Love of the Ages

Six

Just as he'd promised earlier that afternoon, Rikki took his friend outside to explain what was happening to him after his nap. They made use of the lil patio area in the back yard, Aerin and her mother choosing to stay in the house with the Animals. Shooting a slight smile in his Direction, she'd assured the drummer that she could always tell when her boyfriend was too upset, so she'd know if she was needed to help Calm him down again. Nodding, he was unsure of her words since he didn't yet know she was a Witch, but still headed off with his brunette friend.

Bobby was horrified to find out about his friend's cancer diagnosis, having never thought any such thing'd happen to any of them. Even though it shocked and horrified him to no End, he was just as relieved to hear that his treatments were apparently working. Things could be far worse, such as the tumor under his tongue continuing to grow till it blocked his airway or something, rather than shrink.

"Trust me, I was just as shocked to find out," the drummer chuckled. "I mean, I went to the doctor thinking I'd caught a cold or strep throat."

"Yeah, to go in for something so benign and come home with a cancer diagnosis'd prolly put just about anybody on their ass," he agreed. "And I don't mean 'cuz of the weakness caused by the treatments, either."

"I know whatcha mean, dude," Rikki told him. "The shock, alone kept me abed for about a week as I wrapped my head around it all."

"I'm not surprised," the bassist said. "I'd have prolly spent a week in bed, if that'd happened to me, too."

"The thing that made me get back up and start the treatments, though–it wasn't just my zest for Life," his friend told him. "I told ya, a lot's Changed since ya disappeared."

"Seems to be true, and I'm sure what you've told me already isn't nearly all of it," he agreed.

Rikki chuckled as he sipped the drink he'd brought outside with him, glad he was sitting a couple feet away as he lit up a cigarette. While he'd once been a smoker just as much as his band mates, he'd quit a long Time ago, and he didn't exactly like being around smokers now. He could put up with it, though, when he was in a well-ventilated area, especially since he knew the brunette's Future could still involve him putting down the pack for good.

After wetting his throat down, he started to explain how all the guys'd wound up starting families, whether Intentionally or completely by accident. Duff was the first to become a daddy when he'd baby Grace in August of 1997, and he wasn't the only one who was fairly busy during 1999. While he'd his second daughter in July of 2000, Bret'd become a father to his first a couple months earlier in May.

Since then, the frontman'd fathered a second daughter of his own, CC'd a son in 2007, and he'd a son and daughter of his own in 2009 and 2013. Bobby was definitely a bit surprised, but he was also a bit saddened–after all, if he hadn't Time Traveled, he'd have been the first to become a daddy in December of 1990 when his own son was born. Maybe such a thing'd still happen, even if he didn't Return to 1987, but he just couldn't be sure that it actually would. Whether Aerin was his supposed Future childrens' mother or not, he might be one of those men who never had any children to pass not only his genes, but his legacy on to.

The drummer could easily see how his friend was feeling in those Chocolate eyes, and he reached over to gently cover his hand with his own. He told him that just 'cuz he'd suddenly been catapulted twenty-nine Years into the Future didn't mean he couldn't have the same things. Sure, he might not have the fame and fortune of being a rock star in this Reality–then again, it might still very well happen. His Destiny was in his own hands, 'cuz Life was whatever he made it, so he could easily still become a father, even in this strange alternate Reality.