I had a few requests for Jay taking care of Erin postpartum and for Piper talking to Hailey, I hope you like it!

"She's not okay, man," Jay managed, rubbing his face with his hand as he leaned against the kitchen counter. He'd gotten Erin to lie down on the unmade bed after holding her as tightly as he could. Both boys were still napping, thankfully, and it turned out to be a very good thing that Will and Hailey were spending time with Piper. He could see the shame and exhaustion swimming in her eyes as the love of his life kept her head tilted downward, barely able to look at him following the tearful admission of her need for help. After a text message to his brother, Will was in their living room not ten minutes later while Hailey took Piper for ice cream.

"I'm taking the next few days off," Will said, keeping his voice low, "I'm sure Hailey and Hank can help with Munchkin, and I'll take the boys. You just get Erin what she needs, alright?"

Jay let out a breath of relief. His brother had his back and he didn't even have to ask outright. "Thank you," he breathed, "I don't-"

"Pack a bag," Will interrupted, "Take a night away. You can stay at my place or grab a hotel or something but the two of you need rest." He gestured to the baby monitor that was resting beside them on the kitchen counter. "You've got a whole surveillance operation in this house and can keep an eye on your kids from anywhere."

"I don't know-"

"They're taking formula now, right?" he asked, gesturing to the baby bottles that lined their countertops, "I know how to do the diapers and baths and feedings and all of it. It won't be long and Munchkin will understand. She's smart."

Jay managed a nod. "'s what I'm worried about," he said honestly, rubbing his forehead again, "If we leave-"

"You'll be back," his brother interrupted again, "She already knows something's up." He offered a sad smile when Jay's eyes widened. "We were trying to get into her head over dinner. That's what you wanted, wasn't it?" He pulled his phone from his pocket. "Hailey should be back with her any minute. She's really good with her."

He just nodded, unable to find the right words. Of course his little bug already knew something was up. It was why she'd been so out of sorts as well despite being the best big sister and an incredible help. She could clearly sense the exhaustion and tension in their home. And if she could sense it, their boys probably could too.

"Hey, Munchkin," Will greeted, offering a big smile to the little girl as she quickly discarded her coat with Hailey's help, "Did you bring me any ice cream?"

Piper looked at Hailey and then to Will before shaking her head. Just as Will wrinkled his brow, a smile spread across Piper's lips. "I'm just kidding. Hailey picked Rocky Road for you."

"Argh, you are taking after my little brother way too much," he teased, throwing his head back in exaggeration.

Jay managed a tiny smile when he caught his daughter's eyes. "Hey kiddo," he forced out, "I missed you."

Piper placed a small cup on the kitchen counter, standing on her tip-toes to put it far from the edge. "We brought Mommy some ice cream too," she said brightly, "Her favorite. Oreo with cookie dough." Her face fell when she registered Jay's forced expression. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened," he assured her, immediately reaching out to his little girl, "Mommy is upstairs with the boys." Jay sank down to meet her gaze. He tried not to forget just how little she was. His baby was mature, but she was still a child. "It's been an um, a tough day though."

Piper searched his eyes knowingly. "Mommy's not okay?" Piper asked, her voice wavering, "Is…is she sick?"

Jay shook his head slowly and reached for Piper's hand. "Do you remember a few months ago, before the boys came, when I was having a really difficult time? And I stayed with Hank for a little bit?" He ran his thumb over her fingers carefully, hoping his touch would keep her grounded.

Piper nodded. She remembered. It was horrible. Her mommy had been so upset without her daddy and the boys were still in her belly, making everything uncomfortable. All she wanted was her daddy to come home but he couldn't because he wasn't feeling good. And he didn't want her to be scared of him. "It's a little like that." Jay brushed her cheek lightly with his thumb. His baby girl was trying her hardest to be brave, but he could see the turmoil and tears behind her eyes. "We're all going to be okay, but right now-"

"You need to help Mommy," Piper supplied, sniffing bravely, "I…I understand. She…she needs you." She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Are you gonna go to Hank's house?"

He drew in a breath. "I'm not sure," he said honestly, "I know Mommy is going to want to stay here with you and the boys, and I do too, but right now I want to help her as best I can, and I think a change of scenery might help with that."

Piper sniffed again before nodding. "I…I can be here with the boys. I know what to do, like with the bottles." She forced herself to take a deep breath, just like her daddy taught her. "Maybe um, maybe you and her should go to Wisconsin. 'cause we always feel better up there, right?"

Jay smiled proudly. Wisconsin was a great idea. It was farther away from his kids than he wanted to be, but Erin did say she felt better up there. And the fact that it was Piper's idea had his heart swelling. "You are an incredible kid," he whispered, "And we are so, so proud of you." He stroked her cheek again. "No matter what, Mommy and I will be back in a day or so. I promise. Will is going to be here with you, and Hank also." He drew in a breath. "I love you so much, kiddo."

Piper gave another nod. "I love you," she replied, sniffing again, "You um, you're gonna come back though? With Mommy?"

"Yes," he said firmly, "We'll be back. I know it's hard to understand fully but-"

"Can I see Mommy before you go?" Piper asked, blinking rapidly, "I won't cry." She bit down on her lip. She wanted to cry really, really bad. But she had to be brave, not only for her mommy and daddy, but for the boys also.

Jay looked up at Will who gave a reassuring nod. "Absolutely," he said, standing from his crouched position. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "What if we go up together, and then maybe you can sit with Mommy for a bit while I get a few things together with Will and Hailey?"

Jay pressed a kiss to the side of Erin's head as she laid against him on the couch in the cabin, her body still heavy with exhaustion. His girl had barely spoken in hours while Jay tended to the fire. The living room was warm and cozy despite the ice and snow outside, the fireplace casting a gentle glow. His guy had been able to get the fire started and even supplied a few days worth of groceries and essentials, so all Jay had to do was focus on Erin. Will confirmed that the kids were asleep and everything was fine at home, and while he didn't love being several hours away, his gut was telling him that Wisconsin was where they needed to be.

Back at home, he and Piper had entered the bedroom to see Erin lying on the bed, her knees at her chest. His girl was awake but clearly far from being herself, and it absolutely crushed him.

Jay was always incredibly grateful for his daughter, but the way his little girl carefully approached her mommy and climbed onto the mattress beside her brought tears to his eyes. He wiped his own cheeks hastily while Piper held tightly to Erin and told her how much she loved her.

His girls stayed together while he tossed some clothes into a bag and made sure that there were enough diapers and formula for the boys. By some miracle, Liam and Ryan continued to snooze, undisturbed by the commotion around them.

But the worst part of the evening was when he went back into the bedroom to bring Erin out to the car. Piper had fallen asleep against her mommy, the exhaustion of being so brave and grown up catching up with her small form. He left kisses on each of his kids' foreheads before carefully extracting Erin from Piper's grip. His girl was practically a zombie as he led her down the steps and into the car. Jay was fairly confident that she'd been awake for over twenty-four hours, and he also knew that she hadn't gotten more than three hours of consecutive sleep in over two weeks.

One call to his guy out in Wisconsin and a push out the door from his big brother later, Jay was driving along the dark country roads with an eerily quiet Erin in the passenger seat. She never asked where they were going and kept her hands clasped tightly together. He would have given anything for a crack about his driving, but his girl remained silent.

He bundled up Erin in a pair of his warmest sweatpants, a flannel and a sweatshirt in addition to two pairs of his thickest socks when he stopped for gas at the halfway point. He was hoping that she would sleep on the drive, but every time he looked over, her tired eyes were trained on the horizon.

Erin sat rigidly on the couch while he checked out the cabin after their arrival. It was well past midnight and she'd declined any food he offered throughout their drive up, claiming she was too tired to eat despite the fact that she wasn't able to fall asleep. It wasn't until Jay sank beside her on the couch and pulled her closely that he felt her body relax ever so slightly. "The bedroom is still a little cold," he murmured into her ear, "Do you want to sleep out here?"

"Have you heard from Will?" she mumbled, bypassing his question, "Because Liam is normally up at this time and-"

"Will said the kids are doing totally fine. Pipes is snoozing in our bed because she wanted to be close to the boys after she woke up," Jay said gently, stroking her hair back. He showed Erin a picture that Will had texted him. Piper was asleep on Erin's side of the bed, one hand extending into Ryan's crib, the other into Liam's. "They're all good. But you need to sleep, babe. You've been up for like two days."

Erin sniffed. "Leave it to our ten year old to try to make up for me being a shitty mom," she rasped, tilting her head back in aspiration. "I just-"

"Hey." Jay shook his head. "You are not a bad mom, Er. Not at all." He held her closer and brought his lips to the side of her head. "You have been through hell and back the last few months, okay? Your body has been through an incredible amount of stress and Pipes knows that. And the boys are going to know it too. The best thing we can do for them right now is to get us the rest we need so that we can get back to them."

She sniffed again. "Do you still want to marry me?" she asked, her voice painfully small, "Because I would understand. If you didn't."

Jay's eyes widened. "Are you kidding?" he asked, pulling back slightly, "Babe, I've wanted to marry you pretty much since the moment I laid eyes on you."

His heart nearly cracked when he saw the tears forming in her eyes. "Er-"

"Why?" she croaked, "I don't understand why we're here." Tears spilled over her cheeks as she attempted to brush them away with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.

He swallowed. "A change of scenery," he tried, "It's been a long couple of months and-"

"I don't understand why you're still here." Erin sniffed. "I don't get it."

And then his heart cracked in two. Because he knew exactly how his girl was feeling.

About three months prior, he was sitting in his therapist's office with Erin by his side, feeling woefully inadequate. He couldn't keep it together and had scared his little girl to a point where she was frightened of him – and he thought he'd never get back. He wanted Erin to give up on him, to cut and run so that his kids would be safe.

But Erin didn't let him go. And there was no way he was letting her go either.

"I'm not letting go," he whispered, bringing her closer, "We don't give up on each other, babe." Jay ran his fingers through her hair and breathed deeply. "You know I um, I've been thinking about my vows. A lot, actually. Pretty much every day since you said yes the first time."

He managed a small smile at the memory. Never did he consider a proposal in their kitchen with his daughter and his brother in the audience, but Will let it slip. He found himself down on one knee, without a ring, asking the love of his freaking live to marry him. And she said yes, in the middle of their kitchen. It was the best yes he'd ever heard.

Jay kissed the side of her head again. "I thought I knew what I was going to say back then. I thought about the incredible life we had together, the life that we're building and of course our daughter but…but then we found out about the boys. And I got to watch you carry them into this world through all the pain and discomfort and it was then that I realized that there aren't enough words in the universe to convey how much I love you."

He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Babe, what you've been able to do, what you're doing…I'm never going to be able to thank you enough for that. For making us a family. With Pipes and with Ryan and Liam. And I promise that I am going to spend the rest of my life trying to get you to see how incredible you are." Jay reached down for her hand to interlace their fingers. "I'd marry you right here, right now. I'm not letting go. Not now and not ever."

Erin was quiet as his words washed over her. Jay loved her in ways she truly didn't understand. He loved her for all of it – the good, the bad and the really, really ugly.

"How'd…how'd you know to say that?" she rasped, unable to find a better response to her partner's incredible admission of love.

Jay chuckled lightly. "Well, I love you a lot, which means these vows have been workshopped a couple dozen times. And they just keep getting longer. Already know I'm going to get a whole lotta grief from the guys but I don't care. They can sit for five hours for all I care."

"Hey, Munchkin," Will greeted when Piper padded down the stairs sleepily, "How are you feeling?"

Piper shrugged and shivered slightly. She remembered falling asleep on her mommy's side of the bed so she could be close to the boys. It helped to be near them, especially because she missed her mommy and daddy really badly. As much as she wanted to be with them, she knew that he mommy really, really needed to be with her daddy. They could always make each other feel better.

"Will and I were thinking we could play hooky today," Hailey said, giving her a big smile, "You want to skip school and spend the day with me while Will watches the boys?"

Piper widened her eyes. "No school?" She glanced around the living room and saw that her little brothers were on their mats doing tummy time while Hank sat next to them. Her heart sank. Having Hank, Will and Hailey all together meant something was really, really wrong. "Are Mommy and Daddy not coming back?"

"No, no," Will said quickly, "Your mom and dad are totally fine. Jay texted last night and said they got up safely to the cabin in Wisconsin and that they're going to sleep in this morning." He carefully approached his niece as the little girl remained on the steps, trembling slightly. "They're coming home, kiddo."

Piper sniffed and gave a nod. She was supposed to be brave. She had to set a good example for the boys and be strong for them, just like her mommy always was for her. "Are the boys okay?" she whispered, "They're not crying."

"They love Grandpa Hank," Hailey offered, "And they were good sleepers last night. I think they liked being close to their big sister." She exchanged a look with her boss, who was quietly listening. "Do you want to help me upstairs for a minute? I think we need to bring some diapers down here and I'm not sure where your dad stashed them."

The little girl gave a nod and turned up the steps. "There are some in the boys' room," she said softly, pointing to the nursery as Hailey followed her upstairs, "And Daddy has some in his and Mommy's bathroom too. And right here." She gestured to the stack of diapers on Jay's dresser. She bit down on her lip when she saw the picture that her daddy had beside the diapers. It was one of her and her mommy from when they went sledding.

"Thank you, Snipes." Hailey procured a few diapers from the dresser before crouching down in front of the little girl. "You want to talk about anything?"

Piper shook her head. If she talked about it, she would cry. And she didn't want to cry. "It's just me," Hailey continued, reaching out a hand to stroke the child's hair back, "And we don't have to talk, if you don't want to. But sometimes it helps."

She swallowed the lump in her throat. Hailey was her friend. She could trust her. "I'm…I'm really sad," Piper whispered, leaning forward into the detective's open arms, "I miss them so much."

Hailey nodded and threaded her fingers through Piper's hair. "I know you do," she murmured, "Your parents know how hard this is for you too, kiddo. And they are so, so proud of you for being brave." She leaned down to kiss the top of the little girl's head. "It's hard to be brave all the time though."

Piper gave a small nod. "You're brave all the time," she said softly, glancing up at the detective. "Do you… do you ever get tired?"

She swallowed. "I do," Hailey replied, doing her best to keep her voice measured, "It's really hard. It can be hard for me, and I'm a grown up. You're just a kid."

"You had to be brave since you were a kid," Piper mumbled, "I think I'm gonna have to be like this forever."

Hailey shook her head. "It's going to get better," she promised, rubbing Piper's back gently, "I know it doesn't seem like it, but it will. It's okay to let your feelings out when you need to. It's perfectly natural." She smiled wistfully. "Your mom and dad love you so, so much. And they know it's been a really big adjustment for everyone with the boys. It's hard having to share your parents or the people you love."

"Babe?" Jay poked his head into the bathroom of the cabin in search of his fiancé, "How do you feel about an omelet and breakfast potatoes?"

They spent the night in the living room of the cabin, the warmth from the fire and the comfort of the old couch allowing the most sleep either of them had gotten in months – nearly nine full hours.

Erin looked over at her partner from her spot in front of the mirror. She really had needed the sleep, but her chest ached. She missed her babies, badly, and the guilt of being away was heavy. "Sounds good," she managed, pulling the sweatshirt of Jay's that she was wearing down over her exposed stomach, "Sorry, I um, I got distracted."

"Is your stomach bothering you?" he asked, taking a step into the chilly bathroom. "I think there's some stuff in the medicine cabinet-"

"I'm fine," she interrupted, shaking her head rapidly. "Well, I'm not…I'm not fine, because we're five hours away from our kids because I can't keep my shit together but-"

"Babe," Jay murmured, taking another step closer to put his hands on her hips, "It's okay not to be fine right now." He ran his fingers over her cheeks. "Just me here. I'm not judging. I promise. Just us. Nothing you can say that's going to make me let go."

She nodded slowly. "I miss them," she whispered, "I know…I know why we came up here but I just-" Erin closed her eyes. "I'm worried."

"The boys slept through the night," he told her, "Pipes did too. And after Liam woke up, Will brought Pipes into her own bed and I checked on the monitor a few minutes ago, and she's still sleeping. Will said Hank's over to help with the boys and Hailey's around for when our little bug wakes up."

"Hailey's still there?" Erin whispered, wiping her cheek hastily, "With Will?"

Jay nodded. "She's good with Pipes," he offered, trying to keep his voice as light as possible, "And-"

"It's good," she interrupted, "I'm…I'm glad she's there." Erin drew in a shaky breath. "Our kids need a stable female figure in their lives." She sniffed when Jay's eyes softened.

"They need their mom," Jay said firmly, "They need you." He pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead and held her closely, feeling his girl tremble in his embrace. "They're your babies, babe. And they love you so, so much."

"I love them," she croaked, "I don't understand why my body can't-" Her breath caught. "I should be able to take care of them. I-I shouldn't feel this way." Erin pulled back and gestured to her body, dwarfed in Jay's warmest clothes. "I hate everything about myself. My breasts are so fucking sore but I can't produce any milk and my stomach looks disgusting and I feel-"

Jay pulled her back in and held tightly, his arms around her back to keep her close. After an initial attempt to push back, Erin rested her head against Jay's chest wordlessly, feeling his heart beat through his henly and in the pads of his fingertips that he was carefully running through her hair. His exhales were keeping her grounded as she gripped his shirt in her fists, willing her body to stop shaking.

"I'm sorry," Erin whimpered, "I don't-"

"Shh," Jay interrupted, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "Please don't apologize, babe. Please." He took a breath and kissed her head again. "I've got an idea." He offered a small smile and wiped Erin's cheek. "When we were kids and Will and I were at each other's throats up here, my mom would put us both in the hot tub because my grandfather always said water was a cure. I plugged it in last night. What do you say to a little dip, hm?"

Erin swallowed and averted her gaze. "We don't have to," Jay followed up, "But I packed our bathing suits in case we-"

"I don't want to put it on," she mumbled shamefully, "It's not going to fit and I just-" She swallowed again and lifted her gaze. "Every time I look at myself in the mirror I'm reminded of how close we came to losing the boys and I feel like I'm going to lose our kids and you and-" Erin stopped and shook her head. "And I don't want our first time in forever to be like this."

Jay drew in a breath, his heart pounding. There were so many parts of Erin's statement that they needed to unpack together. "Erin," he choked out, "I'm not…I'm not trying to do that now." He took one of her hands carefully. "We decided when we're ready, right? We don't need to rush it." Jay rubbed her fingers lightly. "Our boys arrived in a really scary way. It was incredible traumatic, but especially for you. What you're feeling isn't uncommon at all."

He crouched down so that he could look up at his girl, her gaze cast toward the cold tile floor. "It didn't go like we planned, but you got our boys here. They are healthy and growing because you gave them a good home right in there and are giving them an amazing home in Chicago." Jay rested his thumbs on Erin's tummy, his fingers on her hips. "Your body has been through so much, babe. There are no expectations on you to feel any particular way. Not from me." He offered a gentle smile. "I always think you are the most gorgeous woman in the room."

Jay lifted his sweatshirt carefully to reveal her healed incision from the boys' arrival eight weeks prior. "I know it's painful to see but to me…this is just more proof that you are the strongest woman I've ever known. You got through the scariest moment of our lives." He leaned forward to press a kiss to her belly. "And you're going to get through this too. We are. You and me, okay? You, me, and our kids."

"Your mom and dad should be here any second, Peanut," Hank said, patting Ryan on the back as the infant nestled into him, "You want to give Liam to me?"

Piper kissed the top of her baby brother's head. The boys really liked to snuggle with their grandpa and even though she could tell that her brothers missed their mommy and daddy as much as she did, getting held all the time by Hank was helping. Part of her wished that she could be a baby too. But she was a big girl and she was supposed to be brave. "He likes you the best, I think," Piper said thoughtfully, carefully placing her little brother on Hank's other shoulder, "Ryan too."

"I don't know," Will piped up, "I think your brothers like you the best, Munchkin. They're certainly not a fan of Uncle Will these days." He gave Hailey's shoulder a gentle squeeze. The boys were not big fans of their Aunt Hailey either.

"I can be a fan of Uncle Will," Piper offered sweetly, "I'm supposed to set a good example, right?"

Will beamed and lifted his niece into his arms. "You are the best kid ever. And I think I just heard the garage door open."

Jay squeezed Erin's hand gently as he turned into their neighborhood. The weekend in Wisconsin was much needed, and he was returning to Chicago more rested than he had been in months. On Friday and Saturday he spent hours in front of the fire, the love of his life in his arms. It was the respite they were craving and even though his girl was far from being herself, Erin's eyes were clearer than they'd been in over two months.

The plan was for Jay to accompany Erin to an appointment with Dr. Peterson, the therapist she had been meeting with on and off since returning to Chicago. After her recommendation, they would make a decision on additional childcare support.

After another full night of sleep, they headed home. This time, the drive wasn't silent. They talked, they joked about their kids and for the first time in what felt like forever, things felt normal.

"I know it's only been two days," Erin rasped, "But it feels like it's been weeks." She returned the squeeze to her partner's hand. "Thank you. For bringing up there, for being there."

Jay lifted her hand to kiss her knuckles. "I love you," he murmured, "We're in this together. You're not alone." He turned into their driveway. "Looks like Hank, Will and Hailey are all here still."

She held tightly to Jay's hand as he opened the side door to their home. Erin took in a breath. They were home. She was with her babies again and they were all going to be okay.

"Hey, you two," Will greeted, Piper on his hip, "I'm surprised you made such good time with Jay behind the wheel."

Erin felt Jay squeeze her hand again. He was thinking the same thing she was. Their baby girl was the most adorable little human on the face of the earth, clad in a light pink sweatshirt and navy pair of fleece lined leggings Erin had purchased from the little kid section of the department store website that she found while shopping for the boys.

"Hi, sweet girl," Erin whispered, holding out her hand to her daughter and crouching down to Piper-level, "I'm…I'm okay."

Will set her on the ground and Piper hurried toward her mommy to wrap her arms around her neck. She held tightly as her mommy hugged her closely. Even though she said she was okay, Piper could tell that she was far from it. She was better than she was a few days ago, but still Piper could tell her mommy wasn't doing her best.

"Me and the boys are good," Piper told her, pulling back slightly so she could find her mommy's eyes, "They really like Hank. But they missed you. I could tell."

Erin managed a tiny smile. "You could tell, huh?"

Piper nodded emphatically. "I missed you too," she said, offering a smile in return, "But I knew Daddy was taking good care of you 'cause he's really good at that." She reached up a tiny hand to brush some hair from her mommy's cheek. "Will let me sleep in your bed so I could see the boys," she said softly, "And they slept almost the whole night without crying for two nights."

"Wow," she gushed, "You really are the baby whisperer." Erin pressed a kiss atop her baby's head. "I missed you so much." She felt her heart swell when Piper leaned back in again. Her little girl was the most incredible tiny human.

Erin let out a heavy breath as Ryan nestled into her neck. She was back with her babies. All of her babies were okay and just as she'd left them – Ryan was still snuggly, Liam was still wriggly, and Piper was still the sweetest little bug in the city of Chicago. While Jay started on the laundry, she settled on the couch beside her father figure, who Liam was particularly fond of.

"I think he's hungry," Hank remarked, gesturing to the wiggling infant on his chest, "He's always ready for his next meal."

Erin glanced down at her son and managed a smile. "These boys have Halstead appetites," she said, pressing a kiss to Ryan's forehead. "I have to pump later I think but I can make them a formula bottle." She shifted to stand and frowned when Ryan started to cry. "Shh, bubba. It's okay."

"I can do it," Piper determined. She was sitting next to her mommy, resting her head gently against her arm. It felt like it had been ages since she last got to sit with her, and even though the boys were there too, Piper was feeling a lot better.

Erin bit her lip when her first baby pulled away. She'd been seriously missing the closeness from all her kids, but if she was being honest, Piper especially. Her little bug was turning eleven in a few months and even though she was small in stature, Erin had a sinking suspicion that the days of her daughter snuggling next to her on the couch were numbered. "You sure?" she asked, patting Ryan's back gently, "Because-"

"I just gotta shake the bottles a little bit." Piper offered a smile of reassurance as she expertly scooped the baby formula into the bottles. Erin's lips lifted watching her little girl carefully double check the amount of water she had added from the filter.

"Kid's incredible," Will said knowingly, tilting his head toward the little girl while he stirred the sauce he had bubbling on the stove, "She knows everything."

Erin beamed and stroked the top of Ryan's head. "Does your big sister look out for you the best? I think she does."

"That's 'cause I learned from the best," Piper said, flashing a smile to her mommy after carefully tightening the caps on the baby bottles. She extended one bottle to Hank for Liam before resuming her position beside Erin. "I can hold the bottle for him."

"That would be great," Erin murmured, "Because then I can do this." She pulled Piper close with her free arm and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I love you, sweet girl. We're all going to be okay. I promise."

I think that wraps up Part 1! I'm still playing around with what the time jump will be because there is always so much cute baby stuff to write. I don't want to drag everything out too long or bore you, BUT I also don't want to miss out on anything fun because my plan is to write sequentially. So I'm going to crowdsource - would you rather see:

A) Shorter time jump for more baby content and Piper still as a younger kid (and then when they are older in subsequent parts)

B) Longer time jump with the boys at about a year or two old (basically skipping the baby parts)

C) Neither, wrap up the story because 176 chapters in a series is way too long