Topic: Everything

Olivia Storm

Date: 2015-09-25 08:48 EST
It had been a long day at the firestation and by the time Johnny flew home - he almost always flew home - he was tired and just wanting to spend a quiet evening at home with his family, but quiet was not a word that defined the Storm household very often - not with three children under one roof, another on the way, and a boyfriend hovering around.

No, quiet was not a word that could be applied to them very often, but Liv, somehow, had every single child under control by the time Johnny got home. They were, all of them, sitting in the living room, quietly watching a film together while she cooked in the kitchen. Even Bella was quiet, lying underneath the kitchen table well out of Liv's away. A suspicious man might suspect that something had happened to elicit such perfect obedience in a house that was usually raucous with chaos.

Now that they had moved to Maple Grove, there was no more landing on the roof, and people living at the Grove had grown accustomed to seeing a fireball of a man dive through the sky toward Willow Manor, where he and Liv now made their home with their children. They'd outgrown Cedar Lodge months ago and graciously been offered Willow Manor by Liv's boss, Jonathan Granger, and had quickly gone to work filling the bedrooms with children and the house with love and laughter. Strangely, he wasn't hearing a lot of laughter today as he strolled in through the back door, and for a moment, he wondered if anyone was home. "Hello! I'm home!" he called, announcing his arrival.

"Hey, Dad!" Fliss called from the living room, echoed very swiftly by Liv's welcome called from the kitchen. "Hello, sweetheart!" Bella barked briefly, but it was Maria who emerged to greet him, pattering on quiet feet to hug her father tightly in greeting.

"In here, Dad!" Alexei called from the living room, where he was curled up on the floor beside Bella and peering intently at the film they were watching. He didn't even move a muscle when Maria got up from beside him to go greet the man who had become their father, adoptive or otherwise.

The greeting brought a smile to Johnny's face, tired or not, and he scooped Maria up in his arms and planted a kiss against her cheek. "How's my girl today?" he asked, exuding warmth that radiated from his body to hers.

The little girl wrapped her arms around his neck as he scooped her up, cuddling close for a long moment before remembering to unlink her arms and answer him in the only way she could. "Sleepy," she told him with the flick of her fingers. "Mummy's feeling bad for yelling because we were all being bad."

Johnny frowned at Maria's confession, though he couldn't imagine the kids being too bad. Rambunctious maybe, but they were kids, after all. "Mummy is tired right now, pumpkin. What were you all doing that was so bad?" he asked, holding her effortlessly in his arms.

His youngest daughter looked guilty for her part in upsetting Mummy, but soldiered on to explain what had happened. "We went food shopping after school, and I was excited, and Alexei wanted to tell everyone about school, and Fliss was talking on the phone, and Mummy couldn't get us all to let her think. And then I tore the list, and we lost it in the potato bin, and she started crying and yelled at us. She won't stop saying sorry, but we were the bad ones."

Johnny frowned, realizing it was most likely Liv's hormones that had done it, not anything the kids had done. "Oh, sweetheart," he started, a serious look on his face. "You didn't do anything wrong. The new baby is just making Mummy tired. She doesn't mean to get cranky. It's just hard taking care of you all right now. Why don't you go watch TV with your brother, and I'll talk to Mummy, okay?"

Maria nodded, cuddling close enough to kiss his cheek again. It was doubtful that the children had discussed who was going to tell on Liv, but she was the logical choice. There was no way to eavesdrop on Maria Storm unless you could see her hands, and to do that, you had to be in the same room.

He'd been talking as quietly as he could so that Liv didn't overhear, unable to sign back to Maria as he held her in his arms. He smiled at her kiss, melting his heart, just as it did each and every time she kissed him, and gave her a gentle hug before setting her back down on the floor to let her return to her siblings. "Go on, I promise Mummy isn't angry." It was more than likely Liv was more angry at herself than at her children.

With a last squeeze of a hug about his hips, Maria pattered back to the living room and onto the sofa beside Alexei and Fliss, flushed with the success of having told Daddy what had happened without Mummy catching her.

Johnny was right; Liv was angry with herself. More than that, she was disappointed in herself for snapping in the first place, for not being able to handle two excited children and one sassy teenager in a public place in the first place. The closer they got to the birth, the more worried she was becoming that she was never going to be able to handle all four children, and today seemed to have proved that for her.

Once Maria had returned to the living room, Johnny continued on his way to the kitchen to find and greet his wife. "Hi, honey, I'm home," he said as he came up behind her, pressing a kiss to her cheek, his arms going around her waist to rest his hands against the child growing inside her. "Everything okay?"

She was tense as he wrapped his arms around her, though there was a certain amount of relaxing back into his arms. "Apart from the fact that I'm a terrible mother, everything's fine," she told him with a low sigh, turning her head toward him. "How was work?"

"Why are you a terrible mother?" he asked, reaching around her to grab a bite of whatever it was she was making for dinner. He already knew the answer to that, but he wanted to hear it from her lips before he provided any comfort or suggestions. Anyway, if she knew he knew, then she'd know someone had ratted on her.

She was obviously feeling bad about what had happened at the shop - the food on offer tonight was pizza and hot dogs, and it was a fair bet that there were fries in the oven, too. Liv rarely actually cooked junk unless she thought she needed to make up for something. "I lost control," she sighed, turning about to look at him. She looked exhausted, sad, and guilty - not the best combination. "Maria was bouncing, Bella was pulling on the lead, Alexei wanted to tell me all about his day, Fliss was ignoring me ....I just snapped. Nothing was getting through to them, and I didn't sleep much last night, my back was hurting, and ....I snapped at them. In the middle of the grocery shop, I told them all to shut up and stop it right now. It was just too much, and I forgot how to be a mother and turned into a hormonal bitch."

"Oh, sweetheart," he said with a soft sigh and a compassionate frown, putting his arms around her to draw her close into a gentle hug. "You're not a hormonal bitch. You're just ....pregnant," he said, realizing that was almost but not quite the same thing. He pulled away to take her by the hands and draw her toward a chair. "Sit. You've done enough today. It's my turn." Tired or not, he wasn't nearly as tired as she was, and obviously not hormonal or pregnant.

Curled into his arms as much as she could be around the by-now-intrusive swell of her bump, Liv sighed, shuddering a little as she made a monumental effort not to cry again. "I shouldn't have tried to take them all shopping," she murmured, knowing that now but wishing she'd known it a few hours ago. "I don't think Fliss is too upset, but the little ones ....Alex hasn't said a word to me since I snapped. We're supposed to be looking after them, and I've upset them."

"I'm sure Alex is fine," he assured her as he drew her into a chair and crouched down in front of her, her hands in his. He reached up to touch her cheek, seeing the tears in her eyes and feeling horrible for her. He wished there was something he could do. Had they rushed into this too quickly' Were they really ready for a big family' But he was sure it was just another bump in the road. "We'll figure it out. From now on, I'll go with you, and we'll leave Alex and Maria with Fliss while we go. She's old enough to watch them for a little while. We'll figure it out, Livvie," he repeated. "Please don't cry."

Olivia Storm

Date: 2015-09-25 08:49 EST
"I'm sorry," she whispered, keeping the worst case scenarios to herself for now. She might share them with him later, she might not. It all depended on how the rest of the evening went. "I think I scared Lucas back to the big house for the first time since Fliss brought him home. It feels like I've made an irreversible mistake, Johnny. I don't know how to fix it."

"Well, unless you want to seek out a Timelord or something and go back in time, you're gonna have to let it go." It was meant as a joke, to add a little levity to the situation, but here in Rhy'Din, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. "Give yourself a break, Liv. You're six months pregnant, and even on a good day, they can be a handful. They've already forgiven and forgotten all about it. There are going to be times when we have to lay down the law, whether we want to or not, or else we're going to raise a houseful of brats." And no one wanted that.

"Are you suggesting I call Eregor?" she asked, but there was a rueful smile on her face. To be honest, that hadn't occurred to her, but in fairness, she probably wasn't in any fit state to go hopping around in time, even if their friend would agree. "All right, strop over," she promised him. "There are fries, pizza, and hot dogs in the oven. I thought we could eat dinner in the living room tonight for once."

"I'm suggesting you let it go," he repeated, a soft smile on his face, relieved to see her smile finally. "We're gonna go into a food coma is what we're gonna do," he said with a laugh. "We can do that if you want. Why don't you go wrangle them in here, while I get the plates?"

For a moment, the familiar look of worried uncertainty crossed her face, but for all her worries, Liv had blossomed into the role of mother over the past year. No matter how wary she was, she couldn't just isolate herself from their children. It wasn't in her to try. "All right," she conceded. "Oh, and I haven't fed Bella yet." She leaned down to kiss Johnny softly. "Don't be long, okay?"

"I won't be," he promised her, touching her cheek with a too-warm finger as she pressed her lips to his. He stood, taking her hands to help her to her feet and send her on her way to face their children, certain none of them held her outburst against her, not even Alex.

She sighed, steeling herself as he helped her up onto her feet. "I can do this," she murmured, more to herself than to him, but Johnny knew all about his wife's insecurities. They'd shared enough of them when they had first been together, after all. Straightening her shoulders, she turned and headed toward the living room, hesitating in the doorway. "Dinner's almost ready," she announced to the silent trio still glued to he screen. "Fliss, why don't you help Dad bring it in" We're going to eat in here tonight." As the teen unfolded from the sofa, she offered her mother an understanding smile, dislodging her brother and sister in the process. "Maria, why don't you go and feed Bella while Alex helps me clear the coffee table and choose something we can all watch?"

"But Mom ....The movie isn't over yet," Alex started, frowning up at his mother. The little boy had come a long way since he and Maria had found a home with Johnny and Liv, and even this tiny bit of rebellion was a sign of his growing trust of his new parents and family and the return to a normal childhood.

"We can finish the movie tomorrow morning before school, scrapper," Fliss interjected, more aware than her brother and sister of just how on the edge Liv was. She felt bad for her own part in the breaking point that had resulted in an adult having a temper tantrum in the middle of a store. "C'mon, Mar, let's go and trip Dad up with Bouncy Bella." One hand claimed Maria's as she headed out of the room, pausing just long enough to hug Liv on the way past.

That left Alex awkwardly alone with his mother, worrying she might still be mad at him. He pouted a little at Fliss' reply, but knew better than to push his luck. "Okay," he replied, frowning up at Liv as Fliss and Maria headed for the kitchen. "I'm sorry, Mama," he told her quietly, looking a little downcast.

Seeing her son looking so forlorn almost broke Liv's heart. "Oh, sweetheart ..." She moved toward him, opening her arms to her little boy. "It wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault. I'm tired and cranky, and everything just got on top of me. I'm sorry. I should never have snapped at you. Can you forgive me?"

He went to her trustingly and lovingly, wrapping his arms around her, his cheek pressed against the bump at her waist. "I'm sorry, Mama. I don't want to be bad. I don't want to make you angry. I want to help." He sniffled back a few tears, feeling ashamed and remorseful, though all he was guilty of was being a child.

"And you do help, every day," she promised him, wrapping him up in her arms to hold him tightly, hoping he couldn't hear the tears in her eyes. "You didn't make me angry. I made a mistake, and I didn't deal with the consequences of that mistake like an adult. Being tired, being achy, they're just excuses, and they're not good enough in my book. You are not a bad boy, and you don't need to be sorry. I'm the one who behaved badly."

"Do you still love me?" he asked, looking up at her with tears in his eyes, his chin trembling. That was all he needed to know. He could forgive her for getting angry, but he needed to know she still loved him. That was all that really mattered.

Of everything he might have said, nothing could have shocked Liv more than that. Heedless of the roundness at her waistline, she swiftly dropped down onto her knees, looking him square in the eye. "I will always love you," she told the little boy fiercely. "You are my son. You are mine now, and I will always love you. No matter how angry we might get with each other, we will always have that, I promise you. Nothing you do or say will ever change my heart, Alexei."

"Ya lyublyu tebya, Mama," he said, lunging forward to throw his arms around her neck and hug her close, sniffling a little, but trying hard not to cry. He rarely slipped into his native Russian these days, only when he was too upset to remember he was supposed to speak English. There were, of course, going to be times when his mother and father needed to discipline him, but he tried hard to be good and to make them proud, afraid that, if he didn't, they might not love him or want him anymore.

Liv wrapped him up close in her arms, her hand soft as she stroked his hair, rocking him gently as he clung to her. In the back of her mind, she made a note never to put any of them in that stressful situation again; never to risk frightening any of her children into thinking they had lost her love because of her own mistakes. "Everything's all right, sweetheart," she whispered to him. "Nothing has changed, I promise." She squeezed him gently, pressing a kiss to his hair. "We're having junk for dinner. What kind of movie for everyone goes with junk?"

Despite his upset, he giggled as he felt the baby kick, as if to tell him he or she was there, too. "The baby kicked me, Mama!" he declared, pulling back with a teary smile on his face. He didn't much care if they had junk food for dinner, but it was a rare treat to be eating junk food together while watching a movie. His eyes widened at her question, an almost bashful look on his face. "Could we watch The Fantastic Four again, please?" he asked. It was his favorite movie, even if it wasn't entirely accurate.

"I know!" she celebrated the kick with him, glad that the unborn child had chosen that moment to make themselves known. A gentle hand smoothed the tears from his cheeks as she smiled at him. "Of course we can watch it again," she assured him, fairly sure the only person likely to complain - Fliss - would keep her mouth shut this evening. She'd make it up to the teenager another day. "You go and find it, and I'll clear off the coffee table."

"I love you, Mom!" he exclaimed, the tears and the hurt forgiven and forgotten, his face brightening as he hugged her once more before hurrying off to find his favorite movie - and understandably so, as the Torch was his hero, as well as his Dad.

Reassured, she smiled as he scuttled off, turning to clear off the coffee table. But in the back of her mind was that painful question; Do you still love me" That was his biggest fear, that somehow they would stop loving him over the smallest thing. She was determined to make sure he never felt that uncertainty again.

It wasn't long before all the Storms were gathered together in the living room, some on the couch, some on the floor, watching Alex's favorite movie and enjoying their pizza and hotdogs and soda. Whatever had transpired earlier that day to upset Liv and the children seemed to have been forgotten for the time.

Olivia Storm

Date: 2015-09-25 08:50 EST
Despite the look on her face when she'd recognized the theme music, Fliss had kept her mouth shut against complaining about the choice of film, but her reward for that was pride of place on the couch next to Liv and unrestricted access to the bump for the duration of the movie. Maria was planted between Johnny's feet, insistent on sharing her plate with Alexei and absolutely engrossed in the film, while Bella snored quietly on one of the armchairs.

As always, Alexei had a dozen questions for his father all through the movie, and when Fliss tried to shush him, he only signed his questions to Johnny, along with explanations to Maria. He always remained close to Maria, it seemed. Though they weren't related by blood, there was a strong bond between them forged by their shared traumatic experience, though now she was just his sister.

The evening passed quickly, the little family sharing and caring and laughing together, but all good things must come to an end, and it wasn't long before the movie was over, and Johnny was yawning and shooing Alex and Maria off to bed. He'd do the tucking in tonight, so that Liv could relax, and help her clean up once that was done.

Liv's hugs and kisses that evening were longer than usual, a part of her needing to reassure both Alex and Maria that she was definitely not angry with them, and that she adored them both equally. As for Fliss, well ....

"Why don't you call Lucas and chat for a while?" Liv suggested as Johnny disappeared up the stairs, dragged along by two tired little people. "I did you out of your usual bonding time tonight, I know."

Fliss looked up from her phone guiltily. "It isn't your fault, Mom," she reminded Liv fondly, unfolding her long legs from the couch as she watched her mother begin the process of gathering empty plates together.

"Yes, it is," Liv corrected her with a faint smile. "But I know what I did wrong now. Go on, call him. You know you want to." She blew kisses in Fliss' direction, laughing as the teen pulled a face and raised her phone to her ear, wandering toward the window while Liv tidied up and headed for the kitchen.

Johnny took a little more time than usual in tucking Alex and Maria in, making sure they understood that their Mama was in a special way right now and that she needed all the help and cooperation she could get. Both children happily agreed to help and promised to be on their best behavior, not only because they wanted to please their new parents but because they genuinely loved and cared about them. Once he had them both tucked in and settled in for the night, he wandered back downstairs to help Liv clean up from dinner, knowing she was probably a lot more tired than he was.

By the time he got downstairs, Liv had rinsed all the plates and was loading the dishwasher, pausing every now and then to straighten and rub her back. She still had a good six weeks to go, but the ache of carrying a little life inside her was making itself known more and more these days. Fliss was just audible, outside on the patio, absentmindedly throwing a ball for Bella as she chatted on the phone with Lucas. Liv smiled to herself as she glanced toward the window, her mind already turning over lunches for school tomorrow. Being a parent was almost as much work as being a P.A.

Now that the two youngest Storms were tucked safely in bed, Johnny joined Liv in the kitchen, frowning to see her rubbing her back. He moved over immediately to take hold of her hands and draw her toward a chair. "I'll finish cleaning up. You need to relax," he told her, touching a kiss to her cheek.

"I need to do packed lunches for tomorrow," she protested mildly, but hardly resisted as he drew her over to a chair. She was tired, and she had a feeling that the second Jon Granger noticed it, she was going to be on enforced maternity leave. "I'm sorry I'm so much bother these days."

"You're not a bother ....You're pregnant with three kids, a husband, a dog, and a house to take care of, along with a full-time job." Until he'd said it out loud like that, he hadn't realized just how much Liv had on her plate. "Maybe we should get a maid," he suggested. Or a cook, or a nanny, or maybe she should take a leave of absence from her job. Or maybe he should take one from his. He frowned as he considered all that, knowing it was only going to get harder when the baby came. Gods, baby. They were actually having a baby. That made him smile a little, the expression on his face changing with his thoughts.

"Sweetheart, it won't be long before Jon forces me to go on maternity leave," she warned him gently. "I can catch up on my sleep then, and I'll be ready when the baby comes. I promise. It's just been a bad day, that's all."

"I know, Liv, but you've got a lot going on, and I don't want you wearing yourself out. It's not good for you or the baby," he told her, that look on his face now one of concern. He knelt down in front of her and took her hands in his. The rest of the dishes could wait a little while, as could lunches. "I worry about you."

Her smile was guilty as he knelt down before her, her shoulders sagging a little as she gave in. "I'm worrying myself," she admitted softly. "I know I'm doing too much. But when I'm not busy, I start frightening myself. What if something goes wrong with the birth' What if I'm not capable of handling four children" How much harm am I going to do to three vulnerable young people, not to mention you, if I can't cope?"

"Livvie," he started, giving her hands a soft squeeze of reassurance, along with a warm and loving smile. "You're not in this alone. We're not in this alone. I'm here to help, and so are Fliss and Alex and Maria and all our friends and family. Lucy and Steve, and Rhi and Eregor, and Jon and Vicki, and everyone else at Maple Grove. All you need do is ask, and we're here to help. It's just a baby, Livvie, but it's our baby. Our dream. If Lucy and Steve can do it, so can we." He let go of a hand to touch her cheek with tender fingers, leaning in to touch his lips to hers.

She sighed, her cheek tilting into his touch even as she leaned forward to answer his kiss with her own. "Thank you," she whispered to him tenderly. "I know I worry you. I try not to." She laughed a little, raising her arms to curl them about his shoulders as her forehead came to rest against his. "Sod the lunches, I'll give the kids some cash to buy lunch tomorrow in school. Come and be Johnny with me, sweetheart."

"I'm always Johnny with you, Liv. I can't be anyone else," he told her, though he had an idea what it was she might want from him. His touched a hand to the swell of her belly where their child was growing inside her, his forehead touching hers. "Will Fliss be okay without us?" he asked, with obvious intent to tuck Liv in bed. Of course, Fliss was old enough to take care of herself, and she was used to her parents turning in early these days, now that her mother was so far along.

She smiled, nuzzling close for a long moment. "Why don't you ask her?" she suggested, drawing back. "Just one more chore, and then I promise, I'm done for the night. One more." Because if she didn't remember to put Alexei's swimming kit by his shoes now, she would never remember in the morning.

"Okay," he replied, touching another quick kiss to her lips. "One chore, no more. I'll just be a minute," he told her, affectionately tweaking her nose, before moving to his feet and pulling her up with him.

Liv's smile was obviously more relaxed as he helped her up onto her feet once again, glad she'd finally admitted to her husband why she'd been running at eighty miles an hour consistently for the last couple of weeks. "Love you." She kissed his cheek softly, squeezing his hands as she eased away in search of swimming trunks and a decent towel.

He frowned a little as he watched her go, worried she was doing too much and vowing to help more at home, even if it meant taking time off work to do it. There was nothing more important than Liv and the baby and their family - nothing. He made his way to the back door, to where Fliss was chatting on the phone with Lucas and Bella was having her last run for the night. "Hey, you busy?" he asked, peeking his head out.

Olivia Storm

Date: 2015-09-25 08:51 EST
Fliss looked up from where she was sat at the picnic bench, meeting his eyes curiously. "Hey, Lucas, can I call you back in a bit' I need to talk to my dad for a sec. Thanks." Hanging up, she threw Bella's ball once again, her expression curious. "What's up, Dad?"

Johnny glanced back over his shoulder to make sure Liv wasn't in hearing range and slipped outside for a moment to take a seat beside their eldest daughter - even if she wasn't theirs by birth. "Can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure, you know you can." Fliss twisted on the bench to look at him, flipping her hair back out of her face. "This about Mom's breakdown in the store today?" she asked quietly. It had been almost frightening, to see Liv break down in tears and know that somehow everything had just gotten way too much for her to handle right then and there. After all, Liv could handle anything.

"Sorry to interrupt. Is Lucas okay?" he asked, nearly at the same time she asked her own question. He didn't want to put too much on Fliss' shoulders - after all, she was just a kid herself, even if she was a teenager. It wasn't fair to make her shoulder more responsibility than was her due - school, homework, and a boyfriend seemed like plenty, and yet, he needed her help. "Yeah, sorta," he replied. "If she knew I was talking to you about this, she'd kill me, but I'm a little worried about her."

"He's good," she assured her father about her boyfriend's state, wondering what he'd say if he knew Lucas had been asking about her parents in almost exactly the same tone of voice. As Johnny confessed, Fliss shrugged. "See, I was thinking ..." she mused. "Would it help if I did things like packed lunches and gym kits and stuff" It's not like it takes much time, but it's one less thing for you guys to worry about. And maybe the car that takes Lila and Daisy to school could take us, too. We all go to the same place, after all."

Johnny's smile expressed his relief that Fliss was willing to volunteer to help without him even having to ask. He slid an arm around her shoulders and drew her close to drop a kiss against her hair. "I knew I could count on you, Fliss," he told her, in relieved appreciation. "Maybe you can teach Alex and Maria to help with lunches or something. I'm sure they'd love to help, too."

"Or we could make a chore chart," she suggested with a faint grin. "Get a big blackboard or something, and write down who does what and when. Like ....Alex tidies the living room on Wednesdays, and Maria feeds the dog three nights out of the week, and I do laundry on Saturdays, or something like that. If everyone sat down together, I bet we could work something out."

"That's a great idea!" he exclaimed happily, that smile still in place. "I know Liv ....your mom ..." he said, correcting himself. "....She wants to do it all, but it's a lot of work, and I'm afraid if we don't help, she might make herself sick." He didn't want to make Fliss feel bad, but she was old enough to know the truth. If Liv didn't get some help and take it a little easier, it might not just be her health at stake, but the baby's, too.

Fliss' expression resumed its guilty cast. "I kind of figured that, after today," she sighed unhappily. "I didn't realize. I mean, she's so on top of everything all the time, and then at the store ....You should have seen it, Dad. She was trying so hard to keep control, and she just snapped. It wasn't even at us, it was just at the world in general, you know" And then she started crying, and Maria was crying because Mom was, and Bella was bouncing around, and it was like I was her for a second, you know" I had Alex and Maria and Bella and Mom all to look after, and I honestly didn't know where to start. How does she do that, how does she keep everything going in her head?"

"I don't know," Johnny replied, with a sigh and a shrug of his shoulders. "But I suspect it's why Jon calls her the 'World's Greatest P.A.'." Still, even Jon wouldn't want Liv to make herself sick, and if he had any inkling the toll all this was taking on his P.A., he'd likely tell her to take a leave of absence until she was ready to come back to work - if she was ever ready. "She's amazing, but she's not Superwoman."

Fliss snorted softly, leaning into him. "Um ....I think Lucas probably told Jon about today," she admitted, not all that guilty about that bit. "He had dinner with them, after all, and he knows Jon and Vicki like you guys."

Johnny winced, knowing Liv would be upset if she knew that, but he also knew her boss and her boss' wife well enough to know they'd never let on that they knew. "Well, she only has six weeks to go. She can't keep working forever."

"And there's that other guy now, too," Fliss pointed out. "You know, the one they hired so she didn't have to do so much. He's gotta have learned enough to keep going by now, and it's not like they can't call her if they really need her, is it?"

"No, but I know how much Liv's job means to her, and I know she's gonna be hurt if she thinks Jon doesn't think she's capable of doing her job," he explained, though it wasn't that Liv couldn't do her job - it was just that she was about to have a baby. He frowned a little again, wondering if he'd put too much pressure on her by suggesting they adopt Alex and Maria, but at the time, she hadn't been pregnant, and he knew neither of them could no longer imagine their lives without their children.

"But she doesn't really do a P.A.'s job, does she?" the teen pointed out. She'd done an internship; she knew what admin was these days. "She does the P.A. stuff, and she checks his scripts and talks to agents, and negotiates contracts and all that stuff. Maybe he should take her on as his manager after, you know, the baby stuff and all, and leave the P.A. stuff to the other guy."

"It started out that way, but that was before he did the Fifty Shades ... thing," Johnny admitted. Before Jon had received an Academy Award; before his star had exploded. "I'll talk to her. If the idea comes from her, she'll be more likely to agree to it." It would take a little doing, but he thought he could pull it off, and if not, he'd talk to Vicki - not Jon, but Vicki, because he knew who wore the pants in that family. He fondly patted her knee, that smile on his face once again. "I'm going to tuck her in for the night. Don't stay up too late, okay' And tell Lucas not to worry. He's still in our good graces."

"Because you're just as sneaky as she is," Fliss complimented him cheerfully. "I'll do the lunches and go up, promise. And wake up earlier in the morning," she added with a ridiculously overdone expression of sweet martyrdom on her face. "The things I do for the ones I love."

He snickered at her teasing. "Welcome to the club, kiddo. That's what family is all about." He touched a kiss to her cheek before moving to his feet. He didn't bother to tell her how proud he was of her - she should have known that already. "Thanks, Fliss. Love you," he said, before making his way back inside before Liv came looking for him.

"Love you back," she called after him as he headed inside, bending to retrieve the ball and throw it for Bella one last time. And she'd thought she'd have trouble settling in as the big sister.

Inside, Liv was just about to make her way up the stairs. One chore had turned into a few, of course, but at least she'd finished before Johnny caught her at it. She smiled at him as he came back into sight. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Just talking to Lucas for a few before she goes to bed," Johnny assured her as he closed the door and stepped back inside. "Sorry it took me so long," he said, leaving the lights for Fliss to turn off before she went to bed.

"Mmhmm." Liv's smile was more than a little suspicious. She did know her family, after all, and having worried them all so much today, she had a fair idea of what that long goodnight had been about. "So what is the big plot to make me stop running around, or am I supposed to be surprised?"

"No big plot!" Johnny said as he checked the front door to make sure it was locked, though it was perfectly safe at Maple Grove, and started toward the stairs. "She suggested making a chore chart and getting Alex and Maria involved. They aren't so young that they can't help with some of the simpler chores. It will be good for them, teach them responsibility and team work."

Olivia Storm

Date: 2015-09-25 08:51 EST
"That's a good idea," Liv conceded, slightly put out that she hadn't thought of it but willing to admit that her brain wasn't exactly on top form these days. She watched as he checked the front door, her lips curved in a tired smile. "No big plot, hmm' So no plans to go tattling to my boss about my stringy nerves, then?"

"No, but he's likely to insist you take a break soon, anyway. You've got less than two months to go, Liv. Let the other guy take more of the load. You deserve a break," he said, moving to lead her up the stairs. The "other guy" was fairly new to Maple Grove and not very well known yet, having only been hired recently.

"What if he doesn't want me back afterward?" she pouted, hand in hand with her husband as he tugged her gently up the stairs. She knew she was being a little childish about this, but she'd never really come up against anything she couldn't just bull through and survive without collateral damage before.

Johnny had to chuckle a little at that. "You're the 'World's Greatest P.A.', Liv. His words, not mine. Why wouldn't he want you back?" The real question, that perhaps she was too afraid to ask herself yet, was did she want to go back"

"Because the new boy is so frightfully keen and a fast learner," she muttered darkly, not quite under her breath. As much as she appreciated that the "new boy" had been hired solely to take the pressure off her, she couldn't help worrying that he was going to somehow prove himself to be even better than she was while she was on maternity leave and steal her job from under her nose.

Johnny chuckled again. "He's hardly a boy, Liv. He's old enough to be my dad," he pointed out, obviously amused. He didn't really know the man, but he had spied him on occasion around Maple Grove. "You're not gonna do yourself any good by worrying," he reminded her as they tiptoed down the hall to the master bedroom.

"If he offers me another cup of chamomile tea, I'm going to pour it over his crotch," she threatened mildly, though they both knew she would do no such thing. Despite the growth in her confidence, it still took a lot to get more than a squeak out of her in some situations. She paused to look in on Alex and Maria, both sprawled in their beds and fast asleep, before they headed into their own bedroom.

He had to withhold his laughter so that he didn't wake the kids, until they reached the confines of their own bedroom. "There's a way to make a good impression," he whispered back, after peeking in on the kids before following her to their room.

"Technically, I'm his boss," she pointed out, slipping into the master bedroom with a low sigh of relief. "He's supposed to be trying to butter me up, not drug me with homeopathic remedies so he can muscle in and steal my job."

"Have you ever considered that maybe he's just a really nice guy who's trying to help?" he asked, more than a little amused at her jealousy. He really doubted she was in any danger of losing her job, no matter how good the "new guy" might be at his job.

"Oh, I'm hormonal, let me be petty for once," she grumbled, thumping down onto the bed with a low groan. She fell back, stretching her arms above her head as her back curved to accommodate the new position and the bump. "I'm not really such a worry, am I?"

"Oh, yes ....You're a horrible worry," he said, with a roll of his eyes, unable to help teasing her. One of the first things he'd done when he'd arrived home was get out of his uniform and get comfortable in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. It was to her credit that he didn't feel the need to wear his uniform when he was off duty around the house.

She stuck her tongue out at him, one hand lowering to rub the side of her belly. "Come here and talk to your spawn," she told him with a smile. "Preferably before they start trying to break out for some attention from Daddy."

"Spawn that we've been trying to have for months," he reminded her with a smirk, moving over to join her on the bed. "You know," he started as he laid down beside her and reached over to lay a hand against her belly. "We need you a lot more than your boss does." It was his way of telling her that whether she had a job to go back to or not wasn't really important. There was no more important job than being that of a wife and especially that of a mother, even if it didn't pay well.

Liv's smile flickered as she looked at him, her hand over his gently where his palm lay against her belly. "I don't want to let anyone down," she told him. It was the driving influence of her being, and something that had made her very unhappy until he came into her life. And even then, the thought of disappointing him by not being what every other woman in his life had been had almost ripped them apart until they had been honest with one another. "And I know we can afford for me to stop working. We barely spent anything before we brought Fliss into our lives, and most of my paycheck has been going into savings. I just don't want you working too hard because you feel you have to."

"Liv, if you go back to work, go back because it's what you want to do, not because you're afraid of letting anyone down or because you don't think we'll have enough money. We don't pay rent, and our cars are paid for. The Grangers have been very generous to us, and I doubt they'd kick us out if you stopped working. Maybe take an extended leave of absence and then go back part-time. I'm sure Jon would understand - he's got two kids of his own," he told her, gently stroking his fingers against her belly.

She sighed softly, tilting her head to meet his gaze. "You're telling me to take maternity leave now and think about it properly for once, aren't you?" she asked him quietly. It wasn't as though the thought had never crossed her mind, but she would need time to work out what her actual opinion on the matter was. Once the baby was born, that time would be in very short supply.

"Something like that," he said. "What I'm trying to tell you is that you don't have to put all kinds of pressure on yourself to do it all, Liv. No one is going to hold it against you or love you any less. You're only human, like the rest of us, but honestly' I don't want to tell you what to do, but the kids need you. I know we weren't expecting to have a houseful of kids already, but they adore you, and they're more important than anything else."

"I know." Her voice was soft as she agreed with him. If she hadn't had her moment of breakdown today, perhaps this conversation would never have happened so calmly. "I don't think I realized how much I was taking on," she admitted quietly, inching closer to tuck herself against his side. "I can't forgive myself for snapping at them today. They didn't deserve it, and I should have handled it better. But I don't want to be in that position to do it again." She sighed, nestling against him. "I'll talk to Jon tomorrow. And Sol." Her colleague's name was ground out between reluctant teeth, but at least she wasn't calling him "new boy" anymore.

More like "new man". The guy seemed old enough to be her father. "I know how much it means to you," he told her, feeling a little guilty for suggesting it, but she was going to have to take time off sooner or later, and he was pretty sure all of the Grangers would understand. Jon and Vicki had made it clear that they were part of the family now, and Johnny was pretty sure that wasn't going to end just because they'd decided to start a family. He kissed her on the cheek and tucked the covers around her tenderly and settled back down beside her.

"I've been trying to keep going at the same pace," she murmured thoughtfully. "It never even occurred to me that I wouldn't be able to keep it up. I thought I'd be able to keep going like this right through the birth and beyond. I'm an idiot." She snorted with laughter, her smile deepening as he tucked the covers about her. "I'm going to have to get up and get into my jammies at some point, you know."

"Says who?" he asked with a grin. He wasn't in his jammies either, though to be fair, he usually slept in his boxers and a t-shirt anyway. The days of sleeping nude were over, so long as they had kids in the house. "Are the pajama police going to come and arrest you if you fall asleep in your clothes?" he teased.

Olivia Storm

Date: 2015-09-25 08:52 EST
She laughed softly. "You know how grumpy I am first thing in the morning?" she asked gently. "Try adding a night slept in my jeans to that." It was a fair warning. So long as Liv was comfortable, she could hold down the grumpy. If she woke up uncomfortable, who knew what the consequences would be? "And the station are okay with you taking paternity leave?"

"For a little while, yeah," he replied with a shrug. "They know how to find me if they really need me." In other words, if a really bad fire broke out and they needed his help in getting it under control. The fire brigade had managed well enough before he'd joined their ranks, but it was a definite advantage having a firefighter on board who could control the flames. He'd been considering helping her out of her jeans before she'd distracted him with her question.

"Of course you'll have to go if you are desperately needed," she agreed - that was the underlying agreement of their relationship. He was a hero; he wasn't hers exclusively. Rolling her shoulder, she shrugged the covers off. "Scrub my back," she suggested. "We could both do with a hot soak under the shower before we get into bed tonight."

He frowned a little, more tired than he cared to admit, but he couldn't tell her no, and a hot shower wouldn't take that long, so long as he didn't get too distracted. The carefree days of having sex anytime and anywhere they wanted seemed over for now, and he didn't want to admit it but he was a little afraid to get too frisky with a baby due in a few weeks. "If you want," he replied. It was a little early for bed, even for them.

It was her turn to frown now, hurt by the lackluster reply to her invitation. "You don't have to say yes to everything I suggest," she said quietly, pushing herself to sit up. "You're allowed to say no if you don't want to, Johnny." And there was the other thing that was eating at her confidence in everything. Was he going off her now they had everything they'd wanted"

"It's not that, Liv," he told he with a sigh, not wanting her to misunderstand. Their sex life had always been good - better than good - up until recently. "I'm just ....I'm worried I'll hurt the baby." Maybe he was being silly, but she was very pregnant now, and he was afraid he might hurt her or the baby if he wasn't careful.

"No, it's fine," she said, and for once, she wasn't even trying to disguise the upset in her voice, rising to her feet as she shook her head. "I'm a terrible mother and an unattractive wife, that makes perfect sense. Mustn't do anything that might even remotely hurt the baby, that's the most important thing in the world." She paused, one hand on the bathroom door. "Although it bears considering that Jon and Vicki never had any issues, and you and I both know how active they were right through her pregnancies. But then I'm not her, am I?"

Johnny sighed and fell back against the pillows. It was as if all the good he'd done evaporated in an instant, just because he was tired and afraid of hurting her or the baby, but then he couldn't possibly be as tired as her, could he" He knew he'd hurt her feelings - not for the first time - but he wasn't quite sure what to do to make up for it. And here she was getting angry at him. He wasn't going to blame the hormones this time - he knew he'd messed up. He didn't think it was fair to compare them to Jon and Vicki. So much for baring his soul to her; all he'd done is disappoint her and make her angry.

The lack of answer was not the right way to go. Liv gritted her teeth, snatched up her pajamas, and quite firmly closed the bathroom door behind her. With any luck, the sound of the shower would conceal the sound of her crying. It had been a horrible day, and now her husband had just confirmed in her mind that she was as unattractive as she felt.

A gentle knock sounded on the main door of their bedroom, and a moment later, Fliss poked her head in. "The lunches are done," she told Johnny, frowning at the sight of her father on his own on the bed. "Is everything okay?"

He didn't reply at first, too annoyed with himself to say anything, but after a moment, he mumbled a reply. "Yeah, fine, thanks," he told her, though from the sound of his voice, he was anything but fine.

"Uh-huh." The teen didn't look convinced, but she didn't press it. "I'm, uh, I'm gonna turn in now," she told her father, glancing toward the en suite door with a touch of disappointment. "Say goodnight to Mom for me?"

"It'll be fine, Fliss. Not the first time I've done something stupid." Or not done something stupid. "Go on to bed, and don't worry. We'll be fine." If he couldn't assure himself, he could at least assure her. All Liv had wanted was for him to scrub her back. Was that so much to ask" What the hell was the matter with him, anyway' He loved her and wanted her now more than ever, but he was terrified of hurting the child they'd had such a hard time conceiving.

Fliss paused, glancing back and forth between the closed bathroom door and her father, and chanced her arm just a little. "You know ....letting her cry on her own won't help," she suggested innocently. "She's had a really bad day. Just, you know, throwing that out there." She offered him an innocent smile, and began to back out, drawing the door closed behind her. "G'night, Dad."

He frowned further, already knowing that, but feeling too stupid to face his wife, and yet, Fliss was right. Why did it take a teenager to have to point it out to him' "Night, Fliss. See you in the morning," he told her, tossing the blankets off and moving to his feet.

In the ensuite, beneath the steady flow of hot water, Liv pressed her palms to the cold tile, bowed her head, and let all the anger and frustration and guilt of the day pour out of her. She hated that this was her only option, to cry in the shower and hope that no one would realize that was what she had been doing. Most of the time, she could push it all away, but today ....After hurting her children, after realizing she couldn't go on like this, admitting her fear that Sol might take her job from her, and being hurt by her invitation to Johnny being turned down, all she could do was cry. She didn't have the energy to push it all aside and soldier on, not today.

He didn't bother getting undressed yet, as he wasn't sure if she'd still want him to join her or not, but padded over to the door behind which he could hear the sound of the shower and rapped his knuckles against it. "Liv?" he asked, tentatively. He didn't bother to ask if she was in there because that, too, was obvious. "Livvie" Is it okay if I come in?"

Startled, she raised her head, roughly scrubbing at her face to try and hide the fact that she was still crying. "It's not locked," she called back to him, and quite deliberately turned to put her face under the spray of water. Maybe that would work.

That was as much of an invitation as he was likely to get, he supposed. He thought he might as well face the music, as they'd long ago promised never to go to bed angry with each other. "Do you still want me to scrub your back?" he asked as he stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind him. Maybe he should have just climbed into the shower without asking, but he was feeling strangely uncertain of himself and worried she might not want him there anymore.

Drawing back from the water, she had an excuse to wipe her face with her hands, though it didn't disguise the slight redness that gave her away as she looked at him. "Do you want to?" she asked him, but even as she spoke, her eyes grew blurry again. "I'm sorry I snapped ..." Lower lip quivering, she had to look away, fighting not to burst into tears and upset him all over again.

Olivia Storm

Date: 2015-09-25 08:53 EST
"Of course, I do, baby. I'm just tired is all, and ....I'm-I'm afraid I'll do something stupid and hurt your or the baby. I'm sorry. I'm just being stupid, I guess," he told her, blinking back the sting of his own tears. She didn't need that now; she needed him to be the strong one. He drew the shower curtain closed just long enough to remove his clothes. He knew she'd been crying and that alone made him feel like his heart was breaking. "Give me a minute," he said as he undressed.

She nodded, feeling the tight grip in her chest loosen at the knowledge that he wasn't walking away from her. As soon as he was ready, she turned to curl into his arms, pressing her face to the hollow of his throat. "You're not stupid," she whimpered, losing the fight against the tears. "You're not. You're wonderful, and I've been so horrible to you ..." She sniffled, clinging on tighter.

He arched a brow, surprised at the apology from her, when he was convinced all this had been his fault. Well, he wasn't perfect; like her, he was only human, full of flaws and not immune to making mistakes. "Baby," he started, his voice soft and low and threatening tears, as his arms wrapped around her. "You're not horrible. You're tired and upset, and I'm an idiot. I'm sorry, Livvie. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings." He didn't want to make excuses for himself again, to tell her what a long day he'd had, how he'd been exhausted after work, but had insisted on helping with the kids and the cooking and the chores, and now all he really wanted was to relax with her in his arms. But how could he tell her any of that when he knew she was tired, too' Tired and pregnant and moody and worried about losing her job and not being a good mother.

"You don't talk to me anymore," she murmured softly, her hands stroking against his back. It wasn't an accusation; there was no anger in her voice. She was concerned about him, that was all. "We used to tell each other everything, but the bigger the bump gets, the less you talk to me. Everyone is always telling me to sit down and to rest, but when I do, they don't rest with me. I'm worried about you, Johnny. You work so hard, and you do so much at home, and I never know if you're tired or cranky or anything like that, because you don't tell me anymore. No one tells me anything out of some misplaced sense that the slightest little upset is going to hurt the baby. I'm not just an incubator, I'm still me."

He frowned and sighed, his face tucked close to her neck, close enough that she could feel his breath against her neck, the unnatural warmth of his body radiating into her, water turning to steam as it touched his flesh. "I thought this was about you, not me," he told her quietly, wondering just how she'd managed to turn the tables on him. The remark about Jon and Vicki had hurt, as though she'd been comparing them to her boss and his wife, as if they were happier than them or something. He didn't think it was a very fair comparison. Jon and Vicki might have two children, but they'd had birthed those two children one at a time and with a break in between, while Johnny and Liv had adopted three children in a short period of time, never expecting to be blessed with one of their own. Even if they had known, he could no longer imagine those three children not being part of their lives. "It's not just about the baby, Liv. It's about you, too." He really wondered if she'd heard what he had told her. "Let me-let me scrub your back and then we'll talk. Promise," he told her, lifting his head to face her.

"It's about us," she told him fiercely, raising her head as he raised his, holding his gaze. "We look after each other, Johnny, and it hasn't been like that for a while now. I feel like you're doing all the looking after, and that isn't fair." She sighed softly, letting her fingers trail gently over his skin. "I love you, Johnny. You are the center of my world. And I'm crap at expressing myself."

It was true - he was trying to be a man, trying to take care of her and the children and not worrying so much about himself. Wasn't that what he was supposed to do' He'd grown up a lot since he'd met Liv, but that didn't mean he didn't still need her. "I'm-I'm trying to be a good dad ....and a good husband. I'm sorry I'm not Jon or Steve. I don't know how to do this, Liv. My dad ..." He shook his head. This wasn't about his father; it was about him. "I just ....I don't want to fight. I love you more than anything, and I just want you to be happy. That's all."

"Oh, Johnny, I don't want you to be anyone but yourself," she urged him, heartbroken that she'd sent his mind whirling in that direction. "You're the man I love, the man I married. You're the father of my children, the heart of my family. You are a wonderful father, and I couldn't ask for a better husband. You fit me, perfectly." Her fingers rose to curl against his cheek. "I love you. I've loved you since the day we met, and that isn't going to change. But maybe we need to talk about how we find our balance again."

"I don't know how, Liv," he admitted. Maybe it had been a mistake rushing into filling their home with children, but he knew she loved them as much as he did, and he also knew they had saved them and given them a better life than whatever other fate might have awaited them. But it hadn't been as easy as they'd thought. "I mean, between work and the kids, we're both exhausted. I love our life here. I really do. I love my job, I love the kids, I love you, but I don't know how to-how to find the balance again," he admitted, using her words as he couldn't think of any other way to say it. "And now, we're having a baby, and I don't want you having to do everything yourself. Fliss is willing to help, but she's got school. I think-I think maybe we should both take some time off until we can figure this all out."

There was no way he could have missed the way she relaxed as he talked to her, relieved to hear him sharing his worries with her for the first time in a long time. "I think you're right," she agreed softly, and just like that, her decision about maternity leave was made. Jon was a generous employer, and he'd made provision for this months ago in employing Sol in the first place. She'd talk to him tomorrow, and give her work phone and computer password to Sol in the process. It was time to be just Liv for a while. "As of tomorrow, I'm on leave. And we should arrange for someone to babysit the kids once a week, to get them used to it before the birth and give us some time to be just us without needing to worry about being Mom and Dad." This was what Liv did best; once her organizing mind kicked in, they could be guaranteed the time they needed.

He was only a little surprised when she announced her decision - matter of factly and just like that. Once Liv made her mind up about something, that was that, and he was only too willing to support her any way he could. After all, they'd been dying to have a child for over a year now. The irony of it was not lost on him now that they were about to have their firstborn, who would actually be their fourth child. "I'll talk to the Chief tomorrow and let him know I need to take a leave of absence." The fire brigade had got on well enough without him once; they could manage without him again for a few months, while he and Liv settled in with a baby. He hadn't taken any leave when they'd adopted the others, and it was the least they could do for him. That settled, there wasn't much more to do but scrub her back. "Turn around before we run out of hot water." Unlikely with Johnny Storm around to heat it up.

Tears forgotten in the calm that descended with an agreement reached, Liv flickered a coy, if tired, smile up at him. "Aye, aye, Major Storm," she teased him softly, turning about to let him work the magic of his hot hands on her aching back. Peace had been restored.

He chuckled at her teasing. "If I ever join S.H.I.E.L.D., I'll ask to be a Major," he teased back, though it was highly that would ever happen. He had no desire to work for S.H.I.E.L.D. or to return to Earth. If he ever did, he'd sooner reunite the Fantastic Four than work for Nick Fury, despite the fact that Steve and Lucy did. "Livvie?" he started, as he drew her hair aside so he could both wash and massage her back.

"I know I freak out sometimes, but I'm happy here with you. I know how lucky I am to have you and the kids ....to be having a child of our own. To have such awesome friends and family. And I know I don't tell you enough, but I love you, and I know I wouldn't have any of it without you."

Olivia Storm

Date: 2015-09-25 08:54 EST
Her smile was the soft shimmer of affection he was used to as she looked back at him over her shoulder, lulled by the soothing motion of his hands at her back. "You tell me every day," she told him gently. "I don't need the words to know that you love me, Johnny. Every time you smile at me, or I see you with our children ....I know you love me, and I know you love our life together. I've never been happier than when I'm with you, and I'm happier now that I ever thought I would be, with our crazy household and our wonderful family. I'm sorry I don't tell you more often."

"You don't have to. I know. I think maybe we rushed into things a little, but I wouldn't change a thing, Liv. Really, I wouldn't. I love you and I love the kids, and I can't imagine my life without any of you." He leaned close to brush a kiss against the side of her neck, close enough that she could feel the heat radiating off him, and his hands moved around from her back to slide against the swell of her belly that was their child.

Leaning back into his embrace, she sighed contentedly. "We might have rushed, but I wouldn't change a thing, either," she murmured to him, resting her temple against his cheek, her eyes closed as she enjoyed just being close to him. "And just think, love ....we don't need to worry about getting accidentally pregnant ever. We can stop after one, and wait until things are calmer, more under control, before we open up any conversation about more." She tilted her head back, the teasing in her grin proving once and for all that their difficulties in that area were no longer a cause of heartache.

He had to chuckle a little at that. "I think four is enough for now, don't you? Do you think Alexei is hoping for a little brother?" he asked, as he gently rinsed the soap from her body, before turning her to face him. If she was worried about whether he still desired her or not, he had little control over his body's reaction to her closeness, wordlessly reassuring her she had nothing to worry about in that regard.

"For now," she conceded, though neither one of them were completely closing the door. If another orphan crossed their path, chances were they would open their family up a little more. She laughed softly as he turned her about, blushing a little as she took note of what he wasn't saying out loud. "I don't know," she mused. "I think he'll be happy, no matter what he gets as a baby sibling." Her smile faded a moment as she remembered the worry their little boy had shared. "He thought I might not love him anymore," she said through a faint frown. "I don't ever want him to think that again."

"We're gonna end up with a dozen before we're through!" he said with a laugh. Her confession about Alex made him frown a little though. "Why'd he think that?" he asked as he reached around her to shut off the water and snag a towel that he gently wrapped around her shoulders.

"Because I snapped," she sighed softly. "He thought it was his fault, that he'd been a bad boy, and that somehow one little flare of temper is enough to scrub him completely out of my heart." Wrapped up in the towel, she reached for another one to tuck about his waist as she nestled into him. "I think I convinced him otherwise, but it's worth remembering."

"Well, there are going to be times when we have to reprimand them. That doesn't mean we don't love them, Liv," he pointed out logically, though it bothered him that Alex might think that. She hadn't witnessed the horrors Alex and the others had endured before they'd been rescued. It was nothing short of a miracle they were able to adjust, but he knew a good part of that was the love he and Liv and Fliss showered on them. "And here we thought he was empathic," Johnny mused. If the boy had been worried Liv no longer loved him, maybe he didn't have empathic or telepathic tendencies, after all - or maybe he was just more connected to Maria than any of the rest of them.

"Yes ..." Liv rolled her eyes, smiling at that thought. "I think we might need to sit down and talk to them about that sometime soon. Preferably before either one gets into a fight about something no one has actually said." She smiled, rising onto her toes to brush a kiss to his lips. "And no teaching them how to punch until they're at least thirteen, either."

"I'm not gonna let me son get picked on and beat up without knowing how to defend himself," Johnny argued. What if he had to defend Maria" He didn't think it would hurt teaching Alex how to defend himself and his sister. He stepped out of the shower, feeling a little revived, and offered a hand to help her out. This might be a point they'd have to agree to disagree on.

She needed that hand to get out; no one trusted her sense of balance these days. She'd been clumsy enough before she got pregnant. "But he needs to know that his fists should never be his first option," she pointed out to Johnny fondly, turning her attention to drying her skin. She could sleep with damp hair - it would dry out soon enough with Johnny right beside her, anyway.

"What is his first option, Liv" Talking his way out of it?" he asked, having gotten picked on a fair bit himself as a child. He'd learned how to fight on the streets, but he'd always been a hothead, and he thought Alex was smarter than that.

"Yes," was her simple answer. "I did it all the time when I was a child. I learned very quickly how to confuse a bully so much that I could scarper before they worked out that I'd insulted them dreadfully." Lucy had been the one who dealt rather more physically with the ones who wouldn't give up on bullying her sister.

"Okay, so maybe you should talk to him then. I was never very good at that. I fought most of my battles with my fists," he admitted, with a small frown. He wasn't very proud of that fact, and he didn't want Alex - who seemed a kind and gentle soul - growing up to either be picked on or do the picking. His thoughts wandered to a particular incident, but he didn't want to talk about that right now, if ever. He was already just about dry, due to the heat generated by his body, and he swapped the towel about his waist for a pair of polka dot boxers.

"That isn't to say that he shouldn't know how to throw a punch," Liv conceded, shrugging into her nightie with an audible sigh of relief. "I don't want him seeing the world as something he has to stand up against or be trampled by."

"I just want to keep them safe," Johnny muttered with a frown as he collected their towels to hang in the bathroom. By the time he got there, they were unsurprisingly already dry. They'd discussed what had happened to Alex and Maria before, and he didn't want to talk about it again. She'd been upset enough for one day, after all.

"I know." She paused, turning to curl her hand to his cheek. "We'll think of something." We, not I. Everything they did was a team effort, even if it didn't look like it on the outside. "Now ....how much do you bet me that I'm not going to make it to the bed before I pass out and start snoring?"

"You'll make it to the bed," he assured her, scooping her up in his arms. If she couldn't make it there on her own, he'd carry her there himself and tuck her in. He had a feeling it was going to be a while before he could sleep himself, as she'd given him a lot to think about.

She squeaked, laughing as he swept her up into his arms. "You'll break your back, carrying both of us around like this," she warned him tenderly, nuzzling a soft kiss to his cheek. "I do love you, you know. More than anything."

"I know," he replied, flashing a warm smile back at her, adoring and affectionate as he carried her toward the bed and set her gently down before drawing the blankets up over her to tuck her in, just as he'd done with Alex and Maria a short time earlier. He touched a kiss to her forehead with a brush of fingers against her cheek. "Love you, too, you know. You're my everything."

"Mmm, should I start calling you Barry, then?" she murmured teasingly, giving his hand a tug. "Come to bed, love. I miss you when you're not right beside me."

"Which Barry are we talking about?" he asked with a smirk as he climbed into bed beside her, pausing only momentarily to pull the drapes closed and turn out the lights.

"Barry White, of course," she giggled, wriggling about until they'd found their accustomed position. With the bump, it was no longer feasible to be pressed as close as was physically possible; they had to make do with spooning for now. That didn't stop Liv from wrapping Johnny's arms around her like a child with her favorite toy, twisting just enough to kiss him tenderly before she relaxed against the pillows. "Promise you won't ever let me try and do grocery shopping when I'm tired again?"

"Promise you'll wait and let me go with you?" he countered, tucking her arms around her, his head so close she could feel the warmth of his breath on her neck. There were still some things they needed to sort out, but he was confident they'd sort them out together. But first, she needed her sleep, and it was likely he did, too. First thing in the morning, after he dropped the kids off at school, he was going to talk to the Fire Chief and see if he could take a few months off.

"Promise." She smiled wearily, nestling back against him one last time before the long day finally caught up with her, sending her swiftly to sleep in the warm quiet of their room. Today had been the first big bump in their relationship since their almost bust up the night before they'd gotten married, and it was almost exclusively the fault of their collective weariness. A little time off, to settle into being themselves in this settling family of theirs, was just what the doctor ordered.

((Even the most together families have off days, Liv and Johnny are no exception! Here's hoping they can find their balance again. Huge thanks, as always, to my amazing partner in crime!))