The Docks, Saturday

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

The weather was nice, and Jack was out drinking and fishing on his boat, same as usual. He noticed that today seemed to be "bring a toddler to school" day or something, so with a sigh and a shrug he pulled out a Sharpie and updated the sign on the dock.

Captain Jack's Wild Ride
Rocks you like a hurricane
Wholesome fun boat tours of the island. Kids ride free!

Comments

[touchofmelody.livejournal.com]

There had been lunch and ice cream and now Melody and her parents were heading to the docks to visit Jack.

Of course, the moment she spotted the boat, Melody took off like a shot. Jon and Claire hung back and let her 'surprise' Jack on her own.

"GRAMPA JACK! HI HI HI! I WANNA GO FOR A BOAT RIDE!"

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

Jack... put his beer down and looked her over. "Captain Jack, kid. Do I really look old enough to be a grandpa?"

Yes, Jack. Yes, you really did.

[touchofmelody.livejournal.com]

As soon as he put the beer down (she had been well trained) she flung himself into his arms for a hug.

"You're my Grampa!" she insisted. "One of 'em. Grampa Nate's the other one!"

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

"I'm your Grampa, am I?" Jack asked, squeezing her tight.

He probably was, too. Damn alternate universes and time travel and things like that. She was hella cute, though.

"So, if I'm your Grampa, then who's your daddy?"

...Jack winced. That sounded bad.

[touchofmelody.livejournal.com]

"There's Daddy!" Melody said, pointing at where Claire and Jon were walking close enough to the dock to be seen. "And Mommy, 'course."

[asgardcreated.livejournal.com]

Jon just grinned and waved to Jack. He was so loving this right now.

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

Jack looked over and snorted. "Well, of COURSE they are. They're two of my favoritest people." He waved back to Jon.

"Now, I've got a trick question for you. If you get this one right, I'll give you some pudding!" He ruffled her hair. "What's YOUR name?"

[touchofmelody.livejournal.com]

Melody giggled. "Grampa! It's not a trick question. My name's Melody and I'm from an alt'nate 'verse. Uncle Daniel touched something again."

No, he really hadn't and Claire and Jon had tried explaining that to her over lunch but she was sticking to her story.

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

"Melody?" Jack asked. He looked over at Jon and Claire with a confused face and mouthed "MELODY???" at them.

"Well, of course you are, and I knew that. Now, ONE last question for you... What's your dog's name?"

If she didn't actually have a dog yet, Jack was going to make sure she'd be OBNOXIOUS about it once she got home.

[touchofmelody.livejournal.com]

Claire shrugged. She had no idea where the name came from.

"I don't have a dog," Melody said, her lower lip jutting out.

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

Jack's lower lip jutted out, too. "You don't have a DOG?!?" he asked.

He waved at Claire and Jon to come closer and pointed down at the kid. "She doesn't have a dog! I'm pretty sure there's a law against that."

[asgardcreated.livejournal.com]

Jon just stared down at her, confused as to why the hell she didn't have a dog. He had to agree with Jack about the law.

"Maybe it's because we're apparently always on the go? She said something about going to New York all the time."

He thought it was kind of weird that he was attempting to defend his future self.

[touchofmelody.livejournal.com]

Melody nodded. "We got a house in Colorado and an apartment in New York. And sometimes we go other places to save the world."

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

Jack crossed his arms at her. "Well, now, THAT I don't believe. You're too young to save the world. What are you, like, three?"

[touchofmelody.livejournal.com]

"I'm FIVE," she replied indignantly. "And it's mostly Mommy and Uncle Peter and Grampa Nate who save the world. But me and Daddy go too. And sometimes Uncle Sam and Uncle Dean are there."

[asgardcreated.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, but I bet I help save the universe." Yes, he was feeling a bit left out of the whole 'save everyone' gig now.

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

"You've already saved the world," Jack told him with a grin. "Several times. Remember? You missed out on the 'whole galaxy' parts, but I can tell you about it if you want." He gave Claire an appraising look. "What I want to know is, who are all those other people? And when did MOMMY start saving the world?"

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Nathan is my biological father," Claire explained. "Peter is his brother. I guess we use our abilities somehow?"

Melody nodded. "Yup! With lotsa other peoples too."

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

Jack sighed and facepalmed. "Right. I forgot you were some kind of superhero. Stupid island. Well, if you ever need any alien tech, you know where to get it."

[weeheroes.livejournal.com]

Raine was disgruntled as all hell, which was why Elle was hoping that finding Claire would cheer the girl up. Otherwise she didn't know what the hell to do.

"Don't run!" Elle called as they walked along the dock. "You'll get electrocuted if you fall in!"

Raine slowed but was still clearly antsy, looking around for Claire.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

Claire was on the deck, still trying to wrap her head around the having a daughter with Jon thing, when she spotted Elle and a girl walking on the dock.

She excused herself and stepped off the boat to the dock. "Hey, Elle," she said with a wave. "Who's your new friend?"

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

"Raine Bennet-Bishop," Elle said, already tired out by this entire thing.

Well, at least now Claire had something to distract her from the having a daughter with Jon thing.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

Bennet-Bishop?

That took a moment to sink in.

"Oh. Uh... hi, Raine," Claire said awkwardly.

[weeheroes.livejournal.com]

"Hi, Mommy!" Cheerful now, instead of grumpy. Clearly she'd inherited Elle's psychotic mood flips.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

This one was definitely a little more difficult to process.

"Uh... do you have any powers like me and your mom?"

[weeheroes.livejournal.com]

"Uh-huh." Raine lifted one hand cautiously and let electricity play along it for a moment.

She might have Elle's temper, but she had Claire's sensibility.

"And I kind of heal a little, but it's not much better than normal."

"No, I don't know how she manages to be the kid of both of us at the same time," Elle said, still looking a little shell-shocked.

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Wow, that's pretty impressive," Claire said with a sideways glance at Elle. "You must be pretty confused to be here, huh?"

[weeheroes.livejournal.com]

"A little, yeah," Raine admitted. "But I've got you guys, so it's okay."

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, definitely, we'll take care of you until we can get you back to your real moms," Claire promised, giving her what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

"Good, 'cause Mama Elle wouldn't be happy if I never got home."

More like her Mama Elle would kill anybody who stood in her way until she found her daughter, but pfft. Details.

Elle couldn't help grinning a little at that. "Apparently I have some fierce mothering skills," she said to Claire. "Who knew?"

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

Claire grinned. "I'm actually not that surprised."

She turned to Raine. "You have a sort of half sister here this weekend," she said. "Her name is Melody. Would you like to meet her?"

[weeheroes.livejournal.com]

"Ooh!" Raine's eyes lit up. "Yes, please!"

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Okay, come with me (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomtownies/5018173.html?thread=200321853#t200321853)," Claire said, including Elle in her invitation.

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

"Don't worry, kid, nobody's getting electrocuted," Jack shouted back. "The water's perfectly safe, unless you're allergic to fish."

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

"She manipulates electricity!" Elle shouted back. Way to advertise, Elle. "If she's like me, she'll start shocking herself if she gets too wet."

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

Jack blinked at her. Oh, Fandom.

"If the electricity is coming FROM you, how can you be shocked by it?"

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

"It's a protection thing, I think," Elle said. "First instinct is to protect yourself... unfortunately, massive water plays havoc on control."

Look, her fandom's just special that way, okay?

[nofishinmypond.livejournal.com]

"So, you don't know either," Jack translated. "Eh. That's fair."

He waved at the little girl. "Hey, kid! Stay away from the water! You'll get electrocuted!"

[weeheroes.livejournal.com]

"Okay, sir!" Raine yelled back, giving a thumbs up to signify that she'd heard him.

[asgardcreated.livejournal.com]

Jon was watching all of the previous threads Claire talking with Elle and the girl, while trying to keep Melody from falling in with the fish. The ones she was trying to catch.

"Mels, just use a pole. These are for eating, not for keeping."

[touchofmelody.livejournal.com]

"But this is funner!" Melody protested with a giggle.

Her attention shifted away from catching fishies when she saw her mom and a girl (http://community.livejournal.com/fandomtownies/5018173.html?thread=200276029#t200276029) she didn't know walking over. Cause she saw someone she did know.

"Hi Aunt Elle!" she squealed, jumping up and running over to greet them.

[tasenburn.livejournal.com]

"Hi, sweetie," Elle said, glancing at Claire for a second. "Oh, you are adorable!"

[wantstocheer.livejournal.com]

"Elle, this is Melody O'Neill," Claire said. "Mel, you know how you said you knew about alternate universes? Well, in some other world, me and Aunt Elle have a little girl. Her name is Raine."

She really really hoped the girls would get along.

[asgardcreated.livejournal.com]

Jon was just going to stop right here on the deck and blink a few times before grinning.

[weeheroes.livejournal.com]

"Hi," Raine said to Melody, waving cautiously. She didn't always do good with new people, but it was different if it was her sister, right?

[touchofmelody.livejournal.com]

"HI!" Melody said. "I never had a sister 'fore but I always wanted one!"

She was pretty excited.

[weeheroes.livejournal.com]

"Me, too!" Raine was bouncy now. "I don't have any siblings. Well, not in my 'verse, I mean. I have you here, and I have an annoying little brother, but his other Mommy has him right now."

[touchofmelody.livejournal.com]

"Wanna catch fishies with me?" Melody asked.