Title: Bubblegum Promises
Author: A. Magiluna Stormwriter
Feedback address: stormwriter@shatterstorm.net
Date in Calendar: 2 December 2010
Fandom: Poltergeist: the Legacy
Pairing: Alex/Rachel
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1236
Summary: When their son becomes ill, how can Rachel and Alex compete with the ice cream, medicine, and movie trifecta for making him feel better?
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Disclaimer: This story is an original work of amateur fiction, and is written purely for the private entertainment of P:TL fans. This story is no way affiliated with Trilogy, MGM Worldwide Television or the Sci-Fi Channel. The characters are their property, and this story is not meant to infringe upon the copyrights of MGM, Trilogy, anybody else who owns an interest in "Poltergeist: the Legacy", or any representative of the actors.

Author's Notes: This is just a little moment in time for my favorite OTP. I don't nearly write enough about their relationship with Michel, as he's still such a small boy in the story. This is just a little vignette that underlines the close bond between Rachel and Michel.

Dedication: To my muses, for always coming through in the end.

Beta: shatterpath

"Bubblegum Promises"
By A. Magiluna Stormwriter


(12-01-06)

There are days I wish there were more of me. Like today. Oh, yes, definitely like today. Maybe it wouldn't be nearly as much of a problem if Alex was home today. That would definitely make this situation a lot easier to deal with. But I can't blame her for participating in this lecture that she's been dying to take for the last several months.

Michel has been incredibly cranky all day, and won't settle down the slightest bit unless he's curled up in my lap. He's got an ear infection that is really bothering him, and while I understand that he's in pain, I just… I shouldn't be this volatile over my sick son's behavior.

Then again, his ear infection has hit completely out of the blue. My poor boy is confused, hurting, and upset. Of course, he only wants his maman. Connor was the same way when he wasn't feeling well. Kat and Rose, by comparison, have tended to want their other parent. Kat always was a Daddy's girl.

"Maman? Hurts," Michel whimpers, climbing up into my lap again.

Without thought, I close out the file I've been trying to work on and pull my baby boy closer to me. He cuddles in as tightly as he can, arms wrapping around my neck. My hands automatically move to stroke his back.

"Does this feel any better, Michel? I ask softly, belatedly realizing that I've begun to rock him back and forth. I'm not surprised in the slightest when he shakes his head. "Still hurts pretty bad?"

"Yes, Maman."

Glancing at the clock, I do a quick calculation of the last time he got his medicine. Shifting his weight in my arms, I get up and head into the kitchen to find the medicine Joan prescribed for her yesterday when we took him in to the clinic. Michel is set on the kitchen counter as I retrieve the bottle of pink viscous liquid. Shaking it vigorously in one hand, I reach over to stroke his cheek. The spoonful of medicine goes down exceedingly easily; I suspect it's because Michel loves the taste of bubblegum. Just about to take him back into the living room, I stop and press a gentle kiss to his forehead.

"How about a little ice cream? Will that help make you feel better?"

"Oh yes, Maman!" he says, eyes brightening a bit more, and claps his hands.

After procuring a bowl of bubblegum ice cream, I juggle bowl and boy as we head back into the living room. Michel curls up on the couch next to me as I search for a movie we can watch on cable. Settling for the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, we dig into our shared bowl of ice cream with happy gusto.

Dear god, has bubblegum ice cream always been this sickly sweet? Or am I just unusually sensitive because Michel is sick?

"Pirate, Maman?" he asks after nearly half an hour of the movie has passed.

Chuckling softly, I lean over to nuzzle at his neck. "Are you going to grow up and be a pirate, Michel mine?"

"Oh yes!"

"And will you be a mean pirate?"

"No! I a good boy!" he says, wrapping his arms around my neck.

"I know you are, sweetheart. I was only teasing." I hold him close, relishing in the closeness, despite my earlier frustration. I just wish Alex would get home soon.

+++++

"Rachel?"

"Hmm?" I murmur, shifting a bit to get Michel's knee away from my bladder.

"Come on, love, wake up," comes that voice again.

And then I realize it's Alex when she starts to slip her hands between my body and Michel's. That definitely wakes me up. But it's a little too late, as Michel begins to cry from being jostled.

"Alex, don’t! He's--"

"Maman!" Michel whines and struggles against Alex's hold, reaching for me.

Forcing my body to move more quickly than it should for how sleepy I am, I am on my feet and grabbing our son from his other mother. "Shh, it's okay," I murmur, stroking his hair. "Go back to sleep, baby boy. I'm right here."

He falls asleep again in no time, head nestled in the crook of my neck. Sighing heavily, I settle back on the couch into the position I'd fallen asleep earlier. Alex frowns as she watches us for a moment before grabbing the ice cream bowl to take into the kitchen. The water runs for a few moments, which must mean she's cleaning up the dishes.

She walks back into the room with a bottle of wine and two glasses. I shift to sit up with Michel in my arms as she moves to sit next to me. I don't like the look on her face.

"I should have stayed home today," she finally says.

"Alex, love, he didn't mean it. He's just not feeling well, that's all. You know how Rose is when she's not feeling well."

"I know that, Rachel," she snaps and then shakes her head, pouring the wine into both glasses. "If I'd known he'd be this upset and clinging, I'd have cancelled the lecture and stayed home with you. You have revisions to complete, Rachel."

"Which I'm actually ahead of schedule on and being terribly anal retentive over," I reply and reach over to twine my fingers with hers. "I've been far too focused on it anyway. Michel being sick has reminded me that you and our children come first."

She eyes me suspiciously for a moment, then shrugs again with a grin. "And I see you spoiled him with bubblegum ice cream again."

"I didn't spoil him. He wasn't feeling good and I wanted him to be distracted until his medicine kicked in. There is nothing wrong with that. Besides, the ice cream, medicine, and movie trifecta got him to sleep finally, so you can't complain about it." I grin broadly at her answering chuckle.

"So what movie ended up knocking him out?"

"The first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. He's decided he wants to be a pirate when he grows up, but a good one, not a bad one."

This makes Alex chuckle louder and lean over to kiss me gently. "He can be anything he wants to be, as long as he's happy."

"I completely agree."

"And when this ear infection is gone, I owe you a day of pampering, I think," she says, thoughtfully tapping her chin with a finger. "Maybe we can get Monica and Dana to watch Michel for the day. Or Alex and Olivia. Either way, Michel will be able to play with his favorite cousins for the day."

"I think that's an excellent idea," I reply happily. "Do you think it'll be a problem if Michel sleeps with us again tonight?"

She pouts for a moment, but the twinkle in her eye belies her actions. "I suppose I don't have a choice," she says slowly. "But this does mean that I'm not going to be able to have my way with you tonight."

Grinning, I press my lips to her hand. "When Michel is better again, you can have your way with me all you want, love. Have no fear of that."

"I'm holding you to that, you know."

"I wouldn't expect anything else," I reply and curl into her side to watch movies while holding our son close.