'Chance is staying in a hotel which is probably costing him a fortune. We have an extra bedroom that he can stay in. Cause, Tim, if he runs low on money he may be forced to move to Mobile with his family. I don't think that's what either of you wants. Am I right? Don't let him go, Tim.'  

Tim lays on his bed staring at the ceiling. He had laid down to take a nap in hopes of nurturing a headache. He awoke to the thoughts of what Kirstie had said.

"Don't let him go." He whispers to himself.

He was pulled from his thoughts by loud giggling down the hall. Sitting up on the side of the bed, he runs his hand through his hair. He guessed he'd better go relieve Kirstie before she begins pulling her hair out.

Grabbing his cane, he gets up and walks out into the hall. The laughter was coming from the boys' bedroom.

"Oh, Lord. What are they getting into." He says to himself.

He quietly opens the bedroom door and peeks in. Sheets were draped over chairs making a huge makeshift tent.

"What are you boys doing?" Tim asks softly from the doorway.

The giggling stops and only silence could be heard with an occasional snicker.

The flap of the tent slowly pulls back. It wasn't Adam or Patches that peek out, but Chance.

"Playing." Chance answers innocently.

"Chance?" Tim chuckles. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, uh...." Chance grins as he crawls out of the tent. 

Tim tilts his head as he waits for an explanation. He pooches his lips slightly to keep from laughing.

"Uh, well..." Chance straightens the baseball cap that he was wearing backward on his head. "I came over to see you but Kirstie said that you had a headache and had laid down. She needed to go to town and I told her that I would watch the boys. You feeling better?"

"Much better, thank you. And the tent?" Tim asks with a raised brow.

"Oh, the tent was all their idea." Chance says with a quick nod.

"UH UH!!" Adam laughs loudly from inside the tent. "It wath you, Chance!!"

"MOAN, TI!!!" Patches yells as he motions Tim to join them. (come on, Tim)

"Buddy, I don't know if I can get down there or not." Tim says as he peeks inside the tent at the man-child. Stuffed toys were scattered about inside the tent.

"PEEZZZZZZ!!" Patches pleads loudly.

"Come on. I'll help you." Chance says as he takes Tim by the arm. 

Tim is hesitant until he looks at the pleading blue eyes of Adam. Tim couldn't remember the last time he felt in the mood to actually play with the blonde.

"Okay, just don't let me bust my ass." Tim says as he begins to try to get down on his knees.

"YAY!!" Patches shouts as he claps. Adam gets up quickly to help Chance with Tim.

"Okay? So what's going on?" Tim asks as he gets comfortable on a pillow.

"The evil Batman is holding Dag, Darth Vadar and Mr. Potato Head prisoner." Chance says as he hands Tim the Batman doll.

"Okay?" Tim laughs. "That sounds like something that three and four-year-olds need to be playing." Being sarcastic.

They begin to play. Adam had the Darth Vadar doll, Tim the Batman doll, Patches, of course, had Dag and Chance had Mr. Potato Head.

"I (heavy breathing) am (heavy breathing) you fadder." Adam says. (father)

"No! I am Batman!" Tim says in a low gravelly voice. "The Dark Knight! I have no father."

"Oh! NO!" Chance shouts as he waves Mr. Potato Head's arms above his head. "Oops." He laughs as one of the arms comes off.

"Put yourself back together, Mr. Head. You're no good to me in pieces." Tim chuckles.

"Naw hut, Pezzz!" Patches says as he pretends to cry.

"If I don't get five hundred and sixty-seven kazillian dollars and thirty-nine cents for ransom, you will all perish! HA HA HA!!" Tim says, ending with an evil laugh.

"Tay, mmm mun." Patches says as he pretends to hand Tim some money.

"I can get a woan fwom Yoda." Adam says. (loan from Yoda)

"Are you nuts!? I don't have that kind of money!" Adam says as Mr. Potato Head runs around in a panic.

"Well, then, I will never let you go." Tim says as he meets Chance's eyes.

"Uh, will you take a check?" Kirstie speaks up from outside the tent where she had been listening. "I'd really hate to see Mr. Potato Head end up as mashed potatoes on Batman's dinner plate."

The tent goes silent.

She bends down and opens the flap of the tent. Tim and Chance quickly lay down the toys they were holding.

"Really, guys?" She giggles.

"They made me do it." Tim says innocently.

"I was wondering if Batman would release Dag and Darth Vadar so they can have some ice cream?" Kirstie asks with a smirk.

"Oust Cweam??" Adam asks. His eyes widening with excitement.

"YAY!! Keem!!!" Patches claps.

"You are free to go." Tim says in his Batman's voice. "But the spud ain't going anywhere."

Chance hangs his head and pouts.

"YIPEE!!!" Adam shouts as he climbs over Tim and Chance to get out of the tent.

"PEEEE!!!!" Patches yells as he follows Adam.

Kirstie takes the boys by the hand as they skip out of the room.

"Thank you." Tim says softly as he picks up the Batman doll and unconsciously straightens his cape.

"For what?" Chance says as he puts a new face on Mr. Potato Head.

"That was actually kind of fun. It's been a while since I've played with Adam. It's great to see him smile again." Tim says. 

"You know me, I'm just a big kid at heart." Chance chuckles. "But it's also good to see you smile again too. I hope I had something to do with that."

"Yeah, maybe." Tim says with a slight smile. "We used to do some crazy sh*t."

"That's true." Chance chuckles. "We would try anything at least once."

"I think I've forgotten how to have fun. I've just got so much on my mind." Tim says with a sigh.

"Did I make it worst by kissing you last night?" Chance asks.

"It most certainly didn't help." Tim laughs. "But it was great. I, uh, I enjoyed it very much. But maybe we should talk about that kiss."

"Uh oh." Chance says as he hangs his head.

"No. No, I didn't mean it to sound bad. I just think that neither of us should try to rush this. We need to just take one day at a time. Chance, I don't what to use you to get over her." Tim says as he takes Chance by the hand.

"Believe it or not, I understand and I agree with you. But, I want you to know something. I never stopped loving you. I thought I could make a life with Austin but it just wasn't the same. I just couldn't love him as I do you." Chance says. 

"Truthfully? I thought I had stopped loving you. But now, I'm not too sure. I think all I did was try to hide my feelings. And having you here is bringing my feelings out of hiding." Tim says.

"Do you want me to give you some space? I could go stay with my mom in Mobile." Chance says.

'He would move to Mobile with his family. I don't think that's what either of you wants. Am I right? Don't let him go, Tim.' Kirstie's words rung loud in Tim's thoughts.

"No! I don't need space. I need you." The words were coming out of Tim's mouth before he even realized it.

**********

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