Gary walked through the door and placed his bag on the floor, flipping his shoes off. "I'm home" he called out, unsure of the unusual silence of the house.

"Daddy!"

Gary looked up to find his three year old son climbing down the stairs.

"Hey! Where's your clothes mister?" Gary laughed scooping him off of the stairs.

"Thomas" Miranda sighed rushing to the top of the stairs, bubbles in her hair, clutching a towel.

Gary saw her and chuckled slightly. "Bath and bedtime huh?!"

Miranda nodded sitting on the stairs.

"Where's Marco?" Gary asked, reffering to his five year old son as he sat on the stairs beside Miranda, still holding his naked toddler.

"Playing upstairs, hes in his pajamas, awaiting daddies bedtime story." Miranda smiled. "So I think, we should go get you in your pajamas whilst daddy goes and sees Marco.."

Thomas nodded, snuggling into Gary. "Then daddy story"

"If your a good boy for mummy then yes" Gary smiled kissing his head before handing him to Miranda, he kissed her head and ran up the stairs.

"Dad" Marco smiled, looking up from his toy train he was pushing around the track.

"What you doing?" Gary smiled, sitting on the carpet next to him.

"Playing trains" Marco smiled innocently.

"good day at school then?"

Marco nodded, inspecting his train closely. "We met a fireman" he said proudly. "And I got to sit in the engine. And wear a hat! And then miss smith brought Thomas to come and meet the fire man because he was running around wearing a hat and then she took our photo together wearing a hat in the truck! And I got to roll the hose pipe and I learnt that 999 is a special number and then the fireman told us about how his job helps people and he said I'm a star because I asked lots of questions and then he let me switch the sirens on daddy!" Marco blurted excitedly, standing up in honour of his day.

Gary chuckled, "sounds like you had fun then"

Marco nodded, sitting on Gary's knee. "Then Nana came to see us after tea"

"Did she?"

Marco nodded, "granddad pulled lot of silly faces and played with us and Nana said I'm a big boy"

"Well, your my big boy" Gary kissed his head.

"Daddy can I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can."

"Well, next Tuesday is sports day. Will you play the father and sun race with me? We need to be in teams, and Jenson said we can be with him and uncle Clive"

Gary thought for a moment, "I'm not sure, Tuesday I've got to be at the bank, so I can't make any promises."

Marco looked at him sadly.

"We'll see, but its looking doubtful, sorry buddy"

Marco nodded.

"We gonna put your trains away then? And go to sleep?"

Marco sadly climbed off of Gary's lap, picking up his toys and helping Gary put them in the box before climbing into bed.

"Which story do you want then?"

Marco shook his head, burying it into his pillow.

"Don't be sad with me, Marco, please"

Marco sat fiddling with his teddy, not looking his Dad in the eye. "You don't come last year I had to run with mr picket"

"I was busy with work"

"You always are"

"I'm sorry Marco, now are you sure you don't want a story?"

Marco continued to stare at his duvet.

"Okay" Gary stood up from his place on his bed, "goodnight, I love you." He softly kissed his head and turned out his light before gently closing the door.

Gary then went into Thomas's room, to find him fast asleep in his bed. He gently kissed him goodnight before tucking him in. "Love you" he whispered before leaving.

Gary then followed the light onto his and Miranda's room to find her laid on the bed, exhausted. He sat besides her and sighed.

"What's wrong?" She asked sitting up and nuzzling into his side.

"I think I've just broke our sons heart" Gary sighed, kissing her head. "He asked me about the race"

"I told him you'd be at the bank. But he thought if he asked you you might say yes"

"I feel so bad"

"He'll be fine"

"But its right what he said, I'm always at work, I only see the boys early morning before work and sometimes if I get home early"

"They understand"

"There kids"

"And they love you" miranda pointed out.

"I still don't think I've grasped the whole parenting thing"

"Me neither, but, well get there soon enough"

Gary laughed softly, "right, cuppa tea?"

"Please love"

Gary gently kissed her before going down stairs and putting the kettle on and locking up, he found a good movie to watch upstairs and various snacks.

It was when he went into the fridge to get the milk he found something strange. Sat on the shelf was the photo Marco was going on about, both of his sons grinning wearing over sized fire helmets, stood in front of a vibrant red fire truck.

He laughed softly as he examined it.

How it got in the fridge?

God knows.