Chapter 7: Grownups

"CHICKKKKKEEEEENNN!!!!" Luka and Orly squealed excitedly.

"Woah now..." Dean grinned as he gently extended the little chick towards the two hyperactive children.

The chick chirped angrily, like 'Wach it!'

The two kids snuggled up next to each other, staring at the chick with excitement and awe in their eyes.

"Chick-y, Chick-y. Chick. Chick. Chick!" Luka whispered towards the baby chicken.

"It's so cute!" Orly turned away momentarily to sneeze, then turned back hastily.

The chick proudly straightened its back, 'Don fall moi kute! Yu stoopid hoomuns ra su anoyyin—!'

Orly rubbed the chick's tiny forehead with her pinky.

"So soft..." She murmured with glee.

The chick was hesitant at first, and chirped out in surprise. But eventually accepted Orly's display of hospitality.

'Chip! Chip!' It chirped happily, like, 'Dat feeel gud! Rab moi murr!'

Orly rubbed its head even more.

"Chicken?" Kai also crept up behind the two small children, looking over their heads at the chick a well.

But instead of being mesmerized by the chick, like Luka and Orly, his mouth started drooling.

"Can we eat it?" He licked his lips hungrily.

"What?!" Luka and Orly immediately twisted around and spread out their arms, forming a wall around the chick.

"No! You won't touch our baby!" They cried out in unison. Word. For. Word.

Chip. Chip!

The chick chirped with them, like, 'Yeh! Gat hem, mama, papa!'

Almost like they could speak chicken, Luka and Orly puffed out their chests with confidence and determination to defend their chick to the death. Together, they formed the Great Wall of Chicken.

Kai stepped back in shock, unable to penetrate this impenetrable fortress.

"Baby?" Dean chuckled, "When did you two become so grown up?"

Upon hearing this, the two kids spun around at Dean, beaming brightly, unable to believe what they were just told.

"We're grownups?" Orly asked excitedly.

"Yeah!" Luka shot a happy punch into the air, "We're grownups!"

Dean raised a curious eyebrow. When did they want to be grownups?

Actually... now that he thought about it, ever since this whole... catastrophe started, Luka and Orly have been really helpful around the house lately. Like, they tried to fix the radio on their own on the day after the bomb dropped.

It's like something sparked into them, maybe a sense of independence?

He decided to ask them himself. "When did you two little goofballs want to become all grownup?"

"When we heard Cal to Edie again, the day the big bomb dropped!" Luka exclaimed in a careless blabber, "When you thought we were sleeping—"

"Luka!" Orly whispered towards him. "We're not supposed to tell anyone!"

"Huh?" Luka blinked. "Oh..."

Dean was a little shocked, "You... eavesdropped on Cal?"

The two looked ashamed.

"We didn't mean to 'eve-drop'!" Orly averted her eyes in shame, "We just went out to potty when we heard Cal talking..."

"He was speaking to Edie again... and he was crying..." Luka added, "We thought he was sad because he was tired of always taking care and being kind to us... so we wanted to help him... we're very sorry..."

Dean stared at their embarrassed faces for a moment. Before patting them on the head proudly.

"Why're you both apologizing?" Dean asked, "Only is adults think about this sort of thing. So if both of you already think it, that means that you both are really grownups."

The two kids squealed in delight.

"Now, come on then!" Dean was still holding on to the chick. "Saying you're both grownups doesn't mean that you can slack off now! Grownups must learn how to take care of their family! C'mon, you can start by giving this little guy a name!"

And off the four went.

Shaw peeked from the sidelines. He had just finished dumping off the 'edible' foods into the pantry, and was staring silently at the scene ahead.

While the main focus would usually be on Dean, the kids, and the chick... he had his eye on Kai instead.

Kai always seemed to be just a bystander, usually forgotten while the real action goes on. Silent and patient, waiting for his own moment to show up.

Shaw only realized this now, when began really began focusing on Kai.

Because he had this look in his eyes. A look of sadness, and longing, and...

Jealousy.

But Shaw couldn't blame him. He too, knew it all too well himself.

--

"You What?" Cal exclaimed loudly, rubbing his eyes. He had just woke up about fifteen minutes ago, so he was probably just sleepy.

"We're Fine, Cal..." Dean told him, "We just went out for a few minutes... I've even checked the kids, nothing's wrong with them!"

Cal had a sinking feeling inside him. "But what if there was? Huh? What would you do if they, or even you, got hurt?"

"But the important thing is, we didn't. And besides..." Dean spread his hands towards the door, as if showing Cal something, "We now have confirmation that we can finally leave this place, and go towards the MaryCity. You know what that means, right?"

"Hah..." Cal sighed, "Yes... I know..."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments.

"...Hey..." Dean broke the silence, his tone taking on a lighter edge than before. "We will make it, Cal. And as long as we both don't give in to despair, the kids won't either."

Cal eyed Dean from the side, a slight smile on his face. "You were always so optimistic and independent from the beginning..."

"It's not always sunshine and rainbows, of course..." Dean stared into thin air, "But I... just don't want to lose anyone to this god-forsaken war. I just don't want to lose them at all... not like my parents fifteen years ago..."

Cal put a hand on his shoulder, "Don't think about it anymore. I assure you, we WILL make it through this, with everyone... I'll ensure that we do..."