The Little Things Pt 821/? (Forever After Sequel)
Flash Forward 2030
“Do they have to scream?” Sebastian complained. “They do know that they would hear you better if they didn't scream, don't they?”
“They're just excited,” Adam shrugged as he peeked through the stage curtain.
“When does the ringing stop?”
“Ringing?” Adam asked looking down at his son.
“My ears are ringing,” Sebastian explained.
“Yeah, that doesn't go away,” Adam smiled. “Mines have been ringing twenty-one years.”
“How do you cope with all of this?” Sebastian sighed.
“I love it.”
“Well, your security sent me back here to say that some crazy person is trying to get backstage.”
“They know not to let anyone in that isn't supposed to be here,” Adam answered as he looked back at the small mirror at the side of the stage. “So should I kiss Tommy tonight or not?”
“They're saying that the crazy person is insisting she's family,” Sebastian said. “Apparently she's saying she's your daughter.”
“Jacob, go and let Sophia in.”
“You can't prove that's she's not crazy,” Sebastian grumbled as he turned to leave.
…............................................
“What does a boy wear to his boyfriends big fight?” Jacob mused as he looked at himself in the mirror.
“Something that won't stain when the blood gets splattered on you,” Elle suggested from her seat on Jacob's bed.
“Be careful,” Jacob warned. “You're very close to turning into Sophia.”
“You look very pretty today, Jacob,” Elle said smiling wide.
“Much better.”
“Can I come to watch Gabe fight?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because you can't.”
“Why not?”
“It's not a place for a little girl.”
“I'm nine.”
“Elle,” Jacob sighed. “You really don't want to go and watch two people beat each other up.”
“Hey, I've seen what Sophia does on dates,” Elle muttered causing Jacob to laugh.
“You're actually pretty funny.”
“You would know that if you spent any time with me,” Elle grumbled. “I don't think we've said this many words to each other in years.”
Jacob turned away from the mirror to look at his little sister. “We spend time together.”
“Family time,” Elle sighed. “You and I don't do anything together. Sebastian's always letting me tag along with him and his friends. You never let me go out with you and Gabe, and Gabe thinks I'm great. He told me so.”
“I think you're great too,” Jacob smiled. “I just don't think it's cool to be hanging out with your little sister.”
“And who says you're cool anyway?”
“You're only funny when you're making fun of Sophia,” Jacob warned.
“Can I please come and watch Gabe fight?”
“No,” Jacob sighed before turning back to look at himself in the mirror.
“It's because you don't like me,” Elle mumbled.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Elle mumbled as she looked down at the floor.
“You think I don't like you?” Jacob asked causing Elle to nod her head. “Well that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I love you. You're my sister.”
“Even though we don't share blood?”
“What?” Jacob asked confused as he stood a seat beside Elle.
“Well, Sebastian and Sophia share blood,” Elle explained. “They share a Mommy and Daddy, but we only share a Mommy. We have different Daddies.”
“We have the same Dads,” Jacob frowned. “Daddy and Papa are our Dads.”
“But that doesn't mean we share the same blood.”
“What is your fascination with blood all of a sudden?”
“Molly in my class said her little brother has a different Daddy, so that means they aren't real brother and sister because they don't have the same blood,” Elle explained.
“That doesn't mean anything,” Jacob pointed out. “Anyway, we share something more important than blood.”
“What's that?”
“A bathroom,” Jacob answered. “I don't just share my expensive shampoo and skin cream with just anyone. I have to love you for that to happen.”
“Is this what Uncle Brad means when he says you have the mind of a great gay man?” Elle frowned.
“Skin care is important, Elle,” Jacob said as he stood to look at himself in the mirror. “And I know you use my hand cream, and I don't mind that you do. I'm very proud of you for taking a great interest in your image.”
“I didn't use your hand cream on my hands,” Elle frowned.
“I hope you didn't use it on your face,” Jacob gasped. “That's what the blue tube is for. The white tube is for hands, and the black one is all body. Don't you remember the demonstration I gave you and Sebastian when we moved into this house?”
“I didn't put the hand cream anywhere on my body,” Elle shrugged.
“So where did you put it?”
“I squeezed it into Sebastian's shoes when he made fun of my dress that time.”
“You used...” Jacob paused to take a deep breath. “That is a very expensive cream, Elle. Papa had to ship it in from Italy.”
“It made a really great sound when Sebastian pushed his foot into his shoes,” Elle said smiling wide.
“Maybe you're right,” Jacob said turning back towards the mirror.
“About what?”
“Maybe I don't like you.”
…..............................
“Why the long face?” Kris quizzed as walked into the bedroom to find Elle laying on Adam's side of the bed.
“I miss Papa and Sebastian.”
“Yeah, me too,” Kris sighed.
“The house isn't fun when they aren't here.”
“They've only been gone two days,” Kris remarked as he lay down on the bed beside his daughter. “Your Papa's been on longer shopping trips.”
“I'm bored.”
“Why don't you go do something with Jacob,” Kris suggested.
“He won't let me,” Elle sighed. “He says it's not cool to hang out with your nine-year-old little sister.”
“Well why don't you and I do something together?”
“No thank you,” Elle said shaking her head. “I don't like football.”
“It doesn't have to be football,” Kris laughed. “I like other things too, you know.”
“I don't like basketball either.”
“Why don't we go on a date,” Kris suggested. “Like you and Papa do.”
“We can't do that,” Elle laughed. “You don't like anything me and Papa do.”
“I do so.”
“You hate dressing up. You hate glitter, and the last time we went shopping you took me to a camping store,” Elle listed off causing Kris to frown.
“They had a really pretty pink sleeping bag in that store.”
“You really hate everything me and Papa do, Daddy,” Elle remarked.
“I'm sure we can go on one date and enjoy ourselves,” Kris said. “I mean, Sebastian is away on tour with your Papa. They've found something to enjoy together.”
“I really don't think Sebastian chasing Papa down our drive, yelling two more miles is something Papa enjoys,” Elle scoffed. “Last week I found him hiding out in my tree house just so Sebastian wouldn't make him lift weights.”
“I'm sure you and I can find something,” Kris insisted. “What about that little tea room place your Papa takes you to?”
“I really don't think so,” Elle laughed. “They don't let plaid in.”
“I'll dress nice.”
Elle lifted her head from the pillow to look at her Daddy. “Can I do your hair?”
“What's left of it,” Kris sighed.
“I'll go get my hairbrush,” Elle said with excitement as she climbed over Kris. “And you have the perfect blue shirt you can wear. Papa says you look beautiful in it.”
“Great,” Kris sighed.
........................................
“So...” Jacob said stepping into Gabe's dressing room. “Who exactly won?”
“I did,” Gabe smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror.
“But your face looks like it's exploded,” Jacob frowned. “Are you sure the other guy didn't win, and you've just been hit so many times that you think you've won.”
“I won,” Gabe answered with a small laugh as he turned to look at his boyfriend. “I got the most hits in.”
“But there is more blood dripping out of your face,” Jacob remarked stepping forward.
“Because the other guy is a sloppy fighter,” Gabe said. “I know how to hit and not leave a mark.”
“Well isn't that a nice talent to have,” Jacob remarked in a sarcastic tone.
“Just give me five minutes and I'll be ready.”
“Aren't you going to clean that up?” Jacob frowned as he pointed to Gabe's face.
“It's only a few bruises,” Gabe shrugged looking at himself in the mirror.
“Your nose is sitting an inch to the left.”
“It's fine,” Gabe laughed. “This is what I look like after every fight.”
“Wonderful,” Jacob sighed as he looked around the dressing room. “They couldn't have put you in a nicer room?”
“This is the nicest.”
“There is blood on the walls,” Jacob remarked dryly.
“That's my blood from my last fight,” Gabe said smiling proudly. “I had a broken nose and when I sneezed the blood splattered all over the wall.”
“Oh my god,” Jacob gagged clutching his stomach. “You are the most disgusting person I have ever met.”
“And yet you love me,” Gabe smirked. “Weird, isn't it?”
“Very,” Jacob answered sarcastically as he looked around the dressing room.
“Ow,” Gabe winced.
“What?”
“I hate trying to wash the dried blood off,” Gabe explained.
“What are you using?”
“A towel,” Gabe answered as he help up a dirty white towel.
“Oh my god,” Jacob gasped horrified. “Are you trying to ruin your skin?”
“It's just a towel.”
“It looks like it's never been washed,” Jacob remarked. “Don't you know how to use a washing machine?”
“Why are you bitching at me?” Gabe complained. “It's not like it's even my towel.”
“Who's is it?”
“Don't know,” Gabe shrugged. “It was here when I got here.”
“Drop it,” Jacob snapped through gritted teeth.
Gabe let the towel drop to the ground before looking at himself in the mirror. “Now how am I going to clean my face?”
“You are lucky your boyfriend happens to be ready for anything,” Jacob remarked as he grabbed his bag from the corner of the room. “Come sit down.”
“Why do you have a bag?”
“Because I'm going to need a change of clothes before our date tonight.”
“What's wrong with what you've got on now?” Gabe asked as he watched Jacob look through his bag.
“It's day wear,” Jacob answered.
“And?”
“And?” Jacob asked as he paused with his hands in the bag. “I can't wear day wear at night.”
“Why can't... you know what?” Gabe smiled. “I'm probably not going to win this one, so let's just drop it.”
“Just sit down so I can clean you up.”
Gabe moved to sit down on top of the desk while Jacob stood between his legs. “What's that?”
“This,” Jacob said holding up a cotton cloth, “is what I use to remove my make up. I'm sure it will work on dried blood too. I can't believe what you do to your pretty face.”
“I do not have a pretty face,” Gabe sulked as Jacob began wiping the blood from his nose.
“Not now you do,” Jacob sighed grabbing Gabe's chin with his hand. “Can I touch that?”
“What?”
“Your nose,” Jacob said frowning. “There's some blood around the nostrils.”
“Want me to blow it?”
“No,” Jacob said stepping back.
“You sure?” Gabe smirked. “It's pretty cool when the blood...”
“Stop,” Jacob snapped as he put his fingers in his ears. “Don't make me fall out of love with you.”
“You just don't get my sense of humor,” Gabe grumbled as Jacob moved back to clean his nose.
“Because you have the humor of an Ape,” Jacob remarked.
Gabe winced as Jacob dabbed the cloth against the bridge of his nose. “Ow, stop. It's too sore.”
“Really?” Jacob frowned.
“It's really sore.”
“You let a guy punch you in the face repeatedly,” Jacob remarked. “And me touching your nose is too much?”
“Well the punches to the face hurt too,” Gabe grumbled.
“I'll never understand you,” Jacob shrugged. “I couldn't even bare to watch you up there. I hid behind my hands most of the fight.”
“I noticed,” Gabe smirked. “I looked over at you a few times. Although that was a mistake.”
“Why?”
“I looked over for a second, but forgot to look away,” Gabe shrugged causing Jacob to laugh. “That's how I go the bloody nose.”
“Well, I'm never coming to another one of your fights,” Jacob remarked. “I'll happily sit back here and wait for you.”
Gabe stole a glance around the dirty dressing room. “Really?”
“There has to be a nice room I could sit in,” Jacob sighed.
“I don't think so,” Gabe said. “I think you're a little too good for this place.”
“Who's the snob now?”
“You are better than this place,” Gabe said seriously. “That's not being a snob. That's just fact.”
“Are you trying to be nice so I don't hurt you again?”
“Completely,” Gabe smirked.
“I'll be gentle,” Jacob said in a whisper as he dabbed Gabe's lip with the cloth. “Better?”
“A little,” Gabe answered. “But maybe you should kiss it better.”
Jacob rolled his eyes before leaning in to give Gabe a soft kiss. “Better?”
“So worth getting my face smashed in,” Gabe laughed.
….....................................
“Is he okay?” Adam frowned.
“He's never seen you live before,” Sophia shrugged as she looked down at Tristan's wide eyes.
“So why is he look at me like that?” Adam whispered.
“He's in shock.”
Adam nodded his head before getting down on one knee to look at his grandson. “Did you enjoy the show, baby boy?”
“You're loud,” Tristan remarked causing Adam to laugh.
“That's because I had a microphone,” Adam explained gently.
“Mommy says your loud without it too.”
“Yeah, but I need the mic so that I can out sing the crowd,” Adam explained.
“Why didn't you sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?” Tristan quizzed as he looked up at his Buddy.
“I don't think my fans would like that.”
“You sing it to me, and I like it,” Tristan explained.
“Maybe I'll sing it to you at bedtime then.” Adam stood up picking Tristan up with him. “So are you guys coming back to the hotel with me and Sebastian?”
“Well...” Sophia smiled. “I was thinking that...”
“I could take Tristan back with me, and you disappear?” Adam interrupted.
“Exactly,” Sophia smiled. “I've got this big paper due tomorrow, and I was hoping I could have it all finished without any interruptions.”
“I don't interrupt,” Tristan frowned.
“You want to come hang out in the rock star hotel room for the night?” Adam asked.
“Who's the rock star?” Tristan asked.
“Me,” Adam answered with a sigh.
“You're not a rock star,” Tristan laughed. “You're my Buddy.”
Adam nodded his head before turning to look at his daughter. “He's getting more and more like you everyday.”
…........................................
“There is a lot of pink,” Kris remarked. “Lots and lots of it.”
“It's great isn't it?” Elle smiled wide as she took a seat at the round table. “This is me and Papa's table. This is the one we sit at every time we're here.”
Kris nodded his head as he looked around the tea room. “So what do you do while you're here?”
“We have a tea party,” Elle shrugged.
“And how do you do that?”
“You just drink tea and talk.”
“But I don't like tea.”
“It's not real tea,” Elle sighed. “Papa always has water.”
“And what do you talk about?”
“Anything,” Elle shrugged. “Papa tells me about his work and I talk about school. He sometimes tells me stories about you guys when you were young.”
“And you like that?”
“Sure,” Elle smiled. “I love hearing how you guys got together. Papa's got lots of great stories.”
“Huh.”
“What?”
“I think you're the first of our kids that's actually interested in talking to us,” Kris mused. “Usually when we talked to Sophia about our past, she used to go running from the room.”
“I like hearing stories,” Elle shrugged. “It's good for my writing.”
“Writing?”
“My song writing,” Elle explained.
“You write songs?”
“I try to,” Elle sighed. “It's hard.”
“It can be,” Kris smiled. “How many songs have you wrote?”
“Two,” Elle mumbled as she looked down at her hands.
“That's good,” Kris smiled. “I didn't start writing songs until I was fourteen. I don't think I could have done it at nine. What's your songs about?”
“That boy in my class I told you about,” Elle grumbled.
“The one you have a crush on?”
“It better be a crush,” Elle answered. “I really don't want to marry him.”
Kris covered his mouth with his hand as he looked at his daughter. “I don't think you have to marry him, baby.”
“Papa said he knew he had to marry you,” Elle explained. “He said that he never wanted to get married, but knew his love for you was too strong.”
“He said that?”
“He said when you love someone, it's too strong to ignore.”
“You and your Papa really do have a lot of very important conversations, don't you?” Kris remarked.
“He doesn't tell me the big stuff,” Elle shrugged. “He still doesn't think I can keep a secret.”
“Can you keep a secret?”
“When I have to,” Elle smiled. “Why? Do you have a secret?”
Kris looked around the tea room before leaning in closer to his daughter. “I might have.”
“One that you would share?” Elle asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Maybe.”
Elle looked left the right before leaning in. “What is it?”
“I have a surprise for your Papa.”
“It's not another baby, is it?” Elle blurted out.
“No,” Kris frowned. “I still have the contract I signed when you were six.”
“The no more babies one?”
“Yes,” Kris smiled.
“So what's your surprise?”
Kris looked around again before leaning further in. “I wrote a TV show.”
“A TV show?”
“Well a script really,” Kris explained. “And they want to make it into a TV show.”
“Why is that a surprise for Papa?” Elle asked.
“Because it's about him,” Kris explained. “It's about all of us really. I wrote a sitcom about our family.”
“Are you sure that's a good idea?”
“Sure, why?”
“Because then people will know what goes on in our house,” Elle remarked causing Kris to laugh.
“The network thought it was a great idea,” Kris explained. “A half hour show about a gay couple and their four kids.”
“Has there ever been a gay family on TV before?”
“Not a gay couple as the leads,” Kris smiled. “This will be the very first one.”
“This is pretty big, isn't it?”
“Very.” Kris nodded his agreement. “So do you think you will be able to keep the secret?”
“When are you telling Papa?”
“When we go and visit him on tour.”
Elle counted on her fingers. “That's only eight more days.”
“Think you can do it?”
“I'll do my best,” Elle said seriously causing Kris to laugh.
…..........................................
“Billy's Grandpa is old,” Tristan remarked as Adam climbed into bed beside him.
“Aren't you lucky to have a young and handsome one then.”
“Yep,” Tristan smiled. “Grandpa Kris is really young.”
“Hey,” Adam frowned. “I'm sharing my bed with you.”
“What?”
“You called me old.”
“I called Billy's Grandpa old.”
“But you...”
“Give it up Papa,” Sebastian sighed from the other bed. “The real question is why am I sharing a room with you?”
“I thought it would be fun for all us to hang out together.”
“Yeah, but your dancers were talking about taking me out for the night.”
“My dancers are going to a club,” Adam pointed out. “You'll stay where you are.”
“I bet a cool Papa would let me go,” Sebastian mused.
“How stupid do you think I am?”
“Fine,” Sebastian grumbled. “But I'm picking what we watch on TV.”
“Cartoons.”
“No Tristan,” Sebastian sighed. “Football.”
“Yuck,” Tristan pouted. “Don't like football.”
“You don't?” Adam smiled causing Tristan to shake his head. “You mean your Grandpa Brad's genes are winning over your Mommy's?”
“I like wrestling,” Tristan smiled.
“Or not,” Sebastian smirked.
“Wrestling?” Adam asked carefully. “Like real wrestling.”
“No,” Tristan said shaking his head. “Alligator wrestling.”
“Oh, please explain,” Sebastian giggled.
“It's on the animal channel.”
“What is your Mommy doing with you,” Adam frowned.
“You should see it Buddy. The men jump right into the water sometimes,” Tristan explained with excitement in his voice.
“Uh huh.”
“So what happens when the men finish wrestling with the alligator?” Sebastian quizzed causing Adam to let out a groan.
“Buddy gets a new pair of boots,” Tristan explained.
“Huh?” Adam and Sebastian asked at the same time.
“My Mommy said that Buddy gets new boots every time one of the alligators gets beat.”
“Your Mommy thinks she's funny,” Adam remarked dryly. “And stop giggling Sebastian.”
End of Flash Forward 2030
“Do they have to scream?” Sebastian complained. “They do know that they would hear you better if they didn't scream, don't they?”
“They're just excited,” Adam shrugged as he peeked through the stage curtain.
“When does the ringing stop?”
“Ringing?” Adam asked looking down at his son.
“My ears are ringing,” Sebastian explained.
“Yeah, that doesn't go away,” Adam smiled. “Mines have been ringing twenty-one years.”
“How do you cope with all of this?” Sebastian sighed.
“I love it.”
“Well, your security sent me back here to say that some crazy person is trying to get backstage.”
“They know not to let anyone in that isn't supposed to be here,” Adam answered as he looked back at the small mirror at the side of the stage. “So should I kiss Tommy tonight or not?”
“They're saying that the crazy person is insisting she's family,” Sebastian said. “Apparently she's saying she's your daughter.”
“Jacob, go and let Sophia in.”
“You can't prove that's she's not crazy,” Sebastian grumbled as he turned to leave.
…............................................
“What does a boy wear to his boyfriends big fight?” Jacob mused as he looked at himself in the mirror.
“Something that won't stain when the blood gets splattered on you,” Elle suggested from her seat on Jacob's bed.
“Be careful,” Jacob warned. “You're very close to turning into Sophia.”
“You look very pretty today, Jacob,” Elle said smiling wide.
“Much better.”
“Can I come to watch Gabe fight?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because you can't.”
“Why not?”
“It's not a place for a little girl.”
“I'm nine.”
“Elle,” Jacob sighed. “You really don't want to go and watch two people beat each other up.”
“Hey, I've seen what Sophia does on dates,” Elle muttered causing Jacob to laugh.
“You're actually pretty funny.”
“You would know that if you spent any time with me,” Elle grumbled. “I don't think we've said this many words to each other in years.”
Jacob turned away from the mirror to look at his little sister. “We spend time together.”
“Family time,” Elle sighed. “You and I don't do anything together. Sebastian's always letting me tag along with him and his friends. You never let me go out with you and Gabe, and Gabe thinks I'm great. He told me so.”
“I think you're great too,” Jacob smiled. “I just don't think it's cool to be hanging out with your little sister.”
“And who says you're cool anyway?”
“You're only funny when you're making fun of Sophia,” Jacob warned.
“Can I please come and watch Gabe fight?”
“No,” Jacob sighed before turning back to look at himself in the mirror.
“It's because you don't like me,” Elle mumbled.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Elle mumbled as she looked down at the floor.
“You think I don't like you?” Jacob asked causing Elle to nod her head. “Well that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I love you. You're my sister.”
“Even though we don't share blood?”
“What?” Jacob asked confused as he stood a seat beside Elle.
“Well, Sebastian and Sophia share blood,” Elle explained. “They share a Mommy and Daddy, but we only share a Mommy. We have different Daddies.”
“We have the same Dads,” Jacob frowned. “Daddy and Papa are our Dads.”
“But that doesn't mean we share the same blood.”
“What is your fascination with blood all of a sudden?”
“Molly in my class said her little brother has a different Daddy, so that means they aren't real brother and sister because they don't have the same blood,” Elle explained.
“That doesn't mean anything,” Jacob pointed out. “Anyway, we share something more important than blood.”
“What's that?”
“A bathroom,” Jacob answered. “I don't just share my expensive shampoo and skin cream with just anyone. I have to love you for that to happen.”
“Is this what Uncle Brad means when he says you have the mind of a great gay man?” Elle frowned.
“Skin care is important, Elle,” Jacob said as he stood to look at himself in the mirror. “And I know you use my hand cream, and I don't mind that you do. I'm very proud of you for taking a great interest in your image.”
“I didn't use your hand cream on my hands,” Elle frowned.
“I hope you didn't use it on your face,” Jacob gasped. “That's what the blue tube is for. The white tube is for hands, and the black one is all body. Don't you remember the demonstration I gave you and Sebastian when we moved into this house?”
“I didn't put the hand cream anywhere on my body,” Elle shrugged.
“So where did you put it?”
“I squeezed it into Sebastian's shoes when he made fun of my dress that time.”
“You used...” Jacob paused to take a deep breath. “That is a very expensive cream, Elle. Papa had to ship it in from Italy.”
“It made a really great sound when Sebastian pushed his foot into his shoes,” Elle said smiling wide.
“Maybe you're right,” Jacob said turning back towards the mirror.
“About what?”
“Maybe I don't like you.”
…..............................
“Why the long face?” Kris quizzed as walked into the bedroom to find Elle laying on Adam's side of the bed.
“I miss Papa and Sebastian.”
“Yeah, me too,” Kris sighed.
“The house isn't fun when they aren't here.”
“They've only been gone two days,” Kris remarked as he lay down on the bed beside his daughter. “Your Papa's been on longer shopping trips.”
“I'm bored.”
“Why don't you go do something with Jacob,” Kris suggested.
“He won't let me,” Elle sighed. “He says it's not cool to hang out with your nine-year-old little sister.”
“Well why don't you and I do something together?”
“No thank you,” Elle said shaking her head. “I don't like football.”
“It doesn't have to be football,” Kris laughed. “I like other things too, you know.”
“I don't like basketball either.”
“Why don't we go on a date,” Kris suggested. “Like you and Papa do.”
“We can't do that,” Elle laughed. “You don't like anything me and Papa do.”
“I do so.”
“You hate dressing up. You hate glitter, and the last time we went shopping you took me to a camping store,” Elle listed off causing Kris to frown.
“They had a really pretty pink sleeping bag in that store.”
“You really hate everything me and Papa do, Daddy,” Elle remarked.
“I'm sure we can go on one date and enjoy ourselves,” Kris said. “I mean, Sebastian is away on tour with your Papa. They've found something to enjoy together.”
“I really don't think Sebastian chasing Papa down our drive, yelling two more miles is something Papa enjoys,” Elle scoffed. “Last week I found him hiding out in my tree house just so Sebastian wouldn't make him lift weights.”
“I'm sure you and I can find something,” Kris insisted. “What about that little tea room place your Papa takes you to?”
“I really don't think so,” Elle laughed. “They don't let plaid in.”
“I'll dress nice.”
Elle lifted her head from the pillow to look at her Daddy. “Can I do your hair?”
“What's left of it,” Kris sighed.
“I'll go get my hairbrush,” Elle said with excitement as she climbed over Kris. “And you have the perfect blue shirt you can wear. Papa says you look beautiful in it.”
“Great,” Kris sighed.
........................................
“So...” Jacob said stepping into Gabe's dressing room. “Who exactly won?”
“I did,” Gabe smiled as he looked at himself in the mirror.
“But your face looks like it's exploded,” Jacob frowned. “Are you sure the other guy didn't win, and you've just been hit so many times that you think you've won.”
“I won,” Gabe answered with a small laugh as he turned to look at his boyfriend. “I got the most hits in.”
“But there is more blood dripping out of your face,” Jacob remarked stepping forward.
“Because the other guy is a sloppy fighter,” Gabe said. “I know how to hit and not leave a mark.”
“Well isn't that a nice talent to have,” Jacob remarked in a sarcastic tone.
“Just give me five minutes and I'll be ready.”
“Aren't you going to clean that up?” Jacob frowned as he pointed to Gabe's face.
“It's only a few bruises,” Gabe shrugged looking at himself in the mirror.
“Your nose is sitting an inch to the left.”
“It's fine,” Gabe laughed. “This is what I look like after every fight.”
“Wonderful,” Jacob sighed as he looked around the dressing room. “They couldn't have put you in a nicer room?”
“This is the nicest.”
“There is blood on the walls,” Jacob remarked dryly.
“That's my blood from my last fight,” Gabe said smiling proudly. “I had a broken nose and when I sneezed the blood splattered all over the wall.”
“Oh my god,” Jacob gagged clutching his stomach. “You are the most disgusting person I have ever met.”
“And yet you love me,” Gabe smirked. “Weird, isn't it?”
“Very,” Jacob answered sarcastically as he looked around the dressing room.
“Ow,” Gabe winced.
“What?”
“I hate trying to wash the dried blood off,” Gabe explained.
“What are you using?”
“A towel,” Gabe answered as he help up a dirty white towel.
“Oh my god,” Jacob gasped horrified. “Are you trying to ruin your skin?”
“It's just a towel.”
“It looks like it's never been washed,” Jacob remarked. “Don't you know how to use a washing machine?”
“Why are you bitching at me?” Gabe complained. “It's not like it's even my towel.”
“Who's is it?”
“Don't know,” Gabe shrugged. “It was here when I got here.”
“Drop it,” Jacob snapped through gritted teeth.
Gabe let the towel drop to the ground before looking at himself in the mirror. “Now how am I going to clean my face?”
“You are lucky your boyfriend happens to be ready for anything,” Jacob remarked as he grabbed his bag from the corner of the room. “Come sit down.”
“Why do you have a bag?”
“Because I'm going to need a change of clothes before our date tonight.”
“What's wrong with what you've got on now?” Gabe asked as he watched Jacob look through his bag.
“It's day wear,” Jacob answered.
“And?”
“And?” Jacob asked as he paused with his hands in the bag. “I can't wear day wear at night.”
“Why can't... you know what?” Gabe smiled. “I'm probably not going to win this one, so let's just drop it.”
“Just sit down so I can clean you up.”
Gabe moved to sit down on top of the desk while Jacob stood between his legs. “What's that?”
“This,” Jacob said holding up a cotton cloth, “is what I use to remove my make up. I'm sure it will work on dried blood too. I can't believe what you do to your pretty face.”
“I do not have a pretty face,” Gabe sulked as Jacob began wiping the blood from his nose.
“Not now you do,” Jacob sighed grabbing Gabe's chin with his hand. “Can I touch that?”
“What?”
“Your nose,” Jacob said frowning. “There's some blood around the nostrils.”
“Want me to blow it?”
“No,” Jacob said stepping back.
“You sure?” Gabe smirked. “It's pretty cool when the blood...”
“Stop,” Jacob snapped as he put his fingers in his ears. “Don't make me fall out of love with you.”
“You just don't get my sense of humor,” Gabe grumbled as Jacob moved back to clean his nose.
“Because you have the humor of an Ape,” Jacob remarked.
Gabe winced as Jacob dabbed the cloth against the bridge of his nose. “Ow, stop. It's too sore.”
“Really?” Jacob frowned.
“It's really sore.”
“You let a guy punch you in the face repeatedly,” Jacob remarked. “And me touching your nose is too much?”
“Well the punches to the face hurt too,” Gabe grumbled.
“I'll never understand you,” Jacob shrugged. “I couldn't even bare to watch you up there. I hid behind my hands most of the fight.”
“I noticed,” Gabe smirked. “I looked over at you a few times. Although that was a mistake.”
“Why?”
“I looked over for a second, but forgot to look away,” Gabe shrugged causing Jacob to laugh. “That's how I go the bloody nose.”
“Well, I'm never coming to another one of your fights,” Jacob remarked. “I'll happily sit back here and wait for you.”
Gabe stole a glance around the dirty dressing room. “Really?”
“There has to be a nice room I could sit in,” Jacob sighed.
“I don't think so,” Gabe said. “I think you're a little too good for this place.”
“Who's the snob now?”
“You are better than this place,” Gabe said seriously. “That's not being a snob. That's just fact.”
“Are you trying to be nice so I don't hurt you again?”
“Completely,” Gabe smirked.
“I'll be gentle,” Jacob said in a whisper as he dabbed Gabe's lip with the cloth. “Better?”
“A little,” Gabe answered. “But maybe you should kiss it better.”
Jacob rolled his eyes before leaning in to give Gabe a soft kiss. “Better?”
“So worth getting my face smashed in,” Gabe laughed.
….....................................
“Is he okay?” Adam frowned.
“He's never seen you live before,” Sophia shrugged as she looked down at Tristan's wide eyes.
“So why is he look at me like that?” Adam whispered.
“He's in shock.”
Adam nodded his head before getting down on one knee to look at his grandson. “Did you enjoy the show, baby boy?”
“You're loud,” Tristan remarked causing Adam to laugh.
“That's because I had a microphone,” Adam explained gently.
“Mommy says your loud without it too.”
“Yeah, but I need the mic so that I can out sing the crowd,” Adam explained.
“Why didn't you sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?” Tristan quizzed as he looked up at his Buddy.
“I don't think my fans would like that.”
“You sing it to me, and I like it,” Tristan explained.
“Maybe I'll sing it to you at bedtime then.” Adam stood up picking Tristan up with him. “So are you guys coming back to the hotel with me and Sebastian?”
“Well...” Sophia smiled. “I was thinking that...”
“I could take Tristan back with me, and you disappear?” Adam interrupted.
“Exactly,” Sophia smiled. “I've got this big paper due tomorrow, and I was hoping I could have it all finished without any interruptions.”
“I don't interrupt,” Tristan frowned.
“You want to come hang out in the rock star hotel room for the night?” Adam asked.
“Who's the rock star?” Tristan asked.
“Me,” Adam answered with a sigh.
“You're not a rock star,” Tristan laughed. “You're my Buddy.”
Adam nodded his head before turning to look at his daughter. “He's getting more and more like you everyday.”
…........................................
“There is a lot of pink,” Kris remarked. “Lots and lots of it.”
“It's great isn't it?” Elle smiled wide as she took a seat at the round table. “This is me and Papa's table. This is the one we sit at every time we're here.”
Kris nodded his head as he looked around the tea room. “So what do you do while you're here?”
“We have a tea party,” Elle shrugged.
“And how do you do that?”
“You just drink tea and talk.”
“But I don't like tea.”
“It's not real tea,” Elle sighed. “Papa always has water.”
“And what do you talk about?”
“Anything,” Elle shrugged. “Papa tells me about his work and I talk about school. He sometimes tells me stories about you guys when you were young.”
“And you like that?”
“Sure,” Elle smiled. “I love hearing how you guys got together. Papa's got lots of great stories.”
“Huh.”
“What?”
“I think you're the first of our kids that's actually interested in talking to us,” Kris mused. “Usually when we talked to Sophia about our past, she used to go running from the room.”
“I like hearing stories,” Elle shrugged. “It's good for my writing.”
“Writing?”
“My song writing,” Elle explained.
“You write songs?”
“I try to,” Elle sighed. “It's hard.”
“It can be,” Kris smiled. “How many songs have you wrote?”
“Two,” Elle mumbled as she looked down at her hands.
“That's good,” Kris smiled. “I didn't start writing songs until I was fourteen. I don't think I could have done it at nine. What's your songs about?”
“That boy in my class I told you about,” Elle grumbled.
“The one you have a crush on?”
“It better be a crush,” Elle answered. “I really don't want to marry him.”
Kris covered his mouth with his hand as he looked at his daughter. “I don't think you have to marry him, baby.”
“Papa said he knew he had to marry you,” Elle explained. “He said that he never wanted to get married, but knew his love for you was too strong.”
“He said that?”
“He said when you love someone, it's too strong to ignore.”
“You and your Papa really do have a lot of very important conversations, don't you?” Kris remarked.
“He doesn't tell me the big stuff,” Elle shrugged. “He still doesn't think I can keep a secret.”
“Can you keep a secret?”
“When I have to,” Elle smiled. “Why? Do you have a secret?”
Kris looked around the tea room before leaning in closer to his daughter. “I might have.”
“One that you would share?” Elle asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Maybe.”
Elle looked left the right before leaning in. “What is it?”
“I have a surprise for your Papa.”
“It's not another baby, is it?” Elle blurted out.
“No,” Kris frowned. “I still have the contract I signed when you were six.”
“The no more babies one?”
“Yes,” Kris smiled.
“So what's your surprise?”
Kris looked around again before leaning further in. “I wrote a TV show.”
“A TV show?”
“Well a script really,” Kris explained. “And they want to make it into a TV show.”
“Why is that a surprise for Papa?” Elle asked.
“Because it's about him,” Kris explained. “It's about all of us really. I wrote a sitcom about our family.”
“Are you sure that's a good idea?”
“Sure, why?”
“Because then people will know what goes on in our house,” Elle remarked causing Kris to laugh.
“The network thought it was a great idea,” Kris explained. “A half hour show about a gay couple and their four kids.”
“Has there ever been a gay family on TV before?”
“Not a gay couple as the leads,” Kris smiled. “This will be the very first one.”
“This is pretty big, isn't it?”
“Very.” Kris nodded his agreement. “So do you think you will be able to keep the secret?”
“When are you telling Papa?”
“When we go and visit him on tour.”
Elle counted on her fingers. “That's only eight more days.”
“Think you can do it?”
“I'll do my best,” Elle said seriously causing Kris to laugh.
…..........................................
“Billy's Grandpa is old,” Tristan remarked as Adam climbed into bed beside him.
“Aren't you lucky to have a young and handsome one then.”
“Yep,” Tristan smiled. “Grandpa Kris is really young.”
“Hey,” Adam frowned. “I'm sharing my bed with you.”
“What?”
“You called me old.”
“I called Billy's Grandpa old.”
“But you...”
“Give it up Papa,” Sebastian sighed from the other bed. “The real question is why am I sharing a room with you?”
“I thought it would be fun for all us to hang out together.”
“Yeah, but your dancers were talking about taking me out for the night.”
“My dancers are going to a club,” Adam pointed out. “You'll stay where you are.”
“I bet a cool Papa would let me go,” Sebastian mused.
“How stupid do you think I am?”
“Fine,” Sebastian grumbled. “But I'm picking what we watch on TV.”
“Cartoons.”
“No Tristan,” Sebastian sighed. “Football.”
“Yuck,” Tristan pouted. “Don't like football.”
“You don't?” Adam smiled causing Tristan to shake his head. “You mean your Grandpa Brad's genes are winning over your Mommy's?”
“I like wrestling,” Tristan smiled.
“Or not,” Sebastian smirked.
“Wrestling?” Adam asked carefully. “Like real wrestling.”
“No,” Tristan said shaking his head. “Alligator wrestling.”
“Oh, please explain,” Sebastian giggled.
“It's on the animal channel.”
“What is your Mommy doing with you,” Adam frowned.
“You should see it Buddy. The men jump right into the water sometimes,” Tristan explained with excitement in his voice.
“Uh huh.”
“So what happens when the men finish wrestling with the alligator?” Sebastian quizzed causing Adam to let out a groan.
“Buddy gets a new pair of boots,” Tristan explained.
“Huh?” Adam and Sebastian asked at the same time.
“My Mommy said that Buddy gets new boots every time one of the alligators gets beat.”
“Your Mommy thinks she's funny,” Adam remarked dryly. “And stop giggling Sebastian.”
End of Flash Forward 2030