A\N: This chapter focuses on the growing and changing bond between Hope and Jessica over a couple of months. After this chapter, there are only four more chapters and an epilogue left in the series. After that, I'm going to start writing an exceptional pre-SSD universe story.

Hope & Jessica

Shane had always loved Autumn. Growing up in Washington, D.C, had helped that. In Virginia, fall had many beautiful colours as leaves changed colours and fell to the ground. In D.C., fall and spring had such pretty colours. In Denver, she found winter had the most stunning colours. Still, she loved to get outdoors, especially with two active toddlers.

By September, Jessica was walking using support and was getting increasingly comfortable at walking while holding on to toys on counters. Hope watched her baby sister learn to walk with mixed emotions. Although she didn't understand what was happening, she didn't like Jessica playing with her toys.

Shane and Oliver knew the close age gap would mean they'd be interested in the same toys as they got older. They wanted to make sure Hope understood that. After a brutal summer of sisterly bonding, autumn seemed to change everything.

On Saturday, Joe had invited Oliver, Shane, and the girls on a hike. He had planned the route, had a map (much to Oliver's relief), and knew the path was child-friendly. When they got to the trail, Hope was amazed at all the colours and sounds around her, just like Shane. She tugged on her mother's hand to make her move faster.

"Hiking, yay!" Hope clapped her hands excitedly as she looked up at the hiking trail in front of her, "Come, Mommy, Daddy," She tugged on Shane's hand. "Now go." She tugged tighter.

"Hope," Oliver looked at her, "You need to wait until Jessica is in the hiking backpack and Rosie is on her leash," He explained as he put on the hiking backpack, and Shane strapped her in and then made sure she was safe.

"Bye!" Hope waved and began toddling away. However, she didn't get very far as Joe picked her up.

"Where do you think you're going, little thrill seeker?"

"I now think we should have brought a leash for her. Do you think it is a good idea for Hope to walk on the trail?" Oliver asked Shane.

"Yes, she's excited, and this is a safe trail that's well-lit, and most of us are well-prepared, "She smirked, knowing her husband wasn't fond of the idea, "She needs to explore the outdoors. I have a nature scavenger hunt ready for her to do once we get onto the trail. I think this hike will be good for all of us."

"Bird, tree," Hope pointed to things she saw. She struggled to get down, so Joe put her down and took her hand, "Tree, plant, red," She continued pointing at things, "Walk fast," She started running. "Hope run!" She started racing away on the trail; she fell but got back up and kept going.

"Hope," Joe quickly caught up to her, "You need to walk slow. I know you're excited, but you're missing everything you can see. Look at the birds in the trees.

"Bird," Hope looked at the sky and pointed to the birds. Rosie then started to bark at the birds, and Hope giggled and started to bark.

"Hope bird," Hope walked with her arms out and happily got on the trail. In her carrier Jessica held out her arms too and giggled, she looked up at the birds, but Hope frowned, "No baby!" She placed a finger to her lips to silence her sister.

"Hope you don't tell your sister to be quiet. That's not nice," Olivet told her sternly, "Jessica is allowed to play as well."

"Baby, sleep?" She asked, looking at her sister and frowning, "Go bye!"

"Jessica will nap back at Grandpa's house like you," Shane explained, then before her daughter could protest further, she suggested they play the scavenger hunt game she had made.

After the hike, the family settled in to have a BBQ at Oliver and Shane's house. Hope and Jessica were playing on the deck. Hope had Baby Shark in a toy car and was singing a song. Jessica was playing with her current favourite toy, a musical bear, when she saw a ball. She looked at the ball, stood up, and took two steps to get it. Just as her parents realized what she was doing, she sat back down with a smile. She threw the ball and stood up to get it.

Hope watched Jessica walk with some confusion, "Baby walk?" She looked at her parents.

"Yes, Jessica is walking; she's a big girl now," Shane picked up her daughter and kissed her cheek, "Do you want to walk to Mommy?" She put Jessica down, but Jessica grabbed another toy to play with.

"I think walking is something we'll be working on," Oliver smiled, "Maybe we can get some of Hope's old walking toys out. "

"No!" Hope screamed, "Hope toys!"

"Hope," Oliver looked at her, "You do not scream. You and Jessica need to share toys."

"How about you pick what toys Jessica can play with? Or maybe you can show her how to use some walking toys? You can show her how to walk," Shane suggested.

"No," Hope cried and then Jessica began to cry.

Over the next few weeks, Shane and Oliver tried different ways for Hope and Jessica to share tous. Hope had no interest in showing her sister how to use toys, helping her or even sharing. Hope said all of the toys were her's unless she thought it was a baby toy. When both Shane and Oliver were thinking of asking Hope's teachers for suggestions, they received a letter from the childcare setting.

The letter stated that Jessica would be moved up to the toddler room the first week of November due to an inflection of new infant starts. Unfourtntley, the only open spot was in Hope's classroom. Putting her in another class would involve moving other children. The daycare hoped Shane and Oliver would understand the need for Jessica to be In Hope's classroom.

Shane and Oliver understood but, especially considering the recent problems had some concerns. They scheduled a meeting with the director of the daycare. The director apologized again for not being able to place Jessica in another class. She then assured Hope's teachers could work with her on adjusting to Jessica being in the room. She said they'd have many visits with Jessica in the room so that they could adapt.

In late September, a new infant was visited on a rainy day, so Jessica was going to visit Hope's classroom. It would only be for a few hours, but everyone was anxious to see how it would turn out. Shane and Oliver had told Hope Jessica would be playing with her in her classroom, but she didn't understand the concept.

One of Jesse's; teachers held her hand as she walked into the busy toddler classroom. She handed her diaper bin to a toddler teacher, hugged Jessica and left. Before Jessica could be comforted, she began screaming. "Mama!" She cried as she looked around the somewhat unfamiliar room with much older children. "Dada!"

She recognized her sister's cry. Hope stopped playing with some friends and watched her sister. The teachers could; 't calm her down. Hope walked up to her sister and hugged her, "Jessica okay," She offered her the baby doll she was playing with, "Baby," She pointed to the beauty, "Baby hungry," She took Jessica over to the dramatic play centre and began to help Jessica find things for the baby to eat.

Jessica sat down, and Hope brought her toys and helped her play. At circle time, Hope held Jessica's hand and led her to the carpet; she sat with her, and when Jessica cried getting her diaper changed, Hope came running to help.

Upon picking up their daughters, Shane and Oliver were shocked. Not only had the visit gone well, but Hope and Jessica had been so upset when Jessica left. So much so that they decided for Jessica to stay the entire day.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Hope ran up to her parents as they entered her classroom, "Jessica, big girl!" She babbled happily, and Jessica ran to her parents, "Hope teacher," She proudly showed them a special assistant teacher pin one of her educators had made her.

"Yes," Oliver smiled at his daughter, "Your school called us to inform us you were a perfect big sister to Jessica. You made us very proud. That is why I think you will like the exceptional big girl class you will attend next week.

"Daddy means you're starting ballet; now Auntie Rita and Grandma will help us pick some new dance outfits for you. Do you want a sparkly tutu?" Shane showed her daughter a picture of a tutu on her phone.

"Pretty!" Hope clapped excitedly.

Hope held Shane's hand the following week at a dance class as they walked into the dance studio. She wasn't usually scared, but she gripped Shane's hand tighter than usual. In her other hand, she held Baby Shark, who was wearing a similar outfit.

The class had five other two-year-old girls whose mothers stood with them. When a teenage instructor started the course, Hope looked nervously at Shane.

"Let's go say hi to Miss Brianna," She took Hope's hand, but as they got closer, Hope took off on her own. Miss Brianna smiled and laughed as she saw her Baby Shark but suggested the toy watch for a while. Hope agreed, so Shane took Baby Shark and stood back to watch the class.

As the class continued, Hope's personality began to shine through. She picked up on the move quickly and always seemed to lead the other young girls. They didn't seem to mind, though, as they all did whatever Hope did. As Shane had long suspected, Hope was a natural-born leader. She had a very positive personality that made her stand out. After dance class, she returned to Shane with a new friend she had been dancing with the most. She asked if her friend could play more with her. Shane talked to the girl's mother, and they exchanged numbers.

Hope tries to teach Jessica the things she learned in a dance class at home. She was trying to get her sister to listen, but Jessica wasn't listening. She wanted to play with her toys. Hope got a little upset and pushed her sister, and for the first time, Jessica did something back. She bit her sister.

Shane took Hope, icing her arm, and then put a band-aid over the bite. Shane talked to Hope about how pushing is wrong, and Oliver told Jessica she needed to be excellent. However, when Hope returned to the playroom, she walked up to Jessica.

"Love you, sister," Hope babbled as she hugged Jessica. Jessica giggled and hugged her sister back.

TBC