Nobody really noticed the transition from Cori addressing her adoptive parents by their names to eventually calling them Mom and Dad. It just happened. The first time it happened nobody was shocked; it didn't take anybody off guard. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world.

"Mom!" Cori wailed, as she burst into the house after school. Tears streamed down her face and although she was trying her best to stop them, it was to no avail.

Lindsay rushed in from the kitchen and took Cori into her arms. "What's wrong, honey?"

Cori sniffled and told her story about how Mrs. Lockhart had humiliated her in front of the whole class and everybody except for Jason and a few others had teased her about it all day long.

"It doesn't matter what they think, honey, just ignore them."

"I tried," Cori sobbed, "but it was just too much! They were so mean!"

"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?"

"No," Cori sighed, finally getting a hold of herself, "I'm probably overreacting."

"I'll be in the kitchen if you need me," Lindsay said and retreated to finish baking the cookies she had started before Cori's dramatic entrance. Sophia gurgled from where she was perched in the high chair so that she'd be out of Lindsay's hair. Cori followed her mother into the kitchen and plucked her baby sister out of the chair.

"I'll watch Soph for a while," she announced, taking the child back to her room.

"Thanks honey!" Lindsay called after her. She stood there smiling for a moment. She loved her family with all its flaws and confusion.

Danny arrived home from work a few hours later. His wife had not only finished baking the cookies, but had stuck a casserole in the oven for dinner. "Hey, love," he said, taking her into his arms and kissing her. "I missed you today." He nuzzled her neck.

Lindsay rolled her eyes, but smiled. "I missed you too," she kissed him again.

"Where are the girls?" Danny asked, always wanting to be aware his daughters' whereabouts.

"Cori took Sophie into her room a few hours ago. I haven't seen or heard either of them since."

"And that doesn't concern you?" Danny's eyebrows knitted together in concern.

"Um…not really?"

"Well it should!" he gently shoved his wife out of his arms and took off down the hall. Lindsay followed quickly on his heels. Danny pushed the door to Cori's bedroom open and smiled when he saw his two daughters snuggled up together, fast asleep.

"Look," he told his wife.

A soft smile crossed Lindsay's features when she saw Cori asleep on the bed, Sophia held securely in her arms.

"I love our family," Danny said quietly, emotion clogging his voice.

Lindsay closed the door quietly and led her husband back to the living room. They both sat down on the couch. Danny pulled Lindsay so that she was held tightly against his side, her head lying on his shoulder. "Me too," Lindsay agreed, "Me too."

They were quite for a while, neither of them speaking until Lindsay suddenly spoke up. "I want to have a baby," she announced.

Danny's eyes grew wider. "Whoa, Linds, slow down."

"What?" his wife asked innocently.

"Don't ya think we've got enough on our plate right now?"

Lindsay cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Honey, you know exactly what I mean! We just got outta the red, y'know?"

"No, I don't," Lindsay replied honestly.

"Babe, we just adopted a teenage girl whose parents were brutally murdered and Fee's not even one yet." Danny said reasonably.

"I guess you're right…."

"An' on top of that, our lives and the lives of our daughters were recently threatened because of Cori's biological parents' death."

Lindsay giggled suddenly.

"Montana!" Danny exclaimed with exaggerated exasperation, "I'm tryin' ta have a serious discussion here!"

Lindsay bit her lip to stop the giggles. "I'm sorry, it's not that it's funny…it's just…" she trailed off.

"Well what is it?"

"You just referred to Cori's parents as her 'biological parents.' It was cute."

Danny was puzzled. "Why is that so cute?"

Lindsay giggled again.

"Montana! I'll give you a real reason to laugh!" he said with a wicked smile and began tickling her.

"Danny!" she gasped in-between laughter, "Danny, stop!"

Danny finally did stop. He was straddling Lindsay, pinning her to the couch and she was gasping, trying her best to catch her breath. "Why was it so cute?" he asked.

Lindsay smiled softly. "You made it seem like we're Cori's real parents."

He leaned over and kissed her gently. "That's because we are."

A/N Yeah, weird chapter, I know…I hope you didn't hate it TOO much!

xoxo

Lia