Chapter Text
Christmas 1991:
Booker looked at the twins sitting on the sofa in their pyjamas, thinking like crazy about what to do next. Yes, Booker liked children, but not enough to ever want children himself. And now he was in charge of two children. Something he hadn't counted on 22 minutes ago when Nicky called in panic and asked for help at 2.31 AM. Joe had woken an hour prior with strong stomach pain and was on his way to the hospital. Nicky couldn't follow because of their children, so that was why Nicky called Booker. Booker lived ten minutes from them and Booker said he would help. After explaining to the children why Nicky had to go and telling them that uncle Booker would look good after them, Nicky left and headed for the hospital. The only good thing about it all was that the children knew who he was.
"Is baba going to die?" Sofia wanted to know, bringing Booker back to the moment.
"What she said," Lucas said he was also looking down at his hands like Sofia was.
Booker decided to do something he normally would never do, he decided to tackle the problem in front of him as best as he could. He sat down on the coffee table and placed a hand over each child's hand.
"Your baba is tough as nails," Booker said. "He survived a meeting with a dragon."
Both children looked at Booker.
"A dragon?" Lucas asked. "Baba has met a dragon. Why hasn't he told that story instead of the stupid kissing stories?"
"They aren't stupid," Sophia said. "They're sweet."
Lucas let out a groan. He was still not a fan of the love stories.
"Tell about the dragon," Lucas begged. "Was it a big one?"
"Oh the biggest," Booker replied. He wasn't technically lying. There had been a dragon on the uniform. "Your baba met this dragon when he fought for your papa's love."
Lucas let out another groan.
"Great," Lucas said as he rolled his eyes. "Another kissing story. Where is the action?"
"Before it became a kissing story, it was an action story," Booker replied. "But if you don't want to hear the story then...."
"No, no, don't stop telling," Both Lucas and Sofia begged. "We want to hear it."
"Ok," Booker said. "This dragon wanted to steal your papa from your baba. So, your baba set out on this quest to vanquish the dragon. He travelled for four days and seven nights..."
"That doesn't make sense," Lucas said. "How can he travel for four days and seven nights?"
"It's a story, it doesn't have to make sense, Luci," Sofia said. Lucas tried not to groan out loud again. He hated being called Luci."Please continue with the story."
"So, when your baba reached the dragon's hideout, the dragon was trying to kiss your papa," Booker said. "When your baba saw it, he stormed through the front door and hit the dragon with...." The children thought it was because Booker was making a dramatic pause, but Booker didn't want to tell them that Joe punched Keane when he got too frisky with Nicky and how angry Nicky had been afterwards for the fight, so Booker was searching for another word. "The potion the fairy had made."
"What potion?" Sofia asked. "A love potion?"
"No," Lucas said. "You don't bring a love potion to a fight with a dragon."
"Let uncle Booker tell the story," Sofia said.
"It was you who started," Lucas said. "So the potion?"
"It was a potion that turned the dragon into stone," Booker said. "It was a potion the fairy got from Norway where the trolls live."
Lucas crossed his arms and leaned back.
"I don't believe that," Lucas said. "A potion that turns dragons into stone."
"Well if you don't believe me," Booker said. "How do you explain the dragon behind you?"
Lucas and Sofia turned around and saw the dragon, Joe had made out of clay when he was 17.
"Are you saying that we got a live dragon in our house?" Lucas asked as he jumped off the sofa and ran over to the shelf where the dragon was standing. "Sofia we got a live dragon in the house."
Sofia took Booker's hand.
"I don't want the dragon to kiss me," Sofia said. "Or steal me."
"Don't worry," Booker replied as he lifted Sofia up on his lap. "As long no one drops the dragon on the floor it won't hurt anyone."
"Luci please," Sofia said. "Don't touch it. We don't know where the potion is, so please don't touch it before baba is home again."
"Ok, I promise," Lucas replied. "But still. It's cool we got a live dragon."
"It's yes," Sofia said. "Uncle Booker? When baba threw the potion, how could he be sure he didn't hit papa?"
"Your papa was very clever," Booker replied. "He made sure to duck in time."
Sofia yawned.
"And now it's time to sleep," Booker said as he stood up. "And so goes for you, Lucas. I promise the dragon will be here tomorrow."
Booker also picked up Lucas and got both children to bed. Booker kept the promise not to go before the children were sleeping. When they did it, Booker decided to sleep on the sofa.