Fan Fiction: Life Happens

[MeganFaye]

Hi everyone! My name is Megan. I'm new to the boards.

I've been watching Silver Spoons on On Demand the last few months, and have really enjoyed the show. So much that I've branched out into fan fiction.

Before this, I wrote fan fiction for Star Trek, MASH, Mad About You, Frasier, Law and Order SVU, and most recently; House MD.

This is only a beginning, so if it sucks, let me know, and I'll not post any more.

~Megan Faye



Title: Life Happens
Series: Silver Spoons
Rated: PG
Author: Megan Faye
Disclaimer: I do not own, nor do I claim to own Silver Spoons

Author's Note: This is written in the style of the show; cheesy 80's sitcom style. I hope the characters are enough in character to be something close to believable. Please note: I'm 25. This show went off the air when I was a toddler. I'm depending on YouTube and Nick at Nite (and digital cable) for all sources of info. If my facts are way off, please let me know and I'll correct. I've been watching the show for a few months, learning the style of acting, writing, and humor before I started this.

I hope you enjoy it.





May 1987



The Stratton house-hold was quiet. While rare, it was usually enjoyed by all occupants, even though one, above the other two, was more responsible for any and all noise. Whether it be by his train, or old Pac-Man arcade, Edward made more noise than Kate and Rick ever did, and usually early on a Saturday morning.

Now, this quiet, while unusual, wasn't enjoyed by all three in the house. Edward was aware that Kate was acting differently. She wasn't herself. Rick noticed, too, but decided that his father would figure it out, apologuise for it, and the house would be full of noise again.

"Can you pass the orange juice?" Rick asked, very softly, of his step-mother. Kate didn't move. At All; no blinking, not even a 'Sorry Rick, get it yourself.' Nothing. "Earth to Kate? Come in, Kate!"

Nothing.

"Kate?"

"Kate, your hair's on fire, and Dad's smoking a joint."

Not an eye-bat.

"Honey?" Edward said, resting a hand o n his wife's shoulder. She jumped under his touch. "Kate? Are you all right?"

"I'm sorry," she said, embarassed. "My mind is....I'm preoccupied this morning."

"I'll say." Rick reached across the table and snatched the juice. After filling his glass he poured a second glass for Kate, in hopes of scoring points. "So...where were you just now?" The 17-year-old asked. Kate shrugged and gratefully took the juice. "No coffee?"

"Um, no thank you. I'm trying to quit." Both Stratton men froze. "What?"

"Are you sick?" Edward asked, worry filling his voice. "Kate, you have been drinking a rediculous amout of coffee for as long as I've known you; you're quitting suddenly and cold turkey. What happened at the doctoer yesterday, Katie?"

"First; don't call me that. Ever. Ever again," she said, sternly. Her face relaxed slightly, and her voice softened. "Second; I'm not sick, Edward."

"Well, then talk to us!" Rick chirped. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "You're staring off into space, look scared out of your mind, and not....drinking...coffee......" Rick rested back in his chair. "Kate? Are you...." His eyebrows shot up.

"Uh...uh huh....." Kate nodded, eyes wide and glassy.

"Oh man.....oh Geeze.....I know you're married...and I know you guys have....you know....but now there's proof....Oh God."

"What?" Edward asked, panicing. "Rick, tell me what's going on?!"

"I don't think I can. I think...I might vomit." Rick swallowed hard.

"SOME ONE BETTER TALK!" He wasn't yelling in anger; he was genuinely afraid of what anyone had to say at that moment.

"Edward, I'm pregnant!"

"You're what?!" The words registered with the man, and a curious look came over his face. "Well, how did that happen?"

"Well, Dad, when two people love each other-" Edward glared at him. "- they send their teenager off to school half an hour early." Rick grabbed his books, kissed Kate on the cheek, and dashed out the back door.

"When did it happen? We were pretty careful."

"When were we ever careful, Edward?" Edward grinned. Kate gave him a look, and the smile faded. "Are you going to be okay?"

"Katie.....sorry, Kate, I love you, and I love Rick. Its not like we can't afford to have more children. I wanted to have kids with you. I guess I figured it would involve talking about it first.....and not while we were helping Rick pick a college." Edward lightly tugged on Kate's arm until she took his less-than-subtle hint and moved onto his lap.

"So, you're okay?"

"I'm fantastic, honey," he said, grinning.






"I'm a wreck, Dexter. I don't know the first thing about a baby. I've never even held a baby." Dexter rolled his eyes and continued looking at the computer he was typing at.

"You must have gotten through Rick's early childhood somehow-"

"Yeah, I did; I didn't know he exsisted until he was twelve."

"Right. Sorry." Edward paced his library and waited for Dexter to say something useful. "Well, there is good news here."

"What?"

"I won't be changing any diapers." Edward narrowed his eyes at the man. "Look, you have enough money put away to take time off after the baby is born; you can take no more than 68 years, 3 months, 1 week and 2 days. It would be more, but I predicted a couple of stock-market failures, and inflation. Worst case scenario; you'll be only a millionaire in 50 years."

"Money doesn't raise kids, Dex. I love Rick more than anything, but there were times I wanted to kill that kid. He breaks rules, he breaks curfew, he breaks...things. He's loud, messy, and....Who am I kidding; I'm wrapped so tightly around his finger, its about ready to fall off from lack of blood." Dex laughed. "I love Kate, and I love that we're having a baby together. But what if I'm terrible at it? What if I only had one good parenting job in me?" There was a knock at the door, and a blonde head popped in. "Come on in, son."

"Hey, Dad."

"School?"

"Went all right. Home?"

"Not a war zone, but not so great. Kate's locked herself in our bedroom. I said something insensitive."

"Like what?"

"Can the baby come out when its 12?" Rick moaned and rolled his eyes.

"Dad, this kid....this is my little brother or sister. While I think its sick to know that my father and Kate have......sex...." Rick shuddered. "I think its cool that I won't be an only child-"

"You're nearly an adult."

"So? I can teach the kid stuff; how to get his allowence raised for one." Edward nodded. "Wait until the baby's here. You'll do fine. And Kate's already wonderful! She raised you, didn't she?"






"Hi," Rick whispered, looking down at his exhausted step-mother. He sat gently down on the bed and rubbed her arm and shoulder. Edward was out getting dinner, personally, and sent his son in to make things right. Rick was less likey to be slaughtered.

"Hey yourself."

"Sleep okay?"

"Mmm," Kate nodded. She worked herself into sitting up properly in the massive bed. Rick held out a rose from the garder. "Oh, thank you, sweeite."

"Did you think of any names yet?" Kate laughed and nodded.

"A few dozen. Only one that I really love, though. Where's your father?"

"Picking up your favorites for dinner. Peace offering..." Kate chuckled.

"So, big brother, did you think of any names?"

"Edward Stratton, the fourth. If its a girl, Edie."

"What if the baby's nothing like me, son?" Edward said from the door.

"He will be."

"What if he doesn't want to be."

"Doesn't matter."

"I think it does. I think if he doesn't want to ride the train around the house, he shouldn't have to-"

"He or she doesn't have to like trains or Frogger, or Pac-man to be like you, Dad. He has to be a good person, who is fair, and who can think for himself, instead of becoming what someone else has planned out for him. That's how I'm like you." Edward hugged his son and smiled. "And if I had a choice, I'd have been Eddie, not Rick."

"But I love Rick. Its you, and I love that you are exactly who you are."

"And he's Eddie." Edward looked at him. "I know in my heart, Dad, that he's Eddie or she's Edie. Its just....Its just should be."

"I agree, Edward. I was thinking up names all afternoon, and the only one I could think up that I loved...really loved...was Edward." Edward blushed and dropped down onto the bed next to her. He pulled her close, holding her gently to his chest.

"I'm sorry I got so nervous earlier." Rick took the opperatunity to sneak out of the room. "Kate, I have no clue what to do with a baby; Rick was 12 when I found out about him. I've been a parent for 5 and a half years, and sending the kid off to college. After 5 and a half years, I should be looking at different elemetery schools, not different Ivy League schools."

"I'm scared, too, Edward! I don't know the first thing about babies! Hell, I couldn't even keep Fluffy alive for more that a couple of years." Kate burst into tears.

"Kate, it was an accident. I should have told you that I even HAD a remote for the train, or at least not left it on the couch." He brushed a tear from her cheek. "Honey, you'll do fine. You've always been good with Rick."

"So, we're both as afraid as a couple of teenagers in trouble?" Edward felt his mouth go dry and a lump in his throat form.

"My son is a teenager-"

"He's not the one having a baby, Edward."

"He'd better not." Edward glared at the wall that was in the general direction of his son's room. "Maybe now is a good time for safe sex talk-"

"He and I had that talk already." Edward felt his head snap around to face his wife. Suddenly it felt as though all the air was sucked out of the room, his eyes were being sucked from their sockets, and that his head and chest were going to implode. "He only wanted information, not to use it! He, at the end of the talk said that he knew he wasn't ready, and wouldn't be for a very long time." Slowly, air filled his lungs and his heart slowed to a normal thump in his chest.

"Why didn't he come to me?"

"Gee," she said, dead-pan. "I have no idea."

"Well, in about....9 months?....."

"Actually, 6 months."

"Really? You're three months along already?"

"Yeah."

"Valentines day!" He said, proudly. Kate blushed and shrugged. "Well, in 6 months, he will know exactly why he should wait to have sex."

"And what do you mean by that? You think the baby is going to ruin our lives!?" Edward didn't think of it that way, so he simply cocked his head to the side while he figured out exactly what he needed to say to keep the fresh tears in her eyes from spilling over...again.

"No, Honey." He touched her cheek gently. "He's going to see that you and I are in a loving, commited marriage, and that we're settled down, and mature enough to handle a baby. He's also going to smell that first poopy diaper, and decide to live in the dorm."






The high school library had become almost like a second home to Rick; it was quiet, but not overly so, and he knew everyone there would help him when he needed it. Rarely did he need help, but the knowlage that help is available makes for a much more relaxed study session.

Now, in his first year of college, he found that the library looked quite different, but gave him the same feeling; calm before the storm.

The not-too-quiet library had things his home library did not; people his age, talking about things important to him, laughing at antics that he'd either witnessed, or been apart of, and most importantly, it was note being remodeled. Kate and Edward had started the nursery the moment they found out the gender of the baby. And since the guest room closest to the master suite was getting a make-over, so was the master suite. Who would do a master suite without updating the master bathroom? Not Kate.

Today after classes, the new nursery, master suite, guest room, and Rick's room would be revealed. He'd caught a glimps of the living room already. It had been a really long three months.

"Hey," came a soft voice from over his shoulder. Sandy Beckett looked at his calculus work. "You need help."

"I do not."

"Trust me, Rick." She dropped her bag and took a seat next to him. "Are you okay?"

"Tired. My step-mom is redecorating, and had people working late into the night. They wanted the whole house done in three months."

"Isn't she having a baby?"

"Yeah," Rick said, grinning. "A boy; Edward Stratton the Fourth.He's due in about 6 weeks."

"My mom and step-dad had a baby when I was 14."

"I thought you lived with your dad."

"Exactly. They were too busy with their kid to even notice me at all. I was replaced." Rick felt his heart tug for her. He knew his dad wouldn't brush him aside; he'd talked to Rick about everything about the baby, concerns, ideas, jokes to tell the kid, and Rick helped pick out nursery colors.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"I hope your dad isn't as big of an idiot as my mom and step-dad were-"

"My dad is the coolest. And Kate is pretty amazing. She was a really good mom to me; my own mom dropped me in military school for mmost of my life. My dad wouldn't shut me out. Are you going to help me with this homework or not?" he asked, changing the subject. "The first week of school and we're already getting migraines...."






Even with his eyes closed, he knew what was happening. Kate was in labor. Rick jumped out of bed, threw on jeans and a t shirt, and pulled shoes on quickly. Ewdard was frantically yelling on the phone about contractions, Kate was crying in pain and fear because the baby wasn't due for another 6 weeks, and Rick knew; he had to be the calm, level-headed man that he knew he could be.

"Kate," he said calmly. "Look at me." Kate held her breath and looked at her step-son. "Breath slow and steady, okay? We're going to get you to the hospital, and they'll stop the contractions." Kate nodded. "But you have to calm down; breath slowly. Dad and I will not let anything happen to you. Do you understand?" KAte nodded and slowly relaxed as the contraction faded. "Are you ready to stand up?" When Kate nodded, Rick slipped an arm around her hips and helped her walk toward Edward. Edward watched his son while he listened to instructions; they were telling Edward to calm down, and calm Kate down.

"She's calm. We'll bring her right in," he said gently.

"Dad, get her down stairs," Rick said. "I'll call for the car to be brought around, and will be down with her bag." Edward nodded and let his wife lean on him.





Just as promised, there was a car out front, and Rick was down with a bage before they even buckled their seat belts. As soon as the car started moving, Kate cried out in pain again.

"Another contraction?" Edward asked. She nodded quickly. "Okay, honey, its okay-"

"He's coming....now," she breathed. Rick felt the blood drain from his face. Kate rested her back against his chest so Edward could check. He screwed his eyes closed as tightly as he could. "Edward-" she yelled.

"I see his head! DRIVE FASTER!"

"You gotta push, Kate," Rick said, keeping his eyes closed.

"Its too soon!"

"Kate, honey, I'm right here," Edward said, taking her hand. "You need to push; remember lamaze class?" Visions of the birth they watched on VHS flooded their memories, along with crying plastic dolls, and an interesting use of a yoga ball. "Are we almost there?"

"Sir, we haven't even left the driveway."

"Push, sweetie!"

"Oh God!" Rick yelled when he opened his eyes; the baby was half way out. He closed them tightly again.

"She's having the baby now. Do you think you could...I don't know....DRIVE A LITTLE FASTER?" Rick yelled.

Kate screamed, Rick yelled, she sqeezed his hand so hard that he thought his fingers were breaking, and then the car was silent; except for a baby crying. Rick opened his eyes, and promptly blacked out.






When Rick opened his eyes again, they were at the hospital. He was in a room, in a soft bed, with rough sheets.

"You all right, Son?"

"Yeah...how long...?"

"Couple of hours. The paramedics opened...the car door, and you fell out...hit your head." Rick touched the side of his head. Sure enough, there was a bandage.

"How're Kate and the baby?"

"She's fantastic. Eddie is okay. He was screaming his bald little head off in Kate's room. She kicked me out so I could check on you. She's worried." Rick smiled. "Rick, I wanted to thank you. I lost it back at the house, and you just sort of....swooped in and cooled things down. I just can't think right when someone I love is in so much pain. You saved Eddie's life."

"I did?"

"Did you ever consider being a doctor?"

"No; I want to work with you. Eddie toys is a family company, and...well....I want that. I want to work at the company that means so much to you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." Rick pulled himself into sitting up, pausing to allow a wave of nausea to pass. "So....Edward W. Stratton the fourth?"

"No."

"No?"

"Kate and I talked. We picked something different."

"What-"

"Edward Richard Stratton, the First."

"Good name."

"Really good name." The two men smiled at each other. "So, would you like to meet your little brother? I mean it; he's little. Weighs in at just about 5 pounds."

"I'd love to."

"I'll clear it with the nurses."






Rick rolled into the room, chair being pushed by his dad. Kate smiled at the two while Eddie slept in her arms. Rick took her outstretched hand and squeezed it gently. "He looks just like you, Dad."

"Yeah?" Edward looked at the baby. He smiled broadly. When the smile faded, Rick was curious.

"You okay?"

"I was just thinking when I saw him just now....what did you look like? When did you get your first tooth, ot take your first step?" Kate felt tears in her eyes. She knew that they'd eventually realize to this level what Evelyn had taken from Edward. "I know nothing about your firsts."

"Well, I'll be there for Eddie's firsts, and we'll count that as pretty special."

"I have a better idea." Kate held Rick's hand tightly. "Your mom mentioned to me that you had a nanny until you started military school. She kep a clear record of everything you did, when you did it, and she kept those notebooks in storage. I had her send them, and your mom sent some pictures. Look in my bag. I got the two of you a gift."

Edward opened the suitcase and looked through it. At the bottom, there were two light blue books, identical. One, however, was heavier. Edward opened it. It was a baby book, filled out, in Kate's handwriting, for Rick. His birthdays, pictures of each of his birthdays along with lists of who came, things he did through the age of 6, and, Edward noted, that there was a tiny blond lock of hair and everything. Kate had taken months to do this for them.

"Rick, the first time your mom held you, you pooped on her!" Edward smiled and pointed to a picture. "And look! You started walking on your first birthday!"

"My first word was....Dada."

"To whom?" Rick frowned.

"I don't know. Guess I knew I was missing you already." Edward swiped a tear from his cheek, and settled in a chair between Rick and Kate's bed. "Can I hold him?"

"Sure." Kate handed the baby to Edward, who in turn handed him to Rick.

"Hi, buddy," Rick whispered. "You know what? You're one lucky kid. You have the best Dad in the whole world, and the best mom in the whole world. I guess we're both lucky, eh, little brother?" The baby yawned and opened one eye. "Kate?" Rick asked, without ever letting his eyes leave his brother. "I was thinking about something."

"What's that?"

"As much as I love my mom, she's not my only mom. I know you've thought about it, too. You practically raised me; you and dad were everything to me since I was 12." Rick smiled and his baby brother and took a tiny hand in his own. "While I think he should know the truth; I'm his half brother, I don't think he should know a difference; you're Mom to me, too." Finally done with what he'd wanted to say for a few months now, Rick lifted his head to meet eyes with Kate, who was crying.

He offered her a smile before looking back down at the baby.






That all I have for the first part. Is it worth continuing?
~Megan

[IloveBilly]

Wow,that was really good! Keep going!