Peaceful and quiet wasn't something Duke and Jennifer craved for or something both of them'd seek often. Quite the contrary, Duke and Jennifer knew they'd never get to achieve any of that and giving all the circumstances, they didn't mind much. They were happy with their lives the way it was and wouldn't change a thing. Everything they had definitely was more than they should have gotten in the first place.
First, there were the Troubles. It seemed like no one was allowed to have a break, not even once in a while. If people even thought about it, Haven'd get back for them and rip their heads off. it seemed like no one was allowed to take a break, not even once in a while. If they even thought about it, they'd get their heads ripped off without remorse. Then, they got married and along with that, came their honeymoon, and suddenly not having a peaceful life wasn't a problem anymore. Visiting all the places they wanted and doing a lot more than just sightseeing and not going back to the Rouge- back home- until dawn started to break in. While all of that happened, a child got involved and Duke and Jennifer had to go back to real life and to being actual adults with actual responsibilities. Of course there were quiet days and nights as they traveled from place to place, but they never lasted enough. Duke and Jennifer never truly enjoyed them.
Few years later, Jennifer entered their room and laid on their bed, resting her head on Duke's chest as she wrapped her leg around his waist. She was wearing one of those infectious and bright smile of hers, the kind of smile that could warm up any cold hearted person's heart- if Duke knew Jennifer as much as he thought he did, he'd say she was proud of herself, "Managed to convince Kate to sleep in her room and I don't think she'll be sneaking into Tom's or Laurie's. Tonight, anyways."
Most of the times, they'd be okay with Kate choosing to sleep in one of her sibling's room, specially Lauren's, but since she and Tom were the same age and naturally closer, Kate chose his instead; and instead of sleeping, they'd spend the whole night playing. That was one of the few issues they had with their youngest children and they sure needed to talk about it with them, but both Duke and Jennifer knew it'd stop as time passed.
"Congrats!" Duke said with actual excitement on his voice, wrapping his arms around her small frame and somehow finding a way to pull her closer to his own body, "Do you think this is celebration worthy?"
"Not tonight," Jennifer said Duke nodded for her to keep going, "I think there's something wrong with Vince and Dave's water-they want me at the Herald by seven so I got an early start tomorrow."
"I see," Duke stopped mid-sentence and she realized he was thinking, as if he was trying to figure something out, "we always have your lunch hours. Or the weekends, they're good too; could drop the three of them at the Wuornoses'. Pretty sure they wouldn't mind having them for a few hours and-"
"Y'know, I always wanted a big family." Jennifer started, cutting him in the middle of his sentence and for a moment Duke started wondering what any of that had to do with what he was talking about. He came to the conclusion that nothing- it had nothing to do with what Duke was talking about but for once, he decided to shut up and just listen to what she had to say, "My parents were great and they always tried their best but it was lonely, specially after they died and I was left on my own. Since then, I decided I'd have a big family."
Duke had an idea where that conversation was going. He had no idea where how long that subject had been sitting on the back of her mind, but he decided to go for it, "Do you... want more or something?"
"I don't know. Maybe?" Jennifer scoffed and shook her head at the thought of having one more child. The twins had just turned four and in a few months, Lauren'd be seven. They were growing before either of them could even notice and naturally becoming smarter and better at things. Duke and Jennifer loved being there to watch all of that, but she missed having a toddler around. When they put some thought into it, it wasn't so bad, "You?"
"Maybe," Sure, the idea of raising four children wouldn't even be ten yet'd be, in the least, chaotic, but not a bad idea. Never bad idea. Duke and Jennifer would find a way to make the best out of that situation. Duke knew they could do it and they'd find a way, "Let's just... leave things be, alright? If it happens then fine, we'll be happy and we'll do whatever is necessary, yeah? But if it doesn't, then we'll move on with our lives. We won't get upset over it or blame each other or ourselves for it. Deal?"
"Deal."