A/N: To explain the six-year gap between Aaron and Mackenzie… sad times below but I hope you can enjoy anyway xx Mariah

Ages:

Jim - 36
Melinda - 32
Katie - 5
Aaron - 2

Jim gasped and bolted awake. He had had a nightmare, and it had been years since his last one. His hand gripped the edge of the mattress as he sat up, searching blindly for Melinda only to find himself alone.

He laid back, looking over to the bathroom to see it was dark and empty. A new wave of confusion. Where was his wife?

After nightmares, he always looked to make sure the ones he loved were alright. For his girls and son, to be sure they were fine because his worst dreams never failed to repeat themselves—losing the ones he loved.

Jim switched on the bedside lamp and pinched the bridge of his nose as he moved off the bed. He double-checked the bathroom just in case, but it was empty just like he thought. "Melinda," he called out softly as to not wake the kids up as he moved out of the room. He stepped into the dark hallway, the moonless night not helping as he walked over to their daughter's bedroom. He slipped in, seeing the five-year-old fast asleep with a teddy bear clutched to her chest. "My sweet Katiegirl," he whispered to her as he came to the side of her bed.

A small, glowing light on her nightstand illuminated her tiny face; the innocence showed on her sleeping face. The peaceful and serene dreams hopefully blocking out all of the dangers of the outside world.

Katie continued to sleep soundly as he kissed her forehead before he stood up. He moved out of the room after, quietly closing the door behind him. "Mel?" He said into the darkness, glancing down the stairs.

The first floor looked dark and quiet as he walked down, double-checking that the front door was locked. He peeked out the window and saw both of their cars in the driveway, relieved to know that she was at least still in the house.

Jim went back up the stairs to check Aaron's room next, finding the door ajar. He pushed it open a bit more to reveal Melinda, lying asleep on the lounge chair they'd recently put in there. It was normal for one of them to fall asleep with the almost three-year-old tucked in their arms.

He just couldn't remember if she'd woken him earlier tonight about one of Aaron's night terrors. They were frequent and Melinda hated it. She often found herself sleeping in his room most nights like tonight, but it hadn't happened in a few months.

Eli had told them it might be because he sensed what Melinda is going through during her dreams or visions. Jim didn't think anything of it. He didn't like the guy much. He already knew his wife was connected with their children because of their shared gift. He'd seen the way Katie experienced a haunting both with Melinda nearby and without. He'd already known the possibility of Aaron channeling any possible ghost energy.

But lately, his wife had told him not many ghosts had been coming around. She didn't know why, but there wasn't some bubbling sense of fear because of it like what had happened before, so they just lived their life as much as they could, without as many ghostly interruptions. It had been nice, but when a ghost happened to cross her path now it was a nice little mystery to puzzle through.

"Mel..." He whispered, walking over to her. "Honey?"

Melinda stirred slightly, so she must've not been here long and she looked up at him as if she was hearing his voice for the first time before smiling and relaxing back into the chair. "Hey, sorry." She whispered, rubbing his hand up Aaron's back, pressing a kiss into their son's plump cheek. "He woke me up and I read him a book. I don't remember if I finished it."

Jim kneeled in front of the chair, picking up the open book that was face down on the floor with a smile. "Probably not," he chuckled, holding it up to show her. She laughed too, sitting up and resituating Aaron in her arms. His hand moved up the inside of her thigh as he turned to look at her. "Everything okay?"

"I think there's a new ghost, but I don't know. Aaron had a night terror, but I was up in the bathroom when he found me." She sighed, her hand resting on top of his for a moment.

His wife moved to stand up and walked past him. Without a second thought, he was up and behind her. She laid Aaron in his bed, tucking him in and bending down to kiss his forehead. She stood and turned around, walking into his arms.

It was a moment before she said anything, but she spoke so quietly he might not have heard her if hadn't been listening. "I got my period Jim," she whispered and he hugged her tight against his chest. Melinda had recently missed her period by three weeks and taken a test, getting a positive result. She'd gotten so busy this week with the tourist business at the store they hadn't scheduled any appointments yet. "The test must've been wrong. I don't know..."

He swallowed thickly, holding her even closer if possible. His lips touched her forehead and his hands smoothed over her back slowly, as if he was rubbing his love into her. "Everything will be okay, I promise." He couldn't disguise the hint of tears from his voice. "We'll survive this like we always do. Should I make an appointment for you? You might just be spotting, that happened with Aaron, remember?"

Melinda sighed, looking up at him. She hated appointments like this. One's that bad news loomed over because it reminded her of all the worried-filled doctor's visits before Katie. "Yeah. Make an appointment. I could use something to drink," she muttered and slid her hands up his back, loving the feel of his bare skin under her fingers. "You wanna share a glass of wine with me?"

He smiled, his glassy with tears as he nodded to her, moving with her out of the room. The door was left ajar and in the hallway, she slipped into his arms, her arm tucked around his back. Loose strands from her braid brushed against his lips as they walked downstairs.

She went to the wine rack, pulling a white off and going to the island with two glasses. "I changed my mind," she laughed. "I want the whole thing."

He leaned onto the cool butcher block, smiling at her. "That's fine," he said, watching her spin the bottle opener into the cork.

Jim wanted to offer more words of comfort, more promises, and security. But every word felt heavy, and he relaxed by reaching out and touching her. His hand just barely grazed against her, but when he moved closer, his arm snug around her waist and wrapping his arm around his waist.

"I love you." She whispered, squeezing his forearm. Melinda poured the glasses after opening the bottle. She turned her head, kissing his bicep as his arm moved up and curled around him. "I think I'm gonna give your mom a call. It's always nice when she visits. The kids miss her," she whispered into his arm.

"I like that idea too," he whispered and rested his forehead at the top of her head. He breathed in her shampoo as she passed his glass back to him. "I'll call her in the morning."

"Okay," she said and took a sip of the wine. She pushed the cork into the bottle and held it up, seeing the small amount left. "I'll ready the guest room tomorrow and I'll make that white wine chicken and sauce you like so much so this wine doesn't go to waste."

He grinned, kissing her neck. "I love it when you make that pasta," he laughed, stopping and taking another sip of wine. He leaned into the counter neck to her, facing the opposite way. "Should I make mashed potatoes?"

"That would be a good pairing." She took another sip of wine and heard the stairs creak, looking back at Jim.

"Mommy?" Katie's little voice whispered as she came into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just fine." She smiled, walking over to her. "What's up? What are you doing up?"

Katie rubbed her eyes sleepily and hugged her. "I had a dream about you," she whispered. "I don't remember anything else. Just that it was about you and you were hurt. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine baby," she whispered, kissing her head. "I promise."

"Why are you up then?" Katie yawned, pulling back from her.

"Your brother," she whispered, squatting down to pinch her chin. "Don't worry about it, baby. Just go back to bed. You have school in the morning bug."

Katie shrugged, but she supposed her mother was right. She still sensed something though. Something wasn't right and stepped closer to her. "Would a hug help? I can tell you're sad, mommy. I know I like hugs when I'm sad."

Melinda squeezed her tightly, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Thank you," she whispered to her. "Do you want me to tuck you in?"

"I'm okay," Katie said, she ran over to Jim, hugging him tightly. He was leaned up against the fridge now and had snuck her candy from her Halloween bag on top of the fridge. "I love you too, daddy."

"I love you, bug," he whispered and kissed her forehead. "Sleep tight."

Katie ran off and up the stairs as Melinda came back to him, taking a sip of her wine and setting the glass back on the counter. "I love you," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him. "I love our family and I thank you every day for giving me our two perfect kids."

Her words brushed his ears, and then he swooped her into his arms and carried her to their room, resting her on the bed while he went to shut the door.

"Jim," she called for him just as his fingers brushed against the knob. "Do you want to keep trying if we aren't? Because I don't know if I can do this. I can't... lose another. I don't want to do that to kids."

He shut the door then and turned around. Her face was so vulnerable, the traces of tears on her skin, the bloodshot eyes. His heart broke a little bit more for the love of his life. He walked to the bed and kissed her tenderly, sitting down next to her.

"More than anything," he whispered and then rose an eyebrow, smiling at her. "But if you want to stop, I understand. I wouldn't want to do that to the kids either. Or to you. There are other ways to expand our family."

He kissed her neck, sucking at the pulse point. She gasped, fisting his hair as her hips ground into him and she turned her head to meet his mouth with hers.

After a short kiss, Melinda pulled back and smiled at him. "I could use some cheering up though," she smirked.

"Well, I am an expert at that my love," he said and grabbed her hips, pulling her closer and lying on top of her. His lips touched her neck as she wrapped her arms around her neck, giggling. He loved her so much.