A/N: I have never written enough of Katie and Aaron's relationship when they were younger and the only kids, but this is just a little idea that sprang into my mind :) Enjoy! xx Mariah

Ages:

Jim - 39
Melinda - 34 (4 months pregnant with Mackenzie)
Katie - 10
Aaron - 5

Jim looked down at his ten-year-old daughter as they walked down the street towards Melinda's store. They'd been silently enjoying each other's company since he picked her up from school early and after seeing the look on his little girl's face, he stopped her and kneeled down in front of her.

"What's up, Katiebug?" He asked.

Katie looked up at him with big, worried eyes identical to her mother's. "Do we have to tell mommy about what happened?" She asked softly. She furrowed her brow and looked away. "She'll be so mad at me dad! I've never gotten suspended before."

"Katie, I think your mom is going to figure out that something's up when she sees that you're home from school early and out the next two days." He laughed, shaking his at her.

"That kid was a jerk," she kicked the bench near her softly

"You still shouldn't be getting into fights at school," he reminded her.

"I know, daddy," She sighed. "And I usually I just read during recess in the library because is so cold in November, but Aaron asked me if I'd be there because of stupid Jake. He was picking on Aaron for being the shortest, so I punched him in the nose." She laughed, looking up at him then. "You should've seen him, daddy. He cried like a little baby."

"You don't have to explain it to me, bug. I saw Jake in the nurse's office with a bloody nose." He still stared her down until she stopped laughing and then he smiled. "Don't tell your mom, but I got into a few fights when I was in school defending kids against bullies."

"I won't," Katie smiled and nodded her head, readying herself to go to the store and face her mother.

He followed her, trying to keep the smile off his face. Melinda would kill him if she saw that he was smiling after their daughter got suspended for fighting, but the kid deserved it. Anyone who picked on someone for not being tall in Kindergarten deserves to be punched by his ten-year-old sister.

Katie had gotten her values from her mother, sticking up for her little brother as Melinda would for anyone.

Melinda was surprised when the door rang and revealed him and Katie. They weren't supposed to see each other until home for another couple of hours. She greeted him with a kiss and then ruffled Katie's hair as she looked at the floor. His hand found the swell of the stomach where their third child grew and she smiled at him.

"What's up with her?" She asked, hugging him briefly before turning around to look at Katie. The ten-year-old fiddled with the end of her skirt. She was wearing a sweater and a jean skirt with fleece leggings. Perfect for November and how chilly it could get. "Hey, bug. What's going on? Why are you home so early? It's barely one o'clock."

"I…" The little girl muttered, sighing before she looked up at her, her eyes calm as she told her clearly what had happened. "I got in trouble at school today mommy."

"You got in trouble?" She looked over her shoulder at Jim, clearly confused. Katie had never gotten in trouble before. Not since she would share a book with someone in Kindergarten. She bent down to look at her. "What happened, sweetie?"

Katie looked at her mother and gulped. "I got into a fight, mommy." Katie paused and then changed her story. "Well not really a fight, I just punched a kid in the nose."

"A fight? Why would you punch a kid in the nose?" Her eyes widened in surprise as she shook her head and looked at her more clearly, kneeling now. "Katiebug, what happened?"

A little pout formed on her face. "Jake was being mean," Katie explained.

"That's not how we respond to people when they are mean," she said gently. She felt him press a hand between her shoulders, offering silent support. As always, she leaned into his touch. "I'm glad that you stood up for yourself, but violence is never the answer."

"But mommy!" Katie crossed her little arms over her chest as a stubborn look came onto her face. One like hers, it made Jim smile. He bit back a chuckle; he had seen that exact look given to him by Melinda many times. "He was making fun of Aaron!

"What was he saying?" She asked.

"Mel—" But he was ignored.

"Katie, what did he say?" She asked Katie again.

Melinda always got very defensive about anything involving their kids, and even more so when it came to Aaron. She loved Katie with all her soul, but Aaron was her baby boy no matter how old he would get.

"Scott said he was stupid and that anyone shorter than a girl is dwarf. Just because he's the shortest one in his class." Katie muttered, rolling her eyes. "Like I told dad, I usually go to the library when it's cold for recess, but he asked me to keep an eye out for bullies and then I saw Jake shove him down. But I couldn't let him say or do that! So I told him to stop and when he didn't, I did what daddy always told me to do when boys mess with other people and I punched him."

She looked over her shoulder at him. With Katie standing up for Aaron, both Melinda and Jim knew that they weren't going to punish her.

Katie was very much like her mother in that way. She was always sticking up for people, no matter what. It warmed his heart to see Katie like that so early in age, even if she'd punched a kid. He felt an immense sense of fatherly pride when he thought about how Katie was just sticking up for her little brother.

"Katie, we understand why you did it, but you can't start a fight every time someone says something mean," she said softly, smiling. "The best way to handle it is to just be the bigger person, help your brother up, and walk away. That shows more strength than anything else." She pulled her close for a hug, kissing her forehead. "Thank you for sticking up for your little brother, baby girl. I know you don't like going to recess in November."

"It's just too cold mom," Katie laughed, sighing and then hugging her. "I'd much rather read."

"I know, bug." She smiled and winked at her. "I love you."

"I love you, mommy," Katie said, hugging her tightly again.

She rubbed her back, kissing her cheek then. "There's something waiting for you on my desk in the back. The green bag is yours." She whispered in her daughter's ear.

With that, Katie ran off to go and see what was waiting for her. Melinda stood and walked into her husband's arms, finally allowing her laughter to escape.

He grinned and brought his hand down to touch her, rubbing his fingers over the swell of her stomach. "What are you laughing about?"

"You told Katie to punch boys that mess with people?" Melinda smiled at him. She should've known he'd go and say something like that to her.

"Well boys that mess with her," he corrected, smiling.

Melinda laughed and kissed his cheek. "Come on, there's something special back there for you too," she said and grabbed his hand to pull him back there.

Instead, Jim pulled her close again, smiling down at her. "There's something even better right here," he whispered and pressed their lips together.