Thankfully, Noble Heart was able to add an extra bedroom to the clinic across from Take Care’s for Indy to sleep in without any difficulty. Indy easily settled into his new life, as Take Care got up early to look after the clinic he would wake Get Well up and look after her throughout the day: feeding her, changing her and even playing with her; he even made some of her toys (soft plush toys) fly around to entertain her at times. Though she was busy with the clinic, on slow days Take Care would spend some time helping look after Get Well. It was fortunate that the blue cub was such a calm child.
Years passed by as things moved forwards. Deals were struck with people living on earth and the construction of the Care-a-Lot escalator school began (so named because it taught Kindergarten all the way up through Grade 12). Like the clinic, construction moved ahead at light speed compared to what it would have been on earth, though a thorough set of blueprints were drawn up before any construction began, as adding rooms to a building this big would be much more hazardous than it was for the clinic.
One night, Take Care and Indy were awakened by a sudden cry from Get Well. “MOMMY! DADDY!” Both jumped out of bed almost simultaneously and bolted from their rooms. They both opened their doors to find Get Well crying while standing right between them and clutching her stuffed panda in her arms.
“Hey kiddo.... what’s wrong?” Take Care asked.
“What happened?” Indy asked at the exact same moment.
Get Well was normally a calm cub and rarely got up in the middle of the night unless she was sick. It was immediately Take Care’s first worry.
They both moved at the exact same moment to pick her up, Indy getting to her only a split second faster.
“I.... I..... had a bad dream... I’m scared” she sobbed as she gripped her panda with one arm and grabbed Indy in a hug with the other.
Indy rubbed her back with his free hand, “There, there, sweetheart, it’s just a nightmare. It can’t hurt you.” He reassured her.
Take Care out her paw on her daughter’s shoulder as Indy rubbed her back, “Yeah... just a dream, nothing will hurt you. Neither one of us would let anything hurt you. It’s alright.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Take Care asked thinking back to her days when the cousins were cubs and had bad dreams. Some of them liked to talk about it. Some of them didn’t.
Get Well shook her head, "N-no... I...I...I don't want to be alone..."
Indy carefully picked her up, "Want to sleep with daddy tonight?"
Get Well shook her head and reached back towards Take Care, "No, I want to be with both of you."
Take Care and Indy exchanged glances. They hadn’t really thought about this “problem.”
“Oh kiddo...” Take Care began. “Why don’t we read you a story for a while and stay till you fall back to sleep.”
“No.... Please....” She cried, practically shaking in fear. “I need you. I want you both to sleep with me.”
“I’m not sure your bed is big enough for all of us,” Indy smiled.
Get Well had the perfect solution to this at least in her mind.
“Mommy’s bed is....”
It was true. Indy only had a single sized bed, true to the ‘spartan lifestyle’ Bright Heart had described, while Take Care had a double sized bed. Indy and Take Care shared looks then looked down at Get Well’s pleading face. Seeing her so frightened, they couldn’t say no.
“Alright, just promise not to wake mom and dad up,” Indy turned to Take Care for her confirmation.
“I won’t...” Get Well agreed. “I’ll be super quiet. I know mom has to work in the morning.”
Take Care nodded and shook her head with a slight smile. Then she waved towards her bedroom, “alright.... alright... come on then...”
Indy carried Get Well into the bedroom and let her crawl in next to Take Care, then he crawled in after her. Instinctually both older bears hugged Get Well and held her close. Get Well stopped shaking and smiled, snuggling into the mattress between her adopted parents. “Good night,” she mumbled, “I love you.”
“I love you too, sweetheart, now go to sleep,” Indy whispered back.
“Love you both...” Take Care answered, yawning, so tired she barely even realized the full magnitude of the confession she’d just made.
Indy’s eyes shot open as he heard her but he stayed still. Did she mean that? Of course she did, Take Care wouldn’t lie about something like that. He lay there, thinking even as the girls fell asleep, until he felt his eyes forcing closed. Time for life shattering revelations later, all that mattered was that Get Well needed them to sleep. He dozed off knowing he’d have to talk to Take Care about this tomorrow.
Take Care awoke and groaned as rays as sunshine flooded in through the window, beating the alarm clock this morning. (Which she promptly turned off.) She wasn’t a morning person, but then she remembered her daughter and Indy were in the room. “Wait.... Indy’s still here?” She thought. She should have known he wouldn’t dare leave their daughter. He really was so good to them both.
She shook off her thoughts and decided to use the hall bathroom instead of her own to try and keep from waking them - Slipping carefully and quietly out before gently shutting the bedroom door behind her and walking across the hall. Maybe they could get a few more minutes of sleep, while she grabbed a shower to try and wake herself up. She just had a feeling this was going to be a busy day and after doing this for three years she could practically sense it.
Get Well stirred slightly as Take Care left but didn’t wake up for a time. It wasn’t until Indy started to stir that she woke up and saw that Take Care wasn’t there. “Mommy?” she whispered.
Indy woke up as Get Well tried to fidget free. He saw he was still in Take Care’s bed and the night’s memories came flooding back. “Mommy has to get ready for work,” he whispered. “You don’t have to get up if you don’t want to.” Truthfully he hoped Get Well would want to stay in bed. He didn’t want to have to talk to Take Care until he had a chance to mentally prepare for the conversation, and shower.
Get Well snuggled into Indy and dozed back off.
Take Care finished her shower, dried off and headed for the clinic. She turned on the computers and picked up some of the files she’d been working on the day before. Since she hasn’t quite finished charting the previous afternoon, as Get Well had begged her to come and play a game, she sat down to finish it now, before filing it away.
Before she knew it, she had her first patient and the day had begun. She knew Indy and Get Well had gotten up, but hadn’t even had a chance to say good morning.
Once Indy had gotten up, showered and made breakfast for him and Get Well (just toast and cereal) he decided he could wait to talk to Take Care until later. He never disturbed her during her open hours unless there was a medical emergency with Get Well. Thankfully he was able to keep and eye on her and even smiled when Get Well tried to read one of Take Care’s old medical journals from when she was in school. She was very bright for being so young and Take Care didn’t object.
Indy decided the best option was to talk to her after lunch, when she hopefully wasn’t as busy. He started in on the food, making chicken noodle soup and sandwiches, hoping the smell would reach Take Care and remind her what time it was.
Having been so busy she hadn’t even had time for breakfast, other than a banana, the smell of the soup certainly got her attention. She’d just finished with her final patient for the moment and her stomach growled. She headed towards the kitchen.
“Still reading that journal, huh?” Take Care asked her daughter ruffling the fur on the top of her head. Get Well nodded. “I think dad has lunch about ready... and I’m starving. Let’s go eat.”
“Ok....” Get Well put it down and followed along behind her.
Indy had the table set for lunch when they walked in, pulling out the chairs for both of them, and pushing Get Well up. “Have a fun morning?” he asked as he took his own seat.
“She chuckled, “depends on your definition of fun I guess. I enjoy it, but it has its crazy moments. Several patients so far today - One burn, one needing a few stitches, a couple of colds, a sinus infection and a case of flu who is on strict orders to stay home because I don’t want that spreading around.”
“How about you two? I see someone’s been trying to read my medical journals again.”
Get Well nodded before she started to eat, “Uh-huh, I wanna know how do it.”
Indy laughed, “She’s enthusiastic. I’ve kept an eye on her and read some more of The Taggerung. Not much else until lunch.”
“You can learn it someday, Get Well, if you decide that’s what you want to do.” Take Care spoke before turning to Indy.
“Thanks... for making lunch and watching her. Pretty sure I’d forget to eat some days if it was just me around here.”
Indy smiled, “Anytime.” He ate slowly, watching at Get Well tore through her food, apparently eager to get back to reading.
“Slow down a little, Get Well, we don’t need you choking on food,” Take Care corrected her. “You’ve still got plenty of time to read and play today.”
Get Well nodded and slowed down - a little. Take Care began to eat her own soup and sandwich and was very thankful for the break.
Get Well still finished before either Indy or Take Care. “May I be excused?” she asked.
“Yes, if you put your dishes by the sink,” Indy said.
“Ok!” Get Well jumped up, taking her dishes to the sink before leaving the kitchen.
Take Care shook her head and smiled.
“Really can’t believe how interested she’d getting in my job. She’s four... I don’t want her thinking she has to decide her future now. Maybe I’m overthinking it.” She shook her head, and paused for a bit before continuing.
“Four years ago, before I came home... would you have ever imagined this is where we’d be?” Take Care asked Indy as she finished and took her own bowl to the sink and began running hot water and adding dish soap. Indy walked over and added his own dishes to the sink.
“No, but I didn’t imagine you saying you loved me either,” Indy said softly. There was a moment of silence before Indy continued, “Last night, while we were helping Get Well sleep, you said you loved us both. I know I’m probably reading too much into it…” he trailed off.
Take Care thought back. She barely remembered saying it, but she had. She thought for a few moments. She’d been pondering their relationship for a while. She’d just been scared and busy but both of those were really just excuses. After the last few years, it was pretty obvious they worked well together and they could be so much more. She felt so much more and had for a long time.
“Well... It’s true... I love you both.”
“It’s been on my mind a while. I do love you, Indy. As more than just a friend, and as more than just Get Well’s dad. I love you.”
Indy face lit up, “You do?”
“Yes.”
Indy took her hand, reaching over to shut off the tap just in case, “My feelings for you have only grown stronger since we adopted Get Well, I see your work and dedication and I’m impressed every day. I love you, Take Care Bear.”
“And I see your dedication to us, and the entire family, dealing with No Heart and Cold Heart. I rarely have to cook or clean. You take care of most of that while I work, and you love that cub just as fiercely as I do.”
She leaned in a bit and kissed him gently, a risk she was finally willing to take. Indy kissed back, putting his arms around Take Care as he did so.
She wrapped her arms around him too, letting the kiss get a bit more passionate before they gently broke away.
“Well... the cat’s out of the bag now,” she grinned.
Indy chuckled, “I’m happy it is.” He gave her a soft kiss, “We should probably get the dishes done.”
“I’ll wash... you dry?”
“Sure...” he agreed.
She grabbed the sponge and began scrubbing dishes. It really didn’t take that long, the hardest part was the pan he’d cooked the soup in and even it wasn’t hard.
“The school’s opening this year, Get Well will be old enough to go to kindergarten, “Indy said.
“She will. It’ll be odd not having her home most of the day. But it’ll be a good thing for her, and give you a bit of a break.”
Indy nodded, “Yeah. Actually we’re going to have a chance to take down No-Heart for good soon, if we can,” he paused for a moment. “I admit, I’m scared.”
“Well.... I’d call you crazy if you weren’t scared, Indy.” she smiled softly. “What’s the plan? Anything I can do to help?”
“Just be ready for when we come back,” he turned to give her a kiss on the cheek before he put the last bowl away.
“Obviously,” she answered. “The clinic is always prepared. I ever know how many injuries you guys are going to come back with. Thankfully, it’s always been pretty minor.” She smiled.
“Thank you,” Indy nodded, “This is a bit awkward but… could we still sleep together from now on? Even if Get Well doesn’t need us every night?”
She thought for a moment on his question. “Yes, we can. Guess you’re moving into my room.”
“Guess so, we can keep my room as a guest room I suppose,” he smiled, “guess you have to get back to work.”
“Yeah... lots of charting to catch up on from the morning...” she smiled. “You know where to find me if you need me,” She headed that direction, but not before chatting with Get Well a couple of minutes, helping her pronounce a few words in the medical journal (and explained what they meant), and giving her a hug.
“I wanna come work with you.”
Take Care smiled, “trust me, you don’t right now. Right now, I’m just doing paperwork. It’s not the fun part. Read and play, kiddo... enjoy your afternoon.”
“Ok…” Get Well sounded a bit dejected until Indy arrived.
“Want to go for a walk?” he offered, “we can go see the new school.”
Get Well smiled, “Yes.”
Indy took her hand, “See you later, Take Care,” he gave her a quick kiss.
Take Care wished she could join them, but knew she didn’t need to put off the charting. It had to be done, and was just as important as everything else. She headed towards the clinic to work.
“Have fun, you two...”
Later that night, Indy and Take Care lay in bed together. Get Well didn't seem to be having any nightmares yet. "Does this feel weird?" Indy asked.
"A bit..." Take Care admitted, "I mean... last night Get Well needed us so we were there for her and now we're just..."
"Together," Indy scooted closer.
"Yes," Take Care put her arms around him. "But... I like this."
"Me too," Indy pulled her close.
Take Care smiled and snuggled up against him, laying her head on his chest. "I love you."
"I love you too," Indy gave her a kiss on the forehead. Eventually, they fell asleep
