SOS
Title: SOS
Series: Gap Fic
Summary: Having it all is always hard yet always worth it
She feels the vibrations from her blazer pocket once again and fear begins to fill her. She brushed off the first call, assuming it was a random one that she could return. When the second set of vibrations went off she decided it was Ann or her mother attempting to get a hold of her, just calling again to give her enough time to get to the phone. When the third set starts, she knows right away it’s Ben and he needs her. It was their spoken yet unused SOS signal - three phone calls in a row and something’s wrong.
Martin McAlister is across the table, blabbering on about Voyageurs National Park. Leslie had very much agreed with his cause up until this point but Ben’s SOS has now cornered every cell in her brain, not allowing any room to focus on National Parks business. She doesn’t care about cliff height, boaters, or the color of sand in October, she just needs him to shut up so she can attend to her family.
“Martin, I’m sorry,” she cuts him off midsentence, beginning to stand up. The three others at the table, all fellow members of the Voyageurs Planning Committee, look at her inquisitively, obviously registering the slight unease in her voice. “I have to call my husband. He’s at home with our three eighteen-month-olds and something’s wrong.”
She hurries away from the table as she hears him express shock at the idea of her three same-aged toddlers. She always forgets everyone doesn’t have a set of bouncing triplets at home.
Leslie dodges out of the elegant restaurant, searching for a quiet corner to call Ben. She’s not sure what to expect on the other end and she wants to be able to hear him clearly.
It’s early April, the beginning of her travel season, and the outside air is every bit as cold as you would expect Minnesota to be at this time of year. The Central Branch of the National Parks Service has been dealing with a large problem in the water systems of northern Minnesota’s parks. The problem had required Leslie to travel up here for the night, leaving Ben at home to care for the triplets. This isn’t the first time she has had to travel for the job, but it is the first time since the triplets have been old enough to truly note her absence.
She finds a small, lite alcove shielded from the breeze, and quickly reaches for her cell. He answers on the first ring.
“Be-,” she starts but stops instantly as she registers the sound spilling from the other side. “Oh no.”
“I’m sorry, Honey,” Ben says. His voice is thick with a mixture of worry, exhaustion and frustration. “I know you’re at your dinner meeting right now, but I can’t get him to stop. He’s been hysterical for close to an hour and a half and- ” Leslie hears the panic in his voice combined with the guilt of pulling her from the meeting as Jack’s wailing (she’d know his cries anywhere) continues just steps away. Her stomach and heart twist, wishing she was back in Pawnee fighting this parenthood battle with him.
“It’s okay, Ben. Really. Can you turn on the video?”
“Yeah. Hold on.” He fumbles with the phone as the eighteen-month-old’s cries continue.
“Hey buddy - Jack - hey, look, its mama!” he coos to their young son as Leslie sees her boys come into view. A wave of guilt overtakes her as she notes their features. Jack’s eyes are swollen from the tears and his nose is red, oozing snot down his face. Ben’s hair is messy from running his hands through it and Leslie can almost see it going gray as she takes in his baggy eyes and furrowed brow.
She hates being away from them. For the millionth time in her children’s short lives she wishes it was easier to love both her job and her family, wishes it was possible to be in two places at once - scientists really need to get on the whole cloning thing!
“Jack Jack - baby,” she says calmly. His cries die down and his eyes widen at the sound of her reassuring voice. He looks skeptically at the screen, not quite sure if he should believe it’s really her. “Hi honey. Oh baby why are you crying, huh?”
His wails turn into whimpers and soft sobs, instantly soothed by both his parents’ presence.
“Mama.”
“Yeah, mama’s right here. Everything is okay. You look so tired, baby. It’s way past your bedtime, huh?” she continues to talk to him, allowing his emotions to taper out. “Daddy’s gonna take good care of you. I promise. And Mama is gonna be home so, so soon.”
Jack eventually drops his head to Ben’s chest, finally giving in a little to his exhaustion. Ben’s hand sweeps through his brown hair before returning to rub his back. Leslie wishes she could offer her son the physical reassurance he needs, but her voice will have to do tonight.
“Can you close your eyes for mama?” He stares at her for a moment, uncertain of her disappearance before closing his eyes and quickly reopening them.
“Close your eyes. Mommy and daddy are right here. Go to sleep, honey. Shhh,” she coos through the phone. Ben continues to offer comfort, beginning to rock him slightly. Jack eventually gives in to the weight of his eyelids as the time between each opening gets longer. A few minutes pass as Ben and Leslie do their best to get Jack to surrender to sleep. They take turns talking to him and making reassuring noises, Leslie communicating with Ben silently through glances. It’s almost like the 800 mile distance has vanished.
Leslie swears that Jack looks bigger since she saw him this morning. His cheeks look rounder and his body doesn’t look as small against Ben's. She wishes she could reach through the phone and hold him, ease Ben’s worry and rock her son to sleep like normal.
Out of the triplets, Jack always has the hardest time when she is away. He is usually fussy around dinner and bedtime but typically Ben or the babysitter can soothe him without her help. He’s a mama’s boy through and through. Leslie makes a mental note that they’ll have to come up with a plan for this, do a little research on separation anxiety before her next trip, though she is almost positive Ben will have already done it before bed tonight.
“He’s out,” Ben whispers as his face takes over the screen. “I really couldn’t get him to calm down. I’m sor-"
Leslie interrupts him before he can get the apology out, “There’s nothing to apologize for.”
He gives her a slight smile and her heart about bursts. She’s beyond lucky to have Ben in her life and she is constantly amazed at how good of a father he is. “Hopefully he will let you put him down now. Are Ellie and Robbie okay?”
“Yeah. They were out right away. April and Andy tired them out.”
“Good,” Leslie laughs at the thought of the two adult-children playing with the kids in their backyard. They all adore each other, especially Ellie who follows April around constantly. “Ben, I wish I could be there…”
“I know. Don’t worry. Go back to your meeting and call me later.”
“Okay. I love you. I will call you if you’re up.”
“Call. I want to hear how the meeting went. Sor-"
“Stop apologizing,” she snaps. “If you need me again just call.”
“Love you,” she hears him say as he nods. She sends a small kiss towards the screen before turning it off.
As the screen falls black, she takes a deep breath. Leslie wouldn’t trade any part of her life, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with its challenges. They weren’t kidding when they said it wasn’t easy having it all. “You’ll see them tomorrow, you can do this,” she mutters out loud, needing to hear the personal pep talk. “Just go back in there, kick ass, and drink a glass of wine - a big glass of wine - and maybe clear up any triplet confusion.” She takes one more deep breath and steps forward, walking back into the dining room.
When she gets home 24 hours later she finds her four favorite people sprawled out on her and Ben’s bed with Guess How Much I Love You open on top of Ben’s rising chest. She chuckles at the three sleeping monsters hanging over her drained husband. She bends down to pick up the book and places a kiss against his lips. He stirs slightly. “Hi,” he says in a thick voice, coming to. She smiles against his lips as he kisses her back. He moves towards her, completely forgetting about the toddlers until it’s too late.
“Mama!” It doesn’t take long before she is cuddled in amongst them, three little creatures crawling over her. Ellie begins babbling excitedly to Leslie, likely telling her everything she missed in her toddler English, while Robbie retrieves the now closed book for another bedtime story. Jack doesn’t say much, just nuzzles into her lap. Leslie takes a moment to embrace him, breathe in his diminishing baby smell, and kiss his cheeks.
A half hour later, the triplets are once again asleep. Ben and Leslie don’t usually let the kids sleep in their bed but tonight is an exception. Ben curls his arms around Leslie the best he can with three kids around them. “Welcome home,” he whispers, placing a long kiss on her forehead. “We missed you.” Leslie smiles and lets the words sink in. She loves her life, every last crazy second of it.
Series: Gap Fic
Summary: Having it all is always hard yet always worth it
She feels the vibrations from her blazer pocket once again and fear begins to fill her. She brushed off the first call, assuming it was a random one that she could return. When the second set of vibrations went off she decided it was Ann or her mother attempting to get a hold of her, just calling again to give her enough time to get to the phone. When the third set starts, she knows right away it’s Ben and he needs her. It was their spoken yet unused SOS signal - three phone calls in a row and something’s wrong.
Martin McAlister is across the table, blabbering on about Voyageurs National Park. Leslie had very much agreed with his cause up until this point but Ben’s SOS has now cornered every cell in her brain, not allowing any room to focus on National Parks business. She doesn’t care about cliff height, boaters, or the color of sand in October, she just needs him to shut up so she can attend to her family.
“Martin, I’m sorry,” she cuts him off midsentence, beginning to stand up. The three others at the table, all fellow members of the Voyageurs Planning Committee, look at her inquisitively, obviously registering the slight unease in her voice. “I have to call my husband. He’s at home with our three eighteen-month-olds and something’s wrong.”
She hurries away from the table as she hears him express shock at the idea of her three same-aged toddlers. She always forgets everyone doesn’t have a set of bouncing triplets at home.
Leslie dodges out of the elegant restaurant, searching for a quiet corner to call Ben. She’s not sure what to expect on the other end and she wants to be able to hear him clearly.
It’s early April, the beginning of her travel season, and the outside air is every bit as cold as you would expect Minnesota to be at this time of year. The Central Branch of the National Parks Service has been dealing with a large problem in the water systems of northern Minnesota’s parks. The problem had required Leslie to travel up here for the night, leaving Ben at home to care for the triplets. This isn’t the first time she has had to travel for the job, but it is the first time since the triplets have been old enough to truly note her absence.
She finds a small, lite alcove shielded from the breeze, and quickly reaches for her cell. He answers on the first ring.
“Be-,” she starts but stops instantly as she registers the sound spilling from the other side. “Oh no.”
“I’m sorry, Honey,” Ben says. His voice is thick with a mixture of worry, exhaustion and frustration. “I know you’re at your dinner meeting right now, but I can’t get him to stop. He’s been hysterical for close to an hour and a half and- ” Leslie hears the panic in his voice combined with the guilt of pulling her from the meeting as Jack’s wailing (she’d know his cries anywhere) continues just steps away. Her stomach and heart twist, wishing she was back in Pawnee fighting this parenthood battle with him.
“It’s okay, Ben. Really. Can you turn on the video?”
“Yeah. Hold on.” He fumbles with the phone as the eighteen-month-old’s cries continue.
“Hey buddy - Jack - hey, look, its mama!” he coos to their young son as Leslie sees her boys come into view. A wave of guilt overtakes her as she notes their features. Jack’s eyes are swollen from the tears and his nose is red, oozing snot down his face. Ben’s hair is messy from running his hands through it and Leslie can almost see it going gray as she takes in his baggy eyes and furrowed brow.
She hates being away from them. For the millionth time in her children’s short lives she wishes it was easier to love both her job and her family, wishes it was possible to be in two places at once - scientists really need to get on the whole cloning thing!
“Jack Jack - baby,” she says calmly. His cries die down and his eyes widen at the sound of her reassuring voice. He looks skeptically at the screen, not quite sure if he should believe it’s really her. “Hi honey. Oh baby why are you crying, huh?”
His wails turn into whimpers and soft sobs, instantly soothed by both his parents’ presence.
“Mama.”
“Yeah, mama’s right here. Everything is okay. You look so tired, baby. It’s way past your bedtime, huh?” she continues to talk to him, allowing his emotions to taper out. “Daddy’s gonna take good care of you. I promise. And Mama is gonna be home so, so soon.”
Jack eventually drops his head to Ben’s chest, finally giving in a little to his exhaustion. Ben’s hand sweeps through his brown hair before returning to rub his back. Leslie wishes she could offer her son the physical reassurance he needs, but her voice will have to do tonight.
“Can you close your eyes for mama?” He stares at her for a moment, uncertain of her disappearance before closing his eyes and quickly reopening them.
“Close your eyes. Mommy and daddy are right here. Go to sleep, honey. Shhh,” she coos through the phone. Ben continues to offer comfort, beginning to rock him slightly. Jack eventually gives in to the weight of his eyelids as the time between each opening gets longer. A few minutes pass as Ben and Leslie do their best to get Jack to surrender to sleep. They take turns talking to him and making reassuring noises, Leslie communicating with Ben silently through glances. It’s almost like the 800 mile distance has vanished.
Leslie swears that Jack looks bigger since she saw him this morning. His cheeks look rounder and his body doesn’t look as small against Ben's. She wishes she could reach through the phone and hold him, ease Ben’s worry and rock her son to sleep like normal.
Out of the triplets, Jack always has the hardest time when she is away. He is usually fussy around dinner and bedtime but typically Ben or the babysitter can soothe him without her help. He’s a mama’s boy through and through. Leslie makes a mental note that they’ll have to come up with a plan for this, do a little research on separation anxiety before her next trip, though she is almost positive Ben will have already done it before bed tonight.
“He’s out,” Ben whispers as his face takes over the screen. “I really couldn’t get him to calm down. I’m sor-"
Leslie interrupts him before he can get the apology out, “There’s nothing to apologize for.”
He gives her a slight smile and her heart about bursts. She’s beyond lucky to have Ben in her life and she is constantly amazed at how good of a father he is. “Hopefully he will let you put him down now. Are Ellie and Robbie okay?”
“Yeah. They were out right away. April and Andy tired them out.”
“Good,” Leslie laughs at the thought of the two adult-children playing with the kids in their backyard. They all adore each other, especially Ellie who follows April around constantly. “Ben, I wish I could be there…”
“I know. Don’t worry. Go back to your meeting and call me later.”
“Okay. I love you. I will call you if you’re up.”
“Call. I want to hear how the meeting went. Sor-"
“Stop apologizing,” she snaps. “If you need me again just call.”
“Love you,” she hears him say as he nods. She sends a small kiss towards the screen before turning it off.
As the screen falls black, she takes a deep breath. Leslie wouldn’t trade any part of her life, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with its challenges. They weren’t kidding when they said it wasn’t easy having it all. “You’ll see them tomorrow, you can do this,” she mutters out loud, needing to hear the personal pep talk. “Just go back in there, kick ass, and drink a glass of wine - a big glass of wine - and maybe clear up any triplet confusion.” She takes one more deep breath and steps forward, walking back into the dining room.
When she gets home 24 hours later she finds her four favorite people sprawled out on her and Ben’s bed with Guess How Much I Love You open on top of Ben’s rising chest. She chuckles at the three sleeping monsters hanging over her drained husband. She bends down to pick up the book and places a kiss against his lips. He stirs slightly. “Hi,” he says in a thick voice, coming to. She smiles against his lips as he kisses her back. He moves towards her, completely forgetting about the toddlers until it’s too late.
“Mama!” It doesn’t take long before she is cuddled in amongst them, three little creatures crawling over her. Ellie begins babbling excitedly to Leslie, likely telling her everything she missed in her toddler English, while Robbie retrieves the now closed book for another bedtime story. Jack doesn’t say much, just nuzzles into her lap. Leslie takes a moment to embrace him, breathe in his diminishing baby smell, and kiss his cheeks.
A half hour later, the triplets are once again asleep. Ben and Leslie don’t usually let the kids sleep in their bed but tonight is an exception. Ben curls his arms around Leslie the best he can with three kids around them. “Welcome home,” he whispers, placing a long kiss on her forehead. “We missed you.” Leslie smiles and lets the words sink in. She loves her life, every last crazy second of it.