"Did you find him?" Julia asked as soon as William opened their front door.

"No."

"I heard someone talk about it when I walked by the station on my way home. I went to see Margaret but she wasn't home."

"She was at the station with us."

"She must feel so … desperate." Julia said, sighing as she sat down next to her husband on the couch. "What happened exactly?"

"She was at the park with Bobby, a friend of his and the boy's nanny. The boys were playing on a wooden structure they took for a pirate ship and the two women were talking. They heard a woman cry for help behind the bushes and went to see what was happening. When they came back, Bobby was gone and the other boy said a man had taken Bobby on an adventure." William explained, his eyes closing in exhaustion.

"I'm going with you tomorrow. I'll get Margaret away from the station, making her take some fresh air and giving you more space to work and find poor Bobby." Julia said, kissing him quickly before getting up to get him something to eat.

"That would be very nice Julia. I can't get myself to work with her here. Everytime I see her I … I can't focus on what I have to do to bring her boy back and I can't not bring him back. I can't ..."

"I know William. You'll get him back, don't worry." she said, bringing him a sandwich. "You have to believe in yourself William, you will bring Bobby Brackenreid back to his parents, I know you will."

"You certainly trust me more than I do myself." William said, eating.

"Well, you are the best. I know you will not stop looking for him. Remember how you were when you were looking for Arwin Jones? You didn't know the boy or his family and yet you didn't stop until you found him. You're going to work even more to find Bobby because you know him, you've played with him at police picnics, you work with his father, you know his mother well enough. And I know you William, if I don't force you to eat and sleep every once in a while you will literally not stop until you have found him." Julia reasoned, caressing his cheek lovingly as he ate.

"You know me too well Mrs Murdoch."

"What time do you have to go in tomorrow morning?"

"I don't really have a time to go in. I'll go when I get up."

"And what time do you plan on getting up?"

"I don't know … five?"

"Six." Julia said, looking at him seriously. "You need to sleep to have a clear mind when you get back William. I am setting the alarm and it goes on my bedside table. Don't look at me like that, you know very well that if you keep the alarm on your side, you'll change the alarm when I am sleeping. Don't try to protest, you know I am right. Am I wrong?" she asked, seeing protest on his face.

"No, you're right." William mumbled.

"We should ask them to come and have lunch at our house." Julia said as she walked in the park with William, heading for the Brackenreids who were playing pirates further away.

"Julia, they just found each other again, maybe they want to be left alone for a while." William said.

"We should ask them anyway. Thomas and Margaret seemed angry last time I saw them, blaming each other for what happened. If they all come to our house for lunch, we can take care of John and Bobby so their parents can relax and … talk."

"You really think of everything, don't you?" William asked.

"I try." Julia laughed as they joined the inspector's family.

They all stayed at the park for an hour and everyone decided to follow Julia's idea. When they arrived, the two Brackenreid boys immediately asked William if he could show them his new inventions. While Julia was preparing a light lunch for everyone, she saw Thomas and Margaret walk arm in arm in the garden, talking quietly. She smiled to herself, she was always right. When the sandwiches and salads were ready, she called for William. When he appeared, his jacket and vest were gone, his tie had disappeared and his collar was open.

"What were you doing?" she laughed when she saw him.

"We were … building something." he said.

"Well, can you put your building something aside for now and take the table outside? It's such a nice day, we will be better in the garden."

"Alright. Boys, I need strong arms to carry a table!" he called in the corridor.

A few seconds later, the two boys came running in, sleeves already rolled up to help. Seeing what was happening and predicting a catastrophe, Thomas came to help with the table, Margaret joining Julia in the kitchen. They brought the plates and cutlery outside and all ate in joyful company. Julia couldn't take her eyes off her husband. He was not sitting next to her as he usually did. Both boys had wanted to sit next to him so he was between the two on the other side of the table. He seemed so happy talking to the boys about his inventions she could not help but smile. He was so good with children …

"I'm going to get some fruit." she announced, getting up and walking into the house.

When he didn't see her come back right away, William got up as well and went to find her. She was in the kitchen, a plate full of fruit in her hands, looking by the window at the two Brackenreid boys.

"Julia? Is everything alright?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm fine." she said, smiling at him.

"Are you sure? You seem … elsewhere..." he said, taking the plate from her hands to hug her to his side.

"I'm sure, don't worry." she said, kissing his cheek. "You will make a wonderful father William. Just seeing you with the boys here, it's … it's natural to you. And you are so good with them."

"Julia, we already talked about this. I know it's not easy but I thought you had finally managed to put that behind you."

"And I did. I'm fine, really William. I was really just enjoying seeing you with children that's all. And I know that when we decide to have a child, whatever way it is, you will be a wonderful father." She said, smiling.

"And you will make a wonderful mother." William said, kissing her.

To kiss his wife properly, William put the plate on the table and took her fully in his arms. They were so caught up in each other that they didn't hear the boy running inside the house.

"William, Father said to stop kissing and bring the dessert." John Brackenreid said, running out as soon as he saw them separate.