AN: Music for this chapter (on repeat): Where I Come From by Passion Pit, A Thousand Years- Pt.2 (ft. Steve Kazee) by Christina Perry.


FORTY-NINE

o

*Where I Come From*

Irina felt the weight of Jack's arm around her before her eyes fluttered open and a smile came to her face staring into Lena's wide open eyes and busy fists, her smile only grew when she saw Sydney asleep just behind Lena. Her babies and Jack all sleeping together. She couldn't have awoken to a more beautiful sight. She moved her hand gently to grasp her baby's little hand and Lena instantly wrapped her tiny fingers around Irina's finger, smiling madly at her mother and cooing making Irina giggle softly.

Jack felt the vibrations against his body and slowly his eyes opened and realized Irina was awake, watching her finger clutched in Lena's hand wave back and forth, Irina's thumb caressing the back of her little hand. Jack wrapped his arm tighter around Irina and kissed her shoulder, snuggling in closer behind her and Irina smiled, using her free hand to reach up and grasp Jack's protective arm around.

Lena's little fist waved and hit Sydney in the nose, bringing her awake and after a few blinks, smiled madly seeing her mother smiling back at her, her father's arm wrapped around her mother and his head propped up on hers.

"Good morning." Irina smiled and took a deep breath, feeling much better this morning after talking with Jack about their little boy and waking surrounded by her family.

"Good morning." Sydney smiled groggily, snuggling her face into her pillow and running her fingers over Lena's little head. "Are you ok?" She asked Irina softly, happy to see her mother smiling again.

"Mmmhmm." Irina smiled and nodded against her pillow, reaching her hand over and catching Sydney's fingers, holding them tightly. "Today is a new day." Irina said softly, realizing today was the first day they would no longer have to worry about Sloane and could start living their lives.

Sydney's eyes darted up to Jack's with a smile and Irina could feel Jack's smile against her cheek.

"Your father told you about your brother?" Irina asked softly with a small smile, holding tightly to Sydney's fingers and knowing that Jack must have, for Sydney to be sleeping with them as well.

Sydney nodded softly with a soft smile against her pillow feeling fresh tears pooling in her eyes. "Jack," She whispered saying her little brother's name and Irina nodded with a soft smile of her own, feeling her own tears welling. "Eric thinks our brother is Lena and my guardian angel with all the crazy stuff we've both survived." She maintained her whisper and looked down to her sister and then back at Irina with her smile growing thinking about it.

Irina's tears fell from her eyes and rolled over her nose as her smile grew and Jack pulled her tighter against him. "Yes." She spoke barely above a whisper, "I think he probably is." Her heavenly little boy was protecting and watching over his sisters like a good brother.

"I love you, Mom." Sydney smiled inhaling a shaky breath as a tear fell down her own cheek and Irina reached up to wipe it away.

"I love you too, Sweetheart." She smiled warmly taking a deep breath and bringing Sydney's hand to her lips for a kiss.

"Thank you for being just what I needed, all of you." She looked down to Lena's bright eyes and held Jack tighter.

They lay there talking softly for awhile, as it was still very early, before Sydney kissed all three of them and went and slid into bed with Vaughn with a smile, curling up next to him. His eyes opened slowly and lit into a smile seeing her beautiful dimple grin before she kissed him.

"Your Mom is ok?" He asked softly, pulling her into his arms and rubbing his nose with hers.

"Yeah, she's ok." She kissed him lightly and both of their eyes closed again with smiles on both of their faces.

"Jack," Irina ran her hand down the length of his arm as he continued to hold her, spooned up behind her as they watched Lena nursing. "Thank you for being there. For taking care of me last night, I'm sorry it came out that way."

"Irina," He sighed, kissing her face and neck, "Don't be sorry. You have nothing to be sorry about. You were in pain and you needed to let it out. I would've done anything to take that hurt away for you if I could." He kissed her bare shoulder again. "I love you."

Irina smiled feeling her tears well again hearing his words and the soft way he spoke; his tender touches, and kisses looking down at their baby now and thinking of the one they lost. "I love you…" She smiled and brushed her falling tears, feeling safe and loved in her husband's arms.

They lay together with Jack spooned behind her, his chin on her shoulder and hand entwined with hers on Lena's back watching their baby falling back to sleep, completely content and happy.

Jack disentangled himself from his girls and headed to the shower, stripping his clothes off and stepping into the steaming water, he closed his eyes and let the water pound away the stress and tension. His thoughts drifting to the son he'd never know, his daughters. and to Irina and the pain she went through. He loved her so intensely, he couldn't stand or bare to think of her ever in pain and vowed he wouldn't let her go through anything alone again.

Irina kissed her baby's head softly and laid her in the Moses basket, setting it on the floor beside her bed with a smile looking at Lena so sweet in her dreams. She removed her bandage from her arm and pulled her dress off, letting it drop to the floor, walking to the bathroom quietly and opened the glass door stepping in without Jack even noticing as his eyes were closed. She inched towards him, wrapping her arms around his waist and brought her lips to his when he smiled softly at her, his hands to her face, holding her against his mouth as his tongue caressed her warmth with tender kisses of love.

*A Thousand Years-Part 2*

His eyes raked over her body and the new wounds and deep ugly bruises. His hands reaching out gently to touch her while he washed her every inch, Irina's eyes locking onto his with so much in them he felt blinded with only the sight of her and what he felt inside.

Irina could barely breathe, feeling butterflies watching the man she loved take such tender care of her, worshiping her body and treating her like she was the most precious thing in the world. When he was finished she did the same for him and seized his lips in another long tender kiss letting their tongues dance and explore, taking their time.

She didn't want this man, she needed him, she loved him.

Jack grabbed a dark blue fluffy towel and dried her off with the same tenderness he had taken in washing her, tying it around her chest when he was finished and taking another one for himself. His breathing picked up standing in front of her; loving her with such an intense feeling he thought he would burst. His hand gently reached up to cup her face and his eyes darted to her lips, slowly bringing his face to hers, kissing her upper lip with such gentleness it brought tears to Irina's eyes. His kiss became hungry with his need to be one and his tongue, plunged into her depth, claiming her mouth as his own, and making her whimper with love, need and surrender. His hand pulled off his towel and then released hers, letting them drop to their feet before sweeping her up into his arms as their mouths continued to make love with each other, Irina's hands threading into his wet hair and pulling his face closer when he carried her to the bed and lay her gently on the top.

His knee hit the mattress and he slowly straddled her body as their mouths continued their dance, lowering himself carefully onto her, encasing her in his arms.

Irina raised her knee and pushed on his shoulder, rolling on top of him. She pushed herself up and off of him, hands and arms straddling his shoulders and Jack threaded his hands into her own wet brown locks, dangling down and framing her face.

Her intense eyes looking into his, causing him to lose himself as he brought her mouth down slowly to his. His tongue darting out to lave softly against her luscious smile and brushing lightly with her own warm tongue, sending a spark of electricity through the both of them.

Irina felt the intensity of need burning brightly as they stoked their fire of desire and rocked slowly against his body with her own, brushing him just lightly and stoking his own fire with her gently touches and soft caresses.

She hand never needed anyone like she needed him.

"I love you, Jack." She whispered with a smile looking into his eyes as she lay a sweet trail of kisses over his face from his closed eye lids to his bruised cheeks and down his jaw-line to his strong neck and throbbing pulse as his heart pounded in his chest beneath her weight. Her hands finding his and threaded their fingers together as she moved carefully down his chest, trailing her hot kisses and tongue, touching him softly and conveying her love for him through those kisses.

Jack wanted to reciprocate those feelings and flipped them quickly and gently, making her laugh softly in surprise seeing his smiling eyes. "My turn," His lips sealed his intentions with a deep and intense kiss, with his tongue delving into her hot cavern, exploring the familiar territory before making his way to her neck.

His tongue worshipping all of her pleasure points and lapping and teasing the one just below her ear, that he knew drove her nuts and made her inhale sharply, her fingers digging into his strong arms and she closed her eyes moaning softly in pleasure when his mouth sucked softly on the skin in the hollow of her throat, dipping his tongue in and swirling it around at a torturous pace.

Her fingers kneading into his arms and over his shoulders, feeling every curve and dip of his muscles as they made their way down his sides to his hips and pulled him closer.

The first brush of contact in their lower bodies making them both gasp with anticipation as she opened her legs wider, inviting and enveloping him when she wrapped her legs around him, holding him tightly to her as her heat radiated to him, his hardness pressed into her lower abdomen.

The feel of his throbbing shaft against her soft skin caused a wave of trembling to course his body from his lips to his toes as his body rocked into hers, his mouth moving down to appreciate her every inch.

Her breasts, heaving and beautiful with their hard peaks grazing against his chest working his way over her shoulders and down the scar paved valley between their perfect roundness. His tongue drawing lazy circles around their dark edges and flicking her glass tips, making her gasp softly with shaky breath as the sensation tore through her body and added more fuel to the fire burning inside her.

Her little mews and sounds of pleasure as her body reacted to his kisses and touch encouraging him as he felt her hands grip his firm ass and pull him closer into her, spreading further and wrapping around him tighter.

His tongue and teeth, nipping, sucking and laving softly at her gorgeous erect peaks and making Irina hold her breath with the sensation.

The heat between her legs beckoning to his rigid length and he longed to be buried deep inside her, making them one and complete.

He rolled them again and brought her on top of him, her drenched core sitting against his flaming flesh just above his shaft and making that eternal burn for her glow with a passion yearning to be satisfied.

Irina pushed back slowly against his chest to sit up-right as she looked down at him with adoring eyes and an ache in her heart for the man she loved that would never go away…

His eyes found hers as is hands moved up her thighs on each side of his body, pinning him to the bed; they rested on her hips and his eyes took in the breathtaking battered beauty before him, 'Her bruised and cut face, and arms, the deep black and purple bruises across her chest, ribs and abdomen from the bullets that had been slowed by the Kevlar but still left their mark.'

His fingers and palms lightly grazing them as they moved to cup her breasts softly, his thumbs grazing her nipples and causing Irina to inhale a long exaggerated breath, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back, enjoying his hands on her body; his loving caresses and the feel of their skin radiating heat and electricity together.

Her long hair dancing down and across almost the entire length of her back and falling over her shoulder as she leaned forward slowly and placed an open mouthed kiss directly over his heart, adding another soft kiss over the spot before sitting up again with a seductive smile of love.

"I love you, Irina; more then I could ever say." Jack studied his wife above him for a moment, her beauty stealing his breath as her love stole his heart. He pulled gently on her hand and Irina leaned forward with a smile, her hair tickling his chest as she leaned in to capture his lips and plunge her tongue into his welcoming mouth, his hands spanning the length of her firm behind and up her sculpted back; fingers trailing lazily down the center of her spine as they made full circles; her skin felt like silk beneath his fingertips.

Irina tilted her hips into him and thrust backwards, his tip plunging into her drenched folds, holding for just a moment when Jack gasped softly with the contact before thrusting herself slowly with measured pace onto his powerful length, making them both inhale long shaky breaths as he filled her tight space completely when she pushed off his chest and sat erect a top him, her weight pushing her body onto his entire length as her muscles contracted in a frenzied pace around him.

"You complete me, Jack in every way imaginable." She whispered softly with a soft smile, feeling tears of happiness stinging her eyes as her body adjusted and welcomed him home, a perfect fit.

Slowly, she rocked her hips that he gripped in his strong hands, feeling his body move in hers and caress each other in the most intimate of places.

She looked like an exotic goddess moving atop him, her long wavy mane cascading around her shoulders, falling across her chest and back, her sculpted body with all its scars and bruises, her beautiful breasts that swelled and peaked with his love and that for their baby; his love and attraction for her only deepening with the knowledge that her internal beauty surpassed that of the extraordinary external.

She was everything he never knew he always wanted and she was his and he was hers and for the rest of their lives, they were one.

Irina set the pace slow and intense, drawing out their torturous pleasure to a maximum as they drove and pulled each other to the edge, enjoying the journey as much as they could without any hurry, wanting to savor every touch, every look, every sensation they were invoking and evoking from the other.

Jack looked so beautiful beneath her, guiding her hips with his strong capable hands and his eyes baring into her very soul with the love, want and need for her she saw in them. His short steely gray hair, his strong jaw-line that was set firm and concentrated as he thrust in and pulled out of her slowly, feeling her body grip and caress him with her strong muscles, trying to keep him deep inside.

His strong, muscular shoulders and arms, the ridged pecks with their little dark peaks provided a base for her palms and she felt them ripple with every gentle move of his body.

She arched her back as his length went deeper and nestled her palm over her lower abdomen as she closed her eyes and felt him moving inside her, pushing her further toward the edge in their slow dance.

He moved his hand from her hip and laced his fingers with hers, placing them together as one over her taut abdomen and together felt his body moving inside of her…moving as one…and pressing with just enough force that Irina's breathing became rapid with the thoughts and feelings, the sensations and the emotions her body was reacting to. Seeing the emotions run through her eyes and then across her face, feeling himself moving inside of her against their palms and the quiver it was sending through her muscles fueled his fire and pushing him into the inferno with need and passion.

Both of their paces picked up and their rhythm never faltered as they drove each other further and further toward their ecstasy; small moans and gasps escaping behind clenched teeth and bit lips when the first twinges of nirvana ripped through her body and Jack was determined to hold on and make it last as long as continued with his rapid thrusting until Irina cried out and threw her head back, her hair brushing against his fingers as it fell down her back to her hips and her body rocked against his trembling and shivering atop him.

The strong muscles inside her gripping with erratic panic and pulling him over with her as he shattered within the radiating warmth of her body, praising her name and speaking his love as they trembled in ecstasy together with blinding force and brilliant stars of passion with hearts pounding and breath stolen…the moment frozen in time.

Jack pulled her down to lie on his chest when their waves of passion had both passed, wrapping his arms securely around her back and brushing her silky hair over her satiny skin, kissing the top of her head as they waited for their bodies to come down again. Jack could feel her heated breath on his skin and Irina closed her eyes, smiling contently as she listened to Jack's heart thundering below her ear feeling safe and very loved in his arms.

They lay quietly together for a few minutes as Jack played with her hair, lulling her to sleep and her weight covering him comforting him with peace and contentment. He realized that she was falling asleep as her breathing started to slow and even out and she hadn't eaten anything or taken any insulin since before her half bottle of vodka last night. After the energy of crying and then making love, she was due for some. He slowly rolled them over and heard her groan.

"You need to eat something and take some insulin." Jack whispered against her mouth before claiming it in a sweet kiss.

"I know, I was just thinking that myself." She smiled, opening her eyes at the loving husband who took such good care of her. "I was just completely content to stay where I was for the remainder of the day."

Jack laughed softly with a smile, "I would have no complaints to that." He dropped another kiss to her mouth, "But medical needs precede those of our hearts and pleasure principles at the moment." Jack started sliding off the bed and she caught his hand.

"You don't have to go. I can get it." She smiled warmly, looking up at him. "But Thank you."

Jack's heart melted seeing that smile and the fact it reached her eyes as she looked at him with her big brown pools of heaven.

Her naked body against the white comforter, her wild hair sprawled over the fluffy pillows behind her and one arm lazily perched around her head, she looked completely comfortable and he didn't want to disrupt that picture perfect pose he was sure he would remember forever; his beautiful wife glowing with sedation from their love-making and looking positively heavenly.

"I want to get it for you, you look absolutely serene right now and I don't want you to move." He kissed her hand and stood up, wrapping his towel around his waist again, tucking the hem into the edge securing it.

"Serene." Irina scrunched her eyebrows with a funny smile in thought, "Now that's one word I don't think anyone's every used to describe me before." She giggled softly.

"I may not have said it, but I've thought it many times. When you're with Lena or when Sydney was a baby especially when you're asleep." Jack smiled softly as his mind flashed through several moments he'd captured in his memory of her looking 'serene' over the years he'd known her."And I'm quite certain with as 'angelic' as you seem in your sleep now, your mother and father must have had the same thoughts about their 'serene angel' when you were a baby or a little girl sleeping."

He looked down at his own 'serene angel' baby in the basket beside the bed and back to Irina.

"I can't believe you've thought about what I was like as a baby and little girl." Irina's heart smiled at the thought that Jack had been thinking about her infancy and childhood and what kind of a baby or little girl she must have been…he was so amazing with his capacity to love her.

"Of course I would. You're the mother of my own little girls and one can't help but wonder what their mother must have been like at the same age. The beautiful baby and gorgeous little girl I knew you must have been; the cute things that they have done that I know don't come from me. Therefore, must come from you and I wonder and imagine you at the same age." His serious smile grew brightly seeing that he still had the ability to stun and take her breath away with his thoughts and words. "And after seeing your baby pictures and those of you as a little girl and growing up; I know my wondering thoughts about you were correct in their assumptions. You were the beautiful baby who became the gorgeous little girl and passed those traits onto our daughters."

"You never cease to amaze me, Jonathan Bristow." Irina felt the fresh tears of happiness as she released the breath she'd been holding.

"I'll be right back." Jack smiled, reaching for the door and quickly snuck out into the still darkened house as the sun had barely begun to rise.

Without Jack's warm body next to hers', Irina immediately began to feel the chill settle around her and pulled back the comforter, pushing it to the end of the bed as it was too warm for it, but pulled the smooth Egyptian cotton sheet up over her body.

She leaned forward and off to the side of the bed to glance over the edge to look at her sleeping angel in the basket below and smiled warmly, resting her chin over her fingers as she lay on the bed, looking over the side, just watching her sleep.

Lena had lost her pacifier and had decided that her thumb would suffice and now lay on her back with her head to the side, thumb in her mouth with her tiny forefinger curled over her nose in the most adorable pose Irina had ever seen. Her dark hair with its natural Mohawk contrasting sharply against the perfectly white lining of the soft basket interior and Irina leaned further over the side, dangling her arm to brush the back of her finger over her baby's smooth skin.

When Jack walked quietly into the bedroom, Irina was facing away from him, half covered in a sheet with her sexy back and the beginnings of her bottom exposed to him as she lay looking over the side of the bed at their baby; her dark wavy hair whipped around and bright brown eyes capturing her smile when she heard him approaching.

"Jack, you have to look at how she's sleeping." She smiled warmly, turning back to the baby and Jack's heart beat faster seeing her so happy in just observing their child.

'She is a fantastic mother.' His own heart smiled. Jack looked down at Lena and smiled, laughing softly as her mouth started to suck furiously for a few seconds against her thumb and then went still again.

"She…is…beautiful." His eyes danced with the new day's light coming in through the window seeing his wife's beauty shining through their baby and Irina reached her hand out to him, pulling off his towel with the other and bringing him back into bed with a smile.

"You're beautiful." She eyed his naked form and kissed him when he laughed softly, at her look and her eagerness to bring him back into bed.

He handed Irina her little black case and what was left of a bottle of insulin from the refrigerator. She pricked her finger and squeezed it, testing her blood before drawing the necessary amount of insulin into the syringe.

"Oh, I'm pretty low." She bit her lip, realizing she hadn't exactly taken the best care of her body these last few days. "And I'm sure the alcohol last night on an empty stomach did nothing to help me." She sighed, shrugging her eyebrows in disgust at herself and slumping her shoulders as she flicked the syringe.

Jack's heart felt an instant wash of sadness thinking about her last night and the pain of finding out about their son and the terrible things that happened to both of them the immense pain Irina was in when he found her at the bar.

"Thank you for getting this for me." She leaned back against the headboard and pillows, pressing the needle into her abdominal muscles, knowing that was the fastest absorbing area on her body for insulin if she needed a quick fix.

With that task out of the way, Jack handed her a glass of OJ and a small bunch of grapes, pulling her back to rest against his chest as he leaned against the headboard and they watched the sun slowly rise over the pyramids out her window.

"This is one helluva view, Irina." He smiled, laughing softly holding her tightly to his chest as he looked down and watched his dark brunette beauty slide another luscious purple grape into her mouth. "I feel like Julius Casear in bed with the gorgeous Cleopatra right now watching the sunrise over the Nile and pyramids, naked, in bed and watching you eat your grapes so seductively."

Irina giggled softly against him, turning and sliding a large grape into his mouth and kissing him, tasting its juice in his mouth.

"You're not Julius Casear, you're my Marc Antony. He was a much better lover." She flashed him her brilliant smile, "A much better match all around and her true love." She tilted her head up again and he kissed her lips, laughing softly against them with her compliment.

"I think we definitely have to keep this house." Jack kissed her softly again and hovered his face close to hers, leaving just enough space for Irina to slide another grape into her mouth and drive him mad with desire once more. "A love palace with my Goddess."

When she finished she handed him the stem and he set it on the nightstand before they both slid down under the sheet again and he spooned up behind her with their knees slightly hand smoothed down her long tresses before snuggling his face into the back of her neck, inhaling the fantastic scent of Jasmine from her shampoo and wrapping his arms around her; one under her breasts and the other over abdomen and his already arousing desire pressing against her behind.

His warm breath tickled Irina's neck as she lay there with her eyes closed, her arms encircling his and her body humming with the intoxicating feeling he sent through her in waves of electricity. His body pressed so tightly to hers, she could feel its effect her close proximity was having on him as his arousal grew harder and pressed into her backside.

His warm breath on her ear becoming deep and ragged, his chest shaking and vibrating against her back when his thumb reached up to graze over her nipple… his other hand caressed the smooth skin over her abdomen. His wide thumb made slow circles around her peak, making it painfully stiff as he rubbed against her lightly from behind.

Irina's ragged breath matched his and pitched when he slowly slid his hand from her abdomen south, dancing in her dark patch of short curls as they inched their way between her folds.

His fingers stroking her lightly through her scent, feeling her knob swell with desire and inflamed heat as his touch ignited every tiny nerve ending, sending electrical impulses into her very core and making her body swirl with want and need. He moved his face gently against he nap of her neck, brushing it lightly before place a kiss to the delicate skin there and then moving to kiss her just behind her earlobe making her inhale sharply and filling her chest with air, causing her body rise and fall quickly under his arms. He placed a hot kiss to the top of her shoulder and against the crook of her neck while his fingers simultaneously rolled and pinched her nipple and swollen bud making Irina mew softly and pant. She began to squirm against his touch and pressed her rear into his groin pinning his hardness to his own abdomen while he rocked against her. His hand left her folds and she gasped and whimpered softly with the loss in contact as he moved his hand over her hip and grasped his length, forcing it down between her legs while his tongue danced lazily over her heated flesh on the back and side of her neck. His rock hard shaft pressed against her entrance as he began rocking slowly against her again, spreading her wetness along his length and Irina gripped his arms tightly with her fingers burning with desire.

She moved her hand down and lifted her leg slightly to align his head with her entrance and shifted her hips back and at an angle while she guided him into her slowly at first and then with a powerful thrust, buried himself deep inside her leaving her gasping and trembling in his arms as he moaned into her hair being enclosed into her heat once more. She lowered her leg again, enclosing him that much tighter inside her and Jack's hand trailed over her hips to her pleasure button, twisting and pinching it softly as she panted and hummed against her lips softly before he even began moving inside her.

He pulled out of her dramatically slow, leaving just his tip inside before plunging back into her swiftly with a graceful rhythm. Her enveloping tight heat, grasping and milking at him while her firm rear was pressed into his stomach burning into him with their erotically close contact and he bit her shoulder softly moaning as she clenched with everything she had when he began pulling out again. His angle inside of her pressing and stroking her most sensitive nerves and strengthening her already heightened awareness with every drive, caress and twist against her hardened peak and engorged knob as his hands continued to work in unison with his thrusting. Her gasps became pants and her moans in to incoherent small sounds in her throat with how good he felt against her and inside her.

Jack picked up on her body's cues that she was rapidly about to come and increased the speed of his fluid measures feeling the burn deep within himself and about to lose it any second as he panted and groaned into her neck. Her hand lying over her abdomen pressing against his head igniting the fireworks soon to come inside her as he pumped and Jack moved his hand from her folds to press his hand over hers, threaded their fingers and pressing harder with her as he drove deeper.

His hips jerked when he thrust and came urgently inside of her, and Irina felt his explosion course through her inside, against her hand and around her body as his shuddered and rocked continuously pumping and pushing her over the edge until she fell as well, coming with a loud moan through clenched teeth and tight lips as she buried her face into her pillow and Jack moaning into her neck feeling her body quiver around him internally blasting him with her shockwaves of pleasure and drenching him with her essence. His body continuing to rock against her as she rode out her ecstasy and Jack placed several kisses against the soft curve of her neck, behind her ear and over her shoulder whispering words of love as she gripped him tightly with her body.

With their breath calming and exhaustion taking over, Jack withdrew and snuggled closer, burying his face into her neck again with his arms wrapped securely around her, hers' around his as they both fell asleep again.


A few hours later, the rest of the house including Jack, was awoken to a soft sound of music and smell of good food coming from downstairs and when they sleepily entered the kitchen found Irina with Lena sitting in the Bouncy Seat, all smiles and making breakfast as she bobbed her head to the song on the radio, singing softly to Lena sitting on the counter and smiling madly and gurgling at her funny Mama.

Their faces all lit into smiles hearing Irina singing to the baby and all smiles after last night, especially Sark witnessing yet another example of the side of Irina he never knew and already loved.

"Good morning." She smiled at all of them, glowing in happiness, setting a plate of toast into on the table next to everything else which was already prepared and waiting.

"Morning Mom." Sydney's smiled brightly as she hugged Irina tightly, kissing her cheek.

"Morning Sweetheart." Irina returned the hug and kiss and opened her arms for the next incoming hug and kiss from Vaughn, then Weiss and soon everyone followed suit including a hesitant Sark whom she snagged his t-shirt and forcefully turned him into her arms with a big smile and kiss, the look in her eyes saying, 'You're not getting away from me without a hug and kiss!' Even Dixon accepted the hug and unexpected kiss to the cheek, which made him blush and smile madly.

Any uneasiness and tension lingering from last night lifted seeing Irina so happy this morning and laughing with them as they watched her continue singing to Lena with bright eyes and making the baby laugh as she finished squeezing the orange juice. She set the glass pitcher of juice on the table just over Jack's shoulder and turned his face with her fingers gripping his chin, still singing and smiling, she dropped a kiss to his lips as everyone 'awed' them with their cuteness.


"So how is your leg, Sweetheart?" Irina asked between breaths as she pushed Lena in the Baby Jogger, running along side Sydney, headed towards home.

They had been home from Egypt for a few days and settled back into their lives and work, searching for Cuvee had become the top priority.

"It's ok actually." Sydney huffed, her mother's pace was maddening to keep up with but she was holding her own. "I'm going to have a nasty scar but that's life isn't it?" She turned her head and smiled.

"In this job, yes." Irina nodded with her own smile. Their bruises were fading and now a pale green, the cut on her cheek slowly fading and the stitches in her arms were almost ready for removal. The cut on Sydney's thigh had been so deep, she needed two layers of stitches to close the wound and Irina had been concerned about her running on it. "Are you going to stay for dinner?" Irina asked swerving around the corner of the street, waving to two little girls in their neighbor's front yard with smiles as the security team followed them down the home stretch.

"As much as I would love to hear stories about you as a Professor from your former students," Sydney laughed pushing a stray hair behind her ear as they ran,

"Beck is playing at the House of Blues tonight and we all decided to go. So, I'm going to have to take a rain check on hearing about Professor Bristow."

"Well, hey, that sounds like fun!" Irina's smile lit her face, hearing that her daughter was living her life outside the CIA and world of espionage. "And if I didn't already have dinner plans with the Petersons, I would drag your father down there and join you!" She laughed and Sydney did too thinking about her father at the House of Blues listening to Beck. "What time is the show?" Irina's feet thundered on, her body slicked with sweat and ponytail bobbing with her stride, she pushed her own stray hairs behind her ears.

Both women were wearing sports bras and running Capri pants, Irina in black and Sydney in red, their favorite colors.

"It doesn't start until nine, but I think we're going to grab something to eat before hand." Sydney jumped the handle of a red wagon jutting out into the sidewalk path in front of a house on their street. "I think we're coming to pick up Sark at 7:30." She added softly, watching Irina's head whip to hers with that statement.

"Julian's going with you?" Irina asked in surprise, not believing that Sydney had actually asked him to go out with her and her friends.

"Yeah." She inhaled a deep breath as their fast pace continued, "It doesn't look as though he's going to leave my life anytime soon so…I figured I might as well try and make some sort of effort with him for your sake." She shrugged her eyebrows.

"Sydney…" Irina began feeling badly, "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do just for 'my sake.' As much as I would love for us all to get along some day, I know that he hurt you…and I don't want to hurt you even more by having you believe you 'must' interact with him outside of work to make me happy…I will love you regardless…both of you…" She turned her head to look at her daughter.

"I know, Mom." Sydney gave her a small smile in return. "But I love you too and I want to try with him because of that love for you and if truth be told. He's not that bad and nothing I can't handle. Not that I forgive him at all for killing my best friend and torturing the other but we've come to an understanding of sorts I guess he and I, we're both trying."

Irina's smile grew hearing this. "I'm very proud of you, Sydney. Your heart is the biggest I've known."

"I get that from you, my oversized heart," Sydney smiled and laughed, teasing her mom, "So I hear, that and something about our DNA and platelets?"

"Funny, Ha ha, Sweetheart." Irina started laughing too, thinking about their Rambaldi foretold differences then that of their fellow humans.

"Kidding aside, I'm serious, Mom. You're ability and capacity for love astounds me. That's what I remember from my childhood; that I wanted to be just like you, my mother, the woman with the enormous heart and smile. You always put other people first…always took care of Dad and I helped any and everyone out when they needed it, and now after we've found each other again. I see that you've never stopped doing that." Sydney smiled brightly, slowing their pace down nearing their house. "Trying to protect me and Dad all these years, your own family, Katya and the twins, Vaughn's family, the whole of Russia."

"Not always." Irina gave her, a small smile of regret, "When I turned myself into the CIA. It was out of my own selfishness to see you, interact with you and to steal information about the Rambaldi artifacts."

"True. But, " Sydney looked at her with raised eyebrows, using her own teacher tone, "You used your Rambaldi information to try to keep me safe and you put me first when you helped give me time to escape in Taipei and when I blackmailed you into going back to Kashmir…you did that for me." Sydney added softly and watched as Irina's eyes went to the pavement, taking a deep breath and fingering another wild hair over her ear. "You also gave Dad and I the keys to escape, risking yourself when they captured us…you put us first."

Irina remained quiet a moment. "Sydney, you are my child and I would do anything, 'anything," She looked over at her daughter pointedly, "For you. I'ts just something that goes along with being a parent. Your father and I both feel that way. Sometimes, we do things that end up hurting you in order to keep you safe, to keep you alive…and I know you can't stand that but someday you will understand." She slowed her jog to a walk as they entered the driveway and stopped, starting to stretch out their muscles as a cool down. "Someday, when you're a mother you will realize there are times as a parent when you must hurt or disappoint your child in some way, for their own good. I know that sounds ridiculous and absurd but its true…for example, my leaving you and your father…it hurt you, it hurt him and it hurt me but it was the only way to keep the both of you safe, and so, I had to hurt you by leaving." Irina said softly, looking in her daughter's big brown eyes as she pulled her foot up behind her, stretching out her quad.

"You're right, I don't like it when you guys do that but…I understand now, why you do…I know you do it because you love me and want to protect me. It doesn't stop me from being annoyed by it though." Sydney cracked a smile and laughed, stretching out her own leg muscles.

"There is no way for me to express how much l love you, in a way for you to understand its depths. The love between a mother and her child is so intimate because you are literally a part of me came from my own body and grew inside me." Irina reached out and cupped her daughter's chin, forcing her to look into her own black depths. "On the day your own child is born and you look into their beautiful eyes then, then you will understand just how much I love you as only a mother can." She smiled softly as Sydney did with tears pooling in her eyes.

She knew her mother's love was powerful, it is what she remembered and survived on for the twenty-one years without her but seeing look in her mother's eyes was so intense, she felt it burn straight into her heart.

"I only pray that I can be half the mother to my children, as you are to us, Mom." Sydney smiled warmly, looking from Irina down to Lena asleep in the Jogger.

There were no words so Irina grabbed her into her arms, hugging her tightly and kissing her sweaty head with a smile.

"You are the most amazing person I've ever met, Sydney Anne. I've no doubt that you'll be twice the mother I am or have been. For one, you will actually 'raise' your child!" Irina pulled back, cupping Sydney's face with a laugh and a smile.

"Mom." Sydney smiled, and shook her head that Irina was essentially making fun of herself, "You did 'raise' me in a way. Your memory is what guided me every hour of every day for all the years you weren't able to be with me." Sydney said quickly surprising her mother and dropping a quick kiss to Irina's cheek before squatting down to retrieve her sister, leaving Irina standing above them with unshed tears and surprise. Sydney scooped up the sleeping baby into her arms and headed up the steps, turning to call to her mother still standing there frozen, "Mom, come on." She smiled radiantly with her little giggle. Irina snapped out of her daze and smiled, traipsing up the steps after them.

"Well look at you two sweaty beauties." Jack smiled with a laugh watching them enter the kitchen where he was reading through some files. He loved this look about Irina. Her loose ponytail with the stray wisps of hair and the little curls that formed around her face and neck when she was sweaty, she looked so cute as she blew the hair off her face and took a drink of juice. "Sydney, are you staying for dinner?" Jack asked closing the file and moving towards Irina to kiss her 'hello.'

"She has plans, Sweetheart. Our daughter has better things to do then hang out with her parents in her free time." Irina winked at Sydney and laughed when Jack swooped her into his arms quickly kissing her neck, cheek and then her mouth with a smile of his own making Irina laugh against his mouth, wrapping her sweaty arms around him still in his nice work suit.

"You two are nuts!" Sydney smiled and laughed watching her parents, so obviously in love with one another and remembered they had been like this when she was little as well.

"You're just now realizing this?" Irina turned her head to look at Sydney with raised eyebrows with a smile as Jack planted another kiss to her temple.

"Oh no, not 'just' realizing it. Just saying it out loud to remind you that I know!" Sydney laughed at their reactions setting her empty glass on the sink as she turned Lena in her arms.

Sark entered the kitchen moments later, his arm still in a sling from being shot but was certainly on the mend. He paused in the doorway then turned quickly, unsure if he was interrupting a 'family' moment.

"Julian…Where are you going?" Irina called in her singsong voice seeing his form retreating.

"I didn't want to interrupt." Sark returned cautiously taking in the forms before him.

"You weren't interrupting anything." Irina smiled warmly at him, trying her best to make him feel welcome. "How is your arm?"

"Healing and ready to be rid of this sling." Sark pulled on the white fabric strap that was annoying his neck by rubbing on it.

"Not until that vein is completely healed you don't!" Irina narrowed her eyebrows, using her motherly scorn.

"Yes ma'am." Sark mock saluted her cracking a smile out of both Jack and Sydney.

"I've got to get going if I am going to have time to go home, shower and get ready and be back here to pick him up before 7:30." Sydney turned to her mother and passed the baby off gently with a smile. "I'll see you guys later." She kissed Lena's cheek, then Irina's and Jack's.

"Goodbye Sweetheart." Irina smiled watching Sydney walk out of the kitchen and pause.

"7:30…ok?" Sydney turned to Sark with apprehension at 'trying' with him.

"Yes ma'am." Sark repeated with a small smile as Irina giggled softly. "I will be ready and waiting with bells on."

"Skip the bells, just be ready!" Sydney rolled her eyes with a smug grin and left.

"I'm hitting the shower." Irina smiled and turned her head to capture Jack's lips quickly before smiling at Julian and touching his arm lightly as she and the baby made their way upstairs…happy that her mixed family was slowly working things out.

"So…you're going out with the Musketeers?" Jack leaned against the counter, crossing his arms and staring at Sark with an amused smile thinking about Sark out of the town in LA with his daughter, her fiancé and Weiss…actually doing something 'fun' for his age.

"Yes and I must admit I am slightly apprehensive about doing such a thing. I feel completely out of my realm." Sark replied softly, raising his eyebrows as he played with the hem on his sling.

"Don't think too much and you'll have a good time." Jack gave him some advice, "You might even have, dare I say…'fun." He smirked and Sark shook his head with a grin, looking at the wooden top of the kitchen island.


Irina placed the sleeping baby on the bed as she stripped off her sweaty cloths. Lena awoke and began looking around, smiling once she caught sight of her mother and started kicking her legs and moving her arms getting her attention.

"Well 'hello,' my Sweet Girl!" Irina cooed in Russian, smiling at her happy baby. "You want to take a shower with Mama?" She tickled her baby, realizing that she and Sydney had both held the baby in their sweaty arms. She took of Lena's clothes and held her close against her chest, naked skin on naked skin when she stepped into the shower.

Lena shivered making a funny face when the water first hit her little body, having never had a shower before and making Irina laugh. She started washing the baby first, talking to her the entire time and getting her to smile and laugh.

Jack had come upstairs to change clothes and heard her talking to the baby from the bathroom and opened the door with a curious smile to listen. Behind the steamy glass he could see his wife holding their baby in her arms and washing her while they both smiled and laughed. He quickly stripped off his own clothes and stepped inside to join them.

"Hope you two don't mind, but I just couldn't miss this." Jack smiled broadly as Lena's eyes turned to his and smiled.

"We don't mind at all." Irina flashed him her beautiful smile and moved Lena's naked little body against her chest to wash her back. Lena immediately found her thumb and started sucking on it, laying her head against Irina's chest as her Mama washed her back and head. Jack's smile only grew and leaned forward, kissing Irina soundly on the mouth.

"I love you." He smiled remaining close to her face and grabbing her wet head again for another kiss before dropping kisses to Lena's head, neck and back. "Let me help you." He inched by her, their slippery bodies sliding off one another and stood behind her, lathering up Irina's hair with shampoo as she finished washing the baby.

"This is a good system we have here," Irina laughed softly as they stood in a line, bathing each other, "Only problem is, who is washing you?"

"You can when we trade." He whispered into her ear and waggled his eyebrows, dropping a kiss to her shoulder.

"Mmmm, ok." She smiled at the idea and sighed happily as his fingers worked their magic in her hair and against her scalp, rinsing out the soap. Lena started to fuss, not satisfied with her thumb anymore and Irina turned her in her arms again so she could nurse.

"Well that's convenient." Jack smiled and laughed, looking over Irina's shoulder at their baby in her arms, nursing happily as they let the warm water cascade over them. "Nature is a beautiful thing…" He ran his hands down Irina's arms that encircled their child, holding them both in his arms as he stood closely behind them, just watching in continuous amazement at the marvel's of a woman's body. "It still amazes me that we could make something so perfect together. We literally made love when we created her."

"Yes." Irina smiled happily, her thumb running over Lena's wet head with her body pressed to Jack's, having similar thoughts at just that moment. "The physical manifestation of our love." She turned her head and caught his lips in a slow and tender kiss. "I love you." She smiled warmly when they separated.

"I think we 'make love' pretty damn well, my wife." Jack smiled brightly, dropping a soft kiss to Lena's forehead thinking about his beautiful children. "We make beautiful babies together."

"I won't argue with you there, my husband." Irina ran her fingers down Lena's arm as she clutched Irina's breast with her palm as she always did and Jack finished washing Irina. Irina handed the baby to Jack so she could wash him and within seconds, Lena was crying at the loss of contact from Irina.

"I'm sorry, Peanut!" Jack tried to nuzzle her as she cried against his chest and into his neck, "I just don't have Mommy's fun parts and Wet Bar." He smiled and laughed when Irina narrowed her eyebrows and pinched him for his comment.

"Jack!" Irina rolled her eyes as his smiled seductively at her chest and waggled his eyebrows. "Here." She motioned for him to give her back the baby who wouldn't stop crying.

He slid her slippery little body back to her mother and watched as she quieted instantly back in her mother's arms and nursing happily at the source of her desire.

"Well, I tried." Irina shrugged with a smile at her attempt to return the favor of washing him.

"Hey, I have no complaints." Jack smiled widely, lathering up his head with shampoo as he watched her standing before him, naked, wet and nursing their baby. "Have I told you how beautiful you are today?" His eyes scanned her body and then her smiling face. "This is one of those moments where you look serene. Standing here in front of me. Naked as a Jay Bird, all wet and completely content nursing our naked 'love child."

Irina burst out laughing and he did too.

"Why is that funny?" He raised his eyebrows as he stepped beneath the spray, rinsing his hair acting mystified. "I remember doing the same thing we are now with Sydney as a baby. Only our shower had those ugly blue tiles then, remember?" He laughed and Irina nodded, remembering well.

"Yeah, I remember." She giggled, picturing Sydney at the same age with them in the shower. "I also remember when she was two and used to take showers with me…she would push her hands and face up against the glass."

"And make faces at me while I got ready for work." Jack smiled, remembering as well and they both started laughing with the memory. "Oh God, she was cute! I can't believe she's all grown up already." He sighed thinking about his beautiful daughter.

"She may be a woman but she'll forever and always be my little girl." Irina smiled warmly and Jack nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. Which is why it's been so difficult to let her grow up." Jack smiled softly, plunging the mesh sponge across his chest.

"She and I were talking about this on our run." Irina looked down from his beautiful smiling eyes to their baby's. "The love a parent feels for their child…willing to do anything and everything to keep them from harm and pain." Her eyes met his again with a smile. He nodded and leaned over, placing his hand over Lena's on Irina's chest and kissing her little head softly, knowing how true that statement was. He would die before letting something happen to his girls. They finished and got ready quickly before diving headlong into making dinner for their guests on their way.