Chapter 9

Both children stared at their mother curiously before turning to look at the masked man sitting beside her. Jason waited for the children to scream but it never came. The little girl was the first to move getting up from her mother's lap and walking over to him. She squinted her eyes as if she were looking for something on his mask, and then smiled. "DADDY!" she screamed suddenly launching herself at him, wrapping her arms around him. Jason was shocked. He turned to Odette helplessly trying to figure out what to do next. Odette just smiled and nodded as encouragement. Slowly, he brought his hands up to embrace the small child hanging from his neck. It was as if the entire world shifted for him as he embraced his little girl. Tears began streaming down his face, as he held her. The little boy stayed in his mother's lap not sure what to think of the giant man holding his sister. "JJ, "he heard his mother whisper. He turned and looked up at his mother. Odette smiled at the small boy and then shifted her eyes at Jason then back to him. JJ huffed and got up from his mother's lap and walked over to stand in front of Jason. Jason looked up at the little boy curiously. JJ just stared back at him before saying, "Are you really my daddy?" Jason slowly nodded. JJ continued to stand there staring Jason down for several more seconds before a small smile appeared on his face and then he too hugged his father. Odette promptly burst into tears of happiness.

For the next several hours the family sat playing together. Jason was getting to know his children, and they were getting to know him. Suddenly, they were interrupted by a small voice from the door, "Jocy, JJ? You not play wiff me anymore?" There in the doorway stood a small blond little girl in overalls that matched Jocelyn's. She had tears in her big blue eyes as she looked at the two children not even noticing the grown-ups. Jocelyn turned looked at the little girl, "We play with our Daddy Cassy, we're sorry." At that moment she looked up at Jason and shot a mean look at him, like mother like daughter. Then she turned back to Jason and Odette, "Can I go play with Cassy?" she asked with big kitten eyes. JJ turned to look at them as well saying, "yea me too," Odette glanced at Jason who turned to her. She raised her eyebrows and looked at the children. Jason turned back to the children and nodded. "YAY," the children shouted jumping up and running out the door with the little girl. Jason turned to Odette with a questioning look. "That is Sora's little girl Cassidy. She got pregnant right after I did. They are like siblings, we raised them together." She smiled back to him. Jason leaned over and began gently pulling at her shirt. Odette gently grabbed his hand and laced her fingers through his, "I can't I have to go make lunch for the children and check on Sora." she said gently bringing a hand up to stroke his face. Jason let a small whimper that made Odette go, "Awww I understand, but I'm a mommy now, and you are a daddy things have changed." she said leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek before she stood and walked out of the room.

Jason sat for a few moments taking in everything that happened. Slowly, he got up and walked to the window where he saw the three children playing happily in the grass. They were the most beautiful things that he had ever seen, even Sora's little demon. He wanted to go play with them. Suddenly, something flew through the air and hit him hard in the back of the head, causing his face to smash into the window. The three children, looked up at the window, two of them smiling and waving at him, the other throwing him a dirty look. Slowly, he turned and looked to see who had hit him. Predictably, Sora stood in the doorway with a murderous look. "Personally, I don't believe you deserve that, or my sister, or those children. But she wanted you to know, and unlike you I wouldn't do anything to hurt her," she growled before disappearing down the hall. Jason literally winced at her stinging words. Slowly, he looked down, there on the ground was an old scrap book with a picture of the two girls arm in arm on the front, and their horses that died in the fire. He sat on the bed and opened the book. The several pages were of when the girls came to the ranch. There were pictures of the different buildings before they came to the camp and after they turned it into a ranch. Then he came to a page that was blank except for a stork. When he turned the page he saw Odette in the hospital bed where he said goodbye. She was surrounded by Sora and Caleb and Sora's family. Next he saw several pictures of Odette's rehabilitation, she had, had to relearn to walk.

The next page had two small pregnancy tests taped to the page. One had Odette's name by it and the other Soras. Both said pregnant. The next page had pictures of Caleb proposing to Sora, there were pictures of him on one knee, and Sora looking surprised. One of Odette crying in happiness. The next several pages were various pictures and measurements of Odette and Sora's tummies at different stages of their pregnancies. There were also ultrasound pictures. Jason lingered for several minutes on the ultrasound picture of Odette that said IT'S A BOY and IT'S A GIRL! Then he got to pages of the births. There were two whole pages dedicated to Odette's birth. Jason couldn't help but tear up at the sight of his new born children held in arms of his love. The next pages were of the twins coming home for the first time. They had made a green and blue nursery. The next pages were of Sora's birth, and then of her bringing her daughter home. The rest of the books were various happenings in the children's lives so far, their first birthdays, their first steps, loosing their first teeth. Jason came to the end of the book and slowly closed it. He sat there for what seemed like hours. Eventually, Odette walked up the stairs to check on him. He was just staring at the book. "Jason," she asked putting a hand on his shoulder. Jason's head whipped around to look at her as if he hadn't heard her come in. They stared at one another for a moment before he stood up and stomped out of the room. Odette looked confused, had she done something wrong? Slowly she walked down the hall, and saw Sora standing at the bottom of the stairs, "What is wrong with that Neanderthal?" she fumed, "he nearly ran me over!" Odette came to stand beside Sora, "I don't know, he was looking at our scrap book, and when he saw me, he just got up and left." They stared at one another for a moment and then shrugged before walking into the kitchen for a cup of tea.

Later that night, after the children were put to bed, Odette walked out to the dock and sat on one of the supports over the water. It had been a while since she had gotten the chance to play. She started off playing the Clare de Lune. The melody had always been relaxing to her. Then she played My heart will go on from one of her favorite movies "TITANIC" She heard steps walk on the dock behind her, but she didn't move or stop playing. Jason came to stand behind her, and just listened. On she played with her eyes closed listening to the notes rise and fall in the ill fated love story. The music was so beautiful it always gave her chills. Finally, she finished and turned to Jason. "Are you alright, I haven't seen you all day." she asked walking up to him. Jason waited for a moment before pulling off his mask and picked her up pressing his lips to hers in a deep passionate kiss. Odette never failed to see stars whenever he kissed her. The butterflies she felt all of those years ago came back full force in her stomach. Slowly, they broke the kiss and Jason put her on her feet again. Odette wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest, as he wrapped his strong arms around her, "I love you," she said into his shirt. Jason remained quiet. After a moment or two he pulled back away from her and watched her. Odette stared at him confused, "What is it," she asked. Jason stepped back and pulled something out of his pocket. Odette watched in shock as he knelt down one knee as he had seen others do and held out the ring to her. Odette's eyes widened, and she held her hands to her heart, "Are….Are you asking me to marry you?" she stammered almost forgetting to breathe. Jason slowly nodded. "Where did you get this?" she asked looking at the beautiful shimmering diamond ring. It was obvious that it was old but the diamond still shown like a star on the golden band. On either side of the diamond were to small glowing pearls. Odette stared at the diamond feeling tears begin to stream down her face. Jason pulled up a hand to sign the word, mother. Odette continued to stare so long at the ring that Jason began to get nervous and sweat. Finally she looked at him and smiled, "Yes,…YES A THOUSAND TIMES YES!"

Authors notes

I'M FINALLY BACK! shakes a fist at college education

Anyway YAY glad to be back I know this chapter is a bit short but I think its sweet!