Fracking Apocalypse - a ZNation 10K/Tommy Fanfiction

Oneshots pt 3 of 4

One shot #5

Bailey was sitting on the bed folding their laundry while 10K sat on the couch with TJ, he was reading him a book while TJ fiddled with a stuffed toy raccon in his hands. He was just over a year old now and they'd been trying to encourage him to start talking by reading to him. Bailey loved watching 10K hold their son while he read him to sleep at night but lately he'd been reading more and more as their collection of children's books grew.

"Early in February, Hermit Crab found just the house he was looking for. It was a big shell, and strong. He moved right in, wiggling and waggling about inside it to see how it felt. It felt just right. 'But it looks so – well, so plain.' Thought Hermit Crab." Tommy read while TJ leaned back against his chest.

Bailey smiled as TJ reached out and tried flipping the pages himself and pointed at the pictures. She looked down at the shirt in her hands and knew she'd have to get bigger clothes for him after work the next day. Excluding the winter Altura always had tents up in the courtyard where people could swap things, sometimes when a person had more food then they needed and didn't want it to go to waste they'd take it to the courtyard and trade it for ammo or clothing. One tent had been designated for just kids clothes, since kids were always growing so much it made sense for people to donate the clothes their kids no longer fit into and pick up bigger clothes someone else had donated or that had been acquired through supply runs. Bailey had already given a lot of TJ's clothes so a few of the other new mothers could use them for their babies. But TJ had gone through another growth spurt and the clothes they had were just barely fitting him now.

"In July, Hermit Crab came upon several sea urchins. They had sharp, prickly needles. 'How fierce you look!' said Hermit Crab. 'Would one of you be willing to protect my house?' 'I would.' Answered a spiky sea urchin. Gratefully, Hermit Crab picked it up with his claw and placed it near his shell." Tommy continued reading.

"Ahhh." TJ cooed pointing to the picture with one hand and holding his racoon in the other. Tommy smiled at him while he paused his reading and TJ kept making little noises.

"Aba. . . mmmma. . . ab baba. . ." Bailey chuckled as TJ went on and she looked back down at the clothes on the bed getting back to the laundry. "Apa. . . papa."

They both froze and looked at TJ who was oblivious as he looked from the book to Tommy wondering why he hadn't flipped the page yet.

"What did you say?" Tommy asked in shock as he looked down at TJ in his lap. He didn't answer, obviously, but TJ just turned back to the book and started hitting the page wanting to be read more of the story.

"Ab, ba, ahhh. . . Papa." He said looking to 10K again. "Papa."

Bailey brought her hand to cover her mouth and 10K looked like he was torn between shouting with joy and crying. Then the biggest smile she'd ever seen appeared on his face as he left the book in his lap and pulled TJ closer to him and kissed his head. TJ, not understanding what was so important, whined and reached out for the book again wanting more.

"Okay, okay, I'll keep reading." 10K finally gave in and let go of TJ and picked up the book again and kept reading, though he still had that wide smile on his face that made Bailey's heart feel warm and fuzzy.

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A few days later Bailey wasn't feeling well. She'd woken up with a sore throat and it was so painful it hurt to swallow. TJ was still asleep and Tommy was just getting out of the shower when he walked in and saw her sitting on the edge of their bed drinking a glass of water and cringing whenever she swallowed.

"You alright?" he asked opening the dresser drawer and grabbing some clothes.

She shook her head, "I think I'm catching a cold. I might go to the infirmary for a couple days."