Simple Joys | Hale [7.5] OPEN

First Day of School

gif from the-passionate on Tumblr

Derek looks back at his daughter in the mirror. Stella sits in her car seat, her black hair tied into a braid. Her blue eyes are trained on the outside. They are filled with excitement and urgency.

Next to her, Teddy sits with his backpack in his lap. He meets his father's gaze in the mirror and smirks. He has the same smirk as his mother.

Lexi sits in front and hums to the tune on the radio. Her hand is clasped in his free one tightly. Though she would never show the kids, she is nervous.

Derek pulls up to the curb and puts the car in park. Stella excitedly unbuckles herself and stumbles out of the car, Teddy not far behind her. "Wait!" Lexi calls, rushing after them.

Derek rolls his eyes and gets out. Lexi had caught both children before they were swept into a sea of students. "I need pictures!" She exclaims. "You are not getting away without pictures."

"Mom!" Teddy groans, readjusting his backpack. "I wanna see Caden!"

"You can go after I take a picture," Lexi states.

"Humor her," Derek adds, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "It's not every day your sister starts kindergarten."

Stella smiles, showing off the gap for her missing tooth. "Mama, I wanna go meet new friends!"

Lexi's expression turns panicked. "Remember what I told you. Be careful with new people, don't attract attention to yourselves and—"

"And tell you who we meet," the kids recite, boredom in their expressions.

Lexi sighs, her shoulders slumping. "I just worry."

Derek squeezes her shoulders and presses a kiss to her temple. "Stand next to each other and smile," he orders, taking out his phone.

"Dad!" Teddy yells.

"Don't 'Dad' me." Derek feels Lexi chuckle under his arm. "Look like you're going to have fun, or else your mother will worry all day."

Teddy rolls his eyes as Stella smiles. She wraps her arms around Teddy, carefully avoiding his bag. Reluctantly, the seven-year-old reciprocates, his arm around her shoulder. Her head comes up to his chest, so he leans down to make their heads are level.

Lexi releases a squeal as she pulls out her own phone. Derek takes a photo and puts his camera away. Lexi cannot stop taking photos.

After well over fifty, Stella breaks his pose. "Mama!"

Derek takes the phone away, saying, "Enough, Lex."

Lexi glares at him. "Fine." She then pushes away from Derek to kneel down in front of her kids. "Stay safe, don't get angry. If something happens, tell your teacher to call me or Daddy, understand?" The two children nod.

Lexi wraps her arms around both of them, inhaling deeply. Stella and Teddy both hug back. Teddy escapes after a moment while Stella leans in, snuggling her face in Lexi's neck. "I'll see you later, Mama," she whispers before running off.

Lexi is left with only Derek. He helps her up, but her eyes still search for her kids. "They'll be fine," he says.

"Shut up, I'm looking for my flesh and blood."

Derek laughs, starting to pull her away. She whines but eventually concedes. Only after she sees Teddy with his friends and Stella with a teacher. As long as they are safe, Lexi won't go on a rampage.

"I wasn't too bad, right?"

Derek just laughs.

Short, but cute. 

Both my own creation and part one of AveryAnderson6's request.

Enjoy!

-L