Clean by tyk

[tyk.livejournal.com]

just a short litte un-beta'd piece about that transition for Benton between life with Caroline and life with Bob's parents. there's something about Ben dealing with the loss of his mother that really pulls at me -- maybe because there is no canon, so i can just make it up, but maybe because that's what partly molded him into the intriguing man he became...



He stood in the tub, water dripping down his body. "Dad, I'm finished." He began singing under his breath, "I'm washed from top to toes and it shows I'm as clean as new snow. My nose, it glows, and all the parts between do sheen. I'm clean, clean, clean." The more he sang, the more his bottom lip trembled. His father did not turn around or even acknowledge his attempt at normalcy. His mother had made up the song years ago and it was tradition to sing it after a real tub-bath rather than just a sponge-off. He refused to cry, though, and resolutely bit his bottom lip to make it stop trembling.

"Well, don't dawdle, son. Get out and dried and dressed. No use just standing in the tub waiting to get chilled."

"I...I can't reach the towel." He would not even mention that, even at age six, his mother would wrap him up in a warmed towel as he stood up in the tub; he had an idea his father would not only not warm a towel or wrap him in it, his father would probably scoff at the practice.

"Proper planning prevents poor performance, son. Words to live by. Next time, plan your bath more efficiently. Your grandparents are not likely to pander to you as your ...," his father's voice stopped for so short a time, he wasn't even sure it had broken, "as you've come to expect." His father handed him a towel, but seemed unable to meet his eyes.

"Yes, sir. I will plan more effectively in the future. I will try to do better for you and for my grandparents." He dried off quickly, and dressed himself.

He looked around the cabin and wondered when he might be having a tub-bath again there. Today they began the journey to his father's parents. He would be staying with his grandparents so his father could return to duty and patrol. He wondered if he'd ever hear his tub-bath song again.