I do not own any of the characters besides Kaley ... and what is she without her parents?

Ten: 1st and Ten, Chapter 1:

Lindsay set the bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table and plopped back down on the sofa beside her husband. His arm fell around her shoulders as he took a long drink. She took a moment to look around at the little scene. Their living room was smaller than what they'd had in their apartment, but it opened up into a nice patch of yard already equipped by the previous owners with a play set. The sunlight filtered in through the windows and doors, gleaming across the hardwood floors and wooden pieces she'd had shipped long ago from Montana.

"You two were screaming babies. So what happened?"

"The Patriots scored two touchdowns. Sent us into a tailspin."

"In five minutes?" Lindsay lifted her brows doubtfully.

"Amazing turnaround."

The corner ticker popped back up. The score was still seven to zero. She elbowed her husband in the ribs. Sitting in Flack's lap, her daughter Kaley let out a delightful squeal and clapped her hands at her father's exaggerated grunt, then loud, smacking kiss he bestowed on Lindsay's temple.

Lindsay laughed—and looked to Flack for answers.

"We fumbled—nearly lost the ball, barely made the down," he said and grinned at Kaley when her focus switched to him. "First and ten, 32 yard line."

"See, now that's helpful."

"Helpful would you having remembered to bring in more drink."

"I got the popcorn."

"You lost the bet."

Only because she'd been paying more attention to her daughter when she made the bet, but she didn't argue the point. Instead, Lindsay patted the palm of her hand on Danny's thigh. "You'll live."

This was what she'd dreamed of as their life—a Saturday as a family in their new house, with or without Flack, Louie, or anyone else dropping by and hanging out. A football game on the tv, a comfortable sofa.

And sunlight streaming in from their backyard.

She'd loved living in the middle of the city, apartment life, for nearly eight years, but things slowly changed and it had become more of a sense of surviving the city instead of living within it. They had plans for a growing their family, of having room to play and grow, a yard … time off … and so much more.

They still worked in the city, and could hop the train and subway to get anywhere. They were closer to Danny's parents, and could drop off Kaley if their job called them in the middle of the night, which was rare now as their family life was taken into account.

His arm still around her, Danny leaned up and grabbed the popcorn bowl, setting it in his lap.

"Hey—she got that for me."

"Get your own," Danny tossed a couple of kernels at Flack, causing his daughter to let out her delighted squeal all over again.

"It was mine."

"Your own wife." Danny threw another piece at Flack and watched his daughter open her mouth for him—which led him to throw more.

No one was watching the game anymore. Lindsay observes the three of them, much as she would a criminal, simply sitting back for a moment to pay attention. She let the others take the lead. The popcorn dropped onto the floor, which was another mess to clean up—but one that could be cleaned up, so she said nothing about it. Instead she enjoyed it.

The day, the laughter. She enjoyed it all.

Danny and Kaley never got the popcorn into her mouth, not by way of the tossing game, but Kaley enjoyed what she picked up off of Flack, and fed him some real, and some pretend popcorn, dialoguing as only a two year old could, about the importance of eating it.

Lindsay watched their friend placate Kaley with a lot of affection in his gaze. And as always she wished for him to find someone who would give him that family he so obviously craved.

"Mommy!" Kaley squealed then and pointed at Lindsay.

Danny grinned and fed Lindsay popcorn, too.

All in all, the popcorn game didn't last too long. Kaley became fascinated in Flack's phone, and then tired out a little, allowing the adults to turn back to the game.

Seven to three, Giants still winning—which meant they'd missed the field goal that had put the Patriots on the board.

Still, Lindsay glanced back at Kaley who had leaned her head on Flack's chest. Big brown eyes stared back at her, tired now.

"Mommy." Kaley slid off of Flack's lap, and landed barefooted on their hardwood floor.

Danny lifted the popcorn bowl as his daughter attempted to climb up, then helped her with a a one armed lift. He watched with a slight smirk as she crawled across his lap and into her mother's arms.

Kaley placed a finger on Lindsay's nose, her eyes so very serious. "Nap."

Lindsay smiled and hoisted herself up with her daughter in her arms. "You boys enjoy the quiet. I've got a date."

"Bye, Kaley."

"Flack, come back," Kaley waved with a weary gesture, in their own little private game. As Lindsay turned around with her, Kaley put her head on her mother's shoulder and tucked her thumb into her mouth. They headed upstairs for a little mother-daughter nap ritual.

Soon, Lindsay knew, Kaley would evolve into a daddy's girl … or grow completely unsettled with laying down for a nap. They wouldn't have these moment to whisper secrets that made sense only to a two year old and maybe her mother, little babbles and word games, when their was more energy, that they had learned to play together.

Lindsay walked into Kaley's room and stretched out with her daughter on day bed that was in her room. Kaley rested her head on her mother's shoulder and mumbled something around her thumb even Lindsay couldn't understand … her brown eyes already dropping. Lindsay watched, completely in love.

And just let herself enjoy.