Tiny Dancer

Family Wine Time

"Five," I called after him.

He just ignored me as stormed off into the guest room, is this what it will be like when Benji is older? I knocked on the door and pressed my ear up to the door, inside I could faintly hear sniffles. My heart broke, Five has sacrificed so much for us to prevent the apocalypse, and he's the one in blame for saving our lives while accidentally bringing us to the 60s. He just wants this to be over, and live the life he couldn't have. So I decided to look for the only thing that could comfort a fifty-eight year old in a teenager's body, alcohol.

After ransacking Elliot's apartment, I found a bottle of sparkling juice for Grace in the fridge and a secret cabinet that had bottles and bottles of wine.

I knocked softly on the guest room door before using my powers to unlock the door, I held my hand up telling Grace to stay back for now.

"Oh, Five,"I whispered,"I'm so sorry for this not working out."

I slowly walked over to the side of the bed to find Five in a crouched position as his shoulders shook. I've never seen him this vulnerable, and tears were pooling in my eyes. Five's body was slowly brought into a hug, so he was leaned onto my chest as I gently rubbed his back to help him calm down a bit.

"We were so close Naomi," I heard him whimper,"I'm so tired of this, I just want this to be over."

A sob hitched in my throat as I opened my mouth to say something, so I just hugged him tighter.

"Everything is going to be okay Uncle Five, we'll find our way back home," I look up to see Grace with tears streaming down her cheeks.

I levitated Benji from the carrier and gently placed him next Five, where he decided to place his hand on Five's and left out a soft coo. Grace walked in front of me only to sandwich Five into a hug as she rested her cheek on top of this head.

"You will figure this out Five, and you have the family backing you up."

"They hate me, they blame me for being stuck in the 60s. Maybe they're right, I couldn't even go back in time properly, what guarantees me actually stopping the apocalypse."

"Hey," I say in a stern tone, and I lifted his chin so he looked me in the eye"don't say that. No one's perfect, and we all make mistakes. If the rest of our siblings can't see how much you've sacrificed then fuck them. Also I don't hate you, I could never hate you, I'm alive and so are my children; as far as I'm concerned, that's all that matters to me."

Tears started falling from Five's reddening eyes as he pulled me into a hug,"Thank you, for believing in me."

"We believe in you," I say after we break from the hug and motioned to Grace and Benji.

A watery smile forms on Five's face as Benji reaches for his face, so I plop Benji on Five's lap, who immediately buries his head in Five's chest, and Grace tries to throw herself into a side hug but only knocks Five onto his back.

I make my way onto the bed and levitate the three of them onto the bed as well causing Grace and Benji to giggle. I fish out a handkerchief and started wiping his face, ignoring his groans of protest along the way.

Then I sit back and pick up the two bottles of wine,"so, I know this isn't whiskey, but this all that there was here,"then I handed Grace her sparkling juice.

We clinked the bottled together and I toasted,"to fucking up."

"To making human errors," Five said raising his bottle.

"Mazel Tov!" Grace cheered, making us laugh.

We took a sip from our bottles and sat in silence before Five asked me,"when did you and Diego get engaged?"

"Two days ago," I say smiling as I twisted my ring that was on my finger.

"Why did you break up in the first place," Five asked in a curious tone.

All I could do was shrug and look down,"I don't know. I guess we had just left the academy and we weren't used to real life. We didn't know how to process our feelings, and well I didn't ever since Ben. Diego had gotten accepted into the police academy, I was just starting my dance career. It was just one big and stupid argument,"I whispered tears rolling down my face, I felt Grace's small fingers wipe away my tears, and I pulled her against my side pressing a kiss to her forehead,"but I also know if that didn't happen I wouldn't have had my kids. I guess in the end it was all worth it."

I pressed a motherly kiss to Five forehead,"ugh why are you always doing that?"

"Why, is Fivey too old for basic human sentiment,"I cooed in a baby voice pinching his cheek in process.

Grace giggled as Five's face flushed bright red and took a long chug of his wine bottle.

"Uncle Five is embarrassed momma!"

"I know pumpkin, how about you and Benji trap him in a snuggle sandwich!"

Grace took no hesitation in cuddling into Five's right shoulder while Benji's head was on his left , while Five stiffed before awkwardly resting his chin on Benji's head and relaxed within a few seconds as a soft smile spread on his face.

"Is this what it feels like to be in a family, that loves you?"

"Oh Five," I sighed as I moved to his left side and gently moved Benji from Five's shoulder and onto my chest and I rested my cheek on the side of Five's head as I ran one of my hands through his hair," just because our family has trouble expressing their love doesn't mean our family doesn't love you. If they don't, then you're part of my family, Grace and Benji adore you, and you're the angsty teenage son that I won't have at least for another thirteen years."

Five let out a soft chuckle before I pressed a kiss to his head and the four of us fell asleep into a bliss. Little did we know, was that all throughout this time the wheels inside Five's head were turning, thinking of a way to save his family.