randomplaces | Breaker 'verse 14

"Jubes.... Ow! Dangit, Jubes, that's my ribs!" Alvin squirmed and tried to focus on the diaper he was changing, then bit back a bellow and snagged Star under his arm as he whirled and grabbed his tormentor around the waist.

She pulled back and forth, trying to shake loose to no avail. "Alvin." Gum popped in his ear. "Alvin, you let me go right now."

"Uh uh." He dragged her sideways and gently dropped the excitedly crowing baby onto the couch, then pinned her against his chest and poked her in the ribs. "Not till you get some 'a your own medicine!"

"I'll show you medicine, ya big...." She had wriggled around to face him and stopped at the look in his eyes. I could so get lost in those eyes.

He reached up and pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, admiring the wide blue staring back at him. So bright...

A pair of blood-curdling little girl shrieks suddenly tore through the lazy afternoon silence.

With a start the pair pulled apart, both turning toward the window. In a clash of heads, they managed to bean each other in the hurry to see what was the matter.

"What the heck, where'd Erzulie come from?" Jubilee rubbed her head, then gave Alvin a quick peck on the cheek and whirled to grab Star and dance across the room.

The dark haired man frowned at the sight of Ettiene and Henri trying to drown each other in the bayou, then turned his eyes to where Dove stood on the shore beside a skinny little girl with brown hair. "I wish those two'd quit teachin' my daughter bad habits."

"You just wish you could get out there and get in on it." Jubilee chuckled.

Without another word, he was out the door and cannonballing off the dock.

Strong hands grabbed him and ducked him as he came up for air, and he twisted, his fingers seeking pressure points as bubbles burst to the surface from his laughter. "Hey! No fair! Two on one! Help!"

"Oww! Breaker, you...!" roared Ettiene, the words barely coherent through his laughter as he rubbed his wrist. "Get 'im, Henri!"

"Oh, no!" Brown hair stuck out everywhere. "I ain't goin' down again, you lugs!" He pushed against the water, splashing Henri in the face and then diving as the giant pushed forward with one hand up against the assault.

"Gotcha!" Ettiene dunked him again, then jerked and went under as a pair of legs went around his chest.

"Got you, E!" Alvin came up grinning.

A huge hand came down on the back of his head and shoved, and he grabbed and yanked hard, a meaty arm barrel-rolling a large body over to the side. "Henri, yer worse than Marvin... barely."

There was a startled whoop from Ettiene that cut off in a gurgle, then both brothers surfaced like monsters of the deep, golden eyes alight with gleeful vengeance.

"Oh, crap!" Swimming madly, he made for the shore where the little girls were watching. He was just about out of the water when...

"Big boat!" Dove let go of Erzulie and dove for the space under the porch.

Ettiene froze and looked toward the sound, then elbowed Henri and threw out a couple of field signs, turning to Alvin as his younger brother lumbered out of the water and went around behind the cabin. "Jus' wait'll next time."

"Next time? Heh, yeah, next time..." He shook his head like a wet dog and clambered out of the water, mumbling to himself, "It won't be two on one next time. I need a hair cut..."

"Al, bes' y' git up on d' véranda," said Ettiene from where he still stood in the bayou, his face creased in a scowl.

Alvin gave him a startled glance, then scrambled to that vantage point, the tone in the Cajun's voice sparking a sour note in his spirit. Brown eyes narrowed. "Who's headin' this way?"

"Soun' like d' sheriff," rumbled Ettiene from where he now stood at the bottom of the front steps.

"Frère?" Erzulie looked up at him with an uneasy scowl.

"'Neath de véranda wit' Sweetheart, sha," he said shortly.

"The sheriff? You do somethin' I should know about?" asked Alvin tersely as the eleven year old hurried to obey.

"Nuttin' dey ain' already talked t' me 'bout." Ettiene's scowl darkened. "What 'bout you?"

Alvin shrugged. "I just got here with the kids. Haven't even seen the LEOs."

"'N Beau know 'bout Henri's wine. Drank more den I did." The big cajun folded his arms as the boat came into sight, managing to look frighteningly dangerous despite wet pants and a soggy bandage around his bare chest.

The airboat cut its engine and drifted in towards the dock. On the front bow stood the local sheriff. Two other passengers were seated, one slightly green around the gills and one the boat operator. "'Tiene! We be comin' in, so stay put."

"What dis 'bout, Beau?" growled the marine.

"Kevin?" Alvin's voice held surprise. "What are you doin' here?"

"You know dis homme, Al?" Ettiene shot him a look.

"Yeah..." He felt a chill.

"We need to see the kids you have, Al." The lanky deputy stumbled as he stepped out of the bobbing boat, then flushed as Beau grabbed his arm and hauled him upright.

"My kids? Why?" He paled as he remembered why Kevin had checked on him the last time. "You don't still think...?"

"You left the state right after I talked to you," the deputy was saying without meeting his eyes. "It got the guys in charge suspicious."

"What y' talkin' 'bout?" growled Ettiene. "Only kids 'ere be Al's."

"We run t'rough de records," said Beau, his eyes hard. "Dis homme don' got kids."

"They were left in my care." Alvin swallowed, relying on the truth. Father? You did leave them to me. Now, help me protect them...

"Den y' don' mind us havin' a look at dem." The sheriff walked up the path and onto the porch, Kevin a miserable shadow in his wake.

"You watch y' tone, Beau. De kids be restin'," rumbled Ettiene. "Don' you be wakin' de bebe."

"Convenient dat de be restin' wheneber d' police come." The greying man stopped in front of Alvin and stared him in the eye. "Step aside."

"No. They are my children and unless you have a warrant..."

"We do." Kevin's voice was lost in the sudden opening of the door.

Jubilee blinked blearily up at Beau, her face flushed under tousled hair. She held Star against her chest and awkwardly adjusted the strap to her tank top. "Al? Like, what's goin' on? What's with the cops?" Her voice was full of sleep.

The burly sheriff had frozen at the sight of the black-haired woman, his eyes fixed on a tiny blackish fist that lay against her breast. "Mercy."

"Now see what ya done?" Ettiene fixed the older man with a glare and began muttering in Acadian about heritage and the color of Beau's momma's boots.

Kevin flustered at the sight of Jubilee as well. "I didn't think you was the one that took those other kids, Al. I just had to do my job."

Beau stepped back, his face turning dark red with shame. "I'm sorry. Jubilee, I din' know. I... sorry?"

One brow lifted over a blue eye. "Like, whatever." She tried to squelch a yawn. "He was up last night and I need to get back inside. Is there anything else, sheriff?"

"No... non. Y' go on." He bit his lip and shot Alvin an apologetic look as Kevin put a hand over his face and cursed himself out inventively.

Jubilee leaned up and kissed Alvin on the cheek, then went into the cabin. He watched her go through the door before turning back to the police. "Anything else, Kevin?"

The deputy sighed. "No. My report will satisfy any questions anyone might have. I knew it wasn't you."

"I guess you have to do the job." A hand clapped his shoulder. "I don't blame ya, Kev."

"Thanks." He tried to grin, then turned and went back down the steps, giving Ettiene a wide berth as he passed him.

"I didn' even know she was seein' anybody," mumbled Beau. "Known d' fille since she be dis high, 'n I miss dis kinda t'ing?" He stiffened and looked up as Ettiene stepped up onto the porch.

"She a grown woman, homme. You don' know ever'tin." The marine gave a sympathetic smirk.

"I guess not." The sheriff whirled on Alvin. "You bes' be takin' care o' dat fille, den, or I be back, y' hear?"

The brown haired man was glad he didn't have any gum. "Yes, sir.

Beau gave him a stern look, then turned and strode away, his shoulders jerking slightly as a little voice from under the porch said, "Goober!"

The airboat roared to life, Kevin hanging on with a death grip. Beau gave a short wave before the craft spun and left a sloshing wake as the only reminder of its presence.

"Goober!" said Dove again, her soft voice full of indignation.

The door creaked open again and Jubilee leaned against the frame, Star once more safely wrapped in his cocoon. "What was that all about?"

"Apparently, the Tennessee Law thought I was a kidnapper and that Dove and Star were the missing children. I had a run in with Kevin right after I found them and..." he trailed off as his daughter peeked over the porch flooring. "Come'ere, Sweetheart."

She clambered quickly up over the railing and bounded off the top of it to land next to him, her wings going around him as she buried her face in his soggy T-shirt and muttered in her native tongue.

"Sheesh." Jubilee rolled her eyes, then pushed off the doorframe to walk over and get in on the hug. "Hey, Dovie, it's okay. Nobody's gonna take you from Daddy. Moeder'll hurt 'em if they try."

Alvin pulled them close, marveling at how his family had practically snuck up on him overnight. Smirking to himself, he shot a glance heavenward. Only You could do this and make it right. Only You.

"Ain' dat a pretty picture." Ettiene grinned and reached over to slap the radio jockey on the back, then turned and ruffled his younger sister's hair as she came up onto the porch next to him. "C'mon, sha, les' go find dat Henri 'n show 'im dat good fishin' spot we foun' d' udder day."

"Goober," came softly from within the group, followed by giggles and laughter.

"Like, ya gotta show respect for your Uncle Ettiene." Jubilee cut a glance at him as he went around the corner of the house. "The poor guy's hit himself in the head so many times that you just gotta...."

"Don't teach my daughter bad habits." Alvin leaned back to look down at her sternly, though his eyes were twinkling.

She smiled slyly at him and brushed his lips with hers. "Is this one of those bad habits?"

"Hmm..." His thoughts derailed and he put an arm around her back to continue the kiss, then flinched as a chuckle came from near his belly.

"Non, that's a gut habit!" piped in Dove, her ears twitching in a big grin.

"Yes. Yes it is." Jubilee pulled back, grinning at the white haired girl and nuzzling little Star's head. "One I plan to reinforce every time I get the chance."

"Yeah, okay, but stay away from the bad habits," Alvin whispered to her as he guided Dove toward the yard. "Come on, Sweetheart, show me what Uncle Ettiene has been teaching you."

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