Bobby was seated at his desk in the study, all of his textbooks open on various pages, with loose leaf papers full of notes all over the place. He was punching in some numbers on his calculator when a loud screech followed by a bang was heard from the kitchen.
He sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling a headache about to start.
Another crash and another yell distracted him from his work moments later and he felt like crying in frustration. He just needed some quiet.
He stood and opened the door, heading out to ask if they could keep it down. Or leave. Or if he should leave. Or all of the above.
Julie
"B'Elanna!" Julie scolded, having raced into the kitchen. "And what have I told you about stealing cookies? Thomas! You too?"
She glared at them both, hand on her hips, before trying to pick up the stealthy and much-heavier-than-they-were-two-years-ago twins.
Bobby, Cindy and Dax
Bobby had just stepped out into the hallway, when, as if on cue, and almost as if the whole house was against him passing his exams, Dax and Cindy started crying.
"Aw, come on!" he muttered, changing course for the nursery.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, then headed in to try and soothe his daughters, feeling his stress level rise a few more notches. He was going to need a drink after this day was over.
Julie
Julie managed to pick up they wayward twins and carried them to their playpen.
"Oh, you're kidding me," she exclaimed.
This was all she needed. The twins using their atom manipulation on the playpen lock to get out. There was no mistaking the damage any other way. Julie groaned.
Meanwhile, the weary, shape-shifting nanny, Olivia, was changing both Tinga and Josh's nappies at once. She'd shape shifted a few extra limbs to help in the process.
Bobby
Bobby felt as if he was either going to put his head through the wall, or start crying. He couldn't deal with this amount of stress and noise. Not so close to his exams.
The twins kept wailing and he made a face before heading over to stop the crying.
Julie
Julie put the babies down in their playpen, broken though it may be, and then dished out a couple of Dathrian toddler toys that Diana Hanson had thoughtfully sent her for the twins' second birthday. Toys especially designed to train the atom manipulation power (and hopefully prevent them from using it elsewhere).
Olivia, with Tinga and Josh in hands, came down the hall then.
"Oh, they didn't escape again, did they?" she frowned.
"I'm afraid so."
Olivia sighed and put Tinga and Josh in with their siblings, then used her own atom manipulation to fix the play pen.
"Where are Cindy and Dax?"
A particular audible wail came from the other end of the apartment, and the two women headed towards the sound.
Bobby, Cindy and Dax
Bobby scooped up Cindy first and rocked her gently, but his eyes showed the desperation.
"Hey hey, it's ok, kiddo..."
He felt her nappy and couldn't feel any wetness and he couldn't smell anything bad. So the crying was just to drive him insane.
Julie
Julie and Olivia showed up then and immediately apprased the situation.
"Aww, wassa matta?" asked Julie, picking up Dax and giving her a cuddle before checking her nappy as well. "I'm so sorry, Bobby. I know you were trying to study."
"I'll go back to the other four," Olivia informed Julie and headed off.
Bobby and Cindy
Bobby rubbed Cindy's back gently as he rocked her.
"It's ok," he said, his voice a little strained. "I should've gone to the library anyway."
Julie
"I'm sorry," Julie said again. "I didn't mean for them to disturb you."
She jiggled Dax a bit and put her on her hip.
"Did you want me to take her?"
Bobby
"It's fine," Bobby said again, not really sounding fine at all. "I've got her. I'm going to head out to Lennon's to study with him after she's settled."
"And to escape," he added to himself.
Julie
"You sure?" Julie asked.
Then was distracted by Dax pulling her hair.
"Now, sweetie none of that," she said firmly, taking her hair out of her grip and trying to distract her with her hand.
Bobby and Cindy
"Very sure."
Bobby finally got Cindy settled, and then she promptly vomitted all down his back.
"Ok."
Cindy started wailing again.
"Hey little bub, it's ok," Bobby said, laying her down on the change table. "Come on, let's clean you up."
His head was pounding.
Julie
"Thank you," Julie called after him.
She chewed her bottom lip. She still felt bad about this. Dax started pulling her hair again.
"Dax!" Julie frowned, and started tickling her even as she walked towards the lounge to put her in the playpen (such as it was) with her siblings, planning to check up on Bobby when she was done.
Bobby
Bobby cleaned Cindy up, then put her back into her crib, before heading off to the shower to get himself cleaned up.
At this rate, he wasn't going to get any study done.