It had been a busy few weeks. But it was nearly all, as Flynn had once put it, 'less apocalyptic stuff'. Meaning they had been sent on a slew of individual missions. Not that Jake particularly minded solo jobs because no matter how tired he was, how far he ran, who he had to argue with, what he had to do, no matter what time it was in Portland when he came through the door he was always greeted by those beautiful blue eyes, that dazzling smile, and flaming red hair of the love of his life. His wife and fellow Librarian Cassandra.
He had been so busy, between Librarian duties and trying to finish his latest paper for publication, that the only reason he was even aware that it was June was because of Cassandra. She had reminded him that it was almost Father's Day that very morning before he headed through the Back Door.
Ever since she had come to the Library Cassandra had taken every opportunity to celebrate every possible holiday. (National Donut Day a few weeks back had been an especially sugar and carb fueled day.) Her parents had largely discouraged such 'frivolity' because they felt it was, at best, a distraction and at worst, would 'stunt the development of her intellectual rigor'. Once Flynn had finally come back home to the Library, after they had defeated Prospero, Cassandra had decided that they should celebrate Father's Day for the honorary fathers of their little found family, Flynn and Jenkins. She had also tried to celebrate Mother's Day for Eve, but after alternate universe Ezekiel's 'you were like a mother to me' comment Eve shot that idea down before Cassandra even finished her sentence. At least, until three years ago when she announced that she was pregnant. After that she really couldn't object any more.
Cassandra always planned something special for both holidays. This year was no different. Actually, it was a bit different. She had been plotting and scheming for weeks. She had said something to Jake about this year 'needing to be perfect' when he mentioned it. She had spent the day babysitting little C.C. (Coraline Carsen, when Eve read the book she couldn't help but notice the similarities between the title character and her husband.) and they had throughly enjoyed themselves drawing a Father's Day card for Flynn. When Jake walked in all their art supplies where still spread out across the coffee table. He chuckled at the various colorful stick figures, clouds, suns, rainbows, and buildings. A pair of slender arms slipped around his waist.
"Looks like you and C.C. had fun." Jake said.
"We sure did." Cassandra kissed his shoulder. "But we should think about getting a dropcloth. C.C. said she wanted to try painting next time."
"Or..." Jake said as her spun in her arms. "You could have painting day out in the back yard."
Cassandra laughed and kissed him.
"How was work?" She asked.
"Could have gone better." Jake grumbled. "I'm after an allegedly cursed painting. But it's in the hands of a private collector that wouldn't even let me through the door to look at it."
"That's discouraging." Cassandra sighed. "What are you going to do, hon?"
"As much as I hate to say it, I think I am going to need help from Jones." Jake groaned.
Cassandra giggled and Jake couldn't help but smile. It was one of the most beautiful sounds in the entire world, and he had heard the flute of the Pied Piper and the Song of a Siren.
"Have I told you recently how much I love you?" Jake said as he leaned in to kiss her.
"Not in the last..." Cassandra glanced over at the clock. "Ten hours and seventeen minutes. But it could have been ten seconds ago and I would still want to hear it again."
"In that case." Jake scooped up Cassandra and headed to the bedroom.
Ezekiel had spent the last two days scouting the home that the painting was in. With both Jake and Ezekiel failing to get in the front door he had to rely largely on hacking and what he could observe from outside the house to figure out what security measures were in place. Saturday night he declared himself ready for the heist.
"Don't forget you boys need to be home no later than six. Our reservation is at seven." Cassandra called as Jake and Ezekiel were prepping to head through the Back Door.
"Yes dear." Ezekiel called back in his best grumbling Stone impression. Earning him a laugh from Cassandra and a glare from Jake.
"Already have an alarm set on my phone, babe." Jake said.
"Better have that set to vibrate, mate. Don't want your achey breaky ringtone setting off the noise sensors." Ezekiel chuckled. Cassandra tried to stifle her laugh.
"Oh shut it Jones." Jake grumbled as he pulled open the Back Door onto a darkened back alley in Switzerland.
"Don't worry Cassandra. This shouldn't take too long." Ezekiel said. "I should have Stone back with plenty of time for him to take a bubble bath before we go to dinner."
Jake just rolled his eyes, grabbed Ezekiel by the collar, and shoved him through the Back Door.
"Be safe!" Cassandra called after them. "Love you!"
"Love you too." Ezekiel yelled back with a grin, right up until Jake slapped him in the back of his head.
.
"What was that about having time for a bubble bath, Jones?" Jake snarled as they came flying through the Back Door at 5:58 with sirens echoing behind them.
"How was I supposed to know the old codger had a thing for Wile E. Coyote style booby traps on top of state of the art tech?" Ezekiel shot back.
"Says 'the world's greatest thief' right?" Jake grumbled. "Just go find Jenkins and hand that thing over."
"What am I? The freaking roadrunner?" Ezekiel grumbled under his breath as he wandered off.
Jake closed his eyes and sank down into his chair at his desk. He didn't notice the small wrapped box sitting on his desk or the redhead sneaking down the stairs behind him. When he slumped forward his arm bumped the box before he managed to put his head all the way down. He opened his eyes to see what he had collided with. Upon seeing the box he looked around the room, finally spotting his wife standing at the bottom of the stairs smiling at him.
"How was the grab?" Cassandra giggled. Jake rolled his eyes. "I'm sure everybody could hear you two and the sirens."
"It was actually pretty funny watching Jones get outplayed by a security system." Jake smiled.
"That is a rare occurrence." Cassandra chuckled. "Almost wish I had seen it."
"You still can." Jake grinned pulling his phone out of his pocket.
"You didn't!" Cassandra gasped.
"Not as far as Jones knows at least." Jake winked at her.
"Jacob Stone!" Cassandra swatted him on the arm.
"So where's the card?" Jake asked changing the subject.
"What card?" Cassandra asked thrown by the change.
"For Flynn or Jenkins." Jake nodded at the box.
"Oh!" Cassandra smiled. "That's not for them. It's for you."
Jake quickly started running through his mental calendar. His birthday was months ago. Their wedding anniversary wasn't for a few months. The anniversary of Cassandra's surgery wasn't until August (which Cassandra always insisted on getting him a present for because he had stayed with her every single moment he was allowed and was waiting in her room for hours before the anesthesia wore off) and their dating anniversary wasn't for three months after that; about two weeks after the anniversary of their first kiss. She celebrated every possible anniversary she could think of. And none of them were in June. While he was thinking Cassandra had taken the opportunity to slip into his lap.
"Ok," Jake finally said. "I can't think of a single thing this could be for."
"It's for Father's Day." Cassandra said simply.
"But Cass, I'm not a father." Jake said, a look of confusion on his face.
Cassandra took Jake's hand and laid it over her stomach and smiled.
"You will be." She leaned in and kissed him. "In December."
