thepicketfencecliche | spamalot } { of first steps and cool grandpas

Peter: [and when he returns, he can smell the children and grandchild and noses to back door open, which puts him in the living room. He looks up at his daughter and flashes his yellow eyes because, you know, he's not any red wolf walking into the house. Also, he lacks the ability to speak, so it's more of a hello]

Malia: [glances over with a smile from her tablet, just handling a couple easy work things] Hey, Dad.

Cameron: [had been playing at the coffee table and when he sees Peter his eyes go a little wide, not quite making the connection that that's his grandpa and just seeing a pretty doggie.]

Peter: [What are you doing, Cameron? You shouldn't be touching that. Those are grandpa's things and are highly breakable. So he's going to just cold nose nudge you away a bit back to your toys.]

Cameron: [the nose nudging him throws off his delicate toddler balance and he's flopping down onto his butt, but he doesn't seem to mind being distracted, reaching up with one hand to pull at Peter's nose]

Malia: [sigh] He wasn't hurting anything. I was keeping an eye on him.

Peter: [just wuffs, and lets Cameron pull on his nose a bit before pulling up and away. And yes, his tail is wagging. He really has no control over that. NO dog does.]

Cameron: [looks confused as Peter pulls away because hey why are you bossing me around if you don't want to play. If Peter starts to walk away from him, however, tiny hands will reach for the edges of the coffee table to pull himself up again, because the sitting on the floor isn't going to let him keep up with the dog.]

Peter: [he sees that and tilts his head curiously a moment. But he would like to spend time with the kids in human form, so he's just going to go and start to head away. Slowly. looking back a bit to see what Cameron is going to do next.]

Cameron: [he doesn't do anything at first, mostly because he's still a little unsteady on his feet, at least at first go. He'll inch his way around the coffee table, using his hands for leverage which is nothing new for him - he's been doing that to get to toys for a while]

Peter: [oh, are you going to try and keep up with him, grandson? Well, if you want to keep up, you're going to have to give up that table soon as he heads away towards the hallway.]

Cameron: [there's a small pathetic whine as Peter starts to move out of his reach and he glances back to his mother as though she will help somehow, but she's in the middle of answering an email and while she glances up at the sound, she doesn't make any move to help either. He glances back and forth between the two of them for a moment before he makes up his mind to push off from the coffee table and starts toddling his way after Peter, hands outstretched in front of him.]

Malia: [is passingly paying attention and when she looks up and her son is already halfway across the room she quickly switches from her email to the camera, holding it up to try and catch as much of it as she could] Wait, Dad, don't move.

Peter: [and he stop, turning to look back at them and he sees Cameron and there is a wofly grin. Come on, kiddo. Come to grandpa]

Cameron: [he's coming. Give him a minute. There are a few points where he's getting wobbly but he makes it all the way to where Peter is standing before he pretty much faceplants into his side with a happy squeal. He wins!]

Peter: [he huffs, leaning in to lick at his grandson's face. good job, kiddo. Stop slobbering in my fur]

Cameron: [rude he is not slobbering. but anyway, he's just going to stay there for a bit, patting Peter with his hands until Peter makes him move]

Malia: [just smiles as she watches before stopping the recording and sending it to her husband.]

Peter: [and he probably won't move until Gavin starts to cry upstairs and his head snaps up to the stairs. Only then will he gently nudge Cameron away]

Cameron: [and he will just fall back onto his butt again with a grunt, but no complaints, yet]

Peter: [sorry, kiddo. Grandpa will lick your face in apology, and then be running upstairs to the nursery. Somewhere along the way he will get changed back into human form and luckily the baby doesn't care if daddy is naked]

Cameron: [and he will hear the whimpers of upset because he's moving way too fast for Cameron to keep up with, especially since he was no longer on his feet. Thankfully, Mom is there to scoop up him and cuddle him and tell him how proud she is of him because he did such a good job which eases a lot of the sadness]

Isaac: [meanwhile he gets a moment to look at the video and is sharing it with the sheriff because he's the only one who will know who that wolf is and there is laughing and proud dad moment]

Peter: [and give him enough time to slip into clothes and head down with Gavin in his arms, his finger in the baby's mouth like a pacifier] Now that I have a voice again.

Malia: [she laughs and rubs Cameron's back gently] Welcome back.

Peter: [leans in to kiss his daughter's cheek, and then looks at Cameron] Hey, little man. You still mad at me?

Cameron: [has no idea they're one in the same, he's just happy to see grandpa, but he's also bummed about the dog so while his eyes go up to Peter, he's still burrowing into his mom's shoulder]

Peter: [chuckles] One day he will figure it out and I will go up a lot in being a cool grandpa status.

Malia: [small smile] Until he becomes a teenager and he's too cool for it.

Peter: And then I will just give my affection to his younger siblings.

Malia: [there's a slight falter at that, but it's gone almost as soon as it was there, and she's shifting Cameron's position a bit so that he settles more comfortably against her] Yeah. Eventually.

Peter: [nope, this is your father. He knows you better than anyone, Malia] What was that about?

Malia: [glances up, feigning confusion] What?

Peter: Slight hike in your heartbeat and noncommittal answer.

Malia: [and that turns into a look as she scoops Cameron up and heads into the kitchen] That's cheating.

Peter: No, I'm your father, it's loving concern. What's wrong?

Malia: [doesn't stop, sitting Cameron on the counter before keeping her hands busy by fixing him a snack] It's nothing, Dad. Really.

Peter: [he's going to follow, and he doesn't want to give up. He knows something's wrong now, and he wants to fix it. It's just instinct. He opens his mouth again, wanting to dig, but he just stops himself and huffs. His daughter is an adult now, a mother, and she doesn't have to share everything. NO matter what his thoughts on that are] If you say it's nothing, then fine.

Malia: [she finishes slicing the apple in front of her while Cameron is babbling at her and eventually her eyes close and she stops] Isaac and I are holding off on having more kids for a while.

Peter: Cameron more than you expected to handle?

Malia: [she shakes her head] No, he's great. It's just that with Isaac's dad back in town, adding more stress to that situation is a bad idea. So until he figures out what he's going to do there, we're going to wait.

Peter: Are you happy with that choice?

Malia: I'm not unhappy with it. I know it's what's best for him right now. It's just ... disappointing.

Peter: Maybe you should talk with him about it? I mean, I remember how frustrated you both were at waiting to start a family... it can't be easy on him either.

Malia: I don't want to rush him on it either. This is a big important decision and it's not like we don't have time. I want to make sure he's doing the right thing for him because I'm incredibly biased. [she doesn't trust Isaac's dad being around him at all. but it's not her choice]

Peter: You aren't the only one, sweetie. We all remember the day he came into our lives.

Malia: Which is why I'm letting him take his time. His dad seems to have changed but I don't want to pressure him or push him. I just ... want to let him figure it out.

Peter: [nods] I understand that.

Malia: [she sighs softly, handing Cameron one of the soft apple slices which he takes with a smile. she smiles in return, scooping him up again as he starts to gnaw on it] We'll figure it out. As I said, it's just a little disappointing to be waiting again. But until then, I've got this guy to deal with and he is more than enough for right now.

Peter: Especially now that he's walking. [grins]

Malia: [grins brightly] Maybe he'll take after me and jump straight to running.

Peter: Yes, and then you will have more things to worry about.

Malia: At least he'll keep us on our toes.

Peter: That will be a constant for the rest of your life. [smiles, and then heads to the fridge to get Gavin a bottle since he's starting to fuss again] So what do you want to do this afternoon?

Malia: We could go to the park? Cam's gotten pretty fond of the swings.

Peter: That works for me. Perhaps we can get something to eat along the way as well.

Malia: Sounds good. [glances towards her son] How 'bout it, Cam? Wanna go play on the swings?

Cameron: [that is a word he's learned to recognize] Swiiiiiiin!

Malia: [laughs] Close enough.