The sun peeked in through the window, dancing across Becky's sleeping eyelids. She took a deep breath, taking in the smell of the man next to her—so familiar, and yet so new.

An arm reached around her, its hair tickling her bare skin as it pulled her backward, waking her up fully. She felt his lips in her hair before she heard his voice.

"Morning, Beck."

She smiled. "Morning, Joey."

Becky crept up the stairs from the basement, careful to make sure no one was in the kitchen before she crossed to the counter and scooped coffee into the coffee maker. Guilt twisted in her stomach. All she could do was hope that the caffeine would drown it out.

"Morning, Mommy!" Nicky called, echoed by Alex, as the twins dashed down the steps and wrapped themselves around her legs.

"Good morning, my babies."

"Gosh, Mommy." Alex was shocked. "We're not babies. We're six."

"Oh, my gracious, I'm so sorry!" she cried dramatically. "Good morning, my sophisticated, cultured little men. I'll be sure to tell your dad when he gets home from his motorcycle trip." She picked up one twin and then the other, kissing them both on their sandy-haired heads. "So do you want pancakes or cereal?"

"Pancakes!" squealed Alex.

"With blueberries," Nicky said.

Becky beamed down at them, relief washing through her. Tension left her shoulders that she hadn't realized was there. Her secret was safe so far.

"Waaaaake up, San Francisco!"

The smile on Becky's face was frozen; gone was the sincerity of her joy with the twins. Danny, she could tell, knew something was up. He knew her too well. Becky cursed herself—she should've seen this coming. But how could she have thought of the consequences of something that had happened so suddenly, so unexpectedly, so … animalistically?

For now, she knew, she would just have to keep from being the same place with Joey and Danny. Somehow. Somehow she'd manage.

"Hoo boy, San Francisco, have we got a show for you!" Danny said.

Becky grinned as Danny chattered, reading her parts from the cue cards with practiced, rote pep. Dread filled her as the show dragged on, potential disasters competing with tight cover-ups for space in her thoughts. When she said the final line—"And will Peter the plate-spinning paperboy toss his spinning papers into the Wake Up, San Francisco mailbox?! Find out tomorrow, San Francisco!"—she felt nothing but sheer desperation to get home and do damage control with Joey.

She never got the chance.

"Um, hi, Danny and Becky! It's me, Kermit the frog!"

Becky froze as the voice appeared from behind her, mingling with Danny's as he and Joey embraced.

"Joey!" she said, her voice choked with shock that she hoped passed as enthusiasm. "What are you doing here?"

"I—oh…" Joey stammered. "I…uh. I…did not think this through."

Becky's turned around, her eyes wide and her body frozen as she tried to force her face back into a smile.

Danny frowned, his eyes passing back and forth between them. Horror surged through him as the unthinkable popped into his brain.

"Becky!" Danny cried, furious. "Joey! You couldn't have—"

"Danny, I…" Becky said, tears pricking her eyes. "Please, please don't tell Jesse. It was a mistake."

"Oh, Becky. Joey." His face softened as he took them both by the hand and led them to the two anchor chairs. He stood silently, taking in the panic on their faces as they awaited his ruling.

"I won't tell Jesse," he said. Becky and Joey both exhaled, not allowing themselves to believe their luck. "But not for you. It would hurt him too much.

"You know better. And you know how this could splinter the family. I just don't understand what you were thinking!" His voice was angry, but kind—Danny, ever the loving, lecturing father. "Don't you want better for the girls? For Nicky and Alex?!"

Becky hung her head, sniffling, while Joey sat frozen in his seat and looked into the empty seats of the audience.

"If you ever think of doing this again, just promise you'll talk to me. I care about you. I care about our kids and about our family. Just promise you'll work with me to protect us.

"Becky, go home to the boys. Act normally. And don't let me catch you in that basement again."

Becky nodded, admonished, and stood and walked from the room.

"And you," Danny said, his voice low. "Stand up."

Joey obeyed. Danny walked forward, his steps slow but firm, and slung an arm around Joey's waist.

"You, kitten, will not be with her again," he said, roughly cupping Joey's chin with his free hand before kissing his best friend.

"Yes, sir," Joey whispered, not even daring to open his eyes. "Yes, sir."