Thanks for the reviews on the last chapter. I appreciate them. This is a request for an Erin and Caleb one shot.

I hope that you like it.

00000000000000

Two and and a half year old Arden was not easily scared by any means. She was the twin to take the risks, to dive straight in where her older brother Caleb would hold back. She grabbed life by the horns and held on tight. Never thinking once about consequences.

She had been the one to not cry when they found the spider in the bathroom, the one to pet the vicious little rabbit at the pet store her twin brother wouldn't go near.

She had even been the first one to take a bite of her Aunt Natalie's questionable looking homemade spaghetti.

Arden was brave, there was no doubt about it. But the one thing that scared even Arden Halstead?

Thunderstorms.

The little girl lay on her small toddler bed, trying with all her might to ignore the storm raging overhead and sleep.

"I not scared…I not scared…I not scared" she whispered into her dark, empty room as she pulled her Frozen duvet closer and closer to her face, until only the top of her head and her wide brown eyes poked out.

She knew her father was telling the truth, there was no such thing as the thunder monster. But every time a loud rumble sounded all she saw was a huge green monster, gobbling up little boys and girls like her.

As it got later and later, and the house's usual creaks and groans got louder and louder, Arden's eyes continued to widen at every little noise.

She could just feel the thunder monster coming closer. The rain continued to pound ruthlessly at her window and Arden sank further and further into her bed, holding Olaf her stuffed snowman with extraordinary strength for a child so small.

When the loudest rumble yet echoed around the house Arden had had enough. What if the thunder monster had eaten Caleb? She gathered all her courage and leapt out of her bed, sprinting across the hall and into Caleb's room.

Caleb's room was as dark as hers had been, so she ventured in nervously, careful not to bang into anything

"Caweb" she hissed "Caleb you 'wake?"

"Ardy?" came the soft reply and the girl sighed in relief. At least her brother hadn't been eaten up by the nasty monster.

"Caweb I fouts you gots eated by the big funder monster"

Arden walked further into the room, clutching Olaf to her chest as she stepped over Caleb's train set.

"Ardy da monster only eats bad kids, and we both ate all of our bwoccoli at dinner. It goin' get Evie first" Caleb assured his sister confidently, moving closer to the wall and leaving a nice Arden sized space next to him.

Caleb let out a few coughs and rubbed his eyes with his hands.

"You ok? You sick?" Arden asked as she climbed into bed next to her brother

"I ok" Caleb said as he laid back down on his pillow. Truth is, he really didn't feel well. But he wanted to be brave just like his sisters.

They both lay under the blue Paw Patrol bed spread listening to the storm overhead for a minute or two.

Caleb's eyes were drooping when Arden suddenly gasped and flung her arm onto her brother's. Her eyes wide in panic

"Caweb but we did do somefin naughty" she said anxiously, surveying the room incase the thunder monster heard her and decided to come in.

"When?" Caleb asked his sister, now sounding as scared as her. His

"We eated daddy's cake 'member" she cried, tears now falling down her little face "Caweb I don't wantsa get gobbled up!"

"Don't worry Ardy, I can pwotect you from the monster"

"But what if he gets you too!" Arden cried quietly, scared if she was too loud the monster would find them. Caleb thought about this for a moment with a look of concern on his face.

"Do you want to go to mommy and daddy?" Caleb asked his sister quietly " The funder monster won't get them 'cause they always good"

Arden knew that Caleb had a point. Their parents always ate all of their vegetables and always put toys back in the right boxes. The thunder monster wouldn't get them!

"Okay" she whispered and they both rose from Caleb's bed slowly. Hand in hand they walked to the door and poked their heads out. "But what bout' Evie?"

Caleb shook his head "It too wate for Evie. He gots her alweady cause she bad"

"She very bad" Arden agreed as the two got out of bed.

"I can't see the monster, can you Ardy?" Caleb asked as he reached for his sister's hand.

"No. It eated sissy" Arden explained as she tightened her grip on her brother's hand.

Caleb and Arden made their way down the hall and to the bedroom door before opening it.

The lights were still shining in Erin and Jay's bedroom, but the two were nowhere to be found. The sound of water running in the master bathroom caused Arden and Caleb to step towards the bathroom.

But a noise from the other side of the door stopped them both where they were.

"Oh No!" Arden said as she pulled Caleb back to her. "The monster gots mommy and daddy"

"Why?" Caleb asked.

"Cause da baby in mommy's tummy is bad. It makes mommy sick. And dats not nice" Arden explained tears once again filling her eyes.

"We gotsa be bwave tho" Caleb explained. "We can save daddy"

"You go" Arden said letting go of Caleb's hand and pulling Olaf close to her chest.

Caleb coughed and frowned as he looked at his sister and then at the bathroom door.

Caleb took an uneasy step towards the door and looked back at his sister before he reached the door and his small hand reached for the door knob.

Caleb closed his eyes tight as he twisted the knob and pushed the door open.

"Daddy?" Caleb's voice called out into the bathrrom.

He couldn't see anything behind the Opaque shower door, but he was sure that the monster was in there.

The sound of both his mother and father saying words that he was not supposed to say was followed by the opaque shower door sliding open and Jay sticking his head out of the crack in the door.

Caleb felt relief wash over him when he saw his daddy and he smiled before letting out a cough.

"Where mommy?" Arden asked as she walked up behind her brother and into the bathrrom.

"I'm right here, bug" Erin's voice called as she reached past her husband and stuck her arm out the shower door.

"Why you in der' wif mommy?" Arden asked her father as her little brow furrowed.

"Um..." Jay said as he looked at his daughter and then glanced back at his wife. "We're conserving water. When it rains...you have to save water and mommy and daddy were saving water"

"Ohhhhhh" Arden said with a nod. Fully believing her father's lie.

"I need mommy" Caleb said as he walked closer to the door.

"Wait buddy" Jay said holding his hand up.

"Go back to bed" Erin said as she searched for anything in the shower that would cover her nude form.

"No" Arden said "The monster goin get us"

Jay looked from the twins to his wife and then back to the twins. "Guys, we'll be out there in just a minute. Go sit on the bed and we'll be right out, ok?"

Caleb and Arden both nodded before walking out of the bathroom.

Jay pulled the door closed and looked back at his wife. "Remember how happy we were when they learned to walk?"

Erin nodded and smiled as she looked at Jay "And just think, we're six months away from a newborn"

Jay reached his hand down and ran it over just the faint swell of Erin's abdomen and smiled as he held his hand over the life that was currently growning inside of his wife.

"We need a deadbolt on our door" Jay said. Only half joking.

Erin sighed and looked up at her husband "We're just going to have to get more creative. I'm thinking work sex is our new thing"

"Mmm..." Jay said as he closed his eyes "I know you're joking, but I like that idea"

"Maybe one day" Erin laughed and stood up on her toes to give Jay one long, slow kiss before she stepped past him and out of the shower.

Erin quickly grabbed her towel and wrapped it around her before looking back at her husband.

"Are you coming?" Erin asked.

"I'm...I'm just going to need a minute" Jay explained from behind the closed shower door.

Erin quickly dressed and walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom where the twins were sitting on the bed.

Erin surveyed the scene in front of her. Her twins stood there hand in hand, hair ruffled and identical brown eyes wide with terror. She could see the tear tracks down Arden's face and immediately grew worried.

"What's wrong?" she asked with concern etched upon her face as a large rumble of thunder shook the house and Arden squeaked.

"The funder monster mama, it's going to get us!" Caleb explained as Jay joined Erin in the bedroom and took a seat on the bed next to Erin.

Erin lifted Caleb into the gap between herself and Jay. He crawled up and buried his face into his father's chest while Erin lifted Arden up into her arms. She wiped the tears from her daughter's face and wrapped her arms around Arden in protection.

A whimper escaped the little girl before she could stop it at the next roll of thunder and she pressed herself closer to her mother.

"You''ll pwotect us from the funder monster?" Caleb asked his mother gently from his place on Jay's lap.

"Daddy and I will protect you from anything and everything" Erin assured her son. He smiled and buried his face back into Jay's chest. His father continued to stroke his hair to comfortingly as he wrapped his arms protectively around him. The little boy suddenly felt a whole lot safer.

Arden smiled into her mothers chest while Erin rubbed soothing circles on her daughters back, slowly drifting off. Secure in the knowledge that her parents would protect her and her brother from anything, even the big, scary thunder monster.

00000000000000

Erin woke with a start as she heard the cough echo through the house. Her gaze focused on the clock and the red lights that showed it to be 2:30 in the morning.

She looked into the direction of her son's room, knowing before she got there what she would see, her messy haired little boy, lying in bed with flushed cheeks, red puffy eyes and a cough so deep and hoarse it sounds like it should come from an old man, not a toddler

Erin quickly walked across the hall silently thankful that the storm from earlier in the night had passed over so she wouldn't have to worry about the "Thunder Monster" waking the kids.

"Are you okay. buddy?" Erin asked as she turned the light on and walked into Caleb's room.

"I not feel good mommy" Caleb told his mother hoarsely from his bed. He pushed himself up so he was leaning against the headboard of his toddler bed and closed his eyes, before turning his head to the wall as he coughed once more, making his whole body shake with the vibration.

Erin sighed sadly as she studied her son, if there was a bug to catch, Caleb would catch it. He always seemed to find something to upset his fragile immune system, causing him to be down for a day or two while Erin tried her hardest to get him back up again. It didn't matter how insignificant or small it was, Erin never liked to see any her children sick.

"I know sweetie" She said soothingly, running her hand through his brown hair. She pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, noting the heat and she frowned even more. "I'm going to go downstairs and get some medicine, it'll help"

Caleb made a face, remembering the horrible taste of the medicine from years past, but he made no fuss, which concerned Erin more than if he had. Sending one last worried look to her son she made her way across the room, narrowly avoiding the toys, clothes and books that were strewn haphazardly across his floor. She walked out into the corridor and nearly crashed into her pajama clad husband.

"What are you doing up?" Erin asked as she looked at Jay.

"Is everything okay?" Jay asked as he looked past her and into Caleb's room.

"Caleb's sick" Erin said as she looked back at her little boy in his bed.

"Want me to go in?" Jay asked as he looked down at her.

"No...I'll take care of it. You go back to bed" Erin assured.

"I'll go in and keep him compay until you get back" Jay said as he stepped passed Erin and into the doorway of Caleb's room.

"Thanks, Jay" Erin said as she watched her husband walk over to their little boy.

"What's wrong, buddy?" Jay asked as he sat down on Caleb's bed.

"Not feel good" Caleb explained as tears filled his eyes. "Where mommy?"

"She'll be right back bud. Can I sit with you until she brings your medicine back?" Jay asked as he raised his hand to press against Caleb's forehead.

"Okay..." Caleb's voice trailed off.

Caleb closed his eyes as he felt Jay touch his head gently. He loved his daddy and was glad that he was here. But he wanted his mommy. She was the one who always made him feel so much better when he was sick.

"You know I love you. You're my best friend" Jay said as he brushed the toddler's hairline with his fingers.

"I love you, too, Daddy. You my best fwind" Caleb said as he opened his eyes and gave his daddy a small smile.

"You have to get better. Remember you and daddy are going to go to Wisconsin and go fishing with Uncle Will and Owen" Jay explained.

"Me know. Gwanpa Hank go, too?" Caleb asked.

Jay laughed and shook his head "Yes, sadly. He's going too"

"It be fun" Caleb said. "Just the boys. No sissers awoud"

"No sisters allowed" Jay agreed.

Erin smiled as she backed slowly away from the door and made her way downstairs. After digging out the measuring cup from the back of the cupboard she walked upstairs quietly, and frowned when she walked into Caleb's room. Finding the toddler in tears and him and Jay covered in throw up.

"Mommy!" Caleb sobbed as he reached for his mother as Jay stripped the dirty pajamas off of the two year old.

"Oh no!" Erin said as she sat the medicine down on the dresser and made her way over to the bed and lifted her little boy out of the bed as he clung to her and sobbed.

Erin felt her stomach churn as her heightened sense of smell from pregnancy picked up the scent of throw up as it filled her nostrils and she exhaled as she tried to fight the wave of nausea that overtook her.

"Mommy!" Caleb sobbed as he held tighter to Erin.

"I know, buddy. Mommy's here" Erin soothed as she turned side to side with him and rubbed his back as she tried to calm him down.

"You take him...I'll clean this up" Jay explained as he stripped to his boxers and tossed his soiled clothes on the bed and gathered them up with the dirty sheets.

"Thanks Jay" Erin said as she carried Caleb to the bathroom.

Erin sat the little boy on the floor and turned the water on as the tub started to fill.

Caleb held tight to Erin as she stripped him out of his big boy underwear and lifted him into the luke warm water of the tub.

"Does your tummy hurt, buddy?" Erin asked as she reached into the bucket of toys beside the tub and grabbed a cup out of it as she started to pour the water over Caleb's fevered body in an effort to cool the little boy down.

"No...I cough and frowd up" Caleb explained.

"I saw that" Erin said as she Jay walked into the bathroom with the medicine in his hands.

"I put the sheets and our clothes in the washer. I'll go back and get them when they're done" Jay said as he shut the lid on the toilet and sat down.

"I sowee, daddy" Caleb said as he looked at his father.

"Don't be sorry buddy. You don't have to ever be sorry. Mommy and Daddy are going to make sure you get all better, ok?" Jay said as he opened the Children's Tylenol and filled the doppler up with the dosage before kneeling down next to Erin and giving his son the medicine.

Erin frowned again as she watched Caleb take the medicine without a fight and she gave her little boy a smile before reaching for the body wash to clean his tiny body.

"I'm going to go jump in the shower I'll be back" Jay said as he stood up and made his way out of the bathroom.

Erin let Caleb play in the water a few minutes as she waited for the medicine to take effect.

"You ready to get out, buddy?" Erin asked as she looked at her son.

"I am, mommy" Caleb said as he stood up.

Erin lifted the toddler out of the tub and sat him down on the tile floor as she dried him off and dressed him.

Caleb watched as his mommy drained the bahtub water and dried off the toys before tossing them in the tub beside her.

Caleb reached his hand out and touched Erin's belly gently. "Da baby's in dere?"

Erin placed her hand on top of Caleb's and smiled "Yeah, the baby's in there"

"It's not big" Caleb said.

"The baby still has a lot of growing to do. But it's almost as big as a prune" Erin explained.

"I not like prunes" Caleb said making a face.

Erin laughed and lifted Caleb up off of the floor. "You're silly"

Erin carried Caleb down to his room and she smiled when she saw new sheets on Caleb's bed and his dinosaur shaped humidifier filling the room with mist.

It was the little things that Jay did to help her out that made her fall more in love with him every day. He was her back up on and off the clock and she still never knew how she got so lucky.

Erin sat Caleb down on the bed and grabbed the Vicks BabyRub and gently lifted Caleb's pajama shirt as she rubbed it gently over his chest.

Once she was finished she pulled him up to sit on the bed and ran her fingers across his hairline. "How are you feeling, Caleb?"

"I ok" Caleb assured as he let out a cough.

Erin smiled sadly and lifted him up off the bed and carried him over to the oversized chair by his bedroom window. She reached down and grabbed the dinosaur blanket off the back of the chair and draped the blanket over Caleb as she wrapped him up in her arms and started to rock.

"Mommy..." Caleb's voice trailed off as he curled against Erin's chest.

"What is it, buddy?" Erin asked as she rocked with him in the glider.

"Will you sing to me?" Caleb's sweet voice asked. "Our song...pwease?"

Erin smiled as she placed a kiss on top of Caleb's head. "Our song? You want me to sing our song?"

Caleb nodded against Erin's chest and started to relax as he listened to the sound of his mother's heart beating in her chest."Yeah"

Erin ran her hand up and down Caleb's back as she looked out the window and softly started to sing.

"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy, when skies are grey. You'll never know dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away..."

Erin felt Caleb's body relax against hers and she looked down to find him asleep against her chest.

She felt tears stinging her eyes as she looked down at the sweet boy in her arms. The love that she had for this boy was soul consuming. And being a mother was the greatest gift she'd ever been given. Even on romantic interrupted nights with her husband because of the "Thunder Monster" or a sick child. There was nothing she wanted more than to be right where she was in this moment.

Erin felt his gaze on her. She didn't have to look up to know that Jay was watching her.

"How did we get this lucky?" Erin asked her voice just above a whisper as she kept her eyes on Caleb's face.

"I ask myself that all the time" Jay said as he walked over to where Erin was and knelt down next to her.

"Sometimes I think about how long I waited for you and how I ran from how I felt about you for so long. I was afraid for so long because of how you loved me. Nobody has ever loved me like that. I think about if I hadn't finally let you in that I wouldn't be here. Right here...and this...it's everything I've ever wanted. This boy...and our girls...our new edition...and you" Erin whispered as she looked down at Caleb's sleeping face.

Jay smiled and moved up to kiss Erin's temple. "We took our time getting here. But we're here baby. And nobody deserves a life like this more than you. The best wife and mother that three...soon to be four kids could ever have. I'm the lucky one"

Erin raised her gaze from her sweet son's sleeping face and met the eyes of her husband and he gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"I love you, Jay" Erin whispered

"I love you, Erin Halstead. You're my girl and you always will be" Jay assured "Do you want me to take him? So you can get some rest?"

Erin shook her head as she wrapped her arms tighter around Caleb's sleeping form.

"No. I just want to hold him forever. He doesn't let me do it that much anymore and I want to soak it up as much as I can get it" Erin confessed.

Jay smiled and stood and stood the rest of the way "I'll go put those sheets in the dryer and I'll be back"

Ten minutes later Jay walked back up the stairs and looked inside Caleb's bedroom. He smiled softly at the sight of his wife and son both asleep in the glider before he grabbed a blanket out of the hall closet and silently walked in Caleb's room and covered his wife and son up and quietly gave his own thanks for being so blessed.

Please Review