Random Ideas V.3

Tilting her head up to meet his gaze, Willow considered his words and rolled her eyes. "As much as I would love to, I am afraid we have duties outside of being husband and wife," she murmured in response, leaning up on the tips of her toes to kiss him lightly. She was almost not read to go, yet she knew it was in their better interest. With sleep - that is if she could sleep, maybe everything would return to normal. Or, at the very least, she would wake up to hear good news about Maya. Either way, she just wanted to forget everything, just for the night. In the morning, she could face the issues that she refused to face at this very moment.

Maya hid a smirk at the two bickering boys as she scooped up the glass, filling it to the brim. As she slid it back to him, she wiped her hands off on her mini apron, thinking over his question. "He is, I guess you could say, what any little girl would dream of to have as a father. We were always close. He used to take me riding every day after I finished my chores and once the farm was tended to," she murmured thoughtfully, shaking her head. "The only person he probably loves more than me is my mom. The way he looks at her...well, he doesn't even have to say the words 'I love you' for you to know that he adores her," she continued with a half smile. "They are the only reason I believe in silly love stories."

Apollo looked down at his wife, knowing that she was right. He was going to have a hard time trying to keep his eye on Maya. "You were always the smart one, you know. I can't count the number of times that you saved me from getting myself killed," he said, and he glanced out the window, smiling a bit at all of the memories that came from the apartment. "Do you remember the time I wanted to prove to you that I could cook, and I nearly burnt down the whole building?" he asked with a small laugh.

Jamie took a few sips as he listened to her, and he smiled a bit. "He sure does sound like a good man. Maybe one day we can travel down and see him. I'm sure they could use from free labor down on the farm," he said. Gabriel seemed to be watching his friend with some interest, but then he realized something. Oh no. It was just like Maya was saying. The way that her parents looked at each other was the same to how Jamie looked at Maya. Could Jamie really have feelings for this girl? It could be possible. He just didn't want his friend's heart broke into two.

"I can," Willow began as she leaned up to peck his lips. "I have saved your life about 102 times now," she murmured in a teasing tone. In these small windows of time, she felt like the old Willow; the one before Maya was born. The one who had been more carefree and not worrisome all of the time. After Maya had come into their life, she had turned into protective mama bear, so to speak. She wanted nothing more than for her daughter to be happy and healthy; it seemed both of those options flew out the window now. As Apollo spoke once more, a grin crept onto her face as she recalled all of the memories. "That is about every time you try to cook, Apollo," she pointed out as she took his hand in her own, intertwining their fingers. Fatigue was settling in; though, she wasn't ready to leave. Once they left, they had to face reality again. A lightbulb seemed to flicker over her head. "Come on," she murmured; a broad smile remaining on her lips. For once, she wanted to break free from the motherly bonds. She wanted to go back to her roots. She wanted to go back to her safe haven. She wanted to go back to the most childish thing that adults could have. She wanted to go back to the treehouse. (whoops I got a little wordy there)

With a half smile, Maya shrugged her shoulders and dropped the damp rag onto the counter. Folding her hands together, she shrugged lightly and murmured, "Maybe. I guess we will just have to see." She glanced at the time and grinned. "Looks like I am off the clock," she added as she untied her apron and dropped it onto the counter. Moments later, she appeared from behind the bar and draped an arm over Jamie's shoulders. "I am all yours...or both of yours?" she commented as she glanced to Gabriel with a soft laugh. "So what do two military guys like to do for fun?"

Apollo looked down at his wife, a smirk creeping onto his face the moment that he heard her say that she had another idea. Well, if he was going to consider himself twenty-one again, he was going to say that the night was still young, and they had time to kill. He pressed a soft kiss, like the ones that he gave her when they were dating, and he took her hand. "Well, lead the way, Skywalker," he said, another large smirking made it's way to his face. t had been almost seventeen years or so since he had called her that. He hadn't spoke those words since they got married, but he would sure call her that a lot now. Even if her last name was Davenport, she could still be a Walker if it meant he could tease her.

Jamie looked over at Gabriel when he heard that Maya was now off the clock. He downed the rest of his drink, which proved to be a rather horrible idea, and he tried to stand. "Note to self, don't drink another entire glass of whiskey again," he muttered. Jamie took Maya's hand, and he kissed her cheek. "Well, I know where we can find my sister, and if she is off we, we can all go on a double date to the picture show. Doesn't that sound like a grand idea?" he asked his friends, putting an arm around Gabriel's shoulder.

The comment brought Willow to a momentary halt. She glanced over her shoulder at him and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Don't bring that back, Apollo," she murmured with an exasperated sigh escaping her lips. She hated that nickname so much, and she had been branded with it in high school. Why didn't Tyson have the privilege? He was the one that was actually still a Walker, and he was a Star Wars geek. Neretheless, a smile tugged at the edges of her lips as she dragged Apollo along. She opened her hand out, palm up, for the keys. "If I may," she commented, glancing up at him slowly through her eyelashes.

Maya notably wrinkled her nose at the stench of alcohol on his breath. Sure, she worked with it day in and day out, but that didn't mean she wanted to smell it on someone's breath. Yet, somehow, the stale smell of what she guess was peppermint canceled out the alcoholic defilement. "Double date, huh?" she commented with an arched brow. "You and Jamie's sister have a thing?" she inquired as she turned her attention to Gabriel expectantly.

Apollo smirked as he saw her dislike for the nickname. His teasing worked! He kissed her cheek, chuckling a bit. "I will try my best not to call you by that name, but I cannot grantee anything," he said jokingly, and he started to follow her, hoping that maybe he could find out where they were going before they actually got there. He wrapped his arms around her, smiling brightly all the same. Willow seemed to mean everything to him and more. He had no idea what he would do without her.

Jamie looked down at Gabriel, and he smirked a bit, waiting for an answer. Meanwhile, Gabriel was blushing like a tomato. He didn't really want to say the wrong thing, but he didn't think that Jamie's sister was very attractive. "Well," he said jokingly, trailing off. Jamie rose a brow, looking at his friend with an odd expression on his face. If Gabriel really did like his sister, it was going to be rather interesting. "Well, let's get going," he said.

Dangling the keys on her index finger, Willow climbed into the car and started it up. She couldn't help but hold back a smirk at his words. "Every time you call me that, I will pinch your cheeks. So I would watch it, Davenport," she murmured in a taunting manner. She felt so much younger than her years, and perhaps for a night, she yearned for the youth, when things were more simplistic. Backing out of the driveway, she drove towards her parent's old home. They wouldn't mind her stopping by, since they were just going to be visiting her beloved treehouse anyway. Her father had offered to move it countless times so that Maya could have played in it when she was younger; though, Willow never had the heart to do it. The treehouse belonged there.

Maya arched a brow at Gabriel's open ended response; though, she didn't push the subject. Only time could really tell. "All right then," she murmured finally as she headed for the double doors. "Let's go," she continued, dodging people as she did. The town was lit up that night; flashing signs stood out across the dark, evening sky. "So, what's playing tonight," she inquired as she turned to face the two boys, walking backwards as she did so. Though, it was quite hazardous - for Maya was prone to trip over her own feet, or ram into someone.

Apollo looked down at his wife, and he kissed her head before following her in to the car. He had a good feeling that he knew where they were going, but he didn't say anything. He looked out the window as the car drove, occasionally looking back at Willow. It was nice to have some sort of peace and quietness. The moment that they came to the house, he knew that he had guessed correctly. He rushed to get out, and he grabbed her hand. "Should we built a fire and roast marshmallows?" he asked with a small laugh. It would probably be a good idea. He could use some good, warm food.

Jamie thought for a moment, and he smiled. "There is a show called The Kid playing. It's got Charlie Chaplin in it, so it has to be good. A little laugh could do us all some good, and at this point, I can laugh at anything," he said jokingly, and Gabriel smirked. "I'll hold you up," he said, and he laughed along with his friend. Jamie walked along the sidewalk, and he stopped at a street vender, taking a derby hat and placing it on his head. "Do I look like good, old Mr. Chaplin?" he asked, walked around in a silly way and pulling at his imaginary suspenders.

"In my parents' backyard?" Willow inquired with a soft laugh, shaking her head as she parked the car as well. "If we are, we might as well invite them outside too," she continued uncertainly. She wasn't sure how she would tell them about Maya; after all, she was their grandchild, and she knew how much they cared about her, even though they rarely got to see her. She nudged the door open and pocketed the keys; reality already seemed to be seeping its devil head in, and it was growing annoyingly consistent. Always present, always watching, always waiting.

Maya couldn't help but roll her eyes. "I think someone had one too many to drink tonight," she commented as she rifled through her purse. She had a couple of quarters, probably enough to get her in to see the show. She could spare a little bit of change; though, she had to be frugal nevertheless. Her rent bill was coming up; this fact alone brought a crease above her brow. She needed more money than she was making at the speakeasy, but she didn't have many options.

Apollo watched his wife as she unlocked the door. It seemed that memories came flooding into both of them, some of them not being the best. He remembered when he first met Willow's father. He thought he was going to have a heart attack. Luckily it didn't end up too horribly. David seemed to like him all right. He glanced around, making sure to keep a good watch on everything. "There is so much nostalgia that it hurts," he said, taking her hand as he walked.

Jamie smirked a bit, and he rolled his eyes. "Too much to drink? No no no, this is just my normal self, Maya. I would think you would know how insane I am by now," he said jokingly, and Gabriel laughed. "To keep all of us entertained in the trenches, he would tap dance and act out entire plays," he said. Of course, Jamie would often not get all of the lines correct, but it kept the guys happy. Jamie walked along to a building, opening the door and looking for his sister.

Her eyes traveled the room thoughtfully; her hands lightly trailed over one of the finger paintings her mother always liked to keep around. A smile crept onto her face as she realized it was one Maya had made when she was younger; back in the day, her parents would watch Maya while she and Apollo were at work. This must have been one of her masterpieces back in the day. Her attention traveled back to Apollo, and a laugh slipped past her lips. "How is it that," she began, but paused to stifle a few more laughs, "you never knew what the word salmonella was, but you could use the word nostalgia correctly in a sentence?"

"Not exactly normal," Maya objected, shaking her head as she imagined it. Jamie was quite the puzzle, but she was used to this by this point. Arching a brow, she tried to imagine Jamie tap dancing. It just didn't register in her head. "That must be quite the show," she agreed as she stepped into the building after Jamie. The stale fragrant of tobacco permeated the air. Her eyes trailed to a bunch of people circled around a large, velveteen table. Cards and plastic, round disks cluttered the table. A quizzical expression slipped onto Maya's face, and she looked at Jamie for answers. She had never heard of this game before. (i did a bit of researching, and i think poker was invented around this time period - maybe a little later idk) "Fold," Daphne grumbled under her breath, as she dumped her useless cards onto the table. "Ahha! Got you again, Daph. I had nothing!" the winner of the round declared, admitting to his bluff. Snorting, Daphne muttered in response, "I'll get all my chips back." The confusion only seemed to grow for Maya. What was with Northerns and their weird games? Obviously those were not chips, but little disk coins. She would never truly fit in.

Apollo looked at the painting his wife had pointed out. It took him a moment to realize who it was, but when he did, a sad smile came to his face. She really was a beautiful little girl, and she still was. "Your mother really is a great painter. Sadly, I don't think it was passed down to you," he said jokingly, and he kissed her head. He rolled his eyes as he heard her make fun of him. "I am sorry, but the last time I checked, salmonella was some sort of a sickness. I am no doctor. I couldn't tell you a sickness I haven't had, to be honest," he said with a laugh. He thought back to when he was little. He didn't have a very good immune system, living in the worst of places, and as he got older, smoking didn't help his case.

Jamie walked into the room, breathing in the scent of stale mixed with fresh tobacco. "Are those cigars? My friend, pass one here," he said. He hadn't had one in a while, and they were hard to come by when you came from a family like his. He saw Maya's confused game, and he smirked a bit. "These are sort of like the speakeasies. Illegal, but a hell of a lot of fun. It's called gambling. This specific game is poker," he said, and he looked over at his sister. "Hey Daph, would you mind coming to the picture show with us. Gabriel's in town, and it really wouldn't be a date if all he was was the third wheel," he said, and he smiled a bit down at his sister. "Pretty please. I know how you just love his accent," he said, winking.

Willow rolled her eyes and elbowed him in the ribcage. "Oh, shut up," she muttered good-naturedly as she gazed around the room. It felt like a home away from home; still as warm and inviting as she remembered it to be. As he continued, she leaned up to tousle his hair. "Well keep eating raw dough, and you will know what salmonella is," she stated before she turned and dashed off outside to the backyard. The treehouse was where it had always been, standing tall. Over the years, it showed the signs of wear and tear, but it was still her treehouse. Their treehouse.

Her eyes trailed from Daphne to all the men around. Maya was still somewhat confused, but she decided to let it pass for now. Daphne took a long puff from her own, smaller, cigarette as she folded her cards. She paused, considering Jamie's offer. "Well, only because you asked nicely....and unfortunately, I am losing," she commented as she glanced at her meager chips that she had left. "Had fun boys. Maybe next time I will actually beat you," she continued as she slapped a twenty on the table, which had been the buy-in. Whoever actually won the game won all the money.

Apollo smirked a bit, and he rolled his eyes. "If you ask me, I think that salmonella isn't real. I mean, I eat cookie dough all of the time and I haven't gotten sick yet. It's probably just a theory," he said with a playful smirk, and he tickled her sides, knowing how much she hated to be tickled. It just made it even more fun to do. He followed her up to the treehouse, and he smiled as he looked at it. It brought back so many memories. "I remember I almost broke my thumb trying to hammer one of these nails in," he said with a chuckled. He remembered showing her the treehouse for the first time too. She loved it more than anything in the world.

Jamie smirked as he watched his sister walk out. "Let's get going. Maybe we can all play a round of poker later. Maya looked pretty interested," he said, and he put an arm around Maya. "Now, who wants to see me try and be Mr. Chaplin again?" he asked, and Gabriel rolled his eyes, looking down at Daphne. "Your brother had a little bit much. Maybe the cops won't notice too much and have him arrested," he said jokingly, and he started to walk along with her.

"Don't say that, you will end up regretting it," Willow chastised immediately; she did believe that jinxing things were a real thing. She sent him a scowl as he tickled her, but a few laughs escaped her lips in response; oh, how she loathed tickling. Who even thought it was a good idea in the first place? As she climbed up the somewhat steep ladder, she grunted slightly; she wasn't as young as she used to be. She plopped onto the beanbag she had set up there years before. Dust has collected over the years, which made Willow sneeze not so subtly. "Good thing you had my dad and Dayton to help then," she stated with a rueful smile; she could already guess the only thing Tyson did- and could do- was supervise from the sidelines. The memories hit her like a whirlwind; she hadn't realized how much she had missed the old days until she was old herself.

Maya would have objected, but she decided not to push it at the moment. A sense of sadness coursed through her. Seeing Jamie with Daphne made her miss her parents. She hadn't sent a letter in a while; she made a mental note to do that soon. "I think you should cool it on the impressions for now, moppy head," she suggested with a half smile. "Besides, I believe we both know who could do the best impressions." Daphne stole a glance at the to of them and rolled her eyes. "He'll be fine. He has Maya. Probably better than me, I'm not much better," she murmured, already tugging out another cigarette from her packet; it was a hazardous habit.

Apollo watched her as she climbed the laddering, being careful to make sure that she didn't fall. He followed her up, and he sat down on the beanbag beside her. "I really miss this place," he said, and he looked over at his wife. Memories came flooding in. Why did they have to grow up? Why couldn't they all just be like Peter Pan and stay a kid forever? It seemed like a pretty good idea to him. He closed his eyes, smiling a bit. "Your brother was really bad at construction," he added with a laugh.

Jamie smiled down at his girl, and he rolled his eyes. "I think my impression are pretty great. I should be an actor," he said jokingly, and he pressed a kiss to her head. He didn't really realize how much she meant to him until then. He really did care for this girl. He looked into her eyes for a moment. She was so beautiful. He glanced away, and he closed his eyes. He really thought about marrying this girl. Gabriel chuckled as he walked with her. He didn't really like cigarettes, but he didn't mind them. Everyone and their brother did it in England. "How have you been latly? I haven't heard from you in a while," he commented.

Her hands glided over the wood, remembering the simple fissures in the wood and recalling all the memories that it brought back to her. She licked her lips and turned to gaze over at Apollo; an easy laugh seemed to escape her lips. He had a knack for making her happy, even when times were complicated. That was one of the many things that she loved about him. "It was never his strong suit. He could just be holding a hammer and still manage to knock himself out with it," she commented, shaking her head.

Maya's eyes drifted up to the evening sky, memorizing the stars-well, if that were actually possible. "My mother used to say that when two people are in love, another star is added to the sky. Those stars are always brighter than all the others," she mumbled. "But I know it is just a myth people come up with when they have the time." She didn't believe in a lot of things, not like her mother did. Daphne placed the cigarette between her lips and lit it up, taking a puff. It was a habit, but she didn't see any other flappers around town stopping. Though, Daphne was no flapper-just...untraditional. "All right. I am struggling to pay the bills. Gambling can make it or break it for you."

One of the things that Apollo loved about Willow was her smile. her nose would scrunch up, and her smile would light up even more than it already did when she was happy. That was why he tickled her so much. Not because he knew she hated it, but it was because he loved to see her laugh. "Though it may be hard to believe, I wasn't all that good either. Most of the thanks for the treehouse should go to your dad. Without him, I am afraid this thing would have fallen long before Maya was even born," he said with a chuckle. He recounted the time that he tried to build his mother a bird house for mother's day and he ended up breaking his thumb with a hammer.

Jamie smiled a bit as he listened to her talk about her mother. He took her hand in his, and he pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. "Now, who said that wasn't true? I say after the picture show, you and I should go out to the top of a building and look at the stars. Maybe we can see if they have changed at all," he said with a small smirk. Gabriel nodded as he walked, and he rolled his eyes. "Well, maybe you shouldn't Gamble. You might get a lot fo money back," he said casually, and he chuckled a bit, putting his arm around her like he had seen Jamie do. Hopefully, that was right.

Her eyes traveled down to the wood below her once more. She was in search of something, and soon enough she found the carved letters in the perfect wood. It made the flawless wood have a flaw, much like any relationship. Everything may seem perfect, but no relationship was 100% flawless, and that was what made it exciting, thrilling, passionate. Through the ups and the downs, the two seemed to stick together, much like her and Apollo. Her fingers roamed over her initials; her maiden name engraved in there. A.D. and W.W. A smile crept across her lips. "I don't want it to ever fall. Even when I'm old and wrinkly," she whispered. She would probably burst into tears if it did meet its end.

Rolling her eyes, Maya tried to decipher the request. She wasn't quite sure if he were being sane or if the alcohol was talking for him. perhaps, it was both. "What are you implying, Jamie?" she murmured instead, brushing her hair back behind her ear expectantly. She licked her lips thoughtfully; what was there really to expect? It was all a myth, but it did sound romantic. Daphne tapped the end of her cigarette against the wall to rid of the residue before bringing it back to her lips. Her gaze trailed to Gabriel at his comment; she could feel the weight of his arm against his shoulders, which brought a half smile to her lips. "If it were just that easy, I would have stopped already."

A smile came to Apollo's lips as he heard her. He could agree with her fully there. Even if he was about to die, he wanted the treehouse and everything around it to stay standing. He didn't care the cost. "Do you think Maya's kids will like to play in it?" he asked, another smile slipping onto his face. He could just imagine Maya and her husband living in the house, watching their kid as they played in the treehouse that once belonged to their grandparents. Maybe one day they would get to tell them of how Apollo built it.

Jamie chuckled, and he looked into her eyes for a moment. "I mean just what I say," he told her, a smile slipping onto his face as he pressed a soft kiss on the top of her head. He glanced at one of the building, and he pointed to it. "That one will do," he said. There was a ladder, making it easy for the couple if they wished to go to the top. Gabriel smiled a bit, and he looked down at her for a moment, thinking about it. "Well, I could help you. I will be here for a while, so I might as well do some good while I am here. Besides, I have a feeling you will be seeing a lot of me," he said with a bright smile.

As Willow thought of the future, she cringed, shaking her head at the mere thought. "I would rather not think about that right now. I am not ready to be old," she muttered with a soft laugh. She thought back to her teenage years, when becoming an adult had scared her; now, age forty was creeping up in a few years, and she was even more terrified. She wasn't ready to be old, not yet and maybe not ever.

Maya's eyes traveled to where he pointed, and she arched a brow. He was quite the reckless one, and Maya had little to no coordination, one of the few things she actually inherited from her mother, excluding her stunning looks. "I guess it will," she agreed with a simple nod before continuing along. "We better hurry. I would rather not miss the show because of you." Daphne tapped her cigarette once more, but soon deemed it worthless and dropped it to the ground, crushing it between the sidewalk and the toe of her shoe. "oh? And why do you say that? Because you and my brother are close friends?"

Apollo chuckled a bit when he heard her. "Well, if you would wish to turn back time to your teenage years, we could do this," he said, and he leaned closer to her, placing a hand on her side as he pressed a soft kiss to his lips. They hadn't really been able to have nay downtime lately, so it would be good for both of them. After a few moments, he pulled away, and a smile came to his face. "You know, we should come here more often," he said.

Jamie smiled as she finally agreed, and he nodded. "Good," he said, and he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "I have a feeling that Gabriel and my sister are making some plans anyway," he said, winking at her with a smirk. He soon came to the movie house, and he pulled out a leather wallet, paying for the four of them. It really wasn't all that much. Gabriel smiled a bit, and he shrugged. "That and maybe the fact that I would like to stick around for a little bit more. After all, if I am going to help you stop, I need to monitor you."

Just as Willow was about to open her mouth to ask what he exactly meant, his lips were already pressed to hers. An easy smile curved onto her lips - one that only Apollo seemed to bring out of her. Her mind traveled over all of there memories together, the simpler times and the not-so-simpler times. As soon as his lips left hers, she laughed softly, one memory sticking out above all the others. "I remember the year my mother pranked me, well, us and told us they were moving. Everything was packed, and they even had a for sale sign out in the front yard. I didn't talk to them for weeks, because I was so angry...I thought we'd lose this place," she murmured quietly. Though she wouldn't have been upset about losing the treehouse - even though it was the thing she treasured most, she would have been worried about losing all the memories that the treehouse possessed. In a way, it was their own little scrapbook.

Slowly, Maya's eyes trailed to Daphne and Gabriel; a small smirk quirked on the edges of her lips. The contrast between the two seemed almost startling at first - Daphne's somewhat edgy, not-exactly-flapper appearance, and Gabriel's more subdued look. Yet, the comparison seemed to balance each other out. "Maybe," she agreed simply as she scurried off to catch up with him. Daphne crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips. "I am an adult. If I can take care of that big baby over there," she began before she nodded towards Jamie, "then I am completely capable of taking care of myself."

Apollo laughed a bit, and he rolled his eyes as she brought up the memory. "How could I forget? You wouldn't talk to be for a while because you were mad I didn't tell you it was a prank," he said jokingly. He paused for a moment as another memory came to his mind. He pulled Willow closer, letting her set in his lap. "Remeber the time when Blake thought t was a good idea to let Jamie and Maya play in the treehouse together? Maya dared Jamie to build a slide out of sticks, and the stubborn boy couldn't let down a trade. He worked all day on that slide and nearly broke his arm when he tried it out," he said, laughing at the memory.

Jamie walked in, and he looked down at her, smiling a bit to himself. "Do you wany anything to eat?" he asked her, looking back at Gabriel and Daphne. Gabriel rolled his eyes, and he shook his head. "I highly doubt that is true. If you wanted to stop, why haven't you been able to before? Point made! I shall monitor you," he said, a smirk on his face. Oh, this was going to be very very fun for him. He was sure Jamie would get a kick out of it too.

Willow, in response, threw a stray leaf in his direction, sticking her tongue out as a response as well. "I thought I was about to lose the one place I loved. I earned the right to be mad," she defended as she situated herself on his lap. Her legs stretched out off to the side. Resting her head against his chest, she smirked lightly as he brought up another memory. "Yeah, and Maya was too busy having a tea party to notice. She didn't even seem sorry," she murmured, shaking her head to hide the growing smirk on her lips. "Sometimes she is too much like you."

Maya shook her head as she crossed her hands together. "I'm not hungry," she murmured in response, a small smile appearing on her lips as she did so. Daphne snorted and let out a long sigh. "I never said I wanted to quit. I just said most of my money goes towards gambling," she replied, glancing up at him expectantly then. "I bet you couldn't play even if you tried," she challenged, a smirk crossing her lips.