Insomniac

Our Little Secret

Scooping the young boy up into her arms, charlie and kenny pressed their noses together. Kenny was a young boy adopted by Sam and his partner at a young age. Another was in the process.

The rest of the gang all filed into his complex as Sam entered last. The house was instantly mad with the young boy's laughter and sam's partner Jake entering the room. "whoa whoa what's going on here?" Jake smiled towards the gang.

Shutting the door behind him, Sam weaved his way through everyone and towards Jake. "Hey sweetheart."

"Hey, what's going on?" They both swapped a kiss on the cheek.

Sam huffed and looked towards Charlie. "they wanted to come over for the night."

Thomas watched as the two smiled at their return. However, soon his attention was on Charlie. She had the little boy tight in her arms, his eyes wide and in admiration. "my gosh you've gotten big!"

The little boy grabbed ahold of her hair and pulled playfully as she pretended to bite his cheek. His small squeals caused everyone to smile. Thomas of course, approached first. "and who is this?" He smiled.

Spinning to face him, charlie leaned the boy forward. "Thomas, this is my god child kenny."

Shock instantly took him over. "god child?"

Sam stepped in at that. "wouldn't want anyone else. Now kenny-" he turned towards his son. "why don't you go have charlie and her friends go play outside with you while we make dinner yeah?"

His eyes lit up before scrambling from Charkies arms. Once on the ground, he grabbed ahold of thomas's hand and began tugging him towards the back sliding glass door.

Their backyard was full of a swing set and play structure. It was everything a family could want in a temporary home. Charlie stood in the back with her arms crossed smiling as she watched Thomas and kenny go about. Soon enough, dylan, Ki, and Kaya were joining in as well.

Will slowly stepped to her side. "So you didn't tell us you had a god child." He teased as Thomas began pushing kenny on the swing.

Biting her lip, she took a breath and smiled. "there's still a lot you guys have to learn about me."

A silence hung for a while. "well good thing we got two more whole movies to do so."

"Yeah." She huffed. "come on, let's go help Sam and Jake with dinner. Let the kids play"

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"Charlie, you want to put kenny to bed?" Sam asked from across the room. Everyone was crowded around the tv and fireplace while Kaya helped Sam and Jake with the dishes.

Kenny was occupied sitting on Charlie's lap as Dylan made faces at him from across the room. "Yeah! Ken, wanna go to bed?" She asked the little boy.

His expression was immediately sour. 

"Oh relax kid." she ruffled his hair while lifting him up. "I'll be here to make you breakfast in the morning." 

Immediately he protested. "NO! Please!" Making everyone laugh. 

Moving towards the stairs she rolled her eyes and adjusted him higher onto her hip. "Okay, okay I get it. How about we make Sam do some pancakes huh?" 

"With whip cream and strawberries?" His eyes lit up. 

Knowing that the toppings where their thing, Charlie was more than happy to accept his offer. "Of course Kenny." Then just like that, they were around the corner and up the stairs to his bedroom. 

As soon as she was out of sight though, Kaya's smile widened. "Now is our chance!" And just like that, she was out of her seat and dashing towards her backpack. 

Curiosity hit everyone. Sam however, was the one to ask from the kitchen. "Kaya, just what are you doing?"

She turned to the guys instead with a DVD in her hand. "You guys remember how I told you Charlie was in Magic Mike?"

Thomas knew where she was going with this before she even opened the DVD player. Apparently, so did Dylan. "Oh this is going to be good." 

"You have no idea!" Kaya closed it and sat back. "You guys have no idea."

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Tucking Kenny into bed, Charlie sat at his side. "So how has school been little man?"

He grabbed her hand like normal and began playing with her fingers. "It's okay."

"Just okay?"

Biting his lip, he looked away slightly. "I get made fun of." 

"What?!" Her temper immediately rose. "By who? Why?"

A long breath filled the room. "These boys in my class make fun of me sometimes because dad and dad." 

"Oh Kenny." Charlie lay down next to him and stared upwards towards the ceiling. "You're going to get a lot of that. It's just how the world is." A hint of sadness filled the room. "But I promise, as you get older, things will have a way of working itself out. For now, you just got to turn the other cheek." 

Of course, it wasn't enough to get the little boy's mind off of it. 

"But." She smiled. "If anyone lays a hand on you? You go nuts." Instantly he started chuckling. "Go for the legs, get him on the ground, and don't stop until someone has to pull you off." 

His small frame shook beside her arm. "I'm kidding Kenny, no fighting in school. I had enough of that to pass around the entire family. If anyone lays a hand on you, you call me you understand?"

"I will..."

She could tell that there was something else that he wasn't saying. "What else do you have to tell me Kenith?" 

The cutest grin worked it's way across his face. "I kissed a girl."

Springing to life, she knelt over the boy and began tickling him. "AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME YOU LITTLE PUNK!" his laughter shrieked throughout the house. 

Downstairs, Thomas looked over his shoulder and towards the noise. Meanwhile, everyone was waiting for Kaya to find the scene. "Only she can make him laugh like that." Sam muttered towards Jake only enough for Thomas to hear as well. 

Continuing to tickle him, Charlie watched as he became breathless from the fighting. "I just don't want dad to be sad." 

The room fell quiet for a second. "Ken, you're dad will love you no matter what." She whispered. "You are his son now, what you choose he will support you no matter what." 

With a swallow, he nodded. "I know." 

"Good."

"But can you promise me something Charlie?" His big brown eyes looked up to her. She just waited for him to continue. "Don't tell dad?" 

Ruffling his hair with a smile, she rolled her eyes and kissed his forehead. "Our little secret little man. Goodnight." 

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Reaching the bottom of the staircase, charlie took in a deep breath remembering the familiar smell of their family. For the longest time she grew with it, so now it normally smelt like home.

However, once her feet landed on the main floor of the house, it all changed. The familiar song boomed into the room as everyone was crowded around the TV. Of course, Kaya was all smiles taking in her friend's face. 

The move was Magic Mike. And of course, the scene was all on her.