Clueless

Michael Tremaine's presence at breakfast and lunch had not gone unnoticed. Not by Angus anyway. Michael was a home cook and a good one. He cooked gourmet quality fare, and he enjoyed helping in the kitchen. He never missed an opportunity to help feed the herd at the Lupin estate. Never. Ever.

Until today. Michael didn't show up, nor did he send word. That was tantamount to an emergency, so far as Michael Tremaine's character went. Angus was concerned. With Robert and Khaat both at work, the two of them had not noticed. Angus wasn't sure this could wait, though. He set lunch on the table for those at the estate who were going to eat and returned to the kitchen.

"Suki," he said, taking a denim jacket off the hook near the backdoor, "Please make sure the kids get fed and get settled for their naps."

"Going out?"

"Yes," he said. "Michael didn't show up today."

"He's entitled to forget," Suki offered.

"That's just it, isn't it? Michael doesn't forget, and he's as dependable as Big Ben. Something's not right. I'm going to Hogsmeade to check on him."

Isobella had been in the kitchen cooking with Angus when she noticed they were missing someone in the kitchen. When she saw Angus come back in and grab his coat from the hook. She stopped what she was doing and listened to the conversation agreeing with Angus on Michael's presence. She took off her apron that she was wearing hanging it on the peg near the door. She was worried about Michael and wanted to see if she could help.

"May I come Angus? I'm worried about him as well. You might need some help," She said putting her hand on his shoulder. "And don't tell me that your worried about me getting hurt. You've helped me get really good at defense and I could probably beat you if you weren't so darn sneaky." She grinned at her last comment grabbing her own jacket from the peg. "Come on let's go see Michael and see why he missed breakfast and Lunch." She said holding out her hand to him with a smile.

He looked at her. She was a Gryffindor, after all. There wasn't a part of her that didn't love adventure. He surely understood that. He loved it too. He wasn't surprised she wanted to come, but she was right. She could hold her own. She was also right, though, that he was sheltering.

"Michael's house is...a little different. Just so you know," he said, knowing that wouldn't deter her. It would only intrigue her. "Oh, alright," he smiled. "Come on."

He slipped on his jacket and took her hand. He ported them to Hogsmeade. He arrived at the street that Michael lived on--the street that ran right behind, and parallel to, Honeydukes. Michael's place was the little stone cottage with blue shutters. It was a place that Khaat owned and had lived in with her first husband--Abbey's biological father. After Khaat moved out, Michael had rented it--along with Khaat's weird furniture.

He opened the garden gate and walked up Michaels' cobblestone walk to the front door. Even from outside, he could hear some sort of nonsensical chaos from inside the house. That, in itself, wasn't entirely abnormal. The sounds though were odd, even for Michael's house.

He frowned. He knocked on the door but he knew full well that Michael wasn't going to hear him. "We're going to have to go in. Stay behind me," he said, drawing his wand. He opened the door, peeked inside, but stopped short.

"What the devil..." he frowned. He saw two babies, both crawling on Michael's floor as fast as they could go. There was an odd assortment of serving spoons, rubber dog bones, socks, keys, and other bits on the floor too. The hat rack was hold out a cold hotdog to one of the babies, who was apparently not happy about the offering and was screaming. The other baby was pulling an afghan off a chair. Michaels' two footstools were running around, barking and wagging their tassels.

And then there was Michael. He was simply sitting in an easy chair, with a glass of firewhiskey, half watching, half unfocused.

"Uh..Michael?" Angus called. Michael didn't answer. "Michael?"

"Oh. Its you," Michael said, sounding overwhelmed. "Come in." Angus looked at Bella.

"I'm not sure a cold hotdog is a good thing," he told her. "Can you do something with these little speed demons? Oh, the hat rack is Snidely, and the dogs are Otto and Faline. They think they're cocker spaniels."

"Different?" She said her eyes lighting up with curiosity. She grinned at him when he agreed to let her come.

When she saw Michael's house she thought it look pretty normal except the noises come from the house. "It's a beautiful house." She commented as she continued to observe it as they entered the garden gate. She looked around trying to see all of it before they entered the house.

"Ok," She said staying behind him as she drew her own wand. She looked around him and tried not to giggle but in the end couldn't help herself.

"I guess we know why he didn't show this morning." She said looking at the two babies crawling on the floor and the furniture that was moving about. She knew now why Angus had said that his house was different but she loved it immediately.

Bella could tell the man looked stressed and overwhelmed at what to do with the babies. "No it's not but I don't think you probably have an experience with babies." She said picking up the baby that was crying and bouncing him on her hip softly. "What are the little speed demons names?" She looked at Snidely and then at the two footstools. "Nice to meet you, Snidely if you would be so kind as to show me to kitchen please." She went over to the other child and picked him up as well.

She looked over at Angus, "You boys catch up. I'm gonna get these two fed and see about picking up some of the mess." She said then looked over at Michael. "Just relax I have this now."

"Thanks," Angus said. He had been an active part of raising Khaat's seven little ones. Her oldest daughter, Miseria, was adopted and was a teen when Khaat had met her. There had been no parenting chores for him to be involved in with Mis.

He had, however, had his fair share of feeding, diapering, rocking, soothing, bathing...and all the rest of it. He had been just about as surprised as Michael looked about finding babies in Michael's house. If there had been a vote for Least Likely Caretaker of Infants, Michael would have won unanimously.

Snidely scampered out through the dining room to the kitchen where all sorts of food scraps sat on the table and the countertops, refused offerings to the infants. The normally spotless kitchen was a wreck.

"Are you, like, babysitting or something?" Angus asked him.

"Or something," Michael replied, taking a sip of the firewhiskey. Michael handed Angus a couple of parchments. They were birth certificates. Two of them. Angus read them.Birth Certificates. Scott Ryan Tremaine, born 3.01 am, December 25, 2027. Five pounds, 2 ounces. Craig Wesley Tremaine, born 3.27 am, December 25, 2027, Five pounds, 6 ounces. Mother, Madeline Tremaine. Father, Michael Tremaine.

"God, Michael," he said quietly, "They're yours. Twins? Did you know?"

"No," Michael said. "I thought there was one. Not two..."

"How....when...."

"Some old crone dropped them off on me at the Hogs Head this morning," he said. "And then she simply popped out again without a word. Nothing."

"No word from Maddie? No sign of her? What are you going to do?"

"Not a syllable. As for me, right now? Pour more whiskey," Michael said, refilling his glass.

"Just a moment," he said to Michael. He went to the kitchen, looking for Bella. "Belle," he said quietly, "They're his. His sons. He didn't think he'd find them. Some old bat simply dropped them off to him this morning. Quite a shock for a man 62 years old. He's going to have to figure out how to raise twin boys, and he doesn't have a clue. This obviously isn't good for anybody--although Snidely does seem to be giving it a go. Hardly fit for the babies to be raised by the hat rack, though. No offense, Snidely."

Bella walked into the kitchen behind Snidely and gasped her eyes going wide at the mess. She looked at the mess and then the babies. She looked around finding nothing to put the children in and began thinking of things to improvise with. Sighing she grabbed several chairs she made a make shift pen for the little ones giving them some pots and serving spoons to play with.

She moved her wand over the surfaces cleaning them and clearing them into a trashcan. She cleaned up the kitchen enough to cook for the twins so they had something to eat. She looked into the cupboards and found some stuff that she could use to make the twins some food. Grabbing some pans as well as another serving spoon began making the food. It wasn't much and it concerned her as she looked over at what the twins were doing.

She looked over when Angus came into the kitchen. "What? are you serious?" She said quietly looking over at the two babies. "I can imagine it would be a shock to try and raise two little boys when you know nothing about children. I can help him but he has to get proper things for the children, they can't exactly play around with things find littered about the house. Well Snidely does seem to be trying to help, but I agree with you. It's hardly fit to be raised by a hat rack." She looked over at Snidely, "Sorry. You did very well considering you don't know anything about children either." She looked back at Angus, "What do you think we should do?"

"Well, I'm glad you found something they can eat. I'm sure they'll be less cranky when they're not hungry. And, if I'm not entirely out of practice, they're probably wet by now too."

"Michael's been searching for awhile, but I think he thought he was looking for Maddie and one baby, not two without her. And, honestly, I don't think he ever really thought he'd find her or his child. Well, children. Still, he's got no other family, so I know he's going to want to figure out how to be a good father now that they're here.

"I think he needs a bit of time to get over the shock. And, undoubtedly he needs all the help he can get. I think we should take him and the kids, and probably the dogs, back to the estate. There's no shortage of baby things there. And, there's more than enough of us to pitch in and help him. You know, though, with all the little ones we already have there, you and I might need to devote a little less time in the kitchen and do what we can to help with kids--or something. I don't know. Do you think we can manage all this for a couple more?" he teased her. After all, it wasn't as if they weren't 'practicing' for trying for their own kids at some point. Angus wasn't sure they were ready to actually have kids of their own, but practicing to try for them? They did appear to be good at that.

"As for Michael, Robert's his best friend. Robert and Kate will make sure Michael himself is managing. And, might do him good if we can get him into the kitchen again where he feels comfortable. He's relatively good with Khaat's kids now that the kids talk. But some familiar surroundings and some adult comfort might be the ticket for him.

"Well there's not much in the cupboards to make but this will do for now. Yeah they will be less cranky after they eat, I'm sure they are more than likely wet by now." Bella said as she finished the food and poured it into two bowls that were sitting on the counter.

"I'm sure once gets the hang of everything with the twins he'll be a wonderful father. Well he has us and everyone at the estate as family. Sure we're not blood but sometimes family isn't about blood it's about loyalty."

"Yeah I think he does need to get over the shock of all of this. It's better he come stay with us so that we can help him get to where he knows what he's doing. Yeah there's definitely not a shortage of babies things there, do you think that Khaat has any baby boy clothes left over? Yeah we might have to help a little more with the children." She laughed at his teasing and said, "I'm sure we can handle a couple more. They couldn't be too much trouble could they?" She went over and picked one of the up and bounced him on her hip. She knew that she loved being a mommy but she also knew that her and Angus wouldn't be ready for kids yet. However these two will give them good practice just like the other children gave them good practice.

"Yeah I think he needs to come back with us to the estate. He needs some help and needs to be around some adults so that he has someone to talk to. He needs some familiarity around him and of course he needs some rest, he looks like he hasn't slept in a while." She said with a soft smile, "Now let's get these kiddos changed and fed."

"Well, Michael's pantry is much better equipped for adult fine dining than for nine month olds," Angus said. "That's for certain. And I agree with you. Michael's biggest strong point is that he is unshakably loving and loyal to those he loves. Not having any blood relatives of his own has always been a sore spot for him. Its always kept him feeling alone. Maybe after the shock wears off, maybe he won't feel that way.

"Fortunately, he's the biggest believer I know that blood family isn't everything. The only family he has had up til now are those of us who live on the estate...." He paused, catching sight of something on one of the babies' ankles. "What's this?" He looked at a string tied to the ankle with a little piece of paper.

"You're tagged, aren't you, Mate?" he looked at the baby that Belle was balancing on her hip. "This one is, apparently Scott Ryan Tremaine. So, that must make his brother Craig Wesley Tremaine. They certainly have their father's eyes.

"I think you're absolutely right. Michael will be far better with us around to support him. Not to mention that the babies will have a better food supply. Snidely's liable to give them brandy and caviar if we leave them here."

He opened one of the kitchen drawers and got out a couple of cotton tea towels, draping one on her shoulder and draping the other one on his own shoulder. "Makeshift diapers, at least until we get them home. That one..." he pointed to Craig, "is smelling pretty ripe. I'll change one if you do the other. You want the Little Stink or the Big Stink?" He teased.

"Yes it is much better for adults than tiny little ones," Bella said grinning as the one she was holding was attempting to put her necklace in it's mouth. "That true hopefully that once the shock is gone that he'll have that family bond that he needs. We just have to show him that'll he'll never be alone in anything that he does, I'm sure Rose will take to him very well." She grinned at the thought of her daughter reaching out to Michael.

"That's good, I'm sure that with being with people around them that love him. We will get him back to where he.." She paused and looked at the piece of paper as well and smiled softly. "Is that a piece of paper?"

She laughed softly and looked at the Scott who was trying to eat her necklace still. "Sweetie I don't think that will taste too good if you try to eat it." She said kissing the little one on the baby. "Yes they do and they are so adorable. Aren't they?"

"Yes they all will be better with us at the estate and then we can help get Michael to where he doesn't feel overwhelmed over the fact that he has two babies to care for." She looked over at Snidely trying not to smile then back at Angus. "Yeah those are not the best things for these little ones."

"Well I was gonna ask if you knew something to use to change them." She laughed then looked over at Craig. "Yeah he is smelling pretty ripe. I'll get Craig and you can take Scott to change." She said handing him Scott and went to pick up Craig who gurgled at her. "Such cutie aren't you?" She said to Craig as she laid him on the clean table and cleaned him up then put the cloth on him. "There all nice and clean, you ready to eat sweetheart? I'm sure the food is cool enough for you to eat it." She walked back over towards Angus bouncing Craig softly on her hip.