The Academy In My Head

Toddlers and Tutu's...

A/N: um... yeah, well. consider this your language warning. :)

Owen was hard pressed to name a time when he'd felt as relevant as he did right now as he looked down on his 18 month old daughter who toddled slowly along next to him. His fingers tightened around her tiny hand.

Sofia was a beautiful girl, looking very much like her mama. They'd all declined tests and Sang went with her heart when she named Owen as the father on the birth certificate. Sofia was the apple of his eye and he couldn't help but swell up with pride because of how smart she was.

Luke and Sang had taught her sign language and she was quite comfortable using it with all of them. Because, the rest of them had all learned the basics so that she could ask for them. Food, Milk... diaper, nap. And North's least favorite... cookie.

She'd ventured in to talking a bit and would happily babble for Mama. And a clear daddy would be heard before she made the sign for which of her 9 daddies she wanted. He was quite impressed that his was an O sign made while playing a violin.

Their family was extremely supportive and in love with her too. She called Jessica 'Auntie Mama' which made both Sang and Jessica laugh. She called Erica and Uncle, nana and papa and the two of them were more than happy to be referred to in such a way. Pam had quickly become Mimi and the others – outside of papa-san and nana-san, Sean's parents, didn't factor into her world at all.

Sofia stopped and raised her hands up in a universal signal that she wanted to be picked up. "Up we go then." He murmured, picking her up and smoothing the pink tutu she was wearing down over his arm.

Sofia giggled and patted his cheeks before leaning in and kissing his cheek. "Love 'oo." She coo'd at him.

His arms tightened around her. "I love you too." He said and she giggled again.

She rested her head on his chest as they walked along the sidewalk and headed to her play group with other kids her age at the park. Gabriel and Sang were meeting them at the park so that he could head to a different meeting.

Owen smiled as she started to talk in a sing song tone. Sofia was naming off things that she liked or was seeing as he walked, catching words like tree and dog and cat out of what she was saying. "Do you know what kind of tree that is, Sofia?" He asked, pointing at a tall fir tree. He smiled slightly and nodded at the mothers that were walking by. The park was a very popular place today and he was looking for Sang and Gabriel in the crowded area.

"Happy." She told him.

"It's a happy tree?" He asked, absently as he spied bright pink and orange that said he had found what he was looking for.

"Fuck."

His eyes widened and he stopped in shock, staring at his daughter, oblivious to the shocked looks on all the mothers that were staring at them right now. "Sofia, that's not a good word." He said.

She giggled and kicked her legs. "Fuck." She said again, reaching up to pat his cheek. She made the sign for Daddy Gabriel and pointed at her mama and Gabriel. "Happy." She nodded. "Fuck. Tree." She nodded again and made Gabriel's sign as they approached.

Owen gave Gabriel a harsh look. "Your daughter is speaking your language, Mr. Coleman."

Sofia giggled again and lunged from Owen's arms into Gabriel's. Gabriel kissed the baby on the head and exchanged a glance of confusion with Sang. "I don't understand." He said.

Owen's eyebrows drew closer in together and it was only the slight tick of his jaw that clued them in as to how upset he was. Sang hadn't seen him this upset since he'd grounded her 10 years ago. "Tell him about the trees, Sofia." He said.

Sofia giggled and patted Gabriel's cheek. "Happy Fuck Tree." She pointed at the fir tree. "Daddy paint." She nodded.

Gabriel's ears tinged pink with embarrassment. "Sorry." He couldn't apologize fast enough. "I'm so sorry. We were watching those old Bob Ross shows about painting and I was making a joke to Luke. I thought she was sleeping." He said, blue eyes wide.

Sang pressed her lips together tightly, needing to push her lips into her teeth with more than one finger or she'd fall down on the ground giggling. "Oh..." Her eyes widened. "Yes, we need to watch language, sleeping or not." She said before kissing Gabriel's cheek. "No more happy trees." She cautioned and he nodded.

"Fuck." Chirped a tiny little toddler voice, putting a pink blush on all of their faces.

"I trust you'll have a conversation with our little angel about proper language." Owen stared at Gabriel.

"Of course, Mr. Blackbourne." Gabriel slipped easily back into the old titles, sensing how displeased Owen was right now. He shifted Sofia in his arms. "I think we'll go have that conversation now." He said, sending a pleading glance to Sang.

"Of course." She said with a slight nod before she wrapped her arm around Owen's. "Come, my love. You have a meeting to get to." She said, tugging on his arm to change his direction so she could walk with him.

"Right." Owen nodded. He glanced down at her for a long moment as they walked before a chuckle escaped him.

Sang started giggling. "Oh, my goodness, Owen. You should have seen your face. I swear, I thought he was going to wet himself and it's all I could do to not laugh when she kept saying it." Her cheeks were turning pink as she laughed hard enough to bring tears to her eyes.

Owen drew her close and kissed her forehead before he let himself laugh a bit more at the situation. "Well, I wish I could have seen my face when she first said it. I probably shouldn't have frozen in the middle of a mom crowd but it was so unexpected. I had much higher hopes for her first sentences than happy ..." He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I know." She said, wiping her eyes before stretching up to kiss him. "May the idea of our tutu wearing daughter tossing f-bombs like a pirate bring you laughter all afternoon." Sang smiled up at him.

He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. "I'm sure it will." He said dryly.

"And we'll talk about it tonight at dinner." She promised. "Gabriel's not the only one who needs to work on watching language."

Owen smiled and stole a kiss before he let go of her and watched as she headed back to meet Gabriel and Sofia to head home before he turned and continued off to his meeting.

(Fade...)