Re: Marty and Doug
"To be honest, I'm not sure what G was drinking. Something imported." Marty shrugged. "But, I'm not much of a drinker of anything, one beer at a party is about my limit. I guess I'll have to get you to consult on drink selections for the next party...possibly not two hundred dollar bottles if it's a large gathering, though," he added with a chuckle. He had no problem imagining Merlyn's extensive wine cellar. The price tag on most of it would probably make Marty's heart stop. But then, Marty was supposed to have been the one to bring more money and prestige to the family and he's chosen to be a cop instead of the fancy lawyer. So, it wasn't surprising he was unfamiliar with having that kind of money to drop on wine.
Still, he laughed at Douglas' conclusion. "And you don't even know the half of it. We're comfortable in our insanity. It keeps us sane in a strange way."
And speaking of children, Marty had seen Liam teleport himself over to Daddy. So, he wasn't surprised when Robert arrived just then and turned Jamie Ray over to Marty's care. "I think Liam just knew that Jamie wanted his daddy," he told the older man with a grin. "It's kid-code. They all use it to plot mischief against their parents."
In another two or three months, as the baby's brain functions began fully developing, Marty would probably have to start wondering if his son really was getting the other kids to do things for him. Who knew how a baby with Marty's power would grow into it. But, for now, they didn't have to worry. "What do you say?" he asked the baby, who simply blinked up at him. "You're going to be the mischief maker who doesn't know his own courage just like both of the men you're named for, aren't you?"
Kissing his son's forehead gently, Marty settled him more comfortably in the crook of his arm before turning his attention back to Douglas. "I'm sure your brother will be fine. He's a stronger man than I think he even realizes himself. Just like you are. But, that's not a political offer or a polite society offer. I'm your partner, Douglas. I'm here to have your back, period. I know you've lived with Travis long enough to know what 'partner' means to a cop. But, I get it. You don't trust me, don't understand me, probably don't like me much, and don't really believe that I'll have your back when it matters. And that's fine. I'm still going to be here whether you trust me to be or not.
"And in the meantime, yes, normal people talk about all of that because those things are what make us who we are. Travis and I swap stories from the job not because it's relevant to our situation, although some things might be considering how much undercover work we've both done. But, we do it because it's something we share, a connection to another human being who gets where we've been and who we've been, what we've had to do to get there. Sean could no more stop talking about music than Harley could learn to do long division. It's too intrinsic to who he is. He cares about people and uses his gift of music to make them happy in the best way he can. His music makes the rest of us smile and forget how much things suck for a little while. John talks about computers and philosophy and half of what he says goes over the heads of everyone else in the room except for a few. But, it gets him excited, makes him come alive in a way that's reassuring for the rest of us because if a kid who has lived the life we all suspect he's lived can still be excited by life, then there's hope for the rest of us and for our kids who are going to have to live a similar life whether we want them to or not.
"When you're ready to really talk to us, or me, -- and, yes, I'm saying when instead of if because I'm that much of an optimist -- the floor's open for whatever you want or need to talk about as well. No judgement. No criticism. There may be differing opinions, but it doesn't mean anything other than we disagree because we think differently. Door's always open to you." Marty smirked, having reached the limit of his own seriousness. "Unless there's a sock on the knob, in which case I have to clear it with the wife first before seeing if there's an exhibitionist kink there. Or something. Maybe not a sock."