5 Years Later...
Ages
Robin: 25
Pops: 26
Sarah: 25
Kyle: 27
Prue: 5
Josh: 6
Summary: Robin and Pop's daughter, Prue , is starting kindergarten. Pops has a hard time letting his little girl grow up.
Now this was a sight Robin Mills , no Robin Connor she reminded herself, never thought she would see. There he was, the fierce Terminator , Model 101, sitting in a child-sized pink, plastic chair pretending to sip tea while donning a jeweled play-crown atop his head.
"Mommy!" cried her five year old daughter, "We're playing royal tea party! Come sit down," she demanded removing one of her dolls from the pink chair beside her and motioning for Robin to sit.
"Why, PrincePopsyou look so handsome," Robin said barely suppressing a laugh. A blush spread across Pops's face leaving his cheeks tomato red, a new emotion he had learned.
It was nice being the one to make him blush for a change. "Well, you know me. I've a weak spot for stubborn princesses," he chimed.
Robin walked over to her Brown-eyed, brown-haired, daughter and crouched down to her level, every since she was born Robin noticed how much Prue looked just like Pops.
"Prue how about I join you and daddy next time? School is starting next week, and we need to go buy some supplies," Robin said with excitement in her voice.
Prue jumped up immediately, rambling on about needing a princess book bag and lunchbox. Pops grimaced, but quickly put on an overenthusiastic smile when Prue turned to face him.
Shopping had never been one of Pops favorite activities, But Robin had a sneaking suspicion that he was even less enthusiastic about school supply shopping. He tried his best to hide it, but Robin could read him like an open book. Pops was not looking forward to Prue going to school. When they settled in Florida permanently, Pops promised Prue he wouldn't leave her side. Pops didn't have an overly demanding work schedule and therefore was left at home taking care of Prue much of the was going to have a harder time with their separation than he was letting on.
Robin and Pops pushed their shopping cart up and down aisles collecting school supplies from the list provided from Prue's teacher. Prue picked out a bright, pink book bag and a lunchbox with Disney's version of Snow White across the front.
"Look Mommy, I can take Snow white to school with me!" Prue exclaimed as she waved her lunchbox proudly for her mother to see.
Robin smiled at Pops , who at the moment was hoisting Prue onto his shoulders so she could look through the folders on the top shelf of the aisle.
''Here Prue, I found a bag for you!'' Kyle smiled holding Josh as well as a bag up in the air, making Prue smile. ''I want it!'' She smiled.
''See ya, Pops.'' Kyle smirked, walking away to look for more stuff in the store giving him the bag. Pops looked at it and shot Kyle a death glare. But smiled at the bag which had a beautiful Swan in the middle of it.
Pops and Kyle teased each other for the remainder of the shopping trip as they helped Prue and Josh collect their supplies. For a former Terminator and a Solider from the future t, they really were suckers for little Prue and Josh . They helped them pick out and carry supplies covered in pink glitter, princesses, and puppies alike. Sometimes they drove Robin crazy, but Robin had to admit, they were the best.
Later...
Robin woke up to see a few stray rays of light beaming into her room. She turned her head over slightly to see that she still had a few more minutes before her alarm would go off and tell her to begin her day. She rolled over to spend her few free minutes cuddled with her husband since they had decided to marry after Prue's birth and Sarah and Kyle had decided too, only to find his side of the bed empty and cold.
Robin frowned and sat up in bed looking around the room to spot her missing partner. She caught sight of the crack beneath the bedroom door as a shadow passed over it. A few seconds went by and then the shadow passed again. A few more seconds, and it passed again. This repeated a few more times before her sleepy ears adjusted and heard the light padding of footsteps. He was pacing in the hallway.
She sighed and pulled her legs to her chest resting her head on top of her knees. Robin was sad about Prue staring school too. Watching the baby you've cared for since birth grow up is never easy.
It was Pops first time to see his baby take a big step in life. Robin only hoped he would handle this well, but either way she vowed that she would help him through it.
Later...
The morning had been eventful to say the least. After breakfast, Sarah and Kyle wished Prue well on her first day of school, and Pops and Robin wished Josh too.
After they arrived at her Private elementary school, Robin and Pops walked Prue inside for her first day of school. Robin and Pops each held one of Prue's hands as she walked between the two. Prue was wearing her nicest outfit and had a big, blue bow in her curly, brown hair. They made their way to the hall where her classroom was located and saw Sarah and Kyle, waiting with Josh. Other families in Eustis were gathered around too.
Pops removed Prue's Blue book bag from his shoulder and bent down to place it on his daughter's back. He stayed crouched down at Prue's level and gingerly placed a kiss on her forehead.
"You're going to absolutely love kindergarten, sweetheart. It'll be loads of fun." Pops smiled
"Are you sure, Daddy? What if I want to come home?" she replied looking down at her shoes.
"Well…then I'll come right back and get you. Don't you worry sweetheart ; I know you'll have a great time." He gave her a hug, more like a squeeze Robin noted, goodbye, before standing and stepping back to his wife's side.
Robin bent down to tell her daughter all about how Robin had loved kindergarten when she was a little girl. Robin never really enjoyed school, but she didn't remember kindergarten well, so she technically wasn't lying. She was just exaggerating a tad.
A few minutes later, Ms. lemoine, the kindergarten teacher came out to greet the parents and students. Her assistant led the students into the classroom as Ms. lemoine kindly assured the worried parents that their dear babies would be safe and happy with her.
Robin couldn't help but notice the way Pops fidgeted as he watched Prue join her fellow classmates in the schoolroom. His hand reached up to scratch behind his ear in nervousness.
"Just you wait, she'll be raving about her first day when we pick her up this afternoon," Robin whispered into his ear as she gave his hand a tight squeeze leading him away from the hallway.
They walked in silence until they made their way back to the parking lot. "Ready to go, Pops ?" she asked gesturing towards her new black charger.
"No, dear . You head off to work. I think I'll walk to the docks today. Clear my head. You know," he replied sheepishly.
Robin's lie detector was going off, but she understood that he needed to deal with his feelings alone. "Alright, but behave alright," she replied with a warning raise of her eyebrow.
"Don't I always, Dear ," Pops, said with a wink.
Later...
When Robin received the phone call at the station she rolled her eyes and sighed. Normally, the threat of a potential child stalker would cause great alarm, but Robin new exactly who the supposed offender was even before she arrived back at the elementary school. There he was crouched down behind a bush with a leaf sticking out of his tousled, brown hair. he leered into Ms. lemoine's classroom.
"Pops, you promised," Robin said, exasperated. He jumped at the sound of her voice a blush quickly rising to his cheeks.
Pops shuffled his feet and took of his sunglasses, scratching his ear nervously as he fumbled for an excuse.
"Well, you see , Dear I was going to leave, but, well, hum-" he sighed and lowered his head accepting that he couldn't conjure a good excuse.
His voice just barely above a whisper, Pops continued, "I'm sorry,, Robin. It's just- what if the kids are mean? What if they make fun of her ? What if she misses me? She's my little princess."
Robin gave him an understanding smile and embraced him in a tight hug. From the moment their little girl had been born, she'd had her father wrapped around her tiny, little finger.
The fierce Terminator never stood a chance.
"She'll be fine. She has Terminator blood in her; she can handle anything. Come on, let's go grab some breakfast at Waffle house ," Robin said as she tugged him away from his hiding spot near the bush.
Pops followed along with a quizzical look and added, "Don't you need to get back to the station, love?"
Robin let out a chuckle, "Kyle's covering for me. When I got a complaint about a suspicious man spying on children, I knew I'd be a while."
They picked a beaming Prue up from school a few hours later. Just as Robin predicted, Prue chatted excitedly about her day the entire car ride home.
Prue loved her teacher Ms. lemoine and spent the majority of her day playing with Josh. She also played doctor with him. At that, both Pops and Robin snickered, but quickly encouraged a confused Prue to continue recounting her day.
At the end of the day, Prue's class went to a park . Prue cheerfully bragged about how she and her partner, Adam Simon were the best dancers in the class.
On her deathbed, Robin only regret in life will be that she wasn't able to snap a picture of Pops face when he heard his daughter had danced with a boy . Pops pouted the whole way home.
Later...
After playtime, dinner, and bath time, it was time for Prue and Josh to go to bed. As per their usual routine, Robin put Prue in her pajamas and tucked her into bed with her dolls and stuffed toys.
Then Pops joined them to tell Prue a bedtime story. After living for forty some years, he had loads of stories to tell. Of course, he had to censor most of his tales so they would be child appropriate.
Still, Robin enjoyed listening to him lull their daughter to sleep with stories of his grand adventures in other times.
Robin stood in the doorway looking fondly at the sight of Prue tucked into bed with Pops at her side. Sometimes it took Robin's breath away how alike the two looked. Hope even made some of his same facial expressions.
"Now sweetheart, what story would you like to hear tonight? Would you like to hear the tale of my fight with the man Ruflo ?"Pops asked his already drifting daughter.
A yawn escaped her mouth before she answered back with a tired smile on her face, "No, tell me the story about the Man , the princess, and the villain ."
Pops smiled down at Prue and then back up Robin. His eyes never left her's as he responded back to their daughter, "Good choice, Sweetheart, my very favorite."