Author's Note: This was based off of a post about the what a barb scene in season one and how Polin now has a little lord hosting a ball. Also I am using the book canon name for Polin's first son.

I am still working on my Go Back To The Start story. I just have a bit of writers block and I hope getting this out helps me!

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"Mama! Thomas is only 3 months old. Why do we need to host a ball in honor of the new Lord Featherington when he is not even old enough to enjoy it?" Penelope questioned exasperatedly while holding her son in her arms.

"You must show the Ton that the barony is strong and in good hands." Portia repeated for the fifth time in the course of the argument.

At that Colin had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

"Yes, the host of the event will surely be able to show everyone how much he drools! That will be a most lovely statement to the barony."

"Now you are just being difficult Penelope." Portia exclaimed. "Even though Thomas is the baron, the Ton knows you two are the ones taking care of it until he is old enough."

"Yes and as the Lady of the house I will choose when I will host a ball." Penelope argued back.

Colin decided to interrupt before either of the women said something they would regret. His wife had been working on her relationship with her mother since the wedding and he felt like this might set them back.

"How about we discuss this in another month or 2." He stated softly. "Thomas will hopefully be sleeping through the night and we might consider it." Both of the women looked at him with different emotions on their faces. His mother-in-law was glaring at him for the idea while his wife looked at him with relief and thanks.

After a little more back and forth Portia finally decided to leave them when she realized she would not get anywhere with her argument today. Thankfully she had decided to find herself a dowager house so they would have at least a day before she was back.

"Thank you." Penelope said softly. "I didn't think she would ever stop talking about it."

"I will always save you from your mother, Pen." Colin stated. "I think that should have been in the vows." He joked.

"She has been talking about us hosting a ball since Thomas was born." She stressed. "This just happened to be the first time she mentioned it with you in the room."
"Maybe she thought that I would choose her side. Which shows that she will never understand me." He said walking over to her so he could take Thomas. "Right, Thomas? We will always be on mama's side." The baby started giggling at the faces his father was making. "See, Thomas agrees with me! We'll be your protection."

"Well what a handsome protector I have." She smiled. "Now, what did you come in to tell me before getting distracted by my mother?"

"Oh yes, Albion and Harry wanted to have a drink at White's tonight." he announced. "I also want to see if Ben will be there. He hasn't been acting like himself since mother's masquerade ball last month. Ant and Eloise both can't get any answers and he has been avoiding me."

"It is most likely about the woman that we saw him with on the balcony. The moment that you decided to interrupt for whatever reason." She said knowingly.

"You know very well why I decided to interrupt. The payback was fair." Colin said haughty. "We don't talk about what he did to deserve it."

"Yes he deserved everything you did to him," Penelope said placatingly.

"He did! But I also can't tell either Ant or El why I know the answer." Colin looked at her knowingly. "They would ask how we saw them when we should have been in the ballroom. Do you want to tell them why?"

"No." Penelope said quickly. "I think you should definitely try and find out the reason from Benedict."

"Yes." Colin said smugly. "I thought so. But if you want me to stay home I am more than happy to pass on my regards to Albion and Harry."

"No, go and enjoy yourself. I can handle Thomas by myself. I have also received an invitation for next week. Lady Danbury's married ladies evening has come again. So you will have Thomas that night."

"And will I ever discover what goes on at this married ladies evening?" Colin asked amusedly. "You, Daphne, and Kate always get so excited when the invitations come around."

"Unfortunately I have been sworn to secrecy." Penelope stated coyly. "I would never get another invitation if I spoke. Daphne and Kate will say the same thing." It was great to not feel nervous about keeping a secret from Colin. They had worked hard to build the trust between each other after the Whistledown reveal. "I even had to swear to all the ladies at the event that I would not speak of anything heard in Whistledown."

She reached over to take their son back. "Now go. Enjoy your time with Albion and Harry."

He laughed when she literally started pushing him towards the door.

"Your father can be so funny sometimes." He could hear his wife say before the door fully closed.

1 Month Later

"I can't believe she actually convinced me to host this ball." Penelope said for the 5th time that night. She was talking to Eloise, who was hiding with her to avoid her mothers matchmaking. "Thomas is already tired and it has only been an hour."

"How did your mother do it?" Eloise questioned while she played with her godson. "Because you swore to me just 3 weeks ago that she wouldn't get her way."

"She got Phillapa to assist her!" Penelope exclaimed quietly. "She told me that she was with child again and wanted to go to a family ball once more before going into confinement."

"That is cruel. Using the relationship that you have just repaired to guilt you into a ball. But it also sounds very much like your mother."

"Yes it is. But I was hoping to at least leave Thomas in the nursery. But," she stopped so she could remember the exact wording her mother used. "Thomas is the baron and he must be at the ball being hosted in his name," she finished while making a face.

"Well I'm perfectly happy to take my nephew up to the nursery." Eloise said.

"You would actually have to want to hold one of the babies in order to take them somewhere, El." A voice coming from behind Penelope said.

"I'm sorry Anthony, do you want me to drop your child by accident? Because I will gladly pick up little Edmund if that is the case." She said sarcastically.

'We were talking about this little one. Why do you have to bring my son into this?" Anthony asked as he reached out to hold Thomas' hand.

"Because you made the comment. And now with you over here mama will find me for sure."

"I hate to tell you El but mother has known you were over here the whole time." Colin stated as he walked over and took Thomas from Penelope's arms. "She just knew that Pen wasn't that excited about hosting the ball and knew that she needed you."

"Oh did she tell you that, Lord Whistledown?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yes she did in fact tell me." He said not even reacting to the name except for his smile widening.

"It was so much more fun calling him that when he had a reaction." Anthony muttered.

"Perhaps you shouldn't have used it so much then. Also I am proud of my wife's alter ego." Colin stated looking down at Penelope with a sweet smile before turning back to Anthony. "Shouldn't you be over with your wife, brother?"

"She's talking to Lady Danbury. I thought I should give them some privacy."

"Lady Danbury still scares you, doesn't she, brother?" Eloise asked, grinning.

"She does not scare me!" Anthony replied indignantly.

"Well then you would not mind coming with me to join in the conversation, right?"

The other three could tell when Anthony realized he was trapped. "Of course not, sister. Let us go over there now." He offered his arm to Eloise and as they walked away he could be heard adding. "Once we are done with the conversation I will be sure to bring you back to mother so she does not worry."

When the two arguing siblings were out of earshot the host let out the laughs they had been holding in.

"Well that was quite entertaining." Penelope said while wiping her eyes of tears.

Colin smiled at her before looking down at their son in his arms. "Our host looks a bit fussy, do you think if he goes to bed, everyone has to leave?" Penelope laughed at the reminder of her first season.

"What would Lady Whistledown have to say if the new baron ended the ball early? That would surely mean that the barony is in worse hands than ever. He will never recover from the scandal." She said in her best Portia impression.

"Penelope, what a barb!" At that they both broke into laughter again. "But truly it looks like it is time for Thomas to go up to the nursery. Would you like me to take him?"

"Yes, that would be lovely. But let us go over to allow your family to say goodnight before you do."

Walking over to where the rest of the Bridgerton family had gathered Colin looked around and asked, "Has anyone seen Benedict? I haven't seen him for a majority of the night."

The End

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Author's Note: Please review!

bfThere were 5 things I wanted to get in this story.

-Featherington Bro-In-Law (if you squint)
-Hint of Benophie
-Lord Whistledown
-The host seems fussy quote
-ben disappearing at every family event (seriously why does he do that?)