Clara lay awake, listening to Pete's rhythmic breathing. She felt much better about things after their date. They had talked seriously the rest of the evening, making plans to be together and intending to seriously stick to them.

Now, she couldn't sleep. She guessed she was so relieved that they had talked and reassured that he still loved her and wasn't seeing anyone else that her mind wouldn't shut off.

Pete moved, reaching for her, so she scooted closer and put her ear over his heart, hoping the steady heartbeat would help her relax.

"You awake?" he asked groggily.

"Yes, sorry."

"No need to apologize." He kissed the top of her head and ran his fingertips down the soft skin of her arm. "Tonight was good."

"Yeah, it was."

"I love you, Clara."

She lifted her head and kissed his chin. "I love you too."

"I'm so sorry for everyth…"

"Shh, baby. You already apologized and we agreed it was my fault too. Let's just move forward and make sure we don't let it happen again."

He nodded and sighed, falling asleep again a moment later. She joined him shortly after that.

….

Jack and Mike got off their first twelve hour shift at 8 am. They were exhausted.

Mike said nothing until they arrived at his house. "Bro, thanks for the ride."

"No problem. See you tonight?"

"Yeah. See you."

Then, twenty minutes later, he was home and headed to the shower before he went to Katie and Tom's house to see Elizabeth and the kids.

When he walked in the door, Joey ran up to him and attacked his legs. "Dada, up?"

"Hi, bud." He kissed his cheek and laughed because Joe immediately wanted back down so he could play.

Elizabeth walked over, holding a baby he didn't know. A small baby that he guessed was about three or four months old.

"Hi, Jack." She smiled huge, probably because she was holding a little baby again. "This is Samuel."

"Hi, honey. You look happy."

"I am." She stretched up and kissed him. "How was your first day?"

"Long, busy. We worked the ER. Will be all week."

"I missed you last night." He nodded and wrapped his arms around her, careful not to squish Samuel.

"Me too. So who's baby is Samuel?"

"A woman who just moved here from South Dakota. She needed daycare a few times a week so we said yes. But now we are at our max."

"Yeah this is quite a few little ones."

"Yeah. I love it."

The daycare area was off the main part of the house. It had a kitchenette and a small table for older kids but also four high chairs they had found at a thrift store for a good price. Then it had an area with three cribs, also from the thrift store. Off that main room was the play room where there were learning toys, books, but also a TV where they watched a movie everyday.

Jack knew Elizabeth wasn't doing it for income. She in fact refused to let Katie pay her except if she bought supplies or something. Elizabeth wanted to be with the children. She played games and, being a teacher, she taught them colors and shapes and letters. It made her very happy.

Jack looked at his phone. "Hey, Pop wants to have us over for dinner tonight. Says he has news."

"Ok. You work tonight, right?"

"Yeah. Need to leave by seven."

"Ok, tell him yes and then you better go sleep."

"Yes, ma'am," he said with a salute.

"Sorry. I'm in caregiver mode."

"I love Bossy Elizabeth just as much as regular Elizabeth." She tweaked his side.

"Bossy, huh? Kiss me, husband! How's that?"

He leaned in and whispered. "Pretty sexy." Then he kissed her. "Love you."

"Love you."

…..

Jack, Elizabeth, and the kids arrived at Charlotte and Bill's shortly before six. Joe was cranky because he had refused to nap. Fin was clingy, refusing to let Elizabeth put her down. And Elizabeth was hungry and apparently hormonal which depressed her a bit.

As they walked in the door, Joe tripped and scraped his knee causing him to cry. Jack picked him up and took him into the bathroom, knowing right where the first aid kit was.

"No! Want Mama!" he said, pushing against Jack's chest.

"Joe, settle down." He didn't want to drop the kid because he was squirming so much.

"No! Want Mama. Not Dada!"

"Stop. I need to wash your knee off."

"Nooooooo!"

Elizabeth popped her head in the door. "Joseph Thomas," she said in her teacher voice. "Let Daddy help you."

"Want you!" he reached for her and almost fell off the sink where Jack had placed him.

Elizabeth sighed and stepped inside the room. "Jack, can you go tend to Fin? She's crying on the couch because I put her down. I'll talk to Joe and fix him up."

Jack kissed the top of Joe's head and stepped out.

"Mama, up!" Joe whined.

"Not yet, bud. We need to clean your knee and then I'll hold you."

"No! UP!"

"Do you want a time out? You're not going to get to play with Aubrey or the kitties if you're in time out."

"No!" Joe scrunched up his face and crossed his arms.

He was so cute when he was stubborn, and yet not, at the same time.

Elizabeth pushed his shorts up a little and washed away the little bit of dirt that was in the scrape. This made Joe cry a bit, but he was ok. Then she sprayed antiseptic on it and he cried louder. "No! Owwwww, Mama!" She blew on it and kissed his damp cheeks.

"I know, baby. It's only going to hurt for a second." Then she added some triple antibiotic ointment and a Band-Aid. "Ok, all done."

"I play!"

"No, one minute. You weren't very nice to Daddy when I came in here. I think you need to say you're sorry to him and give him a hug."

"Yeah," he said with a sigh, like the whole world was on his shoulders. "I bad."

"You're a good boy, you just need to listen better when we tell you to do something."

"Yeah."

"Ok, let's go find Daddy."

Joe nodded and wrapped his arms around her neck, sniffling. "Seep, Mama."

"First, see Daddy. Then sleep."

When they walked out into the living room, Elizabeth sat down next to Jack who was holding Fin. "Hi."

"Hey. How's Joe? All better?"

"What do you say, Joe?"

He picked his head up off her shoulder and looked at Jack. "I sorry, Dada."

"Ok. Thank you, Joe." Joe stood up and hugged Jack and kissed his cheek. "I love you, buddy."

…

During dinner, Elizabeth held Joe until he fell asleep and then laid him on the couch.

"So, we have news," Bill said, grabbing Charlotte's hand and smiling.

"Oh yeah?" Jack asked.

"Its about Aubrey." Aubrey looked over at them, her big brown eyes alert.

"Me?"

"Yes, baby doll. All about you. We just got word that in September, we will be able to officially adopt you."

"You will?"

"Yes."

"Can I still call you Pop?"

"Of course."

"That means no one can take me away, right?"

"Right. You'll be ours. You'll be Aubrey Rose Avery."

She walked over and stood next to Charlotte. "Can I call you, Mom?" she asked Charlotte. "I need a mom."

Charlotte nodded, trying not to cry but failing. "Yes, my sweet girl. You can call me Mom." Charlotte picked up her now nine year old daughter and put her on her lap.

Aubrey had blossomed into a kind, thoughtful, talkative young girl who loved school and loved playing with Fin and Elisa who now were going to be her nieces, not just her friends.

She also loved horses, promising that one day she would be a vet and take care of them.

"I've always wanted a sister," Jack said with a grin. "Now I have one!"

"Elizabeth? You ok?" Charlotte asked her, noticing her tears.

"Of course. Like you, I'm just happy."

….

Later…

"This working all night thing is putting such a damper on our baby making venture," Elizabeth mentioned with a laugh as they stood by the front door saying goodbye.

"We just need to be creative. For instance, if I recall, you don't have to work at the daycare tomorrow. Is that right?"

"Yes."

"So we technically have all day to get caught up."

"All day? Did you forget we have two children who need us to take care of them, husband?"

He smirked and then pulled her even closer. "They take naps, wife. So for a few hours, you're all mine." He kissed her softly, teasing her lips, and then stepping back. "See you in the morning?"

She nodded and then kissed him back. "Be careful."

"I will."

Elizabeth headed into the living room. "Ok, Fin, Joe. Time for baths."

"But its Dory, Mama!" Fin said, as if she hadn't seen the movie every day for months.

"Yes, and Dory will be right there tomorrow."

Fin sighed and got off the couch. "Fine."

Elizabeth smiled at her dramatic daughter. One of a kind, she definitely was.

Her hair was quite a bit like Elizabeth's had been as a child and sometimes still was. A brown mess of curls that was difficult to tame most days. She had hazel eyes which almost looked green some days, a tiny nose, and dimples rivaling Jack's when she laughed.

"Joe, let's go, bud. Bath time."

"Potty," he told her.

"Do you want to try to go in your big boy potty?"

"Yeah." He nodded and took her finger. The boy was harder to potty train than Fin had been, but sometimes, if someone else went first, especially Jack, he would try it. In the mean time, pull ups were necessary.

"Who wants bubbles in their bath?"

"Me!"

….

Elizabeth woke up early and took a shower, excited to see Jack. She didn't know whether it was just because it had been about twelve hours since she had seen him or the promise of spending naptime with him, but whatever it was, she was ready to lay eyes on the adorably gorgeous man.

After her shower, she went to Joe's room and peeked in his crib. He smiled up at her. "Mama!"

"Hi, handsome. Ready to greet the day?"

"Potty?"

"Yep, potty first." She picked him up and kissed his cheeks. "I love you Joe."

She carried him into the bathroom the kids shared and let him push down his pull ups and sit. She knew he probably wouldn't go because his pull up was saturated but at least he tried. Getting in the habit of trying first thing was important to the teaching process.

Fin wandered in, pushing her messy curls out of her face. "Hi, Finny."

"Hi."

Once they were done in there, they headed to the kitchen. "Fin, want me to braid your hair?" Elizabeth let the dogs out and headed to the refrigerator.

"Yes. It's in my way."

First Elizabeth made them eggs and cut up pieces of strawberries. Then while they ate, she braided Fin's hair, one on each side. "There you go, love."

"Thanks, Mama."

"You're welcome."

"Hello?"

"Dada!" Joey said, clapping his hands.

Elizabeth's heart skipped a beat and she blushed, pushing her own curls behind her ears.

"Hi, everyone." He kissed the top of Finny's head and then Joe. Then he looked over at Elizabeth who's face was curiously rosy. "Hi, beautiful."

"Hey." He stepped into her space and wrapped his arms around her. "I missed you, Jack," she said with a sigh.

"I missed you too."

"Mama!"

"Yes, Joe." She turned but kept her arms around Jack's waist.

"Potty."

She reached up and kissed Jack. "I'll be back."

When she came back, Jack was making himself breakfast. "Where's Fin?"

"Watching Dory."

Elizabeth put Joe down and he scampered into the living room presumably to watch the movie too.

"So…." Jack said as he put his eggs on a plate.

"So?"

"Well, naps are a few hours away."

"Very true."

He walked over and slipped his arms around her waist. "I need to eat and take a shower and then I thought maybe we could go grocery shopping and for a walk."

"Distractions. Good idea."

"Ok, so I'm going to eat." If he kissed her again, he wouldn't want to stop so he concentrated on his food.

"I'll get the kids ready." She walked into the living room. "Ok, kids. Let's get dressed. We need to go grocery shopping and then for a walk."

"Mooommm," Fin whined.

"Fin, you watch Dory all the time. It can wait until later."

"But this is my favorite part!"

"Please come, Fin. I just need you to listen to me, ok?"

Fin sighed and turned off the TV. Joe got down too and they headed upstairs to get dressed.