Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The knock came at the door just after lunch time; Billy was home sick from kindergarten that day with the stomach flu. Last time she checked he was lying on the couch, his pillow from his bed placed under his head and a trashcan on the floor close by. Mulan was playing on their TV, a treat for Billy since they preferred to keep Billy on a strict TV schedule.

It was a pleasant surprise to see who was on the other side of the door; Jessica Jones, the woman who had brought their dear Billy into their lives. She looked the same as she had five years earlier when she handed them their screaming bundle of joy. Except for her obvious pregnancy that is.  

The other woman let out a sigh of relief when Rebecca opened the door, rubbing at her extended stomach. “Rebecca, hi!”

“Jessica,” Rebecca answered, masking her confusion at the other woman’s appearance, “what can I help you with?”

Jessica’s face turned grim as the younger woman shuffled from foot to foot. If Rebecca didn’t know her, she would have thought that she was nervous. “I need you guys to do me a favor.”

“Well,” Rebecca thought for a moment, before opening the door wider, “Come in and we’ll talk about.”

Jessica nodded once before tugging on a small hand that Rebecca had just noticed was hidden behind Jessica’s back, “C’mon, Tommy.”

And from behind Jessica stepped a boy, with stark white hair and vivid green eyes. Everything else, though, matched the child lying on her couch. She suddenly thought that things had just gotten a lot more complicated.

…

“I was afraid I wouldn’t catch you.” Jessica confessed, once they had gotten settled in the dining room. Rebecca could faintly hear music playing from the other room, but figured her son must have fallen asleep since he wasn’t singing along. It was better that way, or else he would also try to investigate was happening, and would more likely than not ask for sips of the tea she was making.

“I had to take off today; Billy’s sick.” She responded, dropping some sugar into her own cup. Her hands shook as she did so, and she couldn’t help herself from sneaking a look at the little boy hiding himself behind Jessica’s chair; he hadn’t even tried to reach for the chocolate milk she brought out for him, or let go of the long strand of Jessica’s hair he had grabbed onto when she sat.

“I did hear there was something going around.” Jessica hummed, “But I really should get to why I’m here.”

“Yes.” Rebecca replied drily, eyes once again floating over to the boy Jessica had introduced as Tommy. Tommy stared back, jamming his thumb into his mouth. “I agree.”

“Do you remember when I said that there were some...complications with Billy’s initial adoption process?” Jessica asked, setting her cup on the table. At the same time she lightly pulled Tommy in front of her, handing him the sippy cup with the milk. The boy had settled down on her lap quickly enough, setting his head on her collarbone but never taking his eyes off of Rebecca.

“Of course I do. I was worried it was going to fall through.” And how worried had both she and Jeff been, praying non stop even though they didn’t count themselves as the most religious. Of course, it had all cleared up, evidenced by the small snores filling up the apartment. They never had thought to ask what those complications were, only happy to be given their boy. It had been a long four months of waiting after all.

“Well, at the same time that you were trying to adopt Billy, Tommy’s parents were trying to adopt him too. We were, of course, not too happy to have them separated but there wasn’t much we could do, and you said you only wanted one and the Shepherds weren’t willing to take both. We waited, hoping someone would have wanted both boys but no one came.” Jessica said. She rubbed slow circles on Tommy’s back as Tommy stared at her in wonder. Rebecca was horrified at the story, sure that if they had been told that they were have taken both. She said as much.

“We weren’t really willing to take the chance of having you guys back out of the adoption altogether.” Jessica revealed, looking troubled by the thought.

“Jess?” Rebecca caught the other woman’s attention from where she had been running her fingers through the little boy’s hair, “What’s changed?”

Jessica looked down at Tommy, who in turn buried his face in her stomach. She looked sad. “The Shepherds were in a car crash. Tommy’s…He’s the only one who made it out.”

Rebecca had expected the answer, but that didn’t make it any easier. The little boy didn’t look too upset, though, from where he was avoiding her gaze. Shy, mostly. Maybe a little scared.

“So,” Jessica continued, “I looked back into you guy’s files again, and imagine my surprise when I saw that you guys became emergency foster parents.”

Jeff had actually only asked her a year beforehand if they would be, coming home from the hospital and telling her about a boy whose mother had died. He had to sleep in the police station because he had no relatives in the state and no where to go. She said yes before he was done talking.

“And I was wondering if you would keep Tommy, at least for a little while.” Jessica finished, going back to petting the white haired child. He looked like he was falling asleep, tugging at his ear just like Billy did when he was sleepy.

She, of course, said yes.

…

Billy still wasn’t awake by the time Jessica left; which was a little worrying since his naps never took more than an hour. Rebecca just figured it was his body’s way of trying to heal itself.

When the time did come from Jessica to leave, they all made their way down to the parking lot to fetch Tommy’s bags, Tommy stubbornly clinging to Jessica. He had somehow gotten onto her hip, tiny legs trying to wrap around the bump as she carried him. Rebecca held a baby monitor in one hand, and Tommy’s small suitcase in the other.

For a moment, Rebecca thought that the light haired boy would cry, until he shoved his thumb back in his mouth; he left his half drank milk in the kitchen, losing it in the scramble to keep close to Jessica. Rebecca carefully picked up the child, feeling his small body shake in her arms as they watched silently as the social worker pulled out and drove away. Tommy stared at where the car had pulled out until Rebecca turned, taking them both back to apartment.

“Did you have lunch yet?” She asked him, after she sat him down at the dining room table; she vaguely made a mental note to get another booster seat.

He just stared at her, pointedly sucking on his thumb. Green eyes darted to the fridge where she had just put his milk, then back to her. She took that as a hint to give it back to him.

He was happily drinking his second serving when Billy finally got up, rubbing at his eyes while walking right up to Rebecca and stretching his arms to be picked up. He snuggled into her neck when he got settled in her arms, sweaty hair sticking to her skin. He was still a little bit too warm for her comfort.

Tommy stared at Billy, sitting in her arms. Billy lifted his head like he could feel the other boy’s gaze and stared back. Tommy held his milk out like some sort of peace offering. Billy couldn’t get out of her arms fast enough to stumble over to his brother- his brother that they had not known about -and take the milk.

It was as she was watching them stare at each other, one of Billy’s hands going out to touch the other boy’s face that she heard the front door open quietly, her husband raising his voice to state that he was home.

Rebecca stared at the twins, and the twins swiveled to look at the doorway.

Jeff looked at her first, a smile crossing his handsome face; then he saw the boys, the smile slowly falling away.

She most likely should have called him.

…

Billy dragged Tommy out to watch Mulan with him, after convincing Jeff to rewind and start it from the beginning because, “I fell asleep during it, daddy .”

They worked in silence after that, preparing dinner together. He set the hot dogs- all beef -to boil while she heated up the baked beans and made the macaroni.

“So,” He started, stirring the hot dogs as they began to boil, “want to tell me how our child multiplied?”

“Jess stopped by.” She told him.

“Jones?” He asked, turning to stare at her.

“Cage now, but yes.” She sighed, staring back at her husband. They had been through so much together, from their older two leaving for college to Billy’s adoption process. “She brought Tommy along. He’s Billy’s brother.”

Jeff snorted, “Even I could have figured that one out, Becca.”

“I couldn’t just turn him away, Jeff.” Rebecca said. She felt guilty for forgetting her husband but there was something in Tommy’s solemn green eyes that had her captivated from the moment she saw him.

“I didn’t think you would,” Jeff shout back, keeping his voice lowered, “It’s just a little warning would have been nice.”

“I know- and I’m sorry-”

“Mommy.” Billy cut her off, grabbing her attention from where he was standing in the doorway, Tommy’s hand clenched in his. “Tommy’s hungry.”

Tommy stared at both her and Jeff, as if he was assessing them. He still had his thumb shoved in his mouth, tiny fist clutching at Billy’s hand. At least they seemed to like each other, Rebecca thought to herself.

“Dinner’s going to be done in a few minutes, honey.” Jeff told Billy calmly, smiling at both boys. Tommy took a step back, pulling Billy with him.

“But Tommy’s hungry now.” Billy whined, shaking the other boy’s arm to make a point. Tommy stayed silent, however, still just gazing at the adults.

“He can have more milk if he wants.” Rebecca told the boys. Billy nodded, deciding that was a good deal before running back to the living room to find the cup that Tommy had been drinking out of. Tommy stayed in the kitchen doorway, watching as Rebecca got out the milk and then the chocolate syrup. He stayed there when Billy came back into the room and until the milk was made and handed to him, only leaving when Billy tugged him back to the living room to finish their movie.

“He’s quiet.” Jeff commented, draining the food. She didn’t have to look at him to know he was worried.

“I haven’t heard him say anything since he got here.” She responded. She was worried too. “He looked like he was really attached to Jess, though.”

“How’s she doing?” Jeff asked.

“She’s pregnant. And looked like she would have taken him in if she could have.” Rebecca revealed. They knew that Billy was one of Jessica’s first cases. She was young when they first met, early 20s at the most. Rebecca remembered her as a young woman with a chip off her shoulder and a grudge against the world- but she loved kids and wanted to help them in any way possible.

Billy had been a tiny thing at 5 months old. Rebecca remembered the first time he was placed in her arms; it had been shortly after the New Year and she had been told to bundle up for the visit. The apartment that Jessica worked out of was small and badly insulated. Billy had been asleep when she and Jeff had arrived, but had quickly woken when they began to speak. He screamed and screamed until Jessica asked, tiredly, if Rebecca had wanted to hold him. From the moment Rebecca had held him, she knew that they were meant to be together. She didn’t believe in fate, but in that moment she was willing to if it meant it brought her Billy.

“Becca.” Jeff said, catching her attention. She didn’t realize her hands started to shake. She turned to him as she set the bowl she had been clutching onto the counter. “Do you think we’ll be able to do it?”

She thought about the way that Billy had immediately clung to Tommy, and the way that Tommy seemed to follow Billy in return. “I know we will.”

...

Tommy didn’t talk at all. He seemed perfectly content to let Billy do it for both of them. At first he hadn’t even tried to eat the food they set in front of him, only doing so after Billy had started to devour his. Rebecca didn’t notice the fact that the child watched closely at what she and Jeff poured in their own cups. The conclusion that she drew from his behavior left her unhappy and tense.

“And then,” Billy was busy telling Tommy, “the prince kissed the sleeping princess and she woke up. But that’s not good, you only kiss people if they say you’re allowed.”

Rebecca bit back a pleased grin as Jeff let out a hearty laugh.

“Mommy?” Billy turned to her, leaning into the hand she placed on his head, “Did you know that Tommy didn’t have a TV at his house?”

Rebecca and Jeff exchanged looked before she answered, “Didn’t he?”

“Nu-uhh.” Billy answered, smiling easily as Rebecca wiped some cheese and ketchup from his face. “He didn’t have any stuffies neither. Do you think he’ll want one of mine?”

Jeff stiffened beside her, an unreadable expression on his face. “I think he’d love that, Billy.”

Billy turned back to Tommy then, starting to chatter and tell him all about his stuffie collection. Jeff and Rebecca shared another meaningful look before Jeff gathered both the boys and took them to the bathroom to get cleaned.

As Rebecca washed the dishes, she contemplated. Tommy could talk at least, as evidenced by what Billy had told them. He had an active imagination, but not one that would make up random and specific details about someone. She was pulled from her thoughts by Jeff calling her to the bathroom.

“Yeah?” She questioned, poking her head in. She was surprised by the picture in front of her; Jeff was kneeling on the cold tile of the bathroom with Billy sitting naked in the tub. That wasn’t unusual in itself, but Tommy was cowering in the corner of the bathtub. He was trying to get as far away from Jeff as possible.

“Tommy, you gotta be good.” Billy said disapprovingly, “You don’t want daddy to give you a spanking, do you?”

If anything, that seemed to cause Tommy to panic further. Silent tears ran down the small boy’s face before he spotted Rebecca. He then did something that none of them expected; he scrambled out of the tub and ran to her. His wet body made contact with her legs before she made sense to pick him up. He shook in her arms, letting out quiet sobs.

Jeff quietly left the room, an angry look firmly on his face. She knew it wasn’t directed at any of them. Jeff had admitted in their first few months of dating that his father had been abusive and critical of anything Jeff had done. He hadn’t come to their wedding, refusing to support their relationship. Rebecca’s mother had been the only one of their families to come, sitting in the front row with her head held high.

Dante and Devon had been a college friend’s sons. But when she died, and they had no place to go, Rebecca and Jeff stepped in to raise them. The apartment had felt empty for a long time after they went to college, only recently filling with Billy’s giggles. She hoped to be able to hear the noises from Tommy too at some point, already planning his future in their family.

She set Tommy back into the tub, ignoring the fingernails that sunk into the back of her neck as she did so. She told herself that he was just scared and needed help adjusting, no need to be upset with him.

“We’re almost done, baby.” she whispered to Tommy, hoping to appease his panic. It seemed to help a little. He sat back into the water, his eyes never leaving her. She spoke quietly as she washed his hair and Billy’s. It was easy, talking to children. They didn’t judge her, didn’t say that her voice was too low or her face too angular. Tommy seemed fascinated with her short hair, as if he had never seen a woman with it before.

Jeff had returned a few minutes later, ducking in to drop off a set of pajamas and underwear for each boy. Tommy had stiffened at his presence, dropping the toy that Billy had only just succeeded in getting him to play with.

Finally it was time to dry the boys and put them to bed. Lifting Tommy out of the bathtub was easy. He was pliant in her arms, letting her dry him and then dress him in the onesie. Billy, by contrast, struggled with her. The water had grown cold by the time she finally got him out, and her shirt was entirely soaked through. She had half a mind to send him to bed without a bedtime story, but didn’t want to start Tommy’s life with them like that. Billy’s TV time would be shortened by 15 minutes for the next day, however.

“Go tell daddy what story you want to read tonight, Billy.” She told him, smiling as he grabbed Tommy’s hand and ran to his bedroom.

After she had changed into a dry t shirt and sweatpants she went to check on her boys. Jeff was in the rocking chair beside Billy’s bed, softly reading Peter Rabbit. Billy was already sleep, but Tommy seemed to fight it valiantly. His eyes caught sight of her in the doorway, and for the first time he smiled. It was gone as quick as it was there, and his eyes slid shut. Jeff and Rebecca stayed there for a few minutes, just watching the twins sleep.

Rebecca hadn’t known that something was missing, but now it seemed obvious. Tommy was the missing piece of their family.

Chapter Text

It was the third time that week that Rebecca was awoken to the sound of a soft knock at their bedroom door. She envied the way that Jeff could sleep through anything, tiredly rubbing her hand across her face as she got up.

Tommy stared up at her from his spot just outside of the door. He had his thumb in his mouth again, something that they were trying to discourage him from doing. His green eyes were watery, and he seemed to be trying to muffle the small sobs that were making their way out of his mouth. He made her heart ache.

For the first few months, Tommy had refused to speak. Billy claimed that Tommy spoke to him. Rebecca had never heard anything to evidence it, however. Tommy was also still hesitant around Jeff, clinging to Rebecca’s legs whenever the man was in the room- which was a lot since they all lived in the same house. Rebecca was never so thankful that Billy wasn’t a jealous child until then.

As silent as ever, Tommy reached his arms up to her, begging to be picked up. He loved to be picked up, they had learned in the first few weeks. It made many different alarms go off in Rebecca’s head, but she pushed them away in an attempt to get the boy settled.

It wasn’t until Tommy was seated on her hip that she realized what had brought the child to her room that night. His entire lower half was wet and he stiffened in her arms as she noticed. He braced himself, as if preparing for a slap.

Rebecca had known that Tommy had wet the bed. She discovered the wet sheets in the morning more times than not, and would wash them when he was at school. Ever since Tommy had come to them, she had been taking on less patients.

This was the first time that Tommy had sought her out for comfort after wetting the bed. She held him closer, trying to show him that she would never let any harm to him in any way possible.

She ran Tommy a bath then, quickly sneaking into his and Billy’s shared room to snag another pair of pajamas. She was careful as to not wake Billy, knowing that he’d want to get in the bath too. Her youngest never failed to amuse her with his various quirks.

Tommy shivered in the water, though Rebecca knew for a fact that it wasn’t cold. So many things still seemed to frighten him; occasionally she’d come home to find him hiding underneath a table or behind a piece of furniture. He wanted practically nothing to do with Jeff, waiting for Rebecca patiently if he ever needed something.

After getting Tommy out of the tub, she quickly took him to her room instead of his own. Billy had climbed onto Jeff in between the time that she went into his room and finished with Tommy. Tommy stared at her, as if he couldn’t fathom why he wasn’t tucked back into the wet sheets of his bed.

“Goodnight, baby.” She whispered to him, pushing away a lock of wet hair. She counted him not flinching as a victory. She didn’t let herself fall asleep until she felt him snuggle into her side while his breaths evened out.

…

The next day brought an entirely new battle to the forefront of their little family; kindergarten.

Tommy had been withdrawn from his last school in New Jersey, following his parent’s deaths. Since it was the end of the school year, they let him rest over the summer. Rebecca didn’t miss the subtle fear that rose in Tommy whenever school was discussed. Daycare was an amazing option that Jeff’s work at the hospital offered- she would drop the boys off at 9 am, and pick them up at 3 pm, letting her get a good 5 sessions in at work if she decided to cut her own lunch short. She knew that Jeff liked to take his lunch with the boys, taking them to the hospital cafe.

Billy was excited, singing his ABC’s the entire week and trying to cajole Tommy into screeching Twinkle Twinkle Little Star with him. Rebecca had laid the boy’s matching outfits out early the week before, making sure that no wrinkle dared present itself in the cotton t shirt and corduroy overalls.

Tommy was awake when she woke up, though Rebecca wasn’t sure if he jolted awake with her alarm or had been awake since Jeff got up at 4 am. His stomach growled loudly, causing her to chuckle and Billy to grumble from his perch on Jeff’s pillow. Billy was not as easy to wake up as Tommy proved himself to be. Only the sweet smell of brown sugar oatmeal or frying turkey bacon seemed to raise her dark haired son. It seemed that Jeff had left some cut up fruit for the boys to munch on while Rebecca actually woke up and got herself together to actually make breakfast. Tommy signed a quick thank you, something that he did pick up from Jeff, before he began to stuff his face. He still didn’t seem to get the fact that they had plenty to eat and that no one was going to take his food.

Billy eventually pulled himself out of Rebecca and Jeff’s bed, dragging the old stuffed dog they got him when he was a toddler behind him. Jeff had recently bought Tommy a matching one in green after searching Walmart and Ebay for months. The blue dog, Rebecca was sure, was going to be stuffed in the bottom of Billy’s brand new backpack.

“Mommy?” She heard Billy call timidly, before turning and realizing the soft voice actually belonged to Tommy. She felt tears well in her eyes, a hand coming up to cover her mouth as a quiet sob broke through.

Tommy looked alarmed, immediately trying to take his words back and apologizing.

“No, baby.” Rebecca said firmly, noting the flinch Tommy gave at her tone, “Mommy’s just been waiting for you to call her that. She loves you.”

Tommy looked at her suspiciously, hesitantly lifting his favored cup in what Rebecca knew was a silent plea for chocolate milk. Usually she wouldn’t give in, but today was a special day.

…

Dante was a freshman in high school when they first began their search for a baby, and he was a junior when they finally brought Billy home. Devon was in college by that time, living by himself in a apartment the same block as Jessica Jones’ office. Dante moved in with him when he started college, leaving their townhouse too quiet. She tried to lure the boys back with promises of home cooked meals and free TV. It worked more times than not, and they had been coming around more since Tommy joined their brood, both totally enamoured with the shy boy. She figured they probably related more to the boy- themselves being in late elementary school/middle school when their lives were upheaved and they were adopted by their birth parent's old roommate. Devon especially loved Tommy, offering to watch the twins whenever Rebecca and Jeff needed a night alone. Rebecca refused to believe watching the twins was a way for Devon to avoid his master's degree work as Dante liked to tease.

Rebecca knew she was getting on in age, in her mid 40s, but nothing made her feel older than the moment she tried to stand after placing both Tommy and Billy on the ground of their classroom and hearing her back crack ominously.

“Oh my dear.” Their teacher, a kind older black woman who instructed the kids to call her ‘Miss Faith’ remarked, “You are too young to be having those creaky bones like me. Those strong young men of yours are gonna be carrying you soon.”

Tommy sniffled into her blouse, rubbing at her back as if he thought he truly hurt her.

“Go find Billy, honey.” She told him, running a hand through his hair tenderly, “I think he brought some crayons and a book you two can work on.”

Tommy clung for a few more seconds, wetting her blouse with his tears before darting to find his brother. She hung onto the fact that at least he wasn’t screaming.

“Tommy’s not much of a talker.” She told Faith solemnly.

“That’s okay.” Faith laughed, “We’re working with my grandson on using his words not his fists. Little tykes are always so rambunctious.”

Rebecca nodded along to the words, thinking of a checklist that Tommy’s teacher might need to know.

“Sometimes you have to convince him to eat. He just kind of freezes. And he doesn’t like shouting- it’ll make him cry. He’s fairly scared of men. We’ve had him for three months now and still avoids my husband at all costs. He has a blanket in his bag that he loves but I’m not sure if he’ll actually get it out for comfort. And you can bribe him into doing pretty much anything by giving him oranges. Also, please don’t split him up from Billy.” Rebecca spewed her words out in a rush, watching the older woman’s face stay with the same warm smile as earlier.

“Dr. Kaplan.” Faith said, “With all due respect, I’ve been teaching for over 30 years, and have raised two children, along with still raising my grandson. I can see you care deeply for your children- but I doubt any trouble will come our way. If anything does happen, whether it be a skinned knee or a bug bite, I will call you right away.”

“Alright.” Rebecca conceded, watching Billy and Tommy interact with the other children for a few more precious moments before turning on her heel and all but fleeing. It wouldn’t be good for either of the boys to notice her escape.

Chapter Text

Jeff was tired- it was his fifth 12 hour shift in a row, but luckily he was just the flow attending that day as another doctor had come in unexpectedly. It helped them quickly discharge or admit patients fairly quickly. It didn’t stop Jeff from being exhausted and annoyed at the influx of people who didn’t actually need to be there, however.

He got the call on his ASCOM, crossing his fingers that it was the lab to tell him that Mrs. Griffin’s results were normal and she was due for another discharge.

“Emergency Department,” Jeff answered, “This is Dr. Kaplan.”

“Hello, Dr Kaplan,” an unfamiliar woman’s voice greeted, “My name is Claire Temple and I’m the nurse at your son’s, Tommy Shepherd, school. I have him in my office right now with a bite mark on his arm. He’s fine, just extremely aggravated and asking to go home. We’ve been unable to get in contact with your wife and were wondering if you were able to retrieve him.”

“I can be there in about 20 minutes.” Jeff answered, gesturing for one of the residents to come towards him.

After squaring away with the residents and the other attendings that he was leaving for the day, Jeff grabbed his uneaten lunch and rushed for the car park.

He was pulling into the parking lot at the elementary school 18 minutes later, rushing up the front steps to ring the buzzer. He hadn’t even took the few seconds to take off his coat, letting the white uniform coat stand out against his otherwise business clothes.

“Can I help you, sir?” A woman’s voice asked. He could see the secretary staring at him from her desk inside. He could see her silently tap her nails on her desk

“Hello, I received a call at my work to pick up my son, Tommy Shepherd, from the school nurse.” Jeff answered, holding in the button to respond.

“Door’s open.” The woman promptly said, with a clicking sound that proved the door unlocked following her voice.

“Thank you.” Jeff told the woman as he walked towards her desk.

“Nurse’s office is to the left.” The woman told him, not even looking up from her computer.

Jeff swiftly walked to the door that was labeled as the nurse’s office, knocking on the door frame to let her know he was there.

“Dr. Kaplan?” The woman who answered the door asked. As soon as the door opened, he heard Tommy’s quiet cries.

“Yes, ma’am.” he confirmed, remembering to speak up. The hearing aids occasionally made him seem louder to himself than to others.

Tommy immediately quieted and he picked up tiny footsteps coming from in the room towards the front where Jeff was standing with the nurse, Ms. Temple.

“Tommy got in a little bit of altercation with an older student when that student took a friend of Tommy’s, Cassie Lang’s, stuffed bear. The student bit Tommy and broke skin after Tommy pushed him. We got the bleeding to stop fairly easily but Tommy has just been upset by the whole ordeal.” Ms. Temple told him, running her fingers through Tommy’s hair as he hid his face in her scrub pants.

“Hey, buddy.” Jeff knelt on the ground, planting a knee on the ground and waited for Tommy to walk towards his out stretched arms. Tommy had been getting better at going to Jeff, even letting him bathe him and get him ready for bed while Rebecca was sick.

Slowly, Tommy unwound himself from the nurse before throwing himself at Jeff, looping small arms around Jeff’s shoulders and letting him stand.

All at once the energy seemed to leave Tommy’s body and he snuggled into Jeff.

“Daddy…” He breathed into Jeff’s neck, falling asleep in the next breath.

…

“I am so sorry.” Rebecca told him later that night after she rushed home after her last appointment of the day. She had been able to take on more and more clients after the boy’s started school.

Tommy had still been snuggled in Jeff’s arms when Billy had climbed off the school bus, running towards them. He had struck Jeff’s legs hard, pulling on Tommy’s legs and being an overall menace.

Jeff nodded to the community guard that patrolled their neighborhood, pulling Billy up on his other side. The guard nodded back, offering to grab and close their front door for them.

“Thank you, Luke.” Jeff said, eyes darting down to the man’s nametag.

“Its no problem, Dr. Kaplan.” Luke said, closing the door as soon as Jeff was in the foyer. He walked over to the living room and sat both boys down on the couch, handing Billy a book and instructing him to read it to Tommy as Jeff started dinner.

By the time that Rebecca did get in, Jeff had promised that they all could eat their dinner in the living room while watching Hercules. Billy was busy setting down placemats on the coffee table and was instructing Tommy to get the couch cushions down and in the appropriate spots for each of them to sit.

“It’s totally okay.” Jeff promised, pressing a kiss to her cheek, “It was a slow day anyways, and I had no desire to tell Patty that her feet warts are benign, again.”

“I love you.” Rebecca told him quietly, leaning into him as he drained the spaghetti. She smelled like her usual perfume, but he could also smell the subtle scent of her shaving cream. The soft way she spoke reminded him of their college years, when Rebecca was beginning her transition and he was still struggling with his hearing loss. It made his heart ache with memories that reminded him why he married her. He didn’t know if he would have had the will to make it if she wasn’t by his side each step.

“Love you, too.” Jeff replied. He could faintly hear Billy and Tommy singing along to Go the Distance, feeling completely and utterly content.

…

That night, after putting the boys to bed, Rebecca was sitting on the edge of the bed, arms around herself. It made Jeff feel a bit worried, but he was still exhausted. He had been up since 4 in the morning, and he usually went to sleep at 6 pm. He had four days off in a row before going back in for three more 12 hour shifts.

“Do you ever regret the way our lives turned out?” She asked, her eyes watering.

Jeff thought of the first day they met, the first day of football camp, Rebecca was thinner then- Jeff remembered thinking that she’d break in half if one of the huge linebackers landed on her. She was quiet in a way that Jeff had never seen before, observing everyone and making her own conclusions. She had been the one to pick Jeff up off the frat house floor after he jumped from the second floor balcony in his drunken state thinking that he could fly. She called his parents while he was diagnosed with a brain bleed, calmed him when he woke up without his hearing, and held him up when he was learning how to walk again.

“Absolutely not.” Jeff answered firmly, rubbing a soothing hand up and down her back. His mind flashed to the day that she came out to him, her hands shaking as she signed the words over and over again. He hadn’t understood the words fully at the time but he knew the person he had thought of as a boy for so long and then thought of as the person he would spend his life with. He loved her before then and indefinitely afterwards.

“I just feel like these are my dreams we’ve been working on- you wanted the condo, I wanted the townhouse. You never even spoke about wanting kids, and here we are with four-”

“I’m going to cut you off right there.” Jeff said, pulling her to lay down and cuddle with him. “Today Tommy called me daddy and it was the happiest moment of my life.”

Rebecca sighed, leaning into him further, “What I’m about to tell you is going to totally violate physician-patient privilege-”

“-Dear I always tell you about Mr. Jenkins butt fungus.-”

A tear slipped down the side of her face.

“Wanda Maximoff came into my office today.” Rebecca finished, clinging to Jeff’s shirt.

Jeff hummed, smoothing a hand down his wife’s hair. “I’m sorry dear, I’m not familiar with that name.”

Rebecca took a deep breath, tucking her head into Jeff’s neck. “She’s Tommy’s and Billy’s biological mother.”

Oh, fuck.

Chapter Text

If there was one thing that Tommy hated more than bath time, it was putting on shoes. At least with bath time they could convince him that the water was warm and he only had to be there for a short time. With shoes it was a daily battle to actually get them on and making sure they stayed on. They tried several different types too, yet each was met with resistance.

Jeff felt his eye twitch as a Croc went sailing past his ear and hit the windshield. He took several deep breaths before sending Tommy a silent glare in the rear view mirror. Tommy gazed defiantly back at him, small hand tugging at the second shoe.

“So help me Thomas, if you even think of throwing that shoe-” Jeff was cut off by another Croc hitting the back of his head rest. Tommy stuck his tongue out at him. Jeff told himself that he should be thankful that Tommy was adjusting with their family, happy that he’s testing boundaries. He recited that again and again until he pulled into the drop off parking lot. Billy managed to unbuckle himself and swing open the back door by the time Jeff had collected Tommy’s shoes and got out of the car himself to collect the boys.

Tommy was shaking as Jeff forced the shoes back onto his feet, tears rolling down his face as Jeff unbuckled him and hoisted him onto his hip. Jeff bit back a sigh when he felt a telltale wetness leaking into his side. He didn’t have time to go back to the townhouse and change his shirt before he had to be at the hospital for a mandatory meeting. One of the perks of being an attending was being able to wear his own clothes, but the wet spot on his light blue dress shirt was going to stand out more than he wanted. Oh well, he supposed, at least it was his own child’s body fluids and not someone else’s.

Miss Faith greeted them with a wide smile as they entered her classroom, causing Tommy to shy away and hide his face in Jeff’s neck. She waved off Jeff’s apologies and pointed towards the door that Jeff had previously assumed was a storage closet. It turned out to be a private restroom. Tommy sniffled as Jeff quickly changed him into the spare outfit they always packed, wiping his legs with some baby wipes so his skin wouldn’t hurt. He shivered when Jeff left him sitting on the counter as he packed the soiled clothes into a plastic bag, huddling down on himself in fear.

“I’m not mad.” Jeff finally spoke, brushing a strand of thick white hair out of Tommy’s face. “I just wish you would tell us what would make you keep your shoes on.”

Tommy, predictably, stayed silent.

He stayed silent, head bowed in what Jeff assumed was shame until they left the bathroom, one of Tommy’s tiny hands clenched in his.

As soon as they exited the bathroom, Jeff heard someone squeal. That someone was a little blonde girl who headed straight for them, clutching a backpack in one hand and leading Tommy away with the other. Jeff watched curiously as she opened the backpack and dumped its contents, revealing a pair of small sparkly princess flats. Tommy hesitantly looked at Jeff before tugging off his green crocs and sliding the flats on. The girl picked a hair clip out of the pile on the carpet and put it in Tommy’s hair, chattering as if this was an everyday occurrence. Jeff watched as Tommy flexed his tiny toes in the flats, giggling happily. Checking his watch, he realized he was going to be late if he didn’t leave immediately. He kissed both boys on the forehead before heading out, mentally rearranging his schedule so he could make a stop at the shoe store before he had the pick the boys up after school.

…

Everyone else seemed to be waiting for him by the time Jeff rushed into the Educational Wing of the hospital where they held their meetings. Tony Stark was sat at the front of the room, fingers tapping as he projected his impatience to the room at large.

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite emergency department attending!” He crowed as soon as his eyes met Jeff’s. As president of the hospital and their largest donor, Jeff couldn’t just tell Tony where to stick it and had to grin and bare it.

“I apologize.” Jeff said, taking a seat next to one of the second year residents, Bruce Banner, “I had to drop my sons off at school.”

The resident to Jeff’s other side, a young first year who told them to address him by Nate, cowered away from the glare the other attendings shot Jeff.

“Back to business.” Tony snickered to himself, straightening what Jeff was sure was suduko puzzles and crosswords but nothing actually pertaining to the hospital, “First and foremost- Jeff you have a complaint filed against you. Ms. Morgan wants you to know that she finds your bluetooth ear pieces are quite disrespectful and unprofessional.”

Jeff stared Tony in the eye, “Did you tell her that they’re hearing aids?” he deadpanned.

The entire meeting room was silent. Jeff would have sworn that he could have heard a pin drop. Jeff didn’t try to hide his disability, in fact he preferred to openly speak of it rather than have others speak behind his back. He guessed the others’ shock was more of the fact that he preferred not to speak to many of them at all. He never tried to hide his personal life, but he also didn’t like to share unnecessary facts about himself either.

Tony snickered louder, “We have not yet commented. Would you like me to email her personally?”

Jeff thought about it for a moment before nodding his head, thinking of the scathing letter that he was sure would be express mailed to the old woman’s house.

Jeff’s phone buzzed in his pocket, causing him to grit his teeth and slip a hand into his pants pocket to silence it. He couldn’t think of anything that would need his pressing attention at that moment.

“Now,” Tony announced, standing from his chair with a flourish to gesture at the whiteboard behind him, “onto some actual important stuff.”

…

The meeting passed quickly after that, Jeff tuning out most of the financial budgeting talk and Tony’s snide comments. They most likely could power the entire hospital on Tony’s snark alone and then they wouldn’t have to turn out the bathroom lights every time someone left the room.

He had four missed calls from Rebecca when he finally checked his phone, along with over twenty text messages, the last one ending with a screen full of exclamation points.

He decided to read the texts first, assuming they’d most likely be more coherent with having to type out her thoughts than just screaming them through the phone.

Becca:

Got a call from the boy’s school

I know you’re in your very important meeting but I need you to pick up

Looks like I’m going to be bring the boy’s into your work

I know you said you don’t have to work tonight but I know they like to have you stay after meetings

But for once I need you to say no

Jeff, seriously

I swear to g-d if you don’t answer

DID YOU SILENCE YOUR PHONE AGAIN

Jeff, honestly, I need you to come down to the ED

Use your special attending powers and meet us down here

Tommy has a broken arm

Caseworker has been called.

One of your RNs asked if I wanted to have you paged. I almost said yes.

Billy won’t stop screaming.

I need a little help down here

I’m going to start sharing embarrassing stories with your colleagues.

The story is that Tommy tripped while running on the playground.

At least that’s what the twins are telling me.

I’m not sure I believe it since the break is so bad.

It’s a clean one at least.

They gave him some pain meds and he’s calmed down.

Billy finally cried himself to sleep.

I’ve decided I’m going to leave you for Tommy’s sweet nurse, Sarah.

Sarah answers when I call.

JEFF

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He read the texts as he walked himself to the staff elevators and used his badge to get a quicker access to the ED. He’d be written up if security spotted him using his badge when he wasn’t on shift and even worse when he was coming in as a visitor. He snagged a quick nametag from the waiting room, scrawling his first name on one before slapping it on his shirt. He impatiently tapped his shoe until one of the patient representatives returned to their desk.

Clint looked frazzled, his shirt untucked (not unusual in itself) and his hair resembling a bird’s nest. The waiting room looked extremely busy for what should have been a normal Thursday afternoon. He was silently thankful that the boys weren’t still in the waiting room.

“Dr. Kaplan.” Clint greeted, out of breath. He raised one hand in greeting, raising a large cup of coffee to his mouth with the other as he began to take greedy gulps. “What can I do for you?”

“My son is here.” Jeff said before he could think about the words and their implications, “My wife and his twin brother are currently back with him.”

“Doc,” Clint lowered his voice, “You know only two visitors are allowed back at a time.”

“Who’s on charge?” Jeff immediately protested, knowing he was imitating all the obnoxious family members the staff dreaded. “Tell them I don’t care about the policies and that I want to be back with him now .”

Clint worried his lip with his teeth, “You know Nat’s not gonna like this.” he said, gesturing for Jeff to follow him.

Clint was right about that, Natasha’s brow furrowed immediately as she saw him walking down the hall with Clint at his side, looking suitably cowed.

“What have I told you about bullying, Dr. Kaplan?” She asked him, tapping perfectly manicured fingers against the counter.

“You can’t tell me you wouldn’t have done the same.” He answered, nodding towards the framed picture of her foster daughter, Kate.

“I guess I can’t.” Nat replied, her face softening. “He’s in 306.”

Jeff knew the way and left Clint in the dust, knocking at the door before slowly opening it.

Rebecca was sitting on the side of the bed, stroking Tommy’s forehead as he fussed quietly. He at least hoped that he had gotten to eat lunch before he had broke his arm, knowing that he wouldn’t be cleared for eating yet.

Billy was curled into Tommy’s side, hands clenched in the oversized hospital gown that Tommy had been dressed in. The arm already had a cast around it, hiding the nasty bruises that he was too familiar with by working in the emergency department. He had an IV in the other arm, and Jeff wondered how long it took them to put it in since Tommy revealed an extreme fear of needles the month beforehand.

Jeff checked the medications first, the doctor in him making sure they were perfect before laying a gentle hand on his wife’s shoulder. She twisted around from her seated position and buried her face in his dress shirt over his abdomen. He felt a few tears soak through the fabric before she gave a shuddering breath and pulled away.

“I’m sorry I silenced my phone.” He told her, smoothing a hand through her hair. It was getting longer than she usually kept it but he guessed two school aged kids may let that happen.

“He kept crying for his daddy.” She responded, sending a shot of pain through his heart. Tommy had been better at vocalizing what he truly wanted, even going as far as throwing a tantrum the one night when they had mashed potatoes instead of the usual mac and cheese.

“Why was Billy crying?” He asked instead, wiping at the dark haired boy’s tear stained face.

Rebecca snorted, “You know how he gets.”

That was answer enough, as Billy cried along with anyone. Even cartoon characters.

Jeff sat down in chair beside the bed, knowing that Rebecca would stay with the boys.

“They say when he’ll be discharged?” Jeff asked her, slipping his larger hand into Tommy’s outstretched one. He looked so small and pale with the IV in his arm and in the middle of the hospital bed.

“He’s on observation until the strongest of the paid meds are out of his system.” She said, which Jeff translated to be for two to three more hours.

“Who’s been in to see him?” Jeff let his curiosity get the best of him, running his free hand up and down Rebecca’s arm.

“Some little blond kid.” Rebecca told him.

“Oh!” Jeff said, “I love picking on Stein!”

…

The first year resident, Chase Stein, just about burst into tears when Jeff solemnly clasped him on the shoulder and told him he did a good job. Tommy and Billy both darted forward and clung to his legs in a semblance of a hug, shouting ‘thank yous’ and compliments. Rebecca had gone ahead to bring the car around so Jeff wouldn’t have to walk very far with both Tommy and Billy in his arms. Tommy’s lime green cast had already been signed by half the ED staff, adorned with flowers and hearts and names. The CYS visit had been short, Jessica cutting off the woman’s questions as soon as she got there, saying that there was no way that Tommy was going to be removed from their care. Tommy had revealed, however, that he hadn’t just tripped- he had climbed one of the trees and claimed to be able to fly.

Tommy snuggled sleepily into his shoulder. Sarah helped him adjust the boys so that neither were sliding off his hips. Billy was able to at least tighten his legs around Jeff’s waist so he wasn’t in danger of falling.

Stein followed him out with the twin’s baby bag thrown over his right shoulder. Jeff remembered first meeting the younger man nearly 10 years beforehand, when the boy was clutching his girlfriend’s hand in his, tears streaming down his much younger face. The teenager’s forehead had been soaked in sweat, his one eye swollen shut and bruised. Jeff had just become an attending at that point, and Chase was his first abuse case. CYS had been called almost immediately, Chase’s girlfriend, Gert, had pulled Jeff aside to tell him that Chase’s father had been the one to beat him and dislocate his shoulder. It was also noted that it had not been the first time.

He had eventually been left in the care of his two stepsisters who had come to pick him up, two young women named Amy and Nico. Chase’s father’s custody was removed and full custody was given to his mother, who immediately filed a PFA against her ex husband.

When Jeff came across Chase’s names all those years later he had to vouch for the young man who had changed so much from the scared high schooler all those years beforehand. Chase always raved about his own two adopted daughters, Molly and Klara. Him and Gertrude had married the summer after they graduated highschool, adopting Gert’s younger sister a few years later along with a young runaway that Molly had befriended. The two girls loved to sneak into the Emergency Department to surprise Chase, and they always brought a smile to Jeff’s face when they did so.

When Rebecca finally pulled around with the car, Tommy was drooling a patch on his shoulder and Billy was wiggling to get down. Chase opened the door for him as he let Billy land softly on the ground. Billy easily climbed in and buckled himself in. Tommy was stayed limp as Jeff buckled him in, still wearing the scrub top since they had to cut his t shirt off to fix his arm.

“You go on ahead.” Jeff told Rebecca, kissing her cheek as he leaned through her open window. Billy was cheerfully kicking his feet to the opening notes of Frozen. Tommy was slumped over in his car seat, neck twisted in an awkward position.

“Will you pick up some dinner?” She asked, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Yeah.” he promised. “I might make another little pit stop.”

…

The sun was just about setting when Jeff arrived home, bags in his trunk and the scent of food spreading throughout his car.

He rushed up the front steps, locking his car automatically and juggling the house keys while he tried to make sure none of the bags split and spilled.

He was immediately tackled by Billy as he walked through the front door. Rebecca followed shortly after him, a pajama clad Tommy sitting on her hip.

“Sorry I’m late.” Jeff said, placing the bags on the ground to lift Billy up.

“Smells good.” Rebecca commented, greeting him with a quick peck and trading twins with him. Tommy immediately snuggled into his chest, cast clunking against his side.

“I think I solved one of our problems.” Jeff told her as he bent at the knees to get a shoe box out of one of the bags while still cradling Tommy to his chest.

“And what’s that?” Rebecca asked, setting Billy on the floor so she could take the food to the table.

Jeff flipped open the box with one hand, revealing a pair of soft blue slippers. Tommy gazed at them, want obvious in his eyes.

“Here, bud.” Jeff sat, pulling the shoes out and keeping Tommy in his lap. Tommy wiggled his toes as Jeff slid the slippers on his small feet, sighing contently. Rebecca smiled at him as she helped Billy into a booster seat at the table.

“Thanks”. Tommy whispered in amazement.

The moment was ruined by the spoonful of peas Billy launched at them.

Chapter Text

Being eight years old was not as easy as Tommy made it look, Billy privately thought to himself. Not that Tommy really got his share of easy. Billy instantly felt guilty for thinking such things about his twin, who had such a rough start to his life.

But life was rough, Billy thought to himself. At eight there wasn’t much that he could do, and he felt especially helpless as he listened to his parents discuss their housing situation.

“The property taxes in this area just aren’t worth it anymore.” His mama said. Billy was sure his dad was doing that thing where he buried his face in the back of mama’s neck and refused to look up. Probably took out his hearing aids too.

“But you love this house, honey.” Dad mumbled back. Tommy had wandered out of his bedroom, curious as to why his brother was taking so long on his so called bathroom trip. Ever silent, Tommy sat next to him, looking quizzically at Billy. Billy just tugged on his ear in answer.

“It worked when we had the older boys coming in and out, but now that Dante is in New Jersey and Devon’s getting married in three months, we have no need for all of this.” Mama told him. That was their mama, always reasoning things out and making everyone feel good about their decisions.

“If you really want to, we can look for something else.” Dad answered after what had to be forever . Tommy’s face twisted as they heard kissing noises, ‘cause grown ups were gross. Quickly, Billy grabbed Tommy’s arm and dragged him back to the playroom. They didn’t need to hear that nonsense.

…

Moving was stressful for Mama and Dad. Something about deadlines, sale rates and taxes. Billy didn’t pretend to understand, and just packed up his toys dutifully and went about being as good as possible.

Tommy still acted like Mama and Dad were gonna get rid of him at the slightest annoyance. Billy tried to explain that Mama and Dad weren’t like that, and weren’t going to restrict Tommy’s food access or hit him or anything his old parents did, but the words never stuck.

It was one of the afternoons that they were trying to stay out of their parents’ ways when they found the box. Nothing was really special about the box. It had the same amount of tape a top it as all the others, and was the same standard cardboard. But something about it drew Billy to it, begging to be opened. It was pretty small and was easily snuck to his and Tommy’s room.

Tommy was laying on his bed, bouncing a ball against the wall. He stopped as soon as Billy opened the door but resumed when saw it was only Billy. Mama had told him countless times not to do that, as it could damage the paint. Especially since they had showings coming up.

“Whatcha steal?” Tommy asked, blowing his gum. That was another thing Mama asked him to stop doing. As they got older, it seemed that Tommy got more and more rebellious, more willing to take risks with their parents.

“Dunno.” Billy answered with a shrug of his shoulders. That answer piqued Tommy’s interest, and he sat up to watch Billy’s movement with sharp-eyed interest.

After contemplating it for a few more seconds, Billy sent Tommy away with the task to find and return with scissors. Their parents always kept them in either the kitchen or the office, and did not like the boys walking off with them. Or the memorable time Tommy ran off with them and ended up in the Trauma Bay at Dad’s work ‘cause he ran into the wall and stabbed himself in the chest. Surprisingly enough, it wasn’t the scariest accident they had gotten into. No, that had to be the time they were t-boned while on the way to school with Mama. No one was seriously injured, but Tommy had had what Mama called a “Post Traumatic Stress Reaction” due to it reminding him of the day his first adoptive parents died.

“You’re lucky daddy ate a yogurt this morning. He’s been in the bathroom for twenty minutes and Mama is watching her cooking shows again.” Tommy startled Billy out of his thoughts, slipping back into their shared room.

Heart pounding, Billy snatched the scissors from his twin’s hands, swiftly cutting away the tape from the cardboard box before he could chicken out.

Opening the box they found… a bunch of papers and old baby onesies. Billy laughed, not knowing why he had gotten himself so worked up over nothing. As Billy had been giggling at the ridiculousness that was sneaking away a box of his own baby clothes, Tommy had dug deeper and triumphantly pulled out some loose paper from the bottom.

“What’s that?” Billy asked, trying to catch a better glimpse.

“Dunno.” Tommy answered, “It’s written funnily.”

Billy pulled the paper out of Tommy’s hand, and tried to scan it for himself. It was written funnily, flowy writing like Mama used to sign stuff, and words longer than Billy had ever seen before.

At the very bottom of the page, however, there was something that Billy could read. Words that had been reiterated and explained many times to both Billy and Tommy.

Birth Mother - It read - Wanda Maximoff.

…

There were certain things that Tommy had known since he was small. Certain lessons so ingrained within him that he could not unlearn the behaviors. Couldn’t forget to cower when a man raised his voice, or not to talk loudly when Mother looked tired, and you sure as hell better not let Father see you crying. Not that Father was around anymore, not since the accident. Tommy couldn’t remember much of anything from the accident, other than flashes of lights and screaming. Something about head trauma and repressed memories. The closest he had come from the severe anxiety he felt after Mama’s car was hit.

Even that couldn’t compare to the pounding in his chest, the vice grip around his lungs when he heard Mama and Daddy talking in hushed voices in the living room. He was supposed to be sleeping, and for a few hours he was, but he had woken to a loud crack of thunder outside his window. Billy continued to sleep but Tommy was unable to soothe himself back to slumber.

He hadn’t meant to listen in on Mama and Daddy- he had planned to make his presence known and to hopefully be cajoled back to bed with warm milk and a cookie. He had stopped on the opposite side of the doorway, just a few feet shy of his parents when he heard his name.

“Tommy had improved so much in the past few years.” His mama stated, “Do we really want to cause such an upheaval?”

“Little late for those thoughts, Becca.” Daddy told her, tone gentle and comforting, “We sign on the new place tomorrow.”

“I know, I know.” Mama answered, sighing. Tommy was sure she was leaning into Daddy. “It just makes me wonder if we expect them to handle too much.”

“They’re good kids.” Daddy replied, “But I know what you mean. I just wish we all could have a...break.”

And maybe tommy overreacted to those words, and to his history, and due to the fact he held many fears about being abandoned. But when Father used to tell Mother he needed a break he’d leave for a few weeks at a time and was always angrier when he came back. Mother took plenty of smoke breaks, and passed her time in between them pinching at Tommy’s skin and telling him how big of a disappointment he was. And the most vivid memory of the crash was Mother screaming at Father to, “Break! Break! Break!” as Father drunkenly slurred at her to let go of the steering wheel.

And that’s what his first parents were. Broken. He was supposed to be what saved their marriage, yet as they told him again and again, he was what was putting even more strain on it. He was too needy, and too fussy, and overall just too much.

He was silent as Jessica came into his hospital room that evening of the crash, as she made phone call after phone call and paced the room from one side to the next. He was discharged to her care and for those first few days of looking for a placement, he slept in her guest bedroom.

One morning she sat him down and said that she had found someone who would be able to help them. That having a little boy was a little too much with her pregnancy. And Tommy knew, even as she assured him, that he would always be a little too much.

So he bided his time with the Kaplans, and had come to think of them as his own family. But he knew it had to come to an end. All goods things did. Mother having a job. Father staying sober. Tommy having a home.

Tommy grabbed the to go bag he kept hidden in his and Billy’s closet. It was weighed down by canned food and tasty cakes. They were sure to last him until he made it to his destination.

“What’re you doing?” Tommy twirled to find Billy staring at him from his bed.

Tommy swallowed, unsure how to explain himself to his twin, “Mama and Daddy need a little time to themselves to settle into the new house. I was gonna give that to them.”

“Oh,” Billy said, sitting up straighter, “Where are we going?”

…

The large brick apartment complex they stopped at looked intimidating. Tommy didn’t remember much about his old home, but he did remember it was in a less populated area. An area that didn’t have office spaces or bodegas or anything and everything crammed into one city block.

“And your mother is waiting for you inside?” The cab driver asked. He was a nice man, a friend of a man in a funny looking suit they had met while they attempted to walk to their destination.

“Yes Mr. Dopinder.” Billy answered politely, pushing the wad of bills they both had come with towards him.

“Mr Deadpool said to put it on his tab.” Dopinder pushed the money back, waving the boys away.

“Thank you!” Tommy yelled as the man pulled away in a cloud of exhaust fumes.

They were able to sneak in after the front door swung open revealing a woman rushing out with her own son, a blonde boy around their age. She didn’t even give them a second look as she was rushing her child to his school and they were apparently running late.

“What floor was it again?” Billy asked him as they safely found their way into the elevator. They had made sure that it was clear before climbing aboard.

“The 6th.” Tommy answered, gesturing for Billy to hit the button.

Luckily enough for them, no one else entered the elevator. Tommy guessed it would be pretty silly for someone to take the elevator up from a floor that wasn’t the first to get somewhere. Unless this apartment building was hiding an indoor pool like some of the hotels they had stayed in.

“Look!” Billy hissed as they exited the elevator, tugging on Tommy’s arm, “there’s apartment 616!”

Billy was right, almost directly straight ahead sat apartment 616. Light was peeking out from under the doorway.

“Love you honey!” a large blonde man left the apartment, locking the door behind him. Tommy and Billy quickly hid in the doorway of another apartment building. Either the man was too busy to see them, or he just didn’t care.

“Okay.” Tommy finally said after the man had been gone for a good ten minutes, “Let’s do this.”

They approached the apartment together, tiny hands clasped. When Tommy couldn’t force himself to do it, Billy knocked on the door, the sound seemingly echoing throughout the entire sixth floor.

“Steve!” a woman’s exasperated voice answered from the other side before the door was unlocked and opened, “Did you forget your badge, again?”

The first thing that Tommy really saw was the distended abdomen that marked a late pregnancy. Not that Tommy would point that out ‘cause Mama and Daddy taught him better than that. The second thing was the two young girls peeking out from behind the woman’s legs. They weren’t baby babies, but they were younger than Billy and Tommy. The third was two babies even further back, standing up in what looked like some sort of baby jail.

“Oh, hello.” The woman said in an accented voice, “Are you two lost?”

Tommy finally looked up at the woman’s face. She was quite beautiful with dark curly hair and dark eyes. Her skin was slightly darker than his and Billy’s.

“No.” Tommy answered, “I don’t think so.”

“Oh.” The woman looked surprised at that, opening her door ever slightly wider, “Can I help you two then?”

“I don’t know.” Tommy said, eyes darting from the woman to her children, “But I think you’re our biological mom.”

“Oh.” She said faintly, “Please come in.”

Chapter Text

Jeff would remember the panicked scream his wife left out for the rest of his life. He had almost not put in his hearing aids after he had gotten out of the shower but at the last minute had thought better of it. 

Caught halfway between fear and apprehension, Jeff sprinted out of the bathroom, still half dressed. He followed the shierks of terror to the boy’s room, dodging boxes of packed up belongings and stray possession strewn about. It was a bit of an obstacle course but he finally made it to the opposite end of the house. 

Jeff wasn’t sure what he expected. Maybe blood spatters painting the grey of the boys’ bedroom. Broken glass on the carpet and the curtain flapping in the wind. But what greeted him was… nothing. No break in, no blood, no boys . 

Jeff chuckled nervously, denial kicking in, “Maybe they got up before us, Becca. They’re probably just in the living room.”

Rebecca silently shook her head, hand coming up to stifle her sobs. “I checked here first. And then I checked the rest of the condo, Jeff. And then I came back here. They’re gone.”

“Children don’t just disappear.” Jeff argued, taking a step inside of their room. 

Nothing was obviously out of place. Their beds were unmade, as they normally were. Clothes were discarded all over Tommy’s side of the room. Billy’s was as neat as ever, books stacked as high as ever. 

“They have before.” Rebecca answered, tone shrill and panicked, “Kids disappear all the time. And they’re never found.”

“Rebecca!” Jeff said sternly, “Our boys are fine.”

They lived on the nice side of Manhatten. Their condo had a gate for Christs’ sake. A gate manned by guards who patrolled their lobby and parking garage. No one could have got in. Hell, no one should have gotten out .

Rebecca was hyperventilating, sliding into a seated position on the floor. Tears streamed down her face, breaths coming out shaky and shallow. 

“I’m going to call the police.” Jeff announced, striding past his wife. 

…

Tommy stared at the curly haired toddler. She stared back at him, nose scrunched in curiosity. He had already had to dodge her pudgy baby hands from grasping at his white hair. Undeterred she gave him a big grin, clamoring up on the couch next to him, leaning into his personal space. 

The only thing that could comfort Tommy was that Billy was not faring much better with the other toddler invading his personal space. At least Tommy’s toddler wasn’t sticky. 

Miss Wanda had gone to her kitchen to prepare what she called “tea”. Tommy wasn’t a genius but he was fairly certain that tea came pre-made in gallon jugs. Not in little leaves and hot water. He didn’t mind her leaving however, as she took the two pale babies and their never ending stares with her. 

“Here you go boys.” Miss Wanda said, startling Tommy out of his own thoughts and bringing him a steaming cup. Miss Wanda gave him a warm smile, gesturing for him to try the new drink. Billy had already taken his own cup and taken a few sips. 

“Kya.” Miss Wanda chastised the tiny red head as she once again reached for Tommy’s hair. Tommy fought the urge to push the little girl away. After all she was just a baby, and he was above pushing babies. 

“I have to say boys, I am curious,” Miss Wanda began, snatching the two little girls away from them. She settled the smaller one in her lap and left the older one snuggling into her side, “How did you find me?”

Billy cocked an eyebrow upwards, “It wasn’t too hard.”

He looked at Tommy for assistance, “We used the phone book.”

Wanda chuckled, “That’s quite ingenious of you two.”

“Thank you!” Billy chirped, giving Wanda a bright grin. Tommy looked from Billy to the little red headed toddler, noting the identical smiles. 

“We have questions too.” Tommy said, setting his tea cup in the saucer and turning a solemn stare to Wanda. 

“Of course.” Wanda said, “What would you like to know?”

“Only one thing,” Billy began. 

Tommy finished for him, “Why’d you give us up?”

…

It took less than an hour for the police to turn the Kaplan’s entire lives upside down. The boys’ room was taped off with ‘CAUTION’ tape. The windows were tried, only to be found to still be locked. They dusted the windowsill for fingerprints, only to find smudges from two rambunctious children. And when they exhausted everything else, they watched the building’s security tapes. 

“Mr and Mrs Kaplan.” Jeff looked up from where he was comforting Rebecca, arms around her shoulders as she sobbed. The captain of the police force stood before them, gaze pitying yet sympathetic. 

“Yes, sir?” Jeff asked. 

“Captain Rogers.” the man introduced himself, sitting himself across from them, “I believe we have an update.”

“What did you find?” Jeff questioned, hand grasping his wife’s. 

“It looks like your boys walked out.” Captain Rogers told them, “We were able to track them a few blocks before they seem to have entered a cab.”

“Can you track the license plate?” Rebecca asked. 

“We already are.” Captain Rogers assured them. 

“Captain!” A voice from the boys’ room shouted, “Think we found something!”

“What is it Sam?” Captain Rogers called back. 

The black man who had been looking for fingerprints walked out, holding an opened box in his hands. “This was under one of the beds.”

Captain Rogers reached out for it, taking it in a surprisingly gentle grip. “Does this look familiar at all?”

Jeff and Rebecca exchanged a lingering look before nodding.

“Yes.” Rebecca finally answered, “That’s one of their memory boxes. I think that specific one details their adoptions.”

Captain Rogers rifled through the box absentmindedly, before freezing. 

“Sir?” Jeff questioned as Captain Rogers lifted Billy’s birth certificate out of the box. 

“I’m sorry.” Captain Rogers said in a raspy voice, eyes still lingering on the birth certificate, “It’s just that...This name…”

“Their birth names?” Jeff questioned, wondering why he had trailing off. 

Captain Rogers lifted his gaze to the couple in front of him, something unreadable in his eyes, “That’s my wife’s name.”