Author's Note: I just wanted to say that I really appreciate all the kind reviews, even if I'm not always responding (because I'm too socially awkward)
I do apologize for any mistakes or if any of the writing seems rushed, especially this chapter that turned out a little shorter than usual.
I did kinda rush to get this together since it's my birthday the 13th and I have decided to gift myself a week off from the stress of writing, social media and internet in general and just spend some time with my family, my friends and my beloved cat.

CHAPTER 16

It was unbelievable that a whole week had passed since the two boys came to stay with them, on one hand it felt like they had only just arrived and on the other it felt like they had always been with them.
Peter had noticed a change in Elizabeth, it was subtle but it was definitely there.
It seemed as if her smiles were slightly bigger, her laughs were a little louder and her eyes shone a little brighter.
The kids were giving her joy, the same kind of joy that he had seen when they were younger and had spent an entire evening imagining what it would it be like to have kids together.
Sure, she still had her moments where she became overwhelmed or started to doubt herself.
For example there had been one time when he left her alone with Neal while he and Mozzie took Satchmo for a walk and when they had returned home, Neal was in the middle of a fullblown tantrum.
Elizabeth had cried even more than Neal and had told Peter that she could absolutely not do this anymore, she had been convinced that she was bad at parenting because she couldn't stop the four-year-old's tantrum or help him in anyway.
She had told him that she couldn't be a fosterparent anymore and she had refused to listen to him.
However, after Mozzie managed to calm his brother down and Elizabeth had taken a long, warm shower she had happily invited the boys to help her cook and the joy was back on her face.
Elizabeth was an amazing parent and it was sad to see how her fear made her doubt that.

It wasn't just Peter and Elizabeth who had gotten used to the boys' presence, all the other had taken a liking to them as well.
Peter had brought the kids with him to the bureau since they hadn't found a school for them yet.
Neal had, unsurprisingly, become the favourite, that kid could charm practically anybody without saying a single word.
Peter actually had to stop the other agents from spoiling the four-year-old too much sugar, the Burkes had learned the hard way that Neal with a sugarhigh was a pure nightmare.
Mozzie on the other hand became a little less popular than his younger brother.
The older boy's lower popularity wasn't because he wasn't as cute as his brother or something like that, he was less popular because he kept pestering the agents.
The eight-year-old would show up at the agent's desks demanding that they tell him the truth about JFK's assassination, the aliens that the government hid in Area 51 or some other conspiracy theory that he was convinced that they knew the truth about.
Peter had even found the kid snooping around, trying to find the secret files.
The only person in the office that liked Mozzie the most was Hughes, every time Mozzie tried to demand the truth from him the old man answered with a very cryptic answer that just added fuel to Mozzie's fire.
His boss actually seemed to enjoy doing this so Peter just let them continue even if he made a mental note to make sure that Mozzie didn't get too devoured by the conspiracies.

One of Peter's favourite moments was when they, every afternoon, cooked together.
The activity made them feel like a real family and they all seemed to enjoy, well except for Mozzie that despite the smile on his face, seemed a little less happy than the others.
Peter put down the knife as his phone rang and he told Neal to help his brother set the table while he stepped away, not wanting the four-year-old to use the knife unsupervised.
He walked out of the kitchen and once he was out of earshot he answered it.
It was Diana calling him and she told him that the social worker had managed to find a pair of fosterparents that were willing to take both of the boys in.
He had to admit that her words made him feel more than a little disappointed, he had gotten used to the children's presence and he didn't feel ready to say goodbye just yet.

"The only problem is that they live a couple of hours away from the city."

Diana told him and a part of him thought that it was a good thing since that could make it harder for their uncle to locate them at the same time he wondered if the kids would be willing to leave the city they had called their home for their entire lives.
Peter looked back at the others as he heard giggling and smiled as he saw Neal giggling on the floor while both Elizabeth and Mozzie had abandoned their tasks and had instead started tickling the boy.
Satchmo was watching them, his tail wagging back and forth, and in that moment they looked like such a happy family and Peter's heart melted at the adorable sight.

"Peter, you still there?"

Diana asked and he was snapped out of his staring.

"I think the distance will be a problem for the boys, I don't think they want to leave New York."

He answered, his voice lowered to make sure the others didn't hear him.
Peter knew he should have at least asked the kids and that he should definitely have talked to Elizabeth but seeing the just now had made him decide that he and Elizabeth couldn't be seperated from the boys just yet.

"Okay boss, I'll tell them."

Diana answered and he could hear it in her voice that she knew that the distance thing wasn't the real reason for not accepting the potential fosterhome.

"Who was it?"

Elizabeth asked as he returned to them and Peter answered that it was just a work thing before he helped his wife and Mozzie tickle the helpless, giggling four-year-old.