Topic: A New Prospect

Fliss

Date: 2015-11-09 08:34 EST
"Shoes off, coats off, Dad's in the kitchen with snacks!"

Ah, the rallying cry of the Storm household when little people got home from school. Liv chuckled as Maria kissed her now rather prominent bump, and waved the little girl and her brother away to the kitchen, pausing to send a wave after Kaylee Bennett as she drove away from Willow Manor. That had been quite an enlightening little chat, and encouraging, too. Now all they needed to do was broach the subject with Fliss, and mentally, Liv had already volunteered Johnny for that. When the teenager got home, of course. She was probably dawdling with Lucas, but they'd be back for dinner, no doubt.

Dad's idea of snacks could be anything from hot cocoa with marshmallows and cookies to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Today it happened to be Rice Crispy Treats and tall glasses of chocolate milk. A little sugar with their calcium never hurt anyone, as far as Johnny was concerned, and who wanted carrot sticks when you could have melted marshmallows and cereal"

"Hello, my lovelies!" Johnny greeted each of the little ones in turn with a hug. Apparently Liv was rubbing off on him a little to call them both lovelies.

Just for that, Alex scrunched his nose in disdain. "I'm not lovely, Dad! Lovely is for girls!"

Johnny laughed. "You're right. Hello, my lovely, and Alex!" he corrected himself with a grin.

"Oh, so I'm not allowed to call my boy lovely anymore, am I?" Liv asked in a warm tone as she followed them into the kitchen, bending to lift Maria up into a seat at the table. The little girl signed her thank yous to everyone, but nothing was going to get in the way of her enjoying the snack set out to revive flagging spirits at the end of a long day at school. Dropping a kiss onto Alex's hair, Liv winked at him. "Should I be calling you my macho hunk of manly muscle, then?"

Alex climbed up into a chair across from his sister and looked up at his mother with a puzzled expression on his young face. "What does macho mean?" he asked with a hint of a Russian accent. He was quickly picking up the language, but there was probably always going to be a hint of his origins in the way that he spoke.

"And here I thought that was me," Johnny remarked with a smirk of his own, as he set the treats and glasses of cold milk in front of them both. "Where's Fliss" Dawdling with Lucas again?"

"It's short for machismo," Liv told Alex as she headed yet again for the washing machine. "And machismo means strong pride in being male. And I'm teasing," she added with a chuckle, crouching to unload the washing machine for the fifth time that day.

Maria looked up from her drink, setting her glass down to answer her father with flickering fingers. "They went flying."

"Mat-cheese-mo?" Alex echoed, turning to his sister with a puzzled look on his face. If his mother was being honest, then, yes, by her definition he was macho. He was proud to be who he was, after all, and especially proud of his family, adopted or not. "I'm a macho man," he told his sister with a grin, not quite realizing how silly that sounded.

Johnny laughed. "Try not to let it get around," he teased, ruffling his son's hair. "Flying?" he echoed, brows furrowing as he read Maria's fingers. "I guess the flying lessons have paid off." The flying lessons he'd been giving the pair, that is.

Maria giggled at her brother, wiggling her nose back at him as she slurped on her milk. She didn't really need to talk to Alexei, not when she knew what he was feeling and he knew what she was thinking, but they played along for the sake of their parents, who were outnumbered enough already.

"Is Fliss actually flying, or is Lucas carrying her?" Liv asked from the floor, where Bella was helping her transfer the wet clothing from the washing machine to the dryer.

"I've been trying to teach them both, but Fliss is afraid of that much flame. She'll get there eventually," he answered, pouring himself a glass of chocolate milk into a special cup so that it didn't get warm too fast. The sight of Bella helping with laundry didn't faze Johnny a bit, as odd as it might seem to other people.

"She just needs more confidence in herself," Liv nodded, rubbing her fingers over Bella's head in praise as she closed up the dryer and turned it on. "Come on, Bells, give me a push up." Groaning, she straightened, one hand automatically rubbing her back as she turned back to the table with a smile. "What do you think, monsters" Will Fliss ever fly on her own?"

Johnny would have gotten up to help Liv to her feet, except that Bella was already doing it for him. "I think she will," Johnny replied with a small thoughtful frown. "The best way to conquer your fears is to face them," he said, knowing from experience.

Alex looked to Maria as if they were wordlessly debating an answer for a moment.

"Well, she's only fifteen," Liv smiled, leaning against Johnny fondly where he sat, one arm about his shoulders. "She's got time." Her eyes narrowed playfully as she looked between Alex and Maria. "And what are you two talking about so intensely, may I ask?"

Maria's silent giggle made itself known as she blushed, ducking her head to take a big mouthful of her treat rather than answer, leaving Alex to field their mother's teasing query.

There was a time when Johnny and Liv had gotten a little bit freaked out and worried about Alex and Maria's silent conversations. They weren't related by blood, and yet, they shared some deeper connection barely understood by those around them. It was a miracle in itself that these two had become such happy, normal children, considering all they'd been through.

"We were just thinking that maybe Fliss likes Lucas doing the flying," Alex suggested, speaking for both siblings, but not bothering to explain the statement as it spoke for itself.

Liv bit her lip to keep her smile from growing too wide at that. It seemed as though their younger children were growing more perceptive as the tension between their parents eased off. "I think you may be right," she allowed. "But if you tease her about it, I am going to look the other way when she burns your eyebrows off."

Alex gasped in undisguised shock at his mother's remark. "She wouldn't dare!" he said, his hands flying upward to protect his eyebrows, though Fliss wasn't even there. Though they had their moments, as siblings did, Fliss had never so much as raised a spark of flame to either of her siblings so long as they'd been together, but it took a moment for Alex to realize his mother was only teasing.

Fliss

Date: 2015-11-09 08:35 EST
Johnny chuckled. "Don't worry, Alex. She won't hurt you, but I'd still recommend not teasing her about it too much, especially with Lucas moving in with us soon."

Laughing, Liv eased herself down into a seat, reaching over to tuck Maria's hair back over her shoulder. "Spot check," she declared suddenly. "Elizabeth Margaret, or Margaret Stephanie?" She'd been doing this on and off for the last few weeks, dropping random names from the list she and Johnny had put together on the children and making a mental note of which name came out best. Thus far, there were more votes for Thomas Steven on the boy side, but they were pulling even in the girl column.

Johnny frowned just a little at the mention of a name, reminded once again of Peggy, though if they decided on Margaret for a first name he was going to have to get used to being reminded of Peggy more often. He couldn't see them calling their own daughter Peggy, though, and he was learning more toward Margaret for a middle name these days. "What about Stephanie Elizabeth Margaret?" he asked, or some variation thereof. As far as his birth certificate was concerned, he had two middle names himself, though he didn't use them at all.

"Elizabeth Stephanie Margaret?" Liv suggested. She knew Johnny was struggling with the idea of naming a daughter after Peggy, but she wanted the name to live. Steve had even volunteered permission for them to name their baby, if she was a girl, Margaret. She flicked her gaze toward the children. "What do you think?" she asked them. "Do we want a Steffie, or a Bess, or a Meg?"

Alex and Maria seemed to be having that silent conversation of theirs again, their eyes the only clue that they were privately debating their mother's question. It was a moment before Alex replied for them both. "Bess," he said simply, quickly adding, "Elizabeth." Steffie simply sounded funny, and both he and Maria had noticed how their father got a little bit sad every time someone mentioned the name Margaret.

As the silent debate went on, Liv leaned over to Johnny, amusement in her eyes. "Ever get the feeling you've turned into furniture?" she asked him in a teasing murmur, curling her hand about his. As the answer was offered up, however, her smile deepened. "Elizabeth goes to the top of the list, then," she nodded to them, her own smile a little ....well, not sad, but wistful. "That was my mother's name, you know. I never got a chance to meet her. Wouldn't it be lovely to have another Elizabeth running around?"

Maria's sweet little face clouded with affectionate concern as she picked up on the conflicting emotions in her mother, slithering down from her chair to climb up into Johnny's lap so she could offer Liv a hug. Unfortunately, Liv's lap was mostly bump these days, so those sorts of hugs were going to have to wait for a while.

Johnny's feelings were just as conflicted when it came to names. As much as he wanted to honor Peggy's memory, there would never really be another Peggy Carter. And then, there was the matter of his rarely-mentioned mother, but he didn't want to detract from the conversation about Liv and Lucy's mother to mention his own. He drew Maria onto his lap so she could hug her mother, glad for the little girl's sweetness. They were truly blessed to have such a sweet, caring child for a daughter. Alex watched all of this silently, sensing some deeper sadness in his parents but not quite understanding what it was.

"No, I'm not sad, sweetheart," Liv said gently, in response to a question she only felt, rather than heard. Her arm opened to invite Alex around to share in the group hug. "Aunt Lucy and I were very lucky to be together. Our parents weren't very happy, and I don't think we would have been very happy if our father had managed to bring us home. Everything we've been through has brought us here. If some of it hadn't happened, I wouldn't have come to Rhy'Din, I wouldn't have met Daddy. We wouldn't be sitting around a table with two of our beautiful children, sticky faces and all." She smiled, hugging Alexei warmly. "I wouldn't change anything, because it gave me my wonderful family, and I can't imagine life without you now, any of you."

Johnny looked to Liv, knowingly. He knew of the difficulty of their early days together and of how he almost lost her. How she'd walked out on him and how he'd felt lost without her. How he'd almost lost her in a fiery blaze and how they'd been together ever since. How they'd longed for a child and been blessed with three orphans of their own, just in time to welcome another child into the world of their own making. He'd come to this world to make a life for himself, to find his true potential and become a hero, and though he'd accomplished that goal, becoming a husband and father meant so much more than anything else he could have ever done. Johnny sniffled, trying hard not to get emotional in front of his children, but for all his bravado, he was as soft-hearted as his Livvie. "I couldn't have said it better myself," he said quietly.

She smiled at him, this very ordinary woman at the heart of a family that was very far from ordinary, her eyes alight with love for her husband, and for the family he had given her. "Oh, I'm sure you could if you tried," she teased gently, wanting to lighten the moment if she could. "There probably would have been a few awesomes in there."

"I'm not gonna deny that we have an awesome family," Johnny replied, swiping an errant tear from his eyes, a warm smile on his face as he hugged his family close. "And that you've all wiped your sticky fingers all over me, it's time for homework!" he declared, the bittersweetness of the moment over for now. It seemed the question of names was settled for now, though Fliss might have something to say about it yet when she arrived home with Lucas.

"Yes, homework," Liv agreed with a chuckle, kissing the blonde heads bowed close to her own - all three. "Shoo, wash your hands, and then it's time to get down to business."

Maria huffed her silent laugh, planting an extra sticky kiss on Johnny just because he'd made a fuss about it, and slithered down to seize Alex's hand, dragging him away from the kitchen to the nearest bathroom.

Johnny couldn't very well complain. Since the sticky treats had been his doing, he had no one to blame but himself. He smiled at Maria's kiss and took a moment to ruffle Alex's hair again before the pair toddled off to the bathroom to wash up. Once they were out of ear shot, he turned to Liv with a thoughtful frown on his face. "Is it me or is the connection between those two getting stronger?"

"Hmm ..." She relaxed back into her seat, listening as the footsteps died away, and looked over at her husband. "I think maybe it's always been that strong. Perhaps they're finally relaxed enough to let things slip around us, not to hide how they do things. Or maybe their powers are developing." She shrugged. "I haven't the first idea. Developing powers is your area, love. I just give out kisses and good food, and hope for the best."

"Not those kinds of powers," Johnny pointed out. He'd never had any sort of psychic powers that he was aware of. The only talent he could claim was his ability to self-combust at will. "Maybe they're teaching them how to use it better at school," he suggested, though he wasn't too sure. It wasn't a bad thing, necessarily - at least, not for Maria and Alexei, but it made things a little bit awkward for those around them.

"I'm sure they are," Liv nodded, rising to her feet to collect the dirty plates and glasses. OCD as she usually was with cleanliness and tidiness, she'd upped the ante somewhat over the last few days to the point where Johnny had had to physically take the scrubbing brush off her when she'd started on the skirting boards. "And I'm sure Alexei and Maria will talk to us, if they need help. Amazingly, they trust us. I can't imagine where they got that from, can you?" She flicked him a grin, glancing out through the window, where Lucas had just landed and was being thoroughly rewarded for what had apparently been quite a satisfying flight.

Fliss

Date: 2015-11-09 08:36 EST
Johnny moved to his feet to help her clean up the mess that was half his own making. He'd found he liked to dabble in the kitchen, but he often made a bit of a mess doing it. He groaned at the sight just outside the window. "That's more than I wanted to see," he said, at the smooching that was going on between the two teenagers. "Are you sure it's a good idea having Lucas move in with us?" he asked, hoping no hanky panky went on while they were looking the other way.

Liv chuckled softly. "I'm absolutely sure," she promised him. "Like I said, I'm not expecting there to be any shenanigans for at least a year, but if they are going to happen, I would rather they happened here, where we can deal with any fall out immediately. Besides, he practically lives here anyway - all we've done is give him a room of his own, and a bathroom to share with her." She kissed her husband's cheek fondly.

"He's a nice boy. I like him. That's what worries me. They say you should always watch out for the quiet ones. Or am I being a worrywart?" he asked her with a frown, as he tilted his cheek into her kiss. His arms wrapped around her from behind, his hands settling gently against the ever-growing swell of child at her middle. "So, Elizabeth Margaret, then?" he asked, close to her ear.

"Oh, so I'm a problem waiting to happen too, am I?" she pointed out with a smile. She had always been one of the quiet ones, and as far as she could tell, she hadn't done anything excessively unpleasant in her lifetime. Leaning back into Johnny's arms, she sighed contentedly, her hands over his as their unborn child stretched in her womb. "It looks that way, doesn't it?" she chuckled gently. "We have names for both options now. Are you happy with that choice, love?"

"I think so, but Elizabeth is too proper, and the Grangers already have a Beth. You said something about Bess. That's kind of pretty. Do you like that?" he asked, feeling the child move beneath his hands. They had been waiting and hoping for this for so long, and it wasn't going to be long now. It was almost like something out of a dream sometimes, and he prayed night and day that nothing went wrong.

"Bess, or Bessie," she nodded. "They're older nicknames, but I like them. Olivia and Lucille aren't exactly modern names themselves, are they?" She smiled, tilting her head to look up at him, glad that she had taken the initiative and asked for earlier leave. It was easier to be wife and mother, preparing for an imminent birth, than it was to add World's Best P.A. to that list as well.

"Neither is Jonathan," he remarked, though no one had called him that since he was a child. He was just Johnny now. Jonathan Lowell Spencer Storm had never really fit his personality. "You know, the baby isn't gonna care if every inch of the house is dust-free," he teased, touching a kiss to the side of her neck.

She laughed, rolling her eyes. "Yes, but I'll know," she complained cheerfully, patting his hand. "I know, it's a little out of hand right now. But it's all natural, I swear. Women do this when they're about to pop. At least Bella's helping now."

"Right, because Bella knows how to scrub the toilet," Johnny remarked with a chuckle. "I can help, you know. That's what I took time off work for," he pointed out. And he was helping, but he wondered if he was helping enough.

"You are helping," she promised him, turning about to stroke her fingers against his cheek. "By stopping me when I'm getting ridiculous. Like hiding the detergent today - that was helpful. I've washed those baby clothes so many times, it's a wonder they're not falling apart."

"They're not gonna get dirty sitting in the dresser!" he pointed out with a chuckle, resting his chin against her shoulder as they watched the young couple outside the window. "Do you think we were ever that young?" he mused aloud. His life before he became a meta-human seemed almost like a different lifetime.

"Oh, I think I was born middle-aged," Liv laughed fondly. "I got young again when I met you." She touched his cheek affectionately, tweaking the end of his nose. This was what had been missing, these little moments of coupledom in the midst of their chaotic family life. Now they were aware of it, these moments were all the more precious. As they watched, Fliss grinned up at Lucas, blowing him a kiss from a few feet away as she offered him her hand. "Hang on, incoming teens."

"Only too happy to be of service," he replied, wiggling his nose for her benefit as it was tweaked. The time had come, it seemed, for a little parent-teen discussion, but he wasn't too worried about it. He was glad Kaylee had recognized the talent their teenager possessed. Now it was just a matter of convincing Fliss.

"You're up, sparky," Liv chuckled, twisting to kiss him affectionately as the door opened to admit the teens.

"Smooching in the kitchen, not very welcoming," Fliss commented with a faint smirk, her hand enfolded in Lucas' grip.

Liv rolled her eyes, drawing back from that kiss with a grin. "We could do worse, you know," she threatened their eldest warmly, laughing at the grimace of horror that thought brought up.

Johnny's mouth opened, ready to ask why him, when Fliss and Lucas burst through the door, cutting his question short. "Smooching in the garden, not very private," Johnny countered with a grin, unable to resist teasing them a little. Though he was fond of Lucas, it would take time for him to get to know the boy better.

It took Fliss a moment to work up an answer to that one. "We're teenagers, we're supposed to do P.D.A," was what she eventually came up with, slipping her shoes off as her bag hit the floor by the door. "You're married, you're supposed to kiss cheeks and sleep in separate beds." She flashed a cheeky grin in her parents' direction.

Liv laughed, shaking her head. "Well, I hope you remembered to stop for a snack on your way home, because the kitchen is closed until dinner time," she informed them. "Lucas, do you need a drink before Maria kidnaps you?"

Johnny snorted at Fliss' assessment of married life. "Only on old TV shows," he pointed out. After all, Liv hadn't gotten pregnant by holding hands, and Fliss was old enough to know better.

Lucas was as quiet as ever, not quite knowing what to say in response to Johnny's teasing and looking a little guilty about getting caught kissing Fliss in the garden. It wouldn't happen again - at least, not where her parents were likely to see it. "Yes, please," he replied, ducking his head a little at Johnny's teasing.

"Oh, don't mind him," Liv assured the young man. "He's just sore because he lost the toss." She smiled encouragingly, pouring a couple of glasses of juice from the fridge. "You're going to have to get comfortable with us eventually, you know. You're going to be living here as soon as you move in."

Fliss blushed, but managed not to actually giggle, sticking her tongue out at her dad instead.

"Yes, ma'am," Lucas replied, obediently to both her statements. It would take some time, but Johnny and Liv were determined to win him over.

Johnny looked a little concerned at Lucas, but he couldn't remain serious for long with Fliss sticking her tongue out at him. "All right, young lady. There's something I need to talk to you about," he said, trying to sound stern, but failing miserably.

Lucas got the hint. "I promised Maria I'd help her with her homework," he said, taking a glass of juice from Liv with a nod of thanks.

Fliss

Date: 2015-11-09 08:37 EST
"And I think I'm doing times tables with Alex tonight," Liv nodded in agreement. "Shall we get the serious bits over and done with?" She glanced at Johnny and Fliss, fairly sure it wasn't going to be too awkward a conversation, and jerked her head for Lucas to follow her.

Fliss gulped, swallowing her mouthful as she looked at Johnny worriedly. "What did I do now?"

"Nothing. Don't worry so much," Johnny replied, once they were alone, Lucas tagging after Liv to the living room. "Have a seat," he told her gesturing toward the table. He'd have offered her a marshmallow treat, but Liv had already closed the kitchen until dinner.

Scratching her hair, Fliss eyed her father warily. He didn't usually try to be stern with her unless she'd done something she shouldn't, and she was desperately trying to remember if she'd left anything embarrassing in her bedroom where anyone might come across it. Dropping down into a chair at the table, she bit her lip. "Look, if this is about the diary, I swear ....they're just thoughts, I wouldn't actually do any of it."

"Oh, my god, no!" He chuckled, holding up a hand to stem her thoughts. He had no idea she had a diary and the last thing he wanted to know what was a hormonal teenager was thinking ....unless it was something he should know about. "You didn't do anything wrong, Fliss. In fact, quite the opposite," he assured her, not quite sure how to explain without being too blunt. "Kaylee came by today."

Her eyes widened, but she didn't look any less wary for that fact. If anything, she went still, eying him as though he was about to hand her a live bomb. "Kaylee as in ....STARS Kaylee?"

"Kaylee as in Kaylee Granger ....er, Bennett," he said, affirming he meant STARS Kaylee. He took a chair opposite her, the stern look disappearing from his face. "She says you have real talent, and she wants to know if you'd like to take private lessons with her away from the group."

It seemed as though that wasn't what Fliss had expected him to say. She blinked rapidly, laying her hands flat on the table as she struggled to absorb this information. "She ....you ..." Swallowing, she made a creditable attempt at coherence. "What?"

Johnny chuckled at her reaction. She was clearly in shock at this latest development. "I said, Kaylee was here earlier and she thinks you have real talent and wants to give you private lessons. Was I speaking another language?" he added with a teasing grin.

"How does she know that?" Fliss demanded, unused to being singled out for anything that was in any way a good thing. "I-I-I haven't sung on my own at all yet, there's no way she could possibly know what I sound like. She's probably thinking that I sound like someone else, that's all."

"Kaylee is a professional musician, Fliss. I'm sure she can tell your voice from the others. Aren't the rest of them much younger than you?" he asked further, knowing she didn't like being singled out, but in this case, it was a good thing.

"Well, not really," she admitted. "I mean, Doran's the next one in age, and he's not that much younger than I am." She chewed on her lower lip, taken entirely unawares by the unexpected topic of conversation. "Not that he sounds like me - his balls dropped last year."

"And Doran's a ..." Johnny was just about to point out that Doran was a boy and therefore sounded nothing like Fliss when she remarked on how his voice had changed. "I'm sorry ....His what?" he asked, laughing at her choice of words, his mind going immediately to the gutter.

"You know what I mean." She rolled her eyes, flicking a tiny flame at him, secure in the knowledge that he wasn't going to burn when it landed in his hair. "His voice went squeaky, and then it got settled a bit lower than it was before. His balls dropped."

He didn't even flinch at the flame war, though they both had to be careful not to set anything but each other on fire. "You could have just said his voice changed. You just wanted to say balls," Johnny accused with that teasing grin of his.

"I'm fifteen, sue me," was her cocky response, a far cry from the terrified little girl she had been when she'd first come home with them. "I bet you'd freak out if I was talking about Lucas' balls."

Johnny winced. "If you want him to live here, I'd suggest you stay as far away from his balls as you can get." He knew they were both hormonal teenagers, but he didn't really want a pregnant teen on their hands, but that was a conversation for mother and daughter. He'd drawn the short straw on this one; Liv could have that one. "And you're changing the subject."

"Because I don't know what I'm supposed to say," his eldest daughter admitted. "I mean ....is it a good thing, or a bad thing" Am I so bad that she thinks I need private lessons just to sing in tune, and she doesn't want to embarrass me on stage?"

"Good grief, Fliss! Have you heard a single word I've said?" he asked with a huff of breath. "She thinks you have talent. She wants to work with you one on one to develop that talent. Do you really think she'd waste her time on you if she didn't think it was worth it?" Not to mention money. He knew this wasn't going to be free.

"Don't yell at me." He wasn't yelling, but Fliss really wasn't very good at acknowledging her own strengths. She enjoyed singing - it was her favorite part of the weekly STARS classes she attended - but she didn't quite know what to make of the teacher singling her out. "Do you think I should do it?"

"I'm not yelling!" he exclaimed, not quite shouting, but obviously getting a little emotional back. He took a deep breath before continuing. "Sorry," he told her with a small frown. "Look, it's completely up to you, but what would it hurt to give it a try' If you don't like it, then, that's it. But if Kaylee is right, then I think you owe it to yourself to at least give it a try."

She frowned thoughtfully. "I guess it couldn't hurt," was what she eventually came out with, although she wasn't entirely sure what anyone would get out of her taking more singing lessons. "I mean ....well, theater studies is more about acting and backstage. There isn't much singing there, and if I wanted to, maybe, audition sometime, I-I should know how to sing, right?"

"Have you thought about what you want to do when you're done with school?" he asked, knowing she was still a little young for that, but it was never too early to start preparing for the future.

She shook her head, laughing at the idea of preparing for the future. "Not really. I mean, there's the silly stuff, but nothing I could really make a career at, you know" I really enjoy the stuff at WHAM!, but a lot of that is really technical and I'm always worried I'm going to set fire to something in there. I don't know what I want to do. Something I enjoy, hopefully."

"How do you like the theater so far?" he asked, though she hadn't been involved in the STARS program too long and yet had to put on a production. "You know, Maggie and Doran are guest performers at the theater. There's no reason why you couldn't do that, if you wanted to, so long as it doesn't interfere with school."

Fliss

Date: 2015-11-09 08:38 EST
Fliss looked a bit shifty at this. "Well ....you know I only signed up to try it out for Alex, so he can decide if he wants to go for it or wait for Mar to do it with him?" she asked warily. "I, um ....I kinda want to keep doing it. It's ....it's fun." She laughed, almost disbelieving that she was actively enjoying something that wasn't Lucas, family, or fire related. "I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I do."

"Yeah, and I only signed up for a trip into outer space for the adventure and look what happened to me," he countered, using himself as an example of what could happen when you least expected it. "What if Kaylee is right?" he asked. "What if you do have talent?" He was glad she was enjoying herself and didn't want to make it a chore, but she needed to seriously consider Kaylee's offer or she might regret it for the rest of her life.

"It's a big thing, you know?" Fliss tried to explain. "Going from one voice in a crowd to the only voice, even if it's only in a room with one other person there. I've never sung on my own. You know that, I don't even join in with the nursery rhymes the others are learning for the baby. I guess ....I guess I'm scared."

"As scared as I am of water?" Johnny countered, not really wanting to play that card, but he was trying to make a point. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and he didn't want her limiting herself because of her fears. "You'd only be singing for Kaylee," he pointed out.

"That's not fair," she pointed out, waggling a finger in his direction. "You have legitimate reasons for being scared of water. I'm just a coward." She drew in a slow breath, still thinking it over. "I suppose ....I mean, she'll tell me if I'm not actually learning anything, right' And I wouldn't have to do it if I don't enjoy it?"

Johnny sighed, unsure if he agreed with her logic, but not wanting to argue about it. She and Liv had been trying to help him to overcome his fear of water and teach him to swim, but those fears weren't all irrational, he supposed. "I don't know Kaylee that well, but I don't think she would have come to us with this if she didn't think you had some potential. What have you got to lose, Fliss" I promise if you hate it or don't think you're getting anything out of it, we will never bring it up again. We're not gonna force you to do anything you don't want to do."

"It'd be nice to know what I'm doing," she admitted finally, a shy smile on her face as she at last conceded that Kaylee might actually know what she was talking about. "Just, you know, don't try and make me sing, okay' On a stage, in a group, it's all good. On my own, I might combust out of sheer terror."

"Have I ever made you do anything you didn't want to do?" he asked her gently, reaching for her hand. "I may not have provided your DNA, but you're my daughter, Fliss, and I love you. I would never make you do anything you don't want to do or that would cause you harm. You trust me, don't you? Would I suggest this if I didn't think you'd be good at it?" he asked her pointedly.

"Of course I trust you, Dad," she was quick to assure him. "I just don't have much faith in me, that's all. I've only been singled out for something good once, and somehow I don't think Luc counts in comparison with singing lessons." Her smile was comical as she squeezed his hand. "I know you'd never force me into anything. I just don't want to disappoint you."

"Once?" he echoed, looking a little hurt that she'd forgotten to consider that he and Liv had chosen her for their daughter. He thought that should count for something. He sighed at her confession. "Fliss, no matter what happens, you could never disappoint me. Never. Liv and I believe in you. You just have to believe in yourself." How many times had he given her this same speech' How many times more would he need to"

Fliss rolled her eyes at him with a smile. "Once as in, the day you brought me home," she pointed out, poking at his side. Her smile faded as they went over old ground, worried that, despite his assurances, she disappointed him every time her confidence wavered, every time she needed this speech. "I'm sorry."

"More than once, Fliss," Johnny corrected her. He and Liv had chosen her, but so had Lucas, and Yas, and now Kaylee. All of them had seen something in her that she couldn't yet see in herself, and there was Alex and Maria, too. "No apologies. I was a lot like you when I was your age, you know. Oh, I was cocky as hell, but beneath all that cockiness was a pretty lonely, insecure kid."

"I can't imagine you as insecure," the teenager smiled, shaking her head. "I mean, you're really sorted out, and you're settled. You know what you want out of life, and you're doing it. That's ....that's pretty awesome, you know."

"You should have seen me when I first got here. I was a mess," he admitted, with a bit of a chuckle at the memory of it. "If it wasn't for your mom ....well, let's just say I owe her a lot for straightening me out." Some of this had already come up in past conversation, but some of it needed reiterating, if only so Fliss realized she wasn't the only person who lacked self-confidence, especially as a teenager. "Trust me, Fliss. You're doing a lot better than I was at your age."

"That's because I have you." She leaned over to hug her dad - because he was her dad now, and not just Johnny. She'd been calling him dad for a year now, but it had only been in the last few months when it had really begun to resonate with her. She had a mother and a father; she had a little brother and sister; for the first time in her life, Fliss had a family of her own. She knew there was nothing she could possibly do that would ever begin to repay her parents for what they had done for her, but she hoped that, perhaps, she would turn out all right, thanks to them.

"Yeah, well ....You really don't give yourself enough credit," he told her, not for the first or probably last time. He would have liked to have taken some of the credit, but the truth was, he and Liv had just been there to encourage and support her. They couldn't take the credit for everything she'd accomplished - that was all Fliss. "We're proud of you, you know. No matter what you decide to do with your life, we're always going to love you and be here for you."

"Even if I decide that what I really want to do is be a prostitute?" she asked innocently, unable to let that go without teasing him. She wasn't comfortable with deep, serious talk, especially when it was about her, and it showed in the way she deliberately made light of things just to get away from certain subjects.

Johnny's jaw dropped open in shock at the very thought of that. "Well, no, obviously not. I mean ....Come on. Do you want me to go gray before my time?" he asked, only partially in jest. He was pretty vain, after all. "No alcohol, no drugs, and no sex!"

She raised a brow, thoroughly enjoying teasing him. She wasn't going to forget the look on his face when she'd come downstairs in the Black Widow costume at Halloween in a hurry. "Really?" she asked doubtfully. "You don't ever want grandchildren?"

"What' Yes, of course I do, but not when you're fifteen!" he pointed out. Okay, so the rules needed changing a little, but he thought she got the gist of it. "You and Lucas aren't yet ....are you?" he asked, leaning in and lowering his voice, as if someone might be eavesdropping.

"No!" Volume, it seemed, wasn't something entirely under Fliss' control when she was startled by something. She lowered her voice with a furtive look toward the living room, where they could hear the others working on various bits of homework. "Seriously, Dad ....we've only been together a few months, and ....you know, I'm still waiting for normal body parts to arrive here. You really think I'm that stupid?"

Fliss

Date: 2015-11-09 08:39 EST
"No, of course I don't! You're the one that brought up ....you know ..." he said, without repeating that word again - the P word he didn't want mentioned again in association with his daughter. "So, are you going to give it a try then" Lessons, I mean. Not ....you know."

She laughed at the fact that he felt the need to clarify his question, her smile far more relaxed now than it had been before. "Yeah, I think I am," she nodded. "I don't have to call her, like, right now, do I" Because, you know, I have homework. And I kinda want to be wearing real clothes."

"Real clothes?" Johnny echoed, looking her over. "What's the matter with what you're wearing?" he asked, confused, but then it wasn't the first time one of the females in his life confused him. "You don't have to call her right now. I think it can wait until tomorrow." Johnny looked over his shoulder at the little group studiously working in the living room. "Besides, it's time for me to make dinner and you to do your homework." He leaned forward to touch a kiss to her forehead. "Love you, Fliss."

Seeing his confusion, she chuckled, gesturing to what she was wearing. "School clothes." Then she gestured to what he was wearing. "Real clothes. Get it?" Grinning, Fliss leaned into him as he kissed her forehead. "Love you back. Did Mom leave any laundry to do today, or did she start trying to do the drapes as well?"

"Oh! Right," he replied with a chuckle. "Sorry." He had taken to not wearing his uniform beneath his clothes when he was at home and off duty, so he could kind of relate. He rolled his eyes at her question. "No, I think she's done for now. She's washed the baby clothes three times already!"

"Okay." Laughing, Fliss rose to her feet and moved over to the chalkboard they'd set up on the wall. Taking a chalk, she put a tick next to her chore of "Laundry" for the day, despite the fact that Liv had been doing laundry every day for a week. "Look, I'm doing really well. Do I get a gold star?"

"We'll talk about it after dinner," he replied with a smirk, letting that decision depend on how quickly the kitchen got cleaned up. All in all, the Storm children did their part to pitch in, though there was some occasional whining at times, as kids would do.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." She flashed him a fond grin, rolling her eyes at the promise. Kitchen duty belonged to her, which meant Lucas would probably be joining in, which invariably meant no gold star. Not that she minded - the gold stars were there to make Alex and Mar get on with their chores, after all. "Okay, I'm gonna change and go start the homework. Who's on helping crew with the cooking tonight, is it Mom?"

"Yeah, I think Mom and I can handle it," he told her. Even if it wasn't their "turn", it would give them a chance to discuss what he and Fliss had just talked about. "If homework gets done early, maybe we can have a family game night," he suggested. Maybe it was corny, but the little family actually enjoyed doing things together. Johnny knew it wouldn't be long before Fliss and Lucas preferred the company of friends, and he wanted to spend as much time with them now when he still had the chance.

"Ooh, promises, promises." Laughing, Fliss snagged her bag and headed into the living room, her mind changed about changing her clothes. "Hey, Mom, you're up - what?re you doin', Alex?"

As the chatter brightened, and then settled, in the living room, Liv came back into sight, smiling at her husband. It might be an odd sort of routine, but it was their routine, and it worked. Hopefully, it would keep working when the baby arrived.

Whether it worked or not, it was certain the Storms would work it out one way or another. They'd come a long way since their first date when Liv had admitted she wasn't Lucy, and Johnny had left, confused and hurt. A lot had happened since then that neither could have predicted, but all of it had happened for a reason and all of it had led to this very moment. A house, a home, and a family to fill it. Not bad for a couple of orphans.

((The time approaches when this little household is going to have to handle a new member! How ever will they cope"!))