The Next Grand Chapter

by cuteej4

Sequel to The Learning Curve. Set a few years after the end of it. Follow Lizzie and William as they go through the adventures of starting a family and dealing with parenthood together for the first time. See what the rest of the gang is up to and how they've changed as the years have passed. Part of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries universe.

1. A Return

Summary: Lizzie and William are in charge of Thanksgiving and are getting ready for a full house.

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Notes: And we're back! I hope you're ready for another long journey!

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Sunday, November 19, 2017

Lizzie glanced up at the clock in the kitchen and let out a frustrated groan. There was so much to do but not enough time to do it in. Thanksgiving was four days away but Jane and Bing were set to arrive within the hour. She and William had been spending the weekend cleaning up the already clean apartment and making sure all sharp objects were out of reach from any tiny humans. Everything was ready for visitors but she still felt a small ball of anxiety looming in the pit of her stomach. She heard fast-approaching footsteps and turned around in time to see William emerging from the hallway, wearing a fitted pair of jeans but missing another important article of clothing.

"You're not dressed yet?" Lizzie asked in disbelief. William looked in her direction and flashed her a quick smile.

"My shirt's in the laundry room," William replied as he continued walking. "I'll be ready in a flash."

"I hope so," Lizzie said anxiously, raising her voice as he disappeared around the corner. "They're going to be here soon!"

She made the mistake of looking at the time again and frowned. Jane and Bing's plane should have landed already so it was only a matter of time before they would arrive.

"What was that?" William asked, walking back in as he pulled a black Henley on.

"They're going to be here soon," Lizzie repeated, just as anxiously. William raised his eyebrows as if he expected her to say something else but she didn't. He gave her a look and she knew he figured out something was up.

"And we're ready," William assured her with a smile. "The car is set up for them, both bedrooms are prepared for their choosing, the proper snacks have been purchased, and the gates are installed."

"I still can't believe you bought those gates," Lizzie said as her husband approached. She leaned back against the counter as he stopped before her, placing his hands on her hips.

"Better to be safe than sorry. We don't need any toddlers tumbling down those stairs. Besides, I'm sure they'll come in handy sooner or later," William said with a twinkle in his eye. When she furrowed her brows instead of cracking a smile like he expected, he brought a hand up and rubbed his thumb along the crease on her forehead. "What's wrong, love? You seem really tense."

"I'm…not really sure," Lizzie admitted, resting her hands on his biceps. "Maybe it's because we've been nonstop the past two days and it just feels like we're missing something."

"Well, let's figure it out," William said warmly. He gripped more tightly on her hips and Lizzie braced herself as he lifted her up onto the counter. She made room for him and he stepped between her legs before pulling her a little closer to the edge.

"We could have just used chairs," Lizzie mused.

"Overrated," William smirked before leaning in and kissing her cheek. "What is bothering you, Mrs. Darcy?"

"I thought you were trying to figure that out, Mr. Darcy," Lizzie countered.

"Two brains work better than one," William said. Lizzie nodded and gave him a conceding look. "I don't think it's about work. Your new building deal was finalized a while ago and the contractors are nearly finished."

"Actually, I'm pretty excited about the move. Packing and unpacking everything is going to take some time but I've got the whole month of December," Lizzie said, her voice lighter than before. "Besides, my work brain is decidedly out of service. We both have the week off and I fully intend to enjoy it."

"Even with a full house," William said. He saw a flash of something in Lizzie's eyes that he wouldn't have noticed if he wasn't looking directly at her. "It's not about that, is it? I know you've been looking forward to Jane coming for weeks."

"Nooo," Lizzie drew out. "I haven't seen my sister in forever. It's definitely not that."

"Are you worried about Thanksgiving itself?" William asked.

"I don't…Maybe?" Lizzie shook her head and frowned. William patiently waited for her to continue and rubbed his thumbs in circles along her hips. "Maybe it's because I'm hosting Thanksgiving. I know I'll have help with everything and I'm excited to see everybody but we're not going anywhere."

"You're used to going home for Thanksgiving," William said simply.

"At least with the exception of Thanksgiving at Jane's two years ago. If I knew last Thanksgiving at that house was the last Thanksgiving at that house…" Lizzie trailed off, a little despondent. She had to admit she wasn't exactly blindsided by her parents selling the house. She noticed the improvements they made whenever she came to visit and her dad talked about the possibility of it a couple times. They started renting out the empty rooms to college students and Lizzie thought that was the end of it. When Lydia got a job in San Francisco and moved in January, it put the plan back in motion. Mr. Bennet put in a request to transfer to Santa Rosa and it cut their travel time in half for when they wanted to visit Lizzie and Lydia. They found a great two-bedroom house and, with help from William and Bing, they put their own house on the market the next day. They got a generous offer within a month, moved out, and settled into their new place and town all before Lizzie's twenty-ninth birthday in March.

"Is it silly to miss a place you haven't lived for over four years?"

William shook his head. He took her hand in his and she smiled. "It's your childhood home. You have a lot of fond memories of that house. Even I have a lot of fond memories. Some of my favorites, in fact," William paused and took a deep breath. "I still miss my childhood home, sometimes."

"I can imagine," Lizzie said softly, squeezing his hand.

"For a while, I had this dream where I would eventually buy the house from my parents and raise my own family there," William said.

"You wouldn't have had to fight it out with Gigi?" Lizzie asked with a knowing smile. "Pretty sure my sisters and I would duke it out. Well, maybe not Jane…"

"I don't know. Verbally, Jane could probably sweet talk you out of your favorite sweatshirt," William said.

Lizzie raised her eyebrow in defiance. "Never! I would have to be severely compromised to even think about giving that up. It's far too comfortable."

"And you look good in it," William smirked.

"A feat rarely achieved when wearing bulky clothing," Lizzie added jokingly. She let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around his torso before she pulled him closer into him.

"Not so rare with you, love," William said dotingly. Lizzie broke out into a smile and leaned in to kiss him. It was her usual response whenever her husband would say something decidedly sweet. She lingered for a moment before placing one more kiss on his cheek.

"Anyway," Lizzie said emphatically to get them back on track.

"Gigi loved that house too but she told me once that she preferred a more modern style home for herself," William said.

"And you had a Full House house," Lizzie joked.

"Victorian," William corrected, rolling his eyes at her. "Every time."

"It's funny every time! I grew up in the nineties. What do you expect from me?" Lizzie asked, flashing him a silly grin. William shook his head and chuckled.

"What matters the most is being surrounded by family during the holidays," William said simply.

"I think that's a good thing to focus on," Lizzie said as she started to pull away. "Especially since we've got guests arriving any minute."

"I'm sure we have a little more time than that," William smirked, skimming his hands along her thighs and making his intentions clear. There was no telling how much time they would actually have to themselves this week and she knew he was taking advantage of that.

"If this is another way to help relieve my stress, I'll have you know you already succeeded the first way," Lizzie said. William groaned a little before pushing out his bottom lip and pouting at her. He was playing dirty and going straight for the big guns. Despite her mind telling her they could use these last minutes for something else, her body wanted to play. Then again, her body always wanted to play when his hands were all over her. If she was going to give in, then she might as well tease him a little longer. "Seriously, Will? You know I do the pout so much better."

"I do. I also know you can only resist for so long," William said smugly. He leaned in closer and Lizzie could feel his warm breath skate across her skin. She was thankful for the long-sleeved top she wore as it hid the goosebumps that were quickly rising. "I know you far too well."

"Are you sure about that?" Lizzie hummed, running one finger down his chest. "Maybe I've been building up an immunity to your wooing."

"That's highly unlikely," William said lowly. He slid his hands to her back and toyed with the bottom hem of her shirt for a moment. Lizzie tried her best not to react as his hands moved under her shirt and up her back but she was all too familiar with what those hands could do. His lips twitched up when he heard her breath hitch and she tried one last time to get control back.

"And why would you say that?" Lizzie asked as she rested her arms on his shoulders. William moved in to kiss her but he stopped. He was so close that his lips just barely brushed across hers when he spoke next.

"Because I'm never able to resist you," William said just above a whisper. Lizzie closed the gap and kissed him square on the mouth. Resistance be damned. He was right. He was usually right. Kissing her husband always put her in a better mood. She slid her hands into his hair and tightened her legs around him while their lips parted to deepen the kiss. A noise came from the back of her throat as he lifted her off the counter and turned them around to walk them out of the kitchen.

The couch was their inevitable destination. He could get them there with his eyes closed, as he had done a number of times in the past and was currently doing now. Lizzie broke off the kiss with a small grunt from the weight of William as they fell back on the couch. He nipped all along her jaw and made his way up to the spot behind her ear. She sighed happily, then dragged her hands down his back, feeling his muscles shift under her palms. She grabbed for the bottom of his shirt and pulled it up, revealing more of the torso that she could never get enough of. He stopped kissing her and pulled back, his eyes smoldering. He sat up on his knees and started to pull off his shirt as she pressed her hands to his warm skin. There was a knock at the door and they both froze. William slowly lowered his shirt back down and they exchanged a defeated look.

"I told you there was no time," Lizzie practically laughed as they heard another knock, now hearing muffled voices accompanying with it.

"You can't blame me for trying," William said, sighing in defeat as he got off the couch. He helped Lizzie up and they both straightened themselves out.

She took one last look at the apartment to make sure everything looked ready and William watched her.

"We're all set. Everything is going to be fine," William said, grabbing her hand and giving it a squeeze as they both headed for the door.

"Fix your hair," she whispered and he quickly ran his free hand through it to smooth it down. He raised an eyebrow for approval and she nodded. There was another knock on the door but it was distinctly softer than the other two. They could hear Jane's muffled voice and both held back a chuckle. William unlocked and swung the door open wide to find Jane crouched down next to a small dark-haired toddler, fixing her blue and white dress.

"Hello there, Scarlett!" William smiled. Her hazel almond-shaped eyes lit up with glee and her face brightened as she ran from her mother's grasp to him.

"William!" Scarlett barely stumbled over his name. He bent down and picked her up to give her a hug as Jane stood back up and adjusted the bag on her shoulder.

"Ooh boy. You're getting so big!" William said, grunting dramatically as he adjusted her in his arms. "You're going to be taller than me soon!"

"Nooo," Scarlett giggled and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Hey Jane," William said warmly, giving her a one-armed hug. "How was the flight?"

"Hi William! It was uneventful and that's all a mother can ask for," Jane said before turning to Lizzie. "Hi sis! I'm so happy to see you!"

"Hi! I'm glad you made it safely," Lizzie grinned as they hugged each other. "Did I hear her right? She said his name so well! Better than two weeks ago, even."

"You did. She's also the one responsible for the last knock. I told her to wait but she was too excited to show you both," Jane said, smiling at her daughter. Scarlett smiled back and Lizzie could finally see reflections of Jane shine through. Bing's genes won out with Scarlett. No red hair to speak of but her hair was more of a dark shade of brown than black, especially in the sun. She inherited her hazel eyes from her father but they were expressive like her mother's. There was no mistaking the Bennet trademark pale skin as well as lips and a smile like Jane's.

"Where's the other half?" William questioned, bringing in the larger of the two suitcases.

"Still downstairs," Jane said, grabbing the other one. "Thank you for setting up the car. You have no idea how much help that was."

"It was no trouble at all, Jane. Whatever we can do to help. Speaking of, I'm going to go see if Bing needs any," William said before turning his attention to Scarlett in his arms. "I'm going to be right back. Do you want to say hi to your Auntie Lizzie?"

"Lizzie!" Scarlett started twisting around and reaching for her. He chuckled as he handed Scarlett over to Lizzie and she threw her little arms around Lizzie's neck. William gave a tender look to his wife before walking out and heading downstairs.

"Hi there! Did you miss me? I missed you," Lizzie said, her voice a little higher and sweeter.

"Miss you lots!" Scarlett replied, kissing her cheek and making a loud smacking noise with her lips.

"Thank you," Lizzie smiled.

"Daddy kiss Mommy like dat," Scarlett beamed. Lizzie held back her laugh and looked at Jane with one eyebrow raised.

"Does he? Isn't he sweet?" Lizzie said. She turned her attention back to Jane. "Do you want some water or anything? We have plenty in the fridge."

"Absolutely. Hold on. I think…I've got Scarlett's…," Jane trailed off. She started searching through her big bag for a moment before frowning. "Fudge. I think Bing still has Scarlett's drinking cup. Okay, we'll just get you a water bottle." She opened the fridge and pulled out a water bottle for herself.

"Mine!" Scarlett shouted and Lizzie was startled at the volume that came out of the small child. Jane closed the fridge door and gave her a stern look.

"Scarlett, we use our indoor voices and we ask politely," Jane said, her distinct mother voice coming out.

"Mine, puh-lease?" Scarlett asked in a quieter voice.

"Much better, sweetie," Jane said, brushing her fingers across her cheek.

She opened the fridge back up and found a half-sized bottle, putting it on the counter next to hers. She took Scarlett out of Lizzie's arms and placed her on the edge of the counter. She unscrewed the cap on the bottle and handed it to Scarlett, keeping an eye on her. "She took a nap for most of the plane ride so she's all refreshed for you."

"Of course she did," Lizzie mused. Scarlett finished drinking a moment later and smacked her lips comically while Jane grabbed a napkin and wiped her chin off.

"All finished?" Jane asked and Scarlett nodded. Jane took the water from her and put the cap back on. She picked her up from the counter and Lizzie led them to the living room so they could sit down. As soon as they did, Scarlett immediately slid out of her mother's lap and walked over to Lizzie. "She's been so excited to see you two since the party. Being on the 'big screen' wasn't enough for her."

"We've been excited to see you too, Scarlett," Lizzie said, helping her up onto the couch and into her lap. "We really wanted to go but it was impossible with our schedules and William was getting over a cold and everything else."

"Lizzie, it's fine. We totally understand. November is a busy month for both of us. Bing was able to fly over Mom and Dad and Lydia called right after you two. I doubt you would have gotten much visiting time. You know how Mom is," Jane said and Lizzie chuckled. They both turned when they heard a voice coming from down the hall.

"Alright, I'm ready for more time with my niece," William said, walking in with one more suitcase and a bag hanging from his shoulder.

"I don't think so, mister. I don't want to let go of this squishy cuteness," Lizzie replied, wrapping her arms around Scarlett and pulling her back in to hug her. She giggled and squirmed in her arms. William set the suitcase and the bag next to their other things before joining them on the couch.

"Alright, guys. No need to fight. There's one for each of you," Bing reprimanded from behind them. Lizzie and William turned their heads and grinned at the little boy in Bing's arms.

"Can't I be greedy? I love both my niece and nephew equally!" Lizzie said. Scarlett climbed out of her lap and ran back over to Jane, who picked her back up and set her in her lap. Jane shrugged at Lizzie and Lizzie stood up from the couch, walking over to Bing and Charlie. "But it seems my niece is done with me so it's Charlie time."

Charles Lee, affectionately nicknamed Charlie, was the younger of the Lee twins by three minutes. When Jane and Bing announced they were having twins, everybody's reactions were the same: total shock and absolute joy over the news. The stand-out one came from Mrs. Bennet, who screamed and flailed before promptly fainting. When they had a party to reveal the genders of the babies, everybody made sure Mrs. Bennet was sitting down just in case. The twins were born via C-section on November seventh after Jane went into early labor. Even with such short notice, William arranged flights to New York for the entire family to give extra support. Scarlett and Charlie spent their first days in the NICU. While Scarlett was brought home after four days, Charlie still had breathing issues and he stayed for almost two weeks. He was finally able to go home just in time for his first Thanksgiving.

While Charlie was the smaller of the twins, he had no lingering health problems. He looked more like his father with his dark hair, almond-shaped eyes, and pouty lips. He did, however, inherit the same paleness as his mother along with, surprisingly, her blue eyes and a few freckles on his nose and cheeks. He and his sister were both beautiful unique combinations of their parents.

"Hey, Charlie," Lizzie said warmly, smiling at him. He simply buried his face in his father's neck and Bing chuckled, rubbing his back.

"He's still waking up. He didn't get as big of a nap as his sister. Give him some time," Bing said.

"Of course. I've got all week to get on his good side," Lizzie replied. Being on opposite sides of the country made it more difficult for William and Lizzie to bond with their niece and nephew. Scarlett was the natural entertainer of the two and loved to play with anyone who was willing. Charlie generally took more time to open up to new people and with visits few and far between, Lizzie and William were practically new people to him. He had a giant appetite for books and would usually be found with one. Even if it was far above his reading level, he liked to pretend he could read them.

Bing glanced over at Jane and dug through his shoulder bag. "Babe, I have Scar's cup. It rolled over to Charlie's side."

"Oh good. I was looking for it," Jane said, sounding relieved. She got up from the couch and adjusted Scarlett over to her hip.

"More, puh-lease?" Scarlett looked at her mom.

"Of course, sweetie! Daddy has it," Jane said, getting the cup from him. She handed it to Scarlett and she started drinking right away, seemingly content.

"Why don't we get you guys settled in—?" William suggested, getting up from the couch and taking his place next to Lizzie.

"Right! I'm sure you've got some things to do before the show tomorrow," Lizzie added. One of the reasons why Jane and Bing had come so early was because Jane had a clothing line that was being featured in a fashion show. Why it was on a Monday night and right before Thanksgiving Lizzie had no clue, but she wasn't going to question the fashion world. She was just happy that Jane was finding so much success with her job.

"I confirmed most of the stuff on the plane," Jane assured her before adding-, "then again, I could probably make another phone call or two."

"Both guest bedrooms are set up so you can take the one down the hall or the one downstairs," William offered. Jane and Bing exchanged a look that seem to communicate whole sentences.

"Downstairs is probably best," Bing said. "We can't guarantee these two might not wander into your room at some point but it will certainly help to be on another floor."

"We'll be on our best behavior," Lizzie joked, nudging William's hip. He snorted and smiled at her silly grin.

"I can't believe you bought gates, Darce," Bing said, unlocking it as Charlie tightened his hold on him. William and Lizzie each grabbed a suitcase and they headed downstairs.

"They'll get plenty of use out of them eventually, Bing," Jane said slyly.

"That's what I said!" William laughed, leading them to the bedroom. "Besides, we wanted to make sure the apartment was a toddler-safe zone. We also need to give you a proper tour. You haven't seen all the changes!"

As William started telling Bing about the renovations to the apartment and everything available to them downstairs, Jane set Scarlett on the bed before they went back upstairs to get the rest of their bags. It looked like a lot to Lizzie, but she'd only packed for herself and William before. Traveling with kids was on a whole different level that she couldn't relate to yet.

"You know," Lizzie said after a while-, "you really sounded like Mom earlier with that comment about the gates."

"Yea… I pretty much accepted that fate as soon as I became a mother myself," Jane paused before a smile slowly spread across her face. "But I wouldn't change a thing."

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The rest of their day together was spent catching up with each other. Jane offered to help Lizzie with dinner while William and Bing kept the twins occupied. Bing took up his usual job of reading to Charlie while William was somehow coerced by Scarlett to play with her dolls. Jane lost count on the number of times Lizzie snuck glances at William playing with her. She could see a glimmer of something in her sister's eyes, especially when he started using a high-pitched voice that made a short appearance in her videos a number of years ago.

Jane artfully made the effort to include Lizzie and William in the nightly routine of getting the kids to bed. Lizzie helped with bath time and had a surprisingly good time, despite how soaked she was in the end. William had the easier job of helping the kids into bed and observing Bing and Jane's story time. They were exhausted from the day and asleep before the story was half over. Out of the corner of Jane's eye, she saw Lizzie and William quietly head back upstairs. Once the twins were securely tucked in and kissed goodnight, Bing and Jane went to return to their hosts.

"I know what you're doing," Bing said lightly, sliding an arm around Jane's waist.

"I have no clue what you're talking about," Jane replied. She smiled as innocently as she could and he laughed lowly, kissing her on the cheek.

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Monday, November 20th

The high-pitched beeping from the alarm slowly dragged Lizzie and William out of their sleep. William rolled over and hastily turned it off before returning to his spot curled behind Lizzie. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her in a little closer.

"You set the alarm out of habit again, didn't you?" Lizzie mumbled.

"Mmhmm," William hummed, the noise vibrating a little against the back of her neck. "Sorry."

"Any chance we could attempt to get more sleep?" Lizzie asked, turning around and burying herself against the warm body of her husband. "Isn't that what days off are for in the first place?"

"They are," William paused. "But you and I both know our bodies are used to waking up at this time."

"We need a proper vacation so we can sleep in," Lizzie grumbled in defeat.

"I'll work on that," William said. He started brushing the tips of his fingers along her spine and she hummed in content.

"As long as you give me more than a week's notice," Lizzie cautioned, making William chuckle. "Paris was amazing but it was hell rearranging my schedule."

"I promise to do better next time," William replied, kissing her forehead.

"I'm holding you to that promise," Lizzie said. William had taken Lizzie to Paris for their second anniversary in February. She had had a hunch he was planning something for a couple weeks before the trip. Of course, she thought it was going to be more along the lines of a big party and flying in family. Then again, she had managed to surprise him with an extended weekend trip to Santa Barbara for his thirty-second birthday last November. He must have been itching to return the favor and she loved his increasing spontaneity within their marriage. He revealed it over breakfast the week before they were scheduled to leave by sliding the flight information over to her. After a busy week of late work nights and last-minute packing, he whisked her off to Paris for eight days. When it wasn't raining, they visited every tourist spot possible and took the ridiculous pictures imaginable. At least, ridiculous according to Lydia but sweet and a couple frame-worthy ones to the two of them. Predictably, when it was raining, they spent it naked and between the sheets.

"Do you think everybody's up yet?" Lizzie asked through her yawn. "I know Jane said she'd be gone most of the day because of the show."

"It's possible. The time change might throw the twins off. Plus, it's a new place to sleep," William said. "Though Bing showed me a whole slew of pictures of them asleep in the weirdest places."

"Did you see the one of Scarlett asleep in the closet?" Lizzie asked.

"Yea," William chuckled. "I'm pretty sure every parent has pictures of their kids asleep in odd positions. I seem to recall one of you face-planted in a cake. Not very becoming of a Darcy, I must say."

"Ugh. I was one! Sugar was not in my regular diet," Lizzie said defensively. William laughed and pulled her in, trying to kiss her. She moved her face away from him and frowned. "You're mean."

"You know I'm teasing," William said lowly before making eye contact with her. "I love you."

"Whatever," Lizzie grumbled before her face relaxed. "I love you too."

"I know what will make you feel better," William said, the corners of his lips twitching up.

"Waffles and bacon?" Lizzie asked hopefully.

"Well, yea," William started. "But I was thinking more along the lines of you and me and a hot shower."

"We're supposed to be on our best behavior," Lizzie narrowed her eyes at him.

"Firstly, I don't remember agreeing to such a thing. Secondly, the bedroom door is locked and the bathroom door can be," William replied. "Besides the walls are thick and the running water tends to muffle our, shall we say, enthusiasm."

Lizzie snorted at his choice of words and swatted at his bare chest. "You're terrible."

"That may be so," William said. "But the way I look at it, we're up earlier than we need to be so we might as well make the most of it."

Lizzie watched him for a few moments as he waited for her answer. She knew she was going to say yes and he knew she was going to say yes but it was all about her actually saying it out loud. She slowly rolled out of his grasp to the edge of the bed, then stood up and started walking to the bathroom before taking one last glance at him over her shoulder.

"Aren't you coming?" Lizzie asked smoothly.

"Not before you," William said cheekily. He scrambled out of bed and she squealed with laughter as he chased her the rest of the way into the bathroom, slamming the door behind them.

---

William left Lizzie still getting ready in the bathroom to make some coffee and get started on breakfast. He sauntered down the hallway and a voice steadily grew louder. He turned the corner and spotted Bing stretching in the living room. William continued to the kitchen to fill a tea kettle with water and put it on the stove before heading to the living room.

"Morning, Bing," William said, approaching him as he switched stretching positions. "Are you doing yoga?"

"Morning," Bing replied brightly. "I am."

"Since when did you start doing that?" William asked with a tone of surprise.

"It was suggested by some friends when Jane was pregnant. We tried it together a handful of times," Bing said, moving into a downward dog pose. "Things got a little busy but then we picked it back up after she had the twins. She wanted to get back in shape and she said it really helped. She's really good at it when she does it, but I do it nearly every morning. I recommend it."

"I don't know if that's, uh, really my thing," William said hesitantly.

"Doesn't Pemberley Digital have a yoga instructor on retainer?" Bing asked.

"Yea…" William said, rubbing the back of his neck. Bing let out a single burst of quiet laughter.

"It's really quite stress-relieving, Darce," Bing said knowingly. "Don't knock it till you try it."

"Right…" William caught something out of the corner of his eye and saw Charlie sliding off the couch. "Morning, Charlie. I didn't see you there."

"Hi," he replied quietly, giving William a tiny smile.

"Charlie likes to watch Daddy do yoga," Bing said, turning his head and smiling at his son. "Don't you—?"

"Yep!" Charlie said happily.

"You joining me for the last few, Charlie?" Bing asked and Charlie nodded. He moved out of his current position to get into a basic pose that his son knew. Charlie practically threw himself on the floor right next to him and mimicked what his dad was doing. "There you go!"

"Daddy flexbable," Charlie said. William bit the inside of his cheek to keep from chuckling while Bing cleared his throat, demonstrating how to get into the next position.

"It's flexible, buddy," Bing said, saying it slowly while Charlie concentrated on the next pose.

"Flex-uh-bull," Charlie repeated once he was happy with his pose. Bing broke out into a grin, leaned in closer towards his son, and held out a hand for him. Charlie excitedly high-fived his father.

"Good job, Charlie!" Bing said proudly before glancing to William. "Just taught him that trick."

Charlie's smile grew wider and a tiny dimple showed on his left cheek, another trait he inherited from Jane. It was the biggest smile William had seen from him since they arrived and he couldn't help his own smile from breaking through.

"Where are Jane and Scarlett?" William asked, walking back to the kitchen while Bing and Charlie got into one last pose. He grabbed the French press from the counter and coffee grinds from the fridge. "I bought some Cheerios for the kids."

"Thanks! Jane got up a little earlier and took Scarlett with her to the venue," Bing said, stretching out the kinks in his body. After he was done, he took Charlie's hand and they both started walking to the kitchen.

"Really? Won't she be pretty busy?" William asked as he took the whistling tea kettle off the stove.

"She will be, but Scar absolutely loves going to work with her," Bing said. "She's like Mommy's little helper. Plus, everyone fawns over her so there's always someone watching her."

"That's convenient," William said, pulling out a bowl and box of Cheerios. Bing picked up Charlie and sat him down in his booster seat on the stool before fixing his cereal.

"She takes Charlie too sometimes," Bing said, rubbing his shoulder. "He wanted to stay with me today. He's a little tired."

"Well, he can rest all he wants to here," William said, taking two mugs out of the cupboard. He looked over his shoulder at Bing. "Would you like some coffee?"

"That would be great," Bing said and William grabbed one more mug. "Is Lizzie up?"

"Yea. She should be out in a few minutes," William said, preparing both his and her coffee.

"Do you mind if I grab the milk?" Bing asked uncertainly.

"Help yourself to whatever you need this week. No need to ask," William said. He pulled out a spoon from the drawer and set it down next to Charlie's bowl of cheerios.

Bing chuckled and then grabbed what he needed out of the fridge. Before he could pour the milk, Bing's phone began to buzz. He pulled it out of his pocket and showed William that Jane was calling.

"Hey Darce, could you help Charlie out?" Bing asked. "This might take a bit."

"No problem," William said, walking over to Charlie's side. Bing picked up and silently mouthed 'thank you' to him as he walked out of the room. "All right, Charlie. Ready for breakfast?" William asked as he poured in some milk and Charlie looked up at him, smiling big.

"I like my cereal," Charlie said, clumsily grabbing for the spoon.

"You like your cereal?" William asked as he put the carton away. He grabbed his coffee and returned to Charlie's side.

"I like my jammas," Charlie added, looking down. There were polar bears all over his pants and one big one on his shirt.

"They're pretty cool pajamas," William agreed, leaning against the counter on his forearms. Charlie very slowly started to eat one spoonful at a time as William took sips of his coffee. A little bit of milk coated Charlie's bottom lip and William went to grab a napkin. "Need any help?"

"I got it," Charlie said, wiping away the milk with the back of his hand. William snorted as he wiped his hand on his pajamas before he kept on eating. Lizzie walked in a moment later and she smiled at the two of them before grabbing her mug.

"Thanks, Will," Lizzie murmured, sidling beside him and kissing his cheek.

"No problem," William smiled at her. "Bing's in the other room on the phone with Jane. She's at the venue with Scarlett."

"Thank you for catching me up," Lizzie said before glancing to Charlie. "Hey Charlie, what are you eating there?"

"Little ohs!" Charlie replied brightly before lifting up a spoon with a few Cheerios on it. "See?"

"That looks delicious," Lizzie remarked.

"You have some?" Charlie asked, trying to offer her his bite. She shook her head and he brought his hand down, hitting the edge of the bowl and spilling his cereal all over the counter. He luckily got nothing on him but his cereal did not survive.

"Whoops!" Lizzie gasped as William started cleaning it up. He was already prepared with napkins and she was impressed at how quickly the spill and excess cheerios were wiped away. Charlie's lip quivered for a moment and Lizzie jumped into Aunt Mode, getting down to his level. "It's okay, sweetie. I drop things all the time. Just last week, I broke a plate after it slipped out of my hands."

"Really?" Charlie asked while William washed out the bowl and put it in the dishwasher.

"Really, really," Lizzie said, repeating the word for emphasis. She brushed a finger across his cheek in anticipation for any rogue tears but it looked like she had successfully prevented them. "It happens to everybody."

"It's true. I dropped my toast butter side down on the floor a few days ago," William said, leaning on his forearms and offering Charlie a smile. "I was sad until your Aunt Lizzie made me another piece."

"I like toast," Charlie said, matter-of-factly.

"Yea? I make a pretty good piece of toast. Do you want some?" Lizzie asked. Charlie perked up a little and nodded his head. "With jam or butter?"

"Both?" Charlie said in a questioning tone.

Lizzie grinned at him. "One piece of toast with jam and butter, coming right up."

Lizzie left Charlie in William's hands while she started to work on his toast. Bing came back in a few moments later, tucking his phone into his pocket.

"Everything is back in order. Good morning, Lizzie!" Bing said.

"Morning," Lizzie replied over her shoulder. "Would you like some toast? I'm making Charlie some."

"What happened to his cereal?" Bing asked, puzzled by the missing bowl.

"There was a small incident. It's all under control now," William said, looking down at his nephew. "Isn't that right, Charlie?"

"Auntie Lizzie making me toast, Daddy," Charlie said excitedly, stumbling over his words a little. "With jam AND butter!"

"Is she? That sounds pretty good. I wouldn't mind having a piece as well," Bing said, sliding into the seat next to Charlie.

"I'll make some toast for everybody then," Lizzie said, her eyes flicking over to William. "Bacon and waffles tomorrow instead?"

"Sounds good. I'll make some scrambled eggs," William offered, kissing her shoulder as he reached for the pan beside her. "Bing?"

"You don't have to go through this trouble," Bing said.

"Bing, come on. We're not making a five-course meal. It's a pretty standard breakfast on the weekend and days off. Switch up the carb staple with waffles or a bagel," William said, grabbing eggs from the fridge. "You do the same thing when we visit."

"So, Bing," Lizzie started. "Why did Jane call?"

"Oh. She wanted to iron out some details for tonight, get the usual pep talk from me. You know how it is," Bing said. "She should be home by 4 so we can all get ready to go."

"Until then?" William inquired.

"We have nothing planned so we're all yours for the day," Bing said, rubbing Charlie's back.

"Well, what do you say about a trip to our favorite bookstore? I could personally spend hours there –"

"Which she has," William butted in.

"—and there's a great children's section," Lizzie said, narrowing her eyes at William. "You have too, mister!"

"Guilty. There's a lot of nooks and crannies so it takes a while to find her," William teased. Lizzie scoffed and pushed against his shoulder. "Alright, she's usually the one dragging me away from the first edition collection. One of us usually leaves with at least a book or two."

"They opened another location a few years ago," Lizzie said, taking butter out of the fridge. "Sometimes he lets me go to both on the same day."

"Lets you?" Bing asked, raising an eyebrow as William laughed.

"Don't phrase it like that!" William shook his head. "You have to go through Golden Gate Park to get from one to the other so it's a bit of a walk. If our arms aren't already full of books, then we'll go. I don't think we'd have time for both today."

"We try to limit our visits to only a few times a year. There's only so much free space left on the shelves in the library," Lizzie said forlornly.

"Well, I think he will like either," Bing said, glimpsing at his son. "Do you want to go to a bookstore, Charlie?"

"What that? Bookstore?" Charlie asked.

"It's like our library but we get to take the books home forever," Bing explained. "You don't have to say goodbye to them."

"No goodbyes?" Charlie asked, perking up.

"We keep them always," Bing smiled. "Just like the ones Auntie Lizzie and Uncle William gave you for your birthday."

"I like those," Charlie said as he started to wiggle in his seat. "Let's go!"

"Slow down there, little man," Bing said. "We have to eat first and then get dressed."

"I wait," Charlie said, resting his arms a little awkwardly on the edge of the counter. Lizzie and William exchanged smiles at the sight in front of them. Bing really had a handle on fatherhood and it was kind of incredible to watch him in action. William became lost in thought for a moment. He wondered how good of a father he would be. Of course, he raised Gigi from the time she was a budding teenager but he had little experience with babies. All he knew was that he had the perfect partner to raise children with and he would wait until she was ready.

"Are you planning to fry those eggs?" Lizzie asked, elbowing him gently.

"Oh sh-…shoot," William corrected himself, turning back to the eggs.

"Toast?" Charlie asked, watching Lizzie as she finished his piece up.

"All ready for you, buddy," Lizzie grinned, putting the plate in front of him. "Enjoy!"

---

The trip to the bookstore was even more fun for Charlie than all three of them expected. Exploring every corner of the store ate away all of their morning but nobody was complaining. Bing occasionally checked in with Jane to make sure everything was running smoothly and to talk to his daughter for a few minutes. Lizzie got the opportunity to bond with her nephew even more when he dragged her to the children's area and asked her to read to him. He climbed into her lap and he giggled every time she used a different voice. They were so caught up in the story that they didn't even notice William and Bing take a picture with their phones.

When they finally called it a day at the store, everybody left with at least one book in their hands. They grabbed some sandwiches at a nearby deli and they ate lunch in Golden Gate Park, letting Charlie nap for a bit and enjoying the sunny weather but glad they all brought jackets when the wind picked up. Bing let Charlie pick where he wanted to go after showing him a map of everything available within the park.

They spent the next couple hours at the California Academy of Sciences Museum. Lizzie and William had been there a handful of times, but never with a young child. It was like they were experiencing it again for the first time, watching Charlie get so excited over the interactive exhibits. He was worn out by the time they left and Bing had to carry Charlie the last few blocks to their car. William and Lizzie offered to keep an eye on the sleeping toddler so Bing could jump in the shower. Jane and Scarlett came home shortly after with both of them looking a little tired but still happy.

It was a flurry of excitement as everybody got ready for the night's festivities. Lizzie was especially excited that Jane had given her another original designed just for her. It appeared that she took care of everybody in some way for her show. William was given a tie to wear that complimented Lizzie's outfit while Scarlett was wearing a miniature version of her mother's dress. Bing and Charlie were both wearing matching suits but Charlie was sans tie after fighting with it too many times.

The fashion show was the flashiest one Lizzie had been to yet. There were a handful of designers showing off their lines but Jane was the featured designer. The company she worked for lined it up so that she would close the show and everybody was anticipating it. The crowd hushed as soon as the lights dimmed and the flair immediately died down. The stage was lit with simple lights to enhance the looks of the models and Lizzie grinned. She knew her sister had a hand in making sure that all the focus was completely on the clothes. Just as the show ended, Jane came walking out to join the models. William and Bing put Scarlett and Charlie on their shoulders as the crowd gave a roar of approval.

Jane visibly relaxed as soon as the show ended. She went straight to her family and gave Bing and her kids' big hugs. As fun as many of the after parties sounded, Jane turned down every invitation as politely as she could. She made quick rounds with the biggest names, was praised for her designs, and even had a few different enticing job offers. At one point she whispered to Lizzie that she was looking forward to snuggling with her kids after such a long day. Lizzie couldn't blame her for wanting to slip away. She could tell Charlie was getting more uncomfortable by spotting him hiding his face in Bing's shoulder. Scarlett, on the other hand, was hamming it up for anyone who was giving her attention. Lizzie stopped her from playing with her dress and flashing people more than once.

Once going home was mentioned as an option, everybody readily agreed and snuck out as easily as they could. Bedtime was a bigger ordeal than the night before with the twins ripping off their clothes as soon they walked in the door. Jane and Bing apologized and gave their hasty goodnights, retreating downstairs with their nearly naked kids. Lizzie and William chuckled at the trail of tiny toddler clothes and picked up after the twins, folding the clothes and leaving them on the chair nearest to the staircase. William sighed once they were done and smiled at her, putting an arm around her as they walked to their bedroom together.

---

Tuesday, November 21st

No matter how long Lizzie and William had lived in San Francisco, foggy days always made them feel a little lazy. When the fog was mixed with gloom and rain and it fell on a non-work day, there was almost no chance that they would make it out of the apartment. Whether it was spent catching up on the DVR, finishing projects around the house, or staying in bed, it was almost always together.

Today was no exception to that rule. While feeling a little sluggish from the night before, Jane and Bing were still ready for the weather. Living on the East Coast provided a number of snow days for them and they were experts on entertaining the little ones when stuck inside. After breakfast, Lizzie and William were ready to help out. Lizzie discovered just how prepared her sister was with activities for Charlie and Scarlett. By the afternoon, the twins were exhausted and ready for naptime.

"Ready for a break?" Bing asked tiredly as they all took a seat in the living room.

"I love playing with them, but yes," Lizzie said emphatically. "I am impressed with everything you guys come up with to keep them from going crazy."

"You have to think on your feet with those two," Jane said knowingly. "One can slip through your fingers while you're playing with the other one. Scarlett is especially good at that."

"Double trouble," William joked.

"Mmm. It helps that the fashion show tired them out enough from yesterday," Jane said.

"You must be thrilled though. You don't have to worry about it for the rest of the week!" Lizzie smiled at her.

"Exactly! I can finally relax! Especially with the extra hands. Thank you so much," Jane said, taking a deep breath of relief. Lizzie and William glanced at each other and they knew they found their opening for a plan they had been developing.

"Speaking of extra hands," William started, all too obvious.

"When's the last time you and Bing went out?" Lizzie asked. "Without the twins?"

"Oh…um," Jane frowned, looking over at Bing. He was wearing the same expression and started chuckling when he saw they were both trying to figure it out. "It's been a while."

"We had those dinner reservations last month," Bing pointed out. "But then Scarlett got sick, then Charlie got sick, so we had to stay home and to take care of them."

"Oh! We went to that party back in June!" Jane offered.

"You don't have a nanny for them?" William asked. "You're both constantly on the go."

"We get the occasional babysitter," Bing said. "We may go that route once they start school but we're doing okay for now."

"Okay, it's decided. You two are going out. Go to a movie—"

"We haven't been to a movie since before the twins were born! I have no idea what's out now," Jane interrupted and Lizzie's eyes widened. Granted, Lizzie and William were busy people and didn't regularly go to the movies but they were more up to date than them.

"Then it's time you go! That new Thor movie is out," Lizzie offered. "Eye candy for you and action for Bing."

"Thank you for being so blatant, Lizzie," Bing laughed while William rolled his eyes playfully at his wife.

"You're welcome," Lizzie grinned. "I'd say go to a play but Lydia told me The Orpheum is completely sold out. That Harry Potter play is on tour and it's only here for two weeks."

"It was in New York last month and it apparently broke records with how quickly tickets sold," Jane said. "Lydia's been busy. Will we see her at all?"

"Yea. The theater is dark for Thanksgiving and she switched shifts with someone so she has Saturday off to visit some more. She's really looking forward to twin time," Lizzie said. "But don't change the subject. We're thinking of you! Go to a movie and go out to dinner or even dancing. Basically, just go out and don't come back until late."

"We'll take care of the twins. We'll get them dinner and cleaned up and in bed at a reasonable hour," William said.

"It sounds like a really great idea, babe," Bing said, already convinced. "You've been working around the clock on top of taking care of the twins and you really do deserve a night off. William and Lizzie are the best babysitters we could ask for. Charlie has warmed up to them so quickly and we already know how Scarlett feels about them."

"True…" Jane said, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Really, Jane. You're on all the time. What's one night off?" Lizzie asked, trying to persuade her sister.

"You two are really sure?" Jane asked skeptically.

"Absolutely. We adore them and we would love to take care of them so you could go out and have some fun," Lizzie said.

"Worse comes to worse, we can always call you," William offered.

Jane nodded. "A night out sounds really good. Let's do it."

---

It took a while to actually get Jane and Bing out of the apartment. After assuring William and Lizzie what the twins would and wouldn't eat, going over where their plans for the evening, and giving the kids a few more hugs, they finally left. William took on the task of keeping the twins occupied while Lizzie cooked dinner.

Being inside all day was finally catching up with the kids and they had energy to spare. Not used to the squeals of little kids, Lizzie would wince almost every time. William was dealing with the balls of energy the best he could. The three of them had a tea party that Scarlett led but it didn't last too long. Pretty soon, they had taken to attaching themselves to his legs and asking him to walk around. It was a game that was slowly exhausting him, but it was the best way to keep them out of the kitchen.

"Dinner's just about ready," Lizzie said, watching him make another round around the apartment with the temporary attachments on his legs.

"Oh good," William said, sounding all too relieved. He stopped for a moment and looked down to see two pouting children.

"Again, puh-lease!" Scarlett said, tightening her tiny arms around his leg.

"As long as your brother wants to go again," William said. Scarlett and Charlie looked at each other and William could see the connection between them. Bing said they could have whole conversations with each other with very few words. When they were babies, they would babble and coo at each other in such a way that it seemed like they were really talking to each other.

"One more," Charlie said, smiling and baring his teeth to William. He chuckled and ruffled Charlie's hair before taking a deep breath.

"One more time and then we should be able to eat," William said, giving in.

"And I'll help you with those tiny growths off your legs," Lizzie quipped from the kitchen. William looked at her and refrained from rolling his eyes at her joke falling flat.

"Thank goodness I go bicycling so often," William said, taking a breath.

"I will always agree with that statement," Lizzie grinned at him with a wink. She watched him take off again and he grunted the first few times when he lifted each leg. It only made the twins giggle more as he made his around the apartment. Lizzie passed him as she went to set the table and slyly patted his butt. He glanced over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow at her but she gave away no emotion.

"Alright, the Uncle Ride is over for the night," William stopped near the counter and looked down at the toddlers. "It's time for dinner."

Lizzie came over and took Scarlett off one of his legs while William picked up Charlie after he let go and stumbled off his foot. They set them down at the table and put on the bibs that Jane had left out for them.

"I have a feeling these will come in handy," William said, glancing at his wife. "Considering you decided to make spaghetti."

"Pasgetti! Pasgetti!" Charlie and Scarlett chanted. Lizzie and William looked at each other in amusement.

"It was on Jane's list of foods they like, I know you're a fan of it, and I make it quite well," Lizzie said with a smug smile.

"I know you do. Just remember that when we're cleaning tomato sauce off the ceilings," William said.

"Oh ye of little faith. I promise you there won't be any food on the ceiling," Lizzie said confidently.

---

In all technical terms, Lizzie kept her promise. Not a drop of spaghetti sauce or stray pasta noodle made it to the ceiling or the walls. The table and the floor, on the other hand, had seen better days. She was thankful they had laid down an old table cloth because she was more prepared to throw it away than try to and wash all the stains out. Wooden floors made for a quicker clean up so she wasn't as worried about that. What needed immediate attention were the twins. How they both looked like more of their dinner was on their faces and hands than in their stomachs baffled both Lizzie and William. They had been keeping an eye on them while they ate and then, somehow, everything exploded at once.

First priority was getting the twins into the bath, which was a two-person job, especially with Lizzie's limited experience. William worked on cleaning up as best he could while Lizzie got the upstairs guest room bathroom ready.

"Oh, you two think you're so cute, don't you," Lizzie said as she prepared the bath. Scarlett and Charlie were sitting on the floor and they were looking at each other and giggling. "I'm surprised you're not still hungry."

"Dinner yum!" Scarlett belted out.

"I'm glad you both liked it," Lizzie said, gesturing for Scarlett to stand up. She started to undress her as the toddler squirmed and gave her a hard time. "Now we're going to get you both squeaky clean. We'll wash your hair and between your toes and behind your ears."

"I clean now!" Scarlett protested.

"You'll be clean soon," Lizzie corrected as she finished undressing her. She turned to Charlie to start undressing him when the door opened and William came in.

"The dishes are put away and the dining room is pretty clean. I'll scrub it down later. I got them a change of clothes, too. How can I—"

Before he could finish, Scarlett made a break for it. She ran past his legs and down the hall while she yelled 'Clean now! Clean now!'

"Oh lord," Lizzie grumbled, keeping a hold on Charlie to make sure he didn't run too.

"Sis got away," Charlie said simply.

"I'll get her," William said, putting their clothes on the toilet seat cover before sprinting out of the bathroom. He saw a flash of the naked toddler as she ran out of the hallway. "Get back here, you little rascal." He was right behind her in moments and she giggled as she hid behind the kitchen counter. He bent down and got a hold of her and she laughed harder while squirming in his arms. "It's time to join your brother in the bath."

"Clean?" Scarlett asked, rubbing her face on his shirt. "Cleaner!"

"Thank you for that," William said flatly, noticing the new stain. He brought her back into the bathroom and found Lizzie sitting on her knees next to the bathtub, using a washcloth to clean Charlie's face. "I found someone who could benefit from a thorough scrubbing."

"Fantastic," Lizzie said, looking over her shoulder. She raised her eyebrows at the state of his shirt and he gave her a resigned look before shrugging. He put Scarlett in the bath next to Charlie before unbuttoning his shirt and leaving on his undershirt, adding it to the pile with the other dirty clothes.

"Let's get these two sparkling," William said, making them both smile. He grabbed a second washcloth and got it soapy before wiping Scarlett down. She and Charlie played with the couple water toys Jane provided and it kept the splashing to a minimum, though it wasn't totally avoidable. The twins both giggled and squirmed as Lizzie kept her promise, cleaning behind their ears and between their toes. Both Lizzie and William were extra careful when they washed their hair, making sure none of it got in their eyes. Soon enough, bath time was over and Lizzie pulled out the plug to let it drain. They lifted the kids out of the bath and dried them off from head to toe before getting them dressed in their pajamas. Charlie's hair was standing on end and Lizzie snapped a quick picture before sending it to Jane.

"I'll clean up," William said and Lizzie smiled.

"You're the best. I'll keep them occupied," Lizzie said, standing on her toes and kissing his cheek. "I've got the perfect idea."

"I don't trust that tone," William narrowed his eyes. Lizzie simply winked and grabbed the kids' hands, leading them into the living room. She noticed that it had started raining again and hoped Jane and Bing were staying dry. The rain seemed to get harder and began beating on the windows. The twins looked a little scared and held onto Lizzie's hands a bit tighter.

"Everything's going to be okay," Lizzie assured them, crouching down onto her knees. "How would you like me to read you a story?"

"Yes, puh-lease," Charlie and Scarlett said simultaneously, nodding.

"How would you like me to read you a story in…a blanket fort?" Lizzie asked. The twins had a mixed look of confusion and curiosity on their faces. Lizzie was struck with disappointment with her sister for not yet introducing her kids to one of the greatest pleasures of childhood; of their own childhood. She made a mental note to talk to Jane and realized it was completely up to her to show the twins just how special blanket forts could be. "You've never built a fort out of blankets and pillows before?"

"No," they both shook their heads.

"Blanket forts are the best. They are the safest spot in the room, you won't have to see the rain at all, and it makes story time even more fun," Lizzie said, keeping her voice light and happy. William walked in with the dirty pile of clothes in his arms, clearly heading for the laundry room. Lizzie leaned in closer to the twins and lowered her voice. "Maybe if we ask Uncle William, he could help us build it."

"What are we up to?" William questioned, hearing his name.

"You help with blankets, puh-lease?" Charlie asked.

"Blanket fort!" Scarlett added.

"We're building a blanket fort now? It's not story time?" William mused.

"Story time would be in the blanket fort. It's the perfect weather for it," Lizzie said in her all-knowing tone.

"Let me throw these in the wash and I'll see what I can find," William said. Lizzie softly clapped and whispered 'yay' before the twins joined in at a much louder volume. William smiled at the two of them copying Lizzie and hurried to the laundry room, getting the dirty clothes and his wet undershirt into the washing machine. He pulled on a clean t-shirt hanging on the door and then he went straight to the hallway closet, grabbing as many blankets as he could before returning to the living room. He saw that Lizzie had already grabbed the dining room chairs from the table.

"Furniture has to be moved to make this the best blanket fort possible," Lizzie said, glancing at him.

"Of course," William said, putting the blankets down. He and Lizzie rearranged the furniture around to create a square of sorts. Once it was up to Lizzie's standards, she started to set it up. A few blankets were laid down on the floor for comfort before she worked on the walls and ceiling.

William ran to get some pillows for the inside of the fort. The twins helped when Lizzie asked for it but they didn't know what to expect. Lizzie created one opening between the two couches for everybody to enter, making it seem even more fort-like. She moved around a couple lamps and found battery-operated candles under a kitchen cabinet to provide proper lighting. William handed pillows to the kids so they could bring them inside. In the end, they all agreed that it was a pretty impressive fort. Just before they were going to crawl back in, Charlie remembered that they still needed a story.

"I'll go get one," Lizzie said, starting to head downstairs.

"From there," Charlie pointed to the bookshelf.

"Is there anything okay for them on there?" William asked Lizzie.

"Possibly," Lizzie shrugged, unsure. William brought Charlie and Scarlett over to their bookshelf to let them pick one.

"What story would you like us to read to you two?" William asked kindly. Scarlett went to grab one of the fattest books on the shelf, Gone with the Wind, and William chuckled before stopping her.

"My book?" Scarlett asked.

"Not just yet," William said gently. "Maybe a shorter book?"

"You pick?" Charlie asked, gaping up at his uncle. William scanned the bookshelves for anything that would be more age appropriate. There were only a few and they mostly belonged to Lizzie from either her own childhood or for research having to do with future projects. Finally, he saw the perfect choice.

"Ah. I think we have a winner," William said, grabbing a book off the shelf while the twins ran into the fort where Lizzie was. He knocked on the couch near the entrance and the twins giggled before they told him to come in. He crawled in and saw that Lizzie was lying down on the far end of the fort with Charlie and Scarlett sharing a pillow in the middle. He took up the spot closest to the entrance and made a big show of getting comfortable.

"What did you end up picking?" Lizzie asked, her eyes flickering from him to the book in his hands.

"The Little Prince," William replied. Their eyes locked with each other and her expression was so tender that he fell a little bit more in love with her. They didn't look away from each other until he felt Charlie lightly tapping his arm. He glanced down at him with a smile and the toddler simply smiled back.

"It's a little boy!" Scarlett pointed out.

"Yes, it is" William said warmly. "My mother used to read me this book all the time when I was little and now I get to read it to you."

Lizzie knew how special the book was to him, especially when he chose it to represent his mom at their wedding. He confessed to her late one night how much he was looking forward to reading the book to their own child. It was a thought that was popping up in her head more and more lately, imagining her husband with a little girl or boy next to him, listening in rapture while he read his favorite childhood book. It made her heart flutter with happiness a little bit more every time.

"Our gamma?" Charlie asked.

"Oh, no, buddy," William said gently, brushing some hair out of Charlie's face. "She would have been your Great Aunt."

Lizzie braced herself for the possibilities of what would be said next. She knew the concept of death was foreign to kids so young and there had yet to be a time in their lives where it needed to be explained. She sincerely hoped they wouldn't have to be the first ones to do it.

"Aunt? Aunt Lizzie?" Scarlett asked. Lizzie let out a quiet sigh of relief and she was sure her expression mirrored her husband's.

"Kind of like Aunt Lizzie. She would be about as old as your grandma now," William said, smiling at her. "She would do all the voices when she read to me too."

"Will you do voices?" Charlie asked with a pleading look in his eyes. "Mommy does voices."

"You want me to do voices?" William looked between the two of them.

"Yea!" Charlie and Scarlett said together. Lizzie laughed quietly to herself at their enthusiasm.

"Alright. Is everybody comfortable?" William asked. Charlie squirmed his way closer to him while Scarlett wormed her way towards Lizzie. Lizzie turned on her side and put an arm around Scarlett as they both faced William.

"Ready!" all three of them chorused. William smiled and opened up to the first page. He began to read out loud, pausing occasionally to show them the picture in question that the author was describing.

"…Thus you can imagine my amazement, at sunrise, when I was awakened by an odd little voice," William said, showing them another picture.

"It's the boy on the front!" Charlie said.

"Good catch, Charlie!" William smiled at him. Before he continued, he cleared his throat so he could use a different voice. "It said: 'If you please, draw me a sheep!'"

The twins both giggled at the silliness of his voice. It was high but not quite as high as the voice he used when Scarlett held her tea parties.

"I like it," Scarlett said as if giving him her seal of approval. "Keep going, puh-lease."

"Thank you, Scarlett. Don't mind if I do," William said as he kept reading, alternating between voices. "'What!' 'Draw me a sheep!' I jumped to my feet, completely thunderstruck. I blinked my eyes hard…"

---

"You can stop now, Will," Lizzie whispered. He had only successfully read through half of the book. Charlie was the first to fall asleep, his head resting on William's shoulder. William had to be very careful as he turned the pages while Scarlett fought the pull of sleep. Lizzie used a tactic her mother used on her when she was little, brushing her fingers lightly on the top of her head. It wasn't long before she finally gave in and fell asleep. "Your Little Prince voice was my favorite. Nicely done."

"I learned from the best," William whispered back. He looked at the sleeping toddlers and Lizzie smiled at their predicament. "Should we get them to bed?"

"Let's not move them just yet. They barely fell asleep," Lizzie said. She sighed softly and he smiled at her. Scarlett began to move in her sleep and both William and Lizzie froze, hoping she wouldn't actually wake up. After a few moments, she settled down again and they relaxed.

"I think we'll be okay," William said, keeping his voice down.

"I think so, too," Lizzie agreed.

"When did Jane and Bing say they were coming back?" William asked.

"Not until late," Lizzie said quickly. "Why? Already done with these two?"

"Not at all," William said with a lopsided smile. "I have more respect for Jane and Bing every day. They do so much with them at night."

"I assume some nights are easier than others," Lizzie said. She paused and thought about it for a moment. She and William weren't used to such hectic nights. After their long days at work, one of them would make dinner or they would go out when they didn't feel like cooking. They had no worries about picky eaters or having meals by a certain time. They spent their evenings unwinding and enjoying each other's company instead of sticking to bath time and bed-time schedules. Their experience was pretty limited and yet, she thought they had done a pretty good job. If they were able to get through a night like tonight with the twins, then she was sure they would be able to get through many more nights in the future. It gave her the reassurance that she really needed. She exhaled and William gave her a curious look.

"What's up?" William asked lightly, earning a quick smile from his wife.

"Tonight has been loud and chaotic and messy," Lizzie said after a few moments.

"It has," William said before giving her the chance to continue.

"But it's also been…fun and eye-opening. We've gotten the opportunity to experience things with these kids that they've never experienced before," Lizzie said, gesturing to the book beside her husband and the blankets around them. "And, I was thinking…"

"What?" William asked slowly. There were only so many things she could say next and his hopes were starting to rise. How would she finish her thought? Would it be the same thought that had been on his mind throughout most of the night? Or even the past few months? He waited with bated breath for her to continue.

"I want that. I want this for us," Lizzie said, sounding more confident than ever. "I want one."

William tried to think of the words as he worked to slow down his heartbeat. This was the turning point for them. Despite knowing exactly what she was talking about, he needed her to say it outright. He slowly broke out into a smile and her face lit up further. "Which one?" William teased. "Do you think they'd be willing to give up Charlie? We have a lot in common and he lets me read to him."

"Will," Lizzie scoffed.

"Or Scarlett? We've been having some pretty stellar tea parties together," William teased further.

"William Darcy," Lizzie scolded in a whisper.

"Elizabeth Darcy," William replied in a similar tone. She gave him a look before sighing and trying to fight back another smile.

She knew exactly what he was looking for and there was no need to beat around the bush, so to speak. "I want to start a family. I'm ready to have a baby with you."

"You're sure? You're absolutely sure?" William asked, trying to mask the giddiness in his voice. "Even after everything tonight?"

"It's actually because of tonight. We survived. They're in one piece. Nothing was broken. I believe we're ready," Lizzie said. "I think we can do this."

"I know we can do this," William assured her.

"There's still so much to talk about but…" Lizzie trailed off, glancing at the sleeping toddlers. "We should get these two to bed and clean up."

"Why don't we put them in the room across from ours? We can keep an eye on them better if we do," William said. "And I'll wash the sheets before your parents get here in the afternoon."

"Sounds good," Lizzie said with a smile. It took them a few minutes to maneuver out of the blanket fort without waking up the twins. Lizzie and William carried them into the guest bedroom and carefully got them into bed, making sure they were tucked in snugly. William started to leave but paused when he realized Lizzie was not next to him. He leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms, watching her as she placed a kiss on Charlie and Scarlett's foreheads. She turned around and she pressed her lips together when she saw the reverent expression from her husband.

"What?" Lizzie asked as she approached him, placing a hand on his forearm.

"You're going to be an amazing mom," William said, his voice full of affection. Her cheeks reddened and he smiled, reaching toward her and brushing his thumb across her heated skin.

"And you'll be an even better dad," Lizzie countered. William pulled the door closed but left it open a crack, just in case. She grabbed his hand and tugged him in the opposite direction of the bedroom. They immediately went straight to cleaning up the rest of the mess in the dining room. The conversation was mostly superficial so they could gather their thoughts before they tackled what mattered most. Sadly, the blanket fort was taken down next. William moved all the furniture back in its place while Lizzie folded the blankets and put away everything else. She went to get them both some water while he got comfortable on the couch.

"So, first things first," Lizzie began, putting the glasses down on coasters. She took a seat next to him and turned her body to face him. "I don't want this to change anything."

"Uh…" William frowned, looking at her in confusion. "Call me old-fashioned, but I'm pretty sure that having a baby will completely change our lives."

"Oh, I worded that wrong," Lizzie grimaced and William looked more amused than anything else. "I'm pretty aware how things will be shifting when we have a baby. What I meant was that I don't want our lives to be completely wrapped around trying to get pregnant. I realize it's a big deal for us to make this decision and I don't want to take it lightly but I want us to agree on what we're planning to do here."

"Of course, Lizzie," William said softly, taking her hand. He began to rub his thumb across her wrist and it made her growing anxiety die down. "I didn't expect us to jump into anything without talking about it first. We know how not talking about things has worked out in the past."

"Yea…We're also passionate, happy people who have a strong and loving relationship. It's such a big part of why we work so well together. I don't want that to change. I've seen marriages completely fall apart because they had such a difficult time getting pregnant. They had everything planned to the T and their sex lives became nothing more than a time-table," Lizzie said, taking a breath. "I don't want the desire sucked out of this marriage because we become so caught up in it."

"I don't want that to happen either." William agreed. "You've really thought about it, haven't you?"

"At least this part," Lizzie smiled. "I'm no expert on pregnancy. Yet."

"Of course," William said.

"Basically, our sex life is one of the few things that doesn't go in your calendar. Maybe with the exception of anniversaries and some of those epic marathons we've had, but you know what I mean," Lizzie said as she leaned in closer towards him. "I don't want to count the days of my cycle or take my temperature to see when I'm ovulating. That would essentially take the sexiness out of sex for me. I don't want to limit the positions we can use or not let you take a hot shower because it might lessen our chances or lower your sperm count or something."

"Where did you hear that?" William asked, chuckling.

"I feel like it's been in at least a couple movies I've seen over the past decade," Lizzie shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe it was a magazine article."

"So basically what you're saying is that you want to stop your birth control and see where it takes us," William said, locking his eyes with hers for confirmation.

"Exactly," Lizzie smiled. "I'm nearly done with my latest pack anyway. I can toss it as soon as my cycle starts."

"That's good to know. People really limit themselves to certain positions?" William wondered.

"Right? I feel like it's an old wives' tale. I don't think it makes a difference honestly," Lizzie said. "Imagine if we stopped our shower shenanigans or our hallway greetings after a business trip or an especially long day."

William smirked at her choice of words. "Those are a particular favorite of mine."

"I know," Lizzie said, lowering her voice and sounding a little sultrier. "You're a rather enthusiastic partner."

"As are you, love," William hummed deeply. He leaned in and captured her mouth, kissing her slowly. Her hands slid up his chest and cupped the sides of his neck as they took their time, both softly moaning as their lips glided across each other. It took them a few moments to finally pull apart and they shared playful grins.

"So, we're on the same page about this?" Lizzie asked, pulling at her bottom lip. "Goodbye protection and hello our already very active sex life?

"Yea. That's a good way to put it," William laughed. "No temperature taking, no limitations, and no counting down days."

"I feel like that would give us false hopes anyway. Half the reason I started birth control in the first place was because I was never precisely regular, even after the first two years. Sometimes, it would be 24 days or 35 days and it was just how I was," Lizzie said, waving her hands about. "Apparently, that's how the Bennet women are. My mom put us all on the pill when each of us started high school. It's like the weirdest Bennet tradition I can think of."

"Really? The one so adamant about wanting grandchildren?" William asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She wanted grandkids but she didn't want them when we were still in high school," Lizzie said pointedly. "She may be a bit misguided sometimes, but she means best and I know she loves us."

"Of course she does," William said warmly. "May I ask a serious question?"

"Please do. We need to talk about all aspects," Lizzie said.

"How long are you willing to do it this way? Where you simply stop your birth control and we continue to – "go at it like rabbits-," as half of our inappropriate friends say. I am more than ready for whatever wait we'll be dealing with but I know it can be taxing after a number of months of nothing," William said, taking hold of both her hands. "Do we set an objective or a time limit at some point?"

"Well…" Lizzie paused, thinking about it for a moment. She knew too much about her mom's pregnancies and that it only took a few months each time they decided to have another. Her sister obviously got pregnant with ease and they weren't actually trying. She didn't want to set unrealistic expectations but her husband was right. It applied to any woman trying to get pregnant. There was only so much time one could handle before it took a toll on them emotionally. "A year? Wait…" Lizzie mentally counted on her fingers. "If I'm not pregnant by our fourth anniversary, then we'll pull out all the stops. Scheduling it all, counting down the days, taking my temperature. We'll even go to a specialist, if it comes to that."

"A little over a year. I think that's reasonable," William said before continuing. "And what about the timing? With your business moving and taking on more clients? Plus, there's a few business trips coming up and my big one in London with—"

"There's never a perfect time," Lizzie interrupted, putting a hand over his mouth. He lifted one eyebrow at her and she smiled at him. "We work around it. We'll figure out what to do when we get there. Right now, we're making the decision to have a baby. I'm not pregnant yet. We're just opening the door to get there."

Lizzie dropped her hand into her lap to give him the freedom to speak again. It was at that moment that William understood the true magnitude of the conversation they were having. From the look on Lizzie's face, she was going through the same thing. Their path was shifting and they were going down an unknown one, together. Lizzie's eyes became glassy and she offered him another smile.

"We're going to have a baby," William said, not quite believing his own words.

"Not yet…but theoretically, yes," Lizzie replied. The lightness of her voice made his heart beat quicker.

"We're really going to do this," William said softly.

"We are," Lizzie nodded, unable to stop her smile from growing.

"Okay, then," William said, exhaling.

"Okay," Lizzie laughed quietly. "Didn't expect the night to go this way, did you?"

"Not in the slightest," William said, shaking his head subtly. "But I don't think I would want it to go any other way."

"Me neither," Lizzie said.

"You know, this has been on the back of my mind for a while," William confessed and Lizzie's eyes widened a little with curiosity. "Watching you with Charlie and Scarlett really brought this all to the surface for me. They love you so much and you do so well with them. I've been hoping we'd get to this point sooner than later and talk about it, at least. I certainly didn't expect it to go this well. This is pretty ideal."

"I suppose you could say that it's optimal even," Lizzie said pointedly and William beamed at her choice of words. She leaned in, pressing her forehead against his shoulder. He pressed his lips to the top of her head as she grabbed his hand, entwining their fingers.

"I love you so much," William whispered into her hair. She lifted her head after a moment and looked positively glowing.

"I love you, too," Lizzie said softly.

"Is it safe to assume we're keeping this to ourselves?" William asked.

"Absolutely. It's great when people are trying to have a baby but when you're telling others? You're basically telling them 'Hey, we're having a lot of unprotected sex on purpose! Be excited for us!'" Lizzie said, making William laugh. "Talking about sex in general is seen as taboo but not when you're attempting to create life? It's like a double standard. Plus, there's the added stress of more people waiting to hear the inevitable announcement."

"You're always thinking from multiple angles," William said. "And you're right. It will be our secret."

"Our secret, indeed," Lizzie smiled, quickly kissing him. "You know what sounds really good right now?"

"Watching some TV with you next to me?" William asked, wanting nothing more at that moment.

"Totally in tune with each other. Best husband ever," Lizzie grinned, grabbing for the remote and turning the TV on.

"Best wife ever," William smiled, putting an arm over her shoulder as she curled into him.

---

William and Lizzie were engrossed in an old black and white movie in the darkened room when they heard the distinct sound of soft crying and footsteps coming closer. William quickly shut off the TV and they both jumped up from the couch to find Scarlett coming in from the bedroom, rubbing her reddened eyes. The two exchanged a thankful glance. It was a good decision to put the kids upstairs, considering the current situation.

"Scarlett? Are you okay?" Lizzie asked as she and William bent down to her level.

"Want Mommy and Daddy," Scarlett said weakly, sniffling a little.

"They're not back yet," Lizzie said, gathering in her arms and standing back up. She started calming Scarlett down by rubbing her back. She rested her head on Lizzie's shoulder and her breath hitched a few times.

"Where's your brother, sweetie?" William asked gently and Scarlett looked over at him.

"He sleeps like trees," Scarlett answered.

"Like…trees?" Lizzie asked, furrowing her brow. She glanced at her husband for an answer and he was biting his bottom lip, trying to decipher her meaning. His eyes lit up a moment later and smiled at Lizzie.

"Like a log?" William offered and Lizzie raised her eyebrows, holding back a laugh.

"Daddy says that," Scarlett said sluggishly, nodding.

"It's going to be okay, Scarlett," Lizzie murmured as she kept rubbing her back. "We're right here."

It took barely any time for the toddler in her arms to fall back asleep, resting heavily on Lizzie,

"We should get her back to bed," William said and noted Lizzie adjusting her in her arms. "I can take her."

"Want to get in some practice?" Lizzie asked, only partially teasing.

"As much as I can," William replied quietly. They stared at each other for a couple moments, knowing his statement meant more now than it ever did before. He took Scarlett out of her arms and she stood on her toes, kissing his cheek. She got her favorite dimpled smile in return before he went to put Scarlett back to bed.

Jane and Bing returned from their date just before eleven, looking happier and more carefree than they had in a while. They found Lizzie and William watching TV on the couch but they looked more than ready to go to bed.

"Hey!" Lizzie whispered. "Did you have fun?"

"So much. It was so nice to go out and know the kids were in good hands," Jane said brightly. "I see you survived a night with them."

"We sure did," Lizzie said. "They're asleep in the guest bed. I think Scarlett had a bad dream."

"Happens," Jane said, smiling at Bing as he went to check on the kids.

"I'd love to hear about how the rest of the night went," Jane said.

"Same with your night out," Lizzie said. "In the morning?"

"You got it," Jane said, heading towards the bedroom. She passed Bing, who came in a moment later with Scarlett slumped against his shoulder, looking more peaceful than she did earlier.

"Thanks so much for watching them tonight," Bing said. "I'm sure you had your hands full."

"There wasn't a dull moment," William said and Bing grinned.

"Sleep well, guys," Bing said before taking Scarlett downstairs. Jane came out a few moments later with a sleeping Charlie, whispering another 'thank you' to Lizzie and William.

"What a night, right?" William asked when Jane was gone.

"Definitely," Lizzie said, standing up from the couch and pulling down her bunched-up shirt. She held out a hand and William took it, dramatically taking a moment to get up. "I think we could use a good night of rest after our day today."

"It's definitely been a long one," William said, kissing her temple.

"But a good one," Lizzie amended as he put an arm around her shoulder. "Full of important decisions and practice for the future."

"A future that is even brighter than it was this morning," William said with a deep breath as they slowly began to head to the bedroom. He glanced at the pictures hanging on the wall in the hallway and his subtle smile grew after a few moments.

"What are you thinking?" Lizzie asked, seeing his expression.

"Someday, hopefully sooner than later," William said, gesturing to the framed pictures. "It won't be just you and me on here anymore. The thought of us actually deciding to build our family makes me incredibly happy."

"Me too, Will," Lizzie beamed. "I'm really looking forward to covering this wall with you."

"This wall and the living room and our bedroom and our offices…" William trailed off, making Lizzie laugh.

"Planning to be that parent who take pictures of everything they do?" Lizzie asked teasingly.

"Like you won't be right next to me doing the same thing," William replied before adding. "Besides, you wouldn't be able to stop me if you tried."

"I wouldn't want to," Lizzie said softly, standing on her toes and kissing his cheek. He turned his head towards her and smiled.

"Come on, love. It's time for bed."

---

Notes:

Firstly, I want to give massive thanks to Sarah for stepping up and becoming my beta for this sequel. She's slowly whipping me back into shape and helping me make sure that this is the best it can be for you guys.

I don't have a posting schedule for this as I only have a few chapters under my belt. We'll have to see where the time takes us!