Author's note: Hey there! Still enjoying the ride? This chapter is super sweet, hope that's okay with you. Enjoy!

*MJ*

Despite her gruesome work, Jo had been blessed with an ability to fall sleep in a short span of time, which was short of amazing. To an external observer, it seemed as if she possessed the skill to command her body, and her mind, to shut down at her own volition; being a single mom, and having been for quite some time now, she craved rest with a vengeance, and she made the best of what little time she was afforded by her busy schedule. Her love for her children more than compensated for all the brutality she saw day after day on the job. Maybe growing up in the South had something to do with all of that as well.

For the very same reasons, however, she was also a light sleeper, unlike Ellie. It was the closing of the front door of Mac's apartment that woke her up.

What time is it?, she wondered groggily, sitting up in bed, careful not to wake her daughter. She slowly reached for the nightstand, grabbing her phone, which she had kept silent, but turned on, during the night.

Half past six? Does the man ever sleep?, she rolled her eyes at the thought. Of course he didn't. Once a Marine, always a Marine, et cetera.

After a while, she heard some clatter around the house, indicating that said Marine had in fact returned from a previous trip. A couple of minutes later, his footsteps approached the bedroom, surpassed it, and stopped in the bathroom. He started a shower. That gave Jo a faint idea of what Mac had been doing.

Jogging, with this cold? He's crazy…, she decided, shivering for the cold. Mac could go without her entertainment for a couple of hours more, she told herself as she slid back under the covers, inching closer to Ellie's warm form.

*MJ*

The second time Jo woke, it was due to the delicious smell tickling her nostrils. She opened her eyes with a start and swore she could see the hot smoke in front of her.

Wait, why could she see at all? The room was completely bathed in darkness when she'd woken the first time. It must have been Mac, who was standing only a feet to her right, arranging a small tray on the nightstand beside her.

-Oh, you're awake. -, he said once he realized she had opened her eyes. –Good morning. -, he added with a smile.

-What's all of this, Mac?-, the woman wondered, confused, Ellie stirring against her. Spying the other nightstand, checking on her daughter as an excuse, she found another tray there as well. It really looked like…

-Breakfast in bed. -, the dark haired man offered sheepishly. Luckily for him, the light was still so dim in the room that Jo missed his cheeks reddening faintly. He really did sound like a pervert there, he should have expressed himself in another way, what was Jo thinking now?

-My God, Mac, I haven't had breakfast in bed in…-, the woman exclaimed, but was cut off by her daughter.

-Pancakes!-, she exclaimed happily, turning on the night-lamp. –And… oooh! Crepes with chocolate. Thank you, thank you, thank you!-, she cried with joy.

-Did you make all of this?-, Jo wondered, overwhelmed by such a thoughtful gesture. She could have burst crying at the man's nod. She hadn't had breakfast in bed way before she had started dating Russ, making it decades before.

-Let's eat together!-, Ellie proposed enthusiastically. –Scoot over, Mom…-

Mac shifted his weight from one leg to the other. –I don't want to, uh… intrude in this mother-daughter time. -, he replied diplomatically.

-Aww, come on, Mac! You made all of these fabulous things for us, you don't intrude at all!-, the girl bit back, not at all discouraged by the man's uneasiness. He looked at her sparkling visage, then at her mother's. At her shy nod, he relented.

-Alright, let me bring coffee over. –

He sat down on top of the covers besides Ellie, handing Jo her cup of the hot beverage and placing the plate with his portion of pancakes on his lap. The girl was already digging in.

-Mmm, I love raspberry jam!-, she mumbled in between chewing.

-It's not very ladylike to speak with your mouth full. -, her mother observed.

-But Mom, they're sooo good!-, the teen complained, causing both adults to burst out laughing. –Why didn't you make crepes for yourself, Mac?-, she inquired then, changing topic abruptly. The man shrugged.

-I don't like milk chocolate much. I bought it yesterday for you two and I forgot to pick up the dark one that I prefer. -, he replied, shoving a forkful of pancakes in his mouth.

-Aww, Mac! Quiet being so damn sweet!-, Jo growled, sneaking an arm behind her daughter's shoulders to cuff the man lightly on the head.

-That's not me being sweet, Jo. -, the former Marine replied hastily, and a bit gruffly in Ellie's opinion. He was clearly embarrassed, but trying with all his might not to let it show.

-Oh? What do you call it, then?-, the adult female challenged him. Mac shrugged.

-Just a little reward for eating your veggies last night. -, he sentenced, sticking his nose up in the air, causing the Afro American teen to burst out laughing.

Just great, Taylor. You want to curt her, yet you don't want her to be aware of your intentions… what a mess!

*MJ*

-Okay, it's half past ten and you two are finally up. What do you usually do on a lazy Saturday morning?-, Mac wondered, presenting the same words Jo had uttered the previous night to him as he spied the two females he was currently sharing his apartment with enter the living room.

-Shopping!-, Ellie exclaimed, bouncing up and down on her feet. The man looked at her disbelieving.

-Aren't you a little young to be so crazed about shopping?-, he inquired, quirking an eyebrow at her. It was her mother who replied for her.

-You're never too young to love shopping. -, Jo declared. –Especially if you are in New York. -, she added with a smile, causing Mac to roll his eyes good-naturedly. Each and every reason to love his city, which did not involve crime, of course, was good in his book.

-Alright, alright. Just… do me a favor?-, he pleaded. –No shoes. –

*MJ*

They visited a sportswear shop first, because apparently their shopping had a practical purpose to it: Ellie needed new soccer shoes.

-Hey, it's not a place which sells shoes only. -, Jo pointed out at the incredulous look on Mac's face. He had to concede her that, after all he didn't mind being there. He could purchase a couple of things he needed as well.

-You should try this brand. They are really comfy and keep you warm. -, the dark haired woman told him at his obvious indecision over sweatpants. He turned from the exhibited goods to look at her with a dubious expression, and Jo didn't miss his eyes quickly going from her face to her legs. He must have been thinking about the various pants he had seen her into, trying to make up his mind whether she was a reliable source or not. The possibility that he had catalogued her outfits in his mind left the woman with a pleasant tingling at the pit of her stomach.

-I practice yoga, so I know what I'm talking about. -, she helped him out. His eyes zeroed on her face again.

-You do?-

-Yep. –

-So that explains…-, he trailed off, obviously biting his tongue. Jo smirked, willing him to go on and possibly make a fool of himself.

-Go on. It explains?-, she repeated. Mac cleared his throat. His eyes talked for him. They appraised her body, slowly, lingering, gently, the way it hadn't been beheld in years.

-You. -, he said simply, softly. When it became apparent she had no good reply to that, he quickly grabbed the pair of sweatpants the woman had pointed out to him and made his way over to the cashier. In normal circumstances, she would have laughed at his remark, they both knew it. Inexplicably, though, she hadn't. She had felt naked, for a moment, in front of him; what was worse, she had not been scared by it. She had felt… faintly aroused.

Mac Taylor was not easy with compliments or praises. Not because he wasn't prone to thinking good things about others, but something almost always held him back. Possibly, the prospect of having his words blow back in his face by means of a misunderstanding. This time around he had been certain about them, he knew it and she knew it.

And it hadn't blown back in his face.

*MJ*

On their way over to lunch, they stopped by Mac's favorite music shop.

-Hey, Joe. -, he greeted the owner, a man around his age with thinning dark blonde hair who smiled at him.

-Mac Taylor! Long time no see. -, he greeted back, crossing the crowded place in two long strides to shake hands with the former Marine. He was surprised to see he had brought somebody else with him that day.

-You been hiding your family from me? Well, I can understand you, man…-, he drawled, playfully winking at Jo. –I'd try to keep a good looking woman as yours all to myself as well. -, he added, smiling playfully at her. She returned the smile.

-I'm Jo. -, she said. The man's eyebrows shot to the hairline.

-Good gracious, you must be kiddin', woman. No? Well, let me introduce myself again, then: I'm Johannes. -, he said pleasantly, extending his hand for Jo to shake.

-Josephine. -, the woman replied, shaking hands with the man.

-Ah, I see… a name you're embarrassed about, like lil' McKenna and myself?-, he guessed, causing Mac to roll his eyes in exasperation.

-Damn straight. -, Jo exclaimed with a serious look. Joe burst out laughing.

-Oh, McKenna boy, you have to bring her here more often! Hey, where has your girl ran off to?-, he observed, looking around. –Oh, you're interested in the latest Adele album?-, he spied Ellie looking insistently at the CD.

-Ellie, don't bother, I have a copy at home. -, Mac reassured her, earning himself a glare from Joe.

-Hey, you're wasting my money here, man!-, he warned the other man with fake irritation.

-I give you plenty of it every time, Joe. -, Mac reminded him. –Choose something else, Ellie. I'll pay. -, he offered. He stopped Jo mid-protest. –I don't mind. -, he said kindly. The dark haired woman smiled gratefully at him.

*MJ*

-Why didn't you correct him on our… status?-, Mac wondered eventually. He was dying there, and he desperately wanted to know, consequences be damned.

-Oh, come on, Mac. It's been fun!-, Jo laughed, slamming the back of her hand against his chest in a gesture of spontaneous joy.

Pretending to be married to me, fun? This must be a first…, the former Marine thought to himself with a smile, a smile due to which Jo didn't press him for a reply. She had her answer already.

-So, burger?-, she mentioned casually. Mac snorted.

-You're really too keen on junk food… no, a burger is out of the question: who knows what Ellie's gonna eat tonight at her friend's? We need to compensate. -, he pointed out, remembering his earlier conversation with Jo. At his mention of the upcoming Saturday night, she had suddenly remembered her daughter was supposed to go to a friend and teammate's house for a sleep over, and had subsequently checked in with the other mother. When she had explained the current situation they were in, she had kindly offered to pick up Ellie around four o'clock that afternoon. By the tone of the other woman's voice, Jo understood she knew the friend she was staying with was a man…

She pouted. He was charming and all, but his sudden antipathy for burgers was starting to annoy her.

-Fine, boss. What are we supposed to eat today?-, she asked petulantly.

-Chinese?-, the man offered with a hopeful smile. He didn't like to quarrel with Jo, even if it wasn't for real. At any rate, she perked up at the mention of the Oriental cuisine.

-Yay!-, Ellie yelled, high-fiving her mother.

END OF CHAPTER 4

A/N: I loved your comments, and hope to hear more from you!

Yours,

UnderxConstruction