its been a year since they met Monty, the little six your old boy they'd adopted, and the whole town loved him. he was getting better too, they were working on his studder and teaching him to say other words but he didn't always manage. he still didn't talk well at all, when he did speak he was studdering through each word he attempted, literally all he said was 'daddy' or 'Tommy' or 'Doc' and occasionally Flo if he could get the word out, but he had a happy life. he was adorable the whole town loved him, though they could never tell if he was talking about Red or Mack when he said daddy, because he called them both daddy. he also liked to call Ramone by his wifes name on the rare occasion he could say Flos name, he had a hard time with the letter F and the letter D. he's been given a little more freedom in the town since everyone actually watches him. Sally, a big lawyer from LA, had crashed in the town a few weeks ago, with a fever of 102 and a blown rod in the engine of her Porcha. Monty wasn't handling her new presence well as he hadn't been able to see Doc the whole time she'd been sick, though Doc had made up for it by letting him sit in his old Hornet, he still didn't like her.
"oh hey kid." Sally smiles, seeing Monty walk down the side walk by himself with Tommy clutched in his arms. he stares at her, stepping back. "where's your daddys?" Sally ask walking over to him. immediately he screams, backing away from her. Doc bursts out of his clinic, eyes landing on the boy, he lets out a sigh of relief and walks over, scooping him up. Monty curls up, clinging to him with a quiet whimper.
"its alright Monty." Doc assures. he looks at Sally confused. "what happened Sally?" Doc ask.
"I just walked over and ask where his dads were." Sally frowns. Doc rolls his eyes.
"Red and Mack have been working on stranger danger with him. he does that if you ask the wrong question, sometimes even if he knows you. did it to Flo the other day, had him in tears." Doc frowns a little. Monty sniffles, burying his face in Docs neck.
"d-d-Doc." he whines.
"its okay kid. come on, we'll go find Red." Doc assures, carrying him off. he glances at Sally nervously before cuddling to Doc. "you getting better with my name kiddo." Doc murmurs. Monty cuddles closer. "I know she scared you, but you're okay." he assures. he heads into the fire station. "Red, you here?" Doc calls.
"yeah back here, if you're looking for Monty, he went to Ramones." Red calls.
"I have him." Doc frowns. Red pokes his head out and walks over, taking the boy.
"what happened? whys he so upset?" Red ask, holding him tightly.
"Sally ask where his daddies were and he started screaming." Doc frowns.
"he doesn't like her." Red says, cuddling the boy.
"yeah I gather that. why doesn't he like her?" Doc ask. Red shrugs.
"no idea." Red says, setting the boy down so he can run over to his drawing desk. "but he'll answer you if you give him a minute." Red chuckles, watching him go. "god I love that kid." Red sighs, smiling.
"the whole town does." Doc chuckles.
"hey Monty I love you." Red calls. Monty grunts at him, looking over and making a sign towards him. Doc was learning that ment he was saying he loved them back, since he couldn't say the word yet.
"he's got speech therapy tomorrow." Doc murmurs.
"I know, I'm trying to see if I'll be able to take him. Macks supposed to come home tomorrow, but you know how the life of a semi driver goes." Red frowns a little. he hates leaving their little down without a fire fighter.
"I'll take him. he seems to do a better when I take him anyway." Doc says.
"thats true, though he doesn't repeat words to us like he does you." Red frowns.
