fandomhighdorms | The Roof, late at night

Hearing the cheerful chatter of small children Neil, who had plenty of experience with young kids from Welton and tended to hide from them, had done just that. He had plenty of homework to keep him busy!

But he could use some air and so, as things had seemed to quiet down, he bundled up and headed up towards the roof, which he figured to be child free. Actually he was surprised to see the red flash of a cigarette cherry in the dark as he crunched carefully across the ice.

Parker blew out a stream of smoke, then squinted into the dark. "Hey. Whoever's there. If you're under twelve, get off the roof." She considered. "If you're not, welcome to it."

Neil chuckled and walked towards her.

"Been over twelve for about five years. Evening, Parker."

"Hey, Neil." Parker rolled her eyes at herself, then gave him a small smile, taking another long inhale. "Have you avoided the general sugar carnage?"

"Pretty much." Neil admitted as he came closer and helped himself to a seat near by but careful not to crowd her personal space.

"New batch of students? I didn't think Fandom taught elementary and middle school?"

"Would that it were true." Parker sighed, and tilted her head backward, rolling it from side to side. "No. This happened last-- April?" She paused, then nodded. "April. All of the students became little kids. Only this time? It's the teachers. Thus," she held up the Camel, "Nicotine."

There was a pause and then very slowly, Neil began to laugh.

"Wait. Are you telling me that all our teachers are little kids? Like, 'clean your room, wash your hands, it's bedtime go to sleep' boss em around, little kids?"

Parker started to chortle, the length of the day catching up to her. "Yes. The principal? Is maybe six, judging by the announcements. My Revolutions teacher? Five. And it's not just them, the people in town have gone and done it too." She leaned against the side of the roof, giggling weakly. "Ohhh, they're gonna be sad if this wears off on Monday like it did last time."

"The principal is six?" Neil exclaimed laughing softly and giving his head a shake.

"Oh my. We would have paid lots of money for an oppertunity like this back at Welton."

There was a pause as he took a breath and let himself imagine what it might have been like to be the ones in power with the paddles but then shook it off and focused on something Parker had said.

"Wait...like it did last time?"

"I was four and a half all weekend, then woke up on Monday seventeen again." Parker shook her head. "Embarassing, oh my god, there are no *words* for that. Plus I almost killed my pet rabbit trying to feed her sugar and chocolate all weekend." She facepalmed a bit. "Oh, and? All the guns and knives in the Gun Range are now either made out of foam, plastic, or Nerf."

"Aww, I bet you were cute." Neil said, perhaps taking his life in his hands as he grinned and shifted to a more comfortable spot.

"Probably best that way, I mean some of the adults we have around, it would be dangerous if they had unlimited access to the weaponry."

Parker made a face. "I was bossy and loud." She grinned. "Not very different." Another drag on the cig, then a sigh, "Yeah, I'm sure that's why. And that's why I think it'll just wear off. It's just the Island messing with us, not a spell or a curse, if it's being protective for once."

"Doesn't keep you from being cute." Neil pointed out with a quick grin.

"It seems like you might be right. After all, of all the things that seem to come to this island, getting a chance to be a kid again, it's got to be...soothing?"

At least for the wees!

"So, small people around drive you to smoke?"

Parker smirked at him for the 'cute' comment, then said, "You know, I *did* have fun last time. I was right before Finals, too. Some of the others said the same thing." She shrugged, looking bewildered. "Maybe the adults were stressed? Who can tell." She rolled her eyes. "And yes, tiny children who want to hug me and blow raspberries on my leg and ask five million questions drive me to smoke. I don't dare drink, they'll probably all wake up at dawn tomorrow. God."

"Well, they did have the school board visit." Neil mused.

"As for the kids, it could be worse. They could all be screaming and howling and wanting their Mommys." Neil said with a shudder, remembering quite a few fall starts to Welton.

"Maybe that tipped them over the edge?" Parker looked thoughtful, then shuddered at his next comment. "Oh my God, yes. True. All the ones I talked to were vague and saying their parents were 'away' or 'home' or just not here at the moment. Except for Aly, who knows exactly where her Mommy is, and was giving her a nervous breakdown about it."

Seely was grinning as he came onto the roof. "Hey, Parker," he chirped.

"Seely. Hey." She took another long drag off her smoke. "You're chipper."

"Running into a wee Mountie and his baby wolf will do that to a guy," Seely replied, still grinning.

Parker snickered, and leaned back on the balustrade. "Oh, god. Seriously? Never mind, I know you are. The wolf is tiny too? God, that's probably adorable."

Seely smiled like a complete doofus. "It was, adorable, I mean."

Parker laughed a little more, tired but amused. "You like kids, hunh? I'll have to get pictures of that tomorrow, if I can." She shook her head. "I spent most of today chaperoning Jarod. Who is now eight. It does not get weirder than that."

"I have a baby brother," Seely said. "If I didn't like kids he would never have made it to puberty."

"Only child. Mostly. Well, I told you about that." She slid him a sideways look, then laughed quietly. "Some kids are okay."

"They're adorable." Yup, total sap.

"And now I remember why I dated you." She bumped her shoulder against his, smiling still. "I spent most of today not wanting to get dirty or have anyone die; you had fun."

Seely grinned. "Just wait until it's my kid," he said. "Then you'll get to see panic attacks."

Parker gave Seely a huge-eyed look of mock shock. "Your kid? And who is the hypothetical Mommy of your hypothetical offspring, hmm? Tell me you're at *least* being hypothetical. Lie if you have to."

"I'm being hypothetical," Seely assured Parker. "I don't know, someone smart, like Willow, or you."

That part he didn't put in purely to get a reaction from Parker. Really.

"Gah!" Parker flailed like she'd been doing off and on all day. "Gah gah gah children no, let Willow be the one, yes, not me, sweet thought, no way, gah!"

And that would be Seely snickering.

"Grrrr." Parker elbowed him in the side. "You rat. No winding me up when I'm trying to wind down!"

Seely attempted to look innocent. "But you're such an easy target."

"Goofus." Another drag on the cigarette, and a half-laugh. "Kids. God. Closer to being one than having one, thank you."

"Well, I wasn't planning on having one tomorrow," Seely said. "I just want to be a dad someday."

Parker went quiet at that. Thinking.

"C'mon, I won't be that bad at it."

"You won't." Parker shook her head, smile returning. "It's just as well I probably won't have time. But I can be Aunt Parker to your kids, as well as Aly and whoever else has them."

"Tell you what," Seely said. "My first kid, they'll get named after you."

Parker finally broke into a full laugh, and dropped her cigarette, grinding it out with one heel. "Oh, right. Because your wife or girlfriend would love that." She grinned at him. "Parker Booth? Come on."

"What? It's a good name."

Parker chuckled again. "If you can get your SO to go for it, I'll stand godmother to the kid, boy or girl. Fair enough?" Like it was ever going to happen. But still.

"Fair enough," Seely grinned. "I'm going to be holding you to that."

The Roof, late at night

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