still be together now, I know that. Brick and I, we're doing fine. I haven't felt this happy in a long time. Well, besides the messy divorce." I mumbled.
His words had got me thinking. Brick and I hadn't even spoken about our relationship. I know everything doesn't need a label, but when you're as systematized as I am, and if you have a history like we do, well you kind of want to know! I hadn't even thought about where him and I are. I just kind of presumed. We've been living together for 6 months now, not planning to move into our own place until the divorce is over and we can sort out money properly. I know I want to be with him. I know that. Looks like a chat is in order.
"Hmm. Well, only if you're certain. I won't take kindly to you being walked out on. A child is for the rest of your life, I hope Brick knows that." The Professor said, taking a long sip of his coffee.
I sipped my drink too. "He does. If you have any doubts, you can always talk to him yourself."
He agreed. "What's going on with the divorce at the moment then? I've heard a lot from your sisters, and the Olsen's themselves. Didn't they turn out to be pretty nasty people? How are you feeling?"
"Urgh. It's so stressful. Tim and his whole family are being so difficult. Tim won't accept anything I offer, and he's hell bent on making me miserable. Not that I can blame him. I mean; I've pretty much pulled a rug out from under his feet. I feel, so guilty, about the whole thing. The only emotion he's showing me at the moment is, a smug grin. And then that smug grin makes it impossible for me to show any grief, or guilt. He just makes me angry. He thinks he can get custody of Ruby, based on Brick's past. Anna and Oliver Olsen want $12,000 off me for medical bills. And my cash is being bled dry due to all the pointless mitigation meetings where Tim just says no to everything I offer. I've offered him everything, and he still says no. I've even said I'll take the blame for the divorce, so I won't get anything but, it's not enough." I said, dragging my hand through my hair. "All I know is, I'm going to be broke by the end of it all."
"It seems he's playing dirty." The Professor rose from his chair. "Let's get this paternity test performed, then once you have them results, this whole custody nonsense should get thrown out the window."
The Professor popped the swabs into a clear ziplock bag, placing them gently on the desk of his laboratory. "I'll get onto that as soon as you leave."
"How long do the results usually take?" I asked, gently jumping down from the side I was perched on.
"Normally, about two to three days. I'll give you a call when it's done." The Professor answered, with a warm smile in my direction.
"Can we carry on with our game Dad?" Ruby asked Brick, hovering in front of his face.
"Erm, sure, yeah." He replied, his face still looking amazed at being called Dad.
I couldn't help but smile at him. He looked completely terrified being in the Professor's lab. I hadn't seen him this quiet in a long time. Maybe because this was the place I was created in, or born in. Maybe it was the Professor, staring at him intently.
"It amazes me you know." The Professor spoke.
"What does?" I asked.
"How two people, who were created, not born, can reproduce. I am amazed I missed it when checking Ruby over shortly after her birth. I should have picked up on it in her DNA. Your DNA is different to mine, you see. Due to your powers and such. Ruby's DNA is exactly the same as yours and your sisters, Blossom. And you, Brick, I would presume. Not even a trace of DNA like mine, or Sandra or Tim's would look." He scratched his chin, still looking from Brick, to me. "I mean, when you girls hit puberty, I was intrigued. From studies I did on you three as children, I knew you'd grow, but I wasn't sure whether you would acquire menstrual cycles. And when you did, I wondered if you'd be able to reproduce. It was a sore subject to discuss with three 13 year old girls, who knew next to nothing about periods and sex." His face turned a shade of red, and so did mine and Brick's.
"But, now I know you can reproduce. And, I wonder whether it seems to be done more easily when you are of the same type, if you understand."
"The same type?" Brick asked.
"Yes, as in, you are both super powered humans, with chemical x coursing through your veins. Bubbles and Zac have struggled their whole relationship to conceive, and Buttercup lost her child. I am beginning to wonder whether conceiving a child is easier done by two chemical x charged humans, then it is by a normal human. I will look into it further, it could close a lot of doors for both Bubbles and Buttercup." The Professor said, looking towards his desk, his mind taking a different train of thought. "I mean, obviously it isn't impossible, Buttercup wouldn't have conceived with Dominic if it were impossible, I would have thought, but, it's a theory I'd like to research more."
I looked over at Brick, who looked smug, a smirk playing about his lips.
I rolled my eyes. God, I'll never hear the end of this one…
Ruby shot forward into the air after we'd waved goodbye to the Professor and began to head home. We didn't even see Sandra, she was still at the grocery store.
I felt Brick watching me before I'd even turned to look at him.
"What?" I asked. "It went well, right? I don't think it'll take the Professor long to warm to you."
"Oh yeah, it did. Found out some interesting facts, too." He said, a cheeky glint in his eyes.
I rolled mine in response.
"Wait till I tell my brothers." He snickered.
"Tell them what? Bubbles is married, and can you imagine Buttercup being remotely interested in either of them?" I replied, raising an eyebrow.
He shrugged. "It's still an interesting fact. It makes sense to be honest. Must be how Ruby ended up being conceived."
I nodded. "It does make sense, it wasn't like we weren't careful. It's something to consider now, too."
Brick nodded, that smile still lingering on his lips.
I felt my phone buzzing in my handbag, and I slowed my pace, reaching in. "It's Buttercup. She wants me to pop over to hers this evening. You can keep an eye on Ruby for me?"
"Yes Bloss, that's fine. She's my daughter too remember. I'm her Daddy." He said, grinning.
r&r :)