Disclaimer: Only the fic is mine and the kids are from my own imagination as well.

AN: Been wanting to write a fic with this idea since last night and the piano scene with Emily got my muse to flow finally. Unbeated.

***
March 6, 2023

The sounds of someone pounding on piano keys could be heard throughout the elegantly designed corridor.

It was off key and definitely hard on people's ears, fortunately the nearby area was currently deserted, except for the man walking down the hallway, holding a baby boy.

Aaron Shore smiled at his three month old son Alexander, "Sounds like your sister is having a blast, let's go see what our ladies are doing."

Aaron came to the doorway and stood watching, a little girl was pounding away while the woman sitting next to her held her around her middle to support her.

Aaron couldn't believe he was married to the beautiful woman who was sitting at the piano and these two beautiful children were theirs.

Everyone said Amanda was a combination of them both, but she definitely had Emily's hair shade.

Finally the pounding on the keys stopped and since he was holding Alex he couldn't clap so he whistled.

"Daddy!" Amanda's happy cry rang out and she ran and hugged his leg. Aaron's heart swelled with love as he held Alex with one arm and embraced Amanda with the other.

***
Emily had been sitting at the piano playing music for her energetic daughter, who had turned three last month.

She was a little ball of energy, Aaron called her his little lightning bolt and she was good at tiring her parents out.

Emily's mother had smiled during one visit and had said, "Its karma darling you ran us ragged so it's now you're turn."

"Want to play mommy!" Mandy had said excitedly. Emily had let her pound on the keys, hopefully in the next couple of years they could teach her to play properly.

Fortunately most people at the white house were currently getting dinner and or busy doing other things so their ears weren't being destroyed.

Just then they heard whistling and Emily's heart skipped a beat and swelled with love as she looked at her two favorite men.

It sometimes felt like a dream, that she was married to this gorgeous amazing man and they had beautiful amazing children.

Emily smiled at her little boy as Aaron closed the distance between them and sat next to her.

She kissed the top of his head and smiled at how much he resembled his father more each day.

Then she and Aaron kissed.

Mandy giggled as she briefly covered her eyes, a shade that was definitely Aaron's.

"I still can't believe this is our life, that we're here and have all of this," She whispered.

"I know," Aaron replied reverently, "It's amazing how happiness can be found after everything that happened, how our journey started from tragedy."

It had been January 2016 and the capital building had been destroyed and the government wiped out.

Emily had been working for HUD secretary Tom Kirkman who quickly became president.

Aaron and Emily had known each other before that time not to well but enough for their competitive personalities to clash.

Emily quickly became special advisor and Aaron became chief of staff and as the weeks passed their respect for each other grew.

And so did their attraction to each other which culminated in passionate kisses in his office during McLeish's confirmation hearing.

But just as quickly their new relationship became threatened, by the revelation Aaron had been the one to send a file about a simulated capital bombing back to the Pentagon years before the act had been carried out.

Then the staggering revelation that McLeish had been part of the group behind it.

McLeish had been murdered by his wife who had then killed herself and soon after Kirkman had confronted Aaron.

Aaron had told him that Langdon, the former chief of staff had called him from Geneva saying he had an important file stored and he gotten the order to send it, but since he was in another country he needed Aaron to do it for him.

They had found the phone records from Langdon's phone, the man had been so confident he wouldn't get caught he hadn't bothered to use a different phone or number.

With Aaron cleared of all wrong doing he and Emily began to work on regaining trust that had been lost and began dating.

On New Year's Day 2018 they had married and after a few months decided to start trying for a family.

She had become pregnant a year later but within two months lost the baby.

They had been devastated but had each other and the Kirkmans to lean on, Alex had suffered two miscarriages before Penny and knew what she was going through. It had taken time but she and Aaron had healed.

On Valentine's Day 2020 their dream had come true as Amanda Jane had been born, it had been terrifying as she was two weeks early but thankfully everything had been fine.

She hadn't been their only holiday baby, Alexander had been born on Christmas day.

"It's been a rough road sometimes but I'd do it all over again," She told him.

"Agreed," Aaron replied, as they kissed again.

"All right lovebirds, this is a place of business after all," A male voice said with mock sternness.

They turned to see Tom and Alex standing there, "You two ready to go?" Alex asked.

They were going on a double date with the Kirkmans.

"Yes, just as soon as Penny is ready."

"Here I am," A beautiful thirteen year old girl came into the room, Emily still remembered vividly the three year old she had met so long ago.

Penny was tall and slender for her age, sky blue eyes and long blond hair. The boys were already noticing her to Tom's displeasure.

They also had a son Leo who was twenty four and training to be secret service agent.

Emily smiled at the couple who were like second parents to her, they still looked mostly the same after all these years.

Their faces had a little more wrinkles as the presidency aged people, and Tom's hair had some gray in it.

"Penny!" Mandy happily ran up to her and Penny picked her up.

"Play piano and your net?" Mandy asked.

Penny smiled, "Yes, we'll play the piano and I'll play my clarinet."

***
Aaron handed little Alex over to Penny and the four grownups walked out of the room.

"At least we'll be missing the noise," Tom grinned, while the other three smirked in agreement.

"So," Tom turned to Aaron, "Have you thought anymore about vice-president Hookstraten's offer to be her vice president?"

Kimble Hookstraten had been speaker of the house during McLeish's short time in office and after his death became the new vice president.

She and Tom had developed a good relationship and were a rock solid team in rebuilding the country.

It had taken time but America had bounced back stronger after the tragedy.

Most involved in the conspiracy had been caught and were facing execution and Al Shakaar, the group originally thought responsible had disbanded.

"Tom," Alex admonished, "We agreed, no politics tonight."

"You're right," But Emily knew Tom enough to know he'd definitely be speaking more to Aaron and herself the first chance he got.

They had talked about it each day in the two weeks since Kimble had made her offer. They hadn't made a decision but she knew a big part of Aaron was interested.

And Emily knew there could be a lot she could do as first lady.

Also from all the reports, Kimble would more than likely win if the election was being held in present time, the fact that Tom had an eight five percent approval rating helped as well.

She came out of her thoughts as they went to dinner and then to see the latest Avatar sequel.

Afterwards they returned to the white house and planned to stay overnight so they wouldn't have to wake up the kids.

They were used to staying at the white house and there was a daycare center so they were close by while Aaron and Emily were working.

They cuddled together, enjoying the life they'd made together so far, and together they'd face everything that would come next.

***
AN: Wednesday was such a jaw dropping episode, you didn't know what to expect. I loved the Aaron and Emily scene and I wanted to get this up as quick as possible before next week and probably future episodes look like my shipper heart might be broken.