Little Daisy

Happy Birthday

"Why'd you have me grab my skates?" Carden asks, squished between them. Rae and Tim both stare ahead, not commenting. "Where are we going?" He tries and sighs when he still receives no answer. "Are we even going to make it there in this thing?" He asks, eyeing the truck distrustfully.

"Hey Car, watch it." Tim warns, patting the truck's dash. "This is my baby. She's a good girl."

"First time I actually talked to him it was cause it overheated and he needed a ride home." Rae informs Carden, who smirks. "And I thought I was your baby." She says, leaning forward to give Tim a look.

"You are, mostly." Tim says. She leans over Carden and smacks his arm. "Careful, you'll make me drive right off the road!" He protests and she scoffs, hitting him again.

"Is this what I think it is..." Carden says slowly, once they pull up to the rink. Rae smiles at him.

"Happy birthday little brother." She says softly. "From Tim and I." Carden looks at the rink in disbelief, and then back at them, then at the rink, his jaw nearly touching his chest.

"No way." He breathes then hugs Rae tightly. "This is the coolest thing anyone has ever done." He says, voice slightly muffled.

"Don't just thank me, it was Tim's idea." Rae says, smiling while trying to hold back tears. Carden spins then hugs Tim just as tightly as Rae.

"You are the coolest almost big brother ever." He says quietly and Tim nods, unable to say anything else. After a pause, Tim pushes him slightly.

"C'mon kid you have to teach me how to skate." He says and Carden hastily climbs out after Rae, grabbing his bag out of the back of the truck. He practically sprints into the rink. Rae and Tim follow at a slower pace, hand in hand.

"Have you ever skated before?" Rae asks him curiously.

"Not a day in my life." He says evenly. She laughs and skips ahead of him a little bit, skates bouncing on her back.

On the ice, Carden whips around the other unsteady skaters, a permanent smile on his face. Rae stands in the doorway to the ice, hands on her hips, watching as Tim struggles to walk to the door.

"He looks like a newborn deer." Carden comments, stopping inches from her and spraying her with ice.

"Be nice, he's never done this before and it's all for you." She scolds then smiles encouragingly at Tim, who's almost made it to the door.

"Are you sure you didn't have a couple shots in the truck?" Carden calls. Tim gives him a dirty look.

"Would've made dealing with you a whole hell of lot easier." He says grumpily, finally making it to the door.

"Better tape those ankles, bender." Carden says, grinning. Then he jumps slightly and zooms away, scaring the other skaters by getting too close. Tim looks at Rae for an explanation. He can tell that it was an insult by the way she is exasperated but also amused. She shakes her head.

"It means your ankles bend in your skates." She explains, seeing his confusion and he looks down at his ankles then back up at her.

"So?" He demands. She laughs and helps him onto the ice.

"It's a hockey thing baby." She reassures him. He clings to the wall, trying to get his legs underneath him, flailing whenever his balance is off just slightly. Rae hovers nearby. He makes his way around the rink once like this, pulling himself hand over hand with the wall.

"Does he need a walker?" Carden taunts, skating next to him, easily skating backwards.

"Go one on one with me on the field little man, I'll kick your ass." He threatens, but the effect is somewhat lost with the fact that he's wobbling. Carden just smirks and takes off again.

"C'mon." Rae says gently, coaxing him away from the wall. "Hang onto my hands and keep your center of gravity low." She instructs. Tim is practically squatting but he follows her, gripping her hands tightly. She skates backwards, teaching him. Halfway through their lap, Carden shows up with a puck and stick, beaming.

"Look Mais!" He says, bouncing the puck on the stick.

"Can you do that?" She asks nervously, glancing around at the people skating. He shrugs, uncaring, and skates off.

"How is he so natural?" Tim demands, glaring as Carden puck handles easily. Rae laughs, pulling him a little faster.

"In our first life dad would actually take him to the rink and play. I don't think Car ever really stops thinking about hockey. When we first moved, I found his skates in the garbage one night. And I took them out and kept them. He took them back a week later. The kid was born with ice in his veins and lives with it under his feet." She says, watching her brother proudly.

"I'd rather have the dirt." Tim mutters then falls on his butt and pulls Rae down with him.

"So whatca think, we got the next Gretzky on our hands?" Rae asks, watching as Tim skates in a small circle, unstable, but on his own. Carden, leaning against his stick, raises an eyebrow.

"I think his ass would get checked so hard he wouldn't wake up for three weeks." He comments.

"I was gonna say a month." She says lowly. "You're doing great baby!" She cheers as Tim gestures for Carden to come out and join him.

"Maisie." Carden says and she looks at him, realizing with a start that he is already taller than her on his skates. "Thank you. And Tim. This really was the best birthday ever. Best day I've had in Texas in... Ever." He says honestly and she smiles, pulling him into a hug.

"I can't give you everything mom gave you and I'm sorry, but I try." She whispers, struggling not to cry.

"You're doing a pretty good job Mais." He whispers back then hurries out and has to catch Tim when he stumbles.

"C'mon, you'd get laughed at so bad back home." He taunts and Tim takes his stick, using it as a crutch.

"Alright then punk, teach me how to skate." He challenges and Carden just grin uncontrollably. Rae beams and skates after them, forgetting for a couple minutes that she's somewhere she hates and pretends that she's back home and nothing has ever changed.

"That's awesome Jules. Congrats. I'll be over soon. Ok. Ok, bye sweetie." Rae hangs up her phone and screams, jumping in the pool, right next to Tim, on his floating raft.

"Jesus." Tim swears, covering his beer protectively from the splash.

"Mrs. Taylor had her baby!" Rae says, swimming up to him and shaking his shoulders excitedly, nearly spilling the beer.

"Oh you're in for it now." Carden warns him.

"Why?" Tim asks, confused.

"She loves babies." Carden says, grinning. "She goes completely nuts around them. Won't stop holding them."

"I love babies." Rae says dreamily, arms still around his neck. Tim looks down at her then at Carden, panicking.

"Do you... Do you... Do you, uh... Want them?" He splutters. She looks up at him like he is an idiot.

"Of course not Tim Riggins, I am barely 18. I don't want yours or anyone else's babies." She scoffs. He relaxes and she wraps her arms around his neck, pressing her entire body into him. "However, I love the practice." She whispers silkily in his ear. He groans and buries his face in her neck. The next morning, she rolls over and pokes him awake.

"Get up Tim Riggins, you have practice." She orders cheerfully. He groans, burying his face in her pillows. "Get up and I'll make waffles." She singsongs. He raises his head, not opening his eyes.

"With chocolate chips?" He asks hopefully.

"Anything for you during hell week." She says, kissing his head. "And afterwards you go get Carden please, I'm going to go over to Julie's to see baby Gracie!" She calls. He moans and pulls the blankets over his face in a feeble attempt to block out the sunlight that's streaming in.