A/N:

Hello, guys!

Rough weekend, the school wanted me to do few things, Christmas coming – is this enough as an excuse for not having posted this chapter sooner?

I re-read the previous chapter, I found tens of mistakes, I am ashamed and I apologize. Am I forgiven? I hope you understood what I was trying to get across anyway.

Well, I'm not going to bother you with the author's note, here you have the next chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter Eleven

When the guys went out, Sue kept sitting in the bed and was talking to Matt:

„Hey, baby, have had enough milk? Ok then. What do you think uncle Jack meant?"

Matt was looking at her and it seemed his one and only interest was Sue's nose which he tried to push.

„I don't understand Sparky, you know, baby? He was looking like, umm, I don't know. How long had he been standing there? And what he was saying! Sleeping Beauty! No-one has ever told me anything like this! What do you think, baby?"

Matt seemed to be absorbed in examining his own fingers and so Sue answered herself:

„You don't care – and that's a right thing. One day though you will have similar problems when you will become Prince Charming, believe me. Tell me, is it too selfish to hope that I will be there when that happens? OK, you are right, don't say anything, we will see..."

With that she got up, put on pants and a shirt, took Matt and went to the kitchen to see whether the guys had already come back. About a minute later a huge beige furry snowball ran into the flat and wanted to lick Sues cheeks.

„Hold on, Levi! You are wet, cold, there's snow everywhere! God, where's Jack? Levi, don't jump at me, I'll be all wet! Jaaaack?!"

With a huge grin on his face Jack came into the room and was probably as snowy – if not more – as Levi.

„Hey, Sue. We were having fun..."

„I see... Look, here's Matt, I'm going to have a shower cause I'm already soggy and I need to change. Could you dry the snowball called Levi, please?"

And with a smug smile on her face she left for the bathroom.

„You see, pal? I told you she wouldn't be angry..." Jack smiled at Levi. The dog barked few times and was wagging his tail like crazy. With a baby on his arm and a really wet dog at his heels, Jack went to the living room where he put Matt into the baby-bed and started to dry Levi with a towel. Levi, evidently thinking that the towel was a new toy or at least something that had to be destroyed, began to pull the other end of the towel, barking happily.

That was how Sue found them half an hour later, pulling a towel („Did this really use to be a towel??") and Matt looking at them with a great interest in his eyes.

„This is not a flat! This is a kindergarten! Three kids, one more naughty than another!" But when Sue was saying that, an amused smile was playing on her lips.

Jack, also smiling, told Levi with a fake rigour:

„Yes, Levi-the-kid, Miss Thomas is absolutely right, behave yourself and stop spoiling us!"

All the time Jack was facing Sue so she could read his lips. Now he looked at her and with a sly smile said:

„Let's have breakfast, Miss Teacher, shall we?" and ran to the kitchen before Sue had an opportunity to get to him and give him a playful smack. Sue just looked after him and remarked:

„Miss Teacher? OK then, you want a war, you'll have a war..." And smiling happily she followed Jack to the kitchen.

When they were sitting at the table, Jack poured Sue coffee:

„With a lot of milk and even more sugar, am I right?" he asked, even though he knew the answer. Actually, he had known how she liked her coffee since the day they met.

Sue smiled and, no need to answer, she asked Jack a different question.

„So, Sparky, what are your plans for today?" and with that she put a spoonful of oat meal into her mouth. How did Sparky get to know that oat meal with honey and tiny pieces of apples was her favorite breakfast meal? And if someone makes your favorite meal for you, it is twice as good as normally.

„Sue, first, could you stop doing this?"

She looked at him and she apparently didn't know what he was talking about. She had the mouth full of oat meal so she signed:

„What? No understand."

„You keep calling me Sparky..."

Sue's eyes lit up with an amused spark.

„Oh, that... I like calling you Sparky. Do you mind?"

Jack couldn't resist her when she was looking like this. A flirtatious smile was playing on her lips and she was obviously confident that he would give in and let her call him whatever she liked. She was watching him intently and the innocent look in her eyes was more alluring that she could imagine.

„Of course I don't... But... but when guys call me Sparky it's kind of joke, I mean they make fun of me... Which I don't mind but..."

Sue placed her hand on his and assured him:

„Jack, I am no way making fun of you – at least not all the time." And there it was again, the flirtatious smile of hers, the beautifulest smile he had ever seen.

„I like calling you Sparky, it somehow describes you. You are so full of energy and optimism! If you minded though, I'd stop. And be sure that I'll call you by your given name when I'll address you something really serious. Or when I'll like Jack more than Sparky..."

Sue didn't know whether he grasped what she meant but by the look in his eyes he did. To ease the atmosphere he replied in a merry voice:

„Sure, Miss Teacher, whatever you like, you are the boss here..." and before she had a chance to reply he started to clear away the dishes.

Sue changed the topic:

„So, what are your plans for today? Are you going to work?"

Jack replied:

„Well, I thought we both could stop by in the bullpen and introduce Matt to the guys. And then go somewhere to have lunch or something. Oh and I was thinking – umm, what about a Christmas tree, would you like to have one here?"

Sue enthusiastically nodded and exclaimed:

„I'd love to! We had a nice Christmas tree back in our flat with Luce and since Luce is going to spend Christmas with her parents... I can't imagine Christmas without one! That's a great idea!"

Pleased by her reaction, Jack smiled for himself. It will feel like a real home, with Sue by his side, little Matt and Levi and definitely with a perfect Christmas tree. He was looking towards getting the tree like a small boy and he should soon realize that decorating a Christmas tree can be more fun than he would ever expect...

TBC...

Well... Again, sorry for the pause, I have to study hard since the exams are coming and have been goofing off since the school started in October... Don't tell my teachers though, they haven't noticed anything :-)

Liked the chapter? Didn't like it? Let me know, feedback is always appreciated.

Thank you for reading, M.