Many thanks to the lovely tenroseforeverandever, Dev, and the ladies of BWR.

"Oh, excuse me! I do beg your pardon, but do you know where I might find Ms. Smith or Ms. Jones? Or perhaps that nice young man with the suit?"

John Tyler-Smith's first impression was of a happy gnome. An older, slightly balding, slightly shabby gnome, with a kind expression.

"Oh, I do beg your pardon," the man continued, as John turned and he could see the baby in her pouch. "I saw your jacket and mistook you for a security guard. I am frightfully sorry."

"No worries," John replied easily. "At least one of them should be in the office. I'll walk you."

"You work here, then?"

"John Tyler-Smith, Head of IT. Well, officially, all of IT."

"I'm Mr. Copper, and I must say, that's quite the little beauty you've got there."

"Thanks," John replied, looking down at his daughter with the gentle smile that only Rose and the girls could draw out of him. "She takes after her mum. Fortunately." He looked shrewdly at his companion, as the name fell into place in his mind. "You're the gentleman who's been providin' for all the youth groups to see the show and attend circus camp."

"Well, yes. You see, I'm all alone. No family, never made much of myself, but then, one day, I won the lottery. Quite a big one, as it happens. And…well…I like to make people happy. And now I can."

"Then I'd say you've made more of your life than most people."

"Hello John! Mr. Copper!" Astrid greeted them cheerfully.

"You've met, then?" John asked curiously.

"Well, yes. It wouldn't be a proper trip to the circus without sweets and popcorn for the children, now would it?" Mr. Copper mumbled, turning a bit pink around the ears.

"Have you seen Sarah Jane or Harriet?" John asked.

"Sarah Jane's in the tent, and Harriet's in the office," Astrid offered. "Is there something we can help with?"

"Well, you see," Mr. Copper began, "there's a children's home nearby; special needs children. Some of them are quite afraid of crowds, others can't handle too much in the way of bright lights or noises, so I was wondering if it would be possible to do a sort of special performance for them? Something a bit smaller and quieter?"

"I expect we can arrange something," John said thoughtfully.

"Maybe Jack and Rose could do their routine?" Astrid suggested brightly. "Little girls just love that. Oh, and what about face painting?"

"That's the ticket!" Mr. Copper agreed.

"Is this about what you had in mind?" Sarah Jane asked, looking on at the group of happy children laughing, twirling around the ring with Rose and Jack, or sitting in the front row, having their faces painted by Rani and Maria.

Martha hovered nearby, chatting with the attendants from the children's home.

"It's splendid! Just splendid!" Mr. Copper replied cheerily. "I trust my check was adequate?"

"Very generous. Thank you."

"My pleasure. I'm just so fascinated by this place! People dream about running off to join the circus when they're children, but you wonderful people - you've actually done it!"

"Well, it's not the life for everyone, but it suits us," John said quietly.

"Isn't it hard, though, raising your children while moving about all the time?" There was no censure in his voice, only curiosity.

"Well, twin infants would be hard anywhere," John replied, chuckling. "Especially when one of them decides to be vocal at two thirty in the morning. But I drag myself out of bed, and pick her up, and those little eyes look right at me, and she smiles…well, there's nowhere else I'd rather be."

"They've got you wrapped around those tiny, little fingers," Sarah Jane said, smirking.

"And the older children, they're all home schooled?"

"Technically, yes. I'm afraid none of our finances run to boarding school fees. There is a group of kids close enough in age that they can do lessons together. John handles a lot of distance learning programs for them."

Mr. Copper looked thoughtful. "I wonder if you'd permit me to organize an excursion for the youngsters? Dunster has a wonderful medieval village and castle. Surely that could be worked into your lesson plans some way?"

"I - well, that would be lovely!" Sarah Jane exclaimed.

"Splendid! I'll hire a motorcoach, shall I? Make it a family outing?"

"Thank you," John replied, shaking his hand warmly. "That's very kind of you."

"Nonsense, my dear chap. It's my pleasure."

"You're sure we won't be a disruption?" Rose asked yet again.

"No," Sarah Jane informed her rather firmly. "Mr. Copper intended this as a family outing, and you're part of the family. All four of you."

"How come Rose an' John are sleeping?" Jamie asked a while later.

"Because that's what people do when they have new babies," Nancy informed him. "They fall asleep any time they get the chance to sit still for five minutes."

"Did you do that too, when I was little?"

"Oh, yes," Nancy replied. "Now hush."

She smiled gently at the picture her friends made. They were seated side by side, each wearing a baby. Their hands were intertwined on the arm rest, and Rose's head rested against John's shoulder.

The baby John was holding suddenly lifted her head and began looking around, drooling on her daddy in the process. John cracked one eye open blearily and whispered to her. She giggled in response.

Rose bumped her shoulder against John's, grinning. "You. Me. A beautiful castle."

"And a squalling baby," John retorted, bouncing Allie gently in an attempt to calm her. "You should go on; catch up with the others."

"Nowhere else we'd rather be. Isn't that right, Jackie?"

John rolled his eyes as Jackie chortled. Allie blurbled, then hiccupped.

"There now. That wasn't so hard was it?"

"You don't really expect her to answer, do you?" Rose chuckled.

"Maybe. She's as clever as her mum…wouldn't surprise me at all if she started talking in full sentences any day now."

"You're daft!"

"And you married me. What's that say about you?"

"That I'm the luckiest woman in the world."