I figured since it's Memorial Day weekend I'll give you guys an extra chapter!
Happy Memorial Day everyone, and no matter where you're from remember to thank your veterans and the men and women who still serve to protect our countries and homes!
The next update will be the first episode of season 7!!
One shot #7
Bailey was at the stove when Tommy came home that day. When he stepped through the door the smell of what she was making hit him and he looked amazed.
"Are you making tofu bacon?" he asked approaching her and looking over her shoulder as she put more pieces in the pan. Since no one could eat meat because of the virus they had to make do with tofu and after more than a year and a half in Altura Bailey had picked up a few good recipes.
"Yeah, I remember you saying yesterday how you missed it. I thought dinner could be BLT sandwiches."
He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed the side of her neck, "Wow you must really love me."
She turned and looked at him quizzically, amused by his comment, "You think that now just because I'm making bacon? It didn't occur to you when I was, I dunno, in labor with your child?" she asked playfully.
"Well that was different." He replied resting his head on her shoulder, "Once your body started going into labor you were kinda stuck seeing that through til the end. This you chose to do. On top of taking care of TJ, going to work and the million other things you do you still did this just because I mentioned it."
"Hmmm." She said turning back to dinner and picking up a piece of bacon from the plate the done pieces were cooling on. "Guess you're right." She said breaking a piece in half and popping one half into her mouth before bringing the other one to Tommy's lips and he grabbed it between his teeth before he started to chew, "I must really love you."
"Hmmm." He agreed swallowing before she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek then he stole another piece of bacon and walked over to TJ who was playing in his playpen. He looked up at his Papa curiously and reached a hand out for the bacon in his hand.
"Papa." He whined clearly liking the smell and wanting some of what his father had.
"Sorry TJ you can't have bacon yet." Tommy said sitting on the bed, "But when you can you're gonna love it."
Bailey smiled as she watched her boys and 10K popped the piece of bacon into his mouth before he took TJ out of the playpen and started to entertain with him on the floor with his toys.
«»
The next day TJ was fussing in Bailey's arms as they stood by 10K who was getting ready to go on his first supply run since TJ's birth. It wasn't going to be a long trip, just to the Mountaineers and back which would take two maybe three days. Bailey wasn't worried – well, she always worried but this trip was the least she'd have to – but the same couldn't be said for TJ. This was the first time his Papa was going away and he wasn't happy. He squirmed in Bailey's arms as 10K loaded his bag into the back of a military truck and the other members of the team got ready to go. Bailey smiled at him as he made his way over to say goodbye.
"I'll be back before you know it okay?" he said bringing his hand to her arm and leaning in to give her a kiss.
"I know you can handle yourself." She said still smiling knowing the moment he left she'd already be eager for him to come back. Now that 10K was close enough TJ wriggled until he got a firm hold on the collar of 10K's U.S.N. jacket.
"Papa no bye bye." He whined. He was almost two now and had been talking in more complete sentences and he'd been letting them both know the past couple of days how unhappy he was that his Papa was packing to leave. He had already gotten into 10K's bag once while their backs were turned for half a second and started throwing what he'd packed onto the floor. He let out loud wails when he overheard them talking about the T-R-I-P and once he'd even thrown a toy truck when Tommy tried to pick him up. Now his little whine broke her heart as 10K took TJ from her arms and held him.
"Aw, Bud, it won't be for long." Tommy tried to console him but his little green eyes still shone with tears and his lower lip trembled like he was about to cry.
"Papa no bye bye." He said again, sadder this time. 10K wrapped him in a hug as his son's small arms wrapped around his neck and TJ snuggled his head into Tommy's shoulder. 10K used his hand to rub up and down TJ's back before he pulled him off his shoulder and looked at him.
"Hey, how about while I'm gone I look for some new toys for you okay?" he asked and TJ seemed to calm down a little, though a tear did escape his eye and roll down his cheek as he put his little fist in his mouth. After a moment he nodded but still didn't look happy.
"Hey." Tommy said pulling TJ's hand from his mouth getting him to look up at his Papa, "But you have to promise me you'll be a good boy for Momma while I'm away alright? Can you do that for me? Promise?"
TJ nodded again and Tommy kissed his head. "I love you."
"Wuv you." TJ muttered putting his hand back in his mouth as 10K passed him back to Bailey.
"Papa's brave and strong TJ he'll be okay." She said as TJ curled into her shoulder still weepy but not as fussy as he'd been before. 10K smiled and leaned in and kissed Bailey again.
"Love you."
"I love you too. Be careful okay?"
"I always am." He replied picking up his rifle and swinging it over his shoulder before getting in the truck.
«»
"Papa!" TJ shouted three days later when 10K returned. He ran to his Papa when he came through the door and wrapped his arms around Tommy's legs tightly. 10K laughed and bent down to pick his son up as he shut the door behind them.
"Hey buddy." He said happily as TJ hugged him tight and Bailey leaned on the kitchen counter watching her boys with a smile. "Were you a good boy for Momma?"
"He was a very good boy." Bailey said as 10K walked over and gave her a kiss, "Welcome home."
"Good to be home." He said setting TJ down, "Hey bud, I got something for you."
TJ bounced on his little toes eagerly waiting for whatever present his Papa had brought him. Tommy took his backpack from his shoulder and set it down on the bed, opening the zipper and reaching inside. He pulled out a plastic container full of colorful squares and rectangles and TJ's face lit up as he saw the legos. The bin was so big that when he grabbed it with both arms he barely got his hands to meet on the other side and Bailey chuckled.
"What do you say TJ?"
"Tank you!" he shouted as he waddled over to the corner that had become his play area and set the bin down while his parents watched amused.
"Hey." Tommy said turning to her, "What do you think about giving him a real play room?"
"What do you mean?" she asked and Tommy licked his lip and looked back at TJ as he played.
"Well. . . I've been talking to George and you know how they finished that new apartment complex a few months ago?"
Bailey nodded, George had taken one of the old buildings in Altura that had once been nothing but offices and had gotten a team together to work on renovating it since their population kept growing and they were running out of places to put people. The renovation had been a huge step for their post-apocalyptic community and had opened up more much needed space.
"What do you think about moving there?" 10K asked and her eyes widened in surprise. "We could use the room, TJ's only going to get bigger –"
"I think it's a great idea." She interrupted and saw him turn to her and smile. Then she gave him a quick peck on the lips before they watched their son play happily with his new gift.
.
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One shot #8
It was the morning of TJ's third birthday and Bailey and 10K were in their new kitchen having breakfast waiting for the birthday boy to wake up. They had moved into a bigger place about six months ago and now were living in Altura's new apartment complex instead of the field of trailers. The couple was making plans to meet for lunch after work when TJ came out of his room and started running around the pair who were leaning on the kitchen island.
"My birf-day! My birf-day! My birf-day!" TJ cried as he rushed around the room moving around his parents in circles. Bailey reached out and ran her fingers through his sandy colored hair as he ran a few more laps before running back into his room and closing the door behind him.
"It's been three seconds and I'm already exhausted." 10K joked as Bailey laughed.
"I better get him ready for day care." Bailey replied leaning across the island and kissing 10K goodbye knowing he'd be leaving for work soon. Part of the renovation project George had started had also been an education system. Many of the rooms in the community building were now used as classrooms for the half a dozen teachers they had and the handful of students. However, TJ was still too little to start school so he went to the preschool room where he learned things like the alphabet, his colors and shapes, and how to count. Counting was his favorite – like father like son – and he loved coming home and practicing his homework with Tommy. Tommy on the other hand couldn't be prouder each time his son came home and learned a few more numbers, he was up to twenty five now before he started having trouble remembering what came next.
"I got a box of baking mix from work yesterday, I figured I could make something for TJ tonight to celebrate." She said grabbing his small backpack from by the door. It was blue and had some dinosaurs on it and TJ only really used it for his single folder, the snack that Bailey would pack him and a sweater in case he got cold.
"That sounds great." Tommy replied, "I can talk to Doc and Warren and see if they want to come by tonight too. We've never had a real birthday party for him, TJ will probably get a kick out of it."
"Alright. I'll see you for lunch then." She said giving him a kiss before he left for his shift at the gate.
«»
"Twenty two, twenty three, twenty four, twenty five,. . . " TJ was counting again after Bailey had picked him up from preschool and they made their way to one of the picnic tables on the lawn while they waited for Tommy to join them. He took off his backpack and dropped it next to him on the long bench while he took out a coloring book and some crayons and Bailey took out a sandwich and started taking the plastic wrap off it before she passed it to him. 10K joined them shortly after, sitting down beside Bailey and across from TJ. He kissed Bailey on the side of her head before turning to TJ.
"How was school today TJ?"
"Good." He replied not looking up from his drawing. "We had to spell all our colors and Julie and I only got one wrong each."
"Which ones?" Tommy asked as Bailey passed TJ a baggie of homemade chips and took a sandwich out for her husband.
"Geen and wellow." He said grabbing another crayon. Julie was Ted and Laura's daughter, the little girl 10K once thought had been Red's kid. Laura taught classes for the bigger kids and Ted was a former construction worker and had helped Altura with the renovation project.
As they ate their lunch TJ went on and on about Julie, she was his best friend and he liked spending a lot of time with her. TJ didn't run out of stories until their sandwiches were gone and Bailey stole a few chips from his plastic baggie before he took a couple to munch on while he kept coloring.
"How about your day Bailey?" Tommy asked her as he took his last few bites of his sandwich as he straddled the bench so he could face her.
"The morning went pretty smooth." She said, "You know how when TJ outgrows stuff I give it to the trading tent, the one with all the kids clothes? And they divide it up between the other parents who have kids who fit the clothing?" she asked as she dug through her messenger bag.
"Yeah."
"Well I was going through stuff at home and I found one I missed. I found this at the back of the dresser drawer." She said pulling out a little onesie, it was one TJ had originally and was a light yellow with little fish on it. "Remember how little he was?"
"Mm-hmm, adorable." 10K said nodding at the onesie before reaching out and rifling through her bag looking for more food she'd packed.
"10K?" she asked trying to get his attention again.
"Hmm, yeah?" he asked still looking into the bag and not at her.
"Ten. . . Tommy." She said grabbing his arm making him stop and look up at her. "We're going to need this."
Then his eyes widened as he looked from the onesie in her hand then back up at her. "You're?"
She nodded.
"Really?"
She nodded again and now started to get a little worried. They'd talked about having more children, both of them agreed it would be nice for TJ to have a sibling, they'd even been trying for the last several months. But maybe after so much time and nothing happening 10K wasn't as enthusiastic about the idea anymore. Then her worry stopped when an ear to ear grin took over his expression and his eyes lit up. "We're going to have another baby?"
She nodded now smiling with him as he stood up and grabbed her, picking her up in a tight hug. "We're going to have another baby!" he said cheerfully as she wrapped her arms around his neck and laughed.
«»
After lunch Tommy went back to work and Bailey went home with TJ, he had a lot of questions about the new baby and Bailey was happy to explain the whole thing to him – well, as much as a three year old could comprehend.
"Is it a boy baby or a girl baby?" TJ asked holding her hand as they walked back home and she opened the door to their apartment building.
"Well we won't know until he or she is born TJ."
"Can't Auntie Red tell you? She's a doctor."
"Well, Red will only tell us if we ask her, but with you Papa and I wanted to be surprised."
"Julie says she keeps asking her mommy and daddy for a little sister but they keep saying no."
Bailey chuckled, "Well sometimes people only want to have one child TJ."
"Why did you and Papa want a new baby?"
"We just thought it would be nice if you didn't grow up alone."
"Like Papa. Papa's all alone in all the pictures we have of him when he was little." TJ said as they reached their door in the hall and walked inside. He took off his backpack as he headed for the kitchen table and took out his coloring book again. "I think I'll like having a brother and a sister, can you have one of each Momma?"
Bailey began to stutter never having thought that she could get pregnant with twins and it scared her a little bit. "One baby is a lot of work TJ, how about I have this baby and we can talk to Papa later about having more?"
«»
Later that night after Tommy had come home there was a knock on the door and Bailey opened it to reveal Doc and Warren who had come over for the brownies Bailey had made for TJ's birthday.
"Well I went to the supply building today." Doc began. "And there were no pickles left in the place, which means Bailey must be pregnant!" he said smiling. She smiled back and nodded as Doc hugged her and they chuckled at his joke.
"Congratulations kiddo!" he said as Warren walked in and hugged Tommy.
"And I'm going to be a big brother!" TJ said happily as Warren knelt down and hugged him, also wishing him happy birthday. Doc let go of Bailey and went to see the birthday boy as Bailey turned to 10K and they shared a smile, neither one ever thinking the apocalypse could ever get this good.