Chapter 2:

"Daddy!" Ann squealed, jumping up from the floor where she and Rae were dressing baby dolls and running across the room to Spot. He scooped her up in his arms and hugged her close, kissing her cheek.

She kissed his cheek as Rae rose to her feet.

"Can I have a kiss from Daddy now, Miss Annie?" Rae asked, walking toward them.

Ann looked at Rae and then back at Spot. "No," she said, kissing Spot's cheek again.

Spot laughed. "You've been booted out by a little one, Mrs. Conlon."

Rae huffed and crossed her arms, a pout playing on her lips.

"Aww..." He looked at Ann. "Your momma might want a fight if she doesn't get her kiss either."

Ann sighed, "Alright. I guess Momma can have a kiss."

Rae smiled. "Thank you, sweetheart."

Spot set Ann down and pulled Rae into his arms.

"Welcome home," she murmured with a smile.

"Thank you," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her.

"Did all go well in Brooklyn?" she asked after the kiss.

"Yes it did. Molly was excited to be with her brother again."

"And somewhat moody half sister as well, I hope." Rae said with a smile.

Spot smiled and leaned down to kiss her again.

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm glad your home."

"And I'm not going anywhere for a long time...unless I can take you with me."

Pleased, she smiled and nodded. "Wonderful idea."

"A wonderful idea that should get a reward," he hinted.

"Would you like a cookie then?" she asked seriously, but her eyes were mischievous.

"Why you little...." He looked down at Ann who was still standing beside them, "Should I tickle Momma, Annie?"

Ann, who had no idea what was going on except that now she wanted another cookie, nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! Tickle Momma!"

"Spot Conlon, don't you dare," Rae said as she tried to wiggle free of his arms.

"Oh, I do dare, Rae Conlon, I do." And he proceeded to tickle her.

"Stop!" She screamed, beating his chest with her fists.

"I declare..." He kissed the tip of her nose and stopped tickling her. "You're almost too ticklish."

Rae glanced down at Ann who was giggling. Two could play at that game. "I think Daddy should be punished for being so mean to Momma. What do you think, Annie?"

"Yeah!" she crowed in delight.

"That's it. No supper for you tonight, mister."

"Ooooh...." Ann gasped. "Daddy's in REAL big trouble."

"You think you're smart, don't you?" Spot asked Rae.

"I actually think I'm very smart, thankyouverymuch."

"Annie, would you please leave Momma and Daddy alone for a little while?" Spot asked, never once taking his eyes off Rae.

Ann looked between the both of them, wide-eyed and mumbled "yessir" before scampering off.

"Spot...you're scaring me," Rae whispered.

"Am I now?" he asked evenly.

"Um... yes..."

He sat on the couch. "Come here, Rae."

"Um.... I think standing right here is good and well..." she replied.

"Rae..." he said, gesturing her closer with his finger. With a frown, Rae approached him and sat down. He pulled her into his lap. "I didn't send her away because I was angry with you.  I sent her away because I wanted to be alone with you."

"Well you could've told me that...."

"You expect me to tell you that I want to cuddle with you while Ann is in the room?"

"Well.... no, but you didn't have to look so mad or anything... I truly thought you were upset!"

He laughed and bent down to kiss her.

"I'm going to get you back for scaring me like that one of these days," she replied, kissing him back.

"Sure you will," he whispered, kissing the tip of her nose.

"I will.... you don't believe me, but I will," she replied softly, but not seriously.

"I know," he whispered, kissing her.

"You're horrible, Spot Conlon," she whispered back with a smile, returning his kiss.

"But you love me anyway."

"Well, I guess you've got me on that one."

He laughed and kissed her again.

"You can't go in there, Andy," they heard Ann say from the hallway. "Momma and Daddy are cuddlin' and kissin'."

Rae glanced at Spot and burst into laugher. "Seems like she figured it out on her own anyway."

He smiled, "Should we let them come in?"

"I suppose," she relented. "They'll only get ornery if we don't."

Spot turned his head toward the door. "It's alright to come back in now Annie."

Ann and Andy scampered into the room and dove onto the couch between Rae and Spot. "Are you going back to Brookeen, Daddy?" Ann asked.

"Were you REALLY kissin'?" Andy asked. "Ewwwwww...."

"No, I'm not going back to Brooklyn, and yes, I was really kissing your momma."

"Ewwwww...." Andy repeated.

Spot laughed and ruffled the boy's hair. "Tell me what you did while I was gone."

"Well... um... we... um... oh yeah, we cleaned the playroom, me and Ann got in a fight... um.... and that's it!" Andy explained.

"We played 'Go Fishin' with Momma," Ann added

"We let Momma win."

Rae laughed and kissed both of their foreheads. "Thank you sweethearts." They both grinned up at her.

Spot chuckled. "Sounds like I missed out on all the fun!"

"Maybe you can get Daddy to play with you later," Rae said, winking at the twins.

"YEAH!" they shrieked.

"Daddy, will you?"

"Please, Daddy, PLEEEEASE?"

He smiled, "Only if you can get Momma to play too."

"Will you Momma? Huh, huh, huh?"

"Of course"

"YAAAAAAY!" they shrieked again.

"I'll go get the cards," Ann said, jumping off the couch.

Spot chuckled as Andy tore off after her, yelling "Wait for me!"

"They're great kids."

Rae smiled and scooted back over next to him. "Yes. I'm glad we found them."

He nodded in agreement. "But I also liked having one of our own..."

"I did too," she said, resting her head on his shoulder.

Spot slipped his arm around her and held her for a few moments until Ann and Andy returned with the cards, singing a very random song about "Go Fishin'".

Rae slid to the floor. "I don't think Daddy knows how to play, so we can play teams. Me and Annie against Daddy and Andy," Rae said, winking at Spot.

"Boys against girls, hmm? Let's show these girls a thing or two about 'Go Fishin'!" Spot said.

"YEAH!" Andy yelled, plopping next to Spot.

Rae put on her best poker face and began to deal the cards. Spot put up his own poker face as he gathered his cards and huddled with Andy.

An hour later Julie walked in with Sam to see the four still on the floor in the middle of a fierce game of cards.

"Go fishin'!" Andy crowed hopping in his seat as Rae picked up a new card. Spot whispered in Andy's ear and the little boy asked, "Do you have any Kings?"

Ann wrinkled her nose and handed over a king.

"Sorry to interrupt," Julie said, "but I think Sam's hungry."

Rae set her cards down. "All right-"

"Sure, just as we were winning," Spot teased.

Rae wrinkled her nose at him. "He's your son..."

"I know, and a very handsome one at that."

"You're full of it," she said, taking Sam from Julie.

"Mm, that I could be," he agreed with a nod.

"I really have to do something about that ego of yours, but Sam comes first."

"Would you really have me any other way?" he asked with a grin.

She smiled as she left the room, leaving his question unanswered.

"Is Momma gonna come back quick?" Ann asked, a little upset that her teammate had left.

"I don't know," Spot said, climbing to his feet. "I'll go check."

"I'll protect our cards so Ann won't peek," Andy said.

"HEY! I won't peek! YOU would!"

Ann argued.

"No fighting you two," Spot said, heading toward the door.  "Keep an eye on them Julie."

Julie nodded and smiled.

Spot jogged up the stairs and paused in the hallway when he heard Kendra crying in the girls' room.  "Hey princess," he said, as he moved to pick her up from out of her crib.

Kendra sniffled and whimpered, clenching a fistful of his shirt

"It's alright, sweetheart," he said, stroking her fine blond curls. "Daddy's here."

"Daddy," she repeated, still whimpering a little.

He kissed her forehead. "Let's go find Momma."

"Momma," she echoed.

He smiled and carried her across the hall into the room he shared with Rae. "Oh Mommy," he called softly as he entered the room. "Another baby wants to see you."

She was sitting in her chair by the fireplace and smiled when he walked in with Kendra.  "Bring her close for a kiss, Daddy." He brought Kendra over and sat her down at the foot of Rae's chair. "Good morning, sweet baby," Rae said, kissing Kendra's forehead.

"Morny," Kendra replied, grasping the chair edge and standing on her toes to see the baby in Rae's lap.

"Lift her up, Daddy," Rae said with a smile.  "Don't touch, Sam, sweetheart."

Kendra nodded, peering at the little baby. She murmured jargon to herself tilting her head from one side to the other.

"Ann wants to know if you are going to be gone long," Spot said, as Kendra continued to talk to Sam.

Rae laughed. "As long as it takes for Sam to fall asleep... He seems to be deeply involved in conversation with Kendra."

The two watched as Sam and Kendra "talked". Sam was mostly just opening and closing his mouth while Kendra was making most of the noise.  "They are adorable," Spot said kissing the side of Rae's head.

"Yes," she agreed. "Very."

"Thank you," he whispered, leaning to kiss her.

"For what?" she replied after the kiss ended.

"For being you. For Sam and the others. For everything."

She smiled at him, shifting Sam in her arms a bit, as he slowly began to nod off. "You're as much a part of it as I am."

"I love you," he whispered, placing his hand on her cheek.

"I love you too," she replied softly with a smile. "Oh, it looks like little Sam has fallen asleep..."

"Do you want me to move him?"

"I've got it," she replied, slowly rising from her chair.

He stood and scooped Kendra up into his arms and they waited while Rae placed Sam in his cradle.

"Let's go downstairs, shall we? I believe we have a card game to finish."

"If Ann and Andy haven't killed each other yet."

She chuckled and led the way downstairs. Surprisingly, they weren't met by screaming voices.

They sat on the floor almost knee to knee, staring silently at each other.

Spot and Rae exchanged glances, and he set Kendra on the floor. "Alright you two... what's going on?"

Julie laughed slightly. "They are seeing who can be the quietest."

"I like this game," Rae said with a grin.

"Julie should have thought of it sooner," Spot added.

"Just be grateful I thought of it now," Julie replied with a smile.

While they were talking, Kendra had crawled over to the cards and began to throw them around the room.

Both Ann and Andy looked ready to yell at her, but then they looked at each other, and seemed unwilling to be the first one to make noise.

"Kendra Conlon," Rae fussed picking the baby girl back up. "What are we going to do with you?"

"You!" she exclaimed with a grin.

With a sigh Rae handed Kendra to Spot, "You deal with her. I'm too tempted to smile or laugh."

With a smile, he took Kendra from her. "Don't throw the cards around honey. You can't mess up things that aren't yours to mess up."

Rae knelt to pick up the cards. "You two can talk now. As long as you don't yell at Kendra."

They looked at Rae and then eyed one another, going through the "You first" "No, you first" silent debate.

Rae rolled her eyes and looked to Spot for help.

"Who wants cookies?"

They looked at Spot and waved their hands in the air.

He shook his head. "No cookies for anyone who doesn't say 'me!'"

Ann and Andy looked at one another again and then simultaneously yelled "ME!"

"That worked," Spot said looking at Rae.  "Last one to the kitchen is a rotten egg." Ann and Andy ran off in a flash. "You too girls," Spot said as he followed the twins with Kendra.

Rae chuckled and she and Julie followed as well.

* * *

Rae opened the front door of the house and walked out onto the porch. She smiled as she watched Spot playing in the snow with Kendra and the twins.  Julie walked out and stood beside her. "Have you seen Chris around, Rae?"

"Not since lunch, why?"

"Just wondering."

"I wonder where he takes himself off to all day and what he does."

Julie shrugged and frowned. "I don't think he's ever been like this..."

Rae sighed. "Well, it's time for dinner and if he's not here on time he doesn't eat."

She sighed, biting her lip worriedly.

Spot walked up the porch steps with a snow-covered Kendra in his arms. "Hey, girls, is dinner ready yet?"

"Just about," Julie replied. "You may want to come in and warm up."

"Time to come in," Spot called to the twins.

"Awwww," Ann said with a bit of a pout.

Andy, on the other hand, bolted for the door. "Good! I'm hungry!"

Spot stopped him with a firm hand on his head.  "Leave your coat, hat, gloves and boots by the door."

Andy wrinkled his nose, shedding his outer layer of wet clothing quickly. "Yessir... Yipes! It's cold!" he yelped, charging inside.

Rae smiled and took Kendra from Spot to take her wet things off.

Ann removed her wet clothes as well and scampered into the house with Julie.

Rae turned to head back into the house, but Spot caught her arm and pulled her toward him.

"Spot, you're all wet," she protested, "And I just took off Kendra's wet things."

He simply grinned.

She gave him a quick kiss. "Now let me go."

Tilting his head to the side, he gave her another grin. "Hmm... I don't know, should I let Momma go, Kendra?"

Kendra smiled and began bouncing in Rae's arms.

"Looks like she's saying no," Spot replied.

"How can you tell?! She hasn't said a word! For all you know, she could mean yes!"

"Hmm....kiss me again...and I just might let the two of you go."

"If I do and you don't let me go, I won't kiss you ever again," she warned.

"Sure..."

"I mean it..."

He gave her a quick kiss. "Told ya."

"You kissed me, I didn't kiss back."

"You let me kiss you."

"Next time you won't be so lucky."

"I think Kendra's getting cold...Are you going to kiss me or not?"

"Fine. But this is only for Kendra's sake." Rae kissed him.

He smiled and carried Kendra into the house

She rolled her eyes with a faint smile of her own and followed them into the house. The delicious aroma of warm food wafted over to her and she sighed. "Smells good Julie," she commented.

"Thanks," Julie said, placing the last bowl on the table.

After washing up, the family sat at the table, minus Chris. Not ten minutes later Chris walked in and sat down at the table.

"Where have you been?" Spot asked immediately.

"Around," came the muttered reply.

"I'm aware that you have been around. I asked you a question and I expect a proper reply," he replied sternly.

"I've been upstairs in that little cell of a room on the third floor," Chris snapped.

"Watch the way you talk to me, young man," Spot replied, giving Chris a glare.

"I'll talk to you the way I want to. You aren't my father, ya freak."

Spot stood quickly, shoving the chair back a few feet. Reaching out, he smacked Chris across the face. Everyone stared at the two in shock.  Finally Chris stood and stormed from the room.

"Spot-"

"Not now, Rae."

Rae sighed and stood.  She picked up the extra plate and began to dish food onto it.

"No."

Rae ignored him and placed a biscuit on the plate.

"Sit down Rae."

"No, Spot. Obnoxious or not, he's still going to be hungry. And now that you and I can afford it, he's not going to be hungry."

He sighed and waved her toward the door. "Fine! Do what you want!"

She gave him a look, mid-reach for a piece of chicken. "You knock that off right now! Just because Chris was rude and immature doesn't mean you need to be that way, Spot Conlon!"

"Momma...are you mad at Daddy?" Ann asked, softly.

After a moment, Rae sighed. "Not exactly."

"Do you love Daddy?"

"Yes, honey. I do."

"Please don't yell at Daddy anymore...it makes me sad."

Rae frowned slightly. All she wanted to DO was yell at him right at the moment, but she looked at Ann and sighed again. "I'll try." Ann smiled and went back to her dinner.  Rae grabbed a glass of water and headed towards the stairs.

Arriving at the third floor door, to the room where Chris was sleeping for the next few days, she tapped on it. "Chris?"

"What?" he yelled.

Frowning deeply, she tapped her foot in slight annoyance. "I brought you some dinner."

"I'm not hungry!"

"Well, I'll leave it outside your door in case you do get hungry."

"Whatever!"

Rae bit down on her tongue, determined not to egg this fight on, and walked off.

Everyone was eating quietly when she returned to the dining room, including Kendra who looked ready to fall asleep in her high chair.

Rae managed a smile and went to pick Kendra up. "I think someone is ready for bedtime."

Spot nodded. "I'll take care of her. You eat."

"Thank you," she said with a small smile, handing Kendra over.

Julie finished a moment later and began to silently clean the dishes from the table.

Rae glanced at the girl worriedly. "Are you all right Julie?"

"I'm sorry, Rae. Chris shouldn't have acted like that."

With a tired sort of sigh, she rubbed her forehead. "You shouldn't apologize for your brother. He should do it himself... And there must be something going on with him that he won't tell us.... Do you know anything?" Julie shook her head sadly and walked into the kitchen. Rae frowned deeply, and finished her dinner.

* * *

Midmorning the next day Ann walked into Rae's room. She gasped, "Momma, why are you wearing pants?" the little girl asked.

Rae turned toward her. "Annie, please go back out into the hall and knock on the door."

"But Momma! Girls don't wear pants!" she exclaimed as Rae gently ushered her out the door.

"I'll talk to you have you knock on the door and ask permission to come in."

"But-!"

Rae closed the door and not even a second later, Ann was banging on it. "Can I come in Momma?"

Rae opened the door. "Yes, Annie, you may come in."

Ann barged right in. "Why are you wearing pants Momma?"

"Because I have to clean up that mess in the boy's room and I can't very well do it in a dress."

She stared at her in awe. "But... isn't it weird...?"

"Nope. I used to wear pants all the time in Brooklyn."

"Really?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"Yes, really. Go ask Daddy."

"Daddy let you wear pants??!"

Rae laughed. "Go ask him."

She ran from the room, shouting, "DADDYYYY!!"

Rae laughed and looked at her reflection in the mirror.  She quickly braided her hair into two braids and tucked them under an old cap.  She smiled at her reflection.  Had it really been almost a year since she had last dressed like this? She turned a full circle, smoothing her hands over her old pants. Admittedly, she missed wearing those old things. Thanks to Sam they actually fit her a little bit better too.

A minute later, Spot walked in, saying, "What's all the commotion about? Ann came running in, babbling about how you were wearing pants..."

"What do you think?" she asked, turning a circle.

He smiled hugely. "Beautiful."

"You really think so?"

"Of course."

"Are you really gonna let Momma wear pants?" Andy asked from the open doorway, where he stood next to Ann.

Spot glanced back at them and shrugged. "Momma can wear what she likes... She has for a long time before we ever got married."

"Do I have to wear pants too?" Ann asked.

Rae laughed. "No, sweetheart. You don't have to wear pants."

Ann looked at the floor thoughtfully for a moment. "If I help you clean the boys' room, can I?"

She smiled and nodded. "If you want to."

"But I don't have any pants."

"You can wear some of Andy's.  The ones I'm wearing belong to Daddy."

"Hey! I don't wanna girl wearin' my pants!" Andy protested.

Rae smiled and looked at Spot, "Care to handle this one, Daddy?"

He turned to Andy and crouched to the boy's level. "You're going to share with Ann, Andy. If she likes wearing the pants, we'll get her a pair of her own. But for now, it would be nice if you shared with her."

The little boy sighed deeply. "Alright, I guess I'll share."

"Thank you." Spot ruffled Andy's hair.

Rae scooped Ann up and threw her over her shoulder. "Come on Miss Annie, let's go find you some pants." Ann giggled delightedly. Rae set her back down. "Actually...Andy why don't you go pick out which pair you want to share with Annie."

He looked as though he could deal with this a little better and he took Ann's hand, pulling her out of the room. "C'mon Annie... I'll find ya some pants."

Rae turned to Spot, "You aren't upset that I didn't ask you first are you?"

"Of course I am. I don't want no girls wearing my pants!" he said with a grin.

She smiled back at him. "Just so you aren't mad."

"I'm furious," he teased, pulling her into his arms. She laughed. He pulled the hat from her head and stuck it on his own. "I think this belongs to me too."

"So you'd like to think," she grinned, taking the hat back.

He kissed her and after a moment the hat dropped to the floor as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

She was just about to kiss him back when Ann burst into the room, shrieking, "I got pants just like Momma!"

Spot scooped the hat up off the floor and plopped it on Andy head. "Let's leave the girls alone while they change."

Andy nodded vigorously.

A few minutes later Ann was in the pants and shirt she had borrowed from her brother. "They feel funny, Momma."

Rae smiled. "They will at first. But you'll get used to them." Ann squirmed around a bit and made a face. "You can change back if you want to," she told her with a smile.

Determination filled the little girl's eyes. "No."

Rae smiled. "All right. Come on, let's get cracking."

Rae took her hand and they headed across the hall to clean up the mess from the fire.

* * *

"ANN! ANDY! For the last time, stop screaming!" Rae shouted as the twins raced past her, shrieking at the top of their lungs.

Neither one seemed to hear her and they continued running around the house screaming.

"CHRIS!"

After a moment he appeared on the stairs. "Yeah, yeah, what do you want?"

"Could you PLEASE take them outside to burn some energy?" Rae asked, looking at the twins wearily.

"Do I have to?"

She gave him a look that clearly read 'yes' or she would do something drastic. Grumbling, he grabbed Andy by the belt loops and Ann by the hand and drug them outside.

With a weary sigh, Rae plopped onto the sofa and closed her eyes.

Two hours later Chris came walking back inside, his hands shoved into his pockets. "Where are the twins?" Rae asked as he headed up the stairs.

Chris shrugged. "They ran off."

"Where are they, Chris?" she demanded.

"I don't know, okay?"

"Why not?"

"Because I told you, they ran off!"

"You were supposed to be watching them!"

"I was!" Chris yelled.

"Then you should have followed them!"

He snorted and headed for the stairs again.

"You hold it right there, young man. I'm not finished with you," she said in a tone that surprised him.

Turning, he folded his arms over his chest and stared at her.

"Someone has to watch Sam and Kendra while Spot and I go find the twins."

"Why can't Julie do it?"

"Because I told her to take a nap that's why."

"Well, why did you go and do a thing like that?"

Rae gave an exasperated sigh. "We didn't plan on you losing the twins!" she snapped.

He didn't budge from his place on the stairs.

"MOVE IT!"

Glaring at her, he moved, and she went up to retrieve Spot. Coming back down, she gave Chris a stern glare as she put on her coat. "I don't want ANYTHING happening to them, understand?"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, stretching out on the couch

"We mean it," Spot said sternly.

"Alright, already," Chris muttered.

They hurried out the door.

* * *

THUD!

Chris sat up with a jolt.  He hadn't meant to doze off. Not really anyway.  A quick glance showed that Sam was still sleeping in his cradle. "What in the world-?" he murmured drowsily. What could have possibly made such an odd noise? A loud wail suddenly reached his ears.

He dashed through the door into the entry way and discovered Kendra on her back on the floor next to the stairs.  As he started to move to her, the front door opened and Rae and Spot rushed in.

"What happened?!" Spot demanded.

"I don't know!" Chris answered as Rae knelt next to Kendra and took the screaming baby into her arms.

"Well, what were YOU doing when this happened?! Don't you know you need to keep an eye on her when we're away?!" Rae exclaimed.

"I'm sorry. I was in the living room and I guessed I must have dozed off."

"Dozed off? Dozed OFF?!" Spot yelled.

"I didn't mean to!" Chris yelled back.

"You didn't mean it?" Spot questioned.  "Like you didn't mean to set the curtain in your room on fire? Or how about leaving Ann and Andy out in the woods?"

"I didn't mean any of those things!" Chris bellowed.

"Your irresponsibility is getting out of hand-"

"I'm not irresponsible!" He clenched his fists, as if ready to strike Spot.

"It's not just the irresponsibility, Chris! It's your attitude!  You sulk around the house all day long snapping at anyone who dares speak to you!"

"I don't have an attitude!" he bellowed.

"Chris..." Julie began.

"Leave me alone!" He roughly pushed his sister out of the way.

Without warning Spot shoved the boy up against the wall. "That's what I'm talking about Chris! Now pack your bags and get out!"

"Oh great! Where am I gonna go, genius?!"

"That's it... I'm taking you to Brooklyn. Upstairs! Now!"

"You aren't being serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking? NOW!"

Chris turned to Rae, who was still sitting on the floor with Kendra clinging to her. "Surely you aren't going to let him do this to me?"

Rae looked at him. "He told you to pack, young man, didn't he?"

"What about Julie?"

"Julie is free to stay or go. It's her choice," Spot answered.

"Julie?" Chris asked, turning toward his sister.

She paused, biting her lip. Looking sadly towards her brother, she shook her head. "I'm sorry Chris. I'm going to stay here."

"But Julie..." he started, but trailed off when two little figures walked slowly through the front door. It was the twins. They yawned sleepily, walking past him. "They get into just as much trouble if not more than I do! How come they get to stay?" Chris whined, pointing at them.

"Because they don't set curtains aflame! They don't lose little children! THEY don't let little babies fall down stairs!" Spot snapped.

"That's not fair!"

"In my opinion, it's too fair!"

"But..."

"UPSTAIRS NOW!"

Chris stalked towards the staircase, sending a dark glare towards Ann and Andy. "This is all your fault!" he snapped.

They hung their heads, knowing that he was partially correct.

"Get up there and start packing. Right now, Chris!" Rae ordered, thrusting her finger towards the stairs.

He sent another glare towards the twins and then turned his glare to Rae before he stormed up the stairs.