Steve and Jax stood on the front porch, each of them holding one of the twins, and waved goodbye to Jax's parents.

"That went pretty well," Steve said, as the tail lights disappeared out of the driveway. When Jax didn't respond, he looked down. Tears on her cheeks reflected the porch light. He shifted Billy to one arm and reached for her. "Ku'uipo, what is it?"

She shrugged.

"Come on," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder and gently steering her inside the house. "Sit; I'll make coffee." He deposited Billy gently onto the quilt on the floor, where just a while ago they'd all admired the contented babies gurgling and grasping for their toes. Billy started to fuss, until Jax placed Annie on the quilt next to him. She sat crosslegged next to them, handing each of them one of the sensory toys that reportedly helped develop fine motor skills.

Jax smiled up at Steve as he offered her a cup of coffee, accepting it with a contented sigh. He sat down next to her, resting his weight on one strong arm behind her back, brushing away the wetness on her cheek with his free hand.

"Talk to me," he murmured.

She was quiet for a few long moments. Steve waited patiently. "They came for you," she said, finally. "They came when they found out about you. They stayed when they found out about the twins. But not for me. Never for me."

Steve took the mug out of her trembling hand and placed it aside, gathering her in his arms.

"I'll never be enough," she said. "They loved me because Billy loved me. When he was gone . . . whatever affection they had for me was gone, too. I was foolish to think that I was enough for them now."

"I'm so sorry," Steve said. He didn't argue with her. He couldn't – they both knew she was speaking the truth. He knew, firsthand, how badly it hurt. He and Mary weren't enough for his mother to stay in their lives.

"Promise me we will always love them just for being them," Jax said, "that we'll always make sure they understand that they are enough, just as they are."

"I absolutely promise," Steve said. He knew there were many promises that he couldn't keep – promises to always come home safely, promises to not let Danny get hurt – but unconditional love for their children was an easy promise to make. "Let me take care of the bottles and put them to bed. Go upstairs and relax for a bit."

"But –"

"I can manage, Jax. You manage all the time, alone. I've got it."

"Bedtime is my favorite, though," she said, rubbing her fingers lightly over Annie's bare toes.

"I know, it's mine, too, but knowing that you're taking care of yourself is also my favorite," he said, kissing the top of her head.

With a bit of juggling, he gave the twins their bedtime bottles. It was something he looked forward to every day; something he regretted missing out on every time a case kept him late. So he treasured this time, holding their warm bodies close, watching as their eyes drooped closed and they sucked down the last couple of ounces practically asleep. Then it was simply a matter of changing their diapers in the dim light of the nursery and tucking them – together, always together – into the crib.

He climbed the stairs, unsurprised to see Jax sitting up in bed, hair loosely clipped back, reading. He remembered his first glimpse of her wearing her reading glasses; he felt the same little flip of his heart every time since.

"Hey," he said, leaning in the doorway and smiling at her. "Thought you were going to relax."

She looked at the cover of her Journal of Paramedic Practice and grinned at him. "I find the latest techniques in placing central lines in suboptimal conditions very relaxing."

He chuckled, scooping up a protesting Pupule and dropping him outside the room before closing the door. Jax put down the journal as he crossed the room to her, slowly and deliberately. He sat on the edge of the bed, his hip pressed against hers.

"You know that you are enough for me, right?" he asked, tucking a stray curl behind her ear.

"And the babies."

"Unh-unh. You. Annie and Billy are a joy beyond my wildest dreams, and I can't imagine life without them now that they're here, but you were already one hundred percent enough. They're two hundred percent, I guess, which is a mathematical improbability but absolutely true."

She looked down, fidgeting with the sheet pooled around her hips.

"Jax," he murmured, tucking his fingers under her chin and tilting her face toward his. "You are more than enough. For me, for Annie and Billy, for your team at work, for your ohana. As for your parents . . ." he sighed. He paused, searching for words that would ring true but yet somehow give her some comfort. "Grief sometimes brings out the worst in people. For whatever reason they came here, they did come."

"Like your mom showed up, when it came down to it."

"Yeah. Our parents have . . . issues," he said, shrugging helplessly.

Jax couldn't help but giggle.

"There's my girl," Steve murmured. He took off her glasses slowly, carefully, then undid the clip and gently ran his fingers through her hair, letting it tumble in waves around her face.

She slipped a hand behind his neck, pulling him in for a kiss. "Come here," she whispered.

"I'm here."

"Closer."

Pupule gave up standing outside the bedroom door and stalked to his little bed on the landing.

#*#*#*#*#

"I don't trust them."

Steve looked over at Danny, who was staring pensively out the passenger side window.

"Say again?"

"I don't trust them," Danny repeated. "Jax's parents. They waltz in here and act like they didn't abuse and abandon Jax. Like she's supposed to just forget all the shit they pulled."

"She doesn't trust them, either," Steve said. He blew out a frustrated sigh. "She's trying, for the kids' sake, and the visit went pretty well, but . . ."

"Yeah?" Danny encouraged him to continue.

"As soon as they left, she said that she knew they didn't come here for her – they came to find her when they found out we were married. I couldn't even argue with her, you know?"

Danny nodded sympathetically.

"Then she woke up in a full panic in the middle of the night," Steve said quietly.

"Shit."

"Dreamed that her mother had taken the children."

"Steve –"

"I know. I'm calling Robert today; I'm going to suggest they go home. If Jax wants to schedule another visit, later, that's fine. But it's going to be her idea. As far as I'm concerned, I don't want them anywhere near her," Steve said. "Or the kids."

"Is she okay? Today?"

"Well, she's working today, so she should feel good knowing that the twins are in a very secure situation. And being busy doing something she loves, that's always a good thing. And . . . she's seeing Lieutenant Allen on her lunch hour."

"How much of an argument did that take?" Danny asked, grinning.

Steve laughed. "I may have resorted to bribing her with an afternoon at the range."

"Yours is a unique marriage, my friend."

"Coffee and ammunition," Steve said, nodding. "I'm a lucky, lucky man."

#*#*#*#*#

Steve took off his sunglasses and slipped them into one of his many pockets, blinking to let his eyes adjust to the dimmer lighting of the Hilton bar. He spotted Robert and Jeannie, who had thoughtfully snagged a corner booth. Cozy.

Jeannie beamed at him and waved coyly.

"Hello, handsome," she said.

"Is Jackie joining us?" Robert asked. He reached out to shake Steve's hand.

"Jax is working today," Steve said. He sat down across from the couple.

"Seems she could have taken some time off," Jeannie said. "Her family is here for the holidays, after all."

"All due respect, ma'am, she had no idea you were coming," Steve reminded her.

"Still," Jeannie pouted, "you've made time for us, you sweet boy."

"Being the head of a task force has its perks. But I'll have to be getting back to the office soon, so I'm going to get right to it."

"Well that sounds rather ominous," Jeannie said. She raised her glass of wine. "Won't you at least get a drink?"

"No, ma'am. I'm on duty."

"What's on your mind?" Robert asked quietly.

"I've come to ask you to go ahead and return to New Jersey," Steve said. "If there's any problem changing your tickets –"

"Leave?!" Jeannie exclaimed. "We've just got here. I had so hoped to spend more time with you and those precious babies."

Steve stared at her in disbelief. "And Jax. I'm sure you had hoped to spend time with your daughter."

"Well that goes without saying," Jeannie said smoothly.

"And yet, you didn't say it," Steve said. Robert sighed and shook his head almost imperceptibly. "Look. I appreciate you all reaching out. I hope you had only the best of intentions. But you need to understand – you have no comprehension of Jax's life since 9/11. If you want to rebuild a relationship with her – and surely you must, right, she's your daughter – it's going to take some time."

"And that's why we're here," Jeannie said, reaching over and patting Steve. She was condescending, and it set his teeth on edge.

"Jax doesn't feel safe with you right now." Steve put it bluntly, realizing there was no other way to get past Jeannie's sugared facade. "Nothing is more important to me than making sure Jax feels safe. Secure."

"But why on earth –"

"If you knew anything about her life, I wouldn't need to explain," Steve said. "And I won't try to explain. It's not my place to tell her stories. But it is my place to protect her from anything, anyone that threatens her health and happiness. And so I'm asking you, respectfully, to leave. Another visit, some other time, maybe – that's something you can discuss with Jax in the future."

Jeannie pouted, her lower lip trembling. She squeezed her eyes closed, forcing out a fat tear. "But –" she started.

"Jeannie. Enough," Robert said. "How many holidays did we miss? I went along with your idea to surprise them against my better judgment. Steve is confirming that it was a bad idea. I'm sorry, son, I truly am. The last thing I want to do is cause Jackie more pain. We'll make arrangements to head on home. Maybe we can try this again sometime, the right way."

Steve breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, sir."

"Well, I just think Jacqueline should want to be with family for Christmas," Jeannie sniffed.

Steve thought of their house, doors and windows open, the smell of food wafting out as the salt air breezed in. He thought of Chin and Kono holding the twins, of Grace standing on a little stool to help Jax stir something, of Grover and Danny bickering over pizza while Renee and Rachel sipped wine, supervising Samantha and Will as they played with Charlie.

"She will be," Steve said. He found it in himself to smile at her kindly, genuinely. "She will be surrounded with family, I promise."

#*#*#*#*#