Tony came awake slowly, his brain struggling to understand why his body was bouncing up and down on the bed. Eyes fluttering open, he frowned at the sunlight that came in through his very open window. He was sure that he had closed the blinds the night before, but now they were pushed aside.

Groaning, he turned his eyes to see a small boy with blonde hair and bright blue eyes grinning at him as he pushed down on his body. When the boy saw that he was waking up, he only pushed harder, his smile broadening.

"Uncle Tony! Uncle Tony! It's time to get up!!"

A small giggle came from across the room and Tony sat up a little so that he could look around. A mock glare came over his face as he saw Kim standing in the corner.

"Good morning," she smiled.

"I see you've got your son doing your dirty work for you."

She shrugged. "He wanted to wake you up so badly. Who am I to say no?"

Tony stuck his tongue out at her, and then turned his attention to the little boy still bouncing on him.

"Hey Brian," he greeted, wrapping his arms around the little boy and hugging him closely. "What are you up to, little man?"

"Waking you up," he grinned.

"I can see that. But why?"

"We going berry picking."

"You are?"

Brian nodded. "We want you to come with us."

Tony looked over at Kim briefly before turning his attention back to her son.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, Uncle Tony! Mommy says you've been laying around and being sad. We're gonna cheer you up!"

"Does she now?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her. "And that's why you're bouncing up and down on my bed so early?"

"It's almost noon, Uncle Tony!"

He put an exaggerated thoughtful look on his face, as though he were weighing his options.

"Okay. I'll go with you on one condition. You let me take you and your mom out for an ice cream cone after."

Brian's face lit up.

"Really?"

"Really. Deal?"

"Deal!"

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As they walked through the strawberry fields, Brian ran ahead, leaving Kim and Tony alone for the most part. They walked close together, their shoulders occasionally brushing against each other.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked quietly.

He looked at her, surprised. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"For making you come out. For using Brian to get you out of the house."

"I've been pretty difficult lately, haven't I?"

"Not difficult. Just…distant."

"Two weeks ago…it was me and Michelle's anniversary."

Kim reached out and entwined her fingers with his, her eyes tearing at the desperate why he gripped her hand.

"I just…I knew that if I came out with you and Brian, I was going to have fun."

"And you don't think you're allowed to have fun?"

"I'm not explaining this very well."

"You're doing fine, Tony."

"It's…Whenever I'm out with you, Kim…I…"

"Uncle Tony!"

They both looked up, startled by the interruption. Brian was running toward them, a huge smile on his face. When he reached them, he immediately launched himself into Tony's arms.

"Uncle Tony! I found where I wanna pick! Come on, come on! Before somebody else gets there!"

Tony smiled at him.

"I'll race you."

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Brian barely stayed awake long enough to finish his ice cream cone. He had spent the entire afternoon running through the strawberry fields, yelling at Kim and Tony to hurry up. By the time they were done, they had a whole basketful of strawberries and a very happy little boy.

But now Brian's eyes were drooping and he was losing steam fast. Chuckling, Tony tossed the rest of his cone into a nearby garbage can and picked the little boy up. Immediately, Brian wrapped his arms around his neck and nuzzled his head into Tony's neck.

Slowly, the three of them moved back toward the car, Kim watching the other two out of the corner of her eye. It had been a long time since she had seen him so relaxed, and she was glad that he had come out with them.

When they reached the car, Tony gently placed Brian in his car seat in the back and then closed the door as quietly as he could. Turning away, he found Kim still working on her ice cream cone.

"Haven't you finished that yet?" he asked, a smile on his face.

"Don't rush me."

Chuckling softly, Tony reached up and pushed the ice cream against her mouth, smearing it across her lips. Kim glared at him, brandishing the cone like a weapon.

"Look what you did! Now my mouth is cold."

"Here, let me help with that."

Without thinking, Tony leaned in and captured her lips with his, his tongue immediately snaking out to lick the ice cream off of Kim's mouth. She gasped and dropped her ice cream cone, her arms wrapping around his neck as she pulled herself closer, tilting her head and deepening the kiss. They touched each other desperately, months of pent-up sexual tension finally finding some form of release. Both moaning, Tony turned Kim around and backed her up to the car, one hand tangling in her hair while the other roamed up and down her back.

When they finally pulled back, both were breathing heavily. Searching for something to say, Kim's eyes rested on the ground.

"You ruined my ice cream cone," she complained.

"I'll buy you a new one," he promised.

Her face grew serious then as she raised her eyes back to his.

"Tony?"

"Yeah?"

"Earlier…you were about say something about us…about when you're with me."

He nodded, leaning his forehead against hers.

"And you want to know what I was going to say?"

"Yes."

"Whenever I'm with you, Kim…I forget."

"Forget what?"

"Michelle."

"Oh, Tony," she whispered, taking his face in her hands. "You'll never forget her. But you can't live in the past either. You're not hurting her by living your life."

"I know that now," he said quietly. "coming out with you and Brian today…I realized what I'd been missing these past few weeks, moping around in my apartment. I don't want to miss anything more."

"You won't." She kissed him again, more hungrily this time, pulling his body back against hers. "Come on," she whispered when she pulled back. "We've got to get Brian to my dad's."

"Your dad?"

Kim nodded, a coy smile on her lips.

"He agreed to watch him tonight. I told him I had a date."

"Did you tell him it was with me?"

"Yep. And he told me it was about damn time."

Tony couldn't help but smile.

"Let's go then," he murmured, kissing her again.