jp][over the rainbow
(This...came out to being much more than intended. What started with hearing a song and a cute image in my head turned into...this. Warning, it might give you cavities. But I needed fluff. Bela is enjoythe_ride, Sam is likedollclothes, and the kids belong to us.)
you're my Sunday, make my Monday come alive//just like Tuesday you're a new day, wakes me up//wednesday's raining, Thursday's yearning Friday nights//then it all ends at the weekend, you're my star//you're my star, yes you are ~Sterophonics
It was their ten year anniversary, and for the first time in what seemed like just as long Michael and Bela went on a vacation together. Alone. They hardly got alone time together at home unless all the kids were asleep, so that in and of itself was new for them.
They hadn't wanted to plan anything too big, because big romantic things - while appreciated when they arose - just weren't their thing. Instead Sam came to stay with the kids for a long weekend and Michael and Bela loaded up the Charger and drove out of the city.
But saying their goodbyes was an adventure all of its own.
***
“Noooo, Mama, don't gooo,” Cole was wailing and clinging to Bela tightly. She was trying to rock him on her hip while issuing her daughters orders on their chores and behavior. Happy was running around the house in circles barking loudly. He wasn't sure what was going on, but everyone else was all excited so he had to be, too. Not to mention the fact that Sam was there and Sam always got Happy riled up.
“It's only for a few days, love,” Bela murmured against Cole's forehead.
“Da-ad! Lizzie doesn't need to help be in charge!” Sara-Rose was pulling on the end of Michael's shirt and pouting up at him. Her red hair was twisted and twirled up under a Yankees cap.
“They already said,” Lizzie said smugly from where she stood behind her sister. “Moooove, I wanna say bye to Dad.”
“Dad!” Sara-Rose grabbed onto him as she was getting pushed out of the way.
“Lizzie, stop pushing. Sara-Rose...she won't tell you what to do, she's only going to be helping Sam if he needs it.”
“Woof woof!”
“The monsters, Mama! You can't make them go 'way!”
“Michael, have you got the directions?”
“Hey, c'mon girls, give your old man a break will ya?” Sam was trying to help out, but really he was getting in the way.
Michael closed his eyes as the noises circled around him and then he slowly opened them. “Quiet!” He said in a loud but calm voice. Everyone stopped and looked up at him. He sighed. “One; Lizzie will not be in charge, she will be helping Sam,” he started, giving his oldest daughter a look. “Two; I don't want you two fighting all weekend. Three; Sam..shut the dog up-”
“Dad!” Lizzie gasped.
He ignored her. “Four-” He glanced at his wife. “The directions are in the car, just where you told me to put them five times today. And f-”
“Five!” Cole helped out.
Michael smirked. “Five. You.” He pointed at his son. “Your mother doesn't have to be here to scare the monsters away, they're scared of her enough to stay away.” The reminder that his mother was leaving wiped the smile from Cole's lips and he buried his head in her shoulder. She looked up at Michael with a mild glare, then rubbed Cole's back and started down the hall with him, whispering to him softly. Michael looked at his girls. “Got it?”
“Got it,” they both nodded.
“Okay, give me hugs then go find your mother. Then go get your homework done before the weekend starts.” He knelt down and grabbed onto them as they groaned, but each took turns wrapping their arms around his neck tightly. “I love you,” he whispered, kissing Lizzie's cheek, before repeating the same for Sara-Rose.
“Je vous aime, Papa,” Sara-Rose replied.
Lizzie elbowed her. “Suck up.”
“It's from French class!” Sara-Rose shouted.
“Go find your mother,” Michael cut in. Sara-Rose ran off, but Lizzie stopped to kiss his cheek.
“Love you too, Daddy.” Then she turned and picked up a wrapped present. “This is for you and Mom, but you can't open it til your anniversary, okay?”
Michael nodded and took the gift. “I promise. “ He watched as Lizzie turned and went after her sister. He sighed and got to his feet, glancing over at Sam.
“Didn't realize sayin' goodbye could take an hour,” Sam teased.
“Shut up.”
Bela came back down the hallway. Cole was still in her arms and the girls were trailing behind. “Say goodbye to your father,” she told the boy, handing him off. Cole reached for Michael and gripped on, while Bela knelt to say her goodbyes to the girls.
“We'll be home in four days,” Michael told Cole. “You can count down.”
“But I'll miss you,” Cole said with big eyes.
“I know. We'll miss you too, bud. But...” Michael made a show of glancing around and leaning in closer to his son. “Someone has to help Uncle Sam keep the women in line, don't you think?”
Cole giggled. “Uh huh.”
“Can I trust you with that task?”
“Yes,” Cole nodded solemnly.
“Good.” He kissed the top of Cole's head and set him on the floor. Bela came to his side as she was putting her purse over her shoulder. “Everyone behave,” he said, before turning to open the door for Bela.
“Byeee!” Voices chorused after them. As soon as the door shut something on the other side made a loud boom, then everyone was shouting. Michael grabbed Bela's hand from the knob before she could go back in.
“Honey. Let's get out of here while we can.”
***
Michael leaned over Bela to place his coffee cup on the nightstand, but before he could get away she wrapped her arms around his neck and locked her legs around his. He smirked as he fell against her. “Yes, dear?”
She smiled and leaned back to look up at him. “I believe you said we could do whatever I wanted today.”
His smirk turned into a grin as he let his body rest more comfortably against hers. “I did.” He couldn't help but enjoy the position that he was in. He loved those rare playful moods she got into, and it reminded him of a time in which they came more frequently, before they were married.
“So...” She raised her brow at him.
“You might have to be more specific,” he said, putting on a frown.
“Hmm, well...” One arm slipped from his neck and her hand brushed down his chest and moved down under the sheets.
His eyes dropped shut and his frown slowly turned back into a smirk. “Why didn't you say so?”
“Hadn't realized I needed to,” she murmured as his mouth dropped to hers.
***
“What is this?” Bela turned the package over in her hands that Michael had handed her. He slipped back into the bed beside her, the bed they had hardly left all day.
“Something from the kids. Lizzie gave me strict instructions that we had to wait until today to open it.”
Bela's face lit up with a brighter smile as she sat up to open it. Michael just watched her, watched her face, enjoying the delight it had brought her. She got the paper free and opened the box that she found inside. She pulled out a DVD. “What is it?” She mused to herself. The case was blank. She handed it to Michael. “Go on, put it in.”
He took the disc but gave her a look. “I just got up.”
“And?”
He met her eyes and sighed, shaking his head. “And nothing, dear.” He climbed from bed again and went over to put the disc in the player, then he returned and got under the sheets with her. He wrapped his arm around Bela and she curled up against him.
The TV screen went from black to Sam's living room.
“This ought to be good,” Michael said. Bela nudged him to be quiet.
“No, Sara-Rose! Not yet! We hafta set it up!” Lizzie's voice could be heard off camera.
“I'm just seeing!”
“Well stop!”
“Hey, c'mon stop fighting.
Sam's voice followed theirs and the screen went black again. Michael and Bela laughed a bit and waited. The screen lit up again and on it were the children. They were all dressed in jeans, leather jackets, and sun glasses.
Three year old Cole was sitting front and center on a chair with a toy drum on his lap. Sara-Rose and Lizzie stood on either side of him with plastic electric guitars. Familiar chords of “I Love Rock and Roll” started up in the background, and the kids started moving around. The girls pretended to strum their guitars while they lip-synched, clearly with a routine made up, while Cole just sat there banging on the drum and staring at the camera.
Michael and Bela laughed and watched the song play through. At the end the girls took their bows and Cole struggled off the chair to get on the floor and copy them. Michael pulled Bela closer and kissed the side of her head.
“We may have the coolest kids ever,” he said. At the same time the thought that they clearly rivaled the Winchester kids went through his head.
She smiled. “We do have the coolest kids ever.”
They watched the screen as Cole went after one of the girls' guitars, and the girls started to step in front of each other to continue bowing and upstage each other. They kept moving in front of each other until they were right in front of the camera, where they stopped and started arguing, forgetting the camera completely.
”Hey, hey, hey..” Sam's voice again. “Stop that. Everyone just tell your folks you love them. The girls were still arguing and apparently Cole was getting into something off screen. ”Hey buddy! Whoa!” Sam cut the camera off and the TV screen went black again.
They waited to see if there was more, but there wasn't. Michael just stared at the screen. “Those...are our kids?”
“Afraid so,” Bela chuckled.
“Couldn't we just have the cool ones that were on first?”
“No, we have to take them all,” Bela sighed, turning the TV off.
“You sure?”
She paused and thought that over, then nodded. “I like them whether they're being good or not.”
Michael nodded. “I guess I do too.”
“You guess?” Bela raised a brow at him.
“If I have to keep them...” He shrugged playfully. She gave him a hard elbow in the side and he laughed, grabbing onto her. “Maybe we should have more.” He rolled them down onto the bed, pulling her over him. She stopped him and pushed herself up to look down at him.
“Michael,” she said carefully, to make sure he was listening. “From here on out it's safe sex or no sex, understood?”
He frowned. “So...no more kids?”
“No more kids.”
“I think I can settle for safe sex,” he nodded, pulling her close again. She leaned into him with a smile while he kissed her.
“I'm glad to hear.”
***
“What's this?” She whispered, fingering the chain as he clasped it around her neck. Her finger moved down and brushed over the charm hanging from it. She frowned.
Michael sat close to her and his hand wrapped against her neck, his thumb stroking her skin lightly. “You gave me this a long time ago,” he said quietly. “Before you left. Before you...” He still couldn't say it. Before she died. Despite all the happiness, it was still a time too painful in his life to recall. “You told me it was a protection charm.”
“Michael, I...” She reached up to unclasp it. “I gave this to you.”
“And I'm giving it back to you,” he nodded. “I can give it back to you. That matters more to me than...” He fell quiet and met her eyes. “For the longest time I couldn't even look at it, but now...” He situated it on her neck again. “It's a reminder of where we were...and where we are.”
She met his eyes and lifted her hand to his cheek. He closed his eyes at the touch and leaned into it. He felt her lips close in on his and he kissed her lightly. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“I'm glad we're where we are,” he whispered back.
“Me too.”
Then he cut her off with another kiss, and pulled her body as close to his as he could get her.
2039
you're my Sunday, make my Monday come alive//just like Tuesday you're a new day, wakes me up//wednesday's raining, Thursday's yearning Friday nights//then it all ends at the weekend, you're my star//you're my star, yes you are ~Sterophonics
It was their ten year anniversary, and for the first time in what seemed like just as long Michael and Bela went on a vacation together. Alone. They hardly got alone time together at home unless all the kids were asleep, so that in and of itself was new for them.
They hadn't wanted to plan anything too big, because big romantic things - while appreciated when they arose - just weren't their thing. Instead Sam came to stay with the kids for a long weekend and Michael and Bela loaded up the Charger and drove out of the city.
But saying their goodbyes was an adventure all of its own.
***
“Noooo, Mama, don't gooo,” Cole was wailing and clinging to Bela tightly. She was trying to rock him on her hip while issuing her daughters orders on their chores and behavior. Happy was running around the house in circles barking loudly. He wasn't sure what was going on, but everyone else was all excited so he had to be, too. Not to mention the fact that Sam was there and Sam always got Happy riled up.
“It's only for a few days, love,” Bela murmured against Cole's forehead.
“Da-ad! Lizzie doesn't need to help be in charge!” Sara-Rose was pulling on the end of Michael's shirt and pouting up at him. Her red hair was twisted and twirled up under a Yankees cap.
“They already said,” Lizzie said smugly from where she stood behind her sister. “Moooove, I wanna say bye to Dad.”
“Dad!” Sara-Rose grabbed onto him as she was getting pushed out of the way.
“Lizzie, stop pushing. Sara-Rose...she won't tell you what to do, she's only going to be helping Sam if he needs it.”
“Woof woof!”
“The monsters, Mama! You can't make them go 'way!”
“Michael, have you got the directions?”
“Hey, c'mon girls, give your old man a break will ya?” Sam was trying to help out, but really he was getting in the way.
Michael closed his eyes as the noises circled around him and then he slowly opened them. “Quiet!” He said in a loud but calm voice. Everyone stopped and looked up at him. He sighed. “One; Lizzie will not be in charge, she will be helping Sam,” he started, giving his oldest daughter a look. “Two; I don't want you two fighting all weekend. Three; Sam..shut the dog up-”
“Dad!” Lizzie gasped.
He ignored her. “Four-” He glanced at his wife. “The directions are in the car, just where you told me to put them five times today. And f-”
“Five!” Cole helped out.
Michael smirked. “Five. You.” He pointed at his son. “Your mother doesn't have to be here to scare the monsters away, they're scared of her enough to stay away.” The reminder that his mother was leaving wiped the smile from Cole's lips and he buried his head in her shoulder. She looked up at Michael with a mild glare, then rubbed Cole's back and started down the hall with him, whispering to him softly. Michael looked at his girls. “Got it?”
“Got it,” they both nodded.
“Okay, give me hugs then go find your mother. Then go get your homework done before the weekend starts.” He knelt down and grabbed onto them as they groaned, but each took turns wrapping their arms around his neck tightly. “I love you,” he whispered, kissing Lizzie's cheek, before repeating the same for Sara-Rose.
“Je vous aime, Papa,” Sara-Rose replied.
Lizzie elbowed her. “Suck up.”
“It's from French class!” Sara-Rose shouted.
“Go find your mother,” Michael cut in. Sara-Rose ran off, but Lizzie stopped to kiss his cheek.
“Love you too, Daddy.” Then she turned and picked up a wrapped present. “This is for you and Mom, but you can't open it til your anniversary, okay?”
Michael nodded and took the gift. “I promise. “ He watched as Lizzie turned and went after her sister. He sighed and got to his feet, glancing over at Sam.
“Didn't realize sayin' goodbye could take an hour,” Sam teased.
“Shut up.”
Bela came back down the hallway. Cole was still in her arms and the girls were trailing behind. “Say goodbye to your father,” she told the boy, handing him off. Cole reached for Michael and gripped on, while Bela knelt to say her goodbyes to the girls.
“We'll be home in four days,” Michael told Cole. “You can count down.”
“But I'll miss you,” Cole said with big eyes.
“I know. We'll miss you too, bud. But...” Michael made a show of glancing around and leaning in closer to his son. “Someone has to help Uncle Sam keep the women in line, don't you think?”
Cole giggled. “Uh huh.”
“Can I trust you with that task?”
“Yes,” Cole nodded solemnly.
“Good.” He kissed the top of Cole's head and set him on the floor. Bela came to his side as she was putting her purse over her shoulder. “Everyone behave,” he said, before turning to open the door for Bela.
“Byeee!” Voices chorused after them. As soon as the door shut something on the other side made a loud boom, then everyone was shouting. Michael grabbed Bela's hand from the knob before she could go back in.
“Honey. Let's get out of here while we can.”
***
Michael leaned over Bela to place his coffee cup on the nightstand, but before he could get away she wrapped her arms around his neck and locked her legs around his. He smirked as he fell against her. “Yes, dear?”
She smiled and leaned back to look up at him. “I believe you said we could do whatever I wanted today.”
His smirk turned into a grin as he let his body rest more comfortably against hers. “I did.” He couldn't help but enjoy the position that he was in. He loved those rare playful moods she got into, and it reminded him of a time in which they came more frequently, before they were married.
“So...” She raised her brow at him.
“You might have to be more specific,” he said, putting on a frown.
“Hmm, well...” One arm slipped from his neck and her hand brushed down his chest and moved down under the sheets.
His eyes dropped shut and his frown slowly turned back into a smirk. “Why didn't you say so?”
“Hadn't realized I needed to,” she murmured as his mouth dropped to hers.
***
“What is this?” Bela turned the package over in her hands that Michael had handed her. He slipped back into the bed beside her, the bed they had hardly left all day.
“Something from the kids. Lizzie gave me strict instructions that we had to wait until today to open it.”
Bela's face lit up with a brighter smile as she sat up to open it. Michael just watched her, watched her face, enjoying the delight it had brought her. She got the paper free and opened the box that she found inside. She pulled out a DVD. “What is it?” She mused to herself. The case was blank. She handed it to Michael. “Go on, put it in.”
He took the disc but gave her a look. “I just got up.”
“And?”
He met her eyes and sighed, shaking his head. “And nothing, dear.” He climbed from bed again and went over to put the disc in the player, then he returned and got under the sheets with her. He wrapped his arm around Bela and she curled up against him.
The TV screen went from black to Sam's living room.
“This ought to be good,” Michael said. Bela nudged him to be quiet.
“No, Sara-Rose! Not yet! We hafta set it up!” Lizzie's voice could be heard off camera.
“I'm just seeing!”
“Well stop!”
“Hey, c'mon stop fighting.
Sam's voice followed theirs and the screen went black again. Michael and Bela laughed a bit and waited. The screen lit up again and on it were the children. They were all dressed in jeans, leather jackets, and sun glasses.
Three year old Cole was sitting front and center on a chair with a toy drum on his lap. Sara-Rose and Lizzie stood on either side of him with plastic electric guitars. Familiar chords of “I Love Rock and Roll” started up in the background, and the kids started moving around. The girls pretended to strum their guitars while they lip-synched, clearly with a routine made up, while Cole just sat there banging on the drum and staring at the camera.
Michael and Bela laughed and watched the song play through. At the end the girls took their bows and Cole struggled off the chair to get on the floor and copy them. Michael pulled Bela closer and kissed the side of her head.
“We may have the coolest kids ever,” he said. At the same time the thought that they clearly rivaled the Winchester kids went through his head.
She smiled. “We do have the coolest kids ever.”
They watched the screen as Cole went after one of the girls' guitars, and the girls started to step in front of each other to continue bowing and upstage each other. They kept moving in front of each other until they were right in front of the camera, where they stopped and started arguing, forgetting the camera completely.
”Hey, hey, hey..” Sam's voice again. “Stop that. Everyone just tell your folks you love them. The girls were still arguing and apparently Cole was getting into something off screen. ”Hey buddy! Whoa!” Sam cut the camera off and the TV screen went black again.
They waited to see if there was more, but there wasn't. Michael just stared at the screen. “Those...are our kids?”
“Afraid so,” Bela chuckled.
“Couldn't we just have the cool ones that were on first?”
“No, we have to take them all,” Bela sighed, turning the TV off.
“You sure?”
She paused and thought that over, then nodded. “I like them whether they're being good or not.”
Michael nodded. “I guess I do too.”
“You guess?” Bela raised a brow at him.
“If I have to keep them...” He shrugged playfully. She gave him a hard elbow in the side and he laughed, grabbing onto her. “Maybe we should have more.” He rolled them down onto the bed, pulling her over him. She stopped him and pushed herself up to look down at him.
“Michael,” she said carefully, to make sure he was listening. “From here on out it's safe sex or no sex, understood?”
He frowned. “So...no more kids?”
“No more kids.”
“I think I can settle for safe sex,” he nodded, pulling her close again. She leaned into him with a smile while he kissed her.
“I'm glad to hear.”
***
“What's this?” She whispered, fingering the chain as he clasped it around her neck. Her finger moved down and brushed over the charm hanging from it. She frowned.
Michael sat close to her and his hand wrapped against her neck, his thumb stroking her skin lightly. “You gave me this a long time ago,” he said quietly. “Before you left. Before you...” He still couldn't say it. Before she died. Despite all the happiness, it was still a time too painful in his life to recall. “You told me it was a protection charm.”
“Michael, I...” She reached up to unclasp it. “I gave this to you.”
“And I'm giving it back to you,” he nodded. “I can give it back to you. That matters more to me than...” He fell quiet and met her eyes. “For the longest time I couldn't even look at it, but now...” He situated it on her neck again. “It's a reminder of where we were...and where we are.”
She met his eyes and lifted her hand to his cheek. He closed his eyes at the touch and leaned into it. He felt her lips close in on his and he kissed her lightly. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“I'm glad we're where we are,” he whispered back.
“Me too.”
Then he cut her off with another kiss, and pulled her body as close to his as he could get her.
2039