THIS MUCH?...THIS MUCH

by Goliath

Angela looked at the two small boys on the couch and smiled. It had just turned 8:00 and was now officially their bedtime. The three had been watching christmas specials and the one the four year old boys had begged her to let them stay up for was just starting. Since she was a sucker for the twins, she caved. That had happened an hour ago and both boys were now fast asleep on either side of her on the couch. She carefully stood up and picked Zack up first because she knew he would be the easiest. In fact when she scooped him into her arms, his only response was to tangle his small fingers in her long blonde hair. She laid him down on his bed and extracted her hair from his grasp.

"Love you, Sweet Pea." she whispered as she kissed him on the forehead and pulled the covers over him. Then she returned downstairs and as carefully as she could, picked up Cody. The boy groaned softly and opened his bright green eyes. Angela knew that unlike his twin brother, she wouldn't be able to get the more perceptive Cody upstairs without him waking but she figured it was worth a shot.

"Shhh. It's ok, Sweet Pea. It's bedtime." Cody looked into Angela's bright blue eyes, blinked, nodded and laid his head on Angela's shoulder as she climbed the stairs to the room he shared with Zack. When she got him into bed she smiled warmly at him.

"Love you, Sweet Pea." she said quietly to him so she wouldn't wake up Zack who was sleeping in the bed next to Cody's. Angela called both the boys 'Sweet Pea' because she said they were like two peas in a pod.

"This much?" he whispered with a grin, stretching his arms wide.

"This much." Angela replied copying the little boy then hugging him close and kissing him on the cheek as he wrapped his arms around her neck. Cody then settled back onto his bed as Angela pulled the covers over him. She gently stroked his cheek with her fingerstips as she rose, then turned out the light, and left the room.

- - -

13 year old Cody Martin woke up from the wonderful dream he had been having to the sound of the alarm clock in the room that he shared with his twin brother Zack. He slammed a fist down on it with more force than was necessary causing a loud bang. He looked guiltily at his brother but found that Zack hadn't even flinched. Shaking his head, he ran his fingers through his long blonde hair. As he got up he didn't know whether to smile or cry at the dream he just had. He comprimised, smiling but with a tear running down his cheek. A day did not go by that Cody didn't think of Angela McMahon. Of course, it was hard to forget her when you saw her every time you wanted candy. It had only been a couple of months since he had last actually seen Angela since he, along with his mom and Zack went to visit her every summer since they had moved from New York to Boston but it had been nearly 10 years since he could truly enjoy spending time with her. Not since her "dad" had done IT. Cody couldn't believe anyone, let alone a father, could be so cruel as to beat his only child into a coma. After cleaning up and finding clothes, he made his way downstairs to begin his day in the usual manner.