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Scott had just returned to the island a few hours ago. He and Aiden had a doctor’s appointment earlier that day, and as usual, Scott worried maybe a little too much.
Despite being three, Aiden still slept in Scott’s room. They’d tried once to move him into his own room. His room was set up, filled with all his toys and stuff, but he’d escaped and had gotten hurt. After that, Scott decided it wasn’t worth the risk. He’d stay with him until he was ready.
Aiden could talk, he just didn’t.
And lately, he was starting to show signs of ADHD and, as John gently pointed out, autism too.
Both Scott and Gordon lived with one.
John lived with the other. The doctor hadn’t disagreed; she said co-sleeping was fine, and she’d agreed with Scott’s evaluation. She was thinking that his son’s silence could be a sign.
Scott sighed when he remembered how hard it had been to get Gordon diagnosed. He hoped that when the time came, things would be easier with Aiden.
---
Speaking of the boy, he was supposed to be asleep, but Scott knew better. He’d tucked him in with a movie to keep him calm while he caught up on some TI work. Finding Nemo played softly through the wall.
Just then the door to his left opened (the one connecting his office to his bedroom) and Aiden’s little head peeked in.
Scott turned in his chair. “Hey, guppy.”
That was all the invitation Aiden needed. He padded in, and climbed into Scott’s lap, tucking himself against his father’s chest.
“You okay?” Scott whispered into his son’s hair.
Aiden only shrugged.
Scott nodded, pressing a kiss to the top of his head.
It had been a long day. The clock on the wall read 1:00 a.m. far too late for either of them. But Aiden’s sleep schedule followed Scott’s, and unlike his father, the kid at least took naps.
Scott looked down at his paperwork. “How about after this, we go to the observation deck?”
Aiden didn’t speak he just gave a little nod. That was enough.
Scott finished the last of his signatures, scooped Aiden up, and grabbed a blanket before heading out.
---
The walk was short.
The observation deck wasn’t really a deck at all more of a rounded half-circle room enclosed in glass, with bookshelves near the entrance and a long couch that faced the sea and the Roundhouse below.
Sometimes, if they were lucky, they could see Alan’s launches from here.
It was Scott’s favorite place on the island.
It was Aiden’s too. And he remembered why it was also his father’s too.
---
Don’t get Jeff wrong, he was happy to be home. But after so many years alone, being surrounded by family again was… a lot.
Sometimes he wanted to hide from it, to find a quiet corner away from the noise. But he knew better. Just being present even if silently was enough for his sons.
And by being around them, he’d learned things.
Like how all of them except one took medication.
It had been early that morning when he’d noticed. The kitchen had smelled of bacon and coffee, each boy cooking something different for breakfast.
Virgil had set down his mug and pulled a small box from a cupboard labeled meds. He had also pulled out four color-coded cups.
Jeff had found it odd.
Virgil noticed the look and offered an explanation without prompting.
“Blue’s for Scott.”
He pulled out three bottles. “ADHD, depression, anxiety.”
He dropped three pills into the cup and passed it to Scott, who was in the middle of handing Aiden a banana.
“Thanks,” Scott murmured, downed the pills with a sip of coffee, and handed the cup back without thinking.
Virgil flipped to the next cup.
“Yellow is Gordon. Pain meds, vitamins, anxiety, depression.”
He dropped seven pills in. “Do you want-”
“No,” Gordon interrupted, dumping the pills into his hand.
“In front of me,” Virgil said firmly.
Gordon groaned. “Fine.” He dry-swallowed them and put the empty cup on the counter.
Jeff cleared his throat. “Which one did he refuse?”
Virgil didn’t look up. “ADHD pill. Always does.”
“I don’t like them,” Gordon muttered from the table.
“I know,” Virgil said. “That’s why I didn’t force it.”
He moved on. “Orange is John’s. Anxiety, and the rest for him being a space brat.”
John just gave him the finger but took the pills anyway.
“Last one’s red equals Alan’s. Anxiety and migraines.”
Alan downed his pills quickly and handed the cup back.
When Virgil started putting everything away, Jeff asked quietly, “You don’t take anything?”
Virgil shook his head. “Haven’t found the right mix.”
Then he walked off.
Jeff had thought about that morning a lot since.
---
The creak of a door pulled him from his thoughts.
He looked up from his book to see Scott standing there, with Aiden in his arms.
Scott looked uncertain.
“You can join me,” Jeff said softly. “I don’t mind.”
Scott hesitated, then nodded. He walked in, put Aiden on the floor with a box of toys, and spread a blanket beneath him. When Aiden reached up for his smaller blanket, Scott handed it over.
The boy gave a thumbs-up, earning a quiet laugh and a ruffle of hair from his dad.
Scott sank down beside Jeff, reaching for a tablet that had been left on the side table.
“So that’s whose it was,” Jeff said with a faint smile. “No judgment. But isn’t it a little late for him to be up?”
Scott shook his head. “No. We’re usually the last ones up. His sleep schedule follows mine. He naps during the day.”
He unlocked the tablet. “Plus, after today, I doubt he’s going down anytime soon.”
Jeff nodded. “Right. His doctor’s appointment was today, wasn’t it? How’d it go?”
Scott shrugged and leaned into his father’s shoulder. Jeff welcomed the contact, pulling an arm around him automatically.
“She said him sleeping in my room is fine,” Scott said quietly. “Even said it’s okay if he sleeps with me sometimes.”
Jeff could hear the “but” coming.
“She’s only a little concerned about the speech part,” Scott continued. “But she agrees with what we’re thinking.”
He sighed. “When he’s old enough, we’ll have to get him tested.”
Jeff gave his shoulder a squeeze. “You’ll handle it, son.”
Scott nodded. “I’m just lucky I know how the system works. He’s hitting most of his milestones. Just a little small for his age, that’s all.”
They fell into a comfortable silence.
Jeff went back to his book; Scott went back to his TI work. Every now and then, they’d glance over to check on Aiden, who was babbling softly to himself as he played.
After a while, the boy grew bored, picked up his blanket, and padded over to his father. He tried to climb into Scott’s lap but instead flopped halfway across him, curling into his side.
“What’s up, guppy?” Scott asked.
“Nemo,” Aiden whispered.
Scott smiled. “Yeah, okay.”
He shifted so his back rested against Jeff’s shoulder, pulled Aiden into his left arm, and started the movie.
Jeff set his book aside and watched with.
“Isn’t this Gordon’s favorite movie?” Jeff whispered partway through.
“Yeah,” Scott said, half laughing. “Now it’s his too. He’s watched it four times today.”
Jeff chuckled softly.
Halfway through, Jeff went back to reading quietly. When the credits rolled, he glanced over.
Both Scott and Aiden were fast asleep.
Jeff huffed a small laugh and stood carefully, stretching stiffly. He leaned down and brushed a hand over Scott’s hair.
“Scott, buddy,” he whispered. “You need to go to bed.”
Scott stirred, rubbing his eyes. He scooped Aiden up without protest, half-asleep himself. Jeff guided them down the hall.
Scott tucked his son into bed and turned back, but instead of saying goodnight, he stepped forward and hugged his father.
Jeff blinked in surprise, then returned it warmly.
Scott mumbled something that sounded like “thanks,” before stumbling to his own bed, collapsing face-first onto the mattress, and pulling the covers over himself.
Jeff chuckled quietly and closed the door. “Good night, Scott.”
---
Back in his own room, Jeff stretched and sighed. He realized he’d left his book behind but decided to let it be. He smiled at the thought of Scott’s tablet, his mother had been right, the boy really did have them everywhere.
He turned off the light and lay back.
He wouldn’t be surprised if, in a few hours, he heard Scott’s early morning footsteps, off for a run before sunrise and later saw Aiden in the kitchen.
They really did need to fix their sleep schedules.
But they wouldn’t.
How often do you get to have late-night cuddles from your eldest and your grandson?
His mother had let him know that Scott had been more “childish,” was the way she put it. Maybe she was right. But he didn’t mind. It was good for him.
Jeff fell asleep after that. It was really good to be back.