Jessica almost didn't want to wake them. They both had small grins on their faces and a little bubble of drool hanging off their open lips. She felt a pang in her chest. This was a rare moment when father and son got to bask in each other's comfort. It had been a hard week for them both. Jack had the flu and Aaron spent the week tracking down a pedophile targeting little boys. They had fallen asleep in each other's arms within the first twenty minutes of the superhero movie.

She gently moved Jack's feet off her lap so she could reach for the remote. With a click the room was silent expect for their deep breaths. She stared at them some more hoping a solution would appear. Jack's head rested in his father's lap with his knees now curled to his chest. Aaron had one arm protectively around his son's middle and the other dangling over the arm of the couch. His head was tipped back against the cushions.

Picking up the glasses and bowl of popcorn she silently padded to the kitchen to consider the options. She knew Jack wouldn't be bothered by a night on the couch but Aaron's back would kill him in the morning.

"What time is it?" she heard quietly from the couch.

"Time for my boys to get to bed." She replied softly. "Should we move him?"

Aaron looked down at the sandy haired boy in his lap. It had been a while since his little boy wanted to curl up next to him. At ten he wasn't so little anymore. "I think I'll let him sleep with me tonight."

"Okay, you take him and I'll clean up."

Aaron gently slid a hand under Jack's head and used his other to tilt him up against the cushions. "Ok, buddy, we're going to bed." He placed his sons little arms around his neck before grabbing him from behind the knees and around the back. "You're getting too big for this, soon you'll have to carry me to bed," he muttered into his son's head.

"Silly daddy," Jack sleepily said as he nuzzled against his father's chest.

Jessica busied herself with picking up toys and straightening blankets. She was putting the DVD away when Aaron came back out. They both moved to the kitchen loading the dishwasher and wiping counters in unison. He doubled checked the locks and the alarm when Jessica was hit with a wave of intense feeling. It wasn't quite nostalgia but that's the closest thing she could think of. It was more of a yearning for this moment to last. It was all so domestic; picking up and locking up the house together. It was like the night time routine of a normal family.

"Thank you for taking care of him this week." His voice was soft and warm; she could hear his exhaustion from the week.

"Always a pleasure." She gave him a sleepy smile.

"It's always hard to be away, even harder with that type of case. But knowing he was sick and I couldn't be there was heart wrenching. The only thing that kept me half focused was the idea that someone he loved was looking after him." He gave her a long glance. "He wanted to say good night before you leave. But I think you should just stay here. It's late; you've had a long week too."

Jessica's eyes glanced at the clock on the wall. It was only nine thirty. Definitely not late but the weariness weighing him down told not to argue tonight, "Uhh…Ok."

Silently they walked down the hallway to his bedroom. Her eyes kept darting over to read his posture. She wanted to know if he was as nervous as she was. And to make sure he didn't notice her distress. If she was honest with herself, and she rarely was on this topic, she would admit she had imagined this happening before. But with more adult intentions than tucking a little boy in to bed.

"Hey there Jack-Jack. You feel better?" She asked softly moving her hand from his forehead to rub his back. She could hear Aaron moving around in the bathroom. The feeling of domesticity washed over her again. It made her stomach flutter at how easy and natural it felt.

"You sleep with me?"Jack mumbled through closed eyes.

"No, I'm going to my room. You're dad is going to sleep with you tonight. Good night, love you." She placed a kiss on his forehead and pulled the covers up to his chin.

"Love you too."

"Thanks for tucking him in." Aaron stood in his bathroom doorway wearing plaid pajama pants and gray FBI t-shirt.

Sleepy, casual Aaron was a particular weakness for Jessica. She stifled a groan as she stood. "Of course. I left his meds and the thermometer on the nightstand in case you need them. I'm going to read for a while. Good night." She quickly left turned and walked away. Once she got to her room she leaned against the door, chest heaving. This was not the time for her feelings to come rushing back. She needed something to distract herself.

She decided to make some tea to help take the edge off. For the three minutes it took the kettle to go off she allowed herself to fantasize about this being her family and her house. She thought of lying in bed with Aaron, Jack snuggled in between. The whistle of the kettle brought her back to the kitchen. After fixing her tea she took it to the guest room, her room, and settled against the headboard with her book. It was light and silly, and the kind that Haley would have made fun of her for reading. In other words, perfect for distracting her from the things she couldn't have.