Mason lay along the bed with the covers turned over, revealing his fair-haired legs in his sand coloured shorts. His upper body was covered by his carky green hooded sweater which made him feel warm and made his cheeks flush rose pink. On his legs Mason rested a large open text book, which he had been studying. The lamp on the bed side table illuminated the grey pages, magnifying it's small text. Alex stood infront of her full length mirror as she smothered her face in thick oily cream which seemed to instantly sink in to her skin.

"The wizard council," laughed Mason, "seriously? What did you say?"

"I told him I'd think about it," Alex told him as she sat next to him on their bed, rubbing the remainder of the cream in to her hands. "It's a big decision, it's not everyday you get offered a job on the Wizard Council."

She huddled up to Mason as he launched his college text book on to the floor. He wrapped his arm around her while she covered them both up with the thick quilt that lay on their bed. Alex rested her head on Mason's chest, she sat in silence as she felt his chest gently rise and fall. Mason rested his chin on Alex's head as he softly began to run his fingers through Alex's dark locks of hair.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"What?"

"You're only ever quiet when your thinking, and that isn't often," he joked.

"Hey!" she hit him playfully on the arm.

"Seriously though," Mason laughed, "what's there to think about?"

"I don't know," sighed Alex, "I'm just not sure its for me… but lately I feel like I need to do something. I need to be more than just a mom."

"Alex your more than just a mum. If you want to give this ago, you should."

"But what about Neave?"

"We've got enough people to help us with her. And I only go to college three days a week-"

"Yeah, but what about the work you have to do at home?"

"Well, my mum is always there to help and I'm sure your parents will too. You don't even know how many days you'd be working yet, we might not need much help."

"Yeah I guess, plus there's always day care."

Mason laughed, "ha! No."

"What's wrong with day care? There's some really good places around here."

"I don't want strangers looking after my baby," Mason told her, "besides, I don't think she'd like it."

"How do you know? She's never been!" Alex looked up at Mason and noticed him rolling his eyes and sighing in frustration. "I'll talk to Justin in the morning, that way we'll know more and we can make some real plans."

Mason nodded, "okay, if that's what you want to do." Mason planted a kiss on top of Alex's head, "night love," he said before reaching over to the nearby lamp and switching it off.

Alex walked up through the halls at WizTech, dodging the swarms of students surrounded around her. She looked up at the large paintings hung up on the walls of WizTech headmasters through time. Alex cringed as she examined their old styled tattered velvet robes that were almost completely covered by their overgrown beards. The men seemed almost identical to Alex as she looked closely at their facial features. Their leather like faces were full of wrinkles and their piercing narrow eyes seemed to glare at Alex as she stood looking at them. Every single one of looked stern except for the one on the end who was sat smiling while clutching a large golden muffin.

Alex smiled as she looked at his portrait. In the painting Professor Crumbs smiled warmly as he caressed his muffin. His long white beard gleamed brightly against his dark neat robes and his blue eyes seemed to twinkle, giving a mischievous look to the picture. Finally, Alex came to the last picture. A wide smile crossed her face and she instantly clamped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing. In the large golden frame sat a portrait of Justin. His dark hair was slicked back with what seemed to be layers of hair gel. His eyes looked piercing and his lips were slightly pouted as he attempted to smoulder. Justin wore his favourite grey suit which he wore with a navy robe.

Alex chuckled as she pulled out her cell, "hilarious," she muttered to herself as she took a picture.

She continued to walk on, her heels clicking against the cold stone floor as she approached a large set of doors at the end of the hallway. Effortlessly, Alex swung the doors open and walked inside, "hey Helen!" she called as she entered the room.

Helen looked up from her desk and smiled, letting out a loud cackle before she spoke, "hi Alex! Go through he's in his office."

Alex walked over to the next set of doors but was soon stopped by Helen before she could go through to Justin's office.

"Oh, how's the baby?" Helen yelled running over to Alex.

Alex pulled out her cell and handed it over to Helen, who began to swoon over the picture on the small screen. It was Alex holding Neave and kissing her on the forehead. Neave looked rested in Alex's arms as she cradled in to her mother, tightly clutching her pink pacifier which she had clenched in her mouth.

"Aww!" cooed Helen, "she's getting so big and she's just so beautiful! I got to say though, she's nothing like you."

"Umm, thanks?"

"Yeah, she is absolutely nothing-"

"Okay Helen!" Alex interrupted, "I'm going to leave now," she announced before pounding on the door.

Helen stood and watched her until a voice from the other side of the door called "come in!"

Alex smiled awkwardly at Helen before entering the room. Helen snarled and rolled her eyes, "rude!"

Alex began to strut inside Justin's office smirking at her brother who was sat at his desk flipping through a large pile of paper work. "Hey bro," she greeted him, hitting the palm of her hand on to his forehead.

"Ow!" He cried launching himself forward and clutching his head, "and your mature enough to be a mother?"

"Apparently," smiled Alex sitting down on a cushioned chair opposite Justin's dark desk.

"So, did you think about it?" he asked smiling excitedly.

Alex nodded, "but I need to know some stuff first."

"Like what?" Justin asked curiously.

"Like… why me?"

Justin laughed, "you don't think I can do this on my own do you? I haven't been doing this job for long and lets face it I haven't been doing a very good job. I mean, with everything that happened with Mara the wizard council don't seem to trust me as much. And they're all so… old! I jus figured if there was someone young and who actually liked me then I think it'd help the council really improve. Plus, it's always good to keep things fresh."

"So you chose me?" Alex asked suspiciously.

"yeah, I was wondering who I worked best with and strangely that person is you…"

Alex smiled, "so say if I said yes, how often would I be working?"

"That's the thing," began Justin, "officially the council only work two days a week but we often meet more when there are any significant events or emergencies."

Alex sighed, "right."

"Listen Alex, if this is going to be too difficult for you, you know with having Neave then-"

"It's fine," Alex interrupted him, "I'll do it!"

Justin smiled and rose from his desk. Opening up his arms he happily exclaimed, "welcome to the team, councillor Russo."

Neave trotted around the apartment giggling uncontrollably, looking around frantically as her father hid out of her sight. She skidded on the wooden floor as she repeatedly slipped on her pink fluffy slippers. Neave managed to stop herself falling by clutching on to one of the grey couches, she let out quiet titters and had another look around, but she couldn't see her dad anywhere. Suddenly, she heard loud thuds approaching her and she squealed in anticipation as she waited excitedly. All of a sudden, Mason jumped out and swooped Neave up in his arms, swinging her around rapidly.

Neave let out a roar of laughter and Mason growled playfully as he tickled her crazily. Neave arched her back as she laughed hysterically, desperately trying to cling on to her dad. Carefully, he launched her on to the couch before he continued to tickle her. Neave lay looking up at her dad, who was hovering over her, she tried relentlessly to wriggle out of his grip. Unintentionally kicking him repeatedly.

Mason finally stopped, leaving both himself and Neave breathless and panting for air, when he heard Alex yell as she entered the apartment. "Hello?" She called.

"Say hello mummy!" Mason encouraged Neave.

Neave stood up on the couch and smiled at Alex as she approached her, "hiya!" she called happily.

Alex lifted up her daughter and kissed her on the cheek, "you're so smart! Now say mommy."

"Mmmm," said Neave as she began to play with Alex's hair.

"No, mom," Alex corrected her.

"Mmmm!"

"Neave," said Mason, "say mum."

"Mmmm!"

"Say dad?" he asked hopefully.

"Ahhdah… Ahhdah… Ahhdah…" she whispered repeatedly.

Mason sighed, "I feel like she's learning to say everything but mum and dad."

"At least she's trying to say dad, she doesn't even open her mouth when she says my name!" Complained Alex.

"Anyway, how did it go?" Mason asked.

Alex smiled, "you are now looking at the newest member of the wizard council!"

"Congratulations!" Mason cheered giving her a kiss. "So, when do you start?"

"Monday. Im suppose to work Mondays and Wednesdays but I'll probably be called in other days for meetings if theres anything going on."

"Great," said Mason, "I go college, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays so, when I'm in college on a Tuesday you can have Neave, I'll have her on a Wednesday. Then you'll have her again on a Thursday and we can all spend time together on a Friday!"

"Yeah so we just need to find child care for a Monday."

"My mum could mind her on a Monday," suggested Mason, "I'm sure she wouldn't mind."

"Well," started Alex nervously, "I was actually thinking, if I'm called in to work on a day when your in college we're going to need our parents on stand by to look after Neave so I was thinking maybe on a Monday Neave should go to day care?"

"What? Why?" Mason asked suspiciously.

"I'd feel bad asking our parents to baby sit her on a Monday and then during the week as well if I need to go to a meeting so this way they won't be babysitting all of the time. I don't want them to think we're taking advantage."

"No!" Groaned Mason, "she's just a baby! We can't send her there! Besides, they're her grandparents. I'm sure they'll be fine with it."

"Mason don't be childish, I think she'll like it. And that's not the point! I want her to have the chance to be with kids her own age!"

"No, I'm sorry Alex but no. I don't want her going until she's older."

"Well that's a shame because she's going!" Alex snapped causing Mason to roll his eyes and sigh, "and I knew you'd be like this so I've already called Twinkle Toes day care center and arranged for her to start."

"Twinkle Toes," scoffed Mason.

"What's wrong with Twinkle Toes? It has good reviews on Moms net?"

"Nothing. Nothings wrong with it, I just don't want my daughter going there yet. Not until she's at least two and a half."

"Mason, she's going. Deal with it."

"Can you really blame me for looking out for my daughter?"

"No of course not! But Mason we're sending her to day care," Alex began to laugh, "it's not like we're putting her up for adoption…"

She stopped as soon as she realised what she said. Mason looked to the floor and scratched his head as he forced himself to give a small and very awkward smile.

"Mason, I'm so sorry," Alex apologised, "I didn't realise what I was saying."

"It's fine." He began bluntly, "Neave can go to day care on Monday. But I'm not going to go with you when you take her."

He then walked off silently in to the bed room, slamming the door quickly shut behind him.

"Uh oh!" Squeaked Neave looking up to her mom.