Present

"No, Mommy," Nat said, hugging her. "Don't leave us."

Max hugged her back, looking at John over her head. "I'm never leaving you, Nat. I need to go see your, Grandma, Kiddo. I don't think you want to come with me."

"Grandma might hurt you."

"Hey, she loves you and Regan so much. She's just sad. What she did was wrong, but we're going to make sure she gets better. You and Regan are going to hang out with John for a few hours, go to swim team and then…Oh, Sweetie."

"Nat," John said, looking at his very shaky girlfriend with her clinging six-year-old. "I'm pretty excited to hang out with you and Regan."

"No. You should protect, Mommy."

"I would if she would let me."

"Mommy? Can we all go with you? You can see Grandma and we can stay with John? Then he can save you from Grandma if she does something bad?'

She gulped, I don't want them near her. Catching John's eye, he nodded, as she stroked back Nat's hair. He loves us, he's doing this for me. How can he love me after I told him all that? "Tell you what, Kiddo, if you and Regan stay with John the whole time, sure. Can you promise me?"

She nodded. "I love you, Mommy."

"Max," John said. So lovely, he thought, in leggings and a purple sweater. I love this mama-bear thing she has going on. "Go get your coat and sister, Nat."

"You'll take care of Mommy?"

"I always will," he said, as Nat reluctantly let go and ran upstairs. "You okay?"

She shook her head. "They slept with me last night. Nat hasn't let me out of her sight."

"I'm asking about you."

She shook her head, as he hugged her tightly for a long moment. He gives the best hugs, she thought, I belong in his arms. My kids belong with him. "I'm not okay. I need to go see her. I know my kids will be okay with you."

He pressed his lips to her head. "I love you and those girls."

She looked up at him. "Still?"

"More and more every day. You've got my heart, Honey. Getting to have this family with you is a bonus. Are you crying?"

"You need to warn me before you say such sweet things."

"I should have told you years ago."

She looked up at him. Attraction, she thought, it was there, we both know it. My marriage, whatever problems it had, I loved him. I wouldn't have Regan or Nat. What if we…no. I can't go there. "I wish I ran into you sooner when I moved here."

"I wish we tried this 10 years ago."

"I would have fallen for you. We would have run off and eloped to avoid the scandal it would have been in that town. I wouldn't have Regan and Nat. We'd have…whatever kids we would've had."

"We would have made amazing kids."

She smiled at that. "They would have been."

"It's not too late."

She looked at him with that. "To have a baby? I'm 39 and you're 41. You want to have a baby? Now?"

"Well, nine months from now."

She stared at him like he was out of his mind. "Are you serious?"

"About having a baby? I am. What do you say?"

"I loved being pregnant, feeling it growing and moving…Are we really doing this?"

"Well, I rather we get married first, but you did point out our age thing."

She gulped, as she heard Nat and Regan clamor down the stairs. Another kid? With the man who wants to have kids with me? Who wants to marry me? Who my kids were vocal about wanting to the be their dad yesterday. "I'd like to do both those things."

He nodded, letting her go. "We should get on both of those projects then. Hey, Ladies, you ready to go?"

6 Years Ago

No one can know, Max thought, feeding Natalie. I can never tell anyone that Kenny and I, he died, I can't. He could have waited for back up and…he wasn't thinking because of me.

"There you go, Sweetheart."

It's my fault. We would have worked it out. I loved him so much…he loved me and Regan. He could have loved Natalie too. I could have gotten my tubes tied, anything, to make him happy and trust me.

"Max?"

She looked up from a sleepy Natalie. "I'm almost done, Sharon."

"Kenny would have loved her so much."

Not unless I made him. I can't…she's his mom. My kids, his family, no one will ever know how he felt about them.

Present

John and my kids at the park, Max thought, while I do this. Nat holding me tightly again, before taking John's offered piggyback ride. Kids. With John. Marriage. The best guy. Focus, Max, focus.

"Max."

She looked up and shook herself out of it. "Hank. I am so sorry."

She stiffened briefly while he hugged her. "I'm very glad you're here."

"How is she?"

"She's stable. You didn't bring the kids?"

"Nat is pretty freaked out and Regan is being her super protective older sister. They need some time to deal with it."

"Are they still with that woman?"

Max shook her head. "She's been very kind to them."

"They're with him."

"They really like him. Hank, I didn't plan on this. I really like him too."

"He makes you happy?"

She nodded. "Very happy."

"That's what matters. I'm happy for you. Come on."

6 Years Ago

"I don't want any of it."

"You can't throw away your entire life, Max."

She looked up at that, before down to Nat in her sling and Regan happily occupied with her book. None of it. Fresh start. With their family. "No. Donate it, Jill. I don't need it."

"Max, you're not thinking clearly."

"I packed what we needed and wanted. The house is sold. We're leaving tomorrow."

Present

"Where are my grandchildren?"

Calm, rational, Max thought, I'm okay because of them. "They're still upset and confused about yesterday. How are you feeling, Sharon?"

"You left my grandchildren, Kenny's children, with them?"

"They like spending time with John. He's very good with them. His own daughter is 15 and he is really is a great dad."

"Not to my grandkids. They belong to Kenny."

He didn't want them…he didn't really want me anymore. "I would hope Kenny would like that there is someone who loves them. He does, Sharon. He loves my girls and he loves me."

"Kenny would be so ashamed of you. You're a slut."

She gulped at that. "You're my family. I hope you feel better soon, but I'm going to go."

"Mom, leave her alone," Mel said. "Good to see you, Max."

"You too," Max said. "We should get dinner this week."

"He's a nice guy, Mom," Mel said. "Regan and Nat really like him. He and Colin played soccer with the kids for hours. Cut Max a break, she met a nice guy who is super into her and likes her kids. Max can't cry on the couch with you forever."

"You want that man raising your brother's kids?"

"Max is raising them. If she thinks John is good enough for her and them? I believe her."

"You no good tramp. Kenny was going to take them and leave you."

9 Years Ago

"We're such adults," Max sighed, looking at their house. "We don't have enough to fill it."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. "Come on, it's perfect for us."

She leaned back against him, enjoying his attentions. "Plenty of bedrooms and a big yard. We can raise a family here."

"I just want you."

"Your wife of three weeks?" she teased, turning and kissing him. "We should break this house in."

Present

"Why haven't you married my Mom?" Regan asked. "I know you love her. Nat and I want you to be our Dad and Kara to be our sister. I told her she should ask you to marry her, but she said we had to bake cookies."

John looked at her for a long moment. She looks and acts just like Max. This smart, well spoken, independent, determined, how could Kenny not want these kids? "You want me to marry your mom?"

"You and Mom are in love. She wants to marry you."

"Did your mom tell you that?"

Regan sighed. "Mom doesn't have to say it. You guys kiss all the time. Are you going to marry my mom?"

"Can you keep a secret?"

Regan nodded. "Yes. Is it a big one?"

John pulled the ring box out of his pocket and opened it. "Do you think your mom will like it?"

She nodded and smiled at him. "Mom will love it because it's from you."

Present

"I'm going," Max said, stepping back. "I hope you get better soon, Sharon."

"Slut!"

They can't know, I can never tell them…let them think Kenny was a saint. That we were a perfect family. My kids can never know. I did love him, I would have fought to make it work. A new life…is John serious about having a baby? Leaning against the corridor wall she let out a long breath.

"I'm sorry for her."

"She's hurt," Max said. "Hank, I'm never going to cut her or any of you out of our life. You're our family…my family just got a little bigger with John and Kara. I didn't want you to find out the way you did. It wasn't right."

"I think of you as my daughter."

"Even if," she trailed off. "What if we want to…We're talking about moving in together."

"Is that what you want?"

"I want to be with him, Hank. I want him to raise Nat and Regan with me. I want to be whatever Kara needs me to be for her."

He looked at her for a long moment. "I think Kenny would like you to move on and be happy."

Kenny and I were talking about divorce. No, we would have made it work…he would have loved his kids. We would have been a great family. "Yeah."

"When Sharon is better…we should all have dinner. I would like to get to know the man who will be joining us for Sunday dinner and raising my grandchildren."

Don't cry, Max thought, please don't cry now. "I'd really like that."

One Year Ago

"You didn't have to," Max said, taking the bouquet of roses. "These are beautiful."

"They have nothing on you."

She smiled at that, very aware of her short dress and carefully curled hair. "It took me a long time to make myself look like this."

A far cry from her this morning in a t-shirt, boxer shorts and pony tail. From adorable to very hot. Four months, we just slept together, and she is looking like…she shouldn't be able to look like this. All lace, hugging all her curves, this hair…her smiling at me like that. "I'm going to have the prettiest date on my arm tonight."

She fiddled with her curls, as he helped her with her coat and nuzzled her neck a bit. "You're sweet."

I'm falling in love with her, he thought, if I'm not there already. Slowly, she is still skittish, even if she just melts into me. I can't stop touching her…she smells amazing. Me and Max. God, she fits so well in my arms. Squeezing her from behind, he kissed her cheek. "You ready to go?"

I'd go anywhere with him, she thought, what is happening to me? I sleep with him once and suddenly I'm all mushy? He does have amazing hands. Falling, this is dangerous, I'm falling for this guy. "Well, I am all dressed up and my kids are at their grandparents for the night."

He kissed her for a long moment before pulling back. "We don't have to go anywhere. That dress is itching to be peeled off you."

She smiled at that, very tempted by that. "This is your work fundraiser, John. Help the helpless and all? Peeling this off me can wait."

He kissed her again. "We should go. If we don't...Max."

She stepped back and intertwined her fingers with his. "Control yourself, Counselor."

Present

"You spoil me," Max sighed, taking the offered candy bar. "And half a flat soda?"

"You're worth it," he said, watching her kids play on the jungle gym. "They're good, Honey. Your protective streak is showing. Max, you let them go sledding on tv trays and slide down the banister."

She smiled at that. "Are you going to tell me I'm reckless?"

"I like to think you matured a bit."

"Having them changed me."

"Nah. You're still that hardheaded, stubborn and antagonistic person who gets under my skin."

"You do say such nice things to me. When did Kara get here? I thought she was studying."

"She wanted to hang out with us. I know, my 15-year-old, wanted to hang out with a six and eight-year-old, her dad, and his girlfriend. We must be doing something right. You okay? How is she?"

She shook her head and gave him the short version. "I don't know what to do."

"You're not letting her near Regan and Nat."

"That's a given right now. How is Nat? She's breaking my heart."

"I stuffed her full of sugar and sent out on a playground. She just needs you."

Max gulped. "She wants you too. She kept asking me if you were going to be her dad…if she could call you Daddy."

"Is this the same conversation that Regan asked you why we weren't getting married and told you that you should ask me? If Nat wants me to be her dad, Max, I'm in."

"Regan told you that? Of course, it's what Nat wants."

"Regan is all you. I'd love to be both of their dads. Did you guys bake good cookies?"

"I burned them because we were playing soccer."

Emotionally wrecked, he thought, worried about her kids. I can't ask her this now, I really want to. I don't want to waste anymore time with her, we belong together. "How do you feel about being Kara's stepmom? She's 15, I know she likes you, but she's a teenager. She can be moody and rebellious. She's dating. She skirts her curfew to the minute. You up for that?"

She nodded. "If you think you can handle being Nat's jungle gym and Regan thinking she is grown enough to ask you why you haven't married me."

"It's a question I've been asking myself."

She looked at him with that. "What?"

"Why haven't I married this smart, funny, gorgeous, kind, loving, completely under my skin, wonderful woman?" he said, standing and holding his hand out to her. "Max?"

She looked at him, as he tugged on her hand, so she stood up with him. "John?"

"I'd love to be their dad…I'd love for you to be Kara's mom…or whatever she needs you to be," he said, brushing back her hair, as Kara brought Regan and Nat over. "I love you, Honey, I want you to be my wife. Let's not waste any more time. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. Maxine Lacos, will you marry me?"

"Yes," she said softly, without any hesitation, as Regan and Nat squealed. Smiling, as he slid the sapphire and diamond ring on her finger. "Of course, yes, John."

"Yes, huh?" he teased, kissing her for a long moment as their kids watched. "No tears?"

She shook her head. "Probably later."

"Mommy!" Nat cried, hugging her tightly. "You and John are getting married?"

"You bet, Kiddo," John said, hoisting her up. "You okay with me marrying your mom?"

She nodded. "Are you going to be my daddy now?"

He caught Max's eye and she nodded. "I would love to be both your and Regan's dad, Nat. I think it's something the five of us need to hammer out. Kara? You okay?"

She nodded. "Max, are you going to be my mom?"

"I'd love to be," Max said, as Regan pressed herself close to her. Wrapping her arm around her, she squeezed her tighter. "If you want me to be. Oh."

She hugged her back, a bit surprised by Kara's burst of affection toward her. Our new family, the five of us, do not cry. Did I just agree to marry him? Oh, I do love him so much. Catching John's eye, she smiled, this is happening. Married, this new family we're starting, oh I didn't see this coming. Effortless, it's so easy with us, how can it be so easy? How can this man just love me and my kids like this?

"You guys want to go home?" John asked. "We can fire up the grill, take it easy?"

One Year Ago

"I do know you," he said. "Yeah. Bartell's, right?"

Did I really think that sleeping around for a year wouldn't come back to bite me, she thought, oh what was I thinking? "Yeah, I think I've been there. I don't remember you."

"I remember you. You're John's girl?"

"Yes, we're seeing each other," Max started. I slept with this guy? What was I thinking when I was doing this? "How do you two know each other?"

He smiled at her slowly. "We work together. John, it's about time you brought your girlfriend to one of these."

John hand her a glass of wine and slipped his arm around her again. "Sorry, I didn't mean to ditch you."

How do I tell him this? How many people did I… "You didn't."

"I was keeping her company for you."

John shot her a look, trying to get a read off her. Something is up with her. Later. "I'm going to steal her for a few."

Present

"I don't remember my mom," Kara said, joining her on the porch. "Dad is all that I really had."

Max looked at her. "Your dad is a really good guy, Kara. You are very lucky to be raised by him."

"He's the best dad and he is going to take such good care of Regan and Nat."

She nodded. "I wouldn't marry him if I thought he wouldn't."

"He's my dad and…it's just been me and him. I never had a mom."

"Hey," Max said softly. "I know we…I'd love to be your mom, Kara. If we're not there yet, I really like being your friend."

"My dad really loves you."

"I love him too."

"Can I call you Mom sometimes? To see and…I don't know."

"You can call me whatever you want."

One Year Ago

"You slept with him?"

Max winced hearing the lawyer tone in his voice. "I don't remember. I had a good year of sleeping around."

"I work with the guy and he," John said. "He saw you naked. You let him touch you and…Max."

She wrapped her arms around herself. "It was before we were even…Are you really mad at me?"

"For something you did before we even ran into each other? No. How many, Max?"

"I don't know. Twenty. Thirty. I just," she started. "I was lonely. I didn't want a boyfriend. I just wanted to feel something. It was just…I never brought them home with me. Did you ever just want to feel?"

"It took you four months to sleep with me."

"I slept with you, in my bed and home. You weren't some man I picked up in the bar. I wanted to see you the next morning. John, I really like spending time with you. I want to be with you."

He looked at her for a long moment. "I want to be with you too, Honey."

She smiled at that. "You're the only one I want touching me now. John, I… I'm not a tramp."

"I know who you are. I like who you are. I don't like that a guy I see everyday has…I can deal with it, Max. You're worth it to me."

Present

"This looks good on you," John said, lacing his fingers through hers. "We got some things to figure out."

"Like how I really don't want you to leave tonight?"

He nodded, as they stood together in her kitchen, while their kids watched a movie. "You have the bigger house. Wedding? I meant it when I said I don't want to waste any more time with you. I'd do it tomorrow. As for having a kid? I'm happy to start that right now."

"You're very blunt."

"You okay?"

She smiled up at him. "Today was kind of a whirlwind. I didn't expect you to pop out a ring and propose to me. Or for us to be talking about having a kid. I was excited about moving in together and…You kind of blew up my life a bit with the rest. In a good way. Oh."

He pressed his lips to hers. "What do you want to do?"

"I want to marry you."

"Well good because you said yes to that a few hours ago. How? When?"

"This is on me?" she teased. "Small. Intimate. I'd do it with just us and our kids, but…we should probably have a few guests."

He nodded, kissing her again. "Run off and elope?"

I'm a lovesick fool, she thought, I can't stop kissing and touching this man.

"Really?" Kara said, stopping in the kitchen door. "There are children here. When you catch making out with my boyfriend, I'm going to remind you of this, Dad."

"You are not making out with boys."

"Says my dad who has his tongue down his fiancés throat," she stated. "What? Come on, Dad, you are always kissing Max."

"Max and I are adults. No kissing boys until you're 25."

"Dad! Max, please," Kara groaned. "Can you talk some sense into him? Please?"

She smiled up at him. "Maybe she's already kissing boys, John."

"Don't you start too," he said. "Who are these boys, Kara?"

Kara giggled and shot Max a look. "Ah, Dad you're so easy sometimes. Can I bring a date to your wedding and kiss him there?"

"I think your grandmother's head would explode. Max, are you laughing?"

Logical and pragmatic, she thought, and Kara is the only one who gets him all riled up. "I don't see you flustered that much, Counselor."

Kara giggled. "You get him flustered too."

"Do I?" she asked. "Do you have a rebuttal?"

"You need to stop with the lawyer talk."

She smiled up at him. Warm, she thought, happy. This guy. I don't want this to change when we move in together, get married, all of it. It changed with me and Kenny…because of Regan and Nat. we should have talked about it, we should have been clear…we just rushed into marriage thinking because we loved each other everything would work out. Am I doing it again? Nine months and we're engaged. Talking about a baby.

"Dad I have homework if you can stop kissing Max for the night."

"Go," she smiled. As much as I don't want you to. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Nine Years Ago:

"I love you like this," Kenny said, backing her into the kitchen island. "You should never wear clothes."

Max smiled at him, as he pulled her shirt off. "We're going to have to disinfect our kitchen. Why are your pants still on?"

"Do you know how hard is to work with you right now?"

"I feel something else hard. Get inside me."

Present

"Mom is out of her mind," Mel said, as they sat down to lunch. "Do you have time for this?"

"I barely take my lunch break," Max said, shrugging off her coat. "I have an easy day anyway. How is she? Wasn't she being released?'

"You're not pressing criminal charges?"

Max grimaced at that. "I want her to get some help, Mel. Nat is pretty freaked out. I took your parents off any pick up and contact lists I had until she does. John wanted me to file a restraining order, but I can't. You're my family and…I want to fix this."

"What's on your finger? You did not have that on yesterday."

"What?" she asked, looking down at her hand. "Oh. Yeah."

"You're engaged?"

She nodded. "Yeah. John asked me yesterday afternoon and…I said yes."

"You know this is going to destroy my mother. She already is on her tramp rant about you. She wants to file for custody of Regan and Natalie. Dad is talking her down from that. When she finds out you're marrying him? Max, you're going to kill her with this."

"That is not fair, Mel."

"He's a nice guy, I know that. You and Kenny were the perfect couple. How is this…how does this even match up?"

"Kenny and I weren't perfect. We had our issues, just like anyone else."

"Please, my brother adored you. You were all he talked about."

Divorce, Max thought, fighting over our kids. Barely speaking. No one can know. "We weren't perfect, Mel. I loved him, with everything I had, but we butted heads. We had different ideas. There were things we should have talked about before we got married."

"What?"

He knew me better than anyone…it should have been so easy. I wanted it to work, I would have made it work. "I loved him, Mel. Getting remarried is a pretty big deal to me. It's a bigger deal for me to realize that John is going to be the father that Nat and Regan remember."

"Mom isn't going to forgive you."

"I know. I'm hoping she will. I couldn't ask for a better man to come into my and my girl's life. He is wonderful with them. He makes me laugh, think, we have fun, he gives the best hugs, we can talk and... I fell, and I fell hard."

"Do you love him more than Kenny?"

"It's different. I'm more mature, older, I have different priorities. It's a different relationship than I had with Kenny. Not better or worse, just different."

"No, you didn't look at Kenny the way you look at John."

She gulped. "That isn't fair."

"No, it isn't. What if he was still alive?"

"If Kenny was still alive, we'd still be in Wisconsin."

"And if you ran into John?"

"I would have never cheated on Kenny. Not with John or anyone."

"And he looks at you like…Max, he just looks at you when you're not looking. Or even when you are. When the two of you walked over to the porch? You two didn't take your eyes off each other. He had his arm around you and…I don't know. You just looked really happy with him."

She gulped at that. "I am happy with him. It doesn't take anything away from what I had with Kenny."

"He's going to raise your kids. Kenny's kids."

Max nodded, as they both wiped their tears away. "He is."

Nine Years Ago

"There are so many rooms," Max said, turning to look at him. "I'm glad we bought this, but…A man cave?"

"You can visit."

She smiled at that, wrapping her arms around his waist and smiling at him. "A giant walk in closet?"

He kissed her, letting his hands roam lower. "For all your uniforms and little dresses, you own?"

"And shoes," she teased. "Maybe a nursery in the future?"

He looked at her for a long moment, snug and close to him. "For a baby? You want to have a baby?"

She snuggled in closer to him. "Sometime. You're going to be a great dad."

And you want a baby, you wanted one since you delivered and almost adopted one. Not yet. "You want to get pregnant?"

She smiled up at him. "I think we'd make a pretty great kid together."

He hugged her to him, feeling his heart drop at that. "Come to bed with me."