A/N: Thank you so much cypcheerchick07, Princess Isabella Flynn, and hodgelafan, each of your reviews mean so much to me. I hope you like this chapter too!

Chapter 26- Isn't it lucky?

The twins had been begging for a proper spring break vacation. They demanded no unidentified remains, no Cantilever meetings, and no work of any kind. They had been to Guatemala and Argentina while their parents helped give names to dead bodies. They had gotten to zip lining and had swam in waterfalls. They had been to Disney world with their nanny when they were going through their princess phase. The twins had worn ball gown dresses and stood in line to meet every character, and get every autograph. Their parents had been called away on a case the day they arrived. The girls had even been to New York and seen the State of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and various musicals. This time their parents were there but Jack was at Cantilever meetings throughout the week. To kids, love is spelled T-I-M-E. All the girls wanted was a beach vacation full of family time.

It would be Nicky and Katie's first real spring break; they were in first grade now. Parker was a senior in high school and was heading to Key West with his friends. Booth couldn't fault him for wanting to spend his break with his classmates and not his family and had given his permission. Booth had taken Parker right to the gate and then joined everyone else at the plane's gate to Cancun.

The first few days had been good. The weather was nice and hot and the kids swam in the pool and built sand castles along the beach. They couldn't swim in the ocean because waves were huge and the beach was red flagged to warn potential swimmers. On the four day, this began to bother them and the children were beginning to squabble among each other. The twins, who hardly ever fought, were bickering constantly. Not sweet Booth and Brennan bickering but screaming matches with real vehemence. They began yelling once again down by the pool. Angela got up and stalked over. "Girls!" she yelled loudly. The twins pressed together and interlocked their hands. They were in for a lecture and they knew they deserved it.

A scream and splash into the pool distracted Angela before she could begin. "Nicholas Zachary Hodgins!" Katie shrieked from the pool. She stood up, her cover-up was dripping wet, and her hair was soaked. Katie swam over to the side and yanked him in too. Nicky came up sputtering and flapping his arms like crazy, it was deeper where Katie had pulled him in and Nicky couldn't touch. At five, he was still not a very strong swimmer and he was panicking. Katie looked both astonished and guilty. Addison quickly did a clean dive into the pool and hauled Nicky to where it was shallower. Angela rushed down the zero depth entrance and scooped Nicky out of Addison's arms. Ange was so angry at Nicky for pushing Katie in, but her maternal instincts took over as she checked him over carefully cooing, "It's alright Nico" to him softly. At the same time as Addison, Olivia had dove into the pool and snagged Katie's arm. Olivia shoved Katie into the corner of the pool and brought her face right in front of Katie's. "Don't you ever do that again," she growled in her face. Katie was shaking in front of her "I forgot" Katie said in tears. Olivia sighed and looked back at Nicky and her twin. She then pulled Katie into a hug. "We protect our family" she began her lecture, "You and Nicky mess around all the time, it's fine to do that. He kind of deserved it. But you do not hurt him, got it. We may not be as big as Parker is, but we love our baby brother as much as Parks loves you. So just like Parker we will defend him no matter what, even if it's from you" Olivia concluded pressing a kiss to Katie's forehead to prove all was forgiven. Liv then climbed out of the pool and helped Katie up too.

They made their way around the pool to their chairs. Nicky was wrapped in a towel snug in Angela's arms. "This type of behavior is not acceptable," were the first words out of Brennan's mouth. Katie frowned "But Nicky". "But Nicky nothing. You are older and should act accordingly," Brennan interrupted. Katie opened her mouth to protest but Booth stopped her saying "Katie" in a warning tone. Olivia and Addison sat together on the same beach chair. Towels were wrapped around their shoulders and they were huddled together. "Mission accomplished" Olivia said gesturing to Katie. "Me too" Addison said nodding to Nicky.

Sisters annoy, interfere, criticize. Indulge in monumental sulks, in huffs, in snide remarks. Borrow. Break. Monopolize the bathroom. Are always underfoot. But if catastrophe should strike, sisters are there. Defending you against all comers.
- Pam Brown

Jack had his arms wrapped around his wife, but stood up when Booth beckoned him. "Let's have the wives go down to the spa. They need to cool off" Booth told him, "Then we'll take the kids into the ocean for a bit. Maybe then they will calm down too". Jack agreed but told Booth "You need to tell Dr. B and Angie your plan". The women agreed, they knew that yelling while they were that angry would only make things worse.

As they made their way down to the water, Booth was regretting his idea. The waves were crashing hard against the beach and he considered announcing a change of plan. But then he looked down at Katie who was clutching his hand tightly. She looked up at him trustingly with those bright blue eyes that matched Bones' eyes so perfectly. With a huge smile she declared, "I love you Daddy," skipping happily alongside him. And Booth continued heading towards the water.

Jack was having similar regrets. He looked over at Addison and Olivia, in between them was Nicky. Addison glanced toward him and waved, nudging Nicky to do the same. She swept her hair back and caught his eye. In that moment she reminded him so much of Angela it scared him. Those teen years would be hell, he decided. Jack watched Addison swing Nicky into her arms and begin to kiss the squirming boy. But that heart of hers made him so proud. Jack shifted his gaze to Olivia who was playfully tickling Nicky. She waved to him too; her eyes mirrored his ice blue and reflected his image. Olivia was so much like himself, Jack thought. But she was also so much better; she had so much more potential and so much kindness to give. Finally, Jack looked at Nicky. He was the perfect mix of Ange and himself. He was sweet to his mommy, so smart and quick to understand things, and a boy's boy rough and tumble.Nicky was running to make up for his sisters' longer legs. Similarly, the twins were walking more slowly through the white sand.

At the water's edge, the waves gently lapped the shore. Jack took Nicky's hand from Addison's and Booth hoisted Katie onto his shoulders. The girls locked hands tightly and stepped into the cool water. "Don't go out too far," Jack warned. They all walked about 8 feet out. The waves rushed against their legs and slammed into the girls' waists. Jack quickly pulled Nicky upward out of the water and into his arms. They continued into the ocean and suddenly the waves were over the twins' heads and plowing into the men's shoulders. The waves withdrew and pulled the twins sideways. "Daddy" Olivia screamed and they tried in vain to dig their toes into the sand. Jack was holding Nicky tightly and reaching for the girls. Booth yelled over the crashing waves, "We need to go back". Booth was holding onto Katie's legs. Katie could see over the spray and was screaming in terror. Booth didn't want to let go of Katie with even one finger but he reluctantly nodded to Jack. Jack passed Nicky to Booth carefully. Nicky immediately latched on tightly and Booth began to make his way to the shore. He struggled against the waves and held on tightly to the two children, certain Jack wouldn't be able to make it back with both twins.

The waves pulled Olivia's head under water and salt water filled her lungs when she took a breath. Liv popped back up coughing and searched for Addison. Addison had been submerged under as well and came up with her eyes tearing so badly she couldn't see. But both twins could still feel the other's hand tightly clutching their own. They continued to swim the best they could as waves washed over them. Finally their Daddy appeared, Jack began to pull the girls toward the beach. But the undertow was too strong and he was forced to make a choice. Olivia was still holding her own in the water but when the waves crashed into Addison, it was taking her longer and longer to reach the surface. Jack took a deep breath readying himself and pulled the twins' hands apart, he then began to swim as quickly as he could toward Booth with Addison in tow.

The moms' spa treatment had finished and they had made their way to the beach. Smiling they followed the footprints in the sand that the children had made. Brennan then spotted Booth on the beach and could tell by his face that something was very wrong. She looked past him and saw the two younger children huddled together crying. Angela and Bren rushed over. Booth pointed to the ocean and began to run "They're still out there" he yelled. Angela began to sob and squinted at the ocean hoping to see her family intact. Brennan shifted into crisis mode, wrapped the little ones in a towel, and pulled them into her lap. A few minutes passed before Angela cried out and ran to the shore where Booth and Jack were carrying out Addison. Booth turned back and dove back in to search for Olivia. Jack could barely breath himself and stumbled back to their spot. Addison was awake and crying "my eyes hurt so much". Her eyes were bloodshot from the stinging seawater and Brennan began to rinse them with water from her water bottle. Jack was lying on his back breathing heavily "It was fine when we started out, then all of a sudden the waves were up to our chests". Angela sighed no longer crying and continued to look for Booth and her little girl. "Mommy, mommy" Nicky was screaming and Angela took him into her arms without saying a word. She was in a nearly catatonic state and Jack was worried. He wrapped his arms around her tightly but she still didn't say a word. Addison was crying, "Why didn't you bring back both of us?" she said accusingly shoving Jack as hard as she could and in the same minute curling against him tightly and snuggling into his lap an act she was much to old for. Jack stroked her arm and kept his second arm around Angela. Brennan came and sat on Jack's other side, Katie safely in her arms.

Booth struggled against the waves. He couldn't see more than a few feet in front of him and continued to reach into the cold water. He had no idea how far Olivia had drifted or if she was even still able to make it above the waves. Booth yelled her name repeatedly fighting against the roaring waves. And then his hand closed around her wrist and he pulled her towards him. Booth made it back with Olivia, dragging her to where water only kissed ankles and didn't tug them under. Angela was holding her baby girl in seconds. Jack helped her carry Liv back onto the beach while Brennan helped Booth out of the water. Addison ran to her twin and slid her fingers into Olivia's hand. Olivia squeezed A's hand tightly. Addison was trembling beside her staring intently at her face. "I'm fine Sissy" Olivia rasped, the seawater making her voice hoarse, "Just tired". And Angela swore that sound was the best sound she had ever heard. Addison lay beside her twin until Olivia's breathing evened out again. Until Olivia's heart beat at the same time hers did. Until Olivia's eyes opened and Addison could see her mirror image staring back at her. Angela had stayed back after being reassured by Brennan that everyone was going to be just fine. Ange kept reminding herself that they were all together, her family, and that's what mattered.

That night they had all ordered in room service and gathered in one hotel room. The four kids were smushed together on the couch. Nicky and Katie were still a bit scared and kept looking at the older girls to reassure themselves that everything was okay. The twins still hadn't let go of each other's hands and Olivia was eating pizza with her left hand while Addison ate her slice with her right. The parents were rehashing the day's events and had decided the ocean was off limits during the rest of the vacation. When everyone went back to their room and were fast asleep, Ange turned to Jack. "We could have lost them" she whispered "We could have lost this family today Jack. This family means the world to me and it almost slipped right through our fingers" she nestled against him shaking, silent tears dripping onto his shirt. Jack knew she was not just talking about their immediate family. The family she was talking about was not just bound together by bloodlines. He knew that nothing he said would ease her worries and Jack simply stroked her hair, held her tightly, and hoped that tomorrow would be better.

And the rest of the vacation was better; time was spent at the pool and in the markets. They had even gone to Margarita Ville one night and danced along with the crowd to the Macarena and Electric Slide. The dads had sung along to the Jimmy Buffet tunes and properly embarrassed the kids. They went on an excursion to Chichen Itza and had seen the pyramids in the sweltering heat as Brennan went on and on excitedly. Now it was time to board the plane and head home. They took their seats on the plane and as they flew over the ocean Angela looked out her window.

Isn't it lucky? she thought to herself that everyone is safe and sound. She turned to focus on what was going on inside the plane. Addison and Olivia sat side by side watching a movie bound together by the computer where both their headphones were plugged in. Isn't it lucky? that I have two girls who are best friends first and sisters second. She shifts her gaze to Booth and Brennan who are bickering softly over airline food, first class tickets, and whether they should buy Katie the dog she's been begging for. Brennan turns back to her computer after stealing a kiss. Booth leans over his seat and peeks at Katie who is sitting beside Olivia. He then places a kiss on Katie and Olivia's heads. Isn't it lucky? that I have two friends who love my children just as much as I do.

Ange looks at Nicky whose sitting in the aisle seat for their row and asking Katie for the red crayon. Nicky proudly passes the picture to her. It's a picture of their family, Addison, Olivia, Katie, Brennan, Booth, Jack, herself, Parker, and Nicky. Tiny stick figures all holding hands in a circle with no end. They are standing in very long green grass with a rainbow overhead. And written in that red crayon is the word love, in the shaky handwriting of five year olds with a backwards e. Isn't it lucky? that there's more than one kind of family and out of all the kinds I ended up with the best one. A family bound by smiles and laughter, by memories and moments that are impossible to forget, and by a love so encompassing it holds all of us. Hodgins turned and kissed her, startling Ange out of her thoughts and eliciting squeals from Nicky and Katie. Jack pulled back ever so slightly and whispered, "I love you". Isn't it lucky? I have a husband who loves me more than anything in the world and that I love him just as much in return. Angela rested her head on Jack's shoulder and continued watching her family. Isn't it lucky?

While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.
Angela Schwindt

A/N: There's the vacation, what did you think? ~AprilBaby95