Teak headed off to work.
After all these years, he still wasn't used to the god-awful early hours. It was quite a ways to travel to the nearest ocean, though.
"Have a good day, Mom," he said as he walked by her grave, just by habit. He'd been just a baby when she'd tragically died and he didn't remember her at all, just the stories his Dad had told him all these years. And the occasional ghostly reminder.
Allyn was having a hard time dealing with all the loss in the family. Her beloved husband Urbain dying and then her best friend Marissa was almost too much to handle.
"There, there, don't cry, sweetheart" she crooned softly, rocking back and forth, not even noticing the baby was actually on the floor at her feet and she was rocking a sack of flour.
Good thing Auntie Rogue and Uncle Quay were nearby to help.
"Anyone want a grilled cheese for breakfast?" he called out hopefully. It'd be nice if someone else loved grilled cheese as much as he did.
"That's okay, Mom, we've got it," Rogue told her mom nervously. Her sister-in-law Lisa had kind put her foot down about leaving the kids alone with Allyn. Probably for good reason. Last time they hadn't been able to find Pacific for thirty minutes before finding him in the toy box.
"Hey boy," Quay greeted the handsome doggy. It sure would be cool to have a dog in the house!
It's not like they had their hands full. Happy birthday Ocean!
Happy birthday Pacific!
Two cutie patooties!
Quay worked hard all afternoon and finally he was able to be-friend Rover.
He quickly fed the doggy to make sure he never wanted to leave.
Finding a couple broken boards around the property, he also managed to throw together the perfect dog house.
Rover wasted no time getting into trouble.
"Oh my plumbbob! Teak! Help!"
"Where did this monster come from?!"
Allyn was not a dog person.
Quay was glad his sister was so nice that she would talk to him about grilled cheese.
"Hi, guys, what have you been up to?" Sailor waved at his younger siblings, but they just continued talking as though they hadn't heard him.
Geez, you move out and become person nongrata around here! he grumbled, heading off to find his mom.
Teak was working hard on maximizing his skills for the next promotion.
Eureka!
Teens newly remodeled room was a little bit more festive than before.
Here goes nothing, Teak thought as he headed into work.
Quay stood by and watched as Rover bathed the toddler with his tongue, probably licking up all the food Pacific had smeared on his chubby cheeks.
"Doggy lick me!" Pacific cooed.
Allyn gasped loudly when she came in and saw the dog slobbering on her grandson. "No! Bad dog! Bad!" she yelled, shaking her finger angrily. "Quay! How could you!"
Cut toddler spam
YES! Another chance card to save the day!
Once a member of the family tops the Oceanography career, the Hand of
Poseidon dons diving gear and plunges into the murky abyss. Beseeching
the old water god to forgive the populace, The Hand of Poseidon asks how
to restore the waters and correct the weather patterns. His anger
quelled, Poseidon bestows a boon of knowledge to the Hand. The Poseidon
Project is born and opens its doors; explaining to all what must be done
to revive both fresh and salt water. Endangered marine life gain in
number due to an intensive breeding program, and there have even been
sightings of newborn whales! The Poseidon Project works to re-establish
ocean currents and tides, using artificial means to stimulate them until
the natural balance is fully restored. This artificial method has given
way to a hint of winter thaw. Seeing the progress the people are
making, Poseidon restores their minds with the wave of his trident. The
Oceanography Restrictions are lifted.
To celebrate, Teak threw a family party. He always loved seeing everyone get together.
Lisa was less thrilled with the reunions.
Who is he and why is he talking to me? she wondered unhappily.
Oh no, Sailor and Syllabus were at it again!
"Go Sailor, go! Kick him in the nuts!" Teak cheered for his brother, after all, it was his brother!
Allyn cleaned up after the party guests had gone.
Teak tended to his new fish.
And fed the koi in his new koi pond.
For the first time in ages, there were butterflies!
"Bad Dog, BAD!" Allyn chastised the errant dog.
"That is NOT how you water these precious flowers." For the first time since the blasted apocalypse, the temperatures seemed to dip below the freezing levels. It almost felt like... spring was in the air!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROGUE!
She grew up smart and sassy!
"Why shouldn't we get to go to Tortuga," Lisa asked her. "The boys always run off and leave us behind!"
Rogue wasn't hard to convince. She was looking forward to meeting some rough and tough men!
"Hey, we'd like a few drinks and then point us to the men!"
*crickets*
"What men?" the barmaid asked.
Good question.
The ladies wound up entertaining themselves all night long.
"Too bad you never got to go to college," her sister-in-law said, patting Rogue on the shoulder. "I bet you would've met LOTS of hot guys there!"
"Oh well," Rogue shrugged indifferently.
"That really wasn't as fun as I thought it would be," Rogue admitted once they'd finally returned home.
"Yeah, I don't know what the big fuss is about. Tortuga was pretty lame."
"Shh.. don't let my Dad's ghost hear you, he'll haunt you for eternity!" Rogue said, glancing around nervously.
The boys grew up cute. Ocean up top and Pacific below.
Grandma Allyn passed away, glad to have seen the boys age up to children.
Her death hit Teak hard. She may have been his step-mother, but she was his mother in his heart. <3 But he knew she was happy out there on some grand adventure with Dad.
"Why do you eat grilled cheese for breakfast?" Ocean asked his Uncle Quay with confusion. "Grandma always made us cereal."
"Isn't grilled cheese way better?" Quay asked eagerly. How could you not like grilled cheese for breakfast, he wondered yet again.
"Come on Quay, grow up! You can't feed the kids grilled cheese for breakfast!" Teak lectured. "It's gotta be super-sugary cereal!"
Quay headed off for a walk with Rover. Why didn't anyone get him? Grilled cheeses were the best thing in the universe!
"Don't you think so Rover?" he asked as they returned home.
He was still kind ticked about Teak telling him to grow up. Just because he liked grilled cheese didn't make him immature!
Everyone else could eat their stupid toaster pastries or cereal for breakfast.
He would eat his grilled cheese and do his own thing.
Oh Rover.
Bad Dog, Bad!
But, secretly, YAY! New couch!
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