A/N: I am pretty sure that Adam and Lindsay just killed me with "themness" at the end of this chapter. Holy crap I adore them.

"Now put your pretty feet in your pretty shoes and get your cute butt moving!" Adam hollered up the stairs. Lindsay hopped around on one foot, trying to get her shoes on while Avery sat on the bed and laughed at her.

"Oh mama."

"Hey, someday you will be getting ready to go on a date and something like this will happen to you and then I will be the one laughing."

"Okay."

Lindsay chuckled and finally got her shoes on, then looked in the mirror and fluffed her hair until it looked just right.

"Alright butter butt, let's go downstairs."

"Mama, where goin'?"

"Daddy and I get to go on a date and you get to stay here with Mac and Jo."

"Mac an' Jo! Yay!"

"I'm glad you're so happy. You love Mac and Jo?"

"Yes. Mac play monsters."

"He does?"

"Yes. Roar most loud."

"I think they spoil you guys, that's why you love them so much."

"Jo make snacks. Marshmallows."

"Oh dear."

"Love marshmallows. Most yummy."

"What if I tell Jo to only feed you broccoli?"

"No mama, Jo make marshmallows."

"How old are you?"

"I two."

"In two years of growin' up, where did you find the time to get such a little attitude?"

"I don't know."

Lindsay chuckled and they went downstairs where the boys were laying on the floor, concentrating very hard on a mess of papers and markers.

"What are you guys doing?"

"We're makin' the specs for this spaceship we want to build," Colton replied, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "It has a scooper on the front of it and so it can go to Saturn and scoop some of its rings up, then bring it back to earth so we can study it!"

"That's going to have to be a big spaceship."

"It launches from Mt. Everest," he explained seriously.

"Mama, you think Mac could help us with this?"

"I bet he would love to try."

"Mama, I hungry," Avery reported.

"You are always hungry. Unfortunately, you just had dinner."

Avery frowned and wiggled down to the floor to join her brothers as the front door opened and Mac and Jo walked in.

"Well hey there Mac and Cheese!" Ben greeted, tipping his imaginary cowboy hat. "Ma'am."

"Hey pardner," Jo chuckled, stooping down to kiss the top of his head.

"Hope you don't got your spurs on ma'am! I hear tell you can't squat with them on!"

She laughed and stood back up as Avery crashed into her.

"Ah Jo! Marshmallows."

"You want marshmallows?"

"Yes!"

"Are you really going to give her marshmallows?" Lindsay asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I tell her it's marshmallows. It's cauliflower."

"You're a genius. I keep forgetting that."

"Hey Mac could you help us with the specs on this spaceship?" Colton asked, holding up an extra marker. "You could write all the part names."

"Yeah sure, just tell me what to do," Mac said, his knees cracking as he got down on the floor with the kids. Lindsay chuckled seeing once again that Mac would always do whatever he could to make the kids happy and even though he wasn't their grandfather, he took it upon himself to fulfill that role as much as he could.

"Babe, you ready to go?" Adam asked as he came out of the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm ready. You kids had better be good. Colton, Ben, Avery, you need to be good too."

"Very funny Linds," Jo chuckled swinging Avery up into her arms. "You two had better get out of here or Mac and I are going to decide to usurp your date."

"Okay, we're gone."

They said goodbye to the kids and headed outside to the car.

"So what are we doing Mr. Date Planner?"

"Oh, you know."

"No I don't that's why I asked."

"I'll put it this way. You're going to love it."

She smiled and slid her hand into his then leaned back against the seat and sighed.

"Thank you for still dating me after eleven years."

"You're a hot date honey. How could I say no?"

"You couldn't."

"You're beautiful."

"Keep your eyes on the road, Adam."

"Then stop looking at me like that."

She smiled and shook her head as he deftly moved the car in and out of traffic, heading north. She studied him carefully as he drove, noticing the flecks of gray hair he was getting near his temples, the laugh lines near his eyes that had become even more pronounced over the years and enjoying the fact that even with age he still looked the same as he always had. She waited until he stopped the car for a red light, then leaned over and kissed him.

"What was that for?"

"Because I love you. And you're pretty irresistible in case you didn't know."

"Thanks for reminding me. My ego needs a boost occasionally."

"What was it you told me that time? That as long as I was the one on your arm your ego would be just fine?"

"Well I may have said that once-"

"Are you trying to say I'm not the catch I once was?"

"No, I'm saying that I'm a lot worse now."

"Oh brother."

He chuckled and squeezed her hand.

"Thanks for not gettin' bored of me after eleven years."

"I don't think you're allowed to get bored of someone when you're dating. I think that only starts after like seventy years of marriage."

"So you only have sixty more years to enjoy me."

"Once I get bored I think I would just like to die. I'll be falling apart by that time anyway."

"I thought we were going to live until we were a hundred!"

"Yeah, but maybe we will be senile enough to think we're a hundred."

He laughed and looked over at her, shaking his head.

"I'm glad it's you I get to be senile with, babe. It'll be fun."

"I can't wait. I'm gonna steal your dentures."

"Oh you think so? Then I will steal your wig."

"I'm not gonna wear a wig!"

"I know. Because I will have stolen it."

She threw her head back and laughed, letting him win that round with no argument.

"I don't think you understand how much I love you right now."

"No, I get it."

"No one else has ever made me laugh like you do."

"Not even Ben?"

"He's a close second."

"You are the most wonderful, creative, romantic man I have ever had the pleasure of knowing in ten lifetimes."

"And you are queen of hyperbole."

"You recreated our first date. You're perfect."

"You deserve it. Does it make you feel young again?"

"Very," she said with a smile, leaning back against him as a barbershop quartet took the stage. "Life was a lot different back then."

"So after this long, can I ask you what you were thinking about on that first date?"

"I was thinking that you gave me butterflies and no one else had ever done that before," she started, glancing up at him. "I was thinking that I was really lucky to fall for my best friend. I was wondering if we would miss all the friendship stuff and if things were going to change in a way we weren't ready for. I was hoping that I had been honest with you about who I was and what I was and you wouldn't feel like I'd mislead you. I was scared to death that I was going to screw up and I would lose my best friend. I was nervous because I didn't know what I was supposed to do or how this was going to work. But I think mostly I was just amazed that someone like you had an interest in the likes of me."

"That's a lot of stuff going through that mind."

"What were you thinking about?"

"How hot you were."

She laughed and hugged him tightly while he spun a strand of her hair around his finger.

"We've been through a lot since then," she sighed, lowering her voice so only he could hear. "Mostly good. But a lot of bad too."

"The bad always gives way to good. We always find each other through it."

"We do."

"You know, when we sat here that first night and I let myself imagine how it might be, I didn't think about the bad things that could happen. And right now, sitting here like this I'm not thinking about the bad things that have happened. Well, I guess I am kind of remembering the fight over how to clean the computer keyboard. That was funny."

"My optimist."

"Optimus," he corrected. "Prime."

"When did you take dork lessons?"

"Never had to. I was born with a PhD."

"Dr. Dork."

"Want to be my nurse?"

"Hey now, we're in public."

He opened his mouth to say something, but by the look in her eye, she already knew what he was thinking, so he just shook his head and stayed quiet.

"Hey honey?"

"Yes darling?"

"Thanks for asking me on that first date."

"Thanks for saying yes. To everything."

"Well, you are pretty irresistible. I didn't have much choice."

"And given a choice?"

"I'd make the same decision."

He framed her face with his hands and dropped his forehead to hers, his voice turning serious.

"You'd go with me all over again?"

Her eyes filled with tears at the words and she smiled, wondering why tonight was bringing out the nostalgic in them.

"Over and over and over."

They fell into silence and scooted closer together, enjoying the small breeze that floated by and the rich voices of the performers on stage. So many times, spring had brought on the bad things, and while it was supposed to be a rebirth, she oftentimes dreaded it because all of the pain it seemed to bring. But sitting here tonight as the sun dipped below the city all she could think of is how wonderful it all was, how beautiful and hopeful everything seemed, how the events of springs past had served as a guiding light to this one.

"You two been married long?"

They glanced over to see on older man and his wife sitting on a picnic blanket a few feet away, enjoying the music but obviously watching all the people around them too.

"Almost ten years," Adam answered with a grin, suddenly shocked at all the time that had passed.

"You hold onto that girl of yours," the older mad advised with a grin. "You only get one shot at the best things in life."

"I won't let her go anywhere."

Lindsay grinned as Adam held her tighter, pressing a kiss to her forehead. The man and his wife turned back to the music and Adam couldn't help but think that no matter how much they had loved in their lives, how many decades they'd been together, it didn't hold a candle to how much he loved this woman in his arms.

"Did you and daddy have fun on your date?" Ben asked, taking his glasses off.

"Of course we did. I always have fun with daddy."

"What did you do that was fun? Did you go on a roller coaster?"

"No sweetie."

"Did you drive a racecar?"

"Nope."

"Did you play Legos?"

"No, we didn't."

"Then how the heck did you have fun mama?"

She chuckled and kissed his cheek while Colton sighed.

"Mama and daddy are old, Ben. They have fun just starin' at each other."

"Oh. I don't see how that's fun. Unless you're playin' the starin' game. Was that what you was doin'? Who winned? I bet it was you; daddy always blinks."

"I think we tied," Lindsay answered, tucking his blankets around him a little tighter. "Did you kids have fun with Mac and Jo?"

"Yep! Mac telled us 'bout his days in the Marines! Did you know he is a real life hero?"

"Yeah, I did know that."

"And Jo-Jo telled us 'bout when she was growin' up in the south. And she has a lot of brothers and a sister and they had a dog too! And we were in the middle of that story when sissy sneezed so much snot out of her nose and Mac grossed out."

"Jo laughed a lot and Aves looked embarrassed, so I cleaned her up," Colton added. "It was a pretty nasty one. She has a lot of snot in her small nose."

"I thinked Mac was gonna throw up. He looked disgusted."

"I would look disgusted too. Are you boys ready for bed?"

"I think I need a cup of hot chocolate," Ben requested. "I'm famished."

"Famished means hungry sweetie," Lindsay chuckled. "No dice."

"Aw nuts!"

"It was a good try, Ben. If you had used the right word, I bet mama would be getting you hot chocolate right now. You needed to say "I'm dying of thirst." Can I have some hot chocolate mama?"

"Nope, you already brushed your teeth."

"We would brush them again!"

"No hot chocolate boys. But it was a good attempt."

She tucked them in tightly and kissed them both before shutting their lamp off and leaving the room. Stepping across the hall, she found Adam and Avery sitting in the rocking chair, talking softly to each other in the moonlight. Avery reached up and patted Adam's face as she talked, her eyes wide with excitement with whatever she was talking about. Adam was completely entranced by her, running his fingers through her hair and gently tracing along her face to try and get her to fall asleep.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah baby?"

"Love Avery?"

"Yes. I love you with all my heart."

She smiled widely and snuggled in closer to him.

"When you get to be a big girl, Averylin, do you promise to let daddy cuddle you like this?"

"Yes daddy. Love cuddles."

"Even when you're a teenager and you don't like me anymore?"

"Avery like daddy. All time."

"Okay, now you just remember you promised."

She giggled and nodded her head against his shoulder while he stood up and took her to her bed. She didn't protest climbing under the blankets or that fact that it was time for bed, she just grabbed her stuffed animals and lay down, closing her eyes.

"Sweet dreams baby girl. I love you."

"Love daddy."

He kissed her a few times then stood up to leave, but decided that a few more kisses were in order. She was smiling sleepily by the time he managed to pull himself away from her and meet Lindsay in the doorway.

"What? She's adorable."

"Charming just like her daddy," Lindsay said with a grin, taking his hand and pulling him towards the stairs.

"Where are we going?"

"Up."

"And?"

"Adam, what do you think we're doing?" she asked with a sly smile, her eyebrow shooting up.

"Well yeah I got that but… babe, we didn't have dessert you know!"

She stopped walking and chuckled, turning them around to go downstairs.

"Alright, I'm sure we can find something. But remember this if I fall straight to sleep later. You had a choice."

"You won't fall asleep babe. And if you promise to stay awake, I promise to give you a massage later."

"You're really pulling out all the stops aren't you?"

"Just want you to know I love you."

"I know."

"And I want you to remember because I'm going to be gone for a while-"

"Stop talking about it!"

"Okay, okay," he chuckled, shaking his head and flipping on the kitchen light. "So, ice-cream?"

"We don't have any."

"Cake?"

"We don't have any."

"What about those donuts you hid?"

"I ate them last week when we fought about how long to run the sprinkler and you called me controlling."

"Cookies?"

"Austin ate them."

"They weren't hidden?"

"Hey, when my best friend is having a bad day, the cookies come out of hiding."

"Okay so what do we have?"

"Graham crackers and frosting."

"As good as anything. Where is it?"

"Turn around."

He gave her a cheeky grin and turned in a complete circle while she rolled her eyes because it was exactly something that Ben would have done.

"Fine, turn in a semi-circle."

He obeyed and she grabbed the unopened can of frosting from its spot.

"You hide it behind the vitamins! You minx!"

He tickled her sides and she squealed, throwing the can of frosting up in to the air while she tried to get away. It splattered on the floor behind them but neither of them really noticed as a small war ensued.

"No, no that's not fair! Adam you can't tickle me there you'll make me pee!"

He laughed and started to pull her into the other room, but slipped on the frosting and had to let go of her to catch himself.

"Well there goes dessert."

She snickered and bent over to clean it up, but he took advantage of her position to swing her up into his arms and carry her into the other room.

"You're tracking… frosting… all over… my floor!" she protested while he kissed her. "My nice… perfect… beautiful… floors!"

"You sound like my mother," he said quickly as he tossed her onto the couch. "Stop it."

She laughed as he stood over her, clucking his tongue.

"Well I got you where I want you. Now what shall I do with you?"

"You could take your shoes off so I'm not preoccupied by the frosting you're tracking all over everything."

He grumbled and kicked his shoes off then stood with his hands on his hips looking her up and down.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?"

"Certainly it's a damsel in distress," she offered with a grin.

"You jest. This is not a damsel, this is a merry wench."

"Hey!"

"She must be kissed into submission!"

He'd jumped onto the couch and started kissing her well before she could even react, so her laughter bubbled up into the kiss, causing a strange sensation but one that they were used to.

"Adam," she said after a moment, trying to find her voice. "You know I started this upstairs right?"

"Mm-hmm," he mumbled, dropping his lips to her neck where they would be put to better use if she was going to be talking anyway.

"Okay, I just want to be clear whose idea this was."

"Uh-huh."

"Because you're not getting points for this."

"Yeah."

"And you're not listening to me either are you?"

"Not at all."

"And you're going to finally buy me that pony right?"

"Not on your life."

She chuckled and he stopped kissing her for a moment to look her in the eye.

"I love you Linds."

"I love you too."

"Even when we fight over stupid stuff like the sprinkler and I call you mean and unfounded names like controlling and cranky."

"You never said cranky."

"I sure thought it."

She laughed and pinched his arm while he settled in on top of her, obviously planning on staying that way for a bit.

"We're going to have to move down just a little or I'm really going to need that massage you offered."

He groaned and they moved carefully until they were both comfortable, arms and legs exactly where they wanted them.

"Now, quit killing the mood here, woman."

"I thought I was adding to it."

"How?"

"Witty repartee has always been part of our-"

"Shut up."

He kissed her and for one moment she let herself fall into it, but quickly snapped back o their conversation.

"See, it must be a part of it because you were so driven by your desire for me that you couldn't even stand to hear the end of the sentence you just had to kiss me right away. So it was the talking that made me irresistible."

"Surely you've been taking hits off of something."

"Don't call me Shirley."

"Babe, you are beautiful and smart and strong and I love you very, very much and I would like to make out with you now so please, please shut up."

"Well alright. As you wish."

"Finally, geez."

He kissed her softly at first, teasing her because he knew she wasn't in the mood for something so gentle. He kept it up for a good long while, even when she gave an overly dramatic bored sigh, just because it was funny and it was okay to be like this and it was something they shared together.

"Adam," she groaned after a moment, nearly rolling her eyes. "If you're going to do this would you do it right?"

"I thought any way was the right way. All roads lead to…" he trailed off, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Well yes, but there is the slow, five mile an hour road or the twisty road that goes over mountains and forests and junk, or there's, you know that straight shot road that doesn't take long and you don't waste a bunch of gas along the way. Which one would you rather take?"

"I don't know, I've always kind of thought getting there was half the adventure."

"I can't reason with you."

He gave her a crooked smile then kissed her properly and just the way she liked.

"How's that?"

"By jove I think he's got it! Wanna do that again please?"

"I don't know. Don't want to squander riches and all that."

"Adam Ryan Ross, there is no one in the world quite like you."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Both. On the one hand it's good because you're the only one and I get you all to myself. But on the other hand it's bad because I am sure there are other women in the world that would kill for a man like you."

"So I guess it would be fair to say that I am a desirable commodity."

"It would be fair to say that this has suddenly turned around to where I want you to shut up and kiss me."

"Hmm, funny how that works."

Realization dawned on her and her jaw dropped in awe of his subterfuge. It was quite possibly the best move he could have made in the situation and she felt a nice blush creeping up her cheeks as her heartbeat quickened slightly.

"We should go ahead and get upstairs. Like right now."

"Babe-"

"Run like the wind, Bullseye!"

He laughed and dashed up the stairs with her hot on his heels.