18 Months Later
"And what did we learn today?" Sydney looked down at the tiny brown haired child in front of her. There was a purely guilty, but happy look on her small face.
"Mess good?" Tried year and half old Francie, even though her mother started to smile at her, she knew it wasn't the right answer.
"No." Sydney couldn't help but smile at her daughter. The year and a half year old was already at a 4 year old IQ level. But she still was a kid in everything else. "We learned that Anny doesn't like to have pudding put in her hair." The newly washed year old cocker spaniel crept carefully out the back door, avoiding the child.
"But, Momma. I was being a arptist." Sydney smiled again, sometimes Francie's vocab slurred a little.
"How 'bout we leave the artistic ness to the professionals. Now, ready to go to the picnic? Daddy will be there."
Francie jumped up and down like a grasshopper. She was addicted to her father, who had recently been away on a business trip, in Russia. Since the birth, Syd had still continued on her search for her past, as well as her work. Her husband, had worked just as hard. So far they had only uncovered one memory, and it was their favorite.
Sydney smiled as she buckled Francie in her car seat, while remembering the memory at the same time. The memory of the night, she and Will spent together.
* * * *
Sydney pulled up at her Dad's house and got Francie out of her car seat. Carrying her struggling daughter and a pie she guiltily had bought at the bakery down the street, Syd walked into her father's house.
"Dad?"
"Grannnpa." Jack hurried out of the kitchen and into the foyer, with a huge smile on his face.
"My two favorite girls." Jack hugged and kissed Syd, then picked up Francie. "My darling Francie, report." She giggled as Jack started their special game. She saluted her grandfather, then went serious.
"All good on the home front, grandpa. Probisson to search and kiss daddy." Jack went serious and saluted his granddaughter.
"Permission granted." Jack kissed Francie one more time then placed her on the ground and smiled as she ran off to find her father.
"You are so great with her." Sydney smiled at her father, before walking into the large kitchen with him.
"She gets more beautiful everyday, Sydney. Just like her mother."
"Thank you dad. I hate to break a good moment, but..." Jack smiled at his daughter, who on the outside was as cool as a drink, but on the inside, was ready to jump out of her skin.
"Go. He's been just as jumpy to you as you to see him, even more so."
"Thank you." With a quick kiss on the cheek, Sydney ran out the back door. She stopped on the porch looking for her husband. She saw Dixon, his kids, Marshall, Carrie, their 2 year old son, Weiss, Lauren, and Vaughn, but no...
"Mamma! Save me." Sydney turned and saw Francie running out of the small grove of Fruit trees in Jack's small orchard, her face not full of fear, but happiness, and hyper ness. Sydney smiled, left Francie with her grandfather while she ran to the trees. She entered the small forest, but just when she thought she had been mistaken, her husband jumped out of nowhere and grabbed her.
"WILL!" Sydney shrieked as her husband grabbed her around the waist and pushed her up against a tree.
"Sorry Syd, but I haven't seen you in three weeks. I couldn't help myself." Will kissed his wife deeply, then smiled at her. "I love you Syd."
"I love you Will."
"Well I love both of you, so I win." The two looked down and laughed as they saw their daughter standing in front of them, hands on hips, and lips pursed.
"What have you been teaching this one." Will released Syd and swung his daughter up into his arms.
"Ohhh that Anny doesn't like to have pudding put in her fur." Will's eyes light up as Francie said this.
"Well, I was mistaken, here I thought you were teaching her important stuff like how to give her father that face of yours." Sydney laughed and the two shared a kiss. Francie stared at her parents, still confused as why they did this every time they saw each other.
"Does this mean I get a little brother?" Syd and Will both stopped what they were doing to surprisingly say, at the same time.
"FRANCIE LAURA TIPPEN!"
END