Okay consider this a good will offering for my manic posting over the summer. I wrote this before I even wrote the first chapter, when this story was just an idea running around in my head. When it was written this was going to be the first chapter. I still hadn't decided on a set POV so this one is in Jane's POV as opposed to all of the other chapters. This chapter is for all intents and purposes the first part of the other chapter I just posted, only like I said from a different POV. I had it sitting on my computer and thought maybe my readers would enjoy it, so let me know what you think and as always I own nothing.

I heard movement in the hall and then it happened there were three small people jumping chanting, "It's time to get up! It's time to get up!" Oh how I missed this, I never thought I'd have this second chance. I reached for the two closest to me and pulled them down into the bed. "You promised we'd get a Christmas tree today!" They screamed but curled up into my side.

"What do you four have against sleep?" Teresa groaned pulling the blanket over her head.

"You promised." They whimpered, moving away from me and cuddling into her side.

"We have all day." Teresa wrapped her arms around the kids.

"Alright come here, how about we go make breakfast and let Teresa sleep a little bit longer." I smiled lifting the twins in my arms and letting their little brother jump on my back. "Tell Teresa to wake up soon." I chuckled, carrying them out of the room.

"Wake up soon Teresa!" The twins called from the hall and a groan was heard from inside. "Patrick can we make pancakes!" Alyssa questioned as I carried the three of them down the stairs.

"Pancakes sound delicious." I nodded, setting the girls on the counter, and turning to place their brother in between them. "What are we putting in them?"

"Chocolate chips!" Emily announced.

"Blueberries!" Alyssa argued.

"Nana's!" William added.

"Alright lets see what we can do." I sighed, looking through the pantries. "Liam sit still I don't want you falling off." I warned, pulling out the ingredients, then noticing some other things that might taste good in pancakes. "I'm serious you don't stop squirming I'm going to take you off the counter." I warned again.

"Patrick you're not even looking at him!" Emily giggled.

"Hold your brother still please." I smiled setting the ingredients on the counter. "Okay we're making four different types of pancakes." I instructed, placing four cooking bowls next to them, and separating the ingredients for each of them to use.

One at a time I poured each of them a cup of flour, and then helped them crack a egg each, then a half cup of milk, and a half stick of butter each. "Mix please." I handed each of them a spoon.

"What about the blueberries?" Alyssa questioned.

"And the chocolate chips?" Emily worried.

"And nana's?" William finished.

"Keep stirring and I'll get those ready." I instructed, pouring a cup of chocolate chips for Emily, a cup of blueberries for Alyssa, and cutting up a banana for William, before putting a little butter in a frying pan with apple slices and cinnamon for the batch I was making. "On the count of three we all add our ingredients." They nodded and started the count, "One."

"Two." Alyssa grinned.

"Three!" Emily cheered as we each dumped our cups of ingredients into the bowl.

"Now you three have a very important job." I announced helping each of them off the counter. "One of you girls will set the table, and the other two need to keep Teresa out of the kitchen."

"Come on William we'll go make sure Teresa doesn't wake up." Alyssa grabbed her little brother's hand.

"I wanted to do that!" Emily pouted, watching her siblings run up the stairs.

"Well when you're done how about you go check on the baby, but don't wake her." I instructed turning to start making the pancakes.

"Patrick?" Emily questioned, pushing the plates into place.

"Yes sweetie." I looked over my shoulder.

"When are you going to marry Teresa?" She wondered sitting down and looking at me.

"I don't know," I shrugged flipping the pancake. "Why?"

"Because mommy and daddy were married and they loved each other and you said you loved Teresa." Emily was watching my reaction.

"I do love Teresa." I nodded, thinking about what to say next.

"Is it because of your other family?" She frowned, so I turned off the stove and came to sit next to her. "Teresa says you're scared of having a family."

"Well that's not true, you guys are my family." I lifted her onto my lap, "You and Alyssa, and William, and Cassandra, and Teresa, and I love all of you very much."

"I know, but you live here and you love her, so you should marry her." Emily tried.

"I know but she's been through so much this year that I don't want to push my luck." I tried to explain to her, but she looked confused. "Well you know she helped me punish the bad man who took my family, and that was a very big thing, and then you lost your mommy and daddy and Teresa cared for your mommy and daddy very much. Then she gained you lovely kids and then she moved into this house and then I moved in."

"So you're not going to marry Teresa?" She frowned.

"Not right now." I sighed, "But maybe someday, until then you finish setting the table and go check on your sister, while I finish with these pancakes."

"Patrick?" She looked at me after I got up, so I turned and looked back at her, "Are you going to make bacon and eggs?"

"I think I can handle that." I smiled and she giggled.

"Good." She cheered, getting out the silverware.

"You be careful with those knives, and only put them at Teresa and I's spot." I warned.

"I'm five I can handle a knife." She snapped, and I couldn't help but smile.

"You are a big girl and I know that, but knives are scary and dangerous so you be careful." I nodded, flipping the next pancake. It didn't take long for Emily to finish her task and run out of the room, and in the next moment Alyssa came running in.

"Teresa's awake!" She screamed, "William woke her up!"

"Uh oh." I grinned lifting her up and holding her in one arm while I flipped pancakes with my free hand. "What are we going to do?"

"That's why I came to you." She answered.

"How about you ask her for help picking out your clothes for the day?" I offered.

"The babies awake!" Emily skipped in.

"Better yet, you girls go tell Teresa this." I instructed setting Alyssa down and watching the two of them run back up the stairs. I really did miss living with a kid in the house, I smiled tending to the bacon and eggs before putting another pancake on the stove.

"We couldn't stop her!" Alyssa tried running down the stairs about fifteen minutes later.

"We tried, we promise!" Emily added following her sister.

"I helped!" Liam stumbled down in front of Teresa.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing you in my kitchen, in pajamas." She smiled.

"Well I adore you with a baby on your arm." I gave her a peck on the lips before I lifted Cassandra out of her arms. "Hello little missy how are you this morning." I rocked her. "You've gotten so big."

"It's been almost six months." Teresa reminded helping William into his seat, while the twins climbed into their seats. "What is this?" She looked down at the food in front of her and took a sip from the coffee I set in front of her place.

"There are four different types you can have your choice." I grinned, settling Cassandra into her highchair. "You get chocolate chip, blueberry, banana, or apple cinnamon."

"Because it impossible for you to do anything the normal way." She smiled helping herself to the nearest stack.

"Eat up we have a Christmas tree to track down later today." I chuckled.