That afternoon found the four youngest kid s in their respective rooms, taking their naps and Jordan coloring in the living room. It was Dylan and Jade's down time during the day, and she went in search of him. She found Dylan in his parents' bedroom, folding a load of towels. She smiled to see him doing something so domestic. She hadn't figured that he would be that type. But then, she knew that Emily's death had changed him.

Jade crossed the room to stand on the other side of the bed, starting to fold as well.

She asked carefully, looking at his faraway expression, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

His answer came too quickly, and she knew that he wasn't okay. But she also knew to give him time. He would talk about it eventually. So she moved on to another question.

"Is your mom feeling all right? She looked a little pale this morning."

"Yeah."

Also to quick. Hm.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." His peevish tone gave her pause, so she changed the subject once again.

"What was with the board today?"

"It was what I felt like putting, I guess."

"But why? There's always a reason for what you put down, it has a reason, and it's applicable. Matthew 19:14 wasn't. Isn't." And then it hit her. She looked up at his downcast eyes and added suggestively, "Unless there's something going on that I don't know about."

"And you know what?" He snapped at her and threw the towel onto the bed, glaring fiercely at her. "It's none of your business either."

He stalked out the door, leaving Jade a little flabbergasted and more than a little bit hurt. She watched him leave before she bit her lip and turned back to the towels. She knew that if he was half the person she thought he was, he would be back after blowing off some of his steam.

Another thing that she knew was that something was most definitely going on.

She heard the front door open, and she listened to see if it would close behind him. He was probably going for a sprint. But the sound didn't come for a long minute and when it did, it was a simple close, not the slam she had expected. Then his footsteps came back down the hall. He stood in the doorway, shifting from one foot to the other.

"I'm sorry if I was prying." Jade offered.

"And I'm sorry I snapped at you." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It's been… ah, I got some unexpected news last night, that's all. I shouldn't have taken that out on you."

She smiled and crossed the room to stand in front of him. "And I should learn to take the hint." He had yet to look at her, so she tapped his shoulder until he looked her in the eye. "I forgive you. It happens. We're human; we can't get along all the time. And that's all right. As long as we admit we're wrong and say sorry."

Now he smiled. "Thank you."

She kissed him on the cheek before they returned to the towels. "Any time."

A minute passed in companionable silence before she asked hesitantly, "You'd tell me if something was really wrong, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah. And… nothing is really wrong, it's just… something that we weren't at all prepared for. But no one is technically sick. If I could tell you I would and I wish I could."

"Dylan," she asked softly. "Is your mom… you know, going to have a baby?"

"Oh, thank you!" he gasped with relief.

Then he nodded. Jade rounded the bed, just so that she could stand by him.

"When?"

"In November."

"Do they know if it's a boy… or girl?"

"They're going to find out today."

"Oh, Dylan, no wonder… When did they tell you?"

"I overheard them last night. They were going to wait until they knew which it was. No," He flinched. "Not 'it'. Bethany. Or Seth. But I think Bethany."

"Do you want a sister?" That thought surprised her, surprise that came through in her voice.

Dylan laughed dryly. "I don't even know if I want any baby around, at least another sibling of my own. Too risky."

Jade considered that. "You do understand that i-Bethany is coming whether or not you want her, or him, here, right?"

"Of course."

"And your reasoning is that it's too risky, right?"

"That's what I said."

She licked her lips before saying carefully, "Dylan, our fathers are deputies in the sheriff's department. They carry guns and tasers around all day, and those things aren't for decoration. It's a dangerous job. It's risky. And yet – you still love your dad."

"That's different."

"How?"

He sighed. "If something happens to them, it's not really out of the middle of nowhere. We know that they're going to occasionally get hurt."

"So are siblings. They're no more immortal than anyone else. They're going to fall. They're going to get scraped up. They're going to get broken bones and hearts and everything else." She rested a hand on his arm as her tone softened. "And, just like everybody else in the entire world, one day, they're going to die."

"I know." He looked over at her. "I guess I just needed a reminder."

She winked at him, trying to rid the room of their somber emotions. "Everybody does once in a while. It's what I'm here for. That and anything and everything else."

He laughed once, taking her totally by surprise when he made the seemingly random remark, "Captain Holt was right."

"Do what?"

"Captain Holt. He said that this situation made it seem like we were all ready, well, um, married. And look at us. Taking care of a house, kids, five of them," He held up a towel. "And laundry. Arguing, apologizing, laughing, lecturing."

Jade started laughing.

"I mean it!" Dylan smiled at her, laughing a little himself. "I might as well just propose right now! What would it change? Honestly?!"

Jade's smile dimmed a little as she considered that.

"Really," Dylan said. "It'd only be setting something in stone. Isn't that where this is headed, with what we agreed to in the park? Well, that's null and void now, it doesn't matter. But, honestly, I can see that."

Jade nodded in agreement; suddenly shy around this young man that she knew so well. Dylan tapped her on the shoulder and she looked up at him.

"It happens. We're human. And that's all right. As long as we admit it."

She dared to say, "But you haven't."

A look of surprise flashed through his eyes. "Well, not where you've heard me. But I do."

She arched an eyebrow, torturing him now.

He smiled at her. "Jade Hayes, I love you."

She smiled. "I love you too."

Okay, so this is a reposted version of my original story with the same title, just in case you read that. Please review this! I really need the motivation right now! Thank you in advance! By the way, this is one of those "call me crazy if you want" moments. :)