A/N: Some of Asher's first moments with the cat, Stitches.

Ned helped Katie inside as she held their newborn son in her arms as they walked inside.

"Asher, you're home safe and sound," Katie whispered softly to the newborn baby, who only stared up at his mother in curiosity. He blinked, his brown eyes looking back up at her. "You fed Stitches yesterday when you came and took a shower, right Ned?"

"Yes," he answered, smiling at her as he closed the door with the baby carrier in the seat. "He was on your pillow. I suppose he will miss your belly to snuggle with."

She shrugged and went to the stairs with their baby boy. "Let's go show you to your room, my sweet baby boy," she whispered, taking the stairs slowly with him.

"You okay?" Ned rested his hand at her back as they slowly climbed the stairs together. "Do you need any help?"

"No, I'll be fine. Just a little tenderness, you know?" She answered softly, looking back at him. "I need to lie down once we get up there."

"I set up the bassinet in our room and brought the changing table in too," he pressed a kiss to her neck as they walked upstairs. "I thought it would be easier."

"Thank you. That will make things a lot easier, but I'm not putting him down. Not yet." She made it to the top of the stairs and went toward their room.

Stitches was laying on Katie's pillow and looked over slowly as they entered the room. The cat moved slowly toward the end of the bed and jumped off, going between Katie's legs and purring against her ankles.

"Hey buddy," she smiled and walked forward to the bed. "I have someone for you to meet." She promptly sat down on the bed and laid Asher down next to her, pressing a soft kiss to his head. Stitches followed and hopped up, moving apprehensively toward the little bundle she held in her arms. "It's okay Stitch," she whispered and rubbed the cat's belly. "Come here bud," the cat came to his mother and crawled up her arm, over her shoulders, and plopped down by her stomach. "This is Asher, Stitch. He's your new buddy."

He watched from the doorway as Katie laid with them, seeing Stitches could roam if he wanted, but he didn't. The cat crept over to Ned's side of the bed and looked over at the baby.

"I think he wants all of us to be here," she suggested to her husband, who was still across the room with the diaper bag and baby carrier.

"Who, Stitches? The cat who will steal my spot from me when I get up to go to the bathroom?" Ned laughed as he walked over to his side of the bed.

"I think he's open to sharing now," she laughed and Asher stirred, a soft little hiccup that Katie soothed with a soft belly rub. He was such a calm baby, so much like Katie already. "Look at our boys."

Stitches rubbed a soft cat chin against Asher's belly and laid beside him.

"I think he likes him," Ned winked.

"Me too," she grinned and they kissed above their boys. "I love you and our boys."

"I love you and our boys too," he said and looked down at their son.

Their living, breathing, beautiful son who had a best friend already.

It was a year and a half later when Katie heard garbled words come from her infant son's mouth behind her. She turned and saw he was standing only a few feet away from Stitches, pointing at him with a fascinated smile on his face.

"Kiki," he giggled.

Katie smiled down at him. "Yes. Kitty," she agreed with him. "That's Stitches, Ash. Your buddy."

He turned those brown eyes of his to her in acknowledgment, then turned his focus back to the cat. He stepped a few carefully paces closer, then crouched down. Stitches looked alarmed and moved to a position to run away if necessary, but stood his ground toward the toddler. Asher reached an arm out as if to pet him. Something he had never done before alone but has watched her and Ned do countless times in his short life.

"Ned," she called softly to her husband, who was still in the kitchen. "Come here."

With a chuckle, the man came over and lowered himself to the ground and sat next to his son. With Ned nearby for protection, Stitches relaxed somewhat and even started purring when he began scratching behind his ears.

"Do you want to try petting him?" He asked Asher as he wrapped his free arm around him and drew him close. He didn't move his eyes from the cat but nodded his head. "Just do it like this," he said, demonstrating how to pet a cat, Stitches, loving the attention and rubbing against Ned's leg. "See?"

Asher watched but didn't move, and looked up at his mother, as if for permission.

"It's okay honey," Katie sat down next to the pair. "Here," gently, she guided his small hand and placed it gingerly on Stitches' back. "He's soft, isn't he?"

A wide grin spread across Asher's face at the feel of the soft fur in his fingers. He was so much like his father, a big toothy grin on his face. He closed his fist and opened it again.

"Careful," Ned said, warning him as the cat tensed. "You have to be gentle."

Asher drew his arm back in alarm, and went to his mother, tucking his head into her shoulder, but Ned and Katie both laughed softly.

"It's all right," she whispered to him, rubbing his blonde hair softly. "You can still touch him, baby. You just have to do it softly like this." She began stroking Stitches fur, demonstrating how to do it, and slowly Asher looked back over, sitting in her lap. "Come on, Stitches loves a good belly rub."

Asher carefully stuck his arm back out and tried his best to mimic Katie's movements.

"You and Stitches are going to be good friends," he told him after a while. "Many years ago, before you were born, I gave your mama this kitty. He took care of her when daddy had to go away. He helped your mama and I feel happy when we were very sad and he'll take care of you just like he did with us."

Asher's eyes flashed to her curiously, but he's too young to really comprehend what Ned was telling him and instead hugged the cat softly.

Ned's eyes met his wife's a few seconds later, she knew he could see the tears threatening to spring forth in them. They held each other's gaze a minute, communicating about something it will be years and years before their son understood. She moved to settle down next to Ned, hands entwining with his as she did.

She leaned into his strong frame and he kissed her head as Asher laid on the floor and Stitches crawled over him, nuzzling a soft cat cheek against him.

Their son's giggles brought her back to this time. To the family that she and Ned had made together. Asher held the cat close and Stitches tried to pull away and the little let go, but Stitches came back after a minute.

"Thank you," she whispered, her tears slipped from her eyes and she wiped them away. "For giving me

two perfect sons."

She hadn't spoken of Charlie in so long that she nearly lost control of her tears and Asher walked over.

"Mama?" He whispered and took her cheeks in his little hands. "Ok?"

"I'm okay," she smiled at her caring son and kissed his cheek, holding his hands with hers. "Just happy, so happy to have you, Ash."

Asher hugged her as tightly as his little arms could and she picked him up into her lap, looking to Ned with a smile. He smiled back at her, wrapping an arm around her and rubbing her back as she rested her head on her son's little shoulder.