Austin Moon sat in the chair opposite his two daughters at the dinner table. A silver spoon poised in his hands scooped up the slightly green macaroni he had attempted to cook for today's meal. Being a single father of two had seriously taken a toll on him and his career, the fact being that he loved his kids to bits and wanted the very best for them both.

" Oops!" Two year old Ellie squeaked as globs of Macaroni fell off her spoon and on to the floor with a splatter.

" Ellie!" Austin chuckled to himself as the little girl tried to scoop it back up with her tiny hands that were now coated in the melted sauce. If he hadn't known any better he would have thought she had done it on purpose in order to get out of eating the green grunge sat in front of her. Rebecca being her older sister at 4 years old rolled her eyes dramatically her pretty pink princess tiara sparkling in the light. Rebecca always being the drama queen of the little duo. The door bell rang with a piercing shrill as Austin jumped off of his chair and raced towards the door attempting not to trip up on the toys and scattered clothes that littered the kitchen.

" Ally, your here finally! What took you so long?" he questioned the brunette standing in front of him drenched head to toe from the pouring rain. Her hair was slicked across her pale face as she scowled giving Austin a deathly glare. Quickly she entered the house before shaking her wet umbrella over Austin so that he got sprayed. The scents of play dough and baby powder mingled in the air as she took in her surroundings.

" You should just be grateful I volunteered to babysit just so you could go on your what is it?" she counted on her fingers. " Fifth date this week."she snapped before hanging up her sopping wet coat.

"I just wanted to get back on the horse you know. After Cassidy and I split."he said rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. Something Ally had picked up as one of his nervous ticks or sad gestures.

" But five times in a week!?" she questioned as he shrugged apologetically.

" Thanks for doing it anyways Alls! Your the best." he grinned knowing it would put her in a better mood. Her gaze softened as she took in the cheeky blonde in front of her.

" No problem." she sighed as she removed her muddy boots. Four little hands began grabbing at her as she smiled down at the two little girls jumping about the kitchen. One whose hands were smothered in a green looking cheese. " Is this their dinner?" she asked before bursting into a fit of giggles.

" Oh ha ha, mock my cooking. Do I look like the next Jamie Oliver to you?" He remarked making her giggle even more. He couldn't help but join in as he looked down at his daughters green hands. The substance was thick enough for her to finger paint with it. A text buzzed in on his phone as he glanced at Ally, smiling to himself as the clumsy brunette tripped over her own boots nearly squashing Rebecca into the kitchen cupboards. " I will be back at about 9:30. Don't let either of them have any sugar or they won't sleep." he said as she was taken by another fit of giggles at his parenting. He was nothing like the cocky blonde who she knew in high school yet exactly like him at the same time. He may be a single father to two children but he still had his childish ways. A mischievous grin spread across her face.

" Giving sugar to them at this time of the evening is like giving helium to a chipmunk."

" Exactly!" he chuckled, kissing his daughters goodbye before doing a double take at his youngest. " Ellie take that pencil out of your nose." he exclaimed rolling his eyes and waving goodbye to Ally and the girls. He had been saying many things like that to his daughters including, how many times have I told you not to trust a fart, now go change your knickers to don't wear it if it smells bad and why is there a yellow puddle in your bed yet again? He crunched down the gravel pathway towards his car.

" But daddy I think its stuck!" he heard a little voice yell, he could just about see Ellie with her little hands clasped around the yellow pencil lodged up her nose in the doorway. He shook his head before slipping into his car and driving off.

" Okay how about we finish off this dinner and head to bed." Ally smiled as she pushed the little girls towards the kitchen table after closing the front green globs of macaroni were splattered almost everywhere as she rolled her eyes. " On second thoughts, how about we order a pizza whilst I clear this mess out." she tutted as ear splitting cheers erupted around her and a small hand passed her a Pappa Johns pizza take out menu. Making the girls eat this mess could have been considered as child cruelty. " Ellie the pencil is still in your nose sweetie."

" It's really stuck!" she wailed as Ally dropped to her knees so she was at eye level with the accident prone two year old.

" Why would you put it up there anyway?" she asked as Ellie shrugged, a frown crossing her face. Ally grasped hold of the pencil and pulled it out along with the yellow and green slime known as Ellie's snot.

" Ewwwww, Ells! Promise me you will never do that again." Ally smiled as Ellie examined her nose.

" Promise." she giggled as Ally ruffled her light blonde hair and discarded the sticky pencil that had somehow stuck to her sleeve. Within minutes of her ordering a grand meat feast pizza with extra toppings and putting the little mermaid DVD in the DVD player, the pizza had arrived. Everyone tucked into the delicious food, hot cheese melted on Ally's tongue as she chomped on hot meat slices and circles of pepperoni. As soon as the food had arrived she had rescued a piece for Austin, knowing that he would be upset if they had ordered his favourite pizza and saved him nothing.

" Okay little munchkins! Up to bed now." loud groans emanated from the sofa that had now been turned into an underground den with sheets hanging off it to create a tent.

" Don't make me come in there and tickle you!" she laughed. They squealed before stampeding up the stairs. Once they had all been folded into the sheets tightly with various colourful blankets and soft toys Rebecca's voice piped up.

" Ally, can you play us a bedtime song." she yawned before cuddling up to her sister.

" Sure thing." she replied before picking up the small pink guitar in the corner of the room with the name Rebecca etched into the wood in an unreadable scrawl.

" Can you sing home for us?" Ellie chipped in clearly missing her dad. Home was always the song Austin sang to them to remind them how much they meant to him. Home for them was with him always. In his arms. Ally nodded before kissing them each on the forehead and strumming the first few chords.

Alabama Arkansas I do love my Ma and Pa

Not the way that I do love you

Ally hadn't even noticed that Austin had returned home until his warm arms wrapped around her waist as he began to sing. He smelt like sweet vanilla and his hair was beaded with minuscule raindrops due to the weather outside. The girls grinned at the appearance of their father.

Austin:

Well holy moly me oh my

You're the apple of my eye

Girl I've never loved one like you

He sung before tapping each of the girls on the nose including Ally's as she giggled.

Ally: Man o man you're my best friend

I scream it to the nothingness

There ain't nothing that I need

Austin: Hot and heavy pumpkin pie

Chocolate candy Jesus Christ

Ain't nothing please me more than you

Everyone: Home, let me come home

Home is wherever I'm with you

Home, let me come home

Home is wherever I'm with you (1)

Austin and Ally both smiled at the sleepy girls in front of them before sharing a smile with each other. His brown eyes captured hers and she never wanted to let his gaze go. A warm feeling sizzled in her stomach as he brushed the stray strands of hair off of her face. Each small touch sending shockwaves coursing through her body, she shuddered involuntarily. The moment was theirs until a wrenching noise resonated from Ellie and a green mush spewed from her mouth. Ally face palmed as she took in the scene in front of her. The lumpy green mess coated the sheets, bedside table and lamp. The acidic smell pungent in the air as she cringed.

" This is exactly why I threw out your green macaroni." she tutted as they both picked up the little shivering girl and hauled her to the bathroom to get cleaned up. Rebecca was sound asleep.

"Do you think Ellie will be okay?" Ally asked moments later when they were both alone in the cold dark kitchen.

" She was just a little shaken but I think she will be just fine." he replied spying the empty box of pizza before pouting. " You ate pizza and you didn't save me a slice!" he whined.

"I know you too well." she chuckled producing a congealed slice from the fridge and waving it in front of his face. He instantly lit up as if he had just found his lost puppy before he grabbed the box with such force it nearly knocked Ally off her feet. Austin dug into his slice as they both crawled towards the underground den and tent the girls had made. They flicked a switch so that the fairy lights strewn from the roof of the cloth pieces glowed. It was enchanting sitting under the luminous lights, it made them feel like little kids again as they gazed at each other. The light illuminating one and others faces in the dark room. Austin began fidgeting indicating to Ally that something was on his mind.

" Are you okay?" she asked. He nodded silently.

" We need to talk All's"

" Talk away." she rubbed his shoulder encouraging him to keep going.

" Please just don't be mad and hear me out okay?" he whispered as she instantly went on high alert, her hand dropping back to her side.

" What did you do?" she questioned jabbing a pointed finger at his chest. "Please tell me you haven't gone and booked another date!" she retorted.

" No it's not like that, or well it kind of is." he stuttered as her eyes narrowed. " I shnee yer to fwake dire fer a well." he muttered into his jumper. He could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prickle as Ally's gaze bored into him.

" Excuse me?"

" I need you to fake date me for a while." he spat out as fast as he could before he turned his head waiting for the blow that was about to come. Nothing came. Silence filled the air which was odd. Normally Austin would have to keep reminding her to keep quiet or stop talking. He averted his eyes back to Ally whose mouth was hanging open like a blowfish out of water and that's when she exploded with her verbal diarrhea, probably waking up the whole neighbourhood in the process.

Thanks for reading! This is just a tester so if you guys like the idea then I will continue with it because I wasn't sure how it would be received. Anyway thanks for reading and goodnight or good morning wherever you are!

(1) Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes - Home