Cory had just finished lunch and was taking a walk around the compound when he saw a very inviting couch, and decided to have a seat and clear his mind for a bit after the hellacious week that had just finished. No sooner than he had started to clear his mind when two miniature tornadoes named Timmy and Ricky sat down on the couch and began snuggling into his sides. Timmy looked up at Cory with puppy dog eyes and said,
"Daddy, Ricky and I need some 'Daddy Time' so we are gonna take a nap with you."
Timmy then laid his head down and went to sleep, Ricky right behind him. Cory, tried to resist but a warm and fuzzy feeling soon overtook him and he joined the two munchkins in the land of Nod.
Shortly after Cory had dropped off into sleep a cute little sandy-haired green eyed tyke appeared in his head and began talking to him,
"Daddy, Unca Mikey says that you need lots of rest and you gotta recharged your menta batteries or sumting like that."
Cory had never seen the tyke that had invaded his dreams and called him Daddy,
"Who are you, I don't recognize you as one of my sons?"
"Daddy, you be silly I be Alexander Xerxes Short, but you haven't met me yet but you will. You will know me as Xander and I am related to . . . never mind it ain't impotant now. Unca Mikey says I gotta show you some good stuff from your memories. Unca Mikey says you have sumting called PTSD, whatever that means. I am supost to show you that Timmy was right when he said 'Sometimes bad stuff happens so the good stuff can'." Xander paused for a few seconds and then he continued,
"Daddy one of the first bad stuff that happened was when your Mommy died, but then a good stuff happened and you got to live with Mom Teri and Sean and Unca Mikey. If your Mommy hadn't died I wouldn't be here and there wouldn't be thousands of kids alive today. Yes, it was a very bad stuff when your 'Big Brother' Mikey died but he couldna be a Saint unless he did. So two bad stuffs then two good stuffs. Do you believe yet?"
Xander looked into his Daddy's eye and he could see that they were still troubled. Suddenly he felt a warm glow envelop him and wings wrapping around his body,
"You are doing a great job, Xander, keep it up you will save him from himself as long as you believe in him." With that Mikey was gone.
"Remember the smile on Mom's face the when you finally called her 'Mom' and really meant it? That was a very good thing and made you feel good inside as well. Don't forget how you and Sean helped an insecure Kyle by totally accepting him even when he had an accident in your bed. Not only that you helped him overcome his shame at only having one nut. Two more things for the 'Good Stuff Column'. Remember how good you felt when you saved Tyler by welcoming him to your family and how good you made him feel. Then you helped save his brother Adam and his Adams sanity. You joked with him about whose clothes he was wearing and helped him forget that he had been naked just moments before. Don't forget you also made sure that he knew that being 'Gay' wasn't a bad thing! Chalk up three more in the 'Good Stuff Column', hmm looks like the 'Bad Stuff' is losing to the 'Good Stuff', Xander stopped and took a look at his Dad's face and sure enough, the frown lines were shrinking and a smile was starting to form. The eyes weren't twinkling yet so he knew he had more to do.
"Okay, now we get a twofer, you and Mom saved Unca Aaron's sanity by Mom becoming his Mom and you by making him your 'Big Brother'. Two more 'Good Things'. Then you helped save Mark from an uncomfortable family life. Another one in the 'Good Stuff Column'; Daddy do you see where this going? Daddy every time a 'Bad Stuff' happens you or you and Pappa Sean make 'Good Stuff' happen." Xander didn't even have to look at Cory's face he could feel the smile and sense the peace that was beginning to seep into his daddy.
"Daddy, then you did a really, really 'Good Stuff' in a very, very bad and dangerous situadon. You saved a frightened little boy from certain death and then gave him a warm and loving family. You didn't stop to think you just saw two people in danger and did everything to save both of them no matter what the cost."
Xander faded out and Cory dropped into a deep and very restful sleep and was heard muttering, "From the mouths of Children doth wisdom flow." And then was heard from the napping Family,
This is a quickly written Short Story written for the Fifteenth Anniversary of The Clan Short Universe created by ACFan. Thank you, AC for keeping us entertained for fifteen wonderful years. Thank you also for bringing the plight of orphaned children to the forefront and making us think about their plight. I am looking forward to another exciting fifteen years.
TSL