A/N: This idea has been sitting in my notes on my phone for three years haha thought I would give it a spin and see what could come of it.

Ages-

Jim - 44
Melinda - 40
Katie - 15
Aaron - 10
Mackenzie - 5

Aaron had been counting down the days until his trip with his dad to the New York Jets game. It had been on the calendar since the beginning of October when it came up in dinner conversation that Jim was given two tickets to one of their home games the weekend before Aaron's eleventh birthday, so his dad was going to take him along.

Being that it was finally December and the day before the game, he was itching at the seams for the last few hours to go by so that he could spend the whole day alone with his dad. It was hard to come by any one-on-one time when there were five people in the house, and Jim hadn't taken more than the occasional day off in a few years.

The house was crazy at this point. Everyone was doing something to prepare for the upcoming weekend. Aaron was finishing up his packing, while Mackenzie was running amuck to find the toy she wanted to have with her while she was at Delia's.

Katie was already out of the house, having traveled to a cross-country meet with her team the day prior which was where Melinda would be traveling to the next day while Jim and Aaron were at the football game.

"You excited to go to the game, bud?" Jim asked as he knocked on his son's bedroom door, pushing it open.

"Heck yeah! I've been counting down for weeks, dad." Aaron beamed, wearing his jersey already as he zipped his backpack closed. "I wish we could go now and stay for two nights."

"Yeah, that would've been fun, but I am taking your mom out tonight. I can't only spend time with you bud on my weekend off. I've got to spread it around to everyone." He said, nudging him as he sat on the edge of his bed. "We should have a couple of hours to kill before the game when we get to the city. Anything you want to do in particular?"

"We should go see the statue of liberty! It was so long ago when we went," Aaron said excitedly. "Then I can use the pictures for school on Monday. We're learning about how it was sent to us from France as a peace offering."

"We will have to go then! Maybe we can find an arcade and play some laser tag too," Jim suggested.

"Now that sounds like a fun day," Melinda's voice startled them both and Aaron ran over to hug his mother. "Already in your jersey, huh?"

"Duh! Only the best thing to wear," Aaron said with a laugh. "You look mighty pretty, mom."

"Well thanks, bud. That's awfully kind of you," Melinda said and then kissed the top of his head. "How do you think I look?"

As Aaron moved to walk past her, Jim finally got a good look at his wife and smiled. She wore a strapless dress that twirled down her body into shocks of midnight blue, whispering silver hiding amongst the indigo; as her legs peeped through slits near the bottom of the dress. Melinda had always been the most beautiful woman in the world to him, a beautiful dress on or not.

"You look magnificent," he said, taking his hands from his suit pocket to embrace her, pulling her in real close and pressing a kiss to her neck. "Like you always do."

"You are far too kind, Jim," she said, turning her head up to look at him.

Her hands slowly ran up his biceps and then over his chest before she grabbed hold of his tie and tugged him down to kiss her. As their lips met, he heard her moan so softly he wouldn't have heard it if he wasn't listening for it. He could have kissed her all night, forever if he had to, but Aaron had other plans.

Their only son loudly made his presence known by gagging as he entered his room again. "This is my room, you know." Aaron kindly reminded them as he grabbed his game boy.

"The more you complain, the more I kiss your father," Melinda said, having pulled away just slightly to narrow her eyes at the ten-year-old.

"Shouldn't we be going by now?" Aaron asked then.

As Aaron had kindly pointed out, they should be. They still needed to drop the kids off at Delia's and Jim had almost forgotten his plans to take Melinda out in the heat of the moment with her. "He has a point, you know. We are going to be late if we don't get going," he quietly reminded her then, checking his watch now and slightly separating himself from the embrace he held her in once he saw it was nearly seven. "We are gonna lose our table if we are late."

"I think we can afford another moment or two," she whispered, sealing their lips together again.

Melinda knocked on her youngest's bedroom door and pushed it open. Mackenzie was inside, talking amongst herself and her twenty-some stuffed animal friends on the floor.

"Still haven't made a decision yet?" She asked, going to sit beside the little blonde.

"No. Lamby wants to come, but so does Josie," Mackenzie said, holding up her stuffed lamb and a rather mystically colored mermaid. "I can't choose between them."

"Well, that sounds like quite the situation you've got yourself into." She said, laughing slightly at her dramatic antics playing out through her child. "Why not both? I don't think auntie Delia will mind a few extra guests," she said, running her hand through her little girl's hair.

"Are you sure, mama?" Mackenzie asked, looking over her shoulder.

"Yes. I am pretty sure," she replied while nodding. "Is there anything else you need to pack for tonight and tomorrow?"

Mackenzie eagerly jumped up and put the two stuffed animals in her backpack, looking through everything inside before zipping it. "Nope! I have everything!"

Her girl was radiant with happiness, as usual, and it made her smile with glee. "Not without your night light?" She asked, unplugging it from where she sat on the floor and holding it up to the five-year-old.

"Oh, yes. I can't forget that." Mackenzie said running over to get the little star plug-in nightlight from her hand.

"No. You can't." She reminded her as she outstretched her arm. "The last time you forgot it your dad and I had to pick you up early from your sleepover, remember? We don't want to repeat that."

"Yes. It was too scary without it, mama. There was a ghost at Sara's house," Mackenzie said, putting it in the front pocket of her backpack.

She slowly got up off the floor and grabbed the bag off her daughter's bed before picking her up and swinging her to rest against her hip. They slowly walked out of her room, flipping the light off and closing the door. "Yes. I remember very clearly, baby," she said, pressing a kiss to her girl's cheek. "But that is not going to happen tonight."

"I know, but it was so scary mama. I can still see him," Mackenzie whispered, wrapping her arms around her.

"I know. I know," she whispered, holding her daughter close and pressing another kiss to her head. "But sometimes you just have to try and remember that they may try to scare you, but they cannot hurt you. They are just as scared as you are sometimes…"

Mackenzie nodded against her shoulder, quiet. She watched as Jim slowly came out of Aaron's room, their son following behind him. He noticed her, and Mackenzie, his confusion present on his face.

"Something wrong?" Her husband mouthed.

"I will tell you later," she mouthed back before turning her attention back to Mackenzie. "But, hey… hey, tonight is going to be different. There aren't going to be any ghosts at your Auntie Delia's, but if that happens you have your big brother. Aaron will be with you and he will be able to help you."

Jim nodded and slowly guided Aaron downstairs to give them another minute alone, his voice fading as he talked to Aaron on the way down.

"How do you know that mama?" Mackenzie sniffled, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Because out of all the years I have known your Auntie Delia she has only had a few ghosts visit her… and they were all before you were born." She reassured her, winking and holding her daughter's cheek in her hand. "Okay?"

"Okay," Mackenzie said, hugging her tightly. "But if I get scared I am having aunt Delia let me call you."

"Okay, baby. That's fine with me," she said, resting her cheek on the top of her daughter's head.

After dropping their kids off and finally getting to dinner, Melinda and Jim walked side by side through the square. It was a chilly night, especially for April in Grandview and stars light the sky like snowflakes in the night, yet appear still, like an old photograph.

Melinda regretted not grabbing a coat on their way out the front door. Yet they were only a few minutes walk away from her store, so she could manage until then with Jim suit jacket around her. "Are you sure it's not too cold?"

"I at least have sleeves, you don't." He reminded her.

She smiled, feeling the wind blow her hair into a tousled mane as she wrapped herself closer to him. "I suppose that's true, but I finished the bottle of wine. I... am... pretty warm right now." She giggled.

"Are you now?" He said, plopping down on their usual bench in the middle of the square. He pulled her to sit on his lap and she wrapped her arm around his neck.

"Mmm, yes," she hummed and rubbed her nose against his cheek as she lightly pressed a kiss against his skin. "Pretty warm."

She bent her head slightly, hoping to catch his lips, to indulge at the moment. When their noses brushed ever so gently, her heart did a flip in his chest, his lips just a hair out of her touch. She felt him shiver right before his lips brushed hers– soft, was the only word invading her mind.

Jim's lips had always been soft as the petals of a flower, for there was no other way to describe his lips. She felt him pull back, almost hesitant in continuing their kiss. She chased his lips, pulling him flush against him as she grasped his face, deepening the kiss.

She tasted the whiskey he had with desert and she could feel it traveling from the tip of her tongue to her heart, setting her entire body on fire. He squeezed her closer, swallowing her moans, her hands traveling to his hair, pulling on it.

She wanted more. Her body felt alive for the first time in months, after having fallen into a very comforting pattern as a mother, business owner, and wife.

As slowly turned to straddle him more, he pulled back for air, their foreheads glued together in a silent promise. "We are in the square, remember?" He said with a slight chuckle in the back of his throat, his hand running up her back.

She laughed, "I think I am a little drunker than I realized."

"You think?" He continued to run his hand up and down her back, raising his eyebrows at her. She smiled, shivering, even with his jacket draped it over her shoulders. "Should we walk to your store? You said you wanted to grab one of your jackets."

Her small hand peaked from his jacket, "Yes, but I might need to lean on you."

"I will always be there, honey," he said, leaning up to kiss her again.

Their kiss this time was brief as he made to stand up, helping her up along the way. It was a slow walk across the stairs and to her shops' doors, taking the time to grab her keys from her and open the door.

"Do you need any help to find your jacket?" He asked as they walked inside and she flipped on the lights.

She walked a bit ahead of him stumbling into the pillar and reaching down to pull off her heels. "Damn heels," she muttered and kicked them off, but once her feet were flat on the hardwoods she let out a low moan. "My feet kill."

"Why wear those then?" he asked, walking closer to her as she leaned back against the pillar, gazing up at him.

"Because what other pair can I wear and trace up your leg under the table so well that you couldn't get up from the table because your pants were too tight?" She asked, giggling as she pulled him close to her and wrapped her leg around his waist.

He chuckled as his head dipped to kiss her neck. He left a wet trail of open mouth kisses down her neck and onto her shoulders, pulling down her dress just slightly while he whispered, "Beautiful," by her ear.

"What?" she gasped as his fingers lightly trace between her thighs.

"You...are beautiful from your head…" He nipped at her skin, a smile on his lips. "...down to your toes." He leaned over slightly and tugged on one of her big toes.

She chuckled against his chest. He trailed kisses down her chest to a nipple, licking and sucking it. "Jim," she moaned as he continued to travel lower.

He began to hike her dress up and tug her panties off, slowly pulling down her legs and off her feet. And flung them to the floor. The smell of her arousal filled the air in the room. He puts his mouth on her, licking as he ran his tongue against her. Melinda's moans grew louder and began filling the air as she reached down and grabbed at his black curls.

He groaned and she came as he brought his fingers over her as he watched her climax. "Wow," he marveled moments later. "So quick. Oh, honey, that one snuck up on you. You hardly had time to enjoy it." He rubbed her thigh soothingly.

"S'okay." Melinda laid limply against the pillar, the cool stone against her warm skin.

"No. Let's see if you can go again. All right?" Jim didn't wait for a response.

Melinda moaned as she watched him, her head lolling back on the chair. He brushed his fingers against her, dipping into the slippery wetness of her. His fingers were slick now as he brought his tongue to her warmth too.

"How does that feel, Mel?" Jim's voice was almost drowned out by the drumming of her heart. "Is that good?"

"Ahh…yess…" She gripped the corner of the front counter nearby as he stroked and played with her with his fingers and mouth.

When he gave it a gentle tug, Melinda's orgasm exploded. She felt as though she'd turned to jelly and almost melted into the floor, but Jim's arms held her steady.

She couldn't move.

Her eyelids flickered as footsteps sounded, and she looked up to see him now standing in front of her. He stared down at her, his features tight, then he lifted his hand, still wet with her essence, and brought it to his mouth. He sucked the juices off his fingers, then bent and kissed his lover possessively, open-mouthed.

She tasted herself in the kiss, along with traces of him. His fingers knotted in her hair as his tongue swept her mouth. When he pulled away, she was gasping. "Let's go into the back before I let you take me right here," she whimpered.

He chuckled, slowly picking her up and going into the back. They had a long night ahead of them.