Hello again my fellow Hearties! I know this is supposed to be a 'one shot' but I decided to write this little story in a way that it could have happened right after they came home from the picnic, or as a stand alone 'one shot'. I hope you guys enjoy it!

P.S. I switched my green tea addiction over to herbal tea that isn't caffeinated, so I actually got some sleep last night lol

P.P.S. Thank you for the lovely reviews! I'm glad you guys are enjoying these happy little stories :)

Elizabeth set a pot of water to boil on the stove. Allie had taken the things leftover from their picnic earlier out of the picnic basket and Nathan took little jack upstairs to change his grass-stained trousers.

"Thank you so much for unpacking Allie," Elizabeth said with a smile, "Do you mind setting a few plates on the table as well?" she asked, as she reached out with her free hand and gently rubbed Allie's back.

"Yes of course!" Allie said with a chipper tone and started towards the cupboards.

Allie decided to pick the white plates with the blue-accented edges, she thought they would match nicely with the flowers she picked earlier. She put her bouquet in the middle of the table in a vase that Elizabeth got as a gift from Cody a few years ago and placed the plates around the stained wooden table.

Nathan was coming down the stairs with little jack on his shoulders, in his fresh clothes. After gently placing little Jack back onto solid ground, Nathan went over towards the kitchen as Jack ran straight for his toy box in the living room. Nathan walked up behind Elizabeth, hugged her around the waist and bent down his head resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Hi," he said, almost in a whisper.

"Hi," Elizabeth reciprocated, with a hint of laughter in her voice.

She was mixing a pot of spaghetti with one hand and placed her free hand on the side of his face and kissed him on the cheek. Nathan quickly kissed her back and looked over at Allie who was hiding a smile while looking through the cutlery. Nathan lifted an eyebrow and smiled knowingly at Allie, and then went over to help her finish setting the table.

"Do you have everything ready for school tomorrow?" Nathan asked Allie as she placed the last fork next to one of the plates.

"Yea, I finished the chapter I had to read and I'll help mom pack lunch for tomorrow," Allie said obediently.

"Good job" he placed a praising hand on Allie's shoulder as he went over to pick Jack up and put him in his high chair.

"Alright, dinner is served!" Elizabeth said as she placed the pot on the table and smiled over at Jack who was patiently waiting in his seat.

After dinner, Nathan and Allie helped clear the table and do the dishes, while Elizabeth went upstairs to clean up little Jack for what felt like the hundredth time today. Elizabeth wasn't complaining - she enjoyed every minute she got to spend with Jack.

Elizabeth headed downstairs with a newly cleaned Jack on her hip. She attentively panned the kitchen and living room. Allie was finishing drying the dishes, and the lunches on the table were packed. Nathan was cleaning up a couple of the toys that Jack had scattered across the living room and looked up as Elizabeth approached.

"Wow, where did you get the new child?" Nathan asked, as he stood up and reached out to hold Jack's hands.

"I found him under the tomato sauce," Elizabeth joked, playing along.

Elizabeth sat down on the couch with little Jack, and to Nathan's surprise, someone had clasped onto his collar and pulled him down with them. Glancing down, Nathan noticed Jack's little hands still tightly holding on to his collar. Both Elizabeth and Nathan laughed.

"We are attached I see... I guess my paperwork will just have to wait" Nathan said in a light tone as he wrapped his arm around Elizabeth's shoulders and hugged her giving her a kiss with Jack still between them.

By this time, Allie had made her way to the group after drying the dishes. She had laid down on her stomach, on a blanket, in the middle of the living room floor with her pen and journal in her hand.

"Anything about a certain boy in there?" Nathan teased.

"That's private information! Only shared between us girls." Elizabeth playfully slapped Nathan on the arm and smiled at Allie. Allie just raised an eyebrow at Nathan, trying her best to suppress a smile.

Allie quickly finished writing and closed her journal. Nathan and Elizabeth quietly chatted about what they had to get done tomorrow, and when they would meet in town the next day. Jack was lying across Elizabeth's lap and quietly spinning his little stuffed dog. Allie walked over to them and gently sat down next to Nathan, resting her head on his shoulder. Nathan reached his other arm over her shoulders.

"I love you," He whispered as he placed a kiss on the top of Allie's head. "Aren't I a lucky guy - I have two beautiful girls (he gave both their shoulders a little squeeze) and a handsome son too."

"You aren't the only lucky one," Elizabeth said, looking at her son now quietly sleeping in her lap, then down at Nathan and Allie, both of whom were beaming with happiness.