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shanachie_quillTitle: Holiday on the Home Front
Characters: Jensen/Cougar, Beth Jensen, Pooch/Jolene, Roque
Fandom: Losers
Summary: Jensen and Cougar spend a quiet holiday at home
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Light swearing
Disclaimer: No one recognizable belongs to me
Author's Note: So this was supposed to be a short little Halloween story…obviously I fail. I need to stop letting my characters dictate the stories. There was a prompt…at one point. It had something to do with Jensen carving a pumpkin with one of Roque’s knives and![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
emocezi gave it to me. I think it kinda got lost somewhere…and I’m not entirely sure where it went. Thanks to emocezi and kaitlia777 for their help with this…especially for the costume ideas (emocezi ) and the random facts that Jensen spouts later (kaitlia777 ). I guess that’s about it. (Obviously I fail about getting this done in time for the holiday too.)
“Uncle Ja-ake. Get up!”
Jensen cracked open an eye to be met with a blue eye identical to his own only centimeters away. “Augh!” he yelped, pushing backwards.
Obviously expecting such a reaction, the voice was exasperated when it spoke again. “Really? Are you sure you’re in the Army, Uncle Jake? Cause that was pretty pathetic.”
Jensen pushed upright, moving the blanket with him and rearranging himself so Beth could clamber into bed with him. He held open his arms, smiling as the petite blond snuggled up against him, picking up his dog tags and fiddling with the chain. “Are you sure you’re only seven?” he asked in return.
“That’s what you tell me,” she replied, apparently content now that she had his full attention. “Frankly I’m not convinced.” She peered around him, looking to see if he was alone. “Where’s Uncle Cougar?” she wanted to know when she saw the other half of the bed was empty.
“He went for a run early this morning. I’m sure he’ll be back soon. Did you want something in particular? Or did you just not want me to sleep any longer?”
She pouted up at him. “I’m hun-gry! And it’s almost Halloween!”
“What do those two things have to do with each other, Microbyte?” he asked, dancing his fingers down her ribs and making her giggle. “Do you want me to feed you to a goblin or ghoul?”
“Uncle Ja-ke,” she giggled. “You’re silly.” Wiggling until he released her, Beth said, “I want breakfast and to carve pumpkins and get candy to hand out when we get back from trick or treating and go get our costumes and when is everyone else gonna get here and…”
Jensen snagged his glasses off the nightstand and slid them on. “Slow down, Microbyte. One thing at a time. Everyone else who?” He shooed her off the bed as he spoke. Pulling the blankets up into some semblance of order after he got up himself and grabbing a t-shirt and jeans, he pulled them on over his boxers.
Jackie rolled her eyes like he was being particularly dense. “Mister Clay, Uncle Pooch and Auntie Jolene, and Roque. When are they getting here?”
“Ah, probably later today,” Jensen answered. He scooped her up, swinging her onto his back and starting towards the kitchen. “That’s the plan at least. Now breakfast?”
“Jensen toast,” she answered promptly. “Pleeease? Pretty please?”
“I think I can manage that,” he replied. “You’ll have to help though.”
“I get to know the secret?” she asked as he set her down on the counter.
Jensen nodded, tweaking her nose before he moved over to the refrigerator to begin pulling things out. “I think you’re old enough now,” he answered. When he turned back to put the eggs on the counter, he noticed the pensive look in her eyes. “What’s up, Beth?” he asked, pausing in front of her.
“Did Mommy know the secret?” she asked. “Why didn’t she teach me?”
“Aw, Microbyte.” Jensen wrapped her up in his arms as she sniffed, holding her tightly and rocking her gently. “It’s okay,” he soothed. “I got ya.” Beth clutched at his shirt as she gave into her tears.
The hand on his back didn’t startle him since he’d heard the door click open; Jensen leaned into the familiar warmth of his partner and teammate. “What happened?” Cougar asked quietly.
“Not really sure,” Jensen replied in the same low tone. “We were makin’ breakfast, she asked a question about Jossie, and then just fell apart.”
Cougar wrapped his arm around Jensen’s waist, softly rubbing Beth’s back. She lifted her head at his touch, looking at him, before burrowing back against Jensen’s chest. For a few more minutes they just stood there, Cougar murmuring in Spanish as Jensen just held his niece and let her cry herself out while he held them both. When her sobs died down to intermittent sniffles, Cougar grabbed the dishcloth from the sink and wet it, handing it to Jensen so he could wipe her face. “Better, niña?” he asked exchanging the cloth for a tissue so she could blow her nose.
She nodded after a minute, looking at her uncles with watery eyes. “Sorry, Uncle Jake.”
“For what? It’s okay. A little unnerving since I have no idea why you just started crying, but it’s okay.”
“But I got your shirt all wet,” she protested.
He kissed the top of her head. “It’ll dry, Microbyte. Wanna tell me what brought on the waterworks?”
“I miss Mommy. And I was sure you weren’t gonna come home.” She swiped her hand across her face, sniffing again.
Jensen sighed, exchanging looks with Cougar. Lifting Beth up, he carried her over to the table and sat down on a chair, setting her on the table so she could see him. Cougar came over and crouched down next to them, setting a hand on Jensen’s leg and the table by Beth to balance himself. Jensen brushed Beth’s hair back to give himself time to gather his thoughts. “We talked about this before Cougar and I left last time,” he started and she nodded in reply. “I can’t promise that we’ll always come home, but we will try our hardest to come back to you. I can promise that if it is within our power, we will come back home to you.” He kissed her on the forehead. “You are the most important person in my life, Beth. I’m not gonna leave you behind.”
“More important than Uncle Cougar?” she asked with a grin.
Jensen grinned back at her. “Important in a different way, okay?” When she nodded again, he leaned forward and rubbed his nose against hers. “Better now?” he questioned as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She nodded against him and he pulled her back so he could see her face. “Soooo,” he dragged the word out, drawing a smile from her. “Still hungry? Jensen toast still? Gonna help me?” Each question got a nod until he got to the last one. Then she stuck her fingers in her mouth and shook her head. “No? What’dya mean no?” he asked mock-offended. He eased her fingers out of her mouth, wiping them dry on a napkin. “Don’t suck on your fingers,” he instructed. “Nasty habit. What do you want to do instead of helping?”
Jackie switched her gaze to Cougar who was still crouched on the floor, looking up at them both. “Can I have a Spanish lesson?”
“May I,” Cougar corrected gently. “And si, as long as your tio Jake does not need your help.”
Jensen had learned a long time ago that there wasn’t much he could deny his niece. If it was going to cause bodily harm to her, he wouldn’t allow her to proceed, but other than that; he didn’t tell her no. “I think…just this once mind you…I can make Jensen Toast on my own. But that means you don’t get the secret this time.”
She considered this for a few minutes and then held her arms out to Cougar. “Spanish lesson,” she decided.
Cougar got to his feet and picked up the petite blonde. “It is all right, mi corazón?”
“Yeah.” Jensen pressed his lips chastely against Cougar’s before hugging them both. “It’s fine. Go on. I’ll call you when breakfast is ready.”
Cougar raised his eyebrows at Jensen’s words, but when the younger man nodded, he turned to take Bethfrom the room. “Maybe you should change your shirt,” he suggested.
Jensen looked down at his t-shirt which was still splotchy and wet from Beth’s crying jag. “Probably a good idea,” he replied.
After going upstairs to change his shirt, Jensen poked his head into the living room where Beth and Cougar had taken seats. When they looked up, he wiggled his fingers at them and got two smiles in reply. Leaving them to their lesson, he went back into the kitchen and pulled out the rest of the ingredients for breakfast. Jensen toast wasn’t anything spectacular—it was more the idea than the actual product—but he always made a big production out of it and first Jocelyn and then Beth had often requested the treat.
Right now though, he was more concerned with getting breakfast ready and getting them on the road. They needed to get supplies and costumes before the rest of the team got to the house, in addition to carving the pumpkins once they picked them up. Instead of his normal antics, he quickly mixed up the eggs as the pan heated, then began dipping and frying the bread.
When he had a decent stack, he set them on the table and called, “Chow’s on!”
Beth came running in, sliding into her chair with a giggle. Cougar followed at a more sedate pace, taking his own seat. He turned to see Jensen still at the stove and made a move to get up, but Jensen waved him back down. “I got it.”
LOSERS SRESOL LOSERS SRESOL LOSERS SRESOL LOSERS SRESOL LOSERS SRESOL
Jensen was continuing his argument as they came back through the door having finished their errands. “I don’t see why you won’t show me your costume,” he said to Cougar.
Cougar shook his head. “You will see soon enough.” He kissed the side of Jensen’s head as the younger man pouted at him. “You need to learn some patience, mi corazón.”
Jensen muttered something, but changed his attitude as Beth dashed back into the room. “Now can we do the pumpkins, Uncle Jake?” she asked as she skidded to a stop.
“May we…?” Cougar corrected.
Beth rolled her eyes in response. “Yes, Uncle Cougar, may we…Please? I want to do the pumpkins now. So we can…may,” she corrected herself, “go trick or treating when everyone else gets here.”
“I don’t see why not,” Jensen said, exchanging glances with Cougar. “Cougs, you wanna join us?”
Cougar shook his head, pointing towards the kitchen and then the mud room. “You plan to carve in the back room?” he asked and when Jensen nodded, he continued, “I will make lunch and bring it to you.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Jensen agreed. He turned to Jackie. “So we need newspapers, spoons, the pumpkins, and knives. Why don’t you get the newspapers and spoons from the kitchen and I’ll get a sharp knife and the whetstone and meet you in the mud room. We can bring the pumpkins in together.”
When he met Beth in the mud room a few minutes later, she’d cleared the table and laid the newspaper out. He held up the large knife he’d gotten from his gear. “Knife safety, Microbyte?”
“Don’t touch it without supervision. Don’t cut towards myself or anyone else. Don’t wave it around. Don’t carry it point up. Carry it with the blade against your arm,” she parroted.
“Good girl,” he told her. Setting the knife down on the table, he motioned for her to head outside. “Let’s get the pumpkins.”
They’d already discussed what they were going to carve on the pumpkins while they were out running errands so while they lugged the large gourds inside, Jensen asked if she’d decided which pumpkin was getting which design. Beth nodded, indicating where he should put the pumpkins since they’d already set out the patterns. He picked up the knife once he’d carried them all in for her and motioned for her to step back as he unsheathed it, sticking the empty scabbard in his waistband. “Stay back while I cut the tops off, okay?” he asked.
She nodded, starting to stick her fingers in her mouth and then changing directions when she remembered his earlier admonishment. As Jensen stuck the knife into the first pumpkin, she asked, “Where’d ya get the knife, Uncle Jensen? It looks like one of Roque’s.”
Jensen looked up at her and grinned, careful to stop cutting while he did. “Well, you see,” he started. A noise from the door drew his attention and he glanced over to see Cougar in the doorway. “Hey, Cougs, Beth wants to know how I got one of Roque’s knives.”
Cougar raised an eyebrow at the statement, but shrugged as if to say that Jensen could tell her what he wanted. “Lunch is ready,” he replied instead.
Beth bounced up from where she’d been sitting. “Awesome! What’dya make?” She ran over to her other uncle, grabbing his arm and hanging off it. “Can we eat in here? So Uncle Jake can keep cutting the tops off? Pleeease, Uncle Cougar?”
Jensen grinned as he watched Cougar try to balance the swinging seven year old. “As long as it’s okay with Cougar I don’t see why we can’t,” he answered for the other man. “Why don’t you help him bring the food in here while I finish cutting the tops?”
“Come on, niña,” Cougar coaxed. “Jensen will tell his story when we get back.”
While they were gone, Jensen quickly sliced through the last pumpkin, lifting the piece free and setting it aside. He had just finished scooping out the first pumpkin when they came back in; bearing plates piled high with fajitas and rice. Jensen picked up a towel, wiping off his hands and looking over at them. “That smells fantastic.”
“Uncle Jake, the story?” Beth reminded as they settled down on the other end of the table.
Jensen had automatically started eating as soon as he sat down, too used to having to eat on the run and he had to swallow hurriedly to answer her. “We ah sometimes play a game when we’re in the field,” he explained. “When we’re waiting for the time to go on our missions. It’s a card game called Blind Man’s Bluff. We bet using guns and knives that we have with us and then try to out bluff each other because we can see each other’s cards, but not our own. Your Uncle Cougar is very good at the game.”
“So that’s how you got Roque’s knife?” Beth asked.
“Yup. I out bluffed the big man himself,” Jensen boasted. When Cougar just glared at him, he hastened to add, “But then of course I lost the next couple of hands to your Uncle Cougar.”
Beth grinned. “Its okay, Uncle Jake, Uncle Cougar’s pretty awesome.”
“Hey, I don’t get any love?” Jensen asked. He pouted for a second until both Cougar and Beth leaned over to kiss him on either cheek. “Aw, I love you both two,” he told them.
Beth turned as the doorbell rang. “May I go answer that?” she asked bouncing to her feet.
Jensen nodded his permission and she shot from the room. While she was gone, the two guys quickly finished eating and Jensen went back to cleaning out the pumpkins. Without a word, Cougar carried their plates into the kitchen. When he returned, Jensen pointed towards the door with his spoon. “Beth’s not back yet. Would you check on her?”
Cougar nodded once before heading in the right direction. When he returned this time, in addition to Beth he had Pooch, Jolene, and Roque with him. “Hey, guys!” Jensen waved the spoon at them and everyone ducked as pumpkin guts went flying in random directions.
“Grooooss, Uncle Jake,” Beth groaned. She hopped back onto the stool she’d been sitting on earlier. “Can we start cutting them now?”
“Yup,” Jensen agreed. He pointed to a smaller knife than the one he’d been using. “You’re going to carefully carve the dragon, right?” When she nodded, he continued, “If you need help, just ask, okay, Microbyte?”
Beth settled better on the stool and began to carefully prick the design into the pumpkin. Jensen waited until he was sure she was going to be fine before turning his attention to the other pumpkins. “Okay, little under two hours and three pumpkins…what’s the best plan of attack?” He tilted his head as he considered the three pumpkins and patterns. “If I do that one, then that one…I should still have time…” He almost seemed to do math in his head as he looked at the table.
Pooch picked up the other smaller knives. “Divide and conquer, man. You do the geek one. Cougar and The Pooch will take care of the other two.”
Beth looked up from where she was patiently cutting out her pumpkin. “Uncle Cougar has to do the graveyard one, Uncle Pooch. I picked that one for him because of the Day of the Dead.” She looked over at him when Cougar made a move towards her. “I know it’s the wrong time, but…I wanted…”
Cougar put his arm around her, hugging her against him. “It is all right, niña.” He took the knife from Pooch. “It is fine,” he assured her.
“Yeah, Baby J, we can do that,” Pooch told her as he took the other pumpkin. “A haunted house, huh? You guys just go all out.”
“No, they’re just crazy,” Roque commented from where he’d been studying the original designs. “I mean it’s a stupid excuse for kids to bother people and get too much sugar. Not to mention destroy property for not good reason.”
Jensen looked up from where he was painstakingly carving the front of the Death Star in his pumpkin. “Early colonists sliced off pumpkin tops; removed seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. This was baked in hot ashes and is the origin of pumpkin pie.” He paused to take a breath. “Celtic culture in Ireland said that on October 31st, Lord Samhain, the lord of Darkness, would arrive in search of the spirits to take them to the underworld. It’s an evil night when spirits roamed the streets and villages. Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.”
“Seriously? You keep all this shit in your head? How does it not explode?” Roque looked at him in bewilderment.
Jolene rolled her eyes as everyone else looked at him. “Come on, muscles. Come help me finish with the graveyard the boys started before you say something even dumber. Everything in the usual place, Cougar?” When the quiet man nodded, she grabbed Roque by the ear and dragged him from the room.
“Hey! Why are you taking me?!” They heard as he was dragged away.
“Because you can use your muscles for more than insulting people in their own home,” was the last thing they heard before the two were out of earshot.
Beth leaned over and gave her uncle a pumpkiny smelling hug. “I don’t care, Uncle Jake. I like your random information. What else do you know about Halloween?”
Jake considered what he knew and then nodded quickly as if coming to a decision. “The Irish carved turnips to ward off Samhain. When they came to the US, they moved on to pumpkins.” Pausing in his carving, he then added, “The holiday has a huge impact on US economy as people spend 2.5 billion dollars every Halloween.”
Beth grinned as Jensen continued to educate her as they all went back to carving their chosen pumpkins, with Cougar adding information about the Day of the Dead when Jensen’s flow of information slowed. Pooch seemed amazed with the amount of information the normally quiet man was willing to share, until he looked down and saw that Beth had finished her pumpkin and was sitting with rapt attention as he spoke.
Jensen checked his watch as he finished up his pumpkin, which was the most intricate of the four. “Come on, Microbyte. We need to get ready to go trick or treating. Cougar, you going with us? Or waiting for Clay to get here?”
“Uncle Cougar, please go?” Beth begged. “Please?” She reached up; tugging him down so only he would hear what she had to say next. “I don’t want you to stay here alone.”
Cougar knelt in front of her. “I will not be alone, niña. Roque will stay with me. Is that acceptable? Then I can hand out candy to the trick or treaters while you go with your Tio Jake and Tio Pooch and Tia Jolene.”
Beth considered the proposal for a few moments before nodding. “I guess.”
“Good.” He kissed the top of her head. “Now go hurry before your Tio Jake decides he’s ready to go first.”
Pooch smiled as she ran from the room yelling, “Uncle Jake, don’t leave without me!”
“You’re good with her,” he observed as Cougar moved to finish cleaning up the last of the pumpkin guts. Moving over to the table, he nudged the other man out of the way. “Go on and get changed if you need to. I’ll finish up in here.”
Cougar nodded once before heading upstairs. He poked his head into Beth’s room. She’d pulled on her robes and was tucking her hair up so it looked shorter. She paused to wave him down the hall. “Hurry up, Uncle Cougar, so you can take a picture with us before we leave,” she ordered.
Jensen was carefully painting his face in the bathroom, having already put on most of his costume. “Beth said you’re staying here?” he asked as Cougar entered the room. Cougar nodded as he began exchanging his clothes. “I’m not going to ask how you convinced her of that but thanks. I doubt we’ll stay out for long.”
“As long as you want. We will be fine,” Cougar answered. He looked up as Jensen came towards him; his face now disguised under the red and black paint. “You and Beth should enjoy your holiday.”
“You really are awesome.” Jensen grinned at him. “My totally awesome personal kitty Cougar.” He leaned in to kiss Cougar, who held him off with one hand pressed against his chest. Jensen pouted in response. “No?” he asked.
“You will ruin that.” Cougar pointed to Jensen’s face. “Beth will not be happy.” He stared at the taller man. “Did you have sugar?”
“No or well not exactly.” At Cougar’s raised eyebrows, he admitted, “I might have had a couple of Pixie Stixs.” Cougar held out his hand and Jensen sighed, but turned over the stash of candy that was in his pockets. Frankly Cougar was amazed at the amount of things the hacker had managed to secret in the pouches of his costume.
Beth bounded into the room as Cougar finished changing into his costume, tying his cape around his neck. “Uncle Jake, are you ready yet?” she demanded.
“Absolutely, Microbyte!” He scooped her up and tipped her over one of his shoulders, causing her to giggle. He grabbed both their lightsabers and galloped down the stairs with her still over his shoulder.
“Uncle Cougar, save me!” Beth yelled, throwing her hands out towards the upstairs.
Cougar shook his head at their antics and followed at a slower pace. Jolene looked up as they pounded into the living room. “Well what do we have here?” she asked.
Jensen carefully lowered Beth to the floor, steadying her until she could stand straight. “I dunno. Beth, who are we?”
Beth straightened out her clothes and took her lightsaber from Jensen. “I’m young Anakin Skywalker and Uncle Jake’s Darth Maul.” When Jolene just nodded, Jackie explained, “They’re from Star Wars A Phantom Menace, Auntie Jolene. It’s not the original, but it’s still Star Wars. And that’s a classic. In fact Uncle Jake says it’s the bastard stepchild of the classic.”
Jolene turned her mom eyes on Jensen. He wasn’t sure why she had them considering she and Pooch didn’t have kids yet, but she did and they always made them squirm. “Jensen,” she warned.
“What?” he asked, shrugging. “When the kid’s right, she’s right.”
Jolene just sighed. “Just maybe seven is a bit young to teach her that.”
“Teach her what?” Jensen asked, obviously confused. “You’re never too young for Star Wars.”
“I’ll explain it later,” Jolene decided, looking at the worried expression on Beth’s face. “And who are you, Cougar?”
Beth bounced up and down, clapping her hands. “I got it! I got it!”
“Who am I, niña?” Cougar asked.
“You’re Zorro!” she blurted out, grinning as she figured it out and he smiled in reply, dipping his head in answer.
“All right then.” Jolene clapped her hands. “Let’s go. Pictures! And then I think someone wanted to go trick or treating!” She chivied them into position and quickly snapped a few pictures before tucking the camera into a pocket. She knew Beth was eager to get going and Jensen was obviously almost as excited.
Cougar walked with them as far as the door, waving as they started down the street. He smiled to himself as he watched Beth bounce down the sidewalk then back to Jensen, obviously conferring with him, then dart up to a door to ring the bell. When he could no longer see them, he turned his attention to the children coming towards his own house. It was nice to have a peaceful moment away from their jobs. Maybe it hadn’t been what he had been planning, but he wouldn’t trade either of them for anything.
Star Wars Death Star found here
Dragon found here
Graveyard found here
Haunted house found here
Characters: Jensen/Cougar, Beth Jensen, Pooch/Jolene, Roque
Fandom: Losers
Summary: Jensen and Cougar spend a quiet holiday at home
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Light swearing
Disclaimer: No one recognizable belongs to me
Author's Note: So this was supposed to be a short little Halloween story…obviously I fail. I need to stop letting my characters dictate the stories. There was a prompt…at one point. It had something to do with Jensen carving a pumpkin with one of Roque’s knives and
emocezi gave it to me. I think it kinda got lost somewhere…and I’m not entirely sure where it went. Thanks to emocezi and kaitlia777 for their help with this…especially for the costume ideas (emocezi ) and the random facts that Jensen spouts later (kaitlia777 ). I guess that’s about it. (Obviously I fail about getting this done in time for the holiday too.)“Uncle Ja-ake. Get up!”
Jensen cracked open an eye to be met with a blue eye identical to his own only centimeters away. “Augh!” he yelped, pushing backwards.
Obviously expecting such a reaction, the voice was exasperated when it spoke again. “Really? Are you sure you’re in the Army, Uncle Jake? Cause that was pretty pathetic.”
Jensen pushed upright, moving the blanket with him and rearranging himself so Beth could clamber into bed with him. He held open his arms, smiling as the petite blond snuggled up against him, picking up his dog tags and fiddling with the chain. “Are you sure you’re only seven?” he asked in return.
“That’s what you tell me,” she replied, apparently content now that she had his full attention. “Frankly I’m not convinced.” She peered around him, looking to see if he was alone. “Where’s Uncle Cougar?” she wanted to know when she saw the other half of the bed was empty.
“He went for a run early this morning. I’m sure he’ll be back soon. Did you want something in particular? Or did you just not want me to sleep any longer?”
She pouted up at him. “I’m hun-gry! And it’s almost Halloween!”
“What do those two things have to do with each other, Microbyte?” he asked, dancing his fingers down her ribs and making her giggle. “Do you want me to feed you to a goblin or ghoul?”
“Uncle Ja-ke,” she giggled. “You’re silly.” Wiggling until he released her, Beth said, “I want breakfast and to carve pumpkins and get candy to hand out when we get back from trick or treating and go get our costumes and when is everyone else gonna get here and…”
Jensen snagged his glasses off the nightstand and slid them on. “Slow down, Microbyte. One thing at a time. Everyone else who?” He shooed her off the bed as he spoke. Pulling the blankets up into some semblance of order after he got up himself and grabbing a t-shirt and jeans, he pulled them on over his boxers.
Jackie rolled her eyes like he was being particularly dense. “Mister Clay, Uncle Pooch and Auntie Jolene, and Roque. When are they getting here?”
“Ah, probably later today,” Jensen answered. He scooped her up, swinging her onto his back and starting towards the kitchen. “That’s the plan at least. Now breakfast?”
“Jensen toast,” she answered promptly. “Pleeease? Pretty please?”
“I think I can manage that,” he replied. “You’ll have to help though.”
“I get to know the secret?” she asked as he set her down on the counter.
Jensen nodded, tweaking her nose before he moved over to the refrigerator to begin pulling things out. “I think you’re old enough now,” he answered. When he turned back to put the eggs on the counter, he noticed the pensive look in her eyes. “What’s up, Beth?” he asked, pausing in front of her.
“Did Mommy know the secret?” she asked. “Why didn’t she teach me?”
“Aw, Microbyte.” Jensen wrapped her up in his arms as she sniffed, holding her tightly and rocking her gently. “It’s okay,” he soothed. “I got ya.” Beth clutched at his shirt as she gave into her tears.
The hand on his back didn’t startle him since he’d heard the door click open; Jensen leaned into the familiar warmth of his partner and teammate. “What happened?” Cougar asked quietly.
“Not really sure,” Jensen replied in the same low tone. “We were makin’ breakfast, she asked a question about Jossie, and then just fell apart.”
Cougar wrapped his arm around Jensen’s waist, softly rubbing Beth’s back. She lifted her head at his touch, looking at him, before burrowing back against Jensen’s chest. For a few more minutes they just stood there, Cougar murmuring in Spanish as Jensen just held his niece and let her cry herself out while he held them both. When her sobs died down to intermittent sniffles, Cougar grabbed the dishcloth from the sink and wet it, handing it to Jensen so he could wipe her face. “Better, niña?” he asked exchanging the cloth for a tissue so she could blow her nose.
She nodded after a minute, looking at her uncles with watery eyes. “Sorry, Uncle Jake.”
“For what? It’s okay. A little unnerving since I have no idea why you just started crying, but it’s okay.”
“But I got your shirt all wet,” she protested.
He kissed the top of her head. “It’ll dry, Microbyte. Wanna tell me what brought on the waterworks?”
“I miss Mommy. And I was sure you weren’t gonna come home.” She swiped her hand across her face, sniffing again.
Jensen sighed, exchanging looks with Cougar. Lifting Beth up, he carried her over to the table and sat down on a chair, setting her on the table so she could see him. Cougar came over and crouched down next to them, setting a hand on Jensen’s leg and the table by Beth to balance himself. Jensen brushed Beth’s hair back to give himself time to gather his thoughts. “We talked about this before Cougar and I left last time,” he started and she nodded in reply. “I can’t promise that we’ll always come home, but we will try our hardest to come back to you. I can promise that if it is within our power, we will come back home to you.” He kissed her on the forehead. “You are the most important person in my life, Beth. I’m not gonna leave you behind.”
“More important than Uncle Cougar?” she asked with a grin.
Jensen grinned back at her. “Important in a different way, okay?” When she nodded again, he leaned forward and rubbed his nose against hers. “Better now?” he questioned as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She nodded against him and he pulled her back so he could see her face. “Soooo,” he dragged the word out, drawing a smile from her. “Still hungry? Jensen toast still? Gonna help me?” Each question got a nod until he got to the last one. Then she stuck her fingers in her mouth and shook her head. “No? What’dya mean no?” he asked mock-offended. He eased her fingers out of her mouth, wiping them dry on a napkin. “Don’t suck on your fingers,” he instructed. “Nasty habit. What do you want to do instead of helping?”
Jackie switched her gaze to Cougar who was still crouched on the floor, looking up at them both. “Can I have a Spanish lesson?”
“May I,” Cougar corrected gently. “And si, as long as your tio Jake does not need your help.”
Jensen had learned a long time ago that there wasn’t much he could deny his niece. If it was going to cause bodily harm to her, he wouldn’t allow her to proceed, but other than that; he didn’t tell her no. “I think…just this once mind you…I can make Jensen Toast on my own. But that means you don’t get the secret this time.”
She considered this for a few minutes and then held her arms out to Cougar. “Spanish lesson,” she decided.
Cougar got to his feet and picked up the petite blonde. “It is all right, mi corazón?”
“Yeah.” Jensen pressed his lips chastely against Cougar’s before hugging them both. “It’s fine. Go on. I’ll call you when breakfast is ready.”
Cougar raised his eyebrows at Jensen’s words, but when the younger man nodded, he turned to take Bethfrom the room. “Maybe you should change your shirt,” he suggested.
Jensen looked down at his t-shirt which was still splotchy and wet from Beth’s crying jag. “Probably a good idea,” he replied.
After going upstairs to change his shirt, Jensen poked his head into the living room where Beth and Cougar had taken seats. When they looked up, he wiggled his fingers at them and got two smiles in reply. Leaving them to their lesson, he went back into the kitchen and pulled out the rest of the ingredients for breakfast. Jensen toast wasn’t anything spectacular—it was more the idea than the actual product—but he always made a big production out of it and first Jocelyn and then Beth had often requested the treat.
Right now though, he was more concerned with getting breakfast ready and getting them on the road. They needed to get supplies and costumes before the rest of the team got to the house, in addition to carving the pumpkins once they picked them up. Instead of his normal antics, he quickly mixed up the eggs as the pan heated, then began dipping and frying the bread.
When he had a decent stack, he set them on the table and called, “Chow’s on!”
Beth came running in, sliding into her chair with a giggle. Cougar followed at a more sedate pace, taking his own seat. He turned to see Jensen still at the stove and made a move to get up, but Jensen waved him back down. “I got it.”
Jensen was continuing his argument as they came back through the door having finished their errands. “I don’t see why you won’t show me your costume,” he said to Cougar.
Cougar shook his head. “You will see soon enough.” He kissed the side of Jensen’s head as the younger man pouted at him. “You need to learn some patience, mi corazón.”
Jensen muttered something, but changed his attitude as Beth dashed back into the room. “Now can we do the pumpkins, Uncle Jake?” she asked as she skidded to a stop.
“May we…?” Cougar corrected.
Beth rolled her eyes in response. “Yes, Uncle Cougar, may we…Please? I want to do the pumpkins now. So we can…may,” she corrected herself, “go trick or treating when everyone else gets here.”
“I don’t see why not,” Jensen said, exchanging glances with Cougar. “Cougs, you wanna join us?”
Cougar shook his head, pointing towards the kitchen and then the mud room. “You plan to carve in the back room?” he asked and when Jensen nodded, he continued, “I will make lunch and bring it to you.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Jensen agreed. He turned to Jackie. “So we need newspapers, spoons, the pumpkins, and knives. Why don’t you get the newspapers and spoons from the kitchen and I’ll get a sharp knife and the whetstone and meet you in the mud room. We can bring the pumpkins in together.”
When he met Beth in the mud room a few minutes later, she’d cleared the table and laid the newspaper out. He held up the large knife he’d gotten from his gear. “Knife safety, Microbyte?”
“Don’t touch it without supervision. Don’t cut towards myself or anyone else. Don’t wave it around. Don’t carry it point up. Carry it with the blade against your arm,” she parroted.
“Good girl,” he told her. Setting the knife down on the table, he motioned for her to head outside. “Let’s get the pumpkins.”
They’d already discussed what they were going to carve on the pumpkins while they were out running errands so while they lugged the large gourds inside, Jensen asked if she’d decided which pumpkin was getting which design. Beth nodded, indicating where he should put the pumpkins since they’d already set out the patterns. He picked up the knife once he’d carried them all in for her and motioned for her to step back as he unsheathed it, sticking the empty scabbard in his waistband. “Stay back while I cut the tops off, okay?” he asked.
She nodded, starting to stick her fingers in her mouth and then changing directions when she remembered his earlier admonishment. As Jensen stuck the knife into the first pumpkin, she asked, “Where’d ya get the knife, Uncle Jensen? It looks like one of Roque’s.”
Jensen looked up at her and grinned, careful to stop cutting while he did. “Well, you see,” he started. A noise from the door drew his attention and he glanced over to see Cougar in the doorway. “Hey, Cougs, Beth wants to know how I got one of Roque’s knives.”
Cougar raised an eyebrow at the statement, but shrugged as if to say that Jensen could tell her what he wanted. “Lunch is ready,” he replied instead.
Beth bounced up from where she’d been sitting. “Awesome! What’dya make?” She ran over to her other uncle, grabbing his arm and hanging off it. “Can we eat in here? So Uncle Jake can keep cutting the tops off? Pleeease, Uncle Cougar?”
Jensen grinned as he watched Cougar try to balance the swinging seven year old. “As long as it’s okay with Cougar I don’t see why we can’t,” he answered for the other man. “Why don’t you help him bring the food in here while I finish cutting the tops?”
“Come on, niña,” Cougar coaxed. “Jensen will tell his story when we get back.”
While they were gone, Jensen quickly sliced through the last pumpkin, lifting the piece free and setting it aside. He had just finished scooping out the first pumpkin when they came back in; bearing plates piled high with fajitas and rice. Jensen picked up a towel, wiping off his hands and looking over at them. “That smells fantastic.”
“Uncle Jake, the story?” Beth reminded as they settled down on the other end of the table.
Jensen had automatically started eating as soon as he sat down, too used to having to eat on the run and he had to swallow hurriedly to answer her. “We ah sometimes play a game when we’re in the field,” he explained. “When we’re waiting for the time to go on our missions. It’s a card game called Blind Man’s Bluff. We bet using guns and knives that we have with us and then try to out bluff each other because we can see each other’s cards, but not our own. Your Uncle Cougar is very good at the game.”
“So that’s how you got Roque’s knife?” Beth asked.
“Yup. I out bluffed the big man himself,” Jensen boasted. When Cougar just glared at him, he hastened to add, “But then of course I lost the next couple of hands to your Uncle Cougar.”
Beth grinned. “Its okay, Uncle Jake, Uncle Cougar’s pretty awesome.”
“Hey, I don’t get any love?” Jensen asked. He pouted for a second until both Cougar and Beth leaned over to kiss him on either cheek. “Aw, I love you both two,” he told them.
Beth turned as the doorbell rang. “May I go answer that?” she asked bouncing to her feet.
Jensen nodded his permission and she shot from the room. While she was gone, the two guys quickly finished eating and Jensen went back to cleaning out the pumpkins. Without a word, Cougar carried their plates into the kitchen. When he returned, Jensen pointed towards the door with his spoon. “Beth’s not back yet. Would you check on her?”
Cougar nodded once before heading in the right direction. When he returned this time, in addition to Beth he had Pooch, Jolene, and Roque with him. “Hey, guys!” Jensen waved the spoon at them and everyone ducked as pumpkin guts went flying in random directions.
“Grooooss, Uncle Jake,” Beth groaned. She hopped back onto the stool she’d been sitting on earlier. “Can we start cutting them now?”
“Yup,” Jensen agreed. He pointed to a smaller knife than the one he’d been using. “You’re going to carefully carve the dragon, right?” When she nodded, he continued, “If you need help, just ask, okay, Microbyte?”
Beth settled better on the stool and began to carefully prick the design into the pumpkin. Jensen waited until he was sure she was going to be fine before turning his attention to the other pumpkins. “Okay, little under two hours and three pumpkins…what’s the best plan of attack?” He tilted his head as he considered the three pumpkins and patterns. “If I do that one, then that one…I should still have time…” He almost seemed to do math in his head as he looked at the table.
Pooch picked up the other smaller knives. “Divide and conquer, man. You do the geek one. Cougar and The Pooch will take care of the other two.”
Beth looked up from where she was patiently cutting out her pumpkin. “Uncle Cougar has to do the graveyard one, Uncle Pooch. I picked that one for him because of the Day of the Dead.” She looked over at him when Cougar made a move towards her. “I know it’s the wrong time, but…I wanted…”
Cougar put his arm around her, hugging her against him. “It is all right, niña.” He took the knife from Pooch. “It is fine,” he assured her.
“Yeah, Baby J, we can do that,” Pooch told her as he took the other pumpkin. “A haunted house, huh? You guys just go all out.”
“No, they’re just crazy,” Roque commented from where he’d been studying the original designs. “I mean it’s a stupid excuse for kids to bother people and get too much sugar. Not to mention destroy property for not good reason.”
Jensen looked up from where he was painstakingly carving the front of the Death Star in his pumpkin. “Early colonists sliced off pumpkin tops; removed seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. This was baked in hot ashes and is the origin of pumpkin pie.” He paused to take a breath. “Celtic culture in Ireland said that on October 31st, Lord Samhain, the lord of Darkness, would arrive in search of the spirits to take them to the underworld. It’s an evil night when spirits roamed the streets and villages. Tootsie Rolls were the first wrapped penny candy in America.”
“Seriously? You keep all this shit in your head? How does it not explode?” Roque looked at him in bewilderment.
Jolene rolled her eyes as everyone else looked at him. “Come on, muscles. Come help me finish with the graveyard the boys started before you say something even dumber. Everything in the usual place, Cougar?” When the quiet man nodded, she grabbed Roque by the ear and dragged him from the room.
“Hey! Why are you taking me?!” They heard as he was dragged away.
“Because you can use your muscles for more than insulting people in their own home,” was the last thing they heard before the two were out of earshot.
Beth leaned over and gave her uncle a pumpkiny smelling hug. “I don’t care, Uncle Jake. I like your random information. What else do you know about Halloween?”
Jake considered what he knew and then nodded quickly as if coming to a decision. “The Irish carved turnips to ward off Samhain. When they came to the US, they moved on to pumpkins.” Pausing in his carving, he then added, “The holiday has a huge impact on US economy as people spend 2.5 billion dollars every Halloween.”
Beth grinned as Jensen continued to educate her as they all went back to carving their chosen pumpkins, with Cougar adding information about the Day of the Dead when Jensen’s flow of information slowed. Pooch seemed amazed with the amount of information the normally quiet man was willing to share, until he looked down and saw that Beth had finished her pumpkin and was sitting with rapt attention as he spoke.
Jensen checked his watch as he finished up his pumpkin, which was the most intricate of the four. “Come on, Microbyte. We need to get ready to go trick or treating. Cougar, you going with us? Or waiting for Clay to get here?”
“Uncle Cougar, please go?” Beth begged. “Please?” She reached up; tugging him down so only he would hear what she had to say next. “I don’t want you to stay here alone.”
Cougar knelt in front of her. “I will not be alone, niña. Roque will stay with me. Is that acceptable? Then I can hand out candy to the trick or treaters while you go with your Tio Jake and Tio Pooch and Tia Jolene.”
Beth considered the proposal for a few moments before nodding. “I guess.”
“Good.” He kissed the top of her head. “Now go hurry before your Tio Jake decides he’s ready to go first.”
Pooch smiled as she ran from the room yelling, “Uncle Jake, don’t leave without me!”
“You’re good with her,” he observed as Cougar moved to finish cleaning up the last of the pumpkin guts. Moving over to the table, he nudged the other man out of the way. “Go on and get changed if you need to. I’ll finish up in here.”
Cougar nodded once before heading upstairs. He poked his head into Beth’s room. She’d pulled on her robes and was tucking her hair up so it looked shorter. She paused to wave him down the hall. “Hurry up, Uncle Cougar, so you can take a picture with us before we leave,” she ordered.
Jensen was carefully painting his face in the bathroom, having already put on most of his costume. “Beth said you’re staying here?” he asked as Cougar entered the room. Cougar nodded as he began exchanging his clothes. “I’m not going to ask how you convinced her of that but thanks. I doubt we’ll stay out for long.”
“As long as you want. We will be fine,” Cougar answered. He looked up as Jensen came towards him; his face now disguised under the red and black paint. “You and Beth should enjoy your holiday.”
“You really are awesome.” Jensen grinned at him. “My totally awesome personal kitty Cougar.” He leaned in to kiss Cougar, who held him off with one hand pressed against his chest. Jensen pouted in response. “No?” he asked.
“You will ruin that.” Cougar pointed to Jensen’s face. “Beth will not be happy.” He stared at the taller man. “Did you have sugar?”
“No or well not exactly.” At Cougar’s raised eyebrows, he admitted, “I might have had a couple of Pixie Stixs.” Cougar held out his hand and Jensen sighed, but turned over the stash of candy that was in his pockets. Frankly Cougar was amazed at the amount of things the hacker had managed to secret in the pouches of his costume.
Beth bounded into the room as Cougar finished changing into his costume, tying his cape around his neck. “Uncle Jake, are you ready yet?” she demanded.
“Absolutely, Microbyte!” He scooped her up and tipped her over one of his shoulders, causing her to giggle. He grabbed both their lightsabers and galloped down the stairs with her still over his shoulder.
“Uncle Cougar, save me!” Beth yelled, throwing her hands out towards the upstairs.
Cougar shook his head at their antics and followed at a slower pace. Jolene looked up as they pounded into the living room. “Well what do we have here?” she asked.
Jensen carefully lowered Beth to the floor, steadying her until she could stand straight. “I dunno. Beth, who are we?”
Beth straightened out her clothes and took her lightsaber from Jensen. “I’m young Anakin Skywalker and Uncle Jake’s Darth Maul.” When Jolene just nodded, Jackie explained, “They’re from Star Wars A Phantom Menace, Auntie Jolene. It’s not the original, but it’s still Star Wars. And that’s a classic. In fact Uncle Jake says it’s the bastard stepchild of the classic.”
Jolene turned her mom eyes on Jensen. He wasn’t sure why she had them considering she and Pooch didn’t have kids yet, but she did and they always made them squirm. “Jensen,” she warned.
“What?” he asked, shrugging. “When the kid’s right, she’s right.”
Jolene just sighed. “Just maybe seven is a bit young to teach her that.”
“Teach her what?” Jensen asked, obviously confused. “You’re never too young for Star Wars.”
“I’ll explain it later,” Jolene decided, looking at the worried expression on Beth’s face. “And who are you, Cougar?”
Beth bounced up and down, clapping her hands. “I got it! I got it!”
“Who am I, niña?” Cougar asked.
“You’re Zorro!” she blurted out, grinning as she figured it out and he smiled in reply, dipping his head in answer.
“All right then.” Jolene clapped her hands. “Let’s go. Pictures! And then I think someone wanted to go trick or treating!” She chivied them into position and quickly snapped a few pictures before tucking the camera into a pocket. She knew Beth was eager to get going and Jensen was obviously almost as excited.
Cougar walked with them as far as the door, waving as they started down the street. He smiled to himself as he watched Beth bounce down the sidewalk then back to Jensen, obviously conferring with him, then dart up to a door to ring the bell. When he could no longer see them, he turned his attention to the children coming towards his own house. It was nice to have a peaceful moment away from their jobs. Maybe it hadn’t been what he had been planning, but he wouldn’t trade either of them for anything.
Star Wars Death Star found here
Dragon found here
Graveyard found here
Haunted house found here
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