A/N - "Thoughts"

Chapter 9 - Only A Matter Of Time

Miranda smiled as she linked her arm with Gordo's as they walked down the street. It was Valentine's Day and they just had dinner at Little Naples. As they slowly walked down the street towards where they parked, Miranda glanced up at her husband. She snickered softly to herself and Gordo looked over at her. With a smirk, he gave her a look.

"I was just thinking," Miranda paused for a moment with a playful smirk dancing across her lips, "you think it was a good idea to leave them home alone."

"Don't worry about it," Gordo reassured her, "Maria and Eric won't try anything, Jason and Amanda are there."

"I wasn't talking about Maria," Miranda said with a small laugh and Gordo snickered. "Of course, we still have our little spy."

"Natalie," Gordo said with a small smile, "You know she's my favorite."

"Only cause she can't date yet," Miranda said sarcastically and nudged him in the ribs as they both laughed.

As they continued to walk down the street, coming in the opposite direction was Kate and Ethan. Miranda grinned, "Well, if it isn't our future in-laws."

Kate laughed at Miranda's comment. "Hey guys," she said as they walked up to them. "We have to talk about your son's intentions towards my daughter," Kate teased Gordo.

Miranda snickered. "Our son's intentions?" she asked sarcastically back, "What about your daughter's? It seems like she lives at our house now." The two mothers started laughing. "So how much longer do you think it'll take?"

"I think it'll be soon, very soon. I've seen the way Jason as been looking at her," Kate said with a small grin.

Ethan scowled, "So have I."

Kate snickered, "Ethan. Amanda as been looking back at him the same way," she told her husband but Ethan continued to scowl.

"What can I say my son as good taste."

"Gordo," Miranda said with a smirk and playfully punching him in the arm.

"What?" he asked, as he then snickered. "Not like that. Amanda is a pretty girl but I wasn't just talking about how she looks." He casually looked over at Kate, "Though it doesn't hurt," he said sarcastically, implying how much mother and daughter looked alike.

Kate laughed and rolled her eyes. Ethan looked at Gordo, "Dude, stop hitting on my wife." All four of them started laughing.

"Seriously," Gordo said, "Amanda is a smart, funny, and a very intelligent girl and is a great match for Jason."

"True. Gordon men need an equal, a strong woman, someone who won't put up with their crap, and knock their egos down a notch or two," Miranda teased him. "Amanda is a perfect fit."

"Keep it up Sanchez," Gordo joked, using an old nickname. Miranda just smiled innocently at him.

"I hate to break up this match making session but we got reservations," Ethan said aloud, but more towards Kate.

"We better get going too," Miranda said. She looked at the two fathers whose minds had drifted to wondering what their daughters were doing. "Gotta get home and breakup that orgy." Miranda and Kate both laughed while Gordo and Ethan glared at their respective wives. Saying goodbye, both wives dragged their respective husbands along down the street in opposite directions.

Meanwhile, back at the Gordon's house, the children were sitting in the living room, watching some of the movies from Gordo's collection.

Amanda snickered as she saw Jason glare across the room to where Maria and Eric were sitting on the floor. They were cuddling under a large blanket and it was annoying Jason to no end.

Leaning over, Amanda whispered into his ear, "How long are you going to stare at them?" she teased.

"They're too close," he hissed.

Amanda giggled softly and elbowed him. "They're dating."

"So?"

"You're hopeless," she giggled softly, "She's not a little girl anymore."

"She's still my little sister."

Before Amanda could respond, Maria's voice interrupted them, "I'm not your little sister, I'm your younger sister," she snapped at her older brother. Jason glared at her and Maria defiantly glared back. Glancing at Amanda for a second, she looked back at Jason and smirked at him, a smirk much like her mother's, "Besides, atlas I'm not scared to go get what I want."

Grumbling softly, Jason ignored his sister and returned his attention to the TV. Amanda continued to look at him for a moment and being very thankful the room was dark except for the light from the TV. She was blushing; she knew exactly what the comment from Maria meant.

After a few minutes, Amanda looked over at him again but this time, her attention was drawn to the person sitting on his other side. Little Natalie was struggling to stay awake, fighting against her dropping eyelids, as she sat slumped against Jason side with Jason's arm protective wrapped around her.

"Nat, I think its time you went to bed," Jason said softly.

"No!" she whined softly. She loved hanging out with her older brother and sister because it made her feel grownup.

"Come on," Jason said as he stood up and picked her up. She just whimpered softly and rested her head against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'll help you," Amanda said as she stood up and gently stroked Natalie's head. Natalie, being the youngest of all the children and most likely the last, was like the little sister to everyone.

As Amanda and Jason walked out of the room with Natalie, Maria grinned and calling after them, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Amanda stopped Jason from turning around to snap back and gently pushed him towards the stairway. As soon as they were out of sight of the living room, Maria quickly looked over at Eric and grinned. Leaning in, she started to kiss him. Just as the kiss started to grow in intensity, someone clearing their throat interrupted them.

Irritated, Maria pulled back and looked over, "Jason, I told you I'm not..." But instead of looking at her brother, she found herself looking at an amused Miranda and a very irritated Gordo. "Uh, hehe, hi Dad, Mom."

Meanwhile back upstairs, Jason had tucked Natalie into her bed and was kneeling next to it until she fell asleep. Amanda watched this from the doorway with a huge smile. She thought he looked adorable. "I wonder what he'll look like with our kids."

As soon as she thought it, Amanda felt her stomach tighten, "What the hell? We're not even dating and I'm thinking about us having kids." But when Jason leaned in and kissed Nat's forehead, "But he's gonna be a great dad, just like his."

As they stood out in the hallway, neither was really sure what to say and both were trying hard to ignore the fact that his bedroom was very close. After opening their mouths several times with no words coming out, Maria came sprinting up the steps and by them. She only said two words before sliding into her room. "Dad's home."

Jason watched Maria's door slam shut and then realizing what her words meant, he slowly started to chuckle. When Amanda gave him a questioning glance, he explained. "Think about it. What do you think they were doing done there?"

Getting it and imagining Gordo's face at possible catching them, she started laughing too. Sobering a little, "I better get home." Jason nodded and as they shared a hug, both had to fight the urge to not let go. "Night," she said very softly, almost in a whisper.

"Night," he said hoarsely as he watched her walked down the stairs.

A little while later, as Miranda and Gordo were getting ready for bed, Gordo was mumbling to herself. Miranda was highly enjoying this; she wasn't exactly pleased that her daughter had been making out with someone, alone in the living room. But she knew Eric very well, and that Maria probably started it.. "She's not your little girl anymore."

Gordo gave his wife a murderous glare. "I swear I'll castrate that boy."

Miranda just rolled her eyes. "Its Little Tudge. The kid wouldn't hurt a fly. Besides, we both know, their is no one that makes Maria do anything she doesn't want to."

Giving her a smirk, "Much like her mother," he said as they laid down in their bed. She smirked back at him before snuggling up to him.

"Besides, I'd be more concerned about Kate's daughter seducing our innocent son," she said sarcastically. Seriously, Miranda loved Amanda like a second daughter. While she had hoped it'd be Rebecca he'd fall for, as they all got older, she realized they were a perfect pair.

Laughing softly, "That poor boy as no idea what trouble he's in," Gordo said. When Miranda kneed his side, he just laughed harder. "But I wouldn't trade it for anything," Gordo said as he kissed Miranda and they slowly drifted off to sleep.