A/N: It gets a little racy there at the end. Don't know what came over me.

Chapter Theme Song: That's What Friends Are For by Dionne Warwick and Friends for lack of a better choice. Yes, I know that there is no way any of our young characters would ever even admit to knowing this song, but it does capture Joan's motivation in her "obsession" and concern for Grace. So I guess we'll have to just suck it up and live with the song.

"Having fun?" Adam asked, wrapping his arms around Joan's waist.

She slid her arms around his neck, a happy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Mm-hmm."

"Then why are you hiding from our guests?"

"I'm not hiding; I'm just taking a breather," she corrected as she snuggled into his embrace. "And, technically, they're not our guests. Mom's throwing this little get-together. We're guests ourselves."

With a snort of laughter, Adam grinned and held her closer. "That's not going to work."

"I know," she sighed. "I just didn't expect so many people." Joan peeked over his shoulder at their crowded living room. Her mom had had the brilliant idea to throw them a housewarming party "so they could get to know their neighbors." Quite a few had shown up, more than she'd expected, as well as her, Adam's, and Grace's families. Though she appreciated the party, she wanted everyone to leave so she and Adam could have their apartment back. Three hours was more than enough time to get acquainted with their neighbors.

"Tired?" he asked.

"A little."

"It'll be over soon. And when it is, I promise I'll make it all better."

Interest piqued, Joan asked, "How do you intend to that?"

"Oh, the usual. A long, hot bubble bath, for starters, maybe a massage. I'll make dinner."

"We'll probably have enough food left over to last us for a few days."

"That's finger food," Adam corrected. "I'm talking about rich, calorie-laden comfort food."

"Oh. My mistake."

"And, if you're really good," he said, nuzzling her neck, "I'll let you pick a movie tonight without a single complaint."

"Ooh," Joan said, followed by a sigh when he kissed her collarbone.

Adam trailed his mouth up the length of her neck, letting his breath caress her skin. "That doesn't even include what I intend to do to you later tonight," he whispered huskily. "So what do you think? Will that make the next hour or so better?"

She whimpered and nodded, overwhelmed by the erotic images he'd prompted. Turning his mouth toward hers, she whispered, "I promise I'll be good," before kissing him. His hands on her back urged her closer while his tongue slipped between her parted lips. Clinging to him, Joan slid her tongue in his mouth. Just as his hands cupped her bottom and hauled her firmly against him, a soft something hit the side of Joan's head. Pulling back, she scanned the room with passion-glazed eyes to find Grace watching them with an amused yet disgusted expression on her face.

"Cool it, you two," she said before gesturing to the children surrounding her. "There are minors present."

Blushing fiercely, Joan covered her face with her hands. "I forgot we had company," she admitted.

Chuckling, Adam took her hands and kissed them. "Later," he whispered, the promise heavy in his voice. "But for now," he said, walking backwards and leading her out of the corner, "we mingle."

He winked at her and turned around, presenting her with an unobstructed view of his back. Her eyes roamed over his broad, muscular shoulders beneath the navy blue t-shirt and down his back. She bit back a smile as she appreciated the new, slimmer fit of his jeans.

"I know what you're doing, Jane."

Giggling happily, Joan slipped her arm around his waist and cuddled against him. Waiting for the next hour to pass was going to be torture.

"Mr. McAllister!" Adam said, clasping the hand of an older, genial-looking man. "You made it."

"Of course, I made it. I live just across the way," Mr. McAllister said with a smile. "Tell me, is this the little lady you busted your hump decorating this place for?"

Joan smiled—she couldn't remember the last time she'd been called a "little lady"—and held out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Joan."

"The pleasure's mine. I thought you said her name was Jane."

"It's just my nickname for her."

"What wrong with Joan? It's a perfectly good name."

"Why, thank you, Mr. McAllister," Joan said, trying to keep a straight face.

"You're welcome. Call me Tom."

"Would you like to meet my dad, Tom?" Adam asked as he steered the older man in the direction of their parents.

Joan smiled after them before letting her gaze wander over the remaining guests. In the last half hour, the crowd had thinned considerably and the party was winding down. Her mother, Mrs. Polanski, and Sharon were discretely cleaning up. Kevin and Rebecca were chatting up the younger adults while Will, Carl and Rabbi Polanski were keeping the older guests entertained. Finally, she spotted Grace. She sat in front of the living room windows, still surrounded by children. Holding Trevor in her lap, she appeared to be telling a story.

Bemused, Joan strolled toward the group. In the entirety of their acquaintance, she'd never known Grace to be the one kids flocked to nor would she have thought Grace would tolerate such attention. Joan wondered how her friend became the Mrs. Doubtfire of the party.

"Joan," Rebecca said as she came up behind her. "Phone."

Eyes still glued on Grace, she took the receiver. "Hello?"

"How's your party going, sis?"

"Luke!" she exclaimed. She noticed Grace pause in the middle of her sentence and tense. Her hand settled almost involuntarily on her stomach. A slight panic filled her eyes before she took a deep breath, smiled at the children, and continued her story.

Joan observed all of this with narrowed eyes, bewildered by her friend's reaction to her brother's name. Why was Grace so disconcerted by the mention of Luke? What would cause . . . . The kids, Grace's soap opera tirade, her reaction just now—as the pieces fell into place, Joan's jaw dropped open. Surely, she was wrong.

"Joan?" Luke said. "Hello?"

"Hey, dog boy. How are you? What have you been up to?"

"You think what?" Adam exclaimed. He sat on the lip of the tub, his hand forgotten under the water as he ran the bath.

"I think Grace is pregnant and that Luke's the father." Joan sat on the toilet lid, watching him.

"And how did you come to that conclusion?"

"I can't quite explain it," she said. "I just feel that it's true."

Now that the shock was wearing off, Adam added generous capfuls of bubble bath to the water. "You're going to have to do better than that, Jane."

Joan ticked off her evidence on her fingers as she spoke. "She hung out with the kids all day. When have you ever known her to be Aunty Grace to the kiddies? She completely smoke-screened us about what happened while we were on our honeymoon. Whenever Luke comes up in conversation she either gets really quiet or changes the subject. And when he called this afternoon and she heard his name, her hand flew to her stomach and she looked all panicked. I think they had a thing while we were gone and now she's pregnant."

"That's all circumstantial, Jane," Adam said reasonably.

"You think I don't know that?" At his doubting expression, she glared at him. "I am fully aware of my lack of concrete evidence, Rove."

He smiled at her use of his surname. She only did that when she thought he was being exasperating or deliberately obtuse. Usually he was only being concerned or reasonable. "As long as you know," was all he said.

With a roll of her eyes, she returned his smile then began to pin her hair up. "But what if I'm right? What if Grace is pregnant and Luke is the father? What should we do?"

Adam checked the water as he pondered her question. "I guess we be there for her." He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside.

"That's it?" she asked, taking off her earrings. "'Be there for her?'"

"What else can we do?" he asked while he removed his shoes and socks. Then he leaned forward and removed her shoes. "If she is pregnant, she obviously doesn't want anyone to know. Plus, it's only been two weeks since our wedding. Whether she's pregnant or not, if she and Luke did have a thing, I doubt she's come to terms with that yet." He shed his jeans and threw them on the pile of clothes growing in the corner.

She slipped the straps of her sundress off her shoulders and he helped her shimmy out of it. "I guess you're right."

Adam shut off the water. Then he gave her a soft, understanding kiss. "You know, I've said it before and I'll say it again, patience is a wonderful thing."

"Oh, shut up," she laughed and pushed him back.

Grinning, he took off his boxers and got in the tub. "You know I'm right." She shrugged and sat on the edge of the tub, lazily trailing her fingers through the water. He watched her for a long moment, amazed as always by her tendency to fall into the most graceful poses. Gazing down at the frothy bubbles, the long, elegant lines of her neck accentuating the thoughtful expression on her Madonna-like face, Adam wondered if he would ever know the full range of her beauty. "Jane?"

She glanced up at him.

"I promised to make it all better."

"You did," she acknowledged with a smile.

"I can't do that if you're there and I'm here," he pointed out.

"Is that so?"

He nodded. "I can only make it better if we're touching."

"Well, if that's the only way," she laughed, "who am I to disagree?" Joan stood and slowly stripped off her bra and panties. Taking the hand he offered her, she stepped into the tub and sank into his waiting arms. He gathered her closer and pressed a kiss to her temple as the steaming water lapped over them. Gradually, she melted into his embrace. When she moaned softly and stretched, he smiled and grazed her ear with his lips. "Better?"

"Much." She kissed the underside of his jaw. "Thanks."

"My pleasure." Adam brought her hand to his mouth and idly sprinkled kisses over her palm. "Jane?"

"Hmm?"

"Why is this thing with Grace so important to you?"

She thought about it for a moment. "I guess I just what her to know that she's still important to us. That we haven't forgotten about her or stopped needing her just because you and I are married now. Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, it does. But I don't think you need to worry about it so much. I'm sure she knows."

"You think?"

Adam nodded. "And now, if you don't mind, I propose we stop talking about Grace."

"Why?"

"Because I'm sitting naked in this tub with my beautiful, equally naked wife talking about another woman." He gave her a lop-sided smile. "That's wrong on many, many levels."

"True," she said, laughing.

"But, more importantly," he said as he dropped a kiss on her shoulder, "I promised to make it all better. So far I've only made some of it better. I've dropped the ball," he whispered into her neck as he slid his hands up her arms. Joan smiled as his fingertips skimmed her collarbone. Then his hands were cupping her breasts, teasing them as she squirmed against him, her nails digging into his forearms as need unfurled in the pit of her stomach. "Do you know how beautiful you are?" he asked, his breath tickling her ear and making her tremble even more.

Unable to speak, she shook her head and hoped he wouldn't stop.

"You're perfect." He kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear and she swallowed.

"Exquisite." He nipped her jaw.

His hands began to glide down her stomach. "You're mine," he whispered as his fingers dallied with her navel.

Joan turned heavy-lidded eyes on her husband. She licked her lips. "I'm yours."

"All mine," he sighed against her mouth.

"Yes."

"And I'm yours." He claimed her lips then in a delicate, tantalizing kiss as his hands continued their southward journey. His fingers combed through the curls between her thighs and she sucked her breath in through her teeth. "Open for me, Jane."

She did as he asked then gasped his name as he pressed her thighs further apart. "Hold on to me."

Joan chuckled; she was already clinging helplessly to him. Then he took her mouth again in a deep, thorough kiss much hotter than the water. Just when she thought she'd combust if he didn't make good on his promise, she felt his fingers plunge into her and all thought of anything other than Adam faded into oblivion.

A/N: Told ya. It's only to be expected. They are newlyweds, after all. Needless to say, they never got to that movie, let alone dinner. But I digress. The reason I haven't been in adult Grace's POV recently is because I'm not sure if Grace is pregnant or not. I keep going back and forth on the issue. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. R&R. Alexandri.