North (A Robert Downey Jr Fanfic)

"Forever Young"

"Hey stinkers. Guess who's home."
"Daddy!" the two small children shrieked and scurried outside to find their father pulling up to the front of the house. He put the car in park and climbed out, grinning from ear to ear.
"My babies!" he crouched down and let them pounce, nearly knocking him to the ground.

"Nanessa let me feed the yamas, daddy."
"She did?" he asked, dramatically.
Avri shook her head yes and scrambled back up the stairs and started pawing at her stepmother. Vanessa willingly hauled the little girl up onto her hip and instinctively starting swaying back and forth. Robert came in close and pressed a kiss to Vanessa's lips and circled all three of them in his embrace.

"We missed you, Bobby," Vanessa cooed.
"I missed you all like crazy. Where is Penny?"
"She's at the beach with Taylor. Stevie picked them up this morning."

"Ahhh, summer vacation," he said wistfully as he entered the house.
"Well she is a teenager after all. I don't really mind if she wants to go do stuff--"
"Has she been helping though?" Robert eyed her over the top of his glasses.
"Of course she has. We all took care of the animals together, didn't we, Avri?"
The little girl nodded enthusiastically and wrapped her arms around Vanessa's neck, laying her head on her shoulder. "Lo-wenzo is my favorite."
"Yes, pumpkin. Lorenzo is a very cool guy."
"Only you would give a Llama a name like Lorenzo," Vanessa said as she rolled her eyes.
"Come on! Lorenzo Llama? That's funny."
"Yeah, yeah. Hilarious."

"Come here, little lass. Nessie doesn't need to be carrying you around all day," Robert took his daughter and set her down, sending her off to go play with her brother.
"How was Europe?" Vanessa asked as Robert pulled her close for another kiss.
"Not the same without you," Robert pouted and fluttered his eyelashes at her.
"Next time, darling. At least I'm able to make it to your premiere here in town, Mister Sherlock Holmes."
"I'll tell you right now, they're all ecstatic to see you, they were giving me shit; implying that I was hiding you away or something."
"Annie's has been a zoo and I can only do so much, you know?"
"I know that, love. Thank goodness for Dawn."
"She's an immense help. My stand-in when you're away."

Robert dragged his suitcase in from the entry and unceremoniously dropped it on the living room floor and unzipped it. "I have something for you."
"Is that right?" she asked as she sat down on the couch.
"Yes-well, it's sort of for you and sort of not."
"That's...weird."
He narrowed his eyes at her and brandished the gift proudly in the air between them.

"Awwww. Bobby, how adorable," she took the small toy in her hands. It was a velveteen teddy bear, wearing a nightgown and sleeping cap.
"Gute Nacht, süße Baby. It means--"
"Goodnight, sweet baby."
"It's got yellow on since--"
"Oh let it go, Bobby. We'll find out if it's a girl or a boy when she or he gets here!"
"Yes, we will," he scooted close to her and laid his head on her belly, "Hello, baby. I'm ready for you to come out now. No more press tour for me, no more filming for awhile. Just wait a few days, until after this premiere and then you can come out, okay?" he spoke low and quiet, in hopes that their unborn baby could somehow hear him.

***

She knew that morning that their baby would be coming very soon. She'd woken up early, unable to rest her mind and body. Instead of stewing in her thoughts, she spent that whole morning walking their property, sitting in the barn with their animals and enjoying the peace and quiet before everyone awoke. Something deep inside told her she wouldn't be having peace like that for a long while.

"I still cannot believe I'm letting you drag me out of the house for this."
"It's the Los Angeles premiere of the third Sherlock Holmes movie. I'd be crushed if you didn't come," he said with mock despair. Vanessa had just gotten zipped into her black, Grecian-style gown that fit snug in the bust and draped perfectly over her full-term, pregnant belly. Davy had come to their house, styled both Robert and Vanessa's hair and had a makeup artist come along to take care of Vanessa's makeup.