Although there was nothing exceptionally out of the ordinary, Atlanta still kept half an eye on him the rest of the night. Her dad was right though, Barry didn't seem quite himself. It reminded Atlanta of the point at Christmas when Barry had gone very quiet. He'd had something on his mind then too. But that had been triggered by stories about Barry's dad, as well an idea to help Marina and the crew communicate.
Later that evening, Barry wordlessly left his toys on the rug and came over to the sofa where Atlanta was sitting and cuddled up to her as she read her article in a history magazine. Which wasn't unusual in itself.
Where most kids his age were embarrassed to be a hugger, or to cool for cuddles, Barry was still getting used to such contact again. Now he'd come out of his shell a little more about it he held hands and welcomed hugs too. Not just from Atlanta but the other adults. Barry would orbit the room when they had a film on in the lounge never able to make his mind up to who he wanted to sit by. And he wasn't yet too big for Piggy backs from Marina and the fellas either. (There was also a lovely picture on the fridge of Barry and them on Stingray's sofa, with Barry posing, laid across the three crew mates' laps!) Her father had even carried him home on his lap after a very very long and boring retirement party for having tuckered the kid out.
Barry would almost every evening cuddle up with one or both his new guardians at some point. The Difference tonight? Barry would normally be talking away to the point the commander would complain about having two chatterboxes in the house. Or Barry would ask so many questions Atlanta couldn't hear the radio or whatever disc she'd put on.
Now he barely said a peep.
"You sure are quiet tonight Barry?" Atlanta said; Very Casually, more like an Observation than a question. Barry shrugged.
"Nothing's up is it, son?" Sam asked again, glancing up from the book. Barry shook his head, Running the toy car over the sofa arm making very quiet brum noises. And the occasional squeak of tires. "Are you not feeling so good?"
"I'm okay." Barry shrugged again. Then lifted and ducked under Atlanta's other arm so he was really snuggled up to her. Atlanta frowned and felt his forehead; checking his temperature just in case. It felt normal. But he did seem a little blue.
"Long day?" Atlanta asked again, softly.
This time Barry nodded, "Yeah. Long day."
"Join the club." Sam grumbled. Barry didn't elaborate any further. He just ran the car over her sleeve.
"You know," Atlanta tried, after a while and closing her magazine. "If you'd like I can ask Troy to tell you one of his bedtime stories tonight before bed? He'll be over soon anyway, I'm sure he wouldn't mind."
Barry perked up at that. A lot.
"Really?"
"Of course." Atlanta smiled. "Straight to sleep afterwards mind."
"I will! I promise but …if everyone's over," Barry wedeled. "Can I stay up later tonight then? Just to say hello?"
"You really need to stay up late just to say goodnight to everyone?" Atlanta asked, both exasperated and fondly. It was both cute and a pain in the neck when he tried this.
"Well, yeah! If they'll be here after I go to bed, I'll miss them!"
"They'll be here before bedtime Barry. Don't worry." Atlanta said. Then glanced at the clock. "Or at least they ought to be."
"But can I stay up to be sure? Pleeease? And it'll still be a little bit light out." He reasoned.
Barry didn't ask for a lot. With exception to unhealthy snacks at the store, and even then, he was still a bit shy about that. Not in the way other kids Pestering demanded and screamed for bikes or pets or trips away. Even when he was dying to get back on board Stingray, he was polite. He hadn't even asked for anything last Christmas; save the request to use the video phone and the second-hand set of word cards. And even that had been for Marina's benefit.
Barry had three weaknesses:
Snacks.
Stingray.
And the going to bed on time routine.
Combine the chance to talk to his heroes about their latest voyage, or discuss new theories and mystery? with staying up late? With snacks he knew Atlanta had in the cupboard ready for the adults this evening? Oh dear. It could lead to a tantrum.
"Ah no. Cool it with the puppy eyes, young man. That doesn't work." Atlanta warned and bopped him on his nose. Barry pouted. A very Troy Tempest pout. And untangled himself from Atlanta's arm.
"He'll be up till midnight and we'll end up playing snap all-night again, won't we?" Sam grouched. "Didn't you see them all day yesterday anyway?"
"But I didn't show Phones my new model I'm working on!" Barry whined ever so slightly. "It's two different kits, and Phone's really good at fixing the bits that don't fit together so they do."
"That will take you till midnight." Sam snorted.
"You two would take up your whole weekend talking models if you could." Atlanta agreed. And then said firmly at Barry's now defiant about to sulk face.
"You can stay up an extra half an hour. But that's it! It's still a school night for you Mister. If Stingray is late then so be it. And I want you washed up and in your pj's ready for bed before they get here, alright?"
The no nonsense compromise worked.
"Very alright!" Barry brightened and practically jumped on her with a hug. "Gee you're the best, M- Atlanta!"
Before Atlanta could question that, Barry let go and shot off the couch.
"Now where are you heading?" She called after him. Forgetting about 'inside voices'.
It was fine, because at the same time, her dad yelled, "Quit Running Indoors!"
"I'm gonna go get my model now so I don't forget later!" Barry yelled back already halfway to his room.
"Tsk. Scamp." The commander complained fondly. Then turned back to Atlanta.
"You're really letting him stay up a whole half hour? Is that wise?"
"Huh? Oh. Well, no. But I already said he could now." Atlanta sighed.
He frowned. "You sure, sweetheart? I mean, anything can happen in the next-?"
"Don't say it, father!"