Happy late Valentine's Day. I would have gotten this out sooner, but… things come up. I hope you enjoy and don't be surprised with familiar and unfamiliar faces.

PD31: You know my writing too well, but I think I have a surprise or two up my sleeve. Jedi has always been a couple that had to work for their happy ending as they weren't destined to be together and an entire sub-plot of 'We Love Each Other' was illustrated the idea that they were actually meant for other people in that cosmic soul mate sense. We'll see what kind of gift Freddie will be able to make out from what he learns.

Challenge King: The house is quite the surprise since he thought they had at least another year and handful of months. Jade will obviously get a surprise if Freddie does interact with their daughter and he can share hat with her. Thanks for reading.

Fanfic-Reader-88: I don't understand what you mean about Jade doing anything for Freddie. Setting aside the house, Valentine's Day should be reciprocal in gift giving. When they were ready to get a place of their own, it was always understood that Jade would be buying it due to her financial situation, but Freddie thought they would be doing a lot of house hunting together.

Nathanael's should be on to something as he was created by God for a specific purpose. He knows the meaning of his existence and it is romantic love—actually more like making sure people do what is necessary to make babies, but he takes his orders with a wide latitude of interpretation.

Twilight Warrior 627: It's good to be back into writing. Nathanael is a more in-depth character I've created, but that really won't get explored in this peace unfortunately. Thanks for reading.

seddieloverfan12: It's a three part story and this was just the first chapter to hook your attention. Glad you liked the chapter and hope you like this one.

Fanfic-Reader-88 and PD31 have updated fics in the last couple of days, so check them out. FF88's is M-rated, so all you underage readers should steer clear of it.

Rating: T

Chapter 2

Freddie blinked and took several seconds to get his bearings. He had moved at the speed of thought across space and dimensional barriers with Dusty and Anna, but it wasn't a sensation that one got used to in a few round trips. He took several deep breaths and looked at his surroundings. He immediately saw that he was back in the house that Jade was buying, but the living room was decorated with a different set of traditional looking furniture than the pieces that were in the home during the tour. Also, a large flat screen television was set up on one side of the living room and was currently playing Animal Planet.

He didn't have the chance to look around any further as a black and white Border Collie barked at his presence. He turned and knelt down to the dog that climbed down from lying in one of the seats, apparently watching the television, and lazily trotted to him. He cupped the side of the dog's face then gently ruffled it. He moved his hand down to find the dog's circular tag on his blue collar and steadied it to double check the name. The circular tag had the name 'IRA' stamped on it. "Hey boy, what are you doing here?"

The dog softly barked again and lifted his chin and attempted to lick the young man's face, but Freddie pulled back in time to miss the tongue. Freddie remarked with a grin, "It's good to see you too." He stood up and playfully scratched the back of the Collie's head and glanced around. He idly commented, "I guess Jade did buy the place."

He looked around and saw that there were several pictures standing on the mantel of the living room fireplace. He left the dog and walked to the mantel and stopped when he saw a picture of him and Jade in a tuxedo and wedding dress, clearly a posed shot at their wedding. She was wearing the white wedding dress that was her copy from Tawny of her favorite movie, 'The Scissoring'. He was half expecting her to wear a black wedding dress, which he wouldn't have objected if she had chosen such a thing. He cracked a smile at seeing how happy she looked in the photo, how happy they both appeared.

His eyes moved to another picture of Jade laying in a hospital bed, looking absolutely exhausted with naturally brunette hair matted her sweat soaked forehead, and holding a baby in her arms, perhaps minutes old at the latest. The child looked perfect and Jade looked happier than he had ever seen even through the weariness and exhaustion. He took a slow breath in realizing he was looking at a picture of their child. He couldn't tell if the baby was a boy or a girl, but the child looked absolutely fine and that was what mattered.

As he let that reassurance sink into his mind and heart, he glanced over to a neighboring picture of little girl, perhaps three or four with long brown hair, pale skin and blue eyes wearing a brightly colored dress, but trimmed in dark purple that pointed out Jade's preference for dark colors. He looked to the next picture over and saw what was a family portrait of not just he, Jade and their daughter, but included were Ian (obviously a few years older), their respective mothers, Colonel Shay (behind Mrs. West with his arms around her front), Carly, Spencer and Spencer's longtime (and onetime obsessed iCarly fan) girlfriend Heather with a little boy of their own around Sapphire's age. Everyone looked happy in to be in the picture as one big happy extended family.

Freddie smiled, reassured by the picture that things was good between everyone. He glanced around to take in more of his surroundings, but soon muttered to himself, "Where is everyone?"

Ira barked again and started trotting towards the stairs, leading him to the answer.

He cautiously followed the dog up the stairs and just as he was reaching the landing, he heard a familiar male voice, but there was something different in the pitch. He slightly squinted while trying to identify the voice and followed the sound of the voice and Ira to the source. The voice was soon joined with a giggle of a little girl.

Freddie paused at seeing a teenager in his mid-teens sitting on the bed with a small girl in his lap holding a PearPad reading it together. The teenager looked familiar as if he knew him when he was younger and the little girl was the same one in the picture he had just seen with her dark brown hair and pale face.

Ira barked by his Freddie's legs, grabbing the pair's attention. The little girl looked up and saw Freddie standing at the door. She shouted and crawled off the teenager's lap, "Daddy!"

The child slipped off the bed and ran to Freddie and out of instinct, he knelt down and caught her. She kissed his cheek and hugged him tightly around the neck.

Freddie froze from the grip of the child and what she had called him. He had to take a few seconds to realize that she was real in his arms, flesh and blood. He whispered the first thing his mind supplied after the initial shock wore off, "Hey my little angel." He scooped her up to rest on his left forearm and stood up. He studied her, trying to commit to memory every little facet of her being. She had long brunette hair, the same natural hair color as Jade with equally pale skin and her blue eyes and most importantly, she had her mother's smile. He knew this was Jade's child.

Freddie finally looked away towards the vaguely familiar teenager and cautiously greeted, "Hey."

The teenager slid off the bed, leaving the PearPad on it and Freddie got to study him, but not with the same intensity of his daughter in his arms. The unknown male had short brown hair that was similarly messy in the front that Dusty wore more than half the time and lean muscular build and just shy of Freddie's height. Ira trotted to the teenager and he reached down to playfully scratch the top of the dog's head while he answered Freddie mildly confused, "Hey, I didn't think you'd be home this early. I thought you and Sis were going to make an afternoon of it shopping?"

"Sis?" sped through Freddie's mind as he studied the mid-teenager's face for a few seconds until he realized his identity. He muttered in nearly as much disbelief as holding his child, "Ian?"

The teenager smirked in such a way that Freddie was sure it caught many teenage girls' attention. "Yeah?"

The college junior shifted from an astonished expression to one cover himself like nothing was out of the ordinary, "Nothing, it's just… it's just good to see you."

Ian studied his brother-in-law with a mild squint of his eyes, thinking that something was off with the young man, but let it go for the moment and let out a soft laugh, "And I was worrying you couldn't wait to get rid of me."

Freddie's brow slightly nodded and lips pursed. "Why would I want that?"

Ian approached the father and child and softly punched Freddie's right shoulder and joked, "Oh come on Bro. What's that old saying about fish and family staying? They both start smelling bad in three days? I've been here more than a week. I know I got to be cramping your little nest's style."

Sapphire eagerly voiced her opinion, "It's been fun you being here Uncle Ian."

Ian hintly smiled and replied with a hint of sadness to his voice, "Thanks kiddo."

Freddie easily picked up something was bothering the teenager in his voice and earnestly countered Ian's point, "You're family and you're always welcome here." The first part was unquestionably true for the young college student in his own time and hoped it was the same in this time. The fact that the teenager was here reading a story to Sapphire by himself led credence to the second part.

Ian laughed, clearly finding the statement a little funny or his response to it, "So is your mom, but how often do you let her stay? Maybe three, four times a year and that's only for a few days before she and Sis are ready to kill each other?"

The young man from the past tightly smiled, seeing how some things hadn't changed and most likely never would change. He dryly responded, "Point."

Ian casually continued, "So, why are you home early?"

The older male cleared his throat and took a chance at adlibbing an explanation, "Yeah, I thought I'd ah… drop in early as a surprise. I wasn't sure how eager you were to babysit."

"I could be hanging with my buddies sure, but…" He looked to Sapphire and tickled her stomach. "…how can I ditch my niece?"

Sapphire giggled at the playful gesture.

Ian finished with a half grin dropping his hand, "Besides, I thought you two needed a break to yourselves. She has to get ready for the Grammies on Sunday and you Valentine's Day for her."

Freddie inwardly groaned as he still had to suffer going to them in the future. He loved of course to see Jade and the rest of his 'dysfunctional' family up for nominations and winning such as Cat and André did just a week ago to him, but then there were some celebrities he had to meet that thought the universe revolved around them. He hoped that Kenya had finally grown up by this point to stop acting like a childish ass whenever the person he rooted for didn't win. He doubted it since after nearly knocking Kenya's front teeth out when he tried to pull a 'Kenya' on Jade's win in 2014, the musician turned around and attempted to do the same to the musician Beck this year.

Freddie awkwardly remarked, "Right… the Grammies and Valentine's Day… I got what I needed to get done and Jade… she'll be back when she's back, but thanks. You know we appreciate it, but sorry to interrupt your reading."

"It's okay. We were almost done with the story then we were going to go downstairs for a snack."

The brunette child added, "Then I was going to make a Valentine's Day card for Mommy."

A smile formed on Freddie's face and happily questioned, "You were?"

She eagerly nodded her head.

He just looked at his future child for a moment to see her happiness then reassured, "I'm sure she's going to love it."

Ian walked around the father and child with his dog faithfully following him. "Come on kiddo; let's get you something to eat."

Freddie followed Ian while carrying his future daughter, feeling that it was surreal experience. He was holding his flesh and blood daughter, a girl created out of his and Jade's love but from his point-of-view, she hadn't even been conceived. The description was a bit of hyperbole and more out of the product of the physical expression of their love, but the description was an adapt enough description for him.

The three plus 'animal' companion reached the dining room and Ian split off to head to the adjoining kitchen. Freddie took a seat at the dining room table with Sapphire sitting in his lap. He had let Ian sit in his lap at times at the same age, so the concept wasn't entirely foreign to him.

Ira climbed up onto a seat across from the future father and present day child, from her point-of-view, and sat as if he was on the floor. Freddie gave the dog a curious gaze and the dog looked back at him as if he was questioning why he should be nonverbally questioning his seat.

Ian opened the refrigerator and glanced inside. He called over his shoulder while studying the contents of the refrigerator, "Freddie, you may hate your mom's food, but you sure took some of her habits."

Freddie looked over to his left at his brother-in-law and answered without thinking, "We just want to have some healthy food in the house."

"Bro, there's healthy food then there is what you get. I don't want to eat like Sis's rabbit. I could use some high fructuous corn syrup in my food from time to time."

Sapphire knotted her brow and gave her father a questioning expression. "You're giving me Easter's food?"

Ian turned to look at the father and daughter and answered, "Sorry to let it slip Sapphy, but your dad does give you rabbit food."

Freddie wondered for a moment how Jade's bunny Easter hadn't died of simple old age by now guessing by Ian's age. However, he turned to the most pressing manner at hand with his future daughter giving him a scathing look. He tried to come off as a good natured laugh, "I think your Uncle Ian is exaggerating a little."

The houseguest chuckled while he dug inside the refrigerator for what he wanted, "You can't tell me that some of this food isn't influenced by your mom. I'm not sure you have one thing in here that actually has in sugar in it."

The child pointed out with a confused pout and finished sticking out her tongue, "But you give me stuff that tastes good and Grandma Benson's stuff is icky."

Freddie uncomfortably smiled, wondering if he had turned a little into his mom in regards to food with his daughter. He hoped that wasn't the case as his mother could be ridiculous when it came to feeding him—the greens and on-air humiliation when he failed to finish them one time coming to mind—but at least according to Sapphire, she enjoyed whatever they were feeding her. Besides, Jade certainly wouldn't let him feed their daughter crappy food under the guise of being 'healthy'.

Ian pulled some mayonnaise, sliced ham, some cheese and a Jell-O cup from the refrigerator. He stopped by the counter to pick up some bread from the breadbox, a butter knife from a drawer and a plate then sat the items on the table. He smirked to the little girl and answered, "Your dad's a better cook though, that's why you haven't noticed."

"Years of practice cooking for your mom and Grandma West before you were born."

Sapphire furled her cute little brow and questioned, "Who's Grandma West?"

Freddie's stomach sank as the possibility that something could have happened to Jade's mother, but Ian was quick to answer his niece, "He's talking about your Grandma Lynn. He was just so used to calling her by her old name before she married Grandpa Shay."

"Oh…" the little girl answered as if it was some grand revelation.

Freddie raised a curious eyebrow at the admission that Mrs. West didn't change her last name after her marriage to the former Air Force officer more than the fact that they were actually married by now. He wondered the reasoning behind reverting her to maiden name, instead of just being Mrs. Shay… then it hit him that it may have been awkward with such a name given the history between them and Carly and Spencer's potential feelings on her having the Shay surname regardless of how much they did approve of the relationship.

Ian finished spreading the mayo on the bread during the exchange and put a piece of ham followed by some cheese on the bread. He handed the sandwich to Sapphire and she happily accepted it then took a big bite into her sandwich. The teenager headed back to the refrigerator and retrieved some red Kool-Aid and brought a glass of the red drink to her.

Sapphire took a sip from her drink then took another bite of her sandwich. Seeing Ira sitting on the other side of the table looking at her, she decided to tear a piece of her sandwich off and handed it to Ira. The dog raised his paws onto the table and leaned over and took the morsel of food from her hand into his mouth and eagerly munched it down, drawing a giggle from her.

Freddie rhetorically asked the dog, "Enjoying your place at the table?"

Ira finished the bit of sandwich then looked at him with a look in his eyes that showed far more intelligence than a dog should rightfully possess.

Ian answered as he started making his own sandwich, "Sorry about that. I've spoil him too much over the years in feeding him stuff my parents tried to give me, but I never enjoyed eating, so he hangs around the table and he sometimes forgets he's a 'dog'. I certainly wasn't going leave him at home. They've never liked him."

Freddie held his tongue on his thoughts on the matter, that Ian's parents didn't like Ira due to the circumstances of the 'dog' becoming his loyal companion. However, he remarked with a soft snort out of breath, "I still expect him talk one day like the dog on that Dingo show."

Ira tilted his head to the side and licked his lips, almost as if he was devilishly smiling to tease him that he just might do such a thing one day.

The computer science major from the past shook his head at the near smartass expression on the dog's expression, a trait no doubt that appealed to Dusty in choosing the former military dog before Ian became his master.

The temporary houseguest took a bite from his sandwich then answered between chews, "I remember that show. I used to love that show as a kid. I was so sad when they ended it."

Freddie wanted to naturally disagree that it was still on the air, but then reminded himself that he was in the future and the show had to be off the air by now. He turned his attention to the precious thing in his lap still happily eating her sandwich. He was still trying to wrap his head around the fact that he was holding his child. He had no illusions about the responsibility and awesome burden it was to raise a child, but as happy as he and Jade were in their own time, he felt oddly envious of his future self in how happy he must have been with his family. He had to figure out how to share even a smidgen of what he felt right now with Jade.

However, he felt a more pressing matter that needed his attention—literally pressing. He wrapped his arms a little tighter around Sapphire and shifted her to take a seat next to him. "Sorry honey, but my legs are starting to fall asleep."

She looked a little disappointed, but continued eating her sandwich with sips of her drink.

Freddie asked, hoping to strike up a conversation with his own child, as odd as that seemed, "So what were you reading?"

The precious stone namesake finished a morsel in her mouth and eagerly answered, "We were reading some Grimm Fairy Tales."

The time traveler cautiously asked while darting a look towards Ian, knowing that since they were Grimm, that they weren't as kid friendly stories as Dingo would make them, "I hope it wasn't too scary."

The second West child to attend Hollywood Arts snorted out, "She is Sis's daughter, define scary."

"Dolphins?"

Ian raised a finger as he was about to challenge his brother-in-law, but then realized his point that as scary Jade may be, there are things that one couldn't anticipate and shut his mouth.

Sapphire innocently asked with wide eyes, "I like dolphins. Remember when I got to pet one at SeaWorld?"

Freddie shot an eyebrow up at the news of what was obvious some family vacation. Jade must have been a nervous wreck during such a trip. They had overcome her fear of the ocean over several beach trips, but dolphins still freaked her out. He delicately answered, "You may like them sweetie, but your mom… she had a bad experience with them when she was a kid and she's kind of afraid of them."

Ian laughed, "You mean like Carly and the goat?"

Freddie turned his head and just raised an eyebrow. He still to this day didn't know the story about the goat on Carly's birthday before the one where Spencer accidentally burned her room up.

The child curiously questioned, "Aunt Carly and a goat?"

Saving the future father from an explanation, Ian answered, "Never mind. Your dad just doesn't want me to read you anything scary that could give you nightmares."

Sapphire slightly pouted, putting on a similar look when Jade got mad over something, not liking the idea that her Daddy could hamper her enjoying a good story. "Mommy let's me watch scary movies with her."

Freddie wasn't sure how to react to the response. Getting that look from Jade was one thing, but getting it from his daughter was not something he knew how to handle, especially since Jade was apparently getting their daughter into her taste of genres.

Ian snorted out a laugh and delicately tried to point out, "Sapphy, those aren't exactly 'scary' movies that you watch with your mom."

The child turned her adorable withering gaze towards Ian, which caused the house guest to reply, "I'm sorry, I don't find Tim Burton films scary anymore."

Sapphire raised her chin and confidently stated, "I think they're pretty scary and great."

"I didn't say they weren't great, just that I don't find Corpse Bride or Nightmare before Christmas scary anymore at my age. Sorry kiddo."

The dark haired child turned back to her sandwich, but she was still clearly pouting that Ian wasn't going to agree with her. Freddie was just relieved about what she defined as 'scary' movies.

After only a minute or so, Sapphire finished her sandwich (having split more of it with Ira) and reached for the red Jell-O cup. She eagerly pulled the silver top off the fruit snack and taking a spoon that Ian provided, scooped into it.

Ian looked at his niece for a few seconds then shook his head and rolled his eyes.

Freddie questioned, "What?"

The teenager laughed, "Getting her sugar-free; you are a cruel man."

Freddie smacked his lips and pointed out, "I'm sure I make it up in other ways and don't sacrifice taste." He looked to his daughter grinning to him while enjoying her fruit snack. "She obviously is enjoying it."

Sapphire finished her Jell-O cup in silence with Ian offering as she finished, "I'll put all this up while you and Sapphy go get her art supplies?"

The little girl answered him by scooting off her seat and dropped off the cup into the trashcan then started on her way to her room. Freddie got up and quickly caught up with her. She took his hand and led him to the stairs.

They climbed the stairs and retraced their steps but turned off before reaching the guest room. She rushed into her room and he cautiously followed behind. Freddie stopped as soon as he was past the threshold at seeing the bedroom. He had just seen the room not more than two hours ago during the tour of the house, but the sheer size of the room still gave him pause. It was large, larger than his when he was growing up, but not as large as Carly's ridiculously sized room in her apartment in Seattle.

Sapphire ran to an art desk for her size and rummage for the needed supplies which she was well stocked with crayons, colored paper, construction paper and paints. Freddie saw a little canister with half a dozen different colored pairs of safety scissors. He half smirked while he shook his head, seeing Jade's influence on their child.

While she was busy deciding what supplies she would need, Freddie took the opportunity to examine room in further detail. The room was decorated as he expected a little girl's room to appear with various dolls and stuffed animals sitting on shelves, other toys and posters of Dingo princesses yet a few smaller posters of fantasy, horror and science fiction movies. There was even a poster of The Nightmare before Christmas. However, he noticed that mixed in with what would be the girl toys there were what looked like his old action figures (the ones he had opened and played with as a child) from Lord of the Rings and Galaxy Wars.

The rest of the room had a cheerful disposition, but there were parts of the room did have darker color schemes, no doubt influenced by Jade while other parts had things that reflected Freddie such as a model of the Solar System and space ship models. One particular model on a dedicated stand with a small gold plate on the base caught his eyes as there was a ball cap next to it with the U.S. Air Force symbol on it.

He walked over to the dresser under the widow to the room. It looked like a space fighter, but he didn't recognize from what movie or show it belonged. It with dark gray with forward swept wings to make it look somewhat like a boomerang with the wings bent down and the cockpit on top. He took a closer look at the little dedication plaque with the U.S. Air Force symbol on it and saw the detailed writing: F-302 Mongoose, United States' First Space-Superiority Fighter, Launched 2002 A.D.

Freddie raised an eyebrow as his curiosity grew in that it looked as if it was a real fighter plane of the Air Force. He grinned and shook his head in thinking how cool it would be if they did have real space fighters.

The time traveler looked away and saw there were several pictures of her, Jade and Freddie at several locations and events such as the beach, Dingo Land, LegoLand and one where Sapphire was petting a dolphin and Jade looking as if she was doing her best not to freak out from the animal. A final picture certainly gave him a surprise as it wasn't that it was one with Sapphire in a little formal red dress and Colonel Shay in a smart business suit, after all, he was her grandfather with marrying Mrs. West, but the fact that it was taken inside the Oval Office of the White House.

Freddie mumbled, "It's good to be the President."

His eyes eventually glanced up and saw the ceiling. His mouth dropped open at seeing the ceiling covered with a star field that he knew just had to glow in the dark when the lights where out. He studied them for a few seconds and realized that they weren't haphazardly put on the ceiling, but arranged properly for constellations that could be seen if not for the ambient light of the city. The choice in decoration clearly must have been his idea.

Freddie was pulled from his fascination by Sapphire grabbing his hand and tugging him to follower out of the room. He didn't argue and immediately followed her as she had an armful of art supplies to make her card for her mother.

They headed back downstairs and returned to the kitchen. Ian had cleaned the table and there was a PearBook resting on it. Ian called out from the living room, "I thought you might need it in case Sapphy wants some inspiration."

"Thanks."

Freddie took a seat back at the table and Sapphire climbed onto his lap. He smiled then turned his attention to the laptop. Thankfully, web-browsers had not significantly changed over the last several years, so he was able to quickly perform a few searches to find a few Valentine pictures. Once Sapphire picked the ones she wanted, he clicked on the print button and several printers appeared: 'Recording Studio' and 'Freddie's Office'. He smirked at seeing that apparently he had an office. In a house this big, it shouldn't have surprised him too much as they had plenty of rooms and it was just the three of them—four at the moment apparently. He realized the problem however that he didn't know where his office in the house was located.

He glanced over his shoulder and asked, "Ian, could you pick up what I printed out from my office?"

"Sure, no problem," the teenager answered as he teenager flung himself forward and onto his feet before heading to the office.

While Ian was on his way to pick up the papers, the father and daughter moved to the living room and to the coffee table. Sapphire took a seat between the coffee table and couch and the floor and began to set out all her supplies that she would need to make the best birthday card for her mother. Ira walked up and laid down beside Sapphire and snuggle his head to rest on her lap.

The houseguest teenager returned and brought out the printouts to his niece. She took the papers and she happily started cutting out and drawing on of the pieces of construction paper.

Ian retook his seat on the couch on the other side of Sapphire to Freddie's seat and turned the channel from the Animal Planet.

The dog lifted his head up from Sapphire's lap and gave his master a disapproving look, as much as a dog could give such a look.

Ian shook his head and answered, "Sorry buddy, my turn for the television."

The Border Collie reluctantly rested his head back on the little girl's lap while Ian turned the channel to look back. He selected a program and started it. As the program loaded on the screen, Ian looked to Freddie and informed, "I hope you don't mind me watching this with Sapphire here. I missed it a few days ago and I hear it isn't too scary of an episode."

Freddie raised an eyebrow at the statement as the program finished loading. He watched as a glass panel shattered on the screen followed by a stylized title of: 'Supernatural', giving it away as some horror/urban fantasy show. It immediately caught his attention with the possible premise. He watched a black Impala, the same car that Dusty got as a graduation present from his dad a few years ago, drive on the screen, finding it a funny little coincidence. However, as the opening credits appeared at the bottom of the screen, his interest turned into surprise at seeing after the stars' names and credit to the show being based on a series of books was the name of the creator and executive producer: Dustin 'Dusty' Hale.

The former tech-producer shook his head. The one person out of their group that didn't want to have anything really to do with the entertainment industry other than his connection to them and his girlfriend had a show of his own.

As the show played on and Sapphire was lost in her own little world in making a card, Freddie divided his attention of just enjoying sitting there with his daughter and his brother-in-law that easily could have become his son if things had turned out just a little differently… probably was a father figure to him until the present as much as Jade had to be a mother figure for him.

In light of that relationship, Freddie had the curiosity of knowing how much longer Ian was going to be staying and why he was staying over in the first place, but he couldn't exactly ask without giving himself away as not being the present day Freddie. "So… you have any plans for Valentine's Day? Plan to wish your mother a Happy Valentine's Day?"

Ian pursed his lips and answered with a sour tone, "I'm going to spend Valentine's Day with Grace—as long as her mom doesn't get on our case too badly, but mom… only if I have to."

Freddie didn't give it much thought that Ian had a girlfriend as with his looks, that wouldn't be difficult for him. He glanced down to Sapphire oblivious to the conversation as she drew her own heart on the pink construction paper. He cautiously continued, "That bad?"

Ian rolled his eyes and let out a loud sigh, "You know how my dad can be. I disagree with him on one thing, he thinks I'm going to be all rebellious and turn out like Sis. Disagreeing with him on practically everything this year pushed him to his limit. Getting into Hollywood Arts was the breaking point for him, but he just didn't blow up about it until last week. I guess he thought I would hate it after a week and quit."

Freddie took a moment to process the fact that Ian was going to Hollywood Arts and their disagreement was over him being in the school. Mister West was having the same reaction to his son as he did his daughter. Apparently it went over the father's head that his daughter had succeeded despite the odds stacked against her and perhaps thinking lightning wouldn't strike twice.

"What about your mom? I wouldn't think she'd be all that happy that you left home to stay with us."

"No she's not, but if she really has a problem with it, let her deal with 'dad'. He's the one with the problem and I'm not just going to 'make nice' with him—which is to just drop out of Hollywood Arts—to please either of them."

Freddie didn't have to contemplate that much on Ian's mother's possessive of her son with all the tug-of-war encounters between her and Jade. "Your mother isn't the one to simply accept you not being there."

Ian indignantly remarked, "What is she going to do? Call the cops on me and drag me back?" He motioned towards the front door. "Besides that army of security guards you have around the house and army of lawyers Sis has on the payroll they would have to get past, that would just alienate us more and I would sneak out the first chance I got. She couldn't hold me hostage."

"No, she couldn't. Jade would certainly see to that, but was walking out the best thing to do though?"

The questioned seemed ridiculous to him for any number of reasons with Mister West being a stubborn man and over the years Jade's inability to have the relationship she wanted with him. He couldn't recall a time where Mister West admitted that he was wrong or compromised about anything.

"You did the same thing when you were fifteen too when your mom just crossed that line one too many times."

Freddie reluctantly admitted as Ian obviously knew enough of the story to bring it up, "Yeah, I did."

An awkward pause formed between them for several seconds before Ian continued, "Thanks for letting me stay. I know you don't have to do this and I'm just intruding on your picture perfect family."

"Ian… you're family."

"Stepfamily and I'm your step brother-in-law."

"That has never meant a thing to Jade… okay, when your dad first married your mom, but I'm sure you and Jade have talked about that. She was a teenager at the time and your father more or less abandoned her for… you and your mom, she was not much older than you at the time and she wasn't exactly objective about what was going on. I just had to give her a slight nudge to get her out of her emotional hurt to see the situation with a clear mind."

"I know. She's never said it, but I've picked up on the fact that he saw—maybe still sees—me as his second chance to get things right with a kid that didn't work out with her. I did kind of replace her in dad's eyes."

Freddie could only initially frown at the point, hating that ugly truth was out in the open. "Yes you did, but whatever problems and disagreements she has with her father that came from that has nothing to do with how she feels about you. Jade loves you and sees you as her brother. You can never doubt that." Freddie took a deep breath and continued, not thinking whether or not he had revealed this in the future to the teenager, "I don't know if Jade has ever told you this, but… there was a time where she was willing to fight your dad and mom for custody of you after what happened with Nora."

Ian paused, clearly stunned by the news. He glanced at the table and seeing Sapphire gluing a sheet of white paper on top of a red sheet of construction paper, taking the moment to gather his thoughts. "No, she never mentioned it. I just remember that mom was furious at the time with Sis after what happened with Nora and it blew over…" He glanced over to the dog resting his head on the lap of the child obliviously to their conversation. "…and I got Ira out of it, but…"

He looked back to Freddie to finished, "…Sis never brought that up. That's a nice sentiment from her, but there wouldn't have been any chance of her winning custody of me, of her being my…"

"So? That didn't matter to either of us, especially to Jade. You should never underestimate her."

Ian may have initially avoided using the word, but then pushed ahead, "What? I was what? Six? She was going to be my mom if she won? You were going to be my dad?"

Freddie tilted his head ever so slightly to the side and answer with a finality that would have put a chill in many people that would challenge him, "Yes."

Ian licked his lips and put up a guarded express, clearly trying to handle the surprising news.

The time traveler took a deep breath then continued, knowing he was crossing an emotional mine field, "We always knew there was something… maybe not wrong at your house, but there wasn't something necessarily right. There was something, perhaps… lacking at home and Jade was always concerned about it. She always wanted to make sure to let you know that you had someone that loved you—that she loves you—and if that meant going head-to-head with your mom and dad so you could be someplace where you would have been… raised without any of those doubts then…"

Freddie didn't have to finish the statement for Ian to understand his meaning as the teenager's guarded expression attested. The time traveling college junior grinned as he continued, "Fortunately, it didn't come to that, but it was touch and go there."

Ian glanced away and gruffed several times to clear his throat. His expression showed that he was trying not to get emotional as the topic was a dicey one for him. "Jade is… I did look to her a lot as my mom. I just have vague memories of her initially not liking me, but… like you said, we were all caught up in the situation at the time. I was getting a new dad and basically replacing her in dad's eyes and mom… as cheerful and joyful as she comes across… there's some stuff she keeps hidden she doesn't think other people realize. I think what you guys were picking up at home—what I didn't realize at the time—was that there was a sliver of resentful towards me for being the cause of the end of her marriage to my biological father. I kind of figured out he never wanted children. It wasn't all that noticeable by anyone else, especially since Dad embraced fatherhood so readily, but there just something… missing even if it was a tiny bit."

The teenager houseguest glanced towards the television for a distraction as he continued, "When Jade really became involved with my life, especially after she got back from her first tour, the resentful started coming out of her in seeing that I was bonding with Jade… maybe that I loved Jade more than my mom." He darkly chuckled, "Another guy leaving her for another woman, but Jade's been a good mom to me and…" He replaced his melancholy tone with an upbeat tone, "…and you've been an alright dad when I need one, so everything is alright."

Freddie felt his throat constrict and felt a little choked up. He managed to grin and reply in a seemingly cool voice, "Thanks. I've tried my best. I probably had to make it up as I went along, but I hope I managed."

"You did just fine…"

Ian turned his attention away from the emotional conversation and slid off the couch to have a seat next Sapphire and helped her cut out the final heart for her card. She looked like she was ready to glue it to the inside of the card, but her uncle asked, "Do you want to glue or write something first?"

The brunette child thought for a second, unsure which she should do first.

Ian suggested, "How about you write what you want to say to your mom then we can decorate it?"

Sapphire nodded her head in agreement then took a black color pencil and surprising Freddie, began neatly writing a message. He cracked a smile of pride of her ability and wondered between him and Jade, which one should get the most credit for their child's intelligence.

The pair took another few minutes to finish writing out the message and gluing the various colored and sized hearts and flowers inside and out of the card. Once Sapphire was happy with the card and dried enough, she shouted and proudly held up the card to show her father, "Done!"

Freddie glanced to the decorated red, pink and white card in her hands. It was pretty decorative and saw the spark of creativity that Jade possessed and himself to a lesser extent. As he looked at the card and his child, Nathanael's words sprung to mind and suggested, "Why don't we put a picture in the card? I think that would really personalize it."

Ian replied, "Good idea."

He stood up with Sapphire following. They took a seat on the couch and Ian took Sapphire to sit on his right thigh.

As Freddie pulled out his rectangular PearPhone from his jacket he never really shed and opened up the camera, Ian snorted out, "Where did you find that relic?"

The computer science major shrugged a shoulder and verbally waved off with a nervously laugh, "Oh, you know… I hang on to everything electronic."

"Yeah, you really should clean out your office filled with all that electronic chizz. It's almost reaching the ceiling."

Freddie embarrassingly smiled, not sure how to really respond. He used to collect a lot of odds and ends of electronic equipment when he was in middle and high school, leaving the vast majority of it in Seattle, but he hoped he hadn't become a hoarder as he grew up.

The child looked up to her uncle and asked with a knotted expression, "What's 'chizz'?"

Freddie and Ian paused, unsure how to answer the child before the teenager remembered, "It's a German sausage."

Sapphire still looked confused.

He elaborated, "It's like your pepperoni on your pizza."

She turned to her father and pleaded, "Ewww, can we have pizza for dinner?"

Ian gently mocked Freddie, "If you're going to have pizza, your dad might want to get started. It might just get done before your bedtime."

Freddie rolled his eyes and sighed. He may have been a practical perfectionist when it came to his pizza, but there was no need for the Hollywood Arts student to exaggerating it to that point. He sat that aside for what he saw was the more important matter. He held the PearPhone vertically and set the picture to the highest resolution, silently cursing himself that he didn't have a digital camera on him, but then again the latest PearPhones could record in 1080HD. He just had to worry about how much memory he had for his phone. "Okay, smile."

Sapphire shouted, "Cheese!" and Ian smirked, as if he was trying to get a girl's attention.

Freddie held back a chuckle and snapped a picture. The phone made a clicking sound then he asked, "One more."

The pair remained sitting with simple smiles and he took another snap.

"Okay, I got it." Another thought occurred to Freddie and casually asked, "How about I record a little message from you two for Jade?"

"Okay?" Ian questioned, unsure of his brother-in-laws thinking. He reached for the remote and turned off the television to eliminate the background noise.

Freddie switched to recording and started filming. "Whenever you're ready."

Ian started off with a smile, "Okay Sis, your brilliant husband wanted us to record you Valentine message. I hope you have a fantastic Valentine's Day…" He grinned teasingly as he finished, "…and we might be celebrating a little brother or sister for Sapphire by Thanksgiving."

The college student from the past cocked an eyebrow, definitely surprised he made such a joke. He had definitely picked up some of Jade's bluntness over the years.

Sapphire turned her head and up to give her uncle a curious gaze. "Why would mommy have a baby on Thanksgiving?"

Freddie's eyes went a little wide at knowing that Sapphire knew where babies came from, but he sure hope she didn't know any more about the birds and the bees.

Ian shrugged and suggested, "Early Christmas present from the stork?"

"Stork?" She looked to her father and questioned, "I thought angels brought babies?"

The onetime cameraman awkwardly chuckled, "They kind of do… I'll have your mom explain it to you when you're older."

The answer left the girl a little perplexed, but she accepted the answer.

The teenager's expression turned serious and finished, "Thanks for always being there for me… I love you Sis."

Sapphire eagerly spoke with a wave, "Hi mommy. I love you. I want you to have the bestest Valentine's Day ever! I can't wait to give you your present!"

The pair waved at the phone and shouted, "We love you."

Ira hopped into the frame and barked a few times.

Freddie clicked the end of the recording. "Thanks. I know she's going to love it."

Ian slipped from his seat to allow Sapphire the seat. Since he really didn't pay attention to the show he missed the first time and Sapphire was wrapping up her card, he turned the television back on and surfed through the on-screen guide to find something for Sapphire. He stopped on the Dingo Channel and a cartoon played on the screen.

Sapphire got comfortable on the couch while Ira hopped on the furniture and curled up to rest his head back in the child's lap and she brushed her hand over the top of his head, content with his protective presence.

Ian stepped beside Freddie, lowered his voice and questioned, "Why the recording? You don't expect to see us on Valentine's Day?"

"Of course not. I just thought it would be sweet to add to the present I'm giving Jade."

"So what did you get her?"

Freddie cocked his head to the side and answered with a smirk, "I'm still working on it. I think it'll be a surprise even to me, but I think this is going to go a long way with it. You two are the most important people in her life."

"So we're ahead of you to her?"

"Sapphire, of course, you on the other hand…" Freddie just grinned, letting the punch line hang.

Ian shook his head and join with the soft laugh before taking a seat next to Sapphire on the opposite side of Ira.

As the step-uncle and step-niece enjoyed the program on the screen, Freddie picked up the card from the coffee table to further examining it. He found it one of the most adorable things he had ever seen. While he was admiring the card made out of love, the front door opened and they heard Jade's voice, "Hey, we're home!" Her voice was no surprise, but Freddie's voice—the present day Freddie's voice—following certainly was a surprise, "We brought some early Valentine treats!"

Ian and Sapphire's faces put on shocked and confused expressions at hearing Freddie's voice coming from the front door. They turned to look back at the person they had just spent the last hour, but he was gone.

Green Meadow Mall
Los Angeles, CA
Thursday, February 12, 2015

"Enjoy your trip?"

Freddie blinked several times, trying to adjust that he was sitting back in his seat in the food court with the card still in his hand. He looked to see Nathanael wearing a slightly self-satisfying expression. The former tech-producer slowly answered and asking without realizing he was still holding the Valentine's Day card, "Yeah, but was it real?"

"Yes, it was real, but what you really mean is if it was true."

The college student carefully asked, "Yes. Was it true? Was that Sapphire?"

"As things are heading for you right now, that is the most likely outcome for all of you, but quantum mechanics makes the future always up in the air. You could always do something today that could change what you saw. That was an incarnation of her. Will that be the exactly little girl you will have?" The cupid shrugged his shoulder. "Who knows? Heck, you could still have a boy instead—quantum mechanics as I said. The future was always in flux."

Freddie nodded his head then realized he had brought something back with him from the future. He was holding the card Sapphire had made for Jade. He was suddenly reminded of the scene in Back to the Future Part II where Doc Brown held a copy of a future USA Today newspaper—which would to Freddie only be eight months from now—as an artifact from the future.

The card in turn reminded him of something else. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He searched the files in his phone and brought up the most recent picture. It was Ian and Sapphire sitting together on the couch with Ira at their feet.

Nathanael half-smirked. "So you took my advice?"

The computer science major looked up from his phone and answered, "Yeah. I thought Jade would appreciate an actually picture of our daughter and unexpectedly Ian grown a little."

"I hope that I was helpful."

Freddie glanced to the card still in one hand and answered, "You certainly were." He looked to the angel to make it clear, "Thanks for the trip."

"You're welcome. Thanks for the easy job. It's good to be back into the game."

Nathanael grinned and with a flutter, the cupid vanished, leaving Freddie to figure out how to take what he just experience and turn it into a fantastic Valentine's Day gift for Jade.

Author's Note: I hoped you liked this second part to the story and you will stick around for the third part that I hope to have out in the next two days. I hope I teased you a little of what might be happening in 'Who are My Brothers?' in the future. Happy Valentine's Day/Singles Appreciation Day again.
Jack Davis Griffo as Ian West
Emma Stone as Heather