Maddy was walking through the market a few days later, looking at all the new items that had been put out since the last time she was here, when she felt two arms wrap around her waist from behind. She already knew who it was. She heard a voice whisper, "Don't you just look beautiful today."

"Well that's really sweet. But I have a boyfriend and he is a soldier so he you may not want to mess with him. He is very protective." She said playfully. "Well he is one lucky guy the n to have such an amazing and gorgeous girlfriend." The voice said. She turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his neck while his arms stayed around her waist.

"Hey babe, how is your day? I thought you had to work." Maddy said looking up at her boyfriend. "I did but they delayed my time until tonight so I have all day to spend with you. That's if you want me to." He said. "Of course I do! Why wouldn't I?" she told him while she pouted a little. Noticing she looked sad now, he grabbed her chin so she would be looking at him and quickly said, "I was just kidding. I'm sorry don't be sad."

She smiled at how fast he was to comfort her. "I know. I was just seeing if the pouting thing worked for me like it does for Zo." She told him. He smiled and shook his head. "You two are basically twins so, yeah, it definitely works for both of you. And that was mean by the way." He said. "Sorry." She said simply as he took her hand and they started walking towards the houses.

"Miss Shannon!" Maddy turned away from Mark to see who was calling her. She recognized the woman as Zoe's teacher, she had Zoe with her walking slowly toward the couple. "Zoe started feeling bad a while ago but she said she was fine. I told her to lie down anyways. A few minutes ago, though, I went to check on her and she had fell asleep, so I checked her for a fever and she was burning up. I saw you walk by so I got her and ran after you."

By this time Mark had already gotten down and was feeling Zoe's forehead. "Mads she is on fire! It has to be at least a 102 fever." Mark said worried as he picked Zoe up and started rubbing her back soothingly because she was crying. "Thank you for bringing her to me. I'm going to get her home." Maddy told the teacher. Before she could respond Mark and Maddy were already walking off fast.

They walked In the front door and Mark went straight for the couch to lay Zoe down so they could keep an eye on her. Maddy went to the bathroom to grab the thermometer, Tylenol, and a wet washcloth. She come in the living room to find Mark sitting down with Zoe on his lap rocking her and rubbing her head, she was crying into his neck and when Mark met Maddy's gaze she saw the worry and pain in his eyes. He couldn't stand to see Zoe cry or be in pain. Neither could she. Maddy walked over to them and sat down as close as she could. She gave her a Tylenol and put the thermometer in her little sister's mouth and the washcloth on her head.

The thermometer beeped and they all jumped. Maddy grabbed it fast and gasped when she read it, which made Mark look at her whispering, "What is it?" "103.4." she told him not wanting to scare Zoe. His heart dropped some more. "Hey Zo, have you ate today?" Mark asked. "No." she replied weakly. Maddy got up and got some crackers for her to eat. "Here try and eat some of these." Maddy said handing Zoe the crackers.

Thankfully Zoe kept them down and after she went to sleep Mark and Maddy stayed right by her. Her head in Maddy's lap with her feet in Mark's lap. Maddy was rubbing her head while Mark was soothingly rubbing her leg. They just sat there, looking at each other, worry evident in both their expressions. "Sorry for all this." Maddy said to him. "Don't be. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else." He told her. "I just don't want either one of us to get sick." She said. Right then Zoe stirred awake. They both smiled at her as she glanced around the room. "How you feeling Zo?" Maddy said. "Better now that I've taken a nap and you two are here taking care of me. Thanks for taking care of me." She gave a weak smile and Mark and Maddy just smiled at her. Mark winked and said, "Sweetie where else would we be?" Zoe grinned and sat up trying to decide who to lean on. She finally chose Mark because she was cold and for some reason he was always so warm.

"Mark can I lean against you I'm really cold and you are really warm?" she asked pleadingly. Mark nodded and lifted up his arm as she scooted n ext to him and buried herself in his side. Mark felt her head and it felt cooler than earlier, which excited him, maybe she had slept it off. "Zo we need to check your fever, ok?" He told her. She opened her mouth and waited for Maddy to put in the thermometer. Maddy and Mark giggled when she did this. It seemed like it took forever for it to beep, but when it did Maddy jerked it out of her sister's mouth to check. Mark and Zoe looked at her hopeful when she smiled a ittle. "So.." Mark said anxious. "99.1." she smiled brightly relieved she slept it off fast.

Mark gave Zoe a high five. And Zoe turned to hug Maddy who was smiling big. Then Mark and Maddy nodded at each other and squeezed Zoe into a group hug, with her in the middle."I can't breath guys!" Zoe said almost out of breath. "Oh, sorry!" they said at the exact same time and released her.

They sat there the rest of the afternoon watching movies on Maddy's plex. They had all fallen asleep but when the door opened they shifted a little but didn't quite wake up. Elisabeth came in to see her two daughters and Mark all laid out on the couch with Maddy's plex still playing. Since the couch was kind of large they could all fit comfortably on it. Mark was against the back of the couch with his arm around Maddy and Zoe, squeezing them to him protectively, Maddy had her arm around Zoe as well. Elisabeth couldn't help but take another picture, but she forgot to turn off the flash and Maddy and Mark woke up looking quite terrified before realizing who it was and what was going on.

"Mom!" Maddy whisper yelled. "Sorry it was just so cute. I couldn't help it." her mother said defensively. Then Mark spoke up, "Can I see it?" Elisabeth smiled because Maddy had been defeated by the two. "Of course sweetheart!" she told him, handing him the camera. He held the camera in front of him but to where Maddy could see it too. "Can I have a copy of this?" he asked the mother. "Yes you sure can sweetie," she replied, "do want one of these too?" She asked taking the camera from him and going to the picture she took of him and Maddy in the hammock. When she handed it back to him Maddy gasped, "Mom, seriously?"

"What? It was adorable, I'm sorry!" she told her daughter who was still in between her boyfriend and little sister. "Yes I do want one of these! I can't believe you took this and I didn't wake up." He told her. "Well maybe you were too tired and really content with where you were. I didn't have the heart to wake you two up." She said. He nodded and looked down at Maddy and smiled, "I suppose so." Maddy turned her head and kissed him. Elisabeth could only smile at this and was happy to just stand there and not interrupt the moment, like her husband would have.

When they separated they turned to see Elisabeth still standing there. "You know Mark, I'm glad Maddy found you because you have become a son to me and I love you as much as my other kids. And now I couldn't imagine this family without you in it." She informed him, tearing up. Not wanting to wake Zoe he reached up his arm and she bent down to hug him. "I'm glad too. Because now that I have Maddy, and Zoe, and you I couldn't imagine wanting to a part of any other family, especially since my parents are dead. I love you like you were my own mother and Zoe like she was my sister. I would do anything for any of you, especially you three." And with Elisabeth was crying, not letting go of Mark for a few minutes.

Sweet little family moment at the end(: hope you enjoyed it. review!