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The mess Trump left in his wake was much worse than Stephen had thought. Stephen felt like he was aging to 65 and just chewed on a pen as he handled the disasterous repercussions of his predecessor. From going down to interview women, men and children at the border while asking to pat them down and having drug sniffing dogs on the men just in case to granting Asylum to women and children needing a better life. From going to Puerto Rico to help get more power for them and even helping with the clean-up to calling for police to start storming KKK compounds. Each time, he'd unload onto Jon and Jon'd hold him closely. And when Jon couldn't make it, there were either Maggie and Nathan who understood the stresses of President from what their father taught them for years or his own children, who'd tell him it'd be okay.
But the Kurds, the messiest mess that Trump left, it was probably a worse warzone than Fallujah. And Kate was there to verify as they saw the scattered dead bodies around Turkey in the Kurdish territory.
"It's gonna be a lot of work to get ISIS back in that prison." Kate said. Suddenly, she spotted a survivor of the purge and headed down to save them. She luckily knew a friend who taught her Kurdish.
"Erê baş e, em li vir in ku hûn bînin Amerîkayê. Ma tu yî / a yî li vir an yê din hene? (It's okay, we're here to bring you to the US. Are you the only one here or are there others?)" Kate asked. The man started crying in Kate's chestplate and nodded, then saw Stephen and ran to thank him profusely, knowing little English from when a US soldier had taught him English in his village during the war against ISIS. "Come, I take you." He said as Kate and Stephen followed. When they got to a cavelike bunker, he walked in first and then they followed, making the adults shake with fear until the man reassured them.
"JI BO I XWE DIKE! YEHIYAN XEBIN! YEHIYAN XEBIN! Ew dixwazin me ji vê êşkenceyê rizgar bikin. (IT'S OKAY IT'S OKAY! THEY'RE SAFE THEY'RE SAFE! They're here to rescue us from this torture.)" The man had said and Kate called in more men to bring rescue helicopters as there were at least hundreds of survivors in the makeshift dwelling. When the choppers came, the women calmed their children with words of reassurance that their children were safe and these men were going to help rescue them. They were all reassured as two of the men from each rescue chopper came to save family after family after family. Children who didn't have families were to go with Kate and Stephen along with the man they first encountered. One girl's story was very hard for Stephen to stomach considering he was responsible vicariously through the walking zit that came before him. Kate translated the whole time.
"Karbidestên Tirk li ser riya binkê ya ku em neçar bûn, dayik û bavê min kuştin. Ez wêran bûm û min nizanibû ezê bikaribim bimeşim heya ku jinek ku cîrana me ye min ji cihê ku ez lê sekinî min hilkişand û min berda ber derê xeta. (The Turkish officers killed my mother and father on the way to the bunker we were forced into. I was devastated and didn't know if I could walk until a woman who neighbored us lifted me up from where I was standing and ran me to the front of the line.)" The young girl said and Stephen was not gladder about Trump facing his charges and going to jail than he was at this point because he'd drop him in the hellfire he just entered and just now left if the perpetual clown were walking free. He instead put all his infuriated sadness into hugging the child Trump subsequently orphaned. "I'm really sorry, I'm so so sorry." Stephen said as he started to cry and Kate translated to the young girl, Asna, that he was sorry.
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When Stephen got back to Washington, both Jon and John were waiting. Stephen whispered to Jon who led him into a private room in the White House.
"I feel so guilty. Did you get the pic of the young girl I was talking to on the way back? Asna? Her parents were killed by Turkish officers on the way to a hideout they were forced into. She's so brave to have survived it but she shouldn't even have done so to begin with." Stephen said as he sighed. Jon comforted him. "She deserves to stay with us for as long as we can have her. It's the least we can do after what we did to her."
"Baby, you shouldn't beat yourself up about this." Jon said as he held Stephen. "Leave it to me to beat myself up in this. Even if you're the President, I should've left The Daily Show later." Jon said as he kissed Stephen. "And of course we can have her as long as we can. I'm still spry enough to catch up with children." Jon cooed with another peck on the lips. Stephen smiled and leaned into his husband's hold and sighed softly, whispering a "Thank you". Just then, the young girl came in with a translator to see the tender moment. Stephen then stepped back from Jon to tend to the guest.
"I'm sorry, Mr. President. She was getting antsy as to where you were at and after I was assigned to her, she immediately ran into the White House to find you, following the sound of your voice as she told me to do." Stephen reassured the translator as she told him this and he knelt down to tend to her.
"It's okay, I was coming back. I just wanted to talk to my husband for a few minutes." Stephen said and the translator translated back.
"Rast e, ew vegeriya bû. Ew tenê çend hûrdeman bi hevserê xwe re diaxivî." The Translator said to Asna. The young girl then got confused because she knew her whole life that only mommies had husbands. Stephen then told the translator to tell her that in America, daddies can have husbands too. She then nodded and understood. Jon stood speechless as he watched young Asna talking to Stephen like this. Before he could stop himself, he walked over and introduced himself.
"Hi, I'm Jon." Jon said as he reached to shake her hand. The translator then translated what he said and made sure to tell her he's the Vice President and first Gentleman of America and she smiled, introducing herself.
"Navê min Asna ye. (My name is Asna.)" Asna said as she shook Jon's hand. Jon smiled and he asked for her age.
"Ez Heft salî me, tu çend salî yî? (I am seven years old. How old are you?)" Asna asked as the translator translated back and Jon giggled before answering.
"I am 58." Jon said as the translator translated to that to Asna. She smiled and commented to that.
"Hûn temenê xwe digerin ciwan. (You look young for your age.)" Asna remarked as the translator translated. Jon smiled and thanked her. Stephen watched as his husband got on with this sweet little girl. After a while, Jon and Stephen told the translator to tell her she'd be staying with them for as long as they could have her until a home could be found for her. She understood and they showed her to a room full of toys and a desk for future homework. Stephen watched as she looked around the room and curled up to some stuffed lambs and a stuffed yak that was recently put in there and she began to talk to them in Kurdish. Later that night, Jon and Stephen were in bed and talking about their day. Stephen talked some more about the trip to Turkey while Jon talked to the Senate to discuss the ERA and putting it in the Constitution.
"It looks like the ERA might finally get passed in the next couple days." Jon said.
"Stephen smiled and kissed Jon. "I look forward to signing the bill." Stephen said. Jon frowned though at him as he watched his husband trapped in his head.
"What's going on in there?" Jon asked. Stephen smiled a little and turned to face Jon.
"Just thinking about Asna." Stephen said. "She's so bright for someone who's suffered so much." Jon understood.
"If you want, I've been thinking about this since earlier today. We should adopt her." Jon said. Stephen looked at him.
"Do you really want to?" Stephen asked.
"Why not? We have the financial means to take care of her, We're still spry for our ages and she'll have Nate and Maggie to play with occasionally when we can't be with her because we'll be busy with work. And we can give her a tour of the house tomorrow so she doesn't get lost as she learns where everything is there." Jon said and Stephen nodded understandingly.
"I think we should adopt her too, but she deserves to be adopted for the right reasons." Stephen lamented.
"Okay, then we should start by fostering her." Stephen smiled that signature smile and hugged him.
"Are you sure you want to do so?" Stephen asked. Jon reassured him.
"I'm a hundred percent sure. I want you to be happy and I want her to be happy." Suddenly, Jon had been cut off as Asna was screaming and Jon and Stephen ran into her room to see she was having a nightmare, screaming for her parents. Stephen ran to sit next to her while Jon went to get some water and her translator who also heard the screaming and ran in to see what was happening. Stephen soothed her and told her it was okay and that she was safe, Jon coming back with the water as the translator translated what Stephen had said. She calmed down and wrapped her arms around his ribs. She began to lightly cry and he continued to soothe her, humming to her as she continued to lightly cry. Jon soon walked over and gave her the water, which she then took.
"Spas dikim (Thank you)." She said politely as she took a sip of the water, then asked Stephen to move so she could use the restroom, which he let her do.
"We can do this." Stephen said.
"We can do this." Jon agreed.
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Over the week, they filed to foster Asna and when she was told this, she hugged them. As the days progressed, she began learning English with Stephen's patience and help and also, with John's influence as well. When Stephen couldn't work with her because he had paperwork, Jon would take over, leaving the pro-tempore to take over until Stephen was done and he could relieve the pro-tempore. Asna was speaking proper English in weeks with a little more help from Muzzy DVDs that Hudson had found at a local secondhand bookstore back in NYC. As the two children bonded when he came to get the DVDs back, John and Stephen were talking.
"You know Kate and I are thinking of having another? It's really nice that you're thinking the same thing. Have you bonded some more since she started learning English?" John asked.
"I've told her about Dad and the boys. She empathized with me even though she probably doesn't need to know about more death." Stephen said.
"It still helps her to know she's not alone in the traumatic childhood department." Stephen nodded and John patted him on the back. Suddenly, Asna ran over.
"Papa, Hudson wants to see my room. Can I show him?" Asna asked. Stephen was surprised as it was the first time she had ever called him that.
"Yes, Asna. Of course you can." Stephen said as she hugged him and ran with Hudson to show him her room. Stephen watched as she ran over and he started to cry.
"That's almost how I reacted the first time Hudson and Emmett called me Daddy. This is even more visceral for you and you've been a father longer than I have." John remarked and Stephen gave a soft laugh. Later that night, Stephen told Jon.
"That's amazing, sweetie." Jon said. "It means she's warming up to you." Stephen agreed.
"Has she called you that?" Stephen asked and Jon sighed.
"Everytime she looks at me, she gives a little bit of a frown. I don't know what it's about." Jon explained. "Like she's trying to come up with something to call me besides Jon."
"I'm sure she'll explain why in the morning." Stephen said as he pulled Jon into a hug and kissed him deeply, resulting in their first lovemaking session since three days before Stephen went out to Turkey. The next morning, Asna was eating breakfast when Stephen and Jon came in.
"Morning, Asna." Stephen said to her.
"Good morning, Papa." Asna said to Stephen as she finished her breakfast. She looked at Jon and continued to give him that frown of contemplation and Stephen saw it.
"Asna, dear. Are you still confused about daddies having husbands in America?" Stephen asked.
"A little bit." Asna nodded.
"You know you can always switch it around so you can call me Daddy and Jon Papa if you have trouble calling Jon a fatherly name." Stephen told her.
"You wouldn't mind?" Asna asked. Stephen shook his head no.
"Of course I wouldn't. I want you to feel comfortable with calling Jon or myself whatever you want. Whether it's our first names or Daddy and Papa." Stephen reassured and Asna smiled as she hugged him, and then she hugged Jon, calling him Papa and causing Jon to have the same visceral reaction that Stephen had. That's when they knew they were ready to take this to the next level with their foster daughter.
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They filed for adoption of Asna in secret and Maggie and Nathan came over with new toys and old handmedowns that didn't fit them anymore.
"This is an exact replica of one of my favorite dolls from when I was little. She's special to me so I thought you'd like something equally special for your bedroom." Maggie said.
"These are some boy things. I mean I know you're a girl but I thought you'd like it too because girls can play with it too. I can teach you Soccer some time. I usually play with Stephen's youngest son, John quite often." Nathan said.
"He secretly has a crush on him." Maggie whispered and Asna lightly giggled, Nathan blushing. Suddenly, Maddie and Peter arrived to finally meet Asna.
"Sorry we're late, traffic is hard and also, school and work life are HECTIC, but I digress." Maddie said. "You must be Asna, I'm Maddie and these are my brothers John and Peter. Peter's the second oldest after me and John's the youngest. Asna smiled and shook their hands. She smiled brightest at John, who seemed to be blushing at Nathan who was blushing back. Maddie giggled a little bit and so did Maggie, Asna doing the same. Meanwhile, Stephen and Jon were in with a social worker.
"So you've had kids with your previous wives and they both say you're premium fathers. The marriages didn't last because?" The case worker asked.
"They just didn't want to be married to us anymore. Though Stephen's ex-wife later told us that she dumped Stephen because it was clear he had some sort of attraction to me." Jon said. "And I guess she must've told Tracey because once Tracey saw the connection between me and him, she asked me for a divorce the same way I asked her to marry me." Stephen reached out to comfort Jon.
"And how old were your children when you divorced?" The case worker asked.
"John was 16, he's 18 almost 19 now. Nathan was 14 and Maggie 12, they're 16 and 14 now." Jon and Stephen said. "My oldest two, Madeleine and Peter, are in their 20's and weren't living at home at the time that Evie asked me for the divorce." Stephen explained. The case worker scribbled down in her notepad with a smile.
"Well I think I have everything I need, I'm sure the two of you are going to be great parents to young Asna." The case worker said as she walked off and wished them luck before leaving. Meanwhile, Jon had a work emergency and Stephen had to do some work before cooking dinner. Once he finished work, he began to cook his signature family meal.
"Have you had chicken pot pie before?" Stephen asked.
"What's chicken pot pie?" Asna asked. Stephen acted in fake terror and returned to his genuine smile. "Well it's a delicious meal where you bake chicken soup into a pie crust. Just follow me and I'll show you how to make it." Stephen said as she giggled and he gave her a piggyback ride to the kitchen. There, she tied her long black hair back behind her head and washed her hands to help Stephen mix up the homemade pie crust dough while he made the chicken soup portion. By the time it was cooking, Jon had come home from a long three hours of Senate meetings. He yawned and stretched and smelled the sweet smell of baking pie crust. He went into the kitchen and went to see his husband and foster daughter talking about Nathan and John.
"Jon and I kinda saw it but I thought it'd be awkward after Jon and I got married." Stephen said.
"Hey." Jon said.
"PAPA! You're home. How was the meeting? Daddy and I were just talking about Nathan and John." Asna said as she ran to hug Jon.
"Oh is it obvious that they're attracted to each other?" Jon asked. "You'd think it weird after our wedding."
"That's what I was telling her." Stephen said as he walked up to kiss Jon's lips.
"Has the agency called yet?" Jon asked.
"Not yet, though I hope to hear from them soon." Stephen said as he handed Jon a glass of Cheerwine cherry soda. "I figured it'd be more age appropriate since we've got a child in the home with us." Stephen said as he kissed Jon's nose and Jon swooned.
"Good idea, honey." Jon said as he kissed Asna's hair and sat down at the table with them. Just then, a call was coming in.
"Sir, there's a person from the Adoption agency calling. you said to get you if they called." Stephen's special secretary said.
"Oh yes. Excuse me, guys." Stephen said as he took the call. "President Colbert." Stephen answered.
"Hi, Mr. President. This is Ms. Waylor with the DC Adoption Agency. I've just gotten your assessment and want to let you know you and your First Gentleman have been granted permission to adopt your foster daughter, Asna. She's happy, well-fed and happy. You have been caring for her well and she thrives in your parentage despite her tragic backstory." Ms. Waylor said.
"Thank you, I can't wait to tell Jon and Asna." Stephen said over the moon as he thanked her again and disconnected. He then had a pokerface put on and walked back to the table.
"What did they say?" Jon asked. Stephen gave him that eyebrow that made Jon's mouth drool and waited until they were in a private area to find out. When they were eventually back in their room, Stephen told him and Jon jumped him. The next morning, Jon and Stephen told Asna and she hugged them while crying happy tears. Three weeks later, the adoption was finalized and Asna was finally a member of the Colbert-Stewart family.
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The party was amazing. Small but fun nonetheless. Maddie bought Asna a necklace with her name on it, Maggie bought her a stuffed lamb as a welcome to the family, Nathan and John gave her a charm bracelet with holidays surrounding the now three religions Asna was part of, considering she was adopted by a Catholic and a non-practicing Jewish-born man, and Peter bought her a photobook of all the happy memories there were to come as a Colbert-Stewart. Everyone was happy.
The End