A/N: Ok my wonderful readers here's the next part! sorry i took so long to update but alas, life (aka classes) got in the way. Anyway, reviews are wonderful bribes to encourage me to write more, so please review!
I don't know why but I got a kick out of the wide eyed twins as we rode the subway toward Faneuil Hall. Will seemed laid back about the trip but even he couldn't help but look around in curiosity.
"Daddy, how could you've never taken us on the subway before?" Cat whined, staring out the window as we passed a platform full of waiting people.
"Have you even ever been out of town?" I asked. It wasn't often that someone left Eureka what with all the disasters that occurred.
"Well, there's the camping trips with you and Mom and the usual two weeks in the summer that we spend at the cabin, us and Gran, but that's about it. The only reason why I know where Gran lives is because after a teleporting incident you and Mom made me memorize the addresses of the whole family," Will grumbled, rolling his eyes at the memory. Jo and I exchanged a curious look before turning back to the teenager.
"Teleporting incident?" I questioned.
"Don't worry about it. Uncle Jack accidently got teleported by Uncle Doug to San Francisco. You know how Doug is with the button issue," Will brushed off our concerns. The way he referred to "Doug" and his "button issue" had me laughing. Jo rolled her eyes and punched me in the arm before standing as the train screeched to a stop at our destination.
"Alright guys, remember the rules," I reminded my kids, looking pointedly at the twins. Cat pouted and Joey rolled his eyes, but they both took Jo's hand before we got off, Will walking beside me in the same loping gait I had.
"Hey Dad, you should take us on trips to Boston more often. Eureka is a cool place to grow up and all but traveling and seeing more of Gran would be nice," my son told me quietly as we got onto the street and headed for the busy square.
"I'll keep that in mind kiddo," I said, resting a hand on his shoulder before we hurried to catch up to Jo and the twins who were laughing at a clown they happened to encounter.
"Daddy, Daddy look! There's a magician!" Cat yelled when she spotted the man in the top hat making birds appear. I smiled at her excitement and took her hand from Jo, leaving her and Joey with the clown so Will, Cat and I could go watch the man perform his tricks. We stood off to the side of the crowd, watching the show and Cat even got to go help with a trick which she was excited about.
"Hey Dad, can we get something to eat now? I'm starving," Will muttered as Cat was making her way back to us.
"Yeah, sure, let's just find your mom," I said, already trying to look for her above the throng of people.
"Hey Daddy, I can spot her if I sit on your shoulders. That's how we always find Mom," my girl suggested when she saw me looking. With a shrug and a little awkward shuffling later, Cat was seated on my shoulders looking for Jo and her brother.
"There they are! Mom, Joey, over here!" Cat yelled, deafening me and causing the people in the immediate area to turn and look at us. When they spotted the girl on my shoulders though, they simply smiled and turned back to what they were doing. Soon enough Jo came over with a paint covered Joey in tow.
"The clown did face painting," she explained, smiling down at the boy's face covered in camouflage paint.
"He didn't do half bad but the colors are too bright Mom," Joey sighed as if it were a great flaw.
"He's definitely your kid Jojo," I joked, setting Cat on the ground.
"That he is, now let's go get something to eat," she said, taking Cat's hand, leaving Joey to me with Will trailing behind again. We went into the Quincy Market building, all three of the kids gravitating towards the candy ships first.
"No, you are not eating candy for lunch," Jo said sternly, having to drag me and the kids away from the junk food and toward a sandwich shop. Soon enough the five of us were sitting outside on a bench, munching on our food.
"We need to come here often," Will sighed, tossing the wrapper from his sandwich away.
"Yeah, we should come here for the summer. We can stay with Gran," Joey agreed.
"Look, dancers!" Cat, who completely ignored earlier conversation, shouted, jumping to her feet. Glancing across the courtyard, sure enough, was a street crew gathering an audience.
"Can we check it out?" Joey asked, looking hopeful, but still calmer than his twin.
"Later, Jo and I are still eating," I told them, taking another bite of my food.
"But it could be over by then," Cat grumbled.
"I'll take the brats over, we'll stay within sight," her brother said, taking the twins' hands and leading them toward the edge of the circle that had gathered.
"You know, I think if our kids are anything to go by, we'll make good parents," I told Jo, grinning.
"Oh, I had no doubt that I would be a good mom, however, your parenting skills I'm worried about," she teased, smirking at me.
"Hey, I'm doing pretty well so far," I grumbled.
"Yeah, you are…but Zane, we just started a steady relationship, gotten past the drama. Now we're talking about what good parents we are. We aren't even talking about marriage yet!" Jo muttered, worrying her lower lip between her teeth. I slung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. I was wondering when her worries would set in.
"Jojo, don't worry about it now. The point is we know we're going to have kids in the future. We don't know when but we are which means we're going to get married. It doesn't matter that we haven't talked about it yet because we will in the future. Isn't it good to know that we're going to be together? That this works out?" I said, hoping she would calm down. I watched as she thought through what I said, glancing every so often at my neutral expression be she huffed, crossing her arms and glaring at me.
"Alright Mr. Anti-commitment, why aren't you freaking out at the possibility of being stuck with one woman the rest of your life, and having responsibility for another human being's welfare? Or more accurately, three children's welfare?" she mumbled. I just laughed at her angry face, kissing her on the forehead.
"I never said I was ready now, but it's nice to know that someday I will be," I answered, motioning to where I was watching Will and the twins cheering on the dancers. Jo muttered something under her breath about me being too easygoing and turned to watch the kids as well. There were a few moments of peace before Jo grabbed my arm with bruising force causing me to flinch. When I looked at her though, there was panic written all over her face.
"Zane, where are the kids?" she asked, getting up and looking around frantically. Turning to where I had seen them last, they were nowhere in sight. Panic started to settle in my chest as I jumped up, looking around for them.
"Will! Cat! Joey!" Jo started yelling, walking around the crowd by the street crew performance.
"Joey, Cat! You better not have run off!" I said loudly, not drawing as much attention as Jo, but still looking around for my kids.
"Mom, Dad, over here!" Jo and I spotted Will at the same time, running over to where he was standing with the twins, all three of them looking terrified.
"What did I tell you guys about staying close!" I growled, glaring at my future children.
"We're sorry but we had to hide," Joey muttered, looking around me and toward the crowd.
"Why in hell did you have to hide?" I demanded.
"Zane…" Jo murmured.
"…You should've just come straight to me and Mom," I continued.
"Zane," Jo dragged half my attention away from berating our children when she laid her hand on my arm.
"What?" I growled, still upset by their disappearance.
"Look," Jo mumbled, clearly in shock, pointing toward a redheaded woman who looked out of place in the mob of people.
"Shit…that's why we had to hide," Will's harsh whisper barely registered, even as he moved to hide more behind me.
"Evil Beverly lady," Cat whimpered, latching onto my hand.
"Oh shit," I muttered for the second time today.