Joanne was busying herself while Jenny talked her ear off. She had to admit that she was only half-listening. Her daughter had always been talkative, but since Roy's death, she had become more so, barely leaving Joanne's side.

"Mom? Mom!" Jenny's voice broke through again.

"I'm sorry, sweetie." Joanne replied as she got down plates and found napkins. "What did you say?"

Jenny sighed. "Do you think Uncle Johnny would read to me tonight?"

"I'm sure he would if you asked." Joanne answered. "But don't expect it all the time."

Jenny looked a little disappointed. "I wish he would."

Joanne's heart broke for Jenny, and she set the plates down on the table before hugging her. "I know."

There was a loud knock on the door, and both kids raced to answer, almost knocking Johnny over as soon as he came in.

Johnny seemed to take it in stride as Joanne crossed over to take the pizzas from him, wrapping an arm around each of the kids as soon as he handed the boxes off.

"Uncle Johnny," Jenny jumped in immediately. "Mom said you'd read to me later if I asked you. Will you?"

"Uh…sure, sure." Johnny seemed a little unsure, even as he answered her.

Jenny lit up at that. "Me and Dad started 'Black Beauty'. He read it to me every night. Well, except when he was at work."

"Is that right?" Johnny glanced in Joanne's direction as if he were unsure how to respond.

"Uh-huh." Jenny nodded.

"Now Jenny, what did we talk about?" Joanne reminded her.

Jenny sighed heavily. "Mom says you can't read to me all the time."

"She's right." Johnny replied, seeming somewhat relieved. "But, you know, maybe I can come over sometimes. If that's okay with your mom."

"We'll see." Joanne replied. "Now, both of you go wash up."

Joanne noticed Chris tugging on Johnny's sleeve, and Johnny leaning down to listen. Soon enough Johnny followed Chris down the hallway, Jenny's voice following them and fading slightly as she did so.

Finally, a few moments of peace. Joanne felt a twinge of guilt at the thought, but honestly, Jenny had been driving her absolutely crazy today, never wanting to leave Joanne's side. Meanwhile, Chris had hidden out in his room almost the entire afternoon.

It wouldn't always be this way, Joanne was sure, but it was certainly making things challenging in the meantime.

Before long, Jenny's voice signaled everyone's return, and everyone busied themselves with getting pizza and drinks before settling in on the couch. The kids settled in on either side of Johnny, with Joanne sitting next to Jenny, and they were soon all engrossed in The Muppet Show.

There was a sketch with the two scientists, Joanne couldn't remember their names, but she knew they were Chris's favorites, and she could hear him giggling quietly.

"I don't think he was supposed to set himself on fire." Johnny observed.

"That's Beaker." Chris told him. "He always does stuff like that."

"Who's the other one?"

"Bunsen." Chris explained. "He's the smart one."

"I don't know." Johnny commented casually. "See how he doesn't even notice his partner's on fire? Doesn't seem too smart to me."

The show moved on to the next sketch, the one with the chef. This was Jenny's favorite, and she burst out laughing as soon as he let out his trademark 'BOORK BOORK BOORK!'.

Johnny's initial reaction was utter befuddlement before dissolving in laughter right along with Jenny. The whole thing was so silly that Joanne found herself joining in.

God, it felt so good to laugh so hard, especially at something so utterly absurd. Maybe it was just what they all needed. It certainly did a lot to lift Joanne's spirits, and it seemed to have the same effect on the kids.

She happened to catch Johnny looking her way, that familiar lopsided smile on his face, and he reached over Jenny to lightly squeeze her shoulder in that way he had done so often lately.

This all felt so comfortable, all of them together on the couch. It almost felt normal, even though Joanne knew it wasn't. Johnny wasn't a family man, and Joanne knew better than to expect that to change. Soon enough a girl would catch his eye, and he would be back to his usual life, as he should be. The last thing he needed to do was saddle himself with her and the kids out of some strange sense of obligation.

But in the meantime, Joanne supposed, it was good for the kids to have Johnny around. In time they would come to understand that Johnny couldn't always be around, no more than Roy had been able to.

The sound of the Bionic Woman theme song pulled her out of her thoughts, and this seemed like the perfect time to work on cleaning up the remains of dinner while Johnny and the kids watched the show.

She didn't realize that Johnny had come to help until she spotted him combining pizzas into one box, and she waved him off. "I don't mind. The kids love this show. I don't."

"I don't really get what's going on." Johnny told her. "They'll be fine for a while. And I don't mind helping."

Joanne sighed. "You've been doing too much of that lately."

"You need it." Johnny replied quietly.

"I'm hardly helpless, Johnny."

"Didn't say you were."

It was clear to Joanne that she wouldn't be able to dissuade Johnny, and it was silly to try to argue with him. If he insisted on helping, maybe she should just accept the help. It wasn't as if he was asking for anything in return.

"Has Chris shown you what he's putting together from that Lego set?" Johnny suddenly asked her. "That kid's gonna be an architect or an engineer or something someday."

"He hasn't." Joanne replied. "So that's what he's been doing when he's holed up in his room."

A worried frown suddenly crossed Johnny's face, and Joanne waved him off. "I'm sure it's nothing. The kids are dealing with this in their own ways, I suppose. One is glued to me, and the other runs off and hides from me."

"Suppose you're right." Johnny answered as he shoved an empty pizza box into the trash can. "You want me to take this out?"

"Yes, please." Joanne replied. "The cans are out in the garage."

"I know." That worried frown was suddenly replaced by his usual half-smile. "Been here a time or two, you know?"

Joanne couldn't help laughing at herself for that, even as the whole routine brought to mind all the evenings when Roy was home, how they would engage in this nearly nightly ritual.

Her laughter turned to tears that seemed to come out of nowhere, and she found herself once again sobbing quietly over the sink full of soapy water.

"Hey, hey, hey." Johnny's voice was suddenly in her ear, his arms around her.

Joanne managed to pull herself together with a heavy sigh. "It's all so silly. First I'm crying over a suit, now I'm crying over garbage."

Johnny chuckled softly, and she felt him press a kiss to her temple. "You've gotta be easy on yourself, Jo. Hasn't been that long, you know."

Joanne found herself turning toward Johnny, resting her head on his chest while he pulled her in even closer. She shouldn't lean on him so hard, she knew that, but in the moment, he was right here and willing to provide the comfort she so needed, and it just felt right, somehow.

Eventually she felt calmer, and she started to pull back, managing what she hoped was something like a reassuring smile. "Sorry about your shirt."

Johnny shrugged. "It's just water. It'll dry."

He gently stroked under her eyes with his thumbs before leaning in to kiss her forehead. "I meant it, you know. This isn't easy. Isn't gonna be right for a long time."

Joanne took a deep breath. "Well, I certainly don't expect you to hold my hand through it."

"If that's what you need, then that's what you'll get." Johnny replied quietly.

"Uncle Johnny!" Jenny's voice made both of them jump, and Johnny immediately pulled back. "Come on. You promised."

"I did." Johnny nodded.

"First things first." Joanne told her firmly.

Jenny let out a huff before turning around and stomping off, and Joanne wiped her hands off on a towel. "I'd better go supervise."

"I'll finish up in here." Johnny told her. "Won't be long."

Joanne left Johnny to it and made her way to the bathroom, where both kids were getting ready for bed. As usual, there was a bit of chaos involved before they were both ready, and Chris started toward his room while Jenny headed toward hers.

"Do you want to listen in?" Joanne asked Chris.

Chris paused for a moment before shaking his head. "That's for babies."

"If you say so." Joanne held out her arms, and Chris walked right into them as Joanne gathered him into a hug. "Good night."

"Night."

She could hear both Johnny and Jenny in her room as she started down the hallway, and she paused right outside. "Right here, Uncle Johnny."

"Okay, let's see." Johnny was stretched out on Jenny's bed, with Jenny curled right up next to him, her head on his shoulder. "Where did your dad leave off?"

"There." Jenny pointed to the page. "Chapter four."

Johnny shifted a little before he started reading. "At this time I used to stand in the stable and my coat was brushed every day till it shone like a rook's wing."

"What's a rook?"

"It's a bird." Johnny explained. "Kinda like a crow."

"Oh."

Johnny continued reading, and Joanne stayed just outside Jenny's room listening. 'Black Beauty' had been one of her favorite childhood books, and it pleased her to no end that Jenny seemed to enjoy it as well.

She spotted movement just outside the corner of her eye, and suddenly Chris was beside her, looking at her as if he were asking permission.

"You know, I'll bet Uncle Johnny wouldn't mind if you went in there. And neither would Jenny." Joanne told him, brushing his hair out of his eyes.

Chris seemed to absorb that before going in and climbing up on the bed next to Johnny, resting his head on his other shoulder. Johnny paused, turning to Chris with a slight smile. "Want me to start over?"

"No." Chris answered.

"Okay." Johnny replied. "Where were we?"

"Squire Gordon." Jenny reminded him.

"Right." Johnny nodded. "Squire Gordon's park skirted the village of Birtwick…"

Joanne left them to their reading and returned to the living room, settling on to the couch with a sigh. It had been a good day, mostly. It was just hard to imagine doing any of it without Roy.

After a while, Joanne realized it had gone quiet down the hall, and she made her way to Jenny's room. When she peeked in, all three of them were asleep in a pile on Jenny's bed.

She didn't have the heart to disturb them. The sight made something well up inside her, something she couldn't explain.

No, she knew it should be Roy with those kids asleep on him, not Johnny. But it wasn't Roy, and if the kids had no problem embracing Johnny in his place, at least temporarily, perhaps Joanne shouldn't have a problem, either.

Johnny stirred, opening his eyes and blinking before glancing at both kids, his apparent confusion smoothing out into that slight smile. He caught Joanne's eye, and Joanne entered quietly. "I see you managed to keep them entertained."

"I hope I did all right." Johnny answered. "They didn't seem to mind, anyway."

"I'm sure you did just fine." Joanne moved Jenny slightly, careful not to wake her.

Johnny set the book aside. "I'll get Chris."

Before Joanne could say anything, Johnny had shifted, moving to pick Chris up and carrying him out of the room.

"Oh, Johnny, you don't have to do that." Joanne told him.

"Don't worry about it." Johnny replied quietly. "I do this for a living, remember?"

Soon Johnny had Chris set down on his bed and covered up, seemingly without disturbing him. He ran a hand over the boy's head before coming out and closing the door behind him. "Suppose that's that. Guess I'll head home unless there's something else."

"You've done so much." Joanne told him. "More than you should."

Johnny shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I don't mind. Helps me too, you know?"

That hadn't occurred to Joanne, that being around her and the kids brought as much comfort to Johnny as his presence brought to her. "In that case, the door is always open."

Johnny smiled a little at that. "Good to know. But don't worry. I'll try not to be a pest about it."

"I promise you won't be."

Johnny took his hands out of his pockets and started down the hallway, gently placing his hands on Joanne's arms as he passed by. Soon he was at the door, getting ready to leave.

"Okay, I'm really leaving now." He told her. "Jenny starts soccer soon, right?"

"Right." Joanne replied. "I'll let you know when her first game is. And you already have Chris's schedule."

"Right, yeah." Johnny nodded before seeming to have another thought. "There is one more thing. You know the Ladies' Auxiliary fundraiser is coming up."

"Oh, that." In truth, Joanne had nearly forgotten with everything going on.

"Yeah, that." Johnny seemed to study her carefully. "If you're up to going, I'd be happy to take you."

Joanne was thrown by the offer. "Don't you have a date already?"

Johnny looked a bit embarrassed for a moment before shaking his head. "Not having a lot of luck in that area these days."

"Well, although I find that hard to believe…I will think about it."

"If you don't want to, it's okay." Johnny quickly responded. "We'll consider it a donation to a worthy cause and be done with it."

"I'll see how I feel, how about that?" Joanne told him. "Assuming you don't find someone else to go with."

Johnny looked down, a thoughtful expression on his face. Finally, he looked back up at her. "Jo, I'd be honored. Really."

Joanne took a deep breath. He was making it almost impossible for her to say no. "Well, I can hardly say no to that. I'll make arrangements for the kids, and we'll go."

Johnny beamed, nodding. "I'll look forward to it. G'night, Jo."

He pulled her into a quick hug before letting her go and heading out the door. Joanne watched as he climbed into the Rover, starting it up before lighting a cigarette and turning on the headlights.

Soon he was gone, and Joanne wondered just what she was getting herself into by accepting his invitation. She shook off the thought. It was simply a night out with a family friend, and there was no harm in that. Matter of fact, getting out of the house for an evening would probably be good for her.

And possibly, it would be good for Johnny, too.