Melinda slowly opens her brown eyes and squints when the early morning sunshine glares on her face. She glances at the clock, 7:00 am it reads. She pulls herself out of bed so she can start coffee and then wake Aiden for school. The mother of three makes her way down the stairs to the kitchen, but she finds the coffee already done and a note on the fridge. It reads:

Mel,

I set the coffee maker for you so it's ready when you're up.

I know you have a crazy morning, sorry I can't be home to help.

Love, Jim

Melinda smiles to herself. "God, I love that man." She muses aloud as she pours a cup of coffee and takes a sip. Melinda double checks the clock: 7:20 am. "I should really wake up Aiden now." The mother chastises herself. She makes her way back upstairs and quietly opens her oldest son's bedroom door. "Aiden." She softly calls his name. The young boy rolls over in his sleep, but doesn't wake up. "Baby, time to get up for school." Melinda tries again, this time resting a hand on his small shoulder. His blue eyes flutter open slowly.

"Morning Mama." He whisperers, his voice still hoarse from sleep. Melinda smiles,

"Morning my boy. Get dressed, okay? What would you like for breakfast this morning?" She asks.

"Waffles please." Aiden requests.

"Okay baby. I'm going to get Andy and Danny up and then I'll start it." Melinda explains to her son. She makes her way down the hall to the twins bedroom.

"Good morning my babies. Time to help me make breakfast." She says from the doorway. As soon as she speaks, both Andy and Danny's eyes fly open, they are such soft sleepers.

"Mama!" They squeal together. Melinda giggles at their early morning happiness.

"Hi babies. Come on, lets go downstairs and make waffles for your brother." She tells her two youngest. They clamber out of their newly acquired big kid beds and race each other to the kitchen. Melinda chuckles as she follows them at a slower pace. "So much energy." She whispers to herself.

Breakfast is just being served when Aiden walks into the kitchen fully dressed for his day at school. "Morning Mama, squirts." He teases as he ruffles Andy's hair on the way to the table.

"Aid!" Andy whines as she fixes her dark curls.

"Be nice Aiden." Melinda warns her oldest. Aiden looks sheepishly at his mother.

"Sorry Mama." He whispers, eyes downcast.

"It's okay baby, just eat your breakfast so you're not late." She softly ordered her son. Aiden quickly finished his food and went upstairs to brush his teeth. He came back downstairs to talk to his mother,

"Okay Mama, I'm going to go wait for the bus now." Melinda sent a smile in his direction.

"Alright." She said. Danny and Andy both pulled on Melinda's top to get her attention and she looked down at them smiling. "Yes my babies?" She questioned knowingly.

"Us too!" The twins cheered in unison. Melinda chuckled.

"Okay. Go get your coats. Once all three of her kids were dressed, Melinda glanced at them playfully. "The last one to the end of the driveway is a rotten egg." She teased, but once the front door was opened all three of her kids took off like a bullet from a gun. The young mother followed at a much slower pace and couldn't help but smile with pride when she heard the very distinct giggles of each of her children. The group of four didn't have to wait long for the bus to arrive. Aiden climbed on all by himself and waved to his family from his window seat until he couldn't see them anymore. "Come on kiddos, lets go get you fed now." She said as she took one of their tiny hands in each of her larger ones.

"Mama run!" Danny cheered loudly.

"Ya ya!" Andy agreed happily. Melinda picked up both of her toddlers- one on each hip- and ran to the house, blissfully listening to their child-like laughter the whole way. Once they got inside, Mel put both Andy and Danny into their high chairs and gave them cheerios and apple juice, their typical morning breakfast. They excitedly ate while Mel tidied up around the kitchen from Aiden's breakfast.

"All gone!" She heard in chorus. The young mother looked over at her kids and the food was in fact gone, but both of the toddlers were covered in apple juice somehow. Melinda laughed at the inevitable messes of children.

"Come on guys, bath time." She chuckled to herself again. Melinda lifted first Andy and then Danny out of their chairs before lifting them back into her arms. "high ho, it's off to work we goooo!" She sang on her way to the bathroom, making the youngsters go into a fit of giggles.

Melinda was just putting on the kids clothes after their bath when she heard the front door open and close. "DADDY'S HOME!" The twins squealed happily before running off to greet Jim. He heard their tiny feet and laughter before he saw them. When they finally reached him, Jim took them both in his strong arms. Jim took an exaggerated deep breath before speaking,

"Someone smells clean." He states the obvious before tickling his children with fast fingers. Melinda descends the staircase to see the blissful scene before her.

"Hi baby, hungry?" She asks her husband lovingly. Jim looks at his wife with fire in his eyes.

"Starving." He says with a wink. Melinda giggles at him.

"Down boy." She teases as she starts to walk to the kitchen. Jim chases her gleefully and wraps his arms around her waist, spinning her around.

"Hi gorgeous." He whispers in her ear before softly kissing her neck.

"Mmm." She whispers. "Hi handsome." Melinda greets the man she loves before sweetly kissing his lips.

"Hehehe Mama!" Calls Andy.

"Yuck." Danny says, sticking his tongue out to accent his disgust. Jim chuckles at his youngest son and ruffles his straight brown hair playfully.

"One day buddy." The young father says knowingly, throwing another wink Melinda's way. At this point, Jim having food is long forgotten in favour of watching a movie with the people he loves. The kids request Tangled and halfway through the movie Melinda is asleep across his chest and both toddlers are animatedly watching in their bean bags on the floor when Aiden limps through the front door. Jim turns his head and sees his limping eight year old. "Oh Aiden, what happened little man?" He questioned in concern.

A tear fell down little Aiden's cheek as he explained that he was playing tag with his friends at recess when he fell and cut his leg. The teacher had put a bandage on his cut, but as soon as the twins saw their older brothers leg they walked over to him. Andy carefully peeled the band-aid off his cut and then something amazing happened. The twins held hands and each placed a little palm over Aiden's cut. Jim blinked and when he looked back at the spot, the blood was gone and the skin was back intact. Aiden leaned down to Danny and Andy's level to embrace them in a three way hug. "Thanks guys." He whispered, happy that his pain was gone.

"Love you Aid." His baby siblings whispered in response.

*End*

AN: So, just to recap...Andy was named after Andrea Moreno and Jim's mom, Faith. Danny was named after Jim's brother and Melinda's friend Holly's husband Scott (from season 2). Also, we discovered that the twins are healers. I couldn't bring myself to make them "mediocre" in a household full of so much talent. Until next time, my lovelies. .