Disclaimer: When I consulted my Magic 8 Ball? It laughed at me. I own not but the OC's and the plot.

7:00 am- Stratus-Copeland residence Tampa Florida

In spite of the fact that he had wanted to head home the night before, Jay had fallen asleep on the couch in Adam and Trish's living room. Normally it was a very comfortable couch and one that he had fallen asleep on before. But, that hadn't meant that sleep had been easy to come by last night … partially because of his impending hangover and partially because of three people sleeping upstairs. The blonde man didn't want to give a damn about her anymore, he didn't want to care about her anymore … he didn't want to think about her anymore. And as much as Jay tried to convince himself that he didn't miss her, he had missed her. He had thought about her often, worried about what had happened to her and hoped that she was doing alright. Of course that didn't mean that he wasn't pissed off, because he was … that didn't mean that he wasn't bitter, even though he tried to convince himself otherwise. He was bitter, and rightfully so he felt, that feeling even more justified knowing what he did now. Before, it had just been the end of a great relationship, sexual frustration and the loss of one of his closest friends. But now … well now it meant far more then that. It went beyond just the two of them. And one of those reasons was awake before everyone else upstairs, Cordelia now kneeling on the carpet in front of the couch; one small finger gently (and then not so gently) poking at the blonde man's side.

Jay attempted, in vain, to swat the offending digit away. "I'll get your food ready in a minute Oscar…. Go bug Felix."

Cordelia giggled and then tried again, "wake up sleepy head."

One blue eye opened to meet another, "…. Cordelia Ann, right?"

The four year old nodded with enthusiasm, "and you're Jay!"

He cracked half a smile, "yeah … what are you doing up so early?"

"It's not that early silly and 'sides … Uncle Adam said that Auntie Trish has something planned." Cordelia's eyebrows knit together in thought, "are you gonna come with us?"

"Well that all depends," Jay began and then grimaced, "probably not though because I have a lot to do today."

"Oh," the four year old climbed up onto the couch, an expectant look in her icy blue eyes. "Wanna watch Sesame Street with me?"

He hadn't been able to say no to her mother when she looked at him that way … "Sure."

Cordelia grinned and then clapped excitedly, Jay moving from the couch slowly to retrieve the remote control so he could find Sesame Street. "Do you know my mommy?" She questioned suddenly, "'cos you said you worked with Auntie Lisa … and Auntie Trish … and that you know Uncle Ty-Ty."

"Well, I know a lot of people," Jay replied honestly, the blonde man really regretting all of the alcohol he had consumed last night.

"Mommy says that you used to team with Uncle Adam," she peered at him and blinked, "is that true?"

The blonde man winced, both at the question and at the headache that relentlessly grew. "Yes. I've known your Uncle Adam since I was a kid."

"Like me?"

"Older than you actually."

"Oh," she replied and then fell silent; the four year old finally content to watch the show… Jay more than a little thankful for that fact.

And as they continued to watch, William eventually made his way downstairs; a frown on his face to match the disapproving look in his eyes. "'Delia…"

Cordelia stuck out her tongue, "Shh! I'm trying to watch Sesame."

William crossed his arms, "but mommy says we don't talk to strangers."

"But he knows Uncle Adam … and mommy telled us about him before."

"'Delia…" William began, wholly unconvinced that his sister should be near this stranger. His distrust glaringly apparent, "you still shouldn't."

Cordelia scowled, Jay fighting the urge to laugh … she really was a splitting image of her mother. "I don't care," and she acted just like her mother. "I wanna watch Sesame, so shh!"

William frowned as he climbed onto the couch, sitting at the opposite end from his sister and Jay. Every so often, his sapphire blue eyes would cast a glance towards them; averting whenever Jay returned the curious gesture. Of course the blonde man knew that it wouldn't be an easy task, making up for lost time and all that … but it didn't take him too long to realise that his son would be the harder of the two to convince. But, Jay supposed he shouldn't be too surprised by that; for all he knew his son could just be that reserved.

Amy watched in silence from the stairs, the former diva seated on one of the steps; a mixed look on her face. She didn't want to interrupt them, but she also needed to get her twins breakfast and coffee started. "Adam and Ann," she finally called to them. "Do you want cereal or pancakes?"

"Pancakes," they chirped in unison, William adding: "and orange juice."

Amy smiled, "okay, well that's settled. What else?"

Cordelia tugged on Jay's shirt, "mommy makes the bestest pancakes, ever."

Jay smiled down to her, the blonde man finding some sort of twisted pleasure when he glanced up and towards Amy; causing her to look anywhere but him. "Is that so? If you wouldn't mind…"

She forced a smile as she moved from the stairs, "not at all. I was planning on making enough for Adam and Trish anyways."

William followed her to the kitchen, "can I help?"

"You don't want to watch Sesame with 'Delia?" Amy questioned her son first and then arched an eyebrow when he nodded. "Are you sure, sweetie?"

"Uh huh, I wanna help you." He blinked at her, a pleading look in his eyes. "Please mommy?"

Amy hesitated for the briefest of moments before nodding, "okay William, if that's what you really want … what kind of pancakes should we make?"

William frowned thoughtfully, "Uncle Adam likes chocolate chips."

Amy grinned, "then we'll make that kind … I just need to get the coffee ready first, okay?"

The blonde child grinned back up to her, Jay watching them … rather the interaction between mother and son. Adam hadn't been joking at all when he had said that William worshipped the former diva. Not that he could entirely blame his son.

"Mommy?" Cordelia suddenly asked, "is Jay gonna come with us today?"

Amy was thankful that her back was to her daughter, "I thought it was just going to be just you, William and Auntie Trish for the day, honey."

Cordelia frowned as she continued to question her mother, "Uncle Adam and you are coming too… aren't you? And Auntie Dawn and Uncle Chris and—"

"Why don't you ask Auntie Trish when she wakes up, sweetie." Amy finally turned around, focusing solely on her daughter. "I know that she has something really special planned today and maybe she just wanted it to be for the three of you."

"Okay mommy," Cordelia replied dutifully, the four year old falling silent once again; blue eyes attentively watching the television.

-x-X-x-

With both adults intent on ignoring the other, Cordelia remained in the living room watching television whilst William remained in the kitchen. And they stayed that way until Adam and Trish appeared; the blonde woman quietly questioning why Jay was there this early. Once she'd received an adequate explanation, she joined Amy and William in the kitchen; Adam seating himself on the couch with Cordelia sat between him and Jay. It was, rather awkwardly, over breakfast that Cordelia asked about Trish's big surprise; the blonde woman seemingly hesitant to give all of the details before she relented. As Cordelia had hoped, the Irvine family would be joining them for the day and they would all be headed to Sea World… Trish extending the initiation to Jay as well, the blue eyed blonde man trying to decline as politely as possible. Still, they'd managed to keep the atmosphere as civil as possible for sake of the two children … but once they were finished and headed upstairs …

Trish glanced between Amy and Jay, "we could take Cordelia and William," she suggested evenly, "you know, we can go, and you two can talk."

Amy nearly spat out her coffee, "I really don't think that's a good idea, Trish … William adores the two of you to no end, but he hasn't really spent that much time away from me. Or Cordelia for that matter, but she seems to handle it better."

Adam smiled wryly, "don't take this the wrong way Ames, but, it might be good for him. So he doesn't become more of a mommy's boy than he is already."

Amy met his green eyes pointedly, "I still don't think it's a good idea, alright?"

"I don't either," Jay interjected himself into the conversation, "and actually, I really don't have anything to say to you just yet. Plus? After the last time we spoke, you said more than enough."

"If you would excuse me," Amy pushed her chair back from the table, her plate still nearly full. "I'm going to see if my children need any help getting dressed."

Trish also pushed back from the table, gathering plates as she walked around the table. "I know this might be a bit much to ask of you, but I'm going to ask you … just let her off the hook."

Jay shot her a clear cut look of disbelief, "after what she did to me and what she said to me? Do you seriously expect for me to just forget about all of that? I don't think so, Trish."

The blonde woman pinched the bridge of her nose with her free hand, "I'm not saying it has to be right away but it's something you should at least consider, Jay. She's hurt—"

"Please, don't start with that. I don't want to hear about how hurt she is and I don't want to hear about how guilty she might claim to be." Jay swallowed down the last of his coffee, his pleasant façade all but gone now. "But I do have to agree with her. I don't think it's a good idea."

"Alright," Trish conceded with a strained sigh, "then will you at least think about coming with us for the day? It might be good for you."

Jay brought his empty coffee cup to the dishwasher, "I can't say I would mind that at all, that's for sure. I want to spend time with them or as much they'll let me."

"Cordelia is easier to get to know," Adam pointed out the obvious; "William will warm up to you, once he realises that you are trustworthy."

"And that bit of information might not have been necessary if someone had bothered to say anything," Jay practically snapped. "My telling you that I quit the WWE, alright, maybe I can understand why you got mad at me for that. But this?"

Adam ran a hand through his blonde hair, "I wasn't even going to suggest that was anything like this, because I know it isn't. I am sorry for not telling you but I really can't do anything about it now, can I? What else do you want me to say?"

The younger blonde man shrugged, "there's nothing else that you can say unless you can explain why you never said anything."

Adam gritted his teeth, "not while Amy is here and definitely not while Cordelia and William are here." Running a hand over his face, "are you coming with us today or not, because if you are? You might want to head home and change first. You reek."

Jay kindly flipped his friend off, "what time are you all planning on leaving?"

Trish cleared her throat from the kitchen, "we have to wait for Chris, Dawn and their boys to get here first so, probably an hour from now."

Jay crossed his arms, as if he really needed to consider joining them. "I'll see you all in an hour then."

Adam waited until the front door had shut behind his friend, "when we're at Sea World today? Cordelia does not leave my side. If I'm going to be around him, I want a buffer."

Trish rolled her eyes in response, muttering under her breath about sissy boys masquerading as grown men.

Later that day- Sea World, Orlando

True to Adam's previous words; Cordelia had not left his side … but wherever Cordelia was, she seemed pretty insistent on having Jay (apparently her new best friend) right there with her. And as Adam had expected William spent most of his time with his mother; occasionally huddled near one of the many attractions with the two Irvine boys.

"Dolphins," Cordelia breathed out in awe, the four year old standing between Adam and Jay. "Pretty…"

"They feel funny," Lance, the oldest of the four children present said, "you can pet 'em Delia… they won't hurt you."

Cordelia shook her head, "I don't wanna … they might bite me."

William glanced over to his twin, but did not head towards her like he usually would. "They won't, honest … try it Delia."

Stubbornly so, Cordelia shook her head again, her arms crossing as she kept her distance from the dolphins.

Jay knelt down so he was more eye level with her, "are you sure you don't want to pet them like your brother?"

"They might bite me," Cordelia persisted quietly, "I'm scared … and I can't reach."

"I'll take care of that part," Jay winked to her, easily picking up the four year old so she could reach. "And we can pet them together, alright?"

His hand over hers, Jay guided Cordelia through the process; Chris, Dawn, Adam and Trish looking on slack jawed whilst Amy's full attention was occupied with William. And it would have remained there if Trish hadn't hissed for her to look … Amy just catching the look of elation on her daughter's face.

"She never did that with me," Adam finally spoke, "well she wouldn't do that the last time we came here."

"And we've only been here twice," Dawn commented still in awe, "but she wasn't feeling well last time, so that's probably why."

"Mommy!" Cordelia squealed excitedly, turning in Jay's grasp before wiggling out and running towards the redhead. "I petted the dolphins!"

Carefully avoiding any direct eye contact with the blue eyed blonde man, Amy sent a smile down to her daughter. "That's wonderful sweetheart, did you say thank you?"

A beaming Cordelia skipped back over to Jay, wrapping her arms as far as they would go around his waist. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

A smile that none of them had seen in years made it's way to Jay's face, "anytime, Princess. Anytime."

Eventually, the four children moved on from the dolphins, Cordelia still remaining with Adam and Jay whilst they walked around…. William walking ahead with Chris and the Irvine boys.

"We should probably stop and eat soon," Dawn remarked as they neared another attraction, "I've been snacking of course, but I would imagine that my boys are starving … and I don't just mean C.J and Lance."

"I know my boy is hungry without even asking," Trish commented dryly, "William is practically a walking stomach…"

Before Amy could reply to that, the four children stopped in their tracks… the three women looking on in slight amusement.

Cordelia tugged impatiently on Jay's hand, dropping Adam's hand to point to Shamu's Happy Harbour. "Will you take me there?" And when the blue eyed blonde man hesitated, she blinked. "Please?"

Over the four year old child's head, Adam exchanged a look with his friend. "Delia, pumpkin, why don't we save that for later … I know you, Junior, Lance and William have extra clothes but—"

"But Uncle Adam …" Cordelia pouted and if not for the blue eyes, she looked so like her mother that it was nearly impossible for either blonde man to say no. "Please?"

"If your mommy says it's okay," Jay relented first, "I'll take you."

Cordelia's face lit up like a Christmas tree, the four year old dropping Jay's hand to skip over to her mother. Adam shaking his head a little, "I hate it when she does that."

Jay couldn't help but smirk a little, "I'm going to guess that she does that to you all the time?" And when the taller man nodded, the blue eyed man shook his head. "So it is true then, the apple not falling far from the tree and all that."

"It didn't take you too long to make up your mind about taking her," Adam pointed out to his friend first, "but yes … Cordelia is just like Amy, only a little more girly girl." An amused smirk made its way to his face. "And it looks like Delia has some company for the Happy Harbour."

Trish directed a pointed look to her husband, "Adam, honey, why don't you help Chris and Jay keep an eye on the kids? Ames, Dawnie and I are just going to sit this out."

Adam winced at the thought of crawling through the large structure, "I was just about to go follow them, babe."

With Adam, Chris and Jay supervising the four rambunctious children; Amy, Dawn and Trish took advantage of the time to look through the pictures on Dawn's digital camera and plan for a late lunch. They knew full well that after running around Shamu's Happy Harbour for awhile, there were bound to be seven grumbling stomachs; the three women checking the park map for the nearest suitable location to eat.