A/N: In honor of my little sisters birthday, I thought a birthday chapter would be a good idea. Also, it gave me a chance to explore something with Katie. There is also a little tie as to how Melinda got pregnant in chapter thirty and some tie-ins to the show. Enjoy! xx Mariah

Ages:

Jim - 36
Melinda - 33
Katie - 7
Aaron - 3

"Mom!" Katie called out, dropping her backpack on the shelf just inside the door and changing into her house shoes.

Her mom had a thing about anyone walking into the house with their outside shoes on. So, it's automatic for me to take her shoes off the moment she walked in the house. She pulled on her slipper socks by the door.

"I'm in here, Katie," Her mother said from the kitchen. "Just try and be a little quieter. Your brother is still napping. I'm trying to drag it out until four if I can."

"Sorry," she whispered and came into the kitchen. "Hi, mom. I missed you." Her mother was standing at the island peeling potatoes for dinner and was wearing the most beautiful dress. It was a berry purple. The sleeves hung gently around her elbows and the bottom of the dress stopped near her knees. The sash ribbon in the middle was held with a tiny flower pin and her neck held a beautiful gold necklace. "Why are you cooking? It's your birthday!"

"It's no big deal. I'm the same person I was yesterday bug," Her mother said and there was a smile in her voice that made Katie's heart soar. "Thank you for remembering."

Her mom always carried this cloud of happiness everywhere she went and recently Katie learned that she and her brother were responsible for most of it, but then again she was genuinely a very happy and loving person

Her dad, on the other hand, was generally even-tempered, heroic and upbeat. They seemed like complete opposites and yet they complemented each other perfectly. If Dad was energy and light, Mom was the planet around which he revolved – solid, heavy and with a powerful pull.

Her mom took over where she left off while she uncovered the meat that was marinating in the metal baking pan beside her.

"I learned something really interesting in school today. Remember when I told you we were studying history about our town?" She told her, unzipping her backpack as she set it on a clear part of the island.

"I remember," her mother responded softly, covering the tin again and going back to peel potatoes.

At this point, her father walked into the kitchen carrying a white box and a brown paper bag that he set right next to her mother. From the raised eyebrow and sudden twinkle in her eyes, Katie would bet anything that her father had picked up the famous cheese buns from Rose's for her.

"Remember what?" Jim said as he kissed her mother's forehead before setting the box carefully on the counter.

"Well, I was telling mom all about how in school we are learning about Grandview the other day." She grinned excitedly, opening her Social Studies folder.

Her mother ran water through the potatoes in the strainer when she looked over at her, catching the grim set of her lips.

Melinda remembered their discussion well – the discovery, the sickness, and the St. Agnes church that the preacher locked all these people up in, after which she said she didn't want to hear any more. Katie still wondered why. Maybe she'd had to cross over a ghost from there before she was born or something.

"Katie…" Her father said in a warning tone. "I don't think-"

"Don't worry, I won't talk about the church anymore, but did you know that your birthday falls on the same day as the official discovery of Grandview?" She said excitedly.

"Really?" Mom says, her brown eyes bright with curiosity almost despite before.

"Yeah! Mom, your birthday is synonymous with the beginning and construction of this town. Isn't that just the coolest?" She purposefully imitated Mr. Lowell's nasally accent as he made this grand statements about great moments in history earlier that day.

Her mother chuckled even though she did not like that her daughter was making fun of someone. "Very cool," Melinda winked at her. "Let's get back to cooking, my little history buff." Melinda rubbed her back softly. "Will you grab the mixer? I'll let you help mash the potatoes once they soften." Her mother brought the potatoes to the boiling pot and when Melinda looked over her shoulder she was already digging through the cupboard under the island for it.

"You know, they still prefer you at bedtime over me," Melinda said walking into the bedroom with Jim and unzipping her dress.

Jim looked over at her from his closet to met her eyes. "Yeah, right," he scoffed lowering his head in doubt, returning his gaze back to his closet where he finally changed from his scrubs into his pajamas.

"Seriously, that over there," she gestured with her hand towards their kids' rooms, "That was just all show." She unclipped her bra and felt his eyes on her as she pulled out a pair of shorts and a tank top. "The past two nights they missed you since you were working the overnight shift."

"Really?" He asked and pulled back the comforter.

"Are you kidding me? All evening it was 'when is Daddy coming home?' and 'do it the way Daddy does' and 'Daddy does it better'." She laughed and then slipped on her clothes. He looked over at her in disbelief, unsure if she was just saying so to make him feel better. "It's true," she shrugged before getting into bed and wrapping her hands around him. "Listen, I know I sometimes give you a hard time about all the hours you put in at the hospital." Jim arched an eyebrow in her direction as turned on the tv to flip through the channels. "Fine. I give you crap a lot of the time, but you have to understand I know why you do it. Even though that place takes you away from us more than I'd like, in the end I know it's all for us."

"It is all for you," he whispered, muting the tv. "To give us a life to live with our family."

"You're a good man, Jim, and an even greater father. We just miss you." She looked down at the bed as she settled back into her pillows and with a muffled voice said, "I miss you. So much Jim. I never see you anymore between everything with the store, the house, and the kids."

"I know and that's why I want to make it up to you, to all of you. I feel like I've missed out on so much this last year. I feel like I've let you down by not being there when I should have." He released a shaky breath and bit down on his bottom lip, attempting to stop the tears that threaten to fall from the corners of his eyes. He grasped her hand with his, capturing her attention in a serious and determined stare. "Mel, I won't make that mistake again. I promise. Happy Birthday..."

Melinda looked down to see a white box in his hand, no longer able to meet his gaze. She cocked her head to the side curiously as he gestured with his chin.

"What's in the package?" She asked with a smile.

"Open it, Mel," he said, placing the box in her hands. "For me?"

"You know you don't have to get me anything," she said, unwrapping the ribbon from the package with a smirk. "It's just another day Jim."

"Come on, it's not just another day to me. I love you and the day you were born matters," he said as she pulled the ribbon. "Oh yes, open it."

"I love them," she looked at the earrings and smiled at him. "They're beautiful. Thank you." She combed her fingers through his hair and kissed him softly, her hand touching his face softly as she pulled away and looked at him. She set the earrings on the side table and settled into his arms, her head comfortably on his chest. "So what are we watching?"

"I don't know... wanna find a movie?" He said softly.

"Hey... what's the matter?" She asked, looking up at him.

"I just... I feel like you deserve more. You deserve a husband that's home every day at normal hours." He sighed, kissing her forehead. "I know you understand and the money is worth it, but is it?"

"Jim, don't." She replied, rubbing his side. "I love you and your crazy hours. You've always had them, even before the kids."

"Yeah, I know." He whispered. "But still, you deserve to have someone there with the kids and you more."

"And you deserve a normal wife that doesn't see ghosts," she muttered.

"I never said that," he said. "I love your gift..."

"Just like I never said that I wanted a husband that's home more. I love you. I love your crazy hours and job because you love it and it's what you want to do." She sat up, straddling him and holding his face in her hands. "The look on your face when you told me how you saved that three boy's life today makes all the downsides worth it because one day you'll be the top man at that place. And on that day, you'll be able to be home with us every day at normal hours."

Jim sighed, his eyes fluttering shut as she started to press a trail of soft kisses along his neck. His shoulders. His arms.

The stifling feeling of regret that for so long had followed him started to loosen its hold over his conscience and the tension in his muscles began to melt away. Her fingers soon take the place of her lips as she rubbed soothing strokes up his forearm, coaxing his hand to let go of the remote. The corners of his mouth twitched into a grin as he leaned forward to comply, but his eyes shot open the moment he felt a damp heat at his fingertips.

"Mel," he gasped, quirking an eyebrow in her direction as she ran his fingers up and down the seam of her shorts. "What are you doing?" He hissed under his breath, attempting to pull his hand away but failing when her grip on his wrist tightened. He looked at her with wide eyes. "What about the kids?"

"The kids are asleep," she answered in a low, sultry voice. He sucked in a breath slowly and he groaned as she pressed his palm flat against her, the heat from her arousal seeping through her panties and onto warm his fingertips. "And like I said, they're not the only ones who've missed you."

With that, he pressed his lips against her. No longer able to contain the desire, he had to show her just how much he missed her too.

"Jim! What are you doing?" She gasped as he quickly pushed her underneath him.

"It's your birthday," he said as he lowered himself against her. "And I'm just finishing what you started." Her entire body shuddered when he ran his palms up the insides of her thighs, his fingers fanning out to spread her legs open slowly as a devilish grin overtakes his face. "Now, if this is going to work, you need to be quiet. Can you do that?"

She nodded furiously and sucked in her bottom lip between her teeth. She knew he loved it when she did that. The small and innocent gesture never failed to send a primal urge to claim her rushing through his veins. He reached up with one hand to tug down the elastic waistband of her shorts but paused for a moment to place an open-mouthed kiss over the wet fabric, eliciting a whimper from her.

If she wasn't already dripping wet, Jim knew from that sound and the tremor in her voice, that she sure as hell was now. It boosted his ego knowing that after thirteen years to know he still had this effect on her and that she still craved him as much as he craved her.

He stripped off her shorts and panties with one quick motion and didn't waste time tossing her legs over his shoulders as he positioned his face between her thighs. The muscles in her stomach clenched and her belly button dipped as she sucked in a breath slowly.

Knowing an impatient moan might spring him into action, she let one out, her legs shaking with anticipation.

It sparked him enough as he leaned forward and swiped the flat of his tongue along her folds. With two fingers, he spread her, revealing her swollen center that he greedily latched onto.

"Oh, Jim!" She gasped, leaning into him as he circled the tip of his tongue around and around at a dizzying pace. "Mmm right there Jim."

Spurred on by her more than enthusiastic response, he released one of his hands and draped it across her stomach, holding her in place. He sucked, licked and teased her until her thighs began to shake against the sides of his face. Knowing that she was teetering on the edge, just moments away from falling apart, he released his hold on her and reached up beneath her tank top to toy with her breasts.

With the added sensation as he rolled one nipple between his fingers, her head pushed into the pillow and she came with a shuddering moan. He chuckled as her hand snuck around to grasp his hair and hold him in place. He continued to lavish her as she rode out the aftershocks of her orgasm. The muscles of her legs went still before she slumped into the bed and peered down at him. He placed one last lingering kiss on her center before pulling away, unable to contain the grin that was stretching across his face.

He snuck a hand behind her neck to draw her in, closing the distance between them to capture her e in a kiss, but the moment their lips touched and his body moved up to her level, a loud thud followed by an ear-piercing wail filled the air.

With a heavy sigh and an unimpressed frown, she reached down to retrieve her shorts off the floor, but Jim rose to his feet and stopped her, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"I'll handle it," he said, smiling. "I'll be back in a sec."

"You sure?" She asked, settling back into bed.

"Positive..." He said, pressing a kiss to her lips.

He walked away and reached the doorway of her room, he looked back as he adjusted the tent in his pants.

"What do you think about adding another Clancy to the bunch?" He asked, leaning against the doorway.

"I don't know... don't you think we have enough on our plate with those two?" She asked, eyeing him with a smile.

"It was just a thought," he said, shrugging. "I think we'd be fine."

"Maybe," she said, smiling at him. "Yes. We can talk about it. Just promise me something?"

"Anything," he says as Aaron made an appearance behind him, his little hands wrapping around his father's waist. Jim picked him up and wiped his tears away. "Did you fall out of bed, buddy?"

"Can I sleep with you and mommy, daddy…?" Aaron sniffled, lying his little head on his shoulder.

"Not tonight buddy," he said, kissing his cheek. "Let's go put you back to bed. I'll read you a book to help you fall asleep."

"Okay daddy," the three-year-old whispered sleepily, waving halfheartedly to his mother who had pulled on her robe before getting out bed. "Hi, mommy."

"Hi baby," she whispered, kissing his cheek. "I'm sorry you fell. We'll have to get one of those guards, Jim. This is like the fourth time this week."

"Yeah. We'll get one for him in the morning," he said, his hand winding around her waist as he kissed her cheek. He started to walked away, but turned around. "Hey, what did you want to tell me?"

"Just try and be home more if you can," she said softly and he nodded before turning to leave.

"Don't you dare move an inch. I'm not done with you yet." He said, looking over at her before pulling the door closed behind him.